613.如果人知道天堂和地狱之间的关系，以及一个如何从另一个被移走，那么他就能知道人如何重生，也能知道重生者的性质。为理解这一点，我必须先作个简要介绍，即凡在天堂者皆面向主，而凡在地狱者皆背离主。所以，若人从天堂俯视地狱，只能看见后脑勺和背部，实际上，他们甚至看似倒挂，就象地球上处于正对面的人，脚朝上而头向下，尽管他们用脚走路，脸能四处转动。正是他们心智内在的相反方向造成这种表象。我公布的这些惊人事实来自我自己的观察。它们清楚向我表明重生是如何进行的，恰似地狱被移走，因而从天堂被分离。因为如上所述，就其天生的最初性质而言，人是一个微型地狱，就其经由再生获得的第二性质而言，人是一个微型天堂。由此可知，人的邪恶被移走和分离的方式，正如大型天堂和地狱被分离的方式。由于邪恶被移走，所以它们远离主，逐渐倒挂。这一切一直进行到天堂被植入人内，即他变成一个新人为止。出于说明的缘故，我要补充一点，即人的每种邪恶都和有类似邪恶的地狱灵相联，另一方面，人的每种良善都和有类似良善的天堂天人相联。
613. 如果人知道天堂和地狱之间的关系, 以及一个如何从另一个被移走, 那么他就能知道人如何重生, 也能知道重生者的性质。 为理解这一点, 我必须先作个简要介绍, 即凡在天堂者皆面向主, 而凡在地狱者皆背离主。 所以, 若人从天堂俯视地狱, 只能看见后脑勺和背部, 实际上, 他们甚至看似倒挂, 就象地球上处于正对面的人, 脚朝上而头向下, 尽管他们用脚走路, 脸能四处转动。 正是他们心智内在的相反方向造成这种表象。 我公布的这些惊人事实来自我自己的观察。 它们清楚向我表明重生是如何进行的, 恰似地狱被移走, 因而从天堂被分离。 因为如上所述, 就其天生的最初性质而言, 人是一个微型地狱, 就其经由再生获得的第二性质而言, 人是一个微型天堂。 由此可知, 人的邪恶被移走和分离的方式, 正如大型天堂和地狱被分离的方式。 由于邪恶被移走, 所以它们远离主, 逐渐倒挂。 这一切一直进行到天堂被植入人内, 即他变成一个新人为止。 出于说明的缘故, 我要补充一点, 即人的每种邪恶都和有类似邪恶的地狱灵相联, 另一方面, 人的每种良善都和有类似良善的天堂天人相联。
613. People who know how heaven and hell differ from each other and how the one is located in relation to the other are able to know how we are regenerated and what we are like afterward. To make this better understood to those who do not have this knowledge, I will briefly reveal the following.
All those who are in heaven turn their faces toward the Lord. All who are in hell turn their faces away from the Lord. Therefore when you look at hell from heaven, you see only the backs of the people there and the backs of their heads; in fact they also look upside down (like people on the far side of the earth) with their feet up and their heads down, even though they walk on their feet and turn their faces this way and that. It is the fact that the inner levels of their minds are turned in the opposite direction that makes them look this way. This may sound hard to believe, but I have seen it myself.
[2] These experiences revealed to me how regeneration takes place. It happens in the same way that hell is relocated and sequestered from heaven. As I noted above, by our first nature - the nature we are born with - we are a hell in miniature. By our second nature, the nature we derive from our second birth, we are a heaven in miniature.
It follows from this that the evils within us are relocated and sequestered on an individual scale in the same way that hell is relocated and sequestered from heaven on a grand scale. As our evils are relocated, they turn away from the Lord and gradually turn themselves upside down. This happens step by step as heaven is implanted in us - that is, as we become a new person.
In the hope of shedding further light, I will add that every evil within us has a connection to people in hell who are involved in that same evil. On the other hand, every good thing within us has a connection to people in heaven who are involved in that same goodness.
613. If anyone knows the relationship of heaven and hell, and how one is removed from the other, he can tell how a person is regenerated, as well as what a regenerated person is like. To make this intelligible I must first make the brief revelation that all in heaven turn their faces towards the Lord and look at Him, while all in hell turn their faces away from the Lord. So if one looks down from heaven into hell, one sees nothing but the backs of heads and people's backs. Indeed they even appear upside down like the people of the Antipodes, who have their feet up and their heads down, despite the fact that they walk upon their feet and can screw their faces round. It is the reverse direction in which the interiors of their minds face that produces this appearance. I can report these surprising facts from my own observation.
[2] By this means it was revealed to me how regeneration takes place, exactly as hell is removed and is thus separated from heaven. For, as I said before, a person as regards his first nature, which he has from birth, is a hell on the smallest scale, and as regards his second nature, which he gets from being born again, is a heaven on the smallest scale. It follows from this that the evils in a person are removed and separated just as hell and heaven are on the large scale. As evils are removed they turn away from the Lord, and by stages turn upside down. This happens to the extent that heaven is planted in the person, so that he becomes a new man. For the sake of illustration I shall add that each evil in the person has a link with those in hell who have the same evil, and on the other hand each good in the person has a link with those in heaven who possess similar good.
613. He who knows the relation between heaven and hell, and how the one is removed from the other, can know how man is regenerated, and also what the regenerate man is. That this may be understood it shall be made known briefly that the faces of all who are in heaven look toward the Lord, while all who are in hell turn their faces from the Lord; therefore when hell is looked at from heaven, only the occiput and back appear; and those there even appear inverted, like the antipodes, feet upward and heads down, and this although they walk upon their feet and turn their faces around; for it is the contrary direction of their minds' interiors that produces this appearance. These remarkable facts I report from my own observation. They made clear to me how regeneration is effected, namely, just as hell is removed and thus separated from heaven. For, as stated above, as to his first nature which he has by birth, man is a hell in miniature, and as to the other nature which he acquires by the second birth, he is a heaven in miniature. And from this it follows that the evils in man are removed and separated in the same manner as heaven and hell in their large form are separated, and that evils, as they are removed, turn themselves away from the Lord, and gradually invert themselves, and that this takes place in the degree that heaven is implanted, that is, that man is made new. To this may be added, for the sake of illustration, that every evil in man is in conjunction with those in hell who are in like evil, and on the other hand that every good in man is in conjunction with those in heaven who are in like good.
613. He who knows how heaven and hell are related to each other, and how the one is separated from the other, may also know how man is regenerated, and what his nature is when regenerated. That this may be understood it will be briefly mentioned that all in heaven turn their faces towards the Lord, and all in hell turn their faces away from Him; so that when any one looks down into hell from heaven he sees only the back of the head and body of those who are there. Indeed the inhabitants appear as if inverted like those who live on the opposite sides of the globe, with their feet upwards and their heads downwards, while yet they are walking on their feet and turning their faces in every direction. It is the contrary direction of the interiors of their mind which produces this appearance. I recount these remarkable things from my own observation.
It was thus made evident to me that regeneration takes place in much the same way as hell is removed and so separated from heaven. For as was stated above, a man as to the first nature which is his by birth, is a hell in miniature; and as to the other nature which is his by second birth, he is a heaven in miniature. From this, it follows that evils in a man are removed and separated just as hell is from heaven in their aggregate; and that evils, as they are removed, turn themselves away from the Lord, and gradually become inverted in proportion as heaven is implanted in him, that is, as he becomes a new man. To this may be added by way of illustration that every evil in a man is conjoined with such spirits in hell as are in a similar evil; and on the contrary, that every good in a man is conjoined with such angels in heaven as are in a similar good.
613. Qui novit, quomodo Coelum et Infernum inter se sunt, et quomodo removetur unum ab altero, ille nosse potest quomodo homo regeneratur, ut et qualis homo regeneratus est; ut hoc intelligatur, in summario propalabitur hoc, quod omnes qui in Coelo sunt, aspiciant Dominum a facie, et omnes qui in Inferno sunt, avertant faciem a Domino, quare dum e Coelo inspicitur infernum, apparent modo occipitio et tergo; imo etiam apparent sicut inversi ut antipodes pedibus sursum et capitibus deorsum, et hoc tametsi ambulant super pedibus, et facies circumvertunt, nam est directio opposita interiorum mentis eorum, quae illum visum producit; haec mirabilia ex autopsia refero.
[2] Ex his mihi detectum est, quomodo fit regeneratio, quod fiat prorsus sicut Infernum removetur et sic separatur a Coelo, nam, ut supra dictum, homo quoad primam naturam, quam trahit ex nativitate, in minima effigie est Infernum, et quoad alteram naturam, quam trahit ex secunda nativitate, in minima effigie est Coelum. Ex his sequitur, quod mala apud hominem similiter removeantur et separentur sicut Infernum et Coelum in magna effigie, et quod mala sicut removentur avertant se a Domino, et se successive invertant, et quod hoc fiat in eo gradu, quo implantatur Coelum, hoc est, sicut homo fit 1 novus. His illustrationis gratia adjicietur hoc, quod unumquodvis malum apud hominem conjunctionem habeat cum talibus in inferno, qui in simili malo sunt, et vicissim quod unumquodvis bonum apud hominem conjunctionem habeat cum talibus in Coelo qui in simili bono sunt.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: sit.