185、⑴从婴儿直到生命结束，以及此后直到永远，人的生命状态不断在变化。人的生命状态一般被称为婴儿期、童年期、青春期、成年期和老年期。众所周知，只要仍活在世上，每个人都依次从一个状态过渡到下一个状态，因而从最初状态过渡到最后状态。若没有时间的间隔，各个年龄段之间的过渡并不明显；但理性能看出，这些过渡每时每刻都在逐渐进行，因而它们不断在发展。人就像一棵树，树自种子被丢进地里的那刻起，就每时每刻，甚至每一霎那间不停生长、变高。这些时时刻刻的发展也是状态的变化，因为后期发展会将某种事物加添到前期发展上，这会完善它的状态。
发生在人之内在的变化在连续性上比发生在其外在的更完美。这是因为人的内在（我们所说的内在是指属于其心智或灵的事物）被提升到其外在之上，故处于更高层；更高层的事物里面发生上千个变化的同时，外在事物里面只发生一个变化。发生在人之内在的变化是意愿在情感方面的状态变化，和理解在思维方面的状态变化。这个标题尤指这些情感和思维状态中的渐次变化。
人的两种生命官能或生命类型所经历的状态变化从婴儿持续到生命结束，此后持续到永远。这是因为，知识是永无止境的，聪明尤其没有止境，更不用说智慧了。它们无限而永恒的延伸是由于那无限和永恒者，也就是它们的源头。这就是古人的哲学格言，即：一切事物皆可无限分割的来源；对此应加上一条：一切事物皆可无限繁殖。天使声称，他们在智慧上被主不断完善，直到永远，这也意味着无限，因为永远就是时间上的无限。
185、（1）从婴儿期到生命的尽头，以及到永生，人的生命状态是不断变化的。
人的生命状态可分为婴儿、童年、青年、成人、老年。人一步步从一个阶段走入另一个阶段，直至最后。人从一个阶段进入另一个阶段并不明显，是持续进行的。这一过程可以比作一棵树。从种籽落地时起树不停地慢慢地长。这种一刻一刻的生长也是树发展的不同的阶段。每后一阶段都在前一阶段上增加一些东西，使其更完美。人的内在上的变化是不断进行的，这是因为属于头脑和精神的内在因素与外在因素相比是处于更高的层次。高层次上的事物可能瞬息万变。这些在上的变化是指与情感相连的意愿的变化以及与思想相连的才智的变化。在情感和思想上一步步的变化，正是我们这一章所要讲述的。
在这两方面的变化是不间断的，从生到死再到永生持续进行着。原因是知识是无尽的，才智亦然而智慧则更是无尽的。因为这些都是来自永恒无限的神，正如古哲学所讲的一切事物都能被无限地分割，应补充的是一切事物也都能被无限地放大，在这一过程中主使其更完美达到永恒，同时也达到无限，因为永恒也就是在时间意义上所讲的无限。
185. (i) A person's state of life undergoes continuous changes from infancy up to the end of his life, and thereafter for ever.
The states of a person's life are generally termed infancy, childhood, adolescence, maturity and old age. It is well known that every person, if he remains living in the world, passes by stages from one to the next, so from the first to the last. Passage from one age to the next is not noticeable, except by the passing of time; but it is plain to reason that development advances from moment to moment, so that it is a continuous process. What happens with a person is like what happens with a tree, which from the time the seed is planted in the ground grows and gets taller every minute, even in the shortest period of time. These momentary developments are also changes of state, for each adds something to the one before, which perfects its state.
[2] The changes taking place at a person's inner levels are more perfectly continuous than those which take place at the outer levels. This is because his inner levels, I mean what belongs to his mind or spirit, are at a higher degree than the outer levels; and thousands of events take place at a higher degree in the same time as one event takes place at the outer levels. The changes taking place at the inner levels are changes of the state of the will, as regards affections, and of the intellect as regards thoughts. It is especially the progressive changes of state in affections and thoughts which are meant in this section.
[3] The changes of state undergone by a person's two faculties or types of life are continuous from infancy to the end of his life, and afterwards for ever. This is because no limit exists to knowledge, much less to intelligence, still less to wisdom. Their infinite and eternal extension is due to the Infinite and Eternal, who is their source. This is the origin of the philosophical maxim of the old scholars, that everything can be infinitely divided; and we can add to this, that everything can likewise be infinitely multiplied. The angels assert that the Lord goes on perfecting them in wisdom for ever, which is the same as infinitely, since eternity is an infinity of time.
185. 1. From infancy to the end of life, and afterwards to eternity, a person's state of life is continually changing. The general states of a person's life are called infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age. People know that every person who continues to live in the world passes in turn from one age to the next, and so progresses from the first one to the last. A person's passing from one age to another is not apparent until a period of time has intervened; nevertheless, reason sees that the transitions are progressive from moment to moment, thus that they are advancing continually. For the case is similar with a person as with a tree, which from the time the seed is cast into the ground keeps on developing and growing every little instant, even the very briefest. These moment-to-moment progressions are also changes of state, for a later progression adds something to the preceding one which perfects the state.
