De Conjugio (On Marriage) · 13 of 25

The Torment of Those Who Are of Hell

60.THE TORMENT OF THOSE WHO ARE OF HELL, FROM THE INFLUX OF CONJUGIAL LOVE. All influx from heaven torments the infernals, wherefore hell is removed from heaven and is also everywhere shut up, so that influx may not at all be felt; the reason is, that they are in contrary love, and just as infernal love torments the celestials, so celestial love torments the infernals; but the celestial prevails, wherefore hell is removed as far as possible; this is meant in the Evangelist, in Abraham’s saying that there is a gulf, so that there is no passing over.

61.But the influx of conjugial love from heaven especially torments the infernals; I have seen spirits in hell brought even into the world of spirits, which is the middle, when these perceive the influx of conjugial love, they come into fury so as to act like furies and also as if they were tormented like serpents in tamarisks [myrica], twisting hither and thither their bodies and intestines like one who is twisted miserably by torment within; they compared their suffering with the greatest sufferings; the reason is that the love of marriage and the love of adultery are altogether opposite, and conjugial love itself is heaven, and the love of adultery is hell. The love flows into their externals and torments their internals.