west and north, the Swedes; and toward the west, the Danes. But those only who have led lives of charity and its faith, are in that middle region; many societies of them dwell there. Surrounding them are those of the Reformed who have not led lives of faith and charity. These are they who made seeming heavens to themselves. But there is a different arrangement of all in heaven, as well as of all in hell. The reason why the Reformed constitute the middle, is because the Word is read, and the Lord is worshiped among them; in consequence of which, the light is greatest where they are; and thence, as from a centre, this light is propagated to, and enlightens, all the circumferences. For the light in which spirits and angels are, proceeds from the Lord as a Sun; and this Sun in its essence is Divine Love, and the light which proceeds from it in its essence is Divine Wisdom. All the spirituality of that world is derived from it.
Every arrangement of the societies in that world, is an arrangement according to the differences of love; the reason of which is, that love is the life of man, and the Lord who is Divine Love Itself arranges them according to their reception of it; and the differences of loves are innumerable, and known to no one but the Lord alone. He so conjoins the societies that they all lead, as it were, one man's life; the societies of the heavens, one life of celestial and spiritual love; the societies of the hells, one life of
