110# 对此，我补充以下记事。记事一：
在灵界，我曾看见夜空中有一道奇怪的光，或一团周围发出灿烂光芒的游荡的火慢慢落到地上。这是一颗流星，通常被称为龙。我注意到它坠落的地方；但在日出前的黎明时分，它却消失了，就像一切奇怪的光都在夜里消失一样。黎明后，我去了我在夜里看到它坠落的地方，看哪，地上有硫磺、铁屑和粘土的混合物。突然，有两个帐棚出现了，一个直接在这个地方之上，另一个在朝南的一旁。我抬头一看，只见一个灵人像闪电一样从天上掉下来，被扔进了在流星坠落的那个地方正上方的帐棚里。那时，我自己就站在它旁边朝南的另一个帐棚里，并因站在门口，所以看见那个灵人站在另一个帐棚的门口。因此，我问他为什么如此从天上掉下来；他回答说，他被米迦勒的使者当作龙的使者扔下来，因为他说了说他在世上所确认的信仰；例如，圣父神与圣子神是两个，不是一个。如今在天堂，所有人都相信他们是一，就像灵魂和身体一样。凡与此相矛盾的，就像他们鼻孔里的刺鼻气味，或像刺穿他们耳朵的锥子，给他们造成极大的干扰和痛苦。因此，凡如此反驳，或持相反意见的人都被命令离开；他若不肯离开，就会一头栽下去。
听到这话，我对他说：“你为何不像他们那样相信呢？”他回答说，离世后，除了通过确认铭刻在自己身上的东西外，没有人能相信任何东西；这种东西固定在他里面，无法根除，尤其与神有关的东西；因为在天堂，每个人都照着他的神观而拥有自己的位置。我进一步问他，他通过什么方式来确认父与子为二的观念。他说：“根据圣言中的说法，子向父祷告，不仅在十字架受难之前，还在十字架受难期间如此祷告；而且祂在父面前谦卑自己。他们怎么可能为一，就像灵魂和身体在人里面为一一样呢？谁会仿佛向另一个人祷告，仿佛在另一个人面前谦卑自己，而实际上，这另一个人就是他自己呢？没有人会这样做，更不用说神的儿子了。此外，在我那个时代，整个基督教会都将神性分成位格；每个位格都独为一，并被定义为自我持续存在的。”
听到这话，我回答说：“从你所说的话中，我发觉你根本不知道父神和儿子如何为一；你因不知道这是怎么回事，所以就确认了教会仍在持守的关于神的虚假。难道你不知道主在世时和其他所有人一样拥有一个灵魂吗？除非从父神那里，否则祂从哪里拥有这个灵魂呢？这一点的真实性从福音书的圣言中非常明显地看出来。那么，那被称为子的，不就是从父的神性成孕，从童女马利亚出生的人身吗？母亲不能孕育灵魂，因为这将完全违反每个人照之出生的秩序。父神也不能从祂自己那里植入一个灵魂，然后从中退出，如世上的每个父亲所行的那样，因为神是祂自己的神性本质，这本质是一，是不可分割的；它因是不可分割的，故就是祂自己。这就是为何主说，父与祂为一，父在祂里面，衪在父里面，等等。那些起草《亚他那修信经》的人远远地看到这一点，因此在将神分为三个位格后，仍宣称，在基督里，神与人，即神性与人性不是二，而是一，就像人的灵魂和身体一样。
“主在世时向父祷告，如同向另一个人祷告，在父面前谦卑自己，如同在另一个人面前谦卑自己，这一点符合创造时建立的秩序。这秩序是不可改变的，每个人都必须照着这个秩序朝与神结合的方向前进。这秩序就是，只要人通过照着秩序的律法，即神的诫命生活而与神结合，神就与人结合，并把人从属世的变成属灵的。正是通过这种方式，主与父合而为一，父神与祂合而为一。当主还是个婴儿时，祂不是与其它婴儿一样吗？当主是个孩童时，祂不是与其他孩童一样吗？我们不是读到，祂在智慧和恩典上增长，后来求父荣耀祂的名，即荣耀祂的人身吗？荣耀就是通过与祂自己合一而变成神性。这清楚表明，为何主在祂的倒空状态，即祂朝合一发展的状态下向父祷告。
“同样的秩序在创造时就被铭刻在每个人身上。人在何等程度上通过来自圣言的真理预备自己的理解力，就在何等程度上使他的理解力适合接受来自神的信仰；他在何等程度上通过仁爱的作为预备自己的意愿，就在何等程度上使他的意愿适合接受来自神的爱，就像当一个工匠切割钻石时，他使这颗钻石适合接收并反射灿烂的光芒一样，等等。一个人通过照神序生活而预备自己接受神，并与祂结合；秩序的律法就是神的一切诫命。主成全了这些诫命，直到一点一划，从而使自己成为一切丰盛神性的容器或接受者。因此，保罗说：
神本性一切的丰盛，都有形有体地居住在耶稣基督里面。（歌罗西书2:9）
主自己说：
凡父所有的，都是祂的。（约翰福音16:15）
“此外，必须牢记，在人里面，唯独主是主动的，人凭自己只是被动的；人只有通过来自神的生命的流注才是主动的；因为正是由于来自神的这种持续不断的流注，人才觉得他好像凭自己行动，或是主动的。正是由于这个表象，人才拥有自由意志；这自由意志被赋予他，是为了他可以预备自己接受主，从而与祂结合。这种结合是不可能的，除非它是相互的；当人出于自己的自由行动，却又出于信仰而将其一切活动都归于主时，这种结合就变成相互的。”
接着我问他是否和他的其他同伴一样，承认神为一。他回答说他承认。然后我说：“不过，我担心你心里承认的是没有神。嘴上所说的每句话不都是从心智的思维中发出的吗？由此必得出这样的结论，嘴上承认神为一，会将‘有三位’的思维从心智中逐出；而另一方面，心智的思维会将承认‘神为一’从嘴上逐出；那么，由此得出的结论，除了没有神外，还能是什么呢？当脑海里持守有三位的观念时，由于思维和言语之间没有中间观念的空间，所以心智对神得出的结论是，自然就是神，对主得出的结论是，主的灵魂要么来自母亲，要么来自约瑟；所有天堂天使都厌恶这两种观念，如同厌恶可怕、可憎之物。”我说完这些话，这个灵人被送入了（启示录9:2等提到的）深渊或无底坑，龙的使者在那里讨论他们信仰的奥秘。
第二天，当我看向那个地方时，我看到的不是帐棚，而是两个人形雕像，这两个雕像是由硫磺、铁和粘土混合而成的地面尘土制成的。一个雕像似乎左手拿着权杖，头戴王冠，右手拿着一本书；紧身胸衣用一条镶有宝石的斜肩带固定，长袍从后面飘向另一个雕像。但雕像的这些装饰是幻想引发的效果。然后，有一个声音从龙的某个灵人那里发出，说：“这个雕像代表我们作为女王的信仰，而它后面的那个雕像则代表作为她女仆的仁爱。”这后者同样是由尘土的混合物制成的，被竖立在女王拖在身后的长袍末端。它手里拿着一张纸，上面写着：“小心，别靠得太近，以免碰到长袍。”突然，一阵雨从天上降下来，将这两个由硫磺、铁和粘土的混合物制成的雕像完全淋透了，它们开始冒泡，就像当水倒在这些成分的混合物上时所发生的那样；因此，它们仿佛因里面产生的火而燃烧起来，化为一堆堆灰烬，后来伫立在地面上，就像坟堆。
110. 關於本章主題, 有以下親身經歷供參考。
第一個經歷:
在靈界, 有一次我看見夜空中有道奇怪的光芒,緩緩落向地面。這種空中奇特的現象, 當地居民稱之為"龍"。我注意那著落的地方, 但是在破曉之時, 那些景象全都不見了。
過了一陣, 在早晨時分, 我去到昨晚某物墮落的地方。令我驚奇的是, 那片土地全是硫磺,鐵屑,白泥的混合之物。突然間, 我注意到有兩間篷屋, 一間在此地的上方, 一間在前一間的南邊。我抬頭觀看, 見一個靈,像一道閃電從天上猛然墜下, 正好被擲在一間篷屋上, 就在昨晚那怪像降落之地的上方。我的位置在南邊篷屋處, 於是我站在這屋的門口, 也看見那靈也站在他那間屋的門口。
我問他為何這們從天墜下。他回答, 是為米迦勒的使者們把他當作龍的使者投扔下來。
"那是因為我表露了在世時我堅信的一些信念, "他說:"其中有一條是這樣:父上帝和子上帝不是一,而是二。然而現今在天國裡, 都相信父上帝和子上帝是如同靈魂和肉體那樣,是一位。任何反對的意見, 就像用刺戳了他們的鼻子,用錐刺他們的耳朵, 令他們倍感攪擾,並飽受痛楚。因此, 任何人發出反對的聲音, 會被要求離開, 若是反抗, 就會扔你出去。"
[2]於是我問他:"你為何不照他們所說的去信呢？"
他回答, 人死離開世間後, 除了在世時確證並印在腦中的信仰, 無人能相信別的什麼。這些信念已深深紮根,無法拔出, 特別是關於上帝的確信, 因為對上帝的信念如何決定了每個人在天國中的位置。
我詢問他, 過去如此肯定父與子是二, 有何根據？他說:"在聖言中的事實擺在眼前啊, 子向父禱告, 不僅在上十字架之前, 在十字架上也是啊。還有, 子一直在父前謙卑自己。他們怎麼可能是一, 怎麼可能像靈魂和身體在你我之中那樣為一呢？如果另外一個人就是自己, 有誰會向那人禱告, 或者在那人面前謙卑自己？沒人會那樣做的, 子上帝更加不會。還有, 在我那個時候的整個基督徒教會已將三一分割成幾個位格, 每一位各自可存在。'位'被定義為憑自己可存在和維持的某個範疇。"
[3]聽完他所說的, 我回答:"從你所言, 我的感覺是, 你對父上帝與子上帝如何是一, 完全無知。正因為你對此無知, 所以你接受並確證現今仍在教會流行的,關於上帝的錯誤觀念。
