455.下面有关地狱和天堂的简要描述有助于说明恶人的内在人和善人的内在人各自是何性质，因为恶人的内在人与地狱魔鬼结合，而善人的内在人与天堂天人结合。地狱出于其爱而沉溺于一切邪恶的乐趣，如仇恨、报复、杀戮的乐趣，劫掠和偷盗的乐趣，诅咒与亵渎的乐趣，以及否认神的存在和亵渎圣言的乐趣。这些乐趣全都隐藏在人的欲望当中，以致他没有反思它们。这些乐趣使他的欲望燃烧起来，如同点燃的火把，这就是圣言中地狱之火所指的。然而，天堂的乐趣是爱邻爱神的乐趣。
由于地狱的乐趣与天堂的乐趣完全对立，所以它们之间有一条巨大的鸿沟。天堂的乐趣从上面灌注到这个鸿沟中，而地狱的乐趣则从下面涌入它里面。活在世上时，人就在这鸿沟的中间，以便他处于平衡中，从而自由地转向天堂或地狱。天堂里的人和地狱里的人之间所限定的“深渊”（路加福音16:26）指的就是这个鸿沟。
这些事实有助于证实恶人当中爱的友谊是何性质。就外在人而言，它是装腔作势，假装道德，以便布下网罗，寻找机会满足其爱的乐趣，其内在人则因这乐趣而灼烧。只有对法律的畏惧，以及由此对其名声和生命的畏惧能拦住他们，制止他们的行为。所以，他们的友谊就像糖里的蜘蛛，面包里的蝰蛇，蜂蜜蛋糕中的幼鳄，草丛中的蛇。
这就是恶人与每个人的友谊。不过，在那些认同邪恶的人，诸如小偷、强盗和海盗当中，只要他们齐心合意去掠夺，友谊就是亲密的；因为这时他们会象亲兄弟那样彼此拥抱，一起大吃大喝，唱歌跳舞，合谋去毁灭其他人；然而，每个人内心看待自己的同伴，如同仇敌看待仇敌；狡猾的强盗甚至在自己的同伴身上看出这一点，因而很怕他。由此清楚可知，这种人之间没有友谊，只有无法消除的仇恨。
455a.凡未公开站在作恶者这一边，或去抢劫，相反，却象好公民那样过着文明道德的生活，以各种方式服务他人，然而没有遏制居于属世人的欲望之人，都以为他的友谊不是这样的。但我通过灵界众多例子确实得知，这类友谊不同程度地存在于所有拒绝信和藐视教会神圣事物，认为它们对自己一点也不重要，仅适用于普通百姓的人身上。其中有些人的地狱之爱的乐趣就像树皮包裹的阴燃原木中的火那样隐藏起来；有的像灰烬下的煤炭；有的则像被火点燃后燃烧起来的蜡烛等等。这就是每一个发自内心拒绝宗教事物之人。他们的内在人处于地狱，只要仍活在尘世（这时，他们由于外在所表现出的道德而未意识到这一点），除了自己和自己的子女外，他们不承认任何人为自己的邻舍。他们对待其他人要么心怀蔑视，这时他们就像伺机袭击巢中鸟儿的猫，要么心怀仇恨，这时他们就像注视着要吞食的狗的狼。作出以上陈述是为了通过仁爱的对立面来说明何为仁爱。
455. 下面關於地獄與天國的簡短描述有助於說明惡人的內在人如何, 以及好人的內在人如何。惡人的內在人與地獄中的惡魔交往, 而好人的內在人與天國中的天人交往。
因為各有所愛, 地獄享受一切種類的邪惡所帶來的快樂, 那就是憎恨,報復與殺戮之樂, 搶劫與偷盜之樂, 詛咒與褻瀆之樂, 否定上帝存在與褻瀆聖言之樂。這些快樂隱藏在一個人的渴望中, 他並未察覺。這些快樂點燃他的渴望, 如同點著火把。上面列舉的快樂就是聖言中"地獄之火"之所指。
而另一面, 天國中的快樂, 則是愛鄰舍的快樂與愛上帝的快樂。
[2]因為地獄之樂與天國之樂完全相反, 兩者之間有巨大的鴻溝。天國之樂由上澆注入這個鴻溝, 地獄之樂向上湧入這個鴻溝。當人活在物質世界時, 他處在這鴻溝之中, 以至於他能處於平衡狀態, 可以自由地轉向天國或者地獄。這道鴻溝就是聖言中所說的位於天國和地獄之間的"深淵"(路加福音16:26)。
[3]這些真相可以用來說明惡者之間建立的交心友誼的性質如何。關於外在人, 惡者假裝道德, 為的是擴張人際網路, 尋找潛在的機會, 以求享受他們內在人中燃燒著的渴望。只不過因為對法律制裁的畏懼, 因而擔心名聲不保和丟掉飯碗, 才約束和阻止他們付諸行動。因此他們的友誼就像食糖裡的蜘蛛, 麵包裡的毒蛇, 蜜糕裡的鱷魚崽, 香料裡的蛆蟲。
[4]惡者與任何人的友誼就像這樣。然而, 對於那些慣犯, 例如小偷,攔路響馬,海盜等, 只要他們的思想共同關注於偷盜的目標上, 他們的友誼可以親密如家人。如同兄弟間那樣, 他們互相擁抱, 彼此款待, 又唱又跳, 密謀去使他人破產。
但實際上, 在他們自己的至深處, 他們都視其夥伴們為敵。狡猾點的盜賊們甚至在他們的同伴中看出這種敵意, 因此分外提防。於是清楚得知, 他們之間並無友誼, 取而代之的是憎恨與敵意。
455A. 有些人並未公然站在罪犯一邊, 或幹偷盜的勾當, 反而過著道德的生活, 在各行各業服務; 但是他們並未勒住居於內在人之中的渴望。這類人可能相信他們的友誼並不像上段所述的那種友誼。
然而, 因為在靈界看到的太多例子, 讓我確切地知道這類友誼存在于惡人之間。所有拒絕信和藐視教會之人, 認為這些對自己無足輕重, 只適於普通百姓, 這些人之間不同程度上存在這樣的友誼。對他們而言, 地獄之愛的快感被掩藏著, 就像裡面陰燃的幹木, 外面還包著樹皮。有些掩藏的情形就像灰燼之下燃煤, 有些像遇火即燃的蠟炬, 以及其它的方式。
每一位從內心驅逐一切與信仰相關之事, 他們的本性就是如此。他們的內在人在地獄之中。當他們仍活在物質世界之中時, 因為他們外在模仿著道德的生活, 所以察覺不到自己的處境, 他們就不會接受除了自己和自己子女外的任何人為鄰舍。對其它人, 他們要麼輕視(在這樣的情形下, 他們像伏擊巢中之鳥的貓), 要麼憎恨(在此情形下, 他們就像看見羔羊便想吞食的狼)。
介紹以上這些觀點, 是為了從對立面來瞭解義的屬性。
455. What evil people are like in their inner self and what good people are like in theirs can be seen from the following brief description of hell and heaven: Evil people's inner selves are connected with devils in hell. Good people's inner selves are connected with angels in heaven.
