10775. Those whose thought about Divine Providence stems from worldly considerations conclude on the basis of these that it operates in merely a general way and that details are left to the individual. But they do not know the arcana of heaven; for nothing other than self-love and love of the world, and the pleasures associated with these, govern them in the conclusions they draw. Consequently when they see bad people rather than good being raised to important positions and acquiring wealth, and also see that the designs of bad people meet with success, they say in their heart that none of this would happen if Divine Providence were in fact present within every single thing. But they do not take into consideration the truth that Divine Providence does not regard that which is brief and transient and comes to an end with a person's life in the world; rather it regards that which remains forever and so does not come to an end. That which does not come to an end has real existence, whereas that which does come to an end, in comparison, lacks it.