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889. (Verse 11) And the smoke of their torment ascendeth unto ages of ages. That this signifies the dense falsity encompassing them, and flowing forth from their loves continually, is evident from the signification of smoke, as denoting the dense falsity flowing forth out of the hells from the evils of earthly and corporeal loves, which prevail with those who are there (concerning which see above, n. 539); and from the signification of torment, as denoting the direfulness of hell, thus hell itself (see above, n. 888); and from the signification of ascending, as denoting to encompass and flow forth; of which we shall speak presently; and from the signification of, unto ages of ages, as denoting continually. Strictly, by ages of ages is signified eternal or without end; but in the spiritual sense, which has no reference to the idea of time, is signified the state interiorly ruling continually. It is, therefore, evident, that by the smoke of their torment ascending unto ages of ages, is signified the dense falsity encompassing them, and flowing forth from their loves continually.
[2] That a dense falsity encompasses and flows forth from them, follows from this, that every one is his own truth or his own falsity, because he is his own love. For everything that a man thinks interiorly, or in his own spirit, proceeds from his love; and everything that a man thinks, has reference either to truths or to falsities. It follows, therefore, a man is either his own truth or his own falsity; and - what has so far remained a mystery - man is his own truth or his own falsity, not only as to the thoughts that are from his will, but also as to his whole body. For the body with all its organs, viscera, and members, is a plane into which the thoughts from the will rush forth and diffuse themselves. This is why the whole man, as to everything belonging to him both interior and exterior, is his own love, and consequently his own truth or his own falsity. But upon this subject see what is said above (n. 775, 837).
[3] That truth or falsity from man's loves encompasses him and also flows forth from him, is evident from this, that all things in the world, both animate and inanimate, pour forth a sphere from themselves, which is sometimes felt at a great distance; as from animals in the woods, which dogs keenly smell out, and follow by the scent; also from vegetation in gardens and forests, which emits an odoriferous sphere in every direction; the same is the case with the ground, and its various minerals. These exhalations, however, are natural. It is similar in the spiritual world, where from every spirit and angel there flows forth the sphere of his love, and thence the sphere of his truth or falsity, and this in every direction round about. This is why the quality of spirits is known from the spiritual sphere alone which flows forth abundantly from them; and that according to these spheres they have conjunction with societies of a similar love, and thence of a similar truth or falsity.
[4] Those who are in the love of good and of the truth therefrom are conjoined with the societies of heaven; and those who are in the love of evil and of the falsity therefrom, are conjoined with the societies of hell. I am able to assert that neither spirit nor man can have even a single thought which does not communicate, by means of that sphere, with some society. That this is the case has not hitherto been known to man, but it has been made evident to me from a thousand instances in the spiritual world. Therefore also when spirits are thoroughly examined as to their quality, it is discovered whither their thoughts extend. Consequently it is known with what societies they are conjoined, and thus their quality is ascertained; and that the evil are conjoined with societies of hell, and the good with societies of heaven. Hence also it has been made evident to me, that as the eye, according to its determinations, takes the quality of its sight from the objects in the natural world, so the understanding takes the quality of its thought from truths, these being its objects in the spiritual world, also according to its determinations; and thus that a man does not think the least thing from himself, but either from hell or from heaven; and that he thinks according to the determination of the affections of his love. In determination resides his freedom.
[5] These things are stated that it may be known what is meant by dense falsity encompassing them, and flowing forth from them. The falsity, which flows forth from the hells where they are, is clearly perceived by all those who are not in falsities, while they are walking over the hells. Those falsities sometimes are seen like smoke from conflagrations or like furnaces; sometimes like black clouds; sometimes like dark and foul-smelling waters; sometimes like stinking odours. But still the hells, lest they should strike too strongly the nostrils, and hurt the interiors of other spirits, are covered over with black soil; and, where the persuasions of falsity reign, these are covered with rocks, and generally with gravel and barren earth, by means of which they are kept shut; but, still, they continually exhale falsities from evils. From these things it is now evident why smoke, in the Word, signifies falsities from evil.
