300、前面(173-178, 179-183节)说明，灵界和自然界一样，都有大气在里面。那里还说明，灵界的大气是属灵的，而自然界的大气是属世的。从直接包围灵界太阳的属灵大气的起源可以看出，大气中的一切本质上具有和灵界太阳本质上一样的性质。天使凭借他们脱离空间的属灵观念对这一事实作了如下解释：只有一种物质是其它一切事物的源头，该物质就是灵界太阳。此外，由于神性不在空间中，且在最大和最小之物上都是一样的，所以神-人首先发出的灵界太阳也是这样。他们还进一步说，这唯一的物质，也就是通过大气照着连续或广度层级，同时照着离散或高度层级发出的灵界太阳，产生了存在于受造宇宙中的一切事物的多样性。天使声称，若不剔除空间概念，这些事根本无法理解；如果不剔除空间概念，那么表象必造成误解。但只要人坚持认为神是存在本身，一切事物皆源于这存在，这种误解就不会发生。
300. I explained in 173-178, 179-183 above that there are atmospheres in the spiritual world just as there are in the physical world; and I noted that the atmospheres of the spiritual world are spiritual, and that those of the physical world are physical. Given the origin of the spiritual atmosphere most closely surrounding the spiritual sun, then, it stands to reason that in all respects it is, in essence, of the same quality as the sun is in its essence.
With their spiritual concepts, which are nonspatial, angels assert the truth of this by saying that there is only one single substance underlying everything and that the spiritual world's sun is that substance. Further, since Divinity is not in space and since it is the same in the largest and smallest things, the same holds true for that sun that is the first emanation of the Divine-Human One. They further assert that the one substance, the sun, radiating by its atmospheres, gives rise to the variety of everything in the created universe, in accord with both the gradual or horizontal levels and the distinct or vertical ones.
Angels have told me that there is no way to understand such things unless space is banished from our concepts; that if space is not banished, superficial appearances will inevitably give rise to illusions. We are not susceptible to them, though, if we hold in mind the fact that God is the absolute reality underlying everything.
300. We showed in nos. 173-183 above that the spiritual world has atmospheres in it just as the natural world does in it, and we said that the atmospheres of the spiritual world are spiritual, while the atmospheres of the natural world are natural. Now, from the origin of the spiritual atmosphere immediately surrounding the spiritual sun, it can be seen that everything in that atmosphere is in its essence of the same nature as the sun in its essence.
The reality of this is something angels with their spiritual ideas, which are independent of space, have declared, saying that there is one single substance from which springs all else, and that the sun of the spiritual world is that substance. Moreover, because the Divine does not exist in space, and in the greatest and least of things is the same, the like is the case, they have said, with that sun which is the first emanation of the human God. They have also said further that this one single substance, which is their sun, emanating by means of the atmospheres in conformity with continuous degrees or degrees of breadth and at the same time in conformity with discrete degrees or degrees of height, produces the varieties of all that exists in the created universe.
Angels have said that these matters cannot be at all comprehended unless one removes notions of space from his ideas, and that if these notions are not removed, it is inevitable that appearances give rise to misconceptions. Such misconceptions cannot occur, however, as long as one holds to the thought that God is being itself, from which springs all else.
300. It has been shown above (173-178, 179-183) that there are atmospheres in the spiritual world as there are in the natural world. And it was there stated that the atmospheres of the spiritual world are spiritual, while the atmospheres of the natural world are natural. It can now be established, from the origin of the spiritual atmosphere most closely encompassing the spiritual Sun, that everything belonging to it is, in its essence, of the same nature as that Sun in its essence. That this is so, the angels, by means of their spiritual ideas which are apart from space, declare in this way, namely, that there is only one substance from which all things are, and that the Sun of the spiritual world is that substance, and because the Divine is not in space, and is the same in things greatest and least, this is also the case with that Sun which is the first going forth of God-Man. Furthermore, this one only substance which is the Sun, going forth by means of atmospheres according to continuous degrees or degrees of latitude, and at the same time according to discrete degrees or degrees of altitude, presents varieties of all the things in the created universe. The angels declared that, unless spaces are removed from ideas, these things can in no way be comprehended, and if they are not removed, it cannot be but that appearances induce fallacies. Yet these fallacies cannot be induced so long as it is thought that God is the very Esse from which all things are.
300. That there are atmospheres in the angelic world, as well as in the natural world, has been shown above (n. 173-178, 179-183). It was there declared that the atmospheres of the spiritual world are spiritual, and the atmospheres of the natural world are natural. It can now be seen, from the origin of the spiritual atmosphere most closely encompassing the spiritual sun, that everything belonging to it is in its essence such as the sun is in its essence. The angels, by means of their spiritual ideas, which are apart from space, elucidate this truth as follows: There is only one substance from which all things are, and the sun of the spiritual world is that substance; and since the Divine is not in space, and is the same in things greatest and least, this is also true of that sun which is the first going forth of God-Man; furthermore, this one only substance, which is the sun, going forth by means of atmospheres according to continuous degrees or degrees of breadth, and at the same time according to discrete degrees or degrees of height presents the varieties of all things in the created universe. The angels declared that these things are totally incomprehensible, unless spaces be removed from the ideas; and if not removed, appearances must needs induce fallacies. But so long as the thought is held that God is the very Esse from which all things are, fallacies cannot enter.
300. Quod in Mundo spirituali sint aeque Athmosphaerae, ut in Mundo naturali, supra 173-183, ostensum est, et dictum est, quod Athmosphaerae Mundi spiritualis sint spirituales, ac Athmosphaerae Mundi naturalis 1 sint naturales: nunc ex origine Athmosphaerae spiritualis proxime ambientis Solem spiritualem constare potest, quod unumquodvis ejus sit in essentia sua qualis est Sol in sua. Quod ita sit, Angeli per spirituales suas ideas, quae sunt absque spatio, declarant per hoc, quod sit unica substantia, ex qua omnia sunt, et quod Sol Mundi spiritualis sit illa substantia; et quia Divinum non est in spatio, et quia in maximis et minimis est idem, quod similiter ille Sol, qui est primum procedens Dei Hominis: et porro, quod unica illa substantia, quae est Sol, secundum gradus continuos seu latitudinis, et simul secundum gradus discretos seu altitudinis, mediis Athmosphaeris procedens, sistat varietates omnium in Universo creato. Dixerunt Angeli, quod haec, nisi removeantur spatia ab ideis, nullatenus comprehendi possint; et quod, si non removentur, non possit quin apparentiae inducant fallacias: quae tamen non induci queunt, dum cogitatur, quod Deus sit ipsum Esse ex quo omnia.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: nuturalis