January 28, 2017

Uses - Simultaneously, One Within the Other

Excerpt from a Memorable Relation ~ Emanuel Swedenborg
... the beginning and growth of wisdom ... various observations respecting its progress ... as that wisdom with the angels has no limit or end, but grows and increases to eternity
The Seat of Wisdom is in Use
"Man as first created was imbued with wisdom and its love, not for his own sake, but that he might communicate it from himself to others. Therefore it is written in the wisdom of the wise that no one is wise or lives for himself alone, but for others also; whence comes society, which otherwise could not exist. Living for others is being useful. Uses are the bonds of society; these bonds are as many as there are good uses, and in number uses are infinite.
  • (1) There are spiritual uses, which pertain to love of God and love to the neighbor
  • (2) There are moral and civil uses, which pertain to love of the society and community in which a man lives, and of the companions and citizens with whom he lives
  • (3) There are natural uses, which pertain to the love of the world and its necessities
  • (4) There are bodily uses, which pertain to the love of self-preservation for the sake of higher uses.
All these uses are inscribed on man, and follow in order one after another, and when they exist simultaneously one is within the other. Those who are in the first mentioned uses, which are spiritual, are also in those that follow, and such are wise; but those who are not in the first, but are in the second and from these in the subsequent ones, are not so wise, but only seem to be so because of their outward morality and right civil life. Those who are not in the first and second, but are in the third and fourth, are anything but wise, for they are satans, loving the world only, and loving themselves because of the world. Those who are only in the fourth class of uses are the least wise of all, for they are devils, since they live for themselves alone, or if for others, it is solely on account of themselves.

Furthermore, every love has its own delight, for thereby love lives; and the delight of the love of uses is a heavenly delight, which enters the subsequent delights in order, and according to their order of succession exalts them and renders them eternal."

(True Christian Religion 746)