30.⑶自创世之时，神就在空间中，却无关空间，在时间中，却无关时间。神，以及直接由祂发出的神性，并不在空间内。尽管祂全在，与每一个世人，并天堂的每一位天使和天堂之下的每一个灵人同在。这一点无法以纯属世思维来理解，但以属灵思维在某种程度上能理解。纯属世的思维无法理解这一点，因为属世思维含有空间的概念。属世思维是通过我们周围的尘世物体形成的，肉眼可见的一切物体都牵涉空间。正是空间使得一切事物或大或小，以及具有长、宽、高的维度。总之，一切尺寸、形状、样式都属于空间。然而，只要允许某种属灵之光进入，人依然能在某种程度上理解这种概念。不过，我必须先对属灵思维加以说明。这种思维绝不牵涉空间，而是通过状态获得其整个品质。状态是爱、生命、智慧、情感、喜乐，以及总体上善与真的属性。有关这些事物的真正属灵概念与空间毫不相干，它超越空间概念，并俯视它们，如同天俯视地。
神在空间中，却无关空间，在时间中，却无关时间。这一事实解释了为何神自永恒至永恒都是那同一个，因而自创世之前就是那同一个；也解释了为何创世之前，空间和时间并不存在于神里面，或在祂的临在中，但创世之后它们却存在于其中。所以，由于祂是那同一个，故祂在空间中，却无关空间，在时间中，却无关时间。由此可知，自然界与祂是分开的，然而，祂却全在于自然界中。存在于构成人的一切实质和一切物质中的生命也一样，生命不与这些实质和物质混和。这好比眼中的光、耳中的音、舌中的味，或充满陆地和海洋、凝聚成水陆球体，并使之旋转等的以太。若这些因素被除去，实质和物质构成的事物会立刻分崩离析。事实上，人的心智同样如此，若神不处处并一直存在于其中，它也会象气泡一样破裂；并且，作为行为来源的两个大脑也会化为泡沫，人性的一切将变成尘土或空中漂浮的气味。
由于神在一切时间内，却无关时间，故在祂的圣言中，祂说话用现在时和将来时。如以赛亚书：
因有一婴孩为我们而生，有一子赐给我们，祂名称为勇士、和平的君！（以赛亚书9:6）
诗篇：
我要传圣旨，耶和华曾对我说，你是我的儿子，今日我已生你。（诗篇2:7）
这说的是要降临的主，故经上还说：
在祢看来，千年如已过的昨日。（诗篇90:4）
神全在于整个世界，然而祂里面没有丝毫属于这个世界，也就是属于空间和时间之物。只要细心查看，这一点可从圣言中的很多经文清楚看出来。如耶利米书中的这段经文：
我岂为近处的神，不也为远处的神吗？人岂能在隐密处藏身，使我看不见他吗？我岂不充满天地吗？（耶利米书23:23，24）
30. (3)自上帝造了世界, 祂就獨立於空間之外而在空間裡, 獨立於時間之外而在時間裡。
上帝, 以及直接由祂發出的神性, 不在空間以內。然而祂是全在, 與世上每個人同在, 並與天國每個天人及天國之下的靈同在。這超越了簡單的屬世思想維能理解的, 不過在某種程度上能被屬靈思維理解。不能被簡單的屬世思維所理解, 是因為屬世思維離不開空間的概念。這世上事物都由此形成, 眼見的每樣和全部事物都涉及空間。這裡的每樣, 或大或小, 有長寬高; 一句話, 每個尺寸,數位和樣式, 都關乎空間。然而, 倘若某些屬靈之光被許可進入屬世思維之中, 這些(上帝全在, 又不在空間之中)能在某種程度上被屬世思維所認知。不過前提是:與屬靈思維相關的, 與空間無半點關係, 全部是針對狀態而言。狀態是用來稱謂關於仁愛,智慧,喜好,快樂; 總而言之, 關於良善與真理。關於這些事情的屬靈思維, 與空間沒有任何共通之處, 都在空間概念以上。兩者關係, 如同一個在天, 一個在地。
[2]上帝在空間之中,卻獨立於空間以外; 在時間之中,卻獨立於時間以外。因為祂恒常不變, 從永遠到永遠。世界被造之後, 跟世界被造之前, 祂都一樣。在創世之前, 在上帝及祂的眼中, 就無空間和時間。然而自創世以後, 由於祂是恒常不變, 因此祂在空間中,又獨立於空間外; 在時間中,又獨立在時間外。正因如此, 物質與祂分開, 然而祂全在於物質之中。如同生命在每個人的實質和物質部分之中, 然而生命自身卻不與身體混合。或者可比作眼中的光, 或耳中的音, 或舌中的味。或者比作彌漫於所有固體和液體物質中的氣, 使這地球渾如一體, 並促使運動, 等等。倘若這些媒介被撤出, 這些實質化和物質化的形式將立即崩潰或化為碎片。甚至人的思想, 如果上帝不是何地何時都在其中, 必將破碎如同空中泡影。使思維賴以進行的大腦, 必將煙滅, 因而人的一切將變成地中塵土, 或空中漂浮的氣味。
[3]因為上帝在時間內,又獨立於時間以外, 因此在祂的聖言中, 祂用現在時態來表示過去和將來, 如在以賽亞書:一嬰孩為我們出生, 一子賜給我們, 祂的名字稱為全能, 和平之君(以賽亞書9:6)。在大衛詩篇:我要傳聖旨, 耶和華曾對我說:"你是我的兒子, 今日我已生你"(詩篇2:7)。這裡所說的是曾降臨的主。因而還這樣說:在禰看來, 千年如已過的昨日(詩篇90:4)。
上帝全在於全世界的任何地方, 然而在祂裡面沒有任何絲毫屬於這個世界, 也就是沒有什麼屬於空間和時間。只要留心觀察, 在聖言的多處可清楚看到。下面是『耶利米書』的經文:我豈為近處的上帝, 不也為遠處的上帝嗎？人豈能在隱密處藏身, 使我看不見他嗎？我豈不充滿天地嗎？(耶利米書23:23-24)
