481.没人会否认，人在属世事物上有选择自由。但这一自由来自他在属灵事物上的选择自由。因为如前所述，主从上或自内，携圣善与圣真（Divine good and truth）流入每个人，从而将不同于动物的生命气息送入人内，赋予他接受圣善与圣真、并照之而行的能力和意愿，主从不将这一切拿走。由此可知，主的意愿一直都是，人当接受真理，施行良善，从而变成属灵的，因他为此而生。若没有在属灵事物上的选择自由，那么人要变成属灵的，就和骆驼穿过针眼，或摘天上的星星一样，根本不可能。明白和意愿真理的能力被赐予每个人，甚至是魔鬼，从未被取走，这一点已通过活生生的经历向我表明。有一次，一个地狱灵被带到精灵界，在此天人问他，能否明白他们对他所说的神性属灵事物，他说，能。然后又问他，为何不接受，他说不喜欢。之后他被告知，他可以企求得到它们。对此他十分诧异，声称做不到。于是，天人将荣耀名声及其快乐注入他的觉知，一感受到这些，他便渴望甚至热爱属灵事物。但是，一回到他之前的状态，就是抢劫、奸淫和诽谤邻舍的状态，他就不再理解这些事，因为他不愿意这么做。由此清楚可知，人之为人，全凭他在属灵事物上的选择自由。若没有这自由，他就像木、石，或罗得之妻化成的盐柱一样。
481. 没人会否认, 人在属世事物上有选择自由。 但这一自由来自他在属灵事物上的选择自由。 因为如前所述, 主从上或自内, 携圣善与圣真 (Divine good and truth) 流入每个人, 从而将不同于动物的生命气息送入人内, 赋予他接受圣善与圣真, 并照之而行的能力和意愿, 主从不将这一切拿走。 由此可知, 主的意愿一直都是, 人当接受真理, 施行良善, 从而变成属灵的, 因他为此而生。 若没有在属灵事物上的选择自由, 那么人要变成属灵的, 就和骆驼穿过针眼, 或摘天上的星星一样, 根本不可能。 明白和意愿真理的能力被赐予每个人, 甚至是魔鬼, 从未被取走, 这一点已通过活生生的经历向我表明。 有一次, 一个地狱灵被带到精灵界, 在此天人问他, 能否明白他们对他所说的神性属灵事物, 他说, 能。 然后又问他, 为何不接受, 他说不喜欢。 之后他被告知, 他可以企求得到它们。 对此他十分诧异, 声称做不到。 于是, 天人将荣耀名声及其快乐注入他的觉知, 一感受到这些, 他便渴望甚至热爱属灵事物。 但是, 一回到他之前的状态, 就是抢劫, 奸淫和诽谤邻舍的状态, 他就不再理解这些事, 因为他不愿意这么做。 由此清楚可知, 人之为人, 全凭他在属灵事物上的选择自由。 若没有这自由, 他就像木, 石, 或罗得之妻化成的盐柱一样。
481. People do not deny that we have free choice in earthly matters. Nevertheless, that free choice only exists because we have free choice in spiritual matters. The Lord flows into everyone from above or within with divine goodness and divine truth, as was previously shown [362-364]. Through this inflow he imparts a different life to us than the life animals receive. He also gives us the power and the desire to receive divine goodness and truth and to act on them. He never takes this away from anyone. It follows from this that the Lord perpetually wills that we receive what is true and do what is good and therefore become spiritual. That is what we were born for.
To become spiritual without having free choice in spiritual matters is as impossible as it is to shove a camel through the eye of a sewing needle [Matthew 19:24; Mark 10:25; Luke 18:25], or to touch some star in heaven with our hand.
[2] I was shown through living experience that everyone - even every devil - has the capability of understanding and willing truth; this ability is never taken away.
One of the inhabitants of hell was once carried up into the world of spirits and was there asked by angels from heaven whether he was able to understand what was being said to him (the things being said were divine truths). He answered that he was indeed able to understand. He was then asked why he had not accepted similar truths. He said that he did not love them and therefore did not will them. He was told that he did, however, have the capacity to will them. He was amazed by this but denied that he had the capacity. Therefore angels inspired his intellect with the glory of fame and the pleasures that go with it. Upon accepting that inspiration he did indeed will and even love those truths. Soon, though, he was let back into his former state, in which he was a robber, an adulterer, and a slanderer of his neighbor. Then because he no longer willed those truths, he did not understand them any more.
This shows that we are human because of our free choice in spiritual things. Without it, we would indeed be a log, a stone, or Lot's wife after she had become a statue.
481. No one denies that man has free will in natural matters. But this is the result of his free will in spiritual matters, because the Lord flows in from a higher or more inward level filling everyone with Divine good and Divine truth, as I showed before, and by this means breathes into man life quite different from that of animals; and to enable him to receive these gifts and act upon them He confers the ability and will, which are never taken away. It follows from this that the Lord perpetually wills man to receive truth and do good, thus becoming spiritual, the destiny for which he was born. To become spiritual without free will in spiritual matters is as impossible as pushing a camel through the eye of a sewing-needle, or like touching one of the stars in the sky with one's hand.
[2] I have had personal experiences to show that everyone is given the ability to understand truth and to will it; even devils receive it, and it is never taken away. One of those who were in hell was once brought up into the world of spirits, and was there questioned by angels from heaven, to see whether he could understand what they were saying to him; the subject was spiritual ideas about God. He answered that he did. And when asked why he had not accepted similar ideas, he said that he did not like them and so did not wish to accept them. He was told again that he could have so wished. This surprised him, and he said he could not. The angels therefore filled his understanding with pride in his reputation together with its delights. On feeling this he then so wished and even liked the ideas. But soon afterwards he was brought back to his earlier state, in which he had been a thief and adulterer who cursed his neighbour; then, since he did not wish to do so, he was no longer able to understand those ideas. This shows plainly that it is free will in spiritual matters that makes a man a man; without this he would be like a tree-trunk, a stone, or the pillar Lot's wife became.
481. No one denies that man has freedom of choice in natural things. But this a man has from his freedom of choice in spiritual things; for, as has been shown already, the Lord flows into every man from above or within with the Divine good and truth, and thereby breathes into man a life distinct from the life of beasts, and gives him the power and the will to receive the Divine good and Divine truth and to act from these; and this He never takes away from any. From this it follows that it is the unceasing will of the Lord that man should receive truth and do good, and thus become spiritual, and for this he was born; and to become spiritual without freedom of choice in spiritual things is as impossible as it is to thrust a camel through the eye of a sewing needle, or to touch a star in the firmament with the hand. That the ability to understand truth and to will it is given to every man, even to devils, and is never taken away, has been shown me by living experience. On one occasion one of those who were in hell was brought up into the world of spirits, and was there asked by angels from heaven whether he could understand the things they said to him, which were Divine spiritual things; and he said that he could. He was then asked why he did not accept such things; and he replied that he did not wish for them because he did not love them. He was then told that he could wish for them. He was astonished at this, and said that he could not. Therefore the angels breathed into his understanding the glory of reputation with its pleasantness, receiving which he did wish for them and even loved them. But presently he was sent back into his former state, in which he was a plunderer, an adulterer, and a calumniator of his neighbor; and then he no longer understood those things because he did not wish to do so. From this it is clear that man is man by virtue of his freedom of choice in spiritual things, and that without it he would be like a stock, or a stone, or the statue of Lot's wife.
481. It is not denied that a man has free will in natural things; but he enjoys this as a consequence of his free will in spiritual things. For, as was shown above, the Lord enters by influx into every man with Divine Good and Divine Truth from above or within; and by this means breathes into him a life distinct from that of beasts. He also gives him the power and the will to receive such good and truth, and this He never takes away from any one. It follows, therefore, that it is the Lord's constant desire that man should receive truth and should do good, and thus become spiritual. To this end he was born; but to become spiritual, without free will in spiritual things, is as impossible as to drive a camel through the eye of a needle, or to touch with the hand one of the stars in heaven.
That the power to understand and to will truth is given to every man, as well as to the devils, and that this power is never taken away, has been proved to me by actual experience. One of those in hell was once brought up into the world of spirits; and there he was asked by some angels from heaven whether he could understand the things, being spiritual Divine things, about which they were conversing. He replied that he did understand them; and on being asked why he did not accept such things, he said that he did not love them, and consequently did not will them. When he was told that he could will them, he was surprised and declared that this was impossible. Thereupon the angels inspired his understanding with the glory of fame and its accompanying delights; and when he felt this he even willed those things as well as loved them. Presently, however, he was sent back into his former state, in which he was a robber, an adulterer and a slanderer of the neighbor; and then because he no longer willed spiritual Divine things neither did he understand them. From this, it is evident that a man is a man by virtue of his free will in spiritual things, and that without it he would be a stock or a stone, or like the pillar of salt iBto which Lot's wife was turned.
481. Quod homini sit Liberum Arbitrium in naturalibus, non negatur, sed hoc homini est ex Libero ejus arbitrio in spiritualibus; nam Dominus a superiori seu interiori influit apud omnem hominem cum Divino Bono et Divino Vero, ut prius ostensum est, et per id inspirat vitam homini distinctam a vita bestiarum, et ad recipiendum illa, et ad agendum ex illis, dat ei posse et velle, et hoc nunquam alicui aufert; inde sequitur, quod Domini perpetua voluntas sit, ut homo recipiat verum et faciat bonum et sic fiat spiritualis, ad quod natus est; ac spiritualis fieri absque libero arbitrio in spiritualibus, tam impossibile est, sicut est trudere camelum per foramen acus netoriae, aut sicut manu tangere aliquam stellam in Coelo.
[2] Quod posse intelligere verum et id velle cuivis homini detur, et quoque diabolis, et nusquam auferatur, per vivam experientiam mihi ostensum est; unus ex illis qui in Inferno erant, quondam sublatus est in mundum spirituum, et ibi ab Angelis e Coelo interrogatus, num possit intelligere illa quae loquebantur cum illo, [quae] erant Divina spiritualia; respondit, quod intelligat; et quaesitus cur non receperit similia, dixit, quod non amaverit illa, et inde quod non voluerit; iterum dictum est illi quod potuerit velle; hoc miratus est, 1 et dixit quod non, quare Angeli inspirabant intellectui ejus gloriam famae cum ejus amaeno, quo accepto, etiam voluit, et quoque amavit: sed mox remissus est in statum priorem, in quo fuit depraedator, adulter et blasphemator proximi, et tunc quia non voluit, nec intellexit illa amplius. Ex his patet, quod homo sit homo ex libero arbitrio in spiritualibus, et absque eo homo foret truncus, lapis, aut statua uxor Lothi. 2
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