Above, in treating of heaven it has been everywhere shown (especially
in n. 2-6) that the God of heaven is the Lord, thus that the whole
government of the heavens is the Lord's government. And as the
relation of heaven to hell and of hell to heaven is like the relation
between two opposites which mutually act contrary to each other, and
from the action and re-action of which an equilibrium results, which
gives permanence to all things of their action and reaction, so in
order that all things and each thing may be kept in equilibrium it is
necessary that He who rules the one should rule the other; for unless
the same Lord restrained the uprisings from the hells and checked
insanities there the equilibrium would perish and everything with it.
537. But something about that equilibrium shall first be told. It is
acknowledged that when two things mutually act against each other,
and as much as one reacts and resists the other acts and impels,
since there is equal power on either side, neither has any effect,
and both can then be acted upon freely by a third. For when the force
of the two is neutralized by equal opposition the force of a third
has full effect, and acts as easily as if there were no opposition.
[2] Such is the equilibrium between heaven and hell. Yet it is not an
equilibrium like that between two bodily combatants whose strength is
equal; but it is a spiritual equilibrium, that is, an equilibrium of
falsity against truth and of evil against good. From hell falsity
from evil continually exhales, and from heaven truth from good. It is
this spiritual equilibrium that causes man to think and will in
freedom; for whatever a man thinks and wills has reference either to
evil and falsity therefrom or to good and truth therefrom. [3]
Therefore when he is in that equilibrium he is in freedom either to
admit or accept evil and its falsity from hell or to admit or accept
good and its truth from heaven. Every man is held in this equilibrium
by the Lord, because the Lord rules both heaven and hell. But why man
is held in this freedom by such an equilibrium, and why evil and
falsity are not taken away from him and good and truth implanted in
him by Divine power will be told hereafter in its own chapter.
538. A perception of the sphere of falsity from evil that flows forth
from hell has often been granted me. It was like a perpetual effort
to destroy all that is good and true, combined with anger and a kind
of fury at not being able to do so, especially an effort to
annihilate and destroy the Divine of the Lord, and this because all
good and truth are from Him. But out of heaven a sphere of truth from
good was perceived, whereby the fury of the effort ascending from
hell was restrained. The result of this was an equilibrium. This
sphere from heaven was perceived to come from the Lord alone,
although it appeared to come from the angels in heaven. It is from
the Lord alone, and not from the angels, because every angel in
heaven acknowledges that nothing of good and of truth is from
himself, but all is from the Lord.
539. In the spiritual world truth from good is the source of all
power, and falsity from evil has no power whatever. This is because
the Divine Itself in heaven is Divine good and Divine truth, and all
power belongs to the Divine. Falsity from evil is powerless because
truth from good is the source of all power, and in falsity from evil
there is nothing of truth from good. Consequently in heaven there is
all power, and none in hell; for everyone in heaven is in truths from
good, and everyone in hell is in falsities from evil. For no one is
admitted into heaven until he is in truths from good, neither is any
one cast down into hell until he is in falsities from evil, (That
this is so can be seen in the chapters treating of the first, second,
and third states of man after death, n. 491-520; and that all power
belongs to truth from good can be seen in the chapter on the power of
angels in heaven, n. 228-233.)
540. Such, then, is the equilibrium between heaven and hell. Those
who are in the world of spirits are in that equilibrium, for the
world of spirits is midway between heaven and hell. From the same
source all men in the world are kept in a like equilibrium, since men
in the world are ruled by the Lord by means of spirits in the world
of spirits, as will be shown hereafter in its own chapter. No such
equilibrium would be possible unless the Lord ruled both heaven and
hell and regulated both sides. Otherwise falsities from evil would
preponderate, and would affect the simple good who are in the
outmosts regions of heaven, and who can be more easily perverted than
the angels themselves; and thereby equilibrium would perish, and with
it freedom in men.
541. Hell, like heaven, is divided into societies, and into as many
societies as there are in heaven; for every society in heaven has a
society opposite to it in hell, and this for the sake of equilibrium.
But evils and falsities therefrom are what distinguish the societies
in hell, as goods and truths therefrom are what distinguish the
societies in heaven. That for every good there is an opposite evil,
and for every truth an opposite falsity may be known from this, that
nothing can exist without relation to its opposite, and what anything
is in kind and degree can be known from its opposite, and from this
all perception and sensation is derived. For this reason the Lord
continually provides that every society in heaven shall have an
opposite in some society of hell, and that there shall be an
equilibrium between the two.
