624.记事四：
半夜醒来，我清楚地看见东方高处有一位天人，右手拿着一张纸，这纸在阳光下闪闪发光，纸的中间有一行金字，我见写的是：善与真的婚姻。字迹放射的光芒扩散成围绕纸张的圆环；这光芒或光晕看似春天的黎明。后来，我见天人连同他手里的纸落下来，降落时，这纸越来越不明亮，那行字，即“善与真的婚姻”，从金色变成银色，又变成铜色，再变成铁色，最终变成铜与铁的锈色。最后，天人似乎没入乌云，又穿过乌云落到地面。在此，那纸尽管还在他手上，却看不见了。这事发生在灵界，就是所有人死后首先聚集的地方。
然后天人对我说：“去问问那些即将到这来的人，他们是否看见我或我手里的东西。”一大群人来了，分别是来自东、西、南、北的四个团体。我问来自东南方的人—他们在世时致力于学问，是否看见有人和我同在，或他手里有什么东西。他们全都说什么也没看见。然后，我又问来自西北方的人—他们在世时相信学者说的话，他们也说看不见任何东西。然而，这组人中的最后一批人，在世时一直处于简单的仁之信，换句话说，拥有某个善之真，在前面的人走后，说他们看见一个人和一张纸，这人穿着优雅，纸上写着字。当靠近看时，他们说上面写的是“善与真的婚姻”。
这些人和天人打过招呼后，就请求他告诉他们这是什么意思。天人说：“整个天堂万物和整个尘世万物，经由创造无非都是善与真的婚姻，因为每一个事物，不管活得、有呼吸的，还是死的、没有呼吸的，皆出自善与真的婚姻，并为了该婚姻而被造。没有任何事物被单单被造为真，或单单被造为善；这样的事物是不存在的；它们皆通过这婚姻存在，并根据该婚姻而具备某种性质。主神，创造者里面的圣善与圣真就存在于它们的实体中。祂的实体存在就是圣善，该实体的彰显就是圣真，它们处于完全结合的状态，因为在祂里面，它们构成无限的一体。由于这二者在神、创造者自己里面为一体，所以它们在由祂创造的每一个事物里面也是一体。通过这一体，创造者和祂所创造的万物结合在一个如婚姻一样的永恒契约里。”
天人继续说：“由主口授的圣经，无论整体还是部分，都有善与真的婚姻（见248－253）。既然教会通过教义的真理形成，宗教通过依照教义真理生活的善行形成，它们与基督徒同在，唯独源自圣经，那么显而易见，无论总体还是部分，教会也是善与真的婚姻。关于善与真的婚姻所说的一切也适用于仁与信的婚姻，因为善属于仁，真属于信。”说完这番话，天人离开地面，穿过乌云升入天堂。随着他上升，那纸开始象先前那样发光，并在上升的每个阶段都发生变化。看哪，之前看似黎明的那个圆环落下来，驱散了笼罩大地的乌云，太阳又照射出来。
624. 记事四:
半夜醒来, 我清楚地看见东方高处有一位天人, 右手拿着一张纸, 这纸在阳光下闪闪发光, 纸的中间有一行金字, 我见写的是: 善与真的婚姻。 字迹放射的光芒扩散成围绕纸张的圆环; 这光芒或光晕看似春天的黎明。 后来, 我见天人连同他手里的纸落下来, 降落时, 这纸越来越不明亮, 那行字, 即“善与真的婚姻”, 从金色变成银色, 又变成铜色, 再变成铁色, 最终变成铜与铁的锈色。 最后, 天人似乎没入乌云, 又穿过乌云落到地面。 在此, 那纸尽管还在他手上, 却看不见了。 这事发生在灵界, 就是所有人死后首先聚集的地方。
然后天人对我说: “去问问那些即将到这来的人, 他们是否看见我或我手里的东西。 ”一大群人来了, 分别是来自东, 西, 南, 北的四个团体。 我问来自东南方的人—他们在世时致力于学问, 是否看见有人和我同在, 或他手里有什么东西。 他们全都说什么也没看见。 然后, 我又问来自西北方的人—他们在世时相信学者说的话, 他们也说看不见任何东西。 然而, 这组人中的最后一批人, 在世时一直处于简单的仁之信, 换句话说, 拥有某个善之真, 在前面的人走后, 说他们看见一个人和一张纸, 这人穿着优雅, 纸上写着字。 当靠近看时, 他们说上面写的是“善与真的婚姻”。
这些人和天人打过招呼后, 就请求他告诉他们这是什么意思。 天人说: “整个天堂万物和整个尘世万物, 经由创造无非都是善与真的婚姻, 因为每一个事物, 不管活得, 有呼吸的, 还是死的, 没有呼吸的, 皆出自善与真的婚姻, 并为了该婚姻而被造。 没有任何事物被单单被造为真, 或单单被造为善; 这样的事物是不存在的; 它们皆通过这婚姻存在, 并根据该婚姻而具备某种性质。 主神, 创造者里面的圣善与圣真就存在于它们的实体中。 祂的实体存在就是圣善, 该实体的彰显就是圣真, 它们处于完全结合的状态, 因为在祂里面, 它们构成无限的一体。 由于这二者在神, 创造者自己里面为一体, 所以它们在由祂创造的每一个事物里面也是一体。 通过这一体, 创造者和祂所创造的万物结合在一个如婚姻一样的永恒契约里。 ”
天人继续说: “由主口授的圣经, 无论整体还是部分, 都有善与真的婚姻 (见248-253)。 既然教会通过教义的真理形成, 宗教通过依照教义真理生活的善行形成, 它们与基督徒同在, 唯独源自圣经, 那么显而易见, 无论总体还是部分, 教会也是善与真的婚姻。 关于善与真的婚姻所说的一切也适用于仁与信的婚姻, 因为善属于仁, 真属于信。 ”说完这番话, 天人离开地面, 穿过乌云升入天堂。 随着他上升, 那纸开始象先前那样发光, 并在上升的每个阶段都发生变化。 看哪, 之前看似黎明的那个圆环落下来, 驱散了笼罩大地的乌云, 太阳又照射出来。
624. The fourth memorable occurrence. I woke up in the middle of the night and saw an angel quite high up toward the east. The angel was holding a piece of paper in his right hand that was shining brightly because of the sun. On the middle of the page there were words in gold lettering; I saw the words The Marriage of Goodness and Truth. A glow shone from the writing that extended to form a large halo around the piece of paper. That halo or aura looked like the dawn of a morning in spring.
Then I saw the angel coming down, still carrying the piece of paper in his hand. As he came down, the piece of paper became less and less radiant, and the writing on it that said The Marriage of Goodness and Truth turned from gold to silver, then copper, then iron; it eventually became the color of rusty iron and tarnished copper. Then I saw the angel drop into a dark storm cloud and pass through it to the ground. There the piece of paper was no longer visible, although the angel was still holding it in his hand. This was in the world of spirits, the place where all of us first come together after we die.
[2] The angel addressed me and said, "Ask the people who are coming here whether they can see me or anything in my hand. " Great throngs of people then arrived. One great crowd came from the east, another from the south, another from the west, and another from the north.
The new arrivals from the east and the south were people who during their lives in the world had been devoted to learning. I asked them whether they could see anyone here with me, and if so, was there anything in his hand. They all said that they could not see anything of the sort.
The new arrivals from the west and the north were people who during their lives in the world had believed what they were told by the educated. I asked them the same question. They said they too saw nothing. Nevertheless, after all the earlier people in their groups had moved on, the last people to arrive from the west and north said that they did see a man with a piece of paper. They were people who through goodwill during their lives in the world had come to have a simple faith, or who knew some truth because of their goodness. They said the man they saw was well dressed and the piece of paper had neatly written lettering on it. When they looked at it more closely they said they read the words, "The marriage of goodness and truth. "
[3] They addressed the angel directly and asked him to tell them what this meant.
