224.（8）圣言的大能是无法形容的。如今几乎没有人知道真理有什么能力。人们以为，真理不过是某个权威人士所说的一句话，因此应当照着去做。他们仅仅视之为口中发出的气，耳中听到的声音。然而事实上，真理和良善却是灵界和尘世这两个世界中一切事物的起源。真理和良善是藉以创造并维持整个宇宙的方法，也是藉以创造人类的方法。这二者是万有中的全部。宇宙是藉着神圣真理被造的，这清楚可见于约翰福音：
太初有道，道就是神；万物是藉着祂造的；凡被造的，没有一样不是藉着祂造的，世界也是藉着祂造的。（约翰福音1:1，3，10）
大卫诗篇：
诸天藉耶和华的话而造。（诗篇33:6）
在这两处经文中，“道（圣言）”表示神圣真理。宇宙因藉着神圣真理被造，故也藉着神圣真理得以维持。维持就是不断创造，正如持续存在就是不断存在。
人类藉着神圣真理被造，因为人里面的一切事物皆与理解力和意愿相关。理解力是接受神圣真理的容器，意愿是接受神圣良善的容器。故由这两个主要本能构成的人类心智，无非是以属灵和属世的方式有机组织起来的神圣良善与神圣真理的形式。人脑就是这样一种形式。人里面的一切事物皆依赖于人的心智，故人体内的一切事物是受这两个主要本能驱使并通过它们而具有生命的附属物。
由此可见为何神作为圣言降世，并变成人，也就是说，是为了实现人类的救赎。因为这样，神就可以凭借这人身，也就是神圣真理而披上一切能力，以推翻地狱（彼时，地狱已一路上升到天使所在的天堂），战胜它们，并迫使其顺服自己。这一切不是凭口头上的一句话做到的，而是靠神性圣言，也就是神圣真理成就的。然后，祂在诸地狱与诸天堂之间开了一道巨大的鸿沟，以致无人能从地狱跨过来。若有人企图这样做，刚迈第一步，他就会遭受重创，如同一条蛇被扔在烧红的烙铁上，或被扔进蚂蚁山。魔鬼和撒旦一闻到神圣真理的哪怕一丝气息，就会一头栽入深渊，冲进洞穴，将自己封得严严实实，生怕留下一丝缝隙。这是因为他们的意愿处于邪恶，他们的理解力处于虚假，也就是说，他们处于神圣良善和神圣真理的对立面。因为就像刚才说的，人里面的一切事物皆由这两个主要生命构造形成，所以，魔鬼和撒旦一察觉到对立面，就会从头到脚都受到严厉打击。
由此可见，神圣真理的大能是无法形容的。由于基督教会所拥有的圣言包含神圣真理的三个层面，故显而易见，这圣言就是约翰福音（1:3，10）所表示的。圣言的大能是无法形容的，对此，我能通过我在灵界的大量经历予以证实。不过，由于这些经历超出人的想象，或看起来不可思议，所以我不想在此讲述它们。但其中一些经历，你们可以在前面看到（如209节）。我由此作出如下郑重声明：从主拥有神圣真理的教会强过地狱。这就是主对彼得说话时所谈论的教会：我要把我的教会建造在这磐石上，地狱之门不能胜过它（马太福音16:18）。主是在彼得承认基督是永生神的儿子之后（马太福音16:16）才说这番话的。“磐石”在此表示这种真理，因为在圣言中，“磐石”处处表示主的神圣真理。
224. (8)聖言的能力溢於言表。
現今幾乎無人會認為真理擁有什麼能力。人們只認為, 真理只不過是某個權威人士所說的某些言論, 讓人們必須那樣照著去做而已。因為他們視之僅為口中發出的氣, 耳中聽到的聲音。然而事實上, 真理和良善(理與善)構成兩個世界(心靈世界與物質世界)一切事物的基本原則。幾乎無人知道, 它們是宇宙曾經被造,現今被維持的途徑, 也是人類被造的途徑(宇宙與人類都是藉著真理與良善而被造的)。因此這二者是萬有中的一切。
在『約翰福音』中顯然聲明宇宙是藉著聖理而被造的:起初有道, 道就是上帝; 萬物藉著祂而被造, 凡被造的,沒有一物在祂以外而被造, 世界藉著祂而被造(約翰福音1:1, 3, 10)。
在大衛的『詩篇』中還說:諸天藉著耶和華的道(話語)而被造(詩篇33:6)。
