355、谁都能从自然界中所看到的事物来确认支持神性，只要他想想关于蜜蜂的已知情况：它们知道如何从花草中采集蜂蜡和提取蜂蜜，知道如何筑造类似小房子的蜂室，并将它们布置成一座城的样式，带有进出的街道；它们远远地就能嗅到花草的芳香，并从中为它们的房子采集蜂蜡，为它们的食物采集蜂蜜，然后满载这些东西径直飞回蜂巢，从而为即将来临的冬天预备食物和住处，仿佛它们预见并意识到了这一点。它们还拥立一位掌权的雌性为女王，通过她来繁衍后代；它们在上面为她建造宫殿，侍从或警卫们都围绕着她；分娩之际，她在侍从或警卫们的陪同下，逐个蜂室产卵，这些卵被跟随她的蜂群密封保护起来，以免暴露于空气；它们从这些卵中产出新的一代。后来，当新生的这一代发育成熟，能做同样的事时，它们就被逐出蜂巢。被逐出的蜂群首先聚集在一起，为了防止蜂群分散，它们成群结队地飞走，为自己寻觅家园。此外，到了秋天，无用的雄蜂就被带出去，并剥去翅膀，以防止它们回来并消耗蜂群的食物，因为它们没有为这些食物付出任何努力。还有许多其它现象；由此可见，由于蜜蜂对人类所发挥的有益功用，它们凭来自灵界的一种流注而拥有类似地上的世人，甚至天上的天使当中的那种政府形式。凡理性完好无损的人，谁看不出蜜蜂的这些行为并非出于自然界？自然界所源于的太阳，与一个模仿并类似天堂政府的政府有什么共同点呢？
根据这些现象，以及野兽身上的其它类似现象，自然的拥护者和崇拜者确认支持自然；而同样根据这些现象，神的拥护者和崇拜者则确认支持神性。因为属灵人在它们里面看见属灵事物，属世人则看见属世事物，因而各自看到的都是诸如符合自己性格的那类事物。至于我自己，对我来说，这类现象就是证据，证明属灵的流入属世的，也就是灵界流入自然界；因此，它们是来自主之神性智慧的一种流注的证据。此外，请考虑一下，如果没有某种神性之物从主的智慧经由灵界流入，你还能不能以一种分析的方式思考任何政府形式、任何民法、任何道德美德，或属灵真理。至于我，过去不能，现在也不能。因为我已经明显感知到这种流注，至今已有近十九年，没有间断。因此，我是作为见证人来说的。
355. Anyone can decide for Divinity on the basis of observations of nature by looking at what we know about bees. Bees know how to collect wax from plants and flowers and how to extract honey, how to build cells like little homes and arrange them in a form like a city, with open spaces for entrance and exit. They scent at a distance the flowers and plants from which they collect wax for their dwellings and honey for their food. Laden with them they fly back to their own territory, to their own hive. In this way, they provide themselves with food and shelter for the coming winter just as though they saw it coming. They appoint a female leader as queen to be the source of their progeny and they build a kind of hall above her, surrounding her with servants; and when the time of birth has arrived, she goes from cell to cell with her retinue of servants and lays her eggs, with the attendant crew sealing the cells to protect them from the air. This provides them with a new generation.
Later, when this generation has reached the age when it can do the same, it is driven out of its home, and once it has been driven out it first gathers itself and then forms a swarm so that its company will not be dispersed, and flies off in search of a home. About autumn, too, the useless drones are taken out and shorn of their wings so that they cannot return and use up food to which they contribute nothing. There is much more, which enables us to conclude that it is for the useful function they perform for the human race and from an inflow from the spiritual world that they have a form of government like ours on earth and even like angels' in heaven. Can anyone furnished with rationality fail to see that things like this do not come from the physical world? What does the sun, the source of nature, have in common with a government that rivals and reflects heavenly government?
On the basis of all this and of other miracles among simple animals, people who acknowledge and worship nature decide for nature, while people who acknowledge and worship God decide for Divinity on the very same basis. That is, a spiritually-minded person sees spiritual forces in these events, and an earthly-minded person sees physical forces in these events. We see [reflections of] our own nature.
As for me, things like this have been testimonies to a spiritual inflow into nature, of the spiritual world into the physical world, an inflow, therefore, from the Lord's divine wisdom. Ask yourself seriously whether you could even think analytically about any form of government, any civil law, any moral virtue, or any spiritual truth unless Divinity were flowing in with its wisdom through the spiritual world. In my own case, I never could and I still cannot. I have actually been constantly watching this inflow perceptibly, tangibly, for nineteen years, so I am saying this on the basis of evidence.
355. Everyone can, from the visible phenomena in nature, confirm himself on the side of the Divine when he considers what is known about bees: that they know how to gather wax and extract honey from herbs and flowers, and to construct cells resembling little houses and arrange them into the pattern of a city, with streets by which to go in and out; that they detect from a distance the fragrance of the flowers and herbs from which they gather wax for their home and honey for their food, and laden with these fly back in a direct line to their hive, thus providing for themselves food and habitation for the coming winter, as though they foresaw it and were aware of it. They also set over them a dominant female as queen by which to propagate their posterity, and for her they build a kind of court above, with attendants surrounding her. When the time comes for her to deliver, she goes accompanied by her attendants from cell to cell and lays her eggs, which are sealed up by the swarm following her to protect them from the air. From these they produce a new generation. Later, when the new generation has advanced to the appropriate age to be able to do the like, it is expelled from the nest; and having been expelled, the horde first gathers itself, and in a swarm therefore to keep the assemblage from being scattered, flies away to seek for itself a home. Around the time of autumn, moreover, the useless drones are taken out and divested of their wings, to keep them from returning and consuming the colony's food, for which they have expended no effort. And many other phenomena as well; from which it can be seen that, because of the useful service which bees perform for the human race, they have by virtue of an influx from the spiritual world a form of government such as is found among human beings on earth, indeed among angels in heaven.
What person who has his reason intact does not see that such phenomena in these creatures are not owing to the natural world? The sun from which nature springs - what characteristic does it have in common with a government imitative of and analogous to the government of heaven?
[2] From these and other like phenomena in the case of brute animals, the proponent and worshiper of nature confirms himself on the side of nature, while the proponent and worshiper of God, from the same phenomena, confirms himself on the side of the Divine. For a spiritual person sees spiritual effects in them, and the natural person natural ones - thus each such things as accord with his character.
As for myself, to me phenomena of this sort have been evidence of an influx of the spiritual realm into the natural, or of the spiritual world into the natural world, emanating thus from the Lord's Divine wisdom.
Consider, too, whether you could think in an analytical manner about any form of government, any civil law, any moral virtue, or any spiritual truth, if something Divine did not flow in from His wisdom through the spiritual world. For my part, I could not and cannot. For I have been consciously and sensibly aware of that influx for almost nineteen years now without interruption. Therefore I speak from personal experience.
355. Anyone can confirm himself in favour of the Divine, from things to be seen in nature, by consideration of what is known about the bees. They know how to gather wax and suck honey from herbs and flowers, and to build cells like tiny houses, and arrange them in the form of a city with streets through which they pass in and out. They scent at long distances the flowers and herbs from which they gather wax for their home and honey for food, and laden with these fly back in a direct line to their hive. Thus do they provide themselves with food and dwelling for the coming winter, as if they foresaw its approach and knew of it. They also appoint for themselves a mistress as queen, by whom a further generation will be propagated; and for her they make a royal court above themselves with guards in attendance round about; when the time of bringing forth approaches, she goes with her retinue of attendants from cell to cell and lays her eggs, which the throng of followers smear all over lest they receive injury from the air; from these a new progeny is to come forth for them. Later, when this progeny has advanced to its maturity, so that it can do the same, it is driven from the hive. The expelled swarm first gathers itself together, and then in a body, lest the association be dispersed, flies away in quest of a home for itself. Moreover, in the autumn the useless drones are led out and deprived of their wings, lest they return and consume the food for which they have not worked: not to mention other particulars. From these facts it can be established that, on account of the use performed to the human race by influx from the spiritual world, bees have a form of government like that which exists with men on earth, or rather with the angels in heaven. Can any man of unimpaired reason fail to see that their methods do not come from the natural world? What is there in common between the sun from which nature exists and a government that rivals and compares with the government of heaven? From these and other very similar things in the brute creation, the man who avows and worships nature confirms himself in favour of nature, while he who avows and worships God by those same things, confirms himself in favour of the Divine. For the spiritual man sees in them spiritual things, and the natural man natural things, thus each according to his character. So far as I am concerned, I have regarded these things as proofs of the influx of the spiritual into the natural, or of the spiritual world into the natural world, and therefore from the Divine Wisdom of the Lord. Moreover, consider whether you can think analytically about any form of government, any civil law, and moral virtue, or any spiritual truth, unless the Divine flows in out of His Wisdom through the spiritual world. As for myself, I could not and cannot do so, for I have observed that influx, perceptibly and sensibly, for nearly nineteen years continuously, and therefore speak from actual experience.
355. Any one may confirm himself in favor of the Divine from things seen in nature by giving attention to what is known about bees: that they know how to collect wax and suck honey from herbs and flowers, and to build cells like little houses, and set them in the form of a city, with streets through which to come in and go out; that they scent at long distances the flowers and herbs from which they collect wax for their houses and honey for food, and laden with these fly back in a direct line to their hive; thus providing themselves with food and habitation for the coming winter, as if they had foresight and knowledge of it. They also set over them a mistress as queen, out of whom a posterity may be propagated; and for her they build a sort of a palace over themselves with guards around it; and when her time of bringing forth is at hand, she goes attended by her guards from cell to cell, and lays her eggs, which the crowd of followers smear over to protect them from the air, from which a new progeny springs forth for them. When this progeny becomes mature enough to do the same, it is driven from the hive. The expelled swarm first collects, and then in a close body, to preserve its integrity, flies away in quest of a home for itself. Moreover, in the autumn the useless drones are led out and are deprived of their wings to prevent their returning and consuming the food for which they have not labored; not to mention other particulars. From all this it can be seen that bees, because of their use to the human race, have from influx from the spiritual world, a form of government similar to that among men on earth, and even like that of angels in heaven. Can any man of unimpaired reason fail to see that these doings of the bees are not from the natural world? What has that sun, from which nature springs, in common with a government that vies with and resembles the government of heaven? From these things and others very similar to them in the brute creation, the confessor and worshiper of nature confirms himself in favor of nature, while the confessor and worshiper of God confirms himself from the same things in favor of the Divine; for the spiritual man sees in them spiritual things and the natural man natural things, thus each according to his character. As for myself, such things have been proofs to me of an influx of the spiritual into the natural, that is, of the spiritual world into the natural world, thus of an influx from the Lord's Divine Wisdom. Consider, moreover, whether you can think analytically concerning any form of government, or any civil law, or moral virtue, or spiritual truth, unless the Divine out of His wisdom flows in through the spiritual world? For myself, I could not and cannot. For having now observed that influx perceptibly and sensibly for about nineteen years continually, I speak as an eye-witness.
355. Quisque ex visibilibus in natura pro Divino se potest confirmare, dum attendit ad illa quae nota sunt de Apibus, quod sciant ex herbis et floribus colligere ceram, et exsugere mel, ac struere cellas sicut domunculas, et disponere illas in formam civitatis cum plateis per quas intrent et per quas exeant; quod e longinquo odorent flores et herbas, e quibus colligant ceras pro domo, ac mella pro victu, et quod illis referti revolent secundum plagam, ad suum alveare: sic prospiciunt sibi victum et habitationem pro ventura hyeme, sicut illam praeviderent et scirent: praeficiunt etiam sibi dominam sicut reginam, ex qua posteritas propagetur; et pro illa quasi aulam supra se struunt, cum satellitiis circum, quae cum tempus partus instat, vadit in comitatu a satellitiis a cellula in cellulam, et ponit ova, quae turba sequens circumlinit ne laedantur ab aere; inde illis nova soboles: postea, cum haec ad aetatem suam provecta est, ut similia possint facere, expellitur domo; ac expulsum examen se primum colligit, et inde in turma, ne consociatio dissipetur, evolat ad investigandum sibi domicilium: circa autumnum etiam inutiles fuci educuntur, et deprivantur alis, ne redeant, et escas suas, quibus nihil operae impenderunt, consumant, praeter plura; ex quibus constare potest, quod illis propter usum quem praestant Humano Generi, ex influxu e spirituali Mundo, sit forma regiminis qualis est apud homines in terris, imo apud angelos in coelis: quis cui ratio illibata est, non videt, quod talia 1 apud illos non sint ex Mundo naturali; 2 quid Sol a quo natura est, commune habet cum regimine aemulo et analogo regiminis coelestis.
[2] Ex his et ex consimilibus aliis apud animalia bruta, confessor et cultor naturae confirmat se pro natura, cum confessor et cultor Dei ex iisdem confirmat se pro Divino; nam spiritualis homo videt spiritualia in illis, et naturalis homo videt naturalia in illis, ita quisque qualis est. Quod me attinet, talia mihi fuerunt testimonia influxus spiritualis in naturale, seu Mundi spiritualis in Mundum naturalem, ita a Divina Sapientia Domini. Expende etiam, num de aliqua forma regiminis, aut de aliqua lege civili, aut de aliqua virtute morali, aut de aliqua veritate spirituali, potes analytice cogitare, nisi Divinum ex Sapientia sua per Mundum spiritualem influat; quod ad me, non potui nec possum; animadverti enim perceptibiliter et sensibiliter influxum illum nunc intra 19 annos continue; quare hoc dico ex testato.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: ralia
2. Prima editio: nuturali;