22.属世人凭自己的理性根本不可能认识到，神是它本身，是独一无二，是最初的源头，被称为存在和彰显本身，是一切存在或生成之物的源头。属世人凭自己的理性只能理解属自然之物，这与其理性的本质一致，因为自婴儿至童年时，就没有别的东西曾进入他的理性。然而，人受造是为了既成为属世的，也成为属灵的，因为他死后还会继续活着，然后活在那些在世时属灵的人当中。为此，神提供了圣言，祂在圣言中不仅揭示了祂自己，还揭示了天堂和地狱的存在，每个人根据自己的生活和信要么在天堂，要么在地狱活到永远。而且，在圣言中，神揭示了祂是自有或存在，是它本身，独一无二的源头，这源头自我存在，因而是首先的，或是初，是万有的源头。
凭着这启示，属世人是能提升自己越过自然，因而越过他自己，然后看到诸如属神之物。然而，他只能好像隔着一定距离看到，尽管神就在每个人身边。因为就其本质而言，神就在他里面。因此缘故，祂离那些爱的人非常近，爱他的人就是那些照祂诫命生活并信祂的人，这些人仿佛能看到祂。何为信，不就是人的灵能看到事实的确如此吗？何为照着祂诫命生活，不就是在行为中承认祂是救赎和永生的源头吗？然而，那些其信不是属灵的，而是属世的，也就是说，纯粹是知识，因而生活属世之人，虽然确实看到神，但距离非常遥远，只有在他们谈论神时才会看到。这两组人之间的区别就象那些站在晴天白日下看到并触摸旁边的人和那些站在浓雾中分不清是人，是树还是石头的人之间的区别。
或就象那些生活在高山上的城市中，并四处活动，与其同胞交谈的人和那些从那山顶上俯视，却分辨不出他们所看到的是人，动物还是雕像的人之间的区别。确切地说，就象那些站在某个星球上，并在那里看到他们的同胞之人和那些站在另一个星球上，用望远镜看向前一个星球，声称他们看到那里有人，而事实上，他们只能大体辩认出象月球明亮区域的陆地轮廓和如暗斑一样的海洋之人之间的区别。这就是那些有信，同时过着仁爱生活之人在心里所看到的神，以及从祂发出的神性之物和那些只有关于信和仁的知识之人之间的区别，因而是属世人和属灵人之间的区别。然而，那些否认圣言的神圣性，却象披在肩上的麻袋那样四处携带宗教信仰的人则看不到神，只是象鹦鹉那样重复“神”这个词。
22. 屬世之人(或屬物質之人, 思想只停留在物質層面)完全無法靠自己的理性來明白這些:上帝就是本身,唯一,首先, 被稱為根本自身和表現自身; 是萬有的源泉,萬有都因祂而存在。因為靠他自己的理性, 屬世之人只能認知屬世之事物, 這與他理性的基本性質相襯。因為自幼年孩童時起, 除了屬世之事物, 沒有別的什麼進入到他的理性之中。然而, 人被造為屬世人之時, 同樣被造為屬靈人。屬靈人在死後會繼續活著, 生活在同為屬靈人的群體之中。為此, 上帝提供了聖言, 在聖言中祂除了將自己揭示給人類, 還揭示了天國與地獄的存在, 每個人會按各自生活和信仰情況在其中之一處永遠生活。更有, 上帝在聖言中還揭示:祂是自有和根本,是本身和唯一; 是自行存在的,真正的,和唯一的源泉, 是萬有源泉的開始。
[2]因著這啟示, 屬世之人有可能將自己提升到自然之上, 因而在物質之上, 並明白關於上帝的事情。看起來好像隔著一定的距離, 然而上帝會接近每個人並與之同在。祂向那些愛祂的人靠近並與他們同在——愛祂之人就是相信祂並按祂的誡命而生活之人, 這就如同看見祂。信仰不就是靈裡看見祂嗎？以實際行動來承認祂是得救和永生的源泉, 不就是按祂的誡命生活嗎？而那些信仰並非屬靈,而只是屬世(僅限於知識的信仰), 並按此生活之人, 他們的確能看見上帝, 不過隔著很遠的距離, 並且只是在談到上帝的時候。
屬靈人相比屬世人, 如同站在亮處看身旁之人,看得到摸得著, 相比那些站在濃霧中不能分辨所看到的是人,是樹還是石頭。
[3]或者就象如下的分別:高山上一座城, 城中居民走出屋子與鄰居們面對面交流; 相比人從山頂上往下望, 無法告訴所看到的山下物體是人,是畜,還是雕像。又或像這樣的分別:人站在同一行星上, 去看其他在四周的人; 相比人站在一個行星上, 用望遠鏡去看另一星球, 他們說看到那裡有人, 實際上他們並未看到什麼。只不過是一個大概的輪廓, 如同我們看月亮上的輪廓而已。
類似的分別, 好比那些有信仰並同時活出義行之人, 在思想中能明白上帝及祂所發出的神性; 與那些僅僅有這信仰的知識, 卻什麼也活不出來的人。這就是屬靈人與屬世人之間的分別。
然而那些否定聖言的神聖, 卻將信仰塞進口袋扛在肩上隨身攜帶, 這類人根本無法明白上帝, 只是口頭上發出"上帝"這個詞, 如同鸚鵡一般。
22. Using its own reasoning, the earthly self has no way of knowing that God is the Absolute and the first and only thing that is called the intrinsic underlying reality and the intrinsic capacity to become manifest from which come all things that exist and take form. Under its own power of reasoning the earthly self cannot draw on anything other than what belongs to nature. Earthly things fit with the earthly self's essence because from our infancy and childhood onward nothing but what is earthly comes into the self. Nevertheless, we were created to be spiritual as well as earthly, since we are going to live after death and will then be among spiritual people in their world. Therefore God has provided the Word.
In the Word God has revealed not only himself but also the existence of heaven and hell, and the fact that every single one of us is going to live in one or the other realm to eternity, each of us according to our life as well as our faith. God has also revealed in the Word that he is "I Am" or the underlying reality, and is the Absolute and the only one to exist in and of himself; he revealed therefore that he is the First or the Beginning from which all things come.
[2] This revelation makes it possible for the earthly self to rise above nature, even above itself, and see what belongs in the realm of God. It appears to be far away. Yet God is actually close to each of us, for God is in us with his essence. Because he is, he is near to those who love him - people who live by his instructions and believe in him. In a sense they see him.
What else is faith except spiritually seeing what is real? And what else is living by God's instructions except an actual acknowledgment that he is the source of salvation and eternal life?
But people whose faith is earthly and not spiritual and consists of mere factual knowledge, and who have an earthly but not a spiritual way of life, do indeed see God, but from far away, and then only when they talk about him.
Spiritual people compared to earthly ones are like people who are standing in broad daylight, seeing others near themselves and touching them, compared to people standing in a heavy fog that makes it difficult to tell whether the objects nearby are people or perhaps trees or rocks.
[3] Spiritual people compared to earthly one's are like people in a town on a high mountain, walking around and talking to their friends in the town, compared to people who look down from that mountain and cannot make out whether they are seeing people or animals or statues below.
Spiritual people compared to earthly ones are also like people standing on a planet and seeing their friends and loved ones right there, compared to people looking at another planet through hand-held telescopes. People in the second group look at the planet and say they see people there, when in fact all they have is a vague impression of landmasses, like the moons lighter areas, and bodies of water, like the moon's darker patches.
The same difference exists between people who are in faith and also live a life of goodwill, who see God and divine attributes that emanate from him in their mind, compared to those who have nothing more than knowledge about these things. This is the difference between spiritual and earthly people.
Those, however, who deny the divine holiness of the Word but still carry their religion around in a pack on their back do not see God at all. They only sound out the word God, not much differently from parrots.
22. It is quite impossible for the natural man to get to know from his reason that God is the very, sole and prime source, called Being and Coming-into-Being in itself, from which everything that exists or comes into being is derived. For the natural man who relies upon his own reason can only attribute these things to nature; for this squares with his own essence, which has had nothing but this idea supplied to it from infancy and childhood. But since man has been created so that he should be spiritual too, because he is destined to live after death, and that life will be among spiritual beings in their world, God has provided the Word, in which He has revealed not only Himself, but also the existence of heaven and hell, in one or the other of which every human being will live to eternity, depending in each case on the way he has lived and at the same time what he has believed. In the Word too God has revealed that He is I am or Being, and the very and sole source which is self-existent, and thus the prime or beginning from which everything comes.
[2] This revelation has made it possible for the natural man to rise above nature, and thus above himself, and see the things which are God's. Yet he can only do this as it were from a distance, although God is present near at hand with every person, for God is in him with His essence. For this reason He is near at hand to those who love Him, and those who love Him are those who live according to His commandments and believe in Him; these people as it were see Him. What is faith but one's spirit seeing that it is so? And what is it to live according to His commandments but to acknowledge Him in practice as the source of salvation and everlasting life? But those whose faith is not spiritual, but natural, (that is, a faith which is mere knowledge) and who therefore live in the same way, they can certainly see God, but do so from a distance, and only when they speak about Him. The difference between the two groups is like that between those who stand in broad daylight, seeing and touching people near them, and those who stand in a thick fog, which prevents them from seeing whether they are people, trees or rocks;
[3] or those who live in a city on a high mountain and go about hither and thither and talk with their fellow citizens, and those who look down from that mountain and cannot tell whether what they see are human beings, animals or statues. Rather it is the difference between those who stand upon some planet and see their fellows there, and those who are on a different planet and look with telescopes in their hands towards the first, saying that they see human beings there, when in fact they can only make out land surfaces generally like the bright areas of the moon, and seas as dark patches. Such is the distinction between those who believe and at the same time live a life of charity, seeing in their minds God and what is Divine proceeding from Him, and those who merely have knowledge about these subjects; thus the distinction is as between natural and spiritual men. Those, however, who deny the Divine holiness of the Word, and still carry around the trappings of religion as it were in a sack thrown over the shoulder, fail to see God and merely repeat the word 'God', almost exactly like parrots.
22. That God is the Itself, the Only, and the First, which is called Esse and Existere in Itself, the source of all that has being and existence, the natural man is wholly unable to discover by his own reason; for by his own reason the natural man can apprehend only what belongs to nature, since that agrees with the essential nature of his reason, because from his infancy and childhood nothing else had entered into his reason. But because man was so created as to be spiritual as well as natural, since he is to continue to live after death, and then to live among those who are spiritual in their world, God has provided the Word-in which He has revealed not only Himself but also that there is a heaven and a hell, and that in one or the other of these every man is to live to eternity, in accordance both with his life and his faith. Moreover, God has revealed in the Word that He is the I Am or Esse and the Itself and Only, which in itself Is, and thus the First or Beginning, the source of all things.
[2] By this revelation the natural man is enabled to raise himself above nature, thus above himself, and to see such things as pertain to God, yet only as if at a distance, although God is nigh to every man, for in His essence He is in man; and being in man He is very nigh to those who love Him; and those love Him who live according to His commandments and believe in Him; these as it were see Him. What is faith but to see spiritually that God is? And what is a life according to His commandments but an acknowledgment in act that from Him are salvation and eternal life? But those whose faith is not spiritual but natural, which is mere knowledge, and whose life is therefore natural, do indeed see God, but from afar off, and this only when they speak of Him. The difference between these two classes is like the difference between those who stand in a clear light and see men near by and touch them, and those who stand in a thick mist in which they are unable to distinguish between men and trees or stones.
[3] Or it is like the difference between men on a high mountain on which there is a city, who are going about there having interaction with their fellow townsmen, and men looking down from the top of that mountain who are unable to tell whether the objects they see below are people, beasts, or statues. Or it is like the difference between men standing upon some planet and seeing those about them, and men on another planet looking at these through telescopes, and saying that they see people there, when in fact they see nothing but a most general outline of the land as lunar brightness, and the watery parts as spots. Such is the difference in seeing God and the Divine things in the mind that go forth from Him, between those who are both in faith and in a life of charity, and those who merely know about faith and charity; and such consequently is the difference between natural and spiritual men. But those who deny the Divine holiness of the Word, and yet carry their religion about as in a sack upon the back, do not see God at all, but only utter the word "God," almost like parrots.
22. That God is the Self, the only One and the First, called Being (Esse) and Existing (Existere) in itself, the source of all things which are and which exist, the natural man cannot possibly discover by his own reason, from which he can only apprehend what is of nature. This is in agreement with his essential character, which has been affected by no other influences since his infancy and early years; but as man has been created that he might also be spiritual, since he will live after death among spiritual beings in their world, God has provided the Word, in which He has revealed not only Himself but also the existence of heaven and hell, in one of which every man will live to eternity, depending upon the life he has lived in accordance with his faith. He has also revealed in the Word that He is the I Am or Being, the Self and only One which is in itself, and thus the Beginning, the Source of all things.
[2] From this revelation the natural man can raise himself above nature, and thus above himself, and see such things as are of God, but yet as from a distance, although God is near every man, for He is in him with His Essence. Because this is so, He is near those who love Him; and they love Him who live according to His commandments and believe on Him; and these, as it were, see Him. For faith is nothing but a spiritual perception that He is, and a life according to His commandments an actual acknowledgment that salvation and eternal life are from Him. Those whose faith is not spiritual but natural, that is, mere knowledge, and whose life is in accordance with this faith, indeed see God, but from a distance, and this only when talking of Him.
The difference between them is like that between those who stand in a clear light and see men near them and touch them, and those who stand in a dense mist, and cannot distinguish between men and trees or rocks. Or the difference is like that between men in a city upon a high mountain, who go from place to place and talk with their fellow-citizens, and men who look down from that mountain and do not know whether what they see are men or beasts or statues. Indeed the difference is like that between those who stand on some planet and see their own friends there, and those who, from another planet, look out through telescopes and say they see men there, when yet they only see, as it were, moon light reflected from stretches of land and patches of water as dark spots. There is a similar difference between seeing God and Divine things from Him with those who are in faith and the life of charity, and with those who are merely in the knowledge of such things; consequently between natural and spiritual men. Moreover, those who deny the Divine sanctity of the Word, and yet carry their religious ideas as it were in a sack upon their backs, do not see God, but only repeat His name as parrots would.
22. Quod Deus sit Ipsum, Unicum et Primum, quod vocatur Esse et Existere in se, ex quo omnia quae sunt et existunt, Naturalis homo ex sua ratione nequicquam potest rescire, nam Naturalis homo ex sua ratione non aliud potest desumere, quam quod naturae est, hoc enim quadrat cum ejus essentia, quia in illam nihil aliud ab infantia et pueritia intravit; at quoniam homo creatus est ut quoque sit Spiritualis, quia victurus est post mortem, et tunc inter Spirituales in illorum Mundo, ideo Deus providit Verbum, in quo non modo Semet Ipsum revelavit, sed etiam quod Coelum et Infernum sint, et quod in illorum uno aut altero omnis homo victurus sit in aeternum, quisque secundum vitam et simul fidem suam; et quoque in Verbo revelavit, quod sit Sum seu Esse, ac Ipsum et Unicum quod in se est, et sic Primum seu Principium, ex quo omnia.
[2] Ex hac Revelatione est, quod Naturalis homo possit se elevare supra naturam, ita supra se, et videre talia quae Dei sunt, sed usque tamen sicut e longinquo, 1 tametsi Deus est in propinquo apud omnem hominem, est enim in illo cum sua Essentia; et quia ita est, est in propinquo apud illos, qui Ipsum amant, et illi amant Ipsum, qui vivunt secundum praecepta Ipsius et credunt in Ipsum, hi sicut vident Ipsum; quid fides nisi spiritualis visus quod sit, et quid vita secundum praecepta Ipsius, quam actualis agnitio quod ab Ipso sit salus et vita aeterna; at vero illi, quibus non est fides spiritualis sed naturalis, quae modo est scientia, et inde similis vita, illi vident quidem Deum, sed e longinquo, et hoc solum quando loquuntur 2 de Illo; differentia inter hos et illos est, sicut inter illos qui stant in clara luce, et vident homines prope se, et tangunt illos, ac inter illos qui stant in denso nimbo, et ex eo non possunt videre, num homines sint, vel num arbores aut saxa.
[3] Aut est sicut 3 qui stant super alto Monte, ubi Urbs, ac vadunt huc illuc et loquuntur cum consociis Urbanis; ac sicut qui e Monte 4 illo spectant deorsum, et non cognoscunt num homines vel num bestiae aut statuae sint, quae vident. Imo est sicut inter illos, qui in aliquo planetario Orbe stant, et vident suos ibi, et inter illos, qui in alio planetario orbe sunt cum tubis opticis in manibus, et spectant illuc, et dicunt quod videant homines ibi, cum tamen non vident nisi universaliter terrea 5 ut lucidum lunare, et aquea ut maculas. Simile discrimen est inter videre Deum, et Divina quae procedunt ab Ipso in sua mente, apud illos qui in fide et simul in vita charitatis sunt, et inter illos qui modo in scientia de illis sunt; proinde inter Naturales et Spirituales homines. Illi autem qui Divinam Sanctitatem Verbi negant, et usque illa quae Religionis sunt portant sicut in sacco super tergo, illi non vident Deum, sed modo sonant Deum, cum exigua differentia a psittacis.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: loginquo.
2. Prima editio: loquntur.
3. Prima editio: aut sicut.
4. Prima editio: Mente.
5. Prima editio: terrrea.