----中文待译----
182. (Verse 1) And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write. That this signifies those whose life is moral, but not spiritual, because they make light of the knowledges (cognitiones) of spiritual things, and thence of wisdom and intelligence, is evident from what is written to the angel of this church, viewed in the internal or spiritual sense; from which it is evident that the subject here treated of is those whose life is such because they make light of the knowledges (cognitiones) of spiritual things, and thence of intelligence and wisdom. But before unfolding the spiritual sense of the things that follow, it must be explained and shown what moral life and spiritual life are, also what moral from spiritual life is, and what moral life without spiritual.
[2] Moral life is to act well, sincerely, and justly, in the discharge of the various duties and occupations of life; in a word, it is the life which is seen by men, because lived amongst them. But this life has a two-fold origin, either the love of self and of the world, or love to God and love towards the neighbour. Moral life from the love of self and the world is not in itself moral life, although it appears to be such; for such a man acts well, sincerely and justly for the sake of himself and the world only, and to him, what is good, sincere and just, serve but as means to an end, that is, either that he may be raised above others and rule over them, or that he may gain wealth. He thinks in this way in his spirit, or when he is by himself in private; but he dare not openly avow what he thus thinks, because it would destroy the esteem which others have of him, and thus annul the means by which he desires to attain his ends.
From these considerations it is evident, that in the moral life of such a man there lurks nothing else but the desire of obtaining all things in preference to others, thus a desire that all others may serve him, or that he may possess their goods: it is evident from this that his moral life is not moral in itself; for if he obtained what he aimed at, he would enslave others and deprive them of their goods. And because all means savour of the end, and are, in their essence, such as are their ends, on which account they are also called intermediate ends, therefore such a life, regarded in itself, is nothing but craftiness and fraud. And this is clearly evident when those external bonds that unite society are loosened, as is the case with persons of this description when they are engaged in law-suits against their fellow citizens; they then desire nothing more than to pervert right, and to gain the favour of the judge or the grace of the king, and this secretly, in order that they may deprive others of their possessions; and when they succeed they are filled with inward delight. The same is still more evident in the conduct of kings who regard honour in wars and victories, the chief delight of their hearts being to subjugate provinces and kingdoms, and, where resistance is made, to despoil the subjugated of all their goods, and also of their life; this, in most instances, is the delight of those who go out to war.
The nature of the moral life treated of above is still more manifest in all such persons when they become spirits, which takes place immediately after the death of the body, when, because they think and act from their spirit, they rush into every kind of wickedness according to their love, however morally they may, in appearance, have lived in the world.
[3] But spiritual life is altogether of another quality, because it has a different origin, for it springs from love to God and love towards the neighbour; and therefore the moral life of those who are spiritual is also different, and is truly moral; for these, when they think in their spirit, which is the case when they are in private, do not think from self and the world but from the Lord and heaven; for the interiors of their mind, that is, of their thought and will, are actually raised up by the Lord into heaven, and are there conjoined to Him; thus the Lord flows-in into their thoughts, intentions and ends, and rules them, and withdraws them from their proprium, which is entirely derived from the love of self and of the world. The moral life of such persons is, in appearance, similar to that of those mentioned above, but still it is spiritual, for it has a spiritual origin, being only the effect of spiritual life, which is the efficient cause, and thus the origin of it; for they act well, sincerely and justly towards their fellow citizens from the fear of God and the love of the neighbour, in which the Lord keeps their minds and spirits; when, therefore, they become spirits, as is the case when their bodies die, they think and act intelligently and wisely, and are raised up into heaven. Of these it may be said, that all the good of love and all the truth of faith flow into them out of heaven, that is, through heaven from the Lord; but this cannot be said of those of whom we have spoken above, for their good is not the good of heaven, nor is their truth the truth of heaven, but it is the delight of the lusts of the flesh which they call good, and the falsity therefrom which they call truth, which flow into them from self and from the world. From these considerations the nature of moral life from spiritual life, and of moral life without spiritual can be known, that is, that moral life from spiritual life is truly moral life, which may be said to be spiritual, because its cause and origin is therefrom; but that moral life without spiritual life is not moral life, and may be said to be infernal, for so far as the love of self and of the world reigns in it, so far it is fraudulent and hypocritical.
