关于“论神性三一”的灵界见闻
185# 附录数则灵界经历，第一则如下：
灵性世界同样存在气候与区域划分，一如自然界；自然界所有事物，在灵界皆有对应，只是本源截然不同。自然界的气候差异，由太阳距离赤道的远近决定；灵界的气候，则依人意志中的情感、以及由此生发的理智思绪，与真爱、真信相隔的远近而定。灵间万物，无不是这类属灵心境的对应表象。
灵界的寒冷之地，景象与自然界寒带相仿。大地冰封冻土，水面凝结坚冰，地表遍布积雪。凡在世之时懒于思索属灵之事，致使心智昏沉麻木，进而不愿践行一切善工的人，死后便来到此处居停，他们被称作北方之灵。
【2】我心中一度生出心愿，想要亲眼看见寒地北方之灵所居的区域；于是我在灵中被接引至北方，整片大地白雪覆盖，所有水域全被冰层封冻。那日正值安息日，我看见许多灵，身形与世人无异。因严寒侵袭，他们头戴狮皮，狮嘴恰好遮覆口鼻；身躯从前胸到后腰，整片裹着豹皮；双脚裹熊皮御寒。
我又见许多灵乘车出行，部分车辆雕成龙形，龙角向前伸展。拖车的小马皆被截去尾巴，奔跑之时形同凶野巨兽；乘车之人紧握缰绳，不停驱策马匹急速奔驰。末后，大批灵众聚集前往一座圣殿；圣殿原本被厚雪掩埋，难以辨识。殿中侍者铲开积雪，清理出入通道，供前来敬拜的灵进入，众人便拾级而下，步入殿内。
【3】我得以窥见殿内光景。殿中遍布灯烛，光亮充足。祭坛由整块凿石筑成，祭坛后方悬挂木牌，上书文字：“神性三一：父、子、圣灵；三者本质同为一位上帝，在位格上却彼此区分。”
随后一名祭司立于祭坛前，向牌位屈膝三次，手持书卷登上讲坛，开讲神性三一之理。他高声言道：
“何等宏大的奥秘！至高上帝自永恒而生圣子，又借着圣子发出圣灵；三者本质合一，却凭各自专属属性彼此区分，这三重属性分别是归算、救赎与施行运行。可若我们用理性细究审视，视线便会昏花模糊，眼前浮现黑斑，如同直视烈日之人目眩不清。故此各位听众，论及此事，我们当将理智收束，顺服信仰。”
【4】言罢，他再度高声宣讲：
“我们神圣信仰的奥秘何其深邃！此信仰要义乃是：父上帝将圣子的义归算于人，差遣圣灵，凭这份归算而来的义成就称义的凭据；凭据总括为赦罪、更新、重生与救恩。至于这份恩典如何流入人心、在人内里驻留，人所知甚少，一如罗得妻子化作盐柱，又似海中鱼无从明白海水。可诸位朋友，这内里藏有至宝，层层遮蔽、深藏不露，一丝微光也不外露。因此论及此事，我们同样要约束理智，顺服信仰。”
【5】他几声叹息过后，又扬声说道：
“拣选亦是何等宏大的奥秘！上帝将这份信仰归算给谁，谁便是蒙拣选之人；祂凭自己自由的旨意，单单出于恩典，在祂所定的时刻，将这信仰注入祂所喜悦的人。信仰初入人心时，人如同枯木木桩；信仰扎根之后，人才如同活树。诚然，善行如同果实挂于树上，这树象征我们的信仰；可这些果实并不与树木真正相连，树木的价值也不在于果实。这话听来近似异端，实则是隐秘真理。故此弟兄们，持守这份信仰，我们要约束理智，顺服信仰。”
【6】短暂停顿，他仿佛仍在追忆思索，接续开口：
“我再从诸多奥秘中举出一桩：人在属灵之事上，丝毫没有自由意志。教会的领袖、主教与先贤，在神学条文中写明：人面对关乎信仰、救恩的属灵之事，心中不愿、无从思索、无法领会，甚至不能调整自身、预备领受恩典。因此我直言：人单凭自己，无法借着理性思索属灵真理，即便开口谈论，也不过如同鹦鹉、喜鹊、乌鸦学舌。由此可见，人在属灵事上如同愚驴，唯有面对世俗事务，才算拥有人的本心。
诸位同道，这件事与其余真理一样，为免搅乱你们的理性，我们应当约束理智，顺服信仰。我们的神学本是无底深渊，若以理智的目光探入，必会深陷其中，如同船只遭遇海难、彻底沉沦。可你们当知晓：我们明明身处福音的光中，这光高悬于众人头顶；可悲的是，人的血肉头颅、毛发皮肉阻隔光线，使光亮无法穿透，抵达理智的内心深处。”
【7】讲道完毕，祭司走下讲坛，在祭坛献上祷告，崇拜就此结束。我走近一群闲谈的灵，那名祭司也在其中。围站在旁的灵对他说：“我们向您致以无尽感谢，这番讲道宏大广博，满有智慧。”
我于是向众人发问：“你们真正领会其中道理了吗？”
他们答道：“我们全程静心聆听，一字不漏；可您为何追问是否领会？这类奥秘面前，理智本就应当惊惧止步啊。”
祭司闻言补充一句：“你们听道却不求明白，反倒有福，救恩便因此归于你们。”
【8】事后我与这名祭司交谈，问他是否拥有学位桂冠。他答：“我是获授桂冠的经学博士。”
我便对他说：“博士，我听闻你宣讲各类奥秘。倘若你只知晓这些奥秘的名目，却不明内里实质，那你实则一无所知。这些奥秘好比三重锁封闭的匣子，唯有理智开启查验，才能知晓内中是珍宝、凡物，还是害人之物。经中也说，它们或许是毒蛇之卵、蛛网罗网。”（赛 59:5）
话音落下，祭司面色阴沉地望着我；一众敬拜的灵纷纷散去，各自登车离去。他们满脑子充斥自相矛盾的诡论，被虚空道理蒙蔽心智，在一切信仰要义、救恩途径上，全然被幽暗笼罩。
185# 对此，我补充以下记事。记事一：
灵界有气候和地带，和自然界中的一样。存在于自然界中的事物，没有一样不存在于灵界；但它们在起源上是不同的。在自然界，气候的变化取决于太阳与赤道的距离；而在灵界，气候的变化取决于意愿的情感和由此产生的理解力的思维与真爱和真信仰的距离；因为灵界的一切事物都是爱和信的对应。灵界的寒冷地带看起来与自然界的寒冷地带相似；那里的陆地和水域同样被冰雪覆盖。那些在世上因懒于思考属灵事物而使自己的理解力昏昏欲睡，因而太懒惰，以至于不去做任何有价值的事，或不去发挥任何功用的人，就来到这里定居下来；这些人被称为北方灵。
有一次，我强烈渴望去看看这些北方灵所居住的寒冷地带的某个地区。因此，我在灵里被带到北方的一个地区，在那里，全地看起来都被雪覆盖了，所有的水也都结了冰。那天是安息日；我看到了许多人，即灵人，身材与我们世界的人差不多。由于天气寒冷，他们头上包着狮子皮，狮子的口正适合他们的口；而他们的身体前后，直到腰，都裹着豹皮，脚上裹着熊皮。我还看到许多人驾着马车，其中一些马车雕刻成龙的形状，龙角向前突出。这些马车由小马拉着，马尾都被修剪了，它们像可怕的野兽一样狂奔，而驾车的人手里握紧缰绳，不断鞭打它们，催促它们奔跑。最后，我看到这群人涌向一座教堂，这教堂是看不见的，因为它被埋在了雪里；教堂的守门人正在铲雪，为即将到来的礼拜者挖出一条路来，他们下了马车，就走了进去。
然后，我被允许看到教堂的里面。教堂里面点着大量的灯和灯笼。祭坛是用凿成的石头做的，后面挂着一块铭牌，上面刻着这样的铭文：“神性三位一体，圣父、圣子和圣灵，他们本质上是一个神，但在位格上是三个。”接着，一个站在祭坛旁边的牧师在这块铭牌前跪了三次后，就走上讲台，手里拿一本书，开始了一场关于神性三位一体的布道。他大声喊道：“哦，多么伟大的奥秘啊，至高的神自永恒就生下一个儿子，并通过祂差遣圣灵，这三者在本质上是统一的，但在他们的属性，即归算、救赎和运作上是分开的！然而，如果我们运用我们的理性来审视这些事，那么我们的视力就会变得模糊，一个斑点就会出现在眼前，就像当一个人凝视赤裸的太阳时，出现在他眼前的斑点一样。因此，我的听众们哪，在这个问题上，让我们使理解力服从信仰。”
他继续喊道：“哦，我们的神圣信仰是个多么伟大的奥秘啊！它肯定了父神归算祂儿子的公义，并差遣圣灵，而圣灵因这归算的公义而实现称义的赏赐或好处！简言之，这些赏赐或好处是罪的赦免、更新、重生和拯救。然而，对称义的流注和作工或行动，人知道得不比罗得的妻子变成的盐柱多；对它的内住或状态，他知道得也不比海里的鱼多。但我的朋友们哪，这信仰里面藏着一个宝库，这宝库被如此密封和隐藏，以至于一点也看不见它。因此，在这个问题上，也让我们使理解力服从信仰。”
他深深叹了几口气后，继续喊道：“哦，拣选的奥秘是多么伟大啊！当神将这信仰归算给一个人时，他就成为选民之一。祂按自己的美意，出于自由选择或自由决定和纯粹的恩典，随时将这信仰归算给凡祂所愿意的人；而当这信仰正在被倾倒在人里面时，他就像一根木头；但当它被倒进去时，他就变得像一棵树。果实，即善行，的确挂在那棵树上（那棵树在代表意义上就是我们的信仰）；但那果实本质上并不属于它，或说不是树的组成部分，因此那棵树的价值不在于果实。然而，由于这听起来像异端，尽管它是个神秘的真理，所以我的弟兄们哪，让我们使理解力服从这信仰吧。”
然后，他稍作停顿，犹豫了一下，好像在从记忆中回想其它某种东西，接着说：“我从奥秘的仓库中再提出一个，即：人在属灵事物上没有一丁点自由意志。因为我们教会的大主教和掌权者在他们的神学经典中宣称，在信仰和拯救的问题（这些问题严格来说，被称为属灵的）上，人没有能力去意愿、思考或理解任何东西，甚至也不适应或致力于接受它们。至于我自己，我会说，人凭自己不能出于理性思想这些问题，也不能出于思维谈论它们，除非像鹦鹉、喜鹊或乌鸦一样；因此，在属灵事物上，人其实就是一头驴，只在属世事物上是一个人。但我的朋友们哪，为了避免这个问题惹恼你的理性，就让我们像对待其它问题一样，使理解力服从信仰吧。因为我们的神学是一个无底深渊；你若试图根据你的理解来彻底弄清它，就会像遇难的水手一样被淹没并灭亡。然而，请记住这一点：尽管如此，我们仍处于福音的真光之中，福音高悬在我们头顶上，闪闪发光；不过，要小心这光可能造成的疼痛！值得庆幸的是，我们的头发和头盖骨挡住了光线，阻止了它穿透我们理解力的内室或深处。”
说完，他从讲台上下来，在祭坛旁献上祷告后，礼拜仪式就结束了。然后，我走近一些正在一起交谈的会众，其中就有这个牧师；站在他周围的人说：“我们为你如此精彩、如此充满智慧的布道而送上永远的感谢。”但我问他们说：“你们真的明白吗？”他们回答说：“我们竖起耳朵仔细听了每个字；但你为什么问我们是否明白呢？对于这些话题，理解力不是麻木了吗？”对此，那个牧师补充说：“你们有福了，因为你们听了，却不明白；这样你们就有了救恩。”
后来，我与那个牧师交谈，问他有没有学位。他回答说：“我有硕士学位。”然后我说：“好吧，硕士，我听见你在讲奥秘；如果你只知道这些奥秘，却对它们里面的内容一无所知，那么你什么都不知道；因为它们就像上了三把锁的箱子，除非你打开它们，看看里面，而这只有通过理解力才能完成，否则你就不知道里面的东西是宝贵的，还是毫无价值的，抑或是有害的。它们可能装有毒蛇蛋或蜘蛛网，如以赛亚书（59:5）所描述的。”我说这话的时候，那个牧师皱着眉头看着我；礼拜的人离开了，登上他们的马车，陶醉于悖论，迷恋于空话，在信仰的各个方面和得救的途径上笼罩在黑暗中。
185. To these points I will add the following memorable occurrences.
The first memorable occurrence. The spiritual world has climatic zones just like the physical world - there is nothing in this world that is not also in that one. Yet the zones in each have different origins. In the physical world, climatic zones are determined by the distance of the sun from the equator. In the spiritual world, climatic zones are determined by how far the feelings in our will and the consequent thoughts in our intellect are from true love and true faith. All things in the spiritual world relate to love and faith.
In the frigid zones in the spiritual world you see the same type of conditions you see in the frigid zones in the physical world. In that part of the spiritual world you see ground that is frozen solid and bodies of water frozen solid, with snowdrifts on them. The people who move to that area are people who had put their intellect to sleep in this world by giving it no energy for spiritual thinking; as a result they had no energy for doing anything useful either. They are called the spirits of the north.
[2] On one occasion a longing came over me to see a region in the frigid zone where the spirits of the north live. Therefore I was led in the spirit to the north all the way to an area where the ground was completely covered in snow and all forms of water were frozen solid.
It was a Sunday. I noticed that the people (meaning spirits) were about as tall as people in the world. Because of the cold, they wore a lions skin on their head with the lions mouth over their mouth. They wore leopard skins over their bodies, front and back, down to their thighs. They wore a bearskin on their feet and lower legs.
I saw many of them riding in carriages. Some were riding in carriages carved in the form of a dragon with horns sticking out in front. The carriages were being drawn by small horses whose tails were cut off. The horses were charging around like terrifying wild animals. The driver, holding the reins in his hands, was constantly goading and forcing the horses on their way.
After a while I saw that the crowds were flocking to a church that I had not noticed because it was buried in snow. The church caretakers were heaving the snow aside, digging out access for the arriving worshipers. The worshipers got out of their carriages and entered the church.