The angel said, "From creation, all things that are in the whole of heaven and all things that are in the whole world are nothing but a marriage of goodness and truth, since each and every thing, whether it lives and moves or does not, was created both from a marriage of goodness and truth and for that marriage. Nothing was created for truth alone, and nothing was created for goodness alone. Neither truth nor goodness is anything on its own, but when they marry each other they become something, and the nature of that something depends on the quality of their marriage.
"In the Lord God the Creator, divine goodness and divine truth exist in their essential quality. The divine goodness is the underlying reality within that essential quality; the divine truth is that quality's capacity to become manifest. They also enjoy a complete union together, since in the Lord they become one in an infinite variety of ways. Since these two are one in God the Creator, they are also one in each and every thing that was created by him. As a result, there is also an eternal covenant, like a marriage, that joins the Creator to all that he created. "
[4] The angel also noted that Sacred Scripture, which was dictated by the Lord, is as a whole and in every part a marriage of goodness and truth. (See above, 248-253.)
"For Christians," he added, "Sacred Scripture is the sole source of the church, which is formed from true teachings, and religious practice, which is formed from good actions that follow those true teachings; therefore you can see that the church, too, is as a whole and in every part a marriage of goodness and truth.
"The same things that were just said about the marriage of goodness and truth also apply to the marriage of goodwill and faith, since goodness relates to goodwill and truth relates to faith. "
After saying this, the angel rose up off the ground and flew up through the storm cloud into heaven. As he ascended, the piece of paper began shining again as it had before. To my astonishment, the halo that had looked like the dawn when I first saw it now came down and dispersed the storm cloud that had been darkening the land. The weather became warm and sunny.
624. 1 The fourth experience.
Awoken from sleep in the middle of the night I saw fairly high up towards the east an angel holding a paper in his right hand. It was brightly lit up by the sun, and in the middle there was writing in golden letters. I saw that the inscription was: The marriage of good and truth. A radiance sparkled from the writing, and spread into a broad ring around the paper. This radiance or halo looked like the dawn in springtime. Afterwards I saw the angel coming down with the paper in his hand, and as he came the paper shone less and less, and the inscription, The marriage of good and truth, changed from gold to silver colour, then to that of copper, later to that of iron and finally to the colour of rust and verdigris. At last the angel appeared to enter a dark cloud, and passing through the cloud appeared on earth. There the paper, though still held in the angel's hand, was invisible. This happened in the world of spirits, into which everyone comes at first after death.
[2] Then the angel spoke to me. 'Ask those,' he said, 'who are coming here whether they can see me or anything in my hand.' A great crowd came, one group from the east, one from the south, one from the west and one from the north. I asked those from the east and south, men who in the world had devoted themselves to study, whether they could see anyone here with me, or anything in his hand. They all said that they could see nothing at all. Then I put the question to those who came from the west and north. These were those who in the world had taken on trust what learned people said. They too said they could not see anything. However, the last of this group, those who in the world had had a simple faith based on charity, or in other words possessed some truth from good, said, after the first-comers had gone, that they could see a man with a piece of paper, the man in fine clothing and the paper with letters written on it. When they looked closely, they said they could read, The marriage of good and truth. So they addressed the angel, requesting him to tell them what this meant.
[3] He said that everything in the whole of heaven and everything in the whole of the world is from creation nothing but the marriage of good and truth. This is because every single thing, both those that live and breathe as well as those that do not, comes from the marriage of good and truth and was created for that purpose. Nothing exists created to be truth alone, nor to be good alone. Neither of these is anything taken by itself, but by marriage they come into existence and become such as is the nature of the marriage. In the Lord God the Creator Divine good and Divine truth are present in their very substance. The being of His substance is Divine good, the coming-into-being of this substance is Divine truth, and they are in a state of complete union, for in Him they make up one to an infinite degree. Since these two are one in God the Creator Himself, they are therefore also one in every single thing created by Him. By this too the Creator is linked with all things created by Him in an everlasting covenant as of marriage.
[4] The angel went on to say that the Sacred Scripture, which was dictated by the Lord, is in general and in its parts a marriage of good and truth (see above 248-253). Since the church, being formed by means of the truths of doctrine, and religion, being formed by good deeds in life in accordance with the truths of doctrine, are in the case of Christians solely derived from the Sacred Scripture, it can be established that the church too in general and in its parts is a marriage of good and truth. The same as has been said here about the marriage of good and truth applies also to the marriage of charity and faith, since good relates to charity, truth to faith.
After making this speech the angel left the earth and travelling through the cloud went up into heaven. Then as he went up the paper began to shine as before, changing at each stage of the ascent. Then the ring of radiance which previously looked like the dawn came down and dispersed the cloud which had darkened the earth, and the sun shone.
Footnotes:
1. This section is repeated with modifications from Conjugial Love 115.
624. Fourth Memorable Relation:
Awaking from sleep at midnight, I saw at some height toward the east an angel holding in his right hand a paper which appeared of lustrous brightness in the sun's light, and in the center of it there was a writing in golden letters; and I saw written: The Marriage of Good and Truth. From the writing flashed a splendor which spread into a wide circle round about the paper; so that the circle or border appeared like the dawn of day in spring.
After this I saw the angel with the paper in his hand descending, and as he descended the paper appeared less and less bright, and the inscription, which was The Marriage of Good and Truth, was changed from a golden to a silver color, then to a copper color, then to an iron color, and finally to the color of copper and iron rust. At last the angel seemed to enter a dark mist and to pass through it to the earth; and there the paper, although still retained in his hand, was not visible. This was in the world of spirits where all men first assemble after death.
[2] The angel then spoke to me, saying: "Ask those who are coming here whether they see me or see anything in my hand."
A multitude came, one body from the east, one from the south, one from the west, and one from the north; and I asked those coming from the east and south, who were such as, while in the world, had been devoted to learning, whether they saw anyone there with me, or anything in his hand. They all said that they saw nothing whatever.
Then I asked those who came from the west and north, who were such as in the world had believed in the sayings of the learned; these said that they too did not see anything; although the last of them, who in the world had been in simple faith from charity or in some truth from good, said, after the former had gone away, that they saw a man with a paper, a man in graceful clothing, and a paper upon which letters were written; and when they brought their eyes close to it, they said that the inscription was, The Marriage of Good and Truth.
[3] These also spoke to the angel, and asked him to tell them what it was.
And the angel said, "All things in the whole heaven, and all things in the whole world, are by creation nothing but a marriage of good and truth, since each and all things, both the living and animate, and the lifeless and inanimate, are created from a marriage of good and truth and into that marriage. Nothing created into truth alone or into good alone is possible; either of these alone is nothing; but by means of that marriage the two exist and become a something, in quality in accord with the marriage. In the Lord God the Creator there is Divine good and Divine truth in their very substance. Divine good is the being [esse] of His substance, and Divine truth is the outgo [existere] of His substance, and they are also in their very oneness, for in Him they make one infinitely. As these two are one in God the Creator Himself, they are also one in each and all things created by Him; and by means of this the Creator is conjoined in an eternal covenant like that of marriage with all things created from Himself."
[4] The angel said further, that the Sacred Scripture, which was dictated by the Lord, is in the whole and in every part a marriage of good and truth (see above,248-253); and because the church, which is formed by truths of doctrine, and religion, which is formed by goods of life according to truths of doctrine, are, with Christians, solely from the Sacred Scripture, it is evident that the church also, in general and in particular, is a marriage of good and truth. And what has been said of the marriage of good and truth can be said also of The Marriage of Charity and Faith, since good belongs to charity, and truth to faith.
When this had been said the angel raised himself up from the earth, and passing through the mist, he ascended into heaven; and then the paper, according as he ascended, shone as before; and lo, that circle which before appeared like the day-dawn, settled down and dispelled the mist which had brought darkness upon the earth, and it became sunny.
624. The fourth experience. I once awoke from sleep at midnight, and saw an angel at some height towards the east, holding in his right hand a paper gleaming white in the light of the sun. In the centre of the paper there was writing in letters of gold, and I saw these words, "The marriage of good and truth." From the writing there shone a brilliance which formed a broad halo round the paper, and this halo surrounding it was like the dawn in spring time. After this I saw the angel descending with the paper in his hand, and as he descended the paper appeared less and less bright, and the inscription, "The marriage of good and truth" changed from the color of gold to that of silver, then to the color of copper, next to that of iron, and finally to the color of iron and copper rust. At last the angel was seen to enter into a dark cloud, and pass through it to the earth; and there the paper, although still in his hand, was not visible. This happened in the world of spirits, where all men after death are first brought together.
[2] Then the angel addressed me, and said, "Ask those who are coming this way whether they see me or anything in my hand." A great number approached, some from the east, some from the south, some from the west and some from the north. I asked those who came from the east and the south, those who had in the world devoted themselves to learning, whether they saw any one with me, or anything in his hand; and they all said that they saw nothing at all. Then I asked those who came from the west and the north, those who in the world had believed what men of learning said. They also declared that they saw nothing. Yet the last of them, who in the world had lived in simple faith from charity, or in some truth from good, after those before them had departed, said that they saw a man with paper, a man in a handsome dress with a paper upon which letters were inscribed. They then looked more closely and said that they read, "The marriage of good and truth."
[3] These addressed the angel and desired him to explain what this meant. He said: "All things in the whole of heaven and in the whole of the world are from creation nothing but a marriage of good and truth; for all things, both living and not living, both animate and inanimate, exist from the marriage of good and truth, and were created for it. Not a single thing has been created for truth alone or for good alone. By itself each of these has no reality, but by that marriage all things exist and acquire a character in conformity with that marriage. In the Lord God the Creator Divine Good and Divine Truth are in their substance itself, the Being (Esse) of His substance is Divine Good, and the Existing (Existere) of His substance is Divine Truth. Divine Good and Divine Truth are also in their union itself, for in Him they infinitely make one. As these two are one in God the Creator Himself, they are also one in all things created by Him. By this means also the Creator is joined in an eternal covenant, like that of marriage, with all things created by Him."
[4] The angel said further that the Sacred Scripture, which was dictated by the Lord, is, in general and in particular, a marriage of good and truth, as may be seen above, 248-253. The Church, which is formed by means of the truth of doctrine, and religion, which is formed by means of the good of life conformable to the truth of doctrine, have their origin solely from the Sacred Scripture; it may, therefore, be evident that the Church also, in general and in particular, is a marriage of good and truth. What was said above concerning the marriage of good and truth is applicable to the marriage of charity and faith, as good has relation to charity, and truth to faith.
After saying these things, the angel rose up from the earth and, passing through the cloud, ascended into heaven, and the paper, according to the degrees of his ascent, shone as before; and the halo, which before had appeared like the morning light, descended and dispelled the cloud which had brought darkness upon the earth, and bright sunshine followed.
624. QUARTUM MEMORABILE.
In media nocte experrectus e somno, vidi in aliqua altitudine versus Orientem Angelum tenentem in manu dextra Chartam, quae ex Sole apparuit in illustri candore, in cujus medio erat Scriptura ex literis aureis, et vidi scriptum CONJUGIUM BONI ET VERI; ex Scriptura emicuit splendor, qui abivit in latum circulum circum Chartam, circulus ille seu ambitus apparuit inde sicut apparet aurora verno tempore. Post haec vidi Angelum cum Charta in manu descendentem, et sicut descendit, apparuit Charta minus et minus lucida, et Scriptura illa, qua erat CONJUGIUM BONI ET VERI, conversa a colore aureo in argenteum, et deinde in cupreum, postea in ferreum, et demum in ferruginosum et aeruginosum; ac ultimo visus est Angelus intrare in Nimbum obscurum, et trans Nimbum super Terram, et ibi Charta illa, tametsi in manu Angeli adhuc tenebatur, non visa est; fuit hoc in Mundo spirituum, in quem omnes homines post obitum primo conveniunt;
[2] et tunc Angelus loquutus est ad me, dicens, quaere illos, qui huc veniunt, Numeri videant me, vel aliquid in manu mea; venit multitudo, caetus ab oriente, caetus a meridie, caetus ab occidente, caetus a septentrione, et quaesivi advenientes ex Oriente et Meridie, qui erant qui in Mundo studuerunt eruditioni, Numeri videant hic apud me aliquem, aut aliquid in manu ejus; dixerunt omnes, quod prorsus nihil; quaesivi dein illos qui advenerunt ex Occidente et Septentrione, qui erant qui in verba eruditorum in Mundo crediderant; hi dixerunt, quod nec aliquid: attamen ultimi ex his, qui in Mundo fuerant in simplici fide ex charitate, seu in aliquo vero ex bono, postquam abiverunt priores, dixerunt, quod videant Virum cum Charta, Virum in habitu decoro, et Chartam super qua literae exaratae, et cum admoverunt oculos, dicebant quod legerent CONJUGIUM BONI ET VERI;
[3] et hi alloquebantur Angelum, rogantes ut diceret, quid hoc; et dixit, quod omnia quae in Universo Coelo sunt, et omnia quae in Universo Mundo, a creatione non sint nisi quam Conjugium boni et veri; quoniam omnia et singula, tam quae vivunt et animant, quam quae non vivunt et [non] 1 animant, ex Conjugio boni et veri, et in illud creata sunt; non datur quicquam creatum in solum Verum, nec quicquam in solum Bonum; hoc et illud solitarium non est aliquid, sed existunt et fiunt per Conjugium tale aliquid, quale est conjugium: In Domino Deo Creatore est Divinum Bonum et Divinum Verum in ipsa sua Substantia; Substantiae Ipsius Esse est Divinum Bonum, et Substantiae Ipsius Existere est Divinum Verum, et quoque sunt in ipsa sua Unione, nam in Ipso infinite unum faciunt; quoniam duo illa in Ipso Deo Creatore unum sunt, ideo etiam in omnibus et singulis creatis ab Ipso unum sunt; per id quoque Creator cum omnibus a se creatis aeterno foedere sicut Conjugii conjunctus est.
[4] Porro dixit Angelus, quod Scriptura Sacra, quae a Domino dictata est, sit in communi et in parte Conjugium boni et veri, videatur supra. 248-253; et quia Ecclesia, quae formatur per Vera Doctrinae, et Religio, quae formatur per Bona vitae secundum Vera Doctrinae, apud Christianos unice est ex Scriptura Sacra, constare potest, quod etiam Ecclesia in communi et in parte sit Conjugium Boni et Veri. Idem hoc quod supra dictum est de Conjugio Boni et Veri, dictum etiam est de CONJUGIO CHARITATIS ET FIDEI, quoniam Bonum est Charitatis, et Verum est Fidei. Postquam haec dicta sunt, Angelus extulit se e terra, et vectus trans nimbum ascendit in Coelum, et tunc Charta secundum gradus ascensus, fulgebat sicut prius; et ecce tunc Circulus, qui prius apparuit sicut aurora, se demisit, et dispulit Nimbum, qui tenebras induxit Terrae, et factum est apricum.
Footnotes: