with Him, and with his neighbor or
against his neighbor. He can also will and do what he thinks; and when
he sees evil and fears punishment, by virtue of freedom he can refrain
from doing. By these two capacities man is man and is distinguished
from the beasts. Man has these twin powers from the Lord, and they are
from Him every moment; nor are they ever taken away, for if they were,
man's humanity would perish. The Lord is in these two powers with
every man, with the evil as well as the good. They are His
abiding-place in the race. Thence it is that every human being, evil
as well as good, lives to eternity.

--_Divine Love and Wisdom, n._ 240

THE DRAG OF HEREDITY

Man inclines to the nature he derives hereditarily, and lapses into
it. Thus he strengthens any evil in it, and also adds others of
himself. These evils are quite opposed to the spiritual life. They
destroy it. Unless, therefore, a man receives new life from the Lord,
which is spiritual life, he is condemned; for he wills nothing else
and thinks nothing else than concerns him and the world.

--_Heavenly Doctrine, n._ 176

LOVES OF SELF AND THE WORLD

The reason why the love of self and the love of the world are infernal
loves, and yet man has been able to come into them, and thus to ruin
will and understanding in him, is as follows: By creation the love of
self and the love of the world are heavenly loves; for they are loves
of the natural man serving his spiritual loves, as a foundation does a
house. From the love of self and the world, a man wishes well by his
body, desires food, clothing and habitation, takes thought for his
household, seeks occupation to be useful, wishes also for obedience's
sake to be honored according to the dignity of the thing he does, and
to be delighted and recreated by the pleasures of the world;--yet all
this for the sake of the end, which must be use. By this a man is in
position to serve the Lord and to serve the neighbor. But when there
is no love of serving the Lord and the neighbor, but only a love of
serving oneself at the world's hands, then from being heavenly that
love becomes infernal, for it causes a man to sink mind and character
in his _proprium_, or what is his own, which in itself is the whole of
evil.

--_Divine Love and Wisdom, n._ 396

THE NEED FOR SELF-ACTION

No one can cleanse himself of evils by his own power and abilities;
but neither can this be done without the power and abilities of t