636. 14:11 "He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment will ascend forever and ever." This symbolizes their love of self and the world and the ensuing lusts, and stemming from these a conceit in their own intelligence, and torment in hell because of them.
Fire symbolizes a love of self and love of the world (no. 494). Brimstone symbolizes the lusts springing from these two loves (no. 452). And because all the torment in hell occurs in consequence of these three elements, therefore we are told, "he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone, and the smoke of their torment will ascend forever and ever." The verse says in the presence of the angels and the Lamb, because these loves are opposed to Divine truth and to the Lord who embodies the Word. For angels symbolize Divine truths, being the recipients of them (no. 170); and the Lamb symbolizes the Lord in respect to His Divine humanity and at the same time in respect to the Word (no. 595).
That torments in hell occur in consequence of the aforesaid loves, and that people caught up in a faith divorced from charity experience them, may be seen in nos. 421, 502, 591 above.
