Life69.由于前面提到的这几种杀人自人出生时就从内在隐藏在他里面，如前所述，同时隐藏在他里面的还有各种偷盗，各种假见证，连同对它们的贪恋（对此，我们稍后描述，80-86，87-91节），所以显而易见，如果主不提供改造的方法，人必永远灭亡。主所提供的改造方法如下：人生在完全的无知之中；刚刚出生时，他被保持在一种外在纯真的状态；不久之后被保持在一种外在仁爱的状态；后来被保持在一种外在友谊的状态；但随着他能用自己的理解力来进行思考，他被保持在某种照理性行动的自由中。这就是前面（19节）所描述的状态，为了接下来的内容，在此回顾一下那段描述：只要一个人还在这个世界上，他就在天堂和地狱的中间：地狱在他之下，天堂在他之上；他被保持在或转向这一个，或转向那一个的自由中。他若转向地狱，就会转离天堂；若转向天堂，就转离地狱。或也可说，只要一个人还在这个世界上，他就站在主与魔鬼的中间，被保持在或转向这一个，或转向那一个的自由中。他若转向魔鬼，就转离主；若转向主，就转离魔鬼。又或可说，只要一个人还在这个世界上，他就在邪恶和良善的中间：被保持在或转向这一个，或转向那一个的自由中。他若转向邪恶，就会转离良善；若转向良善，就转离邪恶（也可参看20-22节）。
69. Since the kinds of killing just mentioned lie hidden within us from birth, as noted, along with all kinds of theft and all kinds of false witness and the urges to commit them (which will be described shortly [80-86, 87-91]), we can see that if the Lord had not provided means of reformation, we would inevitably perish forever.
The means of reformation that the Lord has provided are the following: we are born into utter ignorance; as newborns we are kept in a state of outward innocence; soon thereafter we are kept in a state of outward caring and then in a state of outward friendship. But as we become capable of thinking with our own intellect, we are kept in some freedom to act rationally. This is the state described in 19 above, and I need to turn back to it at this point for the sake of what will follow.
As long as we are in this world we are in between hell and heaven - hell is below us and heaven above us - and during this time we are kept in a freedom to turn toward hell or toward heaven. If we turn toward hell we are turning away from heaven, while if we turn toward heaven we are turning away from hell.
In other words, as long as we are in this world we are placed in between the Lord and the Devil and are kept in a freedom to turn toward the one or the other. If we turn toward the Devil we turn our backs on the Lord, while if we turn toward the Lord we turn our backs on the Devil.
Or to put it yet another way, as long as we are in this world we are in between what is evil and what is good and are kept in a freedom to turn toward the one or the other. If we turn toward what is evil we turn our backs on what is good, while if we turn toward what is good we turn our backs on what is evil.
This you will find in 19; see also 20-21, and 22, which follow it.
69. Since the aforesaid kinds of murder are, as we said, latent in a person from his birth, and along with them every kind of theft, and every kind of false witness, together with urges to do these, which we are going to say more about below, it is apparent that if the Lord did not provide means of reformation, a person could not but perish to eternity.
The means of reformation that the Lord has provided are these: that a person is born into total ignorance; that a newborn child is kept in a state of external innocence, a little later in a state of external charity, and after that in a state of external friendship; but as he comes into thinking in accord with his own intellect, he is kept in some freedom to act in accordance with his reason. This is the state described in no. 19 above, and we will repeat the description here for the sake of what follows. To wit:
During the time a person is in the world, he is between heaven and hell, having hell below and heaven above; and he is kept free then to turn in the direction of hell or in the direction of heaven. If he turns in the direction of hell, he turns away from heaven. But if he turns in the direction of heaven, he turns away from hell.
In other words, during the time a person is in the world, he stands between the Lord and the devil, and he is kept free to turn either to the one or to the other. If he turns to the devil, he turns away from the Lord. But if he turns to the Lord, he turns away from the devil.
Or to put it another way, during the time a person is in the world, he is between evil and good, and is kept free to turn either to the one or to the other. If he turns to evil, he turns away from good. But if he turns to good, he turns away from evil. This is no. 19 above. See also nos. 20-22, which follow there.
69. Since the kinds of murder mentioned above lie concealed inwardly with man from birth, as was said, and also every kind of theft, and every kind of false witness, with their lusts about which something will be said presently, it is evident, that unless the Lord had provided the means of reformation, man could not but perish eternally. The means of reformation provided by the Lord are these: Man is born in mere ignorance; whilst an infant he is kept in a state of external innocence, soon after in a state of external charity, and then in a state of external friendship; but as he comes to exercise thought from his own understanding, he is kept in a certain freedom of acting according to reason. This is the state which was described above, No. 19; and the description will be repeated here on account of what follows:
While man is in the world, he is in the midst between hell and heaven: beneath is hell, and above is heaven; and he is kept in freedom to turn himself either to hell or to heaven. If he turns himself to hell, he turns away from heaven; but if he turns himself to heaven, he turns away from hell. Or, what is the same, while man is in the world, he stands in the midst between the Lord and the devil, and is kept in freedom to turn himself either to the one or to the other. If he turns himself to the devil, he turns away from the Lord; but if he turns himself to the Lord, he turns away from the devil. Or, what is the same, while man is in the world, he is in the midst between evil and good, and is kept in freedom to turn himself either to the one or to the other. If he turns himself to evil, he turns away from good; but if he turns himself to good, he turns away from evil.
This is No. 19 above. See also Nos. 20-22 which follow there.
69. As the kinds of murder mentioned above lie inwardly hidden in man from his birth, as has been said, and at the same time thefts of every kind, and false witness of every kind, together with the concupiscences for them (of which we shall speak farther on), it is evident that unless the Lord provided means of reformation, a man must perish everlastingly. The means of reformation provided by the Lord are as follows: That man is born into total ignorance; that when newly born he is kept in a state of external innocence; a little after in a state of external charity; and later in a state of external friendship; but in proportion as he comes into the exercise of thought from his own understanding, he is kept in a certain freedom of acting according to reason. This is the state that has been described above (n. 19), and the description shall be here repeated for the sake of what is to follow:
So long as a man is in this world he is midway between hell and heaven; hell is below him, and heaven is above him; and he is kept in freedom to turn himself to either the one or the other; if he turns to hell he turns away from heaven; if he turns to heaven he turns away from hell. Or what is the same, so long as a man is in this world he stands midway between the Lord and the devil, and is kept in freedom to turn himself to either the one or the other; if he turns to the devil he turns away from the Lord; if he turns to the Lord he turns away from the devil. Or what is again the same, so long as a man is in this world he is midway between evil and good, and is kept in freedom to turn himself to either the one or the other; if he turns to evil he turns away from good; if he turns to good he turns away from evil. (See also what follows this, n. 20-22.)
69. Quoniam supra dicta homicidiorum genera latent intus apud hominem ex nativitate, ut dictum est, et simul omnis generis furta, et omnis generis falsa testimonia, cum concupiscentiis ad illa, de quibus infra dicendum est, patet, quod nisi Dominus proviserit media reformationis, homo non posset non in aeternum perire. Media reformationis, quae Dominus provisit, sunt haec: quod homo nascatur in meram ignorantiam; quod recens natus teneatur in statu innocentiae externae, post paulum in statu charitatis externae, et dein in statu amicitiae externae; sed sicut in cogitationem ex suo intellectu venit, tenetur in quodam libero agendi secundum rationem: hic status est qui supra (19) descriptus est, et hic reassumendus propter sequentia, viz.:-
"Homo, quamdiu est in mundo, in medio est inter infernum et caelum; infra est infernum et supra est caelum; et tunc tenetur in libero convertendi se aut ad infernum aut ad caelum: si se convertit ad infernum, avertit se a caelo; si autem convertit se ad caelum, avertit se ab inferno. Seu quod idem est, homo quamdiu est in mundo, in medio stat inter Dominum et diabolum, ac tenetur in libero convertendi se ad unum aut ad alterum; si se convertit ad diabolum, avertit se a Domino; si autem convertit se ad Dominum, avertit se a diabolo. Seu quod idem est, homo quamdiu in mundo est, in medio est inter malum et bonum, et tenetur in libero convertendi se aut ad unum aut ad alterum; si se convertit ad malum, avertit se a bono; si autem convertit se ad bonum, avertit se a malo."
Haec supra, 19; videantur etiam 20-22, quae ibi sequuntur.