Heaven and Hell (Harley) n. 134

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134. The heat of heaven, like the light of heaven, is everywhere different. It is different in the celestial kingdom from what it is in the spiritual kingdom, and it is different in each particular society there. It differs not only in degree but also in quality. It is more intense and pure in the Lord's celestial kingdom, because the angels there receive more Divine Good, less intense and pure in the Lord's spiritual kingdom, because the angels there receive more Divine Truth. Also, in each society the heat differs in accordance with the reception. There is heat also in the hells but it is unclean.# The heat in heaven is what is meant by "sacred and heavenly fire", and the heat of hell by "profane and infernal fire". Love is meant by both. By "heavenly fire" is meant love to the Lord and love towards the neighbour, with every affection of those loves. By "infernal fire" is meant love of self and of the world and every lust of those loves. That love is heat from a spiritual source is evident from one's growing warm with love; for in accordance with the strength and nature of his love, a man is inflamed and grows warm, the heat of his love becoming manifest when attacked. So it is usual to speak of being inflamed, of growing warm, burning, boiling, being on fire, both in regard to the affections of the love of good and the lusts of the love of evil. # There is heat in the hells, but it is unclean (n. 1773, 2757, 3340). The odour from it is like the odour from dung and excrement in the world and in the worst hells like the odour of dead bodies (n. 814, 819, 820, 943, 944, 5394).


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