Conjugial Love #365

365. 5. The zeal of a good love harbors in its inner aspects friendship and love, but the zeal of an evil love harbors in its inner aspects hatred and vengeance. We said that zeal appears in outward respects like anger and rage, both in those who are prompted by a good love and in those who are prompted by an evil love. But because the internal elements are different, so also their expressions of anger and rage are different; and the differences are as follows:

1. The zeal of a good love is like a heavenly flame, which never leaps out to attack another, but only defends itself - defending itself against an evil assailant in much the same way as when such a one rushes at fire and is burned; whereas the zeal of an evil love is like a hellish flame, which spontaneously leaps out and rushes upon another and tries to devour him.

2. The zeal of a good love immediately dies down and softens when the other desists from the attack; whereas the zeal of an evil love persists and is not extinguished.

3. The reason for this is that the internal element in one who is prompted by a love of good, is, in itself, gentle, mild, friendly and kind. Consequently, even when, to protect itself, the external element hardens, stiffens, bristles, and so acts harshly, still it is tempered by the goodness which moves its internal element. Not so in evil people. In them the internal element is hostile, savage, harsh, seething with hatred and vengeance, and it feeds on the delights of those emotions. And even if it is appeased, still those emotions lie concealed within, like fires smoldering in the wood beneath the ash; and if these fires do not break out in the world, nevertheless they do after death.

365. (5) That the zeal of good love, in its internals, conceals love and friendship; but that the zeal of evil love in its internals conceals hatred and vindictiveness. It was said that in externals zeal appears as anger and wrath, both with those who are in good love and with those who are in evil love. But as internals differ, their anger and wrath also are different; and are as follows. (1) The zeal of good love is as a heavenly flame which never breaks forth upon another, but only defends itself, and it defends itself against evil, as when one rushes into the fire and is burned up; but the zeal of an evil love is as an infernal flame which bursts forth out of itself and attacks, and would consume the other. (2) The zeal of good love instantly burns away and grows gentle, when the other withdraws from the attack; but the zeal of an evil love persists, and is not extinguished. (3) The reason is that the internal of him who is in the love of good in itself is mild, gentle, friendly, and benevolent; and therefore, while the external for the purpose of defending itself becomes rough, harsh, erect, and so acts with severity, yet it is tempered from the good in which its internal is. With the evil it is otherwise. With them the internal is hostile, fierce, hard, breathing hatred and vindictiveness, and nurtures itself from their delights. And though reconciled these still lie hidden, like fire in wood beneath the ashes. And these fires break forth, if not in this world, yet after death.