The Neighbor ~'The Object of Charity'

Selection from Divine Wisdom ~ Emanuel Swedenborg

The Lord is the source of charity, and the neighbour is the object of it. It is clear from what was said in the article [posted below], that the Lord is the source "from which" the love of uses, or charity, is and comes forth.

The reason the neighbour is the object of it, is because it is towards the neighbour that one ought to have charity, and to him that charity is to be performed.

As the neighbour is said to be the object of charity, it should be stated, too, what and who the neighbour is. The neighbour in a broad sense is the "general body of people or mankind" (commune seu Publicum): in a less broad sense it is the Church, one's country, a society, larger or smaller: and in a narrow sense it is a fellow-citizen, a companion and a brother. Performing uses to these from love is exercising charity towards the neighbour, for he who from love performs uses to them, is loving them.

The reason he is loving them is because the love of uses and the love of the neighbour cannot be separated.

Indeed, from a love of uses, or from charity, a man can do good to an enemy or to a wicked person, but the uses he performs to them are uses to bring about their repentance or their reconciliation, these uses varying in character, and being effected in various ways:

• Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
• Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
• But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
• That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
• For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
• And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
• Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

(Matthew 5:25; 43-48; see also Luke 6:27, 28, 35)

(Divine Wisdom II:131:2)

The Love of Uses is Charity

Selection from Apocalypse Explained ~ Emanuel Swedenborg

LOVE AND CHARITY

The love of uses is charity. In each and all things there are these three: an end, a cause, and an effect. The end is that "from which it originates" (a quo): the cause is that "by means of which it comes into existence" (per quod): and the effect is that "in which it has existence" (in quo).

When an end, by means of a cause, is in its effect, it then has existence.

In every love and in every affection from it, there is an end, and this end purposes or desires to do what it loves, and the thing done is its effect.

• The Lord is the End "from which"

• Man is the cause "by means of which"

• and Use is the effect "in which" the end has existence.

• The Lord is the End "from which," because out of His Divine Love He unceasingly purposes or wills to do uses, that is, goods to mankind

• Man is the cause "by means of which," because a man is, or can be, in the love of uses, and when in that love, he purposes or wills to do uses

• and Uses are the effects "in which" the end has existence; uses are the things that are also called "goods".

This shows clearly that the love of uses is the charity a man ought to have towards his neighbour.

That there is an end, a cause, and an effect in each and all things can be tested by anything whatever: as, for instance, when a man is doing something, he will say either to himself or to some one else, or some one else will say to him, Why are you doing that? that is, what is your "end" (or purpose): How do you do that? that is, by what "cause" (or means): and, What are you doing? that is, what is the "effect."

The end, the cause and the effect are also termed "the end-cause" (causa finalis), "the middle cause" and "the thing caused";

it is by reason of a law in regard to causes that "the end" is the all in the cause, and thereby the all in the effect, the "end" being the very essence of them both.

Similarly the Lord, because He is "the End," is the All in the love of uses, or charity, with a man, and thereby He is the All in the uses done by him, that is, in the uses done by means of him. From this is the belief in the Church that all good is from God and none from man; and that God is Good Itself. It follows as a consequence, therefore, that exercising charity is doing uses, or the goods that are uses; and so, that the love of uses is charity.

(Divine Wisdom XI:1,2)

Coming Forth Into Act

Excerpt from Apocalypse Explained ~ Emanuel Swedenborg

He that hath My commandments and doeth them, he it is that loveth Me. But he that loveth Me not keepeth not My words (John 14:21, 24).

The affections of good and truth that are from that love must needs come forth in act, and when they come forth they are called uses, and are what are meant by good works.

(Apocalypse Explained 826:2)