400、然而，要知道，那些在自我之爱和尘世之爱中的人在接近任何天堂的社群时，他们的快乐是他们的欲望之乐，因而与天堂的快乐截然对立。当他们拿走并驱散处在天堂之乐中的人的快乐时，就获得自己的欲望之乐；而当天堂的快乐没有被拿走或驱散时，情况就不同了，这时，他们无法再靠近，因为他们越靠近，就越陷入烦恼和痛苦中。正因如此，他们不经常冒险靠近。我还蒙允许通过反复的经历得知这一点，故想对此作补充说明。
[2]从尘世进入灵界的灵人（灵魂），最大的愿望就是想进天堂，几乎所有人都试图进入，设想着只要被许可，就能被接纳进入天堂。由于这种渴望，他们被带到最低层天堂的某个社群。但是，那些处在自我之爱和尘世之爱中的人一接近天堂的第一道门槛时，就开始从内心感到痛苦和折磨，感觉自己身在地狱而非天堂。结果，他们从那里一头栽下去，一刻不停，直到进入地狱来到他们的同类当中。
[3]同样经常发生的是，这些的灵人希望知道什么是天堂的喜乐，并且听说它在天使的内层，希望能分享体验。这件事也被允许了，因为尚未进入天堂或地狱的灵人，无论有什么愿望，只要对他有益处，就会被准许。但是，他们一旦与天堂的喜乐交流，就开始遭受折磨，以至于他们不知道如何使自己的身体免受痛苦。只见他们把头扎到脚前，栽倒在地，在那里像蛇一样扭动，蜷曲成一团，这都是他们内层剧痛的结果。那些沉溺在自我之爱和尘世之爱的快乐中的人，天堂的快乐对他们产生的影响就是这样。原因在于，这些爱与天堂之爱截然对立，当对立面相互作用时，就会产生这种痛苦。由于天堂的快乐经由内在途径流入，并进入对立的快乐中，所以，处在对立快乐中的内层向后扭曲，从而转向相反的方向，其结果便是这种痛苦的折磨。
[4]这些爱是对立的，原因如上所述，对主之爱和对邻之爱希望与他人分享自己的一切，因这是它们的快乐；而自我之爱和尘世之爱却想拿走别人所拥有的，占为己有，并且越是能这样做，就越感到快乐。由此也可以知道地狱为什么与天堂分离，因为地狱里的所有人，活在世上的时候，完全沉溺在源于自我之爱和尘世之爱所带来的身体和肉欲的快乐中；然而，所有在天堂的人，活在世上时，因爱主爱邻而沉浸在灵魂和灵的快乐中。由于这些爱彼此对立，所以地狱和天堂完全分离，事实上分离得如此彻底，以至于地狱恶灵甚至不敢冒险伸出一根手指头或抬起头颅，因为稍为这样做，他们就饱受痛苦和折磨。这也是我经常看到的。
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400. 然而, 要知道, 那些陷入自我之爱和尘世之爱的人在接近天上的社群时, 所感受的快乐是他们自己的欲望快乐, 因而与天堂的快乐截然对立. 当他们成功窃取并夺走那些专注于天堂快乐之人里面的这种快乐时, 便获得自己的欲望快乐. 当天堂的快乐没有被窃取或夺走时, 情况就不同了. 这时, 他们无法再接近, 因为他们越接近, 就越陷入痛苦和折磨. 正因如此, 他们很少敢接近. 我还蒙允许通过大量经历得知这一点, 故想对此作以补充说明.
从这个世界进入灵界的灵人只想着进天堂. 几乎所有人都有这样的期望, 以为只要获得许可并被接纳, 就能上天堂. 由于这种渴望, 他们被带到最低层天堂的某个社群. 但是, 那些陷入自我之爱和尘世之爱的人一接近天堂的第一道门槛, 就开始从内在感到痛苦, 备受折磨, 感觉仿佛身在地狱, 而非天堂. 于是, 他们从那里一头栽下去, 一刻不停, 直到进入地狱, 来到他们的同类当中.
当这类灵人想知道何为天堂的喜乐, 并听说它就在天使的至内层, 想亲自体验一番时, 这种情形也经常发生. 这种事之所以得以成就, 是因为尚未进入天堂或地狱的灵人无论有什么愿望, 只要对他有好处, 就会被恩准. 一旦建立联系, 他们就开始感到如此痛苦, 以致他们由于这痛苦而不知道如何控制自己的身体. 我看见他们把头低到脚上, 栽倒在地, 像蛇一样蜷成一团, 这都是由于他们的内在痛苦. 这就是天堂的快乐对那些其快乐源于自我之爱和尘世之爱的人所产生的影响. 原因在于, 这些爱与天堂之爱截然对立, 当对立面相互作用时, 这种痛苦就会产生. 由于天堂的快乐经由内在途径进入, 并流入对立的快乐, 所以陷入对立快乐的内层向后扭曲, 从而转向相反的方向, 其结果便是这种痛苦.
正如前面所说过的, 这些爱之所以彼此对立, 是因为对主之爱和对邻之爱想与他人分享自己的一切. 事实上, 这正是它们的快乐. 而自我之爱和尘世之爱却想夺走别人的东西, 据为己有; 并且只要能如此行, 它们就感到快乐. 由此也可以看出地狱为何与天堂分离. 那是因为, 地狱里的所有人活在世上时, 由于自我之爱和尘世之爱而完全沉浸在身体和肉欲的快乐中; 由于这些爱彼此对立, 所以地狱和天堂完全分离, 事实上分离得如此彻底, 以致地狱灵甚至不敢伸出一根手指头或抬起头颅; 因为稍稍有这样的行动, 他们就备受痛苦和折磨. 这也是我经常看到的.
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400. 但要知道, 陷於愛自己和愛世界者, 當其靠近天國的社群時, 他所感受的快樂是自己的欲望之樂。因著奪去天人所處的天國之樂而享受自己的欲望之樂。若不能奪去天人之樂, 情況就不同了;彼時, 他們不能靠近天國, 一靠近就帶來痛苦和折磨。正因如此, 他們很少敢靠近天國。關於這些, 我也有過大量的經歷, 略說如下。離開人間進入靈界以後, 靈最大的願望莫過於上天國。幾乎所有人都有此盼望, 因為他們以為上天國只需獲得上帝的允許。既有此願望, 他們就被帶到外層天的某個社群。若是陷於愛自己和愛世界之人, 當其抵達天國的邊緣時, 就開始感覺痛苦, 備受煎熬, 仿佛身在地獄, 而非天國。於是他們一頭栽下, 直到落入地獄, 進到同類當中, 才終於放鬆下來。也常有靈希望瞭解天國之樂, 當他聽說天國之樂藏於天人內心時, 就想親身體驗一番。這事也獲得了允許, 因為靈在進入天國或地獄以前, 若有任何願望, 只要于他們有益, 都會獲得允許。然現實是, 聯繫一建立, 他們就開始感覺痛苦, 乃至不知如何控制身體。他們頭貼著腳, 倒在地上, 像蛇一樣蜷成一團, 備受煎熬。這是天國之樂對於陷入愛自己和愛世界者所產生的影響。因為愛自己與愛世界與愛主愛鄰正好相對, 當彼此對立者相遇時, 結果就是痛苦。再者, 天國之樂經內在的途徑而來, 流入與之對立的快樂, 使其內在扭曲, 折向相反的方向, 其結果便是痛苦。
正如前面所說, 愛自己與愛世界與愛主愛鄰正好相對, 因為愛主愛鄰者樂於與人分享一切。事實上, 這正是他們的快樂所在。陷於愛自己和愛世界者卻意圖奪去別人所有, 占為己有, 苟能如此, 他們就覺得快樂。
由此也能明白地獄為何與天國截然分開。那是因為, 所有在地獄的人, 當其在世之時, 皆因愛自己和愛世界而沉迷於肉體的快樂之中。相反, 所有在天國的人, 當其在世之時, 皆因愛主愛鄰而沉浸於靈魂的快樂之中。愛自己和愛世界與愛主愛鄰彼此對立, 故地獄與天國徹底分開, 乃至地獄之靈不敢伸出手指或抬起頭顱。因為一那麼做, 哪怕一點點, 他們就感到痛苦。這事我也經常目睹。
400. However, we do need to realize that if people are engrossed in love for themselves and love for the world, the pleasure they are feeling when they move toward some heavenly community is the pleasure of their own cravings. So it is diametrically opposed to the pleasure of heaven. They attain the pleasure of their cravings when they succeed in stealing and taking away heavenly pleasure from people who are absorbed in it. It is different when no theft or removal occurs. Then they cannot get nearer because to the extent that they do, they are plunged into pain and torment. This is why they rarely dare to approach. This too I have been shown by an abundance of experience, some of which I should like to present.
[2] There is nothing spirits want more when they are arriving in the other life from this world than to get into heaven. Almost all of them expect to because they believe that heaven is simply a matter of being let in and accepted. Because this is what they want, then, they are taken to some community of the outmost heaven. If they are devoted to love for themselves and the world, then the moment they reach the first border of that heaven they begin to feel pain and to be so tormented within that they feel as though they were in hell rather than in heaven. So they themselves dive down headlong and are not at rest until they are with their own kind in the hells.
[3] It has also often happened that spirits like this have wanted to find out what heavenly joy is, and when they have heard that it is within the deeper nature of angels, they have sought to share in it for themselves. So this too was done, because when spirits are not yet in heaven or in hell, whatever they want is granted if it may do any good. Once communication was established, they began to feel such agony that they did not know how to control their bodies because of the pain. It looked as though they pushed their heads down to their feet and threw themselves on the ground and twisted themselves into loops like snakes, all because of their inner agony. This was the effect that heavenly pleasure had on people whose pleasures stemmed from love for themselves and love for the world. The reason is that these loves are diametrically opposed, and when a love meets its opposite this kind of pain results. Further, since heavenly pleasure comes in by an inner path and flows into an opposing pleasure, it twists the deeper levels that are engrossed in that pleasure backward, in the opposite direction. This results in this kind of agony.
[4] As I have already noted, the reason these loves are contrary to each other is that love for the Lord and love for our neighbor want to share everything with others. This is in fact their delight. But self-love and love for the world want to take things away from others for themselves, and find pleasure to the extent that they can succeed.
This also enables us to realize why hell is separated from heaven. It is because all the people who are in hell, while they lived in the world, were wholly focused on pleasures of the body and the flesh because of their love for themselves and love for the world; while all the people who are in heaven, while they lived in the world, were focused on pleasures of the soul and the spirit because of their love for the Lord and their love for their neighbor. Since these loves are opposed to each other, the hells and the heavens are completely separated, even to the point that spirits who are in hell do not dare stick out a single finger or raise the top of their heads, for the moment they do so, even the slightest bit, they are in torment and agony. This too I have often seen.
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400. It should, however, be known that the delight of those who are in the loves of self and of the world, when they draw near to any heavenly society, is the delight of their lust, and thus is directly opposite to the delight of heaven. And such enter into this delight of their lust in consequence of their taking away and dispelling heavenly delight in those who are in such delight. When the heavenly delight is not taken away or dispelled it is different. They are then unable to draw near, for to the extent that they draw near, to that extent they bring upon themselves anguish and pain; and for this reason they do not often venture to come near. This also I have been permitted to learn by repeated experience, something of which I would also add.
