5241. I was led down to the Mohammedans toward the east and was granted to speak with them. They said that many Christians came to them. They said that those from the Catholic religion had in mind converting them, but they perceived that this was being done for the sake of profit and power. They said that they had told them that they cannot grasp how they can believe in one God when they name three and call each God and also say they are persons, when nevertheless there is but one God, and that granted they do also say that there is one God, they are unable to fathom how they can comprehend God to be one after they have named three. They say the three make one, when yet there are three gods whom they call one God.
When these things were heard, the angels said to them that in heaven one does not speak in this way, but that the Trinity, which is called Father, Son and holy Spirit, is in one person and that He is the Lord and that the Trinity is in Him just as in an angel. This is said for the sake of illustration. In an Angel there is the being of life, which is the inmost and in the world is called the soul, which is gotten from the father; and there is life's manifestation, which appears in a human form; and that there is what proceeds from this, which is an aura of affection, or rather love, by which the angel is perceived at a distance by others. From this one can have something of a mental picture of the Trinity in the Lord. The inmost, which is the Being of life, is what is called the Father, the Manifestation of life is [its] human form, which is called the Son, and there is what goes out [from it], which is called the holy Spirit, for what goes out is holy. It was added that in the world they say that one goes out, or proceeds, from the other, the Son from the Father and the holy Spirit from both, but they do not know what it is to go forth or proceed. That this is so, they could have known from the Word from places where the Lord openly says that the Father and He are one [John 10:30], that He in the Father and the Father in Him [ibid. 14:11], and that holy Spirit does not speak from itself but from Him. [ibid. 16:13, 14]. Therefore if they had wanted to be enlightened in this matter, they could have been and so could have known and understand that the Trinity is in a one and that thus there is one God.
5241. I was brought to the Mohammedans, towards the east; and it was given me to speak with them. They said that many Christians, of (they affirmed) the Catholic religion, came to them for the purpose of converting them; but that they perceive this to be for the sake of gain and dominion. They said, they have told them that they could not comprehend how they are able to believe in one God, since they name three, and call each one God, and also declare them to be persons, when yet there is only one God; and that, although they speak of one God, they cannot know how they are able to understand God to be one, after they have named three; and that they say the three make one, when, still, they are three gods whom they call one God. On hearing these things, the angels told them that it is not thus spoken of in heaven; but that that Trine which is called the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, is in one person, and is the Lord; also, that there is a Trine in Him, just as there is in an angel - which is said for the sake of illustration: in an angel there is given an esse of life, which is inmost, and in the world is called the soul from the father; there is the existere of life, which appears in the human form; and there is the proceeding thence, which is the sphere of affection, or love, by which an angel is perceived at a distance by others. From this, an idea can be obtained about the Trine in the Lord: the inmost, which is the Esse of life, is what is called the Father; that which is the Existere of life, is the Human, which is called the Son; and that which proceeds, is what is called the Holy Spirit; for it is a Holy Proceeding. It was added, that, in the world, they say that one goes forth, or proceeds, from another - the Son from the Father, and the Holy Spirit from both; but that yet they are entirely ignorant, what going-forth, or proceeding, means; and that they might know that the case was, as stated above, from the Word, from the passages there where the Lord openly says that the Father and He are one - He in the Father and the Father in Him; and that the Holy Spirit does not speak of itself but from Him. Wherefore, if men had been willing, they would have been able to be enlightened respecting that matter, and hence to know and comprehend that the Trine is in One, and so, that there is one God.
5241. Deductus sum ad Mahumedanos versus orientem, et datum est loqui cum illis, dicebant quod ad illos veniant plures Christiani, dicebant ex religione Catholica, animo convertendi illos, sed quod percipiant id fieri propter lucrum et propter dominium; dicebant quod dixerint ad illos, quod non capere possent quomodo credere possint in unum Deum, cum nominant tres, et quemvis vocant Deum, et quoque dicant personas, cum tamen non est nisi unus Deus; et licet illi quoque dicant unum Deum, quod non scire possint, quomodo comprehendere possint Deum esse unum, postquam nominarunt tres, quod dicant tres unum facere, usque tamen esse tres dii quos vocant unum Deum, his auditis, illis dictum est ab angelis, quod in coelo non ita dicatur, sed quod Trinum illud, quod vocatur Pater, Filius et Spiritus sanctus, sit in una persona, et quod sit Dominus, et quod in Ipso sit Trinum sicut in angelo, quod dicitur illustrationis causa, in illo datur esse vitae, quod intimum, et in mundo vocatur anima a patre, et quod sit existere vitae, quod apparet in forma humana, et quod sit procedens inde, quod est sphaera affectionis seu amoris, per quam angelus ad distantiam ab aliis percipitur, inde idea haberi potest de Trino in Domino, intimum quod est Esse vitae, est quod vocatur Pater, quod est Existere vitae est humanum quod vocatur Filius, et est procedens quod vocatur sanctus Spiritus, nam est sanctum procedens: addebatur, quod in mundo dicant quod unum exeat seu procedat ab altero, Filius a Patre, et Spiritus sanctus ab utroque, sed quod usque nihil sciant quid sit exire seu procedere; quod ita sit, quod potuerint scire ex Verbo, ex locis ibi ubi Dominus aperte dicit quod Pater et Ipse unum sint [Joh. X: 30], Ipse in Patre et Pater in Ipso [ibid. XIV:11], et quod Spiritus sanctus non loquatur ex se sed ab Ipso [ibid. XVI: 13, 14]; quare si voluissent illustrari de illa re potuissent, et inde scire et capere quod Trinum sit in uno, et sic unus Deus.