550.当与他们说话时，我说，没有人能凭自己做任何善事，只能凭独一主，就是良善本身和一切良善的源泉。他们的天使谦虚地回答说，他们以为自己能行善，并且只知道他们就是那行善的人。但后来，当他们被指示，他们所思所行的一切善事唯独来自宇宙之主（是以一种他们能理解的方式指示的）时，他们回答说，他们是按人类的习惯说话的，我们是以一种天堂的方式说话的；因此，他们承认这一点，但他们教导说，如此思考更简单。他们还被指示，主允许那些活在这种简单中的人以这种方式自由思考，只要他们知道这是怎么回事就行了。当我写这些东西时，他们也在场，不过是在远处；然而，是以这种方式，他们通过作为中介的灵人而在场。
550. When I spoke with them, saying that no one can do anything good of himself, but from the only Lord, Who is Good Itself, and the fountain of all goodness, their angels replied modestly that they thought they could do good, and could not tell differently than that it is they who are doing the good. But after that, on being shown that all good that is thought and done, comes solely from the Lord of the Universe - and shown in such a way that they could comprehend it - then they replied that they are speaking in accordance with human custom, and we in a heavenly manner.
So they did acknowledge, but said it was simpler to think as they did. This too was explained to them, namely, that the Lord leaves those who live in that simplicity free to think in this way, just so they know. They were also present, but from afar, when I was writing these words; yet in such a way that they were nevertheless present, through mediating spirits.
550. When I was speaking with them, I said that no one can do anything good of himself, but from the One Only Lord who is Good Itself, and the Fount of all goodness. Their angels modestly replied that they suppose they themselves can do good, nor can they know otherwise than that they are the ones who do good. But afterwards, when it was shown them that all the good that was thought and done comes solely from the Lord of the universe - and it was shown so that they could comprehend it - they then replied that they speak according to human usage, and we in a heavenly manner; thus they acknowledged it, but they taught that it was simpler so to think. It was also shown them that the Lord allows those who live in that simplicity so to think, provided that they know how the case is. They were also present when I was writing these things, but at a distance, yet in such a way that they were present through the mediations of spirits.
550. Quando cum iis loquutus sum, quod nemo aliquod bonum agere possit, a se, sed ab unico Domino, Qui est Ipsum Bonum, et fons omnis bonitatis, modeste respondebant eorum angeli, quod autument se posse bonum agere, nec aliter scire, quam quod ii sint, qui bonum agunt, sed dein cum iis ostensum est, quod omne bonum, quod cogitatum et factum, veniat unice a Domino Universi, et ostensum ita ut comprehendere possent, tunc respondebant, quod ii humano more loquantur, et nos coelesti modo, sic agnoscebant, sed id simplicius esse dicebant 1
, ita cogitare, quod etiam iis ostensum est, quod Dominus relinquat iis, qui in simplicitate ista vivunt, ita cogitare, modo id sciant; adfuerunt etiam, sed e longinquo, cum haec scriberem 2
, ita tamen ut adessent, per mediationes spirituum.
Footnotes:
1. nisi cum in J.F.I. Tafel's edition legeris docebant
2. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has scribere; vide autem praefationem hujus editionis ac "Idiosyncrasies"