82、在此，我们要说一说真空的概念。我曾听天使和牛顿谈论真空，天使说他们无法容忍真空就是虚无的概念，因为他们的世界是属灵的，在自然界的时间和空间之内或之上；他们在那里同样拥有感觉、思维、情感、爱、意愿、呼吸，甚至言语和行为，这一切在被定义为虚无的真空中是根本不可能的；因为无就是无，没有任何东西能论及无。牛顿说，他现在知道神性，也就是存在本身充满一切事物；在他看来，真空是虚无的概念是骇人听闻的，因为这种观念对一切事物都具有毁灭性。他也劝诫那些与他谈论真空的人，要当心虚无的概念，并称其为昏头，是一种麻木状态，因为虚无的概念不可能有任何心智活动在里面。
82. I need to say something about vacuum at this point. I once heard some angels talking with Newton about vacuum, saying that they could not stand the notion of vacuum. This was because in their world, which is a spiritual one, within or above the space and time of our earthly world, they were still feeling, thinking, being moved, loving, intending, and breathing, and still talking and acting, which could not possibly happen in a vacuum that was "nothing" because nothing is nothing, and we cannot attribute anything to nothing.
Newton said he knew that Divinity, the One who is, fills everything, and that he was aghast at the notion of a vacuum as nothing because this was a totally destructive notion. He urged the angels who were discussing vacuum with him to beware the notion of nothing, calling it a fantasy because there is no mental activity in nothing.
82. We will say something here about the notion of a vacuum. I once heard angels speaking with Newton 1 about the possibility of a vacuum, saying that they could not bear the idea of a vacuum as nothingness. For, they said, in their world which is spiritual and which lies within or above the space and time continuums of the natural world, they likewise feel, think, are affected, love will, breathe, indeed speak and act, which could not possibly be the case in a vacuum defined as nothingness, because nothing is nothing, and something cannot be predicated of nothing.
Newton said that he knows that the Divine which has being fills all things, and that he himself is horrified at the idea of a vacuum as nothingness, because such an idea is destructive of all things. He said this urging those who speak of a vacuum with him to guard themselves against the idea of nothingness, calling it a state of insensibility, because in an idea of nothing no mental activity is possible.
Footnotes:
1. Sir Isaac Newton, 1642-1727, renowned English mathematician and natural philosopher, the most eminent physicist of his day. Among his principal achievements were formulation of the law of gravitation and laws of motion, invention of infinitesimal calculus, and the first correct analysis of white light. Newton found the existence of God reflected in the admirable order of the universe, but opposed the pantheistic notion of a world soul. He also denied the doctrine of the Trinity on the ground that such a belief was inaccessible to reason.
82. Something will be said here about a vacuum. I have on occasion heard angels talking with Newton about a vacuum, and saying that they could not sustain the idea of a vacuum as being nothing, because in their world which is spiritual and within or above the spaces and times of the natural world, still they feel, think, are affected, love, will, breathe, yea speak and act, which would be quite impossible in a vacuum which is nothing, since nothing is nothing, and concerning nothing not anything can be predicated. Newton said that he knew that the Divine which Is, fills all things, and that he himself knew the idea of vacuum as nothing, because that idea is destructive of all things. 1 He exhorts those who talk with him about a vacuum to guard against the idea of nothingness, calling it a swoon, because in nothing there is no actuality of mind.
Footnotes:
1. The Latin text here is "et quod ipse horreat ad ideam nihili de vacuo", which has been translated by the NewSearch editors as "he himself was horrified at the idea".
82. Something shall now be said about vacuum. I once heard angels talking with Newton about vacuum, and saying that they could not tolerate the idea of a vacuum as being nothing, for the reason that in their world which is spiritual, and which is within or above the spaces and times of the natural world, they equally feel, think, are affected, love, will, breathe, yea, speak and act, which would be utterly impossible in a vacuum which is nothing, since nothing is nothing, and of nothing not anything can be affirmed. Newton said that he now knew that the Divine, which is Being itself, fills all things, and that to him the idea of nothing as applied to vacuum is horrible, because that idea is destructive of all things; and he exhorts those who talk with him about vacuum to guard against the idea of nothing, comparing it to a swoon, because in nothing no real activity of mind is possible.
82. Hic de Vacuo aliquid dicetur: audivi quondam Angelos loquentes cum Newtono de Vacuo, dicentes quod ideam vacui ut nihili non sustineant; quia in Mundo suo qui est spiritualis, ac intra seu supra spatia et tempora Mundi naturalis, aeque sentiunt, cogitant, afficiuntur, amant, volunt, respirant, imo loquuntur et agunt, quae nusquam possunt dari in vacuo ut nihilo, quia nihil est nihil, et de nihilo non aliquid praedicabile est: dixit Newtonus, quod sciat quod Divinum quod EST impleat omnia, et quod ipse horreat ad ideam nihili de vacuo, quia illa est destructiva omnium; hortans illos, qui de Vacuo loquuntur cum illo, ut sibi caveant ab idea nihili, vocans illam deliquium, quia in nihilo non datur ulla mentis actualitas.