[3] I too was allowed to go in and see the church building from the inside. It was lit with a great many lamps and lanterns. The altar was made out of a hewn stone. Behind it hung a plaque with an inscription: The divine Trinity, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who are essentially one God but personally three.
A priest was standing next to the altar. After kneeling three times before the plaque above it, he eventually ascended the stairs into the pulpit with a book in his hand.
The first topic of his sermon was the divine Trinity. He cried out, "What a great mystery! God most high bore a Son from eternity and through him brought forth the Holy Spirit. The three of them are connected by their essence but separate in their tasks: assigning, redeeming, and putting into effect. But if we let our reason examine these points, our sight will be blinded. We will develop a blind spot like people who stare straight at the naked sun. Therefore, my listeners, on these points we should hold our intellect under obedience to faith. "
[4] Then he cried out again and said, "What a great mystery our holy faith is! We believe that God the Father assigns the Son's justice and sends the Holy Spirit, who then uses the assigned justice to work the benefits of justification, which are, briefly, forgiving sins, renewing, regenerating, and saving. Yet of the Holy Spirit's inflowing or action we have no more awareness than did Lots wife after she turned into a statue of salt. About its indwelling or condition we have no more awareness than a fish in the sea. My friends, a treasure lies in our faith, yet it is so well hidden that not a particle of it shows. Therefore in this respect also we should hold our intellect under obedience to faith. "
[5] After sighing a few times, he cried out once more and said, "What a great mystery is the process of becoming chosen people! We become chosen when God assigns the faith to us. He assigns that faith with free choice and pure grace to whomever he wants whenever he wants to. We are like a log of wood as he pours it in, but we become like a tree afterward. Pieces of fruit, which are good works, do indeed hang from that tree (which is a symbol for our faith), but they are not integral to it. The value of the tree is not based on its fruit. My brothers and sisters, because this sounds like it contradicts our religion yet is a mystical truth, here again we should hold our intellect under obedience to faith. "
[6] Then after quite a delay while he stood as if he were drawing some further point out of his memory, he went on to say, "From a mountain of mysteries I will choose just one more. Spiritually speaking we don't have a speck of free choice. As the top hierarchy and leaders of our order state in their handbooks of theological principles, we are unable to will, think, or understand anything in the arenas of faith and salvation, which are specifically labeled as spiritual. We are even incapable of adapting and applying ourselves to learning about faith and salvation. Therefore I myself would say that on our own were incapable of drawing on reason to think about faith and salvation, and of drawing on thought to babble about it, except like a parrot, a magpie, or a raven. Spiritually speaking we are actually donkeys. Only physically are we human. But, my colleagues, before your reasoning faculty becomes uncomfortable, let's hold the intellect under obedience to faith as we've done in relation to other issues.
"Our theology, you see, is a bottomless pit. If you let your intellect look into it, you'll be shipwrecked and swallowed up, and you'll perish. Now hear me well - we are still nonetheless in the very light of the Gospel that shines high above our heads. Watch out for the pain, though, [that the light can cause]! Thankfully, the hairs on our head and the bones in our skull block and prevent that light from penetrating the private space of our intellect. "
[7] After he finished his remarks, he came down from the pulpit and offered votive prayers at the altar, and the worship service came to an end.
Afterward I went over to a group of people who were talking together. The priest was there also. The people standing there said to the priest, "We wish to express our undying gratitude to you for a sermon that was both magnificent and rich in wisdom.
I asked them, "Did you understand anything?"
"We took it all in with open ears," they answered. "But why do you ask whether we understood it? Isn't the intellect too stupid to understand these topics?"
To what they had said the priest added, "Because you heard and did not understand, you are blessed, since you have salvation as a result. "
[8] Later on I talked to the priest. I asked whether he had a post-graduate degree. He answered, "I have a masters degree. "
Then I said, "Sir, I heard you preaching mysteries. If you know of those mysteries but you don't know what they contain, you don't know anything. The mysteries are then just like a treasure chest bolted shut with three locks. Unless you open it up and look inside, which would require your intellect, you don't know whether the things inside are precious, worthless, or toxic. They could be the eggs of a poisonous snake and the webs of spiders, as Isaiah describes in chapter 59, verse 5. "
At that, the priest glared at me severely.
The worshipers went out and climbed aboard their carriages, drunk on paradoxes, knocked senseless by meaningless expressions, and wrapped in darkness regarding all aspects of faith and the means of being saved.
185. Here I shall add some more experiences, of which this is the first.
The spiritual world contains climatic zones similar to those in the natural world. There is nothing in this world which does not have its counterpart in the other, but their origins are different. In the natural world the varying seasons depend upon how far the sun is from the equator; in the spiritual world they depend upon how remote the affections of the will, and so the thoughts of the understanding, are from true love and true faith. Everything there corresponds to these two.
The cold zones of the spiritual world look much like the cold zones in the natural world. There are stretches of frozen land to be seen there, frozen lakes and a covering of snow. The people who come and live there are those who in the world had put their understanding to sleep through being too lazy to think about spiritual matters, and at the same time too lazy to do anything useful. These are called boreal 1 spirits.
[2] I once had a wish to see a district in the cold zone, where these boreal spirits live. So I was taken in the spirit northwards, to an area where all the ground was snow-covered and all the water frozen over. It was Sunday, and I saw the people, or spirits, of the same physique as people on earth; but on account of the cold they had lions' skins on their heads, with the face fitting over their faces; their bodies both front and back down to the loins were covered with leopards' skins, their legs and feet with bears' skins. I also saw many of them riding in carriages; some of them were in carriages carved to resemble dragons with their horns projecting forwards. These carriages were pulled by small horses with docked tails. They ran like terrifying wild beasts, and the driver holding the reins in his hands constantly drove them on and yelled at them to run. Eventually I saw that the crowds were converging on a church, which was so deep in snow it was invisible. But the guardians of the church were clearing away the snow and digging out a way in for the worshippers as they arrived. They got out of their carriages and entered the church.
[3] I was also allowed to see the inside of the church. It was plentifully lit with lamps and lanterns. The altar was of ashlar, and behind it was hung up a board, on which was written: 'The Divine Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who are in essence one God, but three in person.'
At length the priest who was standing by the altar, after three genuflexions towards the board behind it, climbed into the pulpit holding a book in his hand, and began to preach about the Divine Trinity. 'How great a mystery it is,' he cried, 'that God in the highest fathered a Son from eternity, and through Him produced the Holy Spirit, the three of whom linked themselves by essence, but divided themselves by properties, that is, imputation, redemption and activity! But if we consider these things by the use of reason, our sight grows dim and a blot obscures our vision, such as affects anyone who gazes directly at the sun. Therefore, my listeners, in this respect let us keep the understanding subject to the dictates of faith.'
[4] After this he gave another cry and said: 'How great a mystery is our holy faith! This tells us that God the Father imputes the righteousness of the Son, and sends the Holy Spirit to effect by that imputation the rewards of justification. These are briefly the forgiveness of sins, renewal, regeneration and salvation. A person knows no more about the influence and action of the Holy Spirit than the pillar of salt into which Lot's wife was turned. Nor is he any more aware of His presence and state within him than a fish is in the sea. But, my friends, within our faith lies hidden a treasure, so hedged about and concealed that not a scrap of it is to be seen. Therefore in respect to this too let us keep the understanding subject to the dictates of faith.'
[5] He heaved a few sighs, and then cried out again, saying: 'How great a mystery is election! Anyone becomes one of the elect to whom God imputes the faith which of His free choice and purely of His grace He pours into any He wishes, whenever He wishes. When he receives the infusion the person is like a bare tree-trunk, but afterwards he becomes like a tree. But although the fruits, which are good deeds, hang from that tree, which may be taken to represent our faith, still they do not form part of it, so that the tree's value does not depend upon its fruit. However, since this, for all it is a mystic truth, has a heterodox ring to it, let us, my brethren, keep the understanding subject to the dictates of this faith.'
[6] After an interval, during which he stood as if trying to recall something from his memory, he went on to say: 'From the heap of mysteries I will extract just one more. This is that a person in spiritual matters has not a grain of free will. The leaders and champions of our rule say in their theological canons that in matters which concern faith and salvation, what are especially called spiritual matters, a person cannot will, think or understand anything, nor even prepare and devote himself to acquiring these things. So I hold for my part that a person cannot for his part on these subjects think rationally, or speak thoughtfully otherwise than a parrot, magpie or crow. So in spiritual matters he is truly a donkey, and only human in natural matters. But in this, my colleagues, as in other respects, to prevent the understanding attacking your reason, let us keep it subject to the dictates of faith. Our theology is a bottomless pit, and if you plunge your intellectual gaze into it, you will sink and perish in the wreck. But please listen to this: we are none the less enlightened by the Gospel, which shines out high above our heads; yet how painfully would it hurt, did not our hair and the bones of our skull keep it out and prevent it from penetrating into the chamber of our understanding.'
[7] At the end of this speech he came down from the pulpit, said a few prayers at the altar, and brought the service to an end. Then I went up to a group of people, including the priest, who were talking together. The people around said to the priest: 'You have our undying thanks for such a magnificent sermon, so full of wisdom.' Then I said to them: 'Surely you did not understand anything of it?' 'We strained our ears to catch every word,' they answered. 'But why do you ask whether we understood it? Are not such things likely to amaze the understanding?' The priest on hearing this added: 'Because you have heard and have not understood, you are blessed, for that is the source of your salvation.'
[8] Subsequently I talked with the priest and asked him if he had a degree; he replied that he held a master's degree. Then I said: 'Master, I have listened to you preaching of mysteries. If you know of them, but nothing of what they contain, you know nothing. For they are merely like bookcases locked with three bolts; and unless you open them and look inside, which will require the use of the understanding, you do not know whether the contents are valuable, worthless or dangerous. They may be snakes' eggs and spiders' webs, as described in Isaiah (Isaiah 59:5).'
When I said this, the priest gave me a black look, and the worshippers went off and got into their carriages, drunk with paradoxes, stupefied with inanities and plunged in thick darkness as regards everything conducive to faith and instrumental for salvation.
Footnotes:
1. Or 'of the north wind'.
185. To this shall be added the following Memorable Relations. First:
In the spiritual world there are climates and zones just as in the natural world. Nothing exists in this world that does not also exist in that; yet in origin they differ. In the natural world climates vary according to the distance of the sun from the equator; in the spiritual world they vary according to the distances of the will's affections and the consequent thought of the understanding from true love and true faith; for of these latter all things in that world are correspondences.
In the frigid zones of the spiritual world things appear similar to those in the frigid zones of the natural world; lands and waters alike are bound in ice with snow upon them. Those come hither and dwell here who in the world had lulled their understanding to sleep by their indolence in thinking of spiritual things, and who were consequently indolent in doing anything useful. Such are called boreal spirits.
[2] On one occasion I had a strong desire to see some region of the frigid zone where these boreal spirits dwell. I was therefore conducted in spirit northward to a region where the whole earth appeared to be covered with snow and all the water frozen. It was the Sabbath day; and I saw men, that is, spirits similar in stature to the men of our world, with their heads, owing to the cold, covered with lions' skins, the mouth of the skin fitted to their own; while before and behind and down to the loins their bodies were clad with leopard skins and their feet with bear skin. I also saw many riding in chariots, and some in chariots carved in the form of a dragon with the horns projecting forward. The chariots were drawn by small horses with their tails clipped, which ran like frightful wild creatures, the driver holding tight the reins and continually speeding and whipping them to a run.
At length I saw that the crowds were flocking towards a temple, which was invisible because it was buried in snow; but the caretakers of the temple were shoveling away the snow and digging a path for the coming worshipers, who descended and entered.
[3] I was permitted to see the inside of the temple. It was lighted with an abundance of lamps and torches. There was an altar of hewn stone, behind which hung a tablet with the inscription, The Divine Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who are essentially one God, but personally three.
At length a priest who stood at the altar, after kneeling thrice before the tablet, went up into the pulpit with a book in his hand and began a discourse on the Divine trinity. "O how great the mystery," he exclaimed, "that God in the highest begot a Son from eternity, and through Him sent forth the Holy Spirit, the three conjoining themselves by their essence but dividing themselves by their properties, which are imputation, redemption, and operation! But if we look upon these things from reason our vision grows obscure, and a spot comes before it such as appears before the eye of one who fixes his gaze upon the naked sun. Therefore, my hearers, in this matter let us keep the understanding under obedience to faith."
[4] Again he exclaimed, "O how great a mystery is our holy faith, that God the Father imputes the righteousness of His Son and sends the Holy Spirit, who from that imputed righteousness works out the evidences of justification! These in brief are forgiveness of sins, renovation, regeneration, and salvation, of the influx of action of which a man is no more conscious than the statue of salt into which Lot's wife was turned; and of the indwelling or the state of which he is no more conscious than a fish in the sea. But, my friends, in this faith there lies a treasure so enclosed and hidden that not a particle of it can be seen; therefore in this matter also let us keep the understanding under obedience to faith."
[5] After some deep sighs he again exclaimed, "O how great is the mystery of election! He becomes one of the elect to whom God imputes that faith, which He imparts, at His good pleasure and out of pure grace, to whomsoever He wills and when He wills, and while it is being poured into him man is like a stock, but when this has been done he becomes like a tree. It is true that there are fruits, that is, good works, hanging upon the tree (which in a representative sense is our faith); but the fruit does not cling to it, and therefore the worth of the tree is not in the fruit. Yet as this sounds heterodox, although it is a mystical verity, let us, my brethren, keep the understanding under obedience to faith in it."
[6] Then again, after a brief pause, standing as if he would produce something further from his memory, he continued, "From the mass of mysteries I will present one more, namely, that in spiritual things man has not a grain of free-will. For the primates and rulers of our order say in their theological canons that in matters pertaining to faith and salvation, which are especially called spiritual, man has no ability to will, think or understand anything, nor even adapt or apply himself to their reception. Therefore of myself I say, that a man is no better able than a parrot or a magpie or a raven to think about these things from reason and talk about them from thought; so that in spiritual things man is in fact an ass, and only in natural things is he a man. But, my friends, lest this should annoy your reason, let us in this as in the others keep the understanding under obedience to faith. For our theology is a bottomless abyss, and if you let your intellectual vision down into it you will be overwhelmed, and will perish as by shipwreck. And yet keep this in mind: we are none the less in the true light of the Gospel, which is shining far above our heads; but sad to say, the hairs of our heads and the bones of our skulls stand in the way and keep the light from penetrating the recesses of our understanding."
[7] Having said this he came down from the pulpit; and when he had offered a prayer at the altar and the service was over I approached some who were talking together, among whom was the priest; and those standing around him said, "We give you everlasting thanks for a discourse so magnificent and so rich in wisdom."
But I said to them, "Did you understand anything?"
And they answered, "We took in everything with full ears; but why do you ask whether we understand? Is not the understanding benumbed by such matters?"
And to this the priest added, "Forasmuch as you have heard and have not understood you are blessed, for thereby you have salvation."
[8] Afterwards I talked with the priest and asked him whether he had a degree. He answered, "I am a laureled Master."
I then said, "Master, I have heard you preaching mysteries; if you know of the mysteries but know nothing that they contain, you know nothing; for they are like chests locked with triple bolts; and unless you open them and look inside, which must be done by the understanding, you do not know whether the contents are precious or whether they are worthless, or are hurtful. They may contain vipers' eggs or spiders' webs, according to the description in Isaiah" (59:5).
At this the priest looked at me grimly; and the worshipers withdrew and entered their chariots, drunken with paradoxes, muddled with empty words, and enveloped in darkness respecting all things of faith and the means of salvation.
185. MEMORABILIA
To the above will be added the following Memorabilia. The first is this. In the spiritual world there are climates and zones just as in the natural world, there being nothing in the latter world that does not exist also in the former: but they differ in origin. In the natural world varieties of climate depend upon the distance of the sun from the equator; but in the spiritual world they vary according to the distance of the affections of the will and the resulting thoughts of the understanding from true love and faith; for of these all things in the spiritual world are correspondences. In the frigid zones in the spiritual world things appear similar to those in the frigid zones of the natural world. The ground there seems to be frozen, the waters also, and wow appears to cover all things. Those come there and settle down who in the natural world lulled their understanding to sleep by their indolence in thinking on spiritual matters, and who consequently were too indolent to perform any uses; they are called northern spirits.
[2] I once had a strong desire to see some district in the frigid zone where these northern spirits dwell, and accordingly I was conducted in spirit towards the north, to a region where all the land appeared covered with snow, and all the water frozen. It was the Sabbath day, and I saw a number of men, that is, spirits similar in stature to men in the natural world. On account of the cold they had their heads covered with lion skins, the animals' faces over their own, while their bodies, back and front down to the loins, were covered with leopard skins, and their feet with bear skins. I saw also many riding in chariots, some of which were carved in the shape of a dragon with horns projecting forwards. These were drawn by small horses, which had their tails docked, galloping furiously like wild beasts, while the drivers, holding the reins in their hands, continually urged them on their course. I then saw that they were flocking to a temple, which had not been visible because it was covered with snow; but the keepers of the temple were clearing the snow away, digging out an entrance for the worshippers as they arrived; and they, dismounting, made their way in.
[3] I was then permitted to view the inside of the church, which was brilliantly lit with lamps and candles. The altar was of hewn stone, and behind it hung a tablet with this inscription: "THE DIVINE TRINITY, FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT, WHO ARE IN ESSENCE ONE GOD, BUT IN PERSON THREE." Presently a priest who was standing at the altar, after kneeling three times before the tablet ascended the pulpit with a book in his hand, and began his sermon by speaking of the Divine Trinity: "Oh, how great a mystery, that God in the Highest should have begotten a Son from eternity and by Him should have brought forth the Holy Spirit, three that are united by essence but separated by their properties of imputation, redemption and operation! If, however, we look into these things and use our reason, our vision is dimmed, and a darkness rises before it like that before the eye when one gazes on the unshaded sun. Therefore, my hearers, on this subject let us keep our understanding in obedience to faith."
