13.⑹若神不是一位，整个宇宙无法被造并维持存在。神的一体性可通过宇宙的创造推论出来。原因在于，宇宙自始至终是一个有机组织起来的单一系统，它依赖神，如同肉体依赖灵魂。宇宙如此被造，以致神无处不在，并使宇宙的一切细节都在祂的掌控之下，不断将其联结为一体，从而维护整个宇宙。这也是为何耶和华神说，祂是首先的和末后的；是始和终；是阿拉法，是俄梅戛（以赛亚书44:6；启示录1:8），在别处说祂是创造万物的，是独自铺张诸天、铺开大地的（以赛亚书44:24）。这个被称为宇宙的浩瀚系统工程自始至终是一个有机组织起来的单一整体，因为神在创造宇宙时所着眼的一个目的就是通过人类创造一个天使天堂。达到这个目的的方法是构成这个世界的一切事物；因为凡意愿目的者也会意愿方法。
因此，凡将这个世界视为包含达到这个目的的方法的一件作品者，也会视整个受造宇宙为连贯成一个整体的作品，并看到这个世界被构造为有益人类的功用的集合体，以便形成天使天堂。圣爱只有一个目的，就是通过祂的神性使人类得到永恒的祝福；祂的圣智只产生旨在实现这个目的的功用。从这种普遍观点来看待这个世界，凡有智慧者都能领悟到宇宙创造者是一位，祂的本质是爱和智慧。所以，宇宙的最小细节中无不隐含着某种有益人类的功用，或远或近。因为人类的衣食皆源自地上的出产和动物。
奇事之一是，那些被称作蚕的微不足道的昆虫能让男男女女穿上丝绸，
华丽地装扮他们，上至王后国王、下至男仆女佣。象蜜蜂这样渺小的昆虫都能为照亮教堂和礼堂提供蜡烛所需要的蜂蜡。那些逐一研究这个世界上的一些事物，而不思考万物最普遍的联系，包括目的、居间原因和结果，并且不从藉着圣智的圣爱推论创造的人，看不到整个宇宙其实是一位神的杰作，祂居于一切具体功用中，因为祂居于目的中。无论哪种情况，凡居于目的者，必居于方法中，因为目的存在于一切方法的至内在，驱动并引导它们。
人若不视宇宙是神的手艺，也不视之为祂的圣爱与圣智的居所，反而视之为自然界的手艺，是太阳的热与光的居所，就会反对神，关闭其心智的高层区域；然后向着魔鬼打开其低层区域，结果脱去他们的人性，披上兽性，不仅视自己如同野兽，而且的确变成野兽。因为他们狡诈如狐狸，残暴如狼，奸猾如豹，野蛮如虎，还变成鳄鱼、毒蛇、猫头鹰、以及其它夜鸟，各随其本性。在灵界，象这样的人从远处看，的确就象这些野兽，因为这就是他们恶欲的写照。
13. (6)倘若上帝不是一位, 宇宙無法被造或維持。
從宇宙的被造, 可推論出上帝只有一位。因為宇宙萬物從最初到最末, 是連貫如一個作品的各個元件, 依附于上帝——如同身體依靠靈魂。宇宙如此被造, 以至於上帝無處不在, 並將每個和全部的部件在祂的掌控之下。將各部件持續地聯合如同一個身體, 就是維護這個宇宙。因此, 耶和華上帝宣稱:祂是首先的, 祂是末後的; 是始, 是終; 是阿拉法, 是俄梅戛(以賽亞書44:6;啟示錄1:8)。另外還有:耶和華是創造萬物的, 是獨自鋪張諸天,鋪開大地的(以賽亞書44:24)。
這個被稱為宇宙的浩瀚系統, 其間萬物從最初到最末, 如同各個元件連貫成一個作品。因為在創造它時, 上帝已籌畫好唯一的目標:一切為了人類。並且, 構成這世界的萬物都是達成這個目標的途徑。祂追求目標, 也尋求達到目標的途徑。
[2]為了達到這個目標, 宇宙便被造為達到目標的途徑。被造的宇宙是連貫如一的作品, 還是各樣用途的綜合, 它們遵循神性的規律而存在。這些用途都以人類作為目標, 因為天人的天國由人類而來。聖仁並不為別的,唯專注于人類的永遠幸福。聖智產生不了別的,唯產生用途, 這些用途是達到目標之途徑。如此總體地來觀察這個世界, 每個有判斷力的人應該能明白:有一位宇宙創造者, 祂的本質是仁和智。哪怕是宇宙中最微小的細節都不可能不隱藏著某些用途, 只是關係上或近或遠。
[3]微不足道,看似無用的蠶, 居然能吐絲來華麗地裝扮男男女女——上至王后國王,下至男傭女僕。蜜蜂這樣微小的昆蟲能為照亮聖殿和皇宮提供蠟燭所需要的蜂蠟, 這是何等奇妙。那些察看世間一些極小細節事物的, 卻不研究其間萬物最普遍的聯繫, 包括目標,過程,結果。並且不從聖仁的角度來推斷創造的源頭, 這些人無法明白宇宙其實就是一位上帝的傑作。並且這位上帝居住在每個細節的功用之中, 因為祂住在目的之中。任何情況下, 但凡在目的之中,必須也在方法之中。因為目的存在於所有方法的深處, 來驅動和引導方法。
[4]有些人不認為宇宙是上帝的傑作, 也不承認宇宙是祂仁與智的居所; 卻堅持認為是自然的作品, 並且是太陽的熱與光的居所。這樣就關閉了他們的認知的更高層次,逆著上帝; 打開了認知的更低層次,順著魔鬼。結果脫去他們的人性,穿上獸性, 不僅像野獸, 而且確實變成如此。因為他們在狡詐上變為狐狸, 兇殘為豺狼, 反叛為黑豹, 暴虐為老虎, 還變成鱷魚,毒蛇,貓頭鷹,以及其它夜鳥, 順著這些動物的特性而活。而且在心靈世界, 類似這樣的人, 隔著一定距離來看他們, 確實顯現為這類的野獸。這就是他們惡欲的自我描繪。
13. 6. If there were not one God the universe could not have been created or maintained. We can infer the oneness of God from the creation of the universe, because the universe is a work connected together as one thing from beginning to end, all dependent on one God as the body depends on its soul. The universe was designed to allow God to be omnipresent, keep every detail of it under his supervision, and maintain it perpetually as one entity, that is, preserve it. This is why Jehovah God says he is "the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and the Omega" (see Isaiah 44:6; Revelation 1:8, 17); and why he says elsewhere that he makes all things, stretches out the heavens, and extends the earth by himself (see Isaiah 44:24).
This vast system called the universe is a work connected as one thing from beginning to end because God had a single purpose in creating it: an angelic heaven populated by the human race. All the things that make up the world are means of fulfilling that purpose, because someone who intends an end result also intends the means to achieve it.
[2] If we view this world as a work containing the means of fulfilling the aforementioned purpose, we can see the created universe as a work connected together into one thing; and see that this world is a complex structure of useful functions arranged and prioritized for the sake of the human race, the source of the angelic heaven.
Divine love cannot intend anything other than that people should forever have the blessings of its divineness. Divine wisdom cannot produce anything other than useful things that are means of fulfilling that purpose.
Upon examining the world with this universal idea in mind, every wise person is capable of grasping that there is one Creator of the universe and that his essence is love and wisdom. For this reason every single thing in this world is of benefit to us; if it seems of no direct benefit, at least it is of indirect benefit. The fruits of the earth and the animals benefit us with food and also with clothing.
[3] Among the marvels of this world is that the lowly insects called silkworms clothe with silk and magnificently adorn both women and men from queens and kings down to maids and butlers. And the lowly insects called bees supply wax for the lamps that give churches and royal courts their splendor.
Some people examine certain aspects of the world in isolation rather than looking at everything as a chain from purposes through intermediate means to results. Therefore those people cannot see that the universe is the handiwork of one God. The same is true for people who do not see creation as the product of divine love acting through divine wisdom. Neither group is able to see that God dwells in individual useful things because he dwells in the purpose behind them. Yet everyone who has some purpose is also involved in the means of achieving it, because deep within every one of the means lies the purpose as the force that drives and guides it.
[4] Some do not view the universe as the handiwork of God and the home of his love and wisdom, but view it instead as a product of nature and as the home of the sun's heat and light. They close the higher levels of their mind toward God and open the lower levels of their mind toward the Devil. In the process, they take off their humanity and put on the nature of a wild animal. It is not just a belief of theirs that humans are like animals; they themselves actually become like animals. They become as crafty as foxes, as fierce as wolves, as deceptive as leopards, as savage as tigers; or they take on the nature of crocodiles, snakes, horned owls, or night birds. In the spiritual world they even look like these wild animals from a distance. Their love for evil takes these shapes.
13. (vi) IF THERE HAD NOT BEEN ONE GOD, THE UNIVERSE COULD NOT HAVE BEEN CREATED AND KEPT IN EXISTENCE.
The reason the oneness of God can be deduced from the creation of the universe is that the universe is a single system coherently organised from beginning to end, and dependent upon God as the body is on the soul. The universe was so created that God could be omnipresent, and keep all its particulars under His guidance, and keep it perpetually together as a unit, and so preserve it. This too is why Jehovah God says that He is the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, Alpha and Omega (Isaiah 44:6; Revelation 1:8, 17) and elsewhere that He does everything, spreads out the heavens, and stretches out the earth, of Himself (Isaiah 44:24). This mighty system which is called the universe is a single unit coherently organised from beginning to end, because God had one end in view in creating it, to create from the human race a heaven of angels. The means to this end are all the things of which the world is composed; for he who wills the end, wills also the means.
[2] The man therefore who contemplates the world as a piece of work containing the means to that end can contemplate the created universe as a single coherent unit, and he can see that the world is an assemblage of services structured for the benefit of the human race, to form a heaven of angels. The Divine Love cannot have any other end in view than from His Divine to make human beings eternally blessed; and His Divine Wisdom cannot produce anything but services designed to fulfil that end. By considering the world from this universal point of view every wise man can grasp that the Creator of the universe is one, and that His essence is Love and Wisdom. Consequently there is no detail in it which does not conceal services either nearly or distantly designed to benefit human beings. Their food is provided by the fruits of the earth and also by animals, their clothing from the same sources.
[3] One of the astonishing things is that those insignificant insects called silk-worms dress both women and men in silk and adorn them magnificently, from queens and kings down to maids and servants; and those insignificant insects, the bees, supply wax to illuminate splendidly churches and halls. Those who consider one by one facts about the world instead of the whole assemblage of ends, causal means and effects, and those who do not attribute creation to Divine Love acting by means of Divine Wisdom, cannot see that the universe is the handiwork of one God, and that He dwells in each service because He is in the end. For everyone who is involved in an end is also involved in the means, for the end which activates and controls the means is buried deep within all the means.
[4] Those who regard the universe not as the handiwork of God, nor as the dwelling-place of His Love and Wisdom, but as the handiwork of nature and the dwelling-place of the sun's heat and light, shut off the higher regions of their mind from God, and expose the lower regions to the devil. As a result they exchange their human nature for that of a wild beast, indeed they not only think themselves to be no better than animals, but actually become animals. They become foxes in cunning, wolves in ferocity, leopards in guile, tigers in savagery, crocodiles, snakes, screech owls and other night-birds, each with its own nature. People like this in the spiritual world actually look from a distance like those wild beasts, for this is how their love of evil shows itself.
13. (6) If God were not one, the universe could not have been created and preserved. The unity of God may be inferred from the creation of the universe, because the universe is a work coherent as a unit from things first to things last, and dependent upon one God as a body upon its soul. The universe was so created that God might be omnipresent, and hold each and all of its parts under His direction, and keep its parts together as one body perpetually, which is to preserve it. Moreover, because of this Jehovah God declares:
That He is the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and Omega (Isaiah 44:6; Revelation 1:8, 17).
And elsewhere:
That He maketh all things, spreadeth forth the heavens above, and stretcheth forth the earth by Himself (Isaiah 44:24).
