452# 启7:9.“这些事以后，我观看，见有一大群人”表示所有照其没有纯正真理在里面的宗教而处于生活良善的人。这从以下考虑清楚可知：每个支派中“受印的有一万二千”表示那些属于没有纯正真理在里面的教会之人；因为“以色列十二支派”表示那些处于纯正良善和真理的人，在抽象意义上表示教会的一切良善和真理；因此，现在所论述的这些人表示那些照其宗教而处于生活良善的人，但其宗教没有纯正真理在里面。这就是“一大群人”的含义，这一点也可从本章下面的话清楚看出来，在那里，经上说“这些人是从大苦难中出来的”(启7:14)，意思是说从试探中出来的，因为那些照其没有纯正真理在里面的宗教而处于生活良善的人在来世会经历试探，他们宗教的虚假通过试探消散，纯正真理被植入以取而代之；下文详细说了这一点。由此可见，“一大群人”是指谁，接下来直到本章末尾都在论述这“一大群人”。要知道，无论在圣言所在的教会之内，还是在这样的教会之外，凡照其宗教过着良善生活的人都不会受到诅咒，因为他们不知道纯正真理并不是他们的过错。此外，生活的良善深深包含对认识真理的情感在里面，所以当这些人进入来世时，他们很容易接受真理，并如饥似渴地吸收它们。但对那些过着邪恶生活，轻视宗教的人来说，情况就完全不同了。前面论述了那些未处于纯正真理，因而因无知而处于虚假，却又处于生活良善的人(AE 107, 195a, 356节)；《天堂与地狱》一书论述了天堂里教会之外的各人民和民族；《属天的奥秘》也有以下相关论述：有些宗教虚假与良善一致，有些虚假不一致(AC 9258, 9259节)；宗教虚假若并未与良善不一致，就不会产生邪恶，除非在那些处于邪恶的人身上(AC 8311, 8318节)；宗教虚假不能归咎于那些处于良善的人，只能归咎于那些处于邪恶的人(AC 8051, 8149节)；对那些处于良善的人来说，非纯正的真理，以及虚假可能会与纯正真理混杂，但对那些处于邪恶的人来说，则不然(AC 3470, 3471, 4551, 4552, 7344, 8149, 9298节)；虚假和真理因来自圣言字义的表象而结合在一起(AC 7344节)；当虚假应用于良善，被引向良善，并有助于除去虚假时，它们变得像真理，并变得柔软或缓和(AC 8149节)；对那些处于良善的人来说，宗教虚假被主当作真理来接受(AC 4736, 8149节)；从宗教虚假中获得其品质的良善被主接纳，只要有无知，无知里面有纯真和一个良善的目的(AC 7887节)；人所拥有的真理是真理和良善的表象，充满谬误，但对一个生活在良善中的人来说，主仍使它们适应纯正真理(AC 2053节)；对那些在教会之外，因而处于对真理的无知之人，以及那些虽在教会之内，但教会却有宗教虚假的人来说，有些虚假有良善在里面(AC 2589–2604, 2861, 2863, 3263, 3778, 4189, 4190, 4197, 6700, 9256节)。
452. After this I saw, and behold, a great multitude.- That this signifies all those who are in the good of life, according to their religion, in which there are no genuine truths, is clear from this, that the twelve thousand sealed out of every tribe mean those who are of the church, in which there are genuine truths. For the twelve tribes of Israel mean those who are in genuine goods and truths, and in an abstract sense, all the goods and truths of the church. Therefore those now treated of mean those who are in the good of life according to their religion, in which nevertheless there are no genuine truths. That these are meant by a great multitude, is also evident from what follows in this chapter, where it is said that these are they who come out of great tribulation (verse 14), that is, out of temptations. For those who are in the good of life according to their religion, in which there are no genuine truths, undergo temptations in the other life, by means of which the falsities of their religion are dissipated, and genuine truths implanted in their place; but more will be said of this in what follows. It is therefore evident who those are who are meant by the great multitude treated of in what follows to the end of the chapter. It must be remarked that no one, whether within the church where the Word is, or out of that church, who lives a good life according to his religion, is condemned, for it is not their fault that they do not know genuine truths; therefore, because the good of life contains within it the affection of knowing truths, when such come into the other life, they easily receive and drink in truths. It is altogether different with those who have lived an evil life, and made light of religion. But concerning those who are not in genuine truths, that is, those who are in falsities from ignorance, and yet in the good of life, have been treated of above (n. 107, 195, 356); and in the Heaven and Hell, where the peoples and nations outside the church in heaven are treated of; also in the Arcana Coelestia, as follows: There are falsities of religion which agree with good, and falsities which disagree (n. 9259). Falsities of religion, if they do not disagree with good, do not produce evil, except with those who are in evil (n. 8318). Falsities of religion are not imputed to those who are in good, but to those who are in evil (n. 8051, 8149). Truths not genuine, and also falsities, may be mingled with genuine truths in the case of those who are in good, but not with those who are in evil (n. 3470, 3471, 4551, 4552, 7344, 8149, 9298). Falsities and truths are consociated by appearances from the sense of the letter of the Word (n. 7344). Falsities become like truths (verificentur), and are toned down from good, because applied and made conducive to good, and to the removal of evil (n. 8149). The falsities of religion with those who are in good, are received by the Lord as truths (n. 4736, 8149). The good, which takes its quality from a false principle of religion, is accepted by the Lord, if there be ignorance, and if there be in it innocence and a good end (n. 7887). The truths which man possesses are appearances of truth and good, tinctured with fallacies, but the Lord nevertheless adapts them to genuine truths in the case of a man who lives in good (n. 2053). Falsities in which there is good, exist with those who are outside the church and thence in ignorance of the truth, also with those within the church where there are falsities of doctrine (n. 2589-2604, 2861, 2863, 3263, 3778, 4189, 4190, 4197, 6700, 9256).
452. Verse 9. After these things I saw, and behold a great multitude, signifies all those who are in the good of life according to their religion, in which there are no genuine truths, as is evident from this, that "the twelve thousand sealed" out of each tribe meant those who are of the church in which there are genuine truths; for "the twelve tribes of Israel" mean those who are in genuine goods and truths, and in an abstract sense all goods and truths of the church; therefore these now treated of mean those who are in the good of life according to their religion, in which nevertheless there are no genuine truths. That this is the meaning of "a great multitude" can be seen also from what follows in this chapter, where it is said, "These are they who come out of the great tribulation" (verse 14), which means out of temptations, for those who are in the good of life according to their religion, in which there are no genuine truths, in the other life undergo temptations, by which the falsities of their religion are scattered, and genuine truths implanted in their place (on this more will be said in what follows). From this it can be seen who are meant by "a great multitude" (which is treated of in what follows to the end of the chapter). It is to be known that no one, either within the church where the Word is or outside of that church, is damned who lives a good life according to his religion, for it is not the fault of such that they are ignorant of genuine truths. Moreover, as the good of life holds deep within it the affection of knowing truths, when such come into the other life they easily receive truths and drink them in. It is altogether different with those who have lived an evil life and have made light of religion. (Those who are not in genuine truths, and thus are in falsities from ignorance, and yet in the good of life, have been treated of above, n. 107, 195, 356; and in the work on Heaven and Hell, where the peoples and nations outside of the church who are in heaven are treated of. Also in the Arcana Coelestia, as follows: There may be falsities of religion that agree with good, and falsities that disagree, n. 9258, 9259; falsities of religion, if they do not disagree with good, produce evil only with those who are in evil, n. 8311, 8318; falsities of religion are not imputed to those who are in good, but only to those who are in evil, n. 8051, 8149; truths not genuine, and also falsities, may be consociated with genuine truths with those who are in good, but not with those who are in evil, n. 3470, 3471, 4551, 4552, 7344, 8149, 9298; falsities and truths are consociated by appearances from the sense of the letter of the Word, n. 7344; falsities are made truthlike by good and become soft when they are applied to good and lead to good, and evil is removed, n. 8149; falsities of religion with those who are in good are received by the Lord as truths, n. 4736, 8149; a good that derives its quality from a falsity of religion is accepted by the Lord if there be ignorance, and if there be in it innocence and a good end, n. 7887; the truths that are with man are appearances of truth and good, tinctured with fallacies, and yet the Lord adapts them to genuine truths in the man who lives in good, n. 2053; there are falsities in which there is good with those who are outside of the church and thence in ignorance of truth, also with those within the church where there are falsities of doctrine, n. 2589-2604, 2861, 2863, 3263, 3778, 4189, 4190, 4197, 6700, 9256)
452. [Vers. 9.] "Post haec vidi, et ecce turba multa." - Quod significet omnes illos qui in bono vitae secundum religionem suam, in qua non genuina vera, constat ex eo, quod per "duodecim millia signatos ex unaquavis tribu" intellecti sint illi qui ab ecclesia, in qua genuina vera; nam per "duodecim tribus Israelis" intelliguntur illi qui in bonis et veris genuinis sunt, et abstracte omnia vera et bona ecclesiae; quare per hos, de quibus nunc agitur, intelliguntur illi qui in bono vitae sunt secundum religionem suam, in qua tamen non genuina vera. Quod hi per "turbam multam" intelligantur, constare etiam potest ex sequentibus in hoc capite, ubi dicitur quod sint illi "qui veniunt ex tribulatione magna" (vers. 14), hoc est, ex tentationibus; nam illi qui in bono vitae secundum religionem suam sunt, in qua non genuina vera, illi in altera vita tentationes subeunt, per quas discutiuntur falsa religionis eorum, ac implantantur loco eorum genuina vera (de qua re plura in sequentibus dicetur): exinde constare potest quinam sunt qui per "turbam multam", (de qua in sequentibus ad finem capitis agitur, ) intelliguntur. Sciendum est quod nemo, sive intra ecclesiam ubi Verbum est sive extra illam ecclesiam sit, damnatur, qui bonam vitam agit secundum religionem suam; non enim eorum culpa est quod non sciant genuina vera: quare quia bonum vitae in se recondit affectionem sciendi vera, illi dum in alteram vitam veniunt facile recipiunt vera et imbuunt illa. Aliter prorsus illi qui malam vitam egerunt, et religionem nauci fecerunt. (Sed de illis qui in non genuinis veris sunt, ita qui in falsis ex ignorantia, et usque in bono vitae, actum est supra, n. 107, 195 [a] , 356; et in opere De Caelo et Inferno, ubi actum est de populis et gentibus extra ecclesiam in caelo: inque Arcanis Caelestibus, ubi sequentia; Quod falsa religionis dentur quae concordant cum bono, et quod dentur quae discordant, n. [9258,] 9259. Quod falsa religionis, si non discordant cum bono, non producant malum, solum apud illos qui in malo sunt, n. [8311,] 8318. Quod falsa religionis non imputentur illis qui in bono sunt, sed illis qui in malo, n. 8051, 8149. Quod vera non genuina, et quoque falsa, consociari possint cum veris genuinis apud illos qui in bono sunt, non autem apud illos qui in malo, n. 3470, 3471, 4551, 4552, 7344, 8149, 9298. Quod falsa et vera consocientur per apparentias ex sensu litterae verbi, n. 7344. Quod falsa verificentur a bono et mollescant, quia applicantur et deducuntur ad bonum, et removetur malum, n. 8149. Quod falsa religionis apud illos qui in bono sunt, recipiantur a Domino ut vera, n. 4736, 8149. Quod bonum, cujus quale est a falso religionis, acceptetur a Domino, si sit ignorantia, et in illa innocentia et finis bonus, n. 7887. Quod vera apud hominem sint apparentiae veri et boni imbutae fallaciis, sed quod usque Dominus adaptet illa genuinis veris apud hominem qui in bono vivit, n. 2053. Quod falsa in quibus bonum dentur apud illos qui extra ecclesiam sunt, et inde in ignorantia veri; etiam apud illos qui intra ecclesiam, ubi falsa doctrinae, n. 2589-2604, 2861, 2863, 3263, 3778, 4189, 4190, 4197, 6700, 9256.)