After death every one goes the way of his love--he who is in a good
love, to heaven, and he who is in a wicked love, to hell. Nor does he
rest until he is in that society where his ruling love is. What is
wonderful, every one knows the way.
Every one's state after death is spiritual, which is such that he
cannot be anywhere but in the delight of his own love, which he has
acquired for himself by his life in the natural world. From this it
appears plainly that no one can be let into the delight of heaven who
is in the delight of hell.... This may be still more certainly
concluded from the fact that no one is forbidden after death to ascend
to heaven. The way is shown him, opportunity is given him, and he is
let in. But when one who is in the delight of evil comes into heaven,
and breathes in its delight, he begins to be oppressed, and racked at
heart, and to feel in a swoon, in which he writhes like a snake put
near a fire; and with his face turned away from heaven and toward
hell, he flees headlong, nor does he rest until he is in the society
of his own love.
--_Divine Providence, nn._ 319, 338
It is an abiding truth that every man rises again after death into
another life, and presents himself for judgment. This judgment,
however, is circumstanced as follows: As soon as his bodily parts grow
cold, which takes place after a few days, he is raised by the Lord at
the hands of celestial angels who first are with him. If he is such
that he cannot be with them, he is received by spiritual angels, and
in turn afterwards by good spirits. For all who come into the other
life, whoever they may be, are grateful and welcome new-comers. But as
every one's desires follow him, he who has led a bad life cannot
remain long with angels or good spirits, but in turn separates himself
from them, until at length he comes to spirits of a life conforming
with the life he had in the world. Then it seems to him as if he were
back in the life of the body; his present life being, in fact, a
continuation of his past life. With this life his judgment commences.
They who have led a bad life in process of time descend into hell;
they who have led a good life, are by degrees raised by the Lord into
heaven.
--_Arcana Coelestia, n._ 2119