"你知不知道, 主在世上時, 也像其它人那樣有靈魂？那祂的靈魂除了來自父上帝, 還能來自哪裡呢？父上帝是其源頭, 福音書作者們的作品中有大量的闡述。那麼, 被稱為子的這個實體, 不就是因父的神性受孕,經童女瑪利亞生出的人嗎？
"一位母親不能懷上靈魂, 因為這完全違背了控制人類生殖的聖規。父上帝不能象世上每位父親所做的那樣, 從自己植入靈魂後,接著就撤走了。因為上帝是祂自己的神性本質, 這個本質是一,無法分開。因為無法分開, 其實就是上帝自己。這就是為何主說, 父和祂是一, 父在祂裡面,祂在父裡面, 以及其它類似的聲明。
"這一點, 也被那些撰寫『亞他尼修信經』之人遠遠瞥見。因而在將上帝分開為三個位格後, 他們仍聲稱:在基督裡, 上帝和人——也就是神性和人性, 並非二, 而是一, 如同靈魂和身體在一個人裡, 是一。
[4]"主在世時向父禱告,如同父是另一位, 在父前虛己,如同在另一位面前, 這都是遵循那不可改變的,創世之時建立的聖規。每一個人與上帝聯合, 都當遵循如此定規。這個定規就是:當我們按聖規的法則而活——就是上帝的誡命, 並藉此努力與上帝締造關係時, 上帝也努力與我們締造關係,並將我們從屬世人轉變為屬靈人。
"以同樣的方式, 主將自己與其父聯合,父上帝將自己與主聯合。當主是個嬰兒時, 祂像個嬰兒。當祂是孩童時, 像個孩童。我們還讀到, 祂的智慧和風采勝過常人。後來, 祂懇求父榮耀祂的名——就是榮耀祂所取之人。(榮耀的意思, 就是通過與上帝自己的聯合來使其成為神性。)當祂向父禱告時, 祂處在一種被倒空的狀態, 就是祂趨向聯合的過程中所處的狀態。
[5]"這同一定規, 自創世起就建立在每一個人裡。也就是, 人應當藉著聖言的真理來預備好自己的認知, 以使其能接收上帝而來的信。當藉著義行來預備好自己的意志, 以使其能接收上帝而來的仁愛。類似于工匠不斷切割鑽石, 使其適應於接收光並反射光芒, 等等。
"人自我預備去接收上帝,並與祂聯合, 是藉著生活中遵循聖規的法則——就是所有上帝的誡命。對於主而言, 祂應驗了這些法則,直至最細微之處。於是祂使自己成為接收神性的器皿——完完全全地接收。因此保羅說, 神性一切的豐富都有形有體地住在基督裡。主還說, 凡父所有的都是祂的。
[6]"另外當知道, 在人裡面,惟獨主在積極主動, 而人本身只是消極被動。不過因著由主注入的生命, 人也因而趨向積極主動。這種不間斷的,由主而來的注入, 使人看起來是憑自己在主動作為。因為這樣的注入, 人也有了自由選擇, 讓人可以自我預備好來接受並與主聯合。然而如果這樣的聯合不是相互的, 就無法建立這樣的關係。當人通過自由選擇來主動預備自己時, 這種相互就開始了。不過人當相信, 這一切主動的行為都當歸功於主。"
[7]接著, 我問他和他的同伴是否承認上帝只有一位, 他回答是。於是我說:"恐怕在你的內心深處, 根本不相信有上帝！口中所說的由頭腦所想而來, 不是嗎？因此, 口頭上承認有一位上帝, 不可避免地去排除思想中三位上帝的概念。反之, 思想中三位上帝的概念也必然去排斥口頭上承認一位上帝。結果會怎樣？除了根本沒有上帝的結論, 還會有什麼呢？然後, 關於上帝, 你就會萌發自然就是上帝的念頭。而關於主, 就會認定祂的靈魂來自祂的母親或來自約瑟。所有天國的天人會視這兩個觀念為可憎惡的,會掉頭就走。"
說完之後, 這靈被驅逐到深坑中去了, 如(啟示錄9:2-3)中所述的無底坑, 龍的使者們在那裡爭論信仰的奧秘。
[8]第二天, 我再去看那個地方, 看到篷屋被兩個人形雕像取代。由泥土製成, 其實是硫磺,鐵粉和白泥的混合物。其中一個雕像, 看起來好像左手握根權杖, 手戴王冠, 右手持一本書。束著一根腰帶,上面鑲滿寶石, 身穿長袍,後擺對著另一尊雕像。這些只是表象, 是憑某位的能力想像並加在這雕像上的。然後有聲音從一位龍的跟從者而來:"這個雕像把我們的信描繪得如同一位女王, 而另一尊雕像把義描繪成她的女傭。"
另一尊雕像是用同一種混合泥土做成, 在女王右後方,位於她長袍的後擺旁邊, 右手舉著一張告示:"別靠得太近, 以免碰到長袍"。
突然從天降下陣雨, 浸濕了兩個雕像。因為它們是由硫磺,鐵粉和白泥的混合物做成, 它們開始沸騰冒泡, 當水流進裡面, 慢慢開始自燃起來, 轟然倒塌變成碎塊, 堆在那裡就像墓地的墳堆。
110. Here I will add the following memorable occurrences.
The first memorable occurrence. In the spiritual world I once saw a strange light in the [night] sky that fell slowly down to the earth. It had a glow around it. It was a strange aerial phenomenon that the local population called "the dragon. " I made a note of the place where it landed; but in the early dawn as the sun was first coming up it disappeared, as all strange lights at night do.
Later in the morning I went to the place where I had seen it fall in the night. To my surprise, the ground there was a mixture of sulfur, iron filings, and white clay. Then I suddenly noticed two tents, one directly over the spot and the other beside it to the south. I looked up and I saw a spirit falling down from heaven like a thunderbolt. He was hurled right onto the tent that stood directly over the spot where the strange aerial phenomenon had come down. I was in the other tent that was next to it to the south. I stood up in the doorway of my tent, and I saw that the spirit, too, was standing in the doorway of his tent.
I asked him why he had fallen out of heaven like that. He answered that Michael's angels had thrown him down as an angel of the dragon.
"It was because I voiced some of the beliefs I had convinced myself of in the world," he said. "Among them was this one: God the Father and God the Son are not one; they are two. As it turns out, though, all who are in the heavens today believe that God the Father and God the Son are one like a soul and a body. Any statement to the contrary is like a stinging irritation up their noses or like an awl piercing their ears. They become disturbed and pained by it, so they order anyone voicing opposition to leave, and if you resist, they throw you out. "