This vast system which is called the universe is a work coherent as a unit from things first to things last, because in creating it God had a single end in view, which was an angelic heaven from the human race; and all things of which the world consists are means to that end; since he who seeks an end seeks also the means.
[2] Consequently, whoever regards the world as a work containing means to that end is able to look upon the created universe as a work coherent as a unit, and to see that the world is a complex of uses, existing in a successive order, looking to the human race (from which is the angelic heaven) as its end. The Divine love can be intent upon no other end than the eternal blessedness of men, having its source in the Divine; and its Divine wisdom can bring forth nothing but uses that are means to that end. Surveying the world from this most general idea, every wise man can comprehend that the Creator of the universe is a One, and that His essence is love and wisdom; consequently there can not be in it the smallest particular in which there does not lie hidden some use, more or less remote, for man-food from the fruits of the earth and from animals, and clothing from the same sources.
[3] How wonderful it is that the insignificant silkworm should clothe with silk and magnificently adorn both women and men, from queens and kings to maidservants and menservants; and that a petty insect like the bee should supply wax for the tapers which make temples and palaces brilliant. Those who study in minute detail a few things in the world, and not all things in their most general relations, including ends, mediate cases, and effects, and who, furthermore, do not deduce creation from Divine love through the Divine wisdom, are unable to see that the universe is the workmanship of one God, and that He dwells in every particular use because He dwells in the end. For in every case one who is in an end must be in the means also, since the end is inmostly in all the means, actuating and directing them.
[4] Those who do not regard the universe as the workmanship of God and the dwelling-place of His love and wisdom, but as the workmanship of nature and the dwelling-place of the sun's heat and light, close the higher regions of their mind against God, and open its lower regions for the devil, and consequently put off their human nature and put on a bestial nature, and not only think themselves to be like the beasts but actually become so. For they become foxes in cunning, wolves in fierceness, panthers in treachery, tigers in cruelty, and crocodiles, serpents, owls, and other birds of night, in the several characteristics of these. Moreover, in the spiritual world those who are such do at a distance actually appear like these wild beasts. Thus does their love of evil portray itself.
13. (6) UNLESS GOD WERE ONE, THE UNIVERSE COULD NOT HAVE BEEN CREATED AND PRESERVED.
The unity of God may be inferred from the creation of the universe, because it is a work coherent as a unity from first to last, and dependent upon one God as the body depends upon its soul. The universe was so created that God may be present everywhere, keep every part under His own direction, and maintain its unity for ever, that is, preserve it. For this reason Jehovah God declares that He is the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and the Omega, Isaiah 44:6; Revelation 1:8, 17;
and in another place, that He maketh all things, stretcheth forth the heavens, and spreadeth abroad the earth by Himself. Isaiah 44:24.
This great system which is called the Universe is a work cohering as a unity from first to last because God in creating it had one end in view, namely, an angelic heaven from the human race; and all things of which the world consists are means to that end: for he who wills the end, wills also the means.
[2] Therefore he who looks upon the world as a work comprising the means to that end can look upon the created universe as a coherent unity and can see that the world is a complex of uses in successive order for the service of the human race, from which the angelic heaven is formed. The Divine Love can, from its own Divine nature, design no other end than the eternal happiness of men, and the Divine Wisdom can produce nothing but uses, as means to that end. From the contemplation of the world in the light of this universal idea every wise man may understand that the Creator of the universe is one, and that His Essence is Love and Wisdom. There is, therefore, nothing in the universe in which does not reside some use, more or less remote, for the service of man. His food and clothing he derives from the produce of the earth and from animals.
[3] It is a wonderful thing that those humble insects, called silk-worms, should clothe with silk and magnificently adorn men and women, from kings and queens even to menservants and maid-servants; and that those humble insects, the bees, should furnish wax for lamps to illuminate temples and palaces.
Those who view things in the world signify, and not comprehensively in a series in which are ends, mediate causes and effects, and who do not refer Creation to the Divine Love through the Divine Wisdom, cannot that the universe is the work of one God, and that He is present in every single use, because He is present in the end. For whoever is in the end is also in the means, since the end is interiorly involved in all the means, actuating and directing them.
