802.荷兰人的宗教信仰立场比其他人更坚定，不会轻易动摇，即使向他们证明这样或那样的观点不合逻辑，他们也不会接受，而是无动于衷，依然如故。所以他们不会将自己与对真理的内在直觉分开，在严格顺服的同时保持高度理性。由于他们的这种秉性，死后一进入灵界，他们就以特有的方式预备好接受由圣真构成的天堂属灵物。不用教导他们真理，因为他们不接受，而是直接向他们描述天堂的性质，然后允许他们升入天堂观看它。那时，凡与他们秉性相合的东西，都被赐给他们，以便当他们回到同伴中时，对天堂充满渴望。
如果那时他们不接受这一真理，即神在位格和本质上是一，主救世主，救主就是这位神，神性的三位一体在祂里面，还有，脱离信与仁的生活、仅存在于知识和话语里的信和仁是无效的，人只有经自我反省后悔改，主才会赐下这些东西。若教导这些真理后，他们仍一如既往，视神为三个位格，视宗教仅为存在的一个事实，他们就会陷入悲惨境地，其贸易也被禁止，直到他们发觉自己的窘迫。然后，他们被带到那些因拥有圣真而富有万物、生意兴隆的人当中，开始从天堂思考：“为什么这些人如此富有？”同时，他们被引导反思这些人的信及其生活方式，发现他们嫉恶如仇，并且由于对问题进行了认真考虑，所以他们在自己的想法和思考基础上接受一种和谐。这些状态交替进行，最终促使他们反省：若要摆脱自己的不幸，就必须有同样的信仰。然后，随着他们接受这信仰，并过仁爱的生活，财富和幸福的生活就被赐给他们。
同样，那些在世的生活含有仁爱成分的人，自己就会纠正过来，并为天堂做好准备。后来，他们变得比其他人更坚定，以至于可被称之为中流砥柱，他们不会轻易因任何推理、谬论、诡辩造成的混乱，以及源于错误观念的证明而误入歧途，因为他们比以前更聪明。
802. 荷兰人的宗教信仰立场比其他人更坚定, 不会轻易动摇, 即使向他们证明这样或那样的观点不合逻辑, 他们也不会接受, 而是无动于衷, 依然如故。 所以他们不会将自己与对真理的内在直觉分开, 在严格顺服的同时保持高度理性。 由于他们的这种秉性, 死后一进入灵界, 他们就以特有的方式预备好接受由圣真构成的天堂属灵物。 不用教导他们真理, 因为他们不接受, 而是直接向他们描述天堂的性质, 然后允许他们升入天堂观看它。 那时, 凡与他们秉性相合的东西, 都被赐给他们, 以便当他们回到同伴中时, 对天堂充满渴望。
如果那时他们不接受这一真理, 即神在位格和本质上是一, 主救世主, 救主就是这位神, 神性的三位一体在祂里面, 还有, 脱离信与仁的生活, 仅存在于知识和话语里的信和仁是无效的, 人只有经自我反省后悔改, 主才会赐下这些东西。 若教导这些真理后, 他们仍一如既往, 视神为三个位格, 视宗教仅为存在的一个事实, 他们就会陷入悲惨境地, 其贸易也被禁止, 直到他们发觉自己的窘迫。 然后, 他们被带到那些因拥有圣真而富有万物, 生意兴隆的人当中, 开始从天堂思考: “为什么这些人如此富有? ”同时, 他们被引导反思这些人的信及其生活方式, 发现他们嫉恶如仇, 并且由于对问题进行了认真考虑, 所以他们在自己的想法和思考基础上接受一种和谐。 这些状态交替进行, 最终促使他们反省: 若要摆脱自己的不幸, 就必须有同样的信仰。 然后, 随着他们接受这信仰, 并过仁爱的生活, 财富和幸福的生活就被赐给他们。
同样, 那些在世的生活含有仁爱成分的人, 自己就会纠正过来, 并为天堂做好准备。 后来, 他们变得比其他人更坚定, 以至于可被称之为中流砥柱, 他们不会轻易因任何推理, 谬论, 诡辩造成的混乱, 以及源于错误观念的证明而误入歧途, 因为他们比以前更聪明。
802. The Dutch stick more strongly than others do to the core principles in their religion. They will not be moved. If someone tries to convince them that this or that teaching is out of step with the other things they believe, they will not accept it. They turn away and remain exactly where they were before. Even if they have an inner vision of truth, they will keep it at bay. They hold their rational faculty under tight obedience [to faith].
Since this is their nature, when they come into the spiritual world after death they are prepared in an unusual way to accept spiritual teachings from heaven (which are divine truths). They are not taught them, because they are not open to such teaching. Instead, what heaven is like is described for them. Then they are given an opportunity to go there and see it for themselves; up there they are bathed in whatever heavenly qualities are in harmony with their nature. They then return to their own people feeling a great desire for heaven.
[2] Then they are taught the truth, that God is one, not only in essence but also in person; that the Lord, our Redeemer and Savior, is that God; and that the divine Trinity exists within him; and also this truth, that knowing and talking about faith and goodwill do nothing for us if we do not also put them to work in our lives, and that the Lord grants us faith and goodwill after we examine ourselves and practice repentance.
If they reject this teaching and persist in thinking of God as three persons and of religion as something merely theoretical rather than also practical, they are driven into wretched poverty and their business is taken away from them until they realize they are completely out of options.
Then they are taken to see people who have divine truths and who are therefore abundantly wealthy and have thriving businesses. While they are seeing these people, thoughts come into their minds from heaven regarding why these people are so well off, along with reflections on what kind of faith and what kind of life they have. They notice in particular that these people abstain from evils on the grounds that evils are sins. They also make a few inquiries, and verify that their thoughts and conjectures about the successful people are accurate.
They then go back and forth, back and forth, between being in their own poverty and being in the company of these successful people. Eventually they decide on their own that to escape their poverty they need to embrace the same beliefs and the same practices as the successful people. As they actually do embrace that faith and live that life of goodwill, their financial situation improves markedly and they begin enjoying life again.
[3] Through this method, [Dutch] people who had had at least some practice of goodwill in their lives are led to make further changes in themselves and are prepared for heaven.
After these experiences, people like this become steadier than others, so that they could be called steadiness itself. They will not allow themselves to be swayed by any faulty rationale, any mistaken impression, any confusion brought on by subtly deceptive reasoning, or any wrong-headed vision, no matter how many supporting arguments it has. They become more clear-sighted than they were before.
802. The Dutch are more firmly attached than other peoples to their religious principles, and are not to be moved from them. Even if it is proved to them that this or that point is inconsistent, still they do not accept it, but turn back and remain unmoved. So too they retreat from looking inwardly at truth, for they keep their rational faculty under strict control. Being of this nature, on arrival in the spiritual world after death they are prepared in a special way to receive the spirituality of heaven, which consists of Divine truths. They are not taught, because they are not receptive of teaching; but they are given a description of what heaven is like, and then they are permitted to go up into heaven to view it. Then whatever is in keeping with their character is imparted to them, so that when they are sent back down to their companions they are full of desire for heaven.
[2] If then they do not receive this truth, that God is one in person and in essence, and that He is the Lord the Redeemer and Saviour, and in Him is the Divine Trinity - as well as this, that it is of no avail to know and talk about faith and charity, unless they are expressed in the life we lead, being given to us by the Lord when after self-examination we repent - if they turn their backs on these truths when they are taught them, and continue to think of God as being three persons and of religion as being merely something that exists, they are reduced to poverty and their trade is taken away from them, until they realise they are reduced to extreme straits. Then they are taken to people who, being in possession of Divine truths, have affluent means and a flourishing trade, and there the idea is introduced into their minds from heaven of finding out what is the source of these people's prosperity. At the same time they are brought to reflect upon these people's faith and their way of life, noting that they loathe evils as sins. Even so they do not sufficiently enquire and perceive how this agrees with their own thoughts and reflections. These states alternate. Finally they think of their own accord that the way out of their poverty is to adopt similar beliefs, and a similar way of life. Then depending on the extent to which they receive faith and lead a life of charity, they are given wealth and a pleasant life.
[3] In this manner those who have in the world lived a life containing some charity are corrected by themselves and prepared for heaven. Afterwards they become so much more resolute than others that they can be called models of constancy, nor do they allow themselves to be led astray by any reasoning, fallacy, blurring produced by sophistic arguments, or by mere proofs which result from looking at things the wrong way round. For they become more clear-sighted than before.
802. The Dutch cling more firmly than others to the principles of their religion, nor are they to be moved from them. Even when they are convinced that this or that does not agree with their belief, they refuse to admit it, and turn away and remain unmoved. Thus they separate themselves from any interior intuition of truth, keeping their reason closely under obedience. Such being their character, when, after death, they enter the spiritual world they are prepared in a peculiar manner to receive the spiritual things of heaven, which are Divine truths. They are not taught truths, because they do not receive; but the nature of heaven is described to them, and after that they are permitted to ascend thither and see it; and whatever is then in harmony with their genius is infused into them, and being sent down in this state they return to their companions with a full desire for heaven.
[2] If they do not then receive the truth that God is one in Person and in Essence, and that the Lord the Redeemer and Savior is this God, and that in Him is the Divine trinity, also this truth, that faith and charity in knowledge and in speech, apart from a life of faith and charity, are of no effect, and that the Lord bestows these when man after self-examination repents; - if when they are taught these truths they still turn away from them, and still think of God as existent in three Persons, and of religion as a fact merely, they are brought into a miserable condition, and their business is taken away from them, even until they find themselves reduced to extremities. They are then conducted to those who, because they are in Divine truths, abound in all things, and among whom business flourishes; and there the thought is insinuated into them from heaven, "Why is it that these people are so prosperous?" At the same time they are led to reflect upon the faith and life of such, in that they are averse to evils as sins; and having thought carefully about the matter they perceive a harmony with their own thought and reflection. This is repeated at intervals. At length, they are brought to think that if they are freed from their misery they must believe in a like manner; and then, as they accept that belief and live that life of charity, riches and a happy life are given to them.
[3] In this manner those who have to some extent lived a life of charity in the world, are of themselves reformed and prepared for heaven. Afterwards they come to excel in constancy to the extent that they might be called constances; and they do not permit themselves to be led away by any reasoning or fallacy or obscurity induced by sophistry, or by any mere confirmations arising from any absurd points of view; for they become more clear-sighted than before.
802. The Dutch adhere to their religious principles more firmly than others, nor do they resile from them. Even if they are convinced of any inconsistency, they do not give their assent, but turn back to their old opinions and remain unmoved. Thus they remove themselves from the interior intuition of truth, for they close up their rational faculty in deference to authority. Accordingly when they come after death into the spiritual world, they are prepared in a peculiar manner to receive the spiritual things of heaven which are Divine truths. They are not taught directly, because they do not respond to teaching; but the nature of heaven is described to them. They are afterwards permitted to enter and see it; and then, whatever agrees with their genius is imparted to them, and in this state they depart and return to their associates, filled with the desire for heaven.
[2] They are then taught these truths, that God is one in Person and in Essence, and that the Lord, the Redeemer and Savior, is that God; that in Him is the Divine Trinity; and also that faith and charity, in thought and speech only, avail nothing without a life in accordance with them, and that these are given by the Lord to those who actually repent after self-examination. If they turn away from these truths, and still think of God as being in three Persons, and of religion as something apart from life, they are reduced to a state of misery, and their trade is taken away until they find themselves reduced to extremities.
Then they are taken to those who, because they are in Divine truths, have an abundance of all things, and with whom trade flourishes; and here the thought comes to them from heaven, Why is it that these are prosperous? At the same time reflection upon the faith and life of these persons shows that they shun evils as sins. After a little investigation they perceive some agreement between their own thoughts and this reflection; and this happens at frequent intervals. At length of themselves they come to this conclusion that, in order to be released from their misery, they must in like manner believe and live. Thereafter as they receive that faith and live that life of charity, they are granted wealth and a happy life.
[3] This is how those who have in any degree led a life of charity in the world are amended of themselves and prepared for heaven. They afterwards become more constant than others, so that they may indeed be termed the personification of constancy; nor do they suffer themselves to be led away by any reasoning, fallacy or obscurity induced by sophistry, or by any absurd vision based on argument alone; for they have become more clear-sighted than before.
802. Hollandi principiis suae Religionis firmius inhaerent quam alii, nec dimoventur ab illis, et si convincuntur, quod hoc aut illud non concors sit, usque non affirmant, sed vertunt se retro, et permanent immoti; ita quoque amovent se ab intuitione veri interiore; Rationale enim suum concludunt sub obedientia. Quoniam tales sunt, ideo illi post mortem, dum in Mundum spiritualem veniunt, peculiari modo praeparantur ad recipiendum spiritualia Coeli, quae sunt Divina Vera: non docentur, quia non recipiunt, sed describitur illis Coelum, quale est, et deinde datur illis ascendere illuc, ac videre illud, et tunc quicquid concordat cum genio illorum, infunditur, sic demissi redeunt ad suos cum pleno desiderio Coeli:
[2] si tunc non recipiunt hoc Verum, quod Deus unus sit Persona et Essentia, et quod ille Deus sit Dominus Redemptor et Salvator, et quod in Ipso sit Divina Trinitas; tum hoc Verum, quod Fides et Charitas cognitione et sermone non faciant quicquam absque vita illarum, et quod illae dentur a Domino dum post explorationem poenitentiam agunt. Si ab illis, cum docentur, se avertunt, et usque cogitant de Deo, quod sint tres quoad Personas, et de Religione solum quod sit, rediguntur in miserias, et aufertur illis Negotiatio, usque dum vident se ad incitas redactos: et tunc perducuntur ad illos, qui, quia in Divinis Veris sunt, abundant omnibus, et apud quos Negotiatio floret, ac ibi insinuatur illis e Coelo cogitatio, unde est, quod tales sint, et simul reflexio super Fidem illorum, et super Vitam illorum, quod aversentur mala ut peccata; parum etiam inquirunt, et percipiunt concordantiam cum propria cogitatione et reflexione; hoc fit per vices: tandem ex semet cogitant, quod ut exeant a miseriis, similiter credendum, et similiter vivendum sit, et tunc sicut recipiunt illam Fidem, et vivunt illam Charitatis vitam, datur illis opulentia, et faustitas vitae.
[3] Hoc modo illi, qui in Mundo aliquam vitam Charitatis egerunt, emendantur a se, ac praeparantur ad Coelum. Hi postea Constantiores fiunt aliis, adeo ut dici queant Constantiae, nec se ab aliqua ratiocinatione, fallacia, obscuritate inducta per sophistica, et ex visione praepostera a solis confirmationibus, abduci patiuntur; fiunt enim perspicaces plus quam prius.