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
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