Heaven and Hell - Swedenborg Foundation

HEAVEN AND HELL 387
his spirit; that is, it is formed solely out of the things that the
man does from his love or will (see above, n. 463). In a word,
all things of man and his spirit are contained in his deeds or
works. 269
476. All this makes clear what the life is that awaits man after
death, namely, that it is his love and his faith therefrom, not
only in potency, but also in act; thus that it is his deeds or
works, because in these all things of man’s love and faith are
contained.
477. It is man’s ruling love that awaits him after death, and
this is in no way changed to eternity. Everyone has many loves;
but they are all related to his ruling love, and make one with it
or together compose it. All things of the will that are in
harmony with the ruling love are called loves, because they are
loved. These loves are both inner and outer; some directly
connected and some mediately; some nearer and some more
remote; they are subservient in various ways. Taken together
they constitute a kingdom, as it were, such being the order in
which they are arranged in man, although man knows nothing
whatever about that arrangement. And yet something of it is
made manifest to him in the other life, for the spread of his
thought and affection there is in accordance with the
arrangement of his loves, his thought and affection extending
into heavenly societies when the ruling love is made up of the
269. Interior things flow in successively into exterior things even down
to the extreme or outmost, and there they come forth and have permanent
existence (n. 634, 6451, 6465, 9215, 9216). They not only flow in, but in
the outmost they form the simultaneous, in what order (n. 5897, 6451,
8603, 10099). Thereby all interior things are held together in connection,
and have permanent existence (n. 9828). Deeds or works are the outmosts
which contain the interiors (n. 10331). Therefore being recompensed and
judged according to deeds and works is being recompensed and judged in
accordance with all things of one’s love and faith, or of his will and thought,
because these are the interiors contained in deeds and works (n. 3147, 3934,
6073, 8911, 10331, 10332).