507.记事五：
有一次，我与天人们交谈，最后谈到每个人与生俱来的恶欲。其中一个说：“在我们的世界，有私欲者在我们天人眼里如同愚痴，然而在他们自己看来，却好象充满智慧。因此，为了使他们脱离这样的愚痴，就让他们交替进入愚痴和其外在理性中。但当处于理性状态时，尽管他们明白并坦承自己的愚痴，却仍渴望从理性回到愚痴，并且任由自己进入这状态，好象他们正在拿强迫和不快换回自由和快乐。所以，给予他们内在快乐的，是私欲，而不是明智。
存在三种普遍之爱，每个人都通过创造由这三种爱构成；它们是：对邻之爱，即发挥作用之爱，这爱是属灵的；对尘世之爱，即占有财富之爱，这爱是物质的；我爱，即控制他人之爱，这爱是肉体的。当对邻之爱，或说发挥作用之爱构成头；对尘世之爱，或说对占有财富之爱构成胸、腹；而我爱，或说控制他人之爱构成脚和脚底时，人才是真正的人。但当对尘世之爱构成头时，人只不过是驼背而已；而若我爱构成头，那他不象是双脚站立的人，而象以手掌撑地、头朝下、屁股在空中的姿势站立之人。
当发挥作用之爱构成头，其它两种爱依次构成躯干和脚时，人显现在天堂中，拥有天人般的容颜，头上环绕美丽的彩虹。但若对尘世或财富之爱构成头，从天上观之，他脸面灰白如死尸，头上有淡黄色的环；若我爱，或控制他人之爱构成头，从天上观之，他脸面昏暗，头上有白色的环。”我随即问道：“头上的环代表什么？”他们回答：“它们表示才智；头上有白环、脸面昏暗表示那人的才智限于外在或环绕他，而他的内在或里面却是愚蠢。而且，这类人在肉身时是聪明的，在灵里时却是愚蠢的。除非通过主，否则无人在灵里有智慧；当人被主重生和新造时，就会变得智慧。”说完这番话，左边的地裂开了，我看见从裂口上来一个魔鬼，脸面昏暗，头上有白环。我问他：“你是谁？”他说：“我是路西弗，早晨之子，因为使自己如同至高者，所以被抛下来，就象以赛亚书十四章描述我的样子。”
其实他不是那个路西弗，他以为自己是。于是我说：“既然被抛下来，那你又如何从地狱上来的？”他回答：“在那里，我是魔鬼；在这里，我却是光明天人。你没看见我头上有白光环绕吗？如果你愿意，也必看出，我是道德中的道德，理性中的理性，甚至属灵者中的属灵者。而且，我还能讲道呢！”我又问：“你怎么讲道？”他回答：“不可欺诈，不可奸淫，离弃一切地狱爱欲。然后由于我是路西弗，所以我称自己为魔鬼，为自己召来这种诅咒；因为这样做，我可以被捧上天。这也是我被称为早晨之子的原因。令我惊奇的是，当我站在讲台上时，我什么也想不起来，却能讲得恰当真实。不过，个中缘由已向我揭示：我处于外在，这些外在与我的内在分离。尽管已向我揭示原因，但我仍无法改变，因为我已将自己高举到至高者之上，置于对抗祂的位置。”
最后我问：“若你自己是一个欺诈者和通奸者，怎么讲得出呢？”他说：“处于外在或肉身时，是一回事；处于内在或灵里时，又是另一回事。在肉身，我是个天人；但在灵里，是个魔鬼。因为在肉身时，我在觉知里；但在灵里时，我在意愿里。觉知提升我；而意愿却向下拉我。处于觉知期间，我的头上有白环；但当觉知完全屈从于意愿，并成为意愿的工具，也就是我们最终的命运时，白环便逐渐变暗，直至消失，出现这种情况后，我就无法再升入光中。”然而，当他看到天人与我同在时，脸一下子红了，声音尖锐刺耳，头上的环也变黑了，他又从先前的裂口沉入了地狱。旁观者通过自己的耳闻目睹，得出以下结论：决定人秉性的是他的意愿，而不是觉知，因为意愿能轻易地将觉知拉到它这边，并使它成为奴隶。
于是我问天人：“魔鬼的理性从何而来？”他们回答：“它源自我爱的荣耀，因为我爱被荣耀包围，这荣耀是我爱之火的光辉，它将觉知几乎提升到天堂之光中。因为每个人的觉知都能根据他的知识提升，但意愿只能通过照着出于教会和理智的真理而生活来提升。
因此，即使是因我爱而名声显赫、从而为自己的才智骄傲的无神论者，也会比很多人具有更高理性。不过，这种情形发生在他们处于觉知思维期间，而非处于爱的意愿期间，意愿之爱主宰内在人，觉知的思维主宰外在人。”天人进一步解释了为什么人由这三种爱构成，即用之爱、尘世之爱和我爱，正是为了人能虽通过神、然而却貌似完全凭自己来思考。他还说，人心智的最高层向上转向神，中间层向外朝向尘世，最底层则向下朝向肉体；因为后者向下，所以尽管人通过神思考，但却貌似完全凭自己思考。
507. 记事五:
有一次, 我与天人们交谈, 最后谈到每个人与生俱来的恶欲。 其中一个说:“在我们的世界, 有私欲者在我们天人眼里如同愚痴, 然而在他们自己看来, 却好象充满智慧。 因此, 为了使他们脱离这样的愚痴, 就让他们交替进入愚痴和其外在理性中。 但当处于理性状态时, 尽管他们明白并坦承自己的愚痴, 却仍渴望从理性回到愚痴, 并且任由自己进入这状态, 好象他们正在拿强迫和不快换回自由和快乐。 所以, 给予他们内在快乐的, 是私欲, 而不是明智。
存在三种普遍之爱, 每个人都通过创造由这三种爱构成; 它们是: 对邻之爱, 即发挥作用之爱, 这爱是属灵的; 对尘世之爱, 即占有财富之爱, 这爱是物质的; 我爱, 即控制他人之爱, 这爱是肉体的。 当对邻之爱, 或说发挥作用之爱构成头; 对尘世之爱, 或说对占有财富之爱构成胸, 腹; 而我爱, 或说控制他人之爱构成脚和脚底时, 人才是真正的人。 但当对尘世之爱构成头时, 人只不过是驼背而已; 而若我爱构成头, 那他不象是双脚站立的人, 而象以手掌撑地, 头朝下, 屁股在空中的姿势站立之人。
当发挥作用之爱构成头, 其它两种爱依次构成躯干和脚时, 人显现在天堂中, 拥有天人般的容颜, 头上环绕美丽的彩虹。 但若对尘世或财富之爱构成头, 从天上观之, 他脸面灰白如死尸, 头上有淡黄色的环; 若我爱, 或控制他人之爱构成头, 从天上观之, 他脸面昏暗, 头上有白色的环。 ”我随即问道: “头上的环代表什么? ”他们回答: “它们表示才智; 头上有白环, 脸面昏暗表示那人的才智限于外在或环绕他, 而他的内在或里面却是愚蠢。 而且, 这类人在肉身时是聪明的, 在灵里时却是愚蠢的。 除非通过主, 否则无人在灵里有智慧; 当人被主重生和新造时, 就会变得智慧。 ”说完这番话, 左边的地裂开了, 我看见从裂口上来一个魔鬼, 脸面昏暗, 头上有白环。 我问他: “你是谁? ”他说:“我是路西弗, 早晨之子, 因为使自己如同至高者, 所以被抛下来, 就象以赛亚书十四章描述我的样子。 ”
其实他不是那个路西弗, 他以为自己是。 于是我说:“既然被抛下来, 那你又如何从地狱上来的? ”他回答: “在那里, 我是魔鬼; 在这里, 我却是光明天人。 你没看见我头上有白光环绕吗? 如果你愿意, 也必看出, 我是道德中的道德, 理性中的理性, 甚至属灵者中的属灵者。 而且, 我还能讲道呢! ”我又问:“你怎么讲道? ”他回答: “不可欺诈, 不可奸淫, 离弃一切地狱爱欲。 然后由于我是路西弗, 所以我称自己为魔鬼, 为自己召来这种诅咒; 因为这样做, 我可以被捧上天。 这也是我被称为早晨之子的原因。 令我惊奇的是, 当我站在讲台上时, 我什么也想不起来, 却能讲得恰当真实。 不过, 个中缘由已向我揭示: 我处于外在, 这些外在与我的内在分离。 尽管已向我揭示原因, 但我仍无法改变, 因为我已将自己高举到至高者之上, 置于对抗祂的位置。 ”
最后我问: “若你自己是一个欺诈者和通奸者, 怎么讲得出呢? ”他说:“处于外在或肉身时, 是一回事; 处于内在或灵里时, 又是另一回事。 在肉身, 我是个天人; 但在灵里, 是个魔鬼。 因为在肉身时, 我在觉知里; 但在灵里时, 我在意愿里。 觉知提升我; 而意愿却向下拉我。 处于觉知期间, 我的头上有白环; 但当觉知完全屈从于意愿, 并成为意愿的工具, 也就是我们最终的命运时, 白环便逐渐变暗, 直至消失, 出现这种情况后, 我就无法再升入光中。 ”然而, 当他看到天人与我同在时, 脸一下子红了, 声音尖锐刺耳, 头上的环也变黑了, 他又从先前的裂口沉入了地狱。 旁观者通过自己的耳闻目睹, 得出以下结论: 决定人秉性的是他的意愿, 而不是觉知, 因为意愿能轻易地将觉知拉到它这边, 并使它成为奴隶。
于是我问天人: “魔鬼的理性从何而来? ”他们回答: “它源自我爱的荣耀, 因为我爱被荣耀包围, 这荣耀是我爱之火的光辉, 它将觉知几乎提升到天堂之光中。 因为每个人的觉知都能根据他的知识提升, 但意愿只能通过照着出于教会和理智的真理而生活来提升。
因此, 即使是因我爱而名声显赫, 从而为自己的才智骄傲的无神论者, 也会比很多人具有更高理性。 不过, 这种情形发生在他们处于觉知思维期间, 而非处于爱的意愿期间, 意愿之爱主宰内在人, 觉知的思维主宰外在人。 ”天人进一步解释了为什么人由这三种爱构成, 即用之爱, 尘世之爱和我爱, 正是为了人能虽通过神, 然而却貌似完全凭自己来思考。 他还说, 人心智的最高层向上转向神, 中间层向外朝向尘世, 最底层则向下朝向肉体; 因为后者向下, 所以尽管人通过神思考, 但却貌似完全凭自己思考。
507. The fifth memorable occurrence. Once I was having a conversation with angels. The conversation eventually turned to the craving for evil that every one of us is born with.
One angel said, "In the world where we are, people who are experiencing that craving appear to us angels as fools, although at the time they seem to themselves to be supremely wise. Therefore when they are undergoing the process of being brought out of their foolishness, they go back and forth between their foolishness and the rationality that in their case resides in their outer selves. When they are in the latter state they see, recognize, and admit to their own insanity, and yet they passionately long to return from their rational state to their state of insanity. Once back in it, they immerse themselves in it like someone finding freedom and delight again after a period of duress and unpleasantness. This shows that they take inward enjoyment in their own craving rather than in gaining perspective.
[2] "By creation every human being is composed of three universal loves: love for our neighbor, which is also a love of being useful (this love is related to the spirit); love for the world, which is also a love of possessing wealth (this love is related to matter); and love for ourselves, which is also a love of dominating other people (this love is related to the body).
"We are truly human when love for our neighbor or love of being useful plays the role of the head, love for the world or love of possessing wealth plays the role of the torso, and love for ourselves or love of dominating plays the role of the legs and feet. If, however, love for the world plays the role of the head, our humanity is hunchbacked. If love for ourselves plays the role of the head, our humanity is standing on its hands rather than its feet, with its head down and its buttocks in the air.
[3] "When our love of being useful plays the role of the head and the other two loves play the role of the torso and the legs, as they are designed to, in heaven our face looks angelic and we have a beautiful rainbow around our head. If our love for the world or of wealth plays the role of the head, from heaven's perspective our face looks gray like a corpse and we have a yellow ring around our head. If our love for ourselves or of dominating others plays the role of the head, from heaven's perspective our face looks burnt and dark and we have a white ring around our head. "
"What does the ring around the head represent?" I asked.
"Intelligence," the angels replied. "The white ring surrounding a face that is burnt and dark represents that those people hold their intelligence outside or around themselves, but have insanity in their inner levels or within themselves. Such people are wise when they are in their bodies but insane when they are in their spirits. None of us is wise in spirit except with the help of the Lord; we become wise as he generates and creates us anew. "
[4] As soon as they said this, the ground on the left opened up. Through the opening I saw a devil rising up, whose face was burnt and dark and who had a white ring around his head.
"Who are you?" I inquired.
"I am Lucifer, son of the dawn," he said. "I was thrown down because I made myself like the Highest. I am described in Isaiah 14:[14]. "
He was not actually Lucifer, although he believed he was.
"Since you have been thrown down," I said, "how are you able to rise up out of hell?"
"I am the Devil there," he replied, "but here I am an angel of light. Don't you see that my head is surrounded by a white ring? If you wish, you can also see that I am moral among the moral, rational among the rational, and spiritual among the spiritual. I also had preaching ability. "
"What did you preach about?" I asked.
"I preached against people who commit fraud, against people who commit adultery, and against all the types of love that come from hell. In fact, I then called my 'Lucifer' self the Devil, and I invoked curses against that me. On that account I was lifted with praise to the heavens, and that is why I am called the son of the dawn. I myself have been amazed to notice that when I was in the pulpit I had no other thought but that I was speaking uprightly and correctly. I learned why this was: it was because I was in my outer self and that self was separated at the time from my inner self. But although this has been revealed to me, I have still not been able to change myself, because I set myself above the Highest and exalted myself against him. "
[5] "How were you able to preach those things," I asked, "given that you yourself commit fraud and adultery?"
"I am one way," he replied, "when I am in my outer self or my body, and another way when I am in my inner self or my spirit. In my body I am an angel; in my spirit I am a devil. In my body I am in my intellect; in my spirit I am in my will. My intellect lifts me upward, but my will takes me down. When I am in my intellect, a white ring surrounds my head, but when my intellect becomes completely subservient to my will and becomes its property (which is the final outcome that awaits us), then the ring grows darker and disappears; and once it is gone I can no longer rise up into this light. "
When he saw the angels with me, a sudden rage showed in his face and voice. He, as well as the ring around his head, turned dark, and he fell down into hell through the opening by which he had risen up.
Those who were present concluded from what they had heard and seen that our quality is the quality of our will, not the quality of our intellect, because the will easily moves the intellect to see things from its own perspective and makes the intellect subservient to itself.
[6] Then I asked the angels, "Where does the rationality of devils come from?"
"It comes from the glory of their love for themselves," they replied. "Self-love is surrounded by glory - glory supplies the brightness of its fire. This glory lifts the intellect virtually into the light of heaven. In all of us, in fact, the intellect is capable of being lifted up in accordance with the concepts we have; but our will can be lifted up only if we live according to the truths of the church and the truths of reason. This is how it comes about that atheists whose love for themselves leads them to glory in their reputation and take pride in their own intelligence have a more sublime rationality than many others, but only when they are involved in the thought of their intellect, not when they are involved in the love in their will. The love that resides in the will possesses the inner self; the thoughts in the intellect possess the outer self. "
The angel also told me why we are composed of three kinds of love (love of being useful, love for the world, and love for ourselves): to enable our thinking to come from God, although it seems to come entirely from ourselves. "The highest areas of a person's mind," he said, "are turned upward toward God; the middle areas are turned outward toward the world; and the lowest areas are turned downward toward the body. Because the lowest things are turned downward, our thinking appears to occur under our own initiative, when in fact it comes from God. "
507. The fifth experience. 1
I was talking with angels and we came at last to the subject of the lust for evil which every person acquires by birth. 'In the world where I live,' said one of them, 'those who are possessed by lust appear to us angels as fools, but to themselves they seem extremely wise. On this account, in order to drag them out of their folly, they are by turns allowed to lapse into it and are then brought to a rational frame of mind, which in their case is confined to externals. When they are in this state they see, acknowledge and confess that they are crazy. But they still long to exchange their rational state for their crazed one, and they plunge into it as being freedom and pleasure in place of compulsion and unpleasantness. So it is lust that inwardly delights them, not intelligence.
[2] 'There are three universal loves of which every person is from creation compounded: the love of the neighbour, which is also the love of performing services, and this is a spiritual love; the love of the world, which is also the love of possessing wealth, and this is a material love; and self-love, which is also the love of dominating others, and this is a bodily love. A person is truly human when the love of the neighbour, or the love of performing services, makes up the head, and the love of the world, or of possessing wealth, makes up the chest and belly, and self-love, or the love of dominating, makes up the feet and the soles of the feet. But if the love of the world makes up the head, a person is only human in the way a hunchback is. And if self-love makes up the head, he is not like a person standing on his feet, but like one standing on the palms of his hands with his head down and his haunches in the air.
[3] 'When the love of performing services makes up the head, and the other two loves duly make up the trunk and feet, the person appears in heaven to have the face of an angel with a lovely rainbow around his head. But if the love of the world or wealth makes up the head, seen from heaven he seems to have a pale face like a corpse with a yellow ring around his head. And if self-love or the love of dominating others makes up the head, seen from heaven he seems to have a face dark with fiery gleams with a white ring around his head.'
This led me to ask: 'What do the rings around the head represent?' Intelligence;' they replied, 'the white ring around the head of a person with a dark face with fiery gleams represents his intelligence being limited to externals or around him, and his craziness being in his internals or inside him. Also a person of this sort is wise when engaged in the body, but crazy when in the spirit. No one is wise in spirit except by the Lord's doing; this happens when he is born again and created anew by the Lord.'
[4] After this the ground on the left opened and I saw rising through the opening a devil with a dark face with fiery gleams and a white ring around his head. 'Who are you?' I asked. 'I am Lucifer,' he said, 'the son of the dawn. I was cast down for making myself like the Most High, as described in Isaiah, chapter 14.' He was not actually Lucifer, but he thought he was. 'Since you have been cast down,' I said, 'how can you rise again from hell?' 'There,' he said, 'I am a devil, but here an angel of light; don't you see I have a white ring round my head? And you will see, if you wish, that among moral people I am moral, among rational people rational, among spiritual people even spiritual. I was even able to preach.'
'What did you preach about?' I asked. 'Against cheats,' he said, 'against adulterers and all the hellish loves. In fact it was then I called myself the devil Lucifer and invoked curses against myself as such, so that I was praised to the skies. That was how I got the name of the son of the dawn. To my own surprise, when I was in the pulpit I could think of nothing but speaking correctly and properly. But the reason was revealed to me, that I was in externals and these were then separated from my internals. Yet despite having this revealed to me, I was still unable to change, because I regarded myself as superior to the Most High, and was proud enough to oppose Him.'
[5] 'How,' I asked then, 'could you have spoken like that when you are yourself a cheat and an adulterer?' 'I am different,' he replied, 'when I am in externals or the body, from what I am when in internals or the spirit. In the body I am an angel, but in the spirit a devil. For while I am in the body I am in the power of the understanding, but in the spirit I am in the power of the will, and the understanding carries me upwards, while the will carries me down. When I am in the power of the understanding there is a white ring surrounding my head; but when the understanding becomes completely subservient to the will and is its creature, which is our ultimate fate, the ring turns black and fades away. When this happens I can no longer climb up into this light,,
Suddenly, however, catching sight of the angels with me, his face became inflamed and his voice became harsh, and he turned 'black, including the ring around his head. Then he fell back into hell through the opening by which he had risen. The by-standers drew the conclusion from what they had seen and heard that it is the will and not the understanding which determines a person's character, since the will has no difficulty in bringing the understanding over to its side and making it subservient.
[6] Then I asked the angels where the devils got their rationality from. 'It is,' they said, 'from the glory of self-love, for self-love is surrounded by glory, since this is the brilliance of its fire, and glory raises the understanding almost into the light of heaven. Everyone's understanding is capable of being raised in proportion to his knowledge; but the will can only be raised by living in accordance with the truths taught by the church and by reason. That is why even atheists, who out of self-love boast of their reputation, and so pride themselves on their intelligence, enjoy a higher degree of rationality than many others. But this happens when they are deep in intellectual thought, not when they are letting their wills express their love. It is love in the will which takes possession of the internal man, but thought in the understanding which takes possession of the external man.' The angel went on to tell us the reason why man is a compound of three loves, that of service, that of the world, and self-love. It is so that he may be guided in his thoughts by God, yet think entirely as if of himself. He told us that the highest levels of the human mind are turned upwards to God, the middle levels outwards to the world, the lowest downwards to the body. It is because these are turned downwards that a person thinks as if entirely of his own accord, when in fact his thoughts are controlled by God.
Footnotes:
1. This section is repeated with modifications from <../cl/269.htm">Conjugial Love 269.
507. Fifth Memorable Relation:
Once when conversing with the angels, I finally spoke of the lust of evil which is in every man from his birth. One said, "In the world where I am, those who are in lust seem to us angels as if they were infatuated; but to themselves they seem to be consummately wise. Therefore, in order to withdraw them from their infatuation, they are let alternately into it and into the rationality which they possess in externals; but in this latter state although they see, acknowledge, and confess their folly, they long to return from their rational to their foolish state, and they "let themselves down into that state as if they were exchanging what is compulsory and disagreeable for what is free and delightful. Thus it is lust and not intelligence that gives them interior delight.
[2] There are three universal loves, of which every man is by creation composed; love of the neighbor, which is also a love of performing uses, which love is spiritual; love of the world, which is also a love of possessing wealth, which love is material; and love of self, which is also a love of ruling over others, which love is corporeal. Man is truly a man, when love of the neighbor, or love of performing uses, constitutes the head; and love of the world, or love of possessing wealth constitutes the chest and abdomen; while love of self or of ruling over others, forms the feet and the soles of the feet. But when love of the world forms the head, man is merely hunchbacked; while if love of self forms the head, he is not like a man standing on his feet, but like one standing on the palms of his hands with his head down and his posteriors in the air.
[3] When a love of doing forms the head, and the other two form the body and feet in their order, the man appears in heaven with an angelic face and a beautiful rainbow about his head; but if the love of the world or of wealth forms the head, he appears from heaven with a face pale like that of a corpse, and a yellowish circle about the head; and if love of self, or of ruling over others, forms the head, he appears from heaven with a dusky-glowing face and a white circle about the head."
Thereupon I asked, "What do the circles about the head represent?"
They replied, "They represent intelligence; the white circle about the head with the dusky-glowing face represents that the intelligence of that man is in externals or round about him, while in his internals or within him there is folly; and furthermore, such a man is wise when in the body, but foolish when in the spirit; and no man is wise in spirit except from the Lord, and he becomes such when he is born and created anew by the Lord."
[4] After these remarks the earth was opened toward the left, and I saw rising up through the opening a devil with a dusky, glowing face and a white circle about his head; I asked, "Who are you?"
He said, "I am Lucifer, the son of the morning; and because I made myself like unto the Most High, I was cast down, as I am described in the fourteenth chapter of Isaiah." He was not that Lucifer, but he believed that he was.
I said, "Since you have been cast down, how can you rise again out of hell?"
He replied, "There I am a devil; but here I am an angel of light. Do you not see that my head is girt with a white band? You shall also see, if you wish, that I am moral among the moral, rational among the rational, and even spiritual among those who are spiritual. I have also been able to preach."
I asked, "How did you preach?"
He replied, "Against defrauders, adulterers, and all infernal loves; and then being Lucifer, I even called myself the devil, and against myself I accused him; and for so doing I was borne up to heaven with praises. That is why I have been called the son of the morning. And what astonished myself, when I was in the pulpit I had no thought but that I was speaking rightly and truly. But the cause of this was disclosed to me; namely, that I was in externals, and these were then separated from my internals. But although this was disclosed to me, still I could not change, because I had exalted myself above the Most High, and set myself up against Him."
[5] Finally I asked, "How could you talk so, when you yourself are a defrauder and an adulterer?"
He replied, "I am one thing when in externals or in the body, and another when in internals or in spirit. In the body I am an angel, but in spirit a devil; for in the body I am in understanding, but in spirit I am in the will; and the understanding carries me upward, while the will carries me downward. While I am in the understanding a white band encompasses my head; but when the understanding gives itself up wholly to the will, and becomes the will's, which is our final lot, then the band grows black and disappears, and when this takes place, I am no longer able to ascend into this light."
But all at once, as he saw the angels with me, his face grew red and his voice excited, and even the band about his head became black, and he sank down to hell through the opening by which he had arisen.
From what they had seen and heard, the bystanders came to this conclusion, that a man's quality is such as his will is, not such as his understanding is, since the will easily draws the understanding over to its side and enslaves it.
[6] I then asked the angels, "Whence have the devils rationality?"
And they said, "It is from the glory of the love of self, for the love of self is encompassed with a glory, this glory being the resplendence of its fire, and it exalts the understanding almost into the light of heaven. For the understanding in every man is capable of elevation according to his knowledges; but the will can be elevated only by a life according to the truths of the church and of reason. Hence it is that even atheists, who are in the glory of fame from self-love, and thereby in the pride of self-intelligence, enjoy a loftier rationality than many others; but that is when they are in the thought of the understanding, not in the love of the will, and the love of the will possesses the internal man, but the thought of the understanding the external." The angel furthermore explained why man is composed of three loves, namely, the love of use, the love of the world, and the love of self; it is in order that man may think from God, yet wholly as if of himself. He said that the highest things of man's mind were turned upward towards God, the intermediate outward towards the world, and the lowest downward into the body; and because these latter are turned downward, although man thinks from God, he thinks wholly as of himself.
507. The fifth experience. I was once talking with angels and our final subject of conversation was the lust of evil, which is hereditary in every man from his birth. One of them said: "In the world where lust prevails those who are influenced by it appear to us angels as foolish, but to themselves they seem to be supremely wise. Therefore in order that they may be withdrawn from their folly, they are at times permitted to be influenced by their rationality, which with them is in externals. In this state they see, acknowledge and confess their insanity, to which, however, they long to return; and to it they do return as though leaving a state of compulsion and misery for a state of freedom and pleasure. Thus they are inwardly delighted with lust, and not with intelligence.
[2] There are three universal loves, enkindled in every man from creation: the love of the neighbor, a spiritual love, which is the love of performing uses; the love of the world, a material love, which is the love of possessing wealth; and the love of self, a corporeal love, which is the love of ruling over others. A man is truly a man when the love of the neighbor, or the love of performing uses, constitutes the head; and the love of the world, or the love of possessing wealth, constitutes the breast and the abdomen; and the love of self, or the love of ruling, constitutes the feet and the soles of the feet. If, however, the love of the world constitutes the head, the man is as it were hunch-backed; but if the love of self constitutes the head, he is like a man standing not on his feet but on the palms of his hands, with his head downwards and his haunches upwards.
[3] When the love of performing uses constitutes the head, and the other two loves constitute in their order the body and the feet, the man appears in heaven with an angelic face and a beautiful rainbow about his head. If, however, the love of the world or of wealth constitutes the head, he then appears, when seen from heaven, with a pale, cadaverous face and a yellow halo about his head; but if the love of self or of ruling over others constitutes the head, he appears, when seen from heaven, with a face lit up with a dusky glow, and a white halo about his head."
I thereupon asked what was represented by the circles about the head. The answer was: "They represent intelligence; and the white circle about the head, when the face has a dusky glow, represents that the man's intelligence is in external things, or round about him, while insanity prevails in his internals, or within him. Such a man is wise when in the body, but insane when in the spirit; for no man is wise in spirit but from the Lord, which is the case when he is born again and created anew by Him."
[4] As they said this the earth opened to the left, and through the opening I saw a devil rising up. His face was lit up with a dusky glow, and he had a white halo about his head. I asked him, "Who are you?" and he replied: "I am Lucifer, 1 son of the morning; and because I made myself like unto the Most High, I was cast down, according to the description in Isaiah XIV." He was not Lucifer, although he believed that he was. Then I said, "Since you have been cast down, how are you able to rise again out of hell?" He replied: "In hell, I am a devil, but here I am an angel of light. Do you not observe my head encircled with a white halo? You shall also see, if you wish, that among the moral I am moral, among the rational I am rational, and among the spiritual I am spiritual. I have also been able to preach." I asked, "How did you preach?" He said: "Against cheats, adulterers, and all infernal loves. Indeed, I then called myself Lucifer, a devil, and denounced myself as such, and so I was praised to the sky. That is why I am called the son of the morning; and, what I myself was surprised at, when I was in the pulpit, I had no idea that I was not duly speaking what was right. I discovered, however, that the reason for this was that I was in my external mind, which was at the time separated from my internal mind. Although this was made known to me, still I was unable to change, for I exalted myself above the Most High, and set myself against Him."
[5] Then I asked him: "How could you speak thus when you yourself are a cheat and an adulterer?" He replied: "When I am in externals, that is, in the body, I am one person, but when I am in internals, that is, in the spirit, I am another. In the body I am an angel, but in the spirit, a devil; for in the body I live in my understanding, but in the spirit, in my will; and the understanding bears me upwards, but the will bears me downwards. While I live in my understanding a white circle encompasses my head; but when the understanding yields itself entirely to the will, and becomes its servant, which is our final state, then the circle turns black and disappears. When this happens, I can no longer ascend into this light. Suddenly, as he saw the angels with me, his face and voice betrayed his excitement; he turned black, as did the halo round his head, and he fell down into hell through the opening by which he had risen. When those who were present saw and heard these things, they came to the conclusion that a man's will and not his understanding determines his character; for the will easily draws the understanding over to its side and enslaves it.
[6] I then enquired of the angels whence the devils derive rationality. They said: "From the glory of the love of self; for self-love is encompassed with glory, which is the splendor of its fire, and this glory raises the understanding almost into the light of heaven. For the understanding with every man is capable of being elevated according to the knowledge he possesses; but the will can only be elevated by a life in conformity with the truths of the Church and of reason. Consequently atheists, who are inspired by the glory of fame from their own self-love, and therefore also by pride in their own intelligence, enjoy a degree of rationality higher than many others. This happens only when they exercise the thought of their understanding, and not when they are influenced by the love of their will; and the love of the will possesses the internal man, but the thought of the understanding the external."
The angel further explained why these three loves are enkindled in every man: the love of use, the love of the world and the love of self; it is that he may think from God, and yet altogether as of himself. He said that the things that are highest in man's mind are turned upward towards God, what are in the middle region are turned outward towards the world, and what are in the lowest region are turned downward towards the body; and because these are turned downward, a man thinks wholly as of himself, when nevertheless he thinks from God.
Footnotes:
1. Lucifer, fabled son of Aurora, or of Jupiter, morning star, day.
507. QUINTUM MEMORABILE.
Eram in sermone cum Angelis, et denique de Concupiscentia mali, in qua quisque homo est ex nativitate; dixit unus quod in Mundo ubi est, appareant illi qui in concupiscentia sunt, nobis angelis sicut fatui, sed illi sibi ipsis tunc sicut summe sapientes, quapropter ut ex fatuitate sua extrahantur, per vices remittuntur in illam, et per vices in rationale, quod apud illos in externis est, et in hoc statu vident, agnoscunt et confitentur insaniam suam, at usque e statu rationali suo in statum insanum suum discupiunt, et quoque se in hunc immittunt, sicut a coacto et injucundo in liberum et jucundum; ita concupiscentia interius oblectat illos, et non intelligentia.
[2] Sunt tres Amores universales, ex quibus a Creatione conflatus est omnis homo; Amor proximi, qui etiam est Amor faciendi usus, hic amor est spiritualis; Amor Mundi, qui etiam est amor possidendi opes, hic amor est materialis; ac Amor sui, qui etiam est amor imperandi super alios, et hic amor est corporeus: Homo est vere homo, dum Amor proximi, seu amor faciendi usus, facit Caput, et Amor Mundi seu amor possidendi opes facit Pectus et Ventrem, ac Amor sui seu amor imperandi facit Pedes et Plantas eorum; at si Amor mundi facit Caput, homo non est homo aliter quam sicut gibbosus; at si Amor sui facit Caput, non est sicut homo stans super pedibus, sed sicut super palmis manuum capite deorsum et clunibus sursum.
[3] Quando Amor faciendi usus facit Caput, ac reliqui duo amores faciunt ordine corpus et pedes, apparet ille homo in Coelo facie angelica, cum pulchra iride circum caput; at si amor Mundi seu opum facit Caput, apparet ille e Coelo facie pallida sicut mortui cum circulo flavo circum Caput; si vero amor sui seu imperandi super alios facit Caput, apparet ille e Coelo facie ignitim furva, cum circulo albo circum Caput. Ad haec quaesivi, quid repraesentant Circuli circum capita; respondebant, repraesentant intelligentiam; circulus albus circum Caput faciei ignitim furvae, repraesentat, quod intelligentia ejus in externis sit, sive circum illum, at insania in internis seu in illo; etiam homo, qui talis, sapit cum in corpore est, at insanit, dum in spiritu; et nullus homo sapit spiritu, nisi a Domino, quod fit cum denuo ab Ipso generatur et creatur.
[4] His dictis aperiebatur terra ad sinistrum, et per aperturam vidi assurgentem Diabolum facie ignitim furva cum circulo albo circum Caput, et sciscitavi, quis es; dixit, sum Lucifer filius aurorae, et quia similem me feci Altissimo, dejectus sum, sicut describor Esaias XIV; at non fuit ille Lucifer, sed credidit se esse illum; et dixi, cum dejectus es, quomodo potes resurgere ex Inferno, et respondit, sum ibi Diabolus, at hic sum Angelus lucis; videsne Caput meum cingulo albo cinctum, et quoque, si vis, videbis, quod sim moralis inter morales, ac rationalis inter rationales, imo spiritualis inter spirituales; potui etiam concionari; quaesivi, quomodo concionatus es; dixit contra defraudatores, contra adulteros, et contra omnes amores infernales, imo tunc me Luciferum vocavi Diabolum, et pejeravi contra me illum, et propterea laudibus evectus sum ad Coelum, inde est quod vocatus sim filius aurorae; et quod ipse miratus sum, cum super pulpito eram, non cogitavi aliter, quam quod recte et rite loquerer; sed causa mihi detecta est, haec, quia in externis fui, et haec tunc separata fuerunt ab internis meis; et tametsi hoc mihi detectum est, usque non potui immutare me, quia supra Altissimum me evexi, et contra Illum me extuli;
[5] dein quaesivi, quomodo potuisti ita loqui, cum es ipse defraudator, et ipse adulter; respondit, sum alius dum in externis seu in corpore sum, et alius dum in internis seu in spiritu; in corpore sum Angelus, sed in spiritu Diabolus, in corpore enim sum in intellectu, in spiritu autem sum in voluntate, ac intellectus me fert sursum, at voluntas me fert deorsum; et dum in intellectu sum, Cingulum album circumvelat Caput meum, at dum intellectus se prorsus emancipat voluntati, et fit ejus, quae est sors nostra ultima, tunc nigrescit cingulum, ac disparatur, quo facto, non possum amplius in lucem hanc ascendere. Sed subito, ut vidit Angelos apud me, inflammatus est facie et voce, et factus est niger, etiam quoad cingulum circum Caput, et per aperturam, per quam surrexit, delapsus est in Infernum. Adstantes ex illis visis et auditis fecerunt hoc conclusum, quod homo talis sit, qualis est ejus Voluntas, et non qualis est ejus Intellectus, quoniam Voluntas Intellectum facile aufert in suas partes, et emancipat.
[6] Tunc quaesivi Angelos, unde rationalitas est diabolis, et dicebant, est ex gloria amoris sui, nam amor sui circumcingitur gloria, est enim haec splendor ignis ejus, et gloria illa elevat intellectum paene in lucem Coeli; nam Intellectus apud unumquemvis hominem elevabilis est secundum cognitiones, sed non Voluntas nisi per vitam secundum Ecclesiae et Rationis vera; inde est, quod ipsi Athei, qui in gloria famae ex amore sui sunt, et inde in fastu propriae intelligentiae, gaudeant rationalitate sublimiore, quam multi alii, sed tunc cum in cogitatione intellectus sunt, non autem cum in amore Voluntatis, et amor Voluntatis possidet Internum hominem, at cogitatio intellectus Externum. Porro dixit Angelus causam, cur homo conflatus est ex tribus Amoribus, videlicet ex amore Usus, ex amore Mundi, et ex amore Sui; causa est, ut homo cogitet a Deo, tametsi prorsus ut ex se; dixit, quod suprema in hominis Mente versa sint sursum ad Deum, media ibi extrorsum ad Mundum, ac infima ibi deorsum in corpus, et quia haec versa sunt deorsum, cogitat homo prorsus ut ex se, cum tamen a Deo.