427. As soon as men after death enter the world of spirits the Lord
clearly discriminates between them; and the evil are at once attached
to the infernal society in which they were, as to their ruling love
while in the world; and the good are at once attached to the heavenly
society in which they were as to their love, charity and faith while
in the world. But although they are thus divided, all that have been
friends and acquaintances in the life of the body, especially wives
and husbands, and also brothers and sisters, meet and converse
together whenever they so desire. I have seen a father talking with
six sons, whom he recognized, and have seen many others with their
relatives and friends; but having from their life in the world
diverse dispositions, after a short time they separate. But those who
have passed from the world of spirits into heaven or into hell,
unless they have a like disposition from a like love, no longer see
or know each other. The reason that they see each other in the world
of spirits, but not in heaven or in hell, is that those who are in
the world of spirits are brought into one state after another, like
those they experienced in the life of the body; but afterwards all
are brought into a permanent state in accord with their ruling love,
and in that state one recognizes another only by similarity of love;
for then similarity joins and dissimilarity disjoins (see above,
n.
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