Heaven and Hell (Harley) n. 131

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131. As the light of heaven is Divine Truth, that light is also Divine wisdom and intelligence. Therefore, to be raised up into the light of heaven means the same as to be raised up into intelligence and wisdom and to be enlightened. For this reason the light with angels is in the same degree as their intelligence and wisdom. Because the light of heaven is Divine wisdom, therefore in that light the character of everyone is recognized. The interiors of anyone lie open to view in his face, just as they are, with not the least thing hidden. Interior angels also love all things pertaining to them to lie revealed, since they will nothing but good. It is otherwise with those beneath heaven who do not will what is good and therefore greatly fear to be seen in the light of heaven. And wonderful to tell, those in hell appear to one another as men, but, in the light of heaven they appear as monsters, horrid in face and body, the exact form of their own evil.# Man, in respect of his spirit, when observed by angels, is seen in the same way; if good, he appears as a man, beautiful in accord with his good, if evil, as a monster, deformed in accord with his evil. From this it is clear that all things are made manifest in the light of heaven. They are made manifest because the light of heaven is Divine Truth. # They who are in the hells, in their own light, which is like that of burning charcoal, appear to themselves as men, but in the light of heaven as monsters (n. 4531, 4533, 4674, 5057, 5058, 6605, 6626).


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