74.记事三：
我看见远处有很多人聚在一起，他们头上都戴着帽子。一些人的帽子上系有丝带，以表明他们是牧师。有些人是平信徒，其帽子边缘饰有金带。他们所有人都是有教养、有学问的。我还看见一些人头戴无檐帽，这些人是没有受过良好教育的。我逐渐接近，听见他们正一起谈论不受限制的神性全能，声称，若神性全能照着任何既定的秩序法则行进，那它就不是无限的，而是受到限制，因此只是一种能力，而非全能。他们说：“但是，谁看不出没有任何律法的强制能迫使全能这样做而不那样做？毫无疑问，当我们思想全能，同时又思想它被迫服从的秩序法则时，我们原先对全能的观念就会崩溃，就象胳膊倚靠一根断了的拐仗一样。”
他们发现我在旁边，其中一些人就跑上来，有点气势汹汹地说：“你就是那个用律法如同用锁链那样将神束缚起来的人？太狂妄了！你这样做等于粉碎了我们的信仰，而这信是我们得救的基础，我们将救赎者的公义放在这信当中，而父神的全能就在它上面，圣灵的作工则是附属。圣灵作工的功效就取决于人在属灵事物上的绝对无能，以使他只需谈论称义的丰盛，称义的丰盛凭神性全能而存在于那信中。但我们听说你看到我们的信中只有虚空，并无一物，因为你在其中没有看到人这一方的神性秩序。”听到这里，我打破沉默，大声说：“先学学神性秩序的法则，再打开你们的信。你们就会看到一片巨大的沙漠，以及里面又长又弯的怪兽利维坦，它周围的网罗缠成了解不开的结。但是，我们读到亚历山大看到戈耳迪之结时是怎么做的，他拔出刀来，将它一刀两段，从而切断这结，然后将它扔在地上，用脚踩踏。”
这番话让这些会众咬住了自己的舌头，他们想磨快它们，以作出尖刻的答复，但他们不敢。因为他们看见我上面的天开了，并听到那里有声音传来说：“克制自己，先听听什么是秩序，全能的神照着秩序的法则行事。”这声音又说：“神通过作为秩序的祂自己，凭秩序创造了整个宇宙，并使它服从秩序。祂以同样的方式创造了人，并在他里面设立他自己的秩序法则，以使他成为神的形像和样式。简言之，这些法则就是，人当信神，并爱邻舍；他越以其属世的能力做这两件事，就越使自己成为接受神性全能的容器，神就越将自己与他，以及他与神结合起来。他的信就这样成为活的得救之信，他的行为也变成仁爱，而这仁爱也是活的，具有拯救的功效。不过，必须知道，神不断临在，不断与人相争，并作用在他身上，甚至触碰他的自由意志，但从不强迫它。因为若神强迫人的自由意志，那么他在神里面的居所就会被摧毁，他里面只留有神的居所，而这居所在地上和天上的所有人里面，甚至也在地狱的人里面。因为这是他们能力、意愿和理解力的源头。而人在神里面的相应居所只存在于那些照圣言中所颁布的秩序法则生活之人里面；这些人成为神的形像和样式，天堂乐园作为产业被赐给他们，他们也要吃生命树的果子。而剩下的人则聚集在善恶知识树的周围，与那里的蛇交谈，吃它的果子。但此后，他们会被逐出天堂乐园。然而，并非神离弃他们，而是他们离弃神。”
戴有檐帽的人理解这些话，并表示同意。但戴无檐帽的人反对说：“这样的话，全能岂不受到限制？受到限制的全能是自相矛盾的说法。”我回答说：“照着公义的律法公平行事，或照着爱通过智慧所铭刻的律法行事无所不能，这并不矛盾。相反，声称神能违背自己的公义和爱行事才是自相矛盾，因为这等于缺乏公平和智慧。若你们相信神能简单地凭恩典使不义的人称义，并赋予他一切救赎的恩赐和生命的奖赏，那你们的信就包含这种矛盾。不过，我会用几句话告诉你们神的全能到底是什么。神凭祂的全能创造了整个宇宙，同时将秩序植入宇宙万物。神还凭祂的全能维护整个宇宙，并维持那里的秩序及其法则，直到永远。若有任何事物脱离秩序，祂就会将其带回，并恢复它。此外，神凭祂的全能建立了教会，并在圣言中揭示了它的秩序法则。若教会脱离秩序，祂就会恢复它；若它彻底脱离，那祂就会亲自降世，通过祂所取的人形披戴全能、重建教会。
“神凭祂的全能和全知检查死后的每个人，并为义人或绵羊预备他们在天堂的居所，通过他们建天堂；为不义的人或山羊预备他们在地狱的居所，通过他们建地狱。神照着他们各种不同的爱欲将天堂和地狱排列成各个社群或集合体；在天堂，这些社群和我们在世上所看到的天上众星一样多。祂将天堂中的各个社群联成一体，以便在祂眼里，他们如同一个人；同样将地狱的集合体联成一体，以便他们如同一个魔鬼。祂用一道鸿沟将这二者分开，以使地狱无法侵犯天堂，天堂也无法折磨地狱。因为那些地狱里的人照着天堂流入的程度而遭受痛苦、折磨。若非神时时刻刻这样做，这种野蛮的本性就会充斥人类，以致他们不再受任何秩序法则的约束，因此人类必要灭亡。若神并非秩序，全能就在秩序中，这些及类似的事就会发生。”听完这些话，那些头戴有檐帽的人一边赞美神，一边将帽子夹在胳膊底下离开了。在灵界，聪明人都戴着有檐的帽子。而那些头戴无檐帽的人则不然，这种人都是秃顶，秃顶表示愚蠢。后者离开去了左边，前者离开去了右边。
74. 第三個經歷:
我看見遠處有一大群戴著有簷帽的人。一些人的帽子用絲綢蓋著, 他們屬於神職人員之列。一些帽子的帽檐以金邊裝飾, 他們屬於平民之列。兩者都是受過高等教育和學者之類的人。我還看到一些人戴著無簷帽, 他們是未受過高等教育的。
我朝他們走過去, 聽到他們彼此間正在談論無限制的神性全
能。他們說:"如果神性的能力需要遵循聖規的法則, 那就是有所限制, 而非無限制的能力, 是能力, 而非全能。任何人能看得到, 法則怎能迫使全能這樣行或那樣行。當我們想到全能, 再同時想到全能必須遵循聖規的法律而行, 我們預先關於全能的概念就搖搖欲墜了, 就像撐了根折斷的拐杖。"
[2]當他們注意到我就在旁邊, 一些人連忙上前來質問:"你就是那位將上帝局限於法則之中,如同被束縛其中？過份！你撕裂了我們靠全能而得救的信仰。我們將救贖者的義放在信仰的核心, 頂端是上帝的全能。作為附屬, 是聖靈的作為以及在屬靈領域的影響, 因為我們在屬靈領域沒有任何能力。這就足夠, 憑著這樣的信仰來承受我們的稱義, 因為上帝是全能。然而我聽說, 你認為我們這樣的信仰是虛空的, 因為看不到半點人的回應, 並說人的回應是聖規的法則之一。"
他們說完後, 我開口大聲說:"先學學什麼是聖規的法則, 然後理一理你們信仰的脈絡。你將會發現一大塊廢墟, 那裡有一條長長的怪獸被網羅套住, 蜷縮著的身上纏著無法解開的結。照著我們書上所讀, 當亞歷山大看到戈耳迪之結時是怎麼做的, 拔出刀來, 將死結一刀兩段, 扔在地上並用腳跟踩得粉碎。"
