158、对天使，尤其第三层天堂的天使来说，这个真理不仅通过理性，还通过直接的感知被证实。后者感知到来自主的神性之爱和神性智慧的流注，并凭他们的智慧知道，所流入的爱和智慧就是他们的生命，因此他们说，他们靠主，而不是靠自己存活；他们不仅这样说，还喜欢并愿意这样。然而，表面上看，他们似乎靠自己活着。事实上，这种表象在他们那里，甚至比在其他天使那里更强烈；因为如前所示（42-45节），人与主结合得越紧密，在他自己看来，他越明显是自己的主人，然而也越清楚地认识到他属于主。几年来，我被恩准处于这种感知和表象；所以完全信服，我的意愿和思维，无一来自我自己，只是看似来自我自己；我还被允许意愿和喜欢这样。我能用来自灵界的大量其它例子来支持这个真理；但目前这两例就足够了。
158. This same truth is confirmed not only by rational considerations but also by personal perceptions in the case of angels, especially in the case of angels of the third heaven. The latter perceive the influx of Divine love and Divine wisdom from the Lord. And because they perceive it, and by virtue of their wisdom know that love and wisdom constitute life, therefore they say that they live from the Lord and not of themselves. Moreover, they not only say this, but they also love and will that it be so. And yet they nevertheless have the complete appearance that they live of themselves, indeed a stronger appearance than other angels; for as we showed in nos. 42-45 above, the more closely anyone is conjoined with the Lord, the more distinctly does he appear to himself to be his own person, and the more clearly does he recognize that he is the Lord's.
It has also been granted me now for a number of years to have a similar perception and the accompanying appearance, by which I have been completely convinced that I will and think nothing of myself, although it appears to be from me. And I have been granted as well to will and love it.
The same reality may be confirmed by many other observations from the spiritual world, but these two are sufficient for the present.
158. The same truth is demonstrated to angels not only by rational propositions but also by direct perception, especially for angels of the third heaven. They feel the inflow of divine love and wisdom from the Lord, and since they feel it and in their wisdom realize that these constitute their life, they say that their life comes from the Lord and not from themselves. They not only say this, they love to have it that way and want it to be that way. All the same, it seems to them completely as though they lived on their own. In fact, this appearance is stronger for them than it is for other angels, for as noted in 42-45 above, the more closely we are united to the Lord, the more clearly we seem to have our own identity, and yet the more obvious it is to us that we belong to the Lord.
For some years now, I have been granted the same kind of sense and the same appearance; and as a result I am wholly convinced that I do not intend and think anything on my own, though it seems as though I do; and I am blessed with the desire and the love of having it so. I could support this with any number of other instances from the spiritual world, but for now these two will do.
158. With the angels, especially the angels of the third heaven, the same truth is established not only on rational grounds but also by actual perceptions. These angels perceive the influx of Divine Love and Divine Wisdom from the Lord; and because they perceive it, and from their wisdom know that Love and Wisdom are life, they say that they live from the Lord and not from themselves; and they not only say this but they also love it and desire it to be so. Nevertheless, they are still to all appearance as if they lived from themselves; indeed, this appearance is stronger with them than with other angels; for as was shown above (n. 42-45), The more nearly anyone is conjoined to the Lord the more distinctly does he appear to himself to be master of himself, and yet the more evidently does he recognise that he is the Lord's. It has also been granted to me for several years now to be conscious of a like perception and appearance at the same time, and consequently I have been fully convinced that nothing I will and think is from myself but that it only appears as from myself; and it has also been granted to me to will and to love this. This truth may be confirmed by many other examples from the spiritual world; but these two must suffice for the present.
158. With the angels, especially the angels of the third heaven, this truth is established, not by reasons alone but also by living perceptions. They perceive the influx of Divine love and Divine wisdom from the Lord. And because they perceive that influx, and from their wisdom know that this inflowing love and wisdom is life, they say that they live from the Lord and not from themselves; and not only do they say this, they love and wish to have it so. Nevertheless, to all appearance, they are as if they lived from themselves; and the appearance is even stronger with them, than with other angels; for as has been shown above (42-45), The more nearly any one is conjoined with the Lord, the more distinctly does he appear to himself to be his own, and the more clearly does he recognize that he is the Lord's. It has been granted me now for several years to be in a like perception and appearance, and I have been fully convinced by it that nothing of my will or thought is from myself, but only appears to be from myself; and it has also been granted me to will and to love this. This truth might be established by many other things from the spiritual world; but these two are enough for the present.
158. Eadem haec Veritas non modo per rationes, sed etiam per vivas perceptiones confirmatur apud 1angelos, imprimis apud angelos Tertii coeli; hi percipiunt influxum Divini Amoris et Divinae Sapientiae a Domino: et quia id percipiunt, et ex sapientia sua norunt quod illa sint vita, ideo dicunt quod vivant ex Domino, et non a semet; et hoc non modo dicunt, sed etiam amant et volunt quod ita sit: et tamen usque in omni apparentia sunt, sicut illi viverent ex se, 2imo in apparentia fortiori quam alii angeli, nam, ut supra 342-45 4ostensum est, Quod quo propius aliquis conjungitur Domino, eo distinctius appareat sibi sicut sit suus, ac evidentius animadvertat quod sit Domini. In simili perceptione, et simul apparentia, esse, datum quoque est mihi nunc per plures annos, ex qua plene convictus sum, quod nihil ex me velim et cogitem, sed quod appareat sicut ex me; et quoque datum est velle et amare id. Idem hoc potest per plura alia e mundo spirituali confirmari, sed duo illa pro tempore sufficiunt. 5
Footnotes:
1 Prima editio: apnd
2 Interpunctum obscurum in prima editione.
3 Prima editio: suprpa
4 Prima editio: 45,
5 Prima editio: sufficiunr.