It is
self-evident that with such persons there is no purpose, intention, or
end, of what is good or chaste, that they may be exculpated, and no
separation of evil from good, or of what is unchaste from what is
chaste, that they may be purified, as in the case of those who from
fornication look to conjugial love, and give the latter the preference,
(concerning whom, see the foregoing article, n. 452). The above
observations I am allowed to confirm by this new information from
heaven: I have met with several, who in the world had lived outwardly
like others, wearing rich apparel, feasting daintily, trading like
others with money, borrowed upon interest, frequenting stage
exhibitions, conversing jocosely on love affairs as from wantonness,
besides other similar things: and yet the angels charged those things
upon some as evils of sin, and upon others as not evils, and declared
the latter guiltless, but the former guilty; and on being questioned why
they did so, when the deeds were alike, they replied, that they regard
all from purpose, intention, or end, and distinguish accordingly; and
that on this account they excuse and condemn those whom the end excuses
and condemns, since all in heaven are influenced by a good end, and all
in hell by an evil end; and that this, and nothing else, is meant by the
Lord's words, _Judge not, that ye be not judged_, Matt.
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