598.人经历诱惑后，就其内在人而言，便处于天堂，而他也藉外在人处于尘世。所以，正是经由诱惑在人内产生天堂和尘世的结合，然后他里面的主按照次序通过天堂主导他的尘世。若人依然属世，就会出现相反的情况，他会渴望通过尘世主导天堂。这就是喜欢出于我爱控制之人的样子。若从内检查，会发现这种人不信任何神，只信他自己；死后他相信自己就是统治他人的神。这种疯狂在地狱非常盛行，它甚至发展到这种地步：有的自称父神，有的自称圣子，有的自称圣灵，在犹太人当中，有的自称弥赛亚。这一切清楚表明，若属世人不重生，人死后会变成什么样，因而若主没有建立教导真正真理的新教会，他的疯狂会将他带往何处。这就是主说这些话的意思：
因为那时（即教会末期）必有大灾难，从世界的起头直到如今，没有这样的灾难，后来也必没有。若不减少那日子，凡有血气的，总没有一个得救的。（马太福音24:21，22）
598. 人经历诱惑后, 就其内在人而言, 便处于天堂, 而他也藉外在人处于尘世。 所以, 正是经由诱惑在人内产生天堂和尘世的结合, 然后他里面的主按照次序通过天堂主导他的尘世。 若人依然属世, 就会出现相反的情况, 他会渴望通过尘世主导天堂。 这就是喜欢出于我爱控制之人的样子。 若从内检查, 会发现这种人不信任何神, 只信他自己; 死后他相信自己就是统治他人的神。 这种疯狂在地狱非常盛行, 它甚至发展到这种地步: 有的自称父神, 有的自称圣子, 有的自称圣灵, 在犹太人当中, 有的自称弥赛亚。 这一切清楚表明, 若属世人不重生, 人死后会变成什么样, 因而若主没有建立教导真正真理的新教会, 他的疯狂会将他带往何处。 这就是主说这些话的意思:
因为那时 (即教会末期) 必有大灾难, 从世界的起头直到如今, 没有这样的灾难, 后来也必没有。 若不减少那日子, 凡有血气的, 总没有一个得救的。 (马太福音24:21-22)
598. Once the conflict is over, we are present in heaven in our inner self and present in the world through our outer self. Therefore crises of the spirit accomplish a joining of heaven and the world within us. Then the Lord within us rules our world from our heaven, following the divine design.
The opposite happens if we remain earthly. Then we greatly desire to rule heaven from our world. All who have a love for power that comes from loving themselves are like this. If we are examined inwardly, it is discovered that we do not believe in any god, but only in ourselves. After death, we believe that we are a god who has greater power than others. This is the kind of insanity that exists in hell. It falls to such a depth that some there say they are God the Father, some say they are God the Son, and others say they are God the Holy Spirit. Some Jews there say they are the Messiah. This makes it clear what we are like after death if our earthly self is not regenerated. It shows what we would imagine ourselves to be if a new church were not established, in which things that are genuinely true are taught. This is the topic of the following words of the Lord: "At the close of the age," meaning the end of the church of today, "there will be a great affliction such as has never existed since the world began until now and will never exist again. In fact, unless those days were cut short no flesh would be saved" (Matthew 24:3, 21-22).
598. After the temptation is over the person is in heaven as regards his internal man, and in the world by means of his external. It is therefore by temptations that in a person's case heaven and the world are linked together, and then the Lord with him controls his world from heaven in accordance with proper order. The reverse happens if the person remains natural. Then he longs to control heaven from the world. That is what everyone who loves to dominate from self-love becomes like. If he is inwardly examined, he proves to believe in no God, but in himself; and after his death he believes anyone who has power over others to be God. Such madness is to be found in hell; indeed it has become so deep-rooted that some there say they are God the Father, others God the Son, some God the Holy Spirit, and among the Jews there are those who claim to be the Messiah. This shows plainly what a person comes to be like after death, if the natural man is not regenerated; and thus what he would become in imagination, if a new church were not established by the Lord, in which genuine truths may be taught. This is what is meant by these words of the Lord:
At the ending of the age (that is, at the end of the present-day church) there shall be affliction such as has never been since the world began, and never shall be. So unless those days were cut short, no flesh would be saved, Matthew 24:21-22.
598. When man has passed through temptations he is as to his internal man in heaven, while by means of the external man he is in the world; thus by means of temptations there is a conjunction of heaven and the world effected in man; and then the Lord in him rules his world from heaven according to order. The contrary takes place if man remains natural; he is then eager to rule heaven from the world. Such does everyone become who is in the love of ruling from the love of self. If interiorly examined, such a man believes in himself only and not in God; and after death he believes him to be God who can exercise dominion over others. Such madness prevails in hell, and it even proceeds to such a length that some call themselves God the Father, some God the Son, some God the Holy Spirit, and among the Jews some call themselves the Messiah. This shows clearly what man becomes after death if the natural man is not regenerated, and therefore to what length his fantasies would carry him if a New Church, in which genuine truths are taught, had not been established by the Lord. This is what is meant by these words of the Lord:
In the consummation of the age [that is, at the end of the present church], there shall be such affliction as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever shall be; and except those days be shortened, no flesh would be saved (Matthew 24:21, 22).
598. After a man has passed through temptation, he is as to his internal man in heaven, while remaining in the world as to his external man. Therefore, by means of temptations there is effected in him the conjunction of heaven and the world; and then the Lord, abiding with him, rules his world from heaven according to order. The reverse takes place if a man remains natural, for he is then desirous of ruling heaven from the world. Every one who is in the love of dominion from the love of self, becomes of such a nature. If he is inwardly examined it will appear that he does not believe in any God, but only in himself; and after death he believes anyone to be God who excels others in power. This is the insanity that prevails in hell where it has spread to such an extent that some call themselves God the Father, some God the Son, and some God the Holy Spirit, and some among the Jews call themselves the Messiah. From this it is evident what a man becomes after death if the natural man is not regenerated, and to what his delusion would bring him if a new Church were not established by the Lord, in which genuine truths are taught. This is meant by the following words of the Lord:
At the consummation of the age, that is, at the end of the present Church, "Then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world... nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved" Matthew 24:21-22.
598. Homo post transactam Tentationem est quoad Internum hominem in Coelo, et per Externum in Mundo, quare per tentationes apud hominem fit conjunctio Coeli et Mundi, et tunc Dominus apud illum secundum ordinem regit ejus mundum e Coelo. Contrarium fit, si homo manet naturalis, tunc discupit ille regere Coelum e Mundo; talis fit omnis qui in amore dominandi ex amore sui est; hic si intrinsecus exploratur, non credit in aliquem Deum sed in se; et post mortem credit illum Deum esse, qui potentia super alios valet; talis insania est in inferno, quae eo usque se profundavit, ut aliqui se dicant Deum Patrem esse, aliqui Deum Filium, et aliqui Deum spiritum sanctum, et inter Judaeos aliqui se esse Messiam. Inde patet, qualis homo fit post mortem, si naturalis homo non regeneratur, proinde qualis fieret in phantasia, si non nova Ecclesia a Domino instauraretur, in qua genuina vera docentur: tale intelligitur per haec Domini verba, "In consummatione saeculi, hoc est, in fine Ecclesiae hodiernae, talis afflictio erit, qualis ab initio Mundi non fuit, nec fiet: quare nisi abbreviarentur dies illi, non conservaretur ulla caro," Matthaeus 24:3, 21-22. 1
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: 24:21, 22.