169、一个人在省察自己，承认自己的罪，并切实悔改后，就必须坚定地持守在良善中，直到生命结束。因为他以后若重新陷入以前的罪恶生活，并欣然接受它，就会犯亵渎罪，因为那时，他将邪恶和良善结合在了一起。因此，他末后的境况比先前更糟糕，正如主所说的：
污灵从人里面出来，走遍干旱之地，寻求安歇，却寻不着。于是说，我要回到我所出来的屋里去。到了，就看见里面空闲，打扫干净，修饰好了，便去另带了七个比自己更恶的灵来，都进去住在那里。那人末后的景况比先前更不好了。（马太福音12:43-45）
至于何谓亵渎，可参看下文（172节）。
169、当人省察自己，承认自己的罪，并且切实悔改后，他必须持守良善不变直到生命终结。因为如果他后来恢复以前的邪恶生活并且欣然接受它，他就是在亵渎，因为他那时把邪恶和良善相掺合。于是他末后的境况比之前的更糟，正如主的圣言所说：
污鬼离了人身，就在无水之地，过来过去，寻求安歇之处，却寻不着。于是说：‘我要回到我所出来的屋里去’。到了，就看见里面空闲，打扫干净，修饰好了，便去另带了七个比自己更恶的鬼来，都进去住在那里。那人末后的景况比先前更不好了。（马太福音12:43-45）
摘自《属天的奥秘》：
169. After we have examined ourselves, acknowledged our sins, and repented of them, we must for the rest of our lives remain constant in our devotion to doing what is good. If instead we backslide into our former evil life and embrace it again, then we commit profanation because we are then joining evil and goodness together. 1This makes our latter state worse than our former one, according to the Lord's words:
When an unclean spirit goes out of someone, it wanders through dry places seeking rest, but finds none. Then it says, "I will go back to my house, the house I left. " When the spirit comes and finds the house empty, swept, and decorated for it, then it goes and recruits seven other spirits worse than itself, and they come in and live there, and the latter times of that person become worse than the first. (Matthew 12:43, 44, 45)
For what profanation is, see below [172].
Footnotes:
1. Profanation, as Swedenborg defines it, is taking the good and true things of the church, which are holy in themselves, and distorting them for selfish and materialistic ends, such as gaining personal wealth and power. It necessarily involves denying truths previously known, though those who do profane them may think of themselves as believing the truth; those who are simply ignorant of spiritual truth cannot profane it. In Swedenborg's theology, those who commit profanation are in the lowest and harshest hells because they have mixed good and truth with evil and falsity, and the fundamental conflict between these opposites tears people apart from the inside out, destroying much of their life in the process. This concept of profanation has echoes in Bible passages such as 2 Peter 2:21, which reads: "It would have been better for them [the evil] never to have known the way of righteousness than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment that was passed on to them" (New Revised Standard Version). See also John 5:14; 12:40, which are mentioned in New Jerusalem 172[2], as well as Matthew 12:43-45; 13:13; Luke 8:10. Given this biblical underpinning, it is not surprising that the concept is not unique to Swedenborgian theology. Compare, for example, Aquinas Summa Theologiae 2:2:10:6 (= Aquinas 2012, 17:100-101). For an extensive list of references to Secrets of Heaven on profaners and profanation, see New Jerusalem 172. Particularly useful passages include Secrets of Heaven 1008, 1327, 2357, 3398; and see also Divine Providence 221-233. For more on the condition of profaners in hell after death, see Secrets of Heaven 6348[3], 6959, 10287; Divine Providence 226; Revelation Explained (= Swedenborg 1994-1997a) 1047:3, 1050:2, 1055:4, 1059:2, 1063:3. [LSW, SS]
169. After looking closely at ourselves, recognizing our faults, and regretting them, we should stay firm in our good habits for the rest of our lives. If we backslide into our former harmful life and adopt it again, we corrupt ourselves by combining destructive and good things. We are then worse off than we were before, as the Lord said:
When a dirty spirit leaves someone, he travels through dry places searching for a place to rest, but does not find one. Then he says, “I will go back to my house, which I left.” When he gets back, he finds it vacant, swept out, and furnished for him. So he goes and gets seven other spirits who are even worse than he is, and they move into the house and live there. So the person ends out worse off than he was before. (Matthew 12:43-45)
169. After examining himself, acknowledging his sins and repenting a person must remain steadfast in a state of good right to the end of his life. For if he then slips back into his previous evil life, and embraces this, then he commits profanation by combining evil with good. His condition is then worse afterwards than it was before, as the Lord said:
When an unclean spirit leaves a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but does not find it. Then it says, I shall return to the home which I left. And when it comes and finds it empty, swept and made ready for itself, then it goes away and takes into its company seven other spirits worse than itself, and they go in and live there. And that person's last state is worse than his first. Matthew 12:43-45.
169. After a man has examined himself, and acknowledged his sins, and after he has practised repentance, he ought to continue steadfastly in good, even to the end of his life. For should he afterwards relapse into his former life of evil, and embrace it, he becomes the subject of profanation; because he then conjoins evil with good; wherefore his latter state becomes worse than the former; according to these words of the Lord (Matthew 12:43-45), "When the unclean spirit goeth out of a man, he passeth through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth it not. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out: and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter in and dwell there; and the last state of that man becometh worse than the first." What is meant by profanation, may be seen in what follows.
169. After a man has explored himself, and acknowledged his sins, and has done the work of repentance, he must remain constant in good even to the end of life. For if he afterwards relapses into his former life of evil and embraces it, he then profanes, for he then conjoins evil with good; whence his latter state becomes worse than his former, according to the words of the Lord:
When the unclean spirit goes out from a man, he walks through dry places, seeking rest, but doth not find; then he saith, I will return into my house whence I went out; and when he cometh and findeth it empty, and swept, and adorned for him, then he goeth away, and adjoineth to himself seven other spirits worse than himself, and, entering in, they dwell there, and the latter things of the man become worse than the first (Matt. 12:43-45).
169. Postquam homo se exploraverat, et agnoverat sua peccata, et paenitentiam egerat, manebit constans in bono usque ad finem vitae; si enim dein relabitur in vitam mali priorem et hanc amplectitur, tunc profanat, nam tunc malum conjungit bono; inde status ejus posterior fit pejor priori; secundum Domini verba,
"Quando..immundus spiritus edit ab homine, perambulat arentia loca, quaerens requiem sed non invenit; tunc dicit, Revertar in domum meam, unde exivi; cumque venit et reperit illam vacuam, et scopis purgatam, et ornatam sibi, tunc abit et adjungit sibi septem alios spiritus pejores se, et ingressi habitant ibi; et fiunt posteriora hominis pejora primis" (Matthaeus 12:43-45).
Quid profanatio, videatur in subsequentibus.