585.很多学者认为，植物的生长过程，不论各种树木，还是所有灌木，皆对应于人类的生育。因此，关于这一主题，我会通过附录补充一些内容。树木以及植物王国的所有其它成员都没有两个性别，即雄性和雌性，那里的一切皆为雄性，唯独地或土壤是它们共同的母亲，因而可以说是女性，因为她接受所有果实的种子，打开它们，并将其带入好似一个子宫里，滋养它们，把它们生出来，即将它们带入光明，之后给它们穿衣并供养它们。
种子先是被地打开，然后从根开始生长，这根就象心脏，它由此发出并输送类似血液那样的树液，因此形成一具好象有四肢的躯体。这躯体就是树干本身，而树枝及其小分枝就是它的四肢。它破土而出时长出来的叶子则充当肺，因为正如心离了肺无法产生任何动作与感觉，而人的存活端赖于此，所以根离了叶就无法使树或灌木生长。作为果实雏形的花朵是一种工具，用来提纯树液，即其血液，将较为粗糙的成分从较为纯净的成分里分离出去，并且由于花朵中的树液所包含的这些较为纯净成分的流入，在花朵的至内在又发出一个新的小树茎，提纯后的树液经由这新树茎流入，从而开始并逐渐结出果实（这果实好比睾丸），种子就在这果实里面成熟。于至内在主导树液每一微粒的植物灵魂，或说其繁殖的本质，只出自灵界之热，再无其它源头。由于这热出自灵界太阳，所以它只渴求生殖，以此持续创造。并且由于它本质上渴求繁育人类，所以它使得它所创造的东西都和人有某种相似性。
没人对这种说法感到惊讶，即植物王国的成员全是雄性，唯独地或土壤就象它们共同的母亲，因此可以说是女性。这一点可通过蜜蜂的类似现象来说明，根据斯瓦姆默丹（荷兰博物学家，出版过《自然界圣经》）有关自然的书籍中所记载的观察资料，蜜蜂只有一个共同的母亲，它生育了蜂巢中的所有后代。既然连这些小昆虫都只有一个共同的母亲，那么一切植物为何不能如此呢？
地是共同的母亲，在属灵的层面，这一点也可从以下事实来说明，即在圣言中，“地”表教会，教会是我们共同的母亲，在圣言中也是如此称谓的。关于“地”表教会，可查阅《破解启示录》（n. 285，902），此处说明了这一点。但地或土能进入种子的至内在，甚至直达其繁殖性能，将它生产出来，还使其生生不息，是因为尘埃或粉尘的每一至微颗粒，都从它的精髓发出一种微妙的、可穿透种子的气体，这是灵界热的活动所带来的果效。
585. 很多学者认为, 植物的生长过程, 不论各种树木, 还是所有灌木, 皆对应于人类的生育。 因此, 关于这一主题, 我会通过附录补充一些内容。 树木以及植物王国的所有其它成员都没有两个性别, 即雄性和雌性, 那里的一切皆为雄性, 唯独地或土壤是它们共同的母亲, 因而可以说是女性, 因为她接受所有果实的种子, 打开它们, 并将其带入好似一个子宫里, 滋养它们, 把它们生出来, 即将它们带入光明, 之后给它们穿衣并供养它们。
种子先是被地打开, 然后从根开始生长, 这根就象心脏, 它由此发出并输送类似血液那样的树液, 因此形成一具好象有四肢的躯体。 这躯体就是树干本身, 而树枝及其小分枝就是它的四肢。 它破土而出时长出来的叶子则充当肺, 因为正如心离了肺无法产生任何动作与感觉, 而人的存活端赖于此, 所以根离了叶就无法使树或灌木生长。 作为果实雏形的花朵是一种工具, 用来提纯树液, 即其血液, 将较为粗糙的成分从较为纯净的成分里分离出去, 并且由于花朵中的树液所包含的这些较为纯净成分的流入, 在花朵的至内在又发出一个新的小树茎, 提纯后的树液经由这新树茎流入, 从而开始并逐渐结出果实 (这果实好比睾丸), 种子就在这果实里面成熟。 于至内在主导树液每一微粒的植物灵魂, 或说其繁殖的本质, 只出自灵界之热, 再无其它源头。 由于这热出自灵界太阳, 所以它只渴求生殖, 以此持续创造。 并且由于它本质上渴求繁育人类, 所以它使得它所创造的东西都和人有某种相似性。
没人对这种说法感到惊讶, 即植物王国的成员全是雄性, 唯独地或土壤就象它们共同的母亲, 因此可以说是女性。 这一点可通过蜜蜂的类似现象来说明, 根据斯瓦姆默丹 (荷兰博物学家, 出版过《自然界圣经》) 有关自然的书籍中所记载的观察资料, 蜜蜂只有一个共同的母亲, 它生育了蜂巢中的所有后代。 既然连这些小昆虫都只有一个共同的母亲, 那么一切植物为何不能如此呢?
地是共同的母亲, 在属灵的层面, 这一点也可从以下事实来说明, 即在圣言中, “地”表教会, 教会是我们共同的母亲, 在圣言中也是如此称谓的。 关于“地”表教会, 可查阅破解啟示錄285, 902), 此处说明了这一点。 但地或土能进入种子的至内在, 甚至直达其繁殖性能, 将它生产出来, 还使其生生不息, 是因为尘埃或粉尘的每一至微颗粒, 都从它的精髓发出一种微妙的, 可穿透种子的气体, 这是灵界热的活动所带来的果效。
585. Many scholars have pointed out the parallels between human reproduction and the reproduction not just of trees but of all plants. I will add something on the subject here to wrap up this discussion.
Among trees and all other members of the plant kingdom there are not two sexes - masculine and feminine. There is just one sex, which is masculine. The ground or earth alone is a mother to them all, and is therefore like a woman. The ground receives the seeds of plants of all kinds. It opens those seeds, carries them as in a womb, nourishes them, and gives birth to them - that is, brings them forth into daylight. Afterward it clothes them and sustains them.
[2] Once the seed has opened in the earth, it first develops a root, which is like a heart. From the root it sends out sap, which is like blood. By so doing it makes a kind of body complete with limbs: the body is the trunk; its limbs are the branches and twigs. The leaves that the plant unfurls immediately after its birth play the role of the lungs. Just as the heart cannot produce motion or sensation without the help of the lungs, but with their help brings us to life, the root cannot develop into a tree or a plant without the help of the leaves. The flowers, which are the first steps toward fruit, are a means of refining the sap (the "blood" of the plant) by separating the purer elements from elements that are impure, and then forming a new stem to allow the purer elements to flow into the center of the flowers. The purified sap then flows through this stem and begins to construct and then mature the fruit. The fruit is like a testicle; the seeds mature within it.
The plant soul (or to put it another way, the plant's prolific essence), which is dominant at the inmost level within every drop of sap, comes from no other source than the heat of the spiritual world. Because this heat originates in the spiritual sun, its constant goal is to generate [new life] and therefore ensure that creation continues. Because this heat has the generation of new people as its essential aim, therefore whatever it generates bears some resemblance to humankind.
[3] In case you are surprised by my saying that all the inhabitants of the plant kingdom are masculine and that only the earth or the ground plays the role of woman or mother to all, I will use the illustration of a similar situation among bees. According to Swammerdam's eyewitness account, as presented in his Book of Nature, there is only one common mother who produces all the offspring within a whole hive. If these little creatures have but one common mother, why should that not be the case with all plants?
[4] The idea that the earth is a mother to all can also be illustrated spiritually. The "earth" in the Word means the church, and the church is a mother to all, and is even called that in the Word [Galatians 4:26]. For evidence that earth means the church, see the discussion of this word in Revelation Unveiled 285, 902.
The reason why the earth or ground is able to infiltrate the center of a seed, including its prolific material, and bring this out and circulate it, is that every little grain of dirt or pollen exudes from its essence a subtle emanation, which penetrates the seed. This infiltration is a result of the active force of the heat from the spiritual world.
585. Many scholars have maintained that the development not only of trees but of all plants corresponds to human reproduction. So by way of an appendix I shall add a few remarks on this subject. Trees and the other members of the vegetable kingdom do not have two sexes, male and female, but every one is male. Only the earth or soil is their common mother, and so to speak a woman. For she receives the seeds of all plants, opens them, carries them as if in a womb, and then nourishes them, gives birth to them, that is, brings them to the light of day, and afterwards clothes and supports them.
[2] When the earth first opens up a seed, she begins with the root, which is like the heart. From the root she sends forth and transmits the sap, like blood, and so produces a body equipped with limbs. The body is the trunk, the limbs its branches and twigs. The leaves, which it produces immediately after birth, take the place of the lungs. For just as the heart cannot without the lungs produce movement and sensation, by which the person comes alive, so the root without the leaves cannot make the tree or plant grow. The flowers which are the forerunners of the fruit are a means of purifying the sap, its blood, and of filtering off the denser from its purer elements, and, as these flow in, of forming in its recesses a new stem through which the purified sap may flow into and so start and by stages form the fruit (which is comparable to the testicle), where the seeds are brought to completion. The vegetable soul, or its reproductive essence, which is inmostly dominant in every particle of sap, comes from no other source than the heat of the spiritual world. Since this comes from the spiritual sun of that world, its one aim is reproduction, and by this means the continuation of creation. And since its essential aim is the reproduction of man, it gives whatever it creates some likeness to man.
[3] There is no reason to be surprised at the statement that the members of the vegetable kingdom are exclusively male, and only the earth or soil is so to speak their common mother, being so to speak a woman. This can be illustrated by a similar fact about bees, which according to Swarmmerdam's observation in his nature books 1 have only one common mother, who gives birth to all the offspring in the hive. If these small creatures have only one common mother, why should not the same be true of all plants?
[4] On the spiritual level too it is possible to illustrate how the earth can be a common mother from the fact that earth in the Word means the church, and the church is our common mother and is so called in the Word. On earth meaning the church see Apocalypse Revealed (285, 902), where this is shown. However, the ability of the earth or soil to enter the interior of the seed so as to reach its reproductive principle, and bring it forth and transport it, is due to every tiny particle or piece of dust exhaling from its essence some subtle effluvium which can penetrate the seed. This is brought about as a result of the activity of the heat coming from the spiritual world.
Footnotes:
1. The writings of the Dutch naturalist J. Swarmmerdam were published by H. Boerhaave in 1737-38 under the title Biblia Naturae or Nature Books.
585. It has been taught by many of the learned that the processes of plant growth, not only of trees but also of all shrubs, correspond to human prolification. I will, therefore, add something on this subject by way of appendix. In trees and in all other subjects of the vegetable kingdom there are not two sexes, a masculine and a feminine, but everything there is masculine; the earth alone or the soil is the common mother, and is thus as it were feminine; for it receives the seeds of all fruits, opens them, carries them as it were in a womb, and then nourishes them and brings them forth, that is, ushers them into the light of day, and afterward clothes and sustains them.
[2] When a seed is first opened by the earth it begins with the root, which is a kind of heart; from this it emits and transmits sap like blood, and so forms as it were a body provided with limbs; its body is the trunk itself, while the branches and their branchlets are its limbs. The leaves which it puts forth immediately after its birth serve as lungs; for as the heart without the lungs produces no motion or sensation, and it is by means of these that man is made alive, so the root without leaves does not cause a tree or shrub to vegetate. The blossoms which precede the fruit are means for purifying the sap, the tree's blood, for separating its grosser from its purer elements, for forming a new little trunk for the influx of these purer elements contained in the bosom of this sap, through which trunk the purified sap may flow in and thus initiate and gradually form the fruit (which may be compared to the testicles), in which the seed is perfected. The vegetative soul which inmostly governs in every particle of sap, or which is its prolific essence, is from no other source than the heat of the spiritual world; and as this heat is from the spiritual sun there, it aspires to nothing but generation, and a continuance of creation thereby; and because it essentially aspires to the generation of man, it induces upon whatever it generates a certain resemblance to man.
[3] That no one may be astonished at the statement, that the subjects of the vegetable kingdom are masculine only, and that the earth alone or the soil is like a common mother, or is like the feminine, let it be illustrated by something similar among bees. According to the observation of Swammerdam, reported in his Book of Nature, bees have only one common mother, from which the offspring of the entire hive is produced. As there is but one common mother for these little insects, why not the same for all plants?
[4] That the earth is a common mother may also be illustrated spiritually; and is so illustrated by the fact that in the Word "the earth" signifies the church, and the church is a common mother, and is so called in the Word. As to the earth's signifying the church, consult the Apocalypse Revealed (n. 285, 902), where it is shown. But the earth or the soil can enter into the inmost of a seed even to its prolific principle, calling this forth and giving it circulation, because every least particle of dust or powder exhales from its essence a kind of subtle penetrating effluvium, which is an effect of the active force of the heat from the spiritual world.
585. Many scholars have maintained that the processes of vegetation not only of trees but also of all shrubs, correspond to the stages of human growth; therefore, I will add something on this subject by way of appendix. In trees and all the other subjects of the vegetable kingdom there are not two sexes, male and female, but each subject in it is male. The earth alone, or the soil, is the common mother, and thus as it were the female; for it receives the seeds of all plants, opens them and carries them as in a womb. Then it nourishes and gives birth to them, that is, brings them forth into the light of day, and afterwards clothes and supports them.
[2] As soon as the earth opens a seed, it begins from its root, which is like a heart, and from it transmits sap, like blood, and thus forms a kind of body furnished with members. The stem itself is the body of the plant, and the branches with their twigs are its members. The leaves which it puts forth immediately after its birth are in the place of lungs; for as the heart without the lungs produces neither motion nor sense, and thus does not impart life to a man, so neither does the root alone, without the leaves, cause a tree or shrub to grow. The flowers which precede the fruit are the means of purifying the sap, which is the blood, and of separating the grosser from the purer parts. They also form within themselves, for the influx of these purer substances, a new and tender stalk through which the purified sap may flow, and thus initiate and by successive steps form the fruit, which may be compared to the testis, in which new seeds are formed. The vegetative soul, or its prolific essence, which interiorly is the governing principle in every particle of sap, proceeds solely from the heat of the spiritual world. This heat, being derived from the spiritual sun in that world, has a perpetual tendency to generation, and thus to a continuance of creation; and because it has essentially a tendency towards the generation of man, it therefore induces upon whatever it generates a certain resemblance to man.
[3] That no one should be surprised at the statement that the subjects of the vegetable kingdom are males only, and that the earth alone, or the soil, is as a common mother, or as the female, this will be illustrated by what holds among bees. These, according to Swammerdam 1 in his Biblia Naturae, have but one common mother, from which the progeny of the whole hive is produced. If these little creatures have only one common mother, why not all plants?
[4] That the earth is a common mother can also be spiritually illustrated. It is illustrated by this fact, that in the Word the earth signifies the Church, and the Church is the common mother, as she is also called in the Word. That the earth signifies the Church is shown in The Apocalypse Revealed 285, 902. Moreover, the earth or soil can penetrate to the inmost of the seed, even to its prolific essence, and can draw this forth and diffuse it, because each particle of soil or dust exhales from its essence something fine like an emanation, which has the power of penetration. This takes place owing to the active force of the heat which proceeds from the spiritual world.
Footnotes:
1. Swammerdam. He devoted himself to Natural History, especially to the dissection of insects. He wrote, GENERAL HISTORY OF INSECTS and A HISTORY OF THE DAY-FLY, A.D. 1681.
585. Quod vegetationes non modo arborum, sed etiam omnium virgultorum, correspondeant prolificationibus hominum, a multis Eruditis traditum est, quare coronidis loco de his aliquid adjiciam. In arboribus et in omnibus reliquis subjectis Regni vegetabilis, non sunt duo Sexus, masculinus et foemininus, sed unumquodvis ibi est masculinum; sola Terra seu humus est communis Mater, ita sicut Foemina; haec enim recipit omnium fruticum semina, aperit illa, gestat illa sicut in utero, et tunc alit illa, et parit illa, hoc est, in diem educit, et postea vestit illa, et sustentat illa.
[2] Terra quando primum aperit semen, inchoat a radice, quae est instar cordis; ex illa succum, sicut sanguinem, emittit et transmittit, et sic facit sicut corpus instructum membris; corpus ejus est ipse caudex, ac rami et horum termites sunt ejus membra; folia, quae statim post partum educit, sunt loco pulmonis, nam sicut cor absque pulmone non producit motum et sensum, et per hos vivificat hominem, ita non radix vegetat arborem aut virgultum absque foliis: flores qui praecedunt fructum, sunt media decantandi succum, ejus sanguinem, et separandi crassiora ejus a purioribus, et pro influxu horum in sinu suo formandi novum caudicillum, per quem succus decantatus influat, et sic initiet et successive conformet fructum, qui comparari potest testi, in quo semina perficiuntur; anima vegetativa, quae intime in omni particula succi regnat, seu essentia prolifica ejus, non aliunde est, quam ex calore Mundi spiritualis, qui quia est ex spirituali Sole ibi, non spirat aliud quam generationem, et per hanc creationis continuationem, et quia essentialiter spirat generationem hominis, ideo quodcunque generat, ei quandam similitudinem hominis inducit.
[3] Ne quis miretur, quod dictum sit, quod subjecta Regni vegetabilis non sint nisi masculina, et quod sola Terra seu humus sit sicut communis Mater, seu sicut foemina, illustrabitur hoc per simile in Apibus, illis secundum autopsiam SWAMMERDAMI in ejus BIBLIIS NATURAE, est modo una communis mater, ex qua omnis progenies totius alvearis producitur; cum his animalculis non datur nisi una communis mater, quid non omnibus fruticibus.
[4] Quod Terra sit communis mater etiam spiritualiter illustrari potest, et illustratur per hoc, quod Terra in Verbo significet Ecclesiam, et Ecclesia est communis Mater, ut quoque illa vocatur in Verbo; quod Terra significet Ecclesiam, consule APOCALYPSIN REVELATAM 285, 902, ubi id ostensum est. Quod autem terra seu humus possit intrare in intimum seminis usque ad prolificum ejus, et hoc educere et circumferre, est quia unusquisque pulvisculus seu pollen ex essentia sua exspirat aliquod subtile sicut effluvium, quod penetrat; hoc fit ex vi activa caloris e spirituali Mundo.