30. 3. Since the world was made, God has existed in space independently of space, and in time independently of time. God, and the divine emanation that comes directly from him, is not in space, yet he is omnipresent and is with every human being in the world, every angel in heaven, and every spirit below heaven. This fact is inaccessible to thinking that is merely earthly, but spiritual thinking can comprehend it to some extent. Thinking that is merely earthly cannot comprehend it because space is part of the thinking. Earthly thinking is based on things in the world; and everything visible in the world has spatial dimensions. Size here, whether large or small, has to do with space; length, width, and height here have to do with space. In fact, every measurement, shape, and form in our world has to do with space.
Still, we can to some extent understand God's relationship to space through material thinking, provided we let in some spiritual light; but first I will say something about spiritual thinking. Ideas in spiritual thought have no relationship to space; they relate in every way to state. State applies to love, life, wisdom, emotions and inclinations, and enjoyment - generally to goodness and truth. A truly spiritual conceptualization of these things has nothing in common with space. It is higher. It sees spatial concepts below itself the way heaven sees earth.
[2] God is present in space independently of space and in time independently of time because God is always the same, from eternity to eternity. What God was like before creation, God was like after creation. Before creation, there was no space or time in and with God. After creation, there was. Because God remained the same, then, he is in space independently of space, and in time independently of time. As a result, nature is separate from him and yet he is omnipresent in it. It is similar with the life that is present in every substantial and every physical part of us, but does not integrate itself into those parts. A similar thing is true of light in relation to our eyes, sound in relation to our ears, and taste in relation to our tongues. A similar thing is also true of the ether in landmasses and oceans that allows this terraqueous planet to be held together and spun around; and so on. If those active forces - light, sound, taste, and ether - were taken away, the receptors made of substance and matter would soon collapse and fall apart. In fact, if God were not present in the human mind everywhere and always, the mind would dissolve like a bubble popping in the air, and both brains, on whose primary structures the mind depends, would turn to froth. Everything that is human would become the dust of the earth or a smell floating in the atmosphere.
[3] Because God is present in all time independently of time, his Word speaks of past and future in the present tense. For example, in Isaiah: "A Child is born to us, a Son is given to us, whose name is Hero, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6). In David as well, "I will announce this decision: Jehovah said to me, You are my Son. Today I fathered you" (Psalms 2:7). These statements refer to the Lord who was to come. In the same source it also says, "In your eyes, a thousand years are like yesterday" (Psalms 90:4).
From many other passages in the Word about seeing and being vigilant we can see that God is present everywhere in the entire world, and yet there is nothing belonging to the world in him, that is, nothing limited in space and time. For example, this passage in Jeremiah:
Am I not a God near you, rather than a God far away? Can a man be covered over in hiding places so that I would not see him? I fill the whole heaven and the whole earth. (Jeremiah 23:23-24)
30. (iii) SINCE THE MAKING OF THE WORLD GOD IS NON-SPATIALLY IN SPACE AND NON-TEMPORALLY IN TIME.
The idea that God and the Divine which proceeds directly from Him is not in space, although He is omnipresent, present with every person in the world, every angel in heaven and every spirit beneath heaven, cannot be grasped by purely natural thinking, but can be to some extent by spiritual thinking. Purely natural thinking cannot grasp it because space is contained in it, since it is formed by the objects in the world around us; and in each and every object visible to the eyes there is space. It is space which makes anything big or small as well as long, broad and high. In short, every measurement, shape and form there depends upon space. Still one can to some extent grasp this idea by natural thinking, so long as one admits some spiritual light into it. But first I must say something about the idea of spiritual thinking. This is in no way dependent upon space, but gains its whole quality from state. State is what can be attributed to love, life, wisdom, affections, joys, and in general to good and truth. Any really spiritual concept of these has nothing in common with space, it is on a higher plane and looks down on spatial ideas as beneath itself, just as heaven looks down on earth.
[2] The fact that God is non-spatially present in space and non-temporally in time explains why God is ever the same from eternity to eternity, and so the same since the creation of the world as before it; and why before the creation of the world space and time did not exist in God or in His presence, but they did after this event. Therefore because He is the same, His presence in space is non-spatial and in time is non-temporal. Hence it follows that Nature is separate from Him, yet He is omnipresent in it. It is much the same as life being present in every substance and all the matter that make up a person, yet it is not mixed up with them. It might be compared with light in the eye, sound in the ear, taste in the tongue, or the ether in land and sea, which holds together and permits the rotation of the globe with the land and seas on its surface, and so on. If these agents were removed, the things constructed of substance and matter would at once collapse and fall apart. Indeed, the human mind, if God were not present in it at every place and every time, would burst like a bubble; and each of the two brains, which serve as the originating sources of action, would turn to foam, so that everything distinctive of humanity would become dust and a smell dispersed in the atmosphere.
[3] It is because God is non-temporally in all time that in His Word the present tense is used in speaking of the past and the future, as in Isaiah:
A child is born for us, a Son is given, whose name is Hero, the Prince of peace, Isaiah 9:6.
In the Psalms of David:
I will bring news of a decree, said Jehovah to me, you are my son, today have I begotten you, Psalms 2:7.
This refers to the Lord who was to come; and therefore the same author says:
A thousand years in your eyes are as yesterday, Psalms 90:4.
Those who can see and are alive to it can grasp from numerous other passages in the Word that God is everywhere present throughout the world, yet nothing that belongs to the world, that is, nothing spatial or temporal, is present in Him; as from this passage in Jeremiah:
Am I a God near at hand, and not a God at a distance? Can a man lurk in a hiding-place so that I cannot see him? Do I not fill heaven and earth? Jeremiah 23:23-24.
30. (3) Since the creation of the world God is in space without space and in time without time. That God, with the Divine that goes forth directly from Him, is not in space, although He is omnipresent, and is present with every man in the world, and with every angel in heaven and every spirit under heaven, is beyond the comprehension of merely natural thought, but may in some measure be comprehended by spiritual thought. It cannot be comprehended by merely natural thought because natural thought has space in it, being formed out of such things as are in this world, in each and all things of which that the eye rests upon, space is involved. Here everything that is great and small, every thing that has length, breadth, and height, in a word every dimension, figure, and form, pertains to space. And yet this can be comprehended in some measure by natural thought, provided something of spiritual light is admitted into it. But first something must be said about spiritual thought. This derives nothing from space, but every thing from state. State is predicated of love, of life, of wisdom, of affections, of joys, and in general, of good and truth. A truly spiritual idea about these things has in it nothing in common with space; it is superior to ideas of space, and looks down upon them as heaven looks down upon the earth.
[2] God is present in space without space, and in time without time, because He is always the same, from eternity to eternity; thus He is the same since the world was created as before; and as before creation there were in God and in His sight no spaces and no times, but only since, and as He is always the same, so is He in space without space and in time without time. In consequence of this, nature is separate from Him, and yet He is omnipresent in nature; almost as life is present in every substantial and material part of man, and yet does not mingle itself with it; or it may be compared to light in the eye, or sound in the ear, taste in the tongue, or to the ether that pervades all solid and liquid matters, and holds the terraqueous globe together, and causes motion, and so on. If these agencies were withdrawn these substantialized and materialized forms would instantly collapse or fall asunder. Even the human mind, if God were not everywhere and always present in it, would burst like a bubble in the air, and both brains, in which the mind acts from first principles, would go off into froth, and thus every thing human would become dust of the earth, or an odor floating in the air.
[3] As God is in all time without time so in His Word He speaks in the present tense of the past and the future, as in Isaiah:
Unto us a Child is born, a Son is given; and His name shall be called Mighty, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6);
and in David:
I will declare the decree; Jehovah hath said unto Me, Thou art My Son; this day have I begotten Thee (Psalms 2:7).
This is said of the Lord who was to come; wherefore it is also said:
A thousand years in Thy sight are but as yesterday (Psalms 90:4).
That God is everywhere present in the whole world, and yet there is in him nothing proper to the world, that is, nothing pertaining to space and time, can be clearly seen from many passages in the Word by those who look with watchful eyes, as from this passage in Jeremiah:
Am I a God at hand, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in the secret places that I shall not see him? Do I not fill heaven and earth? (Jeremiah 23:23-24).
30. (3) GOD, SINCE THE WORLD WAS CREATED, IS IN SPACE APART FROM SPACE, AND IN TIME APART FROM TIME.
That God, and the Divine which proceeds immediately from Him, is not in space, although He is omnipresent, and with every man in the world, with every angel in heaven, and with every spirit under heaven, cannot be comprehended by merely natural thought, but it may, in some degree, by spiritual thought. The reason is that space is associated with merely natural conceptions, as these are formed from objects in the world, in every one of which, as these are visible to the eye, there is space. Everything great and small there is spatial, likewise everything that has length, breadth and height; in a word, every measure, figure and form there is spatial. Nevertheless a man may, in some degree, comprehend this idea by his natural thought if he admits into it some spiritual light. However, something must first be said concerning spiritual thought. This derives nothing from space, but everything from state. State has relation to love, life, wisdom, affections, joys, and, in general, to good and truth. A truly spiritual idea concerning these has nothing in common with space: it is on a higher level, and looks down upon spatial ideas beneath it as heaven looks down upon the earth.
[2] God is present in space apart from space, and in time apart from time because He is always the same from eternity to eternity, the same before the creation of the world as after it. There was neither space nor time in God and in His sight before creation, but after it, so that because He is the same, He is in space apart from space, and in time apart from time. Hence it follows that nature is separate from Him, while yet He is omnipresent in it, just as life is present in every substantial and material part of man, yet does not mingle with them; or as light is in the eye, sound in the ear, and taste in the tongue, and also as ether is in land and water, by which the terraqueous globe is held together and made to revolve, and so on. If those active factors were removed, the substantial and the material things would immediately collapse and be dispersed. Indeed, if God were not present in all its parts and at all times in the human mind, it would dissolve like a bubble in the air, and both divisions of the brain, in which it acts from first principles, would melt away like froth; thus all that is human would become as the dust of the earth, or as an odour wafted away on the breeze.
[3] Since God is in all time yet apart from time, therefore in His Word He speaks of the past and of the future as of what is present; as in Isaiah:
"Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given,... and His name shall be called... The mighty God,... The Prince of Peace" 9:6;
and in David:
"I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art My Son; this day have I begotten Thee" Psalms 2:5.
