24.⑸从古至今，多神的教义完全是误解神性存在的结果。前面（8节）说明，神的一体性被内在地铭刻在每个人心里，因为这种观念形成来自神并影响人灵魂的一切流注的核心。但是，它之所以没能由此降至人们的理解力中，是由于相关知识的缺乏，人必须凭借这些知识才能向上攀升遇见神。因为每个人都必须为神预备道路，即预备自己接受神，而相关的知识就是达到这个目的的手段。以下内容就是所缺失的知识，这些知识能使理解力刺透到一个点，在此足以使它明白神是一，只能有一个神性存在，祂是自然万物的源头：
①迄今为止，没人知道有关灵界的事，灵界就是灵人和天使的居所，也是每个人死后所去的地方。
②同样没人知道灵界有一轮太阳，它是来自耶和华神的纯然之爱，耶和华神就在这太阳当中。
③从这太阳所放射的热本质上是爱，所放射的光本质上是智慧。
④因此，灵界的一切事物都是属灵的，并作用于内在人，构成他的意愿和理解力。
⑤耶和华神通过祂的太阳不仅产生灵界及其中不计其数且是实质的属灵之物，还产生自然界及其中同样不计其数且是物质的一切属世之物。
⑥迄今为止，没人知道属灵与属世之间的区别，甚至不知道就其本质而言，什么是属灵的。
⑦也没人知道，爱与智慧有个三层级，天使天堂就照这三个层级排列。
⑧同样没人知道，人的心智也被划分为三层，以使它死后能被提升到这三层天堂当中的一层，不过，这取决于人的生活和信仰。
⑨最后，若非通过一个神性存在，所有这些事物丝毫不能存在；而神性存在本身是它自己，因而是首先的，是初，是万物的源头。
迄今为止，这些知识是缺乏的。然而，正是经由它们，人们才能攀升并逐渐认识神性存在。
我们说人能攀升，但要这样来理解，他是被神提升。人运用自由选择获取知识；但当凭借自己的理解力通过圣言为自己获取知识时，他就为神降临并提升他铺平了道路。知识能使人的理解力攀升，而神则将它握在手里并引领它。这知识好比雅各看到的天梯，它立在地上，直达天堂，天使凭借它向上攀升，而耶和华就站在它上面（创世记28:12，13）。当这些知识匮乏，或人们鄙视它们时，情形就完全不同了。这时，理解力的提升好比立在地面的梯子，它抵达宏伟宫殿的第一层，就是世人居所的窗户，但未抵达第二层，就是灵人居所的窗户，更未抵达第三层，就是天使居所的窗户。其结果是，这个人没能逃脱充斥其眼、耳、鼻的自然界大气和物体。他通过这些东西所获得的有关天堂，以及神的存在和本质的观念都是诸如属于大气和物质之类的观念。若通过这类观念思想，那么人对神就无法形成任何结论，如神存在与否，是一位还是数位，更不用说其存在与本质的性质了。这就是从古至今多神信仰的源头。
24. (5)古時今日的多神思想, 皆是錯誤認知神性根本的結果。
在上面(8節)闡述過, 上帝的唯一,一位上帝的信念原本刻畫在每個人的思想的最深處, 它位於從上帝注入到人靈魂的所有內容的中央。然而並未由此進到人的認知之中, 因為尚且缺乏相關的知識, 人必須藉此知識先上升到認識上帝。每個人必須為上帝預備道路, 就是必須為了接收從上帝而來的神性流注而預備自己, 而這些要依靠相關的知識才得以完成。這些曾經缺乏的知識, 能使人的認知穿透深遠並且明白:上帝是一,更多個神性根本是不可能的,自然中的萬有從祂而來, 這方面的知識具體如下:
(1)迄今為止, 沒有人知道心靈世界是靈和天人的住所, 是每個人死後都會進入之地。
(2)同樣不知道在心靈世界有個太陽, 是從耶和華上帝而來純粹的仁愛, 祂在這太陽當中。
(3)太陽發出之熱, 其本質是仁; 發出之光, 其本質是智。
(4)結果是, 心靈世界中的一切都是屬靈, 影響內在的人(人的心靈), 形成人的意志和認知。
(5)耶和華上帝從這太陽不僅產生心靈世界以及其中全部屬靈之物,不可計數且是實質的, 還產生了物質世界以及其中全部屬世之物, 也是不可計數,不過是物質的。
(6)到目前為止, 無人知道屬靈與屬世(心靈與物質)之間的分別, 甚至就其本質而言,不知道屬靈到底是什麼。
(7)也無人知道, 仁愛與智慧有三層, 天人的天國照此有三層。
(8)也無人知道, 人的思想也分為三層, 照此死後對應地進入三層天國之一, 按照人在世時的生活和信仰如何而定。
(9)最後, 除非從神性根本而來, 無絲毫細微之物能生存; 這神性根本在自身之中, 因此是首先的,初始的, 是萬有的源泉。
迄今為止, 這些知識是缺乏的, 然而人們需要藉此提升並認識神性本質。
[2]雖說是人上升, 其實是人被上帝提升。人運用他選擇的自由, 為自己獲得知識。當他靠著理解從聖言中為自己獲取知識, 他就在預備道路,上帝由此道路下來並將他抬升。藉著這些知識, 人的認知得以上升, 上帝將其掌握手中並帶領它, 就如同雅各看見天梯的臺階, 立在地上,上達天庭, 眾天人往上攀登,耶和華站在天梯上方(創世記28:12-13)。當這些知識缺乏時, 或者當人鄙視它們時, 就完全不一樣了。假使那樣, 認知的高度就如同梯子從地面到達一間宏偉宮殿第一層的窗戶,裡面只是人的住處; 而不是第二層窗戶,裡面是靈的住處; 更達不到第三層的窗戶,裡面是天人的住處。其結果是, 人停留在屬世的大氣和物質之中, 他的眼鼻耳僅限制於此。由此衍生的,關於天國以及上帝的根本和本質的概念, 只會限於這大氣和物質。人若從這些概念思考, 無法形成關於上帝的結論——到底祂是,或不是, 或者祂到底是一,或多。更不知祂的根本和本質是什麼。這就是多神信仰的起源, 過去現在都是這樣。
24. 5. The plurality of gods in ancient times, and nowadays as well, has no other source than a misunderstanding of the underlying divine reality. In 8 above I showed that the oneness of God is written into each human mind at the deepest level, since it is central to all things that flow from God into our souls. It has not yet come down from there into our intellect, however, because we have been lacking concepts we need in order to go up toward God. Each of us needs to make a pathway for God [Isaiah 40:3], meaning we need to prepare ourselves to receive God, and this preparation requires certain concepts.
The concepts we have been lacking are listed below. Their lack has deprived our intellect of the penetration to see that there is one God, that there can be only one underlying divine reality, and that all things in the material world come from that underlying reality.
