[2] Since the pleasures of hell are the opposites of the pleasures of heaven, there is a great gap between them; the pleasures of heaven pour down from above into this gap, those of hell well up into it from below. While a person is alive in the world he is in the middle of the gap, so that he can be in equilibrium, and so free to turn either to heaven or to hell. It is this gap which is meant by the 'great gulf' fixed between those in heaven and those in hell (Luke 16:26).

[3] These facts can serve to establish what a bosom friendship is like between the wicked. As regards the external man it is accompanied by gestures and mimicry, and makes a pretence of morality, for the purpose of spreading its nets and looking to see where there is a chance of enjoying the pleasures of its loves, which burn hot in their internal man. It is only fear of the law, and as a result fear for one's reputation and way of life, which restrains and prevents them from acting thus. So their friendship resembles a spider in the sugar, a viper in the bread, a young crocodile in a honey-cake, and a snake in the grass.

[4] The friendship of the wicked with anyone is like this. But between those who are confirmed villains, as between thieves, highwaymen and pirates, friendship is close, so long as they are in full agreement in gloating over their robberies; then they embrace one another like brothers, entertain one another with feasts, singing and dancing, and conspire to ruin others. In fact each deep within himself looks on his companion as an enemy does an enemy. The cunning robber even sees this in his companion, and is afraid of him. It is plain from this that between such people there is no friendship, but implacable hatred.

455A* Anyone who has not openly sided with wrongdoers and taken to robbery, but who has led a moral life as a good citizen, aiming to be of service in various ways, without, however, restraining the longings which reside in the natural man, might believe that his friendship is not like this. But I have been allowed to know for certain as the result of many instances in the spiritual world that friendship is like this, more or less, with all who have rejected faith and despised the holy things of the church, thinking them of no consequence for themselves, but only for the common people. In the case of some of them the pleasures of hellish love lay hidden like fire in smouldering logs covered with bark; with some like burning coals under ash; with some like wax tapers which burst into flame at the touch of a light; with some in other ways. That is what everyone is like who banishes from his heart everything to do with religion. Their internal man is in hell, and so long as they live in the world - when they are unaware of it on account of the semblance of morality they display in externals - they do not acknowledge as neighbour any but themselves and their children. They treat everyone else either with contempt, when they resemble cats stalking birds in their nests, or with hatred, when they resemble wolves on the watch for dogs to devour. These remarks have been introduced so that it may be known what charity is like by reference to its opposite.

* The original has two paragraphs numbered 455.