241. Hoofdstuk 19. Over de Kerk.

Wat bij de mens de hemel maakt, dat maakt ook de kerk, want zoals de liefde en het geloof de hemel maken, aldus maken ook de liefde en het geloof de kerk. Alsus blijkt uit wat over de hemel eerder is gezegd, wat de kerk is.

158. Verse 20. But I have against thee a few things, signifies that heed should be taken, as is evident from what follows, for it is there told of what things heed should be taken.

548. How this comes about will also be stated. When man enters the other life he is received first by angels, who perform for him all good offices, and talk with him about the Lord, heaven, and the angelic life, and instruct him in truths and goods. But if the man, now a spirit, be one who knew about these things in the world, but in heart denied or despised them, after some conversation he desires and seeks to get away from these angels. As soon as the angels perceive this they leave him. After some intercourse with others he at length associates with those who are in evil like his own (see above, 445-452). When this takes place, he turns himself away from the Lord and turns his face towards the hell to which he had been joined in the world, in which those abide who are in a like love of evil. From these things it is clear that the Lord draws every spirit to Himself by means of angels and by means of influx from heaven; but those spirits who are in evil completely resist, and, as it were, tear themselves away from the Lord, and are drawn by their own evil, thus by hell, as if by a rope. And as they are so drawn, and by reason of their love of evil are willing to follow, it is established that, from their freedom, they cast themselves into hell. Men in the world, because of their idea of hell, are unable to believe that this is so. In fact, in the other life before the eyes of those who are outside hell, it does not appear otherwise; but not so to those who cast themselves into hell, for such enter of their own accord. Those who enter from a burning love of evil appear to be cast headlong, with the head downwards and the feet upwards. It is because of this appearance that they seem to be cast into hell by Divine power. (But about this more will be said below, 574.) From these things now it can be seen that the Lord casts no one into hell, but each one casts himself into hell, both while he is living in the world and also after death when he comes among spirits.