(a) Until now, no one has known anything about the spiritual world, where there are spirits and angels and where we go after we die. (b) The spiritual world has a sun that is pure love from Jehovah God, who is within that sun. (c) The heat from that sun is essentially love, and its light is essentially wisdom. (d) As a result, everything in that world is spiritual and affects us in our inner selves, forming our will and our intellect at that level. (e) By means of that sun, Jehovah God produced not only the spiritual world and all the countless spiritual things in it, which are substantial, but also the material world and all the countless material things in it, which are physical. (f) Until now, no one has known the difference between "spiritual" and "earthly," or even what "spiritual" essentially means. (g) No one has known that there are three levels of love and wisdom that have been used to structure the angelic heavens. (h) No one has known that the human mind is differentiated into the same number of levels so that we can be lifted to one of the three heavens after death, depending on our life and faith. (i) Lastly, none of the above would be the case for one instant were it not for the underlying divine reality - the Absolute in itself; the First and the Beginning from which all things exist.
Even though these are the concepts we need in order to go higher and recognize the divine reality, they have been lacking until now.
[2] I say that we go higher, but I really mean that we are taken up by God. We have free will; we can use it to gain religious knowledge. When we exercise our intellect and gain religious knowledge from the Word, we smooth a pathway that God can use to come down and lift us up.
The concepts that can lift our intellect higher, and let God take us by the hand and lead us, can be compared to the steps on the ladder that Jacob saw. It was set up on the ground but the top of it stretched into heaven. Angels were climbing up on it and Jehovah was standing above it (Genesis 28:12-13).
When we lack these concepts or reject them with contempt, the situation is quite the opposite. Under these conditions, the reach of our intellect can be compared to a ladder on the grounds of a magnificent mansion, but the ladder extends only to a window on the first floor, where people are staying, and does not reach the windows of the second floor where there are spirits, let alone the windows of the third floor, where there are angels.
If we lack or reject these concepts, we are limited to the atmospheres and matter in nature that we experience with our eyes, ears, and noses. From these sources we get only atmospheric and material ideas about heaven and about God's underlying reality and essence. Thinking on the basis of them, we will never decide anything about whether God exists or not, or whether there is one God or many, much less what the underlying reality and essence of God are like. As a result, in ancient times, and nowadays as well, people have come to believe in a plurality of gods.
24. (v) THE PLURALITY OF GODS IN ANCIENT TIMES, AS WELL AS TODAY, WAS ENTIRELY THE RESULT OF A FAILURE TO UNDERSTAND THE DIVINE BEING.
It was shown above (8) that the oneness of God is inwardly impressed upon the mind of every person, since this idea forms the core of all the influences from God which affect the soul of man. But the reason why it has failed to come down into men's understanding is the lack of the pieces of knowledge which a person should have to enable him to climb up to meet God. For everyone needs to prepare the way for God, that is, to prepare himself to receive God, and pieces of knowledge are the means to this end. The following are the missing pieces of knowledge which prevent the understanding from penetrating to the point at which it can see that God is one and there can only be a single Divine Being, who is the source of all natural phenomena.
(1) The fact that no one up to now has known anything about the spiritual world, the home of spirits and angels, and the place where every person comes after death.
(2) Equally, that the spiritual world possesses a sun, which is pure love from Jehovah God, who is in its midst.
(3) That from that sun radiate heat, which is in essence love, and light, which is in essence wisdom.
(4) That as a result everything in that world is spiritual, working on the internal man and making up his will and understanding.
(5) That Jehovah God has given rise by this sun of His not only to the spiritual world and all the innumerable spiritual and substantial things in it, but also to the natural world with all the innumerable natural things in it, which are composed of matter.
(6) That up to now no one has known the difference between the spiritual and the natural, nor what the spiritual is in essence.
(7) Nor that there are three degrees of love and wisdom, which form the basis of the arrangement of the heavens of angels.
(8) That the human mind is divided into the same number of degrees, to enable it after death to be lifted into one of the three heavens, depending upon the way a person has lived and at the same time what he has believed.
(9) And finally that not a jot of all this could have come into being except from the Divine Being which is God in itself, and thus the first principle and beginning from which everything comes. These pieces of knowledge have up to now been missing, yet it is through them that a person must climb up and get to know the Divine Being.
[2] We say that a person climbs up, but it must be understood that it is God who lifts him up. A person has a free choice in acquiring knowledge; and he seems to get this for himself from the Word by means of the understanding, and thus smooths the path for God to come down and lift him up. The pieces of knowledge which enable the human understanding to climb, while God holds it in His hand and guides it, can be compared to the steps of the ladder seen by Jacob, which was set up on earth so that its top reached heaven and angels climbed up by means of it, and Jehovah stood above it (Genesis 28:12-13).
It is quite different when those pieces of knowledge are lacking, or a person treats them with contempt. Then the lifting of the understanding can be compared to a ladder erected from the ground to a first floor window of a magnificent palace, where men live, but not to the second floor windows where the spirits are, much less to the third floor windows where the angels are. The result is that such a person cannot escape from the atmospheres and material objects of the natural world, which occupy his eyes, ears and nose. From these he cannot help acquiring atmospheric and material ideas about heaven and the Being and Essence of God. Thought along these lines does not allow a person to make up his mind at all about God, whether He exists or not, or whether there is one God or several; much less, what His Being and Essence are like. It was this which led to the plurality of gods in ancient times, and still does to-day.
24. (5) The doctrine of a plurality of gods, both in past ages and at the present day, has sprung solely from a failure to understand the Divine Esse. It has been shown above (n. 8) that the unity of God is inmostly inscribed on the mind of every man, since it lies at the center of all that flows from God into the soul of man; and yet it has not descended therefrom into the human understanding, for the reason that the knowledges by which man must ascend to meet God have been lacking. For everyone must prepare the way for God, that is, must prepare himself for reception; and this is done by means of knowledges. The knowledges that have been lacking, and that enable the understanding to penetrate far enough to see that God is one, and that not more than one Divine Esse is possible, and that from Him is every thing in nature, are as follows: (1) Heretofore no one has known anything about the spiritual world, the abode of spirits and angels, which every man enters after death. (2) It is equally unknown that there is in that world a sun, which is pure love from Jehovah God, who is in the midst of it. (3) That from this sun a heat goes forth, which in its essence is love, and a light which in its essence is wisdom. (4) That in consequence all things in that world are spiritual, and affect the internal man, and constitute his will and understanding. (5) That Jehovah God from His sun has produced not only the spiritual world and all the spiritual things in it, which are innumerable and substantial, but also the natural world and all the natural things in it, which also are innumerable but are material. (6) Hitherto no one has known what the distinction is between the spiritual and the natural, nor even what the spiritual is in its essence. (7) Nor has anyone known that there are three degrees of love and wisdom, in accordance with which the angelic heavens are arranged. (8) Nor that the human mind is divided into that number of degrees, to the end that it may be raised after death into one of the three heavens, which takes place in accordance both with its life and its faith. (9) Finally, that not the least particle of any of these things could have had existence except from a Divine Esse which in itself is the Itself, and thus the First and the Beginning, the source of all things. Hitherto these knowledges have been lacking; and yet these are the means through which a man may rise to a knowledge of the Divine Esse.
[2] It is said that the man rises; but the meaning is that he is raised up by God. For in acquiring knowledges for himself man exercises his freedom of choice; but as he acquires for himself knowledges from the Word by means of his understanding he prepares the way by which God comes down and raises him up. The knowledges by means of which the human understanding rises, God holding it in His hand and leading it, may be likened to the steps of the ladder seen by Jacob, which was set upon the earth with the top of it reaching to heaven, by which the angels ascended while Jehovah stood above it (Genesis 28:12, 13). It is wholly different when these knowledges are lacking, or when man despises them. In that case the elevation of the understanding might be likened to a ladder reaching from the ground to the windows in the first story of a magnificent palace which is a dwelling-place of men, and not to the windows of the second story which is a dwelling-place of spirits, and still less to the windows of the third story which is a dwelling-place of angels. The result of this is that man remains in the atmospheres and material things of nature only, and confines his eyes and ears and nostrils to these, and from these he derives no other ideas of heaven and of the Esse and Essence of God than such as pertain to the atmospheres and to matter. Thinking from such ideas man can form no conclusions about God, as to whether He is or is not, or whether He is one or many; still less what He is in respect to His Esse and Essence. This is the origin of the belief in the plurality of gods, both in past ages and at the present day.
24. (5) THE IDEA OF A PLURALITY OF GODS IN ANCIENT AND ALSO IN MODERN TIMES AROSE BECAUSE THE NATURE OF THE DIVINE BEING (Esse) WAS NOT UNDERSTOOD.
It was shown above in 8 that the unity of God is most intimately inscribed on the mind of every man, since it is in the midst of all that flows from God into the soul of man. It has, however, not descended thence into the human understanding, because there has been wanting the knowledge by which man must ascend to meet God. Every one should prepare the way for God, that is, should prepare himself for His reception; and this is done by means of knowledge. The knowledge which has hitherto been wanting to enable the understanding to perceive that God is one, that only one Divine Being is possible, and that all things in nature are from Him may be summarized as follows:
(1) There is a spiritual world, where spirits and angels are, and into which every man comes after death.
(2) In that world is a Sun, which is pure Love from Jehovah God, who is in the midst of it.
(3) From that Sun proceed heat, which in its essence is love, and light, which in its essence is wisdom.
(4) From these all things in that world are spiritual, and affect the internal man, forming the will and the understanding.
(5) From His Sun Jehovah God produced not only the spiritual world, and all things spiritual in it, innumerable and substantial, but also the natural world, and all things natural in it, likewise innumerable but material.
(6) The distinction between what is spiritual and what is natural, and what the spiritual is in its essence.
(7) There are three degrees of love and wisdom according to which the angelic heavens are arranged.
(8) The human mind is divided into the same number of degrees, so that after death it may be raised into one of these heavens, depending upon the life a man has lived in accordance with his faith.
(9) And lastly, not a single one of all those things could have existed but from the Divine Being, which is self-existent, and so the First, and the Beginning, from which are all things.
This knowledge has hitherto been wanting; yet it is by this knowledge that man may ascend and know the Divine Being.
[2] It is said that man ascends; but it is to be understood that he is raised by God; for man has free will in acquiring knowledge for himself, and as he acquires it from the Word by means of his understanding, he thus prepares the way by which God may descend and raise him. The knowledge in its sequence by which man's understanding ascends, while God all the time holds him in His hand and leads him, may be compared to the steps of the ladder seen by Jacob. This was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven, and the angels ascended on it, and Jehovah stood above it, Genesis 28:12-13. It is quite otherwise when this knowledge is wanting, or when a man despises it. In that case the elevation of the understanding may be compared to a ladder raised from the ground to a window of the first story of a magnificent palace when men have their abode, and not to the windows of a second story where spirits are, and still less to the windows of the third story where angels dwell. It is for this reason that a man remains merely in the atmospheres and material forms of nature to which his senses of sight, hearing and smell are restricted, and from which he derives no other ideas of heaven and the Being and Essence of God than those that are atmospherical and material. While a man thinks from such ideas, he forms no judgment concerning God whether He exists or not, or whether He is one or more; and still less what His nature is as to Being and Essence. Hence arose the idea of a plurality of Gods in ancient and also in modern times.
24. V. QUOD PLURALITAS DEORUM IN SAECULIS ANTIQUIS, ET QUOQUE HODIERNIS, NON ALIUNDE EXSTITERIT, QUAM EX NON INTELLECTO DIVINO ESSE. Quod Unitas Dei cujusvis hominis menti intime inscripta sit, quoniam illa est in medio omnium quae in animam hominis a Deo influunt, supra 8, ostensum est; sed quod usque in Intellectum humanum non inde descenderit, est causa, quia defuerunt cognitiones, per quas hominem oportet Deo obviam ascendere; quisque enim parabit Deo viam, hoc est, praeparabit se ad receptionem, et hoc fiet per cognitiones. Cognitiones, quae defuerunt, quod Intellectus non potuerit penetrare illuc, ut videret, quod Deus unus sit, et quod non dabile sit Divinum Esse nisi Unicum, et quod Omnia Naturae sint ab Illo, sunt sequentes,
1. Quia hactenus nemo aliquid sciverat de Mundo Spirituali, ubi sunt Spiritus et Angeli, et in quem omnis homo post mortem venit.
2. Pariter tunc, quod in illo Mundo sit Sol, qui est purus Amor a Jehovah Deo, qui in medio ejus est.
3. Quod ex illo Sole procedat Calor, qui in essentia sua est Amor, et Lux quae in essentia sua est Sapientia.
4. Quod inde omnia quae in illo Mundo sunt, Spiritualia sint, et afficiant Internum hominem, et faciant ejus Voluntatem et Intellectum.
5. Quod Jehovah Deus ex suo Sole non modo produxerit Mundum Spiritualem, et omnia Spiritualia ejus, quae innumerabilia sunt, et substantialia, sed etiam quod produxerit Mundum naturalem, et omnia naturalia ejus, quae etiam innumerabilia sunt, sed materialia.
6. Quod hactenus non aliquis sciverit discrimen inter Spirituale et Naturale, 1 imo nec quid Spirituale in sua essentia.
7. Neque quod tres Gradus Amoris et Sapientiae sint, secundum quos Coeli angelici ordinati sunt.
8. Et quod Mens humana in totidem gradus distincta sit, ob causam ut possit in unum ex tribus Coelis post mortem elevari, quod fit secundum ejus vitam et simul fidem.
9. Et denique, quod omnia illa non potuerint quoad unum punctum existere, nisi a Divino Esse, quod est Ipsum in se, et sic Primum et Principium ex quo omnia. Hae cognitiones hactenus defuerunt, 2 per quas tamen homo ascendet, et Divinum Esse cognoscet.
[2] Dicitur, quod homo ascendat, sed intelligitur quod a Deo elevetur; nam homini est Liberum arbitrium comparandi sibi Cognitiones, et sicut comparat sibi illas ex Verbo, medio Intellectu, ita explanat viam, per quam Deus descendat, ac illum elevet. Cognitiones, per quas fit Intellectui humano ascensus, Deo tenente illum in manu, et ducente, comparari possunt gradibus Scalae visae Jacobo, quae fuit erecta super terram, cujus caput pertigit in Coelum, et per quam Angeli ascendebant, et Jehovah consistebat supra illam, Genesis 28:12-13; aliter prorsus cum illae Cognitiones deficiunt, aut homo illas spernit; tunc Elevatio intellectus comparari potest Scalae e terra ad fenestram primae mansionis magnifici 3 Palatii erectae, ubi commorantur homines, et non ad fenestras secundae mansionis, ubi Spiritus, et minus adhuc ad fenestras tertiae mansionis, ubi Angeli; inde fit, quod homo non nisi quam in naturae athmosphaeris et materialibus, in quibus oculos, aures, et nares tenet, maneat, ex quibus non alias ideas de Coelo et de Dei Esse et Essentia haurit, quam athmosphaericas et materiales, et ex his homo cogitans non judicat quicquam de Deo, num sit vel non sit, vel num unus, aut num plures; et adhuc minus, qualis est quoad suum Esse et quoad suam Essentiam. Inde exorta est Pluralitas deorum in Saeculis antiquis, et quoque in hodiernis.
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