417、主的天堂浩瀚无垠，也可从以下事实得到证实：在我们太阳系中，肉眼可见的所有行星都是“大地球星”；｛注1｝此外，在整个宇宙中有无数的大地星球，上面都住满居民。这在《宇宙星球》（Earths in the Universe）这本小册子中专门论述过，我从中引用以下内容：
[2]在来世，众所周知的是，有许多大地星球而且上面都有人居住，许多灵人和天使便来自他们。因为那里的每一个出于对真理和功用的热爱而渴望与其他大地星球的灵人对话的人，都蒙允许可以这样做，从而确信世界是多元的，并了解到人类不是来自一个地球，而是来自无数个“地球”。
[3]我有时与我们地球灵人谈论这一点，并被告知，凡有点理智的人都能从他们所知的许多事上明白，有许多大地星球且上面有人，也就是说，他们能够得出一个合理的结论：像行星这样巨大的天体——其中一些比地球还大，并不是空空如也，被造出来只是围绕着太阳转、为一个地球发出微弱的光芒，而是一定具有比这个更重要的用途。
上帝创造宇宙并无其它目的，只是为了人类的存在，从而天堂可以存在，因为人类是天堂的苗床。人如果相信这些，正如人人都该如此相信一样，他就必相信，哪里有大地星球，哪里就有人。一些行星因为在我们太阳系的范围之内，能被肉眼看见，它们都是大地星球，这一点很明显，因为它们是由陆地物质构成的天体，这可以从它们反射太阳光可知，还可以从以下事实得知；当通过望远镜观察时，它们不再像星星那样闪耀着火焰，而是像地球那样夹杂着暗斑；此外，它们和我们的地球一样围绕太阳旋转，沿着黄道带运行，由此产生年份和一年四季，即春、夏、秋、冬；也像我们地球那样绕轴自转，由此产生日期和一日四时，即早、午、晚、夜。不仅如此，它们当中有的还有月球，被称为卫星，它们周期性地绕其大地星球旋转，就像月球绕我们地球旋转一样。离太阳甚远的土星，也有一条巨大的发光带，这个发光带给这个大地星球提供了大量的光芒（尽管是反射而来）。了解这些并理性思考的人，谁还会说这些星球都是空空的球体？
[4]此外，我曾对灵人说，人们可以相信宇宙中的大地星球不止一个，因为星空浩瀚，星星数不胜数，每一个在它的位置或星系内都有一个太阳，类似我们的太阳，虽然大小不同。任何合乎情理地思考这个问题的，定会得出这样的结论：如此浩瀚的整体必须是达到目的的一种手段，这目的就是创造的终极目的——一个属天的国度，在这个国度里，上帝可以与天使和人类同住。因为可见的宇宙，或者由无数星星（也就是众多的太阳）照亮的天空，只是一个简单的手段，目的是为了让大地星球和上面的人类存在，并从他们中间衍生出天堂国度。从这一切中，一个理性的人只能想到，为如此伟大的目的所设计的如此浩大的手段，不可能只是为了一个地球上的人类。这对一位无限的上帝来说会是什么呢？对祂来说，成千上万甚至无数的大地星球，上面都住满了居民，仍将是微不足道的。
[5]有些灵人的唯一追求是获得认知，因为他们唯独以此为乐。由于这个原因，他们被允许到处周游，甚至离开我们的太阳系进入其它星系，以获取知识。这些灵人（他们来自水星）说，不仅我们太阳系有人类居住的大地星球，在太阳系之外的星空也有，而且为数众多。
[6]初步估算一下，假如宇宙中有一百万颗类似地球的星球，每个星球上有三亿人，在六千年内生育两百代人，并且每个人或灵人占三立方米的空间，如此多的人或灵人聚在一起，总共也填不满这个星球的空间，几乎不会超过其中一个环绕行星的卫星的空间——这空间在宇宙中是如此之小，以至于几不可见，因为肉眼几乎看不见那些卫星。这对宇宙的创造者来说又算得了什么呢？即便整个宇宙都布满了人，对祂来说也不够，因为祂是无限的。｛注2｝
[7]我曾与天使谈论过这一点，他们说，他们也认为与创造者的无限相比，人类实在太稀少了。不过，他们根据状态思考而不是根据空间思考。在他们看来，即使能想象无穷多的地球，对主来说，仍如同没有。
关于宇宙中的诸多星球（《宇宙星球》）、其上的居民以及来自于他们的灵人和天使，请参阅上面提到的小册子。相关的事情已经向我启示和展现，目的是要让人们知道，主的天堂是浩瀚无垠的，都来自各个大地星球上的人类，并且我们的主在各处都被公认为天地的上帝。
｛注1｝：【中】此处原文和英文版字面意思是“地球”（earth），但很显然，这些行星与我们人类所在的“地球”还是有不同的，如果译为“地球”，则会有矛盾且让人误解，故译为“大地星球”，以表示“大地覆盖的星球”，在这个意义，与我们所在的地球相同。
｛注2｝：【英248】这几段话（[2]-[6]）几乎是逐字摘自《宇宙星球》（史威登堡1758年著作）中的介绍性段落2-4、6和126节，而这些又是从《属天的奥秘》（6697-6698和9441）中稍作编辑而成的。在首版中，此处引用的材料在每行文本上以左对齐的引号引起来。
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417. 天堂的浩瀚也可从以下事实看出来: 在我们太阳系, 肉眼可见的所有行星都是星球; 此外, 整个宇宙有无数星球, 上面都住满居民. 这在《宇宙星球》一书专门论述过, 我从中引用以下内容:
在来世, 众所周知, 许多星球上都有人居住, 灵人和天使便来自他们. 因为凡出于对真理和功用的爱而渴望与其它星球的灵人交谈的人, 都蒙主允许如此行, 从而确信多元世界的存在, 获知人类并非唯独来自一个星球, 而是来自无数星球.
我有时与我们地球灵谈论这个话题, 被告知, 凡有点理智的人都能从他所知的许多事明白, 有人类居住的星球为数众多; 因为凭理性就能推断出, 像行星这么大的星体(其中有些比地球还大), 并非空心体, 被造出来只是为了围绕太阳旋转, 为一个星球发出微弱光芒, 而是具有更重要的用处. 人若如人人都该相信的那样相信, 神性创造宇宙并无其它目的, 只是为了人类, 以及由此而来的天堂可以存在, 因为人类是天堂的苗床, 就必相信, 哪里有星球, 哪里就有人. 很明显, 我们肉眼所见的行星由于在我们太阳系的范围之内, 故都是土质星球, 因为它们都是土质体, 反射太阳光线; 当通过望远镜来观看时, 它们不再像星星那样闪耀着火焰, 而是像地球那样夹杂着暗斑. 还有一个事实是, 它们和地球一样围绕太阳旋转, 沿着黄道带运行, 由此产生年份和一年四季, 即春, 夏, 秋, 冬; 也像地球那样绕轴自转, 由此产生日期和一天四个时辰, 即早, 午, 晚, 夜. 不仅如此, 它们当中有的还有月球, 也就是所谓的卫星; 这些卫星周期性地绕其行星旋转, 就像月球绕我们地球旋转一样. 离太阳甚远的土星, 也有一条巨大的发光带; 这个发光带尽管是反射而来, 却仍给这个星球提供了大量光芒. 若知道这些事, 并凭理性思考, 谁还会说这些星球都是空心体?
此外, 我曾对灵人说, 人从以下事实能够意识到宇宙不止一个地球: 整个星空如此浩瀚, 包含不计其数的恒星, 其中每一颗在其本位, 或自己的星系内都是一轮太阳, 类似于我们的太阳, 尽管大小不同. 人若仔细思考这一切, 必得出以下结论: 整个浩瀚的宇宙必是达到一个目的, 也就是创世的终极目的的一种手段; 这个目的就是神性与天使并人类能居于其中的天国. 因为可见的宇宙, 或闪耀着无数星辰, 也就是如此多太阳的天空, 只是星球, 以及其上构成天国的人类得以存在的一种手段. 理性之人由此必推断出, 为如此伟大的目的所设计的如此浩大的手段, 不可能只是为一个星球上的人类提供的. 对无限的神性来说, 成千上万, 甚至数以万计的星球算得了什么呢? 即便它们都住满了人, 仍旧微不足道, 以至于几近于无.
有些灵人只热衷于获取第一手的知识, 因为他们唯独以这种知识为乐. 因此, 这些灵人被允许到处旅行, 甚至离开我们的太阳系进入其它星系, 以获取知识. 他们告诉我, 不仅这个太阳系有人类居住的星球, 此太阳系之外的整个星空也有, 而且为数众多. 这些灵人来自水星.
据初步估算, 假如宇宙中有一百万个星球, 每个星球上有三亿人, 在六千年内生育两百代人, 并且每个人或灵人占三立方米的空间, 如此多的人或灵人总数都填不满这个星球的空间, 几乎不会超过环绕行星的其中一个卫星的空间; 而卫星的空间在宇宙如此之小, 以至于几不可见, 因为肉眼几乎看不见卫星. 这对宇宙的创造者来说又算得了什么呢? 即便整个宇宙都被充满, 对祂来说也不够, 因为祂是无限的. 我曾与天使谈论这个话题, 他们说, 他们也认为与创造者的无限相比, 人类实在太稀少了; 不过, 他们的思维来自状态, 而非空间; 在他们的思维中, 无论能想象出多少星球, 对主来说, 仍如同没有.
上面提到的那本书(即《宇宙星球》)论述了宇宙中的诸星球及其居民, 以及来自他们的灵人和天使. 那里所记载的事都向我揭示并说明了, 好叫人们知道, 主的天堂浩瀚无边, 而天堂都来自人类; 我们的主处处都被承认为天地之神.
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417. 對於天國浩瀚無邊, 從我們太陽系的所有行星都是"地球,"宇宙中更有無數的地球, 上面皆有居民這一事實也可知曉。關於這一點, 宇宙星球一書已作專論, 此處我僅引用以下文字:
在心靈世界, 眾所周知的是, 有人居住, 有天人和靈從中而出的星球有很多。因為凡因熱愛真理, 樂意服務而希望與其它星球的靈交談者, 都得主的允許, 以讓其確信世界眾多, 人類非出於一個地球而出於無數星球的事實。
有時我與我們地球的靈談論這個話題, 我說, 理智之人通過他熟悉的知識, 可知有人居住的地球是為數眾多的, 就是說, 他們能推出一個理性的結論:巨大的星球(有的大過我們地球), 當然不只是造來環繞太陽的空球體, 或只為單個地球散發其微弱的光芒。相反, 其作用理當有價啟得多。
人若相信上帝創造宇宙無非是為了人類和天國(因為人類是天國的苗床)的建立, 不會否認凡有星球之處即有人類的存在。
我們肉眼可見的太陽系的行星, 顯然都是地球, 他們是物質之體, 因為它們反射太陽的光輝。用望遠鏡觀察, 它們不似火紅的恒星, 而像黯淡的地球。另外, 它們按黃道繞太陽運行, 和地球一樣, 產生一年四季, 春夏秋冬, 也像地球一樣自轉, 產生一日四時, 晨午暮夜。有的還有衛星, 週期性地繞其運行, 如月亮繞地球運行。離太陽甚遠的土星也有一條巨大的光帶圍繞, 賦予其充沛的光明(雖然只是反射的光明)。瞭解這些且能作理性思考者, 焉能說它們都只是空無的球體？
另外, 我還與靈談論說, 從星空浩瀚無邊的事實, 也可推知宇宙中不止一個地球。天空無以數計的恒星, 雖大小不同, 皆為各自體系內的太陽, 和我們太陽一樣。人若細想, 必能得出結論:浩瀚的宇宙必然是達成某個目的的媒介, 該目的就是建立一個上帝與天人, 與人類同住的天國, 這正是創造的目的。可見的宇宙, 無以數計的恒星, 其實都只是讓眾多地球存在, 讓人類居於其上, 讓天國得以建立的媒介。
基於以上事實, 理智之人不能不認識到, 為如此偉大的目的而存在的如此偉大的媒介, 不可能只是為了一個地球上的人類。對於無限之上帝, 就更不用說了。因為就算成千上萬的星球, 全住滿居民, 對上帝來說也是微不足道的, 乃至幾近於無。
有的靈熱衷於親自探索, 因為他們只對第一手的知識感興趣。
他們被允許周遊旅行, 甚至離開此太陽系, 進入其它太陽系, 以收集第一手的知識。他們告訴我, 不僅此太陽系有人類居住的星球, 此太陽系外的星空中也有無數人類居住的星球。這些靈來自水星。據初步估算, 假設宇宙中有一百萬星球, 每星球上有三億居民, 在六千年的時間裡, 經過二百代的傳承, 每人分配三立方肘的空間, 再將所有人聚在一處, 那麼他們所占的空間, 連我們地球的體積都不到, 甚至不超過一個衛星的體積。這在宇宙中只是一個極小的空間, 幾不可見, 因為我們的肉眼幾乎看不見那些衛星。對於宇宙的創造者, 這又算得了什麼？即使整個宇宙被填滿, 對祂來說也是有限的, 因為創造者是無限的。我曾與天人談論這一點, 他們說他們也認為人類的數量相對創造者的無限來說的確是渺小的。不過他們不是按空間思考, 而是按狀態思考。在他們看來, 不論你能想像多少星球, 對主來說也沒有什麼。
關於宇宙中的星球, 其上的居民, 從其而出的靈和天人, 可參看宇宙星球一書。書中所記載的, 都是主指示與我的, 好讓大家明白, 主的天國是浩瀚無邊的, 其中的天人都來自人類, 而且我們的主在各處均被承認為天地之上帝。
417. The vastness of the Lord's heaven also follows from the fact that all the planets we can see in our solar system are earths, and especially that there are untold more in the universe, all inhabited, as discussed in a special booklet entitled Other Planets, from which I should like to cite the following.
[2] It is common knowledge in the other life that there are many planets with people on them and therefore angels and spirits from them, since anyone who wants to talk with spirits from other planets because of a love of the truth and a desire to be useful is allowed to do so to be convinced of the plurality of worlds, to learn that the human race is not just from one earth but from countless planets.
[3] I have talked about this on occasion with spirits from our earth, noting that intellectually gifted people could know, on the basis of much that is familiar to them, that there are many earths with people on them. That is, they could come to the rational conclusion that masses as big as the planets, some of which are larger than our earth, are not empty lumps created only to meander around the sun and radiate their feeble light for just one planet, but that their function must be more worthwhile than this.
People who believe (as they should) that the Divine created the universe for the sole purpose of the emergence of the human race and a heaven from it (for the human race is the seedbed of heaven) cannot help but believe that there are people wherever there is a planet.
It is abundantly clear that the planets visible to our eyes, the ones in our solar system, are earths, because they are material bodies, since they reflect the sun's light; and when we look at them through a telescope they do not look like ruddy, fiery stars but like earths with blurry bands of color. There is also the fact that they are borne around the sun, through the stations of the Zodiac, just like our earth, which must cause years and the seasons of the year called spring, summer, fall, and winter. Similarly, they rotate on their axes like our earth, which makes days and the times of day called morning, noon, evening, and night. Not only that, some of them have moons called satellites, which have their own periodic orbits around their sphere the way the moon orbits our earth. The planet Saturn, which is very far from the sun, has also a huge luminous belt that gives a great deal of light to that planet, even though it is reflected light. How could anyone who knows all this and thinks rationally say that these are empty bodies?
[4] Then too, I have talked with spirits about the fact that people could realize that there is more than one earth in the universe from the fact that the starry heaven is so immense. There are so incomprehensibly many stars in it, each one a sun in its own place and its own system, like our sun, of different magnitudes. If people think this through carefully, they will come to the conclusion that this whole vast universe cannot be anything but a means to an end, which is the goal of creation, a heavenly kingdom in which the Divine can dwell with angels and with us. The visible universe, the heaven spangled with so incomprehensibly many stars that are all suns, is in fact simply a means for the production of planets with people on them who can make up a heavenly kingdom.
Given all this, rational people cannot help thinking that such a vast means toward such an end did not come into being for the sake of a human race on one earth. What would that be for a divine being, an infinite being, for whom thousands or tens of thousands of planets, all fully inhabited, would be so slight as to be practically nothing?
There are spirits whose special passion is to learn at first hand, because this is the only kind of knowledge that gives them any pleasure.
[5] These spirits are therefore allowed to travel around and even to leave this solar system and visit others, to gather firsthand knowledge there. They have told me that there are inhabited planets not only in our solar system but also outside it in the starry sky - a vast number of them. These spirits are from the planet Mercury.
[6] By a preliminary calculation, if there were a million planets in the universe with three hundred million people on each one, and two hundred generations over six thousand years, and if each person or spirit were allotted three cubic cubits, and if all these people or spirits were gathered into one place, they would not even fill the volume of our earth, hardly more than a satellite of one of the planets. This would be such a small space in the universe as to be barely visible, since we can scarcely see those satellites with the naked eye. What would this be for the Creator of the universe, for whom it would not be enough if the whole universe were filled? For the Creator is infinite.
[7] I have talked about this with angels, who have told me that they have much the same idea about how small the number of the human race is in comparison to the infinity of the Creator. However, they do not think in terms of space but of states, and to their minds, no matter how many tens of thousands of planets you could conceive of, it would still be simply nothing to the Lord.
Information on the planets in the universe, their inhabitants, and the spirits and angels who come from them may be found in the booklet mentioned earlier. What you will find there has been revealed and shown to me to let people know that the Lord's heaven is vast and that it is all from the human race, and also that our Lord is recognized everywhere as the God of heaven and earth.
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417. Again, how immense the heaven of the Lord is can be confirmed from this, that all the planets visible to the eye in our solar system are earths, and moreover, that in the whole universe there are innumerable earths, all of them full of inhabitants. These have been treated of particularly in a small work on those earths from which I wish to quote the following passage:
It is very well known in the other life that there are many earths and men upon them and spirits and angels therefrom; for every one there who desires to do so from a love of truth and of use is permitted to talk with spirits of other earths, and thus be assured that there is a plurality of worlds, and learn that the human race is not from one earth alone, but from innumerable earths. I have sometimes talked about this with spirits of our earth, and was told that any intelligent person can know from many things that he does know that there are many earths and men there; for it is a reasonable conclusion that immense bodies like the planets, some of which exceed this earth in magnitude, are not empty masses created merely to be carried and to be moved around the sun, and to shine with their scanty light for the benefit of a single earth, but must have a more important use. He who believes, as every one ought to believe, that the Divine created the universe for no other end than that the human race might come into existence, and heaven therefrom, for the human race is a seminary of heaven, must needs believe that wherever there is an earth there are men. That the planets that can be seen by the eye because they are within the limits of our solar system are earths is evident from their being bodies of terrestrial material, which is known from their reflecting the sun's light, and from their not appearing, when viewed through telescopes, like stars, glowing because of flame, but like earths variegated by dark patches; also from their being carried like our earth around the sun and progressing in the path of the zodiac, thus making years and seasons of the year, spring, summer, autumn, and winter, also revolving on their axes like our earth, making days and times of the day, morning, mid-day, evening, and night; also from some of them having moons, called satellites, that revolve around their earth at stated times, as the moon does around ours; while the planet Saturn, being at a greater distance from the sun, has also a large luminous belt which gives much light, though reflected, to that earth. Who, knowing all this and thinking rationally, can ever say that the planets are empty bodies? Moreover, I have said to spirits that man might believe that there are more earths in the universe than one, from the fact that the starry heaven is so immense, and the stars there so innumerable, and each of them in its place or in its system a sun, resembling our sun, although of a varying magnitude. Anyone who duly considers the subject must conclude that such an immense whole must needs be a means to an end that is the final end of creation; and this end is a heavenly kingdom in which the Divine may dwell with angels and men. For the visible universe or the heaven illumined by stars so numberless, which are so many suns, is simply a means for the existence of earths with men upon them from whom the heavenly kingdom is derived. From all this a rational man cannot think otherwise than that so immense a means to so great an end was not made for the human race on one single earth. What would this be for a Divine that is infinite, to which thousands and even myriads of earths, all of them full of inhabitants, would be little and scarcely anything? There are spirits whose sole pursuit is the acquisition of cognitions, because their delight is in this alone; and for this reason they are permitted to wander about, and even to pass out of our solar system into others, and to arrange cognitions together. These spirits, who are from the planet Mercury, have said that there are earths with men upon them not only in this solar system but also beyond it in the starry heaven in immense numbers. It has been calculated that with a million earths in the universe, and on each earth three hundred millions of men, and two hundred generations in six thousand years, and a space of three cubic ells allowed to each man or spirit, the total number of so many men or spirits would not fill the space of this earth, and scarcely more than the space of one of the satellites about one of the planets-a space in the universe so small as to be almost invisible, since a satellite can scarcely be seen by the naked eye. What is this for the Creator of the universe, to whom it would not be sufficient if the whole universe were filled, since He is infinite? I have talked with angels about this, and they said that they had a similar idea of the fewness of the human race compared with the infinity of the Creator, although their thought is from states, not from spaces, and that in their thought earths amounting to as many myriads as could possibly be conceived of would still be nothing at all to the Lord. 1
Concerning the EARTHS IN THE UNIVERSE, with their Inhabitants, and the Spirits and Angels therefrom, see the above mentioned little work. The things there related have been revealed and shown to me to the intent that it may be known that the heaven of the Lord is immense, and that it is all from the human race; also that our Lord is everywhere acknowledged as the God of heaven and earth.
Footnotes:
1. The quotation from EARTHS IN THE UNIVERSE consists of the paragraphs there numbered 2-4, 6, and 126 (2). Editor.
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417. Again, how immense the heaven of the Lord is can be seen from this, that all the planets visible to the eye in our solar system are earths, and moreover, that in the whole universe there are innumerable earths, all of them full of inhabitants. These have been treated of particularly in a small work on those earths from which I will quote the following passage:
It is fully known in the other life that there are many earths inhabited by men from which spirits and angels come; for everyone there who desires from a love of truth and of use to do so is permitted to talk with spirits of other earths, and thus be assured that there is a plurality of worlds, and learn that the human race is not from one earth alone, but from innumerable earths. I have frequently talked about this with spirits of our earth, and was told that any intelligent person ought to know from many things that he does know that there are many earths inhabited by men; for it may be reasonably inferred that immense bodies like the planets, some of which exceed this earth in magnitude, are not empty masses created merely to be borne through space and to be carried around the sun, and to shine with their scanty light for the benefit of a single earth, but must have a more important use. He that believes, as everyone must believe, that the Divine created the universe for no other end than that the human race might exist, and heaven therefrom, for the human race is a seminary of heaven, must needs believe that wherever there is an earth there are men. That the planets visible to us because they are within the limits of our solar system are earths is evident from their being bodies of earthy matters, which is known from their reflecting the sun's light, and from their not appearing, when viewed through telescopes, like stars, sparkling with flame, but like earths varied with darker portions; also from their passing like our earth around the sun and following in the path of the zodiac, thus making years and seasons of the year, spring, summer, autumn, and winter, also revolving on their axes like our earth, making days and times of the day, morning, mid-day, evening, and night; also from some of them having moons, called satellites, that revolve around their earth at stated times, as the moon does around ours; while the planet Saturn, being at a greater distance from the sun, has also a large luminous belt which gives much light, though reflected, to that earth. Who that knows all this and thinks rationally can ever say that the planets are empty bodies? Moreover, I have said to spirits that man might believe that there are more earths in the universe than one, from the fact that the starry heaven is so immense, and the stars there so innumerable, and each of them in its place or in its system a sun, resembling our sun, although of a varying magnitude. Any one who duly weighs the subject must conclude that such an immense whole must needs be a means to an end that is the final end of creation; and this end is a heavenly kingdom in which the Divine may dwell with angels and men. For the visible universe or the heaven illumined by stars so numberless, which are so many suns, is simply a means for the existence of earths with men upon them from whom the heavenly kingdom is derived. From all this a rational man must needs conclude that so immense a means to so great an end could not have been provided merely for the human race on a single earth. What would this be for a Divine that is infinite, to which thousands and even myriads of earths, all of them full of inhabitants, would be little and scarcely anything? There are spirits whose sole pursuit is the acquisition of knowledges, because their delight is in this alone; and for this reason they are permitted to wander about, and even to pass out of our solar system into others, in acquiring knowledge. These spirits, who are from the planet Mercury, have told me that there are earths with men upon them not only in this solar system but also beyond it in the starry heaven in immense numbers. It was calculated that with a million earths in the universe, and on each earth three hundred millions of men, and two hundred generations in six thousand years, and a space of three cubic ells allowed to each man or spirit, the total number of so many men or spirits would not fill the space of this earth, and scarcely more than the space of one of the satellites about one of the planets - a space in the universe so small as to be almost invisible, since a satellite can scarcely be seen by the naked eye. What is this for the Creator of the universe, to whom it would not be sufficient if the whole universe were filled, since He is infinite? I have talked with angels about this, and they said that they had a similar idea of the fewness of the human race compared with the infinity of the Creator, although their thought is from states, not from spaces, and that in their thought earths amounting to as many myriads as could possibly be conceived of would still be nothing at all to the Lord.
The earths in the universe, with their inhabitants, and the spirits and angels from them, are treated of in the above mentioned work. What is there related has been revealed and shown to me to the intent that it may be known that the heaven of the Lord is immense, and that it is all from the human race; also that our Lord is every where acknowledged as the God of heaven and earth.
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417. Quam immensum sit caelum Domini, constare etiam potest ex eo, quod omnes planetae coram oculis in nostro mundo solari conspicui, sint tellures et praeterea quod innumerabiles sint in universo, et omnes plenae incolis; de quibus in peculiari opusculo de Telluribus illis actum est, ex quo haec sequentia velim afferre:-
[2] "Quod plures tellures sint, et super illis homines, et inde spiritus et angeli, notissimum est in altera vita; nam cuivis ibi, qui ex amore veri et inde usus desiderat, cum spiritibus aliarum tellurum loqui conceditur, et inde confirmari de pluralitate mundorum, ac informari quod geniis humanum non solum ex una tellure sit, sed ex innumeris.
[3] Locutus sum cum nostrae telluris spiritibus aliquoties de ea re; et dictum, quod homo qui intellectu pollet, scire possit ex multis quae novit, quod plures tellures sint, et ibi homines; nam ex ratione concludi potest, quod tantae moles, quantae sunt planetae, quorum aliqui magnitudine excedunt hanc tellurem, non sint moles vacuae, et creatae ut modo ferantur et spatientur circum solem, ac luceant pauco suo lumine pro una tellure, sed quod illorum usus insignior, quam talis, oporteat esse. Qui credit, sicut quisque credere debet, quod Divinum non creaverit universum propter alium finem quam ut humanum genus existat, et inde caelum, nam genus humanum est seminarium caeli, is non potest non credere, quam quod homines sint, ubicunque aliqua tellus. Quod planetae, qui coram oculis nostris visibiles sunt, quia intra terminos mundi hujus solis, tellures sint, manifeste sciri potest ex eo, quod corpora terrestris materiae sint, quia solis lumen reflectunt, et inspecti per vitra optica non apparent sicut stellae rutili ex flamma, sed sicut terrae ex obscuris variegati; tum ex eo, quod illi similiter ac nostra tellus, circum solem ferantur et progrediantur via zodiaci, et inde faciant annos et anni tempora, quae sunt ver, aestas, autumnus et hiems; similiter quod circum axem suum, pariter ac nostra tellus, rotentur, et inde faciant dies, et diei tempora, nempe mane, meridiem, vesperam et noctem; et insuper quod aliqui eorum habeant lunas, quae vocantur satellites, et circum orbem suum statis temporibus vagantur, sicut luna circum nostrum et quod planeta Saturnus, quia longissime a sole distat, habeat quoque cingulum magnum luminosum, quod multam lucem, tametsi reflexam, telluri isti dat. Quis usquam, qui haec novit, et ex ratione cogitat, dicere potest, quod haec inania corpora sint?
[4] Insuper cum spiritibus locutus sum, quod ab homine credi queat quod in universo sint tellures plures quam una, ex eo quod caelum astriferum tam immensum sit, ac tot innumerabiles ibi stellae, quarum unaquaevis in suo loco seu in suo mundo est sol, ac instar nostri solis, in varia magnitudine: qui rite expendit, is concludit, quod totum illud tam immensum non possit non esse quam medium ad finem qui ultimus creationis, qui finis est regnum caeleste, in quo Divinum cum angelis et hominibus habitare potest. Universum enim aspectabile seu caelum illustre tot innumerabilibus stellis, quae sunt totidem soles, est modo medium ut existant tellures, et super illis homines, ex quibus regnum caeleste. Ex his rationalis homo non aliter cogitare potest, quam quod tam immensum medium ad tantum finem, non factum sit pro humano genere ex una tellure. Quid hoc foret pro Divino, quod infinitum, cui parum et vix aliquid essent millia, immo myriades tellurum, et omnes plenae incolis? Sunt spiritus, quorum unicum studium est sibi acquirere cognitiones, quia illis solis delectantur;
[5] illis spiritibus ideo licet circumvagari, et quoque extra hujus solis mundum transire in alios, ac sibi cognitiones comparare. Hi dixerunt, quod non solum sint tellures, super quibus homines, in hoc solari mundo, sed etiam extra eum, in caelo astrifero, immenso numero; hi spiritus sunt ex planeta Mercurii.
[6] Calculus initus est, si forent 1,000,000 tellures in universo, et in unaquavis tellure homines numero 300,000,000, seu 300 milliones, et 200 generationes intra 6000 annos, et cuique homini seu spiritui daretur spatium trium ulnarum cubicarum, quod numerus tot hominum seu spirituum in unam summam collectus non usque impleret spatium hujus telluris, ac vix ultra spatium unius satellitis circum planetas, quod foret spatium in universo parvitatis paene inconspicuae, nam satelles coram nudo oculo aegre apparet. Quid hoc pro Creatore universi, cui non satis esset, si totum universum foret impletum? est enim infinitus. De his cum angelis locutus sum; qui dixerunt, quod illi similem ideam de paucitate generis humani respective ad Infinitatem Creatoris habeant, sed usque quod illi non ex spatiis, sed ex statibus cogitent; et quod secundum eorum ideam tellures numero tot myriadum quot usquam cogitare possent, usque prorsus nihil forent ad Dominum."
[7] De Telluribus in Universo, et de earum Incolis et inde Spiritibus et Angelis, videatur in supradicto opusculo. Illa, quae ibi sunt, mihi revelata et ostensa sunt, ob finem ut sciatur quod caelum Domini immensum sit, et quod totum sit ex humano genere tum quod Dominus noster ubivis agnoscatur pro Deo caeli et terrae.