542. As hell is divided into the same number of societies as heaven,
there are as many hells as there are societies of heaven; for as each
society of heaven is a heaven in smaller form (see above, n. 51-58),
so each society in hell is a hell in smaller form. As in general
there are three heavens, so in general there are three hells, a
lowest, which is opposite to the inmost or third heaven, a middle,
which is opposite to the middle or second heaven, and a higher, which
is opposite to the outmost or first heaven.
543. How the hells are ruled by the Lord shall be briefly explained.
In general the hells are ruled by a general outflow from the heavens
of Divine good and Divine truth whereby the general endeavor flowing
forth from the hells is checked and restrained; also by a particular
outflow from each heaven and from each society of heaven. The hells
are ruled in particular by means of the angels, to whom it is granted
to look into the hells and to restrain insanities and disturbances
there; and sometimes angels are sent to them who moderate these
insanities and disturbances by their presence. But in general all in
the hells are ruled by means of their fears. Some are ruled by fears
implanted in the world and still inherent in them; but as these fears
are not sufficient, and gradually subside, they are ruled by fears of
punishments; and it is especially by these that they are deterred
from doing evil. The punishments in hell are manifold, lighter or
more severe in accordance with the evils. For the most part the more
wicked, who excel in cunning and in artifices, and who are able to
hold the rest in subjection and servitude by means of punishments and
consequent terror, are set over them; but these governors dare not
pass beyond the limits prescribed to them. It must be understood that
the sole means of restraining the violence and fury of those who are
in the hells is the fear of punishment. There is no other way.
544. It has been believed heretofore in the world that there is one
devil that presides over the hells; that he was created an angel of
light; but having become rebellious he was cast down with his crew
into hell. This belief has prevailed because the Devil and Satan, and
also Lucifer, are mentioned by name in the Word, and the Word in
those places has been understood according to the sense of the
letter. But by "the devil" and "Satan" there hell is meant, "devil"
meaning the hell that is behind, where the worst dwell, who are
called evil genii; and "Satan" the hell that is in front, where the
less wicked dwell, who are called evil spirits; and "Lucifer" those
that belong to Babel, or Babylon, who would extend their dominion
even into heaven. That there is no one devil to whom the hells are
subject is evident also from this, that all who are in the hells,
like all who are in the heavens, are from the human race (see n.
311-317); and that those who have gone there from the beginning of
creation to this time amount to myriads of myriads, and everyone of
them is a devil in accord with his opposition to the Divine while he
lived in the world (see above, n. 311, 312).
545. LVII. THE LORD CASTS NO ONE INTO HELL; THE SPIRIT CASTS HIMSELF
DOWN.
An opinion has prevailed with some that God turns away His face from
man, casts man away from Himself, and casts him into hell, and is
angry with him on account of his evil; and some believe also that God
punishes man and does evil to him. In this opinion they establish
themselves by the sense of the letter of the Word, where such things
are declared, not knowing that the spiritual sense of the Word, by
which the sense of the letter is made clear, is wholly different; and
consequently that the genuine doctrine of the church, which is from
the spiritual sense of the Word, teaches otherwise, namely, that God
never turns away His face from man, and never casts man away from
Himself, that He casts no one into hell and is angry with no one.{1}
Everyone, moreover, whose mind is enlightened perceives this to be
true when he reads the Word, from the simple truth that God is good
itself, love itself, and mercy itself; and that good itself cannot do
evil to any one, and love itself and mercy itself can not cast man
away from itself, because this is contrary to the very essence of
mercy and love, thus contrary to the Divine Itself. Therefore those
who think from an enlightened mind clearly perceive, when they read
the Word, that God never turns Himself away from man; and as He never
turns Himself away from him He deals with him from goodness, love,
and mercy, that is, wills good to him, loves him, and is merciful to
him. And from this they see that the sense of the letter of the Word,
in which such things are declared, has stored up within itself a
spiritual sense, and that these expressions that are used in the
sense of the letter in accommodation to man's apprehension and
according to his first and general ideas are to be explained in
accordance with the spiritual sense.
{Footnote 1} In the Word anger and wrath are attributed to the
Lord, but they are in man, and it is so expressed because such
is the appearance to man when he is punished and damned (n.
798, 5798, 6997, 8284, 8483, 8875, 9306, 10431). Evil also is
attributed to the Lord, although nothing but good is from Him
(n. 2447, 6071, 6991, 6997, 7533, 7632, 7679, 7926, 8227, 8228,
8632, 9306). Why it is so expressed in the Word (n. 6071, 6991,
6997, 7632, 7643, 7679, 7710, 7926, 8282, 9010, 9128). The Lord
is pure mercy and clemency (n. 6997, 8875).
546. Those who are enlightened see further that good and evil are two
opposites, and are therefore opposed as heaven and hell are, and that
all good is from heaven and all evil from hell; and as it is the
Divine of the Lord that makes heaven (n. 7-12), nothing but good
flows into man from the Lord, and nothing but evil from hell; thus
the Lord is continually withdrawing man from evil and leading him to
good, while hell is continually leading man into evil. Unless man
were between these two, he could have no thought nor any will, still
less any freedom or any choice; for all these man has by virtue of
the equilibrium between good and evil; consequently if the Lord
should turn Himself away, leaving man to evil alone, man would cease
to be man. All this shows that the Lord flows into every man with
good, into the evil man as well as the good; but with the difference
that the Lord is continually withdrawing the evil man from evil and
is continually leading the good man to good; and this difference lies
in the man himself, because he is the recipient.
547. From this it is clear that it is from hell that man does evil,
and from the Lord that he does good. But man believes that whatever
he does he does from himself, and in consequence of this the evil
that he does sticks to him as his own; and for this reason man is the
cause of his own evil, and in no way the Lord. Evil in man is hell in
him, for it is the same thing whether you say evil or hell. And since
man is the cause of his own evil he is led into hell, not by the Lord
but by himself. For so far is the Lord from leading man into hell
that it is He who delivers man from hell, and this He does so far as
man does not will and love to be in his own evil. All of man's will
and love continues with him after death (n. 470-484). He who wills
and loves evil in the world wills and loves the same evil in the
other life, but he no longer suffers himself to be withdrawn from it.
If, therefore, a man is in evil he is tied to hell, and in respect to
his spirit is actually there, and after death desires nothing so much
as to be where his evil is; consequently it is man who casts himself
into hell after death, and not the Lord.
548. How this comes about shall also be explained. When man enters
the other life he is received first by angels, who perform for him
all good offices, and talk with him about the Lord, heaven, and the
angelic life, and instruct him in things that are true and good. But
if the man, now a spirit, be one who knew about these things in the
world, but in heart denied or despised them, after some conversation
he desires and seeks to get away from these angels. As soon as the
angels perceive this they leave him. After some interaction with
others he at length unites himself with those who are in evil like
his own (see above, n. 445-452). When this takes place he turns
himself away from the Lord and turns his face towards the hell to
which he had been joined in the world, in which those abide who are
in a like love of evil. All this makes clear that the Lord draws
every spirit to Himself by means of angels and by means of influx
from heaven; but those spirits that are in evil completely resist,
and as it were tear themselves away from the Lord, and are drawn by
their own evil, thus by hell, as if by a rope. And as they are so
drawn, and by reason of their love of evil are eager to follow, it is
evident that they themselves cast themselves into hell by their own
free choice. Men in the world because of their idea of hell are
unable to believe that this is so. In fact, in the other life before
the eyes of those who are outside of hell it does not so appear; but
only so to those who cast themselves into hell, for such enter of
their own accord. Those who enter from a burning love of evil appear
to be cast headlong, with the head downwards and the feet upwards. It
is because of this appearance that they seem to be cast into hell by
Divine power. (But about this more will be said below, n. 574.) From
all this it can be seen that the Lord casts no one into hell, but
everyone casts himself into hell, both while he is living in the
world and also after death when he comes among spirits.
549. The Lord from His Divine Essence, which is goodness, love, and
mercy, is unable to deal in the same way with every man, because
evils and their falsities prevent, and not only quench His Divine
influx but even reject it. Evils and their falsities are like black
clouds which interpose between the sun and the eye, and take away the
sunshine and the serenity of its light; although the unceasing
endeavor of the sun to dissipate the opposing clouds continues, for
it is operating behind them; and in the meantime transmits something
of obscure light into the eye of man by various roundabout ways. It
is the same in the spiritual world. The sun there is the Lord and the
Divine love (n. 116-140); and the light there is the Divine truth (n.
126-140); black clouds there are falsities from evil; the eye there
is the understanding. So far as any one in that world is in falsities
from evil he is encompassed by such a cloud, which is black and dense
according to the degree of his evil. From this comparison it can be
seen that the Lord is unceasingly present with everyone, but that He
is received variously.
