1043. And decked with gold and precious stone. That this signifies the appearance of that religious persuasion in externals, as it were from spiritual good and truth, although, in internals, it is from infernal evil and falsity, is evident from the signification of gold, as denoting spiritual good, and the evil that is the opposite of it, which is called infernal evil. That gold signifies good, see n. 242. And from the signification of precious stone, as denoting truth from a spiritual origin, and also the falsity that is the opposite of it, which is called infernal falsity. That a precious stone denotes truth from a spiritual origin, see n. 717.

[2] Some observations were made above concerning good and truth from a celestial origin, and concerning good and truth from a spiritual origin. Something shall now be said concerning the evil and falsity which are their opposites.

As the heavens are distinguished into two kingdoms - the celestial and the spiritual - so also are the hells distinguished into two dominions, the opposites of those kingdoms. The dominion the opposite of the celestial kingdom is called diabolical, and the dominion the opposite of the spiritual kingdom is called infernal. Those dominions are distinguished in the Word by the names Devil and Satan. The reason why there are two dominions in the hells is, that the heavens and the hells are the opposites of each other; and opposite must altogether correspond to opposite in order that there may be equilibrium. For the existence and subsistence of all things, both in the natural world and in the spiritual world, depend upon a perfect equilibrium between two opposite agents, which, while they clearly act against each other mutually, do so by force, but when not manifestly, they act by effort. By equilibrium all things are kept together in both worlds, and without it all things would perish. The equilibrium in the spiritual world is between good from heaven and evil from hell, and thence between truth from heaven and falsity from hell. For so it is continually ordered by the Lord, that all the genera and species of good and truth in the heavens should have their opposites in evils and falsities of correspondent kinds in the hells. Thus goods and truths from a celestial origin have for their opposites the evils and falsities that are called diabolical; and similarly goods and truths from a spiritual origin have for their opposites the evils and falsities that are called infernal.

[3] The equilibriums derive their cause from this, that the same Divine goods and Divine truths that the angels in the heavens receive from the Lord, the spirits in the hells turn into evils and falsities. All angels, spirits, and men are held by the Lord in equilibrium between good and evil, and thence between truth and falsity, in order that they may be in freedom, and so be withdrawn from evil to good, and from falsity to truth, easily and as of themselves, while yet of the Lord. Hence it is that they are also led in freedom from good to evil, and from truth to falsity, and this also as of themselves, although it is from hell.

33. Let it be clearly understood that with the angels it is the interiors that cause them to be in one heaven or another; for as their interiors are more open to the Lord they are in a more interior heaven. There are three degrees of interiors in each angel and spirit, and also in man. Those in whom the third degree is opened are in the inmost heaven. Those in whom the second degree is opened, or only the first, are in the middle or in the outmost heaven. The interiors are opened by reception of Divine good and Divine truth. Those who are affected by Divine truths and admit them at once into the life, thus into the will and into action therefrom, are in the inmost or third heaven, and have their place there in accordance with their reception of good from affection for truth. Those who do not admit truths at once into the will but into the memory, and thence into the understanding, and from the understanding will and do them, are in the middle or second heaven. But those who live morally and who believe in a Divine, and who care very little about being taught, are in the outmost or first heaven. ¹ From this it is clear that the states of the interiors are what make heaven, and that heaven is within everyone, and not outside of him; as the Lord teaches when He says:

The kingdom of God cometh not with observation, neither shall they say, Lo here, or Lo there; for behold the kingdom of God ye have within you (Luke 17:20, 21).

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