[2] So I asked him, "Why don't you believe what they believe?"
He replied that after leaving the world, people are unable to believe anything else except the convictions they have already adopted. These beliefs remain entrenched in people and cannot be pulled out - especially not personal convictions about God. In the heavens everyone's location depends on his or her idea of God.
I also asked what evidence he had used to convince himself that the Father and the Son were two. He said, "It is the fact that in the Word the Son prays to the Father not only before suffering on the cross but even during it; and also that he humbles himself before his Father. How then can they be one like a soul and a body are one in us? Do we pretend to address a prayer to someone else or pretend to humble ourselves to someone else when we are actually that other person? No one does that - certainly not the Son of God. For another thing, in my day the entire Christian church had split the Divinity into persons, each person being one entity on its own. 'Person' is defined as something that exists and subsists on its own. "
[3] When I heard that I replied, "I gather from what you said that you are totally ignorant of how God the Father and the Son are one. Because you don't know that, you have convinced yourself of false beliefs that the church still has about God.
"Surely you know that when the Lord was in the world he had a soul like every other human being. Where would his soul have come from but God the Father? That God the Father is its origin is abundantly clear in the Word of the Gospel writers. What then is that entity called the Son except a human manifestation conceived by the divine nature of the Father and given birth to by the Virgin Mary?
"A mother cannot conceive a soul. That idea completely contradicts the divine design that governs the birth of every human being. Neither could God the Father have given a soul from himself and then withdrawn, the way every father in the world does. God is his own divine essence, an essence that is single and undivided; and since it is undivided it is God himself. This is why the Lord says that the Father and he are one, and that the Father is in him and he is in the Father, as well as other things like that.
"The people who drafted the Athanasian Creed had a distant glimpse of this. Even after splitting God into three persons they wrote that in Christ, God and a human being, that is, the divine nature and the human nature, are not two; they are one like the soul and the body in one human being.
[4] "The Lord's praying to the Father while in the world as if the Father were someone else and humbling himself before the Father as if the Father were someone else followed the unchangeable divine design established from the time of creation, which everyone has to follow in order to form a partnership with God. That design is that as we forge our connection with God by living according to the laws of the divine design, which are God's commandments, God forges his connection with us and turns us from earthly people into spiritual people.
"The Lord united himself to his Father and God the Father united himself to the Lord in the same way. When the Lord was an infant, he was like an infant. When he was a child, he was like a child. We read that he advanced in wisdom and grace, and later on asked the Father to glorify his name, meaning his human nature. (To glorify is to make divine through union with God himself.) When the Lord prayed to the Father, then, he was clearly in a state of being emptied out, which was his state of progress toward union.
