2694# "不要害怕，因为神听见孩子在那里的声音"象征着对帮助的希望。"不要害怕"这个劝告象征着不要绝望，因为当恐惧消除时，希望就会随之而来。"神听见孩子的声音"则象征帮助即将到来，这一点在前文2691节中也有类似的解释。
在之前的经文中，我们讨论了那些正在经历属灵改造的人所面临的荒凉状态。而现在，我们开始探讨他们如何从这种状态中恢复。特别是在这一段中，我们看到了安慰和对即将到来的帮助的希望。
【2】那些经历属灵改造的人往往会被带入一种对真理无知或感到荒凉的状态，以至于经历痛苦和绝望。只有在这之后，他们才能首次从主那里获得安慰和帮助。这种经历在今天并不为多数人所知，因为真正经历属灵改造的人很少。
那些能够接受改造的人，无论是在现世还是来生，都会经历这种状态。在灵性世界中，这种状态被称为"荒废或荒凉"，我们在第一卷已经提到过，详见1109节。处于这种荒废或荒凉状态中的人会被带到绝望的边缘。正是在这种状态下，他们从主那里得到安慰和帮助，最终被带离这种状态进入天堂。在那里，他们会在天使的指导下重新学习关于信仰的善与真。
这种荒废和荒凉的主要目的是为了打破人们从自我中获得的固有观念（参2682节）。同时，这也是为了让他们能够真正领受到什么是善与真。在他们固有的自我观念被软化之前，他们是无法获得这种领受的。正是通过经历焦虑、痛苦乃至绝望的状态，这一目的得以实现。
事实上，没有人能够真正理解什么是良善，什么是幸福和快乐，除非他曾经历过与之相反的状态。正是通过这种对比，人们才能获得对良善与幸福的深刻领受。这种领受的深度和广度，取决于他们在相反状态中的经历程度。通过这种实际的对比经历，人们形成了领受的范围和界限。
这些就是人们需要经历荒废或荒凉状态的主要原因，当然还有其他原因。为了更好地理解这一点，让我们来看一些具体的例子。
【3】那些将一切归功于自己的智慧，而很少或根本不相信神性治理的人，即使用千百种理由向他们证明神性治理无处不在，甚至存在于最微小的事物中（就连一根头发的掉落都在其掌控之中），也不会轻易改变他们对自身智慧的看法，除非在他们被理由说服的瞬间。
这一点即使通过生动的亲身经历向他们证明这一点，他们也可能只在经历的当下承认神性治理的存在，但很快就回到原来的观点。这些经历只能在他们的思想上产生短暂的影响，而不能触动他们的情感。除非情感被彻底改变，否则思想就会保持原状，因为思想的信念和活力来源于情感。
然而，当这些人因意识到自己在任何情况下都无能为力而感到焦虑和痛苦，以至于陷入绝望时，他们固有的观念才会被打破，他们的状态才会改变。此时，他们才能真正相信自己什么都做不了，而所有的能力、谋略、聪明和智慧都来自于主。
同样的道理也适用于那些认为信仰和良善都源于自身的人。只有经历了这种深刻的转变，他们才能真正理解并接受信仰和良善的真正来源。
【4】让我们再举一个例子来深入理解这个概念。有些人坚信，一旦他们被称义，所有的罪恶就会从他们身上完全消除，使他们变得纯洁无瑕。即使用上千种理由向他们解释，罪恶并非被彻底抹去，而是他们被主从罪恶中拯救出来并保守在良善中，这些人仍然无法摆脱他们原有的观念。
即便有经验证明他们本性中仍存在邪恶，甚至可能是最不纯洁的罪恶集合体，他们仍然不愿放弃自己的信念。然而，当这些人被带到一种状态，以至于在自己身上感受到地狱的存在，并对自己能否得救产生绝望时，他们的固有观念才会第一次被打破。
随之崩塌的还有他们的骄傲、对他人的蔑视，以及认为只有自己才能得救的傲慢。此时，他们才能真正接受信仰的核心教导：不仅承认所有的良善都来自主，而且一切都源于他的怜悯。
最终，他们才能在主面前真正谦卑下来。这种谦卑，如果没有对自我的深刻认知，是无法实现的。
由此我们可以理解，为什么那些经历属灵改造的人需要经历荒废或荒凉的状态，正如前面的经文所述。只有当他们在这种状态中陷入绝望时，他们才能第一次真正从主那里获得安慰和帮助。
2694、“不要害怕，因为神已经听见孩子在那里的声音了”表示获得帮助的希望。这从“不要害怕”和“听见孩子的声音”的含义清楚可知：“不要害怕”是指不要绝望，因为一旦害怕被消除，希望就在眼前；“听见孩子的声音”是指帮助，如前所述（2691节），那里有同样的话。前几节论述了那些正在被改造，并变得属灵的人所经历的荒凉状态；现在则论述他们的恢复，此处论述他们的安慰和帮助的希望。
那些正在被改造的人会被带入不知道任何真理的状态，也就是荒凉，直至悲伤和绝望的状态；这时，他们才第一次从主获得安慰和帮助。这一事实如今不为人知，因为很少有人被改造。那些能被改造的人即便活在肉身时没有被带入这种状态，在来世也会被带入其中。在来世，这种状态是众所周知的，被称为荒废或荒凉，第一卷对此有某种程度的讨论（参看1109节）。那些经历这种荒废或荒凉的人甚至到了绝望的地步；当处于这种状态时，他们就会从主获得安慰和帮助，最终从这种状态中被带出来进入天堂；在那里的众天使当中，他们可以说重新学习信之良善与真理。他们之所以经历这种荒废或荒凉，主要是为了粉碎他们从自己的东西中所孕育的虚假说服（参看2682节）；也为了他们可以获得对良善和真理的感知；在来源于他们自己东西的虚假说服可以说被软化之前，他们不能获得这种感知。正是忧虑和悲伤，甚至绝望产生这种变化。没有人能以一种敏锐的感觉感知到良善是什么，甚至感知到祝福和幸福是什么，除非他经历缺乏良善、祝福和幸福的状态。人就是从这种经历中获得一种感知的气场，并且他越经历相反的状态，就越获得这种气场。感知的气场和它延伸的范围取决于他对这两种相反状态的实际经历。这些就是荒废或荒凉的原因，此外还有其它许多原因。
下面举例说明这个问题。对那些将一切归于自己的谨慎，很少或丝毫不归于圣治的人来说，你可以用成千上万个确凿的证据向他们证明圣治是普遍的，它普遍是因为它存在于每个最小细节中；你甚至可以证明，若不是已经被预见并相应地提供，就连一根头发都不会从头上掉下来，也就是说，就连最小的事都不会发生；他们思想自己谨慎的状态仍旧保持不变，除非在他们因这些证据而信服的短暂瞬间。事实上，如果这个问题通过活生生的经历向他们证明，那么当他们见证或参与这些经历时，他们可能会承认事情的确如此；但不久之后，他们就会回到以前的观念。这些经历对人们的思维有某种短暂影响，但对他们的情感没有影响；除非情感被破碎，否则思维仍保持自己原来的状态；因为思维从情感获得自己的坚信和生命。然而，当他们认识到他们凭自己什么都做不了，并且这种认识迫使他们陷入忧虑和悲伤，直到绝望的地步时，他们的坚定说服就会被打破，他们的状态也会改变。在这种情况下，他们最终能被说服相信，他们凭自己什么都做不了，一切能力、谨慎、聪明和智慧都来自主。那些以为信仰来源于他们自己，良善也来源于他们自己的人也一样。
另举一例来说明。有些人被说服坚信，一旦变得公义，他们就不再有任何邪恶了，这邪恶被完全抹掉、清除了，因此他们是洁净的。你可以用成千上万个证据向他们清楚证明：没有任何东西被抹掉或清除，而是主使人们远离邪恶，并把他们保持在良善中，前提是他们通过在世上过良善的生活发展出的性格允许主如此行。除了这些证据外，他们还能通过经历确信，他们凭自己无非是邪恶，事实上是最污秽的大量邪恶。但他们无视这一切证据和经历，仍不放弃自己所相信的观念。然而，当他们被带入一种特定状态，好叫他们看到自己里面的地狱，并且看得如此清楚，以至于对自己得救的可能性感到绝望时，这种坚定的说服第一次被打破，连同它一起被打破的，还有他们的骄傲，与自己相比对其他所有人的蔑视，以及傲慢自大的假设，以为他们是唯一得救的人。这时他们能被带入对纯正信仰的承认中，不仅承认一切良善皆来自主，还承认一切事物的存在都是因为主的怜悯；最终他们能被带入在主面前发自内心的谦卑中，若不承认自我的本相，这是不可能的。由此明显可知，为何那些正在被改造，或变得属灵的人被带入前几节所论述的那种荒废或荒凉的状态中；并且当经历这种状态，甚至到了绝望的地步时，他们才第一次从主获得安慰和帮助。
Potts(1905-1910) 2694
2694. Fear not, for God hath heard the voice of the child where he is. That this signifies the hope of help, is evident from the signification of "fear not," as being not to despair; for when fear is taken away, hope is present; and from the signification of "hearing the voice of the child," as being help (see above, n. 2691, where the words are similar). In the verses which precede, the state of desolation in which those are who are being reformed and are becoming spiritual, is treated of; now the subject is their being restored, and here their comfort and hope of help. [2] That they who are being reformed are reduced into ignorance of truth, or desolation, even to grief and despair, and that they then for the first time have comfort and help from the Lord, is unknown at this day, for the reason that few are reformed. They who are such that they can be reformed are brought into this state, if not in the life of the body, nevertheless in the other life, where this state is well known, and is called vastation or desolation, concerning which there has been some mention in volume 1 (where also see n. 1109). They who are in such vastation or desolation are reduced even to despair; and when they are in this state they then receive comfort and help from the Lord, and are at length taken away into heaven, where they are instructed among the angels as it were anew in the goods and truths of faith. The reason of this vastation and desolation is chiefly that the persuasive which they have conceived from what is their own may be broken (see n. 2682); and that they may also receive the perception of good and truth, which they cannot receive until the persuasive which is from their own has been as it were softened. This is effected by the state of anxiety and grief even to despair. What is good, nay, what is blessed and happy, no one can perceive with an exquisite sense unless he has been in a state of what is not good, not blessed, and not happy. From this he acquires a sphere of perception, and this in the degree in which he has been in the opposite state. The sphere of perception and the extension of its limits arise from the realizing of contrasts. These are causes of vastation or desolation, besides many others. [3] But take examples for illustration. If to those who ascribe all things to their own prudence and little or nothing to Divine Providence, it be proved by thousands of reasons that the Divine Providence is universal, and this because it is in the most minute particulars; and that not even a hair falls from the head (that is, nothing happens however small) which is not foreseen and provided accordingly, nevertheless their state of thought about their own prudence is not changed by it, except at the very moment when they find themselves convinced by the reasons. Nay, if the same thing were attested to them by living experiences; just at the moment when they see the experiences, or are in them, they may confess that it is so; but after the lapse of a few moments they return to their former state of opinion. Such things have some momentary effect upon the thought, but not upon the affection; and unless the affection is broken, the thought remains in its own state; for the thought has its belief and its life from the affection. But when anxiety and grief are induced upon them by the fact of their own helplessness, and this even to despair, their persuasive is broken, and their state is changed; and then they can be led into the belief that they can do nothing of themselves, but that all power, prudence, intelligence, and wisdom are from the Lord. The case is similar with those who believe that faith is from themselves, and that good is from themselves. [4] Take another example for illustration: If to those who have conceived the persuasion that when justified there is no longer any evil in them, but it is completely wiped away and blotted out, and thus they are pure-if to these it be made clear by thousands of reasons that nothing is wiped away or blotted out, but that they are kept back from evil and held in good by the Lord (that is to say those who are of such a character that from the life of good in which they had been in the world this is possible to them); and if moreover they be convinced by experience that of themselves they are nothing but evil, and indeed are most impure heaps of evils-after all they will not recede from the belief of their opinion. But when they are reduced to such a state that they perceive hell in themselves, and this to such a degree as to despair of ever being able to be saved, then for the first time that persuasive is broken, and with it their pride, and their contempt of others in comparison with themselves, and also the arrogance that they are the only ones who are saved; and they can be led into the true confession of faith, not only that all good is from the Lord, but also that all things are of His mercy; and at length into humiliation of heart before the Lord, which is not possible without the acknowledgment of the true character of self. Hence now it is manifest why they who are being reformed, or are becoming spiritual, are reduced into the state of vastation or desolation treated of in the verses which precede; and that when they are in that state even to despair, they then for the first time receive comfort and help from the Lord.
Elliott(1983-1999) 2694
2694. 'Do not be afraid, for God has heard the boy's voice where he is' means the hope of help. This is clear from the meaning of 'do not be afraid' as not despairing, for once fear is removed hope is at hand; and from the meaning of 'hearing the boy's voice' as help, dealt with above in 2691, where similar words occur. The subject in previous verses has been the state of desolation which those people experience who are being reformed and becoming spiritual. But now the subject is the restoration of them, and here their comfort and hope of help.
[2] The fact that those who are being reformed are brought into a state of not knowing any truth, that is, into a state of desolation, insomuch that they experience grief and despair, and that at this point for the first time they receive comfort and help from the Lord, is something that is not known at the present day for the reason that few are being reformed. Those who are such that they are able to be reformed are brought into this state, if not during this life then in the next, where that state is very well known and is called vastation or desolation, regarding which something has been said in Volume One, where also see 1109. Those who experience such vastation or desolation are brought to the point of despair, and when in that state they receive comfort and help from the Lord, and at length are taken away out of that state into heaven, where in the presence of angels they are taught so to speak anew the goods and truths of faith. The primary reason why they undergo vastation or desolation is so that the things of which they are firmly persuaded, originating in what is properly their own, may crumble, see 2682, and also that they may receive the perception of good and truth, which perception they are not able to receive until those false persuasions originating in what is their own are so to speak softened. And it is the state of distress and grief even to the point of despair that effects this change. What good is, and indeed what blessedness and happiness are, nobody with even the sharpest mind is able to perceive unless he has experienced the state of being deprived of good, blessedness, and happiness. It is from this experience that he acquires a sphere of perception; and he acquires it to the same degree that he has experienced the contrary state, for the sphere of perception and how far it extends are determined by his experience of the two contrary states. These, in addition to many others, are the reasons for vastation or desolation. Let the following examples illustrate the matter.
[3] Take those people who attribute everything to their own prudence, and little or nothing to Divine Providence. Even if thousands of reasons are produced to prove that Divine Providence is universal, but universal because it exists in every least thing, and that not even a hair falls from the head - that is, nothing however small exists that has not been foreseen and that has not been provided accordingly - their state of thought regarding their own prudence would remain unaltered, except for the brief moment when they feel convinced by such arguments. Indeed if the same matter were proved to them by actual experiences, they would while witnessing or taking part in such experiences acknowledge the truth of it, but after a short while they would revert to their previous outlook. Such experiences have a fleeting effect on people's thought but not on their affection, and unless the affection is broken down the thought remains in its same state as before; for the thought receives its conviction and its life from the affection. But when the feelings of distress and grief enter into them because they have no power at all that is their own to do anything, and those feelings reach the point of despair, their firm persuasion is broken down and their state altered. In this case they can be brought to a conviction that they have no power that is their own to do anything, and that all power, prudence, intelligence and wisdom originate in the Lord. The same is true of people who believe that their faith is self-derived and their good self-derived.
[4] Let a further example illustrate the matter. Take those who have become firmly persuaded that once they have been made righteous no evil resides with them any longer, but has been completely wiped away and destroyed, and thus that they are pure. Thousands of arguments could be used to make it clear to them that nothing is wiped away or destroyed, but that those people are withheld from evil and maintained in good by the Lord who from the life of good which they have led in the world are such that they can be withheld from evil and maintained in good by Him. In addition to these arguments they could be convinced from experiences that they are of themselves nothing but evil, indeed that they are nothing but utterly filthy masses of evil. But in spite of all those arguments and experiences they would still not depart from their opinion and belief. But when they are brought into a particular state in order that they may perceive hell within themselves, and perceiving this so clearly as to despair of the possibility of their own salvation, that firm persuasion is for the first time broken down and with it their pride and their contempt for all others in comparison with themselves, and also their arrogant assumption that they are the only ones who are saved. They can now be brought into a true confession of faith, not merely to the confession that all good comes from the Lord but also that all things exist because of His mercy; and at length they can be brought into humility of heart before the Lord, the existence of which is impossible without acknowledgement of what they are in themselves. From this it is now evident why those who are being reformed or becoming spiritual are brought into the state of vastation or desolation dealt with in the verses previous to this, and how, when experiencing this state even to the point of despair, they for the first time receive comfort and help from the Lord.
Latin(1748-1756) 2694
2694. {1} `Ne timeas, quia audivit Deus vocem pueri, in quo ille ibi': quod significet spem auxilii, constat a significatione `ne timeas' quod sit non desperare, sublato enim timore spes adest; et a significatione `audire vocem pueri' quod sit auxilium, de qua supra n. 2691, ubi similia verba. Actum est in versibus qui praecedunt, de statu desolationis, in quo illi qui reformantur ac fiunt spirituales; nunc agitur de restitutione eorum, hic de solatio et spe auxilii. [2] Quod in ignorantiam veri seu desolationem, usque ad dolorem et desperationem, redigantur illi qui reformantur, et quod tunc primum iis solatium et auxilium a Domino, hodie ignotum est, ex causa quia pauci reformantur; qui tales sunt ut reformari queant, si non in vita corporis, usque in altera, in statum hunc perducuntur, ubi ille notissimus est et vocatur `vastatio seu desolatio,' de qua aliquid in Parte Prima, ubi etiam videatur n. 1109; qui in tali vastatione seu desolatione sunt, rediguntur usque ad desperationem, et cum in hoc statu sunt, tunc accipiunt solatium et auxilium a Domino, et tandem auferuntur inde in caelum, ubi inter angelos instruuntur quasi e novo in bonis et veris fidei: causa vastationis et {2} desolationis hujus est praecipue ut frangatur persuasivum quod ex proprio captarunt, videatur n. 2682; tum etiam ut perceptionem boni et veri accipiant, quam accipere nequeunt antequam persuasivum quod ex proprio, quasi emollitum sit; status anxietatis et doloris usque ad desperationem facit hoc; quid bonum, immo quid beatum et felix, nemo sensu exquisito percipere potest nisi in statu non boni, non beati, et non felicis fuerit; ex hoc capit perceptionis sphaeram; et hoc in eo gradu in quo fuit in statu opposito, ex relativis actualiter formatis fit sphaera perceptionis et extensio limitum ejus; hae causae vastationis seu desolationis sunt, praeter plures alias: (o)sed sint illustrationi exempla. [3] Qui suae prudentiae omnia tribuunt, et parum vel nihil Providentiae Divinae, illi si vel mille et mille rationibus evincerentur quod Providentia Divina sit universalis, sed universalis inde quia est in singularissimis, (m)et quod ne quidem capillus de capite decidat, hoc est, non tam minimum detur quod non praevisum et secundum id provisum,(n) usque tamen status eorum cogitationis de propria prudentia non inde mutatur, nisi solum illo momento cum convictos se rationibus appercipiunt; immo si idem testatum iis fieret per vivas experientias, tunc cum experientias vident aut in illis sunt, fatentur quod ita sit, sed praeterlapsis aliquibus momentis redeunt ad eundem statum opinionis; talia aliquem momentaneum effectum habent in cogitationem, non autem in affectionem, et nisi affectio frangitur, manet cogitatio in suo statu, nam cogitatio suam fidem {3} et suam vitam habet ab affectione; at cum inducitur (c)iis anxietas et dolor ex eo quod nihil usquam (c)ex se possint, et hoc usque ad desperationem, tunc frangitur persuasivum, et mutatur status; et tunc in illam fidem induci possunt quod nihil possint ex se, sed quod omnis potentia, prudentia, intelligentia et sapientia sit a Domino: similiter se habet cum illis qui credunt quod fides ab ipsis, quodque {4} bonum ab ipsis. [4] Sit adhuc illustrationi exemplum: qui hoc persuasivum captarunt quod cum justificati, non amplius aliquod malum apud eos sit, sed quod plane abstersum (c)et deletum sit, et sic quod puri sint; illi si vel per millia rationum illustrarentur, quod nihil abstergatur seu deleatur, sed quod {5} a malo detineantur et in bono teneatur a Domino nihil qui tales sunt a vita boni in qua fuerunt in mundo, ut possint, et adhuc si convincerentur per experientias, quod sint a se nihil nisi malum, immo quod impurissimae congeries malorum, usque non recedunt a fide opinionis suae; at vero cum reducuntur, ad {6} illum statum ut percipiant in se infernum, et hoc eo usque ut desperent quod usquam salvari possint, tunc primum frangitur persuasivum illud, et cum illo fastus, et contemptus aliorum prae se, tum arrogantia quod soli sint qui salvantur, ac induci possunt in veram confessionem fidei, non modo quod omne bonum sit a Domino, sed etiam quod omnia sint misericordiae Ipsius; et tandem in humiliationem cordis coram Domino, quae absque agnitione sui non dabilis est. Exinde nunc patet cur illi qui reformantur aut spirituales fiunt, rediguntur in statum vastationis seu desolationis, de quo in versibus qui praecedunt; et quod cum in statu illo usque ad desperationem sunt, tunc primum iis solatium et auxilium a Domino. @1 A has two versions, the earlier is unfinished but not deleted (see Appendix volume).$ @2 seu.$ @3 imo.$ @4 quod I.$ @5 modo.$ @6 in.$