728. 第8节 对配领圣餐者来说, 圣餐就是成为神儿子的一种标志和印章
对配领圣餐者来说, 圣餐就是成为神儿子的一种标志和印章, 原因在于, 如前所述, 那时主是临在的, 并引导从祂生的人, 即重生者进入天堂。 圣餐能达到这种果效, 因为那时主以其神圣人性而临在; 上文已说明, 在圣餐中, 主全在, 其整个救赎也是。 论到饼, 祂说: “这是我的身体”, 论到酒, 则说“这是我的血”。 所以那时祂允许他们进入祂的圣体; 教会和天堂构成祂的圣体。
当人正在重生时, 主必定在场, 并通过祂的神圣运作为天堂预备人。 但人要真正进入天堂, 必须将自己实实在在献给主; 因为主实实在在地将自己献给了人, 所以人也必须实实在在地接受祂, 然而, 不是因为祂悬挂在十字架上, 而是因为祂在自己荣耀的人性里, 祂就存在于这人性中, 圣善是祂的圣体, 圣真是祂的宝血。 这些东西被赐给了人, 是人重生的方法, 以便他在主里面, 主也在他里面。 因为如上所示, 圣餐里的吃是属灵的吃。 对此的正确认识证明, 圣餐就是配领圣餐者成为神儿子的一种标志和印章。
728. When We Come Forward Worthily to Take It, the Holy Supper Functions as [God's] Signature and Seal Confirming That We Have Been Adopted as His Children
Provided we take it worthily, the Holy Supper is able to function as [God's] signature and seal confirming that we have been adopted as his children, because the Lord is present at that time, as was indicated above [719-721], and brings into heaven those who are born of him, that is, who have been regenerated by him. The Holy Supper has this effect because the Lord is present at it in his human manifestation; as was mentioned above, the Lord himself and his redemption are fully present in the Holy Supper [716-718]. He says of the bread, "This is my body," and of the wine, "This is my blood. " Therefore he then makes us part of his body, and both heaven and the church constitute that body.
Earlier, while we are still undergoing the process of being regenerated, the Lord is of course present as well; through the work that he is doing in us, he is preparing us for heaven. In order for us to become an actual part of heaven, though, we need to present ourselves to the Lord in an active way. Because the Lord is also actively presenting himself to us [in the Holy Supper], we actively receive him - not as he was when he was hanging on the cross but as he is in his human manifestation after it was glorified, which is present in the Holy Supper. The "body" of his human manifestation is divine goodness, and the "blood" is divine truth. These qualities are given to us; through them we are regenerated and then we are in the Lord and the Lord is in us. As mentioned above [716], the meal that is put on in the Holy Supper is spiritual in nature.
A proper understanding of all this shows that the Holy Supper is like a signature and seal that testify that the people who come forward worthily to take it are children of God.
728. VIII. The Holy Supper for those who approach it worthily is a kind of guarantee and seal put on their adoption as sons of God.
The reason why the Holy Supper for those who approach it worthily is a kind of guarantee and seal put on their adoption as sons of God is that, as said above, the Lord is then present and introduces into heaven those who are born of Him, that is, who are regenerated. The Holy Supper can effect this because the Lord is then present in His Divine Human too; for it was shown above that in the Holy Supper the Lord is wholly present and so is the whole of His redemption. For He says of the bread 'This is my body' and of the wine 'This is my blood.' Thus He then admits them into His body; and the church and heaven make up His body.
When a person is being regenerated, the Lord is certainly present, and by means of His Divine action prepares the person for heaven. But in order really to enter heaven, the person must really present himself to the Lord; and because the Lord really presents Himself to the person, the person really receives him, yet not as He was hanging on the cross, but as He is in His glorified Human, in which He is present. Divine good is His body, Divine truth His blood. These are given to the person and are the means of his regeneration, so that he is in the Lord and the Lord is in him. For, as shown above, the eating which occurs in the Holy Supper is a spiritual eating. A correct perception of this establishes that the Holy Supper is a guarantee and seal put upon the adoption as sons of God of those who approach it worthily.
728. VIII. TO THOSE WHO COME TO THE HOLY SUPPER WORTHILY IS LIKE A SIGNATURE AND SEAL THAT THEY ARE THE SONS OF GOD.
The reason why the holy supper is to those who come to it worthily like a signature and seal that they are the sons of God, is that as before said, the Lord is then present, and admits into heaven those who are born of Him, that is, the regenerate. The holy supper effects this, because the Lord is then present even as to His Human (for it has been shown above that in the holy supper the Lord is wholly present, and with His whole redemption); for of the bread He said, "This is my body; and of the wine, "This is My blood." Consequently He then admits them into His Body; and the church and heaven constitute His Body. When man is becoming regenerate, the Lord is indeed present, and through His Divine operation prepares man for heaven; but that man may actually enter he must present himself to the Lord; and as the Lord actually presents Himself to man, man must actually receive Him, not, however, as He hung upon the cross, but as He is in His glorified Human, in which He is present, the body of which is the Divine good and the blood of which is the Divine truth. These are given to man, and by means of them man is regenerated, and he is in the Lord and the Lord in him; and for the reason shown above, that the eating which is manifested in the holy supper is a spiritual eating. From all this rightly understood it is clear that the holy supper is like a signature and seal that those who come to it worthily are sons of God.
728. VIII. THE HOLY SUPPER, TO THOSE WHO WORTHILY APPROACH IT, IS LIKE A SIGNATURE AND SEAL THAT THEY ARE SONS OF GOD.
The Holy Supper, to those who worthily approach it, is a signature and seal that they are sons of God, because, as was said above, the Lord is then present, and introduces into heaven those who are born of Him, that is, who are regenerate. The Holy Supper effects this, because the Lord is then present even as to His Human; for it was shown above that the Lord, and the whole of His redemption, is wholly present in the Holy Supper. Therefore, He says of the bread, "This is my body," and of the wine, "This is my blood." He consequently at such times admits them into His body, which is formed of heaven and the Church.
When a man is being regenerated, the Lord is indeed present, and prepares him by His Divine operation for heaven. However, in order that he may actually enter, he must actually present himself to the Lord; and as the Lord actually presents Himself to man, man must also receive Him, not indeed as He hung on the cross, but as He now is in His glorified Human, in which He is present. The body of this is Divine Good, and its blood Divine Truth, which are given to man; and by these he is regenerated, and is in the Lord and the Lord in him; for as was shown above, the eating at the Holy Supper is a spiritual eating. From a proper perception of these things it is evident that the Holy Supper is a signature and seal that those who approach worthily are sons of God.
728. Quod Sancta Coena sit illis, qui digne accedunt, sicut obsignatio et sigillum quod filii Dei sint.
Quod Sancta Coena sit illis, qui digne accedunt, sicut obsignatio et sigillum quod filii Dei sint, est, quia ut supra dictum est, tunc Dominus praesens est, [et] intromittit in Coelum illos, qui ab Ipso nati sunt, hoc est, regenerati: quod Sancta Coena hoc faciat, est quia Dominus tunc etiam quoad Humanum suum adest, nam supra ostensum est, quod in Sancta Coena totus Dominus praesens sit, et tota Ipsius Redemptio; dicit enim de Pane, hic est Corpus meum, et de Vino, hoc est Sanguis meus; proinde admittit illos tunc in suum Corpus, et Ecclesia et Coelum faciunt Corpus Ipsius. Quando homo regeneratur, quidem Dominus praesens est, et per Divinam suam operationem praeparat hominem ad Coelum; verum ut actualiter intret, homo actualiter se sistet Domino, et quia Dominus actualiter se sistit homini, homo actualiter recipiet Ipsum, ast non sicut pependit in cruce, sed sicut est in suo Humano glorificato, in Quo est praesens, et Hujus Corpus est Divinum Bonum, et Sanguis est Divinum Verum; haec dantur homini, et per haec homo regeneratur, et est in Domino et Dominus in illo; nam, ut supra ostensum est, manducatio, quae exhibetur in Sancta Coena, est manducatio spiritualis. Ex his rite perceptis, constat, quod Sancta Coena sit sicut obsignatio et sigillum, quod illi, qui digne accedunt, sint filii Dei.