[5] "That same design has been built into every one of us from creation. Of course, it all depends on how we prepare our intellect with truths from the Word and adapt it to receive faith from God, and how we prepare our will with acts of goodwill and adjust it to receive love from God. In a similar way, depending on how jewelers cut a diamond they can adapt it to receive and transmit the brilliance of the light, and so on.
"We prepare ourselves to receive God and to forge a partnership with him by following the divine design in our lives. The laws of that design are all God's commandments. In the case of the Lord, he fulfilled all these laws down to the finest details. By so doing he made himself a vessel for divinity in all its fullness. This is why Paul says that all the fullness of divinity dwells physically in Jesus Christ, and why the Lord himself says that all things belonging to the Father are his.
[6] "Furthermore, we must keep in mind that only the Lord is actually active in us. On our own we are completely passive. Thanks to life inflowing from the Lord we too can be active. Because of the constant inflow from the Lord it seems to us as though we are active on our own. Because of this inflow we have free choice, which is given to us so we can prepare ourselves to receive the Lord and forge a partnership with him. Forging a partnership cannot happen unless that partnership is reciprocal. It becomes reciprocal when we act with our own freedom, and yet on the basis of faith we attribute all our action to the Lord. "
[7] Next I asked whether he, like his colleagues, confessed that there is one God. He replied that he did. Then I said, "I am afraid, though, that the confession of your heart is that there is no God. What the mouth says emanates from what the mind thinks, does it not? The confession of your lips that there is one God will therefore tend to drive out of your mind the thought that there are three, and in turn your mind's thought will tend to drive away from your lips the confession that there is one. Surely this will eventually culminate in denial of God. The position that there is no God would eliminate the whole discrepancy between your mind and your lips. About God, then, your mind will surely conclude that nature is God. About the Lord, it will conclude that his soul was either from his mother or from Joseph. Yet all the angels in heaven turn away from these two conclusions as something horrible and detestable. "
After I said that, the spirit was sent off into the great pit referred to in where the dragon's angels debate the mysteries of their faith.
[8] The next day when I looked out at the spot, in place of the tents I saw two statues that looked like human beings. They were made out of dust from the ground, which as I say was a mixture of sulfur, iron, and clay. One statue looked as though it had a scepter in its left hand, a crown on its head, and a book in its right hand, as well as a bodice held in place by a diagonal sash covered with gems, and a robe with a train that flowed out behind it toward the other statue. These features, however, had been put on the statue through someone's power to project images.
Then I heard a voice there from some follower of the dragon: "This statue portrays our faith as a queen. The statue behind it portrays goodwill as faiths maidservant. "
The other statue was made out of the same mixture of different types of dust. It was placed just beyond the edge of the robe flowing down off the queens back. The second statue held a sheet of paper in its hand with writing on it that said, "Warning: don't come too close or touch the robe. "
Then suddenly a rain shower fell from heaven, drenching each statue. They began to fizz because they were made out of that mixture of sulfur, iron, and clay. (A mixture of those substances in powdered form tends to effervesce when water is added to it.) An internal fire then melted them into piles that stood thereafter like burial mounds on that piece of ground.
110. At this point I shall introduce these accounts of experiences, of which this is the first.
In the spiritual world I once saw a shooting star, which fell to earth surrounded by a streak of light. It was a meteor of the sort popularly known as a dragon. I noted the place where it fell; but it disappeared in the twilight as the day began to break, as always happens with shooting stars.
After daybreak I approached the spot where I had seen it fall during the night; I found the ground there composed of a mixture of sulphur, iron filings and clay. Then there suddenly appeared two tents, one directly over the spot, the other a little to the south of it. Then when I looked up, I saw a spirit falling from heaven like a thunderbolt; he landed in the tent which stood directly over the spot where the meteor had fallen; and I was in the other tent which stood beside it to the south. I stood at the entrance to the tent and saw the spirit also standing in the entrance to his tent.
So I asked him why he had thus fallen from heaven. He replied that he had been thrown down as an angel of the dragon by the angels of Michael, 'because,' he said, 'I had expressed some of my convictions about faith, which I had formed in the world. One of these was the idea that God the Father and God the Son are two and not one; for everyone in the heavens now believes that They are one as soul and body are one. Any expression contrary to that belief is like a tickling in their nostrils, or an awl piercing their ears, which causes them mental disturbance and pain. For this reason, anyone who contradicts them is ordered to leave, and if he shilly-shallies, he is thrown out.'
[2] On hearing this I said to him, 'Why did you not believe as they did?' He replied that after leaving the world no one can believe anything but what he had proved to himself and so imprinted on his mind. This remains rooted in it so that it cannot be torn out, and this is especially the case with convictions about God, since it is his idea of God which determines everyone's place in the heavens.
I went on to ask what proofs he had found that the Father and the Son were two. 'The passages in the Word,' he said, 'which state that the Son prayed to the Father, not only before the crucifixion, but actually during it; and that He humbled Himself before the Father. How then could they be one, as the soul and the body are one in man? Who prays as if to another, or humbles himself as if before another, if he is himself that other? No man behaves like that, far less the Son of God. Moreover, the whole Christian church in my time divided the Divinity into Persons, and each Person is one by itself, and is defined as that which remains in existence by its own right.'
[3] On hearing him say this I replied: 'I have grasped from what you say that you are utterly ignorant how God the Father and God the Son are one; and since you do not know how this is, you have accepted the false notions about God still prevalent in the church. Do you not know that, when the Lord was in the world, He had a soul like any other person? Where could He have got it from, unless from God the Father? There are plenty of plain statements that this is so in the writings of the Evangelists. What then is it that is called the Son, but the Human which was conceived of the Father's Divine and born of the Virgin Mary? A mother cannot conceive a soul; that would be totally repugnant to the order which controls human reproduction. Nor can God the Father implant the soul from Himself, and then retire, as every father in the world does, since God is His own Divine Essence, and this is one and indivisible; and being indivisible, it must be God Himself. This is why the Lord says that the Father and He are one, that the Father is in Him and He is in the Father, and many more similar statements. This too was seen, at a distance, by those who framed the Athanasian Creed; so after splitting God into three Persons, they still declare that in Christ God and man, that is, the Divine and the Human, are not two, but one, as the soul and the body in man are one.
[4] 'The Lord in the world prayed to the Father as if to another, and humbled Himself before the Father as if before another, because this was to conform with the order established from creation; for this is the immutable order which controls everyone's progress towards being linked with God. This order lays down that as a person links himself to God, which he does by living according to the rules of order or God's commandments, so God links Himself to him, and makes him spiritual instead of natural. In the same way the Lord united Himself with His Father, and God the Father united Himself with the Lord. Was the Lord not a child like any other, a boy like any other boy? Do we not read that He advanced in wisdom and grace, and later, that He besought the Father to glorify His name, that is, His Human? To glorify is to make Divine by union with Himself. This shows plainly why the Lord in His state of exinanition, which was His state while advancing towards union, prayed to the Father.
[5] 'That same order was imprinted on every person from creation, namely the rule that as a person prepares his understanding by means of truths from the Word, so does he make it suitable for the reception of faith from God; and as he prepares his will by means of charitable actions, so he renders it capable of receiving love from God. For as a craftsman cuts a diamond, so he gives it the faculty of receiving and emitting a brilliant light; and so forth. To prepare oneself to receive and be linked to God is to live in accordance with Divine order, and the laws of order are all the commandments of God. The Lord fulfilled these down to the last comma, and so made Himself a receiver of the Divinity in all its fulness. Therefore Paul says that in Jesus Christ all the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily, and the Lord says that all things of the Father's are His.
[6] 'It is further to be held that the Lord alone is active in a person, and the person by himself is only passive, but he is moved to activity by the inflow of life from the Lord. This perpetual inflow from the Lord makes it appear to a person that he acts of himself. Because this is so, he also has free will, and this is given to him in order to prepare himself to receive and be linked to the Lord, a state which would be impossible if the linking were not reciprocal. This is accomplished when a person acts of his own free will, yet is led by faith to attribute all activity to the Lord.'
[7] After this I asked whether, like the rest of his companions, he admitted that God is one. He replied that he did. Then I said: 'I am afraid that in your heart you may believe that there is no God. Surely everything one says with the lips arises from thought in the mind? Therefore a verbal admission that there is one God must inevitably eliminate the idea of three Gods from the mind; and contrariwise, such a thought in the mind must inevitably eliminate the verbal admission that there is one God. So what can be the result, except a belief that there is no God? Surely this will turn into a vacuum all the intervening stages between the thought and the lips, and in the reverse direction between the lips and the thought? So what other conclusion about God can the mind reach, but that nature is God? Or about the Lord, but that His soul was from His mother or from Joseph? All the angels of heaven recoil from these two ideas as horrible and abominable.'
After this the spirit was banished into the abyss described in Revelation (Revelation 9:2ff) where the angels of the dragon discuss the secrets of their faith.
[8] The next day, when I looked towards the same spot, I saw in place of the tents two statues in human shape, made of dust from the soil, which was a mixture of sulphur, iron and clay. One statue appeared to hold a sceptre in its left hand, it had a crown on its head, and a book in its right hand; its bodice was girded diagonally with a sash decorated with precious stones, and its robe streamed out behind towards the other statue. But these were appearances given to that statue by imagination. Then a voice was heard from one of the followers of the dragon: 'This statue represents our faith as a queen, and the other one behind it is charity represented as her handmaid.' This statue was made out of a similar mixture of powders; it was placed right at the end of the robe streaming out behind the queen, and it held in its hand a placard on which was written: 'Beware of coming too close and touching the robe.' Then a sudden shower fell from heaven, which drenched both the statues, and since they were made of a mixture of sulphur, iron and clay, they began to bubble, as a mixture of those substances will when water is poured on 1 . So they caught fire from internal combustion, fell apart and were reduced to heaps, which afterwards stuck up above ground like mounds in a graveyard.
Footnotes:
1. Sulphur here means a combustible material of a sulphurous nature.
110. Let these Memorable Relations be added. First:
I once saw in the spiritual world an ignis fatuus in the air with a glow about it, falling toward the earth. It was a meteor, such as the common people call a dragon. I noted the place where it fell; but it disappeared in the twilight before sunrise, as every ignis fatuus does.
After dawn I went to the place where I had seen it fall in the night, and behold, the ground there was a mixture of sulfur, iron chips, and clay; and suddenly there appeared two tents, one directly over the place, and the other at one side towards the south; and looking upwards I saw a spirit fall like lightning from heaven, and he struck within the tent that stood directly over the place where the meteor fell; I myself being in the other that was near it towards the south, and as I stood in the door I saw the spirit standing in the entrance of the other tent.
Therefore I asked him why he had so fallen from heaven; and he answered that he had been cast down as an angel of the dragon by the angels of Michael, because he had said something about the faith in which he had confirmed himself while in the world; among other things, that God the Father and God the Son are not one but two; for at this day in the heavens all believe that these are one, like soul and body; and whatever contradicts this is like a pungent odor in their nostrils, or like an awl boring through their ears, which causes disturbance and pain; therefore anyone so contradicting is ordered to leave; and if he refuses is cast out.
[2] Hearing this I said to him, "Why did you not believe as they do?"
He replied that after leaving the world no one is able to believe anything different from what he had before impressed upon himself by confirmation; this remains fixed in him, and can not be removed, especially that which he has confirmed in himself respecting God, since in the heavens everyone has his place according to his idea of God.
I asked him further, by what means he had confirmed the notion that the Father and Son are two.
He said, "By the statements in the Word, that the Son prayed to the Father, both before and during the passion of the cross; also that He humiliated Himself before His Father: how then can they be one, as soul and body are one in man? Who prays as if to another and humiliates himself as if before another, when that other is in fact himself? No one does so, much less the Son of God. Moreover, in my time the entire Christian church divided the Godhead into persons; and each person is one by Himself, and is defined as being what is self-subsistent."
[3] Hearing this I replied, "From what you say I perceive that you do not know at all how God the Father and the Son are one; and not knowing this you have confirmed yourself in the falsities respecting God which the church still holds to. Do you not know that when the Lord was in the world He had a soul like every other man? Whence had He that soul, unless from God the Father? The truth of this is abundantly evident from the word of the Gospels. What then is that which is called the Son but a Human that was conceived from the Divine of the Father and born of the virgin Mary? The mother cannot conceive the soul. This would be totally opposed to the order in accordance with which every man is born. Neither could God the Father impart from Himself a soul and then withdraw from it, as is done by every father in the world, because God is His own Divine essence, and this is one and indivisible; and being indivisible, it is Himself. This is why the Lord declares that the Father and He are one, and that the Father is in Him and He in the Father, and other like things. The framers of the Athanasian creed saw this remotely, and therefore, after dividing God into three persons, they still maintained that in Christ, God and Man, that is, the Divine and the Human, are not two, but are one, like soul and body in man.
