SS6.从主依次发出属天层、属灵层和属世层。从祂的神性之爱发出之物被称为属天层，是神性良善；从祂的神性智慧发出之物被称为属灵层，是神性真理；属世层是这二者的产物，是它们在最低层或最表层的一个综合体。主的属天国度的天使，就是构成第三层或最高层天堂的天使，处于从主发出、被称为属天层的神性，因为他们处于来自主的爱之良善。主的属灵国度的天使，就是构成第二层或中间层天堂的天使，处于从主发出、被称为属灵层的神性，因为他们处于来自主的智慧之真理。但世上的教会之人处于神性属世层，也是从主发出的。由此可推知，神性在从主发出直到其最低层或最表层的过程中，是通过三个层级降下来的，被称为属天层，属灵层和属世层。从主降至人类的神性是通过这三个层级降下的；当降下来时，它包含这三个层级在里面。一切神性事物都具有这种性质。当在它的最低层级中时，它便存在于其完全之中。这就是圣言。它在其最低层或最表层的意义上是属世的；在其内在意义上是属灵的，在其至内在的意义上是属天的，在每种意义上都是神性。圣言就具有这种性质，这一点并未显明在它的字义，也就是属世意义中，因为迄今为止，这个世界上的人对天堂一无所知，因而对属灵层和属天层一无所知，故对这两个层级与属世层级之间的区别一无所知。
注：天堂由两个国度构成，一个被称为属天国度，另一个被称为属灵国度，这一点可见于《天堂与地狱》一书（20-28节）。
6. There emanate from the Lord what is heavenly, what is spiritual, and what is earthly, in that order. What emanates from his divine love is called heavenly and is divine goodness. What emanates from his divine wisdom is called spiritual, and is divine truth. What is earthly is a product of the two; it is a combining of them on the outermost level.
Angels of the Lord’s heavenly kingdom, the ones who make up the third or highest heaven, are focused on the divine quality emanating from the Lord that is called heavenly, since they are focused on good desires that come from love, which they receive from the Lord. Angels of the Lord’s spiritual kingdom, the ones who make up the second or middle heaven, are focused on the divine quality emanating from the Lord that is called spiritual, since they are focused on the truths that lead to wisdom, which they receive from the Lord. 1We of the church in the world, though, are focused on a divine-earthly quality, which also emanates from the Lord.
[2] It follows from all this that as what is divine emanates from the Lord to its outermost limits, it comes down through three levels, and that they are called heavenly, spiritual, and earthly. The divine emanation that comes down to us from the Lord comes down through these three levels, and when it has come down it has these three levels within itself. Everything divine is like this, so when it is on its outermost level, it is full [of the inner levels].
That is what the Word is like.
In its outermost meaning it is earthly, in its inner meaning it is spiritual, and in its inmost meaning it is heavenly; and on every level of meaning it is divine.
It is not obvious from the literal meaning (which is earthly) that the Word is like this, because we here on earth have not known anything about the heavens before. This means that we have not known that spiritual quality or that heavenly quality; so we have not known the difference between them and what is earthly.
Footnotes:
1. [Swedenborg’s Footnote] On the two kingdoms that make up the heavens, one called “the heavenly kingdom” and one called “the spiritual kingdom,” see Heaven and Hell 20-28.
6. From the Lord spring three levels of reality — the celestial, the spiritual, and the natural — one after another.
The level termed celestial is one that springs from the Lord’s Divine love, and is Divine goodness.
The level termed spiritual is one that springs from His Divine wisdom, and is Divine truth.
The level termed natural is one that springs from these two. It is a composite of them on the lowest level.
Angels of the Lord’s celestial kingdom, who make up the third or highest heaven, are surrounded by the Divinity emanating from the Lord that we call celestial. For they are prompted by the goodness of love received from the Lord.
Angels of the Lord’s spiritual kingdom, who make up the second or middle heaven, are surrounded by the Divinity emanating from the Lord that we call spiritual. For they are prompted by the truths of wisdom received from the Lord. 1
And in the church in the world people are surrounded by the natural Divinity that also emanates from the Lord.
[2] It follows from this that the Divinity emanating from the Lord to its lowest level descends through three degrees, and is termed celestial, spiritual, and natural.
The Divinity that descends from the Lord to humankind does so through these three degrees, and when it has descended, it contains these three degrees within it.
Everything Divine is of such a character. When it is in its lowest degree, therefore, it exists in its fullness.
Such is the Word. In its lowest or outmost sense it is natural. In its interior sense it is spiritual, in its inmost sense celestial, and in every sense Divine.
That the Word is of such a character is not apparent in its literal, natural sense, and that is because people in the world have previously known nothing of the heavens, and so nothing of the spiritual and celestial levels, thus nothing of the difference between these levels and the natural one.
Footnotes:
1. That the heavens consist of two kingdoms, one called the celestial kingdom, and the other the spiritual kingdom, may be seen in the book Heaven and Hell, nos. 20-28.
6. From the Lord proceed the Celestial, the Spiritual and the natural, one after another. What proceeds from His Divine Love is called the Celestial, and is Divine Good; what proceeds from His Divine Wisdom is called the Spiritual, and is Divine Truth. The Natural is from both and is their complex in the ultimate [or lowest] degree. The angels of the Lord's celestial kingdom, who constitute the third or highest heaven, are in that Divine proceeding from the Lord which is called the celestial, for they are in the good of love from the Lord. The angels of the Lord's spiritual kingdom, who constitute the second or middle heaven, are in that Divine proceeding from the Lord which is called the spiritual, for they are in the truths of wisdom from the Lord. 1Men of the Church is the world, however, are in the Divine natural, which also proceeds from the Lord. From this it follows that the Divine proceeding from the Lord to its ultimates, descends through three degrees, and is termed Celestial, Spiritual and Natural. The Divine which descends from the Lord to men comes down through these three degrees; and when it has descended, it contains these three degrees in itself. Such is the nature of every thing Divine; therefore when it is in its ultimate degree, it is in its fulness. This is the nature of the Word. In its ultimate sense it is natural, in its interior sense it is spiritual, and in its inmost sense it is celestial; and in each it is Divine. That the Word is of this nature is not apparent in the sense of its Letter, as this is natural; because man when in the world has hitherto not known anything concerning the heavens; and consequently has not known what the spiritual is, and what the celestial; thus he has not known the difference between these and the natural.
Footnotes:
1. Author's Note. The heavens consist of two Kingdoms, one of which is called the celestial kingdom, and the other the spiritual kingdom. This may be seen in HEAVEN AND HELL 20-28.
6. From the Lord proceed the CELESTIAL, the SPIRITUAL, and the NATURAL, one after another. That is called the celestial which proceeds from His Divine love, and is Divine good; that is called the SPIRITUAL which proceeds from His Divine wisdom, and is Divine truth; the NATURAL is from both, being their complex in the ultimate. The angels of the Lord's celestial kingdom, of whom is composed the third or highest heaven, are in that Divine which proceeds from the Lord that is called the celestial, for they are in the good of love from the Lord. The angels of the Lord's spiritual kingdom, of whom is composed the second or middle heaven, are in that Divine which proceeds from the Lord that is called the spiritual, for they are in truths of wisdom from the Lord. 1But the men of the church on earth are in the Divine Natural, which also proceeds from the Lord. From this it follows that the Divine in proceeding from the Lord to its ultimates descends through three degrees, and is named the celestial, the spiritual, and the natural. The Divine which comes down from the Lord to men descends through these three degrees; and when it has come down, it holds these three degrees contained within it. Such is everything Divine, so that when it is in its ultimate degree it is in its fullness. Such is the Word; in its ultimate sense it is natural, in its interior sense it is spiritual, and in its inmost sense it is celestial; and in each sense it is Divine. That such is the nature of the Word does not appear in the sense of the letter, which sense is natural, for the reason that hitherto the man of this world has known nothing about the heavens; and consequently has not known what the spiritual is, nor what the celestial is, nor therefore the distinction between them and the natural.
Footnotes:
1. That there are two kingdoms of which the heavens consist, one of which is called the celestial kingdom, the other the spiritual kingdom, may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell (n. 20-28).
6. A Domino procedit Caeleste, Spirituale et Naturale, unum post alterum. Caeleste dicitur, quod procedit ex Divino Amore Ipsius, et est Divinum Bonum: Spirituale dicitur, quod procedit ex Divina Sapientia Ipsius, et est Divinum Verum: Naturale est ex utroque; est illorum complexus in ultimo. Angeli regni caelestis Domini, ex quibus est tertium seu supremum caelum, sunt in Divino quod procedit a Domino quod caeleste vocatur; nam sunt in bono amoris a Domino: angeli regni spiritualis Domini, ex quibus est secundum seu medium caelum, sunt in Divino quod procedit a Domino quod spirituale vocatur, sunt enim in veris sapientiae a Domino: 1homines autem ecclesiae in mundo, sunt in Divino naturali, quod etiam procedit a Domino. Ex his sequitur, quod Divinum procedens a Domino ad ultima sua, descendat per tres gradus, ac nominetur caeleste, spirituale et naturale. Divinum quod a Domino ad homines descendit, per tres illos gradus descendit; et cum descenderat, tres illos gradus in se continet: omne Divinum tale est; ideo quando est in suo ultimo gradu, est in suo pleno. Tale est Verbum. Hoc in ultimo suo sensu est naturale, in interiori est spirituale, ac in intimo est caeleste, et est Divinum in unoquovis. Quod Verbum tale sit, non apparet in sensu litterae ejus, qui est naturalis, ex causa, quia homo mundi antehac non sciverat aliquid de caelis, et inde non quid spirituale, et quid caeleste, ita nec discrimen inter illa et inter naturale.
Footnotes:
1. Quod duo regna sint, ex quibus caeli consistunt, quorum unum vocatur regnum caeleste, alterum regnum spirituale, videatur in opere De Caelo et Inferno (De Caelo et Inferno 20-28).