828# 前面已经论述了对主之爱，第三层天堂的天使就处于对主之爱；现在还要说一说这些天使当中的对邻之爱。他们将“邻舍”理解为功用，功用其实就是作为。但对这些天使来说，功用就是主在他们里面所做的一切事，这些事尤其关注对主的敬拜，祂的教会，以及其教会圣物的植入，尤其在小孩子中间，他们与小孩子结合，以纯真及其情感激励小孩子；这些事也关注总体和具体的社群利益。这些就是主要属于他们的爱的事物，因为它们属于对主之爱。主通过植入他们生活的爱在他们里面运作这些事物，是以这种方式：他们在这些事物里面感知其生活的一切快乐。这些事物之所以是他们的邻舍，是因为它们不关注人，而是关注属于人的事物。事实上，他们比其他天使更有智慧，智慧就是从那些属于并构成其他人的事物中关注其他人。因为每个天使、灵人和世人都是自己的爱和自己的情感，因而是自己的良善和由此而来的自己的真理。由于这些事物构成他们，并且他们是智慧的，所以他们必照着构成其他人的事物来关注其他人。这对他们来说就是圣言经常提到的邻舍，或弟兄和同伴，他们视良善为“弟兄”，视真理为“同伴”。由此清楚可知，第三层天堂的对邻之爱是什么。
至于涉及他们的道德、文明和家庭生活的其它事物，这些也是他们出于情感所做的作为，但它们不是诸如“邻舍”，或“弟兄和同伴”所指的那种作为；因为它们从世界，也从对他们自己和自己人有用的东西中获得某种事物。这些作为是前面所提到的功用的衍生物和产物，是那些从他们的思维发出的事物，所以他们能谈论这些事物。这些事物或作为使他们的身体生命处于这种状态：他们的爱之生命能居住于其中，并发挥其功用。这些天使因具有这种特征，所以不知道什么叫仁爱，什么叫信仰；但他们拥有取代仁爱的对良善的爱，和取代信仰的对真理的爱。此外，他们不断处于对良善和真理的爱，因为他们的生命是对良善的情感，对真理的感知就在这情感中并来自这情感。因此，当提到信所来自的仁，或来自仁的信时，他们不知道这是什么意思。第三层天堂的天使因具有这种特征，所以在低层天堂的天使面前就像婴儿，有的像孩子，可以说他们都处于一种简单的状态；此外，他们也赤身露体。他们之所以看似婴儿和孩子，是因为他们处于纯真；来自主的对主之爱就是纯真；这也是为何在圣言中，婴儿和孩子表示纯真，也表示对主之爱。
他们看起来之所以简单，是因为他们不能谈论天堂和教会的神圣事物；对他们来说，这些事物不在一切言语所来自的记忆中，而是在生活中，并由此在理解力中，不是作为思维，而是作为形式上的对良善的情感而在理解力中，这情感不会降至话语。即便降下来，它也不会说话，只发出声音。那些不能谈论这些事物的人在自己和其他人看来，似乎都很简单。另一个原因是，他们内心谦卑，知道智慧就在于发觉，与他们不知道的东西相比，他们所知道的几乎什么都不是。他们之所以赤身露体，是因为“赤身露体”在灵义上是指纯真；还因为“衣服”表示作为衣服穿在良善上的真理，作为衣服穿上的真理在记忆中，并由此在思维中。而对他们来说，真理在生活中，因而是隐藏的，当其他人在说真理，或他们的牧师在从圣言传讲真理时，真理只显现在感知面前。他们还通过那些处于对真理的理解之人的谈话，通过讲道、书本得以完善。他们也写作，但不像其他天使那样用字母写作，而是用曲线和屈折的形式写作，这些曲线和屈折的形式包含的奥秘超出低层天堂天使的理解。此外，他们也住在其他天使上面的浩瀚之地，住在有灌木丛和花坛的花园里，由此处于对天上事物的持续不断的代表中。而且，令人惊奇的是，那里没有一块石头，因为“石头”表示属世真理，而“木头”表示良善，“树”表示感知，“花”表示植入。关于对主之爱和对邻之爱，也就是属天之爱，就说这么多。接下来要描述的是属灵之爱，以及仁与信。
828. We have treated above of love to the Lord, in which love are the angels in the third heaven. It now remains to say something about love towards the neighbour among those angels. By neighbour they understand uses, which are indeed works. But uses, to them, are all things done by the Lord in them, which have regard especially to the worship of the Lord, His church, the implantation of the holy things thereof, especially with infants, with whom they have conjunction, and whom they inspire with innocence and its affections; also the good of society in general and particular. These are the things that chiefly pertain to their love, because they pertain to love to the Lord. The Lord operates these things in them by the love implanted in their life, which is such that in them they perceive all the delight of their life.
The reason why such things are their neighbour is, that they do not refer to persons, but to the things that pertain to persons. For they are wiser than the rest of the angels; and it is wisdom to regard others from those things that pertain to them and constitute them. For every angel, spirit, and man is his own love and his own affection, thus his own good and consequently his own truth. And because these things constitute them, it is not possible for them, as being wise, to regard anything else in others but that from which they exist. This is to them a neighbour, or brother and companion, according to what is frequently said in the Word, good being considered by them as a brother, and truth as a companion. It is therefore evident what love towards the neighbour is in the third heaven.
[2] As for other things which concern their moral, civil, and domestic life, these also are works which they do from affection, but they are not such works as are meant by neighbour, or brother and companion; for they derive something from the world, also from what is useful for themselves and their own. They are the derivations and productions of the uses before mentioned, and are those things that proceed from their thought, about which, therefore, they can discourse. These things keep the life of their body in such a state that the life of their love can dwell therein, and perform its uses. Because these angels are of such a character, they do not know what charity or what faith are; but instead of charity they have the love of good, and instead of faith the love of truth. They are also continually in the love of good and truth, because their life is the affection of good, in which and from which is the perception of truth. Therefore, when mention is made of charity from which is faith, or of faith which is from charity, they do not know what these are.
The angels of the third heaven, because they are of such a character, appear before the angels of the lower heavens as infants, and some as children, all in a state of simplicity; they also go naked.
[3] The reason why they appear as infants and as children is that they are in innocence; and love to the Lord from the Lord is innocence. Whence also by infants and children, in the Word, innocence, and also love to the Lord are signified. The reason why they appear simple is, that they cannot speak about the holy things of heaven and the church; for these things with them are not in the memory, from which all discourse comes, but in the life and thence in the understanding; not as thought, but as the affection of good in its form, which does not come down into discourse. And even if it were to descend, it would not speak, but only give forth a sound. And those who cannot speak about such things seem to themselves and to others to be simple. A further reason is, that they are in humility of heart, and know that it is wisdom to see that what they do know is hardly anything in comparison with the things that they do not know. The reason why they go naked is, that nakedness, in the spiritual sense, is innocence; and because garments signify truths clothing good; and the truths that clothe are in the memory, and thence in the thought. But with them truths are in the life, and thus hidden, and only reveal themselves before the perception while others are uttering them, and their ministers preaching them from the Word. They are also perfected from the talk of those who are in the understanding of truth from preachings, and likewise from books. They write also, but not by letters, as other angels, but by curves and inflexions, which contain arcana that are above the understanding of the angels in the lower heavens.
They also dwell in expanses above others, and in gardens there in which are shrubberies and beds of flowers, whence they are in continual representatives of celestial things. And, what is wonderful, stone is not found there, because stone signifies natural truth, whereas wood signifies good, a tree perception, and a flower implantation.
Thus much then about love to the Lord and love towards the neighbour, consequently, concerning celestial love. In what follows we shall speak of spiritual love; also of charity and faith.
828. Love to the Lord, in which love are the angels that are in the third heaven, has been treated of above; it now remains to say something about the love towards the neighbor with those angels. By the "neighbor" they mean uses, which indeed 1are works; but with those angels uses are all things that are done with them from the Lord, and these have relation especially to the worship of the Lord, to His church, to the implantation of its holy things, especially with little children, with whom they have conjunction, and whom they inspire with innocence and its affections; also to the good of society in general and also in particular. These are the things that chiefly belong to their love, because they belong to the Lord's love. The Lord operates these things with them by means of the love that is implanted in their life, which is such that they perceive in these things the delight of their life. Such things are the neighbor to them, because they do not regard persons, but such things as are with persons; for they have more wisdom than other angels, and it is wisdom to regard others from such things as are with them and which constitute them. For every angel, spirit, and man is his love and his affection, thus his good and his truth therefrom; and as these are what constitute them, and as they are wise, they must needs regard others according to what constitutes them. This to them is the neighbor, or the brother and companion, which are often mentioned in the Word, "brother" meaning to them good, and "companion" truth. Thence it is clear what love towards the neighbor is in the third heaven.
[2] As to the other things that relate to moral, civil, and domestic life, these, too, are works done by them from affection, but they are not such works as they mean by "neighbor," or "brother and companion;" for they derive somewhat from the world, and also from what is useful to themselves and their own. These works are derivations and productions of the uses before mentioned, and are such things as proceed from their thought, therefore they can discourse about them. These works keep the life of their body in such a state that the life of their love can dwell in it and perform its uses. These angels, being such, do not know what is meant by charity, or what is meant by faith; but they have the love of good in place of charity, and the love of truth in place of faith. Moreover, they are continually in the love of good and truth because their life is the affection of good, in which and from which is the perception of truth. When, therefore, charity from which is faith, or faith which is from charity, is mentioned, they do not know what is meant. As the angels of the third heaven are such they appear before the angels of the lower heavens like infants, some like boys, and all of them, as it were simple; moreover, they go naked. They appear like infants and like boys because they are in innocence; and love to the Lord from the Lord is innocence; and this is also why infants and boys signify in the Word innocence and also love to the Lord.
[3] They appear simple because they cannot talk about the holy things of heaven and the church; for with them these things are not in the memory, from which all speech comes, but in the life; and from that in the understanding, not as thought but as the affection of good in its form, which does not descend into speech; and if it were to descend it would not be spoken, but only sounded; and those who cannot speak about such things appear to themselves and others as if simple. A further reason is that they are in humility of heart, knowing that wisdom consists in perceiving that the things in which they are wise are scarcely anything in comparison with the things in which they are not wise. They go naked because "nakedness" means in the spiritual sense innocence, and because "garments" signify truths clothing good, and the truths that clothe are in the memory, and from that in the thought; while with them truths are in the life, that is, are hidden, and manifest themselves only before the perception when others are uttering them, or their ministers are preaching them from the Word. Again, they are perfected by the conversation of those who are in the understanding of truth, and by preachings, and also by books. And they write not by letters, like the other angels, but by curves and inflexions that contain arcana that transcend the understanding of the angels in the lower heavens. Furthermore, they dwell in expanses above the others, and in gardens there in which there are shrubberies and beds of flowers, and thus they are in perpetual representatives of heavenly things; and what is wonderful, not a stone is found there; because "stone" signifies natural truth, while "wood" signifies good; a "tree" perception, and a "flower" implantation. Thus much respecting love to the Lord and love towards the neighbor, that is, respecting celestial love. Hereafter spiritual love shall be described, also charity and faith.
Footnotes:
1. The Latin has "in quidem" for "quidem."
828. Actum est supra de amore in Dominum, in quo amore sunt angeli qui in tertio caelo; sequitur nunc ut aliquid dicatur de amore erga proximum apud illos angelos. Per "proximum" ab illis intelliguntur usus, qui 1
quidem sunt opera; sed usus illis sunt omnia quae fiunt apud illos a Domino, quae praecipue spectant cultum Domini, ecclesiam Ipsius, implantationem sanctorum ejus, praecipue apud infantes, cum quibus habent conjunctionem, et quibus inspirant innocentiam et ejus affectiones, etiam bonum societatis in communi et quoque in particulari: haec sunt praecipue amoris illorum, quia sunt amoris Domini; operatur Dominus illa apud eos per amorem implantatum vitae illorum, qui talis est ut in illis percipiant jucunditatem vitae suae. Quod illa sint eorum proximus, est quia non spectant ad personas, sed ad talia quae apud personas; in sapientia enim prae ceteris angelis sunt, et sapientia est spectare alios ex talibus quae apud illos sunt, et quae faciunt illos: unusquisquis enim angelus, spiritus et homo est suus amor et sua affectio, ita suum bonum et inde suum verum; haec quia faciunt illos, non ad aliud spectare possunt, quia sapientes sunt, quam ex quo sunt; hoc illis est proximus, seu frater et socius, ut saepius in Verbo dicitur; "frater" est illis bonum et "socius" est illis verum: inde patet quid amor erga proximum in tertio caelo.
[2] Reliqua quae concernunt vitam civilem, moralem, et domesticam, sunt quoque opera, quae ex affectione faciunt; sed non sunt opera talia quae ab illis intelliguntur per "proximum", seu "fratrem et socium", trahunt enim aliquid ex mundo, tum etiam ex 2
utili pro se et suis; sunt usuum praedictorum derivationes et productiones, et sunt talia quae procedunt ex cogitatione eorum, de quibus ideo possunt sermocinari; haec vitam illorum corporis tenent in statu, ut vita amoris illorum inhabitare possit, ac fungi suis usibus. Hi angeli, quia tales sunt, non sciunt quid charitas nec quid fides; sed pro charitate illis est amor boni, et pro fide illis est amor veri; sunt etiam continue in amore boni et veri, quia vita illorum est affectio boni, in qua et ex qua est perceptio veri; quare cum nominatur charitas ex qua fides, et cum nominatur fides quae ex charitate, non sciunt quid sunt. Angeli tertii caeli, quia tales sunt, apparent coram angelis inferiorum caelorum sicut infantes, quidam sicut pueri, et omnes sicut simplices; tum etiam incedunt nudi. Quod appareant sicut infantes et sicut pueri, est quia in innocentia sunt, et amor in Dominum a Domino est innocentia; inde etiam [per] "infantes" et per "pueros" in Verbo innocentia et quoque amor in Dominum significatur.
[3] Quod appareant simplices, est quia non de sanctis caeli et ecclesiae loqui possunt; illa enim apud eos non in memoria sunt, unde omnis loquela, sed in vita; et inde in intellectu non sicut cogitatio, sed sicut affectio boni in sua forma, quae non descendit in sermonem; quae si descenderet, non loqueretur, sed modo sonaret; et illi qui de talibus non loqui possunt, apparent sibi et aliis sicut simplices: tum etiam quia in humilitate cordis sunt, scientes quod sapientia sit percipere quod vix aliquid sit quod sapiunt, respective ad illa quae non sapiunt. Quod procedant nudi, est quia "nuditas" in sensu spirituali est innocentia, et quia "vestes" significant vera investientia bonum, et vera investientia sunt in memoria, et inde in cogitatione; apud eos autem vera sunt in vita, ita abscondita, et non se manifestantia quam coram perceptione, dum alii loquuntur illa, ac ministri illorum ex Verbo praedicant illa: perficiuntur etiam ex loquelis illorum qui in intellectu veri sunt, ex praedicationibus, et quoque ex libris: scribunt etiam, sed non per litteras, ut alii angeli, sed per curvaturas et inflexiones, quae continent arcana, quae intellectum angelorum in inferioribus caelis transcendunt. Habitant quoque in expansis supra alios, ac ibi in hortis ubi arboreta et floreta, sic in perpetuis repraesentativis caelestium; et quod mirum, non invenitur ibi lapis; causa est, quia "lapis" significat verum naturale, "lignum" autem bonum, "arbor" perceptionem, ac "flos" implantationem. Haec de amore in Dominum, et de amore erga proximum, ita de amore caelesti; in sequentibus dicetur de amore spirituali, tum de charitate et de fide.
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.
2. The editors made a correction or note here.