364、穷人进天堂不是由于他们的贫穷，而是因为他们的生活。无论是富人还是穷人，每个人的生活都跟随着他。对人来说，没有优先于别人的特殊怜悯。｛注1｝生活德行高尚的人都被天堂接受，而生活败坏堕落的人都被天堂拒绝。此外，贫穷和财富一样，也能误导、诱惑人远离天堂。穷人当中也有许多人不满足于自己的命运，贪求很多东西，以为财富就是祝福。｛注2｝所以，当他们得不到的时候，他们就被激怒了，对圣性的天意（Divine providence）心怀恶念；他们也嫉妒别人拥有的好东西，像其他人一样，随时准备去骗人，沉溺在污秽的享乐中。
但另外一些穷人却不是这样，他们满足于自己的命运，工作认真勤奋，热爱劳动而非懒散，行事诚实、忠信，同时过着基督徒的生活。我有时与那些农民和普通人交谈，他们在世时相信上帝，并且在职业中诚实、公正。他们喜爱认识真理，所以就询问仁爱和信仰。对于信仰，他们在世上听了很多；对于仁爱，在来世则听了很多。因此，他们被告知，仁爱就是属于生活的一切，信仰就是属于教义的一切。所以，仁爱就是在一切工作中意愿并做到公正和正确，信仰则是思考公正和正确的事；信仰与仁爱相结合，正如教义与遵照它的生活相结合，或如思想与意愿相结合。当人公正、正确地思考，而且意愿并践行时，信仰就变成了仁爱，这时，它们不再是二，而是一。他们完全明白了这些，非常高兴，说他们在世时就不明白信仰是生活之外的东西。
｛注1｝：没有直接的怜悯，只有间接的怜悯，就是说，给那些遵行主的诫命生活的人。主通过祂的怜悯不断地在这个世界引导这些人，以后到永远（8700，10659）。
｛注2｝：尊贵和财富并不是真正的祝福，因此恶人和善人都能得到它们（8939，10775，10776）。真正的祝福是从主接受爱与信，并由此与祂结合，因为这是永恒幸福的源头（1420，1422，2846，3017，3406，3504，3514，3530，3565，3584，4216，4981，8939，10495）。
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364. 穷人进天堂不是由于他们贫穷, 而是由于他们的生活. 每个人的生活都跟随着他, 无论他是富是穷. 主对每个人的怜悯都是一样的, 并没有优先于别人而对某个人的特殊怜悯. 凡生活良善者皆被接受, 凡生活败坏者皆被弃绝. 事实上, 贫穷和财富一样, 也能误导人, 把他引离天堂. 穷人当中也有许多人不满足于自己的所得, 贪图更多, 以为财富就是祝福; 所以, 当得不到自己想要的时, 他们就大为怨愤, 对圣治心怀恶念; 他们还嫉妒别人的财物, 一有机会就去骗人, 沉溺于污秽的乐趣. 而满足于自己的所得, 工作勤勉细心, 热爱劳动而非懒散, 行事诚实, 忠信, 同时过着基督生活的穷人则不同. 有时, 我与那些属于普通农民的人交谈; 他们在世时就信神, 并且在工作中诚实, 正直. 他们对认识真理有一种情感, 所以就求问仁与信; 对于信, 他们在世上听了很多; 对于仁, 在来世则听了很多. 因此, 他们被告知, 仁就是属于生活的一切, 信就是属于教义的一切; 所以仁就是在一切工作中意愿并行出公义和公平, 信则是思考公义和公平; 信与仁相结合, 正如教义与照之的生活相结合, 或思维与意愿相结合; 当人意愿并行出他所思考的公义, 公平时, 信就变成仁; 这时, 它们不再是二, 而是一. 他们完全明白这一切, 并且欣喜若狂, 声称他们在世时不明白信仰和生活有什么区别.
注: 没有脱离方法的直接怜悯, 只有通过方法的怜悯, 这是对那些照主的诫命生活之人说的; 主以其怜悯不断在这个世界引导这些人, 后来则永远引导他们(天国的奥秘 8700, 10659节). 高贵和地位并不是真正的祝福, 因此恶人和善人都能拥有它们(天国的奥秘 8939, 10775, 10776节). 真正的祝福是从主接受爱与信, 并由此与祂结合, 因为这是永恒幸福的源头(天国的奥秘 1420, 1422, 2846, 3017, 3406, 3504, 3514, 3530, 3565, 3584, 4216, 4981, 8939, 10495节).
