934# “都站在玻璃海边”表示因为他们处于来自圣言的真理。这从“玻璃海”的含义清楚可知,“玻璃海”是指因属灵真理而透明的来自圣言的真理的总体(参看AE931节)。因此,“站在玻璃海边”表示处于真理。他们之所以被看到“站在玻璃海边”,是因为那些过着仁爱生活,弃绝分离之信的教义之人都留在圣言字义的真理中,没有败坏和扭曲它们。例如,在圣言提到“实行或遵行”、“作工或工作”,以及“行为”和“作为”的地方,它们并不包括信的那些事物,尽管它们就隐藏在其中,但实际上他们意愿并实行它们。因为他们知道,没有它们,信不是信,并且只有当作为与信正确地结合在一起时,信才是信;因此,他们谴责,把这些包括在信中,或把它们与信分离是异端。这清楚表明,他们“站在玻璃海边”,也就是说,处于来自圣言的真理。
(续)关于作为,前面说过,人所做的作为不是良善,只有与人同在的主所做的作为才是良善。但为了作为是主所做的,而不是人所做的,有两件事是必要的:第一,必须承认主的神性,还必须承认甚至就人身而言,祂也是天地之神,系良善的一切良善都来自祂;第二,人必须照十诫生活,不去做十诫所禁止的那些邪恶,也就是说,不拜别神,不亵渎神的名,不可偷盗,不可通奸,不可杀人,不可作假见证,不可贪恋他人的物品和财产。为叫人所做的作为可以成为良善,这是两个必要条件。原因在于,一切良善唯独来自主;只要这些邪恶不作为罪而被移除,主就不能进入人,并引领他;因为它们是地狱的,事实上就是与人同在的地狱;除非地狱被移除,否则主不能进入并打开天堂。这就是主对富人所说那些话的意思,那富人问祂永生的事,说他从年轻的时候就守十诫;经上说主就爱他,并教导说,他还缺少一件,就是变卖他所有的一切,并拿起十字架(马太福音19:16–22;马可福音10:17–22;路加福音18:18–23)。“变卖他所有的一切”表示他要放弃他的宗教观念,也就是传统,因为他是个犹太人;他还要放弃他自我的东西,就是爱自己和世界胜过神,因而引领自己;“跟从主”表示只承认主,并被祂引领。因此,主也说:“你为什么称我是良善的?除了神一位之外,再没有良善的。”“拿起他的十字架”表示与来自自我的邪恶和虚假争战。
934. Standing near the glassy sea. That this signifies because they were in truths from the Word, is evident from the signification of the glassy sea, as denoting the generals of truth from the Word pellucent from spiritual truths (concerning which see above, n. 931). Hence to stand near it signifies to be in them.
The reason why they were seen standing near the glassy sea is, that those who live a life of charity, and reject the doctrine of faith separated, remain in the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word, and do not pervert and falsify them. As, for example, where mention is made in the Word of doing and working, also of deeds and works, they do not involve those things of faith, as though stored up therein, but they will actually to do them. For they know that faith without them is not faith; and that faith is so far faith, as works are rightly joined with it; therefore they condemn as a heresy their being involved in faith and their separation from it. Hence it may appear, that they stand at the glassy sea, that is, are in truths from the Word.
Continuation:-
[2] Concerning works it was said in the preceding article, that works from man are not good, but only those that are done by the Lord with man. But in order that they may be done by the Lord, and not from man, two things are necessary. First, That the Divine of the Lord be acknowledged, and also that He is the God of heaven and earth, even as to the Human, and that from Him is all good that is good. Secondly, That a man live according to the precepts of the Decalogue by abstaining from those evils which are there forbidden - as from the worship of other gods; from the profanation of the name of God; from thefts; from adulteries; from murders; from false witness; from coveting the possessions and property which belong to others. These are the two requisites in order that the works done by man may be good. The reason is, that all good comes from the Lord alone; and that the Lord cannot enter into a man, and lead him, so long as those evils are not removed as sins; for they are infernal, in fact, they are hell with man. And unless hell is removed, the Lord cannot enter and open heaven.
These things are also meant by the Lord's words to the rich man, who questioned Him concerning life eternal, and said that he had kept the precepts of the Decalogue from his youth. The Lord is said to have loved him, and to have taught, that one thing was wanting in him - to sell all that he had, and take up the cross (Matthew 19:16-22; Mark 10:19-21; Luke 18:18-23). By selling all that he had, is signified that he should give up his religious ideas, which were traditions, for he was a Jew; and that he should also relinquish the things of his proprium - loving self and the world more than God, thus leading himself. And by following the Lord is signified to acknowledge Him alone and to be led by Him. Therefore the Lord also said, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but God only. By taking up his cross, is signified to fight against evils and falsities, which are from the proprium.
