385、有些灵人，在肉身的生活时获得一种做法，以特有的狡诈侵扰我，就是通过一种相当温和的波浪般的流注，就像通常性情好的灵人的流注。但我感知到他们身上有狡诈和诸如此类的邪恶，促使他们陷害和欺骗。最后，我与其中一个交谈，得知他生活在世上时，是一名军队的指挥官。我感知到他的思想意念中有好色的成分。我和他谈论婚姻，用属灵的言语和代表，这些能在一瞬间充分表达所有的意思和许多事情。他说，活在肉身时，他认为淫乱无关紧要。但我蒙允许告诉他，淫乱极为可憎，尽管对像他这样的人来说，似乎不是这样，甚至似乎是允许的，因为它的诱惑和诱人的乐趣。从婚姻是人类的苗床、因而也是天国的苗床这一事实中，他可以知道淫乱是令人憎恶的，所以，婚姻决不能被侵犯，而必须被尊为神圣的；他也可以从以下事实中知道这一点，即婚姻之爱是通过天堂从主降下来的，而彼此相爱，这是天堂的根基，就是从婚姻之爱而生的，就像从父母而生的一样。他应该知道这些，因他已经在来世，处在感知的状态中；还有一个事实是，淫乱者只不过是接近天堂的社群，就会意识到自己的恶臭，便从那里堕入地狱。他至少应该知道，侵犯婚姻违反神性律法，违反所有国家的民事法律，也违反真正的理性之光，因为这既违反神性秩序，也违反人性秩序，除此以外还更多。
但他回答说，他活在肉身时没有这样想过。他想要推理一下是不是这样，但是被告知真理是不容许推理的，因为推理会替人喜欢的事物辩护，因而替人的邪恶与伪谬辩护。他应该首先思考告诉他的这些事情，因为它们都是真理。或者至少从世上公认的“己所不欲，勿施于人”的原则来看，他该想一想，如果有人以这种方式欺骗他的爱妻（每个人在结婚初期都爱自己的妻子），那么当他对此怒不可遏并表达自己的感受时，他自己会不会憎恨淫乱？作为一个有才能的人，在这种情况下，他会不会比别人更坚决地反对淫乱、甚至诅咒它们下地狱？
------------
385. 有些灵人因活在肉身时所获得的习惯, 以特有的狡诈骚扰我. 他们通过一种相当微妙柔和, 几乎如同波浪的流注而如此行, 这种流注具有诚实灵人的特征; 但我发觉, 他们里面有狡诈和其它类似邪恶, 促使他们去诱惑和欺骗. 最后, 我与其中一人交谈; 被告知, 他活在世上时, 是一个军队首领. 我发觉他的思维观念里有某种淫荡成分, 于是便用能立刻充分表达我观点的属灵语言和代表与他谈论婚姻. 他说, 活在肉身时, 他根本不拿淫行当回事. 我蒙允许告诉他, 淫行是令人发指的, 尽管在像他那样的人眼里, 它们看上去不是这样, 甚至由于它们那有吸引力的诱人快乐而看似可允许. 它们是令人发指的, 对此, 他从这一事实是能够知道的: 婚姻是人类的苗床, 因而也是天国的苗床; 因此, 绝不可侵犯婚姻, 必须视之为神圣. 他也可从以下事实知道这一点, 即: 他必知道自己现身在灵界, 处于一种觉知的状态, 故能察觉婚姻之爱从主那里经由天堂降下来; 而相爱, 也就是天堂的根基, 便来源于婚姻之爱, 如来源于父母. 还有一个事实是, 奸淫者仅仅接近天上的社群, 便觉察到自己的恶臭, 从那里栽向地狱. 他至少应该知道, 侵犯婚姻违反神性律法, 违反所有国家的世间法律, 也违反真正的理性之光, 因为这既违反神性秩序, 也违反人性秩序, 更不用说其它考量了. 可他回答说, 他活在肉身时从未这样想过. 他想推理这是不是真的, 但被告知, 不可如此推理真理; 因为推理会替人以之为快乐的事物辩护, 因而替人的邪恶与虚假辩护; 他当首先思考所告诉他的这些事, 因为它们都是真理; 或至少出于“己所不欲, 勿施于人”这一举世公认的原则思考它们. 因此, 他该想一想, 如果有人以这种方式欺骗他所爱的妻子(每个人在结婚初期都爱自己的妻子), 那么当他对此怒不可遏, 并说出自己的感受时, 他自己会不会憎恨通奸? 身为一个有才能的人, 在这种情况下, 他会不会比其他人更坚定地反对通奸, 甚至诅咒它们堕入地狱?
