530. V. THAT SCORTATORY LOVE IS IMPUTED TO EACH MAN IN THE SAME WAY, being imputed, not according to the deeds as they appear outwardly before men, nor even as they appear before a judge, but as they appear inwardly before the Lord and from Him before angels; that is to say, according to the nature of the man's will and understanding in them. In the world there are various circumstances which mitigate and excuse crimes, and also which aggravate them and make them more blameworthy; but after death, imputations are not made according to the external circumstances of the deed but according to the internal circumstances of the mind, and these are regarded according to the state of the Church with each individual. Take, for example, a man impious in will and understanding, one who has no fear of God nor love of the neighbor, and so no reverence for any holy thing of the church. After death he is found guilty of all the crimes which he had committed in the body, and there is no recording of his good deeds; for the heart from which they issued as from a fountain was turned away from heaven and turned towards hell, and deeds flow from the place where one's heart has its abode.
[2] That this may be understood, I will relate an arcanum. Heaven is distinguished into innumerable societies, and so likewise hell by reason of its opposition; and according to his will and to his understanding therefrom, every man's mind is actually dwelling in some one society, and in intention and thought he is one with those who are there. If his mind is in some society of heaven, then in intention and thought he is one with those who are there. If it is in some society of hell, then, in intention and thought he is one with those who are there. So long as man is living in the world, however, he migrates from one society to another according to the changes of the affections of his will and thence of the thoughts of his mind; but after death his journeyings are gathered together, and on the basis of these gatherings into a one, a place is appointed him, if evil, in hell, if good, in heaven. [3] Now since all in hell have a will of evil, all there are regarded from that will; and since all in heaven have a will of good, all there are regarded from that will. After death, therefore, imputations are made according to the nature of the individual's will and understanding. It is the same with scortation, whether it be fornication or keeping a mistress, or concubinage, or adultery, these being imputed to the individual, not according to his deeds but according to the state of his mind in the deeds. The deeds follow the body into the tomb, but the mind rises again.
