504.记事二：
有一次，我处于高层天堂天人所在的内在灵视，但同时也在精灵界。 我看到不远处有两个灵，他们没有站在一块。我察觉其中一位热爱良善和真理，从而与天堂相联；而另一位则热爱邪恶与虚假，从而与地狱相联。我走上前招呼他们。通过他们的语气和回应，我推断他们在领悟真理，以及领悟后对它们的承认方面享有同等能力，因而能凭觉知思考，能随其意发挥自己的才智官能，也能随其愿调整自己的意愿官能；所以他们在理性方面享有同等的选择自由。而且，我还观察到，因着这个自由，他们的心智里面有一缕明朗，从其初端视觉，即感知的视觉，一直延伸到其末端视觉，即眼睛的视觉。
但当那位热爱恶与假者独自思考时，我注意到有一种烟从地狱升起，熄灭了记忆上面的那缕明朗，以至于那里如同深夜般漆黑；而且这烟象火焰一样被点燃和燃烧，照亮了记忆下面的心智区域，这使得他思考那些源于爱己之恶的极端虚假。但当那位热爱善与真者也独自思考时，我看见一团柔和的火焰从天降下，照亮了他记忆上面的心智区域，也照亮了记忆下面的区域，直到眼睛；而且那火焰的光明，随着他出于善之爱而对真理感知与思维的增强，越来越明亮。这些现象清楚向我表明，每个人，无论善恶，都有属灵的选择自由，但在恶人里面，地狱有时会熄灭它，而在善人里面，天堂会提升和激发它。
然后，我开始与他们两人交谈，先是那位热爱恶与假者，聊了几句后，我提到了选择自由，他发起火来，说：”相信人在属灵事物上有选择自由，这是何等疯狂！什么人能凭自己有信，或凭自己行善呢？当今牧师不是从圣言教导，若不是从天上赐的，人就不能得什么吗？主基督也跟祂的门徒说：‘离了我，你们就不能做什么。’对此，我再加上一句，没人能动手或脚去行任何善，也没人能开口说任何善之真理。所以教会的智者早已得出结论：人和雕像、木石一样，不能意愿、觉知或思考任何属灵之事，甚至不适合意愿、觉知或思考真理；因此，唯独拥有最大自由和无限权能的神，照着自己的美意将这信吹入人里面，不需要人的一丝努力或力量，神通过圣灵的运作产生所有果效，而不学无术者却将它们归给了人。”
接着，我与那位热爱善与真者交谈，几句话过后，我提到选择自由，他说：”否认人在属灵事物上的选择自由何等荒唐！谁不能意愿并行出良善，谁不能从圣言、因而从本为圣言的主出于自己思考和言说真理？因为主说过，要‘结好果子’，要‘信这光’，‘爱人如己’‘，‘爱神’，还说‘有我的命令又遵守的，这人就是爱我的；我也要爱他‘；整本圣言有成百上千处类似说法。
如果人没有意愿和思考的能力，因此不能做和说圣言所吩咐的事，那圣言有什么用？人若没有这样的能力，教会的信仰不就象一艘沉到海底的遇难船只，船长站在桅杆顶上大声喊：‘我无能为力!‘而与此同时，却看见其他船员坐在救生艇上扬帆而去？亚当不是被赋予自由来选择吃生命树或善恶知识树吗？正是因为他出于自由吃了善恶知识树，所以从地狱来的毒蛇烟雾才侵入他的心智，他因此被逐出伊甸园并受诅。即便如此，他仍未丧失选择自由，因为我们读到，通往生命树的道路被基路伯把守着，若非这样，他也许又要吃它。“
听完这些话，那位热爱恶与假者说：”我不接受刚才听到的这一切，仍坚持我之前所说的。但谁不知道唯有神是活着的，因而是主动的，而人出于自己是死的，因而纯粹是被动的？一个本身是死的、纯粹被动的存在，怎能将活的和主动的东西带给自己呢？”对此我回答说：“人是生命的器官，唯独神是生命；神将自己的生命浇灌到该器官及其每一细微处，正如太阳将它的热注入一棵树及其每一细微处一样。人感受他里面的生命如同是自己的，这也是神的恩赐；之所以让他有如此感受，是为了让人可以貌似凭自己照着和圣言诫命一样多的次序法则生活，因此调适自己以接受神爱，这是神的美意。然而，神始终将手指对准天平的指针，节制人的选择自由，但从不以强迫侵犯这自由。
一棵树不能接受太阳之热通过树根所供应的任何东西，除非它里面的每根纤维都变暖或变热。各元素也不能通过树根往上升，除非每根纤维释放它所接受的热，并因此助力于这些元素的输送。人从神接受生命之热的方式也是一样，不过，与树不同，人感觉这热是自己的，然而它并不是人的。只要人认为这热是他的，不是神的，那么他就接受了神的生命之光，却没有接受神的爱之热，而是接受了地狱的爱之热；由于这热是粗劣的，所以它会阻塞并关闭有机体内的细枝，就象不纯净的血液阻塞人体的毛细血管一样。于是，人使自己从属灵变成纯粹属世。
人的选择自由正是源于他感觉自己里面的生命就是自己的，神使他有如此感觉，是为了实现他们之间的结合，这结合除非是相互的，否则是不可能的。而只有当人貌似完全凭自己自由行动时，才称得上是相互的。若神未将这自由留给人，他将不会是人，也不会有永生；因为与神的相互结合是人之为人而非动物的原因，也是他死后会活到永远的原因。这就是属灵事物上的选择自由所产生的果效。“
听完这番话，那恶灵挪到远处，接着，我看见一条被称为“火蛇”类的飞蛇缠绕在一棵树上，并从那树上摘果子给人吃。然后，我的灵靠近那个地方，发现那不是一条蛇，而是一个畸形的人，他的脸上满是胡须，以至于只能看见鼻子。那里也没有树，而是一根燃烧的树桩，旁边站着一个人，他就是先前有烟进入其心智，然后拒绝相信人在属灵事物上有选择自由的那个人。就在这时，那树桩冒出同样的烟雾，将这二人笼罩起来。他们就这样在我眼前消失了，于是我就离开了。而另一个灵，也就是热爱善与真，并认为人在属灵事物上有选择自由的那一位，则陪我回家。
504. 记事二:
有一次, 我处于高层天堂天人所在的内在灵视, 但同时也在精灵界。 我看到不远处有两个灵, 他们没有站在一块。 我察觉其中一位热爱良善和真理, 从而与天堂相联; 而另一位则热爱邪恶与虚假, 从而与地狱相联。 我走上前招呼他们。 通过他们的语气和回应, 我推断他们在领悟真理, 以及领悟后对它们的承认方面享有同等能力, 因而能凭觉知思考, 能随其意发挥自己的才智官能, 也能随其愿调整自己的意愿官能; 所以他们在理性方面享有同等的选择自由。 而且, 我还观察到, 因着这个自由, 他们的心智里面有一缕明朗, 从其初端视觉, 即感知的视觉, 一直延伸到其末端视觉, 即眼睛的视觉。
但当那位热爱恶与假者独自思考时, 我注意到有一种烟从地狱升起, 熄灭了记忆上面的那缕明朗, 以至于那里如同深夜般漆黑; 而且这烟象火焰一样被点燃和燃烧, 照亮了记忆下面的心智区域, 这使得他思考那些源于爱己之恶的极端虚假。 但当那位热爱善与真者也独自思考时, 我看见一团柔和的火焰从天降下, 照亮了他记忆上面的心智区域, 也照亮了记忆下面的区域, 直到眼睛; 而且那火焰的光明, 随着他出于善之爱而对真理感知与思维的增强, 越来越明亮。 这些现象清楚向我表明, 每个人, 无论善恶, 都有属灵的选择自由, 但在恶人里面, 地狱有时会熄灭它, 而在善人里面, 天堂会提升和激发它。
然后, 我开始与他们两人交谈, 先是那位热爱恶与假者, 聊了几句后, 我提到了选择自由, 他发起火来, 说:”相信人在属灵事物上有选择自由, 这是何等疯狂! 什么人能凭自己有信, 或凭自己行善呢? 当今牧师不是从圣言教导, 若不是从天上赐的, 人就不能得什么吗? 主基督也跟祂的门徒说:‘离了我, 你们就不能做什么。 ’对此, 我再加上一句, 没人能动手或脚去行任何善, 也没人能开口说任何善之真理。 所以教会的智者早已得出结论: 人和雕像, 木石一样, 不能意愿, 觉知或思考任何属灵之事, 甚至不适合意愿, 觉知或思考真理; 因此, 唯独拥有最大自由和无限权能的神, 照着自己的美意将这信吹入人里面, 不需要人的一丝努力或力量, 神通过圣灵的运作产生所有果效, 而不学无术者却将它们归给了人。 ”
接着, 我与那位热爱善与真者交谈, 几句话过后, 我提到选择自由, 他说:”否认人在属灵事物上的选择自由何等荒唐! 谁不能意愿并行出良善, 谁不能从圣言, 因而从本为圣言的主出于自己思考和言说真理? 因为主说过, 要‘结好果子’, 要‘信这光’, ‘爱人如己’‘, ‘爱神’, 还说‘有我的命令又遵守的, 这人就是爱我的; 我也要爱他‘; 整本圣言有成百上千处类似说法。
如果人没有意愿和思考的能力, 因此不能做和说圣言所吩咐的事, 那圣言有什么用? 人若没有这样的能力, 教会的信仰不就象一艘沉到海底的遇难船只, 船长站在桅杆顶上大声喊: ‘我无能为力!‘而与此同时, 却看见其他船员坐在救生艇上扬帆而去? 亚当不是被赋予自由来选择吃生命树或善恶知识树吗?正是因为他出于自由吃了善恶知识树, 所以从地狱来的毒蛇烟雾才侵入他的心智, 他因此被逐出伊甸园并受诅。 即便如此, 他仍未丧失选择自由, 因为我们读到, 通往生命树的道路被基路伯把守着, 若非这样, 他也许又要吃它。 “
听完这些话, 那位热爱恶与假者说:”我不接受刚才听到的这一切, 仍坚持我之前所说的。 但谁不知道唯有神是活着的, 因而是主动的, 而人出于自己是死的, 因而纯粹是被动的? 一个本身是死的, 纯粹被动的存在, 怎能将活的和主动的东西带给自己呢?”对此我回答说:“人是生命的器官, 唯独神是生命; 神将自己的生命浇灌到该器官及其每一细微处, 正如太阳将它的热注入一棵树及其每一细微处一样。 人感受他里面的生命如同是自己的, 这也是神的恩赐; 之所以让他有如此感受, 是为了让人可以貌似凭自己照着和圣言诫命一样多的次序法则生活, 因此调适自己以接受神爱, 这是神的美意。 然而, 神始终将手指对准天平的指针, 节制人的选择自由, 但从不以强迫侵犯这自由。
一棵树不能接受太阳之热通过树根所供应的任何东西, 除非它里面的每根纤维都变暖或变热。 各元素也不能通过树根往上升, 除非每根纤维释放它所接受的热, 并因此助力于这些元素的输送。 人从神接受生命之热的方式也是一样, 不过, 与树不同, 人感觉这热是自己的, 然而它并不是人的。 只要人认为这热是他的, 不是神的, 那么他就接受了神的生命之光, 却没有接受神的爱之热, 而是接受了地狱的爱之热; 由于这热是粗劣的, 所以它会阻塞并关闭有机体内的细枝, 就象不纯净的血液阻塞人体的毛细血管一样。 于是, 人使自己从属灵变成纯粹属世。
人的选择自由正是源于他感觉自己里面的生命就是自己的, 神使他有如此感觉, 是为了实现他们之间的结合, 这结合除非是相互的, 否则是不可能的。 而只有当人貌似完全凭自己自由行动时, 才称得上是相互的。 若神未将这自由留给人, 他将不会是人, 也不会有永生; 因为与神的相互结合是人之为人而非动物的原因, 也是他死后会活到永远的原因。 这就是属灵事物上的选择自由所产生的果效。 “
听完这番话, 那恶灵挪到远处, 接着, 我看见一条被称为“火蛇”类的飞蛇缠绕在一棵树上, 并从那树上摘果子给人吃。 然后, 我的灵靠近那个地方, 发现那不是一条蛇, 而是一个畸形的人, 他的脸上满是胡须, 以至于只能看见鼻子。 那里也没有树, 而是一根燃烧的树桩, 旁边站着一个人, 他就是先前有烟进入其心智, 然后拒绝相信人在属灵事物上有选择自由的那个人。 就在这时, 那树桩冒出同样的烟雾, 将这二人笼罩起来。 他们就这样在我眼前消失了, 于是我就离开了。 而另一个灵, 也就是热爱善与真, 并认为人在属灵事物上有选择自由的那一位, 则陪我回家。
504. The second memorable occurrence. At one point I was experiencing the inner spiritual sight enjoyed by the angels of the higher heaven, even though I was in the world of spirits. I saw two spirits, who were not far from me although they were quite far from each other. I could tell that one of them loved goodness and truth and was therefore connected to heaven, but the other loved evil and falsity and was therefore connected to hell. I came nearer and called them together. From the sounds and contents of their responses, I gathered that the one was every bit as able as the other to perceive truths and acknowledge them, to think with understanding, and to steer the faculties of his intellect as he pleased and the faculties of his will as he wished. Therefore in the whole rational arena each one had the same level of free choice. Furthermore, I observed that as a result of that freedom in their minds, there was a light in them that extended from the first type of sight (the sight of perception) to the lowest type of sight (the sight of the eye).
[2] Nevertheless, I observed that when the one who loved evil and falsity was left to his own thoughts, a kind of smoke from hell arose and extinguished the light that was above his memory; as a result, that level in him became as dark as midnight. I also noticed that the smoke caught fire and burned like a flame, illuminating the region of his mind below the memory. This led him to think horrendous falsities that were derived from the evils of his self-love.
When the other person, though, who loved goodness and truth, was left to himself, I saw a kind of gentle flame flowing down from heaven, which illuminated the region of his mind above the memory, and the region below it as well, all the way to the eye. Because of this flame, the light in him began to shine more and more as his love for goodness led him to perceive and think truth.
This experience made it clear to me that everyone, whether good or evil, possesses spiritual free choice; but hell often extinguishes that freedom in those who are evil, whereas heaven kindles and exalts it in those who are good.
