1119. So much give unto her torment and mourning.- That this signifies that they should have so much of infernal punishment and desolation, appears from the signification of torment, as denoting infernal punishment; and from the signification of mourning, as denoting desolation, which consists in their no longer possessing any truth and good, but merely falsity and evil. The reason why it is said that as much torment and mourning should be given her, as she hath glorified herself and lived delicately, is, that all torment or infernal punishment corresponds entirely to the evils in which they are. Those, therefore, who have glorified themselves much, and taken delight in the love of ruling over heaven and the church, and also, for the sake of that glory and its delights, have perverted the goods of heaven and of the church - which are the goods of the Word - have their lot in a hell more grievous in its torment. But those who have glorified themselves in a less degree, and taken less delight in such glorification, have their lot in a milder hell and those who have not glorified themselves, and have not thence perverted the goods and truths of heaven and of the church, which are from the Word, but have simply obeyed them either from ignorance or persuasion, have not their lot in hell. But the people who have no share in their dominion, particularly those who look to the Lord, and have some affection for truth, have their lot in the heavens, where they are taught by the angels. From these things it is evident, that here, where Babylon is treated of, no others are meant than those who exercise dominion from the delight which they find in the love of it for the sake of themselves.

[2] Continuation concerning the Athanasian Creed and concerning the Lord.- That God is Man and that the Lord is that Man, is clear from everything in the heavens, and beneath the heavens. In the heavens, all things that proceed from the Lord, in their greatest and in their smallest [components], are either in the human form, or have reference to the human form. The whole heaven is in the human form, every society of heaven is in the human form, every angel and also every spirit beneath the heavens are a human form. It has also been revealed to me, that all things, both the least and the greatest, that proceed immediately from the Lord, are in that form, for that which proceeds from God is a resemblance of Him; it is therefore said of Adam and Eve, that they were "created into the image and likeness of God" (Genesis 1:26, 27).

[3] It is for this reason also that the angels in the heavens, being recipients of the Divine which proceeds from the Lord, are men of astonishing beauty, while spirits in the hells, because they do not receive the Divine which proceeds from the Lord, are devils, who, in the light of heaven, appear not as men, but as monsters. It is owing to this fact that every one in the spiritual world is known from his human form in the degree in which he derives it from the Lord. It is now evident from these things, that the Lord is the only Man, and that every one is a man according to the reception of Divine Good and Divine Truth from Him. In a word, he who sees God as Man, sees God, because he sees the Lord. The Lord also says, "He who seeth the Son, and believeth in him, hath eternal life" (John 6:40). To see the Son is to see Him in the spirit, because this is said, also, to those who have not seen Him in the world.

1125. Death and mourning and famine, signifies when there is no longer any good nor any truth, but only evil and falsity. This is evident from the signification of "death," as being when there is no good, for then man is spiritually dead. (That "death" signifies in the Word spiritual death may be seen n. 78, 387, 694.) Also from the signification of "mourning," as being when there is no longer any truth, thus when the church is desolated (See above, n. 1119). Also from the signification of "famine," as being when there is nothing but evil and falsity, for "famine" signifies in the Word a lack of truth and good, and still a desire for them. Those who have such a lack and desire are meant by "those who hunger" and the "famished." "Famine" signifies also a lack of truth and good when there is no desire for them, thus the loss of them. Such is the famine of those who are solely in falsities and evils (See above, n. 386).

(Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith and respecting the Lord)

[2] An idea of the life that is God cannot be had unless an idea of the degrees by which life descends from its inmosts to its ultimates is gained. There is an inmost degree of life and there is an ultimate degree of life and there are intermediate degrees of life; the distinction between these is like the difference between things prior and things posterior, for a posterior degree exists from a prior one, and so on. Again, the difference is like the difference between things less and more general, for what is of a prior degree is less general, and what is of a posterior one is more general. Such degrees of life are in every man from creation; and they are opened according to the reception of life from the Lord. In some the degree next to the ultimate is being opened, in some the middle, and in some the inmost. Men in whom the inmost degree is being opened become after death angels of the inmost or third heaven, those in whom the middle degree is being opened become after death angels of the middle or second heaven, while those in whom the degree next to the ultimate is being opened become after death angels of the lowest heaven. These degrees are called degrees of man's life, but they are degrees of his wisdom and love, because they are opened according to the reception of wisdom and love, thus of life from the Lord. There are such degrees of life also in all the organs and viscera and members of the body, and by influx they act as one with the degrees of life in the brains. The skins, the cartilages, and the bones make their ultimate degree.

[3] There are such degrees in man because there are such degrees in the life that proceeds from the Lord, but in the Lord these are life, while in man they are recipients of life. But it is to be known that in the Lord there are still higher degrees, and that all, both the highest and the lowest, are life; for the Lord teaches both that He is the life and that He has flesh and bones. (But on these degrees, and on continuous degrees, see the work on Heaven and Hell 33, 34, 38, 39, 208, 209, 211, 435, where they are more fully described. A knowledge of these should be drawn from that work for use in what follows.)