153.对此，我补充以下记事，是关于那些在教义和生活上都确认唯信称义之人死后命运的：
1心跳停止后第三天，他们便死亡，其灵复活。此时，他们觉得自己还在肉体中，和在世时一模一样，以至于他们只知道自己还活在以前的世界。然而，他们已不在肉身中，而是在灵体中。灵体呈现在他们的感官面前，他们的感官也是属灵的，虽看似是物质的，其实并不是。
2一些时日过后，他们发现自己所在的世界有各种不同的社群。这个世界被称为“灵人界”，介于天堂与地狱之间。灵界的无数社群都照着属世的情感，无论善恶，而奇妙排列。有些社群照着良善的属世情感与天堂相通；有些社群则照着邪恶情感与地狱相通。
3新来的灵人，或属灵人被引导和转到各种社群，有善有恶，并接受检查，以查看他是否被真理打动，以哪种方式被打动；或是否被虚假打动，以哪种方式被打动。
4他若受真理影响，就从邪恶的社群退出，然后被引入良善社群，还被引入各种社群，直到进入与他自己的情感相对应的社群，他便在那里享受与这情感相一致的良善。这个过程一直持续到他脱去属世情感，披上属灵情感，然后被提入天堂。不过，这种情形只发生在那些在世时过着仁爱生活的人身上；而仁爱的和生活就在于信主，并避恶如罪。
5相反，那些在教义和生活上都确认信，甚至坚持唯信称义的人则不会被真理打动，而是被虚假打动。他们还将仁之良善，也就是善行，从得救的方法中排除出去，于是便从良善的社群退出，然后被引入邪恶的社群，也被引入各种邪恶社群，直到进入与他们自己的爱欲相对应的社群。因为凡喜爱虚假的人也必喜爱邪恶。
6不过，由于在世时他们外在伪装出良善的情感，尽管内在无非是邪恶的情感，或私欲，所以一开始，他们轮番被保持在外在。那些在世时曾领导过团体的人在灵人界也到处被委以管理社群的职权，至于是总体上管理还是部分地管理，则取决于他们所曾履行过的重要职责。但由于他们既不爱真理，也不爱公义，还不能在认识何为真理与公义上得到启示，故一些时日过后，他们就被解雇了。我曾见过这种人从一个社群被转到另一个社群，无论在哪里都被赋予某种行政职位，可经常没多久就被解雇了。
7由于频繁遭到解雇，有些人出于厌倦而不再寻求职位；有些人则因害怕丧失名声不敢再寻找。于是，他们退到一旁，忧伤地坐着，然后被引入旷野。那里有些村落，他们进入村子，被交付了某种工作，只要做，就能获得食物；要是不做，就会挨饿，什么也得不到，因此为必需品所迫。灵界的食物和我们世间的很相似，只是出自一个属灵的源头，是主照着他们所发挥的功用而从天上赐给各人的。懒人什么也得不到，因为他们毫无用处。
8一段时间后，他们厌倦了工作，于是便离开村子。他们若曾经是牧师，就会渴望建造。立时就有一堆凿成的石头、砖、梁、木板，以及成堆的芦苇和蒲草、粘土、石灰、柏油出现。一看到这些材料，建造的激情就在他们心中点燃。于是，他们开始建房子，一会儿取石头，一会儿取木板，一会儿取芦苇，一会儿取泥土，并将这一个摞到另一个顶上，毫无秩序。但在他们自己眼里，一切都显得井井有条。他们白天所建的，到了晚上就塌了。第二天，他们从废墟中收集材料，重新建造。这一过程不断反复，直到他们厌倦建造。这一切的发生是由于对应，因为他们曾搜集虚假以确认唯信得救，这类虚假无法以任何其它方式建立教会。
9厌倦以后，他们就离开了，无所事事、形单影只地坐着。由于如前所述，懒人从天上得不到任何食物，所以他们开始感到饥饿。于是，他们只能思想如何得到一些食物缓解饥饿。当他们处于这种境地时，有人来到他们这里，他们便向这些人乞讨。他们说：“你们为何坐在这里无所事事呢？跟我们回家，我们会给你们工作去做，并给你们吃的。”于是他们高兴地起身跟这些人回家，在那里每个人都得到一份工作，并以工作换取食物。但是，凡确认信仰的虚假之人都无法做有善用的工作，只能做有恶用的工作，他们也无法忠实做工，只是为了名利而装模作样。因此，他们会抛弃工作，只想着聊天、交谈、闲逛、睡觉。他们的主人就不再劝他们工作，他们因没有用处而被打发离开。
0他们被打发离开后，眼睛就开了，于是看见一条路通向某个洞穴。他们到了洞口，门就开了。他们便进去打听有没有吃的。当被告知有吃的时，他们就请求留在那里。得到允许后，他们被引入洞中，身后的门也关闭了。这时，洞穴的监工来对他们说：“你们不能再出去了。看看你们的同伴，他们全都在劳动，只要劳动，就能从天上得吃的。我告诉你们这些，是叫你们知道这里的情况。”他们的同伴也说：“我们的监工知道每个人适合什么样的工作，每天给予分配。完成当天的工作，你们就能得到吃的，否则，既没有吃的，也没有穿的。任何人若恶待另一个人，就被扔到洞穴的一个角落里，在一张受诅咒的尘埃特制的床上受到惨痛折磨，直到监工看到他有了一些悔改的迹象，他才得到释放，被勒令做工。”他还被告知，每个人完成自己的工作任务后，可以闲逛、聊天，然后睡觉。他被带进洞穴的更深处，那里有妓女。每个人都被允许从中挑选一个作为他的女人，但严禁滥交，否则会受到严厉惩罚。
⑾地狱就是由这类洞穴组成的，这些洞穴无非是永恒的劳工房。我蒙允许进入并参观其中一些洞穴，好叫我公之于众。他们看上去都很卑贱，也无人知道他们在世时的身份或地位。不过，与我同在的天使告诉我，这人在世时是个仆人，那人是士兵，这个是将军，那个是牧师；这个出身高贵，那个是富翁。然而，他们什么都不知道了，只知道自己现在是奴仆，有相似的同伴。因为他们内在相似，尽管外在不一样。在灵界，正是内在秉性把所有人聚起来。这就是那些丢弃仁爱的生活，因而在世时没有过仁爱生活之人的命运。
⑿地狱总体上无非由这类洞穴和劳工房组成，不过，撒旦的居所不同于魔鬼的。撒旦是指那些处于虚假，并由此处于邪恶的人，而魔鬼是指那些处于邪恶，并由此处于虚假的人。在天堂之光下，撒旦好像死尸，其中一些黑如木乃伊。在天堂之光下，魔鬼却呈现黝黑而火红的色彩，其中一些黑如煤烟。他们全都有畸形可怕的面孔和身体；然而，在他们自己的光（这光如同火炭之光）中，他们看上去不像怪物，而像人。这是迁就他们，好叫他们能彼此往来。
