471.若能超越身体感官经验理智思考，谁不明白，生命不是创造的？除了爱与智慧的至内在活动，还有什么能称之为生命？而爱与智慧在神内，就是神。这生命也可被称为原动力（the essential living force）。明白这一点的人，也能明白，这生命不可能被转到人里面，除非它和爱与智慧相联。谁会否认，或能否认，一切爱之善和智之真唯独从神而来，只要从神接受它们，人就从神而活，并被说成是从神而生，也就是重生？另一方面，人若不接受爱和智慧，或说仁和信，就无法从神接受为生命本身的生命，只能从地狱接受生命，而地狱生命无非是所谓属灵死亡的颠倒生命。
471. 若能超越身体感官经验理智思考, 谁不明白, 生命不是创造的? 除了爱与智慧的至内在活动, 还有什么能称之为生命? 而爱与智慧在神内, 就是神。 这生命也可被称为原动力 (the essential living force)。 明白这一点的人, 也能明白, 这生命不可能被转到人里面, 除非它和爱与智慧相联。 谁会否认, 或能否认, 一切爱之善和智之真唯独从神而来, 只要从神接受它们, 人就从神而活, 并被说成是从神而生, 也就是重生? 另一方面, 人若不接受爱和智慧, 或说仁和信, 就无法从神接受为生命本身的生命, 只能从地狱接受生命, 而地狱生命无非是所谓属灵死亡的颠倒生命。
471. If we are capable of thinking with a faculty of reason that is lifted above the sense impressions of the body, surely we all see that life cannot be created. What is life except the inmost activity of the love and wisdom that come from God and are God? It could also be called the living force itself. Someone who sees this can also see that life cannot be transferred into anyone unless it is transferred along with love and wisdom. Surely no one does deny or could deny that everything good that relates to love and everything true that relates to wisdom come solely from God; to the extent that we receive those qualities from God we are alive from God and are called "born of God" [John 1:13; 1 John 3:9; 5:4, 18], that is, regenerated. On the other hand, to the extent that we do not accept love and wisdom, or goodwill and faith (which are the same thing), we do not receive life from God (which is life in itself) but from hell, which is a completely inverted form of life called spiritual death.
471. Anyone can see, if he is able in his thinking to raise his reason above the level of the senses, that life cannot be created. For what is life but the activity of love and wisdom in the inmost? And these are in God, and are God. This life too can be called the life force itself. Anyone seeing this can also see that that life cannot be copied into any man, except together with love and wisdom. Does anyone, can anyone deny that all the good of love and all the truth of wisdom are from God alone, and that in so far as a person receives these from God, so far does he have life from God and is called born of God, that is, regenerated? Then by contraries, in so far as anyone does not receive love and wisdom, or what is much the same, charity and faith, so far is he unable to receive life from God, which is essentially life, but only from hell. This is nothing but an inversion of life and is known as spiritual death.
471. Who does not see, when he is able to think from reason elevated above the sensual things of the body, that life is not creatable? For what is life but the inmost activity of the love and wisdom that are in God and are God, which life, indeed, may be called the essential living force? He who sees this can also see that this life cannot be transferred into any man, except in connection with love and wisdom. Who denies or can deny that every good of love and every truth of wisdom is solely from God, and that so far as man receives these from God he lives from God, and is said to be born of God, that is, regenerated? On the other hand, so far as one does not receive love and wisdom, or what is the same, charity and faith, he does not receive from God the life that is life in itself, but life from hell, and this is no other than inverted life which is called spiritual death.
471. Who does not see, if he can think from reason elevated above the sensual things of the body, that life is not creatable? For life is nothing else than the inmost activity of love and wisdom, which are in God and which are God; and this life may also be called living force itself. He who sees this can also see that this life cannot be transferred to any man, except together with love and wisdom. No one denies, or can deny, that all the good of love and all the truth of wisdom are from God alone; and that as far as a man receives these from God he lives from God, and is said to be born of God, that is, regenerated. On the other hand, so far as any one does not receive love and wisdom, or what is the same, charity and faith, so far he does not receive life which in itself is life from God; but he receives from hell not another life, but life inverted, which is called spiritual death.
471. Quis non videt, si ex ratione supra sensualia corporis elevata potest cogitare, quod vita non creabilis sit, nam quid vita, nisi quam intima activitas Amoris et Sapientiae, quae sunt in Deo, et Deus, quae vita etiam vocari potest ipsa vis viva; qui hoc videt, ille etiam potest videre, quod illa vita non possit transcribi in aliquem hominem, nisi una cum amore et sapientia; quis negat, aut negare potest, quin omne bonum amoris et omne verum sapientiae, sint unice a Deo, 1 et quod quantum homo illa recipit a Deo, tantum vivat a Deo, et dicatur natus a Deo, hoc est, regeneratus; ac vicissim, quod quantum quis non recipit amorem et sapientiam, seu quod simile, charitatem et fidem, tantum non recipiat vitam, quae in se vita est, a Deo, sed ab inferno, quae non alia vita est, quam vita inversa, quae vocatur mors spiritualis.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: Deo,.