[2] Spirits who go from this world into the other life desire more than anything else to come into heaven. Nearly all seek to enter, supposing that heaven consists solely in being admitted and received. Because of this desire they are brought to some society of the lowest heaven. But as soon as those who are in the love of self and of the world draw near the first threshold of that heaven they begin to be distressed and so tortured inwardly as to feel in themselves a hell rather than a heaven; and in consequence they cast themselves down headlong therefrom, and do not rest until they come into the hells among their like.
[3] It has also frequently occurred that such spirits have wished to know what heavenly joy is, and having heard that it is in the interiors of angels, they have wished to share in it. This therefore was brought about; for whatever a spirit who is not yet in heaven or hell wishes, it is granted if it will benefit him. But as soon as that joy was communicated they began to be so tortured as not to know how to withhold their body from the pain. It was seen that they thrust their heads down to their feet and cast themselves upon the ground, and there writhed into coils like serpents, and this in consequence of their interior agony. Such was the effect produced by heavenly delight upon those who were in the delights of the love of self and of the world. The reason is that those loves are directly opposed one to the other, and when opposite acts against opposite such pain results. And since heavenly delight enters by an inward way and flows into the contrary delight, the interiors which are in the contrary delight are twisted backwards, thus into the opposite direction, and the result is such tortures.
[4] They are opposite for the reason given above, that love to the Lord and love to the neighbour wish to share with others all that is their own, for this is their delight, while the loves of self and of the world wish to take away from others what they have, and take it to themselves; and just to the extent that they are able to do this they are in their delight. From this, too, it can be known how it comes about that hell is separate from heaven; for all who are in hell were, while they were living in the world, in the mere delights of the body and of the flesh from the love of self and of the world; while all who are in the heavens were, while they lived in the world, in the delights of the soul and spirit from love to the Lord and love to the neighbour. As these are opposite loves, so the hells and the heavens are entirely separated, and indeed so separated that a spirit in hell does not venture even to put forth a finger from it or raise the crown of his head, for if he does this in the least he is racked with pain and tormented. This, too, I have quite frequently seen.
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400. But it must be understood that the delight of those who are in the loves of self and of the world, when they draw near to any heavenly society, is the delight of their lust, and thus is directly opposite to the delight of heaven. And such enter into this delight of their lust in consequence of their taking away and dispelling heavenly delight in those that are in such delight. When the heavenly delight is not taken away or dispelled it is different, for they are then unable to draw near; for so far as they draw near they bring upon themselves anguish and pain; and for this reason they do not often venture to come near. This also I have been permitted to learn by repeated experience, something of which I would like to add.
[2] Spirits who go from this world into the other life desire more than any thing else to get into heaven. Nearly all seek to enter, supposing that heaven consists solely in being admitted and received. Because of this desire they are brought to some society of the lowest heaven. But as soon as those who are in the love of self and of the world draw near the first threshold of that heaven they begin to be distressed and so tortured inwardly as to feel hell rather than heaven to be in them; and in consequence they cast themselves down headlong therefrom, and do not rest until they come into the hells among their like.
[3] It has also frequently occurred that such spirits have wished to know what heavenly joy is, and having heard that it is in the interiors of angels, they have wished to share in it. This therefore was granted; for whatever a spirit who is not yet in heaven or hell wishes is granted if it will benefit him. But as soon as that joy was communicated they began to be so tortured as not to know how to twist or turn because of the pain. I saw them thrust their heads down to their feet and cast themselves upon the ground, and there writhe into coils like serpents, and this in consequence of their interior agony. Such was the effect produced by heavenly delight upon those who are in the delights of the love of self and of the world; and for the reason that these loves are directly opposite to heavenly loves, and when opposite acts against opposite such pain results. And since heavenly delight enters by an inward way and flows into the contrary delight, the interiors which are in the contrary delight are twisted backwards, thus into the opposite direction, and the result is such tortures.
[4] They are opposite for the reason given above, that love to the Lord and love to the neighbor wish to share with others all that is their own, for this is their delight, while the loves of self and of the world wish to take away from others what they have, and take it to themselves; and just to the extent that they are able to do this they are in their delight. From this, too, one can see what it is that separates hell from heaven; for all that are in hell were, while they were living in the world, in the mere delights of the body and of the flesh from the love of self and of the world; while all that are in the heavens were, while they lived in the world, in the delights of the soul and spirit from love to the Lord and love to the neighbor; and as these are opposite loves, so the hells and the heavens are entirely separated, and indeed so separated that a spirit in hell does not venture even to put forth a finger from it or raise the crown of his head, for if he does this in the least he is racked with pain and tormented. This, too, I have frequently seen.
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400. At sciendum est, quod jucundum in quo sunt qui in amoribus sui et mundi cum appropinquant ad aliquam societatem caelestem, sit jucundum concupisicentiae illorum, ita quoque prorsus oppositum jucundo caeli. In jucundum concupiscentiae suae veniunt ex deprivatione et remotione jucundi caelestis apud illos qui in eo sunt. Aliter fit, quando non deprivatio et remotio est tunc non possunt appropinquare, quia quantum tunc appropinquant, tantum in angores et dolores veniunt inde est, quod raro ausint prope accedere. Hoc quoque per plures experientias datum est scire, ex quibus aliquid etiam velim proferre.
[2] Spiritus qui e mundo in alteram vitam veniunt, nihil potius cupiunt quam venire in caelum paene omnes id expetunt, credentes quod caelum non sit nisi quam intromitti et recipi: quapropter etiam quia cupiunt, ad aliquam societatem caeli ultimi feruntur. Qui in amore sui et mundi sunt, cum ad primum limen illius caeli veniunt, incipiunt angi ac interius ita cruciari, ut sentiant in se potius infernum quam caelum; quapropter dejiciunt se praecipites inde, nec quiescunt priusquam in infernis apud suos.
[3] Saepius etiam factum est, quod tales desideraverint nosse quid gaudium caeleste; et cum audiverunt quod in interioribus angelorum sit, cupiverunt communicationem ejus secum quare etiam factum est, nam quod spiritus, qui nondum est in caelo vel in inferno, cupit, hoc etiam ei datur, si conducit. Facta communicatione, coeperunt cruciari, in tantum ut nescirent prae dolore quomodo comprimerent corpus visum est, quod detruderent caput usque ad pedes, seque dejicerent in terram, ac ibi serpentis modo contorquerent se in orbes, et hoc ex interiori cruciatu. Talem effectum edidit jucundum caeleste apud illos qui in jucundis ex amore sui et mundi erant: causa est, quia amores illi prorsus oppositi sunt, et cum oppositum in oppositum agit, fit talis dolor et quia jucundum caeleste intrat per viam internam, ac influit in jucundum contrarium, torquet interiora quae in jucundo illo sunt, retrorsum, ita in sibi oppositum inde tales cruciatus.
[4] Quod oppositi sint, est, ut supra dictum est, quia amor in Dominum et amor erga proximum volunt communicare omnia sua aliis, hoc enim eorum jucundum est, et amor sui et mundi volunt auferre aliis sua, et ad se derivare, et quantum hoc possunt tantum in jucundo sunt. Ex his quoque scire potest, unde est quod infernum sit separatum a caelo, omnes enim qui in inferno sunt, fuerunt, cum vixerunt in mundo, in solis jucundis corporis et carnis ex amore sui et mundi; omnes autem qui in caelis, fuerunt, cum vixerunt in mundo, in jucundis animae et spiritus ex amore in Dominum et ex amore erga proximum; qui amores quia oppositi sunt, ideo etiam inferni 1et caeli prorsus separati sunt, et quidem in tantum, ut spiritus qui in inferno est ne quidem ausit ejicere inde unum digitum, aut elevare summum capitis. nam quantillum ejicit aut elevat, torquetur et cruciatur: hoc quoque saepius visum est.
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