4593. About heaven and hell
Heaven is in the light of truth, which is from the Lord. Thence come thoughts concerning the Lord, and there the angels are who receive the Lord in such a way that they take delight in the happiness of all, and desire it, and in this they have their own happiness. Such is the sharing of happiness throughout the whole heaven. But those who desire only their own happiness and do not care about that of others cannot be in heaven. They share nothing of happiness from themselves and therefore sink down like dead weights, unable to stand such a happiness slipping into them, being immersed in its opposite.
I spoke with angels, saying that it is remarkable that so few in the other life inquire after the Lord even though the Christian world is so numerous, when yet others, such as worshippers of people, and of saints whom they had worshipped in bodily life, inquire after them and rejoice when they find them, even heathens who had worshipped idols. But they replied that evil, infernal, or rather diabolic spirits are at once, at their first experience, averse to that which is truly Divine, but not so much to that which is agreeable to them. This shows plainly enough that the Lord is the Divine Itself, to which they are adverse.
4593. CONCERNING HEAVEN AND HELL.
Heaven is in the light of truth, which is from the Lord; thoughts concerning the Lord are thence; and angels are those who receive the Lord in such a manner that they are delighted in the happiness of all, and earnestly desire it, and have their own happiness therein. Such is the communion of felicities throughout the universal heaven. But those who will only their own happiness, and care nothing for others, are not able to be in heaven. They communicate no happiness from themselves, therefore, they fall down, like heavy bodies, as if dead [on approaching heaven]; for they cannot support the entrance of such felicity. They are in its opposite. I remarked to the angels, that it is wonderful that so few, in the other life inquire for the Lord, although the Christian world is so numerous; when yet others, such as worshippers of men and saints, ask for those whom they worshipped in the life of the body, and rejoice because they can find them - likewise Gentiles who worshipped idols; but it was replied, that evil, infernal, or diabolical spirits, are, on the first apprehension, at once averse to that which is truly Divine, for the reason that it does not accord with them. Hence it may manifestly enough appear that the Divine Itself whereto they are averse, is the Lord.
4593. De coelo et de inferno
Coelum est in veritatis luce, quae a Domino, inde cogitationes de Domino, et ibi sunt angeli qui recipiunt Dominum ita, ut delectentur felicitate omnium, et desiderent illam, et in eo felicitatem suam habent, talis est felicitatum communio per universum coelum: at qui solum suam felicitatem volunt, et aliorum non curant, illi in coelo non possunt esse, nihil felicitatis ex se communicant, delabuntur ideo sicut pondera quasi mortua, nam non sustinent illapsum talis felicitatis, sunt in opposito. Loquutus cum angelis, quod mirum sit, tam paucos in alia vita quaerere Dominum, tametsi Christianus orbis numerosus sit, cum tamen alii, sicut cultores hominum, et sanctorum quos coluerunt in vita corporis, quaerant illos, et gaudeant quod inveniant, etiam gentes quae idola coluerunt, sed responsum est, quod spiritus mali, infernales seu diabolici illico ad primam apperceptionem aversentur id quod vere Divinum est, non ita [id] quod illis convenit; inde satis manifeste constare potest, quod Dominus sit Ipsum Divinum, quod aversantur.