These words were spoken of the Lord who was to come; thus also it is said again:
"A thousand years in Thy sight are but as yesterday" Psalms 90:4.
That God is everywhere present in the created universe, while yet there is nothing of the world in Him, that is, nothing of space and time, can be perceived by the observant and attentive reader in many other places in the Word, as in this passage from Jeremiah:
"Am I a God at hand,... and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places, that I shall not see him?... do not I fill heaven and earth?" Jeremiah 23:23-24.
30. III. QUOD DEUS, POSTQUAM MUNDUS FACTUS EST, SIT IN SPATIO ABSQUE SPATIO, ET IN TEMPORE ABSQUE TEMPORE. Quod Deus et Divinum, quod immediate ab Ipso procedit, non sit in Spatio, tametsi est Omnipraesens, et apud unumquemvis hominem in Mundo, et apud unumquemvis Angelum in Coelo, et apud unumquemvis Spiritum sub coelo, non potest idea mere naturali comprehendi, sed potest aliquatenus idea spirituali: quod non possit idea mere naturali comprehendi, 1 est, quia in illa est Spatium, formata enim est ex talibus, quae in Mundo sunt, in quorum omnibus et singulis, quae spectantur oculis, est Spatium; omne magnum et parvum ibi est Spatii; omne longum, latum et altum ibi est Spatii; verbo omnis mensura, figura et forma ibi est Spatii. Sed usque potest homo aliquatenus comprehendere id cogitatione naturali, modo in illam admittat aliquid lucis spiritualis: sed primum aliquid dicetur de idea cogitationis spiritualis; haec non trahit aliquid ex Spatio, sed omne suum trahit ex Statu; Status dicitur de amore, de vita, de sapientia, de affectionibus, de gaudiis, in genere de bono et vero; idea vere Spiritualis de illis non commune habet cum Spatio; est superior, et spectat ideas Spatii sub se, sicut coelum spectat terram.
[2] Quod Deus praesens sit in Spatio absque spatio, et in Tempore absque tempore, est causa, quia Deus est semper idem, ab aeterno in aeternum, ita qualis ante Mundum creatum talis post illum, et in Deo et coram Deo ante creationem non fuerunt spatia et tempora, sed post illam; quare quia est Idem, est in Spatio absque spatio, et in Tempore absque tempore; inde sequitur, quod natura separata sit ab Ipso, et tamen in illa omnipraesens sit; vix aliter quam sicut vita in omni substantiali et materiali hominis, tametsi non cum illis se commiscet; comparative sicut lux in oculis, sonus in auribus, gustus in linguis, aut sicut aether in terris et aquis, per quem Orbis terraqueus continetur et circumagitur, et sic porro; quae Agentia si auferrentur, substantiata et materiata illa momento conciderent aut dilaberentur; imo Mens humana, si Deus non in illa ubivis et omni tempore praesens esset, difflueret sicut bulla in aerem, ac utrumque Cerebrum, in quibus ex principiis agit, in spumam abiret, et sic omne humanum fieret pulvis terrae, et odor volans in athmosphaera.
[3] Quoniam Deus in omni tempore est absque tempore, ideo in Verbo suo de praeterito et de futuro loquitur in praesenti, ut apud Esajam, "Puer natus est nobis, Filius datus est, cujus nomen est, Heros, Princeps pacis," 9:5, 2 et apud Davidem, Annuntiabo de statuto, Jehovah dixit ad me, Filius meus Tu, Hodie genui te, Psalm 2:7, haec de Domino venturo: quare etiam dicitur apud Eundem, "Mille anni in oculis tuis sicut dies hesternus," Psalm 90:4. Quod ubivis sit praesens in Universo Mundo, et tamen non aliquid Mundi proprium in Ipso, hoc est, non aliquid, quod spatii et temporis est, ex pluribus aliis locis a videntibus et vigilantibus in Verbo potest perspici, ut ex hoc apud Jeremiam, Numne Deus in propinquo Ego, et non Deus e longinquo; num occultabitur vir in latibulis ut Ego non videam, omne Coelum et omnem Terram Ego impleo, 23:23-24.
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