[4] Continuing he said: "Oh, how great a mystery is our holy faith, which affirms that God the Father imputes the righteousness of His Son, and sends the Holy Spirit, who, because of that imputed righteousness, sets in operation the pledges of justification, which in brief are the remission of sins, renewal, regeneration and salvation. A man, however, knows no more of the influx and working of justification than does the pillar of salt into which Lot's wife was turned, nor does he know any more of its indwelling or state than a fish in the sea. But, my friends, there is a treasure hid in this faith, so fenced in and hidden away that not a particle of it can be seen. Therefore on this subject also let us keep our understanding in obedience to faith."
[5] He sighed and again continued: "Oh, how great a mystery is election! He becomes one of the elect to whom God imputes this faith, which, of free determination and pure grace he infuses into whomsoever, and whenever, He pleases. When this is taking place, a man is like a stock; but after it has taken place, he becomes like a tree. The fruits, however, which are good works, hang indeed from that tree, which in a representative sense is our faith, but still they do not essentially belong to it. Therefore the value of that tree is not in its fruit. As this, however, sounds like heterodoxy, and yet is a mystical truth, let us, my brethren, keep our understanding in obedience to this faith."
[6] Then after a short pause, hesitating as if he were recalling something else from his memory, he went on: "From the store of mysteries I will produce still one more, namely, that a man has not a grain of Free Will in spiritual things. For our leaders and priestly rulers in the Church in their theological canons declare that in matters of faith and salvation, which are properly called spiritual, a man has no power to will, think, understand, or even to accommodate and apply himself to receive them. Therefore I, speaking for myself, say that a man of himself has no more power to think rationally and talk sensibly on such matters than a parrot, a magpie or a raven; consequently that a man in spiritual matters is truly an ass, and a man only in natural things. But, my friends, lest this subject should trouble your reason, let us, as in the case of the others, keep our understanding in obedience to faith. For our theology is a bottomless abyss; if you try to fathom it in the light of your understanding you will be overwhelmed and perish like a shipwrecked mariner. However, hear what I say. We are nevertheless in the very light of the Gospel, which shines aloft over our heads; but, alas! the hair of our heads and the bones of our skulls block its way and prevent it from penetrating into the inner chamber of our understanding."
[7] When he had thus spoken, he descended from the pulpit, and after he had offered up a prayer at the altar, the service was at an end. I then approached some of the congregation who were conversing together. Among them was the priest, and those standing around him were saying: "We are eternally grateful to you for such a magnificent sermon, so replete with wisdom." But I said to them: "Did you understand any of it?" They replied, "We took it all in with all our ears; but why do you ask if we understood it? Is not the understanding numb in relation to such subjects?" At these words the priest said: "Blessed are ye because hearing ye have not understood; for in this way ye have salvation."
[8] Afterwards I spoke to the priest and asked him whether he had taken a degree. He replied: "I am a Master of Arts." I then said: "Well, Master, I heard you preaching mysteries; but if you only know them as such, and do not know anything of their inner content, you know nothing; for they are like boxes fastened with a triple lock; and if you do not open them and look in, which can only be done by means of the understanding, you do not know whether they contain things of value or things of no value, or even hurtful things. They may contain asp's eggs, or spider's webs, according to the description in Isaiah 59:5. On my saying this, the priest looked at me with a scowl on his face, and the worshipers departed, and mounted their chariots, intoxicated with paradoxes, infatuated with empty words and enveloped with darkness in all things relating to faith and the means of salvation.
185. His adjungentur haec MEMORABILIA. PRIMUM hoc: In Mundo spirituali sunt aeque Climata et Zonae sicut in Mundo naturali; non datur quicquam in hoc quod non etiam in 1 illo; sed differunt origine; in Mundo naturali sunt varietates Climatum secundum distantias Solis ab Aequatore; in Mundo spirituali sunt illae secundum distantias affectionum voluntatis et inde cogitationum intellectus a vero amore et vera fide; horum correspondentiae sunt omnia ibi. In Zonis frigidis in Mundo Spirituali apparent similia quae in Zonis frigidis in Mundo naturali; apparent ibi Terrae constrictae gelu, similiter aquae, et quoque nives super illis. Veniunt illuc et habitant ibi, qui in Mundo obsopiverunt intellectum ex inertia cogitandi de spiritualibus, et simul inde in inertia faciendi aliquos usus, fuerunt: vocantur Spiritus boreales.
[2] Quondam me incessit cupido videndi aliquam Regionem in Zona frigida, ubi boreales illi erant; et ideo in spiritu perductus sum in Septentrionem, usque ad tractum, ubi omnis terra apparuit nive obtecta, et omnis aqua glacie obstricta; erat dies Sabbathi, et vidi homines, hoc est, spiritus similis staturae in qua sunt homines Mundi; sed propter frigus induti erant quoad Caput pelle leonis, cujus os applicatum erat ori illorum, quoad Corpus autem ab antica et postica parte usque super lumbos tecti erant pellibus pardorum, et quoad Pedes pelle ex ursis; et quoque vidi plures vectos curribus, ac quosdam in curribus exsculptis in forma draconis, cujus cornua protensa erant antrorsum; trahebantur currus illi a parvis equis, a quibus caudae abscissae erant; currebant sicut terribiles ferae, ac vector tenens lora palmis illos jugiter impellebat et urgebat in cursum: vidi denique quod turbae confluerent ad Templum, quod quia nive obtectum non visum erat, at Templi custodes emoliebantur nivem, et per effossionem parabant introitum advenis cultoribus; qui descenderunt et intraverunt.
[3] Datum mihi etiam est videre Templum ab intra; erat illuminatum lampadibus et lucernis in copia; Altare ibi ex lapide secto erat, post quod appensa erat Tabula, super qua scriptum erat, TRINITAS DIVINA, PATER, FILIUS ET SPIRITUS SANCTUS, QUI ESSENTIALITER UNUS DEUS SUNT, SED PERSONALITER TRES. Tandem Sacerdos ad Altare stans, postquam ter ad Tabulam Altaris flexerat genua, cum Libro in manu ascendit suggestum, et inchoavit sermonem a Divina Trinitate, et exclamavit, 2 O quantum Mysterium, quod Deus in Altissimo genuerit Filium ab aeterno, et per Illum eduxerit Spiritum Sanctum, qui Tres conjunxerunt se per Essentiam, at sejunxerunt se per proprietates, quae sunt Imputatio, Redemptio et Operatio; sed si haec intuemur ratione, caligat visus, et ante illum fit macula, sicut ante oculum ejus qui intuitum figit in nudo Sole; quare, mi Auditores, quoad hoc captemus intellectum sub obedientia fidei.
[4] Post haec, iterum exclamavit, dicens, O quantum Mysterium est Sancta Fides nostra, quae haec est, quod Deus Pater imputet justitiam Filii, et mittat Spiritum Sanctum, qui ex illa imputata operatur auctoramenta Justificationis, quae in summa sunt remissio peccatorum, innovatio, regeneratio, et salvatio; de cujus influxu seu actu homo non scit plus quam statua salis in quam versa est uxor Lothi, et de cujus inhabitatione seu statu non plus scit quam piscis in mari; sed mi amici, latet thesaurus in illa, ita circumseptus et reconditus ut non pateat mica ejus; quare quoad illam etiam captemus intellectum sub obedientia fidei.
[5] Post aliqua suspiria iterum exclamavit, dicens, O quantum mysterium est Electio; Electus fit cui Deus imputat fidem illam, quam ex libero placito et ex pura gratia infundit cuicunque vult et quando vult, et homo est sicut truncus cum infunditur, sed fit sicut arbor cum infusa est; verum fructus, qui sunt bona opera, quidem pendent ex arbore illa, quae in sensu repraesentativo est fides nostra, sed non usque cohaerent, quare arboris istius pretium non est ex fructu; sed quia hoc sonat sicut heterodoxon, et tamen est veritas mystica, mi Fratres, captemus intellectum sub obedientia fidei hujus.
[6] Et porro post aliquam intercapedinem, stans sicut adhuc aliquid ex memoria extraheret, continuavit dicens; ex acervo Mysteriorum depromam adhuc unum, quod est, quod homini in spiritualibus non sit granum Liberi arbitrii; dicunt enim Primates et Antistites Reguli nostri, in Theologicis suis Canonibus, quod homo in illis quae fidei et salutis sunt, quae in specie vocantur spiritualia, non possit quicquam velle, cogitare, intelligere, et ne quidem ad illa haurienda se accommodare et applicare, quare ego dico ex me, quod homo ex se de illis non aliter possit ex ratione cogitare, et ex cogitatione garrire, quam sicut psittacus, pica aut corvus, ita quod homo in spiritualibus sit vere asinus, et in naturalibus solum homo; sed mi Consocii, in hoc, ne infestet rationem vestram, ut in caeteris, captemus intellectum sub obedientia fidei; est enim Theologia nostra abyssus absque 3 fundo, in quam si immittis intellectus visum, immergeris et peribis naufragus; at usque audite, sumus nihilominus in ipsa luce Evangelii, quae alte supra capita nostra fulget; sed proh dolor, capillitia nostra, et ossa calvariae nostrae, inhibent et arcent, ne illa penetret in conclave intellectus nostri.
[7] His dictis descendit, et postquam ad Altare votiva precatus est, et finitus est Cultus, accessi ad aliquos loquentes inter se, ubi etiam Sacerdos, cui circumstantes dixerunt, gratias tibi immortales agimus propter tam magnificum ac uberem sapientia sermonem; sed tunc dixi illis, num aliquid intellexistis, et responderunt, captavimus omnia plenis auribus, sed cur quaeris Numeri intellexerimus; stupetne intellectus in talibus; et Sacerdos illis dictis addidit hoc, quia audivistis et non intellexistis, beati estis, quoniam inde vobis salus.
[8] Postea loquutus sum cum Sacerdote, et quaesivi, Numeri illi esset laurea; respondit, sum laureatus Magister, et tunc dixi, Magister, audivi te concionantem Mysteria; si illa scis et non aliquid quod continent, nihil scis; sunt enim illa modo sicut scrinia tribus seris occlusa, quae nisi aperis et introspicis, quod fiet per intellectum, nescis Numeri inibi sint pretiosa, vel Numeri vilipensa, vel num noxia; possunt esse ova aspidis, et telae araneae, secundum descriptionem apud Esajam 59:5 his dictis Sacerdos torvo vultu me aspexit; et Cultores recesserunt, et ascenderunt suos currus, inebriati paradoxis, infatuati inanitatibus et circumfusi caligine in omnibus rebus fidei et mediis salutis.
Footnotes: