25.对此，我补充以下记事：
有一次睡醒时，我陷入对神的沉思默想中。我举目观看，发现上空有一道极亮的、椭圆形的光。当我定睛注视时，这光向两边移动，形成一个圆。然后，看哪！天堂在我面前敞开了，我看到壮观的景象，天使在开口的南边站成一圈，互相交谈。我因很想听听他们在说些什么，于是首先被许可听他们说话的声音，那声音充满天堂之爱，接着被许可听他们所说的话，那些话充满来自那爱的智慧。他们一起谈论了一位神、与祂的结合从而得救。他们说的那些事妙不可言，绝大多数无法用世上的任何语言来表达。但由于我曾数次与处于天堂本身的天使们在一起，并且在这种时候，也处于类似的状态，使用相同的语言，所以我能听懂他们的话，并从他们的谈话中摘选几个能以属世语言的词句来理性表述的要点。
他们说，神性存在是一，是同一个，是本我（very Self），不可分割。他们用属灵的概念来说明这一点，声称神性存在无法将自己分成数个，其中每一个都是神性存在，而这个本我（very Self）仍是一，那同一个，且不可分割。因为每一个都通过自己的存在凭祂自己，并分别经由自己思考；并且即使那时祂通过其他数位并经由他们一致思考，仍会有数位心思一致的神，而没有一位神。所谓的一致其实是指各自凭自己并经由自己同意的数位的一致，这种一致与神的一体性并不相符，只与多神相符。天使不会说“神们”，因为他们不能。这种表述会遭到主导其思维的天堂之光和传递其言辞的气氛的强烈抵抗。他们还说，当他们想说意味着每一个凭自己成为一个位格的“神们”时，就在他们试图说出“神们”的那一刻，这个词立刻被转换为“一位神”，确切地说，“只有一位神”。对此，他们补充说，神性存在是神性存在本身，并非来自它本身。因为“来自它本身”暗含了存在本身来自另一个在先的存在，因此这句话暗含了来自神的一位神，这是不可能的。来自神之物不能被称为神，但可被称为神性。来自神的一位神是什么呢？因而自永恒之神所生的一位神又是什么呢？从神经由永恒所生的一位神所发出的一位神，不就是其中没有丝毫天堂之光的一句话吗？
他们继续说，本身为神的神性存在是那同一个，不是简单的同一个，而是无限的同一个，也就是说，是自永恒至永恒的同一个。祂处处都是那同一个，是同每个人在一起并在每个人里面的同一个。一切改变和不同都在于接受者，是由接受者的状态造成的。至于本身为神的神性存在是本我（very Self），他们是这样证明的：神是本我（very Self），因为祂是爱本身和智慧本身，也就是说，祂是良善本身和真理本身，因而是生命本身。若神里面的这些事物不是爱与智慧本身、良善与真理本身，因而生命本身，那它们在天堂和尘世什么也不是，因为它们里面没有一物与本我（very Self）相关。每种品质都因以下事实而得其品质，即它起源于一个真我（the self），它必与这个真我（the self）相关，以便具有那种品质。这本我（very Self），也就是神性存在，并不在任何位置，而是与那些根据其接受它的能力而在位置中的人同在并在他们里面。因为位置，或位置与位置之间的移动不适用于爱和智慧，或良善和真理，以及来自它们的生命。爱和智慧构成神里面的本我（very Self），确切地说，就是神祂自己。因此，神是全在。这就是为何主说，祂在他们当中，并且祂在他们里面，他们在祂里面。
由于神无法象在自己里面那样被人接受，所以祂因在本质中而显为天使天堂之上的一轮太阳。从这太阳所发如光一样的放射物就是祂自己智慧的那一面，而所发如热一样的放射物则是祂自己爱的那一面。这太阳并非神自己，而是神性之爱和神性智慧（简称圣爱与圣智），是神最近的发出物，祂周围的一切在天使看来如同太阳。在这太阳里面的祂自己是一个人（Man）。就神性起源和神性人身而言，祂就是我们的主耶稣基督。因为本我（very Self），也就是爱本身和智慧本身，就是祂来自父的灵魂，因而是本身为生命的神性生命。这在人里面却不然，人里面的灵魂并非生命，而是生命的接受者。主也教导我们这一点，祂说：
我就是道路，真理和生命。（约翰福音14:6）。
还有：
父怎样在自己有生命，就赐给祂儿子也照样在自己有生命。（约翰福音5:26）
“在自己有生命”是指神。对此，他们补充说，人只要拥有一丝属灵之光，就能从这些话中领悟到：神性存在无法存在于数位，因为它是一，是同一个，是本我（very Self），因而不可分割。若有人坚持认为多神是可能的，必导致明显的矛盾。
25. 關於這方面, 有以下經歷供參考:
有一次睡醒時, 我正深思默想上帝。然後往上看, 在我上方空中出現極亮的,橢圓形的光芒。當我定睛觀看時, 亮光向邊緣漸退,形成圓環。然後, 看！天向我開了, 我看到極壯觀的景象, 天人們在天開處的南邊圍圈站立,一起交談。當我極想聽到他們談的內容時, 就被許可聽到他們說話的聲音。那聲音充滿了屬天之愛, 接著被許可聽清他們說的內容, 充滿了從屬天之愛而來的智慧。
他們在一起談論關於一位上帝,與祂的聯合而得救的話題。他們的發言妙不可言, 無法用世上任何言語來表達。不過在此之前, 我曾有過不同的機會與天國的天人們相處, 曾進入像他們所處的狀態以及聽過類似的語言, 因此現在我能明白他們所講的。就從中節選一些內容, 儘量以世間語言的詞句來合理地表達。
