SECTION SECOND.
Heaven and Hell states, not Places—Origin of these Spiritual states–Essential Nature of each—Many different Societies in each—The Enjoyments of Heaven and the Miseries of Hell.
Having endeavored in the preceding section to convey some idea of the nature and form of the spiritual world in general, we will now turn our attention more directly to those portions of that world, which constitute, on the one hand the homes of the good, and on the other, the miserable abodes of those who are confirmed evil. I have thought best to treat of these opposite states in connection, rather than separately, in order that the nature of each may be more distinctly seen, by contrasting it with the other.
A common impression in regard to heaven and hell, appears to be, that they are places to which good and evil spirits go,—that those who obtain the pardon of their sins, by exercising faith in the atoning blood of Christ, will, by the divine mercy, be admitted into heaven, and that their eternal happiness is thereby secured; while those die without having exercised this faith in Christ, will be driven down to hell, there to suffer eternally beneath the wrath of an offended God.
With such sentiments the doctrines of the New Church have no sympathy. Heaven and hell are states, not places. They are neither here nor there, but "within you," as the Lord says of the kingdom of God. If they were places they would necessarily be in the natural world, for place cannot be predicated of spiritual things. You cannot assign to the spirit of man, or to any of those things which are essentialy connected with it, any definite locality. It is true that so long as the spirit remains in the natural world it is intimately connected with the body, and that has always a definite location in space. And hence we say of the man that he is here or there. But in strict truth the locality is predicable of the body and not of the spirit. The correctness of this proposition will be more clearly seen if we reflect that whatever can be located in any definite place, may also be measured. But you would instantly see the absurdity of attempting to determine the size of a man's spirit in feet and inches. You would scarcely think of applying the rules of geometry to the measurement of a man's soul; and would find very little use for algebraical formulæ in assertaining the depth of his affections, or the extent of his understanding. These are spiritual things and are therefore not susceptible of natural measurement; and for the same reason we cannot assign to them any definite location. And what is thus true of the individual spirit and of its affections and thoughts, is equally true of the spiritual world in general,—of heaven and hell. In their real and essential nature they are states of good and evil to which spirits arrive, and not places to which they are sent. It is true, as I have already endeavored to show, that spiritual things have external forms, for without form there can be no existence; and that these forms even resemble the objects that are seen in the natural world, and have the appearance of being located in space. But on the other hand it is equally true that these forms are perceived by the spiritual and not by the natural senses. They do not come down to that plane of the mind which takes cognizance of natural and material things; and they cannot therefore be measured and located.
This distinction may seem at first to be rather more philosophical than practical, but a closer examination will show that it is intimately connected with the most important spiritual principles. It is of the utmost consequence to know that heaven and hell are spiritual states,—the former the state of those who are in goodness and truth, and in the love and practice of a good and useful life; and the latter the state of those who are in evil and falsity and in the love and practice of a corresponding life. To go to heaven is voluntarily to receive spiritual goodness into the affections of the heart, and spiritual truth into the light of the understanding, and to bring these heavenly things into life. To go to hell is, to receive, love and act from the opposite qualities,—evil and falsity. It is still true that each of these worlds is external to the spirit who dwells in it. But it is external because it is first internal. The world without is the effect of the world within.
It will be seen that these views, if received, must very intimately affect the conscience and the life. That heaven and hell are no arbitrary allotments, not the gift of immediate mercy on the one hand, nor the infliction of vindictive wrath on the other, but the necessary result of a man's own affections, thoughts and life,—this is a truth that goes home to the heart. No man can seriously contemplate such a truth without being moved and affected by it. And even those who are accustomed to ridicule the doctrines of religion will be apt to hesitate at this. "I would like," said such a man, "to know where that hell is of which you talk so much." But when it was replied to him,—'It is in the Spiritual nature, in the affections and thoughts of every unregenerate man,"—he was silent. There was a truth which he did not feel prepared to ridicule.—The principle here stated will be illustrated more fully in a subsequent part of this section.
For the present we will turn our attention, for a few moments, to the question, what is the origin of heaven and hell, or, in other words, what makes these spiritual states. On this point also, the doctrines of the New Church are very full and explicit. It is the voluntary and continual reception of the divine goodness and truth, the divine love and wisdom, that makes heaven; and it is the rejection of these divine things that makes hell. The doctrine of the New Church, in regard to the source from whence heaven is formed, cannot be better expressed than by transcribing the following passages from "Heaven and Hell."
It is important also, to observe in what way the divine love and wisdom are received in the formation of heaven.—To receive those divine things which make heaven, is to receive the Lord himself as divine goodness and truth, as divine goodness into the affections of the heart, and as divine truth into the light of the understanding. But it is impossible to think of and love the Lord under any other form than that of a Divine Man. This impossibility results from the constitution of the mind itself. For that divine goodness and truth, towards which the affections and thoughts are directed, can only be conceived of, as existing in one Divine Person, who is himself supremely good, and infinitely wise. And accordingly, the Lord has always manifested himself to us in a form adapted to the affections of the heart, and to the thoughts of the understanding,—has manifested himself as a Divine Man. This was especially the case in that most perfect and glorious manifestation, by which he "visited and radeemed his people." That the Lord is a Divine Man, in whom is a trinity consisting of the divine love, the divine wisdom, and the divine influence, is a truth which is very manifestly shown in a great multitude and, variety of passages in the sacred scriptures; and may also be very fully confirmed by reason and reflection. The reader who would see a full and perfect demonstration of this important truth, may find it in the works of our author, especially in a small work entitled "The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, concerning the Lord."
Such being the nature of the Lord, essentially and personally one; and on the other hand, the human mind being so constituted, that it has no capacity for loving or thinking of him under any other form, it is manifest that heaven can be received, only by receiving Jehovah our God, as Jesus Christ our Lord. This brings us to the conclusion, just, rational and true, that heaven is formed by loving the Lord and his commandments; and by loving to live according to the divine order of heaven. This corresponds with what the Lord often teaches us in the Divine Word, as in John, xv. 4. 5;—"Abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches:—He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing."
It may not be inappropriate in this place, to call the reader's attention to the fact, that the New Church loses nothing in rejecting the doctrine of salvation through the atonement of Christ, as that doctrine is commonly held, in what is called its orthodox form. It will be admitted, without controversy, that the essential principle of this doctrine is, that 'Christ was made a sacrifice upon Calvary, to satisfy the requirements of divine justice, and that by virtue of faith in the efficacy of the sacrifice then and there made, sin is remitted, and those who were before the objects of the divine wrath, become recipients of the divine mercy, and are made heirs of an eternal life in heaven.'
A very obvious objection to this doctrine, is, that it necessarily directs the attention to more than one Divine Person, thereby distracting the mind in regard to who or what is the true object of worship. It also presents God the Father, in the attitude of an unjust sovereign, in permitting an innocent being to suffer the penalty of sins which were committed by others. And in the end, it only gives us something to quiet our natural dread of punishment, and to excite our selfish hopes of happiness. The man is led to believe that the sufferings which Christ endured upon Calvary are substituted instead of the punishment which is due to his sins, and that the obedience which He rendered to the divine law is accepted instead of that obedience which the man himself ought to have rendered; and that thus hell is closed, heaven is opened, and eternal happiness is given to him. But what is the effect of such a belief? Has it any tendency to regenerate the internal affections of the spirit? Perhaps you would answer this question in the affirmative, and appeal to the general history of society in support of your position. On the other hand, I would probably undertake to contravert your position by attempting to show, that there is no evidence that the men who believe this doctrine, are, as a general fact, any better than others. There would thus arise a discussion for which we have no time now. All I ask of the reader at present, is to look at this question in the light of rational truth. Can the belief of the doctrine referred to have any tendency to regenerate the spirit of man by leading him faithfully and continually to reject every evil as a sin against the Lord. Such a belief may no doubt have a tendency to quiet anxiety in regard to the past and the future, and to produce a self complacent state of mind in regard to one's present condition. But there is danger that the quietness which results from such a belief, may be more like the benumbed and fatal stillness that is produced by the scorpion's sting, than like that peace which flows from the internal reception of the Lord Jesus Christ, as divine goodness and truth. It is this internal reception of the Lord, our Saviour, as the true and only God, that the New Church receives as the true spiritual doctrine of salvation through the atoning blood of Christ. That blood, in a spiritual sense, does not denote the Lord's material blood which was shed upon Calvary, nor even the sufferings which were there endured; this would be a merely sensual idea, in which there is no spiritual life. But the blood by which the spirit is cleansed and made fit for heaven, is the divine truth of the Lord. This, as is fully shown in the doctrines of the New Church, is the spiritual meaning of blood, as that term is used in the Divine Word. This then is the doctrine which in the New Church is substituted for the common one in regard to salvation through Christ. The man who voluntarily receives the divine truth into his understanding, and faith fully and continually brings it into life, till he thus permits the heavenly marriage of goodness and truth to be fully consummated in the inner chambers of his spirit, is thereby united to heaven; eternal life is secured to him; he is a permanent guest at the marriage supper of the Lamb. We are thus presented with a doctrine, which when fully unfolded, shows the Divine Word to be filled with spirit and with life; demonstrates that God is equally just and merciful towards all his creatures; and gives to heaven its true place, in the affections of the heart. But if heaven is formed by the reception of the Lord as divine goodness and truth, from whence comes Hell? Hell, as already remarked, is the opposite of heaven. It is the state of those who are fully confirmed in the love of evil and falsity. But whence comes that evil which constitutes hell? The Lord is the maker and source of all things. "A man can receive nothing except it be from him from above." This is the uniform testimony of divine truth and of reason. A finite and created being can originate nothing. Every thing that exists comes from Him who in himself alone is life and being. But the question still returns with greater force, from whence comes evil? Surely not from Him who is goodness itself. The Divine Word teaches us that a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit. This principle must be true of God as well as of man. That which is evil and false cannot proceed from him who is divinely good and divinely true. How then shall we account for its existence? Shall we say as some are doing, that evil is only undeveloped good; that hell is nothing more than an imperfect heaven? This solution of the difficulty may seem reasonable enough to the man who is in an entirely unregenerate state, and knows nothing by experience of the essential difference between good and evil.—Such a man may even suppose that spiritual goodness consists in nothing more than "doing good to others, in obedience to the commandments of God, and for the sake of an everlasting reward," thus resolving all goodness into the love of self as an inmost principle. But every good and truly rational man knows that to love self supremely, and to do good to others only for the sake of self, is directly opposed to those heavenly affections which consist in loving the Lord with all the heart, and the neighbor as ourselves. The full development of those evil affections, so far from drawing a man towards heaven, only removes him to a still greater distance from it. We must look therefore for some more rational way of solving this difficulty, than by supposing that evil is only undeveloped good.
