240. 聖言在天國中 天人的智慧源自聖言
聖言存在于天國, 在此之前不為人知, 也無法令人知道, 因為教會並不知道天人和靈其實就是人, 無論是臉龐還是身體與我們世上之人全然相似。並且, 與他們相關的所有事物都與人雷同, 唯一的分別在於天人是屬心靈的, 所有與天人相關的事物都來自一個心靈的源頭; 而世上的人是屬物質的, 與人相關的一切事物都來自一個物質的源頭。只要這些不為人知, 就無法讓人明白天國之中也有聖言, 在那裡被天人閱讀, 天國之下的靈也是如此。
但這些並不會永遠不為人知, 我被允許與天人和靈交往, 與他們談話, 瞭解他們的生活, 然後將所見所聞記述下來, 已記在『天國與地獄』(1758年於倫敦)一書中。從書中可知, 天人和靈其實是人, 並且世人所擁有的許多東西,天人和靈也有。(關於天人和靈是人, 請見此書的天國與地獄73-77節以及天國與地獄454-456節; 人所擁有的, 許多東西天人和靈也有, 請見221-227節; 他們也會書寫, 也有書本, 請見天國與地獄258-264節; 關於聖言, 請見天國與地獄259節)。
240. 7. The Word Exists throughout the Heavens; It Is the Source of Angelic Wisdom
Up until now people have not known that the Word exists in the heavens. They had no way of knowing this as long as the church remained unaware that angels and spirits are people who have faces and bodies just as people do in our world. Angels and spirits also have things that are like the things people have, with one difference: the things angels have are spiritual. All the things around them have a spiritual origin, while we here in the physical world, and all the things around us, have a physical origin. As long as this piece of information was still hidden there was no way to know that the Word does in fact exist in the heavens and that it is read by the angels there and by the spirits below the heavens.
To prevent this point from staying hidden forever, I have been allowed to have interaction with angels and spirits, to talk to them and see the things they have, and afterward to pass on many of the things I have heard and seen. This I have done in the work Heaven and Hell, published in London in 1758. That work shows that angels and spirits are people and that they have in great abundance all the things we have in this world. For angels and spirits being people, see 73-77, 453-456 in that work. For their possession of things similar to those we have in this world, see 170-190. For their having divine worship and sermons in church buildings, see 221-227. For their possession of writing and books, see 258-264. For their possession of the Word, see 259.
240. VII. The Word is to be found in all the heavens and is the source of the angels' wisdom.
It has not previously been known that the Word is to be found in the heavens; nor could it be known so long as the church was unaware that angels and spirits are human beings, in face and body exactly like those in our world, and having surroundings in all respects exactly like those men have. The only difference is that they are spiritual and everything about them comes from a spiritual origin, while people in this world are natural and everything about them comes from a natural origin. So long as this fact remained hidden, no one could know that the Word is also to be found in the heavens and is read by the angels there, as well as by the spirits who are below the heavens. But to ensure that this should not remain a secret for ever, I have been allowed to enjoy the company of angels and spirits, talking with them, seeing their surroundings, and then reporting much of what I have seen and heard. I did this in the book entitled HEAVEN AND HELL (published in London in 1758). From this one can see that angels and spirits are human beings and that everything people in this world have is there in profusion for angels and spirits. It may be seen in that book that angels and spirits are human beings (73-77, 453-460); that they have similar surroundings to those people have in this world (170-190); also that they have Divine worship and sermons in their churches (221-227), also writings and books (258-264), and the Holy Scripture or the Word (259).
240. VII. THE WORD IS IN ALL THE HEAVENS AND ANGELIC WISDOM IS FROM IT.
It has not been known heretofore that the Word exists in the heavens, nor could it be made known so long as it was unknown in the church that angels and spirits are men in face and body wholly like men in our world; and that the things about them are in all respects like those about men, with the sole difference that the angels are spiritual, and that all things about them are from a spiritual origin, while men in the world are natural, and all things about them are from a natural origin. So long as this remained unknown it could not be known that there is a Word also in the heavens, and that it is read by the angels there; and also by the spirits who are below the heavens. But that this might not remain for ever unknown, it has been granted me to associate with angels and spirits, to talk with them, to see the things about them, and afterwards relate many things that I saw and heard, which has been done in a work on Heaven and Hell (London, 1758). It can be seen from that work that angels and spirits are men, and that there are with them in abundance all things that men have with them in the world. (That angels and spirits are men see that work, n. 73-77, and n. 453-456; that the things about them are like the things about men in the world, n170-190; moreover, that they have among them Divine worship and preaching in churches, n221-227; that they have writings and books, n258-264; and the Sacred Scripture or the Word, n. 259)
240. VII. THE WORD IS IN ALL THE HEAVENS, AND IS THE SOURCE OF ANGELIC WISDOM.
That the Word exists in the Heavens has hitherto been unknown. Indeed, it could not be known as long as the Church was ignorant of the fact that angels and spirits are men, in appearance and body like men in our world, with surroundings similar in all respect to those of men on earth. The only difference is, that angels are spiritual, and all their environment has a spiritual origin, while men in this world are natural, and all their environment has a natural origin. As long as men did not know this, they could not know that the Word exists also in the heavens, and is read by angels there, as well as by spirits beneath the heavens. Lest this should remain unknown for ever, it has been granted me to be in the company of angels and spirits, to converse with them, and to see their surroundings, and afterwards to relate the many things which I saw and heard. This I have done in the work "Heaven and Hell," published in London in the year 1758. In that work it may be seen that angels and spirits are men, and that they are surrounded by all things in abundance which surround men in this world. That angels and spirits are men may be seen in that work,73-77, and 453-458; and that they are surrounded by things similar to those which surround men in this world, 170-190. Also that they have Divine worship, and preaching in their temples,221-227; with writings and books,258-264, as well as the Sacred Scripture, or the Word,259.
240. VII.
Quod Verbum in omnibus Coelis sit, et quod inde sapientia angelica.
Quod Verbum in Coelis sit, non est hactenus notum, nec potuit notum fieri, quamdiu Ecclesia ignoravit, quod Angeli et Spiritus sint homines, prorsus similes facie et corpore hominibus in nostro Mundo, et quod apud illos similia sint quae apud homines in omnibus, cum sola differentia, quod illi Spirituales sint, et quod omnia quae apud illos sunt, ex origine spirituali sint, et quod homines in Mundo naturales, et quod omnia apud eos, ex origine naturali sint. Quamdiu hoc latuit, non potuit sciri, quod Verbum etiam in Coelis sit, et quod legatur ab Angelis ibi, et quoque a Spiritibus qui sub Coelis sunt. Sed ne hoc lateret in perpetuum, datum est mihi in consortio esse cum Angelis et Spiritibus, et loqui cum illis, et videre quae apud illos, et postea referre plura quae vidi et audivi; hoc factum est in Opere de COELO ET INFERNO, Londini Anno 1758 edito; ex quo videri potest, quod Angeli et Spiritus sint homines, et quod omnia in copia apud illos sint, quae apud homines in Mundo: Quod Angeli et Spiritus homines sint, videatur in illo Opere, 73-77, et 453-460. 1 Quod similia sint apud illos, quae apud homines in Mundo, 170-190: tum etiam, quod Cultus Divinus, et quod Praedicationes in Templis, apud illos sint, 221-227. Et quod Scripturae et quoque Libri, 258-264; 2 et quod Scriptura sacra seu Verbum, 259.
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