134. 在此，我插入几个记事。记事一：
在灵人界，有一次我去教堂，那里有一个大型聚会。在布道开始之前，他们就救赎这个话题展开一场讨论。这个教堂呈四方形，墙上没有窗户；不过，屋顶中央有一个很大的敞口，天堂之光便由此照进来，使里面比两边有窗户还要明亮。看哪，他们在讨论救赎时，一片乌云忽然从北方飘来，遮住了这个敞口，使里面一片漆黑，以致他们看不见彼此，几乎伸手不见五指。正当他们对此目瞪口呆时，只见那片乌云从中间裂开了，他们透过裂隙看见众天使从天而降，将乌云驱散到两边，使教堂再度充满光明。然后，众天使派出其中一位降下来进入教堂，以他们之名询问他们在争论什么，致使如此浓密的乌云遮蔽他们，夺走光明，带来黑暗。他们回答说，讨论的话题是神儿子通过十字架受难所施行的救赎，祂由此而遮罪，并将人类从诅咒和永死中解救出来。被差下来的这个天使闻言说：“为何要通过十字架受难？请解释一下。”
于是，一个牧师走上前来说：“我会依次解释我们所知和所信的：父神向人类发怒、诅咒它，将其关在祂宽恕的大门外，声称全人类注定灭亡、受到诅咒，并把他们扔进地狱；祂愿意让祂儿子来担当这个诅咒，儿子也同意了，并为此降下来，取了人的样式，忍受十字架的痛苦，从而将人类的诅咒转到自己身上。因为我们读到：‘凡挂在木头上的都是受诅咒的’（申命记21:22－23；加拉太书3:13）。儿子就这样通过调解和代求平息了父亲的怒气；然后父亲因对祂儿子的爱，并目睹了祂在十字架上所受的痛苦而感动，决定宽恕世人；但祂说：‘我只将你的公义归给这些人；我会将这些人从愤怒之子和诅咒之子变为恩典和蒙福之子，使他们成为公义、拯救他们。剩下的人则照从前的决定，仍是愤怒之子。’这就是我们的信，这些事就是我们的公义，父神将这公义植入在我们的信中，单凭这信就能称义并得救。”
听到这番话，那天使沉默了好一会。他无比震惊，但最终还是打破沉默：“基督教界怎会变得如此疯狂？竟偏离正常理智到了胡言乱语的地步，居然从这种悖论中推出救赎的基本信条。谁不明白这与神性本质本身，也就是神的圣爱及其圣智，同时与祂的全能和全在截然对立？没有哪一个正派的主人会如此对待他的仆婢；甚至飞禽走兽也不会这样对待它的幼雏或幼崽。太可怕了！取消对人类每一位成员的呼召，这岂不违背祂的神性本质？改变自永恒所建立的、规定各人照各人的生活受审判的秩序法则，这岂不违背神性本质？将其爱和怜悯从人那里，尤其从全人类那里收回，这岂不违背神性本质？通过目睹祂儿子的痛苦才回到怜悯中，且由于怜悯是神的本质，故才回到祂自己的本质中，这岂不违背神性本质？认为祂曾脱离那本质是极其恶毒的，因为那本质自永恒到永恒就是祂自己。
还有，将救赎的公义（这救赎本身是神全能的一部分）植入在诸如你们的信之类的事物中，把它转给或归于一个人，没有通过其它任何途径就宣称他是公义、纯净和圣洁的，这可能吗？仅仅通过将公义转给人，由此使不义变为公义，使诅咒变为蒙福，就能赦免任何人的罪，使他更新、重生并得救，这可能吗？以这种方式将地狱变为天堂，将天堂变为地狱，或将龙变为米迦勒，将米迦勒变为龙，从而结束他们之间的争战，这可能吗？除了将你们信的分配从这个人收回，并赋予另一个人外，还有需要做的事吗？你们这是迫使我们在天堂的人永远活在恐惧中。让一个人去担当另一个人的罪，使有罪的变得无罪，罪犯因此被洁净，这并不符合公义公平。这岂不违背神性公义和人性公平？基督教界仍不知道秩序的存在，更不知道何为秩序。神在创世的同时就将这秩序引入这个世界中，神不可能违背那秩序，那样祂就是在违背祂自己，因为神就是秩序本身。”
那个牧师明白了这位天使所说的话，因为上面的天使从天上降下光来。接着，他叹了口气说：“我们该怎么办？如今所有人都这样讲、这样祷告，也这样去信。人人都在说：‘仁慈的父啊，怜悯我们吧；为你儿子在十字架上为我们所流宝血的缘故赦免我们的罪。’他们向基督祷告说：‘主啊，求你为我们代求。’我们这位牧师还补充道：‘请为我们差遣圣灵来。’”然后，天使说：“我发现牧师们通过对圣言肤浅的理解来预备眼膏，把它们抹在那些被自己的信弄瞎了双眼之人的眼上；或由此制作药膏，抹在自己的信条所造成的伤口上，却没有治愈这些伤口，因为它们已变成慢性的了。所以，去找站在那边的那个人，”然后，他指着我，“他会通过主教导你们，十字架受难并非救赎行为，而是主人性与父神性的合一；救赎则是征服地狱，恢复天堂秩序；若主在世时没有成就这一切，没有人会得救，无论地上还是天上。他还会教导你们自创世时所建立的秩序，照这秩序生活就会得救，那些照之生活的人就被算在被救赎者之列，称作选民。”说完，教堂两边出现了窗户，亮光从四面八方照进来，只见基路伯在光芒中飞翔；然后，这位天使通过屋顶的敞口被提上去，与他的同伴们会合，我们也心情愉快地离开了。
134. 以下是幾個親身經歷。
第一個經歷:
在靈界, 有一次我去教堂。許多人在那聚會。在崇拜之前, 他們在你一言我一語地爭論關於救贖的話題。
教堂是個四方的建築。牆上沒有窗, 不過在屋頂正中有一個巨大的敞開部分。從天上來的光芒從這敞開部分射進來, 比窗子照進來的光還要足。
當人們正你一言我一語地爭論關於救贖的話題時, 有一朵烏雲悄然飄來, 並遮蓋屋頂那敞開部分。教堂內猛然變黑, 人們看不到對方, 甚至看不見自己雙手。當人們目瞪口呆地站在那裡時, 烏雲從中間裂開了, 人們從裂縫中看到天人從天降下。天人驅散兩邊的烏雲, 教堂又恢復之前的光亮了。
然後, 天人差遣其中一位降到教堂之中。應其它天人們的要求, 這位天人詢問他們在爭論什麼話題, 以至於烏雲遮蓋他們, 取走光亮並將他們置身於如此黑暗當中。
他們回答, 這個話題是救贖:"我們正說到子上帝藉著十字架受難救贖我們全部。通過受難, 祂洗淨我們, 並將我們從詛咒和永死中釋放。"
那被差下來的天人說:"為何是藉著十字架受難？解釋一下為何那就是救贖。"
[2]此時, 祭司走進來, 說:"我來將我們所知和所信的按序澄明。父上帝要對人類動怒, 祂譴罰人類, 不再憐憫人類, 宣佈我們全部是可憎的和受詛的, 確定我們全當下地獄。後來祂想讓祂兒子將這個詛咒擔在祂自己身上, 子同意了。為此目的, 子降世,並取了人的樣式, 讓自己被釘十字架, 將全人類當受的詛咒轉移到自己身上。因此我們讀到:'凡掛在木頭上的都是受詛咒的'(申命記21:22-23; Deuteronomy 21:加拉太書3:13)。通過這樣的調解和代求, 因著對子的愛,以及見到祂在十架木頭上所受的痛楚, 父決定赦免人類。'不過, '祂說:'我將禰的義歸算給他們的那些人, 我將使這些人從憤怒之子和詛咒之子變為恩典之子和祝福之子, 並將稱他們為義,拯救他們。至於其他的, 就照之前決定的, 繼續為憤怒之子。'這就是我們的信仰, 這就是父上帝加給我們的義, 單憑這樣的信而使我們得以稱義,並被拯救。"
[3]當這位天人聽到這些後, 沉默了一陣, 他感到震驚。最後, 他打破沉默, 說了以下的話:"基督徒世界會如此瘋狂嗎？怎麼會從正當的理性迷失到如此的精神錯亂？怎麼能將關於拯救這一基要的教義建立在如此悖謬之上呢？
"誰不能看出你所說之事與真正的神性本質, 就是與上帝的聖仁與聖智,以及祂的全能和全在完全相反呢？沒有哪個正常的主人會這樣對他的僕人, 甚至一隻野獸也不會這樣對它的後代或幼崽。太可怕了！
"停止向全人類及其中每一個人的呼召, 這違背了上帝的神性本質。改變從永遠就建立的聖規——就是每個人按自己的生活如何而受審判, 就是違背神性的本質。從任何人,甚至從全人類身上收回憐憫, 這也是違背神性的本質。父看見兒子的痛苦, 便恢復先前的憐憫, 這同樣違背神性的本質。因為憐憫是上帝的本質, 這豈不是父將憐憫恢復到自己的本質之中？難道祂曾離開過那樣的本質？這是多麼可怕的想法！要知道, 從永遠到永遠, 祂都是憐憫的。
[4]"還有, 將救贖之義轉給任何個體, 也是不可能的。這樣的義屬於神性的全能。將義歸算給人, 然後不通過任何途徑, 就聲稱他們為義,純淨,聖潔, 這是不可能的。僅憑著歸算, 就免除了人的罪, 還更新,重生並救了他, 不義的因此變成義, 受詛咒的變為受祝福的, 這可能嗎？倘若如此, 上帝豈不能將地獄變成天國,天國變成地獄, 或者龍變成米迦勒,米迦勒變成龍, 以此結束他們之間的爭戰？還需要做別的什麼呢, 將你們所信的歸算給別人不就行了嗎？倘若如此, 我們在天上豈不是永遠要活在恐懼中？
"一個人將他人的罪背上, 於是將犯罪的變成無罪, 或將他的罪洗掉, 這與公平和公義相符嗎？這的確違背所有的公義, 包括神性的公義和人性的公義。
"基督徒世界仍不知道聖規的存在, 甚至不知道上帝在創世時就同時建入世界的聖規是什麼。上帝都不能違背聖規, 那樣就是違背祂自己, 因為上帝就是聖規自己。"
[5] 因為在上面的天人傾下天國之光, 那祭司能明白天人所說的內容。祭司歎息一聲, 說:"我們能怎麼辦？現今每個人都如此傳,如此求,如此信。每張嘴都說:'聖善的父啊, 因禰兒子在十字架上為我們所流的寶血, 憐憫我們, 免我們的罪吧。'對基督, 他們說:'主啊, 求禰為我們代求。'我們作祭司的還會說:'賜我們聖靈。'"
天人說:"我觀察到祭司們從聖言的淺顯認知中為自己準備藥膏, 塗抹在他們因其所信而致瞎的眼上。同樣, 還做了藥用繃帶纏在因其教義而受傷的傷口上。但傷口都未得治, 因為它們是慢性疾病。
"因此, 去找站著的那個人, "天人指向我, 說:"他會代表主來教導你們:十字架受難並非救贖, 而是主的人性與父的神性之聯合。而救贖指的是征服地獄和重建天國。若不是主在地上時完成這些行動, 天上地上無一獲得拯救。那人還會教你們什麼是聖規, 就是創世時就建立的,人們遵循而行方可得救的定規。照此而活的人, 被算入贖民之列, 稱為選民。"
天人說完, 就有窗子在牆上形成, 光從四面射進來。又有基路伯出現, 在光芒之中飛舞; 天人回到屋頂敞口處的眾夥伴當中。我們也歡喜地離開了。
134. Here I will add the following memorable occurrences.
The first memorable occurrence. Once I went to a church in the world of spirits. Many people had gathered there. Before the service, they were debating back and forth about redemption.
The church was a square building. It had no windows in the walls, but there was a large opening overhead in the center of the roof. Light from heaven came in through that opening and provided more illumination inside than would have been supplied by windows in the walls.
As the people were talking back and forth about redemption, all of a sudden a pitch-black cloud sailing in from the north covered the opening. It became so dark inside that the people could not see each other at all and could scarcely see their own hands. While they were standing there stunned by this, the black cloud split down the middle. Through the gap the people saw angels coming down from heaven. The angels drove away the clouds on either side so that it became light again in the church.
Then the angels sent one of their own down to the church. At the request of the other angels, that angel asked the people what topic they were arguing about that so dark a cloud should come over them, taking away their light and plunging them in darkness.
They answered that the topic was redemption: "We were saying that the Son of God redeemed us all by suffering on the cross. By suffering he ritually purged and freed the human race from damnation and eternal death. "
The angel who had been sent down said, "Why by the suffering on the cross? Explain why that was redemptive. "
