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51. 七, 每个社群都是一个较小形式的天堂, 每位天使都是一个最小形式的天堂
每个社群都是一个较小形式的天堂, 每位天使都是一个最小形式的天堂, 因为构成天堂的是爱与信之良善, 这良善就在天堂的每个社群和社群内的每位天使里面. 至于该良善在各处有不同和变化, 这无关紧要; 它仍是天堂的良善. 唯一区别在于, 天堂在此处具有一种品质, 在别处又具有另一种品质. 所以, 当有人被提入某个天堂社群时, 就说他进入天堂; 在那里的人则说他们在天堂, 并且每个人都在他自己的天堂中. 凡在灵界的人都知道这一点. 因此, 站在天堂之外或之下的人从远处看到成群结队的天使, 就说天堂在这个或那个地方. 这比较像王宫或城堡里的统治者, 官员和仆人, 他们虽在自己的住处或房间分开居住, 有住在上面的, 有住在下面的, 但仍在同一个宫殿或城堡中, 在各自位置上履行各自的职责, 为王效力. 由此明显可知主所说“在我父的家里有许多住处”(约翰福音 14:2), 以及先知书所说“天上楼阁”和“天上天”这些话是什么意思.
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51. 社群是小型天國 天人是最小的天國
每個社群是一個小型的天國, 每位天人是一個最小的天國, 因為成就天國的是由神性發出的, 與仁與信相關的品質(例如仁智禮義信等);這些品質作用于天國的每個社群和各社群內的每位天人之中。儘管各有不同, 總歸是天國之善。唯一的區別:此天國有此善, 彼天國有彼善。所以, 任何人若被提到天國的某個社群, 人們總說他到達了天國。他們說在那裡的人在天國裡, 並且每一位在他自己的天國中。凡進入心靈世界的人無不瞭解這一點, 所以當天國之外或天國之下的人看到遠處有天人聚集, 就說天國在那裡。
此中情形就像宮殿的官員和侍從, 雖然他們住在各自的居所, 有的高貴, 有的卑微, 但是他們屬於同一個宮殿, 履行各自的職責, 為王效力。由此可知主說"在我父的家裡有許多住處"(約翰福音14:2)和先知所說"天上的樓閣,""天上的天"是何含義。
51. Each Community Is a Heaven in Smaller Form and Each Angel a Heaven in Smallest Form
The reason each community is a heaven in smaller form and each angel a heaven in smallest form is that the activity of love and faith is what makes heaven. This good activity is in every community of heaven and in every angel of a community. It does not matter that this activity is different and distinctive everywhere, it is still the activity of heaven. The only difference is that heaven has one activity here and another there. So whenever anyone is raised into any community of heaven, they say that he or she has arrived in heaven. They say of those who are there that they are in heaven, each in his or her own. All the people who have arrived in the other life realize this; so individuals who are standing outside or below heaven and looking off into the distance where there is a gathering of angels say that heaven is there - and over there as well.
It is rather like the situation of officials and functionaries and servants in a royal palace or court. Even though they live individually in their dwellings or in their rooms, some higher than others, still they are in a single palace or a single court, each one involved in a particular function in the service of the king. We can see from this what is meant by the Lord's saying that "in my Father's house there are many dwellings" (John 14:2) and by "the stories of heaven" and the "heavens of heavens" in the prophets.
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51. ANY ONE SOCIETY IS HEAVEN IN LESSER FORM, AND EACH ANGEL IN THE LEAST FORM.
Any one Society is heaven in lesser form and each angel is heaven in the least form because it is the good of love and of faith that makes heaven, and this good is in every society of heaven and in every angel of a society. It does not matter that this good everywhere differs and varies. It is still the good of heaven. The difference is only that heaven is of one quality here and another there. So, when one is raised up into some society of heaven he is said to come into heaven, and those who are there are said to be in heaven, each in his own. All who are in the other life know this. Consequently, those who stand outside or below heaven, looking from a distance at companies of angels, say that heaven is in this or that place. It is comparatively like the governors, officials and servants in one palace or court. Although they dwell apart in their own apartments or rooms, one above, another below, still they are in one palace or court, each one in the performance of his own duty in the king's service. This makes evident the meaning of the Lord's words, that
In His Father's house are many mansions. John 14:2.
Also what is meant by
The dwelling-places of heaven,
And by
The heaven of heavens, in the Prophets
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51. EACH SOCIETY IS A HEAVEN IN A SMALLER FORM, AND EACH ANGEL IN THE SMALLEST FORM.
Each society is a heaven in a smaller form, and each angel in the smallest form, because it is the good of love and of faith that makes heaven, and this good is in each society of heaven and in each angel of a society. It does not matter that this good everywhere differs and varies, it is still the good of heaven; and there is no difference except that heaven has one quality here and another there. So when any one is raised up into any society of heaven he is said to come into heaven; and those who are there are said to be in heaven, and each one in his own. This is known to all in the other life; consequently those standing outside of or beneath heaven, when they see at a distance companies of angels, say that heaven is in this or that place. It is comparatively like civil and military officers and attendants in a royal palace or castle, who, although dwelling apart in their own quarters or chambers above and below, are yet in the same palace or castle, each in his own position in the royal service. This makes evident the meaning of the Lord's words, that
In His Father's house are many abiding places (John 14:2);
also what is meant by
The dwelling-places of heaven, and the heavens of heavens, in the prophets.
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51. [VII.] QUOD UNAQUAEVIS SOCIETAS SIT CAELUM IN MINORE FORMA, ET UNUSQUISQUE ANGELUS IN MINIMA.
Quod unaquaevis societas sit caelum in minore forma, et unusquisque angelus in minima, est quia bonum amoris et fidei est quod facit caelum, et id bonum est in omni societate caeli, et in omni angelo societatis. Nihil refert, quod bonum illud ubivis differat et varium sit; est usque bonum caeli; differentia modo est, quod caelum tale sit hic et tale ibi. Ideo dicitur, cum quis elevatur in aliquam societatem caeli, quod veniat in caelum et de illis qui ibi, quod sint in caelo, et quisque in suo: hoc norunt omnes qui in altera vita; ideo qui extra aut infra caelum stant, et spectant e longinquo ubi coetus angelorum sunt, dicant quod caelum sit ibi, et quoque ibi. Se habet hoc comparative sicut cum praefectis, officiariis et ministris in uno palatio regio aut in una aula tametsi habitant seorsim in suis mansionibus aut in suo conclavi, unus supra, alter infra, usque sunt in uno palatio aut in una aula, quisque ibi in sua functione ad serviendum regi. Inde patet quid intelligitur per Domini verba quod:
"In domo Patris sui sint mansiones multae," (Johannes 14:2);
et quid per "habitacula caeli," et per "caelos caelorum" apud Prophetas.