[2]他們說, 神性根本是一,是相同,是本身,不可分割。他們用屬靈的概念來描述, 聲稱神性根本無法將自己分成若干, 其中每個又都擁有神性根本, 自身仍然還是一,相同,不可分割。倘若如此, 源自祂自身根本的每個(若干的其中之一)就會由自己以及靠自己分別地思考。哪怕神性根本能夠如此自我分開, 所有分開的若干必將全體一致地思考, 每個與其它的都是這樣, 這只不過是幾位全體一致的上帝而已, 而不是一位上帝。因為全體一致, 意味著若干個的一致——每個為自己以及由自己, 這就與"唯一"不相符, 只會與上帝的"多個"相符合。天人們不說"上帝們"或"幾位上帝", 因為他們不能。因為這樣的表達會被天國的之光所排斥, 而天國之光就是他們思想的源泉, 他們的言語在這種光的氛圍中被傳遞。
此外, 當他們想說出"上帝們"或"幾位上帝"——意思是每一個自身是一位上帝, 這樣發聲的努力會立即變成"一位上帝",甚至"只有一位上帝"的表達。關於這點, 他們還說, 神性根本是神性根本於自身之中, 而非由自身而來; 因為"由自身而來"的表達暗示著根本自身從另一個和在先的根本而來。這就含有從上帝而來的上帝之意, 這是不可能的。從上帝而來的不是上帝, 而只能是神性。什麼是從上帝而來的上帝？從而什麼是上帝從永遠(在創世之前)被上帝生出？什麼又是上帝由上帝,通過從永遠生出的上帝發出？諸如此類的說法中有絲毫從天國而來的亮光嗎？
[3]他們還進一步說, 神性根本是相同。不是簡單的相同, 是無限的相同——也就是從永遠到永遠都相同, 在任何地方都相同, 與每個人及在每個人中都相同。至於所有的多樣和變化, 是在於接收者的狀態不同引發的多樣和變化。
關於神性根本——上帝在祂自己裡,是本身, 他們如此描述:上帝是本身, 因為祂是仁之本和智之本, 也就是, 祂是(良)善之本和(真)理之本, 因此是生命之本。若非上帝是仁之本和智之本,是善之本與理之本,因而生命之本, 那麼在天國和世界中就不會有任何事物。因為它們之中就沒有任何與這個本身相聯。每樣事物的性質如何, 在於它起源的本身, 且必須與這本身相聯。這個本身-就是神性根本, 不在空間裡, 但按著空間內的事物對祂的接受情況與它們同在,並在它們之中。因為空間, 或者空間的變化, 不適用於仁和智,也不適用於善和理,因而不適用於生命。這些是上帝之中的本身, 甚至是上帝祂自己, 因而祂是全在。因此主說, 祂在他們當中, 還說祂在他們裡面,他們在祂裡面。
[4]但是, 作為在祂自己之中的祂, 無法被誰接受。在祂本質之中的祂如何, 顯現出來的是天國之上的太陽, 從太陽發出的光是關於智慧方面的祂自己, 從太陽發出的熱是關於仁愛方面的祂自己。那太陽並非上帝祂自己, 而是從祂發出的聖仁與聖智。聖仁與聖智最靠近祂並環繞祂的部分, 天人們視之為太陽。在太陽當中的祂自己是一個人, 就是我們的主耶穌基督。祂既是神性本源, 又是神性之人。因為仁和智的本身是祂從父而來的靈魂, 也就是神性生命,或者生命本身。神性生命不會以這種方式在其它任何人裡面。在人裡面的靈魂不是生命, 只是接收生命的容器而已。主是這樣教導的, 祂說:我是道路, 真理和生命(約翰福音14:6)。還有:父怎樣在自己有生命, 就賜給祂兒子也照樣在自己有生命(約翰福音5:26)。
"在自己裡面有生命"意思指上帝。關於這點, 他們還說, 只要有絲毫屬靈亮光的人都能從這些陳述中感受到:神性本質, 因為它是一,是相同,是本身, 所以不可分開,不能存在於分開的若干之中。如果堅持認為神性本質可以分開, 必導致明顯的矛盾。
25. To these points I will add the following memorable occurrence.
One time just after I woke up from sleeping I fell into a deep meditation on God. Looking up I saw above me in heaven an oval of intensely shining light. As I fixed my gaze on the light, it gradually receded toward the sides and merged into the periphery [of my vision].
Then, behold, heaven opened up to me! I saw magnificent things, and angels standing in a circle on the south side of the opening, talking to each other. Because a burning desire came over me to hear what they were saying, I was allowed to hear it - first the sound of it, which was full of heavenly love; then the conversation itself, which was full of the wisdom that goes with that love.
