48、我在前面（20节）说明，阅读圣言并敬拜主的基督徒在整个灵人界的各民族和各人民的中心，因为他们享有最大、最强的属灵之光；这光从他们如同从一个中心散发到整个周边区域，直至最边远之处，带来光照；对此，可参看《新耶路撒冷教义之圣经篇》（104-113节）。新教徒照着他们对来自主的属灵之光的接受方式而在这个基督徒中心区域内有指定的地方。由于英国人所拥有的这光储存在他们的理解力部分，所以他们在这个中心区域的至内层。由于荷兰人所拥有的这光与属世之光联系更紧密，以至于这光在他们当中不是那么雪白，取而代之的是一种不完全透明的品质，这种品质接受既来自属灵之光，同时来自属灵之热的理性，所以他们在基督徒中心区域的东方和南方获得住处：在东方是因为他们能接受属灵之热，这热赋予他们仁；在南方是因为他们能接受属灵之光，这光赋予他们信。
灵界的方位不像自然界的方位，住处的位置取决于对信和爱的接受：住在东方的，在爱和仁上比较突出；住在南方的，在聪明和信仰上比较突出；对此，可参看《天堂与地狱》一书（141-153节）。他们之所以占据基督徒中心区域的这些方位，另外一个原因是，他们爱的目的是贸易，金钱是达到这个目的的手段，这是一种属灵的爱。然而，如果爱的目的是金钱，贸易成为达到这个目的的手段，那么这就是一种被贪婪所玷污的属世之爱。荷兰人比其他人更拥有刚才所提到的属灵之爱；就其本身而言，这爱等同于公共利益，包含并促进了他们祖国的利益。
48. The Dutch in the Spiritual World
I stated in 20 above that Christians among whom the Word is read and the Lord is worshiped are at the center of the nations and peoples of the whole world of spirits because they are in the greatest spiritual light; and the light radiates from them as from a center into the entire surroundings, even the most remote, and brings enlightenment (see what is presented in Teachings for the New Jerusalem on Sacred Scripture 104–113).
Within this Christian central region, Protestants are assigned particular places according to how receptive they are to spiritual light from the Lord. Since the British have that light hidden away in the intellectual part of themselves, they are in the inmost region of that central area. The Dutch, though, keep that spiritual light more closely connected to earthly light, which means that the light they see is not as snowy white. Instead, they see something that is not completely clear, but is receptive to a rationality that comes from both spiritual light and spiritual warmth; so they have been given homes in the eastern and southern parts of that central Christian area. They have homes in the east because they are receptive to spiritual warmth, which is their caring, and homes in the south because they are receptive to spiritual light, which is their faith.
[2] See Heaven and Hell 141–153 on these facts: that geographical regions in the spiritual world are not like geographical regions in the earthly world; that the particular region people live in depends on how receptive they are to faith and love; and that the people in the east are the ones who excel in love and caring, while the people in the south are the ones who excel in intelligence and faith.
[3] Another reason they are in the central area of the Christian region is that for them, business is what they love most and money is loved as a means; and this is a spiritual love; but when money is what is loved most and business is loved as a means, that is an earthly love that comes from greed.
The Dutch are more devoted than anyone else to the spiritual love just mentioned. That love truly equates to the common good, and this includes and subsumes the good of the nation.
48. VI. THE DUTCH IN THE SPIRITUAL WORLD
I said above (20) that the Christians among whom the Word is read and the Lord is worshipped are in the middle of the nations and peoples of the whole spiritual world, because they enjoy the strongest spiritual light, and it spreads its illumination as it extends to all the surrounding areas up to the outermost. This is as reported in (THE TEACHING ABOUT THE SACRED SCRIPTURE 104-113). The Reformed Christians have been allotted places in this centre depending on how they receive spiritual light from the Lord. Since the British have this light stored up in their intellectual faculty, they are in the inmost part of the centre. Since the Dutch have that light very closely connected with their natural enlightenment, so that among them the light has not such a snow-white brilliance, but instead a non-transparent quality which allows them to reason from spiritual light and spiritual heat as well, they have been given dwellings in the Christian heartland in the east and south, in the east because of their ability to receive spiritual heat, which gives them charity, in the south because of their ability to receive spiritual light, which gives them faith.
[2] Compass-points in the spiritual world are not like those in the natural world, and the location of dwellings depends on how faith and love are received, those in the east excelling in love and charity, those in the south excelling in intelligence and faith; on this see (HEAVEN AND HELL 141-153). Another reason why they occupy those quarters of the Christian heartland is that the aim of their love is directed to trading and to money as the means to that aim, and this is a spiritual love. But where the aim of love is money, and trading a means to that aim, it is a natural love, being tainted with greed. The Dutch above others have the spiritual love just mentioned; regarded in itself it is a shared good containing and advancing the good of their native country.
48. VI. THE DUTCH IN THE SPIRITUAL WORLD.
It was said above (n. 20), that Christians with whom the Word is read and the Lord is worshiped, are in the middle of the nations and people of the whole spiritual world, because the greatest spiritual light is with them, and the light is radiated thence as from a center into all the circumference even to the last boundary; and it enlightens, according to what is said in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Concerning the Sacred Scripture 104-113. In this middle, the Reformed Christians have places allotted to them according to their reception of spiritual light from the Lord; and since the English have that light stored up in the intellectual part, therefore they are in the inmost of that middle region; and because the Dutch keep that light more nearly conjoined to natural light, and hence there is no such brightness of light apparent among them, but in its place something not transparent which is receptive of rationality from spiritual light, and at the same time from spiritual heat, they, in the Christian middle region, have obtained dwellings in the east and south; in the east from the faculty of receiving spiritual heat, which in them is charity, and in the south from the faculty of receiving spiritual light, which in them is faith. That the quarters in the spiritual world are not like the quarters in the natural world, and that dwellings according to quarters, are dwellings according to the reception of faith and love, and that they who excel in love and charity, are in the east, and they who excel in intelligence and faith, are in the south, may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell 141-153). Another reason why they are in these quarters of the Christian middle region is, that trade is their final love, and money is the mediate subservient love, and that love is spiritual; but where money is the final love, and trade the mediate subservient love, the love is natural, and partakes of avarice. In the before-mentioned spiritual love, which regarded in itself is the common good, in which and from which is the good of the country, the Dutch excel others.
48. (VI.) HOLLANDIS IN MUNDO SPIRITUALI.
Supra (20) dictum est, quod Christiani, apud quos Verbum legitur et Dominus colitur, in medio gentium et populorum totius orbis spiritualis sint, ex causa quia maxima lux spiritualis apud illos est, et lux inde sicut a centro propagatur in omnes peripherias usque ad ultimas, ac illustrat; secundum illa quae in Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae de Scriptura Sacra (104-113) dicta sunt. In hoc medio Christiani Reformati sortiti sunt loca secundum receptionem lucis spiritualis a Domino; et quia Angli lucem illam in intellectuali parte apud se reconditam habent, ideo in intimo istius medii sunt; et quia Hollandi lucem illam lumini naturali propius conjunctam tenent, et inde non apparet apud illos tale niveum lucis, sed loco ejus aliquod non transparens, receptivum rationalitatis ex spirituali luce et simul ex spirituali calore, in meditullio illo Christiano habitationes nacti sunt in oriente et meridie; in oriente ex facultate recipiendi calorem spiritualem, qui illis est charitas, et in meridie ex facultate recipiendi lucem spiritualem, quae illis est fides. Quod plagae in mundo spirituali non sint sicut plagae in mundo naturali, et quod habitationes secundum plagas sint habitationes secundum receptionem fidei et amoris, et quod in oriente sint qui praestant amore et charitate, et in meridie qui praestant intelligentia et fide, videatur in opere De Caelo et Inferno (141-153). Causa quod in illis meditullii Christiani plagis sint, est quoque quia negotiatio est amor finalis eorum, et pecunia amor medius inserviens, et ille amor est spiritualis; at ubi pecunia est amor finalis, et negotiatio amor medius inserviens, est amor naturalis, et trahit ex avaritia. In supradicto amore spirituali, qui in se spectatus est bonum commune, in quo et ex quo est bonum patriae, sunt Hollandi prae aliis.