135# 第二则灵界可记之事：
某日清晨，我方自睡中苏醒，灵界之日便以万丈光辉现于眼前；日光之下，诸天层层相隔，远近之距一如尘世大地与世间太阳。俄而有难言妙音自诸天传来，众音汇为一体，化作可明晓之语：“有独一上帝，祂自有人形，居所便在此灵日之中。” 此言自上层诸天逐层下传，直至最末一层天，复坠入我所处之灵界。我分明察觉，天使心中本存独一上帝之认知，随层级渐次下沉，竟悄然转为三位上帝之妄见。
见此异象，我上前与执此三神之见的灵众交谈，言道：“何其荒谬！汝等此念究竟从何而生？” 彼等答曰：“我等心中虽存三一神性之感知，然此念平日不形于言语；开口宣讲之时，皆称上帝独一。纵使心底暗生三分之想，只藏于心内便罢，不令其出口割裂上帝浑然一体之性。只是此念根植心中，难免时有流露，一旦脱口，便言存有三位上帝。我等平素谨言避之，唯恐听闻者心生讥诮。”
【2】少顷，彼等直抒心底所想，言道：“世间岂非有三位上帝？盖有三神性位格，每一位皆为完全之上帝。我辈别无他想，只因教会诸主教自圣教典籍之中，将创世之功归诸第一位，救赎之功归诸第二位，成圣之功归诸第三位；且为三位各赋专属德性，称诸般德性彼此不可互通。其所分授者不独创世、救赎、成圣，尚有归算、居间、运行三事。岂非第一位造育世人、执掌归算？第二位救赎世人、居中代求？第三位施行居间所带来的归算、使人成圣？谁不知父上帝遣上帝之子降世，为众生赎罪，作居间者、息忿者、代求者？此子与自永恒而生之上帝之子原为一体，岂非两位判然有别之位格？此二者同居天堂，一位坐于另一位之右，岂不需第三位格降临尘世，推行天堂既定之命？”
【3】我闻此番言语，默然不语，心中暗忖：何其愚妄！彼等全然不解圣言所载 “居间” 真义。随即奉主之命，三位天使自天堂降下，伴于我身侧；因我需藉内在灵明，与执三神妄见之灵众辩明义理，尤其厘清居间、代求、息忿、赎罪四事。彼等将此四功尽数归于第二位格，亦即是子，且仅限祂取人性之后；然子降世为人，乃是创世千百年后方才成就。若依彼等之说，在此之前，此四样救恩途径全然未存，父上帝未曾平息忿怒，世人无从赎罪，亦无天使自天堂降下为人居间代求。
【4】彼时灵恩临身，我向众灵言道：“凡有心求道者，可近前静听，辨明圣言居间、代求、赎罪、息忿四语之本意。此四者，皆是形容独一上帝于人性之中施予恩典的四种表述。人不能直接趋近父上帝，父亦不能径直与人相交；盖祂乃是无限本体，居于自有永有之本质，此本质便是雅威。倘若祂毫无遮蔽直接临于人前，人必消融，一如烈火焚烧木柴，化为灰烬。此理可凭经文证之：摩西欲亲见祂容，祂便言道：‘人不能看见我而存活。’（出 33:20）主亦云：‘从来没有人看见上帝，惟有在父怀里的子将祂表明出来。’（约 1:18；太 11:27）又言：‘你们从来没有听见父的声音，也没有看见祂的形像。’（约 5:37）圣言虽记摩西曾与雅威对面交谈、口口相对，实则皆藉天使传递；亚伯拉罕、基甸之事亦是同理。父上帝本自如此，故而甘愿取人性，借着这人性接纳世人，使人得以听闻祂言、与祂交谈；这人性便是世人所称上帝之子，也正是此人性担当居间、代求、息忿、赎罪四功。今为汝等逐一讲明，附着于父上帝人性之上的这四重寓意。”
【5】居间，谓此人性为相通之中介，人凭此可趋近父上帝，父亦凭此临到人前，借此教化引导，使人得蒙拯救；是以上帝之子 —— 也就是父上帝的人性 —— 称作救主，在世之名耶稣，便是 “拯救” 之义。代求，乃是恒常不绝的居间之功；盖爱之本体内含怜悯、慈悲与恩典，恒常为谨守祂诫命、蒙祂眷爱的人周旋，即是持续居间。赎罪，乃是除却人身上的罪污；人若直面毫无遮蔽的雅威，必被自身罪污吞噬。息忿，乃是慈悲与恩典时常运行，使人不致因罪孽陷入定罪；亦护持世人，不妄渎圣物，此正是会幕约柜之上施恩座所预表之深意。
【6】世人皆知，上帝于圣言之中多借表象立说：譬如称祂动怒、施行报复、试探、刑罚、投人入地狱、判定罪愆，甚至言祂造作恶事；实则祂从不向人发怒、不报复、不试探、不刑罚、不置人地狱、不定人罪名。诸般恶态与上帝本性相去甚远，其间隔阂远胜地狱与天堂；凡此种种，皆是迁就世人感官的表象之语。同理，赎罪、息忿、代求、居间亦属表象之言，皆是形容人藉祂的人性亲近上帝、领受恩典的不同光景。世人不解此中深意，遂将独一上帝割裂为三位，教会一切教义皆以此妄见为根基，圣言本义就此扭曲。这便是主于《但以理书》、复于《马太福音》二十四章所预言的 “行毁坏可憎之物”。
言毕，环绕我的一众灵众纷纷散去。我观其去向：心底笃信存有三位上帝者，皆转头望向地狱；心中持守独一上帝、承认神性全然三一蕴藏于本体，且这完整三一皆在主上帝救主之内者，则仰望天堂。对这般持正见之灵，天堂之日全然显现，雅威便以人形居于日光之中。
135# 第二个记事：
一天早晨，我一觉醒来，灵界的太阳以它的辉煌或荣光向我显现；在它下面，我看到天堂离它，就像我们的大地离太阳一样远。接着，只听见从天堂传来无法言喻的话语，这些话语连起来形成一句话，即：“只有一位神，祂是人；祂的居所就在那太阳里面。”这句话通过中间天堂降到最低层天堂，又从最低层天堂降到我所在的灵人界；我发觉，天使们的一神观在按层级下降的过程中，变成了三神观。当我发现这一点时，就上前与那些持有三神观，或想到三位神的人交谈，说：“多么可怕的观念啊！你们是从哪里得来的？”他们回答说：“我们从我们对三位一体神的概念中想到了三位；但这种观念不会落入我们的话语，或说我们从来没有表达过这种观念。当我们说话时，我们总是直截了当地说，神是一，或只有一位神。如果我们脑海里有不同的观念，就随它去吧，只要在我们说话时，它不冒出来，不分裂神的一体性的观念就行了。尽管如此，它仍时不时地冒出来，因为它就在里面；如果在这种时候，我们真的公开说出来了，我们就会宣称有三位神。但我们会对此加以防范，以免我们被那些听见我们的人嘲笑。”
然后，他们的确公开说出了自己的想法，说：“不是有三位神吗？因为有三个神性位格，其中每一个都是神。当我们教会的领袖从他的神圣信条的仓库中将创造归于一个位格，将救赎归于另一个位格，将成圣归于第三个位格时，尤其当他将某些属性归于他们，给每一个位格祂自己的属性，并断言每种属性都不可被其他位格共享，这些属性不仅包括创造、救赎和成圣，还包括归算、调解和运作时，我们不能不这样想。那么，岂不是有一位创造了我们，还进行归算，又有一位救赎了我们，还进行调解，有第三位实施了这种调解的归算，还使我们成圣吗？谁不知道神的儿子被父神差到世上来救赎人类，从而成为赎罪者、中保、挽回祭和代求者呢？既然祂自永恒就与神的儿子为一，那么父和子不是两个彼此不同的位格吗？既然这两个人都在天堂，一个坐在另一个的右手边，那么不得有第三个位格在世上执行天堂里的法令吗？”
听到这些话，我沉默了，心想，哦，多么愚蠢啊！他们对圣言中的调解或中保是什么意思根本没有任何概念。很快，在主的吩咐下，三位天使从天而降，和我建立联系，好叫我可以出于内在的感知与那些持有三神观，想到三位神的人交谈，尤其谈一谈调解或中保、代求、挽回和赎罪，他们将这些功能归于第二个位格，即圣子，但不是在祂成为人之后。由于祂在创造后的许多世纪才成为人，在此期间，这四种拯救的方式并不存在，所以父神没有得到挽回，人类也没有被赎罪，并且没有人从天上被派来担任代求者和中保，或被派来代求和调解。
然后，我出于临到我的灵感和他们说话，说：“你们尽可能地近前来，听听在圣言中，调解、代求、赎罪和挽回是什么意思。这些是论及或表达在其人身中的一位神的恩典的四个术语或四种活动。父神决不能被靠近，祂也不能靠近任何人，因为祂是无限的，在祂自己的存在，即耶和华中；祂若真的出于其存在而靠近人，就会烧毁他，就像大火烧毁木头，使它成为灰烬一样。这一点从摩西想见神时，祂对摩西说的话明显看出来：
没有人能见祂而存活。（出埃及记33:20）
并且主说：
从来没有人在任何时候见过神，除了在父怀里的儿子。（约翰福音1:18; 马太福音11:27）
又：
从来没有人听见父的声音，也没有看见祂的形状。（约翰福音5:37）
诚然，我们读到，摩西面对面地看到了耶和华，还口对口地与祂交谈（出埃及记33:11; 申命记34:10）；但这是通过一位天使来进行的，亚伯拉罕和基甸也是如此。由于父神本身具有这种性质，所以祂乐意取得一个人身，以此允许人们接近祂，从而听见他们，并与他们交谈。正是这人身被称为神的儿子，并进行调解、代求、挽回和赎罪。因此，我将解释论及父神人身的这四个术语或四种活动的含义。
“调解是指这人身是媒介，通过这个媒介，人能接近父神，父神也能接近人，从而教导并引领人，使他得救。因此，人子是指父神的人身，被称为救主，在世上被称为耶稣，即救恩。代求是指持续不断的调解，因为爱本身，即怜悯、慈爱和恩典的源头，持续不断地代求，也就是说，为那些遵守祂的诫命，因而祂所爱的人调解。赎罪是指对罪的移除，就是人若真的靠近没有披上人身的耶和华，就会冲进的罪。挽回是指慈爱和恩典的运作，以防止人通过罪把自己带入定罪，它也是指保护，以防止他亵渎圣物。这就是会幕中约柜上面的施恩座的含义。
“众所周知，在圣言中，神照着表象说话，如经上说，祂发怒、报仇、试探、惩罚、把人扔进地狱、诅咒或定罪，甚至行恶；而事实上，祂从不向任何人发怒，从不报仇、试探、惩罚、把人扔进地狱，也从不诅咒或定罪。这一切离神，就像地狱离天堂一样遥远，确切地说，无限遥远。因此，它们是表达表象的言语形式，或是表象的表达。赎罪、挽回、代求和调解也是表达另一种意义上的表象的言语形式，因为这些是表达靠近神，并接受从神那里经由祂的人身而来的恩典的言语形式。但人们不理解这些术语，所以把神一分为三，并将教会的整个教义都建立在这三者之上，从而歪曲了圣言。主在但以理书（11:31; 12:11）和马太福音（24:15）中所预言的那‘荒凉可憎的’由此而来。”听到这些话，这群灵人从我周围退去了，我注意到，那些真正持有三神观，或实际上想到三位神的人看向地狱；而那些想到一位神，神性三位一体在祂里面，并且这三位一体就在主神救主里面的人则仰望天堂；这些人看到了天堂的太阳，而在其人身中的耶和华就住在这太阳中。
135. The second memorable occurrence. One morning after I woke up, the sun in the spiritual world appeared to me in its splendor. Beneath it I saw the heavens as far away from that sun as our earth is from our sun. Then from the heavens I heard individual words that would be impossible for me to convey, which came together to form a statement that could be expressed as follows: There is one God, he is human, and his dwelling place is in that sun. This utterance came down through the middle heavens to the lowest one. From there it came into the world of spirits, where I was.
The angels' idea of one God gradually turned into an idea of three gods as it came down - I could sense it. So I went over to speak with spirits who were thinking three gods.
"What a heinous idea!" I said. "Why did it ever occur to you?"
"We are thinking three from our mental image of a triune God," they answered, "but this does not come down into words when we speak. Out loud we always say that God is one. If there is a different idea in our minds, so be it, as long as it does not flow down and break up the oneness of God in what we say. From time to time, though, our idea does in fact flow down, because it is there inside us. If we happened to speak at that point we would be saying three gods; but we are careful not to say that so that we are not laughed at by people who hear us. "
[2] Then they openly voiced their real thinking and said, "Aren't there three gods, though? There are three divine persons, each of whom is God. What else can we think when the leader of our church, drawing on the treasury of the church's sacred dogmas, ascribes creation to one divine person, redemption to another, and sanctification to the third? Worse yet, when our leader assigns them activities, he gives each person its own activity and says that that activity cannot be shared by the other persons. The activities are not only creating, redeeming, and sanctifying, but also assigning spiritual credit or blame, mediating, and putting things into effect. In that case surely there is one who created us, who also assigns us credit or blame; a second who redeemed us, who also mediates for us; and a third who gives us our assigned and mediated credit or blame, who also sanctifies us.
"Everyone knows that the Son of God was sent into the world by God the Father to redeem the human race. That's why he became the One who purges, mediates, appeases, and intercedes. Because he is the same as the Son of God from eternity, there are two persons that are distinct from each other. And because the two of them are in heaven, the one sitting on the others right-hand side, there has to be a third who carries out in the world the decisions the other two made in heaven. "
[3] When they finished I kept quiet, but I was thinking to myself, "What idiocy! They have no idea what the Word means by mediation. "
Then the Lord commanded three angels to come down from heaven and become connected to me so that I could draw on deep perception as I talked to the spirits who had the idea of three gods, particularly on the topics of mediation, intercession, appeasement, and ritual purging. The spirits I was talking to attribute those activities to the second person, the Son, but only after he became human. Yet he became human many ages after creation. In the meantime those four means of salvation did not exist: God the Father had not been appeased, the human race had not been ritually purged, and no one had been sent from heaven to intercede or mediate.
[4] Then I spoke to them from the inspiration that came over me at that point. I said, "Come near, all who are able, and hear what the Word means by mediation, intercession, ritual purging, and appeasement. They are four activities attributed to the grace of the one God in his human manifestation.
"No human being can ever get close to God the Father. Neither can God the Father get close to any human being. He is infinite. He is in his underlying reality, which is Jehovah. If he came close to any of us with that underlying reality he would consume us the way fire consumes a piece of wood and leaves nothing but ashes. This is clear from what God said to Moses when Moses wanted to see him: God said that no one can see him and live (Exodus 33:20). The Lord says, 'No one has ever seen God except the Son, who is close to the Father's heart' (John 1:18; Matthew 11:27). The Lord also says, 'No one has heard the voice of the Father or seen what he looks like' (John 5:37).
"Admittedly, we read that Moses saw Jehovah eye to eye and spoke with him face to face [Exodus 33:11; Deuteronomy 34:10]; but an angel was involved as an intermediary. The same with Abraham and Gideon.
"Now, because this is the true nature of God the Father, it pleased him to take on a human manifestation and give people access through it so that he could hear them and talk to them. This human manifestation is what is called the Son of God. This is what mediates, intercedes, appeases, and ritually purges.
"Let me, therefore, give the meaning of these four activities carried out by God the Father's human manifestation:
[5] "Mediation refers to his human manifestation as the medium through which we can get closer to God the Father, and God the Father can get closer to us and teach and lead us so as to save us. This is why the Son of God, meaning the human manifestation of God the Father, is called the Savior, and in the world was called Jesus, which means salvation.
"Intercession refers to ongoing mediation. Absolute love, with its mercy, forgiveness, and grace, constantly intercedes; that is, it mediates for the people who do its commandments, the people it loves.
"Ritual purging refers to the removal of the sins that we would quickly fall into if we turned to Jehovah without mediation.
"Appeasement refers to the actions of mercy and grace that prevent us from causing our own damnation through sin and also protect us from desecrating what is holy. This has the same meaning as the mercy seat over the ark in the tabernacle.
[6] "It is known that God uses appearances when he speaks in the Word: for example, the appearance that he is angry, takes revenge, tests people, punishes them, throws them into hell, and damns them. Indeed, the appearance is that he does evil. Nevertheless, he is angry at no one, does not take revenge on, test, or punish anyone, throw anyone into hell, or damn anyone. To do this would be as far from God as hell is from heaven - in fact, infinitely farther. Therefore these are expressions of an appearance. In a sense, ritual purging, appeasement, interceding, and mediating are also expressions of an appearance. They mean activities through God's human manifestation that provide us access to God, and to grace from God.
"Because people have not understood these qualities they have divided God into three and have founded every teaching in the church on these three. By doing so they have falsified the Word. The result is the abomination of desolation foretold by the Lord in Daniel [Daniel 11:31; 12:11], and later on in Matthew chapter 24[:15]. "
After I had spoken, the group of spirits withdrew from around me. I noticed that the spirits who were still thinking three gods were looking down toward hell. The spirits who were thinking that there is one God within whom there is a divine Trinity and that the Trinity is in the Lord God the Savior were looking toward heaven. To the latter group the sun in heaven appeared, where Jehovah exists in his human manifestation.
135. The second experience.
On waking up one morning I saw the sun of the spiritual world shining brightly, and below it I saw the heavens at a great distance, as remote as the earth is from its sun. From these heavens inarticulate sounds were audible, which joined to form an intelligible utterance: 'God is one, He is man and His dwelling is in that sun.' This utterance passed down through the middle heavens to the lowest, and from there into the world of spirits, where I was; and I noticed that the angels' idea of one God as it gradually descended was turned into the idea of three Gods. This observation induced me to start a conversation with those who thought of three Gods. 'What a monstrous idea!' I said, 'Where did you get it?'
'We think of three,' they replied, 'because this is how we grasp the idea of a Triune God, but still we do not allow it to pass our lips. In speaking we always say out loud that God is one. If we have a different idea in our minds, so be it, so long as it does not spill over and shatter the oneness of God when we speak. Even so, from time to time it does spill over, because it is within our minds, and at such times, if we were to speak out, we should say that there were three Gods. We take care to avoid this, so as not to become a laughing stock to our hearers.'
[2] Then they began openly to speak as they thought. 'Surely there are three Gods,' they said, 'since there are three Divine Persons, each of whom is God. We cannot think differently when the leader of our church quotes a whole bookcase full of his holy dogmas, ascribing to one creation, to a second redemption, to a third sanctifying; even more so when he attributes to each of them His own characteristic, which he says cannot be shared; and these are not merely creation, redemption and sanctifying, but also imputation, mediation and performance. Is there not then one God who created us and also imputes righteousness to us? Another who redeemed us, and also acts as mediator? And a third who puts into effect the imputation which is achieved through mediation, and also sanctifies us? Is there anyone who does not know that the Son of God was sent into the world by God the Father to redeem the human race, and thus become an expiator, mediator, propitiator and intercessor? And since He is identical with the Son of God from eternity, are there not two quite distinct Persons? And since these two Persons are in heaven, one sitting at the right hand of the other, must there not be a third Person, who puts into effect in the world the decrees issued in heaven?'
[3] On hearing this I said nothing, but thought to myself: 'What idiocy! They do not have the slightest idea of what is meant by mediation in the Word.'
Then at the Lord's command three angels came down from heaven and joined me, so that I could employ inward perception in speaking with those who thought of three Gods. I was especially enabled to speak about mediation, intercession, propitiation and expiation, the functions they attribute to the second Person, the Son, but only after He had become man; and His incarnation took place many centuries after creation, so that during this period these four means to salvation did not yet exist. So then God the Father was not propitiated, no expiation had been made for the human race, nor had anyone been sent from heaven to intercede and mediate.
[4] Then I spoke with them by means of the inspiration I had received. 'Gather round,' I said, 'as many of you as can, and listen to what is meant in the Word by mediation, intercession, expiation and propitiation. These are the four things predicated of the grace of the one God in His Human. God the Father could under no circumstances be approached, nor can He approach any person, because he is infinite and in His Being (esse), which is Jehovah. If He approached anyone in that form, He would destroy him, as fire does wood, reducing it to ashes. This is plain from His reply when Moses desired to see Him: that no one can see Him and live (Exodus 33:20). The Lord too said that no one has ever seen God, except the Son who is in the Father's bosom (John 1:18; Matthew 11:27); and again, that no one has heard the Father's voice or seen His appearance (John 5:37). We do read that Moses saw Jehovah face to face, and spoke personally with Him; but this was done through an angel, and the same happened in the cases of Abraham and Gideon. Now because such is God the Father in Himself, He was pleased to take upon Himself human form, and in this to allow people to approach Him, so as to hear them and speak with them. It is this Human which is called the Son of God, and this it is which mediates, intercedes, propitiates and makes expiation. I shall tell you therefore what is the meaning of those four actions attributed to the Human of God the Father.
[5] 'Mediation means that the Human is the intermediary by means of which a person can approach God the Father, and God the Father can approach him, and so teach and guide him to salvation. This is why the Son of God, meaning the Human of God the Father, is called the Saviour, and on earth Jesus, which means salvation. Intercession means continual mediation; for love itself, to which mercy, clemency and grace belong, continually intercedes, that is, acts as intermediary for those who obey His commandments, and whom He loves. Expiation means the removal of the sins into which everyone would rush, if he were to approach Jehovah without mediation. Propitiation means the working of clemency and grace, to prevent anyone consigning himself to damnation through sins; likewise, protection against profaning what is holy. This was the meaning of the Mercy Seat above the Ark in the Tabernacle. 1
[6] 'It is well known that in the Word God spoke in terms of appearances. For instance, He is said to be angry, take vengeance, tempt, punish, cast into hell, damn, in fact to do evil. Yet the truth is that He is angry with no one, never takes vengeance, tempts, punishes, casts anyone into hell or damns him. Such actions are as remote from God as hell is from heaven, or rather infinitely more so. This is why they are expressions of appearances. In another sense, expiation, propitiation, intercession and mediation are also expressions of appearances, meaning the characteristics of approach to God and of grace coming from God by means of His Human. Failure to understand these things has led people to divide God into three, and base all the church's doctrine upon these three, thus falsifying the Word. This is the origin of the "abomination of desolation" which was predicted by the Lord in the book of Daniel, and further mentioned in Matthew, chapter 24.'
At the end of this speech the group of spirits around me broke up, and I noticed that those who were really thinking of three Gods were looking towards hell, and those who were thinking of one God, in whom is the Divine Trinity, which is in the Lord God the Saviour, were looking towards heaven. To this party there appeared the sun of heaven, in which is Jehovah in His Human.
Footnotes:
135. Second Memorable Relation:
One morning as I awoke from sleep, the sun of the spiritual world appeared to me in its glory; and as far below it as our earth is from its sun I saw the heavens; and presently there were heard from the heavens words ineffable, the sum of which found utterance in this declaration, "There is one God, who is Man; and His abode is in that sun." This utterance passed down through the middle heavens to the lowest, and from that into the world of spirits where I was; and I perceived that the angels' idea of the one God, in its descent by degrees, was changed into the idea of three Gods. Observing this I went forward to speak with those whose thought was of three Gods, saying, "What a monstrous idea! Where did you get it?"
They replied, "We think of three from our way of conceiving of the Triune God; nevertheless this idea does not fall into our utterance. When we speak we always declare emphatically that God is one. If there is a different idea in our minds, let it be, provided it does not come forth and sever the idea of the unity of God in our speech. Still it does come forth from time to time, because it is within; and if at such times we should speak plainly we should declare that there are three Gods. But we guard against this, lest we should be laughed at by those hearing us."
[2] Then they spoke openly from their thought, saying, "Are there not three Gods, since there are three Divine persons, each of whom is God? We cannot think otherwise when a leader of our church, speaking from his collection of holy dogmas, ascribes to one creation, to another redemption, and to the third sanctification; and when furthermore he ascribes to them certain attributes, to each one His own, which he asserts are incommunicable; and these include not only creation, redemption, and sanctification, but also imputation, mediation, and operation. Is there not, then, one who creates us, and He also imputes; and is there not another who redeems us, and He also mediates; and a third who effects the mediated imputation, and He also sanctifies? Who does not know that the Son of God was sent into the world by God the Father to redeem the human race, and thus become the Expiator, Mediator, Propitiator, and Intercessor? And as He was one with the Son of God from eternity, are not the Father and Son two distinct persons? And as these two are in heaven, one sitting at the right hand of the other, must there not be a third person to carry out in the world what is decreed in heaven?"
[3] Hearing this I was silent, and thought to myself, O what folly! They have no idea of what is meant in the Word by mediation.
And presently, at the Lord's command, three angels descended from heaven and were associated with me, in order that I might speak from interior perception with those who were in the idea of three Gods, particularly in respect to mediation, intercession, propitiation, and expiation, which they attribute to the second person, that is, the Son, but not until after He had become Man; and He became Man many centuries after creation, and during this time these four means of salvation did not exist, and thus God the Father was not propitiated, no expiation was made for the human race, and no one was sent from heaven to intercede and mediate.
[4] Then from an inspiration that came upon me I spoke with them, saying, "Draw near, as many of you as can, and hear what is meant in the Word by mediation, intercession, expiation, and propitiation. These are the four predicates of the grace of the one God in His Human. God the Father can in no way be approached, nor can He approach any man, because He is the Infinite, and is in His own Esse which is Jehovah; and if from His Esse He were to approach man He would consume him as fire consumes wood and reduces it to ashes. This is evident from what He said to Moses when Moses wished to see God:
That no man could see Him and live (Exodus 33:20). And the Lord says:
That no man hath seen God at any time, except the Son who is in the bosom of the Father (John 1:18; Matthew 11:27).
Again:
That no one hath either heard the Father's voice or seen His shape (John 5:37).
We read, indeed, that Moses saw Jehovah face to face, and spoke with Him mouth to mouth; but this was done through an angel, as was the case also with Abraham and Gideon. Such, then, being the nature of God the Father in Himself, it pleased Him to assume a Human, and in that to become accessible to men, and thus hear them and speak with them; and that Human is what is called the Son of God; and it is that which mediates, intercedes, propitiates, and expiates. I will therefore explain the signification of these four things which are predicated of the Human of God the Father.
[5] Mediation means that this Human is the medium through which man is enabled to approach God the Father, and God the Father to approach man, and to so teach and lead man that he may be saved. Therefore the Son of God, by which is meant the Human of God the Father, is called the Savior, and in the world, Jesus, that is, Salvation. Intercession means unceasing mediation; for love itself, which is the source of mercy, clemency, and grace, unceasingly intercedes, that is, mediates in behalf of those who keep His commandments, whom He loves. Expiation means the removal of the sins into which man would rush if Jehovah unclothed should be approached. Propitiation means the operation of clemency and grace to prevent man's bringing himself by sin into condemnation; also protection, to prevent him from profaning holiness. This was the signification of the mercy-seat over the ark in the tabernacle.
[6] It is known that in the Word God has spoken according to appearances, as that He becomes angry, takes revenge, tempts, punishes, casts into hell, damns, and even does what is evil; when in fact He is angry with no one, neither does He take revenge, tempt, punish, cast into hell, or damn. All these things are as far from God as hell is from heaven, and infinitely farther; consequently they are forms of speech to express the appearance. Expiation, propitiation, intercession, and mediation, are also forms of speech to express the appearance in another sense, since these are to be understood as predications of approach to God and of receiving grace from God through His Human. But these terms not having been understood, men have divided God into three, and upon these three have based the entire doctrine of the church, and have thus falsified the Word. From this has come 'the abomination of desolation' foretold by the Lord in Daniel, and again in Matthew 24."
When I had said this the crowd of spirits withdrew from about me, and I noticed that those whose thought was actually of three Gods looked towards hell; while those whose thought was of one God, in whom is a Divine trinity, and that this trinity is in the Lord God the Savior, looked towards heaven; and these beheld the sun of heaven, in which Jehovah in His Human dwells.
135. The second experience. One morning, as I awoke from sleep, the Sun of the spiritual world appeared to me in its splendor, and beneath it I saw the heavens at a distance from it as the earth is distant from its sun. Then from the heavens were heard words ineffable, which, linked together, were proclaiming: "There is one God who is Man, and His habitation is in that Sun." This utterance descended through the middle heavens to the lowest, and from there to the world of spirits, where I was; and I perceived that the idea of one God which the angels entertained was changed, according to the degrees of descent, into the idea of three Gods. When I observed this I entered into conversation with those who held the idea of three Gods, saying: "What a monstrous idea this is! Where did you acquire it?" They replied: "We think of three from our conception of the triune God; yet we never give expression to this thought: for when we speak we always say plainly that there is one God. If there is in our mind any other idea, let it be so, provided only it does not come forth and divide the unity of God in our speech. Yet at times it does come forth, for it is there; and if we were then to speak out we should say that there are three Gods. We are, however, on our guard against this, lest we incur the ridicule of those who hear us."
[2] Just then they did speak openly from what was in their mind. They said: "Surely there are three Gods, because there are three Divine Persons, each of whom is God. We cannot think otherwise, since the Head of our Church from his store of sacred dogmas ascribes creation to one, redemption to another, and sanctification to a third; and especially when he assigns to each his own peculiar attributes, which he declares to be incommunicable, these being not only creation, redemption, and sanctification, but also imputation, mediation and operation. Is there not then one who has created us and also imputes, another who redeems us and also mediates, and a third who operates the mediated imputation and also sanctifies? Who does not know that the Son of God was sent into the world by God the Father to redeem mankind, and so become the expiator, mediator, propitiator and intercessor? And since He is one with the Son of God from eternity, are there not two Persons distinct from each other? Since these two are in heaven, one sitting at the right hand of the other, will there not be a third Person to carry out in the world what is decreed in heaven?"
[3] When I heard this I was silent; but I thought to myself, What folly is this! they have no idea of what is meant in the Word by mediation.
At that moment, by the Lord's command, three angels descended from heaven and joined me, that from an interior perception I might converse with those who entertained the idea of three Gods, particularly on the subject of mediation, intercession, propitiation and expiation, functions which they attribute to the second Person or the Son, but not till after He became Man. As He became Man many ages after the creation, during which those four means of salvation did not exist, so God the Father was not propitiated, no expiation was made for the human race, and no one was sent from heaven who acted as intercessor and mediator.
[4] Then speaking from an inspiration that came upon me, I said to them: "Come near, as many of you as can, and hear what is meant in the Word by mediation, intercession, expiation and propitiation. These are four terms expressing the grace of the one God in His Human. God the Father can nowhere be approached, nor can He come to any man, because He is infinite and dwells in His own Being, which is Jehovah, by whom a man, if he were approached, would be consumed as wood is consumed by fire and reduced to ashes. This is evident from what He said to Moses, who desired to see Him:
that no man can see Him and live. Exodus 33:20;
and the Lord says:
no man hath seen God at any time, except the Son, who is in the bosom of the Father. John 1:18; Matthew 11:27,
also:
no one hath heard the voice of the Father nor seen His shape. John 5:37.
We read indeed that Moses saw Jehovah face to face, and held actual converse with Him; but this was done by means of an angel, as was the case also with Abraham and Gideon. Now since God the Father in Himself is of such a nature, He was pleased to assume the Human and in this to admit men to Himself, and so hear and talk with them. It is this Human which is called the Son of God, and which mediates, intercedes, propitiates and expiates. I will explain therefore what is signified by those four terms used in reference to the Human of God the Father.
[5] "Mediation signifies that the Human is a medium by which a man may come to God the Father, and God the Father to him, and so teach and lead him that he may be saved. Therefore the Son of God, by whom is meant the Human of God the Father, is called the Savior, and on earth Jesus, that is, Salvation. Intercession signifies perpetual mediation, for Love itself, to which belong mercy, pity and grace, perpetually intercedes, that is, mediates for those who do His commandments, and whom therefore He loves. Expiation signifies the removal of sins in which a man would become immersed were he to approach Jehovah not clothed with His Human. Propitiation signifies the operation of pity and grace, to prevent a man from bringing himself into condemnation by sin; and it likewise signifies protection, lest he should profane what is holy. This was the signification of the mercy-seat over the ark in the tabernacle.
[6] It is well known that God spoke in the Word according to appearances, as when it is said that He is angry, that He avenges, tempts, punishes, casts into hell, condemns, and even that He does evil; when yet He shows anger to no one, never takes revenge, tempts, punishes, casts into hell, nor does He condemn; such things are as far removed from God as hell is from heaven, and infinitely farther. They are forms of speech then, used only according to appearances. Such also in another sense are expiation, propitiation, intercession and mediation; for these are forms of speech expressive of approach to God and of grace from God through His Human. Because these have not been understood men have divided God into three, and upon these three have founded the whole doctrine of the Church, and so have falsified the Word. Hence has arisen, 'the abomination of desolation' foretold by the Lord in Daniel, and again in Matthew 24: "On these words the company of spirits around me withdrew, and I noticed that those who actually entertained the idea of three Gods were looking towards hell; while those who thought of one God, in whom is a Divine Trinity which is in the Lord God the Savior, looked towards heaven; and to them appeared the Sun of heaven, in which is Jehovah in His Human.
135. SECUNDUM MEMORABILE: Quodam mane evigilatus a somno, apparuit mihi Sol Mundi spiritualis in suo jubare, et sub illo vidi Coelos distantes, sicut Tellus a suo Sole; et tunc e Coelis auditae sunt voces ineffabiles, quae simul collectae articulabantur in hoc effabile, quod unus Deus, qui Homo, sit, cujus habitaculum est in Sole illo; hoc articulatum decidit per Coelos medios ad Infimum, et ex hoc in Mundum spirituum, ubi eram; et appercepi, quod idea unius Dei, quae erat Angelis, secundum gradus delapsus verteretur in ideam trium Deorum; quod cum observabam ingressus sum loqui cum illis, qui tres Deos cogitabant, dicens, oh, quae enormitas, unde vobis illa; et respondebant, cogitamus tres ex idea perceptiva nostra de Deo Triuno, sed haec usque non cadit in os nostrum; cum loquimur, 1 nos semper dicimus pleno ore quod Deus unus sit; si in mentibus nostris alia est, sit, modo non defluat, et scindat unitatem Dei in ore; at usque tempore a tempore defluit, quia inest, et tunc si eloqueremur, dicturi essemus tres Deos, sed ab hoc cavemus, ne exponamur risui audientium:
[2] et tunc aperte ex cogitatione loquebantur, dicentes, nonne sunt tres Dii, quia sunt tres Personae Divinae, quarum unaquaevis est Deus; nec possumus aliter cogitare, quum Antistes Ecclesiae nostrae ex scrinio sanctorum suorum dogmatum, adscribit uni Creationem, alteri Redemptionem, et tertio Sanctificationem, et plus cum proprietates, cuivis suam, quas asserit incommunicabiles, illis attribuit, quae non modo sunt Creatio, Redemptio, et Sanctificatio, sed etiam Imputatio, Mediatio et Operatio; estne tunc unus qui creavit nos, et ille quoque imputat, alter qui redemit nos, et hic quoque mediat, et tertius qui imputationem mediatam operatur, et hic quoque sanctificat: quis non scit, quod Filius Dei a Deo Patre in Mundum missus sit, ut Genus humanum redimeret, et sic fieret Expiator, Mediator, Propitiator, et Intercessor, et quia hic unus est cum Filio Dei ab aeterno, suntne duae Personae a se distinctae; et quia hae duae in Coelo sunt, una sedens ad dextram alterius, eritne tertia Persona quae decreta in Coelo exsequetur in Mundo.
