187.记事三：
有一次，我正在沉思启示录所描述的龙、兽和假先知，一位天使灵出现在我面前，问道：“你在想什么？”“假先知”，我答道。于是他说：“我带你去一个地方，假先知所指的那些人就住在那里。”他告诉我，启示录十三章所说的从地里上来的兽，就是有两个角如同羔羊的角，说话像龙的，也是指这些人。我跟着他，看哪，只见有一大群灵人，当中是教会的领袖，他们教导说，唯有信基督的功德才能使人得救；行为是好的，却无助于救恩，然而应通过圣言接受教导，好叫平信徒，特别是简单人能更严格地服从地方官的命令，因而仿佛受宗教信仰所迫，从而发自内心实践道德仁爱。
这时，其中一个人看到我说：“你想进去看看我们的圣殿吗？那里面有代表我们信仰的雕像。”我走进一看，只见那圣殿颇为壮观，里面有一个妇人的雕像，身穿猩红色衣裳，右手拿着一枚金币，左手拿着一串珍珠。不过，这雕像和圣殿都是通过幻觉产生的，因为地狱灵人能以幻觉通过关闭心智内在，只打开心智外在而制造壮观的代表物。然而，我发现这些事物就是这类把戏，于是便向主祷告，我心智的内在立刻被打开了。然后，壮观的圣殿不见了，取而代之的是从上到下满是裂缝的一所破房子；那妇人也不见了，只见那房子里挂着一幅人物画像，头像龙头、身如豹身、脚似熊脚、口若狮口，恰如启示录（13:2）所描述的从海中上来的兽；取代地板的则是遍满青蛙的沼泽。我被告知，沼泽下面有一块大方石，圣言就深藏在它下面。看到这一切，我对那变戏法的说：“这就是你们的圣殿？”他说：“正是。”突然，他的内视也被打开了，他由此象我一样看到这一切，然后大叫道：“这是什么？从哪来的？”我告诉他，这是天堂之光照射的结果，这光能揭开一切外在形状的真正性质，从而揭开其脱离属灵仁爱之信的真正性质。
立时有东风刮来，将那圣殿及其雕像吹走，并使沼泽干涸，露出下面放有圣言的巨石。然后，又有如春天的暖风从天上吹来，只见这个地方出现一座帐篷，外表很简朴。与我同在的天使说：“看哪，亚伯拉罕的帐篷，当时有三位天使到他那里，并预言了以撒的出生。这个帐篷看上去很简单，但随着天堂之光的流入，它会变得越来越壮观。”他们获准打开拥有智慧的属灵天使所在的天堂，光从这天堂一照进来，那帐篷看上去如同耶路撒冷城内的圣殿。我向里面观看，只见下面放有圣言的基石四周镶满宝石，一种光芒从这些宝石投射到墙上，墙上饰有基路伯的雕像，这美丽的光芒使得墙壁五彩斑斓。
当我对这些景象惊叹不已时，天使说：“你会看到更奇妙的景象。”他们被允许打开第三层天，也就是拥有爱的属天天使所在的地方。这时，火焰色的光倾泄进来，整座圣殿消失不见了，唯见主在那里，正站在那基石，就是圣言上，形像和约翰（启示录1章）所见到的一样。神圣的感觉充满天使心智的内在，使得他们想俯伏下拜。主突然关闭了第三天之光的路径，并打开了第二层天之光的路径，使得圣殿和帐篷恢复原样。不过，现在帐篷就在这圣殿里面。这些景象形象地说明了启示录中这些话的含义：
看哪，神的帐幕在人间，祂要与人同住。（启示录21:3）
还有：
我未见新耶路撒冷城内有殿，因为主神全能者和羔羊为城的殿。（启示录21:22）
187. 第三個經歷:
有一次, 我正沉思『啟示錄』中所說的龍,獸和假先知。一位善靈走近我, 問我在想什麼。我說:"假先知。"
善靈說:"我帶你去個地方, 那裡就是假先知所指的靈所住之地。"他還告訴我, 『啟示錄』十三章所說的從地裡上來的獸, 有兩個角如同羔羊的角, 說話像龍, 也是對這些靈的形容。
我跟著他, 看到一群靈聚集, 有教會的領袖們在中間。領袖們正在教導, 除了相信主的功德, 沒有什麼別的令我們得救。並說, 儘管要有好行為, 但與他們的得救無關。不過, 他們認為當照著聖言教導這些好行為, 只是為了讓平信徒, 特別是頭腦簡單之人能更嚴格地順從他們的地方官的指令, 因而易受管治。好讓他們藉著宗教信仰, 去行出道德善事。
[2]他們其中一人看到我, 說:"你想進去看看我們的聖殿嗎？裡面有代表我們信仰的雕像。"
我跟著進去看, 有一座頗為壯觀的殿宇, 裡面有一個婦人的雕像, 身穿猩紅色衣裳, 右手持一枚金幣, 左手持一串珍珠。
不過, 雕像和殿宇都是假想的形像, 因為地獄的靈能用他們的想像產生一些壯觀的場面。是通過關閉思想的內在層次, 只打開其外在層來完成的。
當我意識到所有這些只是魔法手段時, 就向主禱告, 我思想的內層突然被打開。於是, 在那殿宇所在之地, 我看到一間破舊房屋。從屋頂到地板, 到處都是裂縫。那婦人所站之處, 掛著一張畫像, 頭像龍頭,身如豹身,腳似熊腳,口若獅口, 正如啟示錄13:2所描述的海中上來的獸。而地板則成了充滿青蛙的沼澤之地。我得知, 在沼澤之下有一塊巨大的方石, 方石之下藏有聖言。
看到這些, 我問那行魔法的:"這是你們的殿？"他說是的。突然, 他的內在思想突然也被打開, 讓他看見我所見的真相。看到這些, 他大叫道:"這是什麼？從哪裡來的？"
我告訴他, 是因為天國之光照的結果, 揭示了所有形式的真實屬性, 包括他的信與慈背離的真實屬性。
[3]立即起了東風, 將殿宇與雕像吹走, 並吹幹沼澤地, 巨石露出來了(聖言在巨石下麵)。這之後, 一陣猶如春天裡的暖風, 從天上吹來。在那原處顯出一座帳篷, 外表極其簡樸。
與我同在的天人說:"這就是像那亞伯拉罕的帳篷, 那時三位天人到他那裡, 告訴他以撒將要降世。這個帳篷看起來簡單, 但隨著天國降下的光照, 會變得越來越壯觀。"
天人們被授予能力, 打開义信天人所在的天國(第二层天), 那裡住著滿有智慧的天人。從那裡傾下光芒使帳篷看起來如同耶路撒冷聖殿。我往裡看, 見那塊基石(下麵藏有聖言)如今被寶石鑲滿。有光從這些寶石發出,射到牆壁, 照耀牆上的基路伯, 光彩奪目。
[4]當我對此景象驚歎不已時, 天人對我說:"你要看到更奇妙的景象。"我們被允許打開第三層天, 擁有仁智的天人在那裡居住。從那裡有火紅色的光芒灌下, 整個聖殿消失了。唯見主在原地, 站在下有聖言的石頭上, 如同祂被約翰所見時那樣(『啟示錄』第一章)。
因為神聖的感覺充滿了天人思想的內在, 令他們有一種抵擋不了的欲望去俯面下拜。突然, 從第三層天來的光照管道被主關閉了, 第二層天的光照被再打開。因而重現之前聖殿的樣子, 還有帳篷, 不過這次是帳篷在聖殿裡面。
這些景象描寫了『啟示錄』第二十一章所說的:"看哪, 上帝的帳幕與人同在, 祂要與他們同住"(啟示錄21:3); 還有:"我見新耶路撒冷內沒有殿, 因為主上帝全能者和羔羊為城的殿"(啟示錄21:22)。
187. The third memorable occurrence. Once as I was meditating on the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet mentioned in the Book of Revelation, an angelic spirit appeared to me and asked what I was meditating on. I said, "The false prophet. "
The angelic spirit said, "I will take you to the place where the spirits meant by the false prophet are. " He added, "They are the same spirits portrayed in chapter 13 of the Book of Revelation as the beast from the earth who had two horns like a lamb, but who spoke like a dragon. "
I followed the angelic spirit. To my surprise I saw a crowd with church leaders in the center of it. The leaders were teaching that nothing saves us except faith in Christ's merit and that works are good things to do, but not for our salvation. They were also proclaiming that works need to be taught from the Word so as to put lay people, especially simple ones, on a leash so that they obey their civic leaders and feel compelled from within by religion to practice moral goodwill.
[2] Then one of them saw me and said, "Do you want to see our shrine? It has a sculpture in it that portrays our faith. "
I went and saw it. It was magnificent! In the center of the shrine there was a statue of a woman dressed in scarlet clothes. She had a gold coin in her right hand and a chain of pearls in her left.
Both the statue and the shrine, however, were projected images. Hellish spirits have the ability to portray magnificent things using projected images. They do it by closing off the inner levels of our mind and opening only its outer levels.
When I realized that the statue and the shrine were conjured up through sorcery I prayed to the Lord. Suddenly the inner levels of my mind were opened. Then instead of a magnificent shrine, I saw a house that was full of cracks from the roof all the way to the foundation. Nothing in it was solidly connected. Instead of the woman, I saw a dummy hanging in the house that had the head of a dragon, the body of a leopard, the feet of a bear, and the mouth of a lion. It was exactly like the beast from the sea described in Revelation 13:2. Instead of the floor, there was a swamp that contained thousands of frogs. I was told that under the swamp there was a great hewn stone; and beneath it the Word lay deeply hidden.
Seeing this I said to the sorcerer, "Is this your shrine?"
"It is," the sorcerer said.
Just then, though, the sorcerers inner sight opened up as well. The sorcerer saw the same things I was seeing and loudly shouted, "What is this? Where did this come from?"
"It came from the light of heaven," I said, "which has disclosed the true quality of each form here, including the quality of your faith, which has been separated from spiritual goodwill. "
[3] Immediately the east wind came up and blew away the shrine with the sculpture. It dried up the swamp and exposed the stone that had the Word lying underneath it.
Then a warm, springlike breeze blew in from heaven. To my surprise I then saw a tent in that same place, a very simple one in its outer form.
Angels who were with me said, "Look, it is Abrahams tent just as it was when the three angels came to him to announce that Isaac was going to be born [, and following]. The tent looks simple to the eye, but as the light of heaven flows in, it becomes more and more magnificent. "
The angels were then granted the ability to open the heaven where spiritual angels live - the angels who have wisdom. In the light that flowed in from that heaven, the tent looked like the Temple in Jerusalem. When I looked inside, I saw that the foundation stone under which the Word had been hidden was now covered in precious stones. From the precious stones a kind of lightning was flashing across to walls that had relief's of angel guardians on them, giving the angel guardians beautifully different colors.
[4] As I was feeling awestruck by these sights, the angels said, "You are about to see things that are even more miraculous. " They were then granted the ability to open the third heaven where heavenly angels live - the angels who have love. As a result of the blazing light that flowed in from that heaven, the entire temple disappeared. In its place I saw the Lord alone, standing on the foundation stone, which was the Word. He looked much the way he had when seen by John in Revelation chapter 1.
Yet because holiness then filled the inner realms of the angels' minds so that they felt an overwhelming urge to fall forward on their faces, suddenly the channel of light from the third heaven was closed by the Lord and the channel of light from the second heaven was reopened. As a result, the earlier appearance of a temple, and also a tent, returned. The tent was in the middle of the temple.
These experiences illustrated what Revelation 21 means when it says, "Behold, the tent of God is with people, and he will dwell with them" (Revelation 21:3); and when it says, "I saw no temple in the New Jerusalem, because the Lord God Almighty is its Temple, and the Lamb" (Revelation 21:22).
187. The third experience 1 .
Once when I was meditating on the dragon, the beast and the false prophet described in Revelation, an angelic spirit appeared to me and asked: 'What are you meditating about?' 'The false prophet,' I told him. Then he said: 'I will take you to a place where those live who are meant by the false prophet.' He told me that the same people are meant in chapter 13 of Revelation by the beast from the land, which had two horns like a lamb's, and spoke like a dragon.
I followed him, and came upon a crowd surrounding some leading ecclesiastics, who taught that nothing but faith in Christ's merit confers salvation on people, and that deeds are good but do not contribute to their salvation. None the less, they said, these should be taught in accordance with the Word, so that laymen, particularly the simple, should be kept more rigorously subject to the dictates of magistrates, and thus be impelled, as if by religion and thus inwardly, to exercise ethical charity.
[2] Then one of them saw me and said: 'Would you like to see our shrine, which contains a statue representing our faith?'
I went along and looked; and there was a magnificent shrine, and inside it a statue of a woman wearing a scarlet dress, holding a gold coin in her right hand and a pearl necklace in her left. But both the statue and the shrine were imaginary, for the spirits in hell can by their imagination produce magnificent representations, by closing the interiors of the mind, and opening only its exteriors. When I realised that all this was mere conjuring, I prayed to the Lord, and the interiors of my mind were suddenly opened. Then in place of that magnificent shrine I saw a ruinous building with cracks in the walls from ceiling to floor; and in place of the woman I saw hanging in that building an image with a head like a dragon's, a body like a leopard's, feet like a bear's and a mouth like a lion's, exactly as the beast from the sea is described in Revelation 13:2. Instead of the floor there was a marsh teeming with frogs. I was told that beneath the marsh there was a great squared stone, beneath which lay the Word, deeply hidden away.
[3] On seeing this I asked the conjurer: 'Is this your shrine?' He said it was. But then suddenly his interior sight was opened, which made him see what I saw. At this sight he shouted very loudly: 'What is this? Where has it come from?' I told him that it was the result of light from heaven, which reveals the true nature of every form, and consequently the true nature of his faith separated from spiritual charity.
Immediately the east wind sprang up and blew away the shrine with its statue. It also dried up the marsh, thus laying bare the stone beneath which the Word lay. After this a warm wind, as in springtime, blew from heaven, and then in the same place was to be seen a tent, of simple external construction. The angels with me said: 'This is what Abraham's tent was like, when the three angels came to him and told him that Isaac was to be born. This may appear to view as simple, but it becomes more and more magnificent as light flows in from heaven.'
They were allowed to open the heaven where the spiritual angels are, who possess wisdom, and the light which poured in from there made that tent look like a temple such as that in Jerusalem. When I looked inside, I saw the stone base under which the Word was stored inlaid all around with precious stones. A sort of radiance was projected from these on to the walls, which were decorated with carved cherubs; and these the radiance beautifully picked out in various colours.
[4] When I admired this, the angels said: 'Now you will see something even more wonderful.' They were allowed to open the third heaven, where the celestial angels are who possess love. Then the flame-coloured light flooding in made that whole temple vanish, and in its place was to be seen the Lord alone, standing upon the stone base which was the Word, in appearance as He was seen by John (Rev. chapter 1). But because a feeling of holiness then filled the interiors of the angels' minds, causing them to long to fall on their faces, the path of light from the third heaven was suddenly blocked by the Lord, and the path for light from the second heaven was opened up, thus restoring the previous appearance of the temple, and also of the tent, but this was inside the temple. These sights provided an illustration of what is meant by the verse in Revelation:
Here is the tabernacle of God with men, and He will dwell with them, Revelation 21:3.
and also this:
I saw no temple in the New Jerusalem, for the Lord God almighty and the Lamb are its temple, Revelation 21:22.
Footnotes:
1. This section is repeated from Apocalypse Revealed 926.
187. Third Memorable Relation:
Once when I was meditating about the dragon and the beast and the false prophet spoken of in the Apocalypse, an angelic spirit appeared to me and asked, "What are you meditating about?" And I said, "About the false prophet."
Then he said, "I will take you to the place where those are who are meant by the false prophet;" and he added that they are the same as are meant in the thirteenth chapter of the Apocalypse by "the beast rising up out of the earth," which had two horns like a lamb, and which spoke like a dragon.
I followed him, and lo, I saw a great crowd, in the midst of which were leaders of the church who taught that nothing saves man but faith in the merit of Christ; and that works are good, but contribute nothing to salvation, and yet should be taught from the Word in order that the laity, especially the simple, may be held more firmly in the bonds of obedience to magistrates, and may be compelled as if from religion, and thus from within, to practice moral charity.
[2] Then one of them, seeing me, said, "Would you like to see our temple, in which there is an image representative of our faith?"
I approached and looked, and behold the temple was magnificent. In the center of it was an image of a woman clad in scarlet robes, holding in her right hand a golden coin, and in her left a chain of pearls. But both the image and the temple were produced through phantasy; for through phantasies infernal spirits are able to represent magnificent things by closing up the interiors of the mind and opening the exteriors only. When, however, I observed that these things were such juggleries, I prayed to the Lord, and immediately the interiors of my mind were opened, and then in place of a magnificent temple I saw a house full of chinks from top to bottom, tumbling all to pieces; and in place of the woman, I saw hanging within the building a figure with a head like a dragon's, a body like a leopard's, its feet like bear's feet, and its mouth like that of a lion, thus precisely like the beast described as rising up out of the sea (Revelation 13:2); and for a floor there was a bog with a multitude of frogs in it, and I was told that underneath the bog was a large hewn stone, with the Word hidden deep below it.
Seeing this I said to the juggler, "Is this your temple?" And he said, "It is."
But suddenly he, too, had his inner sight opened, and from it he saw the same things that I did, and he cried out loudly, "What is this, and whence is it?"
And I said, "It is from the light of heaven, which discloses the quality of every outward shape, and thus the quality of your faith separate from spiritual charity."
[3] And presently a wind blew up from the east and swept away the temple and the image and dried up the bog and thus laid bare the stone beneath which the Word was lying. And then a warmth like that of spring breathed upon it from heaven, and behold in the same place a tabernacle simple in outward form appeared.
And the angels who were with me said, "Behold the tabernacle of Abraham, as it was when the three angels came to him and foretold the birth of Isaac. To the eye it appears simple, but it becomes more and more magnificent according to the influx of light from heaven."
It was granted them to open the heaven occupied by spiritual angels, who are in wisdom. And at once from the light flowing in from that heaven the tabernacle appeared like a temple similar to that at Jerusalem. And when I looked inside I saw the foundation-stone under which the Word was deposited, set about with precious stones, and from these a kind of effulgence beamed upon the walls, on which were figures of cherubim, and the glow beautifully variegated the walls with colors.
[4] While I wondered at these things the angels said, "You shall see something still more wonderful." And it was granted them to open the third heaven, where celestial angels dwell who are in a state of love; and then because of the flamy light flowing in from that heaven the whole temple vanished, and in its place the Lord alone was seen standing upon the foundation-stone, which was the Word, appearing in the same form in which He appeared to John (Revelation 1). But as the interiors of the angels' minds were then filled with a holiness which impelled them to fall down upon their faces, the way by which the light came from the third heaven was immediately closed by the Lord, and a way was opened for light from the second heaven, and this caused the temple to assume its former aspect, and also the tabernacle, which was now in the center of the temple.
This was an illustration of what is meant in the Apocalypse by these words:
Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He shall dwell with them (21:3).
And by these words:
I saw no temple in the New Jerusalem, for the Lord God the Almighty is the temple thereof, and the Lamb (21:22).
187. The third experience. Once when I was meditating about the dragon, the beast and the false prophet spoken of in the Revelation, an angelic spirit appeared to me and inquired what was the subject of my meditation. I replied: "The false prophet." Then he said: "I will lead you to the place where those are who are meant by the false prophet," and he added, "they are the same as are meant in the thirteenth chapter of the Revelation by the beast rising out of the earth, which had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon." I followed him, and lo! I saw a multitude of people, and in their midst were leaders of the Church. According to their teaching nothing saves a man but faith in the merit of Christ, and works are good, though not conducive to salvation, but they must be taught from the Word, in order that the laity, particularly the simple among them, may be kept in stricter obedience to the magistrates, and be led, as from religion and thus from more interior principles, to the exercise of moral charity.
[2] Then one of them seeing me said: "Would you like to see our place of worship, in which there is an image representing our faith" "I went and looked; and lo! the temple was magnificent, and in its centre was the image of a woman, clothed in a scarlet robe, holding in her right hand a gold coin, and in her left a string of pearls. But both the image and the temple were an illusion; for infernal spirits have the power of calling up by means of illusions magnificent representations, by closing the interiors of the mind, and opening its exteriors only. When I noticed that all this was such a trick, I prayed to the Lord; and suddenly the interiors of my mind were opened, and then I saw, instead of the magnificent temple, a building rent from top to bottom, where nothing was secure. Instead of the women, I saw hanging within the building an image with its head like a dragon, its body like a leopard, its feet like those of a bear and its mouth like that of a lion, precisely like the beast rising up out of the sea as described in Revelation 13:2. Instead of a floor there was a marsh, in which was a great number of frogs; and I was told that under the marsh there was a large hewn stone, beneath which lay the Word, entirely concealed. On seeing these things I said to the illusion-monger: "Is this your place of worship?" and he replied, "It is." But suddenly his interior vision was then opened, and by it he saw what I saw. Thereupon he called out with a loud voice: "What is this, and how comes it about?" I said: "It is due to light from heaven, which reveals the quality of every form, and thus it discloses the quality of your faith, which is separated from spiritual charity."
[3] Immediately a wind blew from the east, and carried away the temple and the image, and also dried up the marsh, thus exposing the stone, beneath which lay the Word. After this a warmth like that of spring breathed from heaven; and lo! in the same place appeared a tabernacle, plain in its outward form. The angels who were with me said: "Behold the tabernacle of Abraham, as it was when the three angels came to him and foretold the birth of Isaac. It appears plain to the eye, but yet as light from heaven flows down it becomes more and more magnificent." Then they were permitted to open up the heaven where dwell spiritual angels, who excel in wisdom; and from the light which thereupon flowed down, the tabernacle appeared like the temple at Jerusalem. On looking within I saw that the foundation stone, under which the Word reposed, was set round with precious stones, from which it flashed its light like lightning upon the walls where were placed statues of cherubs, and beautifully lit them up with its iridescent beams.
[4] As I gazed with wonder at these things, the angels said: "You will now see something more wonderful still." They were then permitted to open up the third heaven, where dwell celestial angels, who excel in love; and in the flaming light which thereupon flowed down, the temple completely vanished, and in its place there appeared the Lord alone, standing upon the foundation stone, which was the Word, in appearance as He was seen by John, Revelation 1. But as the interiors of the angels' minds were then filled with a holiness which moved them to fall prostrate, the passage of light from the third heaven forthwith closed by the Lord, and that from the second heaven left open. Then the former appearance of the temple returned, and also that of the tabernacle, which, however, appeared in the centre of the temple. By this was illustrated the meaning of these words in Revelation 21:3,
"Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them;"
and also of these words:
"And I saw no temple" in the New Jerusalem: "for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it" Revelation 21:22.
187. TERTIUM MEMORABILE.
Quondam cum meditabar de Dracone, Bestia et Pseudopropheta, de quibus in Apocalypsi, apparuit mihi Spiritus Angelicus. et quaesivit, quid meditaris, et dixi, quod de Pseudopropheta; tunc ille dixit, deducam te ad locum, ubi sunt, qui per Pseudoprophetam intelliguntur, et inquiit, quod iidem sint, qui in Capite XIII Apocalypseos intelliguntur per Bestiam ex terra, quae habebat duo cornua similia Agno, et loquuta est sicut Draco. Sequutus sum illum, et ecce vidi turbam, in cujus medio erant Antistites Ecclesiae, qui docuerunt, quod nihil hominem salvet, quam Fides in meritum Christi, et quod Opera sint bona, sed non ad salutem, et quod usque docenda sint ex Verbo, ut Laici, imprimis simplices, strictus in vinculis obedientiae erga Magistratus teneantur, ac sicut ex Religione, ita interius, ad Charitatem moralem exercendam adigantur.
[2] Et tunc unus ex illis me videns dixit, vis videre nostrum Fanum, in quo est imago repraesentativa nostrae Fidei; accessi et vidi, et ecce erat magnificum, et in medio ejus imago Mulieris, indutae veste coccinea, tenentis in dextra Nummum aureum, et in sinistra Catenam ex Unionibus: sed erant et Imago et Fanum inducta per phantasiam; possunt enim Spiritus infernales per phantasias repraesentare magnifica, occludendo interiora mentis, et aperiendo solum exteriora ejus. Sed cum animadverti, quod tales praestigiae essent, oravi ad Dominum, et subito aperta sunt interiora mentis meae, et tunc vidi loco magnifici Fani Domum rimosam a tecto usque ad imum, in qua nihil cohaesit; et vidi loco Mulieris in Domo illa pendens Simulachrum, cujus Caput erat simile Draconi, Corpus simile Pardo, Pedes sicut Ursi, et Os sicut Leonis, ita prorsus sicut describitur Bestia e mari, Apocalypsis 13:2 et loco Soli erat 1 Palus, in qua multitudo ranarum: et dictum est mihi, quod sub Palude esset Lapis magnus caesus, sub quo jaceret Verbum penitus reconditum.
[3] His visis dixi ad Praestigiatorem, est hoc Fanum vestrum, et dixit, quod sit; at subito tunc aperiebatur etiam illi visus interior, ex quo vidit 2 similia quae ego; quibus visis clamavit clamore magno, quid hoc, et unde hoc; et dixi, quod sit ex luce e Coelo, quae detegit qualitatem cujusvis formae, et sic qualitatem vestrae Fidei separatae a Charitate spirituali: et illico flavit Ventus orientalis, et sustulit Fanum cum Imagine, et quoque exsiccabat Paludem, et sic nudabat Lapidem, sub quo jacuit Verbum: et post haec spiravit Calor sicut vernalis e Coelo, et ecce tunc in eodem loco visum est Tabernaculum, quoad formam externam simplex; et dicebant Angeli qui apud me erant, ecce Tabernaculum Abrahami, quale id fuit, quando tres Angeli ad illum venerunt, et annuntiarunt de Isaco nascituro; hoc apparet coram oculis simplex, sed usque fit secundum influxum lucis e Coelo plus et plus magnificum; et datum est illis aperire Coelum, in quo erant Angeli spirituales, qui in sapientia sunt, et tunc ex Luce inde influente apparebat Tabernaculum illud sicut Templum simile Hierosolymitano; quod cum introspexi, vidi Lapidem fundi, sub quo Verbum erat repostum, circum obsitum lapidibus pretiosis, e quibus sicut fulgur emicuit in parietes, super quibus erant formae cheruborum, et pulchre variegavit illos coloribus.
[4] Cum haec admiratus sum, dixerunt Angeli, videbis adhuc mirabilius, et datum est illis aperire Coelum Tertium, in quo erant Angeli coelestes, qui in amore sunt, et tunc ex Luce flammea inde influente, totum illud Templum evanuit, et loco ejus visus est Dominus Solus, stans super Lapide fundi, qui erat Verbum, in simili effigie, in qua visus est Johanni Cap. Apocalypsi 1 Apoc. At quia sanctitas tunc implevit interiora mentis Angelorum, ex qua illis fuit nisus procidendi super facies, subito obstruebatur a Domino via Lucis e Coelo tertio, et aperiebatur via Lucis e Coelo secundo, ex quo rediit aspectus prior Templi, et quoque Tabernaculi, sed hoc in medio Templi. Ex his illustratum est, quid intelligitur in Apocalypsis 21, per hoc, Ecce Tabernaculum Dei cum hominibus, et habitabit cum illis, Vers. 3; et per hoc, Templum non vidi in Nova Hierosolyma, quia Dominus Deus Omnipotens Templum ejus, et Agnus, Vers. 22.
Footnotes: