6324. Spirits who spend much of their time reasoning in the next life have little perception as to what is true or good and therefore cannot be admitted into the more internal angelic communities, for no intelligence at all can be imparted to them there. They have also been given to reasoning among themselves about the idea that every thought or affection anyone has flows into him, saying that if this idea were true, then no one could be found guilty or pay the price for any offence. But they were told in reply that if a person were to believe as things really are, which is that everything good and true comes from the Lord and everything evil and false from hell, he could not have been found guilty of any offence or had evil ascribed to himself. But because he believes that it begins in himself he takes evil as his own; for his belief causes this to happen. Thus evil clings and cannot be separated from him. Indeed the person's nature is such that he would be indignant if anyone told him that his thoughts and desires came from others and did not begin in himself.

697. At least two evil spirits and two angels are present with every man. Through the evil spirits a person is in communication with hell, and through the angels with heaven. Without communication in both directions no one can survive for the smallest fraction of time. Everybody is accordingly in contact with some community of those in hell, though he is not directly conscious of it. Their torments however cannot be transmitted to him because he is still in the process of being prepared for eternal life. That community to which he has been allied is sometimes shown to him in the next life, for he goes back to it and so to the life which he led in the world. And from this point he either makes his way towards hell or is raised up into heaven. So anyone who does not lead a life consisting of good that stems from charity and who does not allow himself to be led by the Lord is one of those who belong in hell, and after death he also becomes a devil.