115、至于主如何在天使里面，天使又如何在主里面，人是无法理解的，除非知道他们结合的性质。它是主与天使，并天使与主的结合，因而是相互的。就天使而言，该结合如下：和世人一样，天使没有其它感知，只觉得他凭自己拥有爱与智慧，因而爱与智慧可以说是他的，或他自己的。除非他有这样的感知，否则不会有结合；因而主就不会在他里面，他也不会在主里面。主不可能在任何天使或世人里面，除非有主及其爱与智慧在里面的那个人感知并觉察它们似乎是他的。通过这种方式，主不仅被接受，当被接受时还被保留，同样反过来被爱。天使也通过这种方式变得智慧并保留智慧。如果没有觉察并感知所热爱、学习并吸收的东西好似自己的，谁愿意爱主爱邻，谁又愿意变得智慧呢？不然，谁又能将其留在自己里面呢？若非如此，所流入的爱与智慧不会有居所，因为它会流过去，不会产生影响。因此，天使不会是天使，人也不会是人；他们实际上是没有生命的。由此可见，若要有结合，必须有一种相互性。
115. Still, there is no understanding how the Lord is in an angel and an angel is in the Lord except through knowing what kind of union is involved. It is a union of the Lord with the angel and of the angel with the Lord, so it is a reciprocal union. On the angel's side, it is like this. Angels, like us, simply feel as though they participate in love and wisdom on their own, and therefore that love and wisdom are theirs, their very own. If they did not feel this way there would be no union, so the Lord would not be in them, nor they in the Lord. It cannot happen that the Lord is in any angels or people unless they, as subjects of his presence in love and wisdom, sense and feel this as their own. This enables them not only to accept but also to retain what they have accepted, and to love in response. This, then, is how angels become wise and remain wise. Can people decide to love God and their neighbor, can people decide to gain wisdom, unless they feel and sense that what they love, learn, and gain is their own? Can they retain anything in themselves otherwise? If it were not for this, then the inflowing love and wisdom would have no seat. They would flow right through without making any difference; and as a result angels would not be angels and people would not be human. They would be virtually lifeless.
It makes sense, then, that if there is to be union, there must be reciprocity.
115. But how the Lord is in an angel, and an angel in the Lord, cannot be comprehended unless one knows the nature of their conjunction. It is a conjunction of the Lord with the angel, and of the angel with the Lord. Consequently it is a reciprocal conjunction.
This conjunction on the part of the angel is as follows. An angel has no other perception than that he possesses love and wisdom of himself, like any person, and thus he feels as though love and wisdom are his as qualities belonging to him. If he did not have that perception, there would be no conjunction; thus he would not have the Lord in him, and he would not be in the Lord. Nor is it possible for the Lord to be in any angel or person unless the one in whom He is present with His love and wisdom perceives and feels that presence as something his own. Because of this the Lord is not only received, but, having been received, is retained and also loved in return. Consequently it is because of this that an angel becomes wise and remains wise.
Who could possibly want to love the Lord and the neighbor, and who could possibly want to become wise, if he did not feel and perceive what he loves, learns and incorporates as being something his own? Who would otherwise retain it in himself? If the case were not as it is, any love and wisdom flowing in would have no seat, for it would flow on through a person without affecting him. Thus the angel would not be an angel, and the person would not be a person; indeed, the angel or person would be only like something inanimate.
It can be seen from this that there must be reciprocity for conjunction to exist.
115. But how the Lord is in an angel, and an angel in the Lord cannot be comprehended unless the nature of the conjunction is known. The conjunction is of the Lord with the angel and of the angel with the Lord; wherefore it is a reciprocal conjunction. On the part of the angel it is as follows. The angel has no other perception, in the same way as man, than that he is in love and wisdom from himself, and hence as if that love and wisdom were his, or his own. Unless he felt in this way, there would be no conjunction, thus the Lord would not be in him nor he in the Lord. Nor can it be possible for the Lord to be in any angel or man unless he, in whom the Lord is with love and wisdom perceived, and felt as if they were his. By this, the Lord is not only received, but having been received is retained, and also loved in return. And so by this the angel becomes wise and remains wise. Who can wish to love the Lord and his neighbour, and who can wish to be wise unless he perceives and feels that what he loves, learns and imbibes is, as it were, his own? Otherwise who can retain it in himself? If this were not so, the inflowing love and wisdom would have no place in him for it would flow through without affecting him. Thus an angel would not be an angel, nor would a man be a man, indeed, he would simply be like something inanimate. From the foregoing it can be established that there must be reciprocity for there to be conjunction.
115. But how the Lord is in an angel and an angel in the Lord cannot be comprehended, unless the nature of their conjunction is known. Conjunction is of the Lord with the angel and of the angel with the Lord; conjunction, therefore, is reciprocal. On the part of the angel it is as follows. The angel, in like manner as man, has no other perception than that he is in love and wisdom from himself, consequently that love and wisdom are, as it were, his or his own. Unless he so perceived there would be no conjunction, thus the Lord would not be in him, nor he in the Lord. Nor can it be possible for the Lord to be in any angel or man, unless the one in whom the Lord is, with love and wisdom, has a perception and sense as if they were his. By this means the Lord is not only received, but also, when received, is retained, and likewise loved in return. And by this, also, the angel is made wise and continues wise. Who can wish to love the Lord and his neighbor, and who can wish to be wise, without a sense and perception that what he loves, learns, and imbibes is, as it were, his own? Who otherwise can retain it in himself? If this were not so, the inflowing love and wisdom would have no abiding-place, for it would flow through and not affect; thus an angel would not be an angel, nor would man be a man; he would be merely like something inanimate. From all this it can be seen that there must be an ability to reciprocate that there may be conjunction.
115. Sed quomodo Dominus est in Angelo, et Angelus in Domino, non potest comprehendi, nisi sciatur qualis conjunctio est; conjunctio est Domini cum Angelo, ac Angeli cum Domino, quare est conjunctio reciproca; est illa a parte Angeli ut sequitur; Angelus non percipit aliter quam quod sit in amore et sapientia a se, similiter ut homo, et inde sicut amor et sapientia sint ejus ut 1 sua; nisi ita perciperet, non foret aliqua conjunctio, ita non foret Dominus in illo, et ille in Domino; nec dari potest, quod Dominus sit in aliquo angelo et homine, nisi ille, in quo cum amore et sapientia est, percipiat et sentiat id sicut suum; per hoc non modo recipitur, sed etiam receptus retinetur, et quoque redamatur; quare per id fit Angelus sapiens, et manet sapiens; quis potest velle amare Dominum et proximum, et quis potest velle sapere, nisi sentiat et percipiat id quod amat, discit et haurit, sicut suum; quis aliter potest retinere illud apud se; si id non foret, amor et sapientia influens non aliquam sedem haberet, transflueret enim nec afficeret; sic angelus non foret angelus, nec homo foret homo, imo non foret aliud quam sicut est inanimatum. Ex his constare potest, quod reciprocum esse debeat, ut sit conjunctio.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: aut