even wishes to be worshiped himself as a god. Hence, then, it follows, that he who loves himself above all things, worships other gods than the Lord. It is the same, though in a less degree, with one who loves the world. By the love of self is understood especially the love of ruling over others from the sole delight of rule, and for the sake of eminence, and not from the delight of uses, nor for the sake of the public good: and by the love of the world is understood especially the love of possessing worldly property for the mere delight of possession, and for the sake of wealth, and not from the delight of uses arising from them, nor for the good which may thus be done."[1]
"He," continues the New Church Doctrine, "who supposes that he acknowledges and believes that there is a God, before he abstains from the evils mentioned in the Decalogue, and especially from the love of ruling grounded in the mere delight of rule, and from the love of possessing worldly property grounded in the mere delight of possession, and not in the delight of uses—is much deceived. However much a man may confirm himself in the belief that there is a God, from the Word, from preachings, from books, and from the light of reason, and may thence persuade himself that he believes,—nevertheless he does not believe, if the evils arising from the love of self and of the world are not removed. The reason is, because evils and their delights stand in the way and keep back the good affections and their delights which flow in from heaven, and thus intercept that internal con-
- ↑ Apocalypse Explained, n. 950.
