10309. The man who shall make like unto it, to make an odor with it. That this signifies the imitation of Divine worship by means of the affections of truth and good from what is man’s own, is evident from the signification of “making like it,” as being the imitation of Divine worship, for by “making” is signified imitating, and by the “incense” of which this is said, is signified Divine worship, as above; and from the signification of “making an odor,” as being to please, and as this is done by means of the affections of truth and good, these are what are signified by “pleasing,” for “odor” denotes the perceptivity of what is grateful, thus what is pleasing (see n. 10292). That it denotes from what is man’s own is evident, because it is said, “the man who shall make like unto it shall be cut off from his peoples.” For that is from man’s own which is not from the affection of truth and good for the sake of truth and good, but for the sake of self; and to do anything for the sake of self is to do it for the sake of profit, honors, and reputation, as ends; and not for the sake of the salvation of the neighbor and the glory of the Lord; hence it is from evil and not from good; or what is the same, it is from hell and not from the Lord. This therefore is what is meant by the imitation of Divine worship by means of the affections of truth and good from what is man’s own, which is signified by “making incense like unto it, to make an odor with it.” Accordingly, those who do this are those who love the world more than heaven, and themselves more than God. Moreover, when such persons think inwardly, or by themselves, they do not believe anything about heaven and the Lord; but when they think out of themselves, as is the case when they speak before men, they then speak of heaven and the Lord from greater affection and faith than others, and this in proportion as they are inflamed by self-advantage, honors, and reputation. Their state then is that they are inwardly black and outwardly white, that is, they are devils in the form of angels of light; for the interiors which should be open to heaven are closed, and the exteriors which are open to the world are open; and if then from an affection as it were of love they raise their eyes and hands to heaven, they are nevertheless like effigies made by art, and such they appear to the angels. And if you are willing to believe it, there are many such in hell, who are present with and inspire men of like character, especially preachers, who imitate Divine worship by means of affections of truth and good from their own; which also is permitted by the Lord, because in this way they too perform a use; for good men nevertheless receive the Word from them well, because from whatever mouth the Word comes, it is received by a man according to the quality of his good. But such external things, being pretenses, are stripped off them in the other life; and then their spirit appears black, as it had been in the body.