157# “和你的作为，末后的比起初的更多”表示由此而来的外在。这从“作为”的含义清楚可知，“作为或行为”是指里面有内在的外在；因为“作为或行为”是终极结果，内在一起呈现在其中，并在那里处于一个系列中；它们在那里形成自己的终端和完全。那些属于思维和意愿的事物，属灵地说，那些属于爱和信的事物被称为内在；这些事物在作为或行为中；因此，作为或行为是终端。属于心智的内层事物先后流入外在事物，甚至流入终端，它们也在其中存在并持续存在(参看《属天的奥秘》，634, 6239, 6465, 9215–9216节)；它们还在终端形成同步秩序，在什么样的系列中(参看5897, 6451, 8603, 10099节)；整个人都在他的行为或作为中，只意愿却没有做的事，即便人能做，还不存在(参看《天堂与地狱》，475–476节)。
对此，我想补充一个至今未知的奥秘。死后，人的灵照着他在世时其情感的生命而以一个人的形式显现；如果他过着一种天堂之爱的生活，那么该形式是美丽的；如果他过着一种世俗之爱的生活，那么该形式是不美丽的。这就是为何天使们是爱和仁的形式；但他们如此美丽的形式不是从唯独思维和意愿的情感中获得的，而是从它们在行为或作为中所表达的情感中获得的；因为出于意愿和思维，或爱和信的情感的行为或作为就是那构成或产生灵的外在形式，因而构成或产生他的脸、身体和言语的美丽的东西。原因在于，正如内层终止于行为或作为，如同终止于它们的终端，它们也终止于身体的外在形式。因为众所周知，人的意愿的一切都终止于他身体的终端。意愿没有终止于其中的身体的任何部位都不是这个身体的一个部位，这从身体的行为，甚至最琐碎的行为明显看出来，因为这些行为都从意愿的方向流出，并表现在身体终端(参看《天堂与地狱》，59–60节；《最后的审判》，30–31节)。
这一点从以下事实也明显看出来，即：人的灵完全就像他的意愿，不是像他那当有可能时没有发出进入行为的意愿(这种意愿只是里面有一种意愿表象的思维)，而是那只渴望行动的实际或积极意愿；这种意愿和人的爱是一样的；整个灵及其人的形式都取决于这种意愿。意愿或爱就是灵本身(参看AE105节；《天堂与地狱》，479节)。这就是为何圣言如此频繁地说，人应遵行主的诫命，并且他照着自己的行为或所做的，也就是照着行为中的爱受报应，而不是照着当能行出来时却没有行为的爱受报应。
经上说：“我知道你的作为，末后的比起初的更多。”“末后的比起初的更多”表示内在人与外在人结合之后，作为或行为更充满爱；因为内在越与外在结合，外在，因而行为或作为里面属于内在的就越多；事实上，外在，或作为或行为无非是意愿和由此而来的思维的内层事物的结果；结果从内在获得其一切品质，它们从这些内在存在，如动作从它的努力存在；人里面的努力就是意愿，由此而来的动作就是行为。
从对本节的解释可以看出，经上描述了在教会之人里面，内在与外在以哪种顺序结合，即：以“我知道你的作为、仁爱”描述了内在；以“事工和信仰”描述了内在的良善和真理；以“忍耐”描述了内在与外在的结合；以“我知道你的作为，末后的比起初的更多”描述了由此而来的外在。人们无法从字义，只能从字义里面的灵义看出，这些话包含这些事物。
157. And thy works, and the last to be more than the first. That this signifies external things thence derived is evident from the signification of works, as being things external in which are things internal. For works are ultimate effects, in which internal things are made manifest together and are there in a series; they form their ultimate and fulness there. Those are called internal things that belong to the thought and will, and, spiritually speaking, that belong to love and faith; these things are in works; therefore works are ultimates. (That interior things, which are of the mind, flow into external things successively, even into the extreme or ultimate, and that therein they also exist and subsist, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 634, 6239, 6465, 9215, 9216; that in the ultimate they also form simultaneous order, in what series, see n. 5897, 6451, 8603, 10099; that the whole man is in his deeds or works, and that what is only willed and not done, when man can do it, does not yet exist, may be seen in the work, Heaven and Hell 475, 476.)
