# The Swedenborg Library Vol 1/Chapter 15

XV.
FALSITIES AND EVILS OF HELL, AND THE LOVES FROM WHICH THEY SPRING.
LL who are in hell are in evils and the falsities thence derived; and no one there is in evils and at the same time in truths. Nearly all the wicked in the world are acquainted with spiritual truths, which are the truths of the church; for they have learned them in childhood from preaching and from reading the Word, and afterwards from the conversation they have had respecting them.
Some have even induced others to believe that they were Christians in heart because they knew how to discourse from truths with pretended affection, and also to act sincerely as if from spiritual faith. But such of them as have thought within themselves contrary to those truths, and have abstained from the doing of evils agreeable to their thoughts only on account of the laws of their country, and with a view to reputation, honors and gain, are all evil in heart; and are in truth and goods only as to the body and not as to the spirit.
When, therefore, external things are removed from them in the other life, and the internal things ​belonging to their spirits are revealed, they are altogether in evils and falsities, and not in any truths and goods. And it is made manifest that truths and goods resided in their memory merely as scientifics, which they brought forth in conversation, putting on the semblance of good as if from spiritual love and faith.
When such persons are let into their internals, and consequently into their evils, they can no longer speak truths but only falsities, since they speak from their evils. For to speak truths from evils is impossible, because the spirit is then nothing but his own evil; and what proceeds from evil is falsity. Every evil spirit is reduced to this state before he is cast into hell. This is called being vastated as to truths and goods. And vastation is nothing else than being let into one's internals, that is, into the proprium of his spirit, or into his spirit itself.
When a man after death is brought into this state, he is no longer a man-spirit such as he is in his first state, but he is truly a spirit; for one who is truly a spirit has a face and body corresponding to his internals, which belong to his mind. Thus his external form is the type or effigy of his internals.
Such is the spirit after passing through the first and second states, spoken of above. Wherefore it is then known, the moment he is seen, what his true character is, not only from his face but also from his whole personal appearance, and likewise from his ​speech and gestures. And because he is now in himself, he cannot abide elsewhere than among those who are like him. For in the spiritual world there is a communication of the affections and consequent thoughts in an endless variety of ways.
Therefore a spirit is conveyed to his like, as it were of himself, because he is led to them by his own affection and its delight. Indeed he even turns himself in that direction, for thus he inhales his own life, or draws his breath freely; but not when he turns himself in another direction.
It is to be remembered that communication with others in the spiritual world takes place according to the turning of the face, and that every one has continually before him those who are in similar love with himself; and this, too, whichever way the body is turned. Hence it is that all infernal spirits turn themselves backward from the Lord to the thick darkness; but all the angels turn themselves to the Lord as the sun and moon of heaven.
PERSONAL APPEARANCE OF THOSE IN HELL.
All the spirits in hell when inspected in any degree of heavenly light, appear in the form of their own evil; for every one there is the effigy of his own evil, because with every one the interiors and exteriors act in unity,—the interiors exhibiting themselves visibly in the exteriors, which are the face, the ​body, the speech and the gestures. Thus their character is known as soon as they are seen.
In general they are forms of contempt of others; of menace against those who do not pay them respect; of hatred of various kinds; also of various kinds of revenge. Ferocity and cruelty from their interiors are transparent through those forms. But when others commend, honor and worship them, their faces are contracted and have an appearance of gladness arising from delight. It is impossible to describe in a few words all those forms as they actually appear; for no one of them is similar to that of another.
Among those, however, who are in similar evil, and thence in a similar infernal society, there is a general likeness, from which, as from a plane of derivation, the faces of all there appear to bear a certain resemblance to each other. In general their faces are hideous, and void of life like corpses; in some cases they are black; in others they are fiery like little torches; in others, disfigured with pimples, warts and ulcers. Many appear to have no face, but instead thereof something hairy or bony; and in some instances nothing is seen but teeth. Their bodies also are monstrous; and their speech is like the speech of anger, hatred or revenge,—for every one speaks from his own falsity, and in a tone corresponding to his own evil. In a word they are all images of their own hell.
​I have not been permitted to see what is the form of hell itself in general; I have only been told that, as the universal heaven in one complex resembles one man, so the universal hell in one complex resembles one devil, and may also be presented in the effigy of one devil. But I have often seen the specific form of the hells or infernal societies; for at their openings which are called the gates of hell, there usually appears a monster that represents in general the form of those who are within. The inhumanity of those who dwell there is then at the same time represented by things shocking and horrible, which I forbear to mention.
It is, however, to be observed that such is the appearance of infernal spirits when seen in the light of heaven; but among themselves they appear like men. This is of the Lord's mercy, that they may not appear as loathsome to each other as they do to the angels. But this appearance is a fallacy; for as soon as a ray of light from heaven is let in, their human forms are turned into monstrous ones, such as they are in reality, as described above. For in the light of heaven everything appears as it really is.
Hence it is, too, that they shun the light of heaven, and cast themselves down into their own lumen, which is like the light from ignited coals, and in some cases like that from burning sulphur. But this lumen is also turned into utter darkness as soon any light from heaven flows in upon it. Hence it is ​that the hells are said to be in thick darkness; and that thick darkness signifies falsities derived from evil, such as are in hell.
From an inspection of those monstrous forms of spirits in hell,—which, as was said, are all forms of contempt of others, of menace against those who do not pay them honor and respect, and of hatred and revenge against those who do not favor them,—it was made manifest that, in general, they were all of them forms of self-love and the love of the world; and that the evils whereof they are specific forms, derive their origin from these two loves.
THE LOVES THAT RULE IN HEAVEN AND HELL.
I have also been told from heaven, and it has been proved to me by much experience likewise, that these two loves,—namely, self-love and the love of the world,—rule in the hells, and likewise make the hells; and that love to the Lord and love toward the neighbor rule in the heavens, and likewise make the heavens; also that the two former loves which are the loves of hell, and the two latter which are the loves of heaven, are diametrically opposite to each other.
At first I wondered why it was that self-love and the love of the world are so diabolical, and that they who are in those loves are such monsters to look upon; since in the world little thought is given ​to self-love, but only to that puffed-up state of mind, outwardly manifested, which is called pride; and which, because it appears to the sight, is alone believed to be self-love.
Moreover, self-love which does not so exalt itself, is believed in the world to be the fire of life, whereby man is stimulated to seek employment and to perform uses. It is contended that, unless he looked to the honor and glory to be thereby acquired, his mind would grow torpid. Who, say they, ever did any worthy, useful or memorable deed, but for the sake of being celebrated and honored by others, or in the minds of others? And whence, it is asked, does this arise, but from the ardor of love for glory and honor, consequently for self?
Hence it is unknown in the world that self-love, in itself considered, is the love which rules in hell and makes hell with man. This being the case, I will first describe what self-love is; and then show that all evils and the falsities thence derived, spring from that love as from their fountain.
Self-love consists in a man's wishing well to himself alone, and not to others except for the sake of himself,—not even to the church, to his country or to any human society; also in doing good to them solely for the sake of his own reputation, honor and glory; for unless he sees these in the uses which he performs for them, he says in his heart, Of what use is it? Why should I do this? What advantage ​will it be to me? And so he leaves the use undone.
Whence it is evident that he who is in self-love, neither loves the church, his country, society, nor any use, but himself alone. His delight is only that of self-love. And because the delight which proceeds from his love makes the life of man, therefore his life is the life of self; and the life of self is the life derived from man's proprium; and the proprium of man, viewed in itself, is nothing but evil.
He who loves himself loves those who belong to him, who in particular are his children and grandchildren, and in general all who make one with him, whom he calls his friends. To love these is also to love himself; for he regards them as it were in himself and himself in them. Among those whom he calls his friends, are also to be reckoned all who praise, honor and pay their court to him.
From a comparison of self-love with heavenly love, the nature of the former may be clearly seen. Heavenly love consists in loving, for their own sake, the uses or good works which a man performs for the church, his country, human society and a fellow-citizen; for this is to love God and the neighbor, because all uses and all good works are from God, and are likewise the neighbor that is to be loved. But whoever loves them for the sake of himself, loves them as he does his household domestics, merely because they render him service.
Hence it follows that he who is in self-love desires ​that the church, his country, human society and his fellow-citizens should serve him, and not that he may serve them; for he places himself above them, and them below himself. So far, therefore, as any one is in self-love, he removes himself from heaven, because from heavenly love.
