838.我与他们进一步探讨了主，救主。我说，神本质上是圣爱，圣爱就象最纯粹的火。由于就其本身而言，爱追求的目标无非是和它所爱的人成为一体，所以圣爱追求的目标无非是将它自己与人、以及人与它自己联结起来，直到它在人里面，人在它里面。既然圣爱就象最纯粹的火，那么显而易见，神由于是这样一团火，所以决不可能在人里面，或使人在祂里面，这样会导致整个人化为一缕烟。但因为神出于其本质而燃烧着最热烈的爱，渴望将祂自己与人联结起来，所以为做到这一点，祂必定要用一副身体遮盖祂自己，以适合接受和联结。由于这个原因，祂根据自创世时由祂所建立的秩序，降世取了人身；这个秩序就是，通过祂自己所产生的力量孕育一个人，这人被带入子宫并出生，然后增长智慧和爱，从而逐渐与它的神性源头结合，于是神变成了人（Man），人（Man）变成了神。这是事实，有关祂的圣经（它存在于基督徒中，被称为圣言）清楚教导并证实了这一点。神本身在其人性中被称为耶稣基督，祂宣称，父在祂里面，祂在父里面，人看见祂，就看见父；除此之外还有其它同样意味的声明。人凭理智也能明白，神的爱就象最纯粹的火，祂没有别的办法将祂自己和人，以及人和祂自己联结起来。除非太阳用大气层遮盖它的光线，因而通过调和好的热、以适宜的形式呈现自己，否则，让这太阳之火直接触及人可能吗，更别说进到人里面？除非纯粹的以太被密集的空气膜包裹，否则，让它环绕人可能吗，更别说进入支气管？一条鱼在空气中甚至无法呼吸，而只能呆在适合它生存的元素中；世上的国王也不可能事必躬亲，亲自或直接管理国家的一切事务，而只能通过大大小小的各级官员，他们一起组成他的皇家团体。同样，若非藉着身体，人的灵魂无法使自己显为可见，与别人交往，并表达自己的爱。那么，神若非通过自己的人身，又如何做得到呢？当听到这些观点后，非洲人比其他人领悟得更深刻，因为他们的理性更内在，凭借各自的悟性，每个人都赞同它们。
838. 我与他们进一步探讨了主, 救主。 我说, 神本质上是圣爱, 圣爱就象最纯粹的火。 由于就其本身而言, 爱追求的目标无非是和它所爱的人成为一体, 所以圣爱追求的目标无非是将它自己与人, 以及人与它自己联结起来, 直到它在人里面, 人在它里面。 既然圣爱就象最纯粹的火, 那么显而易见, 神由于是这样一团火, 所以决不可能在人里面, 或使人在祂里面, 这样会导致整个人化为一缕烟。 但因为神出于其本质而燃烧着最热烈的爱, 渴望将祂自己与人联结起来, 所以为做到这一点, 祂必定要用一副身体遮盖祂自己, 以适合接受和联结。 由于这个原因, 祂根据自创世时由祂所建立的秩序, 降世取了人身; 这个秩序就是, 通过祂自己所产生的力量孕育一个人, 这人被带入子宫并出生, 然后增长智慧和爱, 从而逐渐与它的神性源头结合, 于是神变成了人 (Man), 人 (Man) 变成了神。 这是事实, 有关祂的圣经 (它存在于基督徒中, 被称为圣言) 清楚教导并证实了这一点。 神本身在其人性中被称为耶稣基督, 祂宣称, 父在祂里面, 祂在父里面, 人看见祂, 就看见父; 除此之外还有其它同样意味的声明。 人凭理智也能明白, 神的爱就象最纯粹的火, 祂没有别的办法将祂自己和人, 以及人和祂自己联结起来。 除非太阳用大气层遮盖它的光线, 因而通过调和好的热, 以适宜的形式呈现自己, 否则, 让这太阳之火直接触及人可能吗, 更别说进到人里面? 除非纯粹的以太被密集的空气膜包裹, 否则, 让它环绕人可能吗, 更别说进入支气管? 一条鱼在空气中甚至无法呼吸, 而只能呆在适合它生存的元素中; 世上的国王也不可能事必躬亲, 亲自或直接管理国家的一切事务, 而只能通过大大小小的各级官员, 他们一起组成他的皇家团体。 同样, 若非藉着身体, 人的灵魂无法使自己显为可见, 与别人交往, 并表达自己的爱。 那么, 神若非通过自己的人身, 又如何做得到呢? 当听到这些观点后, 非洲人比其他人领悟得更深刻, 因为他们的理性更内在, 凭借各自的悟性, 每个人都赞同它们。
838. Later on I had a conversation with them about the Lord the Savior. I said, "At the level of his essence, God is divine love. The divine love is like the purest fire. Love, by definition, has just one intention, which is to become one with someone else whom it loves. The divine love has just one intention, which is to unite himself to us and us to himself to such a degree that he is in us and we are in him. Yet because divine love is like the purest fire, clearly it would be entirely impossible for God in this form to be in us and cause us to be in him - everything we are would be reduced to a wisp of smoke!
"Because God at the level of his essence is burning with a love for uniting himself with us, it was necessary for him to wrap himself in a body that was adapted in such a way that we could receive it and enter into a partnership with him. Therefore God came down and took on a human manifestation according to the divine design that he himself established at the creation of the world. His conception occurred through an offshoot of his own power; he was carried in the womb, was born, grew in wisdom and love, and came closer and closer to his divine origin until he was fully united to it. In this way God became a human being and a human being became God. The Scripture about him, which the Christians have and which is called the Word, clearly teaches and testifies that this is the truth. God himself, whose human manifestation is called Jesus Christ, says that the Father is in him and he is in the Father, and that someone who sees him sees the Father. There are many other statements to the same effect.
[2] "Reason sees that there is no other way in which God, whose love is like the purest fire, could unite himself to people and people to himself. Could the fire of the sun as it truly is even touch us, let alone come into us, if it did not wrap its rays in the atmospheres, so that it could present itself in an adapted state as a moderate warmth? Pure ether could not surround us and would certainly be unable to flow into the bronchial tubes of our lungs if it had not adapted itself by being thickened with air. A fish cannot stay alive in the air; it has to be in an element that is suited to its life. For that matter, no kings or queens on earth would orchestrate each and every thing in their countries directly or in their own person; they use officials in higher and lower positions who in effect constitute their royal body.
"The soul of someone could not present itself in visible form to another person, interact with that other, or communicate evidence of its love if it did not do so through a body. How then could God do this except through his own human manifestation?"
The Africans could see what I was saying better than the rest could, because the Africans have an inner rationality. In each of them, their agreement with what was said depended on the kind of perception they had.
838. My next conversation with them was about the Lord the Saviour. I said that God in His essence was Divine love, and that Divine love is like the purest fire. Love regarded in itself has no other aim than to enter into union with the beloved, and Divine love aims to unite itself with mankind and mankind with it, even to the point of God being in a person and a person being in God. Since Divine love is like the purest fire, it is plain that God, being of such a nature, could by no means be in a person or make a person be in Him. For to do so would reduce the whole person to a wisp of smoke. But because God by His essence was consumed with a passionate love of uniting Himself with mankind, it was necessary for Him to veil Himself in a body suitable to permit reception and linking. He therefore came down and took upon Himself a human form in accordance with the order established by Him from the creation of the world. This entailed being conceived by the power generated by Himself, being carried in the womb, born, and then growing in wisdom and love, and so approaching union with His Divine origin. By this means God became man, and man became God. It is plainly taught and witnessed that this is so by the writings about Him possessed by Christians and known as the Word. And God Himself, who in His Human is called Jesus Christ, says that the Father is in Him and He is in the Father; that anyone who sees Him sees the Father, and many other statements to the same effect.
[2] Reason too can see that God, whose love is like the purest fire, could in no other way unite Himself with mankind and mankind with Himself. Neither can the fire of the sun, as it is in its essence, touch a person, much less enter into him, if its rays were not veiled in atmospheres, and rendered suitable by the tempering of its heat. Neither can pure ether surround a person, much less penetrate the bronchi of his lungs unless it is surrounded by a dense envelope of air, and thus made suitable. Neither can a fish live in air, but only in the element in which it is equipped to live. No more can a king on earth attend personally or directly to every single detail in the government of his kingdom, but does so by means of his officers of higher and lower rank; these taken together make up his royal body. Neither can a person's soul display itself to another's eyes, enter on an association with him, and convey proofs of his love, except by means of his body. How then could God do so, except through a Human, which is His? On hearing these arguments the Africans perceived more than the rest, because they are inwardly rational; and each of them favoured these arguments in proportion to his perception of them.
838. I had a further talk with them about the Lord the Savior. It was said that God in His essence is Divine love, and that Divine love is like the purest fire; and as love viewed in itself seeks no other end than to become one with him whom it loves, so the Divine love seeks no other end than to unite itself to man and man to itself, even until It is in him and he in It. And since the Divine love is like the purest fire, it is evident that God, being such a fire, could not in the least degree be in man and cause man to be in Him, for He would thus reduce the entire man to a most subtle vapor. But inasmuch as God from His very essence burned with a love to unite Himself with man, to do this He must needs veil Himself with a body adapted to reception and conjunction. For this reason He came down and took on a Human in accordance with the order established by Him from the creation of the world; which order was, that by means of a power generated from Himself a Human should be conceived, carried in the womb, and born, and then increase in wisdom and love, and thereby draw near to a union with its Divine origin; thus God became Man and Man became God. That this is true the Scripture respecting Him (which exists among Christians and is called the Word), clearly teaches and testifies; and God Himself, who in His Human is called Jesus Christ, declares that the Father is in Him and He in the Father, and that whosoever sees Him sees the Father; besides other things to the same purport. That God, whose love is like the purest fire, could unite Himself to man and man to Himself in no other way reason also can see. Is it possible for the sun's fire as it is in itself to touch man, still less to enter into him, unless it veils its rays with atmospheres, and thus by a tempered heat presents itself in an adapted form? Is it possible for the pure ether to envelop man, still less enter his bronchial tube, unless it is made dense with air, and thus adapted? A fish is not able even to draw breath in the air, but only in an element adapted to its life; nor indeed is a king on earth able to administer each and all the affairs of his kingdom in his own person or directly, but only by means of higher and lower officers, who together constitute his royal body. Nor can a man's soul render itself visible to another, enter into companionship with him, and communicate proofs of his love, except by means of a body. How then can God do so except through a Human of His own? The Africans when they heard these things had a clearer perception of them than others, because they are more interiorly rational; and each one favored them in accordance with his perception.
838. The next subject of our conversation was The Lord the Savior; and I began with the statement that God in His Essence is Divine Love, and Divine Love is, as it were, the purest fire. Now love, regarded in itself, cannot intend anything else than to become one with another whom it loves, and the Divine Love can intend nothing else than to unite itself to man and man to itself, so that it may be in man and man in it. As Divine Love is, as it were, purest fire, it is, therefore, evident that God, being such, could not possibly be in man, and cause man to be in Him, for He would thus reduce the whole of man to smoke and ashes. So it was necessary that God, who from His own essential nature ardently burned with the desire to unite Himself to man, should veil Himself with a body accommodated to His reception by man and conjunction with him. He, therefore, came down and assumed the Human according to the order established by Him from the creation of the world. This was that it should be conceived by power going forth from Himself, be carried in the womb and born, and afterwards grow in wisdom and love, and should so approach to union with its own Divine Origin. In this way God became Man. That this is so the Scripture concerning Him, which Christians possess and is called the Word, manifestly teaches and testifies; and God Himself, who in His Human is called Jesus Christ, says that the Father is in Him and He in the Father; and that he that seeth Him seeth the Father; with much more to the same purpose.
Reason, too, perceives that God, whose love is, as it were, purest fire, could not unite Himself to man and man to Himself in any other way. The solar fire, such as it is in itself, cannot come into contact with man, far less enter into him; its rays must be veiled with atmospheres, and it must make itself felt in an accommodated state by its tempered heat. The pure ether cannot envelop a man, still less enter his bronchial tubes, unless it is encompassed with air and thus adapted to human needs. A fish cannot live in the air, but in an element suited to its life. Further, a king on earth cannot, personally and directly, in general and in particular, administer all the affairs of his kingdom; he must employ officers of higher and lower rank who together constitute the body of his royalty. A man's soul also cannot make itself visible to another, hold intercourse with him, and give him proofs of his love, except by means of the body. How, then, could God do so, except by means of the Human which is His? On hearing these things the Africans, because they are superior in interior rationality, perceived them more fully to his perception.
838. Ulterius SERMO CUM ILLIS FUIT DE DOMINO SALVATORE; et dictum est, quod Deus in essentia sua sit Divinus Amor, et quod Divinus Amor sit sicut purissimus Ignis; et quia Amor in se spectatus non intendit aliud quam ut unum fiat cum altero quem amat, ac Divinus Amor, quam ut uniat se homini et hominem sibi, usque adeo ut Ipse in illo sit et ille in Ipso; et quia Divinus Amor est sicut purissimus Ignis, patet, quod Deus, quia talis, minime potuerit in homine esse, et facere ut homo in Ipso sit, nam sic redigeret totum hominem in tenuissimum fumum: sed quia Deus ex sua essentia arsit amore uniendi se cum homine, necessum fuit ut se circumvelaret corpore accommodato 1 ad receptionem et conjunctionem; quare descendit et assumsit Humanum secundum Ordinem ex se a Creatione Mundi constabilitum, qui erat, ut a Virtute a Se propagata conciperetur, gestaretur in utero, nasceretur, et dein cresceret sapientia et amore, et sic appropinquaret ad unionem cum Divina sua Origine, et quod sic Deus factus sit Homo, ac Homo Deus; quod ita sit, Scriptura de Ipso, quae apud Christianos est, et vocatur Verbum, manifeste docet et testatur, et Ipse Deus, qui in Humano suo vocatur Jesus Christus, dicit, quod Pater in Ipso sit, et Ipse in Patre, et quod qui videt Ipsum, videat Patrem, praeter plura ejusdem rei.
[2] Quod Deus, cujus Amor est sicut purissimus Ignis, non aliter potuerit unire Se homini et hominem Sibi, videt etiam Ratio; num potest Ignis Solis, qualis in se est, tangere hominem, minus inire illum, nisi circumvelet radios suos athmosphaeris, et sic per temperatum calorem se accommodatum sistat: Num potest purus Aether circumfundere hominem, et minus influere in bronchias pulmonum ejus nisi stipatus aere, et sic se adaptare: ne quidem potest Piscis vitam trahere in aere, sed in Elemento vitae ejus applicato: imo ne quidem potest Rex in terris in sua persona seu immediate administrare omnia et singula in suo Regno, nisi per Praefectos superiores et inferiores, qui simul Regium Ipsius Corpus constituunt. Neque potest Anima hominis se sistere videndam alteri, consortium inire cum illo, et amoris sui documenta communicare, nisi quam per Corpus; quomodo tunc Deus nisi per Humanum, quod Ipsius est. His auditis, Africani prae reliquis, quia interius rationales sunt, perceperunt; et quisque secundum suam perceptionem favit.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: accomodato.