78. 记事三：
第二天，来自天堂另一社群的一位天使来到我面前，说：“我在我们社群听说，你因思索宇宙的创造而被邀请到我们附近的一个社群，并在那里作了关于创世的演讲，得到他们的赞同，因此给他们带来极大的喜乐。现在，我想向你展示神如何创造各种动植物。”于是，他带我来到一片宽阔的绿色平原上，说：“四周看看。”我照做并看见颜色最美的鸟儿，有的在空中飞翔，有的栖息在树上，有的啄着玫瑰花瓣。这些鸟中还有鸽子和天鹅。当这些在我眼前消失后，我看见不远处有成群的绵羊及其羔羊，还有山羊，有公有母。我看到羊群周围有成群的牛及其牛犊，还有骆驼和骡子。在树林里，我看见长着高高鹿角的牡鹿，还有独角兽。我看完这些，这位天使说：“朝东边看看。”我看到东边有个花园，栽满各种果树，如橙树、香橼树、橄榄树、葡萄树、无花果树、石榴树，还有产出可食用浆果的灌木。然后，他说：“再朝南边看看。”我看见南边有各种谷物，如小麦、小米、大麦和豆类。它们周围全是五彩缤纷的漂亮玫瑰花圃。北边则是树林，有栗树、棕榈树、酸橙树、梧桐树以及其它树叶茂盛的树种。
我看完这些事物后，那天使说：“你看到的所有这些事物都是附近天使爱之情感的对应。”他还告诉我每种具体事物对应哪种情感。而且，不仅这些事物，所有呈于眼见的其它事物都是对应，如房子及里面的各种家具，桌子、食物、衣服、甚至金币银币，以及天堂里的妻子和少女们所饰有的钻石和其它宝石。他说：“每个人爱与智慧的品性通过所有这些事物为我们所觉察。我们家里有用的东西会永远留在那里，而在那些从一个社群游荡到另一个社群的人眼里，这些东西会随着他们关系的改变而变化。
“这些事物展示给你，是为了让你在具体而微的事物上看到整个宇宙的创造，因为神是爱本身和智慧本身。祂的爱包含无限情感，祂的智慧包含无限感知。世上可见的一切事物都是这些情感和感知的对应。这就是鸟类和动物、树木灌丛、五谷杂粮、花草植被的起源。因为神没有任何延伸，却全在于空间中，所以祂自初至末充满整个宇宙。由于祂是全在的，故整个自然界都有其爱与智慧的情感的这些对应。但在我们的世界，也就是所谓的灵界，那些从神接受情感和感知的人具有相似的对应。不同之处在于，在我们的世界，这类事物是神照天使们的情感瞬间创造出来的；而在你们的世界，尽管它们也一开始也是这样被创造出来的，但却规定，它们必须不断代代更新，以便创造可以持续下去。
“在我们的世界，创造是瞬间的；而在你们的世界，创造是通过繁衍持续下去的。因为我们世界的大气和土地是属灵的，而你们世界的是属世的。属世物体被造来包裹属灵物体，就象皮肤表层包裹人类和动物的肉体，树皮和内皮包裹树木的树干和树枝，软脑膜和硬脑膜及其它成分包裹大脑，鞘包裹神经，神经膜包裹其纤维等等。这就是为何你们世界的万物保持不变，并且年复一年有规律地重现。”对此，这位天使还补充说：“去告诉你们世界的居民你的所见所闻，因为迄今为止，他们对灵界一无所知。若对灵界没有一些了解，没人知道，甚至猜到，神在创造宇宙时，我们世界的创造是一个持续的过程，你们世界的创造也一样。”
此后，我们谈论了各种话题，最后谈到地狱。在那里看不到诸如可见于天堂的那类事物，只能看到它们的反面。因为地狱中人的爱之情感，也就是恶欲，是天堂天使爱之情感的反面。地狱中人一般都在荒漠中，在那里会看到夜鸟，如蝙蝠和猫头鹰，以及豺狼、黑豹、老虎、老鼠；还有各种毒蛇、龙和鳄鱼。凡有草的地方尽都是荆棘、荨麻、蒺藜、大蓟，还有一些有毒植物，它们轮番时隐时现。那里只能看到乱石堆和充满蛙鸣的沼泽。所有这些事物也是对应，但如前所述，是其爱之情感的对应，这些情感都是恶欲。然而，在那里，这类事物不是神创造出来的，在类似事物所在的尘世，它们也不是神创造出来的。因为无论过去还是现在，神所造的一切事物都是好的；出现在世上的这类事物连同地狱，都起源于人，他们因远离神死后成为魔鬼和撒旦。不过，由于这些可怕的话题开始让我们的耳朵感觉不舒服，于是我们的思维远离它们，重新忆起我们在天堂所看到的一切。
78. 第三個經歷:
第二天, 一位從天國另一社區來的天人到來我面前, 說:"我在我們社群中聽說, 因為你在思索宇宙如何被造時被邀請到我們附近的社群。在那裡, 你關於創造的說法得到他們的認同,並給他們帶來極大的喜樂。現在, 我想將上帝如何創造動植物的情形展示給你。"
於是, 他帶我來到一片寬闊碧綠的平原, 對我說:"四周看看。"我看見許多色彩絢麗的鳥兒, 有的在空中飛翔, 有的停在樹上, 有的落在草地上,啄著玫瑰花瓣。在這些鳥中, 還有鴿子和天鵝。
當這些消失在我眼前時, 我看見不遠處有成群帶著羊羔的綿羊, 還有許多山羊,有公有母。在這羊群周圍, 我看見牛群,帶著它們的牛崽子, 還有駱駝和騾群。在樹林裡, 我看見頂著鹿角的牡鹿。
當我看完這些, 天人對我說:"看看東邊。"我看見那裡有個花園, 長滿果樹, 橙樹,香櫞樹,橄欖樹,葡萄樹,無花果樹,石榴樹, 還有長漿果的矮木。
然後他說:"看南邊。"在那裡, 我看見各種穀物,小麥,小米,大麥和豆子的莊稼。在它們周圍是長滿色彩繽紛的玫瑰的花圃。北邊是樹林, 有栗樹,棕櫚樹,菩提樹,楓樹以及其它各種多葉的樹木。
[2]當我看完這些, 那天人對我說:"你看到的一切都對應於附近天使們的各種愛的情感。"他還列舉了每樣不同情感各自對應的內容。
"實際上, "他繼續說:"不僅那些東西是對應。在我們眼前看見的有形之物都是對應。例如房屋,裡面各樣用具,桌子和食物,衣服,甚至金幣銀幣, 還有天國中婦人少女用來打扮的鑽石和其它寶石。從所有這些, 我們能夠從仁愛和智慧方面知道每個人的狀態如何。我們家中所用的, 在那裡不變。但若從一個社區到另一社區, 這類東西就隨著所在社區的居民如何而發生變化。
[3]"將這些向你展示, 目的是讓你通過具體例子來領會創造的整體概念。上帝是絕對的仁愛和絕對的智慧。祂的仁愛包含著無數的情感, 祂的智慧也包含著無數的知覺。這些情感和知覺的對應, 就是出現在地上的萬物; 這就是鳥獸,樹木灌叢,五穀雜糧,植物花草等的源頭。
"上帝並非延伸, 但祂全在於空間之中。祂從始至終都在宇宙之中。因為祂是全在, 祂的仁與智的性質所對應的事物遍佈自然界。在我們的世界, 就是被稱為屬靈的世界, 類似的對應出現在那些接收上帝的情感和知覺上。不同之處在於, 在我們這個世界, 上帝照著天人的情感立即造出對應的事物。不過在你們的世界裡, 儘管它們的創造最初是以類似的方式進行, 但規定它們可以一代一代持續不斷地更新, 為的是創造的持續性。
[4]"在我們世界, 創造是瞬間的; 而在你們世界, 創造是一代代地持續, 其原因在於:我們世界中的氣與土是心靈的(或屬靈的), 而你們世界的氣與土是物質的。物質之物被造來作為心靈之物的遮蓋, 就像多層皮膚包裹人與動物的身體, 樹的內外皮包著樹幹和枝條, 腦膜和髓膜包覆著腦子, 鞘包著神經, 等等。這就是為何你們世界中, 萬物都一直保留著, 年復一年有規律地重複著。"
他最後說:"將你的所見所聞傳達給你所在世界的百姓們, 他們至今仍對心靈世界一無所知。若一無所知, 便無人知道, 甚至猜都猜不出, 當上帝創造了宇宙後, 我們世界的創造還在繼續, 你們的世界也是一樣。"
[5]在這之後, 我們談到其它話題, 甚至談到地獄。在地獄裡, 看不到任何天國中的事物, 卻是完全相反的, 因為裡面居住者的愛之情感,只是渴望惡事, 這與天國中天人的愛之情感完全相反。那裡的環境, 大多是荒廢之地, 相伴的多是蝙蝠,烏鴉之類, 還有豺狼,獵豹,老虎,老鼠之類, 也有各樣的毒蛇,龍與鱷魚等等。地裡所長之物, 多是荊棘,蕁麻,蒺藜,大薊和各樣有毒植物四處漫延。有時這些還時隱時現, 會出現亂石堆或充滿鳴蛙的沼澤地。
如前所說, 所有這些都是對應, 對應於各樣惡欲的感覺。然而, 這裡的一切並非上帝所造, 自然界中存在的類似物質也非上帝所造。因為上帝曾經造的,正在造的,將要造的, 都是好的(或善的)。當地獄產生, 隨著地上就出現這些。地獄由那些離棄上帝的人組成, 他們死後變成魔鬼和撒旦。
談到這些可怕的話題, 耳朵都覺刺痛。於是我們轉移思想, 重回到剛才天國所見之事。
78. The third memorable occurrence. The next day an angel from some community in heaven came to me and said, "In our community we heard that you were summoned to a community close to ours because you were meditating on the creation of the universe and that you talked to them about creation. At the time they agreed with what you told them; later it also made them very happy. Now I will show you how God produced animals and plants of every kind. "
The angel took me down to a huge green meadow and said, "Look around. "
I looked around and I saw birds of gorgeous colors. Some were flying, some were sitting on trees, and some were down in the meadow plucking the petals off roses. Among the birds there were also doves and swans.
These things vanished from my sight and then I saw not far from me flocks of sheep and lambs and of kids and nanny goats. Around the flocks I saw herds of cattle and calves, as well as camels and mules. In a grove I saw deer with tall antlers and also unicorns.
After I had seen that, the angel said, "Turn your face to the east. "
I saw a garden with fruit trees - orange trees, lemon trees, olive trees, grapevines, fig trees, pomegranate trees - and also shrubs with berries.
Then the angel said, Now look to the south.
I saw crops of various kinds - wheat, millet, barley, and beans. Around them I saw flowerbeds of roses with beautifully varied colors. To the north, however, I saw woods full of chestnut trees, palms, linden trees, sycamores, and other leafy trees.
[2] When I had seen that, the angel said, "All the things you saw correspond to different feelings of love felt by the angels who are nearby. "
He listed the feeling each thing corresponded to.
"In fact," he went on, "those things are not the only correspondences. Everything else that takes a visible form before our eyes is also a correspondence: our homes, the useful things in them, the tables and food, the clothing, and even the gold and silver coins. Likewise the diamonds and other jewels that adorn married and unmarried women in the heavens. From all the above we become aware of the quality of love and wisdom in each person. The things that are in our homes and support our usefulness there stay the same; but for people who wander from community to community, things like this change as the people's relationships change.
[3] "The purpose of showing you these things was for you to be able to see the whole of creation from a particular instance. God is absolute love and absolute wisdom. His love includes an infinite number of feelings. His wisdom includes an infinite number of perceptions. The correspondences of those feelings and perceptions are all the things that appear on earth. This is where the birds and animals come from. This is where the trees and shrubs come from. This is where the grains and crops come from. This is where the plants and grasses come from.
"God is not extended but he is everywhere in what is extended. He is in the universe from beginning to end. Because he is omnipresent, correspondences of the qualities of his love and wisdom are found everywhere in the physical world. In our world, called the spiritual world, there are similar correspondences surrounding those who receive feelings and perceptions from God. The difference is that in our world God creates things of this kind in a moment to match the feelings of angels, while in your world things like this were originally created in a similar way but there was a provision for their perennial renewal from generation to generation; and so creation goes on.
[4] "The reason why there is instantaneous creation in our world while in yours there is a creation that continues across generations is that the atmospheres and soils in our world are spiritual while those in your world are physical. Physical things were created to cover spiritual things the way animal or human skin covers the body, inner and outer bark cover tree trunks and branches, membranes and meninges cover brains, sheaths cover nerves, coatings cover nerve fibers, and so on. For this reason all things in your world have constancy and perennially return. "
Then the angel added, "Pass on what you have seen and heard here to the inhabitants of your world. Until now they have been in total ignorance about the spiritual world. Yet without being notified of it no one could even guess, let alone know, that in our world creation is still going on and that when God first created the universe something very similar to this happened in your world. "
[5] After that we talked about a number of different things, eventually including hell. None of the things seen in heaven is seen in hell. Hell has only their opposites, because the feelings of love there, which are yearnings for evil, are opposite to the feelings of love the angels have. Around individuals in hell, and generally in the deserts there, there appear flying creatures of the night such as bats, screech owls, and other owls. There are also wolves, leopards, tigers, rats, and mice. There are poisonous snakes of all kinds, as well as dragons and crocodiles. Where there is any vegetation, brambles, stinging nettles, thorns, thistles, and certain poisonous plants spring up. Alternately the vegetation disappears and you see only stones in piles and swamps where frogs croak.
All the above are also correspondences, but correspondences to the feelings of love in hell, which as I said before are yearnings for evil.
These things in hell are not created by God. Where things like this exist in the physical world, they were not created by God either - all the things that God created and creates were and are good. As hell came into existence, hellish things came into existence on earth. Hell consists of people who turned away from God and became devils and satans after death.
But talking about horrible things began to hurt our ears, so we turned our thoughts away from them and recalled again what we had seen in the heavens.
78. The third experience.
The next day an angel came to me from another community in heaven and said, 'We have heard in our community that because of your thoughts about the creation of the universe you were sent for to a community near ours; and there you gave a lecture on creation, which they applauded and have since taken great pleasure in. Now I am going to show you how animals and plants of every kind were produced by God.'
So he took me into a broad, green plain and said, 'Look around you.' I did so and saw birds of the most beautiful colours, some in flight, some sitting on trees and some on the level plucking petals from roses. Among the birds there were also doves and swans. When these had vanished from my sight, I saw not far away flocks of sheep with their lambs, of goats both male and female, and around these flocks I saw herds of cattle with their calves, as well as of camels and mules. In a wood I saw stags 1 with lofty antlers, as well as unicorns.
When I had seen these, the angel said, 'Turn to face east.' There I saw a garden full of fruit trees, oranges, citrons, olives, vines, figs, pomegranates and bushes that produce edible berries.
Then he said, 'Now look to the south.' There I saw crops of various kinds of grain, wheat, millet, barley and beans. Around them were flowerbeds full of roses of beautifully variegated colours. To the north there were woods full of chestnuts, palms, limes, planes and other leafy trees.
[2] When I had seen these, the angel said, 'All the things you have seen are correspondences of the affections of the love on the part of the angels in the neighbourhood;' and he 2 told me to which affections each corresponded. 'Moreover,' he went on, 'not only those but all the other sights that present themselves to our eyes are correspondences; for instance, houses, the furniture in them, tables and food, clothes, even gold and silver coins, the diamonds and other precious stones which wives and girls in the heavens wear for their adornment. From all these things we can tell what each person is like in respect of love and wisdom. The contents of our houses, which serve a purpose, remain there constantly; but in the case of those who wander from one community to another, such things change depending upon the company the people are in.
[3] 'These things have been shown to you so that you can see creation on the scale of the universe reflected in these particular models. For God is love itself and wisdom itself, and His love contains infinite affections, and His wisdom infinite perceptions; all the things to be seen upon earth are correspondences of these affections and perceptions. This is the origin of birds and animals, trees and shrubs, crops and grain, plants and grasses. For God has no extension, but is everywhere in space; so He fills the universe from first to last. Because He is omnipresent, there are such correspondences of the affections of His love and wisdom throughout the natural world. But in our world, which is called the spiritual world, similar correspondences present themselves to those who receive affections and perceptions from God. The difference is that in our world such things are created by God in an instant in accordance with the affections of the angels. But in your world, although their creation is in principle similar, provision has been made for them to be constantly renewed from generation to generation, so that creation is continuous.
[4] 'The reason why in our world creation is instantaneous, but in your world continued a generation at a time, is that the atmospheres and soils of our world are spiritual, while those of your world are natural. Natural objects have been created to serve as clothing for spiritual ones, just as layers of skin clothe the bodies of men and animals, bark and bast clothe the trunks and branches of trees, the pia mater and dura mater and other membranes clothe the brain, sheathes the nerves, the neurilemata their fibres, and so on. That is why everything in your world remains constant, and is regularly repeated year by year.'
'Report,' he added, 'what you have seen and heard to the inhabitants of your world, seeing that up to now they have been in total ignorance of the spiritual world, and without knowing about it no one can know, nor even guess, that in our world creation is continuous, and was similar in your world too when God created the universe.'
After this our talk turned to various subjects, and at length to hell, where none of the sort of things that exist in heaven are to be seen, but only their opposites, since the affections of the love of its inhabitants, which are longings for evil, are the opposite of the affections of love on the part of the angels in heaven. In company with those in hell, and in general in their deserts, there are to be seen birds of the night, such as bats, tawny and horned owls, as well as wolves, leopards, tigers, rats and mice; also poisonous snakes of every kind, dragons and crocodiles. Where there is a grassy stretch, there is an undergrowth of brambles, nettles, thorns and thistles, and some poisonous plants, which come up and disappear by turns. Then there are to be seen only heaps of stones and marshes full of croaking frogs. All of these things too are correspondences, but as was said before, correspondences of the affections of their love, which are longings for evil. Yet such things are not created there by God, nor were they in the natural world, where similar things come into existence. For all things that God created and creates were and are good. But such things arose on earth together with hell, which was composed of human beings who, by turning away from God, became after death devils and satans. But because these frightful subjects began to distress our ears, we turned our thoughts away from them and recalled instead what we had seen in the heavens.
Footnotes:
78. Third Memorable Relation
The next day an angel came to me from another society and said, "We have heard in our society that on account of your meditations about the creation of the universe you were summoned to a society near ours, and there told things about creation which the society then assented to, and have since remembered with pleasure. I will now show you how all kinds of animals and vegetables were produced by God."
He led me away to a broad green field and said, "Look around." And I looked around, and saw birds of most beautiful colors, some flying, some perched upon the trees, and some scattered over the field plucking little leaves from roses. Among the birds were doves and swans. After these had disappeared from my sight I saw not far from me flocks of sheep with lambs, and of kids and she-goats; and round about these flocks I saw herds of cattle, young and old, also of camels and mules, and in a kind of grove, deer with high horns, and also unicorns.
When I had beheld these things the angel said, "Turn your face towards the east." And I saw a garden containing fruit trees, as orange trees, lemon trees, olive trees, vines, fig-trees, pomegranates, and also shrubs bearing berries.
The angel then said, "Look now towards the south." And I saw fields of various kinds of grain, as wheat, millet, barley, and beans, and round about them flower beds containing roses of beautifully varied colors; but toward the north I saw thick groves of chestnut trees, palms, lindens, plane trees, and other trees with rich foliage.
[2] When I had seen these things the angel said, "All these things that you have seen are correspondences of affections of the love of the angels who are near." And he told me to what affection each particular thing corresponded; and moreover, that not these only, but also all other things that presented themselves to their sight were correspondences, as houses, the articles of furniture in them, the tables and food, the clothing, and even the gold and silver coins, as also the diamonds and other precious stones with which wives and virgins in the heavens are adorned. "From all these things," he said, "the character of every person in respect to love and wisdom is perceived by us. The things in our houses that are of use remain there permanently; while to the sight of those who wander from one society to another these things change as their associations change.
[3] These things have been shown to enable you to see, in a special example, the entire creation. For God is love itself and wisdom itself; the affections of His love are infinite, and the perceptions of His wisdom are infinite; and of these each thing and all things that appear on earth are correspondences. This is the origin of birds and beasts, forest trees, fruit trees, crops and harvests, herbs and grasses. For God is not extended, and yet He is present throughout all extension, thus throughout the universe from its firsts to its lasts; and He being thus omnipresent, there are these correspondences of the affections of His love and wisdom in the whole natural world; while in our world, which is called the spiritual world, there are like correspondences with those who are receiving affections and perceptions from God. The difference is that in our world such things are created by God from moment to moment in accordance with the affections of the angels. In your world they were created in like manner in the beginning; but it was provided that they should be renewed unceasingly by the propagation of one from another, and creation be thus continued.
[4] In our world creation is from moment to moment, and in yours continued by propagation, because the atmospheres and earths of our world are spiritual, and the atmospheres and earths of your world natural; and natural things were created to clothe spiritual things as skin clothes the bodies of men and animals, as outer and inner barks clothe the trunks and branches of trees, the several membranes clothe the brain, tunics the nerves, and the inner coats their fibers, and so on. This is why all things in your world are constant, and are renewed constantly from year to year."
To this the angel added, "Go and tell the inhabitants of your world what you have seen and heard, for hitherto they have been in complete ignorance about the spiritual world; and without some knowledge about it no one can know, nor even guess, that in our world creation is a continuous process, and that it was the same in yours while the universe was being created by God."
[5] After this we talked about various matters; and at length about hell, that no such things are seen there as are seen in heaven, but only their opposites; since the affections of the love of those there, which are lusts of evil, are opposites of the affections of love in which angels of heaven are. Thus with those in hell, and in general in their deserts, there are seen birds of night, such as bats and owls; also wolves, panthers, tigers, and rats and mice; also venomous serpents of every kind, dragons and crocodiles; and (where there is any herbage) brambles, nettles, thorns, and thistles, and some poisonous plants grow: and at times these disappear, and then nothing is seen but heaps of stones, and bogs in which frogs croak. All of these things are correspondences; but as has been said, they are correspondences of the affections of the love of those in hell, which affections are lusts of evil. Notwithstanding these things are not created there by God; nor were they created by Him in the natural world, where like things exist. For all things that God has created and does create were and are good; while such things on the earth sprang up along with hell, and hell originated in men, who by turning away from God became after death satans and devils. But as these terrible things began to be painful to our ears, we turned our thoughts from them and recalled to mind what we had seen in heaven.
78. The third experience. The next day an angel came to me from another society in heaven, and said: "We have heard in our society that because of your meditations on the creation of the universe you were invited to a society near ours, where you gave an account of creation which at the time pleased them, and which has since given them great satisfaction. I will now show you how animals and plants of every kind were produced by God." He then led me to a broad, green plain, and told me to look around. I did so and saw birds of most beautiful colors, some in flight, some sitting upon trees and some on the ground, plucking the tiny shoots from rose bushes; amongst these birds were also doves and swans. As these vanished from my sight, I saw not far from me flocks of sheep with lambs, and herds of goats with kids; and round about those I saw herds of cows with calves, and herds of camels and mules. In a grove I saw deer with branching horns and also one-horned animals.
[2] After I had seen these things, the angel said: "Turn your face to the east;" and I saw a garden in which were fruit trees, as orange, citron, olive, vine, fig, and pomegranate; and bushes which bore berries. He then told me to look towards the south, and I saw crops of various kinds of grain, such as wheat, millet, barley, and beans, and surrounding them rose-gardens with their beautifully variegated colors. Towards the north I saw groves of chestnut trees, palms, limes, planes, and other leafy trees. When I had seen these the angel said: "All these things which you have seen are correspondences of the affections of the love of the angels who are near you, and who were accustomed to say to what affection each of the objects corresponded. Moreover, not only these things, but all things that can be presented to our view, are correspondences, such as houses and the utensils in them, tables, food, clothing, even money in gold and silver, also diamonds and other precious stones, with which wives and virgins are adorned in the heavens. From all these things we perceive the nature of every one as to love and wisdom. The objects in our homes which are of use to us remain there always; but with those who pass from one society to another such things change according to their associations.
[3] These things have been shown to you that you may see creation in general exemplified in a particular type. For God is Love itself and Wisdom itself: the affections of His Love are infinite, as are also the perceptions of His Wisdom, and of these all things which appear on the earth are correspondences. This is the origin of birds and beasts, trees and shrubs, corn and grain, herbs and grass. For God is not spatial, but is in space everywhere, so that He is in the universe from first things to last; and because He is omnipresent, such correspondences of the affections of His Love and Wisdom exist throughout the whole natural world; while in our world, which is called the spiritual world, there are similar correspondences with those who receive affections and perceptions from God. There is this difference, however; such things in our world are created instantly by God, according to the affections of the angels, whereas in your world they were so created at the beginning, but with the provision that they should be perpetually renewed by propagation one from another, and thus that creation should be continued.
[4] Creation in our world is instantaneous, and in yours continuous by propagation, because the atmospheres and ground of our world are spiritual, while the atmospheres and ground of your world are natural, and natural things were created that they might invest spiritual things just as skins clothe the bodies of men and animals, as the outer and inner bark clothe the trunks and branches of trees, as the mater and membranes clothe the brain, as the tegument clothes the nerves, as the delicate membranes clothe the nervous fibres, and so on. It is for this reason that all things in your world are permanent, and are constantly renewed year by year. The angel added: "Report what you have seen and heard to the inhabitants of your world, for till now they have been in complete ignorance concerning the spiritual world; and without some idea of it, no one can possibly know, or even guess, that creation is continuous in our world, and that it was the same in your world when the universe was created by God."
[5] After this we talked on various subjects, and finally about hell. It was remarked that none of the things seen in heaven are seen in hell, but only their opposites, since the affections of the love of those in hell, which are evil lusts, are the opposites of the affections of the love in which the angels of heaven are. Therefore, with those in hell, and especially in their desert places, there appear birds of night, such as bats and owls, wolves, leopards, tigers, rats, and mice; also poisonous creeping things of every kind, as dragons and crocodiles; and where there is any herbage, there grow up brambles, nettles, thorns, and thistles, as well as poisonous plants. These at times vanish, and then nothing is to be seen but heaps of stones, and marshes in which frogs croak. All these are also correspondences, but as has been said, correspondences of the affections of their love, which are evil lusts. Such things, however, are not created there by God, nor were they created by Him in the natural world, where similar things exist. For all things which God created, and continues to create, were and are good; whereas such things as those arose on the earth together with hell, which came into being from men, who, by turning away from God, after death became devils and satans. However, as these terrible things began to be offensive to our ears, we turned our thoughts away from them, and called to mind what we had seen in heaven.
78. TERTIUM MEMORABILE.
Postridie ad me venit Angelus ex alia Societate Coeli, 1 et dixit, audivimus ibi, quod propter meditationem de Creatione Universi arcessitus sis in Societatem nostrae propinquam, et quod ibi narraveris de Creatione talia, quibus tunc faverunt, et postea laetati sunt; ego nunc tibi monstrabo, quomodo Animalia et Vegetabilia omnis generis a Deo producta sunt; et deduxit me in latum Campum viridem, et dixit, circumspice, et circumspexi, et vidi Aves pulcherrime coloratas, quasdam volantes, quasdam super arboribus sedentes, et quasdam super campo foliola excerpentes rosis; inter aves etiam erant Columbae et Cygni. Postquam haec a conspectu meo evanuerunt, vidi non procul a me Greges ovium cum agnis, haedorum et caprarum, et circum circa greges illos vidi Armenta ex Bobus et Vitulis, tum ex Camelis et Mulis, et in quodam luco Cervas 2 cum altis cornibus, et quoque Unicornes. Post haec visa, dixit, converte faciem ad Orientem, et vidi Hortum, in quo Arbores fructus, Aurantiae, Citri, Oleae, Vites, Ficus, Malogranata, et quoque Arbusta quae ferebant baccas. Postea dixit, specta nunc ad Meridiem, et vidi Messes ex varii generis frumentis, ex triticis, miliis, 3 hordeis, et fabis, et circum illa Floreta ex rosis pulchre variegantibus colores: ad Septentrionem autem Nemora plena castaneis, palmis, tiliis, platanis, et aliis arboribus foliaceis.
[2] His visis dixit, sunt omnia illa, quae vidisti, Correspondentiae affectionum amoris Angelorum, qui in propinquo sunt, et narrabat, 4 quibus affectionibus singula correspondebant; et insuper, quod non solum illa, sed etiam singula reliqua, quae coram oculis nostris sistuntur videnda, sint Correspondentiae, prout Domus, Utensilia 5 in illis, Mensae et Cibi, Vestes, tum etiam monetae ex auro et argento, ut et adamantes, et alii lapides pretiosi, quibus Uxores et Virgines in Coelis exornantur; nos ex his et illis percipimus qualis unusquisque est quoad amorem et sapientiam; illa quae in domibus nostris sunt, et usibus inserviunt, constanter ibi manent, at coram illis, qui a societatibus in societates vagantur, talia mutantur secundum consortia.
[3] Haec tibi ostensa sunt, propter causam ut in Typo particulari videas Creationem Universalem; Deus enim est ipse Amor et ipsa Sapientia, et Amoris Ipsius sunt infinitae affectiones, et Sapientiae Ipsius sunt infinitae perceptiones, et harum Correspondentiae sunt omnia et singula quae super Tellure apparent, inde aves et bestiae, inde arbores et frutices, inde segetes et messes, et inde herbae et gramina: nam Deus non est extensus, sed usque in extenso ubivis, ita in Universo a primis ejus ad ultima ejus, et quia Omnipraesens est, tales Correspondentiae affectionum Amoris et Sapientiae Ipsius in toto Mundo naturali sunt; at in nostro Mundo, qui vocatur Mundus Spiritualis, sunt similes correspondentiae apud illos, qui a Deo affectiones et perceptiones recipiunt; discrimen est, quod talia in nostro Mundo secundum affectiones Angelorum a Deo momento creentur, in vestro autem Mundo in principio similiter creata sint, at provisum est ut per generationes, unius ab altera, perenniter renoventur, et sic Creatio continuetur:
[4] Causa quod in nostro Mundo sit Creatio momentanea, et in Vestro Creatio durans per generationes, est quia Athmosphaerae et terrae nostri Mundi sunt spirituales, et Athmosphaerae et terrae Vestri Mundi sunt naturales, ac naturalia creata sunt ut investiant spiritualia, sicut cutes corpora hominum et animalium, cortices et libri caudices et ramos arborum, matres et meninges cerebra, tunica nervos, et philyrae illorum fibras, et sic porro; inde est, quod omnia illa quae in vestro Mundo sunt, constantia sint, et constanter in annis redeant. His addidit, haec quae vidisti et audivisti, refer incolis tui Mundi, quia hactenus in plenaria ignorantia fuerunt de Mundo Spirituali, et absque ejus notitia nemo potest scire, et ne quidem augurari, quod Creatio continua sit in nostro Mundo, et quod huic consimilis fuerit in Vestro, dum Universum a Deo creatum est.
[5] Post haec loquuti sumus varia, et tandem de Inferno, quod prorsus nihil ex talibus, quae in Coelo, ibi videantur, sed modo opposita, quoniam affectiones amoris illorum, quae sunt cupiditates mali, oppositae sunt affectionibus amoris, in quibus sunt Angeli Coeli; quare apud illos in Inferno, et in genere in Desertis illorum, apparent Aves noctis, ut vespertiliones, ululae et bubones, et quoque lupi, pardi, tigrides, mures majores et minores, tum omnis generis serpentes venenati, ut et dracones 6 et crocodili; et ubi aliquid gramineum est, ibi succrescunt sentes, urticae, spinae et cardui, et aliquae herbae toxicatae, quae per vices evanescunt, et tunc modo apparent strues lapidum, ac paludes, in quibus ranae crocitant: haec et illa sunt quoque Correspondentiae, sed ut dictum est, Correspondentiae affectionum amoris illorum, quae sunt cupiditates 7 mali. Attamen talia non a Deo creantur ibi, nec creata sunt in Mundo naturali, ubi similia existunt; nam omnia, quae Deus creavit et creat, fuerunt et sunt bona; ast talia super Tellure exorta sunt una cum Inferno, quod ex hominibus, qui per aversionem a Deo, post mortem facti sunt diaboli et satanae, exstitit. Sed quia haec dira inceperunt laedere aures nostras, avertimus cogitationes ab illis, et recollegimus illa, quae in Coelis vidimus.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: Caell.
2. Sic prima editio, nisi cervos intenditur (Worcester).
3. Prima editio: miniis.
4. Prima editio: narrabant.
5. Prima editio: Utensilla.
6. Prima editio: ut dracones.
7. Prima editio: cupidates.