[2] At that point the priest came in and said, "I will lay out in sequence the things we know and believe. God the Father was angry at the human race. He damned it, excluded it from his mercy, declared us all detestable and accursed, and assigned us all to hell. He wanted his Son to take that damnation on himself. The Son agreed. For this purpose the Son came down, took on a human manifestation, and let himself be crucified, thereby transferring the damnation of the human race to himself. For we read, 'Accursed is everyone who hangs on the wood of the cross' [Deuteronomy 21:22-23; Galatians 3:13]. By interceding and mediating like this, the Son appeased the Father. Then, moved with love for the Son and affected by the wretched state he saw him in on the wood of the cross, the Father proclaimed that he would give pardons, 'But only,' he said, 'for those to whom I attribute your justice. These children born of anger and a curse I will turn into children born of grace and a blessing. I will justify them and save them. The rest remain, as I proclaimed them before, children born of anger. ' This is our faith; and that is the justice, added by God the Father to our faith, that enables this faith alone to justify us and save us. "
[3] After the angel heard this he was silent for a long time; he could not help feeling stunned. Eventually he broke his silence and said the following:
"How can the Christian world be that insane? How can it wander that far from sound reason toward derangement? How can it base its fundamental dogma of salvation on paradoxes of this kind?
"Surely anyone can see that those ideas are totally opposite to the divine essence, meaning the Lord's divine love and divine wisdom, as well as his omnipotence and omnipresence. No decent master could treat his servants that way. Not even a wild animal would treat its offspring or its young that way. That's horrible!
"To stop calling out to every member of the human race would go against the divine essence. It would go against the divine essence to change the divine design that has been established from eternity - the principle that all are judged by their own lives. It would go against the divine essence to take love or mercy away from anyone, let alone from the whole human race. It would go against the divine essence for the Father to be brought back to mercy by seeing the Son feeling wretched. Wouldn't that be the same as the Father's being brought back to his own essence, since mercy is the very essence of God? It is horrendous to think that he ever left it. From eternity to eternity, he is mercy.
[4] "Surely it is also impossible to transfer the justice of redemption to any entity (as you believe). This justice belongs to divine omnipotence. It is impossible to attribute and assign this justice to people, and pronounce them just, pure, and holy in the absence of any other means. It is impossible to forgive people's sins and renew, regenerate, and save people just by giving them credit they do not deserve.