Still further: so far as any one is in heavenly love,—which consists in loving uses and good works, and in beiug affected with delight of heart in the performance of them for the sake of the church, his country, human society aud a fellow-citizen,—he is led by the Lord; because that is the love in which He is, and which is from Himself. But so far as any one is in self-love, which consists in performing uses and good works for the sake of himself, he is led by himself; and in proportion as any one is led by himself, he is not led by the Lord.
Whence also it follows, that so far as any one loves himself, he removes himself from the Divine, thus also from heaven. To be led by himself is to be led by his own proprium, and the proprium of man is nothing but evil; for it is his hereditary evil which consists in loving himself more than God, and the world more than heaven. Man is let into his own proprium, thus into his hereditary evils, as often as he has regard to himself in the good that he does; for he looks away from good works to himself, and not away from himself to good works; therefore in his good works he presents the image of himself, and ​not any image of the Divine. That such is the case, has also been proved to me by experience.
That self-love is the opposite of neighborly love, may be seen from the origin and essence of both. The love of the neighbor with him who is in self-love, commences from self,—for he insists that every one is neighbor to himself,—and from self as its centre, proceeds to all who make one with himself, with diminution according to the degrees of conjunction with him by love. And they who are out of that association, are made no account of. And they who are opposed to him and his friends, and to their evils, are regarded as enemies, whether they be wise or upright, sincere or just, or whatever be their character.
But spiritual love toward the neighbor commences from the Lord; and from him as the centre it proceeds to all those who are conjoined to Him by love and faith, and is exercised toward all according to the quality of their love and faith.
Hence it is evident that the neighborly love which commences from man, is the opposite of that which commences from the Lord; and that the former proceeds from evil, because from the proprium of man; but the latter proceeds from good, because from the Lord who is Good Itself. It is also evident that the love of the neighbor which proceeds from man and his proprium is corporeal, but that which proceeds from the Lord is heavenly.
​In a word, the love of self with the man in whom it rules, constitutes the head, and heavenly love with him constitutes the feet whereon he stands; and if this does not serve him, he tramples it under foot. Hence the reason why they who are cast down into hell, appear to fall with their heads downward toward hell, and their feet upward toward heaven.
Self-love is also of such a quality, that so far as the reins are given it,—that is, so far as external bonds are removed, which consist in fear of the law and its penalties, and of the loss of reputation, honor, gain, employment and life,—it rushes on in its mad career, until at last it not only desires to rule over the whole terrestrial globe, but also over the whole heaven, and over the Divine Himself. It knows no limit or bounds.
This propensity lurks within every one who is in self-love, although it does not appear before the world where the above mentioned bonds restrain it. That such is the case is obvious to every one from the conduct of kings and potentates who are subject to no such restraints or bonds, and who rush on, subjugating provinces and kingdoms, and—so far as they succeed in their purposes—aspire after unlimited power and glory.
The same truth is still more evident from the Babylon of the present day, which has extended its dominion into heaven and transferred all the divine power of the Lord to itself, and continually lusts ​after more. That persons of this character, when after death they enter the other life, are altogether opposed to the Divine and heaven, and are in favor of hell, may be seen in the little treatise concerning the Last Judgment and the destruction of Babylon.
Picture to yourself a society of such persons, all of whom love themselves alone, and love others only so far as they make one with themselves; and you will see that their love for each other is not unlike that of robbers, who, so far as their associates act conjointly with them, embrace and call them friends; but so far as they do not act conjointly with them, and reject their domination, rush upon and cruelly slay them. If their interiors or minds be examined, it will be found that they are full of bitter enmity toward each other, and that in heart they laugh at all justice and sincerity, and likewise at the Divine whom they reject as of no account.
The interiors belonging to the thoughts and affections of those who love themselves above all things, are turned toward themselves and the world, and thus are turned away from the Lord and heaven. Hence they are filled with evils of every kind, and the Divine cannot flow in; for the instant it does, it is immersed in their thoughts about themselves, and is defiled, and is likewise infused into the evils which arise from their proprium.
The evils which appertain to those who are in the ​love of self, are in general, contempt of others, envy, enmity, and thence hostility toward all who do not favor them, hatred of various kinds, revenge, cunning, deceit, unmercifulness and cruelty. And in respect to the things of religion they not only entertain a contempt for the Divine and for divine things,—which are the truths and goods of the church,—but even feel anger against them, which is likewise turned into hatred when man becomes a spirit. And then he not only cannot endure to hear those things mentioned, but also burns with hatred against all who acknowledge and worship the Divine.
I once conversed with a certain spirit who had been in authority when in the world, and had loved himself in an unusual degree. This spirit, at the bare mention of the Divine, and especially at the mention of the Lord's name, was moved by such hatred arising from anger, that he burned with a desire to kill Him. The same spirit also, when his love was left unrestrained, desired to be the devil himself, that from self-love he might continually infest heaven. This, too, is the desire of many who are of the Roman Catholic religion, when they perceive in the other life that the Lord has all power, and themselves none.
There appeared to me some spirits in the western quarter toward the south, who said that they had been in stations of great dignity in the world, and that they deserved to be preferred above others and ​to rule over them. They were examined by the angels in order to ascertain their true quality; and it was discovered that, in the discharge of the duties of their offices in the world, they had not looked to uses but to themselves; and so had preferred themselves to uses. But because they were very earnest and importunate in their desire to be set over others, they were allowed to take their places among those who were consulting about matters of superior importance; but it was perceived that they were unable to attend to the business under consideration, or to see things interiorly in themselves; and that they did not speak upon the subject from a regard to use, but from proprium; and likewise that they wished to act from personal favor according to their arbitrary pleasure. Wherefore they were dismissed from that office, and left to seek employment for themselves elsewhere.
They therefore proceeded further into the western quarter, where they were received first in one place and then in another; but they were everywhere told that they thought only of themselves, and of nothing except on their own account; consequently that they were stupid, and only like sensual corporeal spirits. On this account wherever they went they were sent away. Sometime afterwards I saw them reduced to extreme poverty, and asking alms.
Hence also it was made manifest that, however they who are in self-love may, from the fire of that ​love, seem to speak in the world like wise men, still it is only from the memory and not from any rational light. Therefore in the other life, when it is no longer permitted to reproduce the things of the natural memory, they are more stupid than others; the reason of which is, that they are separated from the Divine.
There are two kinds of dominion; one is that of love toward the neighbor, and the other that of self-love. These two kinds of dominion are, in their essence, altogether opposite to each other. He who exercises rule from love toward the neighbor, wishes to do good to all, and loves nothing more than to perform uses, that is, to serve others. By serving others is meant to seek their good, and to perform uses, whether it be to the church, the country, society or a fellow-citizen. This is his love and this the delight of his heart. So far also as he is exalted to dignities above others, he is glad; yet not on account of the dignities, but on account of the uses which he is then able to perform in greater abundance and of a higher order. Such is the dominion that is exercised in heaven.
But he who rules from the love of self, wills good to no one but himself alone; the uses which he performs are for the sake of his own honor and glory which to him are the only uses. His end in serving others is, that he may himself be served, honored and exalted to dominion. He courts dignities, not for the sake of the good service which may thereby be ​rendered to his country and the church, but in order that he may be in eminence and glory, and thence in the delight of his heart.
The love of dominion also remains with every one after his life in the world. Those who have exercised authority from neighborly love, are also entrusted with authority in the heavens. But then it is not they who rule, but the uses which they love; and when uses rule, the Lord rules. But they who in the world have exercised authority from self-love, after their life on earth are in hell, where they are vile slaves. I have seen the mighty ones, who in the world had exercised dominion from the love of self, cast among those of the meanest class.
But as to the love of the world, this is not opposed to heavenly love in so great a degree as the love of self, because so great evils do not lie concealed within it. This love is manifold. There is the love of wealth for the sake of being exalted to honors, which are the only objects loved. There is the love of honors and dignities with a view to the increase of wealth. There is the love of wealth for the sake of the various uses which afford delight in the world. There is the love of wealth for its own sake, such as belongs to the avaricious; and so on. The end for which wealth is sought, is called its use. And the end or use is that from which the love derives its quality; for the love is of such a quality as is the end had in view, and all other things are subservient to it. (H. H. 551-565.)