"All spirits are distinguished in the other life by this: they who desire evil against others, are infernal or diabolical; but they who desire good to others, are good and angelic spirits. Man may know which he is among, whether the infernal spirits or the angelic. If he intends evil to his neighbor, thinking nothing but evil concerning him, and actually doing evil when in his power, and finding delight in it, he is among the infernals, and becomes himself also an infernal in the other life: but if he intends good to his neighbor, and thinks nothing but good concerning him, and actually does good when in his power, he is among the angelic, and becomes himself also an angel in the other life. This is the criterion: let every one examine himself by it. It matters not that a person does not do evil when he either cannot or dare not, nor that he does good from some selfish regard: such abstinence from the one and performance of the other, have only their origin in the man's externals, which are removed in the other life where he is such as his thoughts and intentions make him."—A. C. n. 1680.
"There are innumerable societies in the other life, which are disposed and arranged by the Lord according to all the genera of good and truth, also those of an opposite character. . . . Every man is associated with these as to his interiors, that is, as to his thoughts and affections, although he is ignorant of it. Hence comes all which a man thinks and wills. . . . Such as is the good in a man, such is the society of angels with which he is associated, and such as is the evil in him, such is the society of evil spirits with which he is associated. Man invites to himself such societies, or places himself in their midst, since like associates with like. For example: he who is covetous, invites to himself the societies of such as are in a similar lust. He who loves himself in preference to others, and despises others, invites to himself similar spirits. He who takes delight