153. To this I will add the following account, regarding the lot after death of people who in both doctrine and life have confirmed themselves in the doctrine of faith alone to the point of believing it to be justifying.
1. When they are physically dead and come to life again in the spirit, which generally happens on the third day after the heart has stopped beating, they appear to themselves to have the same body that they had before in the world, so much so that they do not know otherwise than that they are living in the prior world. Yet they do not have a material body, but rather a spiritual one, and to their senses, which are also spiritual, their body appears as though material, even though it is not.
[2] 2. After several days they see that they are in a world where various societies have been established - a world called the world of spirits, which is midway between heaven and hell. All the societies there, of which there are a countless number, have been marvelously organized in accordance with the inhabitants' natural affections, good and evil. Societies organized in accordance with good natural affections communicate with heaven, while societies organized in accordance with evil affections communicate with hell.
[3] 3. A newly arrived spirit or new spiritual person is taken about and conveyed into various societies, both good and evil, and he is examined to see whether he is affected by truths, and in what way, or whether he is affected by falsities, and in what way.
[4] 4. If the person is affected by truths, he is led away from evil societies and introduced into good ones, and into various good ones, until he comes to a society corresponding to his natural affection, and there he experiences a goodness in harmony with that natural affection. This continues until he sheds the natural affection and takes on a spiritual one, at which point he is raised into heaven. But this is what happens in the case of people who in the world lived a life of charity and so also a life of faith, which consisted in their believing in the Lord and refraining from evils as sins.
[5] 5. In contrast, people who in both doctrine and life had confirmed themselves in the doctrine of faith alone to the point of believing it alone to be justifying - these, because they are affected not by truths but by falsities, and because they have dismissed goods of charity or good works from being means of salvation, are led away from good societies and introduced into evil ones, and into various evil ones, until they come to a society corresponding to the lusts of their self-love. For anyone who loves falsities cannot help but love evils.
[6] 6. However, because they feigned good affections in outward appearances in the world (even though they inwardly harbored nothing but evil affections or lusts), they are periodically kept at first in states of outward pretense. Moreover, those who in the world had presided over companies of others are set here and there over societies in the world of spirits, in overall charge or in part, according to the scope of the positions they had held before. Yet because they like neither truth nor justice, and cannot be enlightened sufficiently to know what truth and justice are, therefore after several days they are discharged. I have seen spirits like this conveyed from one society to another, and though everywhere given some administrative position, after a short time they are just as often discharged.
[7] 7. After repeated dismissals, some of these people out of weariness do not wish to seek further positions, and some out of a fear of losing their reputation do not dare to. Therefore they go off and sit sadly, and at that point they are led away into an uninhabited region where they find cabins, which they enter. There they are given some work to do, and to the extent that they do it they are given food. But if they do not do it, they go hungry and are not given any. Necessity accordingly compels them.
Foodstuffs in that world are like those in our world, only they come from a spiritual origin and are given by the Lord from heaven to all in accordance with the useful functions they perform. Idle people, as they perform no useful function, are not given any.
[8] 8. After a while these people loathe work, and they then leave the cabins. If they were priests, they wish to become builders, and instantly then piles of hewn stones, bricks, boards and wooden panels appear, with heaps of reeds and rushes, clay, plaster and asphalt. When they see these, they are fired with an urge to build, and they begin to construct a house, taking now a stone, now a piece of wood, now a reed, now wet clay, and placing one upon another in haphazard fashion, though in their eyes an ordered one. Yet what they build by day collapses overnight; and the following day they gather the fallen materials from the rubble and build again, and this repeatedly until they grow weary of building.
This is the case because they used to pile up falsities to confirm the doctrine of salvation through faith alone, and that is how these falsities build the church.
[9] 9. Out of weariness these people next go off and sit solitary and idle, and because, as we said, idle people are not given any food from heaven, they begin to hunger. They also begin to think of nothing else than how to get food and relieve their hunger.
When they are in this state, some people come to them, from whom they beg assistance. But those other people say to them, "Why are you sitting so idle? Come with us to our houses, and we will give you jobs to do and feed you."
They joyfully then arise and go away with those people to their houses, and each is there given his job, and in exchange for the work food. However, because all who have confirmed themselves in falsities of faith cannot do works of good and useful service, but only works that serve evil, and because they do not do the works faithfully, but only so that people may see them, for the sake of acclaim or material gain, therefore they abandon their jobs and care only to socialize, talk, walk, and sleep. And then, because their employers can no longer induce them to work, they are therefore forced to leave as serving no useful function.
[10] 10. When they have been forced to leave, their eyes are opened and they see a path leading to a certain cavern. When they go to it, the entrance opens and they go in, inquiring whether there is any food there, and when they are told that there is, they ask permission to remain. They are then told that they may, and they are taken in, with the entrance closing behind them.
The master of the cavern then comes and says to them, "You cannot leave anymore. See your fellow inhabitants. They all work, and as they work, they are given food from heaven. I tell you this so that you know."
Their fellow inhabitants say, moreover, "Our master knows for what work each of us is suited, and every day he assigns it to us. Every day that you finish it you are given food. But if you do not finish it, you are given neither food nor clothing. Also, if anyone does evil to another, he is forced to a corner of the cavern, onto a bed of accursed dust, 1where he is miserably tortured, and this until the master sees some sign of repentance in him. He is then taken out and ordered to do his work."
They are told, too, that after they have done their work, they are all allowed to walk about, converse, and later sleep. They are also taken deeper into the cavern where there are whores, and they are each permitted to choose one of them to be his woman, but are forbidden under threat of penalty to go whoring promiscuously.
[11] The whole of hell consists of such caverns, which are nothing less than eternal workhouses. I have been given to go into some and see, in order that I might make this known, and the people all appeared to be of a low class, nor did any one of them know who he had been in the world or what his occupation had been. But an angel who accompanied me told me that this one had been a household servant in the world, this one a soldier, this one an administrator, this one a priest, this one a person of high rank, this one a person of wealth; and yet none of them knew anything other than that they had been servants, and their fellows likewise. That is because they had been inwardly alike, even though unalike outwardly, and it is people's inner qualities that affiliate them in the spiritual world.
Such is the lot of people who have set aside a life of charity, and so have not lived it in the world.
[12] As regards the hells in general, they consist solely of such caverns and workhouses, but of one sort where they are inhabited by satanic spirits, and of another where they are inhabited by diabolical spirits. Satanic spirits are ones who have been governed by falsities and their resulting evils, while diabolical spirits are ones who have been governed by evils and their accompanying falsities.
Satanic spirits appear in the light of heaven as cadaverous, and some black, like mummies, while diabolical spirits appear in the light of heaven dark and fiery, and some as black as soot. All, however, in face and body are monstrous. Yet in their own light, which is like that of burning coal, they do not appear as monstrous, but as human. This appearance is granted to them to enable them to associate with one another.
Footnotes:
1. The dust of certain hells is so named. See Angelic Wisdom Regarding Divine Love and Wisdom 341[2].
153. To these things I will add something MEMORABLE about the lot, after their passing on, of those who in both doctrine and life have confirmed themselves in faith alone even to justification.
1. When they are deceased and live again as to the spirit, which is generally brought about on the third day after the heart has stopped beating, they appear to themselves in a body like the one they were in before in the world, so much like it that they do not know otherwise than that they are living in the previous world. They are not, however, in a material body, but in a spiritual body, presenting to their senses, which also are spiritual, the appearance of being like what is material, although this is not the case.
[2] 2. A few days later they see that they are in a world where various societies have been established. This world is called the world of spirits, and it is midway between heaven and hell. All the societies there, which are innumerable, are arranged wonderfully in accordance with the natural affections, good and evil. The societies arranged in accordance with the good natural affections are in communication with heaven, and the societies arranged in accordance with the evil affections are in communication with hell.
[3] 3. The newly arrived spirit or spiritual man is conducted and conveyed into the various societies, both good and evil, and examined to find out whether and in what way he is affected by truths, or whether and in what way he is affected by untruths.
[4] 4. If he is affected by truths, he is led away from the evil societies and into the good ones, and is also led into various societies until he comes into the one corresponding to his own natural affection, and there he has the enjoyment of the good agreeing with that affection; and this continues until he has put off the natural affection and put on a spiritual one, and he is then raised into heaven. But this takes place with those who in the world have lived a life of charity, and thus also a life of faith, and this implies their having believed in the Lord and shunned evils as sins.
[5] 5. Because those, however, who in doctrine and life have confirmed themselves in faith even to justification by it alone, are not affected by truths but by untruths, and because they have rejected the goods of charity that are good works from being a means of salvation, they are led away from the good societies and into the evil ones, and are also led into various societies until they come into the one corresponding to the lusts of their own love. For he who loves untruths cannot do otherwise than love evils.
[6] 6. But because in the world they have pretended to good affections in the externals, although in their internals they were nothing but affections of evil or lusts, they are at first kept by turns in the externals; and those who in the world have presided over meetings are set in authority here and there in the world of spirits over societies in general or in part in accordance with the importance of the duties they had discharged. Because, however, they neither love truth nor justice, and are not capable of being enlightened so as to know what truth and justice are, after some days they are therefore dismissed. I have seen such persons transported from one society to the next and an administrative post given them wherever they might be, but in ever case after a short while they were dismissed.
[7] 7. After repeated refusals, some out of weariness will not, others for fear of losing reputation dare not, solicit executive offices any more. Therefore they withdraw and sit about in sadness, and are then led away into a lonely place where there are huts. They enter these, and some work is given them to do there, and as they do it they receive food. If they do not do this they are hungry and do not receive any, and by this means necessity compels [them to work]. The foods there are like those in our world, but they come from a spiritual origin and are given by the Lord out of heaven to all in accordance with the uses they perform. They are not given to the idle, because they are useless.
[8] 8. After a while they loathe work, and then they go out of the huts; and if they have been priests they want to erect a building, and instantly there appear piles of hewn stones, of bricks, of wooden posts and boards, also heaps made up of reeds and rushes, of clay, lime, and pitch. When they see these, they are inflamed by an inordinate lust for building, and start constructing a house by taking now a stone, then wood, now a reed, then some mud, and they place the one upon the other in disorder, yet in their sight well ordered. But what they build by day falls apart at night, and on the day following they gather up some of the fallen rubble and build again, and they go on doing this until they are tired of building. This comes to pass because they have brought untruths together to confirm salvation by faith alone, and those untruths do not build a Church in any other way.
[9] 9. Afterwards from weariness they go away and sit about lonely and idle; and because, as was said, food out of heaven is not given to the idle, they begin to be hungry and to think of nothing else but how they are going to get food and appease their hunger. When they are in this condition some persons come to them from whom they beg alms; and they say, 'Why do you sit idle like this? Come into our houses with us, and we will give you work to do, and feed you.' Whereupon they get up joyfully and go off with these into their houses, and there each has his work given him, and food for his work. But because all who have confirmed themselves in untruths of faith are unable to do works of good use, but [do works] of evil use-and they do not do these faithfully, but only for the sake of appearances on account of honour or gain-they therefore give up their works and love only a round of talking, walking about, and sleeping. And then because they cannot any longer be persuaded by the householders to work, they are for that reason cast out as useless.
[10] 10. When they have been cast out they have their eyes opened and they see a path going towards a certain cave, the entrance to which is opened when they get there. And they enter and ask if there is any food there, and when a reply is given that there is food there they beg leave to stay there, and it is said that they may do so. And they are led in, and the entrance is closed behind them. And then the officer in charge of that cave comes and says to them, 'You cannot go out any more. Behold your comrades! They all labour, and as they labour food is given them out of heaven. I am telling you this so that you may know.' And the comrades also say, 'Our officer in charge knows what work each is fitted for, and every day he imposes such work on each one. Every day you finish it food is given you, but if you do not, neither food nor clothing is given. And if one does evil to his fellow, he is thrown towards a corner of the cave into a certain bed of accursed dust where he is miserably tortured, and this goes on till the officer in charge sees a sign of repentance on his part, whereupon he is released and commanded to do his work.' in addition he is told that after his work every one is allowed to walk about, to converse, and afterwards to sleep. And he is conducted further into the cave, where there are harlots from among whom each one is permitted to take one to be his woman, and promiscuous whoredom is forbidden under a penalty.
[11] Of such caves, which are nothing but eternal workhouses, the entire hell consists. For the purpose of making it known, it has been granted me to enter some of them and see and all the people seemed worthless, and not one of them knew who, or in what office, he had been in the world. But the angel who was with me told me: In the world this one had been a servant, this a soldier, this a governor, this a priest, this one in dignity, that one in wealth. And yet they all know no otherwise than that they have been slaves like their comrades. This is because they had been interiorly alike although exteriorly unlike, and the Interiors associate all in the spiritual world. Such is the lot of those who have set aside a life of charity, and consequently have not lived that life in the world.
[12] Regarding the hells in general, they consist purely of such caves and workhouses, but of dissimilar ones where the satans and where the devils are. The satans are those who have been in untruths and the evils therefrom, while the devils are those who have been in evils and the untruths therefrom. The satans appear in the light of heaven as corpses, and some of them black like a mummy; and the devils appear in the light of heaven duskily burnt, and some of them jet black like soot; but all of them with monstrous faces and bodies. In their own light, however, which resembles the light of a coal fire, they appear not as monsters but as men. This has been granted them so that they might be able to associate.
153. To the above I will add something Memorable, concerning the lot of those after death, who have confirmed themselves in faith alone even to justification, both in doctrine and life.
1. When they are dead and revive as to the spirit, which generally takes place on the third day after the heart has ceased to beat, they appear to themselves in a body like that which they had before in the world, even so that they know no otherwise than that they are living in the former world; yet they are not in a material body, but in a spiritual body, which appears before their senses, which are also spiritual, as if it was material, although it is not.
2. After some days they see that they are in a world where there are various societies instituted, which world is called the world of spirits, and is intermediate between heaven and hell. All the societies there, which are innumerable, are wonderfully arranged according to natural affections, good and evil. The societies arranged according to good natural affections communicate with heaven, and the societies arranged according to evil affections communicate with hell.
3. The novitiate spirit, or the spiritual man, is conducted and introduced to various societies, both good and evil, and is explored whether he is affected by truths, and how; and whether he is affected by falsities, and how.
4. If he is affected by truths, he is withdrawn from evil societies, and introduced into good societies, and also into various ones, until he comes into a society corresponding with his Own natural affection, and there he enjoys the good which agrees with that affection; and this until he has put off his natural affection and has put on a spiritual affection, and then he is elevated into heaven. But this takes place with those who in the world have lived a life of charity, and thus also a life of faith, which consists in believing in the Lord, and shunning evils as sins.
5. But they who have confirmed themselves in doctrine and life even to justification by faith alone, by reason of their not being affected by truths, but by falsities, and because they have rejected the goods of charity, which are good works, from the means of salvation, are withdrawn from good societies, and introduced into evil societies, and also into various ones, until they come into the society corresponding to the concupiscences of their love; for he who loves falsities cannot but love evils.
6. But because in the world they had feigned good affections in externals, although in their internals there was nothing but evil affections or concupiscences, they are at first kept by turns in externals; and they who in the world presided over companies of men, are here and there set over societies in the world of spirits, in general or in part according to the extent of the offices they had exercised: but because they neither love truth nor justice, nor are capable of being enlightened so as to know what truth and justice are, therefore after some days they are dismissed. I have seen such transferred from one society to another, and some administration given them in each, but after a short time as often are dismissed.
7. After frequent dismissals, some out of weariness will not, and others from the fear of losing reputation dare not, seek for offices anymore, therefore they withdraw, and sit sad, and then they are led away into a desert, where there are cottages, into which they enter, and work of some kind is given them to do, and as they do it, they receive food, and if they do not do it, they are hungry and receive none, wherefore necessity compels. Food there is similar to the food in our world, but it is from a spiritual origin, and is given from heaven by the Lord to all according to the uses they perform; to the idle, nothing is given, because they are useless.
8. After some time they loathe work, and then they go out of the cottages; and if they have been priests, they desire to build; and there appear then immediately heaps of hewn stones, bricks, rafters, and boards, also heaps of reeds and bulrushes, clay, lime, and bitumen, which when they see, the lust of building is kindled, and they begin to construct a house, taking now a stone, and then wood, now a reed, and then clay, and placing them one upon another without order; but in their own sight in order. But what they build by day falls down by night; and the next day they collect from the rubbish, and build again, and this they continue to do, until they are tired of building. This is done, because they have collected together falsities to confirm salvation by faith alone, and such falsities do not build up the church in any other manner.
9. Afterwards from weariness they go away, and sit solitary and idle; and as the idle have no food given them from heaven, as was before observed, they begin to hunger, and they think of nothing else than how they may get food and satisfy their hunger. When they are in this state, there come to them some of whom they ask alms; and they say, Why do ye thus sit idle? come with us to our houses, and we will give you work to do, and we will feed you. And then they rise up gladly, and go with them to their houses, and there each has his work given him, and food for his work. But because all who have confirmed themselves in falsities of faith are unable to do works of good use, but only works of evil use, neither do they do these faithfully, but only so as to appear for the sake of honor or gain; therefore they leave their works, and only love to converse, talk, walk about, and sleep. And then, because they cannot any longer be induced by their masters to work, they are cast out as useless.
10. When they are cast out, their eyes are opened, and they see a way leading to a certain cavern. When they are come thither, the door is opened, and they enter, and inquire whether there is any food there; and when they receive for answer that there is, they ask leave to remain, and are told that they may, and are introduced and the door shut after them. And then the overseer of that cavern comes and says to them, Ye cannot go out hence any more; behold your companions, they all labor, and as they labor food is given them from heaven. I tell you this that ye may know. And their companions also say, Our overseer knows what work each one is fitted for, and assigns it to each one daily; on the day you finish it, food is given you, but if you do not, neither food nor clothing is given; and if anyone does evil to another, he is cast into a corner of the cavern, upon a certain bed of accursed dust, where he is miserably tormented, until such time as the overseer sees signs of repentance in him, and then he is released, and commanded to do his work. He is told also, that everyone after his task is done is permitted to walk about, to converse, and afterwards to sleep. And he is led into an interior part of the cavern, where there are harlots, from among whom each is permitted to take one for his woman, and promiscuous whoredom is forbidden under punishment. Of such caverns, which are nothing but eternal workhouses, the entire hell consists. It has been granted to me to enter into and have a view of some of them, to the end that I might make it known, and they all were seen to be vile, neither did anyone of them know who, or in what office he had been in the world. But the angel who was with me, told me, that this one had been a servant in the world, this a soldier, this a governor, this a priest, this one in dignity, and that in opulence, and yet that none of them knew otherwise than that they had always been servants and had similar companions, for this reason, because they were all interiorly alike, although they had been unlike exteriorly, and interiors consociate all in the spiritual world. Such is the lot of those who have removed the life of charity, and who thence have not lived that life in the world.
11. With respect to the hells in general, they consist merely of such caverns and workhouses, but those inhabited by satans are different from those inhabited by devils. Satans are they who have been in falsities and thence in evils, and devils are they who have been in evils and thence in falsities. Satans appear in the light of heaven like corpses, and some of them black like mummies; and devils appear in the light of heaven of a dark and fiery color, and some of them black like soot; but they are all as to their faces and bodies, monstrous; yet in their own light, which is like the light of a coal fire, they appear not as monsters, but men: this is granted them that they may be consociated.
153. His adjiciam aliquod MEMORABILE, de sorte illorum post obitum, qui se in Sola Fide usque ad Justificationem et doctrina et vita confirmaverunt.
1. Quando defuncti sunt, et quoad spiritum revivunt, quod fit communiter tertio die postquam cor cessavit pulsare, apparent sibi in simili corpore in quo prius in mundo, usque adeo ut non sciant aliter quam quod in priori mundo vivant; verum non in corpore materiali sunt, sed in corpore spirituali, quod coram sensibus illorum, qui etiam spirituales sunt, apparet sicut materiale, tametsi non est.
2. Post aliquot dies vident quod in mundo sint ubi sunt variae Societates institutae, qui mundus vocatur Mundus Spirituum, et est medius inter Caelum et Infernum. Omnes Societates ibi, quae innumerabiles sunt, mirabiliter ordinatae sunt secundum affectiones naturales, bonas et malas; Societates ordinatae secundum affectiones bonas naturales communicant cum Caelo, et Societates ordinatae secundum affectiones malas, communicant cum Inferno.
3. Novitius spiritus seu spiritualis homo deducitur et transfertur in varias Societates, tam bonas quam malas, et exploratur num afficitur veris et quomodo, vel num afficitur falsis et quomodo.
4. Si afficitur veris, abducitur a Societatibus malis, ac inducitur in Societates bonas, et quoque in varias, usque dum venit in Societatem suae affectioni naturali correspondentem, et ibi fruitur bono isti affectioni conveniente; et hoc usque dum naturalem affectionem exuit, et spiritualem induit, et tunc elevatur in Caelum; sed hoc fit cum illis, qui in mundo vixerunt vitam charitatis et sic quoque vitam fidei, quae est quod crediderint in Dominum, et fugerint mala ut peccata.
5. At illi qui se in fide usque ad justificationem per illam solam doctrina et vita confirmaverunt, quia non afficiuntur veris sed falsis, et quia bona charitatis, quae sunt bona opera, rejecerunt e medio salutis, abducuntur a Societatibus bonis, ac inducuntur in Societates malas, et quoque in varias, usque dum veniunt in Societatem sui amoris concupiscentiis correspondentem; nam qui amat falsa, non potest aliter quam amare mala.
6. Sed quia in mundo simulaverunt affectiones bonas in externis, tametsi in internis eorum non essent nisi quam affectiones malae seu concupiscentiae, tenentur primum per vices in externis; et illi qui in mundo praefuerunt caetibus, praeficiuntur hic et ibi in Mundo Spirituum Societatibus, in communi aut in parte secundum amplitudinem officiorum quibus functi fuerant: sed quia non amant verum, nec amant justum, nec illustrari possunt usque ut sciant quid verum et justum, ideo post aliquot dies abrogantur; vidi tales translatos ab una Societate in alteram, et ubivis datam illis administrationem, sed post breve tempus toties abrogatos.
7. Post frequentes abdicationes quidam ex taedio non volunt, quidam ex timore jacturae famae non audent, amplius ambire functiones; quare recedunt, et sedent tristes, et tunc abducuntur in solitudinem, ubi sunt casae quas intrant, et ibi datur illis aliquod opus ad faciendum; et sicut faciunt, recipiunt cibum, et si non faciunt, esuriunt et non recipiunt; quare necessitas cogit. Cibi ibi sunt similes cibis in nostro mundo, sed sunt ex origine spirituali, et dantur e Caelo a Domino omnibus secundum usus quos faciunt; otiosis, quia inutiles sunt, non dantur.
8. Post aliquod tempus fastidiunt opus, et tunc exeunt e casis; et si fuerunt sacerdotes, volunt aedificare; et illico tunc apparent strues lapidum caesorum, laterum, asserum et tabularum ex ligno, tum acervi ex calamis et juncis, ex argilla, calce et bitumine; quae cum vident, incenditur libido aedificandi et incipiunt struere domum, sumendo nunc lapidem, nunc lignum, nunc calamum, nunc lutum, et ponunt unum supra alterum inordinate, at in eorum visu ordinate; sed quod interdiu aedificant, noctu dilabitur; et sequente die colligunt ex ruderibus lapsa, ac iterum aedificant, et hoc tamdiu, usque dum aedificare taedent: hoc fit ex causa, quia congesserunt falsa ad confirmandum salvationem per solam fidem, et falsa illa non aedificant Ecclesiam aliter.
9. Postea abeunt ex taedio, ac sedent solitarii et otiosi; et quia otiosis non datur cibus e Caelo, ut dictum est, incipiunt esurire; et non aliud cogitare, quam quomodo accepturi sint cibum, et sedaturi famem. Cum in hoc statu sunt, veniunt ad illos aliqui, a quibus petunt stipem; et dicunt, Cur ita otiosi sedetis, venite nobiscum in nostras domus, et dabimus vobis opera ad faciendum, et cibabimus vos; ac tunc laeti surgunt, et abeunt cum illis in domos illorum, et ibi cuilibet datur suum opus, et propter opus datur cibus: sed quia omnes qui se confirmaverunt in falsis fidei, noli facere possunt opera boni usus, sed mali usus, nec faciunt illa fideliter, sed solum ut appareant propter honorem aut lucrum, quare relinquunt sua opera et modo amant conversari, loqui, ambulare et dormire; et tunc quia ab heris non possunt adduci amplius ad opera, ideo sicut inutiles ejiciuntur.
10. Quando ejecti sunt, aperitur illis oculus, et vident viam tendentem ad quandam Cavernam; quo cum veniunt, aperitur ostium, et intrant, et quaerunt num ibi cibus; et cum respondetur quod ibi cibus, petunt ut ibi liceat manere; et dicitur quod liceat, et introducuntur, et post illos clauditur ostium: et tunc venit praesul illius Cavernae, et dicit illis, Non potestis amplius exire, videte sodales vestros, omnes laborant, et sicut laborant, victus e Caelo illis datur; hoc dico vobis at sciatis: et quoque dicunt sodales, Praesul noster novit ad quod opus, quisque idoneus est, et tale cuilibet injungit quotidie: quo die id absolvitis, datur vobis cibus, et si non, non datur cibus, nec vestis; et si quis malum facit alteri conjicitur ad angulum cavernae, in quendam lectum ex pulvere damnato, ubi misere cruciatur, et hoc usque dum praesul videt signum paenitentiae apud illum; et tunc eximitur, et mandatur ei ut faciat opus suum: et quoque dicitur ei, quod cuivis liceat post opus suum ambulare, confabulari, et postea dormire: et deducitur interius in cavernam, ubi sunt scorta, ex quibus licet unicuique sibi sumere aliquam in mulierem, et sub poena interdicitur scortari promiscue. Ex talibus Cavernis, quae non sunt nisi quam aeterna Ergastula, consistit universum Infernum. Datum est mihi intrare in aliquas, et videre propter finem ut notum faciam, et visi sunt omnes ut vile, nec unus ex illis scivit quis et in quo munere fuerat in mundo: sed Angelus, qui mecum erat, dixit mihi, quod hic fuerit in mundo famulus, hic miles, hic praefectus, hic sacerdos, hic in dignitate, hic in opulentia; et tamen omnes non sciunt aliter, quam quod servi et similes sodales fuerint; hoc ex causa, quia interius similes fuerant, tametsi exterius dissimiles, ac interiora consociant omnes in mundo spirituali. Talis sors est illorum, qui removerunt charitatis vitam, et inde illam in mundo non vixerunt.
(11.) Quod Inferna in genere attinet, consistunt illa ex meris talibus Cavernis et Ergastulis, sed ex dissimilibus ubi sunt satanae et ubi sunt diaboli. Satanae sunt qui in falsis et inde malis fuerunt, et diaboli qui in malis et inde falsis. Satanae apparent in luce Caeli sicut cadavera, et quidam nigri sicut mumia; et diaboli apparent in luce Caeli furve igniti, et quidam atri sicut fuligo; at omnes quoad facies et corpora monstrosi; sed in sua luce, quae est instar lucis ex carbonibus ignitis, non ut monstra, sed ut homines; hoc illis datum est ut consociari possint.