Because of the loves it has, hell enjoys the pleasures of all kinds of evil; that is, the pleasure in hatred, in revenge, in killing; the pleasure in looting and stealing; the pleasure in verbal abuse and blasphemy; the pleasure in denying God and desecrating the Word. These pleasures lie hidden in cravings on which we do not reflect. Evil people burn with these pleasures like torches on fire. The pleasures just listed are what the Word means by hellfire.
The pleasures in heaven, on the other hand, are the pleasure in loving our neighbor and the pleasure in loving God.
[2] Since hell's pleasures are opposite to heavens, there is a huge gap between them. The pleasures of heaven flow down into this gap from above and the pleasures of hell flow up into it from below. While we are alive in the world we are in the middle of this gap so that we can stay in balance and in a state of freedom to turn ourselves toward heaven or toward hell. This gap is what is meant by the great gulf fixed between the people in heaven and those in hell (Luke 16:26).
[3] These points show us the nature of the bond of love between evil people. In their outer selves, evil people simulate morality in order to expand their social network and explore where a potential exists for enjoying the pleasures that they love and that set their inner selves on fire. The only thing holding them back and limiting their actions is fear of the law and fear for their reputation and their life. Their friendship then is like a spider in a sugar bowl, a viper in a loaf of bread, a baby crocodile in a honey-cake, or a worm in spices.
[4] This is the nature of the friendship that evil people extend to anyone. The friendship between blatantly evil people, such as thieves, robbers, and pirates, is like family, as long as their minds have come together to target something to steal. During that time they kiss each other like kin and enjoy each others company with dining, singing, dancing, and plotting someone else's ruin.
But in fact, deep inside themselves they all regard their companions as their enemies. Clever thieves see this enmity in their companions and are afraid of it. Clearly, then, there is no friendship between them; there is instead a deep hatred.
455b. There are people who have not openly associated with evildoers or practiced a life of thievery, and who have instead lived a moral and civic life to gain various benefits; yet they have not bridled the cravings that dwell in their inner self. Such people are capable of believing that their own friendships are not like those I have been describing.
Nevertheless, I know for a certainty that evil people have this type of friendship, because of the many examples I have observed in the spiritual world. It can be found to one degree or another in all people who reject faith and who scorn the church's holy practices as having no value for themselves, however much value they believe those practices may have for the general public. In some of these cases the enjoyment of hellish love lay hidden like fire smoldering in a dry log still covered by bark. In some cases it lay hidden like coals burning under the ashes. In some cases it lay hidden like wax torches that would readily burst into flame in the presence of fire. In other cases it was hidden in other ways.
This is the nature of all people who have rejected matters of religion from their heart. Their inner selves are in hell. As long as they are still alive in this world - unaware of their situation because of the morality they imitate on the outside - they do not recognize as their neighbor anyone but themselves and their own children. They look on others with either contempt (in which case they are like cats ready to ambush birds on the nest) or hatred (in which case they are like wolves who see dogs and devour them).
The point of including this was to make it possible to recognize the nature of goodwill through its opposite.
455. The following brief description of hell and heaven can serve to show what a wicked person is like in his internal man, and what a good person is like in his, for in the case of the wicked the internal man is linked with devils in hell, in the case of the good it is linked with angels in heaven. Hell as the result of its loves is devoted to the pleasures of all evils, that is, the pleasures of hatred, revenge, and slaughter, those of looting and stealing, those of cursing and blaspheming, those of denying the existence of God and profaning the Word. These all lie concealed in a person's longings, so that he does not reflect on them. These pleasures make his longings burn like lighted torches, and this is what is meant in the Word by hell fire. But the pleasures of heaven are those of love towards the neighbour and of love to God.
[2] Since the pleasures of hell are the opposites of the pleasures of heaven, there is a great gap between them; the pleasures of heaven pour down from above into this gap, those of hell well up into it from below. While a person is alive in the world he is in the middle of the gap, so that he can be in equilibrium, and so free to turn either to heaven or to hell. It is this gap which is meant by the 'great gulf' fixed between those in heaven and those in hell (Luke 16:26).
[3] These facts can serve to establish what a bosom friendship is like between the wicked. As regards the external man it is accompanied by gestures and mimicry, and makes a pretence of morality, for the purpose of spreading its nets and looking to see where there is a chance of enjoying the pleasures of its loves, which burn hot in their internal man. It is only fear of the law, and as a result fear for one's reputation and way of life, which restrains and prevents them from acting thus. So their friendship resembles a spider in the sugar, a viper in the bread, a young crocodile in a honey-cake, and a snake in the grass.
[4] The friendship of the wicked with anyone is like this. But between those who are confirmed villains, as between thieves, highwaymen and pirates, friendship is close, so long as they are in full agreement in gloating over their robberies; then they embrace one another like brothers, entertain one another with feasts, singing and dancing, and conspire to ruin others. In fact each deep within himself looks on his companion as an enemy does an enemy. The cunning robber even sees this in his companion, and is afraid of him. It is plain from this that between such people there is no friendship, but implacable hatred.
455A 1 Anyone who has not openly sided with wrongdoers and taken to robbery, but who has led a moral life as a good citizen, aiming to be of service in various ways, without, however, restraining the longings which reside in the natural man, might believe that his friendship is not like this. But I have been allowed to know for certain as the result of many instances in the spiritual world that friendship is like this, more or less, with all who have rejected faith and despised the holy things of the church, thinking them of no consequence for themselves, but only for the common people. In the case of some of them the pleasures of hellish love lay hidden like fire in smouldering logs covered with bark; with some like burning coals under ash; with some like wax tapers which burst into flame at the touch of a light; with some in other ways. That is what everyone is like who banishes from his heart everything to do with religion. Their internal man is in hell, and so long as they live in the world - when they are unaware of it on account of the semblance of morality they display in externals - they do not acknowledge as neighbour any but themselves and their children. They treat everyone else either with contempt, when they resemble cats stalking birds in their nests, or with hatred, when they resemble wolves on the watch for dogs to devour. These remarks have been introduced so that it may be known what charity is like by reference to its opposite.
Footnotes:
1. The original has two paragraphs numbered 455.
455. But what the evil man is as to his internal man, and what the good man is as to his, may be seen from the following brief description of hell and heaven, for the evil man's internal is conjoined with the devils in hell, and the good man's with angels in heaven. Hell from its loves is in the delights of all evils, that is, in the delights of hatred, revenge, murder, plunder and theft, of railing and blasphemy, of denial of God and profanation of the Word. Such delights lurk in lusts upon which man does not reflect. These lusts blaze in these delights like lighted torches; and are what is meant in the Word by infernal fire. But the delights of heaven are the delights of love towards the neighbor and of love to God.