It cannot be denied that the principles just stated and insisted upon as true, seem like a contradiction. We appear to be maintaining a proposition like the following:—"Every thing that exists comes from the Lord; evil exists, and yet evil does not come from the Lord." No question in theology or metaphysics, has puzzled the world more than this. And yet a true and rational solution, as we believe, may be found in the doctrines of the New Church. I will endeavor to give a brief statement of our doctrines on this subject.
It is maintained in the works of our author, that freedom is essential to the life of man's spirit; that it belongs to his life's love, and even makes one with that love; that all regeneration takes place in freedom, and that without it there could be no possibility of attaining to a heavenly state. On this point he remarks (Ap. Ex. No. 1150,) that:—
It is also very fully shown that the freedom in which man is, while he remains in the natural world, is very intimately connected with the fact that he is constantly subjected to the opposite influences of good and evil spirits. In the Ar. Cel., No. 5982, it is said that:—
This freedom is constantly given to man by the Lord, and constitutes the reciprocal principle on the part of man, by which a conjunction can be effected between him and the Lord. The true and orderly exercise of this faculty, consists in the voluntary rejection of evil and falsity, and the reception of the divine goodness and truth. But the very existence of such a faculty shows that it is liable to abuse. The power to choose is also the power to reject. And this brings us at once to the origin of evil. It is the voluntary abuse of goodness and truth. In other words, it is the abuse of those faculties of freedom and rationality, which the Lord gives to man in order to enable him to receive the divine goodness and truth. It is these faculties which give man the power of being conjoined to the Lord, make him capable of reformation, regeneration and eternal life, and thus distinguish him from the beasts that perish. But he may abuse these faculties, by turning the goodness and truth which the Lord gives him, into evil and falsity, for the sake of selfish gratifications and delights; and this is the way that evil originates and hell is formed.
Is it asked then, how all things can exist from the Lord, and yet hell not exist from him: We reply, he is the source of that goodness and truth, which in a perverted form, make the evil and falsity of hell. But the perversion which turns the good into evil and the truth into falsity, comes from the abuse of man's freedom, and not from the Lord. It will thus be seen, that while in strict truth, the Lord is the source of all things, yet evil does not come from him. Nor is it of his divine providence, but only of his permission. He cannot prevent it without destroying the life of man's spirit, and thus rendering it impossible for him to be either good or evil, either happy or miserable. So entirely does the awful responsibility of the existence of evil, rest upon those who suffer its misery. For the good the Lord provides "many mansions," but the wicked provide their own miserable abodes.
Having given this brief statement in regard to the origin of heaven and hell, we will now turn our attention more directly and fully to the internal nature of these spiritual states. It has already been remarked that the essential principle and life of heaven, is love for the Lord and our neighbor. This is in accordance with what Divine Truth teaches us, in the word of the Lord;—"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.—This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it.—Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (Mat. xxii, 37–40.) By the Law and the Prophets is meant the whole divine word, and hence, the whole requirements of divine truth. It is manifest therefore, that the affections of love to the Lord and the neighbor, when they reign sole and supreme in the heart, constitute the essential nature of heaven. And hence we may know what is the internal and real nature of heaven, just so far as we know what the Divine Word means by love to the Lord and our neighbor.
But here a peculiar difficulty presents itself. No description that can possibly be given of these heavenly affections, will be really intelligible, except to those—a comparatively small number we fear—who have already made these affections in some measure, their own. Such will understand though others may not, that true love to the Lord, is not to love him simply as a person, without any right idea of his real character, but to love him as divine goodness and truth. It is true, the understanding must receive him as a Divine Person, but the affections must embrace him as goodness and truth. It is only in this way that the Lord can be really and truly loved, and heaven can be received. To attempt to worship him simply as a person, and without any right views of his true character, is very little more than idolatry. It is to worship a name without knowing what that name signifies. And it is still more absurd to attempt to worship him under the form of several persons, not more than one of whom can possibly be supreme; and even worse yet, when one of those persons is regarded as a partial sovereign and a vindictive judge. This is to have no right views or affections towards the true God, but to worship an imaginary deity formed to suit the selfish and malignant affections of the unregenerate heart. The love that can be delighted with such a God has in it much more of hell than of heaven.
The writer would not be understood however, to mean that all those who profess to believe a doctrine which thus perverts and misrepresents the true character of the Lord, are necessarily bad men. A man may hold a doctrine in his memory, and from the influence of early habits, of social relations or other external circumstances, he may even consent to bear the name of such doctrine, and yet in the internal affections of his spirit, he may have no love for it. Such we believe to be the position which the better portion of the religious world, in the present day, sustain towards the doctrines called orthodox. They retain in their memories a general idea of what those doctrines are; for occasionally, when they cannot conveniently avoid it, they listen to a doctrinal sermon; but their lives are formed upon better principles than such sermons inculcate. And yet there are some no doubt, perhaps many, who love the false views of a perverted theology; they love them because they correspond to the selfish affections of their hearts. Such we are compelled to regard as internally bad men. Externally they may appear fair and beautiful, like the whited sepulchres, to which the Lord compares the pharisees, while their internal form is also, like the internal of the same sepulchres, full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness.
But let us direct our attention to the nature of heavenly love or charity, towards our neighbor. This does not consist in loving him simply as a person, one in whom we have discovered some qualities that are agreeable to us; much less in loving him for the sake of self, but it consists in loving him for the sake of his good as an end, or, in other words, in loving to be useful to him; and this too, not in order to please him, or to afford him temporary gratification, but for the sake of his permanent and eternal welfare. And we might even add to this, that the greatest good ought to be regarded as our neighbor, in the highest sense, and hence that we ought to seek to promote the welfare of the individual neighbor, not so much with a view to his own happiness, as our end, but rather that he may become a means of eternal usefulness in the kingdom of the Lord. To love our neighbor simply because he loves us, or because we have discovered in him something that is gratifying to our natural feelings, is only a selfish affection, in which there is nothing of heaven. "If ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?"
But the heavenly doctrine of true charity, or love to our neighbor, as also the real nature of true love to the Lord, is expressed much more perfectly in the following quotations, than it can possibly be done by me.
"There are two distinct loves in heaven, love to the Lord and love towards the neighbor; in the inmost or third heaven is love to the Lord, and in the second or middle heaven is love towards the neighbor: each proceeds from the Lord, and each makes heaven. How the two loves distinguish themselves, and how they conjoin themselves, appears in clear light in heaven, but only obscurely in the world. In heaven, by loving the Lord is not meant to love Him as to person, but to love the good which is from Him; and to love good is to will and do good from love; and by loving the neighbor is not meant to love a companion as to person, but to love the truth which is from the Word; and to love truth is to will and do truth. Thence it is manifest, that those two loves distinguish themselves, as good and truth, and that they conjoin themselves, as good with truth."—H. & H. n. 15.
