60、在灵界，我听见周围许多人谈论说，他们很愿意承认神性在宇宙的每一个事物里面，因为他们在其中看到神的奇事，越深入观察，它们似乎越奇妙。然而，当他们被告知，神性的确在宇宙的每一个事物里面时，却又表现出不悦；这表明他们所说的，他们并非真的相信。因此，我问他们能否仅从每一粒种子里面的奇妙能力看出这一点，因为它按类似秩序产生自己的植被，直至产生新种子；还因为对无限和永恒者的观念就存在于每一粒种子中；种子有一种无限自我繁殖并结出果实，直到永远的努力在里面。
这一点在每个活物，甚至最小活物中不也显而易见吗？因为它里面有感觉器官，还有脑、心、肺和其它部位；以及动脉、静脉、纤维、肌肉和它们的功能；更不用说它们天性中的奇妙现象了，关于该主题已有整套书卷写成。所有这些奇事都来自神，但它们所披的形式却来自尘世物质，从尘世物质形成植物，也按次序形成人。所以经上论到人说：他是从土里被造的，是地上的尘土，生气吹在他鼻孔里(创世记2:7)。由此明显可知，神性不是人自己的，而是附着于他。
60. I once heard a number of people around me in the spiritual world talking and saying that they did in fact want to recognize that there was something divine in absolutely everything in the universe because they saw God's wonders there, and the deeper they looked, the more wonderful were the things they saw. However, when they heard someone say that there actually was something divine in absolutely everything in the created universe, they resented it. This was a sign that they claimed the belief but did not actually believe it.
They were therefore asked whether they could not see this simply in the marvelous ability in every seed of generating its growth in sequence all the way to new seeds. In every seed, then, there is an image of something infinite and eternal, an inherent effort to multiply and bear fruit without limit, to eternity.
Or they might see this in even the tiniest animals, realizing that they contain sensory organs, brains, hearts, lungs, and the like, along with arteries, veins, nerve fibers, muscles, and the activities that arise from them, to say nothing of incredible features of their basic nature that have had whole books written about them.
All these wonders come from God, though the forms that clothe them are of earthly matter. These forms give rise to plant life and, in due sequence, to human life. This is why humanity is said to have been created out of the ground, to be the dust of the earth with the breath of life breathed in (Genesis 2:7). We can see from this that the divine nature is not our possession but is joined to us.
60. I heard a number of people in the spiritual world speaking round about me, saying that they were quite willing to acknowledge that the Divine is present in each and every constituent of the universe, because they saw in these constituents the wonders of God, and the more deeply they viewed them, the more wonderful they seemed. But yet when I told them that the Divine actually is within each and every constituent of the created universe, they responded with indignation - a sign that they really did not believe what they said.
Therefore I asked them whether they could not see it simply from the marvelous ability that exists in every seed to reproduce its own kind of plant in such a progression of development as to culminate in new seeds. Or from the fact that in every seed there is a reflection of the infinite and eternal, for they have in them a striving to multiply and produce fruit infinitely and to eternity.
[2] Consider also any animal, even the smallest - that it has in it sense organs, a brain, heart, lungs, and all the other organs, including arteries, veins, fibers, muscles, and the functions of these, not to mention the amazing phenomena inherent in their character, on which subject we have available whole books written.
All of these wonders come from God, while the forms in which they are clothed come from materials of the earth. Out of these are formed plants, and in turn human beings. Consequently of man it is said that he was created out of the ground, and that he is dust of the earth, and that the breath of life was breathed into him (Genesis 2:7). From this it is apparent that the Divine is not man's but is something adjoined to him.
60. I have heard several around me in the spiritual world talking and saying that they were quite willing to acknowledge that the Divine is in each and every thing of the universe, because they see therein the wonderful works of God, which the more interiorly they are viewed, the more wonderful they are. Yet when they heard that the Divine is actually in each and every thing of the universe, they were indignant, a sign that although they state this they do not believe it. They were therefore asked whether this cannot be seen if only from the marvellous power which is in every seed of producing its own vegetable form in such order even to new seeds; also that in every seed there is the idea of the infinite and eternal, for there is in seeds an effort to multiply themselves and to fructify to infinity and eternity. Also in every living creature, even the smallest, this effort appears from their having organs of sense, also brains, heart, lungs and other parts, with arteries, veins, fibres, muscles, and their activities, besides the stupendous things in their instincts about which whole volumes have been written. All these wonderful things are from God, but the forms with which they are clothed are from earthy matters, from which come plants and, in their order, men. Therefore it is said of man that he was created out of the ground, and that he is the dust of the earth, and that the soul of lives was breathed into him (Gen. 2:7); from which it is clear that the Divine does not belong to man but is adjoined to him.
60. I heard several about me in the spiritual world talking together, who said that they were quite willing to acknowledge that the Divine is in each and every thing of the universe, because they behold therein the wonderful works of God, and these are the more wonderful the more interiorly they are examined. And yet, when they were told that the Divine is actually in each and every thing of the universe, they were displeased; which is a proof that although they assert this they do not believe it. They were therefore asked whether this cannot be seen simply from the marvelous power which is in every seed, of producing its own vegetable form in like order, even to new seeds; also because in every seed an idea of the infinite and eternal is presented; since there is in seeds an endeavor to multiply themselves and to fructify infinitely and eternally? Is not this evident also in every living creature, even the smallest? In that there are in it organs of sense, also brains, a heart, lungs, and other parts; with arteries, veins, fibers, muscles, and the activities proceeding therefrom; besides the surpassing marvels of animal nature, about which whole volumes have been written. All these wonderful things are from God; but the forms with which they are clothed are from earthy matters, out of which come plants, and in their order, men. Therefore it is said of man,
That he was created out of the ground, and that he is dust of the earth, and that the breath of lives was breathed into him Genesis 2:7.
From which it is plain that the Divine is not man's own, but is adjoined to him.
60. Audivi plures in Mundo spirituali loquentes circum me, dicentes, quod quidem agnoscere velint, quod in omnibus et singulis Universi sit Divinum, quia in illis vident mirabilia Dei, et quo interius spectantur, eo mirabiliora; sed usque cum audiverunt, quod in omnibus et singulis Universi creati Divinum insit actualiter, indignati sunt; indicium quod id quidem dicant, sed non credant. Quare illis dictum est, annon hoc possint videre solum ex mirabili facultate, quae inest cuivis semini, in tali ordine producendi vegetabile suum usque 1 ad nova semina; et quod in unoquovis semine sit idea infiniti ac aeterni, nisus enim in illis est se multiplicandi et fructificandi in infinitum et in aeternum.
[2] Tum ex quolibet animali etiam minimo, quod in illo sint organa sensuum, sint cerebra, corda, pulmones, et reliqua, cum arteriis, venis, fibris, musculis, et ex illis actus, praeter stupenda in illorum indole, de qua integri Libri scripti exstant. Omnia illa mirabilia sunt ex Deo, formae autem quibus induta sunt, ex materiis terrae sunt; ex illis sunt vegetabilia, et in suo ordine homines; quare de homine dicitur, quod creatus sit ex humo, et quod sit pulvis terrae, et quod anima vitarum sit inspirata, Genesis 2:7: ex quo patet quod Divinum non homini sit, sed illi adjunctum.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: usqua