183# 第二十一章 天使的住所
由于在天堂中存在着许多群体，天使们就像人类一样生活，因此他们也有自己的住所。这些住所会根据每个天使的生活状态不同而有所区别：对那些地位更高、状态更尊贵的天使，主赋予他们的住所更加宏伟；而对那些地位较低的天使，主赋予他们的住所则显得相对简单。我曾多次与天使们交谈过关于天堂中的住所，我告诉他们，现在几乎没人会相信天使们有实际的居所和房间。人们之所以持怀疑态度，原因有几个：有些人因为看不见这些住所而不相信；有些人不了解天使实际上是有形态的存在；还有些人认为天使居住的天堂仅是我们肉眼可见的周遭天空，由于天空似乎是空无一物的，他们便认为天使是空气般的存在，并推断天使生活于空中。此外，他们难以接受灵性世界中存在着与自然世界相似的实物，这是因为他们对灵性世界一无所知。
【2】天使们透露，他们清楚地知道当前世界，尤其是教会内部，普遍存在一种无知。这种无知在那些自认为拥有丰富知识的人中更加显著，而不是在被标记为“简单”的人群中。天使们还指出，人们实际上可以从圣经中得知天使是以人的形象存在的，因为所有被见过的天使都是以人的形式出现的。带着他全部人身的主也是人。由于天使是人，他们自然拥有自己的住所和房屋，而不是像一些人所误解的那样，在空中漂浮，或者像风那样的存在（尽管他们被称为灵）。只要人们不将天使和灵的观念复杂化，不直接将这些问题置于质疑之下，就能够理解这一点。人们普遍认为天使以人的形象存在，并居住在被称为天堂的地方，那里的住所远比地上的更加壮丽。但是，这种普遍的观念一旦被深入探讨，很快就会被质疑，尤其是一些学者凭着自以为的聪明为自己封锁了天堂及其光明的通道。
【3】当人们谈论死后的生命并同时基于固有的知识去思考灵魂或身体的复活时，他们通常会有相似的想法。大多数人相信，如果一个人生前行为良善，他死后会继续活着，并与天使一同生活。他们期待看到壮丽的景象并感受到无尽的喜悦。但当他们开始根据关于身体复活的教义或关于灵魂的理论来思考，开始质疑灵魂的真正本质，他们之前的信念就会被动摇。
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183. 二十一, 天使的家和住所
由于天堂里有各个社群, 天使作为人在那里生活, 所以他们也有家和住所; 这些住所照各人的生命状态而各不相同. 对尊贵天使来说, 它们宏伟壮丽; 对低级天使来说, 则不太宏伟壮丽. 我经常与天使谈论天堂里的住所, 并告诉他们说, 如今几乎没有人相信天使有家和住所; 有的因未曾亲眼看见它们; 有的因不知天使是人; 有的则以为天使天堂就是他们用肉眼所看见周围的天空, 并且由于天空看似空空如也, 又以为天使是虚无缥缈的形式, 于是便断定他们住在以太中. 此外, 他们不理解灵界如何会有诸如自然界中的那类事物, 因为他们对属灵之物一无所知.
天使回答说, 他们意识到如今这种无知在世上盛行; 可令他们吃惊的是, 这种无知竟主要存在于教会, 并且在那些有学问的人当中比在那些被他们视为简单的人当中还盛行. 天使还说, 人们原本能从圣言知道, 天使是人, 因为曾被看见的天使都显为人. 主也是如此, 因为祂完全披上人身. 人们也原本能知道, 天使因是人, 故有住所和家, 而不是在空中飞来飞去; 他们虽被称为灵, 却不是风, 如某些人出于被天使称之为疯狂的无知所认为的那样. 人们在思想天使和灵人时, 若能走出先入为主的成见, 别总是质疑并有意识地推敲事情是否是真的, 也能明白这一点. 因为人人都有一种普遍观念, 即: 天使处于人的形式, 拥有被称为天府(mansions of heaven)的家, 这天府远比世上的住所壮丽得多. 不过, 天使说, 从天堂流入的这种普遍观念一旦变成意识关注的中心, 并面临事情是否是真的这样的质疑, 就会立刻化为乌有. 这种情形尤其出现在学者当中, 他们利用自己的聪明向自己关闭天堂, 以及天堂之光的通道.
