256# 前面说过，此处写信给的“七个教会”不是指七个教会，而是指所有属于教会的人，在抽象意义上表示教会的一切事物。情况就是这样，这一点可从以下考虑看出来：“七”表示所有人和所有事物，名字表示事物。写给这七个教会的内容表示所有属于教会的人，或教会的一切事物，这一点从对写给他们的一切内容的解释可以看出来。因为教会的一切都与这四个共性，即教义，符合教义的生活，符合生活的信仰有关。写给六个教会的信论述了这三个共性：写给以弗所和士每拿教会的信论述了教义；写给推雅推喇和撒狄教会的信论述了符合教义的生活；写给非拉铁非和老底嘉教会的信论述了符合生活的信仰。由于教义无法植入人的生活，变成信的事，除非人与他经遗传所拥有的邪恶和虚假争战，所以写给别迦摩教会的信也论述了这争战；事实上，那里论述的主题是试探；试探就是与邪恶和虚假的争战。写给别迦摩教会的信论述了试探(参看AE130节)；写给以弗所和士每拿教会的信论述了教义(参看AE93, 95, 112节)；写给推雅推喇和撒狄教会的信论述了符合教义的生活(AE150, 182节)；写给非拉铁非和老底嘉教会的信论述了符合生活的信仰(AE903, 227节)。由于写给这最后一个教会，即老底嘉教会的信论述了那些处于唯信教义的人，信的末尾还论述了源于仁之信的性质，所以对于前面所述，此处要补充的是，爱构成天堂；爱因构成天堂，故也构成教会；因为天堂所有的社群是无数的，都照着爱之情感来排列，每个社群里的所有人也是如此；因此，在众天堂，一切事物都是照着情感或爱来排列的，没有一个人照着唯信而拥有一席之地。属灵情感，或爱是仁；所以显而易见，没有人能进入天堂，除非他处于仁爱。
256. It was said above, that by the seven churches here written to, are not meant seven churches, but all those who belong to the church, and, in the abstract, all things of the church; that this is the case is evident from the consideration, that by seven are signified all, and all things, and that by the names are signified things. That all who belong to the church, or all things of the church, are meant by what is written to those seven churches is also evident from the explanation of those things. For all things of the church have reference to the following four general principles, doctrine, life according to it, faith according to life. These are treated of in what is written to six of the churches - doctrine, to the churches in Ephesus and Smyrna; life according to doctrine, to the churches in Thyatira and Sardis; and faith according to life, to the churches in Philadelphia and Laodicea. And because doctrine cannot be implanted in man's life and become a matter of faith unless he fights against the evils and falsities which he possesses from heredity, therefore that combat is also treated of in what is written to the church in Pergamos; for the subject there treated of is temptations; and temptations are combats against evils and falsities.
(That temptations are treated of in what is written to the church in Pergamos may be seen above, n. 130; that doctrine is the subject treated of in what is written to the churches in Ephesus and Smyrna may be seen above also, n. 93, 95, 112; that a life according to doctrine is treated of in what is written to the churches in Thyatira and Sardis, (n. 150, 182, and that faith according to life is treated of in what is written to the churches of Philadelphia and Laodicea, n. 203 and 227.) Because in what is written to this last church, namely, that in Laodicea, those who are in the doctrine of faith alone are treated of, and also, at the end, the nature of faith originating in charity, to what has already been said, it is here to be added, that love constitutes heaven; and because it does so, it also forms the church. For all the societies of heaven, which are innumerable, are arranged according to the affections of love, and also all within each society; so that it is affection, or love, according to which all things are arranged in the heavens, and not in any case faith alone. Spiritual affection, or love, is charity. It is therefore clear that no one can ever enter heaven unless he is in charity.
256. It has been said above, that "the seven churches," which are here written to, mean not seven churches, but all who are of the church, and in an abstract sense all things of the church. That this is so can be seen from this, that "seven" signifies all persons and all things, and that by names things are meant. That the things written to these seven churches mean all who are of the church, or all things of the church, can be seen also from the explanation of all the things written to them. For all things of the church have reference to these four 1generals, namely, Doctrine: A life according to doctrine: Faith according to life: these three are treated of in what is written to six of the churches; Doctrine, in what is written to the churches in Ephesus and Smyrna; a life according to doctrine, in what is written to the churches in Thyatira and Sardis; and Faith according to life, in what is written to the churches in Philadelphia and Laodicea; and since doctrine cannot be implanted in the life and come to be of faith unless man combats against the evils and falsities, which he has by heredity, that combat also is treated of in what is written to the church in Pergamos; for there Temptations are treated of, and temptations are combats against evils and falsities. (That temptations are there treated of, see above, n. 130; that doctrine is treated of in what is written to the churches in Ephesus and Smyrna, see above, n. 93, 95, 112; that a life according to doctrine is treated of in what is written to the churches in Thyatira and Sardis, n. 150, 182; and that faith according to life is treated of in what is written to the churches in Philadelphia and Laodicea, n. 203 and 227.) Since what is written to this last church, that in Laodicea, treats of those who are in the doctrine of faith alone, and near the end treats also of the faith of charity, it should be added to what has been said, that love makes heaven, and because it makes heaven it also makes the church; for all the societies of heaven, and they are innumerable, as well as all within each society, are arranged according to the affections of love; so that it is affection or love according to which all things are arranged in the heavens, and not one person has his place according to faith. Spiritual affection or love is charity; it is evident, therefore, that no one can ever enter heaven if he is not in charity.
Footnotes:
1. The Latin has "four" for "three."
256. Dictum supra est quod per "septem Ecclesias", ad quas scriptum est, non intelligantur septem ecclesiae, sed omnes qui ab ecclesia, et in sensu abstracto omnia ecclesiae. Quod ita sit, constare potest ex eo, quod per "septem" significentur omnes et omnia, et quod per nomina intelligantur res. Quod omnes qui ab ecclesia seu omnia ecclesiae, per illa quae scripta sunt ad septem illas, intelligantur, constare etiam potest ab explicatione omnium quae scripta sunt ad illas. Omnia enim quae ecclesiae sunt, se referunt ad haec 1
quatuor communia, nempe ad Doctrinam, ad Vitam secundum illam, et ad Fidem secundum vitam: de his actum est in scriptis ad sex Ecclesias; de Doctrina, ad Ecclesias in Epheso et Smyrna, de Vita secundum doctrinam ad Ecclesias in 2
Thyatiris et Sardibus, et de Fide secundum vitam ad Ecclesias in Philadelphia et Laodicea. Et quia doctrina non potest implantari vitae et fieri fidei nisi homo pugnet contra mala et falsa, quae apud illum ex hereditario, ideo etiam de Pugna illa actum est in scripto ad Ecclesiam in Pergamo, ibi enim agitur de tentationibus, et tentationes sunt pugnae contra mala et falsa. (Quod ibi de Tentationibus actum sit, videatur supra, n. 130; quod in scriptis ad Ecclesias in Epheso et Smyrna actum sit de Doctrina, videatur supra, n. 93, 95, 112; quod in scriptis ad Ecclesias in 3
Thyatiris et Sardibus sum sit de Vita secundum doctrinam, n. 150 et 182; et quod in scriptis ad Ecclesias in Philadelphia et Laodicea actum sit de Fide secundum vitam, n. 203 et 227.) Quoniam in scriptis ad hanc ultimam Ecclesiam, nempe Laodiceam, actum est de illis qui in Doctrina de Sola Fide sunt, et ibi ad finem quoque de Fide Charitatis, hic supradictis addendum est quod amor faciat caelum, et quia facit caelum etiam faciat ecclesiam: omnes enim societates caeli, quae innumerae sunt, ordinatae sunt secundum affectiones quae amoris, et omnes quoque intra unamquamvis societatem; sic ut sit affectio seu amor, secundum quem omnia ordinati sunt in caelis, et non ullus secundum fidem. Affectio seu amor spiritualis est charitas; inde patet quod nusquam aliquis intrare possit caelum si non in charitate sit.
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.
2. The editors made a correction or note here.
3. The editors made a correction or note here.