589# 要知道，将理智提升到天堂天使所具有的聪明之中的能力，自创造之初便内在于每一个人，无论恶人还是善人，甚至也内在于地狱中的每一个魔鬼；因为凡在地狱中的，都曾经是人。这一点，我多次从亲身经验中得到显示。
然而，他们之所以不在聪明中，而在属灵之事上处于疯狂中，是因为他们不愿善，而愿恶；因此，他们厌恶认识并理解真理，因为真理是支持善、反对恶的。
由此也可见，属灵新生的第一步，是在理智中接受真理；第二步，是愿意照真理而行，最终则是实际行出真理。
然而，任何人都不能仅凭对真理的认识就称为已经改造；因为人凭着把理智提升到意志之爱以上的能力，可以理解这些真理，也可以谈论、教导并宣讲这些真理。真正被改造的人，是因真理本身而处于对真理的情感之中的人；因为这种情感会与意志结合，并且若持续下去，就会使意志与理智结合；那时，重生便开始了。
至于重生以后怎样推进并完成，将在以下各节说明。
589# 必须知道的是，将理解力甚至提升到天堂天使所处的聪明的能力，通过创造而是每个人所固有的，或说被创造为每个人的一部分，无论恶人还是善人，甚至地狱里的每个魔鬼都保留着这种能力，因为所有在地狱里的人都曾经是人。我经常通过活生生的经历被指示，情况就是这样。然而，魔鬼在属灵事物上不是聪明的，而是疯狂的，因为他们不意愿良善，而是意愿邪恶；因此，他们不愿意知道和理解真理，因为真理支持良善，反对邪恶。由此清楚可知，新生的第一个阶段是通过理解力而对真理的接受，第二个阶段是照着真理行动，最终实践真理的意愿。然而，可以说没有人仅仅通过知道真理就能被改造；因为人能通过他把自己的理解力提升到他意愿的爱之上的能力而获得这些真理，也能谈论、教导和宣扬它们。但一个真正被改造的人是那拥有为了真理而对真理的情感之人，或说人若拥有为了真理而对真理的情感，就是一个被改造的人。因为这种情感会将自己与意愿结合，并且随着它的增加，它会将意愿与理解力结合，然后重生就开始了。下文将论述之后重生是如何推进和完善的。
589. It is important to know that the capacity to lift the intellect even to a level of understanding possessed by the angels in heaven has been created as a part of every human being, the evil as well as the good. In fact every devil in hell retains this ability, since all those who are in hell existed as human beings [in the physical world]. I have often been shown through living experience that this is the case.
Nonetheless, the reason the devils in hell are insane rather than intelligent in spiritual matters is that they will what is evil and not what is good. Knowing and understanding truths is repulsive to them, because truths favor what is good and oppose what is evil.
These points also make it clear that the first step in our being generated anew is to receive truths in our intellect. The second step is to intend to put those truths into practice; eventually it takes the form of actually putting them into practice.
No one can justifiably be called a "reformed" person solely on the basis of his or her knowledge of truth. By lifting our intellect above the love that resides in our will, we are all capable of grasping those truths, saying them, teaching them, and preaching them. A truly reformed person is someone who desires the truth because it is true. This desire attaches itself to our will, and if it persists, forges a partnership between our will and our intellect. Then our regeneration begins. (Later sections will deal with how our regeneration proceeds and is perfected after that.)
589. It must be appreciated that the capacity for raising the understanding to the level of intelligence enjoyed by the angels of heaven is inherent in every person from creation, the wicked as well as the good; in fact even in every devil in hell, for all who are in hell were once people on earth. I have had this shown me by direct experience on numerous occasions. However, in spiritual matters devils are not intelligent but in the grip of madness, because they do not will good, but evil. As a result they loathe knowing and understanding truths, since these favour good and oppose evil. This too makes it clear that the first stage of re-birth is the reception of truths by the understanding, and its second stage is willing to act as truths direct and eventually doing these things. All the same, no one can be called reformed by only getting to know truths, since the capacity a person has for raising his understanding above the love of the will enables him to learn truths, and also to talk about them, teach them and preach them. A person is reformed if he has an affection for truth for truth's sake, for this affection links itself with the will, and if it continues, links the will with the understanding. That is when regeneration begins. The subsequent progress and development of regeneration will be described in the following pages.
589. It must be known that the ability to elevate the understanding even to the intelligence in which the angels of heaven are, is by creation inherent in every man, the wicked as well as the good, and even in every devil in hell, for all who are in hell have been men. This has been frequently shown to me by living experience. But such are not intelligent but insane in spiritual things, because they do not will good but evil, consequently they are averse to knowing and understanding truths, for truths favor good and oppose evil. From all this it is clear that the first step in the new birth is a reception of truths by the understanding, and the second is the will to act in accordance with truths, and finally to practice them. No one, however, can be said to be reformed by mere knowledges of truth; for man is able to acquire these and to talk about, teach, and preach them through his ability to elevate his understanding, above the love of his will. But he is a reformed man who has an affection for truth for the sake of truth; for this affection conjoins itself with the will, and if it goes on it conjoins the will to the understanding, and then regeneration begins. But how regeneration afterward advances and is perfected, will be told in what follows.
589. It should be known that the power of elevating the understanding even to the intelligence in which the angels of heaven are, is inherent by creation in every man, evil as well as good, indeed in every devil in hell; for all in hell were once men. This has often been shown to me by actual experience. Devils, however, are not intelligent but insane in regard to spiritual things because they do not will good but evil; and consequently they refuse to know and understand truths, because truths favor good and are opposed to evil. It is also evident from this that the first stage of the new birth is the reception of truths in the understanding; and the second is a willingness to act according to them and at length to practice them. No one, however, can be said to be reformed by the mere knowledge of truths; for a man, from the power of elevating his understanding above the love of his will, can apprehend truths, and also speak, teach and preach them; but that man is reformed who is in the affection of truth for truth's sake. For this affection conjoins itself with the will, and as it increases, it conjoins the will with the understanding, and then regeneration begins. How regeneration afterwards advances and is brought to perfection will be told in what follows.
589. Sciendum est, quod facultas elevandi intellectum usque ad intelligentiam in qua sunt Angeli Coeli, a creatione cuivis homini insit, tam malo quam bono, imo etiam omni diabolo in inferno, nam omnes qui in inferno sunt fuerunt homines; hoc mihi per vivam experientiam saepius ostensum est; ast quod non sint in intelligentia, sed in insania in spiritualibus, est quia non volunt bonum sed malum, inde aversantur scire et intelligere vera, nam vera sunt pro bono, et contra malum. Ex his etiam patet, quod Primum novae generationis sit receptio veritatum intellectu, et quod Secundum ejus sit, quod velit facere secundum veritates, et tandem facere illas. Verum enim vero non potest aliquis dici reformatus per solas cognitiones veritatum, nam homo ex facultate elevandi intellectum supra amorem voluntatis potest apprehendere illas, et quoque loqui, docere et praedicare illas; sed ille Reformatus est, qui in affectione veritatis est propter veritatem, nam haec affectio conjungit se cum voluntate, et si pergit, conjungit voluntatem intellectui; et tunc incipit Regeneratio: quomodo autem Regeneratio postea progreditur et perficitur, in sequentibus dicetur.