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364. 窮人進入天國, 不在其貧窮, 而在其生活。無論貧富, 人的生活皆隨著他。對人而言, 主的憐憫無二無別。生活良善者被接收, 生活敗壞者被棄絕。
事實上, 貧窮和財富一樣, 也能引人背離天國。很多窮人不安于貧窮, 貪心極重, 以財富為福, 既未得其所願, 便懷恨在心, 怪罪於上帝。他們覬覦別人的財產, 但得機會, 必要詐而取之, 活於其啟濁的快樂之中。
安分守己, 工作上勤勉細心, 熱愛工作, 拒絕懶散, 行為誠實可靠, 照基督而行的窮人卻不同。有時, 我與一些信上帝的啟村百姓交談, 他們在世時曾誠實, 正直地生活。由於他們渴望明白真理, 也就不斷求問何為仁, 何為信, 因為他們在世時常聽說信, 到了靈界又常聽說仁。他們被告知, 仁關乎生活, 信關於教義;就是說, 仁是在每一件事上立志並奉行公平, 正直, 信則是思考何為公平, 正直;信與仁並行, 正如教義與生活並行, 或如認知與意志並行。當人立志並奉行其所思想的公平和正直, 信就成為仁。及此, 兩者不再是二, 而是一。這些他們都能心領神會, 也為之歡喜踴躍, 還說他們在世時曾以為信與生活完全是一回事。
364. Poor people do not get into heaven because of their poverty but because of their lives. Our lives follow us whether we are rich or poor. There is no special mercy for the one any more than for the other. 1People who have lived well are accepted; people who have lived badly are rejected.
Poverty can actually seduce people and lead them away from heaven just as much as wealth can. There are many people among the poor who are not content with their lot, who covet much more, and who believe that wealth is a blessing; 2so when they do not get what they want, they are enraged and harbor evil thoughts about divine providence. They envy other people their assets, and given the chance would just as soon cheat them and live in their own foul pleasures.
It is different, though, for poor people who are content with their lot, are conscientious and careful in their work, prefer work to idleness, behave honestly and reliably, and lead Christian lives. I have sometimes talked with rural and common people who had believed in God while they lived in this world and had behaved honestly and righteously in their jobs. Because they were impelled by a desire to know what was true, they kept asking what thoughtfulness and faith were, since they had heard a lot about faith in this world and were hearing a lot about thoughtfulness in the other life. So they were told that thoughtfulness is all about living and faith is all about doctrine. This means that thoughtfulness is intending and doing what is fair and right in every task, while faith is thinking what is fair and right; so faith and thoughtfulness go together like doctrine and a life according to it, or like thought and intent. Faith becomes thoughtfulness, then, when we intend and do the fair and right things that we think. When this happens, they are not two but one. They understood this perfectly well and were overjoyed, saying that in the world they had not understood believing to be any different from living.
Footnotes:
1. There is no direct mercy, only mercy through means - that is, for people who live according to the Lord's commandments, whom he in his mercy is constantly leading in this world, and afterwards to eternity: 8700, 10659.
2. High rank and wealth are not real blessings, so both evil and good people have them: 8939, 10755, 10776. Real blessing is the acceptance of love and faith from the Lord and a consequent union [with him], because these bring us happiness forever: 1420, 1422, 2846, 3017, 3408 [3406?], 3504, 3514, 3530, 3565, 3584, 4216, 4981, 8939, 10495.
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364. The poor come into heaven not on account of their poverty but because of their life. Everyone's life follows him, whether he be rich or poor. There is no peculiar mercy for one in preference to another; 1he who has lived well is received, while he who has not lived well is rejected. Moreover, poverty leads and draws man away from heaven just as much as wealth does. There are many among the poor who are not content with their lot, who strive after many things, and believe riches to be blessings; 2and when they do not gain them are much provoked, and harbour ill thoughts about the Divine providence; they also envy others the good things they possess, and are as ready as anyone to defraud others whenever they have opportunity, and to indulge in filthy pleasures. But this is not true of the poor who are content with their lot, and are careful and diligent in their work, who love labour better than idleness, and act sincerely and faithfully, and at the same time live a Christian life. I have sometimes talked with those belonging to the peasantry and common people, who, while living in the world, believed in God and did what was just and right in their occupations. Since they had an affection for knowing truth, they inquired about charity and about faith, having heard in this world much about faith and in the other life much about charity. They were therefore told that charity is everything that pertains to life, and faith everything that pertains to doctrine; consequently, charity is willing and doing what is just and right in every work, and faith is thinking justly and rightly; and faith and charity are conjoined, the same as doctrine and a life in accordance with it, or the same as thought and will; and faith becomes charity when that which a man thinks justly and rightly he also wills and does, and then they are not two but one. This they well understood, and rejoiced, saying that in the world they did not understand believing to be anything else but living.
Footnotes:
1. There can be no immediate mercy, but only mediate mercy, that is, to those who live in accordance with the commandments of the Lord; such the Lord by His mercy leads continually in the world, and afterwards to eternity (Arcana Coelestia 8700, 10659).
2. Dignities and riches are not real blessings, therefore they are granted both to the wicked and to the good (Arcana Coelestia 8939, 10775-10776).
The real blessing is reception of love and faith from the Lord, and conjunction thereby, for this is the source of eternal happiness (Arcana Coelestia 1420, 1422, 2846, 3017, 3406, 3504, 3514, 3530, 3565, 3584, 4216, 4981, 8939, 10495).
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364. The poor come into heaven not on account of their poverty but because of their life. Everyone's life follows him, whether he be rich or poor. There is no peculiar mercy for one in preference to another; 1he that has lived well is received, while he that has not lived well is rejected. Moreover, poverty leads and draws man away from heaven just as much as wealth does. There are many among the poor who are not content with their lot, who strive after many things, and believe riches to be blessings; 2and when they do not gain them are much provoked, and harbor ill thoughts about the Divine providence; they also envy others the good things they possess, and are as ready as any one to defraud others whenever they have opportunity, and to indulge in filthy pleasures. But this is not true of the poor who are content with their lot, and are careful and diligent in their work, who love labor better than idleness, and act sincerely and faithfully, and at the same time live a Christian life. I have now and then talked with those belonging to the peasantry and common people, who while living in the world believed in God and did what was just and right in their occupations. Since they had an affection for knowing truth they inquired about charity and about faith, having heard in this world much about faith and in the other life much about charity. They were therefore told that charity is everything that pertains to life, and faith everything that pertains to doctrine; consequently charity is willing and doing what is just and right in every work, and faith is thinking justly and rightly; and faith and charity are conjoined, the same as doctrine and a life in accordance with it, or the same as thought and will; and faith becomes charity when that which a man thinks justly and rightly he also wills and does, and then they are not two but one. This they well understood, and rejoiced, saying that in the world they did not understand believing to be anything else but living.
Footnotes:
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364. Pauperes non in caelum propter paupertatem veniunt, sed propter vitam. Unumquemvis vita ejus sequitur, sive dives sit sive pauper. Non est peculiaris misericordia pro uno magis quam pro altero; 1recipitur qui bene vixit, et rejicitur qui male. Praeterea paupertas aeque seducit et abstrahit hominem a caelo, sicut opulentia. Sunt inter illos perplures qui sua sorte non contenti sunt, qui ambiunt multa, et credunt opes benedictiones esse; 2quapropter cum illas non recipiunt, irascuntur, et de providentia Divina male cogitant invident etiam aliis sua bona; praeterea etiam illi aeque defraudant alios cum datur occasio, et quoque aeque in sordidis voluptatibus vivunt. Aliter vero pauperes qui sua sorte contenti sunt, in suo opere seduli et diligentes, ac amant laborem prae otio, et sincere et fideliter agunt, et simul tunc Christianam vitam vivunt. Aliquoties locutus sum cum illis qui ex rustica gente et ex plebe erant, qui dum vixerunt in mundo crediderunt in Deum, ac justum et rectum in suis operibus fecerunt: illi quia erant in affectione sciendi verum, quaerebant quid charitas et quid fides, quia in mundo multa de fide audiverunt, in altera vita autem multa de charitate; quare illis dictum est, quod charitas sit omne id quod est vitae, et fides omne id quod est doctrinae; proinde quod charitas sit velle et facere justum et rectum in omni opere, fides autem cogitare juste et recte et quod fides et charitas se conjungant sicut doctrina et vita secundum illam, seu sicut cogitatio et voluntas et quod fides fiat charitas, quando id quod homo juste et recte cogitat, etiam velit et faciat, et cum hoc fit, quod non duo sint sed unum. Hoc intellexerunt bene, et gavisi sunt, dicentes quod non comprehenderint in mundo quod credere aliud esset quam vivere.
Footnotes: