138. 第三章 聖靈 神性活動
人死後第三天, 靈魂進入靈界。所有對主我們的拯救者有正確觀念的聖職人員, 首先會被教導關於聖三一方面的知識, 尤其是聖靈自身並非上帝(或者聖靈並非一位獨立的上帝)。在聖言中提起聖靈時, 表示從獨一全能上帝發出的神性活動。需要特別教導關於聖靈方面的知識, 其原因在於:有許多盲信者相信他們得到神性的啟示,以致於墮入瘋狂的幻想,甚至認為他們自己就是聖靈。另一個原因, 許多教會人士, 在世時相信聖靈藉著他們說話。他們引用主在『馬太福音』中說的話來嚇唬別人, 就是說話干犯聖靈的, 不得赦罪(馬太福音12:31-32)。
接受這些教導之後, 他們若放棄了"僅僅聖靈自身並非上帝"的觀念後, 會被告知:上帝只有一位, 並非分割為三個位格,每一位獨自是上帝和主(如『亞他尼修信經』所說); 而聖三一包含在主救贖者之中, 如同人的靈魂,身體和(由靈魂經身體)產生的活動在一個人之中。
然後, 他們被預備去接受新天國的信仰。當這些預備完成時, 一條通往天國的路向他們開放, 通往相同信仰者的社群。他們會在那裡與同伴們一起生活,享受永遠的極樂。
在前兩章, 我們已涉及上帝創造者和主救贖者, 我們還需要涉及聖靈。這個題目, 如之前一樣, 需要分為一系列來討論, 如下:
(1)聖靈是從獨一上帝發出的神性真理,以及神性活動和功效; 聖三一存在於這位獨一上帝之中, 祂就是主上帝拯救者。
(2)總體而言, 神性活動和強大作用表示藉著聖靈改造和更新我們的作為。依靠改造和更新的結果, 神性活動和強大作用還包括對我們的復興,啟動,成聖,稱義等作為。依靠這些依次的結果, 神性的活動和強大作用也包括淨化,赦罪,拯救我們等作為。
(3)對於聖職人員, 神性活動和強大作用表示通過"聖靈的發送"來啟發和教導的作為。
(4)對那些信祂的, 主有這些強大的作用。
(5)主代表父主動實行這些作為, 而非父通過主去實行這些作為。
(6)人的靈是他的思想,以及諸如此類源自思想的。
138. Chapter 3: The Holy Spirit and the Divine Action
UPON entering the spiritual world, which generally happens on the third day after death, all members of the Sacred Order who have developed a just idea of the Lord our Savior are first taught about the divine Trinity. They are specifically taught that the Holy Spirit is not a separate God; the Word uses the phrase to mean the divine action that radiates from the one omnipresent God. They are specifically taught about the Holy Spirit because after death many fanatics who have believed they were divinely inspired fall into the mad delusion that they themselves are the Holy Spirit. There are many church people who believed while they were in the world that the Holy Spirit spoke through them. They terrify others with the Lord's statement in Matthew that it is an unforgivable sin to speak against what the Holy Spirit has inspired in them (Matthew 12:31-32).
After all are taught, any who abandon their belief that the Holy Spirit is a separate God are later informed about the unity of God. They are told that that unity has not been partitioned into three Persons, each of whom is God and Lord (as the Athanasian Creed would have it). Instead the divine Trinity exists within the Lord the Savior like the soul, the body, and the radiating effect of any human being.
Then they undergo preparations to accept the faith of the new heaven. After their preparation is complete, a road opens up for them to a community in heaven where that same faith exists. They are given a place to live among their companions. There they live in eternal bliss.
Because we have covered God the Creator and the Lord the Redeemer, we need to cover the Holy Spirit as well. This treatment, like the rest, will be divided into separate points. They are as follows:
1. The Holy Spirit is the divine truth and also the divine action and effect that radiate from the one God, in whom the divine Trinity exists: the Lord God the Savior.
2. Generally speaking, the divine actions and powerful effects meant by the Holy Spirit are the acts of reforming and regenerating us. Depending on the outcome of this reformation and regeneration, the divine actions and powerful effects also include the acts of renewing us, bringing us to life, sanctifying us, and making us just; and depending on the outcome of these in turn, the divine actions and powerful effects also include the acts of purifying us from evils, forgiving our sins, and ultimately saving us.
3. In respect to the clergy, the divine actions and powerful effects meant by "the sending of the Holy Spirit" are the acts of enlightening and teaching.
4. The Lord has these powerful effects on those who believe in him.
5. The Lord takes these actions on his own initiative on behalf of the Father, not the other way around.
6. Our spirits are our minds and whatever comes from them.
138. CHAPTER THREE
THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE WAY GOD WORKS
On entering the spiritual world, which generally happens on the third day after death, all ordained priests, who have had a fairly correct idea of the Lord our Saviour, are first taught about the Divine Trinity; and in particular that the Holy Spirit is not God in His own right, but when mentioned in the Word means the Divine activity which proceeds from the one omnipresent God. The reason why they particularly need to be taught about the Holy Spirit is that most of those who claim inspiration fall after death into the crazy fancy that they are themselves the Holy Spirit. Another reason is that many in the church, who while in the world believed that the Holy Spirit spoke through them, frighten other people by quoting the Lord's saying in Matthew, that speaking against what they say by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit is an unforgivable sin (Matthew 12:31-32). Those who after receiving instruction abandon their belief that the Holy Spirit is God in His own right, are then told about the oneness of God, that He is not divided into three Persons, each of which is individually God and Lord, as the Athanasian Creed asserts, but that the Divine Trinity is contained in the Lord the Saviour, just as soul, body and the power they exert are in any human being. They are then prepared to receive the faith of the new heaven, and when this preparation is complete, the way is opened for them to reach a community in heaven which has a similar faith, and they are given a place to live with their companions, with whom they are destined to live in a blessed state to eternity.
Now having dealt with God the Creator and the Lord the Redeemer, I must deal with the Holy Spirit. This subject, like the previous ones, needs to be split up into a series of propositions, as follows:
(i) The Holy Spirit is Divine Truth, and also the Divine power and activity which proceeds from the one God, in whom is the Divine Trinity, and so from the Lord God the Saviour.
(ii) The Divine power and activity meant by the Holy Spirit are, generally speaking, reformation and regeneration, which lead to renewal, quickening, sanctification and justification; and these lead to purification from evils and the forgiveness of sins, and ultimately to salvation.
(iii) The Divine power and activity meant by the sending of the Holy Spirit, with the clergy takes the particular form of enlightenment and instruction.
(iv) The Lord confers these benefits on those who believe in Him.
(v) The Lord works of Himself from the Father, and not the reverse.
(vi) A person's spirit is his mind, and whatever comes from it.
138. CHAPTER 3
THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE DIVINE OPERATION
All those of the clerical order who have cherished any right idea of the Lord our Savior, when they enter the spiritual world (which generally takes place on the third day after death), receive instruction at first about the Divine trinity, and particularly about the Holy Spirit, that it is not a God by itself, but that the Divine operation proceeding from the one and omnipresent God is what is meant in the Word by the Holy Spirit. They are thus particularly instructed about this, because very many enthusiasts after death fall into the insane phantasy that they themselves are the Holy Spirit; also because many belonging to the church who had believed while in the world that the Holy Spirit spoke through them, terrify others with the words of the Lord in Matthew (12:31, 32), claiming that to speak against what the Holy Spirit has inspired into them is the unpardonable sin. Those who after instruction relinquish the belief that the Holy Spirit is a God by itself are then taught that the unity of God is not divided into three persons, each one of whom is singly God and Lord, according to the Athanasian creed; but that the Divine trinity is in the Lord the Savior, like the soul, the body, and the proceeding energy in every man. After this they are prepared for receiving the faith of the new heaven; and when so prepared a way is opened for them to a society in heaven where a like faith prevails, and an abode is given them among brethren, with whom they are to live in blessedness to eternity. As God the Creator and the Lord the Redeemer have already been treated of, it is now necessary to treat also of the Holy Spirit; and this subject, like the others, shall be considered under appropriate heads, as follows:
(1) The Holy Spirit is the Divine Truth and also the Divine Energy and Operation proceeding from the one God in whom is the Divine Trinity, that is, from the Lord God the Savior.
(2) The Divine Energy and Operation, which are meant by the Holy Spirit, are, in general, reformation and regeneration; and in accordance with these, renovation, vivification, sanctification, and justification; and in accordance with these latter, purification from evils and forgiveness of sins, and finally salvation.
(3) The Divine Energy and Operation which are meant by the "sending of the Holy Spirit," are, with the clergy especially, enlightenment and instruction.
(4) The Lord makes these energies operative in those who believe in Him.
(5) The Lord operates of Himself from the Father, and not the reverse.
(6) The spirit of man is his mind and whatever proceeds from it.
138. CHAPTER III
THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE DIVINE OPERATION
When clerics, who have entertained any correct idea of our Lord the Savior, enter the world of spirits, which generally happens the third day after their death, their first instruction is concerning the Divine Trinity, and particularly concerning the Holy Spirit. This they are informed is not a God by itself, but when mentioned in the Word, it means the Divine Operation proceeding from the one omnipresent God. They are particularly instructed concerning the Holy Spirit because very many fanatics after death fall under the insane delusion that they themselves are the Holy Spirit; and many belonging to the Church, who while in the world believed that the Holy Spirit spoke through them, terrify others with the words of the Lord in Matthew 12:31-32, declaring that to speak against what the Holy Spirit has breathed into them is the unpardonable sin. Those who, after instruction, abandon the belief that the Holy Spirit is a God by itself, are then informed that the unity of God is not divided into three Persons, each of whom is singly God and Lord, according to the Athanasian Creed, 1 but that the Divine Trinity is in the Lord the Savior, as the soul, the body and the virtue thence proceeding are in every man. They are then prepared to receive the faith of the New Heaven; and after this preparation a way is opened for them to a society in heaven where a like faith prevails; and a dwelling-place is given them with kindred spirits, among whom they live in a state of blessedness for ever. Now, as we have treated of God the Creator, and of the Lord the Redeemer, it is necessary that we should also treat of the Holy Spirit; and the treatment of this subject, like that of the others, will be under particular heads, as follows:
(1) The Holy Spirit is the Divine Truth, and also the Divine Virtue and Operation proceeding from the one God, in whom is the Divine Trinity, thus from the Lord God the Savior.
(2) The Divine Virtue and Operation, signified by the Holy Spirit, consist in general in reformation and regeneration; and following upon these, renewal, vivification, sanctification and justification; and following upon these again, purification from evils and remission of sins; and finally, salvation.
(3) The Divine Virtue and Operation, meant by the sending of the Holy Spirit, with the clergy consist in particular in enlightenment and instruction.
(4) The Lord operates these virtues in those who believe on Him.
(5) The Lord operates of Himself from the Father, and not the reverse.
(6) Man's spirit is his mind, and whatever proceeds from it.
Footnotes:
1. Athanasian Symbol or Creed. Although bearing the name of Athanasius, it was probably composed by Hilary, in the century after the formulation of the Nicene Creed, A.D. 325. The name was given to it about the year A.D. 670 as an excellent system of the doctrines of Athansius concerning the Trinity and the Incarnation, principally in opposition to the Arians. It is received by the Romish Church and also by the Reformed.
138. CAPUT TERTIUM
DE SPIRITU SANCTO,
ET DE DIVINA OPERATIONE.
Omnes e Sacro Ordine, qui aliquam justam ideam de Domino Salvatore nostro foverunt, dum intrant Mundum spiritualem, quod ut plurimum fit tertio die post obitum, primum instruuntur de Divina Trinitate; et in specie de Spiritu Sancto, quod non sit Deus per se, sed quod per Illum in Verbo intelligatur Divina Operatio procedens a Deo Uno et Omnipraesente; causa quod de Spiritu Sancto in specie instruantur, est quia plerique Enthusiastae post mortem incidunt in vesanam phantasiam, quod ipsi sint Spiritus Sanctus; et quod multi ab Ecclesia, qui in Mundo crediderunt quod Spiritus Sanctus per illos loquutus sit, terreant alios per verba Domini apud Matthaeum, quod dicere contra illa, quae Spiritus Sanctus inspiravit illis, sit peccatum irremisibile, Matthaeus 12:31-32; illi qui post instructionem recedunt a fide, quod Spiritus Sanctus sit Deus per se, informantur postea de Unitate Dei, quod non sit tripartita in Personas, quarum unaquaevis singulatim est Deus et Dominus secundum Symbolum Athanasianum, sed quod Divina Trinitas sit in Domino Salvatore, sicut Anima, Corpus, et Virtus procedens, apud quemvis hominem; hi deinde praeparantur ad recipiendum fidem Novi Coeli, et his, postquam praeparati sunt, aperitur via ad Societatem in Coelo, ubi similis fides est, et datur illis mansio cum confratribus, cum quibus in beatitudine vivent in aeternum. Nunc quia actum est de Deo Creatore, et de Domino Redemptore, necessum est, ut quoque de Spiritu Sancto agatur; quae Transactio, sicut reliquae dispescenda est in suos Articulos, qui sunt sequentes. I. Quod Spiritus Sanctus sit Divina Veritas, et quoque Divina Virtus et Operatio procedens a Deo Uno, in quo Divina Trinitas est, ita a Domino Deo Salvatore. II. Quod Divina Virtus et Operatio, quae intelligitur per Spiritum Sanctum, sint in genere Reformatio et Regeneratio, et secundum has Innovatio, Vivificatio, Sanctificatio et Justificatio, et secundum has Purificatio a malis et Remissio peccatorum, et tandem Salvatio. III. Quod Divina illa virtus et operatio, quae intelligitur per missionem Spiritus Sancti, apud Clericos in specie sit Illustratio et Instructio. IV. Quod Dominus operetur illas Virtutes in illis qui credunt in Ipsum. V. Quod Dominus operetur ex Se a Patre, et non vicissim. 1 VI. Quod spiritus hominis sit ejus Mens, et quicquid ex illa procedit.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: vicissim (absque interpunctione).