s. Uses are clearly seen as if
they were in light, but the gold and silver are seen obscurely, and
comparatively as if in shade. This is because while they were in the
world they loved uses, and loved gold and silver only as means and
instruments. It is the uses that are thus resplendent in heaven, the
good of use like gold and the truth of use like silver.{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). The ends that man has in view, which
are uses, are the only things that the Lord, and thus the
angels, consider (n. 1317, 1645, 5844). The kingdom of the Lord
is a kingdom of uses (n. 454, 696, 1103, 3645, 4054, 7038).
Performing uses is serving the Lord (n. 7038). Everyone's
character is such as are the uses he performs (n. 4054, 6315);
illustrated (n. 7038).

362. But the lot of the rich that have not believed in the Divine,
and have cast out of their minds the things pertaining to heaven and
the church, is the opposite of this. Such are in hell, where filth,
misery, and want exist; and into these riches that are loved as an
end are changed; and not only riches, but also their very uses, which
are either a wish to live as they like and indulge in pleasures, and
to have opportunity to give the mind more fully and freely to
shameful practices, or a wish to rise above others whom they despise.
Such riches and such uses, beca