31.⑷相对于空间的无限被称为无垠，而相对于时间的无限则被称为永恒。尽管它们如此关联，但神的无垠之中丝毫没有空间，祂的永恒之中丝毫没有时间。相对于空间，神的无限被称为无垠，因为“无垠”是适用于浩大、伸展及其空间的术语。而相对于时间，神的无限则被称为永恒，因为“永恒”是适用于可用没有限度的时间来度量的逐渐发展之物。例如：水陆球体本身就是那能使物体被视为存在于空间之物，而该球体沿轨道的旋转和运动则是那能使物体视为存在于时间之物。事实上，后者制造了时间，而前者制造了空间。时空就是以这种方式通过头脑中反映它们的感官被感知。但就象刚才说的，神里面丝毫没有空间和时间。然而，时空却始于神。由此可知，相对于空间，祂的无限是以“无垠”来表示的；相对于时间，祂的无限是以“永恒”来表示的。
但对于天堂天使而言，神的无垠是指其神性的存在，神的永恒是指其神性的彰显。而且，他们将无垠理解为神性的爱，将永恒理解为神性的智慧。这是因为天使将时空从神性剥离出去，于是这类概念随之而来。但由于人只能通过由时空概念形成的观念思考，故他无法先于空间形成关于神无限的任何观念，或先于时间形成关于神永恒的任何观念。事实上，当他试图这样做时，他的头脑仿佛陷入昏厥，几乎如同遭遇海难的人，或即将被地震吞没的人。若仍坚持钻研这些秘密，人很容易陷入精神错乱，由此误入否认神的歧途。
我本人也曾陷入这种状态，那时我在思想何为永恒之神，或创世之前祂做了什么。如祂是否深思过创世，并想出所遵循的秩序？在完全真空的状态下能否深入思考？以及其它无用的揣测。但为了防止我被这类揣测逼疯，主将我提升到内在天使所在的气场和光明中。当先前限制我思维的时空观念在那里被除去些许时，我才得以领悟到，神的永恒并非时间上的永恒，因为创世之前时间并不存在，以这种方式思想神根本就是白费力气。而且，由于来自永恒，即与一切时间无关的神性并不牵涉日、年或世纪，故对神而言，这些东西都是当下。于是，我得出以下结论：神并非在时间中创世，而是时间连同创世一起被神引入。
对此，我补充以下经历：在灵界的一极能看到两个张大嘴巴、敞开喉咙的巨大人形雕像，那些对永恒之神持守无用且疯狂的想法之人觉得自己好象被这两个雕像吞噬。不过，这只是幻觉，那些对创世之前的神持守荒谬和不切实际的想法之人就会陷入其中。
31. (4)與空間相關的無限被稱為無垠, 與時間相關的無限被稱為永恆。儘管如此關聯, 上帝的無垠之中沒有空間, 祂的永恆之中沒有時間。
與空間關聯, 上帝的無限被稱為"無垠"; 因為無垠這個措詞運用於巨大的和廣泛的, 及其延伸和拓展。與時間關聯, 上帝的無限則被稱為"永恆"; 因為永恆這個措詞適用於逐步進展的範疇, 以無限量的時間來測度。譬如, 屬於空間的事物, 是對於這個水陸合成的球體而言。而屬於時間的事物, 是對於球體的旋轉和連續而言。實際上, 後者形成時間, 前者形成空間。而在上帝, 如之前所述, 沒有空間和時間的任何概念存在。然而, 時空的起源來自上帝。由此得出, 祂的無限, 關於空間方面, 用無垠來表示; 關於時間方面用永恆來表示。
[2]但是對於天國中的天人而言, 上帝的無垠表示祂神性的實質方面; 祂的永恆表示祂神性的形式方面。還有, 無垠表示祂的神性,關於仁愛方面; 永恆表示祂的神性,關於智慧方面。因為天人從神性中獲取時空的概念, 並接續這樣的領受。而人只能從時空的事物中汲取概念,從而思考。人不能形成任何先於空間,關於上帝無垠的概念; 或者先於時間,關於上帝永恆的概念。當人試圖如此行時, 他的思想會陷入混亂, 如同遇海難失事在水中之人, 或者像就要被地震吞噬之人。倘若某人堅持要深入瞭解這個問題, 他會容易陷入神智昏迷, 由此跌入對上帝否認的狀態。
[3]我曾經處在這樣的狀態, 思考何為從永恆而來的上帝, 創世之前祂做了什麼, 祂是否仔細思考過如何創世, 如何想出創世後萬物要遵守的規律, 創世的想法在這樣真空裡是否可行……還有其他一些徒勞的事情。不過, 為了避免我因這樣的胡思亂想被引致神經錯亂, 我被主提升進入天人居住的氛圍和光芒之中。當我歷來賴以思維的時空概念被移走時, 我才開始明白到上帝的永恆並非時間的永恆。因為在世界被造之前並無時間, 以任何這樣的方式來思想上帝是全然徒勞的。此外, 由於永恆的神性, 並不涉及天,年,時代, 這些對上帝而言都是現在。因此我總結而知, 上帝並非在時間裡創造世界, 而那時間是隨同創世被上帝引進的。
[4]關於這些, 我再講講下面這個難忘的真相:在靈界的一個盡頭, 可看見兩個巨人形狀的雕像, 張開嘴,敞開喉。那些沉溺於無用的和愚蠢的念頭去思考從永恆來的上帝, 他們好像要被這兩個雕像吞噬。這些都是幻覺, 是他們自我沉溺於那些關於創世前上帝如何如何等等荒唐偽謬的想法。
31. 4. God's infinity in relation to space is called immensity; in relation to time it is called eternity. Yet although these are related, there is nonetheless no space in God's immensity, and no time in his eternity. God's infinity in relation to space is called "immensity" because immense is associated with "large" and "huge," and also with extension and spaciousness within extension. God's infinity in relation to time, however, is called eternity because the phrase "to eternity" means "in an endless succession of stages measurable in units of time. " To clarify: we describe the earth itself and its surface in spatial terms and the earths rotation and orbit in temporal terms. The earths motions anchor our measurements of time, and the earth itself anchors our measurements of space. In consequence of our senses, space and time are also present in a similar way in the perception of our minds as we reflect. In God, however, there is no space and time, as I have shown just above, yet space and time originate from God. Therefore "immensity" means his infinity in relation to space, and "eternity" means his infinity in relation to time.
[2] Angels in heaven see God's immensity as the divineness of his underlying reality and God's eternity as the divineness of his capacity to become manifest. They also see God's immensity as the divineness of his love and God's eternity as the divineness of his wisdom. The reason is that angels remove space and time from divinity; this gives rise to the concepts just mentioned. Since we on earth cannot help basing our thinking on ideas that are spatial and temporal, we cannot conceive of the immensity of God before there was space or the eternity of God before there was time. In fact, if we try to conceive of them, our mind more or less loses consciousness, like a shipwrecked person who has fallen in the ocean or like someone being swallowed in an earthquake. Indeed, if we rashly persevere in that pursuit, we can easily go insane and end up denying the existence of God.
[3] Once I myself was in a state like that. I thought and thought about what God did from eternity, what he did before the world was constructed. I wondered whether he debated the act of creation and worked out a sequence he would follow. I pondered whether mental debate was possible in a pure vacuum, and other useless questions. To prevent these considerations from driving me insane, the Lord lifted me into the atmosphere and light of inner angels. As factors related to space and time in my former thinking were somewhat removed there, I became able to understand that God's eternity is not an eternity of time. Since there was no time before the world came about, I realized that it was completely pointless to ponder such questions about God. Furthermore, since the Divine "from eternity," that is, the Divine independent of time, did not involve days, years, and centuries - they were all an instant for God - I concluded that God did not create the world in a preexisting context of time; time was first introduced by God as part of creation.
[4] In addition, I would like to relate something worth mentioning. At one extreme end of the spiritual world, two statues of monstrous human forms appear with wide open mouths and gaping jaws. People whose thinking about God from eternity is pointless and insane seem to themselves to be swallowed up by these statues. The statues are really the delusions people hurl themselves into when they think discordant and unseemly thoughts about God before he created the world.
31. (iv) THE INFINITY OF GOD AS PREDICATED OF SPACE IS CALLED IMMENSITY, AND AS PREDICATED OF TIME IS CALLED ETERNITY. DESPITE THESE PREDICATIONS HIS IMMENSITY IS TOTALLY DEVOID OF SPACE AND HIS ETERNITY IS TOTALLY DEVOID OF TIME.
The reason why the infinity of God predicated of space is called immensity, is that the term 'immense' is used of what is great and large, and also what is extensive and in this respect spacious. But the reason why the infinity of God predicated of time is called eternity is that 'for eternity' is used of progressive stages, which are measured by time, without end. For example: the globe with its land and sea surfaces is in itself what enables objects to be regarded as spatial; and its rotation and motion in orbit is what enables them to be regarded as temporal. These movements create periods of time and the surface of the globe creates distances, and they are so perceived through the senses in the minds of those that reflect on them. But as shown above, there is no space or time in God, yet space and time begin from Him. Hence it follows that immensity means His infinity predicated of space, and eternity His infinity predicated of time.
[2] The angels in heaven understand by the immensity of God the Divinity as to Its Being (Esse), and by His eternity the Divinity as to Its Coming-into-Being (Existere); also by immensity they understand the Divinity as to Love and by eternity the Divinity as to Wisdom. This is because the angels banish space and time from their ideas of the Divinity, and this is the result. But because human beings are incapable of thinking except by means of ideas formed from spatial and temporal concepts, they cannot form any idea of the immensity of God before space existed or His eternity before time existed. In fact, when the human mind wishes to form such an idea, it is as if it lapsed into unconsciousness, almost like a shipwrecked mariner who has fallen into the water, or someone swallowed up by the earth in an earthquake. Indeed, if the mind persists in the attempt to penetrate these mysteries, it can easily become deranged, and thus be led to deny the existence of God.
[3] I too was once in a state like this, when I was thinking what God did from eternity, or before the world was made: did He deliberate about creation and work out the order to be followed? was deliberative thought possible in a total vacuum? and other useless speculations. But to prevent me becoming deranged by such speculations, I was lifted up by the Lord into the sphere and light enjoyed by the interior angels; and when the idea of space and time which had previously restricted my thinking was there to a small extent removed, I was allowed to grasp that the eternity of God is not an eternity of time, and that because time did not exist before the creation of the world it was quite useless to engage in such speculations about God. But because the Divine from eternity, and so regarded as separate from all time, does not involve the existence of days, years and centuries, but these are to God a single instant, I concluded that the world was not created by God in time, but that time was introduced by God together with creation.
[4] I will add this account of an experience.
At one end of the spiritual world are to be seen two statues of a monstrous human shape with open mouths and gaping jaws. Those who have useless and mad thoughts about God from eternity imagine themselves being swallowed by these statues. But this is mere imagination into which those plunge who have absurd and improper thoughts about God before the creation of the world.
31. (4) In relation to spaces God's Infinity is called Immensity, while in relation to times it is called Eternity; but although they are so related, there is nothing of space in His Immensity, and nothing of time in His Eternity. In relation to spaces God's infinity is called immensity, because "immense" is a term applied to what is great and large, and to extension and its spaciousness. But in relation to times God's infinity is called eternity, because "to eternity" is an expression applied to what is progressive, which is measured by time without limit. For example: Of the terraqueous globe, as such, things pertaining to space are predicated; while of its rotation and progression things pertaining to time are predicated. In fact, the latter are what make times, and the former are what make spaces, and in this way they are presented through the senses to the perception of reflecting minds. But in God, as has just been shown, there is nothing of space and time; nevertheless, the beginnings of these are from God; and from this it follows that by immensity His infinity in relation to space is meant, and by eternity His infinity in relation to times.
[2] But to the angels in heaven the immensity of God means His Divinity in respect to His Esse, and His eternity His Divinity in respect to His Existere. Also immensity means His Divinity in respect to love, and eternity His Divinity in respect to wisdom. This is because angels abstract space and time from Divinity, and such conceptions then follow. But as man can think only from ideas drawn from such things as belong to space and time, he is unable to form any conception of God's immensity antecedent to space, or His eternity antecedent to time; and when he seeks to do this it is as if his mind were falling into a swoon, almost like a shipwrecked man in the water, or like one who is about to be swallowed up in an earthquake; and if one persists in penetrating further into the subject, he may easily fall into a delirium, and from this be led into a denial of God.
[3] I was once myself in such a state, thinking about what God was from eternity, what He did before the world was created, whether He deliberated about creation, and thought out the order to be pursued; whether deliberative thought would be possible in a vacuum; with other vain things. But lest I should be driven to madness by much speculations I was raised up by the Lord into the sphere and light in which the interior angels dwell; and when the idea Of space and time in which my thought was dwelling had been somewhat removed, it was given me to comprehend that the eternity of God is not an eternity of time; and as there was no time before the world was created, it is utterly vain to think about God in any such way. Moreover, as the Divine from eternity, that is, abstracted from all time, does not involve days, years, or ages, but to God all these are present, I concluded that God did not create the world in time, but that times were introduced by God with creation.
[4] To all this I will add this memorable fact:
At one extremity of the spiritual world there are seen two statues in monstrous human form, with open mouths and gaping throats, and those who indulge in useless and senseless thoughts about God from eternity seem to themselves to be swallowed up by these; but they are the hallucinations into which those cast themselves who cherish absurd and improper thoughts about God before the creation of the world.
31. (4) THE INFINITY OF GOD IN RELATION TO SPACE IS CALLED IMMENSITY, AND IN RELATION TO TIME, ETERNITY; AND ALTHOUGH THESE RELATIONS EXIST, YET THERE IS NOTHING OF SPACE IN HIS IMMENSITY, AND NOTHING OF TIME IN HIS ETERNITY.
The infinity of God in relation to space is called immensity because "immense" is predicated of what is great and ample, and also of what is extended, and, in this respect, of what is spacious. On the other hand, the infinity of God in relation to time is called eternity, because "to eternity" is predicated of things whose unending progress is measured by time. For example, spatial relations are predicated of the earth regarded as a globe, and temporal relations with respect to its rotation and progression, the latter being the cause of times and the former of spaces; and so they are represented by the senses to the perception of reflecting minds. In God, however, there is nothing of space and time, as was shown above, and yet these have their origin from God. Hence it follows that His infinity in relation to space is meant by immensity, and His infinity in relation to time, by eternity. But in heaven the angels understand by the immensity of God His Divinity as to His Being (Esse), and by eternity, His Divinity as to His Existing (Existere); and also by immensity His Divinity as to Love, and by eternity His Divinity as to Wisdom. Those conceptions result because they remove space and time from the idea of Divinity. Since, however, man can think only from such ideas as are derived from space and time, he can comprehend nothing of the immensity of God before the existence of space and nothing of His eternity before the existence of time. Indeed, when he tries to form such conceptions, his mind as it were sinks into a swoon. He is like one who has fallen into the water from a wrecked ship, or like one who is being swallowed up by an earthquake. Moreover, should he persist in his speculations, he might easily lose his reason and be led to the denial of God. I was once in a state like this, thinking what God was from eternity, what He did before the creation of the world, whether He deliberated about creation, and thought out a plan for it; whether deliberative thought was possible in a pure vacuum, and other vain conceits. But lest I should be driven mad by such speculations, I was raised into the sphere and light in which the interior angels are; and after my former ideas of space and time were partly removed, it was granted me to see that the eternity of God is not an eternity of time; and because time did not exist before the creation of the world, that it was utterly vain to think of God in this way. Moreover, because the idea of the Divine from eternity, thus apart from time, does not involve days, years and ages, as all these are but a moment to God, I concluded that the world was created by God, not in time, but that time was introduced by God with creation.
In this connection I shall mention this noteworthy circumstance.
MEMORABILIA.
At one extremity of the spiritual world there appear two statues in monstrous human form, with open mouths and distended jaws, which seem to devour those who imagine vain and senseless ideas about God from eternity. These statues represent the illusions into which they plunge themselves who indulge in absurd and groundless speculations concerning God before He created the world.
31. IV. QUOD INFINITAS DEI RESPECTIVE AD SPATIA DICATUR IMMENSITAS, ET RESPECTIVE AD TEMPORA DICATUR AETERNITAS, ET QUOD TAMETSI HI RESPECTUS SUNT, USQUE NIHIL SPATII SIT IN IPSIUS IMMENSITATE ET NIHIL TEMPORIS IN IPSIUS AETERNITATE. Quod Infinitas Dei respective ad spatia dicatur Immensitas, est quia Immensum praedicatur de Magno et Amplo, et quoque de Extenso, et in hoc de Spatioso: quod autem Infinitas Dei respective ad tempora dicatur Aeternitas, est quia in Aeternum, praedicatur de progressivis, quae per tempora mensurantur, absque fine: ut pro exemplo: de Orbe terraqueo in se spectato praedicantur illa quae spatii sunt, et de ejus rotatione et progressione praedicantur illa quae temporis sunt; haec quoque faciunt tempora, et illa faciunt spatia, ac sistuntur ita ex sensibus in perceptione mentium reflectentium; at in Deo nihil spatii et temporis est, ut supra ostensum est, et tamen a Deo sunt initia illorum; inde sequitur, quod Infinitas Ipsius respective ad spatia intelligatur per Immensitatem, et quod Infinitas Ipsius respective ad tempora intelligatur per Aeternitatem.
[2] At in Coelo ab Angelis per Immensitatem Dei percipitur Divinitas quoad Esse, et per Aeternitatem Divinitas quoad Existere; tum etiam per Immensitatem Divinitas quoad Amorem, et per Aeternitatem Divinitas quoad Sapientiam; causa est, quia Angeli a Divinitate abstrahunt spatia et tempora, et tunc illae notiones resultant. Sed quoniam homo non potest aliter quam ex ideis e talibus quae spatii et temporis sunt captis cogitare, non potest de Dei Immensitate ante spatia, et de Ipsius Aeternitate ante tempora aliquid percipere; imo cum vult illa percipere, est sicut mens ejus cadat in deliquium, paene sicut qui illapsus aquis in statu naufragii est, aut in motu terrae subsidens in statu absorptionis est; imo si usque instat penetrare in illa, potest facile contrahere delirium, et ex hoc inferri in negationem Dei.
[3] Semel etiam ego in simili statu fui, cogitando quid Deus ab aeterno, quid ante Mundum conditum, egit, numne deliberavit de Creatione, et excogitavit ordinem secundum quem, Numeri in pure vacuo dabilis esset cogitatio deliberativa, praeter irrita alia; sed ne per talia auferrer in deliria, a Domino elevatus sum in sphaeram et lucem, in qua sunt angeli interiores, et postquam idea spatii et temporis, in qua prius cogitatio mea fuit, ibi paulo remota est, datum est comprehendere, quod Aeternitas Dei non sit aeternitas temporis, et quod quia tempus non fuit ante Mundum, prorsus vanum esset de Deo cogitare aliqua talia; tum quia Divinum ab aeterno, ita ab omni tempore abstractum, non involvit dies, annos et saecula, sed quod omnia haec essent Deo Instans, conclusi quod Mundus a Deo creatus sit, non in tempore, sed quod tempora a Deo cum creatione introducta sint.
[4] His adjiciam hoc Memorabile; apparent binae Statuae in humana monstrosa forma cum diductis oribus et dilatatis faucibus in una extremitate Mundi Spiritualis, a quibus videntur sibi deglutiri, qui de Deo ab aeterno vana et dementia cogitant; sed sunt phantasiae, in quas se conjiciunt illi, qui de Deo ante Mundum creatum absona et indebita cogitant.