d in a
blessedness resulting from the good thereby accomplished, they are
astonished like one who has found out something quite foreign to his
belief; and since they are not receptive of that joy they go away and
ally themselves with spirits of their own kind that have lived in the
world a life like their own. [2] But those who have lived an
outwardly holy life, constantly attending church and praying and
afflicting their souls, and at the same time have thought constantly
of themselves that they would be esteemed and honored for all this
above others, and finally after death would be accounted saints--
such in the other life are not in heaven because they have done all
this for the sake of themselves. And as they have defiled Divine
truths by the self-love in which they have immersed them, some of
them are so insane as to think themselves gods; and are consequently
in hell among those like themselves. Some are cunning and deceitful,
and are in the hells of the deceitful. These are such as by means of
cunning arts and devices have maintained such pious conduct as
induced the common people to believe that they possessed a Divine
sanctity. [3] Of this character are many of the Roman Catholic
saints. I have been permitted to talk with some of them, and their
life was then plainly disclosed, such as it had been in the world and
as it was afterwards. All this has been said to make known that the
life that leads to heaven is not a life withdrawn from the world, but
a life in the world; and that a life of piety separated from a life
of charity, which is possible only in the world, does not lead to
heaven; but a life of charity does; and a life of charity consists in
acting honestly and justly in every employment, in every business,
and in every work, from an interior, that is, from a heavenly,
motive; and this motive is in that life whenever man acts honestly
and justly because doing so is in accord with the Divine laws. Such a
life is not difficult. But a life of piety separate from a life of
charity is difficult; and as much as such a life is believed to lead
towards heaven so much it leads away from heaven.{1}

{Footnote 1} A life of piety separated from a life of charity
is of no avail, but united with charity it is profitable for
all things (n. 8252, 8253). Charity to the neighbor consists in
doing what is good, just, and right in every work and in every
employment (n. 8120-8122). Charity to the neighbor takes