the
densely dark body that is there in the place of the sun of the world,
and is diametrically opposite to the sun of heaven, which is the Lord
(see above, n. 123). "Thick darkness" signifies evil, and the "sun of
the world" the love of self.{1}

{Footnote 1} "The sun of the world" signifies the love of self
(n. 2441). In this sense "to worship the sun" signifies to
worship those things that are antagonistic to heavenly love and
to the Lord (n. 2441, 10584). "The sun's growing hot" means an
increasing lust of evil (n. 8487).

562. The evils of those who are in the love of self are, in general,
contempt of others, envy, enmity against all who do not favor them,
and consequent hostility, hatred of various kinds, revenge, cunning,
deceit, unmercifulness, and cruelty; and in respect to religious
matters there is not merely a contempt for the Divine and for Divine
things, which are the truths and goods of the church, but also
hostility to them. When man becomes a spirit this hostility is turned
into hatred; and then he not only cannot endure to hear these truths
and goods mentioned, he even burns with hatred against all who
acknowledge and worship the Divine. I once talked with a certain
spirit who in the world had been a man in authority, and had loved
self to an unusual degree; and when he simply heard some one mention
the Divine, and especially when he heard him mention the Lord, he was
so excited by hatred arising from anger as to burn with the desire to
kill; and when the reins of his love were loosened he wished to be
the devil himself, that from his love of self he might continually
infest heaven. This is the desire also of some of the Papist religion
when they perceive in the other life that the Lord has all power and
they have none.

563. Certain spirits were seen by me in the western quarter towards
the south, who said that they had been in positions of great dignity
in the world, and that they deserved to be more highly esteemed than
others and to rule over others. Their interior character was explored
by angels, and it was found that in their offices in the world they
had not looked to uses but to themselves, and thus that they had set
themselves before uses. But as they were very eager and importunate
to be set over others they were allowed to associate with those who
were consulting about matters of great importance; but it was
perceived that they were unable to give any thought to the busine