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XVI.
THE MEANING OF HELL FIRE.
HAT is meant by the everlasting fire, mentioned in the Word as the portion of those who are in hell, has hitherto been known to scarcely any one. The reason is, that people have thought materially concerning those things which are in the Word, not being acquainted with its spiritual sense. Therefore by fire some have understood material fire; some, torment in general; some, remorse of conscience; and some have supposed that the expression is used merely to excite terror, and thus deter men from crimes.
But whoever is acquainted with the spiritual sense of the Word may know what everlasting fire is. For in every expression and sentence in the Word is contained a spiritual sense, since the Word in its bosom is spiritual; and what is spiritual cannot be expressed before man otherwise than in a natural manner, because man is in the natural world and thinks from the things of that world. What, therefore, is meant by the everlasting fire into which the wicked as to their spirits come after death, or which their spirits which are then in the spiritual world suffer, shall be told in what follows.