[3]當這群人聽到這些, 他們想對我來一場猛烈抨擊, 只是他們不敢, 因為他們看見我頭上的天開了, 並聽到有聲音從中發出:"先控制你們自己, 再學習聖規以及其中的法則——全能上帝的作為也是遵循這些法則而行。祂自己作為這定規本身,創造了宇宙。照著定規並為了定規, 祂造了宇宙。以類似的方式, 祂造了人類,並將祂聖規的法則建在我們裡面。因為那些法則, 人被造為上帝的形像和樣式。簡言之, 此法則就是:人必須信上帝並愛鄰舍。人以屬世的能力越是去做這兩樣事情, 人越是使自己成為上帝之全能的器皿; 上帝與人,人與上帝就彼此聯結。結果, 對得救而言, 這樣的信仰變為活潑的,起作用的信仰, 行為也變成義的行為。
"然而, 有必要知道, "這聲音繼續說:"上帝一直呈現, 並在人裡面不停地工作與努力。祂甚至影響著人的自由選擇。然而, 祂從未侵犯人的自由選擇, 因為如果祂這樣做, 人們就會喪失了在上帝之中的住處, 只剩下人裡面為上帝的住處, 就如同地上萬物, 天國萬物, 甚至地獄萬物(它們裡面也有上帝的住處)。人從上帝得到能力,意志,以及認知力。然而, 人除非依照聖言中定規的法律而生活, 上帝之中就沒有相應的住處給他。(當人照著定規的法律而活)於是他就成為上帝的形像和樣式, 樂園就賜給他作產業, 生命樹的果子就賜給他作食物。
"其餘的人聚在善惡知識樹下, 在那裡與蛇談話, 吃樹上的果子。後來, 他們被逐出樂園。然而並非上帝離棄他們, 是他們離棄上帝。"
[4]戴有簷帽的人們理解這些話, 並表示同意, 但是戴無簷帽的人們否認。他們說:"這樣的話, 全能不就是有限制？有限制的全能是矛盾的。"
我回答說:"遵守公義的法則,或刻在仁愛之上的智慧之法則, 以此公平來行出完全的能力, 這與全能並不矛盾。你認為上帝能夠違背祂公義和仁愛的法則而行, 這並非按公平和智慧而行, 這樣就會引發矛盾。你們的信仰繼承了這樣的矛盾:基於惟獨恩典, 上帝可以稱不義之人為義, 並賦予他們拯救的恩賜和生命的獎賞。
"我將簡要說明什麼是上帝的全能。上帝用祂的全能去創造宇宙。當祂這樣行時, 還將祂自己的定規建立到每一個和所有的事物之中。上帝還用祂的全能去維持宇宙。祂永遠保護定規及其法則。無論什麼背離祂的定規時, 祂將其帶回定規並使其重新恢復。
"上帝還用祂的全能來建立教會。祂在聖言中揭示定規的法則。當教會滑離聖規時, 祂將其修復。當教會完全墮落聖規之外時, 祂降臨人間。通過祂所取的人身, 披戴全能,重建教會。
[5]"上帝用祂的全能,還有祂的全知來檢驗所有死後之人。祂為義人,綿羊, 在天國準備地方。藉著分派他們的居所,祂建立天國。祂為不義之人,山羊, 在地獄準備地方。藉著分派他們的居所,祂建立地獄。照著居民們各不相同的愛欲, 祂將安排天國成各社群,地獄成各群落。在天國, 愛欲的區別之多如同我們地面之上空中的繁星之多。祂將天國中的社群聯合, 以致于它們看起來如同一人。同樣地, 祂將地獄中的各群落聚合如同一個魔鬼。祂用一個巨大的鴻溝將天國與地獄分開, 為了不讓地獄侵犯天國, 天國也不會給地獄帶來痛苦(天國流入地獄, 地獄就會痛苦)。如果上帝不是時刻在用祂的全能去行以上之事, 野蠻就會充斥人類,人再也不受什麼定規之法則所約束, 這樣人類就會滅亡。如果上帝不是聖規,以及在祂定規之中的全能, 這樣以及更遭的事情都會發生。"
當他們聽完這些話, 那些戴著有簷帽的人們開始讚美上帝。
在心靈世界, 有智之士往往戴有簷帽子。無知者往往戴無簷之帽, 他們還往往禿頂——禿頂表示他們的愚蠢。戴無簷帽的人們向左走了, 而戴有簷帽子的人們朝右走了。
74. The third memorable occurrence. Far away I saw a large crowd of people wearing hats. Some had hats covered in silk; they belonged to the ecclesiastical class. Some had hats whose rims were decorated with golden bands; they belonged to the class of ordinary citizens. Both groups were educated and scholarly. I also saw some people wearing caps; they were uneducated.
I moved in the direction of these people and heard them talking with each other about limitless divine power. They were saying, "If divine power followed laws that were created as part of the divine design, it would be limited, not unlimited. It would be power, but not all power. Anyone can see that no compulsion by law could force omnipotence to act this way and not that way. When we think about omnipotence and at the same time about laws of the divine design that omnipotence would be obliged to follow, our preconceived ideas about omnipotence are jarred, like a hand on a broken walking stick. "
[2] When the crowd noticed me nearby, some members of it hurried over and asked me quite forcefully, Are you the one who has confined God in laws like chains? The outrage! You have ripped apart the belief on which we base our salvation. At the heart of our belief we place the justice of the Redeemer. On top of that is the omnipotence of God the Father. As an appendix we add the actions of the Holy Spirit and its effectiveness in the spiritual arena, where we are completely powerless. It is enough, then, to mention the absolute justification that our faith entails because God is omnipotent. I have heard, though, that you see emptiness in our belief because you see nothing of the divine design for human response in it.
When they finished I opened my mouth and spoke in a loud voice, saying, "Learn what the laws of the divine design are, and then investigate the full ramifications of your belief. You will see a great wasteland and a long, twisted leviathan there with nets wrapped around it in an inextricable knot. Do what we read Alexander did when he saw the Gordian knot. To undo its bends, he drew his sword, cut the knot in two, threw it on the ground, and crushed its fibers with his heel. "
[3] When the people in the crowd heard this, they were biting their tongues. They wanted to give me a tongue-lashing, but they did not dare, because they saw heaven open above me and heard a voice out of it that said, First control yourselves and learn about the divine design and the laws of that design that God Almighty follows in his actions. God created the universe from himself as the design; he created it according to the design, for the sake of the design. He created human beings in a similar way and built the laws of his divine design into us. Because of those laws we were created as images and likenesses of God. In brief, the laws are that we must believe in God and love our neighbor. The more we do these two things with our earthly power, the more we make ourselves a vessel for the divine omnipotence, and God connects himself to us and us to himself. As a result, our faith becomes living and effective for our salvation. Our action becomes goodwill, again in a form living and effective for our salvation.
"It is important to know, though," the voice continued, "that God is always present, constantly at work and making an effort in us. He even influences our free choice. He never violates it, however, because if he did, we would lose our dwelling in God; there would remain only a dwelling for God in us, as there is for all things on earth, all things in heaven, and even for the things that are in hell. From God we get our power, our will, and our ability to understand. There is no reciprocal dwelling for us in God, though, unless we live by the laws of the divine design given in the Word. Then we become images and likenesses of him; then paradise is given to us for a possession, and the fruit of the tree of life for food.
