619.这些事实能证实，没有真理就不会认识主，没有真理就没有信，因而没有仁，故，没有真理就没有神学，没有神学的地方也不会有教会。这就是自称基督徒的人们所组成的肢体的现状，他们声称自己处于福音的光明中，事实上却在十足的黑暗里，因为他们身上的真理深藏在虚假之下，如同埋在欣嫩谷的骨头中的金、银和宝石。这一切通过灵界气流向我显明，这气流从当今基督徒那里流出并辐射。
一股气流是涉及主的，它从南部地区呼出并散布出去，此处住着博学的神职人员和有学问的信徒。无论这气流到哪里，都会巧妙潜入人们的思想观念中，从许多人那里取走他们对主人性之神圣性的信仰，在许多人身上弱化它，也在许多人身上将它转为愚蠢，原因在于，它同时引入了三位神的信仰，从而造成混乱。
第二股气流则拿走信，它就象冬天的乌云，带来黑暗，化雨为雪，使树木光秃秃，使水结冰，使绵羊丧失所有牧草。该气流与前者结合起来，在有关一位神、重生以及救赎方面注入一种倦怠。
第三股气流涉及信与仁的结合，它如此强烈以至于无法抗拒，但如今却令人厌恶，它就象一场瘟疫，传染凡它所波及的每个人，将这两种救赎方法之间的每条纽带撕成碎片，这些纽带自创世时就已建立，被主重新恢复。这气流也侵袭世人，熄灭真与善之间的婚姻火炬。我感受过它，在此期间，当我思及信与仁的结合时，它就介入到它们之间，极其卖力地尝试把它们分开。
天人报怨这些气流，向主祷告驱散它们，但得到的答复是，只要大龙还在地上，它们就无法被驱散，因为它们来自大龙的追随者。启示录说这大龙下到地上去了，经文如下：
所以诸天和住在其中的，你们都快乐吧！只是地有祸了。（启示录12:12.）
这三股气流就象从大龙鼻孔喷发出来、能驱动暴风雨的大气，并且由于它们是属灵的，所以会侵袭心智并控制它。属灵真理的气流到现在为止极其稀少，仅在新天堂，以及天堂下面那些从大龙的追随者那里分离出来的人身上。这就是为何当今世人几乎不明白那些真理的原因，就象东方海洋里的船只不为航行在西方的船主和航海者所见一样。
619. 这些事实能证实, 没有真理就不会认识主, 没有真理就没有信, 因而没有仁, 故, 没有真理就没有神学, 没有神学的地方也不会有教会。 这就是自称基督徒的人们所组成的肢体的现状, 他们声称自己处于福音的光明中, 事实上却在十足的黑暗里, 因为他们身上的真理深藏在虚假之下, 如同埋在欣嫩谷的骨头中的金, 银和宝石。 这一切通过灵界气流向我显明, 这气流从当今基督徒那里流出并辐射。
一股气流是涉及主的, 它从南部地区呼出并散布出去, 此处住着博学的神职人员和有学问的信徒。 无论这气流到哪里, 都会巧妙潜入人们的思想观念中, 从许多人那里取走他们对主人性之神圣性的信仰, 在许多人身上弱化它, 也在许多人身上将它转为愚蠢, 原因在于, 它同时引入了三位神的信仰, 从而造成混乱。
第二股气流则拿走信, 它就象冬天的乌云, 带来黑暗, 化雨为雪, 使树木光秃秃, 使水结冰, 使绵羊丧失所有牧草。 该气流与前者结合起来, 在有关一位神, 重生以及救赎方面注入一种倦怠。
第三股气流涉及信与仁的结合, 它如此强烈以至于无法抗拒, 但如今却令人厌恶, 它就象一场瘟疫, 传染凡它所波及的每个人, 将这两种救赎方法之间的每条纽带撕成碎片, 这些纽带自创世时就已建立, 被主重新恢复。 这气流也侵袭世人, 熄灭真与善之间的婚姻火炬。 我感受过它, 在此期间, 当我思及信与仁的结合时, 它就介入到它们之间, 极其卖力地尝试把它们分开。
天人报怨这些气流, 向主祷告驱散它们, 但得到的答复是, 只要大龙还在地上, 它们就无法被驱散, 因为它们来自大龙的追随者。 启示录说这大龙下到地上去了, 经文如下:
所以诸天和住在其中的, 你们都快乐吧! 只是地有祸了。 (启示录12:12。 )
这三股气流就象从大龙鼻孔喷发出来, 能驱动暴风雨的大气, 并且由于它们是属灵的, 所以会侵袭心智并控制它。 属灵真理的气流到现在为止极其稀少, 仅在新天堂, 以及天堂下面那些从大龙的追随者那里分离出来的人身上。 这就是为何当今世人几乎不明白那些真理的原因, 就象东方海洋里的船只不为航行在西方的船主和航海者所见一样。
619. From the points just made it is clear that without truths we cannot have an accurate concept of the Lord. Without truths there is also no faith and therefore no goodwill. This means that without truths, there is no theology, and where there is no theology there is no church. Yet the crowd of people who call themselves Christians today lack truths. They say they are in the light of the gospel, but in fact they are in thick darkness.
