186.记事二：
有一次，我脑子里面反复思考这样一个问题：神学会储存在人类心智的哪一部分呢？起初，我认为既然神学是属灵和属天的，那它必在最高层。因为人类心智分为三层，就象三层的房子，或象三层天堂天使的居所。这时，一位天使站在旁边说：“对那些因真理而热爱真理的人来说，神学直达最高层，因为那就是他们的天堂所在之处，他们就居于天使所在的光中。然而，理论上所考虑和理解的道德伦理学居于第二层，因为它们与属灵事物相通；政治事务则居于这些事物之下的第一层；而多种多样，能被分门别类的科学则构成进入更高区域的一道门。属灵的、道德的、政治的和科学的事物若在人里面以这种方式从属，那么他们的言行就会由公义与公平所主导。原因在于，真理之光，也就是天堂之光，从最高层往下照到下面所有事物上，就像阳光依次通过以太和大气照到人类、动物和鱼类的眼睛上一样。
“然而，对那些只是为了自己名声的荣耀、而非因为真理而爱真理之人来说，在神学问题上的情况就截然不同了。对他们而言，神学与科学一道居于最低层；对有些人来说，神学与科学会混在一起；对另一些人来说，这二者则不会如此混合。政治事务也居于这一层，只是还要更低，在这些下面的则是道德事务，因为在这类人里面，这两个更高层不会在右手边开放。因此，这些人没有内在判断力，也没有对公义的任何情感，只有一种机灵，使得他们能谈论各种话题，仿佛他们很聪明，还能使他们确认显得好像很理性的任何事。但其理性的目标，也就是他们的最爱，却是虚假，因为这些虚假与感官谬见是分不开的。这就是为何世上有那么多的人如同瞎子一样看不到取自圣言的教义真理；一听闻真理，他们就赶紧捂住鼻子，以防真理的气味钻进鼻孔，造成恶心呕吐。相反，当面对虚假时，他们则张开所有感官畅饮它们，如同鲸鱼吞水一般。”
186. 第二個經歷:
有一次, 我反復思考一個問題:神學處於人思想的哪一部分。一開始, 我想由於神學是屬靈和屬天的, 應該是在思想的最高層。(人的思想分三層, 就像三層樓的房子, 或者像天人居住的三層天)
然後, 有一位天人造訪, 對我說:"對那些因真理而熱愛真理者, 神學達於思想的最高層次, 因為那是他們的天國所在, 他們能如天人一樣享受天國之光照。以理論形式思考和認識的道德事務, 位於神學事務之下第二層, 因為它們與屬靈事務相關聯。政治事務在神學和道德事務之下, 處於第一層。理論方面的主題, 以許多不同的形式進入並分裂成種與類, 形成通往更高層範疇的通道。
"人們照此優先秩序而有屬靈,道德,政治,和理論, 會以公義和公平為基礎來思他們所思的,行他們所行的。理由是, 真理之光(就是天國之光)從最高層往下照射, 就像太陽光經由高空,最後經過空氣, 給人,動物,魚類提供光明。
"但是, 對那些只是為了贏得自己的名聲,並非因真理而愛真理之人, 情況就不一樣了。對這些人而言, 神學處在最底層, 與理論共處一層。在有些人思想中, 神學與理論研究混為一團; 而另一些人, 能彼此分清。政治事宜在在神學之下的同一層, 道德更掉在之下。因為在這類人的思想中, 更高的兩層並未打開。因此這些人沒有任何內在的判斷能力, 也沒有任何對公義的熱愛, 僅僅有機靈巧思。這使得他們可以高談任何話題, 仿佛他們有聰明。並能用各樣證明來支持他們腦中所想, 以示他們有理性。然而, 他們所理論的目標(这是他們的最愛)是偽謬的, 因為與他們感官的偽謬息息相關。
"這就解釋了, 為何世上那麼多人不能從聖言中看到真理的教導, 連生來瞎眼的都不如。當他們聽到真理, 趕緊捂住鼻子,防止氣味攻擊以防作嘔。然而一旦面對的是偽謬之說, 即刻打開一切感覺器官, 像鯨魚吞水一般全盤吸收。
186. The second memorable occurrence. On one occasion I was turning over in my thinking [the question of] what level of our mind theological issues occupy. Because they are spiritual and heavenly I started out thinking they must occupy the highest level in us. (The human mind is differentiated into three levels, like a three-story house. Similarly, the homelands of the angels are differentiated into three heavens.)
Then an angel appeared standing next to me and said, "In those who love the truth because it is true, theological issues rise even to the highest level. The heaven of such people is on that level, and they have the light that angels have. Moral issues that have been examined and seen in a theoretical way are located on the second level under theological issues, because moral issues communicate with spiritual issues. Political issues dwell on the first level, below moral issues. Academic subjects, which come in many different forms and can be broken into genera and species, form a doorway to all the higher issues.
"People who have spirituality, morality, politics, and academics prioritized like this think what they think and do what they do on the basis of justice and judgment. The reason for this is that the light of truth, which is also the light of heaven, radiates through their highest level and lights up what is lower down, just as the light from the sun passes through the upper atmospheres and eventually through the air to provide light for the eyesight of people, animals, and fish.
"Theological issues do not, however, occupy the same place in people who love the truth only for the sake of their own glorious reputations and not because it is true. In these people theological issues occupy the lowest level where academic subjects are considered. In some people, theology and scholarly study become intertwined, but in others they cannot become intertwined. Political issues occur on the same level beneath theological issues, and moral issues fall beneath them. In people like this, the two higher levels are not open on the right-hand side, so these people have no inner reason that judges and they have no love for justice. Instead they have cleverness that enables them to talk about any subject as if they were intelligent and to support whatever comes to their mind as if they were rational. The topics that they love to reason about the most, though, are false because those topics are connected to lies told by their five senses.
"This is why there are so many people in the world who cannot see teachings that are true in the Word any more than someone born blind could. When they hear teachings that are true, they hold their noses so the smell will not upset or nauseate them. In the presence of falsities, they open all their senses and drink those falsities in the way a whale swallows water. "
186. The second experience.
Once I turned over in my mind the question in what part of the human mind theology is stored. I thought at first that since theology is spiritual and celestial, it must be at the highest level; for the human mind is divided into three levels, like a house with three storeys, or like the dwellings of the angels in three heavens.
Then an angel visited me and said: 'With those who love truth because it is truth, theology reaches the highest level, since that is where their heaven is, and they enjoy the same light as angels. Ethics, however, considered and perceived theoretically are located at the second level, because they communicate with spiritual matters; political affairs lie beneath these at the first level. Facts, however, which are of many kinds and can be classified into genera and species, constitute the door to the higher regions. Those in whom spiritual, ethical, political and factual matters are subordinated to one another in this way have their thoughts and actions controlled by righteousness and judgment. The reason is that the light of truth, which is also the light of heaven, shines down from the highest level on those beneath, just as sunlight passing through the ethers, and so eventually the air, gives light to enable men, animals and fish to see.
[2] 'The case is different, however, with theology in those who do not love truth because it is truth, but only because it enhances their own reputation. With these people theology resides at the lowest level, where factual knowledge is stored; in some cases it becomes mixed with these, in others they cannot mix. Political matters lie beneath these at the same level, and ethics beneath these, since in these cases the two higher levels are not open on the right-hand side. These people therefore do not have any power of inward judgment, nor any affection for righteousness, but only ingenuity. This allows them to talk on any subject as if they were intelligent, and to adduce what appear to be rational proofs of any proposition which comes up. But the objects of their reason, which are what they chiefly love, are false, because they are inseparable from the fallacies of the senses. This explains why there are so many people in the world who can no more see the truths of doctrine to be drawn from the Word, than those born blind; and when they hear them, they hold their noses to prevent their smell from assailing them and causing nausea. But when faced with falsities, they open every sense-organ and suck them in as whales do water.'
186. Second Memorable Relation:
I was engaged in thought about what region of the mind in man is occupied with theological matters. At first I supposed that being spiritual and heavenly they occupy the highest region. For the human mind is divided into three regions, as a house into three stories, or the angelic abodes into three heavens.
Then an angel standing near said, "With those who love truth because it is true, theological matters rise even into the highest region of the mind, because in that region is their heaven, and they are in the light in which angels dwell. But moral subjects theoretically examined and perceived have their place in a second region beneath these, because they communicate with things spiritual. Beneath these in a first region political subjects have their place; while scientific matters, which are manifold, and may be referred to genera and species, form a door to these higher matters. Those with whom things spiritual, moral, political, and scientific are thus subordinated, think what they think and do what they do from justice and judgment. This is because the light of truth, which is also the light of heaven, illuminates from the highest region all things that follow, as the light of the sun, passing in turn through the ethers and through the atmospheres, illumines the eyes of men and beasts and fishes. It is different, however, in matters of theology with those who love truth not because it is true, but only for the glory of their reputation. With them theological subjects have their seat in the lowest region along with scientific subjects; with some the former are mingled with the latter; with others the two cannot be so mingled. In the same region but still lower are political subjects, and beneath these again moral subjects, for in such persons the two higher regions are not opened on the right hand; and in consequence they have no interior reason from judgment and no affection for justice, but only a cleverness which enables them to talk on every subject as if from intelligence and to confirm whatever presents itself as if from reason; but the objects of reason which they chiefly love are falsities, because these adhere to the fallacies of the senses. This is why there are so many in the world who no more see truths of doctrine from the Word than those blind can see; and when such hear truths they hold their nostrils, lest the scent of the truths should disturb them and excite nausea; while on the other hand, they open all their senses to falsities and drink them in as whales drink in water."
186. The second experience. I was once engaged in thinking about what region of the human mind theological matters occupy. At first I supposed that such things, being of a spiritual and celestial nature, occupied the highest region. For the human mind is divided into three regions, as a house might be into three storeys, and as the habitations of the angels are divided into three heavens. Presently an angel stood before me and said: "With those who love truth for truth's sake, theology rises to the highest region of the mind, for there is its heaven, in the light in which angels are. Matters relating to morals, however, theoretically contemplated and perceived, are situated beneath this in the second region, because they communicate with spiritual things; and below these in the first region are matters relating to politics. But matters of natural knowledge which are manifold, and which can be classed into genera and species, form the doorway leading to those higher things. Those in whom things spiritual, moral, and political, and also matters of natural knowledge, are thus ordered, always think and act from justice and judgment, because the light of truth, which is also the light of heaven, illumines all that proceeds in order from the highest region, just as the light of the sun, passing through the ethers and the air in order, illumines the vision of men, beasts and fish. It is otherwise, however, with those who do not love truth for truth's sake, but only for their own glory and reputation. With them, theological matters abide in the lowest region, where are matters of natural knowledge; and in the case of some men, these mingle, but in the case of others, they cannot mingle. Beneath these in the same region are matters relating to politics, and beneath these again, matters relating to morals. Since the two higher regions of such men are not opened on the right side, they have no interior discernment of judgment, nor any love of justice, but only a certain ingenuity, by virtue of which they can talk on every subject with a show of intelligence, and prove whatever occurs to them with an appearance of reason. But the objects of reason which they love most are falsities, because these agree with the fallacies of the senses. This is why so many people in the world no more see the truths of doctrine from the Word than men born blind; and when they hear such truths they hold their noses lest their odor should offend them and cause nausea. On the other hand, to falsities they open all their senses, and drink them in as whales do water."
186. SECUNDUM MEMORABILE.
Quondam cogitatione versavi in quanam Regione Mentis resident Theologica apud hominem, quae quia spiritualia et coelestia, credidi primum quod in suprema; Mens enim humana distincta est in tres Regiones, sicut domus in tres mansiones, similiter sicut habitationes Angelorum in tres Coelos: et tunc adstitit Angelus, et dixit, Theologica apud illos qui amant Verum quia est verum, emergunt usque in supremam Regionem, quia ibi est Coelum illorum, et in luce sunt in qua Angeli; Moralia autem theoretice lustrata et percepta se locant sub illis in secunda Regione, quia communicant cum 1 spiritualibus; et Politica sub his in prima; Scientifica autem, quae multiplicia sunt, ac in genera et in species referri possunt, faciunt januam ad superiora illa. Illi, apud quos spiritualia, moralia, politica, et scientifica, ita subordinata sunt, ex justitia et judicio cogitant quae cogitant, et faciunt quae faciunt; causa est, quia Lux veri, quae etiam est Lux Coeli, e suprema Regione illuminat consequentia, sicut Lux Solis transiens aetheres, et progressive aerem, 2 illuminat visus hominum, bestiarum et piscium.
[2] Aliter vero Theologica apud illos, qui non amant verum quia est verum, sed solum propter gloriam famae suae; apud hos resident Theologica in ultima Regione ubi Scientifica, cum quibus apud quosdam se commiscent, et apud quosdam se non possunt commiscere; sub his in eadem regione sunt Politica, et sub his moralia, quoniam apud hos binae Regiones superiores non apertae sunt a parte dextra, quare illis non est aliqua interior ratio judicii, nec affectio justitiae, sed modo ingeniositas, ex qua de omni re possunt loqui sicut ex intelligentia, et confirmare quicquid obvenit sicut ex ratione; sed objecta rationis, quae principaliter amant, sunt falsa, quia haec cum fallaciis sensuum cohaerent. Inde est, quod dentur tot in Mundo, qui vera Doctrinae ex Verbo non plus vident quam caeci nati, et cum audiunt illa, comprimunt nares, ne odor illorum infestet et nauseam moveat; at vero ad, falsa aperiunt omnes sensus, et hauriunt illa sicut balaenae aquas.
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