666.这四组发表的所有观点都被我们上方的天人听到了，他们彼此说：“我们发现，基督教界没有一个人知道何为良心，所以，我们要从我们当中派一个人教导他们。”一个白衣天人立刻站在他们中间，他的头上环绕着一束明亮的光带，里面有小星星。该天人对这四组人说：“我们在天堂听到你们就良心的话题接连发表自己的意见，你们全都以为它是某种精神痛苦，这种痛苦折磨头部，并由此折磨身体，或折磨身体，并由此打磨头部。但良心就其本身而言，并不是什么疼痛，而是按照宗教信仰行动的一种属灵渴望。因此当人们照良心行事时，那些在良心上感觉快乐的人就生活在宁静平和与内在祝福中，当他们违背良心时，则会忧虑不安。但你们以之为良心的精神痛苦不是良心，而是诱惑，是灵与肉之间的冲突，这种冲突若是属灵的，就是起源于良心，但若仅是属世的，则起源于医生刚才提及的那些疾病。
可举例说明何为良心。一个牧师若为了他的羊群得救而有一种教导真理的属灵渴望，就是有良心；但若他有其它动机，则没有良心。一个法官若只看重公正，并公正判决就是有良心；但若他主要看重报酬、友情或偏好，则没有良心。同样，如果一个人占有另一人的财产，而这人对此不知情，因此他完全可以据为己有，而不用担心法律制裁或名誉损失，然而因为财产不是他的，所以他还是将它们归还给此人，那么他就有良心，因为他为了公义而行公义之事。再者，如果一个人获得一个职位，但知道另一人也在寻求它，此人对社群更有用，如果他为了社群的利益而将职位让给他，那么他就有很好的良心，在其它事上也是如此。
凡有良心者，其言发自内心，其行也发自内心；由于没有分裂的心智，所以他们根据自己理解和相信的善与真说话、行事。由此可知，那些比他人拥有更多信之真理和更清晰的觉察之人所拥有的良心，比那些不那么开明、仅有模糊觉察之人的更加完好。一颗真正的良心是人的属灵生命本身的居所，因为人的信与仁就在此结合。所以，人照良心行事就是照其属灵生命行事。此外，谁不能通过日常对话知道何为良心？当我们说一个人：‘有良心’时，那意思不就是说他是一个义人吗？但另一方面，当我们说一个人‘没有良心’时，不就是说他不义吗？”
天人说完这番话，立刻被提入天堂。这四组人又聚成一组，但当他们对天人的话讨论了一会儿后，看呀，他们又被分成了四组，但不同于之前的四组。第一组包括那些领悟天人的话并赞同他们的人；第二组包括那些没有领悟但仍然赞同他们的人；第三组包括那些不愿领悟它们，说：“良心与我们何干？”的人；第四组则包括那些嘲笑这些话，并说：“良心不就是一阵风吗？”的人。我看见这几组人彼此分开，前两组朝右走，后两组朝左走，这些人向下降，而前两组人则往上升。
666. 这四组发表的所有观点都被我们上方的天人听到了, 他们彼此说: “我们发现, 基督教界没有一个人知道何为良心, 所以, 我们要从我们当中派一个人教导他们。 ”一个白衣天人立刻站在他们中间, 他的头上环绕着一束明亮的光带, 里面有小星星。 该天人对这四组人说: “我们在天堂听到你们就良心的话题接连发表自己的意见, 你们全都以为它是某种精神痛苦, 这种痛苦折磨头部, 并由此折磨身体, 或折磨身体, 并由此打磨头部。 但良心就其本身而言, 并不是什么疼痛, 而是按照宗教信仰行动的一种属灵渴望。 因此当人们照良心行事时, 那些在良心上感觉快乐的人就生活在宁静平和与内在祝福中, 当他们违背良心时, 则会忧虑不安。 但你们以之为良心的精神痛苦不是良心, 而是诱惑, 是灵与肉之间的冲突, 这种冲突若是属灵的, 就是起源于良心, 但若仅是属世的, 则起源于医生刚才提及的那些疾病。
可举例说明何为良心。 一个牧师若为了他的羊群得救而有一种教导真理的属灵渴望, 就是有良心; 但若他有其它动机, 则没有良心。 一个法官若只看重公正, 并公正判决就是有良心; 但若他主要看重报酬, 友情或偏好, 则没有良心。 同样, 如果一个人占有另一人的财产, 而这人对此不知情, 因此他完全可以据为己有, 而不用担心法律制裁或名誉损失, 然而因为财产不是他的, 所以他还是将它们归还给此人, 那么他就有良心, 因为他为了公义而行公义之事。 再者, 如果一个人获得一个职位, 但知道另一人也在寻求它, 此人对社群更有用, 如果他为了社群的利益而将职位让给他, 那么他就有很好的良心, 在其它事上也是如此。
凡有良心者, 其言发自内心, 其行也发自内心; 由于没有分裂的心智, 所以他们根据自己理解和相信的善与真说话, 行事。 由此可知, 那些比他人拥有更多信之真理和更清晰的觉察之人所拥有的良心, 比那些不那么开明, 仅有模糊觉察之人的更加完好。 一颗真正的良心是人的属灵生命本身的居所, 因为人的信与仁就在此结合。 所以, 人照良心行事就是照其属灵生命行事。 此外, 谁不能通过日常对话知道何为良心? 当我们说一个人: ‘有良心’时, 那意思不就是说他是一个义人吗? 但另一方面, 当我们说一个人‘没有良心’时, 不就是说他不义吗? ”
天人说完这番话, 立刻被提入天堂。 这四组人又聚成一组, 但当他们对天人的话讨论了一会儿后, 看呀, 他们又被分成了四组, 但不同于之前的四组。 第一组包括那些领悟天人的话并赞同他们的人; 第二组包括那些没有领悟但仍然赞同他们的人; 第三组包括那些不愿领悟它们, 说: “良心与我们何干? ”的人; 第四组则包括那些嘲笑这些话, 并说: “良心不就是一阵风吗? ”的人。 我看见这几组人彼此分开, 前两组朝右走, 后两组朝左走, 这些人向下降, 而前两组人则往上升。
666. The angels who were above them had listened carefully to what each group said. They said to each other, "We gather that no one in Christianity knows what conscience is. We will send one of our own down there to teach them what it is. "
An angel in white clothing immediately appeared in the center of the groups. Around his head there was a shining halo with tiny stars in it. He addressed all four groups and said, "In heaven we heard you stating, one after the other, your opinions on conscience. You all expressed the thought that conscience is some mental pain with a heavy feeling that attacks first the head and then the body, or else first the body and then the head.
"Conscience itself is not, however, a pain of any kind. It is a spiritual willingness to follow religious and faithful practices. People who are blessed with conscience have peace, tranquillity, and inner bliss when they follow their conscience, and a lack of tranquillity when they go against their conscience.
"The mental pain you think is conscience is not actually conscience; it is an assault, which is a battle felt in either the spirit or the flesh. When the assault is spiritual in nature, it begins in the conscience; if the assault is only earthly in nature, it begins in the diseases the physicians just listed.
[2] "What conscience is can be illustrated with examples.
"Priests who have a spiritual willingness to teach truths so that their flock will be saved have conscience. Priests who teach truths for any other reason or purpose have no conscience.
"Judges who are single-mindedly focused on justice and who practice it with good judgment have conscience. Judges who are primarily seeking a reward, friendship, or favor have no conscience.
"For another example, when people have something that belongs to someone else, and the other person is not aware that they have it, and therefore they could simply keep it without any fear of the law or risk to their position or reputation, if they return it to the other person anyway, because it is not theirs, they have conscience. They are doing what is right because it is the right thing to do.
"Imagine people who have the opportunity to take a particular position, but who know that someone else, who is also seeking the position, would do a better job for the community. If they yield to the other candidate for the good of the community, they have a good conscience. And so on.
[3] "All who have a conscience say what they say from the heart and do what they do from the heart. They have a mind that is not divided. They speak and act on the basis of what they understand and believe to be good and true. It follows from this that people who have true beliefs and clear perception are able to have a better conscience than those who are not enlightened and have a hazy perception.
"Our true spiritual life lies in true conscience. In it, our faith and our goodwill come together. Following our conscience is acting on the basis of our true spiritual life; going against our conscience is acting against our true spiritual life.
"For another thing, surely everyone knows just from common speech what conscience is. When we say of someone, 'That person has a conscience,' don't we mean, 'That person is just'? And on the other hand, when we say, 'That person has no conscience,' don't we mean, 'That person is unjust'?"
[4] When the angel finished saying this, he was suddenly taken up into his heaven. The four groups broke up and mingled together as one large group. After they had spoken with each other for a while about what the angel had said, they divided again into four groups, but this time the groups were different than before. One group consisted of those who understood what the angel said and agreed with it. The second group consisted of those who did not fully comprehend what he said, but still felt favorable to it. The third group consisted of those who were unwilling to comprehend the angel's message. They said, "What does conscience have to do with us?" The fourth group consisted of people who were mocking the whole idea. They said, "Conscience is just gas pain!"
