6605. It is worthy of note that just as heaven as a whole presents itself as one entire human being, which is therefore called the Grand Man, the subject at the ends of quite a number of chapters, so each community in a similar way presents an image of a human being. For the image of heaven as a whole imprints itself on communities and makes them similar to itself, and not only on communities but also on the individual persons within a community. This is where the individuals get their human form from, for each person in an angelic community is heaven in the smallest form it takes. Variations in their human form are determined by the kind of good and truth with them, which explains why each spirit and angel is seen in a form exactly matching his thoughts and affections that he communicates to communities round about. This being so, the more that spirits and angels are governed by goodness and truth, the more beautiful is their human form. But if the communication of thoughts and affections does not spread into the communities round about in accordance with heavenly order, then the form is to that extent lacking in beauty; and if the communication is with communities in hell, then the form is ugly, like that of the devil. Those who are utterly opposed to what is good and true, because they are opposed to the form heaven takes, which is the human form, are seen in the light of heaven not as human beings but as monsters. This is true of the whole of hell, of each community there, and of the individual members of those communities; and their appearance too involves variations, which are determined by the degree to which evil opposes good, and falsity from that evil opposes truth.

6605. It is worthy of note that just as heaven as a whole presents itself as one entire human being, which is therefore called the Grand Man, the subject at the ends of quite a number of chapters, so each community in a similar way presents an image of a human being. For the image of heaven as a whole imprints itself on communities and makes them similar to itself, and not only on communities but also on the individual persons within a community. This is where the individuals get their human form from, for each person in an angelic community is heaven in the smallest form it takes. Variations in their human form are determined by the kind of good and truth with them, which explains why each spirit and angel is seen in a form exactly matching his thoughts and affections that he communicates to communities round about. This being so, the more that spirits and angels are governed by goodness and truth, the more beautiful is their human form. But if the communication of thoughts and affections does not spread into the communities round about in accordance with heavenly order, then the form is to that extent lacking in beauty; and if the communication is with communities in hell, then the form is ugly, like that of the devil. Those who are utterly opposed to what is good and true, because they are opposed to the form heaven takes, which is the human form, are seen in the light of heaven not as human beings but as monsters. This is true of the whole of hell, of each community there, and of the individual members of those communities; and their appearance too involves variations, which are determined by the degree to which evil opposes good, and falsity from that evil opposes truth.