[2] Changes that take place in a person's inner qualities are more perfectly continuous than those that take place in his outward ones. The reason is that a person's inner qualities - by which we mean those that belong to his mind or spirit - are raised up on a higher level than the outward ones; and in things that are on a higher level, thousands of changes occur in the same moment that only one does in the outer elements. The changes that take place in the inner qualities are changes in the state of the will in respect to its affections, and changes in the state of the intellect in respect to its thoughts. Progressive changes in the state of these affections and thoughts are what are particularly meant under this heading.
[3] Changes in the state of these two life forces or faculties in a person are unceasing, continuing from infancy to the end of his life, and afterwards to eternity; and the reason is that there is no limit to knowledge, even less to intelligence, and still less to wisdom. For there is an infinity and eternity in the range of these, arising from the Infinite and Eternal who is their source. Hence the ancient philosophical tenet, that everything is capable of being divided to infinity; to which should be added that everything is similarly capable of being multiplied. The angels assert that they are perfected in wisdom by the Lord to eternity, which means also to infinity, since eternity is an infinity of time.
185. 1. The condition of a person's life is always changing, from infancy to the end of life, and after that to eternity. The ordinary states of human life are called babyhood, childhood, adolescence, youth, adulthood, and old age. We know that every person whose life goes on in the world gradually passes from one stage to the next, and in this way from the first to the last. The transitions into these states are only noticeable through the spaces of time in between. But reason sees that they go on from moment to moment, thus continually. For it is the same with a person as with a tree, which, from the time its seed is planted in the ground, springs up and grows through every little moment of time - even the smallest. These ongoing moments are also changes in condition, for a following one adds to the one before it something that completes its condition.
The changes that happen within a person are more perfectly continuous than the ones that happen on the outside of him. The reason is that the interiors of a person, which means the things that have to do with his mind or spirit, are on a higher level, raised above his outer life, and among things on the higher level, thousands of things happen in the same moment that it takes for one thing to happen outwardly.
The changes that happen inwardly are changes in the state of your free will as to feelings, and changes in your intellectual state, which are thoughts. The heading refers particularly to the continuous changes of conditions in these two areas. The changes of condition in these two "lives" or faculties are constant in a person from infancy to the end of his life, and afterwards to eternity, because there is no end of knowing, less of understanding, and still less of wisdom. For their extent has infinity and eternity in it from the Infinite and the Eternal whom they come from. This is where the ancient people got the philosophical idea that everything can be divided to infinity - to which should be added that similarly everything can be multiplied to infinity. Angels assert that the Lord perfects them in wisdom to eternity, which is to infinity as well, because eternity is infinity of time.
185. I. THAT THE STATE OF MAN'S LIFE FROM INFANCY TO THE END OF LIFE, AND AFTERWARDS TO ETERNITY, IS CONTINUALLY CHANGING. The general states of man's life are called infancy, childhood, youth, manhood, and old age. It is well known that every man whose life continues in the world passes successively from the one state to the other, thus from the first state to the last. The transitions into these ages are apparent only by intervals of time, but reason sees that they are progressive from moment to moment, thus continually. It is the same with man as with a tree; from the time the seed is cast into the earth, this grows and increases every moment, even the least. These momentary progressions are also changes of state; for the subsequent adds something to the antecedent, and this perfects the state.
[2] The changes which take place in man's internals are more perfectly continuous than those which occur in his externals, and this because man's internals, by which are meant the things of his mind or spirit, are in a higher degree, being elevated above his externals; and in things which are in a higher degree, a thousand changes take place in the same moment that a single one occurs in things external. The changes which take place in man's internals are changes of state of the will as to affections, and changes of state of the understanding as to thoughts. It is the successive changes of state of the latter and the former that are especially meant in the proposition.
[3] The reason why the changes of state of these two lives or faculties are perpetual with man from infancy to the end of his life and afterwards to eternity, is because there is no end to knowledge, still less to intelligence, and least of all to wisdom; for in their wide extent is infinity and eternity, and this from the Infinite and Eternal from whom they are. Hence the philosophical doctrine of the ancients, that everything is divisible to infinity; to which should be added, that it is likewise multiplicable. Angels assert that they are perfected in wisdom by the Lord to eternity, which means also to infinity, eternity being the infinity of time.
185. (i) One's state of life continually changes from infancy to the very close of life and afterwards to eternity. The states of one's life in general are called infancy, boyhood, adolescence, manhood, and old age. Every one who continues to live in the world passes in turn from one state to the next, so from the first to the last. The transitions are not apparent until an interval of time has elapsed, but reason sees that there is development from moment to moment and so continually. For in this respect the human being is like a tree, which grows and develops in every least fraction of time from the moment the seed is cast into the earth. This unintermitted progress also involves change of state, for what ensues contributes something to what precedes, perfecting the state.
[2] Changes, moreover, which take place in man's internals also have a more perfect continuity than those which take place in his externals. For man's internals (by which are meant the things of his mind or spirit) are a degree higher, elevated above the externals; and in what is of the higher degree a thousand things take place in the same instant in which only one takes place in externals. The changes which occur in internals, are changes of state in the will as to affections, and changes of state in the understanding as to thoughts. It is these successive changes of state especially which are meant in our proposition.
[3] Changes of state in these two lives or faculties continue with man from infancy to the close of life and afterward to eternity, for the reason that there is no end to knowledge, still less to intelligence, and least of all to wisdom. In the inexhaustibleness of these there is infinity and eternity from the Infinite and Eternal, from whom all things are. Hence that ancient piece of philosophy that everything is divisible to infinity, to which is to be added that it may be multiplied similarly. The angels declare that they are perfected in wisdom by the Lord to eternity, which is also to infinity, eternity being an infinity of time.
185. (1) That the state of man's life is continually changing, from infancy even to the end of life, and afterwards to eternity. The general states of man's life are called infancy, childhood, youth, manhood, and old age. It is well known that every man whose life in the world is prolonged, passes successively from one to another of these states, and so from the first to the last of them. The transitions into these ages are not apparent except by intervals of time. Reason sees however that they are progressive from moment to moment, thus continually. For it is with man as with a tree, which from the casting of the seed into the earth grows and increases in every little moment of time, even the least. These momentary progressions are also changes of state; for the subsequent adds something to the antecedent which perfects the state. The changes that take place in the internals of man are more perfectly continuous than those which occur in his externals, for the reason that man's internals, by which are meant the things of his mind or spirit, are in a higher degree, elevated above his externals; and in the things that are in the higher degree thousands of changes take place in the same moment that one occurs in externals. The changes that take place in internals are changes of state of the will as to the affections, and changes of state of the understanding as to the thoughts. The successive changes of state of the former and the latter especially, are meant in the proposition. The reason why the changes of state of these two lives or faculties are perpetual with man, from infancy to the end of his life, and afterwards to eternity, is that there is no end to knowledge, less to intelligence, and still less to wisdom; for in their extent there is infinity and eternity, from the Infinite and Eternal from whom they are. Hence comes the philosophical doctrine of the ancients, that everything is divisible to infinity, to which should be added, that everything is in like manner multiplicable. The angels affirm that they are perfected in wisdom by the Lord to eternity, which is also to infinity, for eternity is infinity of time.
185. I. Quod Status vitae hominis ab Infantia usque ad finem vitae, et postea in aeternum, continue mutetur. Communes Status vitae hominis vocantur Infantia, Pueritia, Adolescentia, Juventus, et Senectus; quod unusquisque homo, cujus vita continuatur in Mundo, successive transeat ab una in alteram, ita a prima ad ultimam, notum est; transitiones in illas aetates non apparent, nisi per interjecta spatia temporis; quod tamen progressivae sint a momentis in momenta, ita continue, ratio videt; simile enim est cum homine, sicut cum arbore, quae omni spatiolo temporis, etiam minutissimo, a semine jacto in terram, crescit et succrescit: momentaneae hae progressiones sunt etiam mutationes status, addit enim sequens antecedenti aliquid, quod statum perficit.
[2] Mutationes quae fiunt in Internis hominis, sunt perfectius continuae, quam illae quae fiunt in Externis ejus; causa est, quia Interna hominis, per quae intelliguntur illa quae Mentis seu Spiritus ejus sunt, in gradu superiori elevata super Externa sunt, et in illis, quae in gradu superiori sunt, fiunt millia eodem minuto, quo in Externis fit unicum. Mutationes, quae fiunt in Internis, sunt Mutationes status voluntatis quoad affectiones, et mutationes status intellectus quoad 1cogitationes; harum et illarum status mutationes successivae in specie in Propositione intelliguntur.
[3] Quod Mutationes status duarum illarum vitarum seu facultatum perpetuae sint ab Infantia apud hominem usque ad finem vitae ejus, et postea in aeternum, est causa, quia non datur finis scientiae, minus intelligentiae, et adhuc minus sapientiae; est enim infinitas ac aeternitas in amplitudine illarum ex Infinito ac Aeterno, a Quo sunt: inde est hoc philosophicum Veterum, quod omne sit divisibile in infinitum, cui adjiciendum est, quod similiter sit multiplicabile: Angeli asserunt, quod a Domino perficiantur sapientia in aeternum, quod etiam est in infinitum, quia aeternum est infinitum temporis.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: quod