39、人有两种思维模式，即外在的和内在的。在尘世，人使用外在模式；在灵界，则使用内在模式。对善人来说，这两种模式行如一体，但对恶人来说则不然。在尘世，查看人的内层是什么样几乎是不可能的，因为他从小就想举止得体，并学习如此表现。但在灵界，他的性质是显而易见的，因为属灵之光会揭示它；那时他是一个灵，而灵就是内在人。由于我蒙允许享有属灵之光，并在这光的帮助下通过与天使并灵人多年来的交往而看到各个国家的人的内在是什么样，所以我有责任把这信息公布出来，这很重要。我先说一说英国这个高贵民族。
39. The British in the Spiritual World
We have two levels of thought, outer and inner. In our outer thinking we are in this earthly world, but in our inner thinking we are in the spiritual world. In good people these levels are in harmony with each other, but in evil people they are not. In this earthly world it is rarely clear what someone is like inwardly, because from early childhood we have tried to be moral and have learned to seem so; but in the spiritual world our nature is plain to see. Spiritual light uncovers this. And we are then spirits, and the spirit is the inner self.
Since I have been granted the opportunity to be in that light and to see by that light what the inner selves of people from various nations are like—this through associating with angels and spirits for many years—I have a duty to reveal this information; it is important.
I will first say something about that excellent nation, the British.
39. V. THE BRITISH IN THE SPIRITUAL WORLD
Human beings have two modes of thinking, external and internal. In the natural world they use the external mode, in the spiritual world the internal. These two modes act as one in the case of the good, but not in the case of the wicked. It is rarely possible in the natural world to see what a person's interior is like, since from childhood he has wanted to be well-behaved and has learned to appear so. But in the spiritual world his nature is plain to see, for spiritual light reveals this; and he is then a spirit, and the spirit is the internal man. Now because I have been allowed to enjoy that light and by its help to see what the internal men from different kingdoms are like, having spent many years in contact with angels and spirits, it is my duty to publish this as a matter of importance. I start with some remarks on the British upper classes.
39. V. THE ENGLISH IN THE SPIRITUAL WORLD.
There are two states of thought with man, an external and an internal state; man is in the external state in the natural world, in the internal state in the spiritual world: these states make one with the good, but not with the evil. What a man is as to his internal, is rarely manifest in the natural world, because from his infancy, he has wished to be moral, and has learned to seem so. But what he is, clearly appears in the spiritual world, for spiritual light discloses it, and also man is then a spirit, and the spirit is the internal man. Now, since it has been given me to be in that light, and from it, to see what the internal is in the men of various kingdoms, by an interaction of many years with angels and spirits, it behooves me to manifest it, because of its importance. Here I will say something of the noble English nation only.
39. (V.) DE ANGLIS IN MUNDO SPIRITUALI.
Sunt duo status cogitationis apud hominem, externus et internus; homo in externo est in mundo naturali, in interno est in mundo spirituali: hi status unum faciunt apud bonos, sed non unum apud malos. Qualis homo quoad internum suum est, raro patet in mundo naturali, quoniam ab infantia voluit moralis esse, et didicit videri; sed in mundo spirituali clare apparet qualis est: lux spiritualis hoc detegit; est quoque homo tunc spiritus, et spiritus est internus homo. Nunc quia mihi datum est in illa luce esse, et ex illa videre quales interni homines sunt ab uno regno et ab altero, hoc per commercium plurium annorum cum angelis et spiritibus, me oportet, quia interest, id manifestare: hic modo aliquid de nobili gente Anglica.