304.属天的平安防止恶与假从地狱升腾上来攻击我们，它在很多方面好比属世的平安。例如，战争后的平安，这时每个人的生活得到保护，免受敌人侵害，安全地住在他的城镇、房子、庄园和花园中；如先知以属世的方式论及属天的平安时所说的：
人人都要坐在自己葡萄树下和无花果树下，无人惊吓。（弥迦书4:4；以赛亚书65:21，22，23）
它还好比作艰苦工作后的精神放松和休息；或好比作母亲分娩后的慰藉，此时其母爱会带来它的快乐。又好比风暴、乌云和雷电后的好天气；好比严冬结束后的春天，此时田野中的新作物茁壮成长，花园、草地和森林中百花盛开，植物茂盛；同样好比那些在海上经历风暴和危险后抵达港口、踏上所渴望的陆地之人的精神状态。
304. 屬天的平安是與地獄有關的平安, 因為這種平安是邪惡與偽謬不再由地獄起來反抗並侵入的平安。屬天的平安, 可從多方面來與屬世的平安作對比。例如, 好比世上戰爭之後的平安, 人人脫離敵人並受保護而安全地生活, 安然居住在自己的城市,家中, 擁有自己的土地和花園。正如先知以屬世的語言來描述這種屬天的平安:人人都要坐在自己葡萄樹下和無花果樹下, 無人驚嚇(彌迦書4:4;以賽亞書65:21-23)。
還可比作勞累工作後精神的鬆弛和休息; 又或比作母親產子後的慰藉, 此時本能的母愛帶來的愉悅之情。另外, 又好比風暴,烏雲和雷電交加後的安寧; 又或嚴冬後的春天, 田野,花園,草地和森林中百花盛開, 植物茂盛; 又好比經歷風暴和海難危險之後, 人們抵達港口, 踏上渴望之地時的精神狀態。
304. Heavenly peace is peace in relation to the hells - a peace because evils and falsities will not rise up from there and break in. Heavenly peace can be compared in many ways to earthly peace. For example, it can be compared to the peace after wars when all are living in safety from their enemies, protected in their own city, in their house, with their own land and garden. It is as the prophet says, who speaks of heavenly peace in earthly language:
They will each sit under their own vine and their own fig tree; no one will frighten them. (Micah 4:4; Isaiah 65:21-23)
Heavenly peace can be compared to rest and recreation for the mind after working extremely hard, or to a mother's consolation after giving birth, when her instinctive parental love unveils its pleasures. It can be compared to the serenity after storms, black clouds, and thunder; or to the spring that follows a severe winter, with the uplifting effect of seedlings in the fields and blossoms in the gardens, meadows, and woods; or to the state of mind felt by survivors of storms or hostilities at sea who reach port and set their feet on longed-for solid ground.
304. Heavenly peace, which prevents evils and falsities rising up from the hells and assaulting us, can be compared with natural peace in many respects, For instance, the peace which follows wars, when everyone lives protected from enemies, safe in his town and in his house, his estates and gardens; as the prophet said speaking in natural fashion about heavenly peace:
They will sit each man under his vine and under his fig-tree, unafraid, Micah 4:4; Isaiah 65:21-23.
It can also be compared with mental relaxation and rest after hard work; or with the solace mothers experience after childbirth, when their maternal love 1 affords its delights. Another comparison might be with fine weather after storms, black clouds and thunder; and with spring at the end of a severe winter, and the flourishing of new crops in the fields, and the gardens, meadows and woods bursting into flower. It can equally be compared with the state of mind of those who after storms and dangers on the sea reach harbour, and set foot on the land they hoped for.
Footnotes:
1. Or the love called storge.
304. Heavenly peace, which, in respect to the hells, is that evils and falsities shall not rise up from them and break forth, may be compared in many respects with natural peace; as with peace after war, when everyone is secure from enemies and is safe in his own city and home and living in his own fields and garden. This is as the prophet said when he spoke naturally of heavenly peace:
They shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig-tree, and none shall make them afraid (Micah 4:4; Isaiah 65:21-23).
It may also be compared to recreations of mind and to rest after severe labor, and to the consolation felt by mothers after childbirth, when their parental love (called storge) manifests its delights. It may also be compared with serenity after tempests, black clouds, and thunders; also with spring, after a terrible winter has passed, and with the gladdening influences from the new growths in the fields and the blossoming in the gardens, meadows, and woods; and again with the state of mind experienced by those who, after storms and dangers on the sea, reach a port and set foot on the longed-for land.
304. Heavenly peace, which is protection against the hells, lest evils and falsities should arise from them and assail man, may be compared, in many respects, to a state of natural peace. It is like the peace which follows war, when every man enjoys security against his enemies, and lives in safety in his own city, in his own home, and in his own fields and gardens; or as the Prophet has expressed it when speaking in natural terms of heavenly peace,
"They shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig-tree; and none shall make them afraid" Micah 4:4; Isaiah 65:21, 23.
It may also be likened to recreation of the mind, and rest after heavy toil; and to the consolation mothers feel after they have brought forth, when their mother love begins to manifest its delights. It may be likened also to the calm after storms, dark clouds and thunder; and to spring after the close of a severe winter, when the lands seem to express their joy in the tender shoots, and the gardens, fields and woods, in their buds and blossoms. It may also be compared to the state of mind of those who, after storms and dangers at sea, reach port and set foot on the longed-for land.
304. Pax coelestis, quae est pro Infernis, ne mala et falsa inde assurgant et invadant, comparari potest cum Pace naturali in multis, sicut cum Pace post bella quando quisque in securitate pro hostibus, et tutus in sua urbe, in sua domo, inque suis praediis et hortis vivit, est sicut dixit Propheta, ubi de Pace coelesti naturaliter loquitur, Sedebunt vir sub Vite sua et sub ficu sua, non terrens, Micham 4:4; Esaias 65:21-22, 23. Comparari etiam potest cum recreationibus animi, et quietibus post graves labores. Cum Solatiis matrum post partus, quando amor illarum storge vocatus manifestat sua jucunda. Comparari etiam potest cum Serenitate post tempestates, nubes atras, et tonitrua: et quoque 1 cum Vere post exactam horridam hyemem, et tunc cum laetificatione ex novellis in agris, et ex efflorescentiis in hortis, campis et sylvis. Pariter cum Statu mentium apud illos, qui post procellas et pericula in mari attingunt portum, et mittunt pedes in exspectatam terram.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: quoquae.