------------
385. 有某些靈, 因在肉身所獲得的習慣, 以特有的詭計, 對我進行干擾。他們的流入相當微妙, 如同波浪, 符合善靈的特徵。但我看出, 他們心中藏有詭詐, 意欲進行誘惑和欺騙。後來, 我得與其中一人交談。我被告知, 他在肉身時曾是一名將軍。從他的思想活動裡, 我發現有淫蕩的成分。於是我用心靈的語言兼意象與他談論婚姻, 很多觀念立時就透徹地表達了出來。他說在肉身時, 他根本不拿淫欲當一回事。我說, 行淫是可恥的, 儘管對於像他那樣以行淫為樂並進而將之合理化的人看似是無可厚非甚至是天經地義的。單單從婚姻是人類的苗床因而也是天國的苗床這個事實, 他本該認識到這一點。所以, 婚姻永不可褻瀆, 而當視為神聖。另外, 他知道自己已在靈界, 其狀態能感覺到婚愛是由主那裡從天而降的, 天國的基礎, 彼此相愛, 也是從婚愛而生, 如從父母而生。由此般事實, 他也該認識到這一點。還有一個事實是, 當行淫者一靠近天國的社群時, 便立時察覺到自己的惡臭, 因而直奔地獄。最起碼, 他該明白, 破壞婚姻與上帝的律法, 與所有國家的法律並純正的理性是相悖的, 因為這既違背上帝的次序, 也違背人的次序。
他說他在肉身時從未這樣想過, 他想就此辯論, 但是他被告知, 真理無可辯駁。人喜歡什麼, 皆可為之辯護, 乃至支持邪惡與偽謬。首先, 他當思想剛才的話, 因為那是真理。或者, 他可從"己所不欲, 勿施於人"這一世所公認的原則開始。若有人淫其所愛之妻(結婚初期人一般皆愛其妻), 盛怒之下, 他豈不譴責行淫為可憎？理性之下, 他豈不決然反對淫行, 乃至咒其墮入地獄？
385. There were some spirits who plagued me with particular ingenuity because of their practice during their physical life. They did this by a rather subtle inflow, almost wavelike, a kind that is characteristic of honest spirits; but I could tell that there were elements of deception and the like within them, intended to ensnare and deceive. Eventually I talked with one of them who had been in command of an army when he lived in the world, so I was told. Since I could tell that there was something licentious in what he was processing mentally, I talked with him about marriage in a spiritual language, using images - many of them very brief - that expressed my sentiments fully. He said that during his physical life he had thought nothing of acts of adultery.
It occurred to me to tell him, though, that acts of adultery are unspeakable, no matter how different and even permissible they may look to people like him because of the pleasure they are grasping and their consequent rationalizations. He might realize this simply because marriages are the seedbed of the human race and therefore the seedbed of the kingdom of heaven. Because of this, they should never be violated but should be regarded as holy. He might also realize this because he must know that he was now in the other life and in a state to perceive that marriage love was coming down from the Lord through heaven, and that mutual love, the foundation of heaven, was derived from that love as from a parent. There was also the fact that when adulterers merely approach heavenly communities they become aware of their own stench and dive down toward hell. He should at least know that violation of marriage is against divine laws and against the civil laws of all kingdoms as well as contrary to genuine rational light because, among many other things, it is contrary to both divine and human order.
However, he answered that he had not thought that way during his physical life. He wanted to quibble about whether this was true or not; but he was told that there is no quibbling about the truth. Quibbling favors whatever pleases us, and therefore supports what is evil and false. He should first think about what he had been told, because it was true. Or again, he could start from the principle widely acknowledged in the world that we should not do anything to others that we do not want them to do to us. So if anyone had practiced this kind of deception on his own wife, whom he loved (as is the case in the early stages of every marriage), then when he was at the peak of his blazing rage about it and gave voice to his feelings, wouldn't he himself hold adultery to be detestable and, being intellectually gifted, wouldn't he of all people defend his condemnation to the point of damning adultery to hell?
------------
385. There were certain spirits who, from a practice acquired in the life of the body, infested me with peculiar craftiness, and this by a very gentle wave-like influx like the usual influx of well-disposed spirits; but I perceived that there was craftiness and other like evils in them prompting them to ensnare and deceive. Finally, I talked with one of them who, I was told, had been when he lived in the world the commander of an army; and perceiving that there was a lustfulness in the ideas of his thought, I talked with him about marriage, using spiritual speech with representatives, which fully expresses all that is meant and many things in a moment. He said that in the life of the body he had regarded adulteries as of no account. But I was permitted to tell him that adulteries are heinous, although to those like himself they do not appear to be such, and even appear permissible, on account of their seductive and enticing delights. That they are heinous he might know from the fact that marriages are the seminaries of the human race, and thus also the seminaries of the heavenly kingdom; consequently they must on no account be violated, but must be esteemed holy. This he might know also from the fact, which he ought to know because of his being in the other life and in a state of perception, that conjugial love descends from the Lord through heaven, and from that love, as from a parent, mutual love, which is the foundation of heaven, is derived; and again from this, that if adulterers merely draw near to heavenly societies they are aware of their own stench and cast themselves down therefrom towards hell. At least he might have known that to violate marriages is contrary to Divine laws, and contrary to the civil laws of all kingdoms, also contrary to the genuine light of reason, because it is contrary to both Divine and human order, and more besides. But he replied that he had not so thought in the life of the body. He wished to reason about whether it were so, but was told that truth does not admit of reasonings; for reasonings defend what one delights in, and thus one's evils and falsities; that he ought first to think about the things that had been said because they are truths; or at least think about them from the principle very well known in the world, that no one should do to another what he is unwilling that another should do to him; thus he should consider whether he himself would not have detested adulteries if anyone had in that way deceived his wife, whom he had loved as everyone loves in the first period of marriage, and if in his state of wrath he had expressed himself on the subject; also whether being a man of talent he would not in that case have confirmed himself more decidedly than others against adulteries, even condemning them to hell.