"All who love the Lord above all things, and the neighbor as themselves, do what is good and true for the sake of what is good and true; for good and truth are the Lord Himself, as was said above; wherefore when they love good and truth, that is, when they will and do them from love, they love the Lord; this is the case also with those who love the neighbor as themselves, since the neighbor in the universal sense is good and truth; for the neighbor is a fellow-citizen, is a society, is a man's country, is the Church, and is the Lord's Kingdom; and to love the neighbor is to will well to those, or to will their good; wherefore it is their good which is to be loved; and when this is loved, the Lord is loved, because this good is from him. Hence it is evident that love towards the neighbor, which is called charity, hath in it love to the Lord. If this love be not in it, then a fellow-citizen, a society, a man's country, the Church, and the Lord's kingdom, are loved for the sake of self, and thus are not loved from good but from evil; for whatsoever is from man, for the sake of himself as an end, is from evil; to love the neighbor for the sake of self is to love him for the sake of gain and honor as ends; the end is what determines whether it be from good or from evil, for the end is the love, since what a man loves, this he hegards as an end; the end also is the will, for what a man wills, this he loves, hence the end regarded, or the intention, is the man himself; for man is such as his will is, and as his love is."—Ar. Cel., n. 10336,The affections here described,—love to the Lord and the neighbor,—constitute the essential principles of heaven.—To love the Lord as goodness and truth, and to love to be useful to the neighbor,—this is true charity, this is the very life of heaven. Where these affections exist in perfection, there is heaven. Every man and every spirit is approaching heaven, just in proportion as he is approaching a state of perfect love for the divine goodness and truth, and of love for a life of constant usefulness to his neighbor, to society, the church and the kingdom of the Lord. We have no reason hewever, to believe that there are more than a very few who, while they remain in this life, arrive at that state of perfect love towards God and man, called heaven. There are some, however, who are faithfully seeking to gain that heavenly state, and their efforts, if continued, will most certainly be crowned with success.
But let us again turn our eye downwards from the contemplation of this celestial state, and ask where and what is hell? The precise opposite of heaven. To love the Lord and the neighbor is heaven; to love self and all things else, for the sake of self, is hell.
But this statement will surprise some persons, while others will instantly reject it with contempt. There are multitudes even of religious men, who regard it as the wildest fanaticism, to maintain that the human mind can, by any possibility, be moved by any motive that does not contain the love of self, as an inmost principle, or end. With such, persons it is in vain to reason. They know that it is impossible for them, in their present state, to act from any other than selfish motives, and why should they be expected to ascribe any better motives to their neighbors? "What! take from me," they will say, "the love of self and of selfish and worldly enjoyments! These are my only incentives to action; my very life will be gone; I could not raise my hand without some such motive." It is more than useless to attempt to reason with the mind while in such a state. You may even point to the man whose whole life is one continued scene of self-sacrificing devotion to the welfare of society, and you will receive the cold and heartless answer, that all these labors are performed and endured for the gratification of a selfish ambition; or if this seems too absurd, for the sake of the selfish enjoyment that is derived from the exercise of benevolence. So entirely is the unregenerate man bound to his idol god—the love of self—and so entirely impossible is it for him to form any conception of any other ruling motive, that he even supposes Jehovah, our Maker, to be an infinitely selfish being,—a God who does all things for the sake of his own glory as an end. With such men,—if fully confirmed in their views, so as to have no disposition to reconsider them,—it is in vain to attempt to reason.—"They are joined to their idols, let them alone."
But the man who has any right views in regard to the nature of heavenly love, cannot fail to know that the love of self is directly opposed to that love, and is therefore the essential principle of hell. This love leads those who are governed by it, to think always of themselves, of their own interest and happiness; or of their children and others, whose welfare they regard as identified with their own. Those who are under the dominion of this love are continually talking of themselves, of what they have done or intend to do, of their wealth and their honors, or perhaps of their poverty and trials, of their very peculiar mental or bodily sufferings,—something always that relates to self as the end and principle thing. They are very tenacious of what they call their rights, and have exalted views in regard to the respect and attention which they suppose to be due to them from others. But in regard to the welfare of their neighbors and society generally, they value it for just what it is worth to themselves. If they do good to others, it is because they suppose that by doing so, a greater good, in some form, will be returned to themselves. It is related of Bonaparte, that he once remarked in reference to certain missionaries in India, that he must do something for them, for that he could by that means make them serviceable to him in extending his conquests.—This is genuine selfishhess, the essential principle of hell.—So long as the man who is ruled by this love, believes that his neighbor's interests harmonize with his own, and that by being outwardly honest and useful in society, he is obtaining more of the honors, wealth and other things that he loves, than he could in any other way so long as this is his belief, he may continue to manifest an outward respect for the rights of his neighbor, and his conduct may exhibit an apparent regard for social order and justice. And if it were possible for him to continue to be rationally selfish, there might be some hope that he would also continue to observe a strict regard for the rights of others, and hence that there would be external order and harmony even in hell itself—But the love of self is a raging fire; its constant tendency is to break away from the control of reason; it soon disdains all restraint. Each selfish man wishes to absorb to himself the wealth, honors, and other means of gratification that he sees around him. And hence though his real interests do not come into collision with those of his neighbor, yet his lusts and passions do come into direct conflict, not only with the interests, but with the rights of others. The desires of each selfish man must be gratified if possible, for the infernal fire of that lust that burns within him, demands their gratification; and hence come envy, hatred, malignity, revenge, and other infernal passions; which when brought out into external forms, produce slander, theft, adultery, murder, and all the other evils that fill up the dread catalogue of hell's miseries. Reader, ask yourself candidly and honestly,—is not this love of self, including the love of the world and all things in it, for the sake of self—is not this the source and origin, the very essential principle of hell?—
And yet these selfish affections appear to be closely interwoven with the inmost texture of our hearts. We have inherited them from our forefathers, as a part of our very life. They have come down to us with the accumulated strength of ages. And we have made them still more our own, by having voluntarily adopted and cherished them, till they constitute our very life's love. And hence we find ourselves in such a state, that in order to attain to the true life and love of heaven, we must lose that which constitutes our life in our unregenerate state. "He that would save his life, must lose it." He must compel himself to resist and withstand the strong current of his selfish and worldly affections; the evil actions to which those affections would lead him, he must shun, as sins against the Lord. And thus the way will be opened for the inflowing of heavenly love and truth. But the unregenerate man again replies; "those affections which I am required to give up constitute my very life; they have grown up with me from my birth, I cannot exist without them." And again, the understanding rallies all its strength to defend the cherished love. The very commandment which was quoted above, requiring us to love our neighbor as ourselves, is probably brought forward as affording a strong argument for retaining the love of self. "Does it not follow from this," we are asked, "that we are at liberty to divide our affections between ourselves and our neighbors, and to love ourselves at least as well as we love them?"—Most unquestionably it is right to love ourselves as well as we love our neighbors, if by loving ourselves we mean not a desire to please ourselves, but a desire to make ourselves mediums of usefulness in the kingdom of the Lord. Such, as I have already endeavored to show, is the love which we ought to bear towards our neighbor,—not a desire for pleasing him, but a desire to aid in preparing him to be a medium of eternal usefulness. And if our love for ourselves is of the same nature, there is no danger of its becoming excessive. But this, is not what men ordinarily mean by the love of self; they mean that affection which I have just now endeavored to describe under that name,—a desire of pleasing and gratifying themselves, without reference to any ultimate and permanent good, of which the Lord will approve. And this love of self, as I have endeavored to show, is the inmost and essential principle of spiritual evil—of hell.
For the purpose of illustrating a little more fully the views which I have endeavored to present in regard to the essential nature of heaven and hell, I will again introduce a few passages from the writings of him, who in the providence of the Lord was enabled to describe these spiritual states with unparalleled accuracy and truthfulness. The paragraphs that follow are taken from the Ar. Cel., beginning at No. 10715.
The Divine [principle] of the Lord makes the heavens, and heaven is with every one according to the reception of love and faith from the Lord.
With all who receive love and faith from the Lord there is heaven, both with angels and with men; wherefore they who have heaven in themselves, whilst they live in the world, come into heaven after death.
They who have heaven in themselves, will good to all, and perceive a delight in doing good to others, not for the sake of themselves and the world, but for the sake of good and for the sake of truth which ought so to be done. But they who have hell in themselves, will evil to all, and perceive a delight in doing evil to others; or, if they perceive a delight in doing good, it is not for the sake of good and truth, but for the sake of themselves and the world.
When man comes into the other life, as is the case immediately after death, it is evident whether heaven be in him or hell, but not when he liveth in the world; for in the world the external only appears, and not the internal, but in the other life the internal is made manifest, since man then lives as to the spirit.
From these considerations it may be manifest what makes heaven, viz. that it is love to the Lord and love towards the neighbor, and likewise faith, but this latter only so far as it hath life from those loves. Hence it is again evident that the Divine [principle] of the Lord makes heaven, for both that love and the faith thence derived are from the Lord; and whatsoever is from the Lord is Divine.
They, with whom the love of self and the love of the world reign, do not know what heaven is, and what the happiness of heaven, and it appears incredible to them, that happiness is given in any other loves than in those; when yet the happiness of heaven only so far enters, as those loves are removed as ends; the happiness which succeeds, on their removal, is so great, that it exceeds every apprehension of man.
As love to the Lord and love towards the neighbor make the life of heaven with man, so the love of self and the love of the world, when they reign, make the life of hell with him; for these latter loves are opposite to the former; wherefore they, with whom the loves of the world and of self reign, can receive nothing from heaven, but the things which they receive are from hell. For whatsoever a man thinks, and whatsoever he wills, or whatsoever a man believes, and whatsoever he loves, is either from heaven or from hell.
Hence it is that they, with whom the love of self and the love of the world make the life will good to themselves alone, and not to others, except for the sake of themselves; and whereas their life is from hell, they despise others in comparison with themselves, they are angry at them if they do not favour themselves, they hate them, burn with revenge against them, yea are desirous to commit all outrage towards them; these things at length become the delights of their life, thus the loves.
These are they who have hell in themselves, and who after death come into hell, since their life agrees with the life of those who are in hell; for all in hell are of such a quality; and every one comes to his own.
They, inasmuch as they receive nothing from heaven, in their heart deny God, and a life after death, and hence also make light of all things of the Church: It is of no consequence that they do good to a fellow-citizen, to society, to their country, and to the Church, and that they speak well concerning them, for these things they do for the sake of themselves and for the sake of the world, that they may save appearances and may secure reputation, honor and gain.—Those things to them are external bonds, by which they are brought to do good, and are withheld from doing evil. But they have no internal bonds which are those of conscience, that evil ought not to be done because it is sin and contrary to Divine laws.
Inasmuch as love is the fire of life, and every one hath life according to his love, it may hence be known what heavenly fire is, and what infernal fire. Heavenly fire is love
to the Lord and love towards the neighbor, and infernal fire is the love of self and the love of the world, and hence the concupiscence of all evils, which flow from those loves as from their fountains.
What is the quality of life appertaining to those who are in hell, may be concluded from the life of such, one amongst another in the world, if external bonds were taken away, and there were no internal ones to restrain.
The life of man cannot be changed after death, it remains then such as it had been; nor can the life of hell be transcribed into the life of heaven, since they are opposite: Hence it is evident that they who come into hell, remain there to eternity; and that they who come into heaven, remain there to eternity."I regret that I have not room for other similar quotations. Many hundreds of passages in the works of our author are devoted to unfolding and demonstrating these important principles, explaining them with every variety of illustration, so as to make them plain to every mind that is earnestly seeking for truth. But if these few quotations, aided by my own very imperfect presentation of the same principles, should be instrumental in awakening the attention of any persons to the importance of seriously examining the heavenly doctrines of the New Jerusalem, by obtaining and faithfully reading the works through which these doctrines are given to the world, an important end will be attained; my most ardent hopes will be realized.
It ought also to be observed in this connection, that though the essential principles of heaven and hell may be thus distinctly characterized, yet each of these ruling loves is capable of being manifested in an indefinite variety of specific forms; and this gives rise to as many different societies, both in heaven and in hell. For if heaven results, as I have endeavored to show, from the love of goodness and truth, and hell from the love of evil and falsity, it will be easily seen that the specific state of each individual must be determined by the manner in which these spiritual principles are received. For the divine goodness and truth being infinite, can not be fully received into any finite mind; but every spirit that loves these heavenly things, receives something therefrom, according to his state; and hence the foundation is laid for an immense number and variety of societies in heaven. And the same is true of those unhappy men or spirits who love those evils and falsities which result from the perversion of goodness and truth. There is no reason to suppose that any two men or spirits love precisely the same evils and falses, and hence the hells of no two are, in all respects, precisely alike.
In regard to heaven, the most general, as well as obvious division, is, into the celestial and spiritual kingdoms. The former is the heaven of those who act solely from the love of goodness. They love truth, not so much for its own sake, as from its relation to that interior goodness which forms the life of their spirits. In regard to the angels of this highest and in most heaven, our author remarks that:—
The angels of the spiritual kingdom are those whose whole life and affections are filled with the love of truth. They have a clear and distinct perception of what is just, orderly and right, and all such things they love. They have also a perception that goodness is the source and life of that truth which they love, as well as the end for which it exists; but still that love which binds them to heaven, by forming heaven within them, and from the exercise of which all these enjoyments and delights are received, is the love of truth as the form of goodness, rather than the love of goodness as the essence of truth. In the celestial kingdom, the ruling principle is the love of that which gives to heaven its essential nature; in the spiritual kingdom it is the love of that which constitutes the form of heaven. The one kingdom is formed by the love of good which is internal, and belongs to the will and its affections; the other by the love of truth, which is the external form of the same internal good. The celestial angel obeys the laws of heavenly order, because he loves the good from which those laws exist; and he is thus more intimately conjoined to Him, whose inmost and essential nature is the source of that good. The spiritual angel obeys the same laws of heavenly order, because he sees therein the essential principles of that true charity which he loves, and the exercise of which constitutes the delight of his life; and he also loves the same heavenly laws, because he be holds therein the manifested form of Him who has revealed himself to us as the "Word" and the "Truth."
But while the love of goodness and the love of truth, give rise to these more general and obvious distinctions in the heavenly state, there is still an immense number and variety of societies in each of these kingdoms, growing out of the peculiar manner in which goodness and truth are received by each spirit or association of spirits. For it is very plain that in the spiritual world, all societies, or combinations of individual spirits, must result from the free and voluntary union of those who love the same or similar things. This is in fact the only real bond of social union, even in the natural world. For though certain external relations appear to be the basis of society, yet every man who has looked beneath the surface of things, knows very well, that there are other and stronger bonds, there are spiritual alliances which hold the heart and its affections with a much firmer grasp. Sometimes these internal affections are in harmony with the external relations; but more frequently they are, in some respects, widely at variance; and then the controling power of that ruling love, which draws every spirit towards its kindred spirits is most distinctly manifested. While the man remains in the natural world, he may, and ought to compel himself faithfully to conform to those external relations, with which Divine Providence has surrounded him, and the observance of which is necessary to the good order and welfare of society. But when he leaves the natural world, he goes where all social relations rest upon a spiritual basis. Here the interposition of space, together with the arbitrary arrangements of society, separate him in a great measure, from those whom he is prepared to love, and rendered it impossible for him even to know them. But there the strong attraction of spiritual affinity is subjected to no external control. Each spirit is left in freedom to unite himself to those spirits who love the same things that he loves. It is thus that the heavens are distinguished into an immense number of societies,—not discordant, nor having any separate interests, but bound together as one, by loving and obeying, as divine goodness and truth, the one and only God,—each laboring to promote the welfare of all, and all conspiring together for the happiness of each.
In regard to the peculiar character of the various societies into which the heavens are distinguished, it seems impossible for us at present to obtain anything more than some general ideas. Something may be known by considering the various forms of good and orderly affections, which are now manifested, each of those affections being the source of some use which is necessary to the order or happiness of society. Those affections, as exhibited in the natural world, are manifestly the incipient states of corresponding, but purer and more perfect affections, which will be developed, when the spirit arrives at a heavenly state. And the various affections of heavenly use, thus developed and perfected, give character and form to the corresponding societies into which the heavens are distinguished.
But a much more extended knowledge of the nature and form of the heavenly societies, may be obtained from the writings of him, who, in the providence of the Lord, was permitted openly to associate with those societies, for many years; and at the same time to record the things which he saw and heard, for the instruction and benefit of those who are prepared to receive them. A knowledge of the important and interesting facts, which he has unfolded on this subject, may be obtained from his works; where also may be found a clear and beautiful demonstration of those laws, in accordance with which the heavenly societies are formed.
I have space for only the following general remarks:
It is the Lord's mercy, that is, his love towards the universal heaven, and the universal race of mankind, consequently the Lord alone, who determines all and everything into Societies.
It is further to be known, that one society is never entirely and absolutely like another, nor one individual in a society like another, but there is an agreeing and harmonizing variety of all, which varieties are so ordered by the Lord, that they tend to one end, which is effected by love and faith towards Him, whence comes union. Hence the heaven and heavenly joy of one person is never entirely and absolutely like that of another, but according to the varieties of love and faith, so also are the heavens and the joy in them."—A. C., n. 684, 686, 690.In this arrangement of Divine Providence, by which "many mansions" are prepared for his people, the goodness and mercy of the Lord are clearly and beautifully manifested. A home is prepared for every regenerated spirit,—a home precisely suited to his state. He is surrounded by those spirits and those oniy, whose peculiar affections and sympathies, are in perfect harmony with his own. But as before remarked, there are equally good reasons for believing, that hell is also distinguished with societies, corresponding to the states of the spirits who inhabit those regions of woe. The most general distinction is into those kingdoms which are formed by the love of evil and the love of falsity. Depending upon these kingdoms are also those immense societies of unhappy spirits, who delight to be the slaves of those who are under the dominion of these infernal lusts. The general distinctions here indicated, are sufficiently manifest from the ruling loves of those unhappy men who are spending this life, preparing for those regions of wrath and endless woe. There are some whose lives plainly indicate that their peculiar delight is to do evil. There is nothing that they wish more than to draw the unguarded youth into the paths that lead to hell. It is their life's love to do mischief,—to strew their own path through life with the sad wrecks of moral and spiritual desolation. It is often very difficult for minds of a better class, to conceive of any possible motives that could lead to those dark and infernal deeds in which the worst class of men delight. Even such a writer as Dr. Thomas Brown, of the Edinburg University, has somewhere remarked, in reference to that deep and malignant love of evil, which is sometimes manifested, that, "it is pure and unmitigated evil, and has not even the poor excuse of having been done for the sake of selfish gratification." But we believe that a careful examination will show, that there lies concealed within all such evil conduct, the deepest and most intense selfishness. A form of self love, which appears to be the moving principle of many of the worst evils, is the love of rulings—that love which seeks dominion, even at the risk of rendering an immortal spirit eternally miserable; a love which, were it possible, would gladly destroy goodness itself, and would find its deepest delight in doing so. This love, when developed in all its infernal fullness and malignity, constitutes the lowest and most desperate hell; that hell which is directly opposed to the heaven which is formed by the love of goodness. Such will be the final and full-consummation of that infernal state, of the beginning of which there are very manifest indications even here in the natural world.
But there is also the hell that is formed by the love of falsity. This is the hell of those who, though not vile enough to love evil for its own sake, are nevertheless in the love and practice of those things which are false in doctrine, as well as wrong and disorderly in life; and they do this with the full consciousness, that evil is inseparably connected with falsity, as its necessary consequence. This love when fully developed, constitutes that hell of infernal falses, which is directly opposed to the heaven which is formed by the love of truth. This hell is the depository and source of all those false doctrines which result from the perversion of truth.—From hence comes that fatal perversion of the true doctrine of the Divine Trinity, which teaches that there are three Divine Persons, separate and distinct, with different attributes and powers, each having an independent conscious volition, and yet all somehow united into one. And from the same source comes the doctrine which teaches that faith and not charity, is the essential principle of religion; is the bond that unites man to heaven, and constitutes him an heir of eternal life.—thus leading to the dangerous conclusion, that eternal happiness is the gift of immediate mercy, and has no necessaay connection with a man's life. And here too originate such blasphemies as the "Divine Revelations of Nature," and other similar things. With this hell, are connected, more or less intimately, all those who love a disorderly life, because they love the false principles that lead to such a life.
Intimately connected with these two great divisions of the infernal state, there is also that immense host of spirits and men, who without being in the immediate love of evil and falsity, are nevertheless willing to be under the spiritual dominion of those who are ruled by these loves, and whose delight it is to rule over others in return. To this class belong those who practice false doctrines, because they love to gratify those who preach them. They think and act wrong, because they have not enough moral courage to think and act right. They call men their masters, and obey them as such, instead of having but one master, Christ, who is the Lord himself as divine truth. The full development of this love fills up the outer regions of the infernal world. It furnishes slaves and servants in abundance, to those spirits whose delight is the lust of dominion.
But we may again remark, that these are only general distinctions. Every variety of selfish and sensual affections, when confirmed as the spirit's ruling love, forms his own peculiar as well as permanent state, and leads him to his final place in that world of death and endless misery; while those who are in the love of similar evils, are thereby drawn more closely together, and constitute the various societies of hell.
But it will perhaps be asked—How can societies exist among those who being under the dominion of selfish affections, have no real love for each other? That they do exist among such persons in the natural world, is unquestionably true. It is even supposed by many, that the love of self is the only principle on which social organizations can be maintained. Combinations of such men are held together, and some degree of external social order is observed, not because there is any real affection for each other's welfare, but because each regards the others as necessary to the attainment of the evil ends which he loves. When a band of robbers unite together, and mutually defend and assist each other, no one supposes that they have any real regard for the welfare of their associates. If such were the case, each would advise the others to a mutual abandonment of their wicked course of life. But each sees that combining with the others, his wicked purposes can be more effectually accomplished; and on this selfish principle the union is sustained. Let the death of one of the party become necessary, in order to save the others from exposure, and the same selfish principle that had hitherto preserved his life, will now lead to the destruction of it. It is thus that by the operation of self love, a spiritual affiinity is created, which draws together those who are in the love of similar evils, even while there is internally cherished the infernal fire of a deadly hatred. We can conceive of no reason why the selfish principles which thus draw wicked men together and form them into various societies in the natural world, should not continue to produce similar effects in the spiritual world. It would even seem to be a just and necessary inference, that the operation of these principles will be much more perfectly and fully manifested when men are released from the external restraints to which they are subjected in the natural world.
But as hell is in all respects the exact opposite of heaven, the inference will necessarily follow, that the most intense and bitter hatred must always prevail among the various societies in that world. Each looks upon the others as its rival aspirants after power and selfish gratification, and hence as its most bitter enemies, whom it would gladly crush and destroy if possible. Of the truth of this principle, there are sufficient illustrations in the natural world. The mutual hatred that exists among the various societies which are formed by the love of self and the world, may not be half as bitter and malignant as in that world from which it comes, but it is suffiiciently so to illustrate the uniform operation of the principle. Observe, for example, the deadly antagonism which always prevails between infidelity and its adherents, and the disciples of religious bigotry. Though mutually aiding each other in a common warfare against goodness and truth,—the one professing to worship a God who has revealed himself only through the laws of the natural world, the other, a God to whom they have ascribed the passions and affections of unregenerate human nature,—yet each, at the same time, cherishes the most malignant hatred against each other, exceeded only by the hatred which they mutually bear towards the truth itself. There is no reason to suppose that the deadly enmity which is thus cherished, will lose any of its malignity, when those who are the subjects of it, shall have gone to the spiritual world.
In regard to the number and variety of the infernal societies, Swedenborg remarks that,
Having presented the above general views in regard to the origin, nature and form of heaven and hell, we will finish this section with a few remarks upon the enjoyments and miseries of these opposite spiritual states. It cannot be denied that the doctrines of the New Church, on this subject, are widely at variance with those generally regarded as orthodox. And this will perhaps account, in some measure, for the strange and absurd caricatures, to which our views have been subjected, even by those who are accounted very learned in the popular theology. What men do not understand, they are very apt to misrepresent, especially if they think themselves wise and learned.
The common doctrine on this subject, though not very clearly defined, is nevertheless sufficiently so, to be safely expressed in general terms. The enjoyments of heaven are regarded as consisting chiefly in the direct and immediate worship of the Lord,—an idea which seems to have arisen from regarding religion as something essentially different from the every day affections and duties of life. If there is supposed to be more of religion in worshipping and praising the Lord in public, than in attending to our ordinary duties, it is very natural to infer that the occupations of heaven will consist chiefly in the former exercises, and that its delights will be derived from that source. It has even been common for selfish pietists to suppose, that while engaged in these exercises, the saints of the Lord will be served and waited upon by the angels who are now in heaven. It is true, a very popular writer, Dr. Dick, to whom I referred in a former page, has ventured to suggest that the saints of the Lord will be permitted to spend a part of their time in studying Mathematics, Astronomy, and other natural sciences, studies of which the doctor himself, appears to have been peculiarly fond.
In regard to the sufferings of hell, it has been generally supposed that they will result from a direct outpouring of divine wrath—a direct and immediate infliction of so much suffering for so much sin. With respect to the manner in which the divine wrath will be made effectual, in securing the misery of the impenitent, there have been various conjectures,—all, however, agreeing in ascribing the punishment of the wicked, to the vengeance of an offended Deity.
On the other hand, the doctrines of the New Church teach and demonstrate, from the Divine Word, as well as from reason, that the happiness of heaven, is the necessary and inevitable result, of cherishing and acting in accordance with those affections which are good, useful and orderly, and that the miseries of hell, are the equally necessary and inevitable consequence, of receiving and acting from the opposite evil affections.
It is often declared, in the Divine Word, that every man shall be rewarded according to his works. The passages, in which this truth is asserted, are so many and so easily referred to, that it is unnecessary to introduce them here. They may be found in Math. vii. 22–26, xvi. 27, xxv. 32 46; Luke xii. 25–27; Jer. xxv. 14, xxxii. 19; Hosea iv. 9; Rev. ii. 23, xiv. 13, xx. 24, 15, xxii. 12; and in many other places.
It must not be supposed, however, that the works, according to which all men are rewarded, denote simply the external form of their conduct, as it appears before men. It is the internal intention, the end from which they act, that gives character to their works, and constitutes them either good or evil. Every external act first originates in some affection of the will; it is then brought out into the light of the understanding, where it is clothed in thought, and at last is openly manifested in the form in which we behold it. It is evident, therefore, that we can know nothing of the good or evil character of any man's works, except so far as we are enabled to trace those works backwards from their external forms, and correctly estimate the internal designs, or ends, from which they originate. It is this inmost or spiritual form of man's works,—that form which lies open before Him, from whom no secret thought or intention is hid, to which we understand the Divine Word to refer, where it so often assures us, that every man will be rewarded according to his works.
But when it is seen and admitted, that happiness is inseparably and permanently connected with goodness, and misery with wickedness, it will be easily seen, that these spiritual rewards are not arbitrarily given, but are the necessary effects of the good and evil, with which they are connected. This principle is so obvious, and so fully illustrated in the observance and violation of natural laws, that it seems quite unaccountable that any intelligent mind should hesitate to see and acknowledge its truth. The enjoyment of health, riches, honors, or any other form of natural or worldly happiness, is readily seen to be the result of obeying the laws which relate to these things. But the good man is he who faithfully observes the laws of his higher or spiritual nature, or, in other words, who loves the Lord and his neighbor; which is the normal state of the human affections. And it is manifest that the happiness which follows, is the result of obeying those laws,—as plainly so, as that the enjoyment of health, is the result of obeying certain physiological laws. It is true, these laws,—the natural, as well as the spiritual,—are divine in their origin; they are the form in which the divine goodness is manifested, the medium through which it operates; and in this sense, the happiness or misery which results from their observance or violation, may be said to come from God. But the point to which we wish to gain the reader's attention is, that this happiness or misery is the necessary and uniform effect, of the good or evil, to which it stands related. Those spiritual laws are constant and unchangeable, for their basis is eternal truth, the form of the divine goodness. It is impossible, therefore, for that divine power, by which all spiritual, as well as natural laws are executed, ever to manifest itself in any way, that shall disregard the just and necessary connection, between goodness and happiness, or between evil and misery. To the man who has become confirmed in the love of goodness and truth, and whose delight is in leading a useful and orderly life, there is secured a store of endless happiness and delight, of eternal enjoyment in heaven, of which no power in the universe can ever deprive him; a happiness to be given, not as the reward of any merit of his own, nor yet by any special mercy or favor, which is shown towards him in distinction from others, but as a necessary consequence of having voluntarily received that goodness and truth, which the divine mercy provides for all. Let each man for himself, faithfully and habitually observe the laws of heavenly order; and then, though he has no power to create or originate any one emotion of true happiness, yet he stands in that channel through which the divine goodness flows, with its consequent happiness; and he need have no fears for the result. Those spiritual laws, in accordance with which, the delights of heaven are received, are as unchangeable, as those by which the planets roll on in their courses, or the flowers come forth at the return of spring.
If the views just presented are seen to be true, it will be justly inferred that the angel of heaven is happy, simply because happiness necessarily results from the harmonious and orderly exercise of all his affections and powers. His happiness, at each moment, is the delight that is experienced, in the performance of the good actions, in which he is then engaged. It is true such happiness has an inseparable connection with all the good actions of his previous life, but only on the ground that his present spiritual state is the resultant of all his previous states; just as the health that a man now enjoys, and the delight that springs from its enjoyment, is the consequence of having habitually observed the laws of health during his past life. We sometimes hear religious people talking of their trials and hardships, and at the same time flattering themselves with the hope, that, as a reward for such trials, they shall enjoy eternal happiness in heaven. If such hardships are spiritual tribulations,—the painful collisions between goodness and evil, the consequence of faithfully striving after regenerate life,—then there is reason, no doubt, to hope, that their labors will at length end in a sabbath of holy rest and peace. But, if they are suffering nothing more than the pains that result from their selfish affections being constantly wounded in some form, they have no reason to hope that such sorrows will end in eternal happiness. As well might a man expect that by suffering bodily pains for many years, he will secure the enjoyment of health in his old age.
There is great reason to fear that most men, even in the present day, have no right views in regard to the nature of heavenly happiness. Many appear to be looking to heaven for some selfish reward; while by others, heaven is valued, only as a place of refuge from that punishment, which they are conscious of deserving. Each of these views of heaven, is quite compatible with the most intense selfishness. Take away these selfish hopes and present the right view of the happiness of heaven,—the delight which arises from from doing good, without reference to any selfish reward—and would not every motive for gaining heaven vanish, from many minds that are now filled with fond anticipations in regard to it? "Is there then," it would be asked, "no reward for self, as an end? Is there no selfish hope to sustain me, through the trials and hardships, that I am called to endure? If not, then why should I thus serve God for naught? Why should I spend this life, seeking to be useful, with no other hope than that of being permitted to spend eternity in the same way?" It does seem a little strange, that men do not instantly see the false-hearted selfishness of attending upon the external duties of religion, only for the sake of obtaining eternal happiness for themselves, as an end. If you suspect a man of making a profession of religion, for the sake of attaining some worldly end, you call him a hypocrite, and say that he has no real regard for the duties of religion; but how much better are you, if, in your attendance upon those duties, you are also acting from the hope of a selfish reward? It is true, your motive differs from his in degree. You suppose that your reward will be much greater than his; and it would be consistent enough for you to pity him for his folly in enduring so much toil for so small a recompense; but you have no just right to suppose that he is not, in all respects, as good as yourself.
The truth, as already expressed, is plainly this:—The happiness of heaven, is the delight that is experienced in doing good;—not a selfish delight, such as the vain man feels, when he supposes he has done something that will secure the public approbation; or that which the proud man experiences, when he looks back upon the accomplishment of a task, which he vainly fancies could have been performed by no one but himself. All such delights come from an opposite source. They have nothing in common with those pure enjoyments, which come unsought, which follow and attend, unsolicited and unasked for, upon all those who love and practice that goodness and truth, from which all heavenly blessings flow. True happiness is an effect, not an immediate gift. To those who love its cause, as an end, and have that cause within them, it is always present. But it forever eludes the search of those who seek for it as an end, and look upon goodness and truth, only as means for attaining it. Those who do good for the sake of reward, as an end, are led by the love of self; their works,though externally good, are internally and essentially evil.
I have thus endeavored to present, as clearly as I could, within the space of a few paragraphs, the doctrine of the New Church, in regard to the nature of heavenly happiness. My design has been to show that true happiness is that delight which is experienced when the affections and powers of the regenerated spirit, are brought into harmonious and orderly exercise, upon their appropriate objects. We must not, however, estimate the delight, which the angels experience in doing good, by that which men derive from the same source. True spiritual use, and its consequent delight, can be realized only in proportion as the natural man is brought under the dominion of the spiritual; or only as those affections, which are natural, selfish and temporal, are made the servants of those which are spiritual, heavenly and eternal. But such a spiritual state is seldom more than partially attained, even by the best of men. The selfish affections, even after they have lost the controling power, are often like an army of undisciplined and disorderly soldiers, who are constantly seeking to break away from the restraint of those whose duty it is to direct and control them. And hence, even with those who are seeking for regenerate life, there is scarcely the beginning of that pure delight, which is fully realized, only where all the subordinate affections, freely and perfectly respond to the call of heavenly love.
But there are reasons also for believing, that the difference between the happiness of angels in heaven, and that of good men on earth, may be even greater than the corresponding difference between their respective spiritual affections. In the natural world, the good man is surrounded by a multitude of external hindrances, which prevent him from ultimating those useful affections, which he ardently cherishes; and hence he fails to experience that full delight, which such ultimation would bring. In the spiritual world all such external impediments are removed, and the angel who desires to perform a useful act, enjoys, in the same moment, the delight of doing it. So also the delight which each spirit derives from the exercise of heavenly affections, must be very greatly increased, by those affections being exercised, in open communion with those whose spiritual states are in harmony with his own.
The views just presented, in regard to the nature of heavenly happiness, will, no doubt, appear strange; especially to the indolent, the selfish and the sensual. The indolent man regards all labor, either mental or bodily, as the greatest curse that has fallen upon our race. He looks forward to a heaven where he will be permitted to sit down in eternal idleness, relieved, perhaps, by occasionally singing a few psalms. But such a man would look, with abhorence, upon a doctrine which teaches, that eternity is to be spent in works of usefulness; and that the delights of heaven are obtained from that source. So also the sensualist, who supposes that there can be nothing real and substantial, which is not material, will be very likely to reject the New Church doctrine on this subject; because it is impossible for him to conceive of any employments that can exist in that world. You talk to him of the various occupations, in which the angels delight, and your words only convey to him sensual ideas. While you are seeking to arouse his attention to the importance of some spiritual truth, which is to you a source of the deepest delight, your ardor is suddenly dampened, by hearing him ask whether there are any such employments in heaven as the digging of graves or the making of coffins, or some other question equally silly and irrelevant. It is a useless effort to attempt to convey spiritual truths to minds in which there is no love for them. They are too far away; we cannot reach them.
