Conjugial Love # 363

363. 4. The zeal of a good love and the zeal of an evil love are in outward respects alike, but in inward respects entirely unalike. Zeal in everyone appears in outward respects like anger and rage; for it is love on fire and in flames to protect itself against a transgressor and drive him away.

The reason the zeal of a good love and the zeal of an evil love appear alike in outward respects is that, in either case, when love is in a state of zeal, it blazes. However, in a good person it does so only in its outward elements, whereas in an evil person it does so in both its outward and inward ones. And when the inward elements are not seen, in outward respects the two kinds of zeal appear alike.

But it will be seen under the next heading that they are entirely unalike in inward respects.

Confirmation that zeal appears in outward respects like anger and rage can be seen and heard from the manner of all who speak and act out of zeal. Consider, for example, the manner of the priest when he preaches out of zeal - how the tone of his voice is loud, vehement, sharp and severe; how his face grows warm and perspires; how he raises himself up, pounds the pulpit, and calls up fire from hell against evildoers. There are many other examples as well.

363. (iv) The zeal of a good love and the zeal of an evil love resemble each other in externals but are utterly unlike in internals. Outwardly in any one, zeal has the appearance of anger and wrath. For it is love incensed and inflamed to protect itself from a violator and to ward him off. The zeal of a good love and the zeal of an evil love appear alike in externals because love, when in zeal, blazes in either case. With the good man it blazes only in externals, with the evil man in internals as well as in externals; but as internals are not seen, the two zeals look the same in externals. How utterly unlike they are in internals, will be seen in the following number. The resemblance of zeal to wrath and anger in externals is plain to see and hear in all who speak and act from it, as for example, in a priest exhorting from zeal - the sound of his voice is loud, vehement, sharp and harsh, his face heats and perspires, he throws himself into his sermon, beats the pulpit, and invokes fire from hell against evil doers. Other examples could be given.