AC 6481 - Opulence and Eminence

AC 6481

. . . the Divine Providence has for its end 
the eternal salvation of man, 
thus not his good fortune in this world, 
namely, his opulence and eminence, 
wherein most persons during the life of the body 
make happiness itself consist; 
when yet the fact is not so, 
for eminence usually begets the love of self, 
and opulence the love of the world, 
thus what is contrary 

to love to God and to charity toward the neighbor. 
Therefore such things are given to the evil, 
and also to the good 
if they are not unsuitable 
and do not withdraw them from heaven. 
Moreover the Lord provides for His ends 
through the evil equally as through the good; 
for the Lord moves the evil through their very loves 
to do what is good to the neighbor, 
to their country, and the church; 
for the evil desire to be in eminence, 
they desire their own advantage, 
and for the sake of these things 
they desire to seem upright and zealous, 
and from this desire, as from a fire, 
they are more strongly moved to do such things 
than are the well-disposed.