在兩處經文中, 道的意思表示神性之真理。因為宇宙藉著神性真理而被造, 因此也藉神性真理而被維持。正如持續存在是連續不斷的發生, 因而維持是連續不斷的創造。
[2]人是藉著神性真理而被造的理由是:人裡面的一切都是關於認知與意志; 認知是用來接收神性真理, 意志是用來接收神性良善。因此, 由此二原則構成人的思想, 完完全全是神性真理(簡稱聖理)與神性良善(簡稱聖善)以屬靈和屬世模式而組織的表現形式。人腦就是這樣的形式。又因為一個人的全部都依賴於他的思想, 身體中的一切都是附屬之物, 全都按照此二原則(聖理與聖善)並藉此而活。
[3]這些事實, 如今可以用來確證為何上帝作為道,成為人而降臨人世。這是為了救贖的緣故:因為這樣, 上帝就可藉著所取之人(也就是神性真理), 賦予祂自己所有的能力, 來推翻,戰勝地獄並迫使地獄服從。當時地獄已擴張,甚至勢力抵達天人居住的天國。祂完成這些, 並非靠口中所出之言, 而是靠神性之道——就是神性之真理。然後, 祂在眾地獄與諸天國之間打開一個鴻溝, 沒有誰能從地獄跨越過來。如果誰嘗試去跨越, 剛邁第一步, 就會遭受痛楚, 如同蛇烙在燒得火紅的鐵盤上。因為魔鬼和撒旦們聞到神性真理的哪怕一絲絲氣息時, 會立即自行投向深淵, 沖進洞穴, 仔仔細細堵嚴實入口, 生怕留有一絲空隙。原因是他們的意志傾向於邪惡, 他們的認知傾向於偽謬, 這就與神性良善和神性真理完全相反。還因為人是由兩個生命原則構成——就是神性良善(聖善)和神性真理(聖理), 一旦魔鬼和撒旦覺察到對立面時, 會從頭到腳完全地遭受到嚴厲的打擊。
[4]這些事實足以證明, 神性真理的能力溢於言表。基督徒教會擁有的聖言包含神性之真理的三個層面, 明顯可知這就是(約翰福音1:3, 10)所言之意。我能夠從我的親身經歷中提供諸多證據來證明聖言的能力溢於言表, 然後因為這些超出人的想像, 並且看起來不可思議, 我忍住不提出它們。不過, 你能發現與此有關的一些枝節(如上述209節)。我還要由此給出如下鄭重聲明:由主而擁有神性真理的教會要強過地獄。這就是主跟彼得所說的:我要將我的教會建立在這磐石上, 地獄之門不能勝過她(馬太福音16:18)。
主是在彼得承認基督是永生上帝之子後(馬太福音16:16)才這樣說的。這裡所說的磐石表示的就是這樣的真理, 因為聖言各處所講的磐石都是表示主——關於神性真理方面。
224. 8. The Word has indescribable power. Nowadays scarcely anyone knows that there is any power in truths. People think that the truth is just something spoken by someone in authority, so it needs to be done; they think the truth is only like a breath from someone's mouth and a sound in someone's ear. Actually, truth and goodness are the origin of all things in both worlds, the spiritual and the physical. Truth and goodness are the means by which the universe was created and by which it is preserved. They are the means by which people were created. The two of them are everything to all things.
The Gospel of John openly states that the universe was created by divine truth: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God. All created things were made by it. The world was made by it" (John 1:1, 3, 10). David says, "The heavens were made by the Word of Jehovah" (Psalms 33:6). In each of these passages "the Word" means divine truth. Since the universe was created by divine truth, the universe is also preserved by divine truth, since preservation is an ongoing creation, just as continuing to exist is the same as perpetually coming into being.
[2] We human beings were made by divine truth, because all aspects of us relate to intellect and to will. Our intellect is a vessel for divine truth just as our will is a vessel for divine goodness. Therefore the human mind, consisting as it does of these two primary faculties, is nothing less than a form of divine truth and divine goodness organized both spiritually and physically. The human cerebrum is that form. Since everything in human beings depends on their minds, all the things that constitute their bodies are just appendages that are activated and brought to life by these two primary faculties.
[3] These points make it clear why God came into the world as the Word and became a human being. He did so to redeem humankind. God took on all power through a human manifestation that was divine truth. He took the hells that had risen all the way up to the heavens where the angels were, and he threw them down, brought them under control, and forced them to obey him. This was not done by a verbal word; it was done by the divine Word, which is divine truth.
Then he opened a great chasm between the hells and the heavens so that no one from hell could cross. If any of them try, at the first step they feel tortured like a snake thrown on a sheet of red hot iron or on a swarm of ants. As soon as devils and satans catch a whiff of divine truth, they immediately dive headlong into the depths, hurl themselves into caves, and seal them up so completely that not a crack is left open. The reason is that their wills have evil desires and their intellects have false beliefs. They therefore have the opposites of divine goodness and divine truth. Because, as I say, everything in human beings depends on these two primary structures of life, divine truth affects devils and satans profoundly and violently from head to toe.
[4] You can see from this that the power of divine truth is indescribable. Since the Word that the Christian church has is a three-leveled container for divine truth, it is obvious that this Word is what is meant in John 1:3, 10.
The power of the Word is indescribable. I could support this point with many pieces of evidence I have experienced in the spiritual world; but since these would stagger belief, I will forgo any listing of them here. You can see some of them mentioned in 209 above.
On the basis of the points just made, I will, however, make this assertion: A church that has divine truths from the Lord has power over the hells. This is the church the Lord was talking about when he said to Peter, "On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18). The Lord said these words after Peter proclaimed that Christ was the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16). The "rock" in this passage means this very truth. In fact, everywhere in the Word a "rock" means the Lord's divine truth.
224. (viii) THE WORD'S POWER IS BEYOND DESCRIPTION.
Hardly anyone at the present time knows that truths possess any power. People think that truth is merely something said by a person in a position of power, which they must therefore do. Thus they regard it as merely the breath issuing from the mouth and a sound heard in the ear. Yet in fact truth and good are the fundamental principles which underlie everything in both worlds, the spiritual and the natural. Hardly anyone knows that they are the means by which the universe was created and is now preserved, and the means by which man was made, so these two are the all in all. It is openly stated in John that the universe was created by means of Divine truth:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God; everything that was made was made by means of it, and the world was made by means of it, John 1:1, 3, 10.
Also in the Psalms of David:
By the word of Jehovah the heavens were made, Psalms 33:6.
In both passages the Word means Divine truth. Since the universe was created by Divine truth, therefore it is also preserved by it, for just as continuing in existence is continuous coming into existence, so preservation is continuous creation.
[2] The reason why man was made by means of Divine truth is that everything in man has reference to the understanding and the will; the understanding is for receiving Divine truth, the will for receiving Divine good. Consequently the human mind, being composed as it is of those two principles, is neither more nor less than a form of Divine truth and Divine good organised in a spiritual and natural pattern. The human brain is such a form; and because the whole of a person depends upon his mind, everything in his body is a dependency, acted upon and endowed with life by those two principles.
[3] These facts can now establish the reason why God came into the world as the Word and became Man. This was for the sake of redemption. For God then by means of the Human, which was Divine truth, clothed Himself in all power, and cast down, conquered and reduced to obedience the hells, which had grown up even to the level of the heavens inhabited by angels. He did this not by word of mouth, but by the Divine Word, which is Divine truth; and afterwards He opened up a great gap between the hells and the heavens, which no one from hell can cross. If anyone tries to do so, at his first step he experiences torments like those of a snake put on a red-hot iron plate or on an ant-hill. For devils and satans at the first whiff of Divine truth cast themselves at once into the depths, rush into caves and block their entrances so carefully that not a chink is left open. The reason is that their wills are subject to evils and their understandings to falsities, and are thus opposed to Divine good and Divine truth; and because, as has been said, the whole man is made up of those two principles of life, they are totally, from head to heel, struck a severe blow as soon as they perceive their opposite.
[4] These facts will be sufficient to prove that the power of Divine truth is beyond description; and since the Word possessed by the Christian church contains Divine truth in its three degrees, it is obvious that this is what is meant in John (John 1:3, 10). I can produce many proofs from my own experience to prove that the power of the Word is beyond description, but because they pass belief and appear incredible, I forbear to present them; a few details however, you can find related above (209). I shall give from this source this one memorable statement: the church which possesses Divine truths from the Lord is stronger than the hells. It was of this church that the Lord said to Peter:
On this rock shall I build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it, Matthew 16:18.
The Lord said this after Peter had made the admission that Christ was the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16). It is this truth which is meant in that passage by rock; for a rock throughout the Word means the Lord in respect of Divine truth.
224. (8) The inexpressible power of the Word. Hardly anyone at this day knows that there is any power in truths; for truth is supposed to be nothing more than a statement uttered by someone in authority, which ought for that reason to be obeyed; thus truth is supposed to be like a mere breath from the mouth or sound in the ear; and yet truth and good are the principles of all things in both worlds, the spiritual and the natural; also they are the means by which the universe was created, and through which the universe is preserved, and the means as well by which man was created; therefore these two are the all in all things. That the universe was created by Divine truth, is clearly declared in John:
In the beginning was the Word, and God was the Word; by It were all things made that were made and by It the world was made (John 1:1, 3, 10).
And in David:
By the Word of Jehovah were the heavens made (Psalms 33:6).
In both of these passages "The Word" means the Divine truth. As the universe was created by this truth, so also was the universe preserved by it; for as subsistence is perpetual existence, so preservation is perpetual creation.
[2] It was by means of Divine truth that man was made, because all things in man have relation to understanding and will, the understanding being the receptacle of Divine truth, and the will of Divine good; therefore, the human mind, which consists of those two principles, is nothing but a form of Divine good and Divine truth spiritually and naturally organized. The human brain is that form. And as the whole of man depends upon his mind, so all things of his body are appendages, which are moved by these two principles, and life from them.
[3] From all this it can now be seen why God came into the world as the Word, and became Man, namely, that the work of redemption might be accomplished; for God then, by means of His Human, which was Divine truth, put on all power, overthrew the hells (which had grown up even as far as to the heavens where the angels were), and subjugated them, and reduced them to obedience to Himself, and this was done not by a spoken word but by the Divine Word which is Divine truth. Afterward He opened a great gulf between the hells and the heavens, which no one from hell can cross; if anyone attempts it, at the first step he is tortured like a serpent laid on a sheet of hot iron, or on an ant hill. For at the first approach of the odor of Divine truth the devils and satans instantly cast themselves into the abyss and throw themselves into caves and stop them up so closely that not a crevice is visible. This is because the will of such is in evils, and the understanding in falsities, that is, in what is opposite to the Divine good and the Divine truth. And because the whole of man, as just said, consists of these two principles of life, they are thus from head to foot, completely and grievously overpowered in consequence of their sensation of the opposite.
[4] From all this it can be seen that the power of Divine truth is inexpressible. And as the Word which the Christian church possesses is the containant of Divine truth in three degrees, that Word is evidently what is meant in John (1:1, 3, 10). That its power is inexpressible I could prove by many evidences of experience in the spiritual world; but as these evidences would surpass belief, or appear incredible, I omit presenting them; but some you will find recorded above (n. 209[1-5]). The following will serve to keep these truths in remembrance: That a church that is in Divine truths from the Lord has power over the hells, and that the Lord's words to Peter refer to such a church:
Upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18).
This the Lord said after Peter had confessed,
That He was the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16).
"Rock" here means such truth, for everywhere in the Word "rock" means the Lord in respect to Divine truth.
224. (8) CONCERNING THE INEXPRESSIBLE POWER OF THE WORD.
Scarcely any one at this day knows that there is any power in truths; for it is supposed that truth is only the utterance of some one in authority, which ought on that account to be obeyed; consequently that it is only like breath from the mouth, or sound in the ear. Whereas truth and good are the principles of all things in both the spiritual and natural worlds, and they are the means by which the universe was created and by which it is preserved, and also the means by which man was made; therefore these two are the all-in-all of everything. That the universe was created by Divine Truth is expressly declared in John:
"In the beginning was the Word and the Word was God. All things that were made were made by the Word and the world was made by it" 1:1, 3, 10;
and in David:
"By the Word of JEHOVAH were the heavens made" Psalms 33:6.
By the Word in both passages is meant Divine Truth. As the universe was created by it, so also it is preserved by it; for just as subsistence is perpetual existence, so preservation is perpetual creation.
[2] Man was made by Divine Truth, because all things in him have relation to the understanding and the will, the understanding being the receptacle of Divine Truth, and the will that of Divine Good. Consequently the human mind, which consists of those two principles, is nothing but a form of Divine Truth and Divine Good, spiritually and naturally organized: the human brain is such a form. Further, because the whole man depends upon the mind, all the constituents of the body are appendages, which are actuated and live from those two principles.
[3] Hence it may now be evident why God came into the world as the Word, and became Man. He did so in order to effect redemption; for God at that time by means of the Human, which was Divine Truth, assumed all power, overthrew the hells, which had encroached upon the heavens the home of the angels, subdued them, and brought them under obedience to Himself. This He did not by any oral word, but by the Divine Word, which is Divine Truth; and afterwards He opened up a great gulf between the hells and the heavens, over which no one from hell can pass. Should any one make the attempt, on his first step he is tortured like a serpent on plates of hot iron, or upon a mass of ants; for no sooner do devils and satans detect the odor of Divine Truth, than they cast themselves into the abyss, and hurry into caverns, which they stop up so effectively that not a crevice remains open. This is because their will is obsessed by evils and their understanding by falsities, thus by what is opposed to the Divine Good and the Divine Truth; and since the whole man consists of those two principles of life, as was said before, they are so grievously tortured from head to foot on the perception of what is opposed to them.
From this it may be evident that the power of Divine Truth is ineffable; and because the Word, which the Christian Church possesses, is the containant of Divine Truth in three degrees, it is evident that this is what is meant in John 1:3, 10. That this power is beyond description I could prove from much documentary evidence from my experience in the spiritual world; but as this surpasses belief, or appears incredible, I forbear to produce it. However you may see it in part at least related in209 above. From what has been said this important truth may be established, that the Church which is principled in Divine truths from the Lord has power over the hells, and is that Church of which the Lord said to Peter,
"Upon this rock I will build my Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" Matthew 16:18.
The Lord said this after Peter's confession that:
'Christ was the Son of the living God,' verse 18.
This truth is meant in that passage by the rock; for a rock everywhere in the Word means the Lord as to Divine Truth.
224. VIII. DE INEFFABILI POTENTIA VERBI. Vix aliquis hodie novit, quod aliqua Potentia insit Veris, putatur enim, quod modo sit verbum dictum a quodam qui in Potentia est, quod ideo faciendum sit, proinde quod Verum sit modo sicut halitus ex ore, et Sonus in aure; cum tamen Verum et Bonum sunt Principia omnium in utroque Mundo, Spirituali et Naturali, et quod sint, per quae Universum creatum est, et per quae Universum conservatur; et quoque per quae Homo factus est; quare duo illa sunt omne in omnibus. Quod Universum per Divinum Verum creatum sit, aperte dicitur apud Johannem, "In principio erat Verbum, et Deus erat Verbum, omnia per Illud facta sunt quae facta. Et Mundus per Illud factus est," Cap. 1:1, 3, 10; et apud Davidem, "Per Verbum Jehovae Coeli facti sunt," Psalm 33:6, per Verbum utrinque intelligitur Divinum Verum. Quoniam Universum per Illud creatum est, ideo etiam Universum per Illud conservatur, nam sicut Subsistentia est perpetua Existentia, ita Conservatio est perpetua Creatio.
[2] Quod Homo per Divinum Verum factus sit, est quia omnia hominis se referunt ad Intellectum et Voluntatem, ac Intellectus est Receptaculum Divini Veri, et Voluntas Divini Boni; proinde Mens humana, quae ex duobus illis principiis consistit, non aliud est, quam Forma Divini Veri et Divini Boni spiritualiter et naturaliter organizata; Cerebrum humanum est illa Forma; et quia totus Homo a sua Mente pendet, sunt omnia, quae in corpore ejus sunt, appendentiae, quae a duobus illis principiis actuantur et vivunt.
[3] Ex his nunc constare potest, quam ob causam Deus ut Verbum in Mundum venit, et Homo factus est; quod hoc fuerit propter Redemptionem; tunc enim Deus per Humanum, quod erat Divinum Verum, induit omnem Potentiam, et Inferna, quae usque ad Coelos, ubi erant Angeli, succreverant, dejecit, subjugavit et sub suam obedientiam redegit, et hoc non per Verbum orale, sed per Verbum Divinum, quod est Divinum Verum; ac postea magnum Hiatum inter Inferna et Coelos aperuit, quem non 1 quisquam ab Inferno transcendere potest; si conatur, in primo vestigio cruciatur, 2 sicut serpens super lamina ferri igniti, aut super acervo formicarum positus; diaboli et satanae enim, ut primum odorant Divinum Verum, actutum se in profundum praecipitant, et se in cavernas injiciunt, et obturant illas tam exacte ut ne pateat rima: causa est, quia voluntas eorum est in malis ac Intellectus in falsis, ita in oppositis Divino Bono et Divino Vero, et quia totus homo a duobus illis vitae principiis consistit, ut dictum est, ideo toti a capite ad calcem ad sensum oppositi tam graviter percelluntur.
[4] Ex his constare potest, quod Potentia Divini Veri sit ineffabilis; et quia Verbum, quod in Ecclesia Christiana est, est continens Divini Veri in tribus gradibus, patet, quod illud sit, quod apud Johannem 1:3, 10, intelligitur: quod hujus Potentia ineffabilis sit, possum ex multis experientiae documentis in Mundo spirituali, confirmare, sed quia excedunt fidem, seu apparent incredibilia, illa adducere supersedeo, aliqua tamen videas supra 209 memorata. Ex his hoc MEMORIALE dabitur, quod Ecclesia, quae in Divinis Veris a Domino est, valeat super Inferna, et quod sit illa, de qua Dominus dixit ad Petrum, Super hac Petra aedificabo Ecclesiam meam, et portae Inferni non praevalebunt illi, Matthaeus 16:18 haec dixit Dominus, postquam Petrus confessus est, Quod Christus esset Filius Dei viventis, Vers. 16; haec Veritas intelligitur ibi per Petram; per Petram enim ubivis in Verbo intelligitur Dominus quoad Divinum Verum.
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