"Is it that easy to turn injustice into justice or a curse into a blessing? Couldn't God in that case turn hell into heaven and heaven into hell? Couldn't he turn the dragon into Michael and Michael into the dragon to break up their fight? What else would he need to do then but take away the faith that had been credited to one person and credit it to another? If that were possible, we in heaven would spend eternity shaking with fear!
"It is not consistent with justice or judgment for anyone who committed a crime to become guiltless, or for the crime to be wiped away, by someone else's taking it on. Surely this goes against all justice, both divine and human.
"The Christian world is still ignorant that the divine design exists. It is especially ignorant of the design that God built into the world at creation. God cannot go against that design - that would be going against himself, for God is the divine design itself. "
[5] The priest understood what the angel had said, because the angels above were pouring down light from heaven. The priest groaned and said, "What can we do? Everyone today preaches this, prays it, believes it. All mouths are saying, 'Good Father, have mercy on us and forgive us our sins for the sake of the blood that your Son shed on the cross for us. ' To Christ they all say, 'Lord, intercede for us. ' We priests add, 'Send us the Holy Spirit. '"
The angel said, "I have watched priests make salves from a shallow understanding of the Word and smear those salves on eyes that have been blinded by their faith. Either that or from the same source they make medicated bandages to put on the wounds inflicted by their own dogmas; but the wounds don't heal. They are chronic.
"Therefore go to the person who is standing there" - and he pointed to me with his finger. "On behalf of the Lord he will teach you that the suffering on the cross was not redemption. It was the uniting of the Lord's humanity with the Father's divinity. Redemption, on the other hand, was gaining control over the hells and restructuring the heavens. Without these achievements, carried out while the Lord was in the world, no one on earth or in heaven would have attained salvation. That man will also tell you the divine design that was set up at creation for people to follow in their lives in order to be saved. Those who live by that design are numbered among the redeemed and are called the chosen. "
After the angel said that, windows formed on the sides of the church. Light flowed in through them from the four directions of that world. Angel guardians appeared, flying in a brilliant light. The angel was taken up to his companion angels above the opening in the roof; and we left feeling happy.
134. At this point I shall insert more accounts of experiences, of which this is the first.
Once in the world of spirits I went into a church where there was a large congregation, and before the sermon they had a discussion on the subject of redemption. The church was square in plan without any windows in the walls, but with a large opening in the middle of the roof, allowing light from heaven to stream in, making the interior brighter than windows at the sides could have done.
While they were talking about redemption, a black cloud suddenly blew up from the north and covered the opening. This caused such thick darkness that people could not see one another, and hardly their hands in front of their faces. While they were standing struck dumb by this, the black cloud was split down the middle, and through the gap angels were seen, sent down from heaven to dispel the cloud in either direction, so that the church was filled with light again. The angels then sent down one of their number into the church to ask the congregation in their name the subject of their dispute, which had caused so dark a cloud to come over, block out the light, and spread darkness. They replied that they were talking about redemption, how this was effected by the passion of the Son of God on the cross, by which means He made expiation and rescued the human race from damnation and everlasting death.
To this the angel who has been sent down replied: 'Why do you say "by the passion on the cross"? Explain why you say it was by that means.'
[2] Then a priest came forward and said: 'I will give an orderly exposition of our knowledge and belief. These are that God the Father in His anger against the human race damned it and shut it out from the sphere of His clemency, declaring all its members condemned and accursed, and consigning them to hell. He was willing for His Son to take that sentence on Himself; the Son consented, and therefore came down, took human form, and allowed Himself to be crucified. He thus transferred to Himself the damnation of the human race; for we read "Cursed is everyone who hangs upon the wood of the cross." The Son thus by His intercession and mediation appeased the Father; and then the Father out of His love for the Son, and as the result of witnessing His suffering on the cross, was moved to pity, and decreed that He would forgive men, "but only those to whom I impute your righteousness. These I will turn from sons of wrath and cursing into sons of grace and blessing, and I will make them righteous and save them. Let the rest remain as previously decreed, sons of wrath." Such is our faith, and these things are what is meant by the righteousness which God the Father introduces into our faith, so that by itself it makes us righteous and saves us.'
[3] On hearing this the angel kept silent for some time, he was so astonished. But eventually he broke silence and spoke as follows: 'Can the Christian world have become so mad, and have abandoned sound reason for such ravings, as to deduce the fundamental dogma of salvation from those paradoxes? Is there anyone who cannot see that this is diametrically opposed to the Divine essence itself, that is, to God's Divine love and His Divine wisdom, and at the same time to His omnipotence and omnipresence? No decent master would treat his servants and maids like this; not even a wild beast would so treat its pups or young. It is unspeakable. Is it not contrary to His Divine essence to revoke the invitation given to every single member of the human race? Is it not contrary to the Divine essence to change the laws of order established from eternity, which prescribe that each person should be judged by the life he leads? Is it not contrary to the Divine essence to withdraw love and pity from any person, and more so from the whole of the human race? Is it not contrary to the Divine essence to be brought back to pitying by witnessing the Son's suffering, and since it is the very essence of God to pity, to be brought back to His own essence? It is utter wickedness to think that He could ever depart from it, for He is His essence from eternity to eternity.
[4] 'Is it not impossible to implant in anything, such as your faith, the righteousness of redemption, which in itself is a part of God's omnipotence, and impute or assign it to a person, and without any other means to pronounce him righteous, pure and holy? Is it not impossible to forgive anyone his sins, or to make anyone new, regenerated and saved, simply by imputing righteousness to him, which would be turning unrighteousness into righteousness, and cursing into blessing? Could one thus turn hell into heaven, and heaven into hell, or the dragon into Michael, and Michael into the dragon, and so put a stop to the battle between them? What would it take but to withdraw the imputation of your faith from one person and give it to another? In that case we in heaven would go in fear for ever. Nor is it consistent with righteousness and judgment for one person to take another's crime upon himself, so that the guilty should be held innocent, and the crime thus be purged. Is this not contrary to both Divine righteousness and human justice? The Christian world is still ignorant of the existence, even more so of the nature, of the laws of order that God introduced at the creation of the world; and that God cannot act contrary to order because that would be acting against Himself. For God is order itself.'
[5] The priest understood what the angel had said, because the angels up above poured down light from heaven. Then he gave a groan and said: 'What are we to do? Everyone nowadays preaches and prays and believes this. Everyone is saying "Gracious Father, have mercy upon us and forgive us our sins for the sake of your Son's blood, which He shed for us upon the cross." Then they pray to Christ: "Lord, intercede for us;" and we priests add, "Send us the Holy Spirit."'
Then the angel said: 'I have noticed that priests make ointments from a superficial understanding of the Word, which they smear on the eyes of those who have been blinded by their faith; or make up a poultice from the same source, which they place upon the wounds inflicted by their dogmas, but without healing them, since they have become chronic. So go to the man who is standing over there - and he pointed to me - he will teach you from the Lord that the passion on the cross was not the act of redemption, but the uniting of the Lord's Human with the Father's Divine. Redemption was the conquest of the hells and the ordering of the heavens; and had the Lord not performed these acts when He was in the world, no one on earth, nor anyone in the heavens, could have been saved. He will go on to teach you the laws of order, which were imposed from the time of creation, by which people must live to be saved. Those who live by them are counted among the redeemed and called the chosen.'
After this speech windows appeared in the sides of the church, brightness flooded in from all four quarters, and cherubs were seen flying in a radiance of light. Then the angel was lifted up through the opening in the roof to rejoin his companions, and we went away in a cheerful frame of mind.
134. To this shall be added these Memorable Relations. First:
I once entered a temple in the world of spirits where many were assembled. Before the sermon began they were discussing with each other the subject of Redemption. The temple was square, with no windows in the walls; but in the center of the roof there was a large opening, through which light from heaven entered, making it lighter than if there had been windows at the sides.
And behold, in the midst of their talk about redemption a black cloud floating from the north suddenly covered the opening, causing such darkness that they could not see each other, and could scarcely see their own hands.
While they were standing amazed at this, behold, the black cloud parted in the middle, and through the parting angels sent down from heaven appeared, who dispelled the cloud to both sides, and again the temple was filled with light. The angels then sent down one of their number into the temple, who in their name asked the congregation what they were contending about to cause so dense a cloud to overshadow them, take away the light, and bring on darkness.
They answered that it was about redemption, as having been wrought by the Son of God through the passion of the cross, whereby He made expiation, and delivered the human race from damnation and eternal death.
To this the angel who had been sent down said, "Why through the passion of the cross? Explain why through that."
[2] Then a priest came forward and said, "I will explain in order what we know and believe, which is, That God the Father, being angry with the human race, condemned it, shut it out from His clemency, and declared all men doomed and accursed, and consigned them to hell; and that He wished His Son to take upon Himself that condemnation, and the Son consented, and for that purpose came down and assumed the human, suffered Himself to be crucified, and thus transferred to Himself the condemnation of the human race; for we read, 'Cursed is everyone that hangeth on the wood of a cross.' Thus did the Son by interceding and mediating propitiate the Father; and then the Father, moved by love for His Son, and by witnessing His anguish upon the wood of the cross, determined to forgive men; 'but only those to whom I impute Thy righteousness; these I will change from children of wrath and malediction to children of grace and benediction, and will justify and save them; the rest, as before determined, may remain children of wrath.' This is our faith, and these things are our righteousness, which God the Father implants in our faith, which alone justifies and saves."
[3] When the angel had heard this he was silent for some time, for he was motionless with amazement; but afterwards he broke silence and said, "Can the Christian world be so insane, and wander away from sound reason into such madnesses, and from such paradoxes draw conclusions about the fundamental dogma of salvation? Who does not see that these things are diametrically opposed to the very Divine essence, that is, to God's Divine love and Divine wisdom, and at the same time to His omnipotence and omnipresence? No good master could so deal with his manservants and maidservants, nor even a wild beast or a bird of prey with its young. It is horrible. Is it not contrary to God's Divine essence to annul that call which has been made to the whole human race and to each individual? Is it not contrary to the Divine essence to change the order established from eternity, which is, that every man is to be judged by his life? Is it not contrary to the Divine essence to withdraw its love and mercy from any man, still more from the whole human race? Is it not contrary to the Divine essence that it should be brought back to mercy, and as mercy is the very essence of God, that it should be brought back to its own essence, by witnessing the anguish of the Son? Is it not abominable to imagine that He ever departed from that essence, since that essence is Himself from eternity to eternity?
[4] Furthermore, is it not impossible to introduce into such a thing as your faith is, the righteousness of redemption (which in itself belongs to the Divine omnipotence), and to impute and ascribe it to man, and without any further means to declare him righteous, pure, and holy? Is it not impossible to remit sins to anyone, and to renew, regenerate, and save him, by mere imputation, whereby unrighteousness is turned into righteousness, and a curse into a blessing? Would it not be possible in this way to change hell into heaven and heaven into hell, or the dragon into Michael and Michael into the dragon, and so end the war between them? Is anything needed but to withdraw the imputation of your faith from one and bestow it upon the other? Thus would you compel us who are in heaven to live for ever in constant fear. Neither is it in accordance with justice and judgment for one person to take upon himself the guilt of another, and for the guilty thus to be made innocent and have his guilt washed away. Is not this opposed to both Divine and human justice? The Christian world does not yet know that there is an order, still less what that order is, which God introduced into the world simultaneously with the creation of it; and that God cannot act contrary to that order, since He would then be acting contrary to Himself; for God is order itself."
[5] The priest understood what was said by the angel, because the angels who were above let in light from heaven; and presently he sighed and said, "What is to be done? At this day all men so preach and pray and believe. It is in every mouth, 'Good Father, have mercy upon us; forgive us our sins for the sake of Thy Son's blood, which He poured out for us upon the cross.' And to Christ they pray, 'Lord, intercede for us.' And to this we priests add, 'Send us the Holy Spirit.'"
The angel then said, "I have observed that from the Word not interiorly understood the priests prepare an eyesalve which they apply to the eyes that are blinded by their faith; or they make from it a sort of plaster which they spread upon the wounds inflicted by their dogmas; and yet they fail to heal those wounds, because they are chronic sores. Therefore go to him who stands yonder,' pointing his finger towards me, "and he will teach you from the Lord that the passion of the cross was not redemption, but the uniting of the Lord's Human with the Divine of the Father; while redemption was the subjugation of the hells and the restoration of order in the heavens; and unless this had been done by the Lord when He was in the world there would be no salvation for anyone on the earth or in heaven. He will also teach you the order established from creation, to live according to which is to be saved, those who live according to it being numbered among the redeemed, and called the elect."
When all this had been said, windows were formed in the walls of the temple through which there flowed in an illumination from the four quarters of that world, and cherubs appeared flying in the brightness of the light; and the angel was taken up to his companions above the opening; and we went away delighted.
134. MEMORABILIA.
To these things will now be added the following Memorabilia.
The first experience. I once entered a temple in the world of spirits, where there was a large congregation; and before the sermon they reasoned together about redemption. The temple was square with no windows in the walls, but there was a great opening overhead in the centre of the roof, through which light from heaven entered and illuminated it better than if there had been windows at the sides. While they were talking about redemption, suddenly a black cloud, coming from the north, covered the opening and caused such darkness that they could not see each other, and scarcely any one could see his own hand. While they stood amazed at this, the black cloud parted in the middle, and through the aperture angels were seen descending from heaven, who dispersed the cloud on each side so that it became light again in the temple. Then the angels sent down one of their number into the temple who, in the name of the rest, asked the congregation the subject of their discussion, which had caused such a dense cloud to gather over them, depriving them of light and bringing on darkness. They replied that they were discussing redemption, maintaining that it was effected by the Son of God through the passion of the cross, by which means He made expiation for the human race and delivered man from condemnation and eternal death. To this, the angel who had been sent down said: "How was it effected through the passion of the cross? Please explain this."
[2] A priest then came forward and said: "I will explain in order what we know and what we believe: 'God the Father, being angry with mankind, condemned it and shut it out from His pity; and, having declared all men doomed and accursed, delivered them over to hell. He desired His Son to take that condemnation upon Himself; who consented, and for that purpose descended, assumed the Human, and suffered Himself to be crucified and the condemnation of mankind to be thus transferred to Himself: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a wooden cross. The Son thus appeased the Father by His intercession and mediation; and then the Father, out of love for the Son, and moved by the anguish exhibited by Him on the cross, determined that He would pardon, "But only those to whom I impute thy righteousness, and these will I make children of grace and blessing from being children of wrath and curse, and I will justify and save them. The rest will remain, as was before decreed, children of wrath." This is our faith, and this is the righteousness which God the Father implants in our faith, the faith which alone justifies and saves."
