537.必须知道的是，那些仅出于属世之善，而非出于宗教原因行善的人死后不被接受，因为其仁爱仅含属世之善，不含属灵之善。将主与人联结起来的正是属灵之善，而非脱离属灵之善的属世之善。属世的良善仅属于血气，生来从父母获得，而属灵的良善属于从主新生的灵。那些出于宗教原因做出仁爱善行，并弃绝恶行之人，在他们接受新教会有关主的教导之前，好比结好果子的树，尽管果子极少；也好比结小果子的好树，尽管它们在花园得到照料。他们还好比森林里的橄榄树和无花果树，又好比山上的芳香草本和灌木。又象举行虔诚敬拜所在的神的教堂或圣所，因为他们就是但以理书（8:2－14）所说的右手边的绵羊与山羊攻击的公绵羊。在天堂，他们穿着红色衣服，一旦进入新教会的良善，就穿上紫色衣服，这衣服随着他们接受真理而发出美丽的金色光芒。
537. 必须知道的是, 那些仅出于属世之善, 而非出于宗教原因行善的人死后不被接受, 因为其仁爱仅含属世之善, 不含属灵之善。 将主与人联结起来的正是属灵之善, 而非脱离属灵之善的属世之善。 属世的良善仅属于血气, 生来从父母获得, 而属灵的良善属于从主新生的灵。 那些出于宗教原因做出仁爱善行, 并弃绝恶行之人, 在他们接受新教会有关主的教导之前, 好比结好果子的树, 尽管果子极少; 也好比结小果子的好树, 尽管它们在花园得到照料。 他们还好比森林里的橄榄树和无花果树, 又好比山上的芳香草本和灌木。 又象举行虔诚敬拜所在的神的教堂或圣所, 因为他们就是(但以理书8:2-14) 所说的右手边的绵羊与山羊攻击的公绵羊。 在天堂, 他们穿着红色衣服, 一旦进入新教会的良善, 就穿上紫色衣服, 这衣服随着他们接受真理而发出美丽的金色光芒。
537. It is important to realize that people who do what is good only because they possess a natural goodness and not because of their religion are not accepted [by the Lord] after they die. This is because the only goodness that was in their goodwill was earthly and not also spiritual; and spiritual goodness is what forges a partnership between the Lord and us, not earthly goodness without spiritual goodness. Earthly goodness is of the flesh alone, and is inherited at our birth from our parents. Spiritual goodness is goodness of the spirit and is born anew with the help of the Lord.
People who, as a religious practice, do good actions that have to do with goodwill and, as part of that same practice, do not do evil things, but who have not yet accepted the teaching of the new church about the Lord, can be compared to trees that bear good fruit, but only a few pieces of it. Such people are also like trees that bear pieces of fruit that are fine but small; the trees are nevertheless kept and taken care of in gardens. They can also be compared to olive trees and fig trees that grow wild in the forest, and to fragrant herbs and balsam bushes that grow wild on hills. They are like little buildings that are houses of God in which devout worship occurs. They are the sheep on the right [Matthew 25:33], and are examples of the ram that was attacked by a goat in Daniel 8:2-14. In heaven their clothes are red. After they have been initiated into the good actions and attitudes taught by the new church, however, their clothes become purple and (if they also accept the truths of the new church) more and more beautifully radiant.
537. It ought to be known that those who do good out of nothing but natural goodness, and not at the same time for religious reasons, are not acceptable after death, because their charity contains only natural good without any spiritual good accompanying it. It is spiritual good which links the Lord to man, not natural good without spiritual good. Natural goodness is solely of the flesh, acquired by birth from one's parents; but spiritual goodness is of the spirit and is born anew under the Lord's guidance. People who do the good deeds of charity for religious reasons, and for the same reasons abstain from evil ones, before they accept the teaching of the new church about the Lord, can be likened to trees, which produce good fruits though few in number; also to trees which produce small but fine fruits, and these are none the less kept in gardens. They can also be likened to olive and fig-trees in the woods; and to fragrant plants and to shrubs that yield balsam on the hills. They are like small buildings or houses of God, in which sacred worship is practised. For these people are the sheep on the right, and the rams which the goats butt (as described by Daniel 8:2-14). In heaven they are dressed in clothes of red colour; and once they have been introduced to the good of the new church, they are dressed in clothes of purple colour, which take on a beautiful tawny colour as they also receive its truths.
537. It must be understood that those who do good from natural goodness only, and not also from religion, are not accepted after death, because there is only natural good in their charity, and not spiritual good also; and it is the spiritual that conjoins the Lord to man, and not the natural apart from the spiritual. Natural goodness belongs to the flesh merely, being acquired by birth from parents; but spiritual goodness belongs to the spirit born anew from the Lord. Those who do the good works of charity from religion, and consequently do not commit evil, before they have accepted the doctrine of the New Church concerning the Lord, may be likened to trees that bear good fruit, although but little, and also to trees that bear excellent small fruit, which are nevertheless cared for in gardens. They may also be likened to olive trees and fig-trees in forests, and again to fragrant herbs and balsamic shrubs on hills. They are like little chapels or houses of God, where pious worship is performed; for they are the sheep on the right hand, and the rams which the goats assault, according to Daniel (8:2-14). In heaven such are clothed in garments of a red color, and when they have been initiated into the goods of the New Church they are clothed with garments of a purple color, which acquire a beautiful golden glow in proportion as they also receive truths.
537. It should be known that those who do good from natural goodness only, and not at the same time from a religious motive, are not accepted after death, because there is only natural good and not at the same time spiritual good in their charity; and it is spiritual good which conjoins the Lord to man, and not natural good without it. Natural goodness is of the flesh alone, received by birth from one's parents; but spiritual goodness is of the spirit, being received by a new birth from the Lord. Those who practice the good of charity from a religious motive, and consequently do no evil, before receiving the doctrine of the New Church concerning the Lord, may be compared to trees that bear good fruit, though but little and also to trees that bear excellent fruit, though small in size, which are nevertheless carefully tended in gardens. They may also be compared to olive trees and fig trees growing in woods; and also to fragrant herbs and balsam plants growing on hills. They are like little chapels or houses of God, where pious worship is conducted; for they are the sheep on the right hand and the rams, which the goats assault, according to Daniel, chapter Daniel 8:2-14. In heaven they are clothed in garments of red, and after initiation into the good of the New Church, in garments of purple; and these garments, as they also acquire truth, become beautifully tinged with yellow.
537. Sciendum est, quod illi, qui ex sola bonitate naturali bonum faciunt, et non simul ex religione, post mortem non acceptentur, quia solum bonum naturale et non simul spirituale charitati illorum inest, et spirituale est, quod conjungit Dominum homini, et non naturale absque illo. Bonitas naturalis est solius carnis, adnata a parentibus, at Bonitas spiritualis est spiritus e novo nata a Domino. Illi, qui bona Charitatis ex religione faciunt, et inde non mala, antequam Doctrinam Novae Ecclesiae de Domino acceptarunt, assimilari possunt arboribus, quae bonos fructus, tametsi paucos, ferunt, et quoque arboribus quae fructus nobiles parvos, quae nihilominus 1 in hortis custodiuntur: et quoque assimilari possunt oleis et ficubus in sylvis: tum etiam herbis fragrantibus et arbustis balsamicis super Collibus: sunt sicut parvae aedes seu domus Dei, in quibus pius cultus agitur: nam sunt oves a dextris, et arietes quos hirci impugnant, secundum Danielem 8:2-14. In Coelo amicti sunt vestibus coloris rubri, et postquam initiati sunt in bona Novae Ecclesiae, amiciuntur vestibus coloris purpurei, quae, sicut vera etiam recipiunt, pulchre fulvescunt.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: nihilominis.