"The rest of us gather around the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, speak with the serpent there, and eat. Later we are expelled from paradise. Nevertheless God does not abandon us; we abandon God. "
[4] The people in hats understood this and gave their approval, but the people in caps denied it; they said, "In that case wouldn't omnipotence be limited? But limited omnipotence is a contradiction. "
I replied, "There is no contradiction in acting all-powerfully with judgment in following the laws of justice, or the laws of wisdom inscribed on love. The contradiction arises when you think God can act against the laws of his own justice and love, which would not be acting with judgment or with wisdom. Your belief entails a contradiction like that: on the basis of grace alone, God can justify unjust people and bestow on them all the gifts of salvation and all the rewards of life.
"I will briefly state what God's omnipotence is. God used his omnipotence to create the universe. As he did so, he built his own design into each and every thing. God also uses his omnipotence to maintain the universe. He forever guards its design and its laws. When anything falls away from his design, he brings it back into the design and reintegrates it.
"God also used his omnipotence to establish the church. He revealed the laws of its design in the Word. When the church slipped away from the divine design, he restored it. When it fell completely out of the divine design, he came down into the world. Through the human manifestation that he took on, he clothed himself with omnipotence and reestablished the church.
[5] "God uses his omnipotence and also his omniscience to examine us all after death. He prepares the just, the sheep, for their places in heaven; by assigning them places he builds heaven. He prepares the unjust, the goats, for their places in hell; by assigning them places he builds hell. He arranges heaven into communities and hell into hordes according to all the different loves their inhabitants have. In heaven there are as many varieties of love as there are stars in the sky above the earth. He unites the communities of heaven so that they are like one person before him. Likewise he brings the hordes of hell together so they are like one devil. He separates hell from heaven with a great chasm, so that hell will not inflict violence on heaven and heaven will not inflict torment on hell. (The more heaven flows in, the more those in hell are tormented.) If God were not using his omnipotence in every moment to do all the above, so much wildness would come over people that they could never be restrained by the laws of any design and the human race would perish. This and more would happen if God were not the divine design and were not omnipotent in his design. "
When they heard this, the people who had been wearing hats left with them under their arms, praising God.
In the spiritual world the intelligent wear hats. The unintelligent wear caps because they are bald; their baldness means that they are dense. The people with caps went away to the left, but the people with hats went to the right.
74. The third experience.
I saw in the distance a number of people assembled with hats on their heads. Some had silk bands on their hats, to show they were clergymen; others, who were laymen, had the brims of their hats decorated with golden bands. All of them were educated and learned people. I also saw some people wearing caps 1 , and they were uneducated.
On approaching I heard them talking among themselves about unlimited Divine power, saying that if it operated according to some laws of order which had been passed, it would not be unlimited, but limited, and so power, but not omnipotence. 'But anyone can see,' they said, 'that no kind of compulsion could force omnipotence to act in one way and not another. To be sure, when we think about omnipotence and at the same time about laws of order which it is compelled to observe, our preconceived 2 notions about omnipotence collapse, like arms leaning on a broken stick.'
[2] Seeing me standing nearby some of them hastened up and said with some vehemence: 'Are you the man who has encumbered God with laws like fetters? What a presumptuous thing to do! By doing this you have shattered our faith, which is the basis of our salvation, in the midst of which we set the righteousness of the Redeemer, above it the omnipotence of God the Father, and we attach as an appendage the working of the Holy Spirit, which is effective while man is totally impotent in spiritual matters; all man needs to do is to proclaim the completeness of justification, which by Divine omnipotence is present in that faith. But I have been told that you see an empty void in that faith, because it contains nothing of Divine order on man's part.'
On hearing this I broke silence and said in a loud voice: 'Learn the laws of Divine order, and then open up your faith; you will see a vast desert and in it the long, sinuous Leviathan 3 surrounded by nets so knotted that they could never be disentangled. But do what we read Alexander did on seeing the Gordian knot; he drew his sword and cut it in two, so severing its contortions, threw it on the ground and trampled its strands under his heel.'
[3] This speech made the assembly bite their tongues, for they wanted to sharpen them to make a cutting reply; but they did not dare, because they saw heaven lying open above me, and heard a voice from there: 'Restrain yourselves and listen first to what order is, the laws of which Almighty God follows in His actions. God', the voice said 4 , 'created the universe from Himself in His capacity as Order, by order and to be subject to order. Likewise He created man, in whom He established the laws of his own order to make him an image and likeness of God. These are briefly, that he should believe in God and love the neighbour; so far as he applies his natural powers to performing those two actions, so far does he make himself a receiver of Divine omnipotence, and so far does God link Himself to him, and him to God. His faith thus becomes a living and saving faith, and his actions become charity, which also is living and saving. But it should be known that God is constantly present, continually striving and acting on the person, and touching his free will but never forcing it. For if God were to force a person's free will, his dwelling in God would be destroyed, and he would be left only with God's dwelling in him. This is something which all enjoy on earth as much as in heaven, and so do those in hell. For this is the source of their ability, will and understanding. The reciprocal dwelling of a person in God only occurs with those who live in accordance with the laws of order enacted in the Word; and these people become images and likenesses of Him, paradise is given them to possess, and the fruit of the tree of life to eat. The rest gather around the tree of knowledge of good and evil, talk with the serpent there, and eat of its fruit. But after this they are banished from paradise. Yet God does not abandon them; it is they who abandon God.'
[4] The people who wore hats understood and approved of this. But those who wore caps objected, saying: 'By this surely omnipotence is limited, and limited omnipotence is a contradiction in terms.'
'It is no contradiction,' I replied, 'to act omnipotently in accordance with the laws of righteousness with judgment, or according to the laws engraved upon love by wisdom. But it is a contradiction to say that God can act contrary to the laws of His own righteousness and love, for that would be to lack judgment and wisdom. It is that sort of contradiction your faith involves, if you believe that God can simply by grace justify the unrighteous, and mark him out by all the gifts of salvation and rewards of life. But I will tell you in a few words what God's omnipotence is. God by His omnipotence created the universe, and at the same time implanted order in every part of it. God also by His omnipotence preserves the universe and maintains order there with its laws for ever, and when anything slips out of order, brings it back and restores it. Moreover, God by His omnipotence established the church and in the Word revealed the laws of its order; and when it fell away from order, He restored it, and when its fall was complete, came down Himself into the world, and by assuming human form put on omnipotence and re-established it.
[5] 'God by His omnipotence and also omniscience examines everyone after death, and prepares the righteous or sheep for their places in heaven, to build up heaven from them; and prepares the unrighteous or goats for their places in hell, and builds up hell from them. Both heaven and hell He arranges into communities and assemblies in accordance with all the varieties in their love; there are as many of these in heaven as there are stars in the sky we see in the world. He links the communities in heaven into a unit, so that in His sight they are like one person, and likewise the assemblies in hell, so that they are like one devil. He separates one party from the other by an abyss, so that hell can offer no violence to heaven, nor can heaven torment hell. For those who are in hell suffer torment to the extent that they feel the influence of heaven. If God from His omnipotence were not doing all this at every moment, such savagery would overcome human beings that they could no longer be restrained by any laws of order, and thus the human race would be destroyed. These and similar things would happen, if God were not order, and omnipotent in order.'
On hearing this those who wore hats went away with their hats under their arms, praising God. (For in that world intelligent people wear hats.) But those who wore caps did not, because they are bald; and baldness is a sign of stupidity. These went off to the left, the others to the right.
Footnotes:
1. The Latin word tiara usually indicates some sort of oriental headdress; the distinction here intended may be the absence of brims.
2. The Latin has praeceptae meaning 'commanded', but praeconceptae 'preconceived' is probably intended.
3. This is the version Swedenborg follows of Isaiah 27:1 (e.g. at Arcana Caelestia 7293).
4. The Latin has 'it said' (i.e. the voice), but in view of the rest of this section dixit is probably a misprint for dixi 'I said'.
74. Third Memorable Relation:
I saw at a distance a number of persons gathered together with caps on their heads, some with caps bound around with silk - these had belonged to the ecclesiastical order; others had caps with borders ornamented with golden bands - these were civilians; they were all learned and accomplished. I also saw others with turbans; these were not learned.
I drew near, and heard them talking together about the Divine power, as being unlimited, and saying that if it were to proceed according to any established laws of order it would not be unlimited, but limited; and would thus be a power, but not omnipotence. "But who does not see," they said, "that there can be no coercion of law that would compel omnipotence to do thus and so and not otherwise? Certainly, when we think of omnipotence, and at the same time of laws of order in accordance with which it is obliged to proceed, our preconceived ideas of omnipotence fall like a hand when its staff has been broken."
[2] When they saw me near, some of them ran up, and said with some vehemence, "Are you the man who has circumscribed God by laws, as by chains? How insolent! Thus also you have torn to pieces our faith, upon which our salvation is based, in the center of which we place the righteousness of the Redeemer, and over this the omnipotence of God the Father, and add as an appendix the operation of the Holy Spirit, with its efficacy depending upon the absolute impotence of man in things spiritual; so that he only needs to speak of the fullness of justification which is in that faith by virtue of God's omnipotence. But we have heard that you see in our faith nothing but emptiness, because you see in it nothing of Divine order on the part of man."
Having heard this, I opened my mouth, and speaking with a loud voice, said, "Learn the laws of Divine order, and then lay open that faith and you will see a vast desert, and in it the long and crooked Leviathan, and round about it nets tangled in an inextricable knot. But do as it is said Alexander did when he saw the Gordian knot, that he drew his sword and cut it apart and thus loosed its entanglements, and then dashing it upon the ground trampled its strands under foot."
[3] At these words those assembled bit their tongues, wishing to sharpen them for invectives; but they did not venture, for they saw heaven opened above me, and heard from it a voice saying, "In the first place, control yourselves and listen to what the order is, according to the laws of which the omnipotent God acts." And [the voice] said, "God, from Himself as order, created the universe in order and for order; and in like manner He created man, in whom He established the laws of His order, by virtue of which laws man was made an image and likeness of God; which laws, in brief, are, that "man should believe in God and love his neighbor, and to the extent that he does these two things from his natural powers he constitutes himself a receptacle of the Divine omnipotence, and God conjoins Himself to man, and man to Himself. Thence man's belief becomes a living and saving belief, and his doing becomes charity, which is also living and saving. But it must be understood that God is unceasingly present, and continually striving and acting in man, even touching his freedom of will, but in no way violating it. For if God should violate man's freedom of will man's dwelling-place in God would be destroyed, and there would remain only God's dwelling-place in man; which dwelling-place is in all who are on earth and who are in the heavens, and even in those who are in the hells; and this is the source of their power, their will, and their understanding. But there is no reciprocal dwelling-place of man in God except in those who live in accordance with the laws of order set forth in the Word; and such become images and likenesses of God, and to them paradise is given as a possession, and the fruit of the tree of life for food; while the rest gather themselves about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and there talk with the serpent, and eat; but these afterwards are driven from paradise. Nevertheless, God does not forsake them, but they forsake God."
[4] Those with caps understood all this, and assented to it; but those with turbans denied, saying, "Is not omnipotence thus limited? and a limited omnipotence is a contradiction."
But I answered, "There is no contradiction in acting omnipotently according to the laws of justice with judgment, or according to the laws inscribed on love from wisdom; but there is a contradiction in claiming that God can act in opposition to the laws of His justice and love, which would be to act from what is not judgment or wisdom. Such a contradiction is implied in your faith, which is that from mere grace God can justify an unjust man, and can endow him with all the gifts of salvation and rewards of life. But I will state briefly what God's omnipotence is. From His omnipotence God created the universe, and at the same time introduced order into each thing and all things in it. From His omnipotence God also preserves the universe, and unceasingly watches over the order of it with its laws; and when anything falls from order He brings it back and makes it whole again. Furthermore, from His omnipotence God instituted the church and revealed the laws of its order in the Word; and when it fell from order He restored it; and when it wholly fell away He Himself came down into the world, and putting on omnipotence by means of the Human then assumed, He re-established it.
[5] From His omnipotence and omniscience God searches every man after death, and prepares the righteous, or the sheep, for their places in heaven, and establishes a heaven from them; while He prepares the unrighteous, or the goats, for their places in hell, and establishes a hell from them. Both of these He arranges into societies or congregated bodies in accordance with all the varieties of their love, which in heaven are as many as the stars in the natural firmament; and He joins in one the societies of heaven that they may be as one man before Him. In like manner He brings together the congregated bodies of hell that they may be as one devil; and He separates the latter from the former by a gulf, that hell may not do violence to heaven or heaven torment hell; for those who are in hell are tormented in the degree that heaven flows in. If God from His omnipotence did not do this every instant, a savage nature would enter into men to such an extent that they could no longer be restrained by the laws of any order; and thus the human race would perish. These and other such things would happen unless God were order, and omnipotent in order. "
Having heard this, those who wore caps went away with their caps under their arms, praising God; for in that world the intelligent wear caps. But not so those who wore turbans, for such are bald, and baldness signifies stupidity. The latter went away to the left, and the former to the right.
74. The third experience. I saw gathered together at a distance several spirits with caps on their heads, some being clergymen whose caps were bound with silk, and some laymen whose caps were bordered with bands of gold, all of them deeply learned and erudite. I also saw some with turbans, who were illiterate. I drew near and heard them conversing about the unlimited nature of Divine power, and saying: "If it were to proceed according to any established laws of order it would be not unlimited but limited, and would therefore be power, but not omnipotence; whereas who does not see that no necessity of law can compel omnipotence to act thus and not otherwise? Assuredly when we think of omnipotence and at the same time of laws of order according to which it must proceed, our precepts regarding omnipotence fall down like a hand leaning on a broken staff."
[2] When they caught sight of me near them some ran towards me and said with some vehemence: "Are you the one who has circumscribed God with laws as with bonds? What presumption! By this you have also shattered our faith on which our salvation is founded, in the centre of which we place the righteousness of the Redeemer, next to this the omnipotence of God the Father, and to these we add the operation of the Holy Spirit. We attribute the efficacy of this faith to the absolute impotence of man in spiritual matters, for whom it is enough to proclaim the fullness of justification, which is imparted to this faith from the omnipotence of God." "But I have heard," continued one of them, "that you see only absurdity in this faith, because it contains nothing on the part of man in the Divine order." On hearing these words I said in a loud voice: "Learn the laws of Divine order, and then examine your faith, and you will see a great wilderness in which is a leviathan, long and sinuous, with nets coiled round it in an inextricable knot. But do as Alexander is reported to have done, who, when he saw the Gordian knot, drew his sword, severed it, and thus loosed its entanglements. Then throwing it on the ground, he trod its cords under foot."
[3] At these words those who were gathered round bit their tongues, as though to sharpen them for a crushing retort; but they did not dare to reply, for they saw heaven opened above me and heard a voice thence saying: "Restrain yourselves, and first hear what order is, according to whose laws the omnipotent God acts." And the voice continued: "God from Himself, as from order, created the universe in order and for order. In like manner He created man, and established in him the laws of his own order, by virtue of which he became an image and likeness of God. The substance of these laws is that he should believe on God and love his neighbor; and so far as he does this from his natural powers, he makes himself a recipient of the Divine omnipotence, and God unites Himself to man and man to God. Consequently his faith becomes a living and a saving faith, and his practice a living and saving charity. It should be known, however, that God is always present, striving and acting in every man, even touching his free will, but never forcing it. For if He should violate man's free will, his dwelling place in God would be destroyed, and only God's dwelling place in man would remain. This dwelling place is in all men, whether on earth, in heaven, or in hell, for it is the source of their power to will and to understand. But there is no reciprocal dwelling of man in God, unless with those who live according to the laws of order prescribed in the Word; and they become images and likenesses of Him. To them paradise is given for a possession, and the fruit of the tree of life for food; but the others gather round the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, hold converse there with the serpent, eat of this tree, and are afterwards driven from paradise; nevertheless God does not forsake them, but they forsake God."
[4] Those who wore caps understood these things and approved them, but those who wore turbans denied their truth, saying, "Does not this mean a limitation of omnipotence? and a limitation of omnipotence implies a contradiction." To this I replied: "It is not a contradiction to act with omnipotence according to the laws of justice with judgment, or according to laws inscribed on love from wisdom. It is a contradiction, however, that God should be able to act contrary to the laws of His own justice and love, for this would not be from judgment and wisdom. Such a contradiction is involved in your faith that God can of mere grace justify an unrighteous man, and single him out with all the gifts of salvation and the rewards of life. I will, however, briefly state what is meant by the omnipotence of God. God from His omnipotence created the universe, and at the same time introduced order into all its parts. He also from His omnipotence preserves the universe and perpetually maintains order there with all its laws; and should anything lapse from order, He brings it back and restores it again. Further, God from His omnipotence established the Church, and revealed in the Word its laws of order. When it lapsed from order He restored it; and when its fall was complete, He Himself came down into the world, and by means of the Human which He assumed, He clothed Himself with omnipotence, and restored it.
[5] From His omnipotence and also from His omniscience God examines every one after death and prepares the righteous, or the sheep, for their places in heaven, and of them He forms heaven; but He prepares the unrighteous, or the goats, for their places in hell, and of them He forms hell. He arranges both into societies and communities, according to all the varieties of their love, which are as numerous in heaven as the stars in the natural firmament; and He unites the societies in heaven into one, so that they appear as one man before Him. In like manner He unites the communities in hell, so that they appear as one devil; and He separates the latter from the former by a gulf, lest hell should do violence to heaven, and lest heaven should cause torment to hell, for those who are in hell suffer torment should they receive influx from heaven. Unless God from His omnipotence were to continue acting thus every moment, a savage nature would enter into men until they could no longer be restrained by the laws of any order, and thus the human race would perish. These things, and others of a like nature, would happen unless God were order, and omnipotent in order." Having heard this, those who wore caps departed with their caps under their arms, praising God; for in that world the intelligent wear caps. It is different with those who wear turbans, for they are bald, and baldness is a sign of dullness. As they all departed the latter went away to the left, but the former to the right.
74. TERTIUM MEMORABILE.
Vidi e longinquo plures congregatos cum pileis super capitibus, quosdam cum pileis circumcinctis serico, qui ex Ordine Ecclesiastico erant, quosdam cum pileis quorum limbos ornabant fasciae aureae, qui ex Ordine Civili erant, omnes hi docti et eruditi; et insuper vidi quosdam cum tiaris, qui erant indocti; accessi, et audivi illos inter se loquentes de Divina Potentia illimitata, et quod si illa progrederetur secundum aliquas leges quae factae sunt ordinis, non illimitata sed limitata foret, et sic potentia et non Omnipotentia; at quis non videt, quod non aliqua necessitas legis possit Omnipotentiam adigere ad faciendum ita et non aliter; certe, dum cogitamus de Omnipotentia et simul de legibus Ordinis, secundum quas obligatur progredi, cadunt ideae nostrae praeceptae de Omnipotentia sicut manus fracto scipione.
[2] Illi cum me viderunt prope se, accurrerunt aliqui, et in quadam vehementia dixerunt; es tu qui circumscripsisti Deum legibus sicut vinculis; hoc quam petulans est; sic etiam discerpsisti fidem nostram, super qua fundatur salus nostra, in cujus medio ponimus justitiam Redemptoris, super illa Omnipotentiam Dei Patris, et appendicem facimus operationem Spiritus Sancti, et efficaciam ejus in hominis absoluta impotentia in spiritualibus, cui satis est loqui de plenitudine justificationis, quae ex Omnipotentia Dei inest fidei isti; sed audivi, quod tu inanitatem in illa videas, quia nihil ordinis Divini ab homine in illa. His auditis aperui os, et alta voce loquens dixi, discite leges Ordinis Divini, et postea aperite illam fidem, et videbitis vastam solitudinem, et in hac Leviathanem tortuosum et oblongum, et circum circa illum, 1 retia circumvoluta 2 sicut in nodum inexplicabiliam sed facite sicut legitur de Alexandro, cum vidit Nodum Gorgium, 3 quod nudaverit ensem, et bissecuerit illum, et sic contortus ejus dissolverit, et projecerit in terram, et calceo fila ejus contriverit.