[4] Those who do not regard the universe as the work of God and the habitation of His Love and Wisdom, but as the work of nature and a receptacle for the heat and light of the sun, close the higher parts of their minds to God and open the lower parts to the devil. They thus put off the nature of men and put on that of animals, and not only do they believe they are like animals but they even become animals; for they become foxes in cunning, wolves in ferocity, leopards in treachery, tigers in cruelty, and crocodiles, serpents, owls and night-birds in their respective qualities. In the spiritual world they appear at a distance like those creatures, for their evil loves assume such animal forms.
13. VI. QUOD NISI UNUS DEUS FORET, NON POTUISSET UNIVERSUM CREARI ET CONSERVARI. Quod Unitas Dei concludi possit a creatione Universi, est quia Universum est Opus cohaerens sicut unum a primis ad ultima, et quod pendeat a Deo uno sicut corpus a sua anima; Universum ita creatum est, ut Deus possit omnipraesens esse, ac sub auspicio suo omnia et singula ejus tenere, ac ut unum continere in perpetuum, quod est conservare. Ex hoc quoque est, quod Jehovah Deus dicat, Quod sit, Primus et Ultimus, Principium et Finis, Alpha et Omega, Esaias 44:6; Apocalypsis 1:8, 17. Et alibi, Quod faciat omnia, expandat coelos, et extendat Terram, a Se Ipso, Esaias 44:24. Hoc magnum Systema, quod vocatur Universum, est Opus cohaerens ut unum a primis ad ultima, quia Deus in creando illud intendit unum Finem, qui fuit Coelum angelicum ex Humano Genere, et Media ad illum finem sunt omnia, ex quibus Mundus est; nam qui vult finem etiam vult media;
[2] quare qui contemplatur Mundum ut Opus continens mediorum ad illum finem, ille potest contemplari Universum creatum ut Opus cohaerens ut unum, et potest videre, quod Mundus sit Complexus usuum in successivo ordine pro Humano Genere, ex quo Coelum Angelicum; Divinus Amor non potest alium finem intendere, quam Beatitudinem aeternam hominum ex suo Divino, et Divina Ipsius Sapientia non potest producere aliud quam usus medios ad illum finem; ex lustrato Mundo in universali hac idea, omnis sapiens potest comprehendere, quod Creator universi sit unus, et quod Essentia Ipsius sit Amor et Sapientia; quare non datur singulare ibi, in quo non latet usus in propinquo aut e longinquo pro homine; pro victu ejus ex fructibus terrae, et quoque ex animalibus, ac vestitus ex iisdem.
[3] Inter mirabilia est, quod viles illi vermes, qui vocantur Bombyces, serico vestiant et magnifice ornent et foeminas et viros, a Reginis et Regibus, usque ad ancillas et famulos: et quod Viles vermes, qui sunt Apes, suppeditent ceras pro luminaribus, ex quibus Templa et Aulae in splendore sunt. Illi qui singulariter aliqua in Mundo, et non universaliter omnia in serie, in qua sunt fines, causae mediae, et effectus, lustrant, tum qui Creationem non a Divino Amore per Divinam Sapientiam deducunt, non videre possunt, quod Universum sit Opificium unius Dei, et quod in singulis usibus, quia in fine, habitet; omnis enim qui in fine est, etiam in mediis est, nam intime in omnibus mediis est finis, qui agit et ducit media.
[4] Qui non contemplantur Universum ut Opificium Dei, ac ut Habitaculum Amoris et Sapientiae Ipsius, sed ut Opificium naturae, ac ut Habitaculum caloris et lucis solis, illi superiora mentis suae occludunt pro Deo, et Inferiora mentis suae aperiunt pro diabolo et inde exuunt Humanum et induunt ferinum, et se non modo credunt bestiis similes, sed etiam fiunt; fiunt enim vulpes quoad astutiam, lupi quoad ferociam, pardi quoad dolum, tigrides quoad saevitiam, crocodili, serpentes, bubones et noctuae quoad illorum naturam: illi qui tales sunt, etiam in Mundo Spirituali 1 e longinquo apparent illis feris similes; amor mali illorum ita se figurat.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: Sprituali.