[4] The Lord's praying to the Father as to another when He was in the world, and His humiliating Himself before the Father as before another, was in accordance with the order established at creation. That order is immutable, and in accordance therewith must be everyone's progress towards conjunction with God. That order is, that so far as man conjoins himself to God by a life in accordance with the laws of order, which are God's commandments, does God conjoin Himself to man, and change man from natural to spiritual. It was in this way that the Lord made Himself one with His Father, and God the Father made Himself one with Him. When the Lord was an infant was He not like any other infant, and when a boy like any other boy? Do we not read that He increased in wisdom and favor, and that afterwards He asked the Father to glorify His name, that is, His Human? To glorify is to make Divine by oneness with Himself. This makes clear why the Lord prayed to His Father whilst in His state of exinanition, which was the state of His progress towards union.
[5] This same order is inscribed upon every man by his creation. In the precise degree in which man prepares his understanding by means of truths from the Word does he adapt his understanding to receive faith from God, and precisely as he prepares his will by means of works of charity does he fit his will for the reception of love from God, as when a workman cuts a diamond he fits it to receive and emit the glow of light; and so on. One prepares himself to receive God and to be conjoined with Him by living in accordance with the Divine order; and the laws of order are all the commandments of God. These the Lord fulfilled to every tittle, and so made Himself a receptacle of Divinity in all fullness. Therefore Paul says:
That in Jesus Christ dwells all the fullness of Divinity bodily (Colossians 2:9).
And the Lord Himself says:
That all things that the Father hath are His (John 16:15).
[6] "Furthermore, it must be borne in mind that in man the Lord alone is active and man of himself is merely passive; and that it is by means of the influx of life from God that man is also active. It is because this influx from God is unceasing that it seems to man as if he were active from himself; and it is because of this appearance that man has free-will; and this is given him that he may prepare himself for receiving the Lord, and thus for conjunction with Him, which would not be possible unless the action were reciprocal; and it becomes reciprocal when man acts from his freedom, and yet from faith ascribes all his activity to the Lord."
[7] After this I asked him whether he, like the others his companions, confessed that God is one. He replied that he did. Then I said, "But I am afraid that the confession of your heart is that there is no God. Does not every word uttered by the mouth go forth from the thought of the mind? Must not, then, the lip-confession of God's oneness banish from the mind the thought that there are three; and on the other hand, must not this thought of the mind banish from the lips the confession that He is one; and what else can result from this than that there is no God? Is not the whole interval, from the thought to the lips, and back again from the lips to the thought, thus made a vacuum? And what conclusion can the mind then form about God than that nature is God; and about the Lord than that His soul was either from the mother or from Joseph? From these two ideas all the angels of heaven turn away as from things horrible and abominable."
All this having been said, that spirit was sent away into the abyss (spoken of in Revelation 9:2 and following verses), where the angels of the dragon discuss the mysteries of their faith.
[8] The next day, when I looked towards the same place, I saw instead of the tents two statues in the likeness of human beings, made of the dust of the earth that was a mixture of sulfur, iron, and clay. One statue seemed to have a scepter in its left hand, a crown on its head, a book in its right hand, and a stomacher with an oblique band tied across, set with precious stones, and behind a robe that spread towards the other statue. But these decorations of the statue were induced upon it by fantasy. A voice from some draconic spirit was then heard proceeding from it, saying, "This statue represents our faith as a queen, and the one behind it represents charity as her maidservant. This latter was made of a similar mixture of dust, and was placed at the extremity of the robe that spread out behind the queen, and it held in its hand a paper, on which was written, "Be careful not to come so near as to touch the robe." Then a sudden shower fell from heaven and penetrated both statues, which being made of a mixture of sulfur, iron, and clay, began to effervesce, as a mixture of those ingredients does when water is poured upon it; and so burning as it were with inward fire they melted into heaps, which afterwards stood out above the ground there like sepulchral mounds.
110. MEMORABILIA.
At this point the following Memorabilia will now be set forth.
The first experience. I once saw in the spiritual world a wandering fire in the air falling to the ground, surrounded by a brilliant light. It was a meteor, commonly called a dragon. I noted the place where it fell, but it disappeared in the gray morning light before the rising sun, as these phenomena do. After dawn I went to the place where I had seen it fall in the night, and behold, the ground there was a mixture of sulphur, fragments of iron and clay. Suddenly there appeared two tents, one directly over the place and the other near it, towards the south. Then looking up, I saw a spirit falling like lightning from heaven, and thrown into the tent which stood directly over the spot where the meteor fell. I then stood in the doorway of the other tent which was near-by towards the south, and I saw the spirit standing at the door of his tent. I asked him why he fell so precipitately from heaven, and he replied that he was cast down as an angel of the dragon by the angels of Michael, 1 because he had expressed something of the faith in which he had confirmed himself while in the world. "For instance," said he, "God the Father and God the Son are two, and not one. Now all in the heavens at this day believe that they are one, like soul and body. Whatever contradicts this, is like an irritant in their nostrils, or an awl perforating their ears, causing them great pain. Whoever, therefore, maintains a contrary opinion is ordered to depart; and if he refuses, he is cast down headlong."
[2] On hearing this I said, "Why did you not believe as they did?" He replied that after leaving the world no one could believe anything but what he had impressed upon himself and become confirmed in. This remains fixed, he said, and cannot be rooted out, especially what relates to God; for every one has a place in heaven according to his idea of God. I then asked him by what arguments he had confirmed his belief that the Father and the Son were two. He answered: "By what is stated in the Word, that the Son prayed to the Father, not only before, but also during, His Passion on the Cross; and also that He humbled Himself before the Father. How then can they be one, as the soul and body are one in a man? For who prays as to another, and humbles himself as before another, while he himself is that other? No one acts in this way, much less the Son of God. Moreover, the whole Christian Church in my time divided the Divinity into Persons, each of whom is one by himself, Person being defined as that which is self-subsistent."
[3] When I heard him say this I replied: "From your remarks I perceive that you know nothing of how God the Father and Son are one, and in consequence you have confirmed yourself in the false opinions which the Church to this day entertains concerning God. Do you not know that the Lord, when in the world, had a soul like every other man? Whence had He that soul but from God the Father? This is abundantly evident from the Word of the Evangelists. What then is that which is called the Son, but the Human, which was conceived by the Divine of the Father and born of the virgin Mary? A mother cannot conceive a soul, for this is totally opposed to the order according to which every man is born; nor can God the Father implant a soul from Himself and then withdraw from it, as every father in the world can, since God is His own Divine Essence, and this is one and indivisible; and because it is indivisible, it is Himself. For this reason the Lord says that the Father and He are one, that the Father is in Him and He in the Father, and there are many other expressions to the same effect. Those who drew up the Athanasian Creed 2 had a faint impression of this; and therefore, after they had divided God into three Persons, they still declare that in Christ, God and Man, that is, the Divine and the Human, are not two, but one, like the soul and body in a man.
[4] "That the Lord when in the world prayed to the Father as to another, and humbled Himself before the Father as before another, was according to the order established at the creation. This is immutable, and according to it every one must progress towards union with God. This order is that as man unites himself to God by a life according to the laws of order, which are the Commandments of God, so God unites Himself to man, and from being natural makes him spiritual. In like manner the Lord united Himself to His Father, and God the Father united Himself to Him. Was not the Lord, when an infant, like an infant, and when a child, like a child? Is it not written that He increased in wisdom and favour; and later that He asked the Father to glorify His Name, that is, His Human? To glorify is to make Divine by union with Himself. Hence it is evident that the Lord prayed to the Father when in the state of His exinanition, which was a state of His progression towards union.
[5] "That same order is inscribed on every man at creation, and accordingly, as a man prepares his understanding by means of truths from the Word, he adapts it to the reception of faith from God; and as he prepares his will by works of charity, he accommodates it to the reception of love from God; just as when a workman cuts a diamond, he prepares it to receive and reflect the brilliant rays of light; and so on. To prepare oneself for the reception of God, and union with Him, is to live according to Divine order, and all the Commandments of God are laws of order. These the Lord fulfilled to every letter, and so became a recipient of Divinity in all its fulness. Therefore Paul says, that in Jesus Christ dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily; and the Lord Himself declares that all things that the Father hath are His.
[6] It must be further borne in mind that the Lord alone is active in man, and that man himself is merely passive. Man is indeed an active agent, but only through the influx of life from the Lord; for it is owing to this perpetual influx from the Lord that man appears to act from himself. It is because of this appearance that he has Free Will, which is given him that he may prepare himself to receive the Lord, and so be united to Him. This union would not be possible unless it were reciprocal; and it becomes reciprocal when man acts from his own freedom, and yet by faith attributes all activity to the Lord."
[7] After this I asked him whether he, like the rest of his companions, confessed that God is one. He replied that he did. Then I said: "But I am afraid the confession of your heart is that there is no God. Does not every word of the mouth proceed from thought in the mind? It must follow therefore that the confession of the lips that God is one will drive out from the mind the thought that there are three. On the other hand, the thought of the mind will drive out the lip confession that there is one: and what conclusion then will necessarily result but that there is no God? When this opinion that there are three is held in the mind, as there is no room for intermediate opinions between thought and speech, the mind comes to the conclusion concerning God, that nature is God, and concerning the Lord, that He received His soul either from the mother or from Joseph: and both of these opinions are held by all the angels of heaven in utter aversion." When I said this, the spirit was sent away to the abyss, mentioned in Revelation 9:2, and the following verses, where the angels of the dragon discuss the mysteries of their faith.
[8] The next day, when I looked towards the same place, I saw, instead of the tents, two statues in the human form, made of the dust of the ground, which was a mixture of sulphur, iron and clay. One statue appeared to have a sceptre in the left hand, a crown on the head, a book in the right hand, and an ornament for the breast bound obliquely with a cincture set with precious stones, and a robe flowing behind toward the other statue; but these adornments of the statue were the effects of phantasy. Then a voice was heard from the abyss, uttered by some spirit of the dragon, saying "This statue represents our faith as a queen, and the other behind it represents charity as her servant." The other statue was composed of a similar mixture of dust, and was set up at the extremity of the robe which flowed from behind the queen. It held a paper in its hand on which was written: "Beware, lest you approach too near, and touch the robe." Then suddenly a shower of rain fell from heaven, thoroughly saturating the statues, which, composed as they were of a mixture of sulphur, iron and clay, began to effervesce, as happens with a mixture of these ingredients when water is poured upon it. Then bursting into flames from the fire generated within them, they were reduced to heaps of ashes, which afterwards appeared as burial mounds on the ground.
Footnotes:
1. Michael, the archangel.
2. Athanasian Symbol or Creed. Although bearing the name of Athanasius, it was probably composed by Hilary, in the century after the formulation of the Nicene Creed, A.D. 325. The name was given to it about the year A.D. 670 as an excellent system of the doctrines of Athansius concerning the Trinity and the Incarnation, principally in opposition to the Arians. It is received by the Romish Church and also by the Reformed.
110. Hic adducentur haec MEMORABILIA. PRIMUM. Quondam in Mundo Spirituali vidi Ignem fatuum in aere delapsum in terram, et lucidum circum circa illum; erat meteoron quod vulgus vocat Draconem; notavi locum ubi decidit, sed hoc in diluculo suboriente Sole disparatum est, sicut fit cum omni fatuo Igne. Post matutam accessi ad locum, ubi delapsum ejus in nocte vidi, et ecce ibi humus ex miscela sulphuris, ramentorum ferri, et argillae luti: et subito tunc visa sunt duo Tentoria, unum directe supra locum, et alterum a latere versus meridiem, et suspexi, et vidi quendam Spiritum e coelo sicut fulmen 1 decidentem, et injectum in Tentorium, quod directe supra locum delapsus meteori stetit, et ego in altero quod juxta erat versus meridiem, in ostio hujus steti, et vidi Spiritum in altero etiam in ostio sui tentorii stantem; et tunc quaesivi illum, cur ita decidit e Coelo; ad quod ille respondit, quod dejectus sit ut angelus Draconis ab angelis Michaelis, quia aliqua de Fide mea, in qua me confirmavi in Mundo, loquutus sum; inter quae fuit hoc, quod Deus Pater et Deus Filius sint duo, et non unus; omnes enim in Coelis hodie credunt, quod sint unum sicut anima et corpus; et omnis dictio contra id, est sicut stimulus in naribus illorum, et sicut subula perforans aures illorum, unde illis fit emotio et dolor, et propter hoc contradicens mandatur exire, et si tergiversatur, dejicitur:
[2] hoc audito ad illum dixi, cur non credidisti sicut illi; retulit, quod post excessum e Mundo nemo possit credere aliud, quam quod per confirmationem sibi impresserat; hoc manet infixum, et non potest avelli, imprimis id quod quis apud se confirmavit de Deo; quoniam in Coelis cuivis est locus secundum ideam Dei: porro interrogavi, per quae confirmaverat quod Pater et Filius essent duo; dixit, per haec in Verbo, quod Filius oraverit ad Patrem, non modo ante Passionem crucis, sed etiam in illa; ut et quod se coram Patre suo humiliaverit; quomodo tunc possunt unus esse, sicut anima et corpus unum sunt in homine; quis orat sicut ad alium, et humiliat se sicut coram alio, dum ipse ille est; ita nullus facit, minus Filius Dei: et praeterea, Universa Ecclesia Christiana meo tempore divisit Divinitatem in Personas, ac unaquaevis Persona est unum per se, ac definitur quod sit quod proprie subsistit.
