6073. What are your works? That this signifies about services and uses, is evident from the signification of “works,” as being goods (n. 6048), thus services and uses, for these are goods. All the goods which are called goods of charity are nothing but uses, and uses are nothing but works for the neighbor, for our country, for the church, for the Lord’s kingdom. Moreover regarded in itself charity itself does not become charity until it comes into act and becomes work. For to love anyone, and not do him good when we have the power, is not to love him; but to do him good when we have the power, and to do it from our hearts, this is to love him; and then all things of charity toward him are contained within the very deed or work; for a man’s works are the complex of all things of his charity and faith, and are what are called spiritual goods, and indeed become goods by exercise, that is, by means of uses.

[2] As the angels who are in heaven are in good from the Lord, they long for nothing more than to perform uses. These are the very delights of their life, and it is also according to uses that they enjoy bliss and happiness (see n. 453, 454, 696, 997, 3645), which likewise the Lord teaches in Matthew:

The Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and then shall He render to everyone according to his works (Matthew 16:27);

by “works” here are not meant works such as they appear in the outward form, but such as they are in their inward form, namely, such as is the charity contained in them; the angels regard works in no other way.

[3] And because a man’s works are the complex of all things of his charity and faith, and the life causes charity to be charity and faith to be faith, thus good, therefore the Lord loved John more than the rest of His disciples, and he lay on His breast at supper (John 21:20); for by him were represented the goods or works of charity (see pref a (2760) ces to Genesis 18 and 22); for which reason also the Lord said unto him, “Follow Me,” and not to Peter, by whom was represented faith (see the s ame prefaces (2760)). Wherefore faith, which is “Peter,” said with indignation, “Lord, what shall this man do? Jesus said unto him, If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou Me” (John 21:21-23). By this was also foretold that faith would despise works, and yet that these are near the Lord, as may also be clearly seen from the Lord’s words to the sheep and to the goats (Matthew 25:34-46), wherein nothing but works are recounted. And that faith would reject the Lord is evident from the representation by Peter when he denied Him thrice; that he did this at night, signifies the last time of the church, when there is no longer any charity (see n. 6000); that he did it thrice signifies that this condition is then complete (n. 1825, 2788, 4495, 5159); that it was before the cock crew, signifies before newness of the church would arise, for the twilight and morning which follow the night signify the first of the church (n. 2405, 5962).

3646. With brute animals the case is similar to what it is with men in respect to influxes and correspondences, namely, that with them there is an influx from the spiritual world and an afflux from the natural world by which they are held together and live; but the very operation exhibits itself in different ways in accordance with the forms of their souls and thence of their bodies. The case is as with the light of the world, which flows into various objects of the earth in a like degree and manner, and nevertheless acts diversely in different forms, producing beautiful colors in some, and colors not beautiful in others. So when spiritual light flows into the souls of brutes, it is received altogether differently, and thus actuates them differently from what it does when it flows into the souls of men.

[2] For the latter are in a higher degree, and in a more perfect state, and are such that they can look upward, thus to heaven and to the Lord, and therefore the Lord can adjoin them to Himself, and give them eternal life; but the souls of brutes are such that they cannot do otherwise than look downward, thus to earthly things alone, and therefore can be adjoined solely to such things; wherefore also they perish together with the body. The ends are what show the quality of the life which man has; and the quality of the life which beasts have. Man is able to have spiritual and heavenly ends; he may see them, acknowledge them, believe them, and be affected with them, whereas beasts can have no other than natural ends. Thus man is able to be in the Divine sphere of ends and uses which is in heaven and which constitutes heaven; but beasts cannot be in any other sphere than that of earthly ends and uses. Ends are nothing but loves, for that which is loved is regarded as the end.

[3] The reason why very many men do not know how to distinguish between their life and the life of beasts, is that they in like manner are in external things, and at heart are solely concerned about earthly, bodily, and worldly objects; and such persons believe themselves to be like the beasts in respect to life also, and suppose that after death they will be dissipated like them; for as to what spiritual and celestial things are they know not, because they care not. Hence comes the insanity of our age, in that men compare themselves to brute beasts and do not see the internal distinction; but he who believes in celestial and spiritual things, or suffers spiritual light to flow in and act, sees altogether differently, and likewise how far he is above brute animals. But the life of brute animals will of the Lord’s Divine mercy be treated of separately.