404. There were some spirits who thought themselves better instructed
than others, and who said that they had believed in the world that
heavenly joy would consist solely in praising and giving glory to
God, and that this would be an active life. But these were told that
praising and giving glory to God is not a proper active life, also
that God has no need of praises and glorification, but it is His will
that they should perform uses, and thus the good works that are
called goods of charity. But they were unable to associate with goods
of charity any idea of heavenly joy, but only of servitude, although
the angels testified that this joy is most free because it comes from
an interior affection and is conjoined with ineffable delight.
405. Almost all who enter the other life think that hell is the same
to everyone, and heaven the same; and yet in both there are infinite
varieties and diversities, and in no case is hell or heaven wholly
the same to one as to another; as it is impossible that any one man,
spirit or angel should ever be wholly like another even as to the
face. At my mere thought of two being just alike or equal the angels
expressed horror, saying that everyone thing is formed out of the
harmonious concurrence of many things, and that the one thing is such
as that concurrence is; and that it is thus that a whole society in
heaven becomes a one, and that all the societies of heaven together
become a one, and this from the Lord alone by means of love.
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