67、我们也会简要描述一下人如何从最低层上升，也就是被提升至最高层。人出生在自然界的最低层，然后通过知识被提升至第二层；随着他通过知识完善自己的理解力，又被提升至第三层，之后变得理性。灵界的三个上升层级在人里面高于三个属世层级，并且直到人脱去肉体后才显现。当他脱去这肉体时，属灵层级的第一层会向他打开，然后是第二层，最后是第三层；不过，这第三层只在那些成为第三层天堂天使的人当中被打开；他们就是那些看见神的人。能打开第二层的人成为第二层天堂的天使，能打开第一层的人成为第一层天堂的天使。人里面的各属灵层皆照他对来自主的神性之爱与神性智慧的接受而被打开。对这些有某种程度的接受之人进入第一或最低的属灵层；接受较多的人进入第二或中间的属灵层；大量接受的人则进入第三或最高层。但对其毫无接受的人仍留在属世层，虽然也从属灵层接受思考并由此说话，意愿并由此行动的能力，不过没有聪明。
67. I need also to explain briefly how we climb--or rather, are lifted--from the last level to the first. We are born on the lowest level of the physical world, and are lifted to the second level by means of factual knowledge. Then as we develop our discernment through this knowledge, we are lifted to the third level and become rational. The three ascending levels in the spiritual world are within this, resting on the three physical levels, and do not become visible until we leave our earthly bodies. When we do, the first spiritual level is opened for us, then the second, and finally the third. However, this last happens only for people who become angels of the third heaven. These are the ones who see God.
Angels of the second heaven and of the lowest heaven are people in whom the second and the lowest level can be opened. The opening of each spiritual level within us depends on our acceptance of divine love and wisdom from the Lord. People who accept some of this love and wisdom reach the first or lowest spiritual level; people who accept more reach the second or intermediate spiritual level; and people who accept a great deal reach the third or highest level. However, people who do not accept any divine love and wisdom stay on the physical levels, deriving from the spiritual levels only enough to allow them to think and therefore to talk and to intend and therefore to act--but not intelligently.
67. We will also describe briefly how a person ascends, or how he is elevated, from the lowest degree to the highest.
A person is born into the lowest degree of the natural world. He is afterward elevated by various forms of learning into the second degree. And as by his studies he perfects his intellect, he is elevated into the third degree, and he then becomes rational.
The three ascending degrees in the spiritual world exist in a person above the three natural degrees, but these do not appear until he has put off his earthly body. When he has put this off, he has opened to him the first spiritual degree, after that the second spiritual degree, and finally the third - although the last is opened only in the case of people who become angels of the third heaven. These are the people who see God. 1 Those in whom the second degree can be opened become angels of the second heaven, and those in whom the lowest degree can be opened become angels of the lowest heaven.
Each spiritual degree in a person is opened in accordance with his reception of Divine love and wisdom from the Lord. Those who receive some measure of these come into the first or lowest spiritual degree. Those who receive more come into the second or intermediate spiritual degree. And those who receive much come into the third or highest degree. On the other hand, those who receive nothing of these remain in the natural degrees and gain from the spiritual degrees no more than their ability to think and thus speak, and to will and thus act, though not intelligently.
Footnotes:
1. Matthew 5:8.
67. It shall also be stated briefly how man ascends, that is, how he is raised from the lowest to the first degree. He is born into the lowest degree of the natural world; then, by means of knowledges, he is raised into the second degree; and as he perfects his understanding by knowledges he is raised into the third degree and then becomes rational. The three degrees of ascent in the spiritual world are in man above the three natural degrees, and do not appear until he has put off the earthly body. When he has put this off, there is opened to him the first spiritual degree, afterwards the second, and finally the third, but only with those who become angels of the third heaven. These are they who see God. Those become angels of the second and lowest heaven with whom the second and lowest degree can be opened. With man every spiritual degree is opened in accordance with his reception of Divine Love and Wisdom from the Lord. Those who receive anything of it come into the first or lowest spiritual degree, those who receive more, into the second or middle spiritual degree, those who receive much, into the third or highest degree. But those who receive nothing of these remain in the natural degrees, and derive from the spiritual degrees nothing more than the ability to think and thence to speak, and to will and thence to act, but not intelligently.
67. It shall also be stated briefly how man ascends, that is, is elevated, from the lowest degree to the first. He is born into the lowest degree of the natural world; then, by means of knowledges, he is elevated into the second degree; and as he perfects his understanding by knowledges he is elevated into the third degree, and then becomes rational. The three degrees of ascent in the spiritual world are in man above the three natural degrees, and do not appear until he has put off the earthly body. When this takes place the first spiritual degree is open to him, afterwards the second, and finally the third; but this only with those who become angels of the third heaven; these are they that see God. Those become angels of the second heaven and of the last heaven in whom the second degree and the last degree can be opened. Each spiritual degree in man is opened according to his reception of Divine Love and Divine Wisdom from the Lord. Those who receive something thereof come into the first or lowest spiritual degree those who receive more into the second or middle spiritual degree, those who receive much into the third or highest degree. But those who receive nothing thereof remain in the natural degrees, and derive from the spiritual degrees nothing more than an ability to think and thence to speak, and to will and thence to act, but not with intelligence.
67. Paucis etiam dicetur, quomodo homo ab ultimo gradu ad primum ascendit, hoc est, elevatur: nascitur in ultimum gradum naturalis mundi; elevatur dein per scientias in secundum gradum; et sicut ex scientiis perficit intellectum, elevatur in tertium gradum, et tunc fit rationalis: tres gradus ascensus in Mundo spirituali sunt in illo supra tres gradus naturales, nec apparent priusquam exuit corpus terrestre; cum hoc exuit, aperitur ei primus gradus spiritualis, postea secundus, et demum tertius, sed solum apud illos qui fiunt angeli tertii coeli; hi sunt qui vident Deum: Angeli secundi et ultimi Coeli fiunt, apud quos secundus et ultimus gradus aperiri potest: omnis gradus spiritualis apud hominem aperitur secundum receptionem Divini Amoris et Divinae Sapientiae a Domino; qui aliquid recipiunt, veniunt in gradum spiritualem primum seu ultimum; qui plus, in gradum spiritualem secundum seu medium; et qui multum, in gradum tertium seu supremum; qui autem nihil eorum recipiunt, manent in gradibus naturalibus, et a gradibus spiritualibus non trahunt plus, quam quod possint cogitare et inde loqui, ac velle et inde agere, sed non intelligenter.