897# 启14:13.“我听见从天上有声音对我说”表示试探之后来自主的安慰。这从“有声音说”和“从天上说”的含义清楚可知：“有声音说”是指接下来的事，也就是试探之后的安慰(参看下面的解释)；“从天上说”是指从主。因为从天上宣布的，是神性真理；而这神性真理虽然从天上由天使来说，但仍是经由天使由主来说的。因为天使和世人一样，不能从自己那里思想任何真理，也不能从自己那里实行任何良善，只能从主那里如此行；这就是为何在圣言中，“天使”表示来自主的神性真理，“天或天堂”表示主。那些以为天使是直接被造的，并处于如此完好的状态，以至于能从自己行善的人大错特错了；因为整个天堂的所有天使都曾是人，因此他们每个人都有一个自我，和世人一样，并且这自我完全是邪恶。但他们作为世人活在世上时，已经被主重生了，故能远离邪恶及其虚假，并被保持在良善中；当他们远离邪恶，被主保持在良善中时，他们似乎从自己处于良善；但他们仍然知道并感知到，对他们来说，这种情形来自主，而不是来自他们自己。由此明显可知，就聪明和智慧，以及对良善和真理的情感而言，整个天使天堂都是主。这就是为何“有声音从天上说”表示诸如来自主的那类事物，在此表示试探之后的安慰；这是因为前一节经文论述了那些守神的诫命和耶稣信仰之人的忍耐，那里的“忍耐”表示试探。
现在要说一说试探之后的安慰。所有正在被主重生的人都会经历试探，并在试探之后体验到喜乐。但世人还不知道试探和此处安慰所指的随之而来的喜乐源自何处，因为很少有人经历属灵的试探；原因在于，很少有人处于良善与真理的知识，更少有人处于良善与真理的婚姻，也就是在教义上处于真理，同时在生活上处于良善；其他人都不允许进入属灵的试探，因为其他人若被允许进入试探，就会屈服；如果他们屈服了，他们末后的景况将先前的更糟糕。只有那些处于良善与真理的婚姻之人才可以被允许进入属灵的试探，其真正原因是，属灵心智，严格来说，就是内在人，只能在这些人里面被打开；因为当属灵心智打开时，试探就会发生。原因在于，天堂，也就是主经由天堂通过人的属灵心智流入他的属世心智；没有其它办法使得天堂，也就是主经由天堂抵达世人那里。当天堂流入时，它会移除障碍，也就是居于属世心智或属世人中的邪恶和由此而来的虚假；这些邪恶和虚假只有通过人活生生地承认它们，以及灵魂为此感到悲伤才能被移除。这就是为何在试探中，人会因思维中升起的邪恶和虚假而感到苦恼；那时此人承认自己的罪，视自己为有罪，并真诚地祈求解救到何等程度，试探就在何等程度上有利于他。由此清楚可知，当被称为属灵心智的人之内在被打开时，因而当人正在重生时，他就进入属灵试探。因此，当人的邪恶和虚假被移除时，试探就结束了；当它们结束时，喜乐就从主通过天堂流入，并充满他的属世心智。这种喜乐就是此处安慰的意思。所有经历属灵试探的人都会得到这些安慰。我是根据经历来说的。一个人在试探之后之所以获得喜乐，是因为之后这个人被允许进入天堂；事实上，人通过试探与天堂结合，并被允许进入天堂。这就是为何他会体验到类似那里的天使所拥有的那种喜乐。
897. (Verse 13) And I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me. That this signifies consolation from the Lord after temptations, is evident from the signification of a voice saying, as denoting the things that follow, which are consolations after temptations; these will be explained below; and from the signification of saying from heaven, as denoting from the Lord. For what is declared from heaven is Divine truth; and this is indeed spoken from heaven by angels, but still it is by the Lord through the angels. For angels, like men, cannot think any truth from themselves, nor do good from themselves, but from the Lord; therefore by angels, in the Word, are signified Divine truths from the Lord; and by heaven is signified the Lord.
Those who believe that the angels were immediately created, and in such a state of integrity as to be able to do good from themselves, are greatly deceived; for all the angels in the whole of heaven have been men, and therefore they each possess a proprium just as men do in this world, which is nothing else but evil. But because, while they lived in the world as men, they were regenerated by the Lord, therefore they are able to be withheld from evils and the falsities therefrom, and kept in goods, and when they are withheld from evils, and kept in goods by the Lord, it then seems as though they were in goods from themselves; but still they know and perceive that this is the case with them from the Lord, and not from themselves. It is evident, therefore, that the whole angelic heaven, as to intelligence and wisdom, and as to the affections of good and truth, is the Lord. This, now, is, why a voice saying from heaven, signifies such things as are from the Lord - in the present case, consolations after temptations; and this because the subject treated of in the preceding verse is the patience of those who keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus; and by patience temptations are there signified.
[2] Something shall now be said concerning consolations after temptations. All those who are being regenerated by the Lord undergo temptations; after temptations they experience joys. But whence the temptations are, and the subsequent joys, here meant by consolations, is not yet known in the world, because there are few who experience spiritual temptations, there are few who are in the knowledges of good and truth, and still fewer who are in the marriage of good and truth, that is, in truths of doctrine, and at the same time in goods of life; and none but these are allowed to enter into spiritual temptations, for if others were, they would fall; and if so, their latter state would be worse than their former.
The real reason why none can be allowed to come into spiritual temptations but those who are in the marriage of good and truth is, that the spiritual mind, which is strictly the inner man, cannot be opened in any others; for when that mind is opened, then temptations take place. The reason is, that heaven, that is, the Lord through heaven, flows into man's natural mind through his spiritual mind. There is no other way for heaven, that is, for the Lord through heaven, to reach man. And when heaven flows in it removes the hindrances, which are evils and the falsities therefrom residing in the natural mind, or in the natural man; these cannot be removed except by a living acknowledgment of them by man, and grief of soul on account of them. This is why, in temptations, a man feels anguish from the evils and falsities rising up into the thought; and so far as the man then acknowledges his sins, looks upon himself as guilty, and prays earnestly for deliverance, so far temptations are conducive to this. From this it is clear that a man comes into spiritual temptation, when his internal, called the spiritual mind, is opened, that is, when he is being regenerated.
When, therefore, a man's evils and falsities are removed, then temptations are brought to an end; and then joy flows in through heaven from the Lord, and fills his natural mind. This joy is here meant by consolations. All those who undergo spiritual temptations receive these consolations. I speak from experience. The reason why a man receives joys after temptations is, that afterwards he is admitted into heaven; for by temptations a man is conjoined to heaven, and admitted into it. This is why he experiences joy similar to that which the angels have there.
897. Verse 13. And I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, signifies consolation by the Lord after temptations. This is evident from the signification of "a voice saying" as being what follows, which are consolations after temptations (See below); also from the signification of "saying from heaven," as being from the Lord; for what is declared from heaven is Divine truth; and while this is spoken by angels from heaven, yet it is spoken by the Lord through angels. For angels, like men, cannot think any truth from themselves nor do good from themselves, but only from the Lord; and this is why "angels" signify in the Word Divine truths from the Lord, and "heaven" signifies the Lord. Those are greatly mistaken who believe that angels were created immediately, and in such a state of integrity that they could do good from themselves; for all angels throughout the entire heaven have been men, and therefore they have what is their own [proprium], the same as men have, and this is wholly evil. But while they lived in the world as men they were regenerated by the Lord, and thus could be withheld from evils and their falsities and be held in goods; and when they are withheld from evils and held in goods by the Lord it seems as if they are in goods from themselves, and yet they know and perceive that this they have from the Lord and not from themselves. From all this it can be seen why the whole angelic heaven, as to intelligence and wisdom and as to the affections of good and truth, is the Lord. And this is why "a voice saying from heaven" signifies such things as are from the Lord, and here consolations after temptations, and this because the preceding verse treats of the patience of those "who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus," and "patience" here signifies temptations.
[2] Something shall now be said about consolations after temptations. All who are being regenerated by the Lord undergo temptations, and after temptations experience joys. But the source of the temptations and of the joys that follow, which are here meant by consolations, is not yet known in the world, because there are few who experience spiritual temptations, for the reason that there are few who are in the knowledges of good and truth, and fewer yet who are in the marriage of good and truth, that is, in truths as to doctrine and at the same time in goods as to life; and no others are let into spiritual temptations; for if others were let into temptations they would yield, and if they yielded their latter state would be worse than their former state. The true reason why only those who are in the marriage of good and truth can be let into spiritual temptations is that the spiritual mind, which is, properly, the internal man, can be opened only with these; for when that mind is opened temptations exist, and for the reason that heaven, that is the Lord through heaven, flows in through man's spiritual mind into his natural mind; there is no other way of heaven, that is of the Lord through heaven, into man; and when heaven flows in it removes the hindrances, which are evils and falsities therefrom, which have their seat in the natural mind, that is, in the natural man; and these can be removed only by a living acknowledgment of them by man, and grief of soul on account of them. This is why man is distressed in temptations by the evils and falsities that rise up into the thought; and so far as he then acknowledges his sins, regards himself as guilty, and prays for deliverance, so far the temptations are useful to him. From this it is clear that man has spiritual temptation, when his internal, which is called the spiritual mind, is opened, thus when man is being regenerated. When, therefore, man's evils and falsities are removed temptations are brought to an end; and when they are ended joy flows in through heaven from the Lord and fills his natural mind. This joy is what is here meant by consolations. These consolations all those receive who undergo spiritual temptations. I speak from experience. After temptations man receives joys because after them man is admitted into heaven; for through temptations man is conjoined to heaven and is admitted into it, and consequently has joy like that of the angels there.
897. [Vers. 13.] "Et audivi vocem e caelo dicentem mihi." Quod significet consolationem a Domino post tentationes, constat ex significatione "vocis dicentis", quod sint illa quae sequuntur, quae sunt consolationes post tentationes (de qua infra): et ex significatione "e caelo dicere", quod sit a Domino; quod enim e caelo dicitur, est Divinum Verum, et hoc quidem ab angelis e caelo dicitur, et usque a Domino per angelos; nam angeli, sicut homines, non possunt aliquod verum a se cogitare, nec bonum a se facere, sed a Domino; quapropter per "angelos" in Verbo significantur Divina vera a Domino, ac per "caelum" significatur Dominus. Qui credunt quod angeli immediate creati sint, et in statu integritatis tali ut possint bonum facere a se, maxime falluntur; omnes enim angeli, qui in universo caelo sunt, fuerunt homines, et inde illis propria, qualia sunt hominibus, quae non sunt nisi quam mala; sed quia, dum homines in mundo vixerunt, a Domino regenerati sunt, et inde possunt detineri a malis et inde falsis ac teneri in bonis, et cum detinentur a malis et tenentur in bonis a Domino, tunc videtur sicut in bonis sint a se, sed usque sciunt et percipiunt quod hoc sit illis a Domino, et non a se; inde patet quod universum caelum angelicum, quoad intelligentiam et sapientiam, et quoad affectiones boni et veri, sit Dominus; inde nunc est quod per "vocem dicentem e caelo" significentur talia quae a Domino, hic consolationes post tentationes; et hoc quia in praecedente versu actum est de patientia illorum qui custodiunt mandata Dei et fidem Jesu, et per "patientiam" ibi significantur tentationes.
[2] De consolationibus post tentationes, nunc aliquid dicetur: omnes qui a Domino regenerantur tentationes subeunt, et post tentationes gaudia habent; sed unde tentationes sunt, et post illas gaudia, quae hic intelliguntur per consolationes, in orbe adhuc nescitur, ex causa quia pauci sunt quibus sunt tentationes spirituales, quia pauci sunt in cognitionibus boni et veri, et adhuc pauciores qui in conjugio boni et veri, hoc est, in veris quoad doctrinam et simul in bonis quoad vitam, et non alii in tentationes spirituales immittuntur quam illi; quia si alii, illi in tentationibus succumberent; et si succumberent, foret status eorum posterior pejor statu eorum priori. Quod non alii in tentationes spirituales possint immitti quam qui in conjugio boni et veri sunt, est genuina causa, quia mens spiritualis, quae proprie est internus homo, non apud alios aperiri potest, nam cum illa mens aperitur, tunc tentationes existunt: causa est, quod caelum, hoc est, Dominus per caelum, per mentem spiritualem hominis influat in mentem naturalem ejus; non alia est via caeli, hoc est, Domini per caelum in hominem; et cum caelum influit, tunc removet obstantia, quae sunt mala et inde falsa, quae in naturali mente seu in naturali homine resident; et illa non removeri possunt quam per vivam agnitionem illorum ab homine, et dolorem animae propter illa: inde est quod in tentationibus sint homini angores ex malis et falsis in cogitationem exsurgentibus; et quantum tunc homo agnoscit sua peccata, se reum facit et supplicat de liberatione, tantum tentationes ei conducunt. Ex his patet quod homini tentatio spiritualis sit, dum internum ejus, quod vocatur mens spiritualis, aperitur, ita dum homo regeneratur. Quando itaque mala et falsa hominis remota sunt, tunc tentationes peractae sunt, et illis peractis influit gaudium per caelum a Domino, et illius mentem naturalem implet; hoc gaudium est quod intelligitur hic per "consolationes": has consolationes accipiunt omnes qui tentationes spirituales subeunt; ab experientia loquor. Quod homo post tentationes gaudia accipiat, est quia homo post illas admissus est in caelum; nam homo per tentationes conjungitur caelo, et immittitur in illud; inde ei gaudium simile quod est angelis ibi.