Page:The New View of Hell.djvu/61

 the apostle also clearly recognizes the same truth when he says: "The letter killeth; but the spirit giveth life."

Agreeably to this doctrine of the Sacred Scripture, therefore, the words heaven and hell have each a natural sense such as I have already explained, and a spiritual sense with which the natural corresponds. Natural space corresponds to spiritual or mental state. Hence all words of Scripture, which in their natural sense refer to space, in their spiritual sense denote states of the mind. Accordingly there is natural elevation, and spiritual elevation; elevation in space and elevation in state. And the term heaven, which in its natural sense refers to elevation in space, in its spiritual sense denotes elevation of state;—that exalted condition of mind and heart, that state of clear perception of whatever is beautiful and true, and of disinterested love for all that is good and right, in which the angels are.

So, too, there is natural lowness, and spiritual lowness; the former having reference to space, the latter to state. And the term hell, which in its natural sense denotes a low place or a region under ground, in its spiritual sense denotes a low groveling state of mind;—that state of carnal desire and selfish craving and obscure perception and blunted moral sensibility, in which the devils are.

We often use the words high and low in their spiritual sense in familiar discourse; and always when we have occasion to apply them to moral or human qualities, though in their primary literal signification they have