[2] To these things I wish to add an arcanum not hitherto known. Man's spirit appears in the human form after death, and that form is more or less beautiful according as his affections, while in the world, had been influenced by heavenly or earthly love; this is why angels are forms of love and charity. But they have a form so beautiful, not from the affection of the thought and will alone, but from their affection in deeds or works; for deeds or works from the affection of the will and thought, or of love and faith, produce the external form of the spirit, thus the beauty of his face, body and speech. The reason is, that, as interior things terminate in deeds or works, as in their extremes, so also do they terminate in the external form of the body; for it is well known, that everything pertaining to a man's will terminates in the extremes of the body; that part of the body in which the will does not terminate is not a part of the body, as is evident from even the most trifling actions of the body, which all flow from the direction of the will, and are manifested in the extremes of the body (see the work, Heaven and Hell 59, 60; and the small work, The Last Judgment 30, 31).
[3] The same is evident from the fact that man's spirit is altogether like his will; not his will which does not go forth into act when possible, that will being only thought in which there is an appearance of will, but the active will, which desires nothing more than to act; this will is the same as his love; according to this is the whole spirit, and its human form. (That the will or love is the spirit itself, may be seen above, n. 105; and in the work, Heaven and Hell 479.) This is why it is so often said in the Word that man ought to do the precepts of the Lord, and that he will be rewarded according to his deeds, that is, according to the love in the deeds, but not according to the love without deeds, when they can possibly be done.
[4] It is said,
"I know thy works, and the last to be more than the first."
By the last being more than the first is meant, that such works are fuller of love after the conjunction of the internal man with the external. For the more the internal is conjoined with the external, so much the more of the internal there is in the externals, consequently in the deeds or works; for external things, or works, are nothing but effects of the interior things of the will, and thence of the thought; and effects derive all their quality from the internals from which they exist, as motion from its effort; effort in man is will, and motion therefrom is action.
[5] From what has been explained in this verse it is evident that the order of the conjunction of the internal with the external in the man of the church is described, as follows; the internal by "I know thy works and charity"; the good of the internal and its truth, by "ministry and faith"; the conjunction of the internal with the external by "endurance"; and the external things thence derived, by "I know thy works, and the last to be more than the first." But that such things are involved in these words, no one can see from the sense of the letter, but from the spiritual sense which is within the sense of the letter.
157. And thy works, and the last to be more than the first, signifies the externals that are therefrom. This is evident from the signification of "works," as being externals in which are internals; for "works" are ultimate effects, in which internals are presented together, and are in a series therein; there they form their ultimate and fullness. The things that are of the thought and the will, and spiritually speaking, those that are of love and of faith, are called internal; these are in works, consequently "works" are ultimates. (That the interior things, which are of the mind, successively flow into external things, even into the extreme or ultimate, and that they have existence and subsistence therein, see Arcana Coelestia 634, 6239, 6465, 9215-9216; that in the ultimate they also form what is simultaneous, in what series, see n. 5897, 6451, 8603, 10099; that the whole man is in his deeds or works, and that what is only willed and not done, when man is able to do, does not yet have existence, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 475-476.)
[2] To this I will add an arcanum not yet known. After death, man's spirit appears in a human form according to the life of his affection while in the world; in a beautiful form if he lived a life of heavenly love; in an unbeautiful form if he lived a life of worldly love. It is from this that angels are forms of love and charity; yet their form is not so beautiful from the affection of thought and will alone as from the affection of these expressed in deeds or works; for deeds or works from the affection of the will and thought, or of love and faith, are what constitute the outward aspect of the spirit, thus the beauty of his face, body, and speech. The reason for this is, that as the interiors terminate in deeds or works as into their extremes, so do they terminate in the outward form of the body. For it is well known that everything of man's will terminates in the extremes of his body. Any part of the body in which the will does not terminate is not a part of the body; as is evident from the actions of the body, even the least of them; for these all flow from the impulse of the will and are manifested in the extremes of the body (See in the work on Heaven and Hell 59, 60; and in the small work on The Last Judgment 30, 31).
[3] The same is manifest from this, that man's spirit is altogether as his will is; not as his will is that does not go forth into act when it can (that will is nothing but thought in which there is an appearance of wing), but as the actual will is, which has no other desire than to act; this will is the same with man's love; in accordance with this is the whole spirit and its human form. (That the will or love is the spirit itself, see above, n. 105; and in the work on Heaven and Hell 479.) On this account it is so often said in the Word that man ought "to do the Lord's commandments," and that he will be recompensed according to his "doings," that is, according to the love in deeds, but not according to the love without deeds, when doing is possible.
[4] It is said, "I know thy works, and the last to be more than the first;" by "the last being more than the first" is meant that the works are more full of love after the conjunction of the internal man with the external; for the more the internal is conjoined with the external the more there is of the internal in externals; consequently in the deeds or works; for externals or works are nothing but effects of the interiors which are of the will and of the thought therefrom; and effects derive their all from the internals from which they exist, as motion does from its conatus. In man the conatus is the will, and the motion therefrom is action.
[5] From what has been explained in this verse it can be seen in what order the conjunction of the internal with the external in the man of the church is described, namely, the internal by "I know thy works and charity;" the good of the internal and its truth by "ministry and faith;" the conjunction of the internal with the external by "endurance;" and the externals therefrom by "I know thy works, and the last to be more than the first." That such things are involved in these words no one can see from the sense of the letter, but only from the spiritual sense which is within the literal sense.
157. "Et opera tua, et ultima plura prioribus." Quod significet externa in de, constat ex significatione "operum", quod sint externa in quibus interna; nam opera sunt ultimi effectus, in quibus interna se sistunt simul, et ibi in serie; formant ibi suum ultimum et plenum. Interna dicuntur quae sunt cogitationis et voluntatis, et spiritualiter loquendo, quae sunt amoris et fidei; haec sunt in operibus, unde haec sunt ultima. (Quod interiora quae mentis successive influant in externa, usque in extremum seu ultimum, et quod ibi etiam existant et subsistant, videatur n. 634, 6239, 6465, 1
9215, 9216; quod etiam forment in ultimo simultaneum, qua serie, n. 5897, 6451, 8603, 10099; quod totus homo sit in factis seu operibus, et quod id nondum existat quod modo est in velle et non in facere, cum homo facere potest, in opere De Caelo et Inferno 475, 476.)
[2] His adjicere velim arcanum, quod nondum notum est: - Spiritus hominis in tali forma humana apparet post mortem, in quali vita affectionis ejus fuit in mundo; in forma pulchra si vita amoris caelestis ei fuerat, at in forma impulchra si vita amoris terrestris. Inde est quod angeli sint formae amoris et charitatiS. Sed illis non forma tam pulchra est ex affectione solius cogitationis et voluntatis, sed ex illarum affectione in factis seu operibus; facta enim seu opera ex affectione voluntatis et cogitationis, seu amoris et fidei, faciunt externam speciem spiritus, ita pulchritudinem faciei, corporis et loquelae ejus. Causa est, quia sicut interiora desinunt in facta seu opera ut in sua extrema, ita in formam corporis externam; nam notum est quod omne voluntatis hominis desinat in corporis extrema. Pars ibi in quam non desinit voluntas non est pars corporis, ut patet ab actibus etiam minimis corporis, qui omnes fluunt ex nutu voluntatis et sistuntur in corporis extremis (videatur in opere De Caelo et Inferno 59, 60; et in opusculo De Ultimo Judicio 30, 31).
[3] Idem constare potest ex eo, quod spiritus hominis sit prorsus sicut ejus voluntas: non sicut ejus voluntas quae non abit in actum quando potest; ea voluntas est modo cogitatio, in qua apparet sicut velle; sed est sicut voluntas actualis, quae non potius desiderat quam agere: haec voluntas est eadem cum ejus amore; secundum hanc est totus spiritus, et ejus forma humana; (quod voluntas seu amor sit ipse spiritus, videatur supra, n. 105, et in opere De Caelo et Inferno 479); unde est quod toties in Verbo dicatur quod homo debeat "facere praecepta", et quod ei retribuetur secundum "facta"; hoc est, secundum amorem in factis, non autem secundum amorem absque factis, si facere potest.
[4] Dicitur, "Novi opera tua, et ultima plura prioribus"; et per "ultima plura prioribus" intelligitur quod pleniora sint amore post conjunctionem interni hominis cum externo; nam quantum internus conjungitur externo, tantum plus interni est in externis, consequenter in factis seu operibus: externa enim seu opera non sunt nisi quam effectus interiorum, quae sunt voluntatis et inde cogitationis; et effectus trahunt omne suum ab internis, a quibus existunt, sicut motus a suo conatu; conatus in homine est voluntas, et motus inde est actio.
[5] Ex illis quae in hoc versu explicata sunt, constare potest, quo ordine describitur conjunctio interni cum externo apud hominem ecclesiae: nempe, internum per "Novi opera tua et charitatem"; bonum interni et verum ejus per "ministerium et fidem"; conjunctio interni cum externo per "tolerantiam"; et externa inde per "Novi opera tua, et ultima plura prioribus": sed quod illa involvantur iis verbis, nemo videre potest ex sensu litterae, sed ex sensu spirituali, qui inest, sensui litterae.
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.