158.一个明智的观念靠众多观念存在，并由它们构成。今天，蒙弥赛亚神的怜悯，我被允许通过活生生地经历获知，在我们的理解中，对真理与良善的观念相继靠那些被称为理解天使的天使的众多观念存在，并由这些观念构成。因此，当真理流入时，就会有一种和谐一致之物的形式；而当有混乱产生时，则会有一种不和谐一致之物的形式。一致和不一致之间的居间阶段或差别是无限的。这些形式唯独由弥赛亚神照着一个人所进入的属灵状态而构成；因此，关于信之真理与良善的人类思维，没有一丁点，或任何元素是源于人，或从人那里流入的。然而，当有人蒙允许暂时拥有从他的记忆所流入的某种东西时，这种事便立刻干扰和混乱观念。当灵人被允许争论时，情形也一样。这种持续不断的纷争令我的头脑疲惫不堪；而和谐一致则使我的头脑变得生动、活泼，这种事以前我曾经历过几次。
158. A mental image in the understanding comes forth from and consists of a multitude of mental images
Today I was allowed by the Mercy of God the Messiah to learn by actual experience that the ideas of truth and goodness in our understanding, individually, actually come forth from - and indeed one after the other - and consist of, a multitude of the mental images of those who are [called] angels of understanding.
So there is a configuration of harmonizing ones when truth flows in, and of disharmonious ones when any confusion arises. The intermediate stages, from agreement to disagreement, are immeasurably numerous. These shapes are composed by God the Messiah Alone, entirely according to the spiritual condition a person has come into.
Therefore, not even the least, or any element of human thought about religious truths and goodness originates from us. Rather, when anyone is allowed for a short time to have something flow in from what is in their memory, then this instantly disturbs and confuses the mental image, like it does when spirits are permitted to argue about something, etc. etc. [see 157]. 1747, 23 August (old calendar).
That constant disagreement was wearying my mind; while agreement makes it vigorous and lively - something I have experienced several times before.
158. THAT AN INTELLECTUAL IDEA EXISTS FROM, AND CONSISTS OF, VERY MANY IDEAS
Today, by the mercy of God Messiah, I was permitted to perceive by living experience that true and good intellectual ideas themselves successively exist from, and thus consist of, very many of the ideas of those who are intellectual angels, so that there is a form of consentient things when truth flows in, and a form of dissentient things when any confusion arises; the intermediate differences between the consent and the dissent are indefinite. These forms are disposed by God Messiah alone, altogether according to the state into which a man comes; therefore not even the least or most trifling thing of human thought concerning the truths and goods of faith flows in from man. When, however, it is for a short while conceded to man that something should flow in from what is in his memory, it immediately disturbs and confuses the idea. The case is similar when it is permitted spirits to argue, etc., etc. 1747, Aug. 23 o.s. Such continued dissension fatigued my mind; but the agreement renders it alert and lively, as I have sometimes experienced before.
158. Quod idea intellectualis 1
, a permultis ideis existat et consistat
Ipsas ideas intellectualles veri e boni, etiam a permultis eorum, qui sunt angeli intellectuales, etiam existere, et quidem successive, et sic consistere, hodie per experientiam vivam, per Misericordiam Dei Messiae, licuit percipere; sic ut sit forma consentientium, dum veritas influit, et forma dissentientium, cum aliqua confusio oritur, intermediae differentiae a consensu ad dissensum sunt indefinitae, hae formae a Solo Deo Messia disponuntur, prorsus secundum eum statum, in quem homo venit, quare ne quidem minimum aut hilum cogitationis humanae de veris et bonis fidei ab homine influit, quum autem remittitur aliquantisper homini aliquid ex iis, quae sunt memoriae ejus, influere, tunc id perturbat et confundit illico ideam, similiter dum aliquid permittitur spiritibus ratiocinari, etc. etc. 1747, 23 Aug. st. v.
Dissensio ista continuata fatigabat mentem meam; at vero consensus, mentem meam reddit alacrem et vivificat, quod aliquoties prius expertus.
Footnotes:
1. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has ideae intellectuales