590.但关于觉知被提升，而意之爱没有藉着它被提升之人的性质，要通过对比来说明。他就象飞在高空的老鹰，一看见下面的猎物，如鸡、小天鹅、甚至小羔羊，就立即俯冲下来吞吃它们。他还象一个奸夫，把妓女藏在楼下的地下室里，却时而来到楼上房间，在他妻子及其访客面前明智地谈论贞洁，时而偷偷离开他的同伴，在楼下的妓女那里满足自己的淫欲。他还象沼泽的苍蝇，在飞驰的骏马头上盘旋，而一旦马停下，就落下来，沉浸于沼泽。这就是觉知被提升，而意之爱仍停留在脚下，并沉溺于尘世污秽和感官欲望之人。但因为这种人的觉知还有一缕看似智慧的光明，尽管其意愿反对它，所以他们还好比有闪光鳞片的毒蛇，闪耀如金的西班牙苍蝇，或沼泽地里的鬼火，或发光的朽木与含磷的物质。他们当中有些人能伪装成光明天人，混在世人和死后天堂天人中间。但经短暂检查之后，这些人就被剥去衣服，赤裸裸地被丢了下去。然而，尘世不可能发生这种事，因为此时他们的灵没有被打开，而是被类似舞台演员所戴的面具掩盖。他们在言谈举止上伪装光明天人的能力，就是他们能提升觉知（如前所述）至意之爱以上，几乎到达天人智慧的果效和证明。既然人的内在与外在就这样彼此背道而驰，既然身体会被抛弃，而灵依旧存留，那么显而易见，笑脸背后可能住着一个黑暗的灵，温言细语里可能藏着一个暴躁的人。所以，我的朋友，要认识一个人，不要凭他的嘴，而要看他的心，也就是说，不要听他说了什么，而要看他做了什么。因为主说：
要防备假先知，他们到你们这里来，外面披着羊皮，里面却是残暴的狼。凭着他们的果子，就可以认出他们来（马太福音7:15－16）。
590. 但关于觉知被提升, 而意之爱没有藉着它被提升之人的性质, 要通过对比来说明。 他就象飞在高空的老鹰, 一看见下面的猎物, 如鸡, 小天鹅, 甚至小羔羊, 就立即俯冲下来吞吃它们。 他还象一个奸夫, 把妓女藏在楼下的地下室里, 却时而来到楼上房间, 在他妻子及其访客面前明智地谈论贞洁, 时而偷偷离开他的同伴, 在楼下的妓女那里满足自己的淫欲。 他还象沼泽的苍蝇, 在飞驰的骏马头上盘旋, 而一旦马停下, 就落下来, 沉浸于沼泽。 这就是觉知被提升, 而意之爱仍停留在脚下, 并沉溺于尘世污秽和感官欲望之人。 但因为这种人的觉知还有一缕看似智慧的光明, 尽管其意愿反对它, 所以他们还好比有闪光鳞片的毒蛇, 闪耀如金的西班牙苍蝇, 或沼泽地里的鬼火, 或发光的朽木与含磷的物质。 他们当中有些人能伪装成光明天人, 混在世人和死后天堂天人中间。 但经短暂检查之后, 这些人就被剥去衣服, 赤裸裸地被丢了下去。 然而, 尘世不可能发生这种事, 因为此时他们的灵没有被打开, 而是被类似舞台演员所戴的面具掩盖。 他们在言谈举止上伪装光明天人的能力, 就是他们能提升觉知 (如前所述) 至意之爱以上, 几乎到达天人智慧的果效和证明。 既然人的内在与外在就这样彼此背道而驰, 既然身体会被抛弃, 而灵依旧存留, 那么显而易见, 笑脸背后可能住着一个黑暗的灵, 温言细语里可能藏着一个暴躁的人。 所以, 我的朋友, 要认识一个人, 不要凭他的嘴, 而要看他的心, 也就是说, 不要听他说了什么, 而要看他做了什么。 因为主说:
要防备假先知, 他们到你们这里来, 外面披着羊皮, 里面却是残暴的狼。 凭着他们的果子, 就可以认出他们来 (马太福音7:15-16)。
第6节 内在人必须先被改造, 然后外在人通过它被改造, 人就是这样重生的
590. The following comparisons can illustrate what people are like when their intellect has been lifted up but the love in their will has not. They are like an eagle that soars on high, but as soon as it sees something to eat below, such as hens, cygnets, or even little lambs, it drops like a stone and devours them.
They are also like an adulterous husband who has a whore hidden in his basement. He keeps going back and forth to the top level of his house. Up there in the presence of his wife he says wise things to his guests about faithfulness in marriage, but now and then suddenly leaves to go downstairs and satisfy his lewd desires with his whore.
They are also like swamp flies that fly in a column above the head of a running horse. Once the horse stops, they plunge back into their swamp.
This is what we are like when our intellect is lifted up but the love in our will remains below, near our feet, immersed in the unclean desires of its nature and lusting for sensual gratification.
[2] Because people in this state shine intellectually as if they possessed wisdom and yet their will is contrary to wisdom, they are like snakes with scales that reflect the light, or like beetles that shine as if they were made of gold. They are also like the strange light over swamps at night, or from the glow of rotting wood, or from phosphorus.
Some who are in this state can masquerade as angels of light, both among people in this world and, after they die, among angels of heaven. After a brief examination there, however, their clothes are removed and they are thrown out naked. They cannot be detected in this world, because here their spirit is not visible; it is covered over with a mask, like the one a comic actor wears on stage. The fact that they can use their faces and words to masquerade as angels of light is both a result and a sign of the fact that they can lift their intellect almost all the way into angelic wisdom, above the love in their will, as I mentioned before. Since our inner and our outer self can go in opposite directions like this, and because our body is cast off but our spirit remains, it is clear then that a dark spirit can live behind a bright face, and a raging spirit can lie behind soothing words.
Therefore, my friend, know people for what they are, not by their mouth but by their heart - that is, not from what they say but from what they do. The Lord says, "Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing but are inwardly as predatory as wolves. Recognize them by their fruits" (Matthew 7:15-16).
590. Comparisons will illustrate what a person is like whose understanding is raised without this in turn raising the love of his will. He is like an eagle flying high, which as soon as it sees its prey below, such as chickens or cygnets or even young lambs, swoops down at once and devours them. He is also like an adulterer, who hides his whore downstairs in the cellar, but from time to time comes upstairs to the upper part of the house, and in his wife's presence talks wisely with his visitors about chastity, and then from time to time breaks off the discussion and satisfies his lust down below with his whore. He is also like the flies in a marsh, which fly in a column over the head of a galloping horse, but when the horse keeps still, drop down and plunge into the marsh where they live. Such is the nature of a person whose understanding is raised up high, but who has the love of his will kept down at foot level, immersed in the filth of nature and the lusts of the senses.
[2] But because they have this gleam in their understanding which looks like wisdom, though their will is opposed to it, they can be likened to snakes with glistening scales, Spanish flies that glitter as if with gold, or to the will-o'-the-wisp of marshland, rotten wood that shines in the dark, and phosphorescent substances. There are some of them who can imitate angels of light, both among people in the world and after death in the presence of angels of heaven. But after a short period of examination they are stripped of their clothes and cast down naked. Nothing of the sort, however, can happen in the world, because there their spirit is not open to view, but is overlaid with a disguise, like those used by actors on the stage. Their being able to imitate angels of light in countenance and expression is the reason and also a sign, that they can raise their understanding almost to the point of angelic wisdom, rising as I have said above the love of the will. Now since a person's internal and external can thus go in opposite directions, and since the body is discarded and the spirit remains, it is clear that a murky spirit can live behind a shining face, and a fiery one behind a smooth tongue. Therefore, my friend, you must get to know a person not by his mouth but by his heart, that is, not by his conversation but by what he does. For the Lord says:
Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves; by their fruits you must know them, Matthew 7:15-16.
590. But the nature of the man whose understanding has been elevated, but not the will's love by means of it, shall be illustrated by comparisons. He is like an eagle flying on high, but as soon as he sees food below, as hens, young swans, or even young lambs, he darts down in a moment and devours them. He is also like an adulterer who hides a harlot in a room below, and in turn ascends to the highest story of his house, and there in the presence of his wife talks wisely with visitors about chastity, and again steals away from the company and satiates his lust with the harlot below. He is also like marsh flies that fly in a body over the head of a running horse, but when the horse stops settle down and immerse themselves in their marsh. Such is the man who is elevated as to the understanding, while the will's love remains down at the foot, immersed in the uncleannesses of nature and the libidinous propensities of the senses. But because such men shine as if with wisdom in the understanding, while the will is in opposition to wisdom, they may also be likened to serpents with shining skins, and to the Spanish flies that glisten as if made of gold, or to the ignis fatuus in marshes, or to shining rotten wood and phosphorescent substances. There are among them some who can counterfeit angels of light, both among men in the world and after death among the angels of heaven; but these, after a brief examination, are deprived of their clothing, and cast down naked. This cannot be done in the world, because there the spirit of such is not open, but is covered over by a mask like that used by actors in theaters. In countenance and with the lips they are able to counterfeit angels of light, which is both an effect and a proof of their ability to elevate the understanding, as has been said, above the love of the will almost to angelic wisdom. Since then, man's internal and external can run thus counter to each other, and since the body is cast aside while the spirit remains, a dark spirit may evidently dwell behind a bright face, and a fiery one behind a bland mouth. Therefore, my friend, form your opinion of a man not from his mouth but from his heart, that is, not from his words but from his deeds; for the Lord says:
Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. By their fruits ye shall know them (Matthew 7:15-16).
590. The nature of the man whose understanding has been elevated, while the love of his will has not been elevated by means of it, may be illustrated by comparisons. He is like an eagle flying aloft; but as soon as it sees below any prey for food, as poultry, young swans or even new-born lambs, it swoops down and devours them. He is also like an adulterer who keeps a courtesan concealed in a cellar; and who at times proceeds to the upper part of the house and in the presence of his wife talks sententiously with visitors on the subject of chastity, and then hurries down from his company and indulges his passions with the courtesan. He is also like marsh-flies which circle in a column over the head of a galloping horse, but which settle down when the horse comes to rest and bury themselves in the bog. Such is the man whose understanding is elevated, but the love of whose will remains sunk in the depths, immersed in the unclean things of nature and the lusts of the senses. Because such men are brilliant in understanding as if from wisdom, while their will is opposed to what is wise, they may be likened to serpents with glistening scales, and to poisonous beetles which glitter like gold; also to the will-o'-the-wisp in swamps, and to rotten wood and similar substances that emit a phosphorescent glow.
Some of them can counterfeit angels of light, both among men on earth and, after death, among angels of heaven; but after a short examination they are stripped of their garments and cast down naked. Action like this cannot be taken against them while in the world because their spirit is not open but covered with a mask, like actors on the stage. They can counterfeit angels of light in face and speech because, and this may serve also as proof, they can elevate their understanding almost to angelic wisdom, as was said above. As a man's internal and external can thus run counter to each other, and as the body is cast off after death, and the spirit remains, it is now evident that a dark spirit may put on a bright countenance and a fiery one may be charming in speech. Therefore, my friend, form your judgment of men not from their lips but from their hearts, not from their words but from their actions; for the Lord says:
"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits" Matthew 7:15-16.
590. Sed hoc, qualis homo est, cujus intellectus elevatus est, et non per hunc amor voluntatis, illustrabitur per comparationes: est sicut aquila volans in alto, sed ut primum videt escas infra, ut gallinas, pullos olorum, 1 imo catulos ovium, momento se dejicit, et devorat. Est etiam sicut adulter, qui inferius in cella recondit scortum, et per vices surgit in supremam regionem domus, et cum commorantibus ibi in praesentia uxoris suae loquitur sapienter de castitate, ac alternis ex consortiis se proripit, et lasciviam suam infra satiat cum scorto. Est quoque similis muscis paludis, quae in columna volant super Capite equi currentis, quae quiescente equo decidunt, et immergunt se paludi suae; talis est homo, qui in elevatione est quoad intellectum, at amor voluntatis infra ad pedem subsistit immersus immundis naturae, et libidinosis sensuum.
[2] At quia lucent sicut ex sapientia quoad intellectum, et voluntas est contra illam, possunt assimilari etiam serpentibus qui lucent squamis, et cantharidibus quae fulgent sicut ex auro, tum etiam, ignibus fatuis in paludibus, lignis putribus lucentibus, et phosphoris: inter illos sunt, qui possunt mentiri angelos lucis, tam inter homines in Mundo, quam post mortem apud angelos coeli, sed hi post brevem explorationem deprivantur vestibus, et nudi dejiciuntur; simile tamen non fieri potest in Mundo, quia ibi non apertus est spiritus illorum, sed superinductus vultu, qualis est comoedis super theatro; quod facie et ore mentiri possint angelos lucis, est causa et quoque indicium, quod intellectum possint elevare paene ad sapientiam angelicam, supra amorem voluntatis, ut dictum est; nunc quia internum et externum hominis possunt ita in contrarium abire, et quia corpus projicitur et spiritus manet, constat quod furvus spiritus possit habitare sub candida facie, et igneus sub blando ore; quare, mi amice, cognoscite hominem non ex ejus ore sed ex ejus corde, hoc est, non ex sermone, sed ex factis; nam dicit Dominus, "Cavete vobis a pseudoprophetis, qui veniunt ad vos in indumentis ovium, intrinsecus autem sunt lupi rapaces; e fructibus eorum cognoscite eos," Matthaeus 7:15-16.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: olerum.