I saw the groups moving away from each other. The first two groups went off to the right; the last two went off to the left. The last two groups headed downward, but the first two headed upward.
666. All the opinions expressed by the four groups were listened to by the angels who were above them. So they said to one another: 'We perceive that there is no one in Christendom who knows what conscience is, so we shall send down one of our number to instruct you.'
Then at once an angel appeared standing in their midst, dressed in white clothing, and around his head appeared a shining band containing tiny stars. He addressed the four groups and said: 'We have heard in heaven that you in turn brought forward your opinions on conscience, and that you all supposed it to be some sort of mental distress, which afflicts the head and thence the body with heaviness, or the body and thence the head. But conscience regarded in itself is not any distress, but is a spiritual willingness to do what religion and faith dictate. Thus it is that those who enjoy a conscience live in tranquil peace and inward blessedness when they act according to conscience, and in some unease when they act against it. The mental distress which you thought was conscience is not that, but is temptation, the conflict between the spirit and the flesh. When temptation is spiritual, it draws support from conscience. But if it is only natural, it owes its origin to the diseases the doctors listed just now.
[2] 'Examples can be quoted to illustrate what conscience is. A priest, who has a spiritual wish to teach truths in order that his flock may be saved, has a conscience. But if he is motivated by any other cause, he has no conscience. A judge, who has regard for nothing but justice and applies this with judgment, has a conscience. But one whose primary aim is to get a bribe, to help friends or to curry favour has no conscience. Again, if anyone has someone else's goods in his possession without the other person's knowledge, so that he can profit from them without fear of legal action or loss of rank or reputation, and gives them back to the other because they are not his own, he has a conscience, because he is acting justly for the sake of justice. So too if anyone can take office, but knows that another candidate is more use to the community, if he yields place to the other for the community's good, he has a good conscience; and likewise in other matters.
[3] All who have a conscience speak from the heart when they speak, and act from the heart when they act; for they have their minds undivided, speaking and doing according to what they understand and believe truth and good to be. From this it follows that a more perfect conscience is possible for those who excel others in their possession of the truths of faith, and have a clearer perception, than for those who are less enlightened and have only dim perception. It is in true conscience that a person's actual spiritual life resides, for there his faith is linked to charity. For such people therefore acting according to conscience is acting according to one's spiritual life, and acting against conscience is for them acting against that life of theirs. Moreover, is there anyone who does not know from common parlance what conscience is? As when we say of someone: "He has a conscience," do we not mean that he is a just person? And in the opposite case, when we say of someone: "He has no conscience," do we not mean too that he is unjust?'
[4] When the angel had made this statement, he was suddenly taken up to his own heaven. The four groups came together to make one and then for a while they discussed the angel's pronouncements. Then they were divided again into four groups, but not the same ones as before. One contained those who grasped what the angel said and agreed with it. The second contained those who were unwilling to grasp it, but were still in favour. The third contained those who did not grasp it and said: 'What have we to do with conscience?' The fourth contained those who mocked at it and said: 'What is conscience but flatulence?' Then I saw the groups parting from one another, the first two groups going away to the right, and the latter two groups going to the left; these were going down, but the first two were going up.
666. All these declarations made by the four assemblies were heard by the angels who were above us, and they said to each other, "We see that there is no one in Christendom who knows what conscience is; we will therefore send down from us one who will instruct them."
And immediately there stood in their midst an angel in white clothing, around whose head appeared a bright band in which there were little stars. This angel addressing the four assemblies said, "We have heard in heaven that you have presented in succession your opinions about conscience, and that you have all regarded it as some mental pain which infests the head with heaviness, and from that the body, or infests the body and from that the head. But conscience viewed in itself is not a pain, but a spiritual desire to act in accordance with whatever pertains to religion and faith. Hence it is that those who feel delight in conscience are in the tranquillity of peace and interior blessedness when they are acting in accordance with their conscience, and in a kind of perturbation when they are acting contrary to it. But the mental pain which you have believed to be conscience, is not conscience but temptation, which is a conflict of the spirit with the flesh; and this conflict, when it is spiritual, has its origin in conscience; but if it is natural merely, it has its origin in those diseases which the physicians have just recounted."
[2] "But what conscience is may be illustrated by examples; A priest who has a spiritual desire to teach truths in order that his flock may be saved, has conscience; but he who has any other end in view, does not have conscience. A judge who regards justice exclusively, and executes it with judgment, has conscience; but a judge who looks primarily to reward, friendship, or favor, has not conscience. Again, a man who has in his possession the property of another, the other not knowing it, and who is thus able without fear of the law or loss of honor and reputation, to keep it as his own, and yet, because it is not his, restores it to the other, has conscience, since he does what is just for the sake of what is just. So again, one who can obtain an office but who knows that another who is also seeking it would be more useful to society, and yields the place to him for the sake of the good of society, has a good conscience. So in other things.
[3] All who have conscience say whatever they say from the heart, and do whatever they do from the heart; for not having a divided mind they speak and act according to what they understand and believe to be true and good. From all this it follows that a more perfect conscience may exist with those who have more of the truths of faith than others, and who have a clearer perception than others, than is possible with those who are less enlightened and whose perception is obscure. A true conscience is the seat of man's spiritual life itself, for there his faith is conjoined with charity; therefore when such act from conscience they act from their spiritual life, but when they act contrary to conscience they act contrary to that life. Moreover, does not everyone know from common speech what conscience is? When it is said of anyone: 'He has conscience,' does not that also mean that he is a just man? But on the other hand, when it is said of anyone, 'He has no conscience' does it not mean that he is also unjust?"
[4] When the angel had said this he was immediately taken up into heaven; and the four assemblies came together as one; but when they had conversed together some time about the remarks of the angel, behold, they were again divided into four assemblies, but different from the former. One contained those who comprehended the words of the angels and assented to them; a second those who did not comprehend but still favored them; a third those who did not wish to comprehend them, saying, "What have we to do with conscience?" and a fourth those who laughed at what was said, saying, "What is conscience but a breath of wind?" And I saw the four bodies separating from one another, the two former passing to the right and the two latter to the left, these going downward, but the others upward.
666. The angels above us heard all these opinions uttered by the four companies; and they said to one another: "We perceive that no one in Christendom knows what conscience is. We will, therefore, send down one from our society to instruct them." And immediately there stood in their midst an angel in white raiment, having about his head a bright halo in which were tiny stars; and, addressing the four companies, he said: "We have heard in heaven that you, one after the other, expressed your opinions on the subject of conscience; and you have all supposed it is a sort of pain of mind which affects with heaviness the head and thence the body, or the body and thence the head. But conscience regarded in itself is not a sort of pain, but a spiritual willingness to act according to religion and faith. This is why those who rejoice in a conscience are in the tranquillity of peace and internal blessedness when they act according to it, and suffer a certain uneasiness when they act contrary to it. The pain of mind, however, which you have supposed to be conscience, is not conscience, but temptation, which is a conflict between the spirit and the flesh; and this, when it is spiritual, arises from conscience, but if natural only, from those diseases which the physicians have just recounted.
[2] But what conscience is may be illustrated by examples. A priest has conscience who has a spiritual willingness to teach truths, that he may promote the salvation of his flock; but he who teaches with any other end in view, has no conscience. A judge whose only regard is justice, and who administers it with judgment, has conscience; but one who primarily regards reward, friendship and favor, has no conscience. Again, if any man has in his possession another's property without his knowledge, and can, therefore, enrich himself by it without fear of the law, and the loss of his honor and reputation; and if he restores it to its owner because it is not his own, he has conscience, for he does what is just for the sake of what is just. Moreover, if a man has it in his power to attain an office, but knows that another who is also a candidate would be more useful to society; and if he gives place to the other for the good of society, he has a good conscience; and so in other cases.
[3] All those who have conscience speak and act from the heart in everything that they say and do; for having an undivided mind they speak and act according to what they understand and believe to be true and good. Hence it follows that with those, who are more than others in the truths of faith and in their clear perception, a more perfect conscience is possible than with those who are less enlightened and whose perception is obscure. In a true conscience consists the spiritual life itself of man, for in this his faith is conjoined with charity; so that to act from conscience, with those who possess it, is to act from their spiritual life; and to act contrary to conscience is to act contrary to that life. Besides, every one knows from common conversation what conscience is. When it is said of any one that he has a conscience, it is understood that he is a just man. On the contrary, when it is said of another that he has no conscience, it is understood that he is unjust."
[4] When the angel had said this, he was suddenly taken up into heaven, and the four companies came together into one; but after discussing for some time among themselves what the angel had said, they were again divided into four companies, but not the same as before. In the first were those who understood what the angel had said and assented to it; in the second those who did not understand it but still regarded it with favor; in the third those who did not wish to understand it, saying, "What have we to do with conscience?" and in the fourth those who ridiculed the words of the angel, saying, "What is conscience but flatulence?" Then I saw them withdrawing in order, the two former companies ascending as they went off to the right, and the two latter descending to the left.
666. Haec omnia, quae a quatuor Caetibus edicta sunt, Angeli, qui supra illos erant, exaudiverunt, et dixerunt inter se, percipimus quod non aliquis in Christianismo sciat, quid Conscientia, quare demittemus ex nobis unum qui instruet, et actutum tunc in medio illorum adstitit Angelus in veste alba, circum cujus Caput apparuit cinctura lucida, in qua minutae stellae erant, et hic alloquutus quatuor Caetus dixit; audivimus in Coelo, quod in ordine protuleritis sententias de CONSCIENTIA, ac autumaveritis omnes, quod sit aliquis dolor mentis, qui gravedine infestat Caput et inde Corpus, aut Corpus et inde Caput; sed Conscientia in se spectata non est aliquis dolor, sed est spiritualis Volentia faciendi secundum illa quae Religionis et Fidei sunt; inde est, quod illi qui Conscientia gaudent, in tranquillitate pacis et in beatitudine interna sint, cum faciunt secundum conscientiam, et in quadam intranquillitate dum faciunt contra illam; dolor autem mentis, quem vos credidistis esse Conscientiam, 1 non est Conscientia, 2 sed est Tentatio, quae est pugna spiritus et carnis, et haec dum spiritualis est, venam trahit ex conscientia; 3 at si modo est naturalis, originem trahit ex morbis, quos Medici nuper recensuerunt.
[2] Quid autem Conscientia, illustrari potest per exempla; Sacerdos, cui est spiritualis volentia docendi vera propter finem ut Grex ejus salvetur, ille conscientiam habet, at qui [docet] propter quamcunque aliam causam ut finem, ille conscientiam non habet: Judex, qui unice spectat Justitiam, et hanc cum judicio facit, ille conscientiam habet; at qui primario spectat munus, amicitiam et favorem, ille conscientiam non habet: adhuc, omnis homo qui alterius bona apud se habet, nesciente altero, et sic absque timore legis, ac jacturae honoris et famae, potest lucrari illa, si usque alteri reddit, quia sua non sunt, ille conscientiam habet, nam facit justum propter justum. Sic 4 quoque, qui potest venire ad functionem, sed scit, quod alter, qui etiam ambit, Societati utilior sit, ille si cedit alteri locum propter bonum societatis, is bonam conscientiam habet; similiter in reliquis.
[3] Omnes illi qui conscientiam habent, ex corde loquuntur quae loquuntur, et ex corde faciunt quae faciunt, habent enim illi Mentem non divisam, nam secundum id quod intelligunt et credunt verum et bonum esse, loquuntur et faciunt. Exinde sequitur quod Conscientia perfectior possit dari apud illos, qui in veris fidei sunt prae aliis, et qui in clara perceptione prae aliis, quam apud illos qui minus illustrati sunt, et in obscura perceptione. In vera Conscientia est ipsa Vita spiritualis hominis, est enim ibi ejus 5 Fides conjuncta Charitati, quapropter facere ex Conscientia est illis facere ex Vita sua spirituali, et facere contra Conscientiam, est illis facere contra illam suam Vitam. Praeterea, quis non ex communi sermone scit, quid Conscientia, ut cum dicitur de aliquo, hic Conscientiam habet; nonne etiam tunc intelligitur, hic justus homo est; ac vicissim cum dicitur de aliquo, hic non conscientiam habet, nonne tunc etiam intelligitur, hic injustus est.
[4] Angelus dum haec edixerat, subito sublatus est in suum Coelum, et quatuor Caetus coiverunt in unum, et postquam aliquantum inter se colloquuti sunt de effatis Angeli, ecce iterum divisi sunt in quatuor Caetus, sed in alios quam prius; in unum ubi illi qui comprehenderunt verba Angeli, et assenserunt; in alterum ubi illi, qui non comprehenderunt, sed usque faverunt; in tertium ubi illi, qui non voluerunt comprehendere, dicentes quid nobis cum Conscientia, et in quartum ubi illi qui irridebant, dicentes quid Conscientia nisi Flatus; et vidi illos secedentes a se invicem, et tunc duos Caetus priores abeuntes ad dextrum, et duos Caetus posteriores ad sinistrum, et hos descendentes, illos autem ascendentes.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: Conscientia.
2. Prima editio: Conscentia.
3. Prima editio: conscien.tia.
4. Prima editio: Sit.
5. Prima editio forte: cjus.