9、出于自己的智慧，天使更进一步地推理说，不仅良善和真理的一切来自主，生命的一切也一样。他们用以下的事实证明这一点，即：任何事物都不能由自身产生，必须依赖于先在之物，这意味着一切都是起源于“太初”，他们称这“太初”是一切生命的最本质的存在。所有的事物都以同样的方式存在，因为持续存在就是不间断地被涌现产生｛注1｝。任何不通过中间物与“太初”｛注2｝不断联系的事物，都会即刻消散，化为乌有。
他们还说，生命的源泉只有一个，人的生命是从此流出的涓涓细流，如果得不到源源不竭地供给，马上就会枯干消失。
[2]他们又说，从这生命的独一泉源、也就是主所发出的，无非是神性的良善和神性的真理，每个人都会因着自己对它们的接受而受到影响：那些在信仰和生活中接受它们的人会在其中找到天堂，而那些拒绝或扼杀它们的人会把它们变成地狱，这些人实际上是将良善转变成邪恶，将真理变成伪谬，从而将生命变为死亡。
此外，生命的一切来自主，他们是这样证明的：宇宙万物都与良善和真理有关，人的意志的生命，也就是他的爱的生命，与良善有关；人的理智｛注3｝的生命，也就是他的信仰的生命，与真理有关。
既然一切良善和真理是从上头来的，那么生命的一切也必定是从上头来的。
[3]这是天使的信仰，所以，他们拒绝因自己行善而被感谢。事实上，若有人将良善归于他们，他们会感到不快并离开。若有人相信凭自己有智慧或凭自己行善，他们会感到费解。因着自己的缘故而行善，他们不称之为良善，因为它出于自我；因着良善的缘故而行善，他们称之为从神性而来的良善，他们说，就是这种良善创造了天堂，因为这种良善是主。｛注4｝
｛注1｝：【英30】这里的拉丁文短语可译为“持久是不断地产生”。这是史威登堡时代的哲学格言（3483，5084:3；4），史威登堡经常强化它（775，3648，4322，4523:3，5116:3，5377:1，6040:1，6482，9502，9847，10076，5，10152:3，10252:3，10266；107, 303；152；3:2；380:8；9；46，224:1）。格言的要点是这样的：虽然一个特定的动物可能是它祖先的后代，一个特定的岩石可能已经在它所在的地方屹立了数千年，但从另一个角度来看，动物和岩石都是上帝在每个片刻重新创造的。它们的持久存在也可以被视为永续的发生或产生。 【中】主的“创造”并非是“一劳永逸”的，“存在”也不是“静态”的，如同开了机的手机屏幕，即使没有新的信息，也是在动态“刷屏”，以维持着看上去好像是“静态”的“旧状态”，事实上是不断刷新的。神性的“刷新”应当是超越时间的，是当下即成的。可以说，“存在”的每一刻都是新的。
｛注2｝：【英31】这里史威登堡的“太初”（the First）是指作为万有之源的上帝；另见37、303节。
｛注3｝：【中】在史威登堡著作中，“will”和“understanding”经常出现。本书中“will”作名词时，译为“意志”；作动词时，译为“意愿”、“愿意”。这里的“understanding”一词在原文中是“intellectus”，含有“智能”的意思，在本书中作名词时，译为“理智”（仅中性地表示人的理解、认知的能力、智能，不一定是通常所认为的褒义词）；作动词时，译为“理解”。
｛注4｝：来自主的良善有主在里面，但来自人自己的良善则没有（1802，3951，8478）
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9. 天使出于其智慧走得更远. 他们说, 不仅一切良善和真理皆来自主, 而且一切生命也来自主. 他们以此确认这一点, 即: 任何事物都不可能源于它自己, 只能源于某种先于它自己的事物; 因而一切事物皆源于一个“首先的”, 他们称这“首先的”为一切事物之生命的存在. 一切事物以同样的方式持续存在, 因为持续存在就是不断存在; 凡物若不藉着中间物与那首先的保持联系, 必瞬间瓦解, 完全消散. 他们还说, 生命的源头只有一个, 人的生命是由此而来的一股溪流, 若非不断凭它的源头持续存在, 必立刻枯竭.
他们又说, 从这生命的独一源头, 也就是主所发出的, 无非是神性良善与神性真理; 这神性良善与神性真理照各人对它们的接受而影响各人. 那些在信仰和生活上接受它们的人在它们里面发现天堂, 而那些弃绝或窒息它们的人则将它们变为地狱; 因为他们将良善变为邪恶, 将真理变为虚假, 从而将生命变为死亡. 他们又以此确认一切生命皆来自主的事实, 即: 宇宙万物都与良善并真理有关, 人之意愿的生命, 也就是其爱之生命, 与良善有关; 人之理解力的生命, 也就是其信的生命与真理有关. 既然一切良善与真理都从上头来, 那么可知, 一切生命也必从上头来. 这就是天使的信仰, 所以他们拒绝因他们所行的良善而送上的一切感谢, 并且若有人将良善归于他们, 他们就会生气并收回.
