39、我曾看到我们地球灵与水星灵在一起，并听见他们交谈。除了其它事情外，我们地球灵还问他们信的是谁。他们回答说，他们信神；但当进一步询问他们所信的神时，他们就不愿说了，因为他们的习惯是不直接回答问题。然后，水星灵反过来问我们地球灵信的是谁，他们说，他们信主神。这时，水星灵说，他们发觉他们（即我们地球灵）不信任何神，并且习惯嘴上说信，其实并不信。水星灵具有敏锐的洞察力，因为他们不断运用这洞察力去探究别人所知道的。我们地球灵属于那些在世时照教会的教导表白信仰，却没有活出信仰的生活之人。在来世，那些没有照自己的信仰生活之人就会丧失信仰，因为信仰没有成为这个人的一部分。一听到这话，我们地球灵都沉默了，因为他们凭那时所赋予他们的觉知承认事实的确如此。那些出于教义表白信仰，却没有活出信仰的生活之人，根本没有信仰(AC 3865, 7766, 7778, 7790, 7950, 8094)。他们的内在反对信之真理，尽管他们在世时没有意识到这一点(AC 7790, 7950)。
39. On one occasion I saw some spirits from our planet in the company of spirits from Mercury and heard them talking with each other. One of the questions our spirits asked the spirits from Mercury was, “Whom do you believe in?” The spirits from Mercury replied that they believed in God; but when they were asked further questions about the God they believed in, they were unwilling to respond. This was because of their custom of not giving direct answers to questions.
Then the spirits from Mercury asked the spirits from our planet, “Whom do you believe in?” Our spirits said they believed in the Lord God. The spirits from Mercury, though, said they could tell that the spirits from our planet had no belief in God at all, but were in the habit of saying that they believed when in fact they did not. (Spirits from Mercury are extremely perceptive because they are constantly exercising their powers of perception in order to find out what others know.) These spirits from our planet were of the kind that, during their lives in the world, had confessed faith because the church had taught them to, but had not lived a life of faith; and people who do not live a life of faith [in this world] have no faith after death, because faith never becomes a part of them. 1When the spirits from our planet heard this they became silent, because an awareness they were then granted made them recognize that it was true.
Footnotes:
1. [Swedenborg note] People who confess faith because they are taught to do so, but do not live a life of faith, do not actually have any faith: 3865, 7766, 7778, 7790, 7950, 8094. In fact, their deeper natures are opposed to the truths that belong to religious faith, even though during their lives in the world they do not realize this: 7790, 7950.
39. I once saw some spirits from our world in company with spirits from Mercury, and heard them conversing. The spirits of our world asked them among other things, in whom they believed. They replied that they believed in God, but when asked further about the God they believed in, they were unwilling to answer, since it was not their habit to answer questions directly. Then the spirits from Mercury in their turn asked the spirits from our world in whom they believed. They said, in the Lord God. The spirits of Mercury then said that they could perceive that the others did not believe in any God, but were in the habit of saying they believed, while still not believing. (The spirits of Mercury have highly developed powers of perception, due to their continually using these powers to seek out what others know.) The spirits from our world belonged to those who in the world made a profession of faith in accordance with the teaching of the church, but still did not live by their faith. In the next life those who do not live by their faith lose it, because it is not a part of the person. 1On hearing this they fell silent, because the dawning of perception then granted to them made them acknowledge that this was so.
Footnotes:
1. Those who make a profession of faith as the result of teaching, without living the life of faith, have no faith at all (Arcana Caelestia 3865, 7766, 7778, 7790, 7950, 8094). Their inner levels are opposed to the truths of faith, though in the world they are unaware of this (Arcana Caelestia 7790[7950]).
39. I once saw that spirits of our earth were with spirits of the earth Mercury, and I heard them discoursing together, and the spirits of our earth, amongst other things, asked them in whom they believed. They replied that they believed in God; but when they inquired further concerning the God in whom they believed, they were unwilling to say, it being customary with them not to answer questions directly. Then the spirits from the earth Mercury, in their turn, asked the spirits from our earth in whom they believed. They said that they believed in the Lord God. The spirits of Mercury then said that they perceived that they believed in no God, and that they had contracted a habit of professing with the mouth that they believe, when yet they do not believe. The spirits of Mercury have exquisite perception, in consequence of their continually exploring, by means of perception, what others know. The spirits of our earth were of the number of those who in the world had made profession of faith agreeable to the doctrine of the church, but still had not lived the life of faith; and they who do not live the life of faith, in the other life have not faith, because it is not in the man. 1On hearing this they were silent, inasmuch as, by apperception then given them, they acknowledged that it was so.
Footnotes:
1. They who make profession of faith from doctrine and do not live the life of faith, have no faith (Arcana Coelestia 3865, 7766, 7778, 7790, 7950, 8094). And their interiors are contrary to the truths of faith, although in the world they do not know this (Arcana Coelestia 7790, 7950).
39. Quondam vidi quod nostrae Telluris spiritus essent apud Spiritus telluris Mercurii, et audivi illos inter se colloquentes, et tunc nostrae Telluris spiritus inter alia interrogabant illos, in quem crederent, respondebant quod crederent in Deum; sed cum quaererent ulterius de Deo in quem crederent, nolebant dicere: quoniam ex more illorum est, ut non directe ad quaestiones respondeant. At tunc Spiritus ex tellure Mercurii vicissim interrogabant Spiritus ex nostra tellure, in quem illi crederent, dicebant hi, quod in Dominum Deum; spiritus Mercurii tunc ajebant, quod perciperent illos in nullum Deum credere, et pro more habere ore dicere quod credant, et tamen usque non credere: (habent spiritus Mercurii exquisitam perceptionem, ex eo quia continue media perceptione explorant quid alii sciunt) spiritus nostrae telluris erant inter illos, qui in mundo confessi sunt fidem ex doctrina Ecclesiae, sed usque non vixerunt vitam fidei, et qui non vivunt vitam fidei, in altera vita non habent fidem, quia non est in homine: 1cum haec audiverunt, obmutescebant, quia ex apperceptione illis tunc data agnoscebant quod ita esset.
Footnotes:
1. Quod illis qui fidem ex doctrina confitentur, et non vivunt vitam fidei, nulla fides sit, Arcana Coelestia 3865, 7766, 7778, 7790, 7950, 8094. Et quod interiora eorum contra verafidei sint, tametsi hoc in mundo nesciunt, Arcana Coelestia 7790, 7950.