933、“冷与热”表示正在重生之人的状态，就对信和仁的接受而言，这种状态类似于冷和热：“冷”表示无信和仁，“热”表示（信和）仁。这从圣言中“冷和热”的含义清楚可知：在圣言中，这两个词要么论及将要重生的人，要么论及已经重生的人，要么论及教会。这个问题同样从整个思路，也就是上下文明显看出来，因为论述的主题是教会。前一节论述的是，人将再也不能以这种方式毁灭自己了，而本节论述的是，总有某个教会会出现。首先描述的是教会产生时的情况，也就是人正在重生，以成为教会时的情况，然后描述的是这个重生之人的性质；如此对主题的阐述就涵盖了教会成员的每个状态或整个状态。
人正在重生时的状态类似于“冷和热”的状态，或无信和仁的状态，以及有信和仁的状态。若不通过经验，事实上通过反思经验，这一点无法向任何人轻易显明。由于如今很少有人正在重生，并且在正重生的人当中，反思或能反思其重生状态的人即便有，也是寥寥无几，所以我们简要说说这个主题。当人正在重生时，他便从主那里获得生命，因为在此之前，不能说他活着，属世界和肉体的生命并不是生命；唯独属天和属灵的生命才是生命。人通过重生从主那里获得真生命；他之前并无生命，故在无生命和真生命，也就是无信和仁与某种信和仁之间交替。无信和仁在此由“冷”来表示，而某种信和仁则由“热”来表示。
关于这个主题，情况是这样：每当人沉迷于肉体和世俗事物时，信和仁就不存在，也就是说，这是“冷”的时期。因为在这种时候，活跃的是肉体和世俗事物，因而是他自己的东西。只要人把心思全放在这些东西上，他就缺乏或远离信和仁，甚至根本不去思想属天和属灵事物。原因在于，天堂事物和肉体事物决无可能在一个人里面共存，因为人的意愿已全然败坏。但当人的肉体和意愿的事物不再活跃，而是沉寂下来时，主就会通过他的内在人作工；这时，他就处于信和仁，在此被称为“热”。当他回到肉体时，就又生活在“冷”中；当肉体或属肉体之物沉寂下来，可以说不存在时，他就生活在“热”中。这两种状态来回交替。因为人的情况是这样：在他里面，属天和属灵事物无法与他的肉体和世俗事物共存，而是来回交替。这就是将要重生的每个人所经历的，并且只要他处于重生的状态，这种情形就会持续下去。因为人只能这样重生，也就是从死人变成活人，别无他法；原因如前所述，他的意愿已全然败坏，因而与他从主那里所获得的新意愿完全分离；这个新意愿是主的，不是这个人自己的。由此明显可知，此处“冷与热”表示什么。
每个重生之人都能从经验知道这是事实。也就是说，当沉迷于肉体和世俗事物时，他就缺乏并远离内在事物，以至于不但不去思想它们，反而一想到它们就感到冷；但当肉体和世俗事物沉寂下来时，他就处于信和仁。他从经验也能知道，这些状态彼此交替。这就是为何当肉体和世俗事物开始过量并想要掌权时，他就陷入困境和试探，一直持续到他被带回这种状态：外在人服从或顺从内在人。外在人永远不会服从或顺从，除非它沉寂下来，可以说不存在。上古教会的最后一代无法重生，因为如前所述（310:1，398，640，875:4，927:2节），对他们来说，理解力的事物和意愿的事物构成一个心智；因此，其理解力的事物无法与意愿的事物分离，所以他们不能轮流处于属天、属灵事物与肉体、世俗事物。他们对天堂事物不断感觉寒冷，对恶欲则不断感觉温暖，所以他们不可能有交替。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]933. Cold and heat symbolizes the condition of a person who is regenerating, which is cold and hot toward the acceptance of faith and charity; cold symbolizes no faith or charity, but heat symbolizes [faith and] charity. This can be seen from the symbolism of cold and heat in the Word, which uses the terms to describe a person who is regenerating, or one who has regenerated, or the church. It can also be seen from the context above and below, which deals with the church. The last verse said that people could no longer destroy themselves in the same way. The present verse says that the church will always exist, first depicting what happens when it comes into existence — that is, when a person is reborn as a church{*1} — and soon after discussing the nature of a person who has already become regenerate. So it deals with every phase that people in the church pass through.
[2] There is only one really good way to see that when we are regenerating we go through these phases of cold and heat, or of faith and charity absent and present. That is through experience and through reflection on our experience. Few people regenerate, though, and few if any of those who regenerate can or do reflect on the state of their regeneration. So let me say a few words about it.
When we are being reborn, we receive life from the Lord, since up till then we cannot be said to have been alive. A life focused on the world and the body is not really life; only a life that is heavenly and spiritual is real. We receive real life from the Lord through regeneration, and since before that time we lack any life, we alternate between no life and true life — that is, between no faith or charity and some faith and charity. Here, cold symbolizes a lack of faith and charity, and heat, the presence of some faith and charity.
[3] This is the situation: Whenever we are caught up in bodily and worldly concerns, we experience a lack of faith and charity, or coldness. At such times our bodily and worldly interests — and so our self-interest — are active. As long as we are wrapped up in them, we are devoid of or distant from belief and neighborly love, so that we do not even think about heavenly and spiritual matters. The reason for the disconnection is that a heavenly focus and a bodily focus can never coexist in us, since the human will is lost beyond recall. When our bodily desires and the urges of our will stop agitating and fall quiet, though, the Lord works through our inner self, and we then come into faith and charity, which are called "heat" here. When we return to a bodily focus, we go back into the cold, and when the body and everything connected with it fade away almost to the point of vanishing, we regain the warmth, and so on in cycles. Such is the human condition — heavenly and spiritual values cannot coexist with bodily and worldly values in us but must alternate with them.
These are the things that take place in every regenerating person, lasting just as long as the process of regeneration does. There is no other way for us to be reborn, or in other words, from being dead to come alive, for the reason already given: our will is lost beyond recall. This will is entirely separate from the new will that we receive from the Lord and that is the Lord's, not ours.
All this now indicates what cold and heat symbolize here.
[4] Anyone who has been reborn can see from experience that this is how the matter stands. That is to say, when bodily and worldly considerations absorb us, we are absent and distant from internal ones. Not only do we fail to think at all about them but we also sense a kind of chill inside us. When bodily and worldly demands quiet down, on the other hand, we come under the influence of faith and charity.
Such an individual can also see from experience that these two phases alternate. So when bodily and worldly concerns start to overflow and try to dominate, we enter a period of distress and trial. The crisis lasts until we have been reduced to a state in which our outer self obeys our inner self — an obedience that is utterly impossible except when the outer self grows still and almost vanishes.
The final inheritors of the earliest church could not be reborn since, as noted [310:1, 398, 640, 875:4, 927:2], intellectual capacities and volitional capacities formed one mind in them. So they could not detach the ideas in their intellect from the urges of their will and therefore could not cycle back and forth between heavenly and spiritual pursuits on the one hand and bodily and worldly pursuits on the other. Instead they felt perpetual coldness toward the things of heaven and perpetual warmth for the objects of their desire, so that for them no alternation was possible.
Footnotes:
{*1} See note 1 in 916. [LHC]
Potts(1905-1910) 933
933. That "cold and heat" signifies the state of man when he is being regenerated, which is like this in regard to the reception of faith and charity, and that "cold" signifies no faith and charity, and "heat" charity, is evident from the signification of "cold" and "heat" in the Word, where they are predicated of a man about to be regenerated, or being regenerated, or of the church. The same is also evident from the connection, that is, from what precedes and what follows; for the subject is the church (in the preceding verse that man would not again be able so to destroy himself, in this verse that some church will always come into existence), which is first described as to the way it comes into existence, that is, when the man is being regenerated so as to become a church, and then the quality of the regenerated man is treated of; so that the treatment of the subject covers every state of the man of the church. [2] That his state when regenerated is as described, namely, a state of cold and heat, or of no faith and charity, and again of faith and charity, may not be so evident to anyone except from experience, and indeed from reflection in regard to the experience. And because there are few who are being regenerated, and among those who are being regenerated few if any who reflect, or who are able to reflect on the state of their regeneration, we may say a few words on the subject. When man is being regenerated, he receives life from the Lord; for before this he cannot be said to have lived, the life of the world and of the body not being life, but only that which is heavenly and spiritual. Through regeneration man receives real life from the Lord; and because he had no life before, there is an alternation of no life and of real life, that is, of no faith and charity, and of some faith and charity; no charity and faith being here signified by "cold" and some faith and charity by "heat." [3] As regards this subject the case is this: Whenever man is in his corporeal and worldly things, there is then no faith and charity, that is, there is "cold" for then corporeal and worldly things, consequently those which are his own, are at work, and so long as the man is in these, he is absent or remote from faith and charity, so that he does not even think about heavenly and spiritual things. The reason of this is that heavenly and corporeal things can never be together in a man, for man's will has been utterly ruined. But when the things of man's body and will are not at work, but are quiescent, then the Lord works through his internal man, and then he is in faith and charity, which is here called "heat." When he again returns into the body he is again in cold; and when the body, or what is of the body, is quiescent, and as nothing, he is then in heat, and so on in alternation. For such is the condition of man that heavenly and spiritual things cannot be in him along with his corporeal and worldly things, but there are alternations. This is what takes place with everyone who is to be regenerated, and it goes on as long as he is in a state of regeneration; for in no other way is it possible for man to be regenerated, that is, from being dead to be made alive, for the reason, as already said, that his will has been utterly ruined, and is therefore completely separated from the new will, which he receives from the Lord and which is the Lord's and not the man's. Hence now it is evident what is here signified by "cold and heat." [4] That such is the case every regenerated man may know from experience, that is to say, that when he is in corporeal and worldly things, he is absent and remote from internal things, so that he not only takes no thought about them, but feels in himself cold at the thought of them; but that when corporeal and worldly things are quiescent, he is in faith and charity. He may also know from experience that these states alternate, and that therefore when corporeal and worldly things begin to be in excess and to want to rule, he comes into straits and temptations, until he is reduced into such a state that the external man becomes compliant to the internal, a compliance it can never render until it is quiescent and as it were nothing. The last posterity of the Most Ancient Church could not be regenerated, because, as before said, with them the things of the understanding and of the will constituted one mind; and therefore the things of their understanding could not be separated from those of their will, so that they might in this manner be by turns in heavenly and spiritual things, and in corporeal and worldly things; but they had continual cold in regard to heavenly things and continual heat in regard to cupidities, so that they could have no alternation.
Elliott(1983-1999) 933
933. 'Cold and heat' means the state of the person who is being regenerated, which, as regards reception of faith and charity, resembles cold and heat, 'cold' meaning when faith and charity do not exist, 'heat' however when they do. This is clear from the meaning of 'cold and heat' in the Word where the two apply either to a person who is to be regenerated, or to one who has been regenerated, or to the Church. This matter is also clear from the train of thought, that is to say, from what comes before and after, for the subject is the Church. The previous verse dealt with the fact that man would no longer be able to destroy himself in that way, the present verse with the fact that some Church will always be emergent. First of all the situation when the Church comes into being is described, that is, when a person is being regenerated so that he may become the Church, and then the character of the now regenerate person is described. In this way the entire state of the member of the Church is dealt with.
[2] The state of a person when he is being regenerated resembles 'cold and heat', that is, a point when faith and charity do not exist and then when they do. This does not become readily clear to anyone except from experience, and indeed through reflecting on experience. Now because those who are being regenerated are few, and of these, few if any reflect, or are capable of reflecting, on the state of their regeneration, let a brief consideration be given to the subject. When someone is being regenerated he is receiving life from the Lord, for he cannot be said to have been living prior to that. The life that belongs to the world and to the body is not life; celestial and spiritual life alone is life. Through regeneration a person receives life itself from the Lord, and because he had no life previously he alternates between no life and life itself, that is, between no faith and charity and some faith and charity. Here no faith and charity is meant by 'cold', some faith and charity by 'heat'.
[3] The implications of this are as follows: Every time a person is engrossed in his own bodily and worldly interests faith and charity do not exist, that is, it is a period of 'cold'. For at such times it is bodily and worldly interests that are active, consequently things which are his own. And as long as a person is engrossed in these he is absent or far removed from faith and charity, with the result that he does not even think about celestial and spiritual things. The reason is that it is by no means possible with anyone for heavenly interests and bodily to exist side by side, for his will has been utterly corrupted. When however the bodily interests in a person and those of his will are inactive and quiescent, the Lord acts by way of his internal man and at that point faith and charity are present with him, which here is called 'heat'. When he reverts to the body he is again living in 'cold', and when the body, or what belongs to the body, is quiescent and so to speak non-existent, he is living in 'heat'. These two states come and go in turn. Man's condition is such that with him celestial and spiritual things cannot co-exist with his bodily and worldly interests, but come and go in turn. This is the experience of everyone who is to be regenerated, and it continues for as long as his state is one of being regenerated. For in no other way can a person be regenerated, that is, from being a dead man become one who is alive, the reason being, as has been stated, that his will is utterly corrupted and therefore completely separated from the new will he receives from the Lord, a will which is the Lord's and not the person's own. From these considerations it now becomes clear what 'cold and heat' means here.
[4] The truth of this every regenerate person can know from experience. That is to say, when engrossed in bodily and worldly interests he is absent and far removed from things of an internal nature, and as a result he not only gives no thought to them, but also feels so to speak cold at even the thought of them. But when bodily and worldly interests are quiescent faith and charity are present with him. Experience can also teach that these states alternate with each other. This is why when bodily and worldly interests start to abound and seek to have dominion, he enters into distress and temptation, which persist until he has been brought back into that kind of state where the external man is conformable and subservient to the internal. The external man can never be subservient until it is quiescent and so to speak non-existent. The final descendants of the Most Ancient Church were unable to be regenerated, because, as has been stated, things of the understanding and those of the will with them constituted one single mind. Consequently things of the understanding were inseparable from those of their will, and so they were incapable of being engrossed by turns in celestial and spiritual interests and then in bodily and worldly. For them it was continual cold as regards heavenly things, and continual heat as regards evil desires, and so with them no alternation was possible.
Latin(1748-1756) 933
933. Quod 'frigus et aestus' significent statum hominis qui regeneratur, qui talis quoad recipiendum fidem et charitatem, [et] quod 'frigus' significet nullam fidem et charitatem, 'aestus' autem charitatem, constat a significatione 'frigoris et aestus' in Verbo, ubi praedicantur de regenerando vel regenerato, vel de Ecclesia; tum quoque constat a serie, nempe ab illis quae praecedunt et quae sequuntur, nam de Ecclesia agitur; in versu praecedente, quod homo non amplius ita se perdere poterit; in hoc versu, quod semper aliqua Ecclesia exstitura, quae describitur primum quomodo se habet cum fit, seu cum regeneratur homo ut fiat Ecclesia, et mox de regenerato, qualis; ita de omni statu hominis Ecclesiae. [2] Quod talis ejus status sit cum regeneratur, nempe 'frigus et aestus,' seu nulla fides et charitas, tum fides et charitas, non ita constare alicui potest nisi ab experientia, et quidem per (x)reflexionem ad experientiam; et quia pauci sunt qui regenerantur, et inter eos qui regenerantur, pauci si ulli qui reflectunt, aut quibus reflectere datur, super statum suae regenerationis, his paucis licet dicere: homo cum regeneratur, vitam accipit a Domino, nam prius non vixisse dici potest; vita mundi et corporis non est vita, sed vita caelestis et spiritualis unice est vita; homo per regenerationem a Domino ipsam vitam accipit, et quia prius nullam vitam habuit, alternat nulla vita et ipsa vita, hoc est, nulla fides et charitas et aliqua fides et charitas; nulla fides et charitas hic significatur per 'frigus,' aliqua fides et charitas per 'aestum'; [3] quod ita se habet; quoties homo est in corporeis suis et mundanis, tunc est nulla fides et charitas, hoc est, 'frigus,' nam tunc operantur corporea et mundana, proinde quae sunt ejus propria; quamdiu homo est in iis, tunc est absens aut remotus a fide et charitate, sic ut ne quidem cogitet de caelestibus et spiritualibus; causa est quia nusquam simul esse possunt apud hominem caelestia et corporea, nam voluntas hominis prorsus deperdita est; at cum corporea hominis et ejus voluntaria non operantur sed quiescant, tunc Dominus per internum ejus hominem operatur et tunc est in fide et charitate, quod hic vocatur 'aestus'; cum iterum redit in corpus iterum est in frigore; et cum corpus seu quod corporis est, quiescit et quasi nullum est, tunc est in aestu; et sic per vices; nam talis est conditio hominis quod apud eum caelestia et spiritualia non possint simul esse cum ejus corporeis et mundanis, sed vices sunt: haec sunt quae unicuivis regenerando fiunt, et quidem tamdiu, quamdiu est in stat regenerationis; nam aliter homo non potest regenerari, hoc est, mortuo fieri vivus, ex causa, ut dictum, quia voluntas ejus prorsus deperdita est, quae ideo prorsus separatur a nova voluntate quam accipit a Domino, quae est Domini, non hominis: exinde nunc constat potest quid per 'frigus et aestum' hic significatur. [4] Quod ita se res habeat, quisque regeneratus potest ab experientia scire, nempe, quo cum in corporeis et mundanis est,tunc absens et remotus sit ab internis ut non solum de illis nihil cogitet sed apud se sentiat tunc quasi frigus sed cum quiescunt corporea et mundana, quod tunc in fide et charitate sit: tum quoque ab experientia scire potest quod haec alternent; quare etiam cum corporea et mundana superfluere incipiunt et volunt dominari, tunc in angustias et tentationes venit, usque dum in talem statum redactus sit ut externus homo obsequia praestet interno, qui obsequia nusquam praestare potest nisi dum quiescit et quasi nullus est. Ultima posteritas Antiquissimae Ecclesiae non potuit regenerari, quia ut dictum, intellecta et voluntaria apud eos unum mentem constituerunt; quare intellectualia non potuerunt separari ab eorum voluntariis, et sic per vices esse in caelestibus et spiritualibus et per vices in corporeis et mundanis; sed iis erat continuum frigus in caelestibus et continuus aestus in cupiditatibus, sic ut apud eos nulla alternatio dari potuerit.