But there is an immense class, who can be reached, and who are every day drawing nearer, to the heavenly light of the New Jerusalem. Though not yet prepared to receive those spiritual truths, in all their fullness and power, yet they are rationally convinced that the life to come, must have some very near and intimate connection with the life which we now live; that it must be in some sense a continuation of this life; and that in order that this life may be a preparation for that, the employments and delights which now engage our attention, must also have some very intimate relation, to those, in the midst of which, we shall eternally dwell. To such minds, we would once more most earnestly recommend the faithful perusal of those works, in which may be found all the information that can be rationally desired, in regard to this most interesting and important subject. There may be found a clear and intelligible deseription of many of those angelic employments, from which the enjoyments and delights of heaven are derived.
But, let us again turn our attention for a few moments to the question,—From whence come the miseries of hell? We have already disclaimed all sympathy with the doctrine, that misery in any form comes from the wrath of an angry God. God is love. Every creature that exists, is the object of his tender mercy and compassion. If this were not the case,—if there were even one intelligent creature within the boundless universe, from whom the divine mercy had been withdrawn, that mercy could not be infinite. But the Word of the Lord assures us that "his mercy endureth forever," and that "his tender mercies are over all his works." In the same Divine Word we also read—"I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you: That ye may be the children of your Father who is in heaven, for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." How devoid of spiritual life would these words be, if they were understood to require nothing more than the bestowment of temporal blessings upon our enemies, in imitation of Him, who causes the natural sun to rise upon the evil as well as the good, and gives them rain from the clouds. There is, plainly, a deep spiritual meaning here. The sun that rises upon the evil as well as the good, is the Sun of divine love, while the rain that descends upon them, is the divine mercy clothed in the form of divine truth: And, it is only by thus spiritually loving our enemies, even those who are in the very worst states, that we can be the children of our Father who is in heaven. We are also commanded to forgive a trespassing brother until seventy times seven; by which we understand that he is to be always and continually forgiven. However vile a fellow-creature may become, so long as he in any way within our reach, our thoughts, when directed towards him, ought to spring from a desire to perform some use to him, if possible; and our conduct towards him, ought to be a still more ultimate expression of the same charitable affection. Such is manifestly the law of heavenly charity. That charity is withdrawn from no one because his evil affections and life, have made him an inhabitant of hell. And as this law is divine in its origin, it points us with unerring certainty, to a God whose mercy and whose forgiveness are perpetual, infinite, eternal and universal. We can conceive of no greater absurdity than that of supposing, that while the law of heavenly love requires of us the permanent exercise of forgiveness and true charity, even towards those who are confirmed in evil, yet He, from whom that law emanates, regards the same poor creatures as the objects of His vindictive wrath. Most assuredly the divine law does not require men and angels to be better than the God who made them!
And yet, on the other hand, we read in the Divine Word that, "God is angry with the wicked every day," that "He reserveth wrath for his enemies." and many similar announcments. How shall these apparent contradictions be disposed of? The Divine word, which proceeds from Him who is one and unchangeable, can contain no real discrepances. There is an internal harmony in each and every part. But in the letter of the Word there are often apparent truths, adapted to the states of unregenerate men. The real truth they are not prepared to receive; and hence the Divine mercy permits the Word to be presented to them clothed in the form of apparent truth. This way of presenting truth is, however, by no means peculiar to the Word of the Lord. Many natural truths at first fall into the mind in the same way. The apparent truth, that the sun passes around the earth, is first received, and conducts us to the real truth, that the earth revolves on its axis. So also the apparent truth, that a variety of colors appertain to the various objects around us, leads to the discovery, that the real distinction of colors exists in the solar rays. The same divine mercy which leads us to the perception of natural truths, by first permitting them to be seen in an apparent form, leads us also to the perception of spiritual truths, in a similar way. But in each case, those who have no deep love for the truth, never rise above its apparent form. The ignorant man lives and dies in the belief that the earth is stationary, and that the sun passes around it. So also, multitudes, even of religious men, never elevate their minds above the apparent truth, that the Lord is angry with the wicked. And yet angels and all good men, who are in any measure spiritually enlightened. know that the real truth is, that the Lord loves all his creatures, however vile they may be; and that the wrath and anger with which he seems to be clothed, results from the position which they sustain towards him, and not from his position towards them. It seems to devils and wicked men, as if God were angry with them, because they are conscious of being rebels against his divine government and kingdom; just as the offender against the civil laws regards those who make and execute the laws, as his enemies; whereas, if they are good men, they regard him with kindness and pity, and administer the laws, not because they wish him to suffer punishment, but because they wish to prevent him from inflicting greater injuries upon himself and society. The anger and wrath, which the wicked man supposes himself to be the object, come from his perversion of the divine love and mercy. And yet the sufferings that he endures appear to him to result from some undeserved dispensation of Divine Providence. He feels certain that he is no worse than his neighbors, and yet it has been his misfortune to become the object of the divine displeasure. You seek in vain to convince him that the evils which he endures are the necessary consequence of his selfish and disorderly affections. He persists in looking outward and not inward for the cause of his miseries, and imagines that he finds that cause in the treatment which he receives from his neighbors, in the feelings which he supposes some one to cherish towards him, or in some other external evil to which Divine Providence has subjected him. And even though he may not venture to charge his calamities directly upon the providence of the Lord, yet he is indirectly doing so, when he ascribes them to those external circumstances, which he knows, if he reasons at all, exist only by the divine permission. You find it impossible to convince him, that the external evils of which he complains, are only the occasion, not the cause of the spiritual pains which he suffers; and that if his own affections were in a healthy and orderly state, these providential permissions, which he now regards as the cause of his miseries, would either not exist or would have no power whatever to injure him.
But, the question is sometimes asked,—what difference can it make to devils and wicked men, whether the wrath of God, to which they ascribe their sufferings, be real or only apparent, provided the appearance seems to them to be a reality? In the one case, they are the objects of the divine mercy and providential care, which, though seeking in vain to make them happy, do nevertheless mitigate their miseries so far as can be done, without destroying their freedom. They are cared for and sustained, even while returning hatred for love; and permitted to enjoy, at least some measure of infernal delight, derived from cherishing the love of self. In the other case—the anger of the Lord being real,—the source and foundation of all spiritual existence would be removed. Not only would the wicked perish, but the good would perish with them. For the love of goodness is the life of heaven, and the love of evil, which is perverted good, is the life of hell. The goodness which is thus loved or perverted is derived from Him whose essential nature is divine love. But if it were possible for anger to be mingled with the love of the Lord, there would be no divine goodness that could be either loved or perverted; and hence no source from whence either heaven or hell could exist. Even though it may be impossible, therefore, to convince those who are in the love of evil, that the wrath which they so much dread, has its cause in themselves, and has no existence in the Divine Being; it is nevertheless exceedingly desirable that all those who have any love for the truth, should regard this subject in its true light—should realize that the Lord Jesus Christ, our God, with all his holy angels, and all good men, will forever look with pity and compassion upon those wretched beings who have chosen death rather than life.
It is possible the views which I have here presented may attract the attention of some one, to whom the doctrine, that anger and wrath really belong to the Divine Being, is exceedingly dear, because so perfectly adapted to his own spiritual state. And, perhaps, in his imagination, he sees that wrath about to be poured upon those who have the temerity to call in question a doctrine which he esteems so peculiarly sacred. It might be suggested to such a man, that the wrath which he supposes is about to fall upon those poor fellow-mortals, who have incurred his displeasure, by holding doctrines different from his own,—that that wrath, like the doctrines whose denial has aroused it, comes from his own evil affections, and not from Him who is divinely good and true. It will be much more dangerous to himself than to any one else. I remember having once seen a poor lunatic, whose displeasure I had accidently incurred, engaged in the process of killing and and burying me, as he imagined, although I was really at some distance from him and quite out of his reach. There is a spiritual insanity which delights to kill and bury those who are engaged in making known the heavenly truths of the New Jerusalem. But, those whom it thus seeks to destroy, and upon whom it would gladly call down the vengeance of God, still live on, and delight to make known the truths which they love. They are killed and buried, only in the imagination of the men who hate those truths.
But, let us again pursue the question, from whence come the miseries of hell? If not from a direct visitation of wrath from God, do they not come from the torments of a guilty conscience? Let us examine this question for a moment. The torments of conscience are suffered, when a man has done that which he knows or believes to have been wrong. Under the influenece of some selfish passion, he has been led to the commission of an act which his understanding disapproves; and hence, there follows a painful sense of degradation and ill-desert. But, this torment of conscience exists only in proportion as the will and understanding are at variance from each other. This difference is continually diminishing, according as the man becomes confirmed either in good or in evil. The man or the spirit, who is far advanced in regenerate life, loves those heavenly things which his understanding approves and approves the things which he loves. So, also, with him who has become confirmed in evil; the darkness of his understanding is as great as the depravity of his will. An approach towards that unhappy state, in which evil and falsity are equally confirmed, is often manifested, even while men remain in the natural world. This fact has been observed by every one, and is often remarked upon by writers on morals. In proportion as a man becomes confirmed in the love of evil and falsity, the desire for spiritual reformation is lost; and then the motive for discriminating between good and evil, in his own conduct, is also lost. The heavenly light of conscience is extinguished; its admonitions have ceased, and the pangs of remorse are felt no more. And although the spiritual faculty, which distinguishes between good and evil, still remains, yet there is no motive for bringing that faculty into exercise, in reference to himself; for the last desire for reformation has perished. Henceforth the man, or the spirit, is internally united to hell. He lives in hell, for hell lives in him. Such is conscience, and such is the way in which it is gradually weakened and finally destroyed, by an evil life. And who will imagine that there are any regenerating influences in the infernal world, by which conscience can ever be restored? What possibility can there be of restoring the man's conscience to a healthy action, or to any action, by permitting him eternally to associate with those who, like himself, are confirmed in the love of evil and falsity? You might as well hope to restore a dead body to life, by enclosing it in a coffin and burying it in a grave. But here is an awful consideration! A being formed for eternal life, having received from his Creator, powers and affections, which, if developed in an orderly manner, would have made him an angel of heaven—that same being voluntarily perverting and rejecting goodness and truth, till, at length, he becomes fully confirmed in those evil affections which constitute the life of hell; and does evil without regret, and without remorse.
The idea was once entertained, that the miseries of hell result from being perpetually and eternally consumed in a material fire. But this idea, if still entertained, must be confined to those minds which are too low and sensual to have any perception of the essential difference between natural and spiritual things, but suppose that the spiritual world is nothing more than a continuation of the natural. But, though such an idea is too absurd to be entertained, even for the purpose of refuting it, yet it is deeply interesting and instructive to reflect upon the mercy of the Lord, in presenting the Divine Word in such a form, that even the most sensual minds obtain therefrom those appearances of truth which are best adapted to their states. Minds that are unable to form any conception of spiritual misery, may, nevertheless, be very greatly benefitted, by being permitted to suppose, that there is reserved for the wicked some terrible physical suffering, like that of being eternally tormented in a lake of material fire and brimstone. The mind that is spiritually enlightened, sees in such representations, corresponding spiritual things,—the tormenting fire of self love, and the lust of false doctrines. While the man who thinks only of sensual things is greatly benefited, by being permitted to receive such descriptions of the miseries of hell, in their most literal sense. His impressions are as near the truth as the present state of his mind will permit. And so long as there is retained an idea of the miseries of hell, even in this most external form, the dread of eternal punishment remains; and exerts a most salutary restraint upon minds, not yet prepared to shun evil from better motives.
But if the miseries of hell are not caused by the wrath of an angry God, by remorse of conscience, nor by a lake of fire, from whence do they come? The answer, to this question, has been already anticipated, in some measure. They are the necessary and inevitable consequence of an evil and disordered state of the affections. If the man or the spirit who loves goodness and truth, and lives a corresponding life, is necessarily happy, as the consequence of the harmonious movement of his spiritual faculties, he in whose spiritual nature, this heavenly order is destroyed or perverted, must as inevitably be miserable. To deny the correctness of this inference, would be as absurd as to say, that while the enjoyment of health, is a consequence of all the bodily functions being in a normal state, the derangement of those functions is not productive of pain. Misery, in every form, is the opposite of the corresponding happiness. The one is the necessary consequence of obeying some law, that is, some form of spiritual or natural truth, while the other is the consequence of disobeying the same law. It is in fact impossible to conceive of the existence of happiness, unless we, at the same time, regard misery as the inevitable effect of disobeying the laws from which hapiness results.
The principle here stated, is believed to be perfectly in accordance with what every intelligent mind has observed, in regard to spiritual, as well as physical, suffering. And this is the true explanation of the miseries of hell. The inhabitant of those dismal abodes, while seeking for temporary and selfish gratifications, has voluntarily perverted and deranged the faculties of his spiritual nature, till every movement of those faculties is followed by pain. And yet the same disorderly affections, that have consummated his ruin, still adhere to him, and constitute his life's love.—Urged onward by the raging fire of self love, he is constantly intent upon some gratification, which involves a disregard of the rights and interests of his fellow spirits; while each of those spirits, in return, is not only seeking to protect his own interests, but to retaliate upon the aggressor, where it can be done without injury to himself. Each, therefore, is doomed to suffer the bitter disappointment of unsatisfied self love. The gratifications which unrestrained self love demands, are so much greater than it can possibly obtain, that, although some measure of infernal delight may be experienced, when evil ends are obtained; yet such delight is much more than counterbalanced by the sad and withering disappointment, which the unhappy spirit is doomed to suffer. Revenge is said to be sweet, and yet the revengeful man is always miserable. The infernal delight, which he feels, when inflicting injury upon his enemy, is inconceivably less than the misery which he brings upon himself in return. And a bitter ingredient in that misery is, that revenge is always unsatisfied. It is a raging fire which directs its greatest fury against him who provides it with fuel, and but seldom reaches him for whom it was kindled. Oh! how unlike is this to that heaven, for which these unhappy spirits were formed, and which they might have attained. There each spirit delights to aid his fellow spirits, in attaining the ends which they love; for all labor together for the common good. But in hell, every spirit as earnestly desires to see his fellow spirits fail of the gratification of their cherished lusts, unless when their success will aid him, in obtaining some selfish end which he loves.
But we may see sufficient illustrations of the miseries of hell, without descending, in imagination, to those regions of death and endless woe, where evil has fully consummated the eternal ruin of those who have cherished it. Even here, in the natural world, we daily meet with those whose countenances, in every feature, as well as their words and actions, are indices that cannot be mistaken. They point, with unerring certainty, to affections disordered and perverted, and in which the miseries, which lost spirits suffer, are already beginning to be felt. There may be seen envy and ambition writhing in disappointment, covetousness and sensual lust unsatisfied, vengeance unappeased,—these and other perverted affections, fed and cherished in the inner chambers of the spirit, and yet rewarding those who nourish them, with the serpent's bite and the scorpion's sting.
One other point ought to be referred to in this connection. It will be correctly inferred, from the views that have been presented, that the Lord casts no one into hell, but that all, who descend to that world of death, go there of their own choice. They are led thither by those evil lusts, which constitute their life's love. And as they descend to those regions of woe, or, which means the same thing, become confirmed in the love of evil and falsity, the Divine Mercy and Compassion still follows them, mitigating their miseries and watching over them with a providential care, even while this mercy and compassion is continually repaid, with infernal fury, not only against heaven itself, but even against Him who is the source of all goodness and truth. But it will, perhaps, be asked—how can spiritual beings delight to dwell in the midst of eternal torments: We answer, they do not delight in the miseries of hell. Their delight is in the love of evil. This is their life. The miseries of hell they would gladly escape; but from those vile lusts, they have no wish to be delivered, and with these, the miseries that they suffer, are necessarily and inseparably connected. It is thus that they are chained eternally to the torments of hell. Just as the man who is suffering the miseries of drunkeness; or any other form of sensual lust, does not love the wretchedness, poverty, disease and disgrace that result from his evil habits. But he loves the evil habits themselves, and the misery follows as a necessary consequence,—a consequence which even mercy itself—being founded in truth, Cannot avert.
But this subject is painful to dwell upon; we will detain the reader no longer with it. If, however, he desires to examine more fully, the nature of that misery, which the wicked are already beginning to suffer, and which will be fully consummated, when, in the world of endless woe, the last desire for goodness and truth, shall have perished, he may find this subject unfolded and explained, with a life like truthfulness, in those writings to which we have so often referred. He may there find a description, as full, at least, as he will desire, of the various forms of misery, which, by unchangeable laws, are connected with their corresponding evils. In those writings may be found the most ample confirmation, of the principle which I have stated above, that the torment of hell, in its most general form, is the raging fire of unsatisfied lust; that the "common torment of hell, consists in the unhappy spirits being withheld from their loves, from which, however, innumerable other miseries exist." It is very clearly and fully shown from the Word of the Lord, from the nature of the divine goverment, as well as from the laws of the human mind, that the torments of hell are not arbitrarily inflicted upon those who suffer them, but that the love and practice of evil is the cause of misery in all its forms.
A brief, but clear and satisfactory exposition of this subject may be found in the treatise, entitled "Heaven and Hell." It is there shown that the passages, in the Divine Word, which refer to the torments of hell, if rationally understood, must be interpreted, according to the laws of correspondence, between spiritual and natural things; that, "by fire is meant the lust which is of self love, and the love of the world, and by smoke thence is understood the false from evil." In this connection, occur the following, among many other equally important passages: