Page:The New View of Hell.djvu/72

 circulation is quickened. Again, the body grows cold as love departs, or as its activity ceases. All of which proves that there exists, between natural heat or fire and spiritual heat or love, a relation like that between cause and effect. And this kind of relation is what Swedenborg means by Correspondence.

It is for the same reason, also, that the bodies of children and young persons are usually warmer than those of the aged. They have more love in their hearts, or their love is more active and this quickens the circulation of their blood. For a similar reason, again, we call persons whose hearts are full of love and sympathy, warm-hearted; and those who seem to have no love for anybody, cold-hearted. Then how often do we hear Christians pray that the Lord would kindle in their hearts a heavenly fire! And sometimes they pray that He would warm them with his love. For the same reason we hear it said of an angry man, especially if his anger breaks forth in deeds of violence, that he is inflamed, burns with anger, is all on fire, etc. And does not the internal fire at such times manifest itself in the countenance as well as in the gestures and tones of the voice?

Furthermore, the wise man says: "A hot mind is a burning fire." And the inspired Psalmist calls the Lord "a consuming fire"; and says that "a fire goeth before Him, and burneth up his enemies round about Him." Does any one believe that the Lord is literally a consuming fire? or that He literally burns up his enemies?