[4] From what has been now said, a conclusion may be formed as to what the quality of a holy external is, by which is meant worship in churches, prayers and the gestures at the time, among those who are in the love of self and of the world, and yet apparently lead a moral life, namely, that nothing of those things is raised up to heaven and heard there, but that they flow forth from some thought of the external or natural man, and thus from their mouth into the world; for the interior thoughts of their spirit are full of craftiness and fraud against their neighbour, and yet elevation into heaven is always effected by means of the interiors. And moreover their worship in churches, and their prayers and gestures at such time, are either from habit and familiarity from infancy, or from a belief that such external things are all that is necessary to salvation, or from there being nothing for them to do on the feast days at home or out of doors, or from the fear of being thought by their fellows to be wanting in piety.
But the worship of those who live a moral life from a spiritual origin is altogether different, for it is truly the worship of God, because their prayers are raised up to heaven, and are there heard, for the Lord receives their prayers through heaven. (More may be seen upon these subjects in the work, Heaven and Hell 468, 484, 529, 530-534; and in the explanation above, n. 107.) These things are here premised, because the subject treated of in what is written to the angel of this church is those whose life is moral but not spiritual, because they lightly esteem the knowledges (cognitiones) of spiritual things.
182. Verse 1. And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, signifies those who live a moral but not a spiritual life, because they have little regard for the knowledges of spiritual things and for intelligence and wisdom therefrom. This is evident from what is written to the angel of this church, from which, when viewed in the internal or spiritual sense, it can be seen that those who live a moral but not a spiritual life, because they have little regard for the knowledges of the spiritual things and for intelligence and wisdom therefrom, are here treated of. But before unfolding the things that follow as to their spiritual sense, it is necessary to explain and open what moral life is and what spiritual life is, also what moral life from spiritual life is, and what moral life apart from spiritual life. Moral life is acting well, sincerely, and justly with one's companions in all the affairs and occupations of life; in a word, it is the life that is apparent before men, because it is the life lived with them. But this life has a two-fold origin; it is either from the love of self and the world, or it is from love to God and love towards the neighbor.
[2] Moral life from the love of self and the world is not in itself moral life, although it seems to be moral; for the man acting thus acts well, sincerely, and justly for the sake of self and the world only, and what is good, sincere, and just serves him as means to an end, which is, either that he may be raised above others and rule over them, or that he may gain wealth; and of these things he thinks in his spirit, or when he is by himself secretly; but these things that he thinks he does not dare to avow openly, because they would destroy the good opinion others have of him, and thus destroy the means by which he wishes to attain his ends. From this it can be seen that there lies within the moral life of such a man nothing else than to acquire all things in preference to others, thus that he wishes to have all others to serve him, or to gain possession of their goods; from which it is evident that his moral life is not in itself a moral life; for if he should gain what he aims at, or what he has as an end, he would subject others to himself as slaves, and would deprive them of their goods. And as all means savor of the end, and in their essence are of the same quality as their ends, for which reason they are also called intermediate ends, therefore such a life, regarded in itself, is merely craftiness and fraud. And this also becomes clearly evident in the case of those with whom these external bonds are released, as takes place, when engaged in lawsuits against their fellows, when they desire nothing so much as to subvert justice, and secure the good will of the judge or the favor of the king, and this secretly, that they may deprive others of their goods; and when they obtain this, they rejoice in spirit and in heart. This is still more evident in the case of kings who place honor in wars and victories, that they find the highest joy of their hearts in subjugating provinces and kingdoms, and where resistance is made, in depriving the vanquished of all their goods, and even of life. Such also is the delight of many who engage at such times in military service. This becomes still more evident with all of this character when they become spirits, which is immediately after the death of the body. As they then think and act from their spirit, they rush into every wickedness according to their love, however morally they may have lived in appearance while in the world.
[3] But spiritual life is wholly different, because it has a different origin; for it is from love to God and love towards the neighbor. Consequently, the moral life also of those who are spiritual is different, and is a truly moral life; for these, when they think in their spirit, which takes place when they are thinking secretly by themselves, do not think from self and the world, but from the Lord and heaven; for the interiors of their minds, that is, of their thought and will, are actually elevated by the Lord into heaven, and are there conjoined to Him; thus the Lord flows into their thoughts, intentions, and ends, and governs them and withdraws them from their proprium [what is their own], which is solely from the love of self and of the world. The moral life of such persons is, in appearance, like the moral life of those described above, and yet their moral life is spiritual, because it is from a spiritual origin. Their moral life is simply an effect of spiritual life, which is the efficient cause, thus the origin. For they act well, sincerely, and justly with their fellows from fear of God and from love of the neighbor; in these loves the Lord keeps their mind and disposition [mentem et animum]; consequently when they become spirits, which takes place when the body dies, they think and act intelligently and wisely, and are elevated into heaven. Of these it may be said, that with them every good of love and every truth of faith flows in out of heaven, that is, through heaven from the Lord. But this is not true of those described above; for their good 1is not the good of heaven, nor is their truth the truth of heaven; but what they call good is the delight of the lust of the flesh, and it is falsity therefrom that they call truth; these flow into them from self and from the world. From this it can also be known what moral life from spiritual life is, and what moral life apart from spiritual life is; namely, that moral life from spiritual life is truly moral life, which may be called spiritual, since it has its cause and origin in the spiritual; but that moral life apart from spiritual life not moral life, and may be called infernal, for so far as the love of self and of the world reign in it, so far it is fraudulent and hypocritical.
[4] From what has now been said, the quality of external sanctity may also be inferred (by which is meant worship in churches, prayers, and gestures then), with such as are in the love of self and of the world, and yet live an apparently moral life, namely, that nothing of these is elevated to heaven and is heard there, but that they flow out from some thought of the external or natural man, and thus from their mouth into the world. For the interior thoughts of such, which are of their very spirits, are full of craftiness and fraud against the neighbor; and yet it is through interiors that there is elevation into heaven. Moreover, their worship in churches, and prayers, and gestures at such times, are either the result of habit from infancy, and are thence become familiar, or they are from a principle that such external things contribute everything to salvation, or they are a consequence of there being no business for them at home and abroad on holy days, or of a fear of being regarded as irreligious by their companions. But worship with those who live a moral life from a spiritual origin is altogether different, for it is truly a worship of God, for their prayers are elevated to heaven and are heard, for the Lord leads their prayers through heaven to Himself. (But more may be seen on these subjects in the work on Heaven and Hell (Heaven and Hell 468), n. 468, 484, 529, 530-534; and above, in the explanation of Revelation n. 107 These things are premised, because what is written to the angel of this church treats of those who live a moral but not a spiritual life, for the reason that they have little regard for the knowledges of spiritual things.
Footnotes:
1. The Latin for "good" has "the good of heaven. "
182. (Vers. 1.) "Et Angelo in Sardibus Ecclesiae scriba." - Quod significet illos qui moralem vitam agunt, sed non spiritualem, quia parvi pendunt cognitiones spiritualium, et inde intelligentiam et sapientiam, constat ex illis quae ad hujus Ecclesiae Angelum scripta sunt, ex quibus in sensu interno seu spirituali lustratis constat quod agatur de illis qui moralem vitam agunt, sed non spiritualem, quia parvi faciunt cognitiones spiritualium, et inde intelligentiam et sapientiam. Sed antequam ea quae Sequuntur, quoad sensum spiritualem evolvuntur, explicandum et aperiendum est quid sit vita moralis, et quid vita spiritualis, tum quid moralis vita ex spirituali, et quid moralis vita absque spirituali. Moralis vita est bene, sincere et juste agere cum sociis, tam in functionibus quam in negotiis quibuscunque; verbo est vita apparens coram hominibus, quia cum illis. Sed haec vita est ex duplici origine, vel ex amore sui et mundi, vel ex amore in Deum et erga proximum.
[2] Moralis vita ex amore sui et mundi non in se est moralis vita, tametsi ut moralis apparet; nam homo cui illa, bene, sincere et juste agit solum propter se et mundum; cui bonum, sincerum et justum inserviunt pro mediis ad finem, qui sunt vel ut evehatur supra alios ac imperet aliis, vel ut lucretur opes: haec cogitat etiam in suo spiritu, seu quando secum in occulto; sed propalare illa quae cogitat non audet, quia destruunt opinionem aliorum de se, et sic annihilat media per quae tendere vult ad fines suos. Ex his constare potest quod in morali ejus vita nihil aliud lateat quam ut obtineat prae aliis omnia, ita quod velit ut omnes alii sibi serviant, aut ut possideat eorum bona: ex quibus videri potest quod moralis ejus vita non sit moralis vita in se; nam , si obtineret quod intendit, seu pro fine habet, subjiceret alios sibi ut servos, ac deprivaret illos suis bonis; et quia omnia media sapiunt ex fine, et in essentia sua sunt talia quales sunt fines, quare etiam vocantur fines intermedii, ideo talis vita in se spectata est modo astutia et fraus; quod etiam manifeste apparet apud illos apud quos externa illa vincula soluta sunt; ut fit apud illos tales cum ex legibus juris agunt contra socios, quod nihil plus aveant quam jus pervertere, et aucupare favorem judicis, aut gratiam regis, et hoc in occulto, ut alios bonis suis deprivent; quod cum obtinent, etiam gaudent spiritu et corde suo. Adhuc manifestius apparet apud reges qui honorem ponunt in bellis et victoriis, quod summum cordis eorum gaudium sit subjugare provincias et regna; et ubi resistitur, spoliare subditos omnibus eorum bonis, et quoque vita; quod jucundum etiam est pluribus tunc qui militiam obeunt: adhuc manifestius id apparet apud omnes tales cum fiunt spiritus, quod fit statim post mortem corporis eorum; tunc quia ex suo spiritu cogitant et agunt, ruunt in omne nefas secundum amorem suum, utcunque in mundo moralem vitam ad apparentiam egerunt.
[3] Ast vita spiritualis est prorsus alia, quia est ex alia origine; est enim ex amore in Deum et ex amore erga proximum; et inde est quoque vita eorum moralis alia, estque vere vita moralis: hi enim cum in spiritu suo cogitant, quod fit cum in occulto secum, non cogitant ex se et mundo, sed ex Domino et caelo; interiora enim quae eorum mentis sunt, hoc est, quae eorum cogitationis et voluntatis, actualiter elevantur a Domino in caelum, et ibi conjunguntur Ipsi; ita Dominus influit in eorum cogitationes, intentiones et fines, et illos regit, et abducit a proprio illorum quod unice est ex amore sui et mundi. Hi, ad apparentiam, similem moralem vitam agunt cum illis de quibus supra dictum est; sed usque vita eorum moralis est spiritualis, nam est ex spirituali origine; moralis eorum vita est modo effectus vitae spiritualis, quae est causa efficiens, ita origo; agunt enim bene, sincere et juste cum sociis ex timore Dei et ex amore proximi; in his Dominus tenet mentem et animum eorum: quapropter illi cum fiunt spiritus, quod fit dum moriuntur corpore, intelligenter et sapienter cogitant et agunt, et in caelum elevantur. De his dici potest quod apud illos omne bonum amoris et omne verum fidei influat e caelo, hoc est, per caelum a Domino; at non de illis, de quibus supra dictum est, nam horum 1
bonum non est bonum caeli, nec verum est verum caeli, sed est jucundum concupiscentiae carnis quod vocant bonum, et falsum inde quod vocant verum, quae ad illos ex se et ex mundo influunt. Ex his quoque sciri potest, quid moralis vita ex spirituali, et quid moralis vita absque spirituali; quod nempe moralis vita ex spirituali sit vere moralis vita, quae dicenda est spiritualis, quoniam causa et origo ejus est inde; at quod vita moralis absque spirituali non sit vita moralis, et quae dicenda est infernalis, nam quantum in ea regnat amor sui et mundi, tantum illa est fraudulenta et hypocritica.
[4] Ex nunc dictis etiam concludi potest quale est sanctum externum, per quod intelligitur cultus in templis, precationes ac gestus tunc, apud illos qui in amore sui et mundi sunt, et usque apparentem vitam moralem agunt; quod nempe nihil ex illis elevetur ad caelum et audiatur ibi, sed quod effluant ex aliqua cogitatione externi seu naturalis hominis, et sic ex ore illorum in mundum: interiores enim eorum cogitationes, quae sunt ipsius spiritus eorum, sunt plenae astutia et fraude contra proximum; et usque elevatio in caelum fit per interiora: et praeterea cultus eorum in templis, ac precationes et gestus tunc, sunt vel ex assuetudine ab infantia et inde familiari, vel ex principio quod externa talia faciant omne ad salutem, vel ex eo quod diebus festis nihil negotii sit illis domi ac foris, vel ne a sociis credantur impii. At cultus apud illos qui moralem vitam ex origine spirituali vivunt, prorsus alius est; est enim vere cultus Dei, nam precationes eorum elevantur ad caelum et audiuntur, ducit enim Dominus precationes eorum per caelum ad Se. (Sed plura de his videantur in opere De Caelo et Inferno 468, 484, 529, 530-534; et supra in Explicatione super Apocalypsin, n. 107.) Haec praemissa sunt quia in scriptis ad Angelum hujus Ecclesiae agitur de illis qui moralem vitam agunt, sed non spiritualem, ex causa quia parvi pendunt cognitiones spiritualium.
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.