710.启16:18.“又有声音，闪电，雷轰”表推理，对真理的歪曲和出于邪恶之虚假的论据，它们就在教会里那些陷入唯信，不肯反省自己里面的邪恶之人当中，因为他们即使知道这些邪恶，也不愿从中退出。 “声音，闪电，雷轰”表示推理，对真理的歪曲和出于虚假的论据，这一点从前面所述（396，530节），以及那里的相同事物明显可知。那些陷入与律法行为分离之信，因而陷入生活邪恶的人之所以不肯反省自己里面的邪恶，是因为他们即使知道这些邪恶，也不愿从中退出，这一点是显而易见的，无需解释。经验教导这一点；事实上，邪恶就是快乐，因为它们是爱，没有人愿意从快乐中退出，除非他注目于死后的生活，先到地狱看看地狱什么样，后上天堂看看天堂什么样，停止任何恶行，好好思量它们。如果那时他还仰望主，并思想：“与永恒相比，世俗算什么？岂不是如同一场空？”那么，他就能反省自己的邪恶，愿意了解它们，从它们当中退出。但是，他若确认唯信，心里就会说，我们的神学信仰，即父神为了那为我们的罪而受难的儿子而施怜悯，只要我怀着某种信心祈求这信，这信就会成就一切；于是，他不反省自己里面的任何邪恶；他还出于这信声称，邪恶并不定人的罪，得救在于纯粹的怜悯等等；因此，他留在自己的罪恶中，以它们为乐，直至生命的结束。这便是此处“声音，闪电，雷轰”所表示的推理，对真理的歪曲和出于邪恶之虚假的论据。
710. 16:18 And there were voices and lightnings and thunderings. This symbolizes reasonings, falsifications of truth, and arguments in consequence of the falsities accompanying evil among people caught up in faith alone, who refuse to reflect on the evils in themselves, since they would not want to turn away from those evils if they were to know them.
Voices, lightnings and thunderings symbolize reasonings, falsifications of truth, and arguments in consequence of falsities, as can be seen from what we said above in nos. 396, 530, and the same words there.
Regarding people caught up in a faith divorced from works of the law, who consequently engage in evil practices, that they refuse to reflect on the evils in themselves, because they would not want to turn away from those evils if they were to know them, is apparent without explanation. Experience shows this. For evils are delightful, because they are expressions of love, and no one want to turn away from things that delight him unless he gives thought to life after death, first to hell and what it is like, and then to heaven and what it is like, and thinks about them when not engaged in the doing of evil. If he also then turns to the Lord and thinks, "What is something temporal in relation to eternity? Is it not as nothing?" it is then that he can reflect on his evils, with a willingness to see them and turn away from them.
But if a person has first confirmed himself in faith alone, he will then say in his heart, "Our theological faith, that God the Father takes pity on us for the sake of His Son who suffered for our sins - if I make appeal to it with some degree of trust, that faith does all the rest." He then does not reflect on any evil in him. He also says to himself because of that faith that evil does not condemn, that salvation is a matter of pure mercy, and other like things. Thus he remains engaged in his evils and finds delight in them to the end of his life.
Such are the reasonings, falsifications of truth and arguments in consequence of falsities accompanying evil that are here symbolically meant by voices, lightnings, and thunderings.
710. [verse 18] 'And voices and lightnings and thunderings were produced' signifies reasonings, falsifications of truth, and arguments derived from the untruths of evil in the Church, with those who are in faith alone and who turn away from reflecting upon the evils with themselves, since they are not willing to withdraw from them if they should know them. That by 'voices,' 'lightnings' and 'thunderings' are signified reasonings, falsifications of truth, and arguments derived from untruths, can be established from the things said above (396, 530), and the similar things there. That those who are in a faith separated from the works of the law and consequently in evils of life turn away from reflecting upon the evils with themselves because they are not willing to withdraw from them if they should know them, is plain without an exposition. Experience teaches this; for evils are delights, because they are loves, and no one is willing to withdraw from delights unless he looks to a life after death, first to hell [to see] what it is like, and afterwards to heaven [to see] what it is like, and thinks of them aside from the doing of evil. If he then looks to the Lord also, and thinks 'What is the temporal in respect to the eternal? Is it not as nothing?,' then he can reflect upon his own evils and be willing to know them and to withdraw from them. But if he has confirmed himself in faith alone, then he will say in his heart' Our theological faith is that God the Father has mercy for the sake of the Son Who has suffered for our sins; if I with some confidence ask for this [faith], it effects all things. In this way he does not reflect upon any evil with himself. He even says to himself as a result of that faith, that evil does not condemn, and that salvation is pure mercy, besides other similar things. Thus he remains constant in his evils, and takes a delight in them even to the end of life. Such are the reasonings, the falsifications of truth, and the arguments derived from untruths of evil that are signified here by the 'voices,' 'lightnings' and 'thunderings.
710. Verse 18. And there were voices and lightnings and thunders, signifies reasonings, falsifications of truth, and arguments from the falsities of evil in the church among those who are in faith alone, and refuse to reflect upon the evils in themselves, since they do not wish to recede from them if they know them. That by "voices," "lightings," and "thunders" are signified reasonings, falsifications of truths, and arguments from falsities, may be evident from what is said above, (396, 530), and from similar things there. That they who are in faith separate from the works of the Law, and thence in evils of life, refuse to reflect upon the evils in themselves, because they do not wish to recede from them if they know them, is manifest without explanation. Experience teaches this; for evils are delights because they are loves and no one wishes to recede from delights unless he looks to the life after death, and first to hell to see what it is, and afterwards to heaven, what that is, and thinks of them aside from any evil act. If he then looks to the Lord also, and thinks, "What is the temporal in comparison with the eternal? Is it not as nothing?" He can then reflect upon his evils, and wish to know them, and to recede from them. But if he had confirmed himself in faith alone, he will then say in his heart, Our theological faith, that God the Father has mercy for the sake of the Son who suffered for our sins, if I supplicate this with some confidence, it effects all things; he then does not reflect upon any evil in himself; he also says with himself from that faith, that evil does not condemn, and that salvation is pure mercy, besides other similar things: he thus remains in his evils, and delights himself in them even to the end of life. Such are the reasonings, the falsifications of truth, and the arguments from the falsities of evil, which are here signified by "the voices, the lightnings, and the thunders."
710. (Vers. 18.) "Et factae sunt voces et fulgura et tonitrua," significat ratiocinationes, falsificationes veri, et argumentationes ex falsis mali in Ecclesia apud illos qui in sola Fide sunt, et tergiversantur reflectere super mala apud se, quoniam non volunt recedere ab illis si scirent illa. - Quod per "voces, fulgura et tonitrua" significentur ratiocinationes, falsificationes veri, et argumentationes ex falsis, constare potest ex supradictis (396, 530) 1, et ibi similibus. Quod illi qui in Fide separata ab Operibus Legis et inde in malis vitae sunt, tergiversentur reflectere super mala apud se, quia non volunt recedere ab illis si scirent illa, patet absque explicatione; experientia docet hoc: mala enim sunt jucunda, quia sunt amores; et a jucundis recedere nemo vult, nisi spectet ad vitam post mortem, et primum ad Infernum quale est, et postea ad Caelum quale est, ac cogitet extra actum mali de illis; si etiam tunc spectat ad Dominum, et cogitat, Quid temporarium respectu ad aeternum, annon sicut nihil, tunc potest reflectere super mala sua, ac velle scire illa, et recedere ab illis. At si in sola Fide se confirmaverat, tunc dicet corde, Fides nostra theologica, quod Deus Pater misereatur propter Filium Qui passus est pro peccatis nostris, si hoc ex quadam fiducia supplicem, facit omnia, tunc non reflectit super aliquod malum apud se; dicit etiam secum ex illa fide quod malum non damnet, et quod salvatio sit pura misericordia, praeter similia alia; sic permanet in suis malis, et jucundat se in illis usque ad finem vitae. Tales sunt ratiocinationes, falsificationes veri, et argumentationes ex falsis mali, quae hic significantur per "voces, fulgura et tonitrua."
Footnotes:
1. 530 pro "531"