assigned on his departure from the world. This is the inmost of divine
providence touching heaven.

69. On the other hand, a man who does not permit himself to be led to
heaven and allotted a place there is prepared for his own place in hell.
Of himself a man tends constantly to the depths of hell but is
continually withheld by the Lord. He who cannot be withheld is prepared
for a given place in hell, to which he is assigned on departure from the
world. This place is opposite one in heaven; for hell is the opposite of
heaven. So, as the angel-man according to his affection of good and truth
is allotted his place in heaven, the devil-man according to his affection
of evil and falsity is allotted his in hell. The two opposites, set
exactly over against each other, are kept in connection. This is the
inmost of divine providence touching hell.

IV. THERE ARE LAWS OF PROVIDENCE THAT ARE UNKNOWN TO MEN

70. Men know there is divine providence, but not what its nature is. This
is not known because its laws are arcana, hitherto hidden in the wisdom
of angels. These laws are to be revealed now in order that what belongs
to the Lord may be ascribed to Him, and nothing ascribed to man that is
not man's. For very many in the world attribute everything to themselves
and their prudence, and what they cannot so attribute they call
fortuitous and accidental, not knowing that human prudence is nothing and
that "fortuitous" and "accidental" are idle words.

[2] We say that the laws of divine providence are arcana "hidden until
now in the wisdom of the angels." They have been hidden because the
understanding has been closed in Christendom in religion's name on divine
things, and has been rendered so dull and averse in these matters that