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221. 二十五, 天堂的神性敬拜
就外在而言, 天堂的神性敬拜与地上的神性敬拜没什么两样; 但就内在而言却不然. 和地上一样, 天堂也有教义, 讲道和教堂. 就本质而言, 教义在那里处处都一样; 但相比在低层天堂, 它们在高层天堂蕴含更内在的智慧. 讲道与教义和谐一致; 而且正如天使有房子和宫殿(天国的奥秘 183-190节), 他们也有讲道所在的教堂. 这类事物之所以存在于天堂, 是因为天使在智慧与爱上不断得以完善. 因为他们如世人那样理解和意愿; 他们的理解力和意愿都能不断得以完善, 理解力通过构成聪明的真理得以完善, 意愿通过构成爱的良善得以完善.
注: 理解力接受真理, 意愿接受良善(天国的奥秘 3623, 6125, 7503, 9300, 9930节). 正如一切事物皆与真理和良善有关, 人之生命的一切事物皆与理解力和意愿有关(天国的奥秘 803, 10122节). 天使被完善到永恒(天国的奥秘 4803, 6648节).
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221. 天國的崇拜
表面看來, 天國的崇拜與地上的崇拜沒有差別, 但內在截然不同。在那裡的人們也有教義, 講道及以及教堂。從本質上說, 教義在各處是一致的, 只是高層天的教義比低層天的教義智慧更深一些。講道與教義總保持一致, 而且正如天人有居所宅邸(183-190), 他們也有聽道受教的教堂。
天國有這些事物存在, 是要叫天人在仁愛與智慧上日臻完善。和世人一樣, 他們也有認知與意志, 兩者本能地追求完善, 前者通過智慧之真理來完善, 後者通過仁愛之良善來完善。
221. Divine Worship in Heaven
Outwardly, divine worship in the heavens is not unlike divine worship on earth, but inwardly it is different. People there too have doctrines and sermons and church buildings. The doctrines agree in essentials, but those in the higher heavens are of deeper wisdom than those of lower heavens. The sermons are in keeping with the doctrines; and just as they have homes and mansions (183-190), they also have church buildings where the instruction takes place.
The reason things like this exist in heaven is that angels are constantly being perfected in wisdom and love. They have volition and intellect just as we do, and their intellect, like their intentions, is by nature constantly striving toward perfection - their intellect by means of the truths that constitute intelligence and their intentions through the values that constitute love. 1
Footnotes:
1. Intellect is open to what is true and volition is open to what is good: 3623, 6125, 7503, 9300, 9930. Just as everything goes back to what is true and good, so everything about our life goes back to intellect and volition: 803, 10122. Angels are being perfected to eternity: 4803, 6648.
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221. DIVINE WORSHIP IN HEAVEN
Divine worship in the heavens is not unlike, in externals, Divine worship on the earth, but in internals it is different. In the heavens, as on earth, there are doctrines, preachings and temples. The Doctrines agree as to essentials, but they are doctrines of more interior wisdom in the higher heavens than in the lower. The Preachings are in accordance with the doctrines, and as they have houses and palaces, (183-190), so they have Temples in which the preaching takes place. Such things exist in the heavens, because the angels are being continually perfected in wisdom and love. For they have, as men have, understanding and will, and both their understanding and their will are capable of being continually perfected, the understanding by means of the truths of intelligence, and the will by means of the goods of love. 1
Footnotes:
1. The understanding is receptive of truth, and the will of good (Arcana Coelestia 3623, 6125, 7503, 9300, 9930).
As all things have relation to truth and good, so everything of man's life has relation to understanding and will (Arcana Coelestia 803, 10122).
Angels are perfected to eternity (Arcana Coelestia 4803, 6648).
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221. DIVINE WORSHIP IN HEAVEN.
Divine worship in the heavens is not unlike in externals Divine worship on the earth, but in internals it is different. In the heavens, as on the earth, there are doctrines, preachings, and church edifices. In essentials the doctrines there are everywhere the same; but in the higher heavens they contain more interior wisdom than in the lower. The preachings are in harmony with the doctrines; and as they have houses and palaces (183-190), so they have also church edifices, in which there is preaching. Such things exist in heaven, because the angels are being perfected continually in wisdom and love. For they possess, as men do, understanding and will; and both their understanding and their will are capable of being continually perfected, the understanding by means of truths of intelligence, and the will by means of the goods of love. 1
Footnotes:
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221. [XXV.] DE CULTU DIVINO IN CAELO.
Cultus Divinus in caelis non absimilis est cultui Divino in terris quoad externa, sed quoad interna differt; sunt illis aeque doctrinae, sunt praedicationes, et sunt templa. Doctrinae quoad essentialia conveniunt, sed interioris sapientiae sunt quae in caelis superioribus, quam quae in caelis inferioribus praedicationes sunt secundum doctrinas: et sicut illis sunt domus et palatia (183-190), ita quoque sunt templa in quibus praedicationes fiunt. Quod talia in caelis quoque sint, est quia angeli continue perficiuntur sapientia et amore est enim illis aeque ac hominibus intellectus et voluntas, ac intellectus talis est ut continue queat perfici, similiter voluntas; intellectus per vera quae sunt intelligentiae, et voluntas per bona quae sunt amoris. 1
Footnotes: