not any image of the Divine. That such is the case, has also been proved to me by experience.
That self-love is the opposite of neighborly love, may be seen from the origin and essence of both. The love of the neighbor with him who is in self-love, commences from self,—for he insists that every one is neighbor to himself,—and from self as its centre, proceeds to all who make one with himself, with diminution according to the degrees of conjunction with him by love. And they who are out of that association, are made no account of. And they who are opposed to him and his friends, and to their evils, are regarded as enemies, whether they be wise or upright, sincere or just, or whatever be their character.
But spiritual love toward the neighbor commences from the Lord; and from him as the centre it proceeds to all those who are conjoined to Him by love and faith, and is exercised toward all according to the quality of their love and faith.
Hence it is evident that the neighborly love which commences from man, is the opposite of that which commences from the Lord; and that the former proceeds from evil, because from the proprium of man; but the latter proceeds from good, because from the Lord who is Good Itself. It is also evident that the love of the neighbor which proceeds from man and his proprium is corporeal, but that which proceeds from the Lord is heavenly.
