ods and their
kinds and varieties, and all the societies of hell in accordance with
evils, and their kinds and varieties; and that beneath each society
of heaven there is a society of hell corresponding to it from
opposition, and from this opposing correspondence equilibrium
results; and in consequence of this the Lord unceasingly provides
that no infernal society beneath a heavenly society shall gain any
preponderance, and as soon as it begins to do so it is restrained by
various means, and is reduced to an exact measure of equilibrium.
These means are many, only a few of which I will mention. Some of
these means have reference to the stronger presence of the Lord; some
to the closer communication and conjunction of one or more societies
with others; some to the casting out of superabundant infernal
spirits into deserts; some to the transference of certain spirits
from one hell to another; some to the reducing of those in the hells
to order, and this also is effected in various ways; some to the
screening of certain hells under denser and thicker coverings, also
letting them down to greater depths; besides other means; and still
others that are employed in the heavens above the hells. All this has
been said that it may in some measure be perceived that the Lord
alone provides that there shall be an equilibrium everywhere between
good and evil, thus between heaven and hell; for on such equilibrium
the safety of all in the heavens and of all on the earth rests.

595. It should be known that the hells are continually assaulting
heaven and endeavoring to destroy it, and that the Lord continually
protects the heavens by withholding those who are in it from the
evils derived from their self, and by holding them in the good that
is from Himself. I have often been permitted to perceive the sphere
that flows forth from the hells, which was wholly a sphere of effort
to destroy the Divine of the Lord, and thus heaven. The ebullitions
of some hells have also at times been perceived, which were efforts
to break forth and to destroy. But on the other hand the heavens
never assault the hells, for the Divine sphere that goes forth from
the Lord is a perpetual effort to save all; and as those who are in
the hells cannot be saved, (since all who are there are in evil and
are antagonistic to the Divine of the Lord,) so as far as possible
outrages in the hells are subdued and cruelties are restrained to
prevent their breaking out beyon