23.首先，这一点从前一章，即天堂和地狱皆来自人类的说明和解释可推知；其次从以下事实可推知：世上的生活结束之后，每个人都会活到永远。第三，这意味着自创世之初以来，所有曾生而为人且已离世者要么在天堂，要么在地狱。第四，由于今后所有将要出生的人也会进入灵界，所以显而易见，灵界规模庞大，并且具有这样的性质，各个星球上的人所住的自然界根本无法与之相比。但为了更好地感知、更清楚地明白这一切，我将逐一阐述并描述这几点。
23. All Humans without Exception Who Have Been Born and Have Died since the Beginning of Creation Are either in Heaven or in Hell
First of all, this follows from what was said and explained in the preceding chapter, namely, that heaven and hell come from humankind. Second, it follows from the fact that after life in the physical world everyone goes on living to eternity. Third, this means that every human who has ever been born and has died since the creation of the world is either in heaven or in hell. 1Fourth, since everyone who is going to be born from now on is also going to enter the spiritual world, clearly that world is so extraordinary in both size and nature that this physical world, where people live on various planets, cannot be compared to it.
To give a better feel for this and a clearer view of it, I would like to present and develop these points one at a time.
Footnotes:
1. The statement that every human who has died is either in heaven or in hell is only a partial summary of Swedenborg's views. In other passages he makes clear that people who have died initially live in an area between heaven and hell called “the world of spirits.” However, this is only a temporary state. Once they have been in the world of spirits for the equivalent of anywhere from a few days to a few decades, all people then move on to their permanent home either in heaven or in hell. The point of Swedenborg's absolute statement here is that no one who has died is waiting for some universal Last Judgment, nor is there some separately created race of angels and devils populating heaven and hell, but all people who have died, without exception, have already moved on to the spiritual world, where they collectively constitute the population both of heaven and of hell. For more on the world of spirits and the stages people go through after death before reaching their final home either in heaven or in hell, see Heaven and Hell 421-535. [LSW]
23. IV. ALL PEOPLE WHO HAVE EVER BEEN BORN SINCE THE BEGINNING OF CREATION AND HAVE DIED ARE IN HEAVEN OR IN HELL.
This is the consequence, first of the statements and demonstrations of the last chapter, showing that heaven and hell are from the human race. Secondly, from the fact that after his life in the world everyone lives for ever. Thirdly, it follows that all people who have ever been born from the creation of the world and have died are either in heaven or in hell. Fourthly, since all who will be born hereafter will also come into the spiritual world, it follows that this is in size and nature beyond comparison with the natural world in which people on earth live. In order to make the perception of all these statements more exact and their truth more obvious, I should like to explain and describe them one by one.
23. IV. ALL WHO HAVE BEEN BORN MEN FROM THE BEGINNING OF CREATION, AND ARE DECEASED, ARE EITHER IN HEAVEN OR IN HELL.
I. This follows from what has been said and shown in the preceding article, namely, that heaven and hell are from the human race.
II. And from this, that every man after the life in the world, lives to eternity.
III. Thus all who have ever been born men from the creation of the world, and are deceased, are either in heaven or in hell.
IV. Since all who will be born hereafter, will also come into the spiritual world, that world is so vast, and is such that the natural world, in which are men on earth, cannot be compared with it.
But in order that all these things may be the more distinctly perceived, and more plainly evident, I will expound and describe them one by one.
23. (IV.) QUOD OMNES QUOTCUNQUE NATI SUNT HOMINES A PRINCIPIO CREATIONIS, ET DEFUNCTI, SINT IN CAELO VEL IN INFERNO.
Hoc Primo consequitur ex illis quae dicta et ostensa sunt in articulo praecedente, quod nempe caelum et infernum sint ex humano genere. Secundo ex eo, quod omnis homo post vitam in mundo vivat in aeternum. Tertio, quod sic omnes qui usque nati sunt homines a creatione mundi, et defuncti, sint vel in caelo vel in inferno. Quarto, quia omnes qui nascentur posthac, etiam venturi sunt in mundum spiritualem, quod is mundus tantus sit et talis ut ei mundus naturalis, in quo sunt homines in terris, non aequiparari possit. Sed ut haec omnia distinctius percipiantur, et evidentius pateant, velim ea singillatim exponere et describere.