4423# 关于旧教会的弃绝和新教会的接纳是如何发生的，几乎没有人知道。若不了解人的内在及其状态，以及由此而来的人死后的状态，就无法理解这一过程，只能想象那些来自旧教会的人（他们当中的良善和真理已被荒废，即不再从心里被承认）将会灭亡，或像洪水前的人被洪水淹没，或像犹太人被驱逐出他们的土地，或以其它类似方式消失。
但实际上，当教会被荒废时，即当它不再有任何信仰的良善时，它主要是在其内在状态方面灭亡，因此是在来生的状态方面灭亡。那时天堂从他们那里撤离，因而主也撤离，并转移到其他被接纳代替他们的人那里。因为若地上某处没有教会，天堂就无法与人交流；教会就像地上的至大之人的心脏和肺部（参468，637，931，2054，2853节）。
【2】那时属于旧教会并因此被从天堂移除的人，在其内在方面处于某种洪水之中，这洪水甚至淹没过他们的头顶。当人还活在肉身中时，他自己并不察觉这种洪水状态，但死后就会进入其中。这种洪水在来生清晰可见，它像一片浓密的乌云，环绕着这些人，将他们与天堂隔绝。
那些被这乌云包围的人处于这样一种状态：他们完全无法看见什么是信仰的真理，更无法理解什么是信仰的良善。这是因为天堂之光（其中包含着聪明和智慧）无法穿透这片乌云。这就是被荒废的教会的状态。
4423.几乎没有人知道当一个教会被抛弃，一个新教会被采用时是何情形。人若不知道人的内层及其状态，因而不知道人死后的状态，必断定，那些属于旧教会，良善与真理在里面已经被毁，也就是不再被发自内心承认的人要么如被洪水灭亡的大洪前之人，要么如从他们的本地被逐出的犹太人那样，或以某种其它方式而行将灭亡。在这种情况下，天堂，因而主会远离它们，并转到其他人那里，这些人会被吸纳以取代它们。因为若地上某个地方没有一个教会，天堂与人类的联系就不存在；事实上，教会就像大人在地上的心与肺（参看468，637，931，2054，2853节）。
那些此时属于旧教会，因而远离天堂之人的内层就陷入一种洪水当中；事实上，这洪水漫过头顶。活在肉身期间，人对这洪水一无所知，但死后却进入其中。在来世，这洪水清晰可见，甚至就像笼罩他们，并将其与天堂隔离的乌云。在这乌云中的人，其状态是这样：他们绝无可能明白何为信之真理，更不可能明白何为信之良善。因为含有聪明和智慧在里面的天堂之光无法穿透这云层。这就是教会被毁后的状态。
Potts(1905-1910) 4423
4423. Scarcely anyone knows how the case is with the rejection of an old church and the adoption of a new church. He who does not know man's interiors and their states, and consequently man's states after death, cannot but infer that those who are of the old church, and in whom good and truth have been laid waste, that is, are no longer at heart acknowledged, are to perish, either as the antediluvians perished by the flood, or as did the Jews by expulsion from their land, or in some other way. But when the church has been laid waste, that is, when it is no longer in any good of faith, it perishes chiefly in respect to the states of its interiors, thus in respect to its states in the other life. Heaven then removes itself away from them-and consequently the Lord-and transfers itself to others, who are adopted in their stead; for without a church somewhere on the earth there is no communication of heaven with man; for the church is like the heart and lungs of the Grand Man on the earth (see n. 468, 637, 931, 2054, 2853). [2] They who are then of the old church, and thus are removed from heaven, are in a kind of inundation as to their interiors, and in fact in an inundation over the head. This inundation the man himself does not observe while he lives in the body, but he comes into it after death. In the other life this inundation plainly appears like a thick cloud by which they are encompassed and separated from heaven. The state of those who are in this thick cloud is that they cannot possibly see what the truth of faith is, and still less what is its good; for the light of heaven, in which is intelligence and wisdom, cannot penetrate into this cloud. This is the state of a vastated church.
Elliott(1983-1999) 4423
4423. Scarcely anyone is aware of what actually happens when the old Church is set aside and the new adopted. One who has no knowledge of the interior aspects of man, or of the states in which these exist, and who therefore does not know about man's states after death, cannot do otherwise than take it to mean that those who belong to the old Church - among whom good and truth have been brought to ruin, that is, are no longer acknowledged in the heart - are going to perish either as those before the Flood did in the floodwaters, or as the Jews did by being expelled from their own land, or in some other way. But when the Church is brought to ruin, that is, when it ceases to keep at all to the good of faith, the interior aspects of the Church, and so the states in which it exists in the next life, perish. Heaven, and as a consequence the Lord, in that case departs from them and transfers itself to others who are adopted in place of them For without the Church somewhere on earth no communication of heaven with mankind exists, the Church being like the heart and lungs of the Grand Man on earth, 468, 637, 931, 2054, 2853.
[2] The interior aspects of those who belong at such a time to the old Church and so have been removed from heaven are subjected to a kind of deluge, a deluge in fact that rises above the head. Of this deluge no one has any awareness during his lifetime, but comes to know it after death. The deluge is clearly visible in the next life; indeed it is like a dark cloud which envelops people and separates them from heaven. The state of those within that dark cloud is such that they cannot possibly see what the truth of faith is, let alone what the good of faith is. For the light of heaven which holds intelligence and wisdom within it cannot penetrate that cloud. This is the state of the Church once it has been ruined.
Latin(1748-1756) 4423
4423. Quomodo se habet cum rejectione veteris Ecclesiae et adoptatione novae, vix aliquis novit; qui non (t)hominis interiora et horum {1} status, et inde hominis status post mortem, scit, non aliter capere potest quam quod illi qui ex vetere Ecclesia sunt, apud quos bonum et verum vastatum est, hoc est, non amplius corde agnoscitur, perituri (o)sint, vel sicut antediluviani diluvio, vel sicut Judaei expulsione (c)e terra sua, vel aliter: sed Ecclesia cum vastata est, hoc est, cum non amplius in aliquo bono fidei est, principaliter perit quoad status interiorum suorum, ita quoad status in altera vita; removet se tunc caelum ab illis, et consequenter Dominus, et se transfert ad alios qui loco illorum adoptantur; nam absque Ecclesia alicubi in tellure non datur communicatio caeli cum homine; Ecclesia enim est instar cordis et pulmonum Maximi Hominis in terra, {2} n. 468, 637, 931, 2054, 2853;[2] qui tunc ab Ecclesia veteri sunt, et sic remoti a caelo, in quadam mundatione sunt quoad interiora, et quidem in mundatione supra caput; hanc mundationem ipse homo cum vivit in corpore, non appercipit, sed in illam venit post mortem; inundatio illa manifeste apparet in altera vita, et quidem instar nimbi nebulosi quo circumcinguntur, et per illum separantur a caelo: status illorum (o)qui in nimbo illo nebuloso, est quod ne quicquam possint videre quid verum fidei, et minus quid bonum ejus; lux enim caeli, in qua (o)est intelligentia et sapientia, in illum nimbum penetrare non potest: hic est status Ecclesiae vastatae. @1 eorum$ @2 i videatur$