584．由此明显可知，属世生产与属灵生产之间存在对应关系，通过这种对应可推知，受孕、孕育、出生、教育不仅可以用新生来指称，而且这些阶段确实会发生。重生一章以适当次序讨论了它们的性质，在此我只说明，人类的精液在觉知中被内在地孕育，在意愿中成形，由此被输送到睾丸，在此披上属世的包裹物，然后被射入子宫，进入尘世。人的重生和所有植物也存在对应关系。因此，在圣言中，人也被描述为一棵树，他的真理被描述为树的种子，他的良善被描述为树的果实。坏树在某种程度上可以再生，然后结好果和好种子，这一点从嫁接与芽接明显可知，因为虽然同样的树液从根经由树干上升，进入嫁接或芽接点，但它随后会被转化为好树液，将坏树变成好树。对于教会中被嫁接到主那里的人来说，情形也是一样，正如主教导的这些话：
我是葡萄树，你们是枝子；常在我里面的，我也常在他里面，这人就多结果子。人若不常在我里面，就像枝子丢在外面枯干，人拾起来扔在火里烧了。（约翰福音15:5－6）
584. 由此明显可知, 属世生产与属灵生产之间存在对应关系, 通过这种对应可推知, 受孕, 孕育, 出生, 教育不仅可以用新生来指称, 而且这些阶段确实会发生。 重生一章以适当次序讨论了它们的性质, 在此我只说明, 人类的精液在觉知中被内在地孕育, 在意愿中成形, 由此被输送到睾丸, 在此披上属世的包裹物, 然后被射入子宫, 进入尘世。 人的重生和所有植物也存在对应关系。 因此, 在圣言中, 人也被描述为一棵树, 他的真理被描述为树的种子, 他的良善被描述为树的果实。 坏树在某种程度上可以再生, 然后结好果和好种子, 这一点从嫁接与芽接明显可知, 因为虽然同样的树液从根经由树干上升, 进入嫁接或芽接点, 但它随后会被转化为好树液, 将坏树变成好树。 对于教会中被嫁接到主那里的人来说, 情形也是一样, 正如主教导的这些话:
我是葡萄树, 你们是枝子; 常在我里面的, 我也常在他里面, 这人就多结果子。 人若不常在我里面, 就像枝子丢在外面枯干, 人拾起来扔在火里烧了。 (约翰福音15:5-6)
584. The above points make it clear that there is a correspondence between physical birth and spiritual birth. Because there is this correspondence, it follows that not only can we speak of this new birth as including stages of being conceived, being carried in the womb, being born, and being brought up, but those stages of our rebirth are actually real. What exactly the stages are, however, will be presented in proper sequence as this chapter on regeneration unfolds.
Here I will just mention that human seed is conceived inwardly within the intellect and takes shape within the will. From there it is transferred into the testicles, where it wraps itself in an earthly covering. Then it is delivered to the womb and finally enters the world.
There is also a correspondence between human regeneration and every aspect of the plant kingdom. This is why the Word portrays us as trees, the truth we have as seed, and the goodness we have as fruit.
[2] A bad species of tree can be born anew, so to speak, and afterward bear good fruit and good seed; this is clear from grafting. Even though the bad sap rises from the root through the stem all the way to the point where the graft was made, it nevertheless turns into good sap and makes the tree good. A similar thing happens with people who are grafted onto the Lord, as he teaches with the following words:
I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who live in me and I in them bear much fruit. If any do not live in me, they are cast out as branches. Once dried they are thrown into the fire. (John 15:5-6)
584. From this it is now plain that there is a correspondence between natural and spiritual births. From this correspondence it follows that in describing re-births one can not only speak of conception, gestation in the womb, birth and upbringing, but such phases actually occur. What they are like may be seen discussed in the section on regeneration. All I will say now is that the human semen is conceived inwardly in the understanding, formed in the will, and transferred from there to the testicle, where it clothes itself with a natural covering; and so it is ejected into the womb and comes into the world.
There is as well a correspondence between a person's regeneration and everything in the vegetable kingdom. That is why in the Word too man is described by a tree, his truth by a seed, his good by a fruit. A useless tree can as it were be re-born, and afterwards bear good fruit and good seed, as is clear from the practice of grafting and inoculation. Even though in these cases the same sap rises from the root through the trunk 1 to the point of the graft or inoculation, it is none the less converted into good sap and produces a good tree. It is much the same in the church with those who are grafted into the Lord, as He teaches in these words:
I am the vine, you are the branches. If someone remains in me and I in him, he bears much fruit. Unless someone remains in me, he is cast out like a branch, and is withered and cast into the fire, John 15:5-6.
Footnotes:
1. Reading stipitem 'trunk' for stapidem 'stirrup'.
584. From all this it is now clear that there is a correspondence between natural generations and spiritual generations; and because of this correspondence it follows that conception, gestation, birth, and education may not only be predicated of the new birth, but that they actually exist. In this chapter on Regeneration the nature of these are being presented to view in their proper order; here let it be said merely that man's semen is conceived interiorly in the understanding, and is given form in the will; is transferred therefrom to the testicle where it clothes itself with a natural covering, and is thus conducted into the womb and enters the world. Moreover, there is a correspondence of man's regeneration with all things in the vegetable kingdom; therefore in the Word man is also pictured by a tree, his truth by its seed and his good by its fruit. That an evil tree may be born anew, as it were, and afterward bear good fruit and good seed, is evident from grafting and budding, for although the same sap ascends from the root through the trunk to the graft or bud, it is then changed into good sap and makes the tree good. It is the same in the church with those who are engrafted into the Lord, as He teaches in these words:
I am the Vine, ye are the branches; he that abideth in Me and I in him, the same beareth much fruit. If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch and is withered; and is cast into the fire (John 15:5-6).
584. As it is now manifest that there is a correspondence between natural and spiritual births, it follows that conception, gestation, birth and education are not only predicable of the new birth, but are states actually attending it; but the nature of these is set forth in due order in this chapter on Redemption. At this point it is sufficient to say that man's seed is conceived interiorly in the understanding, formed in the will and transferred therefrom into the testes where it clothes itself with a natural covering. It is thus conveyed into the womb and so emerges into the world.
There is, moreover, a correspondence between the regeneration of man and all things in the vegetable kingdom; and in the Word, therefore, man is described by a tree, his truth by seed and his goodness by fruit. A worthless tree may be as it were born anew, and afterwards bear good fruit and good seed, as is evident from grafting and budding; for although the same sap ascends from the root through the trunk to the graft or bud, yet it is there changed into good sap, and makes the tree good. The case is similar in the Church with those who are engrafted in the Lord, as He Himself teaches in these words:
"I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit:... If a man abideth not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered"... and is cast into the fire, John 15:5-6.
584. Ex his nunc patet, quod Correspondentia sit inter Generationes naturales et Generationes spirituales; et quia Correspondentia est, sequitur quod de nova Generatione non modo praedicari possint conceptio, gestatio in utero, partus et educatio, sed etiam quod actualiter sint; quales autem sunt, in suo ordine in hoc Articulo de Regeneratione videndum exhibetur. Hic solum, quod semen hominis concipiatur interius in intellectu, ac formetur in voluntate, et inde transferatur in testem, ubi induit se velamine naturali; et sic effertur in uterum, ac intrat Mundum. Praeterea est correspondentia regenerationis hominis cum omnibus quae in Regno vegetabili 1 sunt; quare etiam in Verbo homo describitur per Arborem, verum ejus per semen, et bonum ejus per fructum.
[2] Quod mala arbor possit e novo sicut generari, et postea ferre bonum fructum et bonum semen, constat ex insitionibus et inoculationibus, quod tunc tametsi idem succus e radice per stipitem 2 usque ad insitum aut inoculatum ascendit, usque ille vertatur in succum bonum, et faciat arborem bonam. Simile est in Ecclesia cum illis qui inseruntur Domino, quod Ipse docet his verbis, "Ego sum Vitis, vos palmites, qui manet in Me, et Ego in illo, hic fert fructum multum: nisi quis manserit in Me, ejectus est foras sicut palmes, et arefactus conjicitur in ignem," Johannes 15:5-6.
Footnotes: