THEN THE END OF THE CHURCH IS AT HAND, WHEN THE POWER OF EVIL BY FALSITIES BEGINS TO PREVAIL OVER THE POWER OF GOOD BY TRUTHS, IN THE NATURAL WORLD, AND THEN AT THE SAME TIME THE POWER OF HELL OVER THE POWER OF HEAVEN.

1. Every man after death comes into his own good, and thence truth, in which he was in the world; in like manner into his own evil, and thence falsity. 2. They who are in good and thence in truth enter into heaven; and they who are in evil and thence in falsity enter into hell. 3. They who are in good on the earths are interiorly in truths; and if in falsities, they can receive truths conformable to their good even after death. But the contrary is the case with those who are in evils. The reason is, because good and evil are of the will; and the will is the esse of man, and the understanding thence exists. 4. From the state of heaven and hell, in the spiritual world, it is known how much good prevails over evil, or evil over good, on the earths; since every man after death is gathered to his own, that is, comes into his own evil or good, and heaven and hell are from the human race. 5. This could by no means be known upon the earths, for many reasons. 6. Between heaven and hell there is an interspace, into which evil exhaling from hell ascends, and good descends from heaven; and there they meet. 7. In the midst of this interspace there is an equilibrium between good and evil. 8. From this equilibrium, it is known how much good prevails over evil, or evil over good. 9. The Lord there weighs it as in a balance. 10. This equilibrium is elevated towards heaven as evil prevails over good, and is depressed towards hell as good prevails over evil; since good from heaven depresses it, and evil from hell elevates it. 11. This equilibrium is as a footstool to the angels of heaven, in which their good terminates, and upon which it rests. 12. According to the degree in which this equilibrium is elevated, the happiness of the angels of heaven, from their goods and thence truths, is diminished. 13. When evil prevails over good on the earths, at the same time hell prevails over heaven. 14. From these things it is evident that the end of the church is at hand, when the power of evil prevails over the power of good. 15. It is called the power of good by truths, and the power of evil by falsities, because good has power by truths, and evil has power by falsities.