关于人死后生命的信仰差不多也是这样. 当人谈论它, 同时不从灵魂的学术概念或灵魂与肉体重新联结的教义去思想时, 他相信自己死后仍像人一样活着, 若生活良善就会在天使当中, 那时还会看到壮丽的景象, 并体验到极乐. 可一旦他将思维转向与肉体重新联结的教义, 或转向关于灵魂的某些假说, 进而开始琢磨灵魂是否真是这样子, 这一切是不是真的, 他先前的观念就烟消云散了.
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183. 天人的居所
天國既由社群組成, 且像世人一樣共同生活, 那麼他們也有居家之所。這取決於各人的生命狀態。對於高層的天人, 其居所華美莊嚴, 層次較低的則次之。
有時我與天人談論這個話題, 我說今天罕有人相信天人也有居所。有的因未曾親見, 有的因不瞭解天人是人, 有的以為天國就是眼所能見的天空。由於天空看似空空如也, 又因以為天人是氣的形態, 他們遂相信天人是住在空中。再者, 他們無法理解心靈界有著與物質界相似的事物, 因為他們對心靈世界一無所知。
天人說, 他們知道當今世界對心靈世界一無所知。奇怪的是, 這種無知在教會更為顯著, 而且那些有學問的比頭腦簡單的還無知。天人還說, 人們本該從聖言得知天人是人, 因為天人顯現時皆是人的模樣, 而且我們的主也取了完全的人性。既然天人是人, 他們自然也有房子和居所, 並非在空中飛來飛去。雖稱為"靈,"他們卻非一陣清風, 像一些無知者(天人稱之為愚癡)所認為的。再者, 他們若能跳出先入為主的成見, 放下執著, 也能明白這個事實。因為人人皆有一種"常識,"直覺天人是人的形態, 有居家之所, 而且天上的居所比地上的要壯麗得多。可是人們一旦落入意識, 源于天國之流的常識就失落了。特別是那些自以為有智慧的學者, 把天國和天國之光的通道都給閉塞了。
對於死後生命的信念, 情況與之相似。人們在談論的時候, 只要不想起學者論及靈魂或靈魂與肉體複合的教義, 皆相信人死後依然是活生生的人, 且相信行為良善者將進入天人當中, 看見莊嚴壯麗的景象, 經歷生命層次的提升。可是一旦他們落入靈魂與肉體複合的教義或其它有關靈魂的假說, 便開始產生懷疑, 先前的信念就煙消雲散了。
183. Angels' Homes and Houses
Since there are communities in heaven, with people living there the way we do, they too have homes; and these vary depending on the state of the life of each individual. They are splendid for people who are especially deserving and less splendid for people who are of lower rank.
At times, I have talked with angels about homes in heaven, telling them that nowadays hardly anyone would believe that they have homes and houses - some because they do not see them, some because they do not realize that angels are people, some because they believe that the angelic heaven is the sky they see about them with their eyes. Since this appears to be empty and they think that angels are ethereal forms, they come to the conclusion that angels live in the ether. Further, they do not grasp the fact that the same kinds of thing exist in the spiritual world as in the natural, because they know nothing about the spiritual.
[2] Angels have told me that they were aware that this kind of ignorance was prevalent in the world nowadays and, remarkably enough, mainly within the church, and more among the intellectuals there than among the ones labeled simple. They have also said that people could know from the Word that angels are people because the ones that have been seen have been seen as people. So too was the Lord, who took on his full humanity. People could then realize that since angels are people, they have houses and homes and do not fly around in the air, that even though they are called "spirits" they are not breezes, as the ignorance (which angels call insanity) of some would have it. They could also grasp this if when they thought about angels and spirits they would step outside their preconceptions, which happens when they are not constantly questioning and consciously pondering whether this is so. Everyone actually has a general notion that angels are in human form and that they have homes that are called heavenly dwellings, which are more splendid than earthly houses. But this general notion (which comes from an inflow from heaven), the angels said, promptly collapses into nothing when it becomes the center of conscious attention and is faced with the question whether it is so. This happens particularly among scholars who have used their self-generated intelligence to shut off from themselves both heaven and the passage of light from it.
[3] Much the same happens in regard to faith in our life after death. People who talk about it without thinking at the same time from scholarly concepts of the soul or the doctrine of reunion with our physical bodies believe that after death we will live as people - among angels if we have lived well - and that then we will see magnificent sights and experience raptures. But the moment they focus on the doctrine of reunion with our bodies or some hypothesis about "the soul," and therefore begin to wonder whether the soul is really like this, whether it is all true, their former notion vanishes.
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183. THE DWELLINGS AND HOMES OF ANGELS
As there are societies in heaven and the angels live as men they have also dwellings and these differ in accordance with each one's state of life. They are magnificent for those in a higher state of dignity and less magnificent for those in a lower state. I have several times talked with angels about the dwellings in heaven, saying that scarcely anyone at this day would believe that they have dwellings and homes, some because they do not see them, some because they do not know that angels are men, and some because they believe that the angelic heaven is the heaven which is seen around them with their eyes and as this appears empty and they suppose that angels are ethereal forms, they conclude that they live in the ether. Moreover, they do not comprehend that there are in the spiritual world such things as are in the natural world, because they know nothing about what is spiritual.
[2] The angels said that they know that such ignorance prevails at this day in the world, and, to their surprise, chiefly within the Church, and more with the intelligent there than with those whom they call simple. They said further that it may be known from the Word that angels are men, since those who have been seen have been seen as men. Also the Lord Who took upon Himself the whole Human appeared in like manner. It may be known also that, as angels are men, they have homes and dwellings, and do not fly about in the air as some think in their ignorance which the angels call insanity, and that although called spirits they are not winds. This they said may be apprehended if only men will think independently of their acquired notions about angels and spirits as they do when the question of whether it is so is not being investigated or directly considered. For everyone has a general idea that angels are in the human form, and that they have dwellings which are called heavenly habitations and that these surpass earthly habitations in magnificence. But this general idea which is from an influx of heaven is instantly annihilated when the question whether it is so is made the central object of thought. This occurs chiefly with the learned who by their self-intelligence have closed up heaven for themselves and the way of light therefrom.
[3] The same is true of the belief in the life of man after death. When one speaks of it, not thinking at the same time about the soul from worldly learning or from the doctrine of its reunion with the body, he believes that after death he is to live as a man, among angels if he has lived well, and that he will then see magnificent things and perceive joys. But as soon as he turns his thoughts to the doctrine of reunion with the body, or to his theory about the soul, and the question whether the soul be such, and thus whether this can be true, then his former idea is dissipated.
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183. THE PLACES OF ABODE AND DWELLINGS OF ANGELS.
As there are societies in heaven and the angels live as men, they have also places of abode, and these differ in accordance with each one's state of life. They are magnificent for those in higher dignity, and less magnificent for those in lower condition. I have frequently talked with angels about the places of abode in heaven, saying that scarcely any one will believe at the present day that they have places of abode and dwellings; some because they do not see them, some because they do not know that angels are men, and some because they believe that the angelic heaven is the heaven that they see with their eyes around them, and as this appears empty and they suppose that angels are ethereal forms, they conclude that they live in ether. Moreover, they do not comprehend how there can be such things in the spiritual world as there are in the natural world, because they know nothing about the spiritual.
[2] The angels replied that they are aware that such ignorance prevails at this day in the world, and to their astonishment, chiefly within the church, and more with the intelligent than with those whom they call simple. They said also that it might be known from the Word that angels are men, since those that have been seen have been seen as men; and the Lord, who took all His Human with Him, appeared in like manner. It might be known also that as angels are men they have dwellings and places of abode, and do not fly about in air, as some think in their ignorance, which the angels call insanity, and that although they are called spirits they are not winds. This they said might be apprehended if men would only think independently of their acquired notions about angels and spirits, as they do when they are not bringing into question and submitting to direct thought whether it is so. For everyone has a general idea that angels are in the human form, and have homes which are called the mansions of heaven, which surpass in magnificence earthly dwellings; but this general idea, which flows in from heaven, at once falls to nothing when it is brought under direct scrutiny and inquiry whether it is so, as happens especially with the learned, who by their own intelligence have closed up heaven to themselves and the entrance of heavenly light.
[3] The like is true of the belief in the life of man after death. When one speaks of it, not thinking at the same time about the soul from the light of worldly learning or from the doctrine of its reunion with the body, he believes that after death he is to live as a man, and among angels if he has lived well, and that he will then see magnificent things and perceive joys; but as soon as he turns his thoughts to the doctrine of reunion with the body, or to his theory about the soul, and the question arises whether the soul be such, and thus whether this can be true, his former idea is dissipated.
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183. [XXI.] DE HABITATIONIBUS ET MANSIONIBUS ANGELORUM.
Quoniam in caelo societates sunt, et vivunt sicut homines, ideo etiam illis sunt habitationes, et illae quoque variae secundum statum vitae cujusvis magnificae illis qui in digniori statu sunt, et minus magnificae illis qui in inferiori. De habitationibus in caelo aliquoties cum angelis locutus sum et dixi, quod hodie vix aliquis crediturus sit, quod habitacula et mansiones illis sint quidam ex causa quia non vident illa quidam quia non sciunt quod angeli homines sint quidam quia credunt quod caelum angelicum sit caelum quod spectatur oculis circum illos, quod quia inane apparet, et putant quod angeli sint formae aetherae, concludunt quod in aethere vivant: praeterea, quod in mundo spirituali sint talia quae in mundo naturali, non capiunt, quia nihil sciunt de spirituali.
[2] Angeli dixerunt quod sciant quod talis ignorantia regnet hodie in mundo, et, quod mirati, maxime intra ecclesiam; ac ibi plus apud intelligentes, quam apud illos quos vocant simplices: dixerunt porro, quod scire possint ex Verbo quod angeli homines sint, quoniam, qui visi sunt, ut homines visi sunt; similiter Dominus, qui omne Humanum suum Secum assumpsit; et quia homines sunt, quod mansiones et habitacula illis sint, et non, secundum quorundam inscitiam, quam vocabant insaniam, volitent in aere, seu quod venti tametsi vocantur spiritus: et quod hoc capere possint, modo extra sua principia de angelis et spiritibus capta cogitent, quod fit cum non in quaestionem et sub cogitationem directam mittunt, num ita sit; est enim cuivis idea communis, quod angeli sint in humana forma, et quod illis sint domicilia, quae vocant habitacula caeli, quae magnifica prae habitaculis terrae sed quod idea haec communis, quae est ex influxu caeli, illico in nihilum cadat, cum mittitur sub intuitionem in medio et cogitationem, num ita sit, quod fit imprimis apud eruditos qui per propriam intelligentiam praecluserunt sibi caelum et viam lucis inde.
[3] Similiter fit cum fide de vita hominis post mortem qui loquitur de illa, et non cogitat simul ex eruditione de anima, aut ex doctrina de reunitione corporis, credit quod post mortem victurus sit homo, et inter angelos si bene vixit, et quod tunc visurus sit magnifica, et percepturus gaudia sed ut primum spectat ad doctrinale de reunitione corporis, aut ad hypotheticum de anima, et obvenit cogitatio num anima talis sit, et sic num ita sit, dissipatur ejus prior idea.