[3] His ab illo auditis, respondi, percepi ex sermone, quod prorsus nihil scias, quomodo Deus Pater et Filius unum sunt, et quia non scis quomodo, confirmaveras te in falsis, in quibus Ecclesia adhuc est de Deo; nonne scis, quod Domino, cum erat in Mundo, fuerit anima sicut omni alii homini; unde haec Illi, nisi ex Deo Patre; quod ita sit, ex Verbo Evangelistarum abunde patet; quid tunc quod vocatur Filius nisi Humanum, quod a Divino Patris conceptum est, et a Maria Virgine natum; Mater non potest concipere Animam; hoc totaliter repugnat Ordini, secundum quem omnis homo nascitur; nec potest Deus Pater indere Animam ex se et deinde recedere, sicut omnis pater in Mundo, quoniam Deus est sua Divina Essentia, et haec est una et individua, et quia est individua est Ipse; inde est, quod Dominus dicat, quod Pater et Ipse unum sint, et quod Pater in Ipso et Ipse in Patre, praeter plura similia: hoc etiam conceptores Symboli Athanasiani e longinquo viderunt, quare postquam Deum in tres Personas partiti sunt, usque dicunt quod in Christo Deus et Homo, hoc est, Divinum et Humanum, non sint duo, sed unum sicut anima et corpus in homine.
[4] Quod Dominus in Mundo oraverit ad Patrem sicut ad alium, et quod humiliaverit se coram Patre sicut coram alio, fuit secundum Ordinem a Creatione constabilitum, qui immutabilis, secundum quem omnis ad conjunctionem cum Deo progredietur; ordo ille est, quod sicut homo per vitam secundum leges ordinis, quae sunt praecepta Dei, se conjungit Deo, ita Deus se conjungat homini, et a naturali illum spiritualem faciat; similiter Dominus se univit suo Patri et Deus Pater se Ipsi; fuitne Dominus dum Infans sicut infans, dum Puer sicut puer; legiturne quod profecerit sapientia et gratia, et postea, quod rogaverit Patrem, ut Nomen suum, hoc est, Humanum suum, glorificaret; glorificare est per Unionem secum Divinum facere; inde patet, quod Dominus in statu exinanitionis suae, qui status fuit status progressionis Ipsius ad Unionem, oraverit ad Patrem.
[5] Idem ille Ordo a Creatione cuivis homini inscriptus est, nimirum quemadmodum homo per veritates ex Verbo parat intellectum suum, ita adaptat illum ad recipiendum fidem a Deo, et quemadmodum per opera charitatis parat voluntatem, ita accommodat illam ad recipiendum amorem a Deo; nam quemadmodum artifex secat adamantem, ita applicat illum ad recipiendum et emittendum splendorem lucis; et sic porro: parare se ad receptionem Dei et conjunctionem, est vivere secundum Divinum Ordinem, et leges ordinis sunt omnia praecepta Dei; haec Dominus ad omnem apicem implevit, et sic se fecit receptaculum Divinitatis in omni plenitudine; quare Paulus dicit, quod in Jesu Christo omnis plenitudo Divinitatis habitet corporaliter [Colossenses 2:9], et Ipse Dominus quod omnia Patris sint Ipsius [Johannes 16:15].
[6] Ulterius tenendum est, quod Dominus apud hominem solus activus sit, et quod homo ex se mere passivus sit, at quod per influxum vitae a Domino etiam activus; ex hoc perpetuo influxu a Domino apparet homini sicut sit activus ex se; et quia ita est, et ei liberum arbitrium est, et hoc ei datum est ut semet paret ad recipiendum Dominum, et sic ad conjunctionem, quae non dabilis est, nisi sit reciproca, et reciproca fit dum homo ex suo libero agit, et tamen ex fide attribuit Domino omne activum.
[7] Post haec interrogavi, Numeri ille sicut alii ejus sodales confessus est, quod Deus unus sit; respondit, quod confessus; et tunc dixi, at vereor, quod cordis tui confessio sit, quod nullus Deus sit; numne omnis loquela oris procedit ex cogitatione mentis, quare non potest aliter, quam ut confessio oris, quod unus Deus sit, expellat cogitationem e mente quod tres sint, ac vicissim quod cogitatio mentis expellat ex ore confessionem quod unus sit; quid inde resultat aliud, quam quod nullus Deus sit; numne sic evacuatur omne interstitium, quod est a cogitatione ad os, et ab ore retro ad cogitationem, et quid tunc a mente aliud concluditur de Deo, quam quod Natura sit Deus, et de Domino quod Anima Ipsi vel a Matre vel a Josepho fuerit; a quibus duobus, ut ab horrendis et abominabilibus, omnes Angeli coeli se avertunt. His dictis, Spiritus ille ablegatus est in Abyssum, de qua in Apocalypsi 9:2. seq., ubi Angeli Draconis ventilant mystica de sua Fide.
[8] Postridie cum prospexi ad eundem locum, vidi loco Tentoriorum duas Statuas in similitudine hominum, factas ex pulvere terrae, quae erat miscela sulphuris, ferri et argillae, et una Statua visa est habere sceptrum in manu sinistra, coronam super capite, et librum in manu dextra, tum pectorale oblique cinctum fascia ex lapidibus pretiosis, et a tergo togam fluentem ad alteram Statuam, sed haec Statuae illi inducta fuerunt per phantasiam; et tunc vox audita est inde a quodam Draconico; haec Statua repraesentat Fidem nostram ut Reginam, et altera post illam, Charitatem ut famulam ejus: haec erat ex simili miscela pulverum conflata, et posita post extremitatem togae defluentis a tergo Reginae, et tenuit chartam in manu, super qua erat scriptum, cave ne propius accedas et togam tangas. At subito tunc imber e coelo decidit, et penetravit utramque Statuam, quae quia ex miscela sulphuris, ferri et argillae constabant, ebulliebant, sicut fieri solet miscela illorum pulverum, dum aqua super illam immittitur, et sic accensae igne intestino diffluebant, et factae acervi, qui postea sicut tumuli sepulchrales super terra illa eminebant.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: falmen.