485. V. THAT THERE ARE FOUR DEGREES OF ADULTERIES, AND THAT PREDICATIONS, PRONOUNCEMENTS OF GUILT, AND AFTER DEATH, IMPUTATIONS ARE MADE ACCORDING TO THESE DEGREES. These degrees are not kinds, but they enter into each kind and there make distinctions between the more and the less evil or good --here, whether, because of circumstances and of contingencies, an adultery of any kind should be accounted mild or more grievous; that circumstances and contingencies vary everything is well known. Yet they are accounted in one way by a man from his rational lumen, in another by a judge from the law, and in another by the Lord from the man's state of mind. It is for this reason that predications, pronouncements of guilt, and after death, imputations, are spoken of. Predications are made by a man according to his rational lumen. Pronouncements of guilt are made by a judge according to the law. Imputations are made by the Lord according to the man's state of mind. That these three greatly differ from each other can be seen without explanation. According to circumstances and contingencies, a man from rational conviction may absolve one whom a judge, sitting in judgment according to the law, cannot absolve; and a judge may absolve one who, after death, is condemned. The reason is because the judge pronounces sentence according to the deeds; but after death every one is judged according to the intentions of his will and thence of his understanding, and according to the confirmations of his understanding and thence of his will. Neither of these is seen by the judge. Still, both judgments are just, the one being for the good of civil society and the other for the good of heavenly society.