DP 206
A person's own prudence
springs from his native character,
which is his nature and is called his hereditary soul.
This native character is a love of self
and a resulting love of the world,
or a love of the world and a resulting love of self.
It is the nature of a love of self
to regard itself alone,
and to view others as either inferior or of no account.
If it regards some people as having some value,
it does so only as long
as it is honored and cultivated by them.
Inmostly in that love -
like the endeavor in a seed
to produce fruit and reproduce itself -
lies hidden the wish to become great,
and if possible king,
and if possible then God.
That is the character of a devil,
because a devil is the love of self personified.
He is by nature disposed to adore himself
and to show no one any favor
but one who adores him, too.
He hates any other devil of a like character,
because he wishes himself alone to be adored.
Since no love can exist without its
partner,
and the partner of the love or will in a person
is called the intellect,
therefore when a love of self
inspires its love into its partner the intellect,
it becomes there conceit,
which is a pride in its own intelligence.
This is the origin of a person's own prudence.
DP 207
The origin and nature of Divine providence:
Divine providence is the Divine operation in a person
who has set aside love of self.
For a love of self is, as we said, the devil,
and its lusts and their delights
are the evils of its kingdom, which is hell.
When this love has been set aside,
the Lord enters
with the affections of a love for the neighbor,
and He opens the window overhead
and then the windows to the sides,
and enables the person to see that there is a heaven,
a life after death, and eternal happiness.
And by the spiritual light flowing in,
and at the same time spiritual love,
He causes the person to acknowledge
that by His Divine providence
God governs all things.
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