404. But a person assumes a totally different state, if the love of the world or wealth makes up the head, if, that is, this is the dominant love. For then the love of heaven is banished from the head and transfers itself to the body. A person in this state puts the world before heaven; he may worship God, but as the result of a purely natural love, which sees merit in every act of worship; he may also do good to the neighbour, but for the sake of what he gets in return. What belongs to heaven is to these people like robes, in which they walk in splendour to men's eyes, but in drab attire to the eyes of angels. For when the love of the world occupies the internal man, and the love of heaven the external, then the love of the world darkens everything to do with the church and hides it as if behind a veil.
[2] There is, however, a great deal of variation in this love. It is worse the more it tends to avarice; in this case the love of heaven turns black. It is much the same if it tends to pride and ambition to dominate others as the result of self-love. It is different, however, if it tends towards prodigality; this is less harmful, if it aims at worldly splendour, such as palaces, ornaments, fine clothes, servants, horses and carriages for show and such like. The quality of any love is determined by the end which is its aim and purpose.
This love can be likened to a blackened crystal which chokes the light, and does not break it up into colours, except dull and fleeting ones. It is also like mist and clouds, which take away the radiance of the sun. Or it is like new unfermented wine, which, for all its sweet taste is bad for the stomach. Such a person, seen from heaven looks like a hunchback, walking with his head bowed to the ground; and when he lifts it to the sky, he wrenches his muscles, and quickly reverts to his downward gaze. The ancients in the church called such people by the name of Mammon and the Greeks by the name of Pluto.
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