[3] When the angel heard this he was silent for a long time, standing motionless with astonishment. Then he broke silence and said: "Can the Christian world be so insane, and wander from sound reason into such madness, and establish its fundamental doctrine of salvation on such paradoxes? Who cannot see that those opinions are diametrically opposed to the Divine Essence itself, that is, to God's Divine Love and Divine Wisdom, and at the same time to His omnipotence and omnipresence? No upright master could act so towards his men-servants and his maid-servants; nor even a wild beast towards its cubs, nor a wild bird towards its young: it is unspeakable. Moreover, it is contrary to His Divine Essence to annul the call made to every individual of the human race; to change the order established from eternity, which in effect is, that every one should be judged according to his life; to withdraw love and mercy from any man, and much more from the whole human race; and to be brought back again to mercy by the sight of His Son's anguish, that is, to be brought back again to His own Essence, since mercy is the Essence itself of God. It is unspeakable to suppose that He ever departed from it, for that Essence is Himself from eternity to eternity. It is also impossible to implant in such a thing as your faith the righteousness of redemption, which in itself belongs to Divine omnipotence, and to impart and ascribe it to a man, and to declare him, for no other reason, righteous, pure and holy.
[4] It is impossible, by mere imputation, to forgive anyone's sins, to renew him, to regenerate and save him, and thus to convert unrighteousness into righteousness and a curse into a blessing. Would it not be possible, if such were the case, to turn hell into heaven, and heaven into hell, or to make the dragon Michael, 1 and Michael the dragon, and so to end the combat between them? For what is needed but to remove the imputation your faith assumes from the one and bestow it on the other? Were this possible we in heaven should live in constant dread. It is not according to justice and judgment that one should take upon himself the sin of another, that the wicked be made innocent, and the crime be thus washed away. Surely this is contrary to justice, both Divine and human. The Christian world is ignorant as yet of the existence of order, and more so of the nature of that order which God introduced at the time He created the world; nor does it know that God cannot act contrary to it, as then He would be acting contrary to Himself, for God is order itself."
[5] The priest understood what the angel said, because the angels who were above shed upon him the light of heaven. Then with a sigh he said: "What is to be done? At this day all men so preach and pray and believe. This prayer is spoken by all: 'Good Father, have mercy on us, and forgive our sins for the sake of thy Son's blood, which He shed for us on the cross,' and to Christ they pray: 'Lord, intercede for us;' to which we priests add: 'Send us the Holy Spirit.'" Thereupon the angel said: "I have observed that the priests prepare an eye-salve from the Word, but not from a spiritual understanding of it, with which they anoint the eyes of those who are blinded by their faith; or they make for themselves a sort of plaster from it, which they place upon the wounds their dogmas cause; but still they are not healed, because they are too deep-seated. Go therefore to him who stands yonder;"-and he pointed to me-"he will teach you from the Lord that the passion of the cross was not redemption, but that it was the uniting of the Lord's Human with the Divine of the Father; whereas redemption consisted in the subjugation of the hells, and the establishment of order in the heavens; and unless these operations had been effected by the Lord when He was in the world, there would have been no salvation for any one either on earth or in heaven. He will also teach you the order which was introduced at creation, according to which those must live who would be saved; and that those who live according to it will be numbered among the Redeemed and will be called the Elect."
When the angel finished speaking, windows were opened up on the sides of the temple, through which light entered from the four quarters of the world, and in the brilliant light there appeared flying cherubs. The angel was then borne aloft to his companions above the aperture, and we retired elated by our experience.
Footnotes:
1. Michael, the archangel.
134. His adjicientur haec MEMORABILIA: PRIMUM; Quondam intravi Templum in Mundo spirituum, 1 ubi plures erant congregati, et ante Concionem inter se ratiocinati sunt de REDEMPTIONE. Templum erat quadratum, et non aliquae fenestrae in parietibus, sed magna apertura supra in medio tecti, per quam lux e Coelo intrabat, et plus illuminabat, quam si fuissent fenestrae a lateribus: et ecce subito, cum in sermocinatione de Redemptione erant, Nubes atra e septentrione alluens obtexit aperturam, unde tenebrae factae sunt, ut non videret unus alterum, et vix quisquam palmam suam; cum propter hoc obstupefacti steterunt, ecce atra illa nubes findebatur in medio, et per fissuram visi sunt angeli demissi e Coelo, et hi Nubem ab utraque parte discusserunt, ex quo in Templo iterum factum est luminosum; et tunc Angeli demiserunt unum ex se in Templum, qui vice 2 eorum interrogabat congregatos, de qua re contendunt, quoniam tam obscura Nubes superveniens sustulit lucem, et induxit tenebras; responderunt, quod de Redemptione, et quod 3 haec facta sit a Filio Dei per Passionem crucis, et quod per illam expiaverit, et liberaverit Genus humanum a damnatione et morte aeterna; sed ad haec dixit Angelus demissus, quid per Passionem crucis; exponite cur per illam;
[2] et tunc Sacerdos venit, et dixit, ego exponam in serie, quae scimus et credimus, quae sunt, quod Deus Pater iratus contra Genus humanum, damnaverit Illud, et a clementia sua excluserit, et declaraverit omnes devotos et maledictos, et addixerit Inferno; et quod voluerit, ut Filius Ipsius damnationem illam in se susciperet, et quod Filius annuerit, et propter id descenderit, et assumserit Humanum, et passus se crucifigi, et sic 4 damnationem Generis humani in se transferri, nam legitur, Maledictus omnis suspensus super ligno crucis; et quod Filius sic propitiaverit Patrem intercedendo et mediando; et quod tunc Pater ex amore erga Filium, et ex miseria visa in Illo super ligno crucis commotus sanciverit, quod condonaturus sit, sed solum illis quibus imputo Justitiam tuam, hos faciam ex filiis irae et maledictionis filios gratiae et benedictionis, ac justificabo et salvabo; reliqui maneant, sicut prius sancitum est, filii irae; haec est fides nostra, et illa sunt 5 justitia, quam Deus Pater infert fidei nostrae, quae sola justificat et salvat.
[3] Angelus his auditis diu conticuit, haesit enim in stupore, et post solvit silentium, et fatus est haec; potest Orbis Christianus in tantum insanire, et a sana ratione in talia deliria abscedere, et ex illis Paradoxis fundamentale salutis dogma concludere; quis non potest videre, quod illa e diametro sint contra ipsam Divinam Essentiam, hoc est, contra Divinam Ipsius Amorem et Divinam Ipsius Sapientiam, et simul contra Ipsius Omnipotentiam et Omnipraesentiam; ita facere non potest ullus herus probus contra famulos suos et ancillas suas; imo nec fera contra catulos et pullos suos; est infandum: 6 estne contra Divinam Essentiam Ipsius annihilare Vocationem, quae facta est ad omnes et singulos ex Genere humano; estne contra Divinam Essentiam immutare Ordinem ab aeterno constabilitum, qui est, ut quisque secundum suam vitam judicetur; 7 estne contra Divinam Essentiam subtrahere amorem et misericordiam alicui homini, et plus universo generi humano; estne contra Divinam Essentiam ex visa in Filio miseria reduci in misericordiam, 8 et quia misericordia est ipsa Dei Essentia, reduci in suam Essentiam, ac nefandum est cogitare, quod usquam ex illa exiverit; est enim illa Ipse ab aeterno 9 in aeternum. 10
[4] Estne etiam impossibile inferre in aliquod ens, quale est fides vestra, Justitiam redemptionis, quae in se est Divinae Omnipotentiae, et illam imputare et addicare homini, et hunc absque ullis aliis mediis declarare justum, purum, et sanctum; estne impossibile remittere alicui peccata, ac aliquem innovare, regenerare et salvare ex sola imputatione, et sic injustitiam vertere in justitiam, et maledictionem in benedictionem; potestne sic Infernum vertere in Coelum, et Coelum in Infernum, aut Draconem in Michaelem, et Michaelem in Draconem, et sic discindere pugnam inter illos; quid opus nisi uni subtrahere fidei vestrae imputationem, et indere alteri; ita nos, qui in Coelo sumus, trepidabimus in aeternum. Nec est justitiae et judicii, ut alter in se suscipiat alterius nefas, et nefarius insons fiat, et nefas sic diluatur; hocne est contra Justitiam et Divinam et humanam. Orbis Christianus ignorat adhuc, quod Ordo sit, et plus quid Ordo, quem Deus, cum Mundum creavit, simul introduxit, et quod Deus non possit agere contra illum, quoniam tunc ageret contra Se; est enim Deus ipse Ordo.
[5] Sacerdos illa ab Angelo dicta intellexit, quia Angeli, qui supra erant, infuderunt lucem e Coelo; et tunc gemuit et dixit, 11 quid faciendum; omnes hodie ita praedicant, et orant, et credunt; in ore omnium est hoc, Pater bone miserere nostri, et remitte nobis peccata nostra, propter sanguinem Filii tui, quem pro nobis super cruce effudit; et ad Christum, Domine intercede pro nobis; et nos Sacerdotes illis addimus, mitte nobis Spiritum sanctum; et tunc dixit Angelus, animadverti, quod Sacerdotes parent collyria ex Verbo non interius intellecto, quae super oculos per fidem illorum occaecatos illinunt, aut faciunt inde sibi sicut emplastrum, quod super vulnera a dogmatibus illorum inflicta ponunt, sed usque non sanant illa, quia inveterata; quare adi illum, qui ibi stat, et monstravit me digito, ille docebit te a Domino, quod Passio crucis non fuerit Redemptio, sed unitio Humani Domini cum Divino Patris; at quod Redemptio fuerit subjugatio infernorum, et ordinatio Coelorum, et quod absque illis a Domino, cum fuit in Mundo, peractis, non fuisset salus alicui in Terris, nec alicui in Coelis; et docebit amplius ordinem a creatione inductum, secundum quem vivant ut salventur, et quod qui secundum illum vivunt, numerentur inter Redemptos, et dicantur Electi. His dictis, in Templo factae sunt fenestrae a lateribus, per quas luminosum a quatuor plagis Mundi influxit, et apparebant Cherubi volantes in splendore lucis; et sublatus est Angelus ad suos supra aperturam; et laeti recessimus.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: fpirituum.
2. Prima editio: viee.
3. Prima editio: quad.
4. Prima editio: sie.
5. Nisi legeris est, sic Rose.
6. Prima editio: insandum.
7. Prima editio: judieetur.
8. Prima editio: miserieordiam.
9. Prima editio: aetarno.
10. Prima editio: aerernum.
11. Prima editio: dixlt.