[3] Afterward I had a conversation with each of them. I spoke first with the one who loved evil and falsity. We talked a little about his situation; but when I mentioned free choice he went into a rage.
He said, "Ah, what insanity it is to believe that we have free choice in spiritual matters! Can any of us acquire faith for ourselves and do good on our own? Doesn't the priesthood today teach us from the Word that no one is able to receive anything unless it is given from heaven [John 3:27], and that Christ the Lord said to his disciples, 'Without me you cannot do anything' [John 15:5]? I might add that none can move their feet or hands to do anything good or make their tongues say anything true that arises from goodness. Therefore the great thinkers of our church have led us to conclude that we human beings are unable to will, understand, or think anything spiritual and cannot even accommodate ourselves to willing, understanding, or thinking anything spiritual, any more than a statue, a log, or a stone could. Therefore God, who alone possesses absolute freedom and limitless power, inspires us with faith as he pleases. By the activity of the Holy Spirit without any effort or power on our part, this faith produces every ability that ignorant people ascribe to us as our own. "
[4] Then I spoke with the other person, the one who loved goodness and truth. After some conversation about his current situation, I mentioned free choice. He said, "What insanity it is to deny that we have free choice in spiritual matters! All have the ability to will and do what is good and to think and say what is true under their own initiative on behalf of the Word and of the Lord, who is the Word. The Word says, 'Produce good fruit,' and 'Believe in the Light'; 'Love one another,' and 'Love God. ' It also says, 'Those who hear and do my commandments are the ones who love me and I will love them' - not to mention a thousand passages like this throughout the Word. What would the point of the Word be if we had no ability to will and think and do and say what it commands us to do? If we lacked these powers, religion and the church would be like a shipwrecked vessel that has run aground, whose captain is standing on the top of its mast, shouting, 'There is nothing I can do,' even though he sees the other sailors hoisting sails and sailing off in the lifeboats.
"Surely, Adam was given freedom to eat from the tree of life and also from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Because he freely chose to eat from the latter tree, smoke from the serpent (meaning hell) entered his mind and he was thrown out of paradise and cursed. Yet even then he did not lose free choice: we read that the way to the tree of life was protected by an angel guardian [Genesis 3:24], which implies that if this action had not been taken, he could have tried to eat from that tree again. "
[5] At this point the one who loved evil and falsity said, "I am going to take with me what I said myself, but leave behind what I just heard from you. Everyone knows that God alone is living and active and that of ourselves we are dead and merely passive. How could a being that is intrinsically dead and merely passive take into itself anything alive and active?"
"We are an organism that receives life," I responded. "God alone is life itself. God pours his own life into this organism and every part of it, just as the sun pours its heat into a tree and every part of it. God grants us to feel his life in ourselves as our own. God wants us to feel this so we can live according to the laws of the divine design (that is, the commandments in the Word) as if we did so under our own initiative, and arrange ourselves to receive God's love. Nevertheless, although God constantly keeps his finger on the pointer of the scales to keep us in check, he never violates our free choice by forcing us.
[6] "A tree cannot receive anything that the heat of the sun brings in through the roots unless each individual filament of the roots grows warm. Elements cannot rise up through the root system unless those individual filaments, having received that warmth, give off heat to help the elements pass through. It is similar with us in regard to the heat of life we receive from God; but unlike a tree, we sense this heat as our own, although it is not actually ours. To the extent that we believe this heat belongs to us and not to God, we receive from God the light of life but not the heat of love; instead, the heat of love we feel comes from hell. Because that heat is thick, it blocks and closes off the purer channels within us as an organism, just as impure blood blocks and closes off the capillaries in our bodies. This is how we turn ourselves from spiritual people into merely earthly people.
[7] "Our free choice comes from our sense that we have life within us as if it were our own. God allows us to feel this way for the sake of our partnership [with him]. A partnership with God would not be possible if it were not reciprocal, and it becomes reciprocal when we act freely, and completely as if we were on our own. If we were not allowed by God to feel this way, we would not be human and our life would not be eternal. Our reciprocal partnership with God is what makes us humans and not animals and enables us to live to eternity after death. What makes all this possible is our free choice in spiritual matters. "
[8] Upon hearing this, the evil spirit moved off into the distance. I then saw a flying serpent of the type that is known as a prester on a particular tree. It was offering a piece of fruit to someone there. I went in the spirit in that direction. There in place of the serpent I saw a human monster, whose face was so covered with a huge beard that only the nose protruded. In place of the tree there was a lit torch, next to which stood the person whose mind had filled with smoke and who had then rejected free choice in spiritual matters. Suddenly a similar smoke came out of the torch and poured out in all directions. Because those figures were taken out of my sight at that point, I left. But the other person, the one who loved goodness and truth and who asserted that human beings do have free choice in spiritual matters, remained with me on my journey home.
504. The second experience.
I was once, while in the world of spirits, given the inward spiritual sight enjoyed by the angels of the higher heaven; and I saw two spirits not far from me, though some distance apart. I could tell that one of them loved good and truth, which linked him with heaven, and the other loved evil and falsity, which linked him with hell. I approached and called them to me, and from the sound of their voices and their replies I gathered that they were each equally able to perceive truths, and acknowledge them when perceived, to use their understanding to think about them, and to direct their intellectual processes as they pleased, and the motions of their will as they liked; in other words each enjoyed similar free will on the rational level. Moreover I noticed that as a result of that free will there appeared in their minds a glow which extended from the first vision, that of perception, to the last, that of the eye.
[2] But when the one who loved evil and falsity was left alone to think, I observed something like smoke rising from hell and putting out the glow above the level of the memory, so that he was in thick darkness as of midnight. This smoke caught fire and burned like a flame lighting up the region of his mind below the level of memory; this caused him to think of extraordinary falsities arising from the evils of self-love. When the other, however, the one who loved good and truth, was left alone, I saw a gentle flame flowing down on him from heaven, which lit up the region of his mind above the level of memory, and the region below this as well right down to the level of the eye. The light from this flame shone brighter and brighter as his love for good led him to perceive and think of truth. These sights showed me plainly that everyone, wicked as well as good, enjoys spiritual free will, but that hell sometimes blots it out in the case of the wicked, and heaven enhances it and makes it burn brighter in the case of the good.
[3] After this I talked with each of them, first with the one who loved evil and falsity. I had asked something about his experiences, but he was incensed when I mentioned free will. 'What madness it is,' he said, 'to believe that man has free will in spiritual matters! Can any human being help himself to faith and do good of himself? Does not the priesthood at the present time teach what the Word says, that no one can acquire anything unless it is given him from heaven? The Lord Christ said to His disciples, 'Without me you can do nothing.' To this I would add, that no one can move his foot or his hand to do any good action, nor move his tongue to utter any truth derived from good. The church therefore under the guidance of its wise men came to the conclusion that man is unable to will, understand or think about anything spiritual, not even to fit himself to willing, understanding or thinking about it, any more than a statue, a block of wood or a stone; and that therefore God, who alone has the freest and unlimited power, at His good pleasure breathes faith into man, and this, without any action or power on our part, by the working of the Holy Spirit produces all the effects which the uneducated attribute to man.'
[4] Then I talked with the other spirit, the one who loved good and truth, and when I had asked something about his experiences, I mentioned free will. 'What madness it is,' he said, 'to deny that man has free will in spiritual matters! Is there anyone who is unable to will and do good, and to think about and speak truth of himself, which he draws from the Word, and so from the Lord who is the Word? For He said: "Bring forth good fruit" and "Believe in the light," as well as "Love one another" and "Love God;" or again "He who hears and keeps my commandments loves me, and I will love him;" not to mention thousands of similar things throughout the Word. So what use then would the Word be, if man could will and think nothing, and so do and speak nothing that is prescribed in it? If man did not have that ability, what would religion and the church be but a shipwreck lying at the bottom of the sea, with the ship-master standing on top of the mast, shouting. 'There's nothing I can do,' while he watches the rest of the crew hoist sail in the life-boats and sail away. Was not Adam given freedom to eat from the tree of life and also from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? And because in his freedom he ate from the latter tree, smoke from the serpent, that is, from hell, entered his mind, and on account of that he was expelled from paradise and cursed. Yet even still he did not lose his free will, for we read that the route to the tree of life was guarded by a cherub, because if that had not been done, he could still have wished to eat from it.'
[5] When he said this, the other spirit who loved evil and falsity said: 'I reject what I have just heard, and keep in my mind what I suggested myself. Surely everyone knows that it is only God who is alive and so is active, and man is of himself dead, and so is purely passive? How could someone like this, who in himself is dead and purely passive, take to himself what is alive and active?'
My reply to this was: 'Man is an instrument for life; and God alone is life. God pours His life into the instrument and all its parts, just as the sun pours its heat into a tree and all its parts. God allows man to feel that life in himself as if it were his own; and God wants man to feel this so that man may, as it were of himself, live in accordance with the laws of order, which are as many as there are commandments in the Word; and so that he may put himself into a suitable state of mind to receive the love of God. Still God continually keeps His finger on the pointer of the balance, and controls it, without, however, violating free will by compulsion.
[6] 'A tree is unable to receive anything that the sun's heat supplies through its root, unless every single fibre in it is warmed and heated. Nor can elements rise up through the root, unless every single fibre passes on the heat it has received and thus contributes to the transport. Man behaves in like fashion with the vital heat he receives from God, but in distinction from a tree he feels the heat as his own, though it is not his. To the extent that he believes it is his and not God's, he receives vital light though not the heat of love from God, but the heat of love from hell. Since this is gross, it obstructs and closes the finer ramifications of the instrument, just as impure blood does the capillary vessels of the body. In this way a person turns himself from being spiritual into a purely natural man.
[7] 'Man's free will is derived from his feeling the life in him as his own, and God's leaving him to feel like this so that linking may take place. This linking is impossible unless it is reciprocal, and it becomes so when a person freely acts as if of himself. If God had not left man to do this, man would not be man, nor could he have everlasting life. For it is the reciprocal link with God which makes man a man rather than an animal, and allows him after death to live for ever. This is the result of free will in spiritual matters.'
[8] On hearing this the wicked spirit took himself off to a distance, and I then saw a flying serpent, of the sort called prester 1 , on a certain tree, offering someone fruit from it. In the spirit I approached the place, and saw there in place of the serpent a monstrous man, whose face was so covered in beard that only his nose stuck out; and instead of the tree there was a lighted fire-brand, near which he stood. The smoke had previously penetrated his mind, and after that he rejected the idea of free will in spiritual matters. Suddenly similar smoke came out of the fire-brand and surrounded both it and the man. Since they were thus lost to view, I went away. But the other spirit, who loved good and truth and insisted that man has free will in spiritual matters, accompanied me home.
Footnotes:
1. Or 'fiery serpent'.
504. Second Memorable Relation:
I was once in that interior spiritual sight in which the angels of the superior heaven are, but I was then in the world of spirits. And I saw two spirits not far away, standing apart from each other; and I perceived that one of them loved good and truth, and was thereby in conjunction with heaven, while the other loved evil and falsity, and was thereby in conjunction with hell. I approached and called them; and from their tones and their replies, I gathered that one could perceive truths as well as the other, could acknowledge them when perceived, could thus think from the understanding, and direct his intellectual faculties as he pleased, and his voluntary faculties as he wished; consequently that they were in like freedom of choice in rational matters. I observed, moreover, that from that freedom there appeared in their minds a lucidity extending from their first sight, which was that of perception, to their last, which was that of the eye.
[2] But when the one who loved evil and falsity was left to his own thought, I noticed that a kind of smoke arose from hell, and extinguished that lucidity which was above the memory, so that there was a thick darkness in him there like that of midnight; and also that the smoke ignited and burned like a flame, which illuminated the region of his mind below the memory, and this caused him to think enormous falsities arising from the evils of the love of self. But when the other, who loved good and truth, was left to himself, I saw, as it were, a gentle flame flowing down from heaven, which illuminated the region of his mind above the memory, and also the region below it even to the eye; also that the light from that flame shone brighter and brighter, in proportion as from the love of good he had a perception and thought of the truth.
From seeing this, it was made clear to me that every man, good and evil alike, has spiritual freedom of choice, but that hell sometimes extinguishes it in the wicked, while heaven exalts and enkindles it in the good.
[3] Afterward I talked with both of them, first with the one who loved evil and falsity, and when, after a few words about his lot, I mentioned freedom of choice, he fired up, and said, "What madness it is to believe that man has freedom of choice in spiritual things! What man can acquire faith of himself, or do good of himself? Does not the priesthood of today teach from the Word that no man can receive anything unless it be given him from heaven? And the Lord Christ said to His disciples, 'Apart from Me ye can do nothing.' To which I will add, that no man can move hand or foot to do any good, or move his tongue to speak any truth from good. Therefore the church by her wise men has concluded that man can no more will, understand or think anything spiritual, or even adapt himself to willing, understanding, or thinking truth, than a statue, a stock or a stone; and therefore it is God who according to His good pleasure inspires faith, to whom alone belongs most free and unlimited power; and this faith, without any labor or power of ours, under the operation of the Holy Spirit, produces all that the unlearned ascribe to man."
[4] I then talked with the other, who loved good and truth; and when, after a few remarks about his lot, I mentioned freedom of choice, he said, "What madness it is to deny man's freedom of choice in spiritual things! Who is not able to will and do good, and think and speak what is true of himself from the Word, thus from the Lord who is the Word? For He has said, 'Make the fruit good,' and 'Believe in the right,' and 'Love one another,' and 'Love God,' and also, 'Whosoever heareth My precepts and doeth them, loveth Me, and I will love him;' besides thousands of like sayings throughout the Word. What then is the Word good for, if man has no power to will and think, and from that to do and say what is there commanded? Without that power in man, what would religion in the church be but like a wrecked vessel lying at the bottom of the sea, with the captain standing on the very top of the mast and crying out, 'I can do nothing;' while he sees the crew in the small boats with sails spread and sailing away? Was there not given to Adam the freedom to eat of the tree of life, and also of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? And because from his freedom he ate of this latter tree, smoke from the serpent, that is, from hell, entered his mind, on account of which he was cast out of Paradise and cursed. And still he did not lose his freedom of choice, for we read that the way to the tree of life was guarded by a cherub, and unless this had been done, he might still have wished to eat of it."
[5] At these remarks the other, who loved evil and falsity, said, "What I have heard, I pass by; what I before advance I still adhere to. But who does not know that God alone is alive and thus active, while man is of himself dead and therefore merely passive? How can a being who is in himself dead and merely passive take to himself anything living and active?"
To this I replied, "Man is an organ of life, and God alone is life; and God pours His life into the organ and into every least part of it; as the sun pours its heat into a tree and every least part of it. It is also God's gift that man should feel that life in himself as if it were his own, and it is God's will that he should so feel it, in order that man as if of himself may live in accordance with the laws of order, which are as numerous as the precepts of the Word, and thus may dispose himself for the reception of God's love. Nevertheless, God perpetually holds with his finger the perpendicular above the scales, and moderates man's freedom of choice, but never violates it by compulsion.
[6] A tree cannot receive anything that the heat of the sun brings to it through its roots, unless it grows warm and is heated in every least fiber; nor can the elements rise up through its roots, unless every least fiber gives out heat from that which it has received, and thus contributes to the passage of those elements. Man does likewise from the heat of life that he receives from God; but unlike a tree, man feels the heat as his own, and yet it is not his own; and while so far as he believes that it is his and not God's, he receives the light of life, he does not receive the heat of love from God, but the heat of love from hell; and this being gross obstructs and closes the purer branchlets of the organism, as impure blood clogs the capillary vessels of the body. Thus man from being spiritual makes himself merely natural.
[7] Man's freedom of choice is from this, that any life in himself is felt as his own, and that God leaves him so to feel in order that a conjunction may be effected between them, which is not possible unless it is reciprocal; and it becomes reciprocal when man acts from freedom altogether as if of himself. If God had not left this to man, he would not be man, neither would he have eternal life; for reciprocal conjunction with God is the cause that man is man, and not a beast, and also that he lives after death to eternity. This is the effect of freedom of choice in spiritual things."
[8] After hearing this, the evil spirit removed to a distance, and then I saw upon a certain tree a flying serpent, such as is called a fiery serpent, which held out to somebody fruit from the tree. I then drew near in spirit to the place, and instead of the serpent a monstrous man was seen there, his face so covered with beard that only his nose was visible; and instead of the tree there was a burning stump, near which stood the man whose mind the smoke had formerly entered, and who had afterwards rejected the idea of freedom of choice in spiritual things. And just then a similar smoke came out of the stump, and enveloped them both; and as they were thus taken out of my sight, I went away. But the other spirit, who loved good and truth, and held that man has freedom of choice in spiritual things, accompanied me home.
504. The second experience. Once while in the world of spirits, I was in the enjoyment of that interior spiritual vision possessed by angels of the higher heaven; and I saw two spirits not far from me but yet some distance from each other. I perceived that one of them loved good and truth, and so was in conjunction with heaven, while the other loved evil and falsity, and so was in conjunction with hell. I approached and called them together; and in the course of conversation I gathered from the tone and substance of their replies that both could perceive truths and acknowledge them when seen, and thus think from the understanding; also that they could form conclusions on matters of the understanding as they pleased, and on matters of the will as it seemed good to them; and that both, therefore, enjoyed the same free will in rational matters. I also observed that in consequence of that freedom in their minds there appeared a lucidity from the first seat of vision, which is that of perception, to the last, which is the eye.
[2] When the spirit who loved evil and falsity was engaged in thought by himself I noticed that smoke, as it were, ascended from hell and extinguished the brilliant light which was in the region above his memory, causing thick darkness there, like that of midnight. Then the smoke seemed to catch fire, and bursting into a flame, it lit up the region of his mind below the memory, and in consequence he conceived dreadful falsities from the evils of self-love. But when the other spirit who loved good and truth was left to himself, I saw as it were a gentle flame descending from heaven which lit up the region of his mind above the memory, and also the region below it, as far as the eye; and the light from that flame shone brighter and brighter as from the love of good he advanced in the perception of truth, and continued to meditate upon it. From what I observed it was evident to me that every man, the evil as well as the good, enjoys spiritual free will; but that hell sometimes extinguishes it in the wicked, while heaven exalts and kindles it in the good.
[3] I then entered into conversation with both of them, and first with him who loved evil and falsity. After some words regarding his manner of life, I mentioned free will, and speaking with some warmth he said: "What madness it is to believe that a man has free will in spiritual things! For who can acquire faith for himself and do good of himself? The clergy at this day teach from the Word that no man can receive anything except it be given him from heaven; and the Lord Christ said to His disciples, 'Without me ye can do nothing;' and to this I add, that no one can move his foot or hand to do any good, or his tongue to speak any truth from good. The Church, therefore, by her own wise men has concluded that a man can no more will, understand, and think anything spiritual, or even fit himself to will, understand and think it, than a statue, a stock and a stone; and that, therefore, of His own good pleasure, faith is inspired by God, who alone has free and unbounded power; and this faith, without any labor and power on our part, but simply by the operation of the Holy Spirit, accomplishes all that the unlearned ascribe to man."
[4] I next spoke with the other, who loved good and truth. After some words upon his lot in life, I mentioned free will, and he said: "What madness it is to deny free will in spiritual things! Who cannot will and do good, and think and speak truth of himself from the Word, thus from the Lord who is the Word? For the Lord said, 'Bring forth good fruit,' and 'Believe in the light,' and also, 'Love one another,' and 'Love God.' Again, 'Whosoever heareth my commandments and doeth them, loveth me, and I will love him;' not to mention thousands of similar passages throughout the whole of the Word. Of what use then, would the Word be if a man had no power to will and think and consequently to do and say what is there commanded? If man had not this power, religion and the Church would be like a wrecked ship lying on the bottom of the sea, with the master at the mast-top calling out, 'I can do nothing,' while he sees the rest of the sailors hoisting the sails in the lifeboats and making their escape. Freedom was granted to Adam to eat of the tree of life and also of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; and, because of his own freedom he ate of the latter tree, smoke from the serpent, that is, from hell, entered his mind, which resulted in his expulsion from paradise and the curse upon him. Nevertheless he did not lose his free will, for we read that the way to the tree of life was guarded by a cherub, otherwise he would still have been able to exercise his will and eat of it."
[5] When he had thus spoken, the other, who loved evil and falsity said, "I do not accept what I have just heard, and I maintain what I have asserted. Every one knows that God alone lives, and thus is active, while man of himself is dead, and thus merely passive. How, then, can one who in himself is dead and merely passive acquire for himself anything living and active?" To this I replied: "Man is an organ of life, but God alone is Life; and He infuses His life into the organ and all its parts, as the sun infuses its heat into the tree and all its parts. Moreover, God grants that man should feel that life in himself as his own; and He wishes that he should have that feeling in order that he may live as of himself, according to all the laws of order, which are as many as are the precepts in the Word, and dispose himself to receive the love of God. Nevertheless God continually holds His finger on the pointer of the balance, regulating but never violating man's free will by compulsion.
[6] A tree cannot receive anything which the heat of the sun introduces through the root unless all its fibres are gradually warmed and heated; nor can the elements rise through the root unless these fibres receive the heat and breathe it out again, and so contribute to their passage. So it is with man who receives the heat of life from God; but he, unlike the tree, feels that heat as his own, although it is not his. In the degree, however, that he believes it to be his, and not God's, he receives from God the light of life, but not the heat of love. The heat of love he receives from hell; and this, being gross in nature, obstructs and closes up the finer fibres of his organism, just as impure blood does the capillary vessels of the body. Thus a man from being spiritual makes himself merely natural.
[7] His free will depends upon the fact that he feels the life within him to be his own; and that God permits him to have this feeling for the sake of conjunction, which cannot be effected unless it is reciprocal; and it becomes reciprocal when man acts from freedom entirely as of himself. If God had not left to him this feeling, he would not be a man, nor would he have eternal life; for reciprocal conjunction with God causes him to be a man and not a beast, and also is the reason why he lives after death to eternity. This is the effect of free will in spiritual things."
[8] When he heard this that evil spirit withdrew some distance, and I saw the flying serpent, called the fiery serpent, on a certain tree, offering someone fruit from it. Then in spirit I drew near to the place, and there, instead of the serpent, was a monster of a man, whose face, all but his nose, was covered with a beard; and instead of the tree there was a burning stump, beside which stood the spirit into whose mind the smoke from hell had entered, and who thereupon rejected all belief in free will in spiritual things. Then on a sudden a similar smoke arose from the stump, and enveloped them both; and as they were thus removed from my sight I departed. But the other spirit who loved good and truth, and asserted man's free will in spiritual things, accompanied me home.
504. SECUNDUM MEMORABILE: Fui in visu interiori spirituali, in quo sunt superioris Coeli Angeli, at tunc in Mundo spirituum; et vidi duos Spiritus non procul a me, a se tamen distantes, et appercepi, quod unus ex illis amaret bonum et verum, et per id conjunctus Coelo, et quod alter amaret malum et falsum, et per id conjunctus Inferno; accessi et convocavi illos, et ex sonis et responsis illorum collegi, quod unus sicut alter posset veritates percipere, perceptas agnoscere, ita ex intellectu cogitare, et quoque determinare intellectualia sicut placuit, et voluntaria sicut lubuit, proinde quod uterque in simili libero Arbitrio esset quoad rationalia; et insuper observavi, quod ex illo Libero in mentibus illorum appareret lucidum a primo visu qui erat perceptionis, ad ultimum visum qui erat oculi;
[2] sed cum ille, qui malum et falsum amavit, sibi relictus cogitaret, animadverti, quod sicut fumus ab Inferno ascenderet, ac lucidum, quod erat supra memoriam, exstingueret, 1 unde illi caligo ibi, sicut mediae noctis, tum etiam quod fumus ille accensus arderet sicut flamma, quae illuminabat mentis regionem, quae sub memoria erat, ex quo cogitavit enormia falsa ex malis amoris sui. Apud Alterum autem, qui amavit bonum et verum, cum sibi relictus erat, vidi sicut mitem flammam defluentem e Coelo, quae illuminavit regionem mentis ejus supra memoriam, et quoque regionem infra illam usque ad oculum, et quod lumen ex flamma illa splenderet plus et plus, sicut ex amore boni percepit et cogitavit verum. Ex his visis patuit mihi, quod cuivis homini, tam malo quam bono esset Liberum Arbitrium spirituale; sed quod Infernum aliquoties exstinguat illud apud malos, et quod Coelum exaltet et accendat illud apud bonos.
[3] Post haec loquutus sum cum utroque, et primum cum illo qui amavit malum et falsum, et post aliqua de sorte ejus, cum nominavi Liberum arbitrium, excanduit, et dixit, ah, quae vesania est credere, quod homini sit Liberum arbitrium in spiritualibus; quis homo potest fidem sibi assumere, et bonum facere a se; docetne Sacerdotium hodie ex Verbo, quod nemo possit sumere quicquam nisi datum sit e Coelo, et Dominus Christus dixit ad suos Discipulos, sine Me non potestis facere quicquam, [Johannes 15:5,] quibus hoc addo, quod nemo possit movere pedem, nec manum ad faciendum aliquod bonum, nec movere linguam ad loquendum aliquod verum ex bono, quare Ecclesia ex sapientibus suis conclusit, quod homo non possit velle, intelligere, et cogitare aliquod spirituale, et ne quidem se accommodare ad volendum, intelligendum et cogitandum illud, plus quam statua, truncus et lapis, et quod ideo a Deo, cui Soli est Potentia liberrima et illimitata, ex beneplacito inspiretur fides, quae absque omni opera et potentia nostra, operante Spiritu Sancto, producit omnia, quae ineruditi addicunt homini.
[4] Deinde loquutus sum cum Altero, qui amavit bonum et verum, et post aliqua de sorte ejus, cum nominavi Liberum Arbitrium, dixit ille, quae vesania est negare Liberum arbitrium in spiritualibus; quis non potest velle et facere 2 bonum, ac cogitare et loqui verum ex se a Verbo, ita a Domino qui est Verbum; dixit enim, Facite fructus bonos, et credite in Lucem, et quoque amate vos invicem, et amate Deum; tum qui audit et facit praecepta mea, ille amat Me, et Ego amabo illum; praeter millia similia in toto Verbo: ad quod itaque Verbum, si homo nihil posset velle et cogitare, et inde facere et loqui, quod ibi mandatum est; absque illa potentia apud hominem, quid foret Religio et Ecclesia, nisi sicut navis naufraga, quae in fundo maris jacet, super cujus mali summitate stat nauclerus, et clamat, non possum quicquam, et videt reliquos nautas in naviculis appensis velis enavigare: nonne datum est Adamo Liberum edendi ex Arbore vitae, et quoque ex Arbore scientiae boni et mali, et quia ex Libero suo edit ex hac Arbore, fumus ex serpente, hoc est, Inferno, intravit mentem ejus, propter quod ejectus est e Paradiso, et maledictus; et tamen non perdidit Liberum Arbitrium, nam legitur quod custodita sit a Cherubo via ad Arborem vitae, quod nisi factum esset, potuisset adhuc velle ab illa edere.
[5] His edictis, Alter qui amavit malum et falsum, dixit, illa quae audivi relinquo; retineo apud me quae protuli, sed quis non novit, quod solus Deus sit vivus et inde activus, et quod homo ex se sit mortuus, et inde mere passivus; quomodo talis, qui in se mortuus et mere passivus est, potest sibi assumere aliquod vivum et activum: ad hoc respondi, homo est Organum vitae, et Deus Solus est Vita, et Deus infundit suam vitam Organo et singulis ejus, sicut Sol infundit calorem suum Arbori et singulis ejus, et Deus dat ut homo sentiat illam vitam in se ut suam, ac ita sentire, vult Deus, propter causam, ut homo secundum Leges ordinis, quae totidem sunt quot praecepta in Verbo, sicut ex se vivat, et se disponat ad recipiendum Amorem Dei; at usque Deus perpetuo tenet digito perpendiculum supra libram, et moderatur, at nusquam violat Liberum arbitrium cogendo:
[6] non potest Arbor aliquid recipere, quod Calor solis per radicem infert, nisi tepescat ac calescat quoad singula fila sua; nec possunt elementa per radicem exsurgere, nisi singula fila ejus ex recepto calore etiam calorem exspirent, et sic conferant ad transitum; similiter homo ex recepto calore vitae a Deo; sed hic secus ac Arbor sentit illum ut suum, tametsi non est ejus; at quantum credit quod ejus sit, et non Dei, tantum recipit lucem vitae, non autem calorem amoris a Deo, sed calorem amoris ab Inferno, qui quia crassus est, obstruit et occludit puriores ramusculos Organi, sicut sanguis impurus vasa capillaria corporis; ita homo se facit a spirituali mere naturalem.
[7] Liberum Arbitrium homini inde est, quod sentiat vitam in se sicut suam, et quod Deus relinquat homini ita sentire, ut fiat conjunctio, quae non dabilis est nisi sit reciproca, ac reciproca fit dum homo ex Libero prorsus ut a se agit: si Deus id homini non reliquisset, homo nec foret homo, neque foret ei vita aeterna, nam conjunctio reciproca cum Deo facit ut homo sit homo et non bestia, et quoque quod post mortem vivat in aeternum; Liberum Arbitrium in spiritualibus hoc efficit.
[8] Hoc audito, malus ille Spiritus se removit ad distantiam, et tunc vidi serpentem volantem, qui vocatur prester, super quadam arbore, qui porrexit cuidam fructum inde; et tunc in spiritu accessi ad locum, et ibi loco serpentis visus est monstrosus homo, cujus faciem obtexit barba adeo, ut non exstaret nisi nasus, ac loco arboris erat torris ignitus, ad quem stetit ille, cujus mentem prius intravit fumus, et postea Liberum Arbitrium in spiritualibus rejecit; et subito similis fumus exivit ex torre, et circumfudit utrumque; et quia sic subducti sunt a visu meo, abivi; alter vero, qui amabat bonum et verum, et asseruit, quod homini sit liberum arbitrium in spiritualibus, me comitatus est domum.
Footnotes: