{1} Therefore
their wealth in heaven is such as their uses were in the world, and
such, too, are their delight and happiness. Good uses are providing
oneself and one's own with the necessaries of life; also desiring
wealth for the sake of one's country and for the sake of one's
neighbor, whom a rich man can in many ways benefit more than a poor
man. These are good uses because one is able thereby to withdraw his
mind from an indolent life which is harmful, since in such a life
man's thoughts run to evil because of the evil inherent in him. These
uses are good to the extent that they have the Divine in them, that
is, to the extent that man looks to the Divine and to heaven, and
finds his good in these, and sees in wealth only a subservient good.
{Footnote 1} Every good has its delight from use and in
accordance with use (n. 3049, 4984, 7038); also its quality;
and in consequence such as the use is such is the good (n.
3049). All the happiness and delight of life is from uses (n.
997). In general, life is a life of uses (n. 1964). Angelic
life consists in the goods of love and charity, thus in
performing uses (n. 454).
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