man is hereditarily influenced by hatred against his neighbor: for every man is born into the love of self and of the world; wherefore he conceives hatred, and is from it inflamed against all who are not at one with him, and do not favor him, especially against those who oppose his evil inclinations."[1]
Understanding these things, our eyes will be now open to the danger we are all in, of breaking the Commandment, "Thou shalt not kill." For, as before shown, he breaks it who cherishes feelings of hatred; and we are all inclined by nature to such feelings, because we are all born with self-love in our hearts—and self-love is essential hatred. Just in the degree that a person loves himself, just in that degree he despises and hates his neighbor. This hatred does not generally appear either to ourselves or others: it lies still at the bottom of the heart, like a tiger in his den. We seem to entertain a kindly feeling enough towards people. But only let some provocation, some opposition be offered, which touches our self-love—and that tiger spirit springs forth in an instant, and glares through the eyes, and throws blood into the face, and bursts forth from the. lips. Ah! is not "the heart of man deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked"? It is only because men do not study themselves, that they have no idea how evil their nature is. But they will know in the next world: there all these things will be brought out; there the heart will be laid bare, and, as it were, be held up to view. But, alas! it will then be too late to change it. The only safe
- ↑ Ap. Ex., n. 1015—16.