[3] Ad haec dicta congregati mordebant linguas, volentes acuere illas in dicteria, sed non ausi sunt, quia videbant super me Coelum apertum, et audiebant vocem inde, auscultate primum cum moderamine, quid Ordo, secundum cujus leges Deus omnipotens agit; et dixit, Deus 4 a Se ut Ordine, in ordine, ad ordinem, creavit Universum; similiter hominem in quo leges ordinis sui stabilivit, ex quibus imago et similitudo Dei factus est, quae in summa sunt, ut credat in Deum, et amet proximum, et quantum illa duo ex naturali potentia facit, tantum se receptaculum Divinae Omnipotentiae facit, et tantum Deus conjungit Se illi, et illum Sibi, inde ejus fides fit viva et salvifica, et ejus facere fit charitas, etiam viva et salvifica: at sciendum est, quod Deus perpetuo adsit, et continue conetur et agat in homine, et quoque tangat liberum ejus arbitrium, sed nusquam violet, si enim liberum arbitrium hominis violaret, periret habitatio hominis in Deo, et foret Solius Dei in homine, et haec habitatio est in omnibus tam qui in terris sunt, quam qui in coelis, et quoque in illis qui in infernis, inde enim est posse, velle, et intelligere illorum; sed non est habitatio reciproca hominis in Deo, nisi apud illos qui vivunt secundum leges ordinis in Verbo latas, et hi fiunt imagines et similitudines Ipsius, et his datur paradisus in possessionem, et fructus arboris vitae in cibum; at reliqui congregant se circum arborem scientiae boni et mali, et colloquuntur cum Serpente ibi, et comedunt, at postea expelluntur Paradiso; attamen illos Deus non relinquit, sed illi relinquunt Deum.
[4] Haec illi in pileis intellexerunt, et approbaverunt, at illi in tiaris negaverunt, et dixerunt, numne sic Omnipotentia est limitata, ac Omnipotentia limitata est contradictio; sed respondi, non est contradictio omnipotenter agere secundum leges justitiae cum judicio, aut secundum leges Amori inscriptas ex Sapientia; at contradictio est, quod Deus possit agere contra leges Justitiae et Amoris sui, et hoc foret ex non judicio et sapientia; talem contradictionem involvit fides vestra, quae est, quod Deus injustum possit ex mera gratia justificare, et omnibus salutis donis et vitae praemiis insignire. Sed dicam paucis, quid Omnipotentia Dei; Deus ex Omnipotentia sua creavit Universum, et simul introduxit omnibus et singulis ejus Ordinem; Deus etiam ex Omnipotentia sua conservat Universum, et custodit ibi Ordinem cum suis legibus in perpetuum, et dum aliquid elabitur ex ordine, reducit illud et redintegrat. Porro Deus ex Omnipotentia sua instauravit Ecclesiam, et leges Ordinis ejus revelavit in Verbo; et cum Illa elapsa est ex ordine, restauravit illam, et cum totaliter elapsa est, Ipse descendit in Mundum, et per assumtum Humanum induit Omnipotentiam, et restituit.
[5] Deus ex Omnipotentia et quoque Omniscientia explorat unumquemque post mortem, ac praeparat justos seu oves ad loca sua in Coelo, et ex his condit Coelum, ac praeparat injustos seu hircos ad loca sua in inferno, et ex his condit Infernum; ac disponit utrumque in Societates et congregationes secundum omnes varietates amoris illorum, quae in Coelo totidem sunt, quot stellae in firmamento Mundi, ac Societates in Coelo conjungit in unum, ut sint sicut unus Homo coram Se; similiter congregationes in Inferno, 5 ut sint sicut unus Diabolus, et hos ab illis separat per hiatum, ne Infernum inferat violentiam Coelo, et ne Coelum inferat cruciatum Inferno; 6 nam illi qui in Inferno sunt, tantum cruciantur, quantum influit Coelum. Haec et illa nisi Deus ex Omnipotentia sua omni instanti faceret, ferinum intraret homines, usque ut amplius non possent legibus alicujus Ordinis coerceri, et sic periret Genus humanum: haec et similia evenirent, nisi Deus esset Ordo, et in Ordine Omnipotens. His auditis illi qui tecti pileis erant, abiverunt pileis sub ulnis, laudantes Deum, nam in illo Mundo intelligentes teguntur pileis, at tecti tiaris non ita, quia calvi sunt, et calvities significat obesitatem; et hi abiverunt ad sinistrum, at illi ad dextrum.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: illam.
2. Prima editio: circum volute.
3. Sic prima editio, de Divino Amore et de Divina Sapientia 283, CAC 11. Fortasse Gordium.
4. Prima editio: agit; Deus. Errores Typographici: et dixit Deus.
5. Sic Errores Typographici.
6. Prima editio: Infermo.
DE CREATIONE UNIVERSI.