934. Standing by the glassy sea, signifies because they have been in truths from the Word. This is evident from the signification of "the glassy sea," as being the generals of truth from the Word transparent from spiritual truths (See above, n. 931); so "standing by it" signifies to be in truths. They were seen "standing by the glassy sea" because those who live the life of charity and reject the doctrine of faith separated remain in the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word, and do not pervert and falsify them. As for example, where "doing" and "working," also "deeds" and "works" are mentioned in the Word they do not include these in faith as though they were concealed in it, but they actually will and do them; for they know that without them faith is not faith, and that faith is only so far faith as works are rightly conjoined with it; consequently to include these in faith or to separate them from it they condemn as a heresy. This makes clear that such "stand by the glassy sea," that is, are in truths from the Word.
[2] It was said of works in the preceding article that those done by man are not good, but only those done by the Lord with man. But for works to be done by the Lord, and not by man, two things are necessary: first, the Lord's Divine must be acknowledged, also that He is the God of heaven and earth even as to the Human, and that every good that is good is from Him; and secondly, that man must live according to the commandments of the Decalogue by abstaining from those evils that are there forbidden, that is, from worshiping other gods, from profaning the name of God, from thefts, from adulteries, from murders, from false witness, from coveting the possessions and property of others. These two things are requisite that the works done by man may be good. The reason is that every good comes from the Lord alone, and the Lord cannot enter into man and lead him so long as these evils are not removed as sins; for they are infernal, and in fact are hell with man, and unless hell is removed the Lord cannot enter and open heaven. This is what is meant by the Lord's words to the rich man:
Who asked Him about eternal life, and said that he had kept the commandments of the Decalogue from his youth; whom the Lord is said to have loved, and to have taught that one thing was lacking to him, that he should sell all that he had and take up the cross (Matthew 19:16-22; Mark 10:17-22; Luke 18:18-23).
"To sell all that he had" signifies that he should relinquish the things of his religion, which were traditions, for he was a Jew, and also should relinquish the things that were his own [proprium], which were loving self and the world more than God, and thus leading himself; and "to follow the Lord" signifies to acknowledge Him only and to be led by Him; therefore the Lord also said, "Why callest thou Me good? there is none good but God only." "To take up his cross" signifies to fight against evils and falsities, which are from what is one's own [proprium].
934. "Stantes juxta mare vitreum." - Quod significet quia in veris ex Verbo fuerunt, constat ex significatione "maris vitrei", quod sint communia veri ex Verbo pellucentia ex veris spiritualibus (de qua supra, n. 931); inde "stare juxta illud" significat esse in illis. Causa quod visi sint stare juxta mare vitreum, est quia illi qui charitatis vitam vivunt, ac doctrinam fidei separatae rejiciunt, permanent in veris sensus litterae Verbi, et non pervertunt et falsificant illa: ut pro exemplo, ubi in Verbo dicitur "facere" et "operari", tum "facta" et "opera", non involvunt illa fidei tanquam recondita ibi, sed volunt ut actualiter fiant; sciunt enim quod fides absque illis non fides sit, et quod fides tantum fides sit quantum illi opera juste conjuncta sunt; quare involutionem et separationem ut haeresin damnant: inde constare potest quod illi "stent ad mare vitreum", hoc est, in veris ex Verbo sint.
[2] [DE BINIS REQUISITIS, UT OPERA SINT BONA.]
De operibus in superiori articulo dictum est quod opera ab homine non sint bona, sed solum quae fiunt a Domino apud hominem. Sed ut opera fiant a Domino et non ab homine, sunt duo necessaria; primum, ut agnoscatur Divinum Domini, et quoque pro Deo caeli et terrae, etiam quoad Humanum, et quod ab Ipso sit omne bonum quod bonum est: alterum, ut homo secundum praecepta decalogi vivat, abstinendo ab illis malis quae ibi praescripta sunt; ut a cultu aliorum deorum, a profanatione nominis Dei, a furtis, ab adulteriis, ab homicidiis, a falsis testimoniis, a concupiscentia possessionum et proprietatum quae sunt aliis. Haec duo requisita sunt, ut opera quae fiunt ab homine sint bona. Causa est, quia omne bonum a solo Domino venit, et quia Dominus non potest intrare apud hominem ac ducere illum quamdiu illa mala ut peccata non remota sunt; sunt enim infernalia, immo sunt infernum apud hominem; et nisi infernum remotum sit, non potest Dominus intrare et aperire caelum. Haec quoque intelliguntur per Domini verba ad divitem,
Qui interrogavit Ipsum de vita aeterna, et dixit quod a juventute sua custodiverit praecepta decalogi; quem dicitur Dominus amavisse, et docuisse quod unum ei deesset, ut venderet omnia quae haberet, tollens crucem (Matthaeus 19:16-22; Marcus 10:17-22; Luca 16:18-23):
per "vendere omnia quae haberet", significatur quod relinqueret religiosa sua, quae erant traditiones, erat enim Judaeus, et quoque ut relinqueret propria sua, quae sunt se et mundum amare prae Deo, ita semet ducere; et per "sequi Dominum" significatur agnoscere Ipsum solum, et duci ab Illo; quare etiam dixit Dominus, "Quid Me vocas bonum? Nemo est bonus nisi solus Deus"; per "tollere crucem suam", significatur pugnare contra mala et falsa, quae ex proprio sunt.