Today truths lie well hidden beneath falsities, like gold, silver, and precious stones buried among the bones in the valley of Hinnom. The truth of this has been clearly revealed to me through the spheres in the spiritual world that flow forth from modern-day Christianity and spread themselves abroad.
[2] One such sphere, which affects one's thinking about the Lord, emanates and pours forth from the southern region, where learned clergy and well-educated laity reside. Wherever this sphere reaches, it subtly induces new mental images. For many people, it takes away their belief in the divinity of the Lord's human nature; for many others, it weakens their belief; and for many others, it makes their belief foolish. It does this by introducing a faith in three gods, which produces confusion.
[3] The second sphere, which concerns faith, is like a black cloud in winter that causes darkness, turns the rain to snow, strips leaves from the trees, freezes water, and robs sheep of their food. Working jointly with the first sphere mentioned above, this sphere induces a drowsy stupor regarding the oneness of God, the process of regeneration, and the means of being saved.
[4] The third sphere concerns the relationship between faith and goodwill. It is so strong that it is irresistible, and today it is unspeakably horrible. Like a plague, it infects anyone who breathes it in. It takes away any connection between faith and goodwill, even though these two means of salvation have been established since the creation of the world and are brought together by the Lord. This sphere also overcomes people in the physical world and extinguishes the wedding torches at the marriage of truth and goodness. I have felt this sphere. Sometimes when I would think about the connection between faith and goodwill, this sphere would stand between the two and make violent efforts to separate them.
[5] The angels complain about these spheres and pray to the Lord that they will be dissipated; but the answer they get is that these spheres cannot be dissipated as long as the dragon is still on earth, since that sphere comes from the dragon's gang. Scripture tells us that the dragon was cast down to the earth, and adds: "Rejoice because of this, O heavens, and woe to those who live on the earth" (Revelation 12:[9, 12]).
[6] These three spheres are like air masses, originating from the dragon's nostrils, that are then driven far and wide by a windstorm; because they are spiritual they are able to infiltrate and influence minds.
There are only a few spheres of spiritual truths in the spiritual world today. They are found only in the new heaven and among the people who are beneath that heaven who have been separated from the dragon's gang. This is why these truths are as far out of sight to people in the world today as ships on the Baltic Sea are to admirals and ship captains who are sailing the Atlantic Ocean.
619. These facts can establish that there is no knowing the Lord without truths; and without truths there is no faith and so no charity. It follows that without truths there cannot be any theology, and in its absence there cannot be any church either. Such at the present time is the case with the mass of peoples who call themselves Christians, claiming to be in the light of the Gospel, when in fact they are in utter darkness. For the truths lie as deeply hidden under falsities as gold, silver and precious stones buried among the bones in the valley of Hinnom. 1 This was made plain to me from the spheres in the spiritual world which flow and radiate from the Christians of the present day.
[2] One of these spheres concerns the Lord. It spreads its influence from the southern quarter, where the learned among the clergy and educated laymen live. Wherever it reaches, it sneaks into people's ideas, and in many cases carries away their belief in the divinity of the Lord's Human; in many other cases it weakens it, and in many others turns it to foolishness, The reason is that it introduces at the same time a belief in three Gods, and this produces confusion.
[3] A second sphere which carries away 2 faith is like a dark cloud in wintertime, which darkens the day, turns rain into snow, lays bare the trees, freezes waters and deprives sheep of all pasture. This sphere combined with the previous one injects a sort of lethargy concerning one God, regeneration and the means of salvation.
[4] A third sphere concerns the linking of faith and charity. It is so strong as to be irresistible. But at the present time it is appalling, and like a plague it infects anyone who catches a breath of it, tearing apart every bond between the two means of salvation established from the creation of the world and made whole by the Lord. This sphere also attacks people in the natural world and quenches the torches 3 which celebrate the marriage between truth and good. I have felt this sphere, and then when I thought about the linking of faith and charity, it intervened between them and attempted violently to separate them.
[5] The angels complain about these spheres, and pray the Lord to have them dispersed. But they received the reply that they cannot be dispersed, so long as the dragon is upon the earth, since they proceed from the followers of the dragon. For it is said of the dragon that it was cast out into the earth, and then
For this reason rejoice, heavens, and woe to those that live on the earth, Revelation 12:12.
[6] These three spheres are like atmospheres driven by a gale and coming from the air-holes of dragons; and because they are spiritual, they attack people's minds and compel them. The spheres concerned with spiritual truths are up to now few there, at any rate in the new heaven and with those below heaven who are separated from the followers of the dragon. This is the reason why those truths are at the present time so hard to see among people in the world, just as ships sailing the eastern ocean are to the ship-masters and navigators sailing the western ocean.
Footnotes:
1. See Jeremiah 19.
2. The Latin reads affert 'brings,' but aufert 'carries away' seems to be required.
3. In the ancient world wedding processions were accompanied by torchbearers.
619. From all this it can be seen, that without truths there is no knowledge of the Lord; also that without truths there is no faith, and thus no charity; consequently that without truths there is no theology, and where this is not, there is no church. Such is the condition today of that body of people who call themselves Christians, and who say they are in the light of the Gospel, and yet are in the veriest darkness; for with them truths lie hidden beneath falsities, like gold, silver, and precious stones buried among the bones in the valley of Hinnom. That it is so, I was enabled to see clearly from the spheres in the spiritual world that flow forth from the Christendom of today and propagate themselves.
[2] One sphere is that respecting the Lord; this breathes and pours itself forth from the southern quarter, where the learned clergy and erudite laity reside. Wherever this sphere goes it insinuates itself into the ideas, and with many takes away faith in the Divinity of the Lord's Human, with many weakens it, with many makes it seem foolish; and this because it brings in with it the faith in three Gods, and thus produces confusion.
[3] Another sphere that takes away faith is like a black cloud in winter, which brings on darkness, turns rain into snow, strips bare the trees, freezes the waters, and takes away all pasture from the sheep. This sphere in conjunction with the former insinuates a kind of lethargy respecting one God, regeneration, and the means of salvation.
[4] A third sphere relates to the conjunction of faith and charity; this is so strong as to be irresistible, but at the present day it is abominable; it is like a pestilence that infects everyone on whom it breathes, and tears asunder every tie between those two means of salvation, established as such from the creation of the world, and restored anew by the Lord. This sphere invades even the men in the natural world, and extinguishes the marriage torches between truths and goods. I have felt this sphere, and at such times, when I thought of the conjunction of faith and charity, it interposed itself between them and violently endeavored to separate them.
[5] The angels complain of these spheres, and pray to the Lord for their dissipation, but they received the answer that they cannot be dissipated so long as the dragon is on the earth, because it is from the draconic spirits; for it is said of the dragon that he was cast down unto the earth, and then follows:
Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and woe to those that inhabit the earth! (Revelation 12:12.)
[6] These three spheres are like tempest-driven atmospheres coming forth from the breathing-holes of the dragons, which, being spiritual, invade the mind and control it. The spheres of spiritual truth there are as yet few, only in the new heaven, and also with those beneath heaven, who are separated from the draconic spirits. This is why those truths are so little recognized by men in the world to-day, just as ships in the Eastern ocean are invisible to captains and shipmasters who are sailing in the Western ocean.
619. From what has been said it may be evident that without truths there is no rational conception of the Lord, and also that without truths there is no faith, and thus no charity; and consequently, without truths there is no theology, and where there is no theology, there is no Church. Such is the condition of the mass of the people at this day who call themselves Christians, and say that they are in the light of the Gospel, when yet they are in thick darkness; for truths lie hidden under falsities like gold, silver and precious stones buried among bones in the valley of Hinnom. [Joshua 15:8; 18:18; 2 Chronicles 28:3; 33:6.]
That this is so was made plainly evident to me from the spheres in the spiritual world which emanate from the Christendom of to-day, and diffuse themselves around.
[2] One sphere concerning the Lord emanates and spreads from the southern quarter, where dwell the learned clergy and the erudite laymen. Wherever this sphere spreads it secretly permeates the ideas, and with many destroys belief in the Divinity of the Lord's Human, weakens it with many, and with many causes it to appear as foolish. This is because it introduces at the same time a belief in three Gods, and confusion is the result.
[3] Another sphere which takes away faith is like a black cloud in winter, which brings on darkness, turns the rain into snow, strips the trees of their leaves, freezes the water and deprives the sheep of all pasture. This lethargy concerning the one God, regeneration and the means of salvation.
[4] A third sphere is concerned with the conjunction of faith and charity. It is so strong as to be irresistible; but at this day it is a heinous influence, infecting like a plague whomsoever it touches, and destroying every link between those two means of salvation established from the creation of the world and renewed by the Lord. It also permeates men in the natural world, and destroys the marriage between truth and good. I have felt this sphere, and at a time when I was thinking of the conjunction of faith and charity, it came between them, and forcibly strove to separate them.
[5] The angels bewail these spheres, and pray the Lord that they may be dispersed; but they have been told that this cannot be done so long as the dragon is on the earth. For that influence proceeds from the followers of the dragon; and it is written of the dragon that he was cast upon the earth, and then it is said:
"Therefore, rejoice, ye heavens... Woe to the inhabiters of the earth." Revelation 12 [12]
These three spheres are like atmospheres in motion, blown from the nostrils of the dragon; and because they are spiritual, they enter the mind and exercise their influence upon it. Spheres of spiritual truths in the spiritual world are as yet, few, existing in the new heaven and among those beneath heaven who are separated from the followers of the dragon. This is why these truths are at this day as invisible to men in the world as ships in the eastern ocean are to captains and pilots in the western.
619. Ex his constare potest, quod absque veris non sit cognitio Domini, tum quod absque veris non sit Fides, et sic non Charitas, consequenter quod absque veris non sit aliqua Theologia, et ubi haec non est, nec est Ecclesia: talis est Caetus populorum hodie, qui se vocant Christianos, et se dicunt in luce Evangelii esse, cum tamen in ipsa caligine sunt; vera enim sub falsis ita abscondita latent, tanquam aurum, argentum, et lapides pretiosi sepulta inter ossa in valle Hinnomi: 1 quod ita sit, patuit mihi clare a Sphaeris in Mundo spirituali, quae ex hodierno Christianismo effluunt et se propagant.
[2] Una sphaera est de Domino; haec e Plaga meridionali, ubi sunt docti e Clero, et eruditi e Laicis, exspirat et se effundit; haec ubicunque vadit, subintrat ideas, et fidem de Divinitate Humani Domini apud plures aufert, apud plures infirmat, et apud plures infatuat; causa est, quia simul infert 2 fidem trium Deorum, et sic confunditur.
[3] Altera Sphaera, quae aufert 3 fidem, est sicut atra nubes tempore hyemis, quae inducit tenebras, vertit pluvias in nives, denudat arbores, et congelat aquas, et omne pascuum ovibus aufert; haec sphaera conjuncta priori insinuat sicut lethargiam de Deo uno, deque Regeneratione, et de Salutiferis.
[4] Tertia sphaera est conjunctionis fidei et charitatis, quae tam valida est, ut ei non resisti possit, sed hodie nefanda est, et sicut pestis quemcunque aspirat, inficit, et divellit omne vinculum inter bina illa 4 salutis media a creatione Mundi constabilita, et a Domino integrata; haec sphaera invadit etiam homines in Mundo naturali, et exstinguit taedas conjugiales inter vera et bona; hanc sphaeram sensi, et tunc cum cogitavi de Conjunctione fidei et charitatis, se interposuit inter illa, ac violenter conata est separare:
[5] de his Sphaeris conqueruntur Angeli, et orant ad Dominum ut dissipentur, sed responsum tulerunt, quod dissipari nequeant, quamdiu Draco est super terra, quoniam a Draconicis est illa; nam dicitur de Dracone, quod projectus sit in terram, et tunc ita, propter hoc gaudete Coeli, et vae habitantibus terram, Apocalypsis 12:12. 5
[6] Tres illae sphaerae sunt sicut athmosphaerae tempestate actae ex spiraculis Draconum oriundae, quae, quia spirituales sunt, invadunt mentes et adigunt. Sphaerae veritatum spiritualium ibi adhuc paucae sunt, duntaxat in Novo Coelo, et apud illos sub Coelo, qui separati a Draconicis sunt: quae causa est quod Veritates illae hodie in Mundo apud homines tam inconspicuae sint, quemadmodum Naves in mari Orientali sunt Navarchis et Naucleris, qui in mari Occidentali navigant.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: hinnomi.
2. Prima editio: in infert.
3. Prima editio: affert.
4. Prima editio: ille.
5. Prima editio: Apocalypsis XII.