837.非洲人的内在判断要胜过所有其他外邦人，所以我与他们探讨的话题更为深刻，最近谈到了神，主救赎主，以及内在人与外在人。由于他们乐意谈论这些话题，所以我将报告他们在这三个主题上面通过内视感知到的一些事。关于神，他们说，祂肯定能降世，在人类面前显为可见，因为神是他们的创造者、保护者和引领者，人类是祂的；还说，神看见、洞察和供应天上地下的每一个事物，视其善好象在祂自己里面，祂自己如同在它们里面；原因在于，祂是天人天堂的太阳，可见于遥远的上方，如同地上的太阳在尘世的上方一样，并且由于祂是这太阳，所以祂看见、洞察和供应下面的每一个事物。正是祂的圣爱显为一轮太阳，所以可知，祂供应他们最大到最细微的生活必需品，以及人类所需的诸如爱与智慧的事物。凡属爱的一切皆通过太阳的热来提供，凡属智慧的一切皆通过太阳的光来提供。所以，如果你树立神如同宇宙太阳的观念，那么你必定由此明白并承认祂的全在，全知和全能。
837. 非洲人的内在判断要胜过所有其他外邦人, 所以我与他们探讨的话题更为深刻, 最近谈到了神, 主救赎主, 以及内在人与外在人。 由于他们乐意谈论这些话题, 所以我将报告他们在这三个主题上面通过内视感知到的一些事。 关于神, 他们说, 祂肯定能降世, 在人类面前显为可见, 因为神是他们的创造者, 保护者和引领者, 人类是祂的; 还说, 神看见, 洞察和供应天上地下的每一个事物, 视其善好象在祂自己里面, 祂自己如同在它们里面; 原因在于, 祂是天人天堂的太阳, 可见于遥远的上方, 如同地上的太阳在尘世的上方一样, 并且由于祂是这太阳, 所以祂看见, 洞察和供应下面的每一个事物。 正是祂的圣爱显为一轮太阳, 所以可知, 祂供应他们最大到最细微的生活必需品, 以及人类所需的诸如爱与智慧的事物。 凡属爱的一切皆通过太阳的热来提供, 凡属智慧的一切皆通过太阳的光来提供。 所以, 如果你树立神如同宇宙太阳的观念, 那么你必定由此明白并承认祂的全在, 全知和全能。
837. Since Africans have a more highly developed inner judgment than other non-Christians, I have enjoyed a number of discussions with them on topics that require deep reflection. We recently had conversations about God, about the Lord the Redeemer, and about the differences between internal and external people. Because they took great pleasure in these discussions, I will pass along some of the perceptions they had on these topics as a result of their inner sight.
On the topic of God, they said, "It is definitely true that God came down and set himself before people in a visible form. He is our Creator, Protector, and Leader; the human race belongs to him. He sees, considers, and provides each and every thing both in heaven and on earth. He sees the good things and people in both worlds as being in himself and sees himself as being in them. This is because he is the sun of the angelic heaven, which appears as high above the spiritual world as the earth's sun does above the physical world. He who is the sun sees, considers, and provides each and every thing that exists below. Because it is his divine love that appears as a sun, it follows that he provides things from the largest to the smallest with the elements of life, and he provides people with the elements of love and wisdom. He provides the elements of love through the heat in the spiritual world, and the elements of wisdom through the light in the spiritual world. Therefore if you form an idea for yourselves of God as the sun of the universe, this idea will definitely lead you to see and acknowledge God's omnipresence, omniscience, and omnipotence. "
837. Since the Africans surpass the rest in powers of inward judgment, I was able to engage in conversation with them about matters requiring deeper thought. I have recently talked with them about God, the Lord the Redeemer and the interior and the exterior man. As this discussion delighted them, I shall report some of the matters they perceived by inward sight on those three subjects.
About God they said that He had certainly come down and made Himself visible to human beings, because He is their Creator, Protector and Guide, and the human race is His. They said that He sees, examines and supplies every single thing that is in the heavens or on earth; and He regards what is good for them as if in Himself and Himself as in them. The reason is that He is the sun of the heaven of the angels, and is to be seen as high above the spiritual world as the terrestrial sun is above the natural world; and one who is the sun must see, examine and supply every single thing which is below. Because it is His Divine love which appears as the sun, it follows that He supplies to the greatest as to the least the necessities of life, and to human beings the things that concern love and wisdom. Things to do with love are supplied by means of the sun's heat, those to do with wisdom by means of its light. So if you form for yourself an idea of God as the sun of the universe, you will be sure from that idea to see and acknowledge His omnipresence, omniscience and omnipotence.
837. As the Africans surpass all other Gentiles in interior judgment, I have had conversation with them on matters of more profound inquiry, and latterly about God, and the Lord the Redeemer, and about the inner and outer man. And as they were delighted with this conversation, I will state some of the things relating to these three subjects which they perceived from interior sight. Of God they said, that He certainly did descend and present Himself to be seen by men, inasmuch as He is their Creator, Protector and Guide, and the human race is His; also that He sees, surveys and provides each and all things that are in the heavens and on earth, regarding their good as if it were in Himself, and Himself as in them; and this, because He is the sun of the angelic heaven, which is to be seen as high above the spiritual world as the sun of the earth is above the natural world, and as He is that sun, He sees, surveys, and provides each thing and all things that are beneath Him. And as it is His Divine Love that appears as a sun, it follows that He provides both for the greatest and for the least such things as pertain to their life, and for men such things as pertain to love and wisdom, whatever pertains to love by means of the heat of that sun, and whatever pertains to wisdom by means of its light. If, therefore, you form to yourselves an idea of God as the sun of the universe, you will certainly from that idea see and acknowledge His omnipresence, omniscience, and omnipotence.
837. As the Africans surpass all others in interior judgment, I have talked with them on matters requiring rather deep consideration, and recently on God, on the Lord the Redeemer, and on the interior and exterior man; and since they derived great pleasure from that conversation, I will here mention what their perceptions were from their interior sight on these three subjects. Concerning God they agreed that He certainly did come down and make Himself visible to men, because He is their Creator, Protector and Guide, and because the human race is His. They affirmed also, that He sees, overlooks and provides for all things, in general and in particular, that are in the heavens and in the earth, and their good as in Himself, and Himself in their good. For He is the Sun of the angelic heaven which appears as high above the spiritual world as the sun of this earth does above the natural world; and He who is the Sun, sees, overlooks and provides for all things that are beneath. And because it is His Divine Love which appears as a Sun, it follows that He provides whatever is vital for the greatest as well as for the least. Thus He provides what pertains to love and wisdom for men; and what pertains to love is derived from the Sun's heat, and what pertains to wisdom from its light. If, therefore, you conceive the idea of God as being the Sun of the universe, you will certainly from that idea see and acknowledge His omnipresence, omniscience and omnipotence.
837. Quoniam Africani prae reliquis interiori judicio pollent, cum illis commercium sermonis habui de rebus altioris indaginis, et nuper de Deo; de Domino Redemptore; deque Interiori et Exteriori homine; et quia delectabantur illo sermone, afferam aliqua, quae de Tribus illis ex interiori visu, perceperunt: DE DEO DIXERUNT, quod omnino descenderit, et se videndum hominibus obtulerit, quia est Creator, Tutor et Ductor illorum, et quia Genus humanum Ipsius est; et quod videat, lustret et provideat omnia et singula quae in Coelis et in Terris sunt, ac bona illorum sicut in Se, et Se in illis; causa est, quia est Sol Coeli Angelici, qui tam alte supra Mundum spiritualem sicut Sol terrae supra Mundum naturalem conspicitur, et quia 1 est Sol, is videt, lustrat et providet omnia et singula quae infra sunt; et quia Divinus Amor Ipsius est qui apparet ut Sol, sequitur quod prospiciat maximis et minimis talia quae vitae sunt, et hominibus talia quae amoris et sapientiae sunt, illa quae Amoris sunt per calorem inde, et illa quae sapientiae per lucem inde. Si itaque formatis vobis ideam de Deo, quod sit Sol Universi, omnino ex illa idea videbitis et agnoscetis Ipsius Omnipraesentiam, Omniscientiam et Omnipotentiam.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: qui.