5108. CONCERNING THE VASTATION OF THOSE WHO ARE LET DOWN INTO HELL, AND CONCERNING THE ELEVATION OF THE GOOD INTO HEAVEN. When the evil enter the other life, that is, those in whom the internal man serves, and the external or natural rules; who are those who have been in the love of self and the world as an end, especially those who wish to rule over others for the sake of self or for the sake of eminence; some, also, for the sake of profit - those of them, who bring with them such things as are of truth and good, by means of which they communicate with upright spirits who are in the lowest heaven and by means of them with the interior heavens (for there is a connection of all the heavens), are, therefore, vastated; which occurs by the closing of their interiors. This does not happen in a moment, but gradually. There is a progression. They go about wherever the sphere of the knowledges of good and truth extends, and then their quality is exhibited, that, namely, they are evil. Wherefore, the upright turn themselves away, and thus the communication is closed. This takes place, through several circuits, everywhere according to the extension of that sphere [of the knowledges of good and truth]. At length, communication with the heavens is taken away, and the closure as regards the internal man is effected; and, then, there remains to them only sufficient light, from general influx, to enable them to think and speak; but they then speak and think only from the natural or external man, which, when separated from the internal, thinks nothing but falsity, and wills nothing but evil, consequently, what is of the love of self and of the world. Then, also, they turn themselves away from the Lord, nor are they able to look towards Him, since they deny Him and hold Him in hatred. Thus takes place the vastation of the wicked, as I have often seen.