They were having a conversation about the only God, about being in partnership with God, and about the salvation that results. What they were saying was ineffable - most of it could not be expressed in the words of any earthly language. Several times before, however, I had been in gatherings of angels in heaven itself, and had been able to join in their conversation because I was then in a state similar to theirs. This enabled me to understand them now, and to select from their discussion a few points that could be expressed in a rational way using the words of earthly language.
[2] They were saying that the underlying divine reality is united, uniform, absolute, and undivided. They used spiritual images as illustration.
They said, "The underlying divine reality cannot be divided into many entities, each of which possesses an underlying divine reality, and still remain united, uniform, absolute, and undivided. Otherwise each separate entity would think on its own from its own separate underlying divine reality. If it also happened to be of the same mind as the others, there would be a number of deities in agreement; there would not be one God. Agreement, or the consensus of many, each one acting on its own or by itself, is not an attribute of one God but of many. "
They did not say "gods" because they were unable to. It was suppressed by the light of heaven that shaped their thought and by the atmosphere in which their conversation took place. They also said that when they tried to utter the word "gods" and to describe each one as a person by himself, the effort to say that immediately veered off toward one, and in fact toward "the one only God. "
They added, "The underlying divine reality is a reality in itself, not from itself, because if it were from itself, that would imply an underlying reality that existed in itself from some prior underlying reality. It would mean there was a god from a god, which is not possible. What comes from God is called 'divine,' but it is not called 'God. ' What is 'a god from God,' what is 'an eternally begotten god from God,' and what is 'a god emanating from an eternally begotten god from God' except words devoid of heavenly light?"
[3] Later on they said, The underlying divine reality, which in itself is God, is uniform - and uniform not just in a simple way but in an infinite number of ways. It is uniform from eternity to eternity. It is uniform everywhere, and it is uniform with everyone and in everyone. (It is the condition of the recipient that causes all the variety and change in reception.)
The angels demonstrated the absoluteness of the underlying divine reality, which in itself is God, as follows: "God is the Absolute, because he is absolute love and absolute wisdom, or to put it another way, because he is absolute good and absolute truth. As a result, he is life itself. If these qualities were not absolute in God they would never exist in heaven or in the world, because they would be relatively nonexistent compared to the Absolute. Every quality is what it is because it comes from the Absolute, both as its source and as its point of reference.
"The Absolute (meaning the underlying divine reality) has no specific location. It is with those and in those who are in specific locations, depending on their locations. Love and wisdom, goodness and truth, and the life these qualities give are absolute in God; in fact, they are God himself. A specific location cannot be attributed to them, and neither can a progression from place to place as the source of their omnipresence. For this reason the Lord says he is in the midst of people [Matthew 18:20]; and he is in them and they are in him [John 6:56; 14:20; 15:4-5].
[4] "Nevertheless, no one can comprehend God as he is in himself. Therefore he is visible above the angelic heavens as a sun, which is the form his essence takes. He himself as wisdom emanates from that sun in the form of light, and he himself as love emanates from that sun in the form of heat. That sun is not God himself. The divine love and wisdom surrounding him as they first go forth from him come to angels view as a sun.
"The Absolute in that sun is the Human Being. It is our Lord Jesus Christ, including both the Divine Source and the Divine Human Manifestation. Since the Absolute, which is absolute love and absolute wisdom, was in him as his soul from the Father, therefore divine life or life in itself was in him. None of us is like this. The soul in us is not life; it is merely a vessel for receiving life.
"In fact, the Lord teaches this when he says, I am the way, the truth, and the life [John 14:6]; and in another passage, 'As the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself' (John 5:26). Life in himself is God. "
They added that people who have any spiritual light at all can see from all this that the underlying divine reality cannot be shared among many, because it is united, uniform, absolute, and undivided. If anyone were to claim that the divine reality could be shared, further points that person made on the subject would contain obvious contradictions.
25. At this point I shall insert the following account of an experience. 1
Once on waking from sleep I fell into a profound meditation about God; and when I looked up, I saw in the sky above me a brilliant, oval-shaped light. When I fixed my gaze upon that light, it moved to either side and occupied the surrounding area. Then suddenly heaven lay open before me, and I saw wonderful sights, and angels standing in a ring on the south of the opening, talking among themselves. Because I was fired with a desire to hear what they were saying, I was first permitted to hear the sound of their voices, which was full of heavenly love, and later their speech, which was full of the wisdom which comes from that love.
They were talking among themselves about the one God, being linked with Him and salvation by this means. What they said was beyond words to express; most of it could not be put into the words of any natural language. But because on a number of occasions I had been in company with angels in heaven itself, and then, being in a like state, I could speak similarly with them, I was now able to understand them, and pick up a few points in their conversation which can be rationally expressed in the words of natural language.
[2] They were saying that the Divine Being is one, the same, the very self and indivisible. They illustrated this by spiritual ideas, saying that the Divine Being cannot be reduced to several, each of which is the Divine Being, and still remain one, the same, the very self and indivisible. For each would think from His own Being from Himself, and in each case through Himself; if He then thought from the others and through them in agreement, then there would be several gods of like mind, and not one God. For unanimity, being a consensus of several with each one agreeing of himself and through himself, is not consonant with the oneness of God, but with a plurality. They did not say 'of gods', because they were unable to, since the light of heaven which governed their thought, and the aura which carried their speech, offered resistance.
They said too that when they wanted to say the word 'Gods', and each as a Person by Himself, as soon as they attempted to say this it was instantly replaced by one, or rather the sole, God. They added that the Divine Being is the Divine Being in itself, not from itself, because from itself supposes Being in itself arising from another prior one. Thus it supposes a God arising from God, which is impossible. Anything arising from God is not called God, but Divine. For what is God arising from God, or God born of God from eternity, and what is God arising from God proceeding by means of God born from eternity but mere words totally devoid of heavenly light?
