542. As hell is distinguished into the same number of societies as heaven, there are as many hells as there are societies of heaven; for as each society of heaven is a heaven in a lesser form (see above, n. 51-58), so each society in hell is a hell in lesser form. As in general there are three heavens, so in general there are three hells, a lowest, which is opposite to the inmost or third heaven, a middle, which is opposite to the middle or second heaven, and a higher, which is opposite to the ultimate or first heaven.