Page:The New View of Hell.djvu/137

 but when the same spirits are looked into by the angels of heaven, that light is instantly dissipated, and they appear with entirely different faces, each according to his character; some dusky and black as devils; some with pale ghastly faces like corpses;—some like skeletons; and, more wonderful still, some like monsters, the deceitful like serpents, and the most deceitful like vipers; and others in other forms. But as soon as the angels remove their sight from them, they appear in their above mentioned forms, which they have when seen in their own light."—Arcana Cœlestia n. 4533. See also A. C. 4798.— H. H. 481.

A wonderful display, indeed, is it of the Lord's unspeakable love and mercy, that He does not permit infernal spirits to see themselves or one another as they really are!

And we have similar illustrations of the Divine benignity here on earth. The desperately wicked never see their own moral deformity. Their eyes are blinded out of tenderest mercy toward them; for to see themselves as they appear in the light of heaven, would cause them unutterable agony. Take any class of the most hardened villains you can find—those of a character nearest allied to that of devils, such as gamblers, thieves, swindlers, murderers, fornicators, pimps, pirates—does any one imagine that these people see themselves to be the dreadful creatures they really are? Have they any idea of their terrible moral deformity? Not one of