[2] Inasmuch as the delights of hell are opposite to the delights of heaven, there is between them a great interspace, into which the delights of heaven flow from above, and those of hell from beneath. While man is living in the world he is in the middle of this interspace, in order that he may be in equilibrium, and thus in a state of freedom to turn either to heaven or to hell. This interspace is what is meant by "the great gulf fixed" between those who are in heaven and those who are in hell (Luke 16:26).
[3] From this it can be seen what the friendship of love is among the evil, namely, that in their external man it is posturing and mimicry and pretenses of morality, in order that they may spread their nets and discover opportunities for gratifying their loves' delights, with which their internal man is on fire. Nothing but fear of the law and consequent fears for their reputation and life withholds them and restrains their actions. Consequently their friendship is like a spider in sugar, a viper in bread, a young crocodile in a cake of honey, or a snake in the grass.
[4] Such is the friendship of the evil with everyone. But among those confirmed in evil, such as thieves, robbers, and pirates, friendship is intimate so long as they are with one mind bent on acquiring plunder; for they then embrace each other like brothers, enjoy themselves with feasting, singing, and dancing, and conspire to destroy others; yet each one within himself regards his companion as one enemy regards another; this, too, is what a cunning robber sees and fears in his fellow. Evidently, therefore, among such there is no friendship, but intestine hatred.
455a. Any man who has not openly connected himself with evildoers and committed robberies, but has led a civil moral life for the sake of various uses as ends, and yet has not curbed the lust residing in his internal man, may suppose that his friendship is not of such a nature. Nevertheless, from many exemplifications in the spiritual world, it has been granted me to know with certainty that it is such, in different degrees, with all who have rejected faith and despised the holy things of the church, regarding those as nothing to them, but only for the common herd. In some of these the delights of infernal love have lain hidden like fire in smoldering logs covered with bark; in some like coals under ashes; in some like waxen torches that blaze up when fire is applied to them; and in others in other ways. Such is every man who has rejected from his heart the things of religion. The internal man of such is in hell; but being ignorant of this because of their pretended morality in externals so long as they live in the world they acknowledge no one as their neighbor except themselves and their own children; they regard others either with contempt-and then they are like cats lying in wait for birds in their nests-or with hatred, and then they are like wolves when they see dogs that they may devour. These statements are made to show from its opposite what charity is.
455. What a wicked person is, and also what a good person is, as to their internal man, may be seen from the following brief description of hell and of heaven; for with the wicked the internal man is associated with devils in hell, and with the good, it is associated with angels in heaven. Hell, from the nature of its lusts, indulges in the delights of every kind of evil, as hatred, revenge and murder, robbery and theft, vituperation and blasphemy, the denial of God and the profanation of the Word. They lie concealed in a man's lusts, and upon these he does not reflect. In the gratification of these delights they blaze like lighted torches, this being what is meant in the Word by hellfire. But the delights of heaven are those of love towards the neighbor and of love to God.
[2] Since the delights of hell are the opposite of those of heaven, there is a great intervening region between them into which there enter by influx the delights of heaven from above, and those of hell from below. In the midst of this intervening region is man, during his life in the world, in order that he may be in equilibrium and thus in a state of freedom to turn either to heaven or to hell. This space is what is meant by the great gulf fixed between those who are in heaven and those who are in hell, Luke 16:28.
[3] From this may be evident the nature of the friendship of love which exists among the wicked. In their external man it assumes the gestures of friendship, mimics its behavior, and puts on the outward show of morality, to further their own devices and seek the opportunity to gratify the delights of their own lusts, with which the internal man is on fire. Nothing but the fear of the law and of the loss of reputation and life restrains them and keeps their actions in check. Their friendship is, therefore, like a spider concealed in sugar, a viper in a piece of bread, a young crocodile in a honey cake, or a snake in the grass.
[4] Such is the friendship which the wicked form with anyone whatever; but friendship between those who are confirmed in evil, as thieves, robbers and pirates, is of a friendly character so long as they with one mind are intent on plunder. Then they embrace one another as brothers and entertain themselves with feasting, singing and dancing, while they conspire for the destruction of others. Yet each one in his heart regards his boon companion as an enemy. This also is how the cunning thief views his associate, and fears him accordingly. It is evident that among such persons there is no friendship, but intestine hatred.
[5] Any man who has not openly associated with malefactors, and taken part in robberies, but who has led a moral civil life with useful ends in view, and yet has not curbed the lusts in the internal man, may believe that his friendship is not like this. Still it is more or less of this nature with all those who have rejected faith and despised the holy things of the Church, looking upon them as designed not for themselves but only for the common people. This I have been granted to know for certain from many examples in the spiritual world. With some the delights of infernal love have remained concealed like fire in smouldering logs still covered with bark; with some like live coal under ashes; with some like wax torches that blaze forth when a light is applied; and with some in yet other ways. Such are all those who have banished from their heart the things of religion. Their internal man is in hell; and while they live in the world, and are in ignorance of their state because of the semblance of morality in their externals, they acknowledge none as the neighbor but themselves and their children. They regard all others either with contempt, resembling cats on the watch for birds in their nests, or with hatred, resembling wolves looking for dogs to devour. These things have been mentioned to show what charity is, by contrast with its opposite.
455. Qualis autem homo malus est quoad Internum suum hominem, et qualis homo bonus quoad suum, videri potest ex descriptione hac brevi Inferni et Coeli, nam Internus homo apud malos conjunctus est diabolis in Inferno, et apud bonos est ille conjunctus Angelis in Coelo. Infernum est ex Amoribus suis in jucundis omnium malorum, hoc est, in jucundis odii, vindictae, necis, in jucundis depraedationis et furti, in jucundis vituperationis et blasphemationis, in jucundis negationis Dei, et profanationis Verbi: haec latent in concupiscentiis, super quas homo non reflectit; illis jucundis flagrant sicut Igniti torres; illa sunt quae in Verbo intelliguntur per Ignem infernalem. At jucunda Coeli, sunt jucunda amoris erga proximum, et amoris in Deum.
[2] Quoniam jucunda Inferni sunt opposita jucundis Coeli, est Interstitium magnum inter illa, in quod a superiori influunt jucunda Coeli, et ab inferiori jucunda Inferni; in medio hujus Interstitii est homo dum vivit in Mundo, propter causam ut sit in Aequilibrio, et sic in Libero statu convertendi se ad Coelum, vel ad Infernum: Hoc Interstitium est, quod intelligitur per ingentem Hiatum firmatum inter illos qui in Coelo sunt et illos qui in Inferno, Luca 16:26.
[3] Ex his constare potest, qualis est amicitia amoris inter malos, quod quoad Externum hominem sit gesticulatoria et mimica, ac simulatoria moralitatis, propter finem expandendi retia sua, et explorandi ubi datur copia fruendi jucundis amorum suorum, ex quibus Internus illorum homo ardet; est solum timor legis, et inde famae et vitae, qui retrahit et actus inhibet, quare amicitia illorum est sicut aranea in saccharo, vipera in pane, pullus crocodili in placenta mellis, et serpens in herbis.
[4] Talis est Amicitia malorum cum quocunque; at inter Malos confirmatos, ut inter fures, latrones et piratas, est illa familiaris, quamdiu unanima mente inhiant praedationibus, tunc enim se osculantur ut fratres, jucundant se epulis, cantu et choreis, et conjurant in perniciem aliorum; imo etiam quisque penitus in se aspicit sodalem, sicut hostis hostem; hoc etiam astutus praedo in sodali suo videt, et timet. Ex his patet, quod inter tales non sit amicitia, sed intestinum odium.
455. [iterum] Omnis homo qui se non aperte addixit malefactoribus, et exercuit praedationes, sed civilem moralem vitam propter varios usus ut fines egit, et tamen concupiscentias residentes in Interno homine non refraenavit, credere potest, quod Amicitia ejus non talis sit, sed quod usque sit in vario gradu apud omnes, qui fidem rejecerunt, et sancta Ecclesiae aspernati sunt, et pro nihilo reputaverunt pro se, sed modo pro vulgo, ex pluribus exemplis in Mundo spirituali pro certo scire datum est; apud quosdam ex illis jucunda amoris infernalis latuerunt sicut ignes in lignis torridis cortice obductis; apud quosdam sicut prunae sub favillis; apud quosdam sicut faculae cereae, quae admoto igne efflagrant; et apud quosdam aliter; talis est omnis homo, qui e corde suo rejecit illa quae religionis sunt; horum Internus homo in Inferno est, et quamdiu in Mundo vivunt, et tunc propter moralitatem effigiatam in externis id ignorant, non agnoscunt pro proximo alios quam semet et suos liberos, et reliquos spectant vel ex contemtu, et tunc sunt sicut feles insidiantes avibus in nidis, vel ex odio, et tunc sunt sicut lupi dum vident canes quos devorent. Haec allata sunt, ut sciatur qualis est Charitas in suo opposito.