498.由上述内容得出的结论是：属灵事物上的选择自由本身完美地居于人的灵魂，它从灵魂流出，就象溪水汇入源泉一样进入人的心智，进入它的两个部分，即意与知，并通过它们进入身体感官，进入言与行。因为人有三个生命层级，即灵魂、心智和有感觉的身体；较高层所包含的一切，比较低层所包含的要完美得多。主连同这自由，经由它并在该自由中存在于人内，不断敦促被接受。但祂绝不放弃或拿走这自由，因为如前所述，人在属灵事物方面所做的任何事，若非出于自由，就不会持久。因此，可以说，主在人内的居所就是在其灵魂中的这一自由。
无论灵界还是尘世，恶行都受制于律法，否则，无论哪个世界的社会都将不复存在，这一点显而易见，无需解释。然而，必须清楚的是，若没有这种外在制约，不但社会不复存在，整个人类也会灭亡。因为人受两种爱诱惑，即控制一切的爱，以及占有全部财富的爱。这些爱若不受限制，就会如脱缰的野马，一发不可收。人与生俱来的遗传邪恶主要由这两种爱产生，亚当的罪只不过是想要成为神，如经上所记，是蛇将这邪恶注入到他里面的，所以对于临到他身上的诅咒，经上这样说：
地要给他长出荆棘和蒺藜来。（创世记3:18）
这句经文意指一切恶与假皆由此而来。但凡被这些爱奴役的人，皆视自己为唯一目标，所有人都因他并为他存在。这种人没有任何怜悯，既不畏惧神，也不爱邻舍；所以，他们无情、野蛮、残忍，被贪求抢劫和掠夺的地狱私欲所控制，为达目的不择手段，耍尽阴谋诡计。
地上的动物生来也不具这种邪恶，它们不会彼此杀戮和吞吃，除非出于饥饿或自我防卫。因此，从这两种爱的角度来看，恶人比动物还要残忍、凶狠、劣质。
这就是人的内在本质，这一点可体现在失去法律约束的煽动骚乱中，也体现在士兵接到可向被征服者或围困者肆意发泄怒火的信号时，所进行的屠杀和掠夺中，在击鼓命令停止之前，几乎没人会罢手。由此清楚看出，若不是对法律制裁的畏惧约束人，那么不但社会，而且整个人类都将被毁灭。但这些罪恶没有一个能被除去，除非人正确运用属灵事物上的选择自由，即将心思聚焦于死后的生活。
498. 由上述内容得出的结论是: 属灵事物上的选择自由本身完美地居于人的灵魂, 它从灵魂流出, 就象溪水汇入源泉一样进入人的心智, 进入它的两个部分, 即意与知, 并通过它们进入身体感官, 进入言与行。 因为人有三个生命层级, 即灵魂, 心智和有感觉的身体; 较高层所包含的一切, 比较低层所包含的要完美得多。 主连同这自由, 经由它并在该自由中存在于人内, 不断敦促被接受。 但祂绝不放弃或拿走这自由, 因为如前所述, 人在属灵事物方面所做的任何事, 若非出于自由, 就不会持久。 因此, 可以说, 主在人内的居所就是在其灵魂中的这一自由。
无论灵界还是尘世, 恶行都受制于律法, 否则, 无论哪个世界的社会都将不复存在, 这一点显而易见, 无需解释。 然而, 必须清楚的是, 若没有这种外在制约, 不但社会不复存在, 整个人类也会灭亡。 因为人受两种爱诱惑, 即控制一切的爱, 以及占有全部财富的爱。 这些爱若不受限制, 就会如脱缰的野马, 一发不可收。 人与生俱来的遗传邪恶主要由这两种爱产生, 亚当的罪只不过是想要成为神, 如经上所记, 是蛇将这邪恶注入到他里面的, 所以对于临到他身上的诅咒, 经上这样说:
地要给他长出荆棘和蒺藜来。 (创世记3:18)
这句经文意指一切恶与假皆由此而来。 但凡被这些爱奴役的人, 皆视自己为唯一目标, 所有人都因他并为他存在。 这种人没有任何怜悯, 既不畏惧神, 也不爱邻舍; 所以, 他们无情, 野蛮, 残忍, 被贪求抢劫和掠夺的地狱私欲所控制, 为达目的不择手段, 耍尽阴谋诡计。
地上的动物生来也不具这种邪恶, 它们不会彼此杀戮和吞吃, 除非出于饥饿或自我防卫。 因此, 从这两种爱的角度来看, 恶人比动物还要残忍, 凶狠, 劣质。
这就是人的内在本质, 这一点可体现在失去法律约束的煽动骚乱中, 也体现在士兵接到可向被征服者或围困者肆意发泄怒火的信号时, 所进行的屠杀和掠夺中, 在击鼓命令停止之前, 几乎没人会罢手。 由此清楚看出, 若不是对法律制裁的畏惧约束人, 那么不但社会, 而且整个人类都将被毁灭。 但这些罪恶没有一个能被除去, 除非人正确运用属灵事物上的选择自由, 即将心思聚焦于死后的生活。
498. The culmination of the points just presented is that free choice in spiritual matters dwells in a state of complete perfection in our soul. Just as water wells up from underground to form a spring, free choice flows from our soul into our mind, into both its chambers (the will and the intellect), and flows through them into our bodily senses and our speech and actions.
There are three levels of life within us: the soul, the mind, and bodily sensation. Everything that exists on a higher level enjoys a greater perfection than the things that are on a lower level.
The Lord is present with us through our human freedom, in that freedom, and with that freedom, constantly urging us to receive him but at the same time never removing or taking away our freedom, since, as I mentioned above [493-496], no spiritual action that we have taken stays with us unless we freely chose to take it. Therefore you could say that our freedom is where the Lord dwells with us in our soul.
[2] Nevertheless, in both worlds - the spiritual and the earthly - the doing of evil is forbidden by law, since otherwise society would no longer exist anywhere. This is clear without explanation, but I will still illustrate it by the fact that without those external restraints not only would society cease to exist, but in fact the entire human race would perish. There are two loves that human beings find particularly enticing: love of dominating everyone, and love of possessing everyone's wealth. These loves will rush on to infinity if the reins on them are let loose. The hereditary evil we are born with arises primarily from these two loves. Adam's only problem was a desire to become like God; we read that the serpent inspired that desire in him [Genesis 3:4-5]. Therefore when he is cursed he is told that the land is going to yield him thorns and thistles (); these plants mean everything that is evil and consequently false. All people who are slaves to these loves view themselves alone as the only thing in which and for which all others exist. People like this have no compassion, no fear of God, no love for their neighbor. Therefore they have mercilessness, savagery, and cruelty, and a hellish longing and eagerness for stealing and robbing and for the deceitfulness and trickery involved. The animals of the earth have no innate desires of this kind; when they kill and devour, the only love driving them is their desire to fill their stomachs or to protect themselves. Therefore, because they have these types of love, evil people are more savage, more ferocious, and worse than any animal.
[3] The behavior of a rioting crowd, when the restraints of the law break down, reveals that human beings are inwardly this way. This aspect of human nature is also visible in massacres and raids, when the sound [of the trumpet] gives the soldiers permission to unleash rage against the conquered or captured. Hardly anyone declines such an opportunity before the beat of the drum calls it off. This makes clear that if no fear of legal punishment held us back, not only society but the human race as a whole would be destroyed.
The only thing that removes all these traits is the proper exercise of our free choice in spiritual things, which is to focus our mind on the state of our life after death.
498. The conclusion from this is that true freedom of will in spiritual matters resides in a person's soul in full perfection. From there it flows, like a gush of water into a spring, into both parts of his mind, the will and the understanding, and through these into the bodily senses, and into speech and action. Life in a person exists in three degrees: in the soul, the mind and the body with its senses. Everything in a higher degree excels in perfection what is in a lower degree. It is this freedom a person enjoys by means of which, in which and together with which the Lord makes His presence felt by a person, unceasingly pressing to be received. But He never deflects or does away with his freedom, since, as I said before, nothing which a person does without freedom in spiritual matters lasts. It can therefore be said that it is this freedom which permits the Lord to reside in a person's soul.
[2] It is too obvious to require explanation, that wrongdoing is in both the spiritual and natural worlds curbed by laws, since no society anywhere could otherwise be stable. Yet illustrations are needed to show that without those external constraints not only would society come to an end, but the whole human race would perish too. Man is prey to two loves, that of dominating others and that of possessing everyone's wealth. These loves, if given free rein, race away without limit. The hereditary evils a person acquires by birth come chiefly from those two loves. Adam's crime was simply wishing to become like God, an evil ambition the serpent put into his mind, as we are told. So when he was cursed, he was told that the earth should bring forth thorns and thistles for him (Genesis 3:5, 18), meaning all evil and falsity derived from it. All held in thrall by those loves regard themselves alone as the one person in whom and for whom all others exist. They are without pity, fear of God, or love for the neighbour, so that they are unmerciful, savage and cruel, their greed and longing to rob and steal are worthy of hell, and they are cunning and deceitful in carrying out such crimes. Not even the animals of the earth have such innate wickedness, for the only desire which makes them kill and eat other animals is to fill their bellies and to protect themselves. A wicked man, therefore, looked at from the point of view of those loves is more savage, more fierce and worse than any animal.
[3] It becomes clear in riotous crowds, where the restraints of the law are ineffective, that this is what people are like inwardly, as also in cases of massacre and looting, when the signal is given to wreak one's fury on the defeated or besieged; hardly anyone holds his hand until the drum is heard signalling it to cease. These examples show that if there were no fear of legal penalties to deter people, not only society but the whole human race would be destroyed. The only way to be rid of all these evils is to use one's free will in spiritual matters correctly, that is, to focus the mind on thoughts of the conditions of life after death.
498. The conclusion from all this is that freedom of choice itself in spiritual things resides in the soul of man in all perfection, and from that it flows, like a stream into a fountain, into his mind, into the two parts of it, which are the will and the understanding, and through these into the bodily senses, and into speech and actions. For in man there are three degrees of life, the soul, the mind, and the sentient body; and all that is included in the higher degree is more perfect than that which is in a lower degree. It is this freedom of man, through which, in which, and with which, the Lord is present in him, and unceasingly urgent to be received; but He in no way sets aside or takes away this freedom, since, as said above, whatever man does in spiritual things, that is not done from freedom, does not endure. It may therefore be said that the Lord's abode in man is this freedom of man which is in his soul.
[2] It is evident without explanation that the doing of evil, in both the spiritual and the natural world, is restrained by laws, since otherwise society would everywhere cease to exist. Nevertheless, it must be made clear that without such external bonds, not only would society cease to exist, but the whole human race would perish. For man is enticed by two loves, the love of ruling over all, and the love of possessing the wealth of all. These loves, if uncurbed, rush onward to infinity. The hereditary evils into which man is born have arisen principally from these two loves; nor was the sin of Adam any other than a desire to become as God, which evil the serpent infused into him, as it is written; therefore in the curse pronounced upon him it is said:
That the earth should bring forth the thorn and the thistle to him (Genesis 3:5, 18);
which means all evil and falsity therefrom. All who are enslaved by these loves, look upon themselves as the one only object, in which and for which all others exist. Such have no pity, no fear of God, no love for the neighbor; consequently they are unmerciful, inhuman and cruel, and are possessed by an infernal lust and greed for robbing and plundering, and by craft and cunning in working out their purposes. Such evils are not innate in the beasts of the earth; these do not slaughter and devour each other, except from the love of satisfying their hunger or defending themselves. Therefore a wicked man, viewed with reference to these loves, is more inhuman, fiercer, and worse than any beast.
[3] That man is inwardly such, is manifest in seditious disturbances when the bonds of law are loosed, and also in massacres and pillaging, when the signal is given to soldiers that they are free to satiate their fury upon the conquered or besieged; from which scarcely anyone desists until the drum beats the order to do so. From all this it is clear that if no fear of legal penalties restrained men, not only society, but the whole human race, would be destroyed. But none of these evils can be removed except by the true use of freedom of choice in spiritual things, and this is done by directing the mind to reflection upon the state of life after death.
498. It follows from these considerations that free will resides in a man's soul in the fullest perfection; and thence, as the spring water into the fountain, it flows into the two parts of his mind, the will and the understanding, and through these into the bodily senses, and into speech and action. For there are in every man three degrees of life, the soul, the mind and the sensual body; and whatever is in a higher degree is in a state of perfection above that which is in a lower degree. This freedom is the means by which, in which and with which the Lord is present in man, unceasingly urging to be received. Yet He never sets aside or takes away man's freedom; for, as said above, whatever is not done by man in spiritual things in the exercise of freedom does not remain with him; so that it may be said that this freedom is where in man's soul the Lord abides with him.
[2] The commission of evil in both worlds, the spiritual and the natural, is restrained by laws, otherwise society would nowhere continue to subsist. This is so evident that it requires no explanation. However this further proposition will be illustrated, namely, that without external restraints not only would society cease to subsist, but also the whole human race would perish. Man is obsessed by two loves, the love of ruling over all, and the love of possessing the wealth of all. These two loves, if restraints upon them were relaxed, surge on without limit; and they are the chief source of the hereditary evils into which man is born. This was the sin of Adam, that he wished to become as God; which evil, we read, was infused into him by the serpent. Hence in the curse pronounced against him it is said,
That the earth should bring forth for him the thorn and the thistle. Genesis 3:5, 18;
and by these are meant all evil and its derived falsity. All who give themselves up to these loves have regard for themselves alone, in and for whose existence all others have their being. Such have no pity, no fear of God, no love of the neighbor and consequently are unmerciful, inhuman and cruel. They have an infernal covetous lust of plunder and robbery, and exercise craft and treachery in achieving their ends. The beasts of the earth have no such vices in their nature; their only desire in killing and devouring others is to satisfy their hunger and protect themselves from danger; so that an evil man dominated by these loves is more inhuman, savage and vile than any beast.
[3] That such is the inner nature of man becomes evident in seditious tumults, when the restraints of law are thrown off; and also in the slaughter and pillage which ensue when the signal is given to the victors to vent their fury on besieged townspeople who have been vanquished; scarcely one stays his hand till the order to cease is heard. It is clear, therefore that if men were not restrained by fear of punishment inflicted by law, not only society but also the whole human race would be destroyed. The only way of removing these evils is by the true use of free will in spiritual things; and this involves applying the mind to the consideration of the life after death.
498. Ex his resultat hoc, quod ipsum Liberum arbitrium in spiritualibus in anima hominis resideat in omni perfectione, et inde, sicut vena in fontem, influat in mentem ejus, in binas ejus partes, quae sunt voluntas 1 et intellectus, et per has in sensus corporis, inque loquelas et actiones. Sunt enim tres gradus vitae apud hominem, Anima, Mens, et Corpus sensuale; omne id quod in superiori gradu est, in perfectione est supra id quod in inferiori gradu est. Hoc hominis Liberum est, per quod, in quo, et cum quo Dominus praesens est in homine, et urget indesinenter sui receptionem, at nusquam emovet et tollit liberum, quoniam, ut supra dictum est, omne quod non ex libero ab homine in spiritualibus fit, non maneat, quare dici potest, quod hoc Liberum hominis sit, in quo Dominus apud illum in anima ejus habitat.
[2] Quod autem facere malum, in utroque Mundo, Spirituali et Naturali, per leges coercitum sit, quoniam alioquin societas nullibi subsisteret, 2 absque explicatione patet; sed usque illustrabitur, quod sine externis illis vinculis, non modo societas non subsisteret, sed etiam totum genus humanum periret; homo enim inescatus est binis amoribus, qui sunt amor dominandi super omnes, et amor possidendi omnium opes; hi amores, si relaxarentur illis fraena, ruunt in infinitum: mala haereditaria, in quae homo nascitur, ex binis illis amoribus principaliter exorta sunt: nec Adamo fuit aliud, quam ut vellet fieri sicut Deus, quod malum serpens illi infudit, ut legitur, quare in maledictione ejus dicitur, quod terra germinatura sit ei spinam et tribulum, Genesis 3:5, 18, per quae intelligitur omne malum et inde falsum; omnes qui illis amoribus emancipati 3 sunt, se solum ut unicum intuentur, in quo et pro quo omnes alii; talibus non est miseratio, non timor Dei, non amor proximi, et inde est illis immisericordia, immanitas et crudelitas, et infernalis cupiditas et aviditas praedandi et latrocinandi, et in illis efficiendis astus et doli; talia bestiis terrae non innata sunt; hae non ex alio amore necant et devorant alias, quam ut satient ventrem, et se tutentur; quare homo malus quoad amores illos spectatus, est immanior, ferocior et pejor omni bestia.
[3] Quod homo intus talis sit, manifestat se in turbis seditiosis, in quibus vincula legis soluta sunt, et quoque in lanienis et latrociniis, quando sonatur liberum exercendi 4 furorem in victos et obsessos, a quo vix unus abstinet, antequam auditur tympanum, quod desistendum sit; ex his patet, quod si nullus timor poenarum ex legibus coerceret 5 homines, non solum Societas sed totum Genus humanum destrueretur. Sed haec omnia unice removentur per verum usum Liberi Arbitrii in spiritualibus, qui est intendere animum ad cogitandum de statu vitae post mortem.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: voiuntas.
2. Prima editio: substisteret.
3. Prima editio: emanicipati.
4. Prima editio: excercendi.
5. Prima editio: couerceret.