767.凡对主有信，对邻有仁者，皆为一个小型教会；大型教会就是由这样的人组成的。神奇的是，每个天人，不管身体和脸怎样转动，总能在面前看见主。因为主是天人天堂的太阳，当沉思属灵事务时，这情景就出现在他们眼前。心有教会的世人，就其属灵视觉而言，也是这样。但由于他的属灵视觉被属世视觉、以及其它感官诱惑所遮蔽，并且这些感官皆指向肉体和尘世，所以灵的这种状态不为人知。不管如何转动，总能看见主，这是因为一切真理（它是智慧和信的源头）和一切良善（爱和仁通过它存在）皆出自主，属于人内主的。因此，每一个智之真可以说都是一面镜子，在里面能看见主；每一种爱之善都是主的一个形象。这就是该神奇表象的起因。
然而恶灵不断背离主，注目于自己的爱，不管身体和脸如何转动，总是这样。原因相同，但意义相反。因为每种恶都取了人的一种统治欲（ruling love）形象的样式，由此而来的虚假如一面镜子那样呈现该形象。
这类事也被植入到自然界中，对此，可通过某些植物推断出来，它们为了接受阳光，努力越过周围的草丛；一些植物从日出到日落，始终朝向太阳，以便在太阳的影响下成熟。我也毫不怀疑，每棵树的所有嫩枝和枝条都有类似的尝试和努力，但由于缺乏足够的弹性弯曲和转动而受阻。此外，研究表明，所有水的涡流和大洋中的漩涡，都朝着太阳运动的方向自动旋转。
那么，被造为神形象的人为何就不该这样转动呢？除非他滥用自由意志，将造物主植入在他里面的这种尝试和努力转到其它方向。这也好比一个新娘，不断将丈夫的形象保持在她的灵眼前，在他的礼物中看到他，如同在镜子里看到一样，她渴望他的到来，当他来时，就欢喜接受他，这使她的心因胸中的爱而跳跃。
767. 凡对主有信, 对邻有仁者, 皆为一个小型教会; 大型教会就是由这样的人组成的。 神奇的是, 每个天人, 不管身体和脸怎样转动, 总能在面前看见主。 因为主是天人天堂的太阳, 当沉思属灵事务时, 这情景就出现在他们眼前。 心有教会的世人, 就其属灵视觉而言, 也是这样。 但由于他的属灵视觉被属世视觉, 以及其它感官诱惑所遮蔽, 并且这些感官皆指向肉体和尘世, 所以灵的这种状态不为人知。 不管如何转动, 总能看见主, 这是因为一切真理 (它是智慧和信的源头) 和一切良善 (爱和仁通过它存在) 皆出自主, 属于人内主的。 因此, 每一个智之真可以说都是一面镜子, 在里面能看见主; 每一种爱之善都是主的一个形象。 这就是该神奇表象的起因。
然而恶灵不断背离主, 注目于自己的爱, 不管身体和脸如何转动, 总是这样。 原因相同, 但意义相反。 因为每种恶都取了人的一种统治欲 (ruling love) 形象的样式, 由此而来的虚假如一面镜子那样呈现该形象。
这类事也被植入到自然界中, 对此, 可通过某些植物推断出来, 它们为了接受阳光, 努力越过周围的草丛; 一些植物从日出到日落, 始终朝向太阳, 以便在太阳的影响下成熟。 我也毫不怀疑, 每棵树的所有嫩枝和枝条都有类似的尝试和努力, 但由于缺乏足够的弹性弯曲和转动而受阻。 此外, 研究表明, 所有水的涡流和大洋中的漩涡, 都朝着太阳运动的方向自动旋转。
那么, 被造为神形象的人为何就不该这样转动呢? 除非他滥用自由意志, 将造物主植入在他里面的这种尝试和努力转到其它方向。 这也好比一个新娘, 不断将丈夫的形象保持在她的灵眼前, 在他的礼物中看到他, 如同在镜子里看到一样, 她渴望他的到来, 当他来时, 就欢喜接受他, 这使她的心因胸中的爱而跳跃。
767. If we have faith in the Lord and goodwill toward our neighbor, we are a church in miniature. The church as a whole is composed of such churches-in-miniature.
Here is an astounding fact: All angels see the Lord in front of them no matter which way they turn their bodies or faces. The Lord is the sun of the angelic heaven. When the angels are in a spiritual meditation he appears before their eyes. People in the world who have the church within them go through something similar as far as the sight of their spirit is concerned; but because the sight of their spirit is hidden behind the veil of their physical sight, and the bodily and worldly preoccupations of their other senses supply further distractions, people do not realize that this is the state their spirit is in.
The reason why angels see the Lord before them, no matter where they turn, is that he is the source of every truth that leads to wisdom and faith, and the source of every good action that comes from love and goodwill. These two types of things in them actually belong to the Lord. Therefore every truth that leads to wisdom is like a mirror in which they see the Lord, and every good action that comes from love is an actual image of the Lord. This then explains the cause of this surprising phenomenon.
[2] Evil spirits, on the other hand, continually turn themselves away from the Lord and are constantly focusing on their own love. This, too, occurs no matter where they turn their bodies or faces. The cause of this is the same, although the other way around. In some form or other, every evil act they do is an image of their dominant love, and every false thought they have makes that image visible in a kind of mirror.
[3] Nature, too, exhibits some phenomena like this. We can see it in plants that sprout up through thick grass; they strive to grow taller than the surrounding blades so they can catch the sun. Some plants also turn to follow the sun from sunrise to sunset, in order to mature under its watchful eye. I do not doubt that all the twigs and branches of every tree have the same tendency and make some effort to do the same, and it is only because they lack the flexibility to turn that they remain still. As researchers have discovered, even sandbars in the ocean and whirlpools in the water go around in the same direction as the sun.
[4] Why then would human beings, who were created images of God, not turn to face him, unless they exercised the gift of free choice to redirect elsewhere that force and effort instilled in them by the Creator?
Another analogy would be a bride, who constantly holds some image of her bridegroom in the sight of her spirit. She sees him in the gifts he has given her as if these were mirrors. She longs for him to arrive, and when he does, love leaps up in her heart as she welcomes him with joy.
767. A person who has faith in the Lord and charity towards the neighbour is a church on a small scale. The church on the large scale is composed of people like this. It is a remarkable fact that every angel, no matter how he turns his body and face, sees the Lord in front of him. For the Lord is the sun of the heaven of angels, and it is this which appears before their eyes, when they meditate on spiritual matters. It is much the same with a person in the world who has the church in him as regards his spiritual sight. But because his spiritual sight is obscured by his natural sight, and the remaining senses endorse this, being directed towards bodily and worldly matters, he remains in ignorance of this condition of his spirit. This way of looking at the Lord, however one turns, is due to the fact that every truth, from which wisdom and faith arise, and every kind of good, which leads to love and charity, come from the Lord, and they are the Lord's with him. As a result every single truth of wisdom is as it were a mirror in which the Lord is seen, and every kind of good which is part of love is an image of the Lord. That is the origin of this remarkable fact.
[2] An evil spirit, however, continually turns away from the Lord, and constantly looks towards his own love; and he does this however he turns his body and face. The reason is the same, but in the opposite sense; for every evil takes the form of a kind of image of his ruling love, and the falsity which comes from it presents that image as in a mirror.
[3] Some similar principle must be implanted in nature, as can be deduced from the way some plants spring up amid a thicket of grasses, and strive to overtop them so as to get the sunlight. Some plants turn towards the sun as it travels from east to west during the day, so that they can ripen under its influence. I have no doubt that every shoot and branch of every tree attempts and strives to do likewise; but its action is baulked by its lack of flexibility and ability to turn. Research shows plainly that every whirlpool in water and maelstrom in the ocean automatically rotates in the direction of the sun's movement.
[4] Why then should a person who has been created to be an image of God not do likewise, if he did not divert in other directions that effort and striving implanted in him by the Creator, by the exercise of the gift of his free will? This too can be compared with a bride who constantly keeps before the sight of her spirit some likeness of her husband, and sees him in his gifts as if in mirrors; and she longs for him to come to her, and is delighted to receive him when he comes, for this makes her heart leap for love in her bosom.
767. The man who has faith in the Lord and charity toward the neighbor is a church in particular; and the church in general is composed of such. It is wonderful that every angel, in whatever direction he turns his body and face, sees the Lord in front of him; the Lord being the sun of the angelic heaven; and this appears before their eyes when they are engaged in spiritual meditation.
The same is true, in respect to the sight of his spirit, of any man in the world in whom the church is; but because this sight is veiled over by the natural sight, to which the other senses add their allurements, and because the objects of these senses are such things as pertain to the body and the world, this state of the man's spirit is unknown. This seeing the Lord in front, however one may turn, originates in this, that all truth (which is the source of wisdom and faith), and all good (through which love and charity exist), are from the Lord, and are the Lord's in man; consequently every truth of wisdom is like a mirror in which the Lord is seen, and every good of love is an image of the Lord. This is the cause of this wonderful appearance.
[2] But an evil spirit constantly turns away from the Lord, and looks continually to his own love, and this he does in whatever direction he turns his body and face. The cause of this is the same, but reversed; for every evil is an image, in a sort of form, of a man's ruling love, and falsity therefrom presents that image as in a mirror.
[3] That some such thing is also implanted in nature may be inferred from certain plants, in their striving to rise above the herbage that surrounds them, to look at the sun; and again from the fact that some of them turn towards the sun from his rising to the end of the day that they may ripen under his auspices. Nor do I doubt that there is a like endeavor and effort in all the twigs and branches of every tree; but not being elastic enough to bend and turn, the act is checked. Moreover, it is clear to anyone investigating the matter, that all the whirlpools either of inland or ocean waters spontaneously follow in their motion the general course of the sun.
[4] Why, then, should not man, who was created in the image of God, so turn, unless by means of his gift of freedom of choice he turns that endeavor and effort, implanted in him by the Creator, in another direction? This may also be likened to a bride's constantly keeping before the sight of her spirit something of the image of her betrothed, and seeing him in his gifts as in mirrors, longing for his coming, and when he comes receiving him with the joy in which her bosom's love finds its delight.
767. The man who is in faith in the Lord and in charity towards the neighbor is a Church in its particular form, the Church in its general form being composed of such individuals. It is a wonderful fact that every angel, however he may turn his body and his face, beholds the Lord before him; for the Lord is the Sun of the angelic heaven, and this Sun appears before the eyes of angels when they are in spiritual meditation. The same thing happens with a man in this world, in whom the Church abides, as to the sight of his spirit. His natural sight, however, casts a veil over this, a veil rendered even more dense by the other senses, whose objects are corporeal and mundane; and, therefore, he is unaware of this state of his spirit. This manner of beholding the Lord, however one may turn oneself, arises from the fact that all truth, which is the source of wisdom and faith, and all good, through which love and charity exist, are from the Lord, and are the Lord's in man; and so every truth of wisdom is like a mirror in which the Lord is seen, and every good of love is an image of Him. Such is the explanation of this wonderful appearance.
[2] On the other hand, an evil spirit perpetually turns away from the Lord, and constantly looks towards his own love, and this no matter what way he may turn his body and face. The reason for this is the same, the looking, however, being towards what is evil. For every evil is in some form or other an image of his ruling love, and the falsity to which this love gives rise, presents that image, as it were, in a mirror.
[3] That something like this is implanted in nature may be inferred from certain plants growing among vegetation which threatens to choke them; but they shoot up above this, in order that they may behold the sun. Some plants again follow the sun from its rising to its setting, continually turning towards it, that in this way they may ripen under its influence. Moreover, I have no doubt that every bough and twig of every tree have implanted in them a similar endeavour and effort; but as they do not possess the necessary flexibility to enable them to bend and turn, this action is checked. It may also be observed that eddies in water and the swirling sands of the ocean spontaneously follow the general course of the sun.
[4] Why, then, should not man turn to God in whose image he was created? and this he does, unless by virtue of his endowment of free will he turns in another direction that endeavour and effort implanted in him by the Creator. This may also be likened to the action of a bride, who constantly bears in her mind's eye an image of her husband. She sees him in his gifts, as in so many mirrors, and longs for his coming; and when he comes, she receives him with joy, which expresses the love of her heart.
767. Homo qui in fide in Dominum est, et in charitate erga proximum, est Ecclesia in particulari; Ecclesia in communi ex similibus componitur. Hoc mirabile est, quod omnis Angelus aspiciat Dominum, in quacunque conversione corporis et faciei sit, ante se; est enim Dominus Sol Coeli Angelici; hic est qui coram oculis eorum, dum in spirituali meditatione sunt, apparet; simile fit apud hominem in Mundo, in quo est Ecclesia, quoad visum ejus spiritus; sed quia hic obvelatur visu naturali, cui adblandiuntur reliqui Sensus, quorum objecta sunt talia quae corporis et mundi sunt, ignoratur hic Status spiritus ejus; hic aspectus Domini in quacunque conversione, trahit originem ex eo, quod omne verum, ex quo sapientia et fides, et omne bonum, per quod amor et charitas, sint a Domino, et quod sint Domini apud illum, et inde unumquodvis verum sapientiae est sicut speculum in quo Dominus, et omne bonum amoris est imago Domini; inde hoc mirabile est.
[2] Spiritus autem malus perpetuo se avertit a Domino, et jugiter spectat ad suum amorem, et hoc quoque in omni conversione corporis et faciei ejus; causa eadem est, sed vice versa; nam omne malum est in quadam forma imago amoris regnantis ejus, et falsum inde sistit illam imaginem ut in speculo.
[3] Quod tale quid etiam implantatum sit naturae, concludi potest a quibusdam germinationibus inter herbacea, quibus circumstipantur, quod enitantur 1 super illa in altum, ut aspiciant solem; tum quod aliquae ab oriente ad occasum 2 Diei se vertant ad illum, ut sic sub ejus auspicio maturescant; nec in dubio sum, quin omni termiti et palmiti cujusvis arboris similis conatus et nisus insit, sed quia illis non elasticum flexionis et conversionis est, subsistit actus: quod etiam omnes gurgites aquae et syrtes oceani sponte sua circumferantur secundum communem Solis progressum, patet inquisitori.
[4] Quid non homo, qui ad imaginem Dei creatus est, nisi insitum illum conatum et nisum a Creatore per dotem liberi sui arbitrii aliunde vertat. Hoc quoque assimilari potest sponsae, quod aliquid imaginis sponsi visu spiritus sui jugiter ferat, et in ejus donis, sicut in speculis, illum videat, ac adventum illius discupiat, et quod venientem excipiat gaudio, in quod amor pectoris ejus exultat.
Footnotes: