6391. And he shall see rest that it is good. That this signifies the works of good without reward, that they are full of happiness, is evident from the signification of “rest,” as being the things that belong to heaven, and thus that are in the good of charity, or in works of good, without reward (of which below); from the signification of “that it is good,” as being that they are full of happiness. The reason why “rest” denotes works of good without reward, is that in the highest sense “rest” or “peace” signifies the Lord; in the relative sense, heaven; thus the good which is from the Lord (see n. 3780, 4681, 5662); and as no others are in the things signified by “rest” or “peace” than those who are in good of charity, thus in works of good without reward, these are signified by “rest;” for this follows from the connection of things in the internal sense.

[2] With regard to the subject itself, they who do goods with the sole end of reward cannot possibly know that in doing goods without any reward there is happiness so great as to be heavenly happiness itself. The reason of their ignorance is that they perceive happiness in the delight of the love of self, and insofar as a man perceives delight in this love, so far he does not perceive delight in heavenly love, for they are opposites. The delight which flows from the love of self completely extinguishes the delight which is from heavenly love, insomuch that it is absolutely unknown what heavenly delight is; and if its nature is told it is not believed, nay, it is denied.

[3] This it has been given me to know from evil spirits in the other life who, while they lived, did nothing of what is good to others or to their country except for the sake of themselves; such do not believe that any delight is possible in doing goods without the end of reward; for they suppose that if there is no end of reward all delight ceases. And if they are told further that when that delight ceases heavenly delight begins, they are amazed at the hearing; and they are still more amazed when they hear that this heavenly delight flows in through the inmost of man, and affects his interiors with inexpressible happiness; and they say that they cannot comprehend it, nay, that they do not desire to do so; for they believe that if they were to lose the delight of the love of self, they would be very miserable, because they would then be deprived of all the joy of life; and they also call those simple who are in a different state. Not unlike these persons are those who do works with an end of reward; for they do good works for themselves, and not for others, because they regard themselves therein, and not the neighbor, nor their country, nor heaven, nor the Lord, except as those who are thus placed under an obligation to do them a service. Such are the things described in the internal sense of this verse about Issachar.