4560. About the evil who have placed merit in works
In a certain hell deep down below those who cut wood, who were spoken of earlier [Ex. 31:1-11]. A certain one was sent from there, and I spoke with him. He said that he had done many good things and is getting nothing in the other life but is together with spirits like himself in hell where he is suffering hard things. And I perceived in the very least things of his thought that he wanted to be rewarded if he merely thought rightly or spoke rightly, and more so if he acted rightly, so that reward was present in the very least detail [of his thought]. It was given me to ask him what kind of reward he wants. Because his nature is such, he said he wanted to be in heaven and to be put in charge of others there. But it was given to say that he could not be among the good because as a result he would arouse the same [desire radiating] from himself and so he would do evil to others who have no such thought, for they know that nothing comes from merit but that all things come from grace and mercy; thus he would hurt them. What is more, he would never be content. His constant thought would be that he wanted to be rewarded; and that whatever he did get was not proportionate to what he merited, so he would aspire to dominion over all and want to be a god, even above God. On this account it cannot be otherwise than that he is among those who had adopted a similar nature. He insisted that he had done many good works. But he was told that he had done them for his own sake and that he had received his reward in his bodily life, for there he had been put in charge of others and had had dominion over others and so had had what he enjoyed, and had not even had a thought about the other life. And besides this it was given me to tell him that some simple spirits believe something similar from the Word, because it is said there that they will have a reward in the other life, and that very many of them are in heaven. But this is because they are such that they are content in the Lord with little and aspire neither to higher places nor to dominion, and that it is different with those who are not content with little and who want to have dominion over others. These are never content, on which account they are held far away from heaven. They can never have charity toward the neighbor and wish as well to them as to themselves, still less take delight in doing better to others than to themselves as all angels do.
4560. CONCERNING THE EVIL WHO HAVE PLACED MERIT IN WORKS.
Deep under those who cut wood, of whom [I have spoken] before, in a certain hell, are those who have placed merit in works. I thought about Bezaleel, who made those things which belonged to the ark. A certain one was let out thence: I spoke with him. He said that he had done many good things, and obtains nothing in the other life, but that he is in hell among similar [spirits], where he suffers harsh things; and I perceived in each particular of his thought, that if he only, to some extent, thought well, or spoke well, and still more if he did well, he wished to be rewarded. So that [a regard for] recompense was in each particular. It was granted to ask him what reward he wished, seeing that he was of such a character: he said that he wished to be in heaven, and there preside over others. It was granted to tell him that he could not be among the good, because he would thus inspire them, from himself with a similar characteristic to his own, and so do evil to those who thought nothing of such a kind; for they [the good] know that nothing is from merit, but everything from grace and mercy: thus he would injure them: and, besides, he would never be content; his constant thought would be that he wished to be rewarded, and that whatever he might obtain would not correspond with his merit; thus he would aspire to lordship over all, and wish to be God - even above God. Wherefore, it cannot happen otherwise than that he is among such as were in a similar insane affection. He insisted that he had done many good works; but he was told that it was for his own sake, and that he had his reward during the life of the body, in that he was then placed over others, and exercised dominion over others, and so had his delight; and that he had never thought about another life. And, furthermore, it was granted to say that certain simple ones believe something similar from the Word because it is there said that their reward is in the other life, and that very many of them are in heaven: this, however, is because they are such that they are contented with few things in the Lord, and neither aspire to higher things, nor to dominion; but that it is otherwise with those who are not contented with a few things, and who wish to rule over others: they are never contented; which is the reason they are kept so remote from heaven. These can never have charity towards the neighbor, and wish as well to him as to themselves, still less so delight therein as to benefit others rather than themselves - which all the angels do.
4560. De malis qui meritum posuerunt in operibus
Profunde sub illis qui ligna secant, de quibus prius [273, 534 ff., 4177], in inferno quodam sunt illi qui meritum posuerunt in operibus, cogitavi de Bezaleel qui fecit illa quae ad arcam pertinebant [Exod. XXXI: 1-11], inde emissus quidam loquebar cum illo, dicebat quod plura bona fecerit, et nihil in altera vita obtineat, sed quod in inferno sit apud similes, ubi dura patitur, et percipiebam in singulis ejus cogitationis, si modo aliquid bene cogitaret, aut bene loqueretur, et magis si bene faceret, quod vellet remunerari; sic ut remuneratio singulis inesset, dicere ei datum, quid remunerationis velit, quia talis est, dicebat ut in coelo esset, et ibi praeficeretur aliis, dicere dabatur, quod apud bonos non esse posset, quia sic inspiraret illis ex se simile, et sic malum faceret illis qui nihil tale cogitant, sciunt enim ibi quod nihil ex merito, sed omnia ex gratia et misericordia, ita laederet illos; et praeterea nusquam contentus esset, cogitatio ejus continua foret, ut vellet remunerari, et quod quicquid obtineret, non responderet ejus merito, sic ad dominium aspiraret super omnes, et vellet esse deus, etiam supra Deum; quapropter non potest aliter quam ut sit inter tales qui in simili adscita natura fuerunt: institit quod plura bona opera fecerit, sed dictum quod sui causa, et quod remunerationem habuerit in vita corporis, ibi praepositus aliis, et super aliis dominatus est, et sic jucundum habuerit, et quod ne quidem cogitaverit de altera vita: et insuper dicere datum, quod quidam simplices simile quid credant ex Verbo, quia ibi dicitur, quod merces illis in altera vita, et quod perplures ab illis in coelo sint, sed quia tales sunt, ut sint contenti paucis in Domino, nec adspirent ad altiora nec ad dominium, et quod aliter se habeat cum illis qui non contenti sunt paucis, et qui dominari super alios volunt, illi nusquam contenti sunt, quapropter tam remoti a coelo tenentur; hi nusquam possunt habere charitatem erga proximum, et ei tam bene velle quam sibi, minus delectari in eo, ut aliis benefiat pae se, ut omnes angeli faciunt.