3530. THAT MUTUAL LOVE IN HEAVEN IS TO LOVE THE NEIGHBOR BETTER THAN ONE'S SELF. This may be seen in shadow from true conjugial love, in that a husband loves his partner better than himself; that he will undergo death for her; that he will lay out upon her all his goods; that he will give to her rather than [take for] himself. So also from the love of parents towards their children, as it is known to everyone, that a mother will suffer hunger herself rather than that her infant shall go without food. The beasts and birds, in like manner, are more solicitous for their offspring than for themselves. Thus too from true friendships, when one will die for his friend, and will serve him in every way before himself. So likewise from common civility, which draws its origin from this source, and in which mutual love is externally evinced by giving better portions, dishes, c., to another, and taking the poorer to one's self. And finally from deposits and loans, when those that are upright will guard and preserve what belongs to their neighbor more carefully than they do what is their own. - 1748, October 10. The same thing appears from the nature of love, which is such that it wishes to give itself to others, and its joy is to serve another and not itself: when there are many such there is mutual love, for what is similar is reciprocal. But they cannot receive this who love themselves supremely, or who are greedy of lucre, least of all the avaricious. Thus is the Lord [in his love] shadowed forth. These things are said in the presence of spirits.