1118# 启18:7.“她怎样荣耀自己,怎样奢华生活”表示他们从对天堂和世界的统治中为自己获得了多少荣耀和由此而来的快乐。这从“荣耀自己”和“奢华生活”的含义清楚可知:“荣耀自己”是指获得荣耀;“奢华生活”是指感到快乐。显然,这是出于他们对天堂和世界的统治,因为这是他们荣耀和快乐的源头。
(关于《亚他那修信经》续,关于主)
正因神是人的观念被植入每个人,所以许多人民和民族将那些要么为人,要么被他们视为人的人当成神来敬拜;例如,希腊和意大利,以及他们统治之下的一些国家就拜萨图尔努斯、朱庇特、尼普顿、普鲁托、阿波罗、墨丘利、朱诺、密涅瓦、狄安娜、维纳斯和她的儿子,以及其他人为神,将对宇宙的治理归于他们。他们之所以将神性归于如此多的人,是因为他们出于直觉,或被植入的能力将神视为人,从而将神的一切属性、特性和品质视为人,因而将美德、情感、倾向和知识(科学)视为人。也正是出于直觉或被植入的能力,迦南周围的国家或地上的居民,以及迦南境内部分地区的居民则拜巴力、亚斯他录、别西卜、基抹、米勒公、摩洛和其他人,其中有几个曾作为人存在过。
同样,正是出于直觉或这种被植入的能力,在如今基督教界的异教领域中,有些人拜圣徒为神,在他们的偶像面前屈膝跪拜,亲吻它们,在矗立着圣像的道路上向圣像脱帽致礼,在其墓前顶礼膜拜;甚至向教皇也如此行,事实上,他们亲吻教皇的鞋子,有些人甚至亲吻他的足迹;如果宗教允许的话,他甚至会被尊为神。这些和其它做法就出自一种直觉或这种被植入的能力;例如,人们倾向于敬拜他们看得见的一位神,而不是被他们视为纯粹雾气的某种空气一样的东西,因为这后者对他们来说,就是烟雾。神是人的观念是从天堂流入的,只是许多人如此扭曲这个观念,以至于一个凡人,或偶像取代了神而被敬拜,就像明亮的阳光变成了不漂亮的颜色,夏天的热照着它们所落到的物体的性质而变成恶臭的气味一样。正是由于上述原因,对神的观念变成对一朵小云,或雾气,或自然界至内层的观念;这些观念存在于基督徒当中,但很少存在于具有某种理性之光的其他民族当中,如非洲人和其他几个民族。
1118. As much as she hath glorified herself and lived delicatety.- That this signifies how much glory, and pleasure therefrom, they have gained for themselves from empire over heaven and the world, is evident from the signification of glorifying herself, as denoting to gain glory for themselves; and from the signification of living delicately, as denoting to enter into pleasures. That this is from their empire over heaven and over the world is clear, for this is the source of their glory and pleasure.
[2] Continuation concerning the Athanasian Creed, and concerning the Lord.- Since the idea of God as Man is implanted in every one, therefore several peoples and nations have worshipped as gods those who were either men or were regarded by them as men; for example in Greece and Italy, and in some kingdoms under their power, Saturn, Jupiter, Neptune, Pluto, Apollo, Mercury, Juno, Minerva, Diana, Venus and her son, and others, were worshipped, and the government of the universe was attributed to them. The reason why they ascribed divinity to so many persons, was, that from an implanted [capability], they saw God as Man, and therefore they regarded all the attributes, properties, and qualities of God, and consequently also the virtues, affections, inclinations, and sciences (scientias) as persons.
[3] It was, also, from this implanted [capability], that the inhabitants of the lands round about Canaan, and, also, of the parts within it, worshipped Baalim, Astaroth, Beelzebub, Chemosh, Milcoha, Molech, and others, several of whom had lived as men. It is, also, from this implanted [capability], that, in the heathenism of the Christian world to-day, saints are worshipped as gods, men bending before their statues and kissing them, uncovering their heads before them in the roads where they are set up, and worshipping at their tombs; in fact, in the case of the pope they kiss his shoes, and some even his footprints; he would even have been honoured as a god, if religion had permitted it.
These and several other practices are from this implanted [capability]; for example, men incline to worship a God whom they see, and not something aerial which they regard as mere vapour, for this latter is smoke to them. But the idea of God as Man, which comes from heaven, is so far perverted with many, that even an ordinary man, or an idol, is worshipped instead of God; just as the bright light of the sun is turned into unbeautiful colours, and his summer heat into offensive odours, according to the nature of the objects upon which they fall. But it is for the reasons stated above that an idea is formed of God as that of a little cloud, or mist, or of the inmost things of nature; this is found among Christians, but rarely among other nations possessing any light of reason, as among the Africans and several others.
1118. Verse 7. How much she hath glorified herself and lived luxuriously, signifies how much of glory and consequent pleasure they have acquired for themselves from their dominion over heaven and over the world. This is evident from the signification of "glorifying herself," as being to acquire glory, also from the signification of "living luxuriously," as being to take pleasure; that it means from their dominion over heaven and over the world is evident, for this is the source of their glory and pleasure.
(Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith and respecting the Lord)
[2] It is because the idea of God as Man is implanted in everyone that many peoples and nations have worshiped gods who either were men or appeared to them as men, as Greece, Italy, and certain kingdoms under their rule worshipped Saturn, Jupiter, Neptune, Pluto, Apollo, Mercury, Juno, Minerva, Diana, Venus and her boy, and others, and ascribed to them the government of the universe. They distributed divinity among so many persons, because from intuition they saw God as Man, and therefore viewed all the attributes, properties, and qualities of God as persons, and thence also the virtues, affections, inclinations, and knowledges as persons. It was also from intuition that the inhabitants of the countries round about Canaan, as well as those of the regions within it, worshiped Baalim, Ashtaroth, Beelzebub, Chemosh, Milcom, Molech, and others, some of whom had lived as men.
[3] Again, it is from intuition that in Christian Gentilism at this day there are those who worship saints as gods, bending the knee before their idols, kissing them, baring the head before them in the ways where they are set up, and worshiping at their graves; and even doing the same to the Pope, whose shoes and even his footsteps they press with their lips, and would salute him as a god if religion allowed it. These and other practices are from an intuition, that is, a desire to worship a visible god, and not an airy something which is nothing but smoke to them. But the idea of God as Man that flows in from heaven is so perverted with many that either a man of the world or an idol is worshiped in place of God, comparatively as the bright light of the sun is turned into colors not beautiful, and its summer heat into foul stenches, according to the objects upon which they fall. But it is for reasons stated above that the idea of God becomes an idea of a little cloud, or of a mist, or of the inmost of nature, ideas that exist among Christians, but rarely among other nations who enjoy any light of reason, as the Africans and some others.
1118. [Vers. 7.] "Quantum glorificavit se ipsam et deliciata est." - Quod significet quantum gloriae et inde voluptatis ex imperio super caelum et super mundum sibi acquisiverunt, constat ex significatione "glorificare se", quod sit gloriam sibi acquirere; et ex significatione "deliciari", quod sit voluptatem capere; quod sit ex imperio super caelum et super mundum, patet; inde enim illis gloria et voluptas.
[2] (Continuatio de Fide Athanasiana, et de Domino.)
Quoniam idea de Deo ut Homine cuivis insita est, ideo plures populi et gentes coluerunt deos, qui vel fuerunt homines, vel illis visi sunt sicut homines; ut Graecia, Italia, et aliqua regna sub ditione illorum, Saturnum, Jovem, Neptunum, Plutonem, Apollinem, Mercurium, Junonem, Minervam, Dianam, Venerem et ejus puerum, et alios, et illis addixerunt imperia universi. Quod illi divinitatem in tot personas distribuerint, fuit causa quia ex insito fuit videre Deum ut Hominem, et ideo omnia Dei attributa, proprietates, et qualitates, et inde quoque virtutes, affectiones, inclinationes et scientias sicut personas. Ex insito etiam fuit quod incolae terrarum circum Canaanem, et quoque regionum intra illam, coluerint Baales, 1
Astaroth Beelzebubum, Kemosum, Milcomum, Molechum, et alios, quorum plures vixerant homines.
[3] Ex insito etiam est quod hodie in gentilismo Christiano colantur sancti sicut dii, ut quod coram idolis illorum flectant genua, osculentur illa, nudent capita pro illis in viis ubi sunt exposita, adorent coram sepulcris illorum; immo etiam coram papa, cujus pedum calceamenta, et quidam vestigia, osculis premunt; et salutassent illum pro Deo, si religio concederet. Haec et plura sunt ex insito, nempe, quod velint colere Deum quem vident, et non aliquod aereum, hoc enim illis fumus est. Sed idea Dei ut Hominis influens e caelo pervertitur apud multos, usque ut vel homo mundi vel idolum colatur loco Dei; comparative sicut candida lux solis vertitur in colores impulchros, et aestivus calor ejus in fetores olidos, secundum objecta in quae incidunt. At quod idea Dei fiat idea nubeculae, nimbuli, aut intimi Naturae, est ex causis supra adductis, et datur apud Christianos, raro autem apud alias gentes, quae in aliquo rationis lumine sunt, ut apud Africanos et plures.
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.