20.此外，人若接受关于神性秩序的教导，就能明白，人被造是为了成为一位天使，因为神性秩序的最后一步在他里面（参看9节）。凡属于天上天使智慧的东西都能在他里面成形，更新，变得完整并增多。神性秩序从不停在半路，在那里形成没有最终阶段的任何东西；因为它若不行进到终点或最外层，就不在自己的完全和完美之中。但当在终点或最外层时，它就会成形，还利用那里聚集的物质来使自己变得完整并多产，这一切通过各种形式的繁殖来实现。这就是为何天堂的苗床在终点或最外层。这也是创世记第一章论到人类及其创造的那些话的意思：
神说，我们要照着我们的形像.按着我们的样式造人；神就照着祂的形像造人，乃是照着神的形像造他；造男造女；神就赐福给他们，神对他们说，要繁殖增多。（创世记1:26-28）
“照着神的形像，按着神的样式”是指将神性秩序的一切，从初至末，都赐予人，从而使他在其心智内层上成为一位天使。
20. Anyone well informed about the divine design can understand that we were created to become angels because the final step in the divine design is in us (see 9 above). In us something of heavenly and angelic wisdom can take form, become whole, and multiply. The divine design never stops halfway down and forms something there that has no outermost aspect. Such a thing would not be in a full or complete state. No, it goes on until it reaches what is outermost. When it comes to its outermost point, it takes on a form there, uses substances that are gathered there to make itself whole, and becomes productive, which is accomplished by various forms of procreation. That is why the seedbed of heaven is on the outermost level.
This is the meaning of what is said in the first chapter of Genesis about humanity and its creation:
God said, “Let us make humanity in our image, according to our likeness.” And God created humanity in his image. In the image of God he created it, male and female he created them. And God blessed them and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply.” (Genesis 1:26, 27, 28)
To create people in the image of God and in the likeness of God is to supply them with all the elements of the divine design from first to last and thereby make them angels at the deeper levels of their minds.
20. Anyone who has learned about God's order can also understand that man was created so as to become an angel, because in him order reaches its ultimate stage (see 9 above). In this stage something of the wisdom of heaven and the angels can be formed, and it can be reconstituted and multiplied. God's order never stops half-way, and forms anything there without the ultimate stage; for it is not in its fullness and perfection unless it goes to the ultimate. But when it is there, then it takes shape and uses the means at its disposal there to reconstitute and extend itself, which it does by reproduction. The ultimate is therefore the seed-bed of heaven.
This too is what is meant by the description of man and his creation in the first chapter of Genesis:
God said, Let us make 1man in our image, according to our likeness. And God created man in His image, in the image of God did He create him. Male and female He created them; and God blessed them, and God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply. Genesis 1:26-28.
Creating in the image of God and in the likeness of God means conferring on him the whole of God's order from first to last, and so making him an angel as regards the interiors of his mind.
Footnotes:
1. [Reading faciamus as AC for faciemus (We shall make).]
20. He who has been instructed concerning Divine order, may moreover understand, that man was created to become an angel, because in him is the ultimate of order (see above 9), in which ultimate, whatever belongs to celestial and angelic wisdom may be formed, renewed, and multiplied. Divine order never subsists in the mediate, so as to form anything there without an ultimate, for it is not in its own fullness and perfection, but it proceeds to the ultimate. But when it is in its ultimate, it then forms, and also by mediates there collated, renews and produces itself farther, which is effected by procreations; wherefore the seminary of heaven is there. This also is meant by the things related of man, and of his creation in the first chapter of Genesis:
God said, Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness; and God created man in His image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them; and God blessed them, and God said unto them, be fruitful and multiply (vers.26-28).
"To create in the image of God, and in the likeness of God," is to confer upon man all things of Divine order from firsts to ultimates, and thus to make him an angel as to the interiors of his mind.
20. Qui de ordine Divino instructus est, etiam intelligere potest quod homo creatus sit ut fiat angelus, quia in eo est ultimum ordinis (videatur supra, 9), in quo formari potest id quod caelestis et angelicae sapientiae est, et quod potest redintegrari et multiplicari. Divinus ordo nusquam subsistit in medio, et ibi absque ultimo format aliquid, non enim est in suo pleno et perfecto, sed vadit ad ultimum: at cum est in suo ultimo, tunc format, et quoque per media ibi collata se redintegrat et producit ulterius, quod fit per procreationes: quapropter ibi est seminarium caeli. Hoc quoque intelligitur per illa quae de Homine et ejus creatione dicuntur in primo capite Geneseos (vers. 26-28),
"Dixit Deus, Faciemus hominem in imaginem nostram, secundum similitudinem nostram...: et creavit Deus hominem in imaginem Ipsius, in imaginem Dei creavit illum; masculum et feminam creavit illos: et benedixit illis Deus, et dixit illis Deus, Fructificate et multiplicate vos:"
"creare in imaginem Dei, et in similitudinem Dei," est conferre in illum omnia ordinis Divini a primis ad ultima, et sic facere illum quoad interiora mentis ejus angelum.