[3] They went on to say that the Divine Being, which is in itself God, is the same; not the same in a simple way, but infinitely the same, that is, the same from eternity to eternity. He is the same everywhere, the same with each person and in each person; but all the changes and differences occur in the person who receives Him, and it is his state which causes this.
To demonstrate that the Divine Being, which is God in itself, is very self they said: 'God is very Self, because He is love itself and wisdom itself, that is, because He is good itself and truth itself, and thus life itself. If these things were not the very Self in God, they would be as nothing in heaven and the world, because none of them would be related to the very Self. Every quality gets its quality from the fact that it is the self which is its source, and must be related to it to have that quality. This very Self, which is the Divine Being, is not in any place, but with and in those people who are located in accordance with their ability to receive it, since neither place nor movement from one place to another can be attributed to love and wisdom, or good and truth, and life from them, which constitute the very Self in God, or rather are God Himself. Hence God is omnipresent. That is why the Lord says that He is in the midst of them, and that He is in them and they in Him.
[4] 'Because God cannot be received by anyone such as He is in Himself, He appears as He is in essence, as the Sun above the heavens of the angels; the radiation emitted by Him as light is Himself as regards wisdom, and as heat is Himself as regards love. That Sun is not God Himself, but the Divine Love and the Divine Wisdom coming forth most nearly from Him, all around Him, and these appear to the angels as the Sun. He Himself is in the Sun as a Man; He is our Lord Jesus Christ, both as regards the Divine origin and the Divine Human; since the very Self, which is Love itself and Wisdom itself, was His soul from the Father, and so Divine Life, which is Life in itself. This is different in the case of any person; in him his soul is not Life, but a receiver of life. The Lord teaches us this too, when He said:
I am the Way, Truth and Life, John 14:6.
and elsewhere:
Even as the Father has life in Himself, so too did He grant the Son to have life in Himself, John 5:26.
Life in Himself is God.'
They added that those who are at all spiritually enlightened can perceive from these statements that the Divine Being cannot exist in several, because it is one, the same, the very self and thus indivisible. If anyone were to say that this plurality was possible, there would be obvious contradictions in the qualities predicated.
Footnotes:
1. This is repeated from Apocalypse Revealed 961.
25. To this I will add the following Memorable Relation:
On one occasion, awaking from sleep I fell into a profound meditation about God; and looking up I saw above me in heaven an exceedingly bright light of oval form; and as I fixed my gaze upon it the light withdrew to the sides and formed a circle; and then, behold, heaven opened to me, and I saw magnificent scenes, and angels standing in a circle on the southern side of the opening talking together. As I greatly wished to hear what they were saying, I was permitted first to hear the sound of their voices, which was full of heavenly love, and afterwards what they said, which was full of wisdom from that love.
They were talking together about the One God, and conjunction with Him, and salvation thereby. They uttered things ineffable, most of which could not possibly be expressed in any natural language. But at different times I had been in company with the angels in heaven itself, and at such times had been in a state like theirs and in a similar language, and consequently I was now able to understand them, and select from what they said some things that can be rationally expressed in the words of natural language.
[2] They said that the Divine Esse is One, the Same, the Itself, and Indivisible. This they illustrated by spiritual ideas, saying that the Divine Esse could not separate itself into several, each of them possessing the Divine Esse, and still itself be One, the Same, and Indivisible; since each one from His own Esse would then think from Himself and by Himself separately and even if the Divine Esse could so separate itself, and all should think unanimously, each from the others, there would still be several unanimous Gods, and not one God. For unanimity, which means the agreement of several, each for himself and by himself, is not consistent with the unity, but only with the plurality of God. The angels did not say "of Gods," because they could not; for such an expression would be strenuously resisted by the light of heaven, which is the source of their thought, and by the aura in which their words are conveyed.
They said furthermore, that when they wished to utter the word "Gods," meaning each one a person by himself, the effort to utter it fell at once into the expression "one God," and even "one only God." To this they added that the Divine Esse is Divine Esse in itself, not from itself; because the expression "from itself" implies esse in itself from another and prior Esse; and this implies a God from God, which is impossible. That which is from God is not called God, but is called Divine; for what is a God from God? Thus what is a God born from God from eternity? And is a God going forth from God through a God born from eternity anything else than words in which there is no light from heaven?
[3] They said still further, that the Divine Esse, which is in itself God, is the Same; not the Same simply, but infinitely, that is, the Same from eternity to eternity; the Same every where and the Same with everyone and in everyone; and that all variableness and change are in the recipient, caused by the state of the recipient.
That the Divine Esse which is God in Himself is the Itself, they illustrated thus: God is the Itself because He is love itself and wisdom itself, that is, He is good itself and truth itself, and therefore life itself. Unless these in God were love and wisdom itself and were good and truth itself and therefore life itself, they would not be anything in heaven and in the world, because there would be nothing in them related to the Itself. Every quality is what it is from the fact that there is an Itself in which it originates, and to which it must be related in order to be what it is. This Itself, which is the Divine Esse, is not in place; but it is present with and in those who are in place in accordance with their reception of it, since place, or progress from place to place, cannot be predicated of love and wisdom nor of good and truth, nor of life therefrom, which are Itself in God, and are even God Himself. On this rests His omnipotence. So the Lord says that He is in the midst of them, and that He is in them and they in Him.
[4] But as He can be received by no one as He is in Himself, what He is in His essence is made manifest as a sun above the angelic heavens, and what goes forth from that sun as light is Himself in respect to wisdom, and what goes forth as heat is Himself in respect to love. That sun is not God Himself; but the Divine love and Divine wisdom as they most nearly proceed from Him, all about Him are seen by the angels as a sun. He Himself within the sun is a Man. He is our Lord Jesus Christ, in regard both to the Divine from which [He is] and to the Divine Human, because the Itself which is love itself and wisdom itself was His soul from the Father, that is, the Divine life, or life in itself. It is not thus in any man. In man the soul is not life, but is a recipient of life. This the Lord teaches, saying:
I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6).
And again:
As the Father hath life in Himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself (John 5:26)
"life in Himself" meaning God.
To this they added, that those who are in any spiritual light are able to perceive from these statements that the Divine Esse, because it is One, the Same, the Itself, and Indivisible, cannot exist in several; and if the opposite is asserted manifest contradictions must result.
25. MEMORABILIA
I will add this illustrative experience.
Awaking once out of sleep I fell into profound meditation about God; and when I looked up, I saw above me in heaven a very bright light, oval in form. As I gazed intently at that light it gradually receded from the centre towards the circumference, and then heaven lay open before me. I saw magnificent scenes, and angels standing in a circle towards the south of the opening, conversing with one another. As I ardently desired to hear what they were saying it was granted me to hear first the sound of their voices, which was full of heavenly love, and then their speech, which was full of wisdom from that love. They were talking together about the one God, about conjunction with Him, and consequent salvation. Most of what they said could not be expressed in words of any natural language; but as I had several times been in the company of angels in that heaven, and understood their speech because I was in their state, I was able to understand them now and select from their conversation some particulars which may be expressed intelligibly in natural language.
[2] They said that the Divine Being is One, the Same, the Self and indivisible. This they illustrated by spiritual ideas, saying that the Divine Being cannot possibly be divided into several, each of whom has the Divine Being, and yet remain One, the Same, the Self and indivisible; for each would think from His own Being from Himself, and singly by Himself. If then their thoughts proceeded unanimously from, and were influenced by, one another, there would be several unanimous Gods, and not one God, for unanimity, by which is meant the agreement of several, and at the same time, of each from himself and by himself, does not accord with the unity of God but with a plurality. They did not add "of Gods," because they could not, for the light of heaven from which their thought was derived, and the atmosphere in which their speech was voiced, prevented them. They also said that when they wished to utter the word for "Gods," and say that each is a Person by Himself, the effort resulted in their saying there is one God, nay, only One.
[3] Moreover, they added that the Divine Being is Divine Being in itself, not from itself, because the phrase "from itself" supposes Being in itself from another prior to it; thus it postulates a God from God, which is impossible. What is from God is not called God, but Divine: for a God from God, and a God born of God from eternity, and a God from God, proceeding through a God born from eternity, are but words in which there is no light from heaven. They further said that the Divine Being, which in itself is God, is the Same, not simply the Same but infinitely so; that is, the Same from eternity to eternity. He is the Same everywhere, with everyone and in everyone, whereas all variation and change are in those who receive Him, according to their state.
That the Divine Being, which is God in itself, is the Self, they illustrated as follows. God is the Self because He is Love itself and Wisdom itself, or Good itself and Truth itself, and consequently Life itself. Unless these were the Self in God, they would not exist in heaven and on earth, because there would be nothing of them related to the Self, for every quality depends for its existence upon the fact that there is a Self from which it is derived and to which it is related. This Self, which is the Divine Being, is not in place, but is with those, and in those, who are in place according to their reception of Him, since neither place nor progression from place to place can be predicated of Love and Wisdom, or of Good and Truth and consequently Life, which form the Self in God and which indeed are God. In this way there is omnipresence; therefore the Lord says that "He is in the midst of them; that He is in them and they in Him."
[4] But because He cannot be received by any one as He is in Himself, He appears as He is in His Essence, that is, as a Sun above the angelic heavens, the light proceeding from which is Himself as to Wisdom, and the heat is Himself as to Love. He Himself is not that Sun; but the Divine Love and Wisdom in their first emanation from Him appear round about Him as a Sun to the angels. He Himself in the Sun is Man, our Lord Jesus Christ, both as to the Divine Source of all things and as to the Divine Human, for the Self, which is Love itself and Wisdom itself, was His soul from the Father, thus the Divine Life, which is Life in itself. It is otherwise in the case of man. In him the soul is not life, but a recipient of life. This the Lord also teaches when He says,
"I am the way, the truth and the life;" and in another place,
"As the Father hath life in Himself so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself" John 5:26.
Life in Himself is God. They added that those who are in any spiritual light can perceive from these things that the Divine Being, because it is One, the Same, the Self, and consequently indivisible, cannot be in several; and that any declaration that this is possible could only be made on grounds that are manifestly contradictory.
25. His adjiciam hoc MEMORABILE: Quondam experrectus a somno, incidi in profundam meditationem de DEO; et cum suspexi, vidi supra me in Coelo Lucem candidissimam in forma ovali; et cum fixi intuitum in Luce illa, recedebat Lux ad latera, et intrabat in peripherias, et tunc ecce patuit mihi Coelum, et vidi magnifica, et Angelos stantes in forma Circi a latere meridionali aperturae, et loquebantur inter se; et quia accendebar desiderio audiendi quid loquebantur, ideo dabatur mihi primum audire Sonum, qui plenus erat amore coelesti, et postea Loquelam, quae plena erat sapientia ex illo amore; loquebantur inter se de DEO UNO, et de CONJUNCTIONE CUM IPSO, et inde SALVATIONE: loquebantur ineffabilia, quorum pleraque non possunt cadere in voces alicujus Linguae naturalis; sed quia aliquoties fueram in consortio cum Angelis in ipso Coelo, et tunc in simili loquela cum illis, quia in simili statu, ideo potui nunc intelligere illos, et ex sermone illorum desumere aliqua, quae possunt expromi vocibus Linguae naturalis rationaliter.
[2] Dicebant, quod DIVINUM ESSE SIT UNUM, IDEM, IPSUM, ET INDIVIDUUM. Haec illustrabant per ideas spirituales; dicendo, quod Divinum Esse non possit cadere in plures, quorum unicuique sit Divinum Esse, et usque illud esse Unum, Idem, Ipsum, et Individuum; cogitaret enim quisque ex suo Esse ex se, et singulatim per se; si tunc etiam ex alteris et per alteros unanimiter, forent plures Dii unanimi, et non Deus unus, nam unanimitas, quia est consensus plurium, et simul cujusvis ex se et per se, non concordat cum unitate Dei, sed cum pluralitate; non dixerunt Deorum, quia non potuerunt; Lux enim Coeli, ex qua cogitatio illorum, et aura in qua procedebat sermo illorum, contranitebatur; dicebant etiam, quod cum vellent enuntiare Deos, et quemlibet ut Personam per se, cadat conatus enuntiandi illico in Unum, imo in Unicum Deum. His addebant, quod Divinum Esse sit DIVINUM ESSE IN SE, non a se, quia a se ponit Esse in se ab alio priori, ita ponit Deum a Deo, quod non datur; quod a Deo est, non vocatur Deus, sed vocatur Divinum; quid enim est Deus a Deo, ita quid Deus a Deo natus ab aeterno; et quid Deus a Deo per Deum natum ab aeterno procedens, nisi voces, quibus nihil lucis e Coelo inest.
[3] Porro dicebant, quod Divinum Esse, quod in se est Deus, sit IDEM, non Idem simplex, sed infinitum, hoc est, Idem ab aeterno in aeternum; est Idem ubivis, ac Idem apud unumquemvis, 1 et in unoquovis, sed quod omne varium et mutabile sit in recipiente; status recipientis hoc facit. Quod Divinum Esse, quod est Deus in se, sit IPSUM, ita illustrabant; Deus est Ipsum, quia est ipse Amor et ipsa Sapientia, seu quia est ipsum Bonum et ipsum Verum, et inde ipsa Vita; quae nisi forent Ipsum in Deo, illa non forent aliquid in Coelo et Mundo, quia non foret aliquod illorum relativum ad Ipsum; omne quale sortitur suum quale ex eo, quod sit Ipsum ex quo est, et ad quod se refert ut sit tale. Hoc Ipsum, quod est Esse Divinum, non est in loco, sed apud illos 2 et in illis qui sunt in loco secundum receptionem; quoniam de Amore et Sapientia, seu de Bono et Vero, et inde Vita, quae sunt Ipsum in Deo, imo Ipse Deus, non praedicari potest locus, nec progressio e loco in locum, unde Omnipraesentia; quare dicit Dominus, Quod sit in medio illorum; 3 tum Ipse in illis, et illi in Ipso. 4
[4] At quia non recipi potest ab ullo Qualis in se est, apparet qualis in Essentia sua est, ut Sol supra Coelos Angelicos, a quo procedens ut Lux est Ipse quoad sapientiam, ac ut Calor est Ipse quoad Amorem; Ipse non est Sol ille, sed Divinus Amor et Divina Sapientia exiens ab Ipso proxime, circum circa Ipsum, coram Angelis apparent ut Sol; Ipse in Sole est Homo; est DOMINUS NOSTER JESUS CHRISTUS, TAM QUOAD DIVINUM A QUO, QUAM QUOAD DIVINUM HUMANUM; quoniam Ipsum, quod est ipse Amor et ipsa Sapientia, fuit Anima Ipsi a Patre, ita Divina Vita, quae est Vita in se; aliter in unoquovis homine; in illo anima non est Vita, sed recipiens vitae: Dominus etiam hoc docet, dicendo, Ego sum Via, Veritas, et VITA: 5 et alibi, Quemadmodum Pater habet VITAM IN SE IPSO, ita etiam dedit Filio VITAM HABERE IN SE IPSO, Johannes 5:26. Vita in Se Ipso est Deus. His addiderunt, quod illi qui in aliqua Luce spirituali sunt, ex his possint percipere, quod Divinum Esse, quia est Unum, Idem, Ipsum, et inde Individuum, non possit dari in pluribus; et quod si diceretur dari, forent manifestae contradictiones in adjectis.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: unemquemvis.
2. Prima editio: iilos.
3. Matthaeus 18:20, sic Rose.
4. Johannes 6:56, 14:20, 15:4, 5, sic Rose.
5. Johannes 14:6, sic Rose.