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 From the outward appearance, therefore, they called their societies heavens. The heaven and the earth in which they dwelt, are understood by the former heaven, and the former earth which passed away. (Apoc. xxi. 1.)

In the meantime so long as they remained there, the interiors of their minds were closed and the exteriors were opened; by which means their evils which united them with the hells, were not apparent. But on the approach of the last judgment their interiors were opened, and then they appeared before all such as they really were. And since they then acted in unity with the hells, they were no longer able to simulate Christian lives, but rushed with delight into evils and crimes of every description, and were turned into devils; and moreover appeared as such,—some black, some fiery, and some livid like corpses; those who were in the pride of self-intelligence, appearing black; those who were in the furious love of ruling over all, appearing fiery; and those who were in the neglect and contempt of truth, appearing livid like corpses. Thus were the scenes of those theatres changed.

The Reformed constitute the inmost portion of the world of spirits, which is mediate between heaven and hell, and are there arranged according to countries. In the centre of this middle region are the English; toward the south and the east of it are the Dutch; toward the north, the Germans; toward the