------------
385. There were certain spirits who, from a practice acquired in the life of the body, infested me with peculiar craftiness, and this by a very gentle wave-like influx like the usual influx of well disposed spirits; but I perceived that there was craftiness and other like evils in them prompting them to ensnare and deceive. Finally, I talked with one of them who, I was told, had been when he lived in the world the leader of an army; and perceiving that there was a lustfulness in the ideas of his thought I talked with him about marriage, using spiritual speech with representatives, which fully expresses all that is meant and many things in a moment. He said that in the life of the body he had regarded adulteries as of no account. But I was permitted to tell him that adulteries are heinous, although to those like himself they do not appear to be such, and even appear permissible, on account of their seductive and enticing delights. That they are heinous he might know from the fact that marriages are the seminaries of the human race, and thus also the seminaries of the heavenly kingdom; consequently they must on no account be violated, but must be esteemed holy. This he might know from the fact, which he ought to know because of his being in the other life and in a state of perception, that marriage love descends from the Lord through heaven, and from that love, as from a parent, mutual love, which is the foundation of heaven is derived; and again from this, that if adulterers merely draw near to heavenly societies they perceive their own stench and cast themselves down therefrom towards hell. At least he must have known that to violate marriages is contrary to Divine laws, and contrary to the civil laws of all kingdoms, also contrary to the genuine light of reason, because it is contrary to both Divine and human order; not to mention other considerations. But he replied that he had not so thought in the life of the body. He wished to reason about whether it were so, but was told that truth does not admit of such reasonings; for reasonings defend what one delights in, and thus one's evils and falsities; that he ought first to think about the things that had been said because they are truths; or at least think about them from the principle well known in the world, that no one should do to another what he is unwilling that another should do to him; thus he should consider whether he himself would not have detested adulteries if any one had in that way deceived his wife, whom he had loved as everyone loves in the first period of marriage, and if in his state of wrath he had expressed himself on the subject; also whether being a man of talent he would not in that case have confirmed himself more decidedly than others against adulteries, even condemning them to hell.
------------
385. Erant quidam spiritus, qui ex usu in vita corporis, me solertia peculiari infestabant, et hoc per influxum molliusculum quasi undantem, qualis solet esse proborum spirituum sed perceptum quod in illis essent astutiae et similia, ut captarent et fallerent. Tandem locutus sum cum uno ex illis, qui quod fuerit dux exercitus, cum vixit in mundo, mihi dictum est; et quia percepi quod in ideis cogitationis ejus esset lascivum, locutus sum cum illo de conjugio loquela spirituali cum repraesentativis, quae plene exprimit sensa, et momento plura. Dixit quod in vita corporis adulteria pro nihilo reputaverit. Sed ei dicere datum est, quod adulteria sint nefanda, tametsi apparent coram illis qui tales, ex jucundo quod captarunt, et ex persuasione inde, quod non talia, immo quod licita quod etiam scire posset ex eo, quod conjugia sint seminaria generis humani, et inde etiam seminaria regni caelestis, et idcirco quod nusquam violanda, sed sancta habenda; tum ex eo, quod scire debet quia in altera vita est, ac in statu perceptionis, quod amor conjugialis a Domino per caelum descendat, et quod ab illo amore, ut a parente, derivetur amor mutuus, qui est firmamentum caeli et ex eo, quod adulteri, dum modo approximant ad societates caelestes, sentiant graveolentiam suam, et se inde praecipitent versus infernum: ad minimum potuisset scire, quod violare conjugia sit contra leges Divinas, et contra omnium regnorum leges civiles, tum contra genuinum lumen rationis, quia contra ordinem et Divinum et humanum, praeter plura. Sed respondebat, quod talia non cogitaverit in vita corporis. Voluit ratiocinari num ita esset sed dictum est ei, quod veritas non admittat ratiocinia, patrocinantur enim jucundis, ita malis et falsis et quod primum cogitare debeat de illis quae dicta sunt, quia vera aut etiam ex illo principio, quod notissimum est in mundo, quod nemo alteri facere debeat, quod non velit ut alter faciat sibi; et sic si quis ipsius uxorem, quam amavisset, quod fit in principio omnis conjugii, tali modo decepisset, tunc cum in statu excandescentiae super id esset, si ex illo statu loqueretur, annon quoque ipse adulteria detestaturus fuisset; et tunc, quia ingenio pollet, se confirmavisset plus quam alii contra illa, usque ut damnavisset illa ad infernum.