889. Verse 11. And the smoke of their torment shall go up unto the ages of the ages, signifies the dense falsity encompassing them and continually flowing forth from their loves. This is evident from the signification of "smoke," as being dense falsity flowing forth out of the hells from the evils of earthly and bodily loves with those who are there (See above, n. 539); also from the signification of "torment," as being the direfulness of hell, thus hell itself (See above, n. 888); also from the signification of "going up," as being to encompass and flow forth (of which presently); also from the signification of "unto the ages of the ages," as being continuously. Strictly, "the ages of the ages" signifies what is eternal or without end; but in the spiritual sense, which is apart from the idea of time, it signifies a state interiorly ruling without ceasing. This makes clear that "the smoke of their torment shall go up unto the ages of the ages" signifies the dense falsity encompassing them and flowing forth from their loves continually.
[2] That dense falsity encompasses and flows forth from them, follows from the fact that everyone is his own truth or his own falsity, because he is his own love. For everything that a man thinks inwardly or in his spirit is from his love; and everything that a man thinks has reference either to truths or to falsities; consequently man is either his own truth or his own falsity; and, what is yet unknown, man is his own truth or his own falsity not only as to the thoughts that are from his will but also as to his whole body; for the body with all its organs, viscera, and members, is the field into which the thoughts from the will go forth and spread themselves abroad, thence the entire man, as to everything pertaining to him both interior and exterior, is his own love, and thus his own truth or his own falsity (See further above, n. 775, 837).
[3] That the truth or the falsity from a man's loves encompasses him and flows forth from him can be seen from the fact that all things in the world, both animate and inanimate, pour forth from themselves a sphere that is sometimes perceived at a great distance, as from animals in the woods which dogs acutely smell and follow by the scent from step to step; likewise from plants in gardens and forests which send out an odoriferous sphere in every direction; also from the soil and its various minerals. But these exhalations are natural exhalations. It is the same in the spiritual world, where from every spirit and angel the sphere of his love, and thus the sphere of his truth or falsity, flows forth in every direction; and in consequence the quality of all spirits can be known solely by the spiritual sphere that pours forth from them, and according to these spheres they have conjunction with societies that have a like love, and thus a like truth or falsity; those who are in the love of good and of truth therefrom are with the societies of heaven, while those who are in the love of evil and of falsity therefrom are with the societies of hell.
[4] I can assert that no spirit or man has a single thought that does not communicate through that sphere with some society. That this is so has not hitherto been known to man, but it has been made evident to me by a thousand experiences in the spiritual world; and therefore when the quality of spirits is explored, the direction in which their thoughts pour forth is investigated, and from this it is known with what societies they are conjoined, and thus what they are, and that the evil are with societies of hell and the good with societies of heaven. From this, too, it has been made clear to me that as the eye, according to its determinations, takes the quality of its sight from the objects in the natural world, so the understanding, according to its determinations, takes the quality of its thought from the truths that are its objects in the spiritual world; and thus man has not the least thought from himself, but it is either from hell or from heaven, and his thought is according to the determination of the affections that are of his love; in this determination his freedom has its seat.
[5] This has been said to make known what is meant by the dense falsity encompassing such and flowing forth from them. The falsity that flows forth from the hells where they are is manifestly felt by all who are not in falsities, when they are walking over the hells. These falsities sometimes appear to the sight like smoke from conflagrations or from furnaces, sometimes like black clouds, sometimes like black and stinking waters, sometimes like foul odors; but still the hells, lest they should strike the nostrils too strongly and hurt the interiors of other spirits, are covered over with black earths, and where the persuasions of falsity reign, with rocks, and in general with gravel and barren land, and thus are closed up; but yet falsities from evils continually breathe forth from them. From which it is clear why "smoke" in the Word signifies falsities from evils.
889. [Vers. 11.] "Et fumus cruciatus illorum ascendet in saecula saeculorum." Quod significet densum falsum obstipans illos, et profluens ex amoribus illorum continue, constat ex significatione "fumi", quod sit densum falsum profluens ex infernis ex malis amorum terrestrium et corporeorum qui apud illos qui ibi sunt (de qua supra, n. 539); ex significatione "cruciatus", quod sit diritas inferni, ita infernum (de qua mox supra, n. 888); ex significatione "ascendere", quod sit obstipare et profluere (de qua sequitur); et ex significatione "in saecula saeculorum", quod sit continue; (proprie per "saecula saeculorum" significatur aeternum seu absque fine, sed in sensu spirituali, qui est absque idea temporis, significatur status interius regnans continue): inde patet quod per quod "fumus cruciatus illorum ascendet in saecula saeculorum" significetur, densum falsum obstipans illos et profluens ex amoribus illorum continue.
[2] Quod densum falsum obstipet illos et profluat ex illis, sequitur ex eo, quod unusquisque sit suum verum aut suum falsum, quia est suus amor; omnia enim quae homo interius seu in spiritu suo cogitat, est ex amore ejus; et omnia quae homo cogitat, se referunt vel ad vera vel ad falsa; inde est homo vel suum verum vel suum falsum: et quod adhuc arcanum est, homo est suum verum aut suum falsum non solum quoad cogitationes quae ex voluntate ejus sunt, sed etiam quoad universum corpus; nam corpus cum omnibus suis organis, visceribus et membris, est campus in quem cogitationes ex voluntate excurrunt et se effundunt; inde est totus homo quoad omnia ejus, tam interiora quam exteriora, suus amor, et inde suum verum aut suum falsum (de qua re videantur plura, n. 775, 837).
[3] Quod verum aut falsum, quae ex amoribus sunt, obstipent hominem, et quoque profluant ex illo, constare potest ex eo, quod omnia quae in mundo sunt, tam animata quam inanimata, effundant a se sphaeram, quae quandoque e longinquo sentitur; ut ex animalibus in silvis, quae canes exquisite odorant, et a gressu in gressum odorando insectantur; tum ex vegetabilibus in hortis et silvis, quae sphaeram odoriferam quaquaversum emittunt; similiter ex humo et ejus variis mineris; sed illae exhalationes sunt exhalationes naturales: similiter fit in mundo spirituali; ex unoquovis spiritu et angelo profluit sphaera amoris, et inde sphaera veri aut falsi ejus, et hoc circumquaque; exinde est quod omnes spiritus cognosci possint quales sunt, solum ex sphaera spirituali exundante ex illis, et quod secundum sphaeras illas conjunctio eis sit cum societatibus, quae similis amoris et inde similis veri aut falsi sunt; illi qui in amore boni et inde veri sunt cum societatibus caeli, et illi qui in amore mali et inde falsi sunt cum societatibus inferni.
[4] Asseverare possum quod ne quidem una cogitatio spiritui et quoque homini sit, quae non per sphaeram illam communicat cum aliqua societate: quod ita sit homo adhuc nescit, sed hoc ex mille experientiis in mundo spirituali mihi patuit; quare etiam dum explorantur spiritus quales sunt, evestigatur quo se cogitationes illorum effundunt, et inde cognoscitur cum quibus societatibus conjuncti sunt, ac ita quales sunt, et quod mali cum societatibus inferni, et boni cum societatibus caeli. Inde quoque mihi patuit, quod sicut oculus quale sui visus accipit ex objectis in mundo naturali secundum determinationes ejus, ita intellectus quale suae cogitationis ex veris, quae sunt ejus objecta, in mundo spirituali, etiam secundum determinationes ejus; et sic quod homo ne minimum cogitet ex se, sed vel ex inferno vel ex caelo, et quod cogitet secundum determinationem affectionum quae sunt amoris ejus; in determinatione residet liberum ejus.
[5] Haec dicta sunt, ut sciatur quomodo intelligendum est quod densum falsum obstipet illos et profluat ex illis; falsum quod ab infernis, ubi illi sunt, profluit, manifeste sentitur ab omnibus qui non in falsis sunt, dum super inferna gradiuntur; falsa illa quandoque ad visum apparent sicut fumi ex incendiis aut ex fornacibus, quandoque sicut atri nimbi, quandoque sicut nigrae et fetidae aquae, quandoque sicut tetri odores; sed usque inferna, ne nimium feriant nares, ac noceant interioribus aliorum spirituum, obtecta sunt terris atris, et ubi persuasiones falsi regnant, petris, et in genere glarea ac terra sterili, et sic clausa; sed usque continue transpirant falsa ex malis. Ex his nunc patet unde est quod per "fumos" in Verbo significentur falsa ex malis.