845# 至于“深渊的泉源”象征与意志相关的邪恶，“天上的闸门”象征与理智相关的伪谬；这是因为人的意志是受地狱影响的部分，而理智则不同，除非它沉浸在意志的欲望中。属于意志的邪恶是导致人被定罪并下入地狱的因素，而伪谬本身不会这样，除非它们与邪恶结合起来，以至于形影不离。这可以从许多身处伪谬之中但仍然得救的人身上看出，如许多生活在自然层面的仁义和怜悯中的外邦人，以及那些出于单纯的心而信仰的基督徒；他们的无知和单纯是可以被原谅的，因为纯真能够存于无知和单纯之中。固执于伪谬并因而贯彻这种伪谬的生活，情况就不同了，他们对伪谬的执着导致他们拒绝和排斥一切真理。他们的生活必须先被推翻，然后才能播种真与善。更糟的是那些通过欲望来坚固自己伪谬的人，使伪谬和欲望构成一体的生活；这些就是自投地狱的那一类人。这就是为什么与意志相关的试探通过“深渊的泉源”象征，就是地狱；而与理智相关的试探通过“天上的闸门”象征，就是从中降下雨水的云彩。
845、“深渊的泉源”之所以表示涉及意愿事物的试探，“天上的水闸”表示涉及理解力事物的试探，是因为地狱作用于人的意愿，而非他的理解力，除非理解力沉浸于构成意愿的恶欲。将一个人定罪，把他推入地狱的，是意愿里面的邪恶，而不是虚假，除非这些虚假与邪恶相结合，因为在这种情况下，一个跟随另一个。这一点从以下事实清楚看出来：许多人虽受虚假影响，但仍得救了，如许多过着属世仁爱和怜悯生活的外邦人，以及以单纯的心相信的基督徒。其无知和单纯宽恕了他们，因为纯真能住在这些品质里面。
那些确认虚假，从而追求这种虚假的生活，以至于弃绝并唾弃一切真理的人则不然。这种生活必须先荒废，真理与良善才能被植入。然而，情况更糟的，是那些在恶欲的影响下如此确认虚假，以致虚假与恶欲构成一个生命的人。他们就是那些投入地狱的人。这就是为何涉及意愿事物的试探以“深渊的泉源”，也就是地狱来表示，而涉及理解力事物的试探以“天上的水闸”，也就是落下雨点的云来表示。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]845. The reason the springs of the abyss symbolize a testing of the will's intents and the floodgates of heaven a testing of the intellect's ideas is as follows.
It is our volitional side that hell drives, and not so much our intellectual side, unless this is saturated with corrupt desires, which come from the will. Evil, which is a matter of will, is what condemns us and drags us down toward hell. Falsity does not do so to the same extent unless coupled with evil (since the one then follows after the other).
The large numbers of people who subscribe to falsity and yet are saved provide evidence for this. Many non-Christians, whose lives have been marked by earthly charity and by mercy, fall into this category, as do Christians whose beliefs have been adopted in simplicity of heart. Ignorance and simplicity themselves excuse such people, since innocence can inhabit those qualities.
[2] The situation is otherwise for people who have hardened themselves in falsity and from this contracted such a dishonest way of life that they deny and reject all truth. Their way of life has to be destroyed before any seed of truth or goodness can be planted in them. It is worse, however, for those who have hardened themselves in falsity on the basis of desire, so that falsity and desire have come to form a single life force. They are the ones who plummet into hell.
This is why trials involving attributes of the will are symbolized by the springs of the abyss, which are the hells, while trials involving attributes of the intellect are symbolized by the floodgates of heaven, which are rain clouds.
Potts(1905-1910) 845
845. The reason why the "fountains of the deep" signify temptation as to what is of the will, and the "cataracts of heaven" temptation as to what is of the understanding, is that it is what is of the will of man that is influenced by hell, and not so much what is of the understanding, unless this has been immersed in cupidities, which are of the will. Evils, which are of the will, are what condemn man and thrust him down to hell, and not so much falsities, unless they become conjoined with evils, for then the one follows the other. The truth of this statement may be seen from the case of very many of those who are in falsities, and are yet saved, which is the case with many among the Gentiles, who have lived in natural charity and in mercy, and with Christians who have believed in simplicity of heart. Their ignorance and simplicity excuse them, because in these there can be innocence. But it is otherwise with those who have confirmed themselves in falsities, and have thus contracted such a life of falsity that they refuse and reject all truth; for this life of falsity must be vastated before anything of truth and thus of good can be inseminated. It is, however, still worse with those who have confirmed themselves in falsities under the influence of their cupidities, so that the falsities and the cupidities have come to constitute one life; for these are they who plunge themselves into hell. This is the reason why temptation as to what is of the will is signified by the "fountains of the deep" which are the hells, and temptation as to what is of the understanding by the "cataracts of heaven" which are the clouds, from which comes rain.
Elliott(1983-1999) 845
845. The reason 'the fountains of the deep' means temptation as regards things of the will, and 'the floodgates of heaven' means temptation as regards those of the understanding, is that a person's will is what hell acts upon and not so much upon his understanding unless it has been immersed in evil desires that constitute the will. Evils within the will are what condemn a person and thrust him down to hell, and not so much falsities unless these are coupled with evils, in which case one follows the other. This becomes clear from the fact that so many people who are under the influence of falsities are nevertheless saved, as is the case with very many of the gentiles who have led lives of natural charity and of mercy, as well as Christians who have believed in simplicity of heart. Their very ignorance and simplicity excuse them, for innocence can reside within them.
[2] The situation is different with those who have confirmed themselves in falsities and have consequently pursued such a life of falsity that they reject and spurn all truth. Such a life must first of all be laid waste before any truth and so any good can be implanted. The situation is worse however with people who have so confirmed themselves in falsities resulting from evil desires that falsities and evil desires compose one life. These are the people who plunge into hell. This is the reason why temptation as regards things of the will is meant by 'the fountains of the deep', which are the hells, and temptation as regards those of the understanding by 'the floodgates of heaven', which are the clouds from which the rain falls.
Latin(1748-1756) 845
845. Quod per 'fontes abyssi' significetur tentatio quoad voluntaria, et per 'cataractas caeli' tentatio quoad intellectualia, causa est quia voluntarium hominis est quod agitur ab inferno, non ita intellectuale nisi immersum sit cupiditatibus quae sunt voluntatis; mala quae voluntatis sunt quae damnant hominem et detrudunt eum ad infernum, non ita falsa nisi copulata sint malis, tunc unum sequitur alterum; ut constare potest a permultis qui in falsis sunt et usque salvantur; sicut plurimi ex gentibus qui in charitate naturali vixerunt et in misericordia; tum Christiani qui ex simplicitate cordis crediderunt ipsa ignorantia et simplicitas excusat, quia in illis potest esse innocentia; aliter se habet cum illis qui confirmarunt se in falsis, et inde vita: falsi talem traxerunt ut renuant et respuant omne verum; quae vita prius vastatur, antequam aliquid veri et sic boni inseminari potest pejus autem se habet cum illis qui se in falsis confirmarunt ex cupiditatibus sic ut falsitates et cupiditates unam vitam constituerint; ii sunt qui se demergunt inferno: haec causa est quod tentatio quoad voluntaria significetur per 'fontes abyssi,' qui sunt inferna, et tentatio quoad intellectualia per 'cataractas caeli,' quae sunt nubes ex quibus imber.