[3] His auditis, tacui, at mecum cogitavi, oh quae fatuitas, non sciunt quicquam quod in Verbo per Mediationem intelligitur: et tunc ex mandato Domini descenderunt tres Angeli e Coelo, et mihi associabantur, propter causam, ut ex interiore perceptione cum illis, qui in idea trium Deorum erant, loquerer, et in specie de Mediatione, Intercessione, Propitiatione, et Expiatione, quae ab illis tribuuntur Secundae Personae, seu Filio, sed non prius quam postquam Homo factus est, et Homo factus est post plura saecula a Creatione, quando quatuor illa salutis media nondum fuerunt, et sic Deus Pater non propitiatus, Genus humanum non expiatum, et non aliquis e Coelo est missus qui intercessit et mediavit;
[4] et tunc ex inspiratione illata loquutus sum cum illis, dicens, adeste quot possunt, et audite, quid in Verbo per Mediationem, Intercessionem, Expiationem, et Propitiationem, intelligitur; sunt illae quatuor Praedicationes gratiae unius Dei in Humano suo; Deus Pater nusquam potest adiri, nec Ipse potest ullum hominem adire, quia est Infinitus et in suo Esse quod est Jehovah, a Quo si adiret hominem, dissolveret illum, sicut ignis lignum, et redigit illud in favillam; hoc patet ab his, quod dixerit ad Mosen volentem videre Ipsum, quod nemo possit videre Ipsum et vivere, Exodus 33:20 et Dominus dicit, Quod Deum nemo viderit unquam, nisi Filius qui in sinu Patris est, Johannes 1:18; Matthaeus 11:27 tum, Quod nemo vocem Patris audiverit, nec speciem Ipsius viderit, Johannes 5:37 legitur quidem, quod Moses viderit Jehovam facie ad faciem, et loquutus cum Illo ore ad os, sed hoc factum est per Angelum, similiter apud Abrahamum et Guideonem. Nunc quia talis est Deus Pater in se, placuit Ipsi assumere Humanum, et in hoc admittere homines, et sic audire illos, et loqui cum illis; et hoc Humanum est quod vocatur Filius Dei, et Hoc est, quod mediat, intercedit, propitiat et expiat.
[5] Dicam itaque, quid illa quatuor Praedicata de Humano Dei Patris significant: MEDIATIO significat, quod Illud sit intermedium, per quod homo possit adire Deum Patrem, et Deus Pater hominem, et sic docere et ducere eum ut salvetur, quare Filius Dei, per quem intelligitur Humanum Dei Patris, vocatur Salvator, et in Mundo Jesus, hoc est, Salus. INTERCESSIO significat perpetuam Mediationem, nam ipse Amor cujus est Misericordia, clementia et gratia, perpetuo intercedit, hoc est, mediat, pro illis qui faciunt praecepta Ipsius, quos amat. EXPIATIO significat amotionem peccatorum, in quae homo rueret, si nudum Jehovam adiret. PROPITIATIO significat clementiae et gratiae operationem, ne homo per peccata in damnationem se inferat, similiter tutelam, ne sanctitatem prophanet; hoc significabat Propitiatorium super Arca in Tabernaculo.
[6] Notum est, quod Deus in Verbo per apparentias loquutus sit, ut quod irascatur, vindicet, tentet, puniat, conjiciat in infernum, damnet, imo quod malum faciat, cum tamen nemini irascitur, non vindicat, tentat, punit, conjicit in infernum, damnat; haec tam longe absunt a Deo, sicut Infernum a Coelo, et infinite plus, quare sunt loquutiones apparentiae; loquutiones apparentiae in alio sensu etiam sunt Expiatio, Propitiatio, Intercessio et Mediatio, per quas intelliguntur praedicationes accessus ad Deum, et gratiae a Deo, per Humanum suum: quae quia non intellectae sunt, diviserunt Deum in Tres, et super Tribus his omnem doctrinam Ecclesiae fundaverunt, et sic Verbum falsificarunt; inde est ABOMINATIO DESOLATIONIS, a Domino apud Danielem [11:31; 12:11], et porro apud Matthaeum 24:15, 2 praedicta. His dictis recessit Cohors spirituum a circum me, et animadverti, quod illi qui actualiter cogitabant tres Deos, spectarent versus Infernum, et qui unum Deum, in quo Divina Trinitas, et quod haec sit in Domino Deo Salvatore, versus Coelum, et his Sol Coeli, in quo Jehovah in suo Humano est, apparuit.
Footnotes: