n's self is nothing but evil (n. 210, 215, 731,
874-876, 987, 1047, 2307, 2308, 3518, 3701, 3812, 8480, 8550,
10283, 10284, 10286, 10732). Man's self is hell in him (n. 684,
8480).

592. Unless the Lord ruled both the heavens and the hells there would
be no equilibrium; and if there were no equilibrium there would be no
heaven or hell; for all things and each thing in the universe, that
is, both in the natural world and in the spiritual world, endure by
means of equilibrium. Every rational man can see that this is true.
If there were a preponderance on one part and no resistance on the
other would not both perish? So would it be in the spiritual world if
good did not react against evil and continually restrain its
uprising; and unless this were done by the Divine Itself both heaven
and hell would perish, and with them the whole human race. It is said
unless the Divine Itself did this, because the self of everyone,
whether angel, spirit, or man, is nothing but evil (see above,
n. 591); consequently neither angels nor spirits are able in the least
to resist the evils continually exhaling from the hells, since from
self they all tend towards hell. It is evident, then, that unless the
Lord alone ruled both the heavens and the hells no one could ever be
saved. Moreover, all the hells act as one; for evils in the hells are
connected as goods are in the heavens; and the Divine alone, which
goes forth solely from the Lord, is able to resist all the hells,
which are innumerable, and which act together against heaven and
against all who are in heaven.

593. The equilibrium between the heavens and the hells is diminished
or increased in accordance with the number of those who enter heaven
and who enter hell; and this amounts to several thousands daily. The
Lord alone, and no angel, can know and perceive this, and regulate
and equalize it with precision; for the Divine that goes forth from
the Lord is omnipresent, and sees everywhere whether there is any
wavering, while an angel sees only what is near himself, and has no
perception in himself of what is taking place even in his own
society.

594. How all things are so arranged in the heavens and in the hells
that each and all of those who are there may be in their equilibrium,
can in some measure be seen from what has been said and shown above
respecting the heavens and the hells, namely, that all the societies
of heaven are distinctly arranged in accordance with go