162.令我感到奇怪的是，像这样的地方我却很熟悉，甚至在那里与他们交谈，即便距离一百英里，仍能和他们对话，仿佛他们在场。因为距离等于没有；不过，只有得到弥赛亚神的恩准，这种事才会发生。我有时与灵人谈及这个事实，并用人的视觉向他们加以证明；人的视觉同样能看见非常遥远，甚至抛开距离的那类物体，如太阳，月亮，星星。那么，与灵人的交流又必是什么样呢？何况灵人都在内层，而肉眼的视觉却在粗糙的自然界。所以，甚至最远处的天使和灵人也能与世人交流。这些灵人与我同在是一种感官幻觉，因为当灵人与人的思维相似时，类似同在的某种事物就被模拟出来，那些在近旁作为居间者的灵人就会帮助实行弥赛亚神愿意并允许所行的那些事。
162. What also seemed amazing to me was that I have gotten to know places like these, where I even spoke with them, and have been able to speak with them again as if they were present, although I was a hundred miles away, for distance amounts to nothing; but this happens only insofar as God the Messiah grants it.
About this fact I have spoken from time to time with spirits, and have proven it to them by means of human sight, which likewise sees objects at a very great distance apart from distance, like the Sun, Moon, stars. So why should there not be communication with spirits, who are on a deeper plane than that grosser nature where the sight [of the eye] is?
So there is communication of even the most distant angels and spirits with humanity. Their being present with me was a sensory illusion; for something like a presence results when spirits are taking part in someone's thought, that is, those spirits who as intermediates and from closest by are to help carry out the matters which God the Messiah wills and permits to be done. These [words were written] on the 24th day of August, 1747 (old calendar).
162. It also seemed remarkable to me that similar places became known to me, where I also talked with them, and that later, although I was a hundred miles distant, I could converse with them as if they were present, for distance is of no account; but this was only when it was granted by God Messiah. I have sometimes spoken with spirits about this, and I have demonstrated it by human sight which, in like manner, sees very distant objects as not distant, like the sun, the moon, the stars. What, then, must be communication with spirits who are within that grosser nature in which is sight! In this way there is communication of angels and spirits with man, even at the greatest distance. The presence of those spirits with me was a fallacy of the sense, for presence is simulated when the spirits are akin to man's thought, namely, those spirits who mediately and proximately are to administer the things which God Messiah wills and permits. These things (occurred) 1747, Aug. 24, o.s.
162. Quod etiam mirabile mihi visum est, erat, quod similia loca mihi nota facta sunt, ubi etiam cum iis loquutus, et quod iterum cum iis, quamvis centum milliaribus distarem loqui potuissem, quasi cum praesentibus, sed tantummodo id concedente Deo Messia, nam distantia nihil facit, de qua re aliquoties cum spiritibus loquutus sum, ac per visum humanum demonstravi, qui similiter ad maximam distantiam videt objecta absque distantia, sicut Solem Lunam, stellas, et quid non communicatio cum spiritibus, qui sunt intra naturam illam crassiorem, in qua est visus? Hoc 1
modo communicatio datur angelorum et spirituum etiam maxime distantium cum homine, praesentia eorum apud me, erat fallacia sensus, nam praesentia simulatur quum spiritus affines sunt cogitationi hominis, qui nempe mediate et proxime administraturi sunt ea quae Deus Messias vult et permittit. Haec 1747, die 24 Aug. st. vet.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has visus. Hoc