31、然而，当知道，死后，人不再是属世人，而成了灵人。不过，在他自己看来，他和以前一模一样，毫无二致，以致他意识不到自己在另一个世界，以为仍在尘世。他还是以前的他，一样的身体，一样的容颜，一样的言谈和感觉，因为他享有一样的情感和思维，一样的意愿和理解力。但事实上，他不一样了，因为他是属灵的，是一个内在人。不过，这种区别对他来说并不明显，因为他无法拿自己现在的状态和早先的状态，即属世的状态进行比较，他已脱去属世的状态，现处于属灵的状态。所以，我经常听这些人说，他们觉得自己仍在以前的世界。唯一不同的是，他们再也看不到在世之人，只能见到离世，即死去的人。这是因为死去的人不是属世人，而是灵人（或实质人），而灵人（或实质人）看灵人（或实质人），如同世人（或物质人）看世人（或物质人）。然而，鉴于实质和物质之别，如同在先之物和在后之物之别，故世人和灵人无法看到彼此。在先者本身更纯粹，所以它不为本身更粗糙的在后者所见。在后者由于更粗糙，故也不为本身更纯粹的在先者所见。因此，世人看不见天使，天使也看不见世人。人死后就成为灵人（或实质人），因为灵人（或实质人）就隐藏在世人（或物质人）里面。后者如同衣服，或要被褪去的外壳。一旦这外壳被脱去，灵人（或实质人）就会显现出来，因而更纯粹，更内在，更完美。尽管灵人不为世人所见，但他完全是一个人，主复活后显现给门徒的事实清楚说明了这一点。祂显现又消失了，然而无论被看到还是未被看到，祂仍是那同一个人。门徒还说，当他们看见祂时，他们的眼睛明亮了（路加福音24：31）。
31、要清楚的是，人死以后，人就不再是自然的人了，而是精神上的人。从他自己看来，他还是他自己，他意识不到自己在另一个世界中。因为他形体如旧，一样的面孔，一样的言语，一样的感觉。因为他有一样的情感和思想，一样的智慧和毅志。
但是，事实上，他不与从前一样。因为他是精神的了，所以他是一个内在的人。但他自己看不到这种区别，因为他不能将现在的境界与从前的境界相比。
我经常听到这些人说，他们以为还在从前的世界中，唯一的不同就是他们看不到从前世间的那些人了，而是见到了曾经死去的人们。
总而言之，他们能看到死去的人，而见不到世间的人的原因是，他们不再是自然的人了，而是精神的人，或者说是精髓的人，精神的人相互之间的感觉与自然人相互间的感觉一样。
自然人与精神的人彼此看不到对方。从精髓与物质之间的区别上来讲，就像是事物产生有先有后一样。先出现的事物更纯净，不能为后来的事物所见看到，后继的事物较粗劣一些。同样，后继的事物较粗劣，它不能为先出现的事物所见。因此，天使不能被世间的人们所见，世间的人也不能为天使所见。
人死后，就成为精神的或精髓的人了，因为精神的人隐藏在物质的人之中。后者对于前者来说就像是衣服，或者说像是外壳。当外壳不在时，精神的人就显现出来，更纯净，更内在，更完美。
精神的人尽管不能为自然人所见，它仍是一个完整的人。这点可以从主复活后向使徒曾现身而得到证明。主出现又消失了。不管为人所见还是不为人所见，他还是原来的样子。使徒们还说，当他们见到主时，他们的眼睛睁不开了。
31. It needs to be known that after death a person ceases to be a natural man and becomes a spiritual man, but he looks to himself exactly the same, and is so much the same that he is unaware that he is no longer in the natural world. He has the same kind of body, face, speech and senses, because in affection and thought, or in will and intellect, he remains the same. He is in fact not really the same, because he is then spiritual, and so his inner man. But he cannot see the difference, because he is unable to compare his present state with his earlier, natural, one, since he has put that off and has put on his other state. I have therefore often heard people say that they are quite unaware of not being in their former world, but for the fact that they can no longer see those whom they left in that world, and they do see those who have departed from it, that is, who have died. The reason, however, why they see the latter but not the former is that they are not natural, but spiritual or substantial 1people. A spiritual or substantial person can see a spiritual or substantial person, just as a natural or material person can see another natural or material person. But they cannot see each other because of the difference between the substantial and the material, which is similar to the difference between what is prior and what is posterior. The prior being inherently more pure is invisible to the posterior, which is inherently more gross, nor can the posterior, being more gross, be seen by the prior, which is inherently more pure. It follows that an angel is invisible to a person in this world, and such a person is invisible to an angel.
The reason why a person after death is spiritual or substantial is because this lay hidden within the natural or material person. This served him as a covering, like an outer skin, which on being shed allows the spiritual or substantial person to emerge, so that he is more pure, more inward and more complete. A spiritual person is still a complete person, although invisible to a natural person, as was made plain by the Lord's appearing to the Apostles after His resurrection. He was seen and then later was not seen, and yet He was a man like Himself, when He was seen and then disappeared. They said too that, when they saw Him, their eyes were opened.
31. It must be known, however, that after death a person is not a natural person, but a spiritual person, and yet he appears just the same to himself, and so much the same that he is not aware of being anywhere else than still in the natural world. For he is the same in body, in facial appearance, in speech and in the sensations he feels, because he is the same in affection and thought, having the same will and intellect.
He is, in fact, not actually the same, because he is spiritual and therefore an interior man. But the difference is not apparent to him, because he cannot compare his present state with his earlier, natural state, having put off the natural state and being in a spiritual state.
I have quite often heard such persons say, therefore, that they are not aware of being anywhere else than in the previous world, with the sole difference that they no longer see people whom they left behind in that earlier world, while they do see those who had departed or passed on from that world.
Nevertheless, the reason they now see people who had passed on and not those whom they left behind is because they are not natural people but spiritual or essential people, and a spiritual or essential person sees another spiritual or essential person in the same way as a natural or material person sees another natural or material person.
Natural people and spiritual people do not see each other, however, on account of the difference between the essential and the material, which is like the difference between something prior and something subsequent. And because the prior is in itself purer, it cannot be seen by the subsequent, which, in itself, is cruder; nor can the subsequent, owing to its being cruder, be seen by the prior, which in itself is purer. Consequently, an angel cannot be seen by a person of this world, neither can a person of this world be seen by an angel.
A person after death is a spiritual or essential person because the spiritual or essential person lay hidden within the natural or material person. The latter served him as clothing, or like a shell to be put off, and when it is laid aside, the spiritual or essential person emerges, being thus purer, more interior and more perfect.
A spiritual person is still a complete person, even though not visible to a natural person, and this was clearly shown by the Lord's appearances to the apostles after His resurrection, in that He appeared and then disappeared, and yet remained the same person He was whether He was seen or unseen. They also said that when they saw Him, their eyes were opened. 1
Footnotes:
1. See Luke 24:31.
31. But note that after death people are not natural people but spiritual people. Yet to themselves they seem entirely the same so much so that for all they know they are still in the natural world, with the same body, the same face, the same voice, and the same senses - because they have the same feelings and thoughts, or the same will and intellect.
As a matter of fact, a person is actually not the same, because he is a spiritual person and therefore an internal person. But he does not notice the difference, because he cannot compare his condition with his previous earthly one, since he left that one behind and is in the other state. So I have often heard spirits say that for all they know they are still in the previous world - the only difference being that they no longer see the people whom they left behind in the world, while they do see those who had gone away from the world, or in other words, had died.
Actually, the reason they now see these people and not the others is that they are not natural people but spiritual, or substantial, and a spiritual or substantial person sees spiritual or substantial people just the way a natural or material person sees natural or material people. But the two do not see each other because of the difference between substance and matter, which is just like the difference between a source and its result. And because the source in its own right is finer, it cannot appear to the result, which in its own right is coarser, nor can the result, because it is coarser, appear to the source, which in its own right is finer. So an angel cannot appear to a person in this world nor a person in this world to an angel.
After death people can be spiritual or substantial people because the spiritual part was there all the time, unseen within the natural or material person, which was like clothing or a skin that they shed, to come out spiritual or substantial and therefore purer, more profound, and more complete.
The spiritual person is a complete person all the while, though unseen by the natural person. This is obvious, because the Apostles saw the Lord after His resurrection. He appeared and disappeared.
Still, He was the same Person whether seen or unseen. And they, too, said that when they saw Him their eyes were opened.
31. It should be known, however, that after death, man is not a natural but a spiritual man; and yet that to himself he seems exactly the same as before, and so much so that he knows no other than that he is still in the natural world; for he has alike body, a like face, a like speech and like senses--because a like affection and thought, or a like will and understanding. Actually indeed, he is not the same because he is a spiritual and hence an interior man; but the difference does not appear to him because he cannot compare his state with his previous natural state, having put off the latter and being in the former. Therefore, I have often heard them say that they know no other than that they are in the former world, with the sole distinction that they no longer see those whom they had left in that world, but see those who have departed from that world, that is, have died. The reason why they now see the latter and not the former, is because they are not natural but spiritual or substantial men, and the spiritual or substantial man sees the spiritual or substantial man, as the natural or material man sees the natural or material man. The spiritual man does not see the natural man, on account of the distinction between the substantial and the material, which is as the distinction between the prior and the posterior; and the prior, being in itself purer, cannot appear to the posterior which in itself is grosser; nor can the posterior, being grosser, appear to the prior which in itself is purer. Consequently, an angel cannot appear to a man of this world, nor a man of this world to an angel. The reason why man after death is a spiritual or substantial man, is because the latter lay inwardly concealed within the natural or material man. To him, the natural was as a garment or as exuviae, by the casting off of which he comes forth a spiritual or substantial, thus a purer, more interior, and more perfect man. Though the spiritual man does not appear to the natural, yet that he is a perfect man, is clearly manifest from the fact that the Lord was seen by the Apostles after the resurrection; that He appeared and presently did not appear; and yet, both when seen and when not seen, He was a man like unto Himself. They also said that when they saw Him their eyes were opened.
31. Let it be known that the human being after death is not a natural but a spiritual being. He seems to himself the same, so much so that he does not know but that he is still in the natural world, for he has a body, face, speech and senses as he had before, having affection and thought or will and understanding as before. Actually he is not the same, being spiritual and thus an interior human being; but the difference does not appear to him, as he cannot compare the state he has entered with his earlier natural state, which he has put off. Often enough, therefore, have I heard spirits say that they do not know but that they are in the former world, with the sole difference that they no longer see those whom they left in that world, but those who have departed from it or died. The reason is that they are not natural beings but spiritual or substantial. The spiritual or substantial man sees a spiritual or substantial man as the natural or material man sees another natural or material man. But spiritual does not see natural, or natural spiritual, because of the difference between what is substantial and what is material. The difference is like that between prior and posterior; the prior, in itself purer, cannot appear to the posterior, in itself grosser, nor the other way about. No angel can appear therefore to a man of this world, nor a man of this world to an angel. After death the human being is the spiritual or substantial man which lay hidden in the natural or material man. The one was like clothing to the other, or like exuviae, on the discarding of which the spiritual or substantial man or purer and more interior and more perfect being, emerges. That a spiritual man is still fully a human being, even if he is not visible to the natural man, is plain from the Lord's appearing to the Apostles after the resurrection, when He appeared and disappeared, and yet was a Man like Himself, whether seen or unseen. They also said, when they saw Him, that their eyes were opened.
31. But it is to be known that after death man is not a natural but a spiritual man; and yet that he appears to himself altogether similar, and so similar that he knows no otherwise than that he is still in the natural world. For he has a similar body, a similar face, similar speech, and similar senses, because he has similar affection and thought, or a similar will and understanding. He is indeed not actually similar; for he is a spiritual and therefore, an interior man. But the difference does not appear to him, because he cannot compare his state with his former natural state; for he has put that off and is in this. I have therefore, often heard them say that they know no otherwise than that they are in the former world, with the only difference that they no longer see those whom they had left in that world, but see those who had departed from that world, or had died. But the reason why they now see these and not those is that they are not natural, but spiritual or substantial men, and the spiritual or substantial man sees the spiritual or substantial man, just as the natural or material man sees the natural or material man. But they do not see each other on account of the difference between the substantial and the material, which is as the difference between what is prior and posterior; and the prior, because in itself it is purer, cannot appear to the posterior because in itself it is grosser; nor can the posterior, because it is grosser, appear to the prior which in itself is purer. Consequently, an angel cannot appear to a man of this world, nor a man of this world to an angel. After death man is a spiritual or substantial man, because the substantial was inwardly concealed within the natural or material man. The natural was to it as a garment, or as exuvioe, by the casting off of which the spiritual or substantial comes forth; thus what is purer, interior, and more perfect. That although the spiritual man does not appear to the natural he is yet a perfect man, is very plain from the fact that the Lord was seen by the apostles after the resurrection; that He appeared, and presently did not appear; and yet He was a man like unto Himself whether seen or not seen. They also said that they saw Him when 'their eyes were opened.'
31. At sciendum est, quod homo post mortem, non sit homo naturalis, sed homo spiritualis, et usque quod sibi prorsus similis appareat, ac ita similis, ut non aliter sciat, quam quod adhuc in Mundo naturali sit, simili enim corpore est, simili facie, simili loquela, et similibus sensibus, quia simili affectione et cogitatione, seu simili voluntate et intellectu: est quidem actualiter non similis, quia est spiritualis, et inde homo interior; sed discrimen non illi apparet, quia non potest conferre statum suum cum priori suo naturali, hunc enim exuit, et in illo est; quare saepius audivi illos dicentes, quod non sciant aliter, quam quod in priori Mundo sint, cum solo discrimine, quod non videant amplius illos, quos in illo Mundo reliquerant, sed quod videant illos qui ex illo Mundo abiverant seu obiverant; verum causa, quod hos nunc videant, et non illos, est quia non homines naturales sunt, sed spirituales seu substantiales, ac homo spiritualis seu substantialis videt hominem spiritualem seu substantialem sicut homo naturalis seu materialis videt hominem naturalem seu materialem, sed non vicissim, propter discrimen inter substantiale et materiale, quod est sicut discrimen inter prius et posterius, ac prius quia est in se purius, non apparere potest posteriori quod in se est crassius, nec potest posterius quia est crassius apparere priori quod in se est purius, proinde non Angelus homini hujus Mundi, nec homo hujus Mundi Angelo. Quod homo post mortem sit homo spiritualis seu substantialis, est quia hic intus latuit in homine naturali seu materiali; hic fuit illi sicut indumentum, aut sicut exuviae, quibus depositis exit ille spiritualis seu substantialis, ita purior, interior et perfectior. Quod homo spiritualis usque sit perfectus homo, tametsi non apparet homini naturali, manifeste patuit a Domino viso Apostolis post resurrectionem, quod apparuerit et mox non apparuerit, et tamen fuit homo sibi similis cum visus et non visus; dixerunt etiam, quod, cum viderunt Ipsum, aperti sint oculi illorum.