158、当我发现我在灵里在太阳系之外的星空中旅行（这从状态的变化和看似持续约十个小时的移动明显可知）时，最终听见灵人在某个星球附近说话，后来也被我看到。当我接近他们时，在一番交谈后，他们说，别处的来访者有时到他们这里来，与他们谈论神，却混淆了他们的思维观念。他们还指出这些来访者所来的途径，这使我意识到，他们是来自地球的灵人。当我问他们以哪种方式混淆他们时，他们说，这些灵人声称，人必须相信分为三个位格的神性，尽管他们将这三个位格仍称作一位神。当他们检查这些来访者的思维观念时，他们的观念却显示为一个分离的、而非连续的三位一体。有的视这三位一体为彼此交谈的三个位格；有的视两个位格坐在一起，第三位听从他们，并从他们那里出发。然而，他们将每一个位格都称为一位神。他们怨声载道地说，这些来访者通过想三位、说一位把他们弄糊涂了；而事实上，人当照自己所说的那样去想，照自己所想的那样去说。
与我同在、在世时曾是牧师和传教士的那个灵人此时接受检查，以查看他对一位神和三个位格持有哪种观念；他显示出三位神，但这三位神联结起来形成一位。不过，这三合一却表现为不可见；因为它是神性。当他呈现出这种观念时，给人的感觉是，他在思想父，却未思想主；他对不可见之神的观念无非是对在其初始中的自然界的观念。因此，自然界的至内层就是他的神性，以致他能轻易被引诱承认自然为神。要知道，在来世，任何人对任何事物的观念都活生生地呈现出来；每个人以此方式被检查他在信仰事务上的思维和觉知。对神的观念是每个人思维中的首要观念；该观念若是纯正的，就是将他与神性，进而与天堂联结的手段。
然后，当这些灵人被问及他们对神持什么观念时，他们回答说，他们认为神并非不可见，而是以人的形式显为可见。他们不仅凭内在觉知，还凭祂作为一个人向他们显现而知道这一点。他们补充说，他们若按照某些来访者的观念，真的认为神是不可见的，因而没有形式和品质，根本就无法思想神，因为凡像这样的不可见之物无法落入任何思维观念。听到这里，我蒙允许告诉他们说，他们以人的形式思想神是对的，我们地球来的许多人也持类似观念，尤其在思想主的时候。我又告诉他们说，古人也这样思想，并讲述了我们圣言中有关亚伯拉罕、罗得、基甸、玛挪亚和他妻子的故事，即：他们看见了人形式的神，承认他们所看见的神是宇宙的创造者，并称祂为耶和华；这一点也出自内在觉知。但这种内在觉知现已在基督教界丧失了，只存留在拥有信仰的简单人当中。
158. Once there, I realized that in spirit I was somewhere among the stars far outside our solar system. This I could tell from the changes of state and from my seeming to have traveled continuously for almost ten hours. Eventually I heard some spirits talking near a planet that I later saw for myself. When I approached them, after we had some conversation together they said that sometimes visitors come from elsewhere who talk to them about God and give them confusing mental images. They showed me the direction from which these visitors arrived, and I gathered that they were spirits from our planet. Asked about the nature of the confusion, they replied that it was because these visitors said we should believe in a Divinity divided into three persons, whom the visitors nevertheless referred to as one God. When the spirits of that planet examined the mental image their visitors had in their minds, it was revealed to be a trinity that was not interconnected but divided. The picture some of the visitors had was of three separate beings in conversation, and one would talk to another. Other visitors were picturing two beings sitting side by side with a third listening to their conversation and then departing from them; but although they called each person God and had a different mental image of each one, they still spoke of them as “one God.”
The spirits of that planet complained bitterly that this confused them, this thinking three and saying one, when what we think should agree with what we say and what we say should agree with what we think.
[2] The spirit with me who had been a church leader and preacher in the world was then examined to see what image he had regarding one God and three persons. He represented before us three gods who were nevertheless one by virtue of their interconnectedness; but his thinking portrayed this united trinity as invisible because it was divine. When he presented it this way, we perceived that he was then thinking only of the Father and not of the Lord, and that his image of the invisible God was nothing but an image of nature in its first principles. This meant that as far as he was concerned, what lay deeply hidden within nature was his concept of the Divine and that therefore he could easily be persuaded to acknowledge nature as God.
It is important to know that in the other life whatever mental picture we have of anything is vividly put on display. This is what makes it possible for each of us to be examined with respect to the nature of our thought and perception about matters of faith. The image we have when we think about God is absolutely fundamental. This is because if it reflects reality, it allows us to be joined to the Divine and therefore also to heaven.
[3] I asked the spirits from that planet what their image of God was. They answered that they thought of God not as invisible but as visible in human form. They knew this not only on the basis of an inner perception but because God had actually appeared to them in human form. They added that if they were to conceive of God as invisible the way these visitors did, as having no form or nature, there was no way they could think about God at all, because something utterly invisible like that does not form any idea in our thinking.
On hearing this, I was allowed to tell them that they did well to think of God in human form and that many people on our planet have similar thoughts, especially about the Lord. The early people on our planet thought that way too. I then told them about Abraham, Lot, Gideon, and Manoah and his wife, and what it says about them in our Word, namely, that they saw God in human form and acknowledged him as the Creator of the universe, calling him “Jehovah,” 1and in their case as well this came from an inner perception. Today in the Christian world, though, that inner perception has [mostly] perished; it remains only among uneducated people who are devoted to their faith.
Footnotes:
1. In Genesis 18:1-2, three visitors to Abraham and Sarah are identified as the Lord, “Jehovah” (Hebrew יָהוֶה, “YHVH” or “YHWH”); on which name see note 1 in New Jerusalem 201. The chapter goes on to identify a single figure, apparently one of the three, as the Lord (Jehovah) while he is in conversation with Abraham. See, for example, Genesis 18:22, 26, 33. In the next chapter, the other two visitors appear to Lot, where they are referred to as “my lords” (Hebrew אֲדֹנִים [’ăḏōnai]) at Genesis 19:2, and as “my lord” at Genesis 19:18 (Hebrew אֲדֹנָי [’ăḏōnāi]), but not specifically as Jehovah. A visitor to Gideon is identified as the Lord (Jehovah) in Judges 6:14, 16. In Judges 13, Manoah and his wife (the parents of Samson) are visited by an angel of the Lord (Jehovah), causing Manoah to say, “We have seen God” (Judges 13:22). For Swedenborg’s discussions of the process of the Lord speaking through angels by filling them with the divine presence, see Secrets of Heaven 1925; Divine Providence 96[6]; Revelation Unveiled 465; Revelation Explained (= Swedenborg 1994-1997a) 412:16, 1228. Compare note in 160. [LSW, LHC, SS]
158. When I noticed that I had in spirit travelled in the starry sky far outside the solar system (as was evident from the changes of state and what seemed like continuous movement lasting almost ten hours), I at length heard spirits talking in the vicinity of some world, which later on became visible to me. When I approached them, they said after some conversation that they sometimes have visitors from elsewhere, who talk with them about God and confuse their thinking. They also pointed out the route by which they come, which allowed me to realise that they were spirits from our world. When I asked in what way they confused them, they said it was by declaring that one ought to believe in a Divinity divided into three Persons, although they still called them one God. When they investigated the way these visitors thought, their concept was revealed as a Trinity, not continuous, but separate. Some regarded the Trinity as three Persons conversing with one another; others as two Persons sitting next to each other, and the third listening to them and going out from them. Yet they called each Person God, and although they have a different concept of each, they still speak of a single God. They complained bitterly that the visitors confused them by thinking of three but saying one, when in fact one ought to think as one speaks and speak as one thinks.
[2] The spirit with me, who had been a prelate and preacher in the world, was also then investigated, to see what his concept was of one God and three Persons; he pictured three Gods, but joined together to form one. But this threefold unity was represented as invisible, because it was Divine. When this idea was presented, it was perceived that he was only thinking about the Father and not about the Lord, and that his concept of an invisible God was nothing but a concept of nature in its first beginnings. As a result, the inmost level of nature was his Divinity, so that he could easily be brought to acknowledge nature as God. It needs to be known that in the next life anyone's concept of anything is pictured vividly, so that investigation is possible into each person's thought and perception on matters of faith. The concept of God is the principal one in everyone's thinking; for if it is a true one, it is the means which links him with the Divine and consequently with heaven.
[3] Then when these spirits were asked what was their concept of God, they replied that it was not of an invisible God, but God visible in human form. They knew this not only by perceiving it inwardly, but also from the fact that He had appeared to them as a man. They added that if they thought of God as invisible, as some of their visitors did, that is to say, devoid of form and quality, they found it totally impossible to think about God, since anything invisible like this cannot be reduced to a concept one can think about.
On hearing this I was allowed to tell them that they were right to think of God in human form, and that many people from our world have a similar idea, especially when thinking about the Lord. I told them that the ancients too thought like this, and related the stories of Abraham, Lot, Gideon and Manoah and his wife, as they are set forth in our Word. All these saw God in human form, and acknowledged Him whom they saw as the Creator of the universe, calling Him Jehovah; this too came from inward perception. But this inward perception has now been lost in the Christian world, and remains only with simple folk who have faith.
158. After I had observed that as to my spirit I was in the starry heaven far beyond the world of our sun, for this might be observed from the changes of state and from the apparent continual progression thence, which lasted nearly ten hours, I at length heard spirits speaking near some earth, which was afterward also seen by me. When I came near to them, after some conversation, they said that visitors sometimes come to them from elsewhere, who speak with them about God and confuse the ideas of their thought. They also showed the way by which they come, from which it was perceived that they were of the spirits from our earth. Being then asked wherein their thoughts were confused, they answered that it was by those spirits saying that one must believe in the Divine as distinguished into three Persons, which they still call one God. And when they examine the idea of their thoughts, it is presented as a trine not continuous, but discrete; and with some, as three persons speaking together one to another; and with some, as two seated together, and a third hearkening to them, and then going from them; and though they call each Person God, and have a different idea concerning each, they still call them one God. They complained exceedingly that they confuse them by thinking three and saying one, when yet one ought to think as he speaks, and speak as he thinks. The spirit who in the world had been a primate and a preacher, and was with me, was then examined as to what idea he had concerning one God and three Persons. He represented three Gods, but these as one by continuity, but he presented this trinal one as invisible because Divine; and when he presented this, it was perceived that he then thought only of the Father, and not of the Lord; and that his idea of the invisible God was no other than as of nature in its firsts; from which it resulted that to him the inmost of nature was his Divine, and thus that from this he could be easily led to acknowledge nature as God. It is to be known that in the other life the idea of any one upon any subject is presented to the life; and that by this means every one is explored as to what thought and perception he has concerning matters of faith; and that the idea of the thought concerning God is the chief of them all; for by that, if it is genuine, conjunction is effected with the Divine, and thence with heaven. Being then asked what idea they had of God, these spirits answered that they did not conceive of God as invisible, but as visible under the Human form; and that they know this not only from interior perception, but also from His appearing to them as a Man; adding that if according to the idea of some visitors they should conceive of God as invisible, thus without form and quality, they could not think at all of God, since what is thus invisible does not fall into any idea of thought. On hearing this, it was given me to say to them that they do well to think of God under the Human form; and that many from our earth think in like manner, especially when they think of the Lord; and that the ancients thought in no other way. I then told them about Abraham, Lot, Gideon, and Manoah and his wife, and what is related of them in our Word, namely, that they saw God under the Human form and acknowledged Him thus seen as the Creator of the universe, and called Him Jehovah, and this also from interior perception; but that at this day that interior perception has perished in the Christian world, and only remains with the simple who are in faith.
158. Postquam animadverti me esse in Coelo astrifero quoad Spiritum longe extra mundum nostri Solis, (hoc enim animadverti potest ex mutationibus status et inde apparente progressione continua, quae erat paene decem horarum) tandem audivi Spiritus loquentes juxta aliquam Tellurem, quae postea etiam mihi visa est: ad quos cum appropinquavi, post aliquam colloquutionem, dicebant, quod ad illos quandoque hospites aliunde veniant, qui loquuntur cum illis de Deo, et confundunt ideas cogitationis eorum: monstrabant etiam viam per quam veniunt, ex qua perceptum, quod essent ex spiritibus e nostra Tellure: interrogabantur tunc in quo confunderent, ajebant per id quod dicant credendum esse in Divinum distinctum in tres Personas, quas usque vocant unum Deum; et cum explorant ideam cogitationum eorum, sistitur illa sicut Trinum non continuum sed discretum, et apud quosdam sicut tres Personae inter se loquentes, unus ad alterum, et apud quosdam ut bini assidentes, unus prope alterum, et tertius audiens illos et ab illis vadens; et tametsi unamquamvis Personam vocant Deum, et de unaquavis aliam ideam habent, usque dicunt unum Deum: questi valde, quod per id confundant eos, quod cogitent tres et dicant unum, cum tamen cogitandum sit sicut dicitur, et dicendum sicut cogitatur. Spiritus, qui in mundo antistes et praedicator fuerat, et quoque mecum erat, tunc etiam explorabatur, qualem ille ideam de uno Deo et tribus Personis haberet, repraesentabat tres Deos, at illos unum per continuum; sed sistebat Trinum hoc Unum ut invisibile quia Divinum; et cum hoc sistebat, perceptum est quod tunc modo cogitaret de Patre et non de Domino, et quod idea ejus de Deo invisibili non alia esset quam sicut de natura in suis primis, ex qua resultabat quod intimum naturae ei fuerit suum Divinum, et sic quod inde facile perduci posset ad agnoscendum naturam pro Deo Sciendum est, quod idea cujusvis de quacunque re in altera vita sistatur ad vivum, et quod per id exploretur unusquisque, qualis ei cogitatio et perceptio de rebus fidei est; et quod idea cogitationis de Deo sit principalis omnium; nam per illam, si genuina, conjunctio fit cum Divino, et inde cum Coelo. Interrogati dein qualem illi ideam haberent de Deo, respondebant quod non concipiant Deum invisibilem, sed Deum visibilem sub humana forma; et quod hoc non modo sciant ex interiore perceptione, sed etiam ex eo quod apparuerit illis ut Homo; addentes, quod si secundum quorundam advenarum ideam conciperent Deum ut invisibilem, ita absque forma et quali, nequaquam possent cogitare de Deo, quoniam invisibile tale non cadit in ideam cogitationis. His auditis, dicere illis dabatur, quod bene faciant quod cogitent de Deo sub humana forma, et quod multi ex nostra Tellure similiter cogitent, imprimis cum de Domino; et quod antiqui non aliter cogitaverint; narrabam tunc de Abrahamo, de Lotho, de Gideone, deque Manoacho et ejus uxore, et quid de illis memoratur in nostro Verbo, quod nempe viderint Deum sub humana forma, et visum agnoverint pro Creatore Universi, et vocaverint Jehovam, et hoc quoque ex interiore perceptione: sed quod hodie interior illa perceptio in Orbe Christiano perierit, ac modo remaneat apud simplices qui in fide.