550. Evil spirits are severely punished in the world of spirits in
order that by means of punishments they may be deterred from doing
evil. This also appears to be from the Lord; and yet nothing of
punishment there is from the Lord, but is from the evil itself; since
evil is so joined with its own punishment that the two cannot be
separated. For the infernal crew desire and love nothing so much as
doing evil, especially inflicting punishments and torment upon
others; and they maltreat and inflict punishments upon everyone who
is not protected by the Lord. When, therefore, evil is done from an
evil heart, because it thereby discards all protection from the Lord,
infernal spirits rush upon the one who does the evil, and inflict
punishment. This may be partly illustrated by evils and their
punishments in the world, where the two are also joined. For laws in
the world prescribe a penalty for every evil; therefore he that
rushes into evil rushes also into the penalty of evil. The only
difference is that in the world the evil may be concealed; but in the
other life it cannot be concealed. All this makes clear that the Lord
does evil to no one; and that it is the same as it is in the world,
where it is not the king nor the judge nor the law that is the cause
of punishment to the guilty, because these are not the cause of the
evil in the evil doer.
551. LVIII. ALL WHO ARE IN THE HELLS ARE IN EVILS AND IN FALSITIES
THEREFROM DERIVED FROM THE LOVES OF SELF AND OF THE WORLD.
All who are in the hells are in evils and in falsities therefrom, and
no one there is in evils and at the same time in truths. In the world
evil men for the most part have some knowledge of spiritual truths,
which are the truths of the church, having been taught them from
childhood and later by preaching and by reading the Word; and
afterwards they have talked about them. Some have even led others to
believe that they are Christians at heart because of their knowing
how to talk with pretended affection in harmony with the truth, also
how to act uprightly as if from spiritual faith. But those of this
class whose interior thoughts have been hostile to these truths, and
who have refrained from doing the evils that were in harmony with
their thoughts only because of the civil laws, or with a view to
reputation, honors, and gain, are all of them evil in heart, and are
in truths and goods not in respect to their spirit but only in
respect to their body; and consequently, when their externals are
taken away from them in the other life, and their internals which
pertain to their spirit are revealed, they are wholly in evils and
falsities, and not at all in truths and goods; and it is thus made
clear that truths and goods resided only in their memory merely as
things known about, and that they brought them forth therefrom when
talking, putting on a semblance of good seemingly from spiritual love
and faith. When such are let into their internals and thus into their
evils they are no longer able to speak what is true, but only what is
false; since they speak from evils; for to speak what is true from
evils is then impossible, since the spirit is nothing but his own
evil, and from evil what is false goes forth. Every evil spirit is
reduced to this state before he is cast into hell (see above,
n. 499-512). This is called being vastated in respect to truths and
goods.{1} Vastation is simply being let into one's internals, that
is, into what is the spirit's own, or into the spirit itself (see
above, n. 425).
{Footnote 1} Before the evil are cast down into hell they are
devastated of truths and goods, and when these have been taken
away they are of themselves carried into hell (n. 6977, 7039,
7795, 8210, 8232, 9330). The Lord does not devastate them, but
they devastate themselves (n. 7643, 7926). Every evil has in it
what is false; therefore those who are in evil are also in
falsity, although some do not know it (n. 7577, 8094). Those
who are in evil must needs think what is false when they think
from themselves (n. 7437). All who are in hell speak falsities
from hell (n. 1695, 7351, 7352, 7357, 7392, 7689).
552. When man after death comes into this state he is no longer a
man-spirit, as he was in his first state (of which above, n.
491-498), but is truly a spirit; for he is truly a spirit who has a
face and body that correspond to his internals which pertain to his
mind, that is, has an external form that is a type or effigy of his
internals. A spirit is such after he has passed through the first and
second states spoken of above; consequently when he is looked upon
his character is at once known, not only from his face and from his
body, but also from his speech and movements; and as he is then in
himself he can be nowhere else than where his like are. [2] For in
the spiritual world there is a complete sharing of affections and
their thoughts, and in consequence a spirit is conveyed to his like
as if of himself, since it is done from his affection and its
delight. In fact, he turns himself in that direction; for thus he
inhales his own life or draws his breath freely, which he cannot do
when he turns another way. It must be understood that this sharing
with others in the spiritual world is effected in accordance with the
turning of the face, and that each one has constantly before his face
those who are in a love like his own, and this in every turning of
the body (see above, n. 151) [3] In consequence of this all infernal
spirits turn themselves away from the Lord toward the densely dark
body and the dark body that are there in place of the sun and moon of
this world, while all the angels of heaven turn themselves to the
Lord as the sun of heaven and as the moon of heaven (see above,
n. 123, 143, 144, 151). From all this it is clear that all who are in
the hells are in evils and in falsities therefrom; also that they are
turned to their own loves.
553. All spirits in the hells, when seen in any light of heaven,
appear in the form of their evil; for everyone there is an image of
his evil, since his interiors and his exteriors act as a one, the
interiors making themselves visible in the exteriors, which are the
face, body, speech and movements; thus the character of the spirit is
known as soon as he is seen. In general evil spirits are forms of
contempt of others and of menaces against those who do not pay them
respect; they are forms of hatreds of various kinds, also of various
kinds of revenge. Fierceness and cruelty from their interiors show
through these forms. But when they are commended, venerated, and
worshiped by others their faces are restrained and take on an
expression of gladness from delight. [2] It is impossible to describe
in a few words how all these forms appear, for no one is like
another, although there is a general likeness among those who are in
the same evil, and thus in the same infernal society, from which, as
from a plane of derivation, the faces of all are seen to have a
certain resemblance. In general their faces are hideous, and void of
life like those of corpses; the faces of some are black, others fiery
like torches, others disfigured with pimples, warts, and ulcers; some
seem to have no face, but in its stead something hairy or bony; and
with some only the teeth are seen; their bodies also are monstrous;
and their speech is like the speech of anger or of hatred or of
revenge; for what everyone speaks is from his falsity, while his tone
is from his evil. In a word, they are all images of their own hell.
[3] I have not been permitted to see what the form of hell itself in
general is; I have only been told that as the entire heaven in one
complex reflects a single man (n. 59-67), so the entire hell in one
complex reflects a single devil, and might be exhibited in an image
of a single devil (see above, n. 544). But the forms of particular
hells or infernal societies I have often been permitted to see; for
at their entrances, which are called the gates of hell, a monster
commonly appears that represents in a general way the form of those
within. The fierce passions of those who dwell there are represented
at the same time in horrible and hideous ways that I forbear to
describe. [4] But it must be understood that this is the way infernal
spirits appear in the light of heaven, while among themselves they
appear as men. This is of the Lord's mercy, that they may not appear
as loathsome to one another as they appear before the angels. But
this appearance is a fallacy, for as soon as any ray of light from
heaven is let in, their human forms appear changed into monstrous
forms, such as they are in themselves (as has been described above).
For in the light of heaven everything appears as it is in itself. For
this reason they shun the light of heaven and cast themselves down
into their own light, which is like that from lighted coals, and in
some cases like that from burning sulphur; but this light also is
turned into mere thick darkness when any light from heaven flows in
upon it. This is why the hells are said to be in thick darkness and
in darkness; and why "thick darkness" and "darkness" signify
falsities derived from evil, such as are in hell.
554. From an inspection of these monstrous forms of spirits in the
hells (which, as I have said, are all forms of contempt of others and
of menaces against those who do not pay them honor and respect, also
forms of hatred and revenge against those who do not favor them), it
became evident that in general they were all forms of the love of
self and the love of the world; and that the evils of which these are
the specific forms have their origin in these two loves. Moreover, I
have been told from heaven, and it has been proved to me by much
experience, that these two loves, the love of self and the love of
the world, rule in the hells and constitute the hells as love to the
Lord and love towards the neighbor rule in the heavens and constitute
the heavens; also that the two loves that are the loves of hell and
the two loves that are the loves of heaven are diametrically opposite
to each other.
555. At first I wondered how it is that love of self and love of the
world could be so diabolical, and how those who are in these loves
could be such monsters in appearance; for in the world not much
thought is given to love of self, but only to that elated state of
mind in external matters which is called haughtiness, and that alone,
being so apparent to the sight, is regarded as love of self.
Furthermore, love of self, when it is not so displayed, is believed
in the world to be the very fire of life by which man is stimulated
to seek employment and to perform uses, and if he found no honor or
glory in these his mind would grow torpid. It is asked, Who has ever
done any worthy, useful, and distinguished deed except for the sake
of being praised and honored by others, or regarded with esteem and
honor by others? And can this be from any other source than the fire
of love for glory and honor, consequently for self. For this reason,
it is unknown in the world that love of self, regarded in itself, is
the love that rules in hell and constitutes hell in man. This being
so I will first describe what the love of self is, and then will show
that all evils and their falsities spring from that love as their
fountain.
556. The love of self is wishing well to oneself alone, and to others
only for the sake of self, even to the church, one's country, or any
human society. It consists also in doing good to all these solely for
the sake of one's own reputation, honor, and glory; and unless these
are seen in the uses he performs in behalf of others he says in his
heart, How does it concern me? Why should I do this? What shall I get
from it? and therefore he does not do it. Evidently, then, he who is
in the love of self does not love the church or his country or
society, nor any use, but himself alone. His delight is solely the
delight of the love of self; and as the delight that comes forth from
his love is what constitutes the life of man, his life is a life of
self; and a life of self is a life from what is man's own, and what
is man's own, regarded in itself, is nothing but evil. He who loves
himself loves also those who belong to him, that is, in particular,
his children and grandchildren, and in general, all who are at one
with him, whom he calls his. To love these is to love himself, for he
regards them as it were in himself, and himself in them. Among those
whom he calls his are also all who commend, honor, and pay their
court to him.
557. What love of self is can be seen by comparing it with heavenly
love. Heavenly love consists in loving uses for the sake of uses, or
goods for the sake of goods, which are done by man in behalf of the
church, his country, human society, and a fellow-citizen; for this is
loving God and loving the neighbor, since all uses and all goods are
from God, and are the neighbor who is to be loved. But he who loves
these for the sake of himself loves them merely as servants, because
they are serviceable to him; consequently it is the will of one who
is in self-love that the church, his country, human societies, and
his fellow citizens, should serve him, and not he them, for he places
himself above them and places them beneath himself. Therefore so far
as any one is in love of self he separates himself from heaven,
because he separates himself from heavenly love.
558. [a.] Furthermore, so far as any one is in heavenly love, which
consists in loving uses and goods and being moved by delight of heart
when doing them for the sake of the church, country, human society,
and ones fellow-citizens, he is so far led by the Lord, because that
love is the love in which the Lord is, and which is from Him. But so
far as any one is in the love of self, which consists in performing
uses and goods for the sake of himself, so far he is led by himself;
and so far as any one is led by himself he is not led by the Lord.
And from this it also follows that so far as any one loves himself he
separates himself from the Divine, thus also from heaven. To be led
by one's self is to be led by what is one's own; and what is man's
own is nothing but evil; for man's inherited evil consists in loving
self more than God, and the world more than heaven.{1} Whenever man
looks to himself in the good that he does he is let into what is his
own, that is, into his inherited evils for he then looks from good to
himself and from himself to good, and therefore he presents an image
of himself in his good, and not an image of the Divine. That this is
so has also been proved to me by experience. There are evil spirits
whose dwelling places are in the middle quarter between the north and
the west, beneath the heavens, who are skilled in the art of leading
well-disposed spirits into their nature [proprium] and thus into
evils of various kinds. This they do by leading them into thoughts
about themselves, either openly by praises and honors, or secretly by
directing their affections to themselves; and so far as this is done
they turn the faces of the well-disposed spirits away from heaven,
and to the same extent they obscure their understanding and call
forth evils from what is their own.
{Footnote 1} Man's own, which he derives by inheritance from
his parents, is nothing but dense evil (n. 210, 215, 731, 876,
987, 1047, 2307, 2308, 3518, 3701, 3812, 8480, 8550, 10283,
10284, 10286, 10731). Man's own is loving self more than God,
and the world more than heaven, and making nothing of one's
neighbor in comparison with oneself, except for the sake of
self, that is one's own self; thus it consists in love of self
and of the world (n. 694, 731, 4317, 5660). All evils flow from
the love of self and the love of the world when these
predominate (n. 1307, 1308, 1321, 1594, 1691, 3413, 7255, 7376,
7488, 7489, 8318, 9335, 9348, 10038, 10742). These evils are
contempt of others, enmity, hatred, revenge, cruelty, deceit
(n. 6667, 7370, 7374, 9348, 10038, 10742). From these evils all
falsity flows (n. 1047, 10283, 10284, 10286).
558. [b.] That the love of self is the opposite of love to the
neighbor can be seen from the origin and essence of both. The love of
the neighbor of one who is in the love of self begins with oneself,
for he claims that everyone is neighbor to himself; and it goes forth
from him as its center to all who make one with him, diminishing in
accordance with the degree of their conjunction with him by love. All
outside of this circle are regarded as of no account; and those who
are opposed to those in the circle and to their evils are accounted
as enemies, whatever their character may be, however wise, upright,
honest, or just. But spiritual love to the neighbor begins with the
Lord, and goes forth from Him as its center to all who are conjoined
to Him by love and faith, going forth in accordance with the quality
of their love and faith.{1} Evidently, then, the love of the neighbor
that has its beginning in man is the opposite of the love to the
neighbor that has its beginning in the Lord; and the former proceeds
from evil because it proceeds from what is man's own, while the
latter proceeds from good because it proceeds from the Lord, who is
good itself. Evidently, also, the love of the neighbor that proceeds
from man and from what is his own is corporeal, while the love to the
neighbor that proceeds from the Lord is heavenly. In a word, in the
man in whom love of self prevails that love constitutes the head, and
heavenly love constitutes the feet. On that love he stands; and if it
does not serve him he tramples it under foot. This is the cause of
the appearance that those who are cast down into hell fall with the
head downward towards hell, and with the feet upwards towards heaven
(see above, n. 548).
{Footnote 1} Those who do not know what it is to love the
neighbor imagine every man to be a neighbor, and that good is
to be done to everyone who is in need of help (n. 6704). They
also believe that everyone is neighbor to himself, and thus
that love to the neighbor begins with self (n. 6933). Those who
love themselves above all things, that is, with whom self-love
prevails, also make love to the neighbor to begin with
themselves (n. 6710). In what manner everyone is neighbor to
himself, explained (n. 6933-6938). But those who are
Christians and who love God above all things make love to the
neighbor to begin with the Lord, because He is to be loved
above all things (n. 6706, 6711, 6819, 6824). The distinctions
of neighbor are as many as the distinctions of good from the
Lord, and there should be distinction in doing good to everyone
in accordance with the quality of his state, and this is a
matter of Christian prudence (n. 6707, 6709, 6711, 6818). These
distinctions are innumerable, and for this reason the ancients,
who knew what is meant by the neighbor, reduced the exercises
of charity into classes, which they denoted by suitable names,
and from this knew in what respect everyone was a neighbor, and
in what manner good was to be done to everyone with prudence
(n. 2417, 6628, 6705, 7259-7262). The doctrine in the ancient
churches was the doctrine of charity towards the neighbor, and
from this they had wisdom (n. 2417, 2385, 3419, 3420, 4844,
6628).
559. Again, love of self is such that so far as the reins are given
it, that is, so far as external bonds are removed, which are fears of
the law and its penalties, and of the loss of reputation, honor,
gain, employment, and life, so far it rushes on until it finally
longs to rule not only over the entire world but also over the entire
heaven, and over the Divine Himself, knowing no limit or end. This
propensity lurks hidden in everyone who is in love of self, although
it is not manifest to the world, where it is held in check by such
bonds as have been mentioned. Everyone can see examples of this in
potentates and kings who are subject to no such restraints and bonds,
but rush on and subjugate provinces and kingdoms so far as they are
successful, and aspire to power and glory without limit; and still
more strikingly in the Babylon of this day, which has extended its
dominion into heaven, and has transferred to itself all the Divine
power of the Lord, and continually lusts for more. That such men,
when they have entered after death the other life, are directly
opposed to the Divine and to heaven, and are on the side of hell, can
be seen in the little work on The Last Judgment and the Destruction
of Babylon.
560. Picture to yourself a society of such persons, all of whom love
themselves alone and love others only so far as they make one with
themselves, and you will see that their love is precisely like the
love of thieves for each other, who embrace and call one another
friends so long as they are acting together; but when they cease to
act together and discard their subordination to one another, they
rise up against and murder one another. When the interiors or the
minds of such are explored they will be seen to be full of bitter
hatred one against another, and at heart will laugh at all justice
and honesty, and likewise at the Divine, which they reject as of no
account. This is still more evident in the societies of such in the
hells treated of below.
561. The interiors pertaining to the thoughts and affections of those
who love themselves above all things are turned towards themselves
and the world, and thus are turned away from the Lord and from
heaven; and consequently they are obsessed with evils of every kind,
and the Divine cannot flow in; for if it does flow in it is instantly
submerged in thoughts of self, and is defiled, and is also mingled
with the evils that flow from what is their own. This is why all such
in the other life look backwards away from the Lord, and towards the
densely dark body that is there in the place of the sun of the world,
and is diametrically opposite to the sun of heaven, which is the Lord
(see above, n. 123). "Thick darkness" signifies evil, and the "sun of
the world" the love of self.{1}
{Footnote 1} "The sun of the world" signifies the love of self
(n. 2441). In this sense "to worship the sun" signifies to
worship those things that are antagonistic to heavenly love and
to the Lord (n. 2441, 10584). "The sun's growing hot" means an
increasing lust of evil (n. 8487).
562. The evils of those who are in the love of self are, in general,
contempt of others, envy, enmity against all who do not favor them,
and consequent hostility, hatred of various kinds, revenge, cunning,
deceit, unmercifulness, and cruelty; and in respect to religious
matters there is not merely a contempt for the Divine and for Divine
things, which are the truths and goods of the church, but also
hostility to them. When man becomes a spirit this hostility is turned
into hatred; and then he not only cannot endure to hear these truths
and goods mentioned, he even burns with hatred against all who
acknowledge and worship the Divine. I once talked with a certain
spirit who in the world had been a man in authority, and had loved
self to an unusual degree; and when he simply heard some one mention
the Divine, and especially when he heard him mention the Lord, he was
so excited by hatred arising from anger as to burn with the desire to
kill; and when the reins of his love were loosened he wished to be
the devil himself, that from his love of self he might continually
infest heaven. This is the desire also of some of the Papist religion
when they perceive in the other life that the Lord has all power and
they have none.
563. Certain spirits were seen by me in the western quarter towards
the south, who said that they had been in positions of great dignity
in the world, and that they deserved to be more highly esteemed than
others and to rule over others. Their interior character was explored
by angels, and it was found that in their offices in the world they
had not looked to uses but to themselves, and thus that they had set
themselves before uses. But as they were very eager and importunate
to be set over others they were allowed to associate with those who
were consulting about matters of great importance; but it was
perceived that they were unable to give any thought to the business
under discussion, or to see matters as they are in themselves, or to
speak with reference to the use of the thing, but were able to speak
only with reference to self, and that they wished to act from what is
pleasing on the ground of favor. They were therefore dismissed from
that duty, and left to seek employment for themselves elsewhere.
Therefore they went further into the western quarter, where they were
received here and there, but everywhere were told that they thought
only of themselves, and of no business except with reference to self,
and for this reason were stupid and like merely sensual corporeal
spirits. On this account wheresoever they went they were sent away.
Some time afterwards they were seen reduced to a destitute state and
asking alms. Thus it was made clear that those who are in the love of
self, however from the fire of that love they may seem to speak in
the world wisely, speak merely from the memory, and not from any
rational light. Therefore in the other life, when they are no longer
permitted to bring forth the things of the natural memory, they are
more stupid than others, and for the reason that they are separated
from the Divine.
564. There are two kinds of dominion, one of love towards the
neighbor and the other of love of self. These two dominions in their
essence are direct opposites. One who rules from love towards the
neighbor wills good to all, and loves nothing so much as uses, that
is, serving others; which is willing good to others and performing
uses, either to the church, or to the country, or to society, or to a
fellow citizen. This is his love and the delight of his heart.
Moreover, so far as he is exalted to dignities above others he
rejoices, not for the sake of the dignities but for the sake of the
uses he is then able to perform in greater abundance and of a higher
order. Such dominion exists in the heavens. [2] But one who rules
from the love of self wills good to no one except himself; the uses
he performs are for the sake of his own honor and glory, which to him
are the only uses; his end in serving others is that he may himself
be served, honored, and permitted to rule; he seeks dignities not for
the sake of the good offices he may render to his country and the
church, but that he may gain eminence and glory and thereby the
delight of his heart. [3] Moreover this love of dominion continues
with everyone after his life in the world. Those that have ruled from
love towards the neighbor are entrusted with authority in the
heavens; but then it is not they who rule, but the uses which they
love; and when uses rule the Lord rules. But those who have ruled
while in the world are in hell, and are there vile slaves. I have
seen those who had power in the world, but who exercised dominion
from love of self, cast out among the most vile, and some among those
who are in excrementitious places.
565. But in respect to the love of the world: it is a love opposed to
heavenly love in a less degree than love of self, because the evils
hidden within it are lesser evils. The love of the world consists in
one's desiring to secure to himself, by any kind of artifice, the
wealth of others, and in setting his heart upon riches, and
permitting the world to draw him and lead him away from spiritual
love, which is love towards the neighbor, and thus from heaven and
from the Divine. But this love is manifold. There is a love of wealth
for the sake of being exalted to honors, when these alone are loved.
There is a love of honors and dignities with a view to the increase
of wealth. There is a love of wealth for the sake of various uses
that give delight in the world. There is a love of wealth merely for
the sake of wealth, which is a miserly love; and so on. The end for
the sake of which wealth is sought is called its use; and it is the
end or use that gives to love its quality; for the love is such as is
the end in view, and all other things merely serve it as means.