441.而那些在行为中视回报为根本目的者的情形就截然不同了。他们就象为了获利而交友、并貌似发自内心送出礼物、提供服务、表白友情的那类人。但是，一旦没能获得所期待的好处，他们扭头就走，断绝友情，加入前朋友的仇敌和诋毁者之列。他们也象为了工资才喂养婴孩的奶妈，她们当着父母的面亲吻和爱抚婴孩，而一旦得不到最好的食物和丝毫的报酬，就会疏于照顾，粗鲁地对待和打骂他们，对他们的哭喊一笑置之。
他们还象那些出于我欲和物欲的爱国者。这种人声称他们愿意为自己的国家贡献财富和生命；然而，若得不到名利的赏赐，他们就会诋毁自己的国家，甚至与敌人勾结。他们还象只为工资牧养羊群的牧人；若工资未按时发放，他们就会利用自己的权杖把羊群赶离草场，驱入旷野。他们又象仅仅为了薪俸履行职责的牧师；显然，他们根本不关心自己负责引导的灵魂的救赎；他们行善并非为了大众利益，而是为了出于我欲和物欲的乐趣，这就是他们生命的气息和唯一认可的良善。诸如此类的其他他大同小异，激发他们的目的完全居于主导地位，属于职务的居间原因若无助于这目的，就会被撇弃。
这就是那些在关乎救赎的事上要求得到回报之人的情形。死后，他们自信满满，要求进入天堂；但当被发现毫无爱主之心，也毫无爱邻之心时，他们就被送去接受关于仁和信的教导。若拒绝接受教导，他们就被逐出去，加入同类的行列，其中有些人会向神发怒，因为他们没有得到回报，并称信纯粹是虚构的理由。他们就是圣言中“雇工”所指的那类人；他们被分配在教堂庭院从事最卑微的服务。从远处观之，他们看似正在劈木头。
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441. 而那些視報答為做事的主要目的者, 情況就截然不同了。他們就像那些為了獲利而著手一段友誼; 他們贈送禮物, 做好事, 並看似發自內似地表達他們的愛; 然而當他們得不到期望的利益, 就會與對方反目和斷交, 甚至加入到敵對與貶損者之列。
他們就像為了賺錢來餵養嬰孩的奶媽。當孩子的父母在場時,
他們會親吻和愛撫嬰孩; 然而一旦他們沒吃到好伙食或得到預期的回報, 就會疏忽孩子, 粗魯地待他們, 打孩子, 孩子哭時笑而不理。
[2]他們還像那些出自於愛自己與愛世界而大發愛國主義者。他們聲稱希望國家幸福, 並願為國而活; 然而當他們未能成功獲得榮耀與財富的回報時, 他們就會誹謗自己的國家, 甚至與敵國結盟。
他們也像那些為了工錢而照顧羊群的牧人。如果未能按時領到工錢, 就用杖將羊群趕離草場, 驅入荒野。為薪水而工作的神職人員就像這樣的牧人。得救的指南在他們掌控之中, 但很明顯, 他們並不在意靈魂的得救。
[3]只關心自己從職務中獲得地位與收入的地方官也是如此。他們行善, 並非為了公眾福利, 而是出自於愛自己與愛世界的快樂, 這是他們生命的氣息, 是他們認可的唯一之善。刺激他們的目標完全占統治地位, 説明達到目標的手段若未能説明他們達到目標時, 就會被拋棄。
[4]人們尋求得救作為回報, 覺得這是他們應得的, 他們的情形也差不多。死後, 他們極有信心能上天國。然而, 當他們被發現毫無對上帝的愛, 並且根本不愛鄰舍時, 就被送去接受關於義與信的教導。倘若他們拒絕這些教導, 就被驅逐到他們的同類之中。有些人會對上帝大發雷霆, 因為他們未得到回報; 還稱信仰為空想的虛構之物。
這便是聖言中被稱為"雇工"之人表示的意思, 他們被分配在聖殿門前的院子裡從事最卑微形式的服務。在靈界隔遠看他們, 這些人如同劈開的木頭。
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441. It is completely different for people who focus on getting a reward as the primary goal of what they do. They are like those who strike up a friendship to get money; they give gifts, do favors, and profess their love as if it were heartfelt, but when they do not get what they were hoping for, they turn their backs, drop the friendship, and join up with the others enemies and detractors.
They are like wet nurses who breastfeed babies only for the money. While the parents are looking, they kiss the babies and stroke them, but as soon as they are unsatisfied with the quality of the food they are given or do not get paid whatever they ask, they reject the babies, treat them roughly, beat them, and laugh at their crying.
[2] They are like people who focus on their country because they love themselves and the world. They say they intend the country's well-being and are devoting their lives to it, but if they do not receive promotions and wealth as rewards, they bad-mouth the country and become allies with its enemies.
They are like shepherds who take care of sheep only because of the money. If they do not get their money on time, they take their staffs and drive the sheep off the pasture into the wilderness. Priests who perform their duties only for the stipend involved are like these shepherds. Clearly, they do not care at all about the salvation of the souls that are under their care and guidance.
[3] It is the same with government officials who focus only on the status and the income from their job. When they do something good, it is not for the public good but for the pleasure they take in loving themselves and the world, which they inhale as the only form of good.
The same sort of attitudes are possible in any line of work. The goal or purpose is the determining factor throughout. If the means employed in a given pursuit fail to achieve the goal, they are abandoned.
[4] People who are looking for the reward of salvation that they feel they deserve behave similarly. After death they demand heaven with tremendous confidence. Once it is discovered that they have no love for God or their neighbor, they are sent to teachers who instruct them about faith and goodwill. If they reject what they are taught, they are exiled to be with people like themselves, some of whom are enraged at God because they have not been given their rewards. They call faith a figment of the imagination.
These are the people who are meant in the Word by "hired workers," who were given extremely menial jobs in the entrances to the Temple. From a distance [in the spiritual world] these people look as if they are splitting logs.
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441. The case is quite different with those who regard the reward for their deeds as their aim. They resemble those who embark on friendship for what they can get out of it, and send presents, perform services and give evidence of heartfelt friendship; but when they do not get what they hoped for, they turn their backs, declare the friendship is at an end, and join the ranks of their enemies and detractors. They are like wet-nurses, who only feed babies for pay, and so long as the parents are watching kiss and fondle them; but as soon as they are not given the best food and rewarded at the slightest whim, they neglect the babies, treat them harshly and beat them, laughing at their crying.
[2] They are also like those whose patriotism springs from love of self and the world; they say they are willing to give their fortunes and their lives for their country, yet if they do not succeed in getting honours and wealth as a reward, they speak ill of their country and ally themselves to its enemies. They are also like shepherds, who only tend their sheep for pay; and if this is late in being paid, they use their staff to drive the sheep from the pastureland into the desert. They are like priests who perform their duties only for the stipends attached to them; it is plain that they care nothing for the salvation of the souls whose guidance is put in their charge.
[3] It is much the same with people holding magistracies, who only have regard to the rank and income attached to their office; when they do good, it is not for the public good, but for the pleasure that comes of love of self and the world, which is the breath of life to them and the only good they recognise. It is very similar with others of this sort; the aim which motivates them is totally dominant, and the intermediate causes, which belong to their office, are dismissed if they do not assist that aim.
[4] Such is the case with those who demand a reward as earned in matters relating to salvation. After death they with great confidence demand to go to heaven; but when they have been found to possess no love at all to God and none at all towards the neighbour, they are sent to be instructed about charity and faith. If they reject this teaching, they are banished to join people like them, among whom are some who are angry with God, because they have not been rewarded, and call faith an item standing to their credit. These are the people who are meant in the Word by hired labourers; they are assigned to the most menial forms of service in church courtyards. Seen from a distance they appear to be splitting wood.
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441. It is wholly different with those who regard reward as the essential end in their works. These are like such as form friendships for the sake of gain, and who make presents, perform services, and profess love seemingly from the heart, but when they fail to obtain what they hoped for, they turn about, renounce their friendship, and devote themselves to the enemies of their former friends and to those who hate them. They are also like nurses who suckle infants merely for wages, and in presence of their parents kiss and fondle them; but as soon as they cease to be fed with delicacies and rewarded just as they wish, they turn against the infants, treat them harshly, beat them, and laugh at their cries.
[2] They are also like those whose regard for their country springs from love of self and the world, and who say that they are willing to give their property and their lives for it; and yet, if they do not acquire honors and riches as rewards, they speak ill of their country, and connect themselves with its enemies. They are also like shepherds who care for sheep merely for hire, and if the hire is not given when they wish it, drive the sheep with their crook from the pasture to the desert. Like these again are priests who discharge the duties of their office solely for the sake of the emoluments attached to them, and who, evidently, regard as of little account the salvation of the souls over whom they have been placed as guides.
[3] It is the same with magistrates who look only to the dignity of their office and its revenues; and when they do right, it is not for the sake of the public good, but for the sake of the delight in the love of self and the world, which delight they breathe in as the only good. It is the same with all the rest; the end in view carries every point, and the mediate causes pertaining to the function are renounced if they do not promote the end.
[4] And the same is true of those who demand reward on the ground of merit in matters of salvation. Such after death confidently demand heaven; but when it has been found that they have no love to God or love towards the neighbor, they are sent back to those who can instruct them concerning charity and faith; and if they repudiate their instructions, they are sent away to their like, among whom are some who are enraged against God because they do not obtain rewards, and who call faith a mere figment of reason. Such are meant in the Word by "hirelings," who were allotted service of the lowest kind in the outer courts of the temple. At a distance they appear to be splitting wood.
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441. It is quite different with those who regard reward in what they do as the end itself. They resemble those who form friendships for the sake of gain; and who also make presents, perform services, and give proofs of seemingly heart-felt love. Yet when they are disappointed in their expectations, they turn round, renounce the obligations of friendship, and join the enemies and haters of their former friend. They are like nurses, who suckle infants merely for wages, and who kiss and fondle them when in the sight of their parents. When, however, their own fare and remuneration do not prove to be as lavish as they might wish, they neglect the infants, and treat them harshly, even beating them and laughing at their tears.
[2] They are, moreover, like those who regard their country from the love of self and the world, and who declare they are ready to give their fortunes and life itself for it. Yet if they do not receive honors and riches as rewards, they defame their country, and take part with its enemies. They are also like shepherds who feed their sheep only for hire; and if they do not receive their wages when they consider they are due, they use their staff to drive the flock into the wilderness. Resembling these are priests who perform their ministerial duties merely for the emoluments attached to them: clearly they care nothing for the salvation of the souls committed to their charge.
[3] The case is the same with those magistrates who look only to the honors and rewards attached to their office. When they do good it is not for the sake of the public welfare, but for the sake of selfish and worldly gratifications, which they consider the only good.
The same might be said of all others who are grounded in selfish and worldly love; for the end they have in view is to them of supreme importance, and subsidy considerations, which are necessary for the due performance of their office, if they do not promote that end, are completely ignored.
[4] The same holds good with those who demand reward for merit in the matter of salvation: after death with great assurance they demand admittance to heaven. When, however, it has been ascertained that they have no love to God and none towards the neighbor, they are sent to those who give instruction in charity and faith. If they reject this teaching, they are removed to the company of persons like themselves, among whom some are angry with God because they do not receive their rewards, and who call faith a product of the reason. In the Word these are meant by the hirelings to whom were assigned the most menial services in the courts of the Temple. At a distance they appear like hewers of wood.
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441. Aliter prorsus illi qui mercedem in operibus ut ipsum finem spectant; hi similes sunt illis, qui amicitiam ineunt propter lucrationes, et quoque dona mittunt, officia praestant, amorem testantur sicut ex corde, et cum sperata non obtinent, avertunt se, et amicitiae renuntiant, ac inimicis et osoribus ejus se addicant. Et sunt sicut 1 Nutrices, quae pro mercede 2 solum lactant infantes, et in conspectu parentum osculantur et palpant illos, at vero ut primum non delicate nutriuntur et ad omnem nutum remunerantur, infantes rejiciunt, duriter tractant et verberant, ridentes ad fletus 3 illorum.
[2] Sunt etiam sicut qui spectant Patriam ex amore sui et mundi, et dicunt se velle bona sua et vitam suam pro illa impendere, et tamen si non aucupant honores et opes ut praemia, male de illa loquuntur, et adjungunt se hostibus ejus: sunt quoque sicut Pastores, qui solum propter mercedem pascunt oves, quam si non suo tempore recipiunt, baculo suo a pascuo in desertum abigunt: similes his sunt Sacerdotes, qui sui ministerii debita solum propter census illis addictos praestant; quod hi flocci pendant salutem animarum, quibus ut ductores praefecti sunt, patet.
[3] Simile est cum Magistratus personis, qui modo spectant ad dignitatem functionis suae et ad reditus; hi dum bonum faciunt, non est propter bonum publicum, sed propter jucundum amoris sui et mundi, quod illi ut unicum bonum respirant: parile est cum reliquis; finis enim propter quem, omne punctum fert, et causae mediae, quae sunt functionis, si non promovent finem, renuntiantur.
[4] Simile est cum illis, qui mercedem ex merito in rebus salutis poscunt; hi post mortem magno animo postulant Coelum, at postquam inventi sunt, quod nihil amoris in Deum, et nihil amoris erga proximum possideant, remittuntur ad illos qui de Charitate et Fide illos instruant, quorum doctrinalia si repudiant, ablegantur ad similes, inter quos aliqui sunt, qui irascuntur Deo, quia non reportant praemia, et Fidem vocant ens rationis. Sunt illi qui in Verbo intelliguntur per Mercenarios, quibus addicta sunt servitia infimae sortis in Atriis Templi: apparent e longinquo sicut findentes ligna.
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