AC 1964 - The End Must Being Useful

 AC 1964

When Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.
(Genesis 16:16)

As in this chapter the subject treated of
is a person's rational,
and as there is described
the quality of the rational
when constituted solely of truths,
and also when of goods and of truths
derived from goods,
be it known that the rational cannot possibly be
conceived and born, that is, formed,
apart from knowledges
but these knowledges must have use as their end,
and when they have use,
they have life as their end,
for all life belongs to uses,
because it belongs to ends,
and therefore unless knowledges are learned
for the sake of a life of uses,
they are of no moment, because of no use.

From these knowledges alone, without a life of use,
the rational becomes as here described,
resembling a wild-ass, morose, pugnacious,
and characterized by a parched and dry life,
from a kind of love of truth
that is defiled with the love of self.
But when these knowledges have use as their end,
they receive life from uses,
yet life of such a quality as is that of the uses.
They who learn knowledges
in order that they may be perfected in the faith of love -
for true and real faith is love to the Lord
and toward the neighbor -
are in the use of all uses,
and receive spiritual and celestial life from the Lord;
and when they are in this life,
they have a capacity to perceive
all things of the Lord's kingdom.
In this life are all angels;
and because they are in this life
they are in intelligence itself and wisdom itself.