d, as necessary to this end, that
man's understanding can be raised above his proper love into some light of
wisdom in the love of which the man is not, and that he can thereby see
and be taught how he must live if he would come also into that higher
love, and thus enjoy eternal happiness. But by the misuse of this power
to elevate the understanding above his proper love, man has subverted in
himself that which might have been the receptacle and abode of the Lord
(that is, of love and wisdom from the Lord), by making the will an abode
for the love of self and the world, and the understanding an abode for
whatever confirms those loves. From this it has come that these two abodes,
the will and understanding, have become abodes of infernal love, and by
confirmations in favor of these loves, abodes of infernal thought, which
in hell is esteemed as wisdom.

396. The reason why the love of self and love of the world are infernal
loves, and yet man has been able to come into them and thus subvert the
will and understanding within him, is as follows: the love of self and
the love of the world by creation are heavenly loves; for they are loves
of the natural man serviceable to spiritual loves, as a foundation is to
a house. For man, from the love of self and the world, seeks the welfare
of his body, desires food, clothing, and habitation, is solicitous for
the welfare of his family, and to secure employment for the sake of use,
and even, in the interest of obedience, to be honored according to the
dignity of the affairs which he administers, and to find delight and
refreshment in worldly enjoyment; yet all this for the sake of the end,
which must be use For through these things man is in a state to serve the
Lord and to serve the neighbor. When, however, there is no love of serving
the Lord and serving the neighbor, but only a love of serving himself by
means of the world, then from being heavenly that love becomes hellish,
for it causes a man to sink his mind and disposition in what is his own,
and that in itself is wholly evil.

397. Now that man may not by the understanding be in heaven while by the
will he is in hell, as is possible, and may thereby have a divided mind,
after death everything of the understanding which transcends its own love
is removed; whereby it comes that in everyone the will and understanding
finally make one. With those in heaven the will loves good and the
understanding thinks truth; but with those in