他们感到惊讶的是, 有人竟然相信他凭自己变得智慧, 或凭自己行善. 为自己的缘故行善, 他们并不称之为良善, 因为它是凭自我而行的. 为良善的缘故行善, 他们称之为来自神性的良善; 他们说, 正是这良善构成天堂, 因为这良善就是主.
注: 来自主的良善有主在它里面, 但来自人自己的良善则没有(天国的奥秘 1802, 3951, 8480节).
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9. 天人更進一步理解這一點, 他們說, 不但一切的善與理源自於主, 而且生命的一切都源自於主。他們指出, 沒有什麼能啟產生於自己;萬物皆以之前的事物為產生條件, 這意味著萬物都是從一"源"產生。天人稱此"源"為萬物生命的根本。萬物也以同樣的方式來維持, 因為維持是不斷地產生。任何事情如果不是通過居間的媒介被保持與此"源"之間的聯繫, 就即刻崩潰瓦解。天人還說, 生命之源只有一個, 像溪流從源頭那樣流進人裡面並帶來生命, 若非從生命之源獲得持續的供應, 必要立刻枯竭。
天人進一步說, 從主這唯一的生命之源流出的無非聖善與聖理
(神性之善与神性之理)。聖善與聖理照著個體接受程度的不同來影響個體。人若將聖善與聖理接進他的信仰和生活, 便在天國;人若抵制聖善與聖理, 就自行轉向地獄。事實上就是以善為惡, 以理為謬, 因而以生為死。
天人注意到, 宇宙萬有皆可溯源於善與理, 由此證明主是一切生命之源。人的意志源於善, 人的認知源於理。善和理既從天上來, 那麼天也便是人的生命之源。
天人既有此信念, 自然就謝絕因行善而歸功於己。事實上, 若有人歸功於他們, 他們覺得受傷害而回避。再者, 若有人相信自己有智慧或靠自己能行善, 他們也會感到費解。用他們的話說, 為己所行之善不能稱為"善,"因為是出於自我;因善而行的善是"天之善,"他們說這才是形成天國的善, 因為此善就是主。
9. In their wisdom, angels press on even further. They say that it is not just everything good and true that comes from the Lord, but every bit of life as well. They support this by pointing out that nothing can come into being from itself. Everything presupposes something prior. This means that everything has come into being from a First, which they call the essential reality of the life of everything. Everything endures in the same way, too, because enduring is a constant coming into being. If anything were not kept in constant connection with the First, through intermediate means, it would instantly collapse and disintegrate. They add that there is only one single wellspring of life, with human life as one stream flowing from it. If it were not constantly supplied from its wellspring, it would immediately peter out.
[2] Still further, they say that nothing flows from that unique wellspring of life, the Lord, that is not divinely good and divinely true. These affect every individual according to the way they are accepted. People who accept them into their faith and life are in heaven, while people who reject or stifle them transform them into hell. They actually change what is good into evil and what is true into falsity - life into death.
Angels also support their belief that the Lord is the source of every bit of life by observing that everything in the universe goes back to what is good and true. Our volitional life, the life of our love, goes back to what is good, while our cognitive life, the life of our faith, goes back to what is true. Since everything good and true comes to us from above, it follows that this is the source of all of our life.
[3] Because angels believe this, they decline any thanks offered them for the good they do. In fact they feel hurt and withdraw if anyone gives them credit for anything good. It bewilders them to discover that people can believe they are wise on their own or do good on their own. Doing good for one's own sake, in their language, cannot be called "good," because it stems from self. Doing good for its own sake is what they call "good from the Divine." This, they say, is the kind of good that makes heaven, because this kind of good is the Lord. 1
Footnotes:
1. Good from the Lord has the Lord within it, but good attributed to oneself does not: 1802, 3951, 8478.
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9. Angels, from their wisdom, go still further. They say that not only everything good and true is from the Lord but everything of life as well. They confirm it by this, that nothing can come into existence from itself; but from something prior to itself. Therefore, all things come into existence from a First, which they call the very Being (Esse) of the life of all. Similarly, all things continue in existence, for continuing in existence is a perpetual coming into existence and what is not held continually by intermediates in connection with a First disappears there and then and is entirely dissipated. They say, further, that there is but one fountain of life and that man's life is a stream therefrom, which, if it did not unceasingly come into existence from its fountain, would immediately flow away.
[2] Again, they say that from that one fountain of life, which is the Lord, nothing proceeds except Divine Good and Divine Truth which affect each one in accordance with the reception. Those who receive them in faith and life find heaven in them, but those who reject and suffocate them turn them into hell, for they turn good into evil and truth into falsity, thus life into death. The fact also that everything of life is from the Lord they confirm by this, that all things in the universe have reference to good and truth-the life of a man's will, which is the life of his love, relating to good, and the life of a man's understanding, which is the life of his faith, relating to truth. Therefore, since everything good and true comes from above, it follows that so does everything of life. This being the belief of the angels, they refuse all thanks for the good that they do and are indignant and withdraw if anyone attributes good to them.
[3] They are astonished that anyone believes that he is wise from himself or does good from himself. Doing good for one's own sake they do not call good because it is from self; but doing good for the sake of good, they call good from the Divine, and they say it is this good that makes heaven because this Good is the Lord. 1
Footnotes:
1. Good from the Lord has the Lord within it, but not so, good from the proprium (Arcana Coelestia 1802, 3951, 8480).
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9. Angels from their wisdom go still further. They say that not only everything good and true is from the Lord, but everything of life as well. They confirm it by this, that nothing can spring from itself, but only from something prior to itself; therefore all things spring from a First, which they call the very Being [Esse] of the life of all things. And in like manner all things continue to exist, for continuous existence is a ceaseless springing forth, and whatever is not continually held by means of intermediates in connection with the First instantly disperses and is wholly dissipated. They say also that there is but One Fountain of life, and that man's life is a rivulet therefrom, which if it did not unceasingly continue from its fountain would immediately flow away.
[2] Again, they say that from this One Fountain of life, which is the Lord, nothing goes forth except Divine good and Divine truth, and that each one is affected by these in accordance with his reception of them, those who receive them in faith and life find heaven in them while those who reject them or stifle them change them into hell; for they change good into evil and truth into falsity, thus life into death. Again, that everything of life is from the Lord they confirm by this: that all things in the universe have relation to good and truth,-the life of man's will, which is the life of his love, to good; and the life of his understanding, which is the life of his faith, to truth; and since everything good and true comes from above it follows that everything of life must come from above.
[3] This being the belief of the angels they refuse all thanks for the good they do, and are displeased and withdraw if any one attributes good to them. They wonder how any one can believe that he is wise from himself or does anything good from himself. Doing good for one's own sake they do not call good, because it is done from self. But doing good for the sake of good they call good from the Divine; and this they say is the good that makes heaven, because this good is the Lord. 1
Footnotes:
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9. Angeli ex sapientia sua adhuc ulterius progrediuntur; dicunt non modo quod omne bonum et verum sint a Domino, sed etiam omne vitae: confirmant id per hoc, quod nihil existere possit a se, sed a priori se, ita quod omnia existant a Primo, quod vocant ipsum Esse vitae omnium, et quod similiter subsistant, quoniam subsistere est perpetuo existere, et quod non in nexu continue tenetur per intermedia cum Primo, hoc illico dilabitur et prorsus dissipatur: aiunt insuper, quod modo unicus vitae fons 1sit, et quod vita hominis sit rivus inde, qui si non a fonte suo continue subsistit, quod illico diffluat. Porro quod ab unico illo fonte vitae, qui est Dominus, non procedat nisi quam Divinum bonum ac Divinum verum, et quod haec afficiant unumquemvis secundum receptionem; qui recipiunt illa fide et vita, quod in illis caelum sit; sed qui rejiciunt illa, vel suffocant illa, quod vertant illa in infernum, bonum enim vertunt in malum, et verum in falsum, ita vitam in mortem. Quod omne vitae a Domino sit, etiam confirmant per id, quod omnia in universo se referant ad bonum et verum, vita voluntatis hominis quae est vita amoris ejus ad bonum, et vita intellectus hominis quae est vita fidei ejus ad verum; quare cum omne bonum et verum desuper venit, sequitur quod etiam omne vitae. Quia angeli ita credunt, ideo renuunt omnem gratiarum actionem propter bonum quod faciunt, ac indignantur et recedunt, si quis bonum illis tribuit: mirantur quod aliquis credat, quod sapiat ex se, et quod bonum faciat ex se: bonum facere propter se, hoc non vocant bonum, quia fit ex se; at bonum facere propter bonum, hoc vocant bonum ex Divino, et quod hoc bonum sit quod facit caelum, quia id bonum est Dominus. 2
Footnotes: