16# “因为时候近了”表示内层状态是这样。这从“时候”和“近”的含义清楚可知：“时候”，即时间，是指状态(参看《天堂与地狱》，162–169节，那里论述了天堂里的时间)；“近”是指内在，故在此因论及状态而表示一种内层状态，就是前面所描述的那种。状态是指情感和由此而来的思维的状态。读到这句话，并且对内义一无所知的人以为“时候近了”表示当《启示录》所包含的事将要应验时的时间近了。但意思不是这样，这一点从以下事实可以看出来：17个世纪都过去了，它们仍没有应验。不过，由于圣言在字面上是属世的，里面是属灵的，所以经上说“时候近了”，是为了内层状态可以在天堂被理解；如果此处根据灵义说“内层状态”，那么它就不会被天使理解；因为天使照着对应来感知圣言的一切。
“近”之所以表示内层，是因为在天堂，距离完全取决于爱之良善的不同；因此，那些处于相似良善的人也彼此接近；正因如此，世上的亲属关系被称为近亲，因为它们与属灵的亲密关系有关，在天堂，这些关系的确是这样。在天堂，情况之所以是这样，是因为爱之良善进行结合；良善越内层，结合越紧密。正因如此，一个人越从内层处于爱之良善，天堂就离他越近。这来源于以下事实：主离一位天使，一个灵人或一个世人越近，他们就越从内层爱祂。从内层爱祂就是从内层爱祂的律例；也就是说，出于爱之快乐去感知、意愿并遵行它们。因此，在圣言中，“近”表示同在和结合(可参看《属天的奥秘》，5911, 9378, 9997, 10001节)。这“近”在约翰福音是这样来描述的：
耶稣说，人若爱我，就必遵守我的话，我父也必爱他，并且我们要到他那里去，在他那里作我们的住所。(约翰福音14:23)
同一福音书：
你们认识保惠师，就是真理的灵；因他与你们同住，也要在你们里面。(约翰福音14:17)
“保惠师，就是真理的灵”是指从主发出的神性真理；所以经上说：“祂要在你们里面。”
16. For the time is at hand. That this signifies that the interior state is such, is evident from the signification of time, as denoting state (respecting which see the work, Heaven and Hell 162-169, where time in heaven is treated of); and from the signification of at hand, as denoting what is internal; here, therefore, because it is said of state, it denotes an interior state, such as is described above. By state is meant the state of the affection and thence of the thought. He who reads this, and knows nothing of the internal sense, supposes that, by the time being at hand, is meant that the time was then near when the things contained in the Apocalypse would be fulfilled. But that this is not meant may be evident from the fact that seventeen centuries have elapsed without their being fulfilled. But because the Word, in the letter, is natural, but interiorly spiritual, it is therefore said the time is at hand, in order that an interior state might be understood in heaven; for if it had been there said, "interior state," according to the spiritual sense mentioned, it would not be understood by the angels; for they perceive all things in the Word according to correspondences.
[2] The reason why at hand signifies what is interior is, because distances in heaven are entirely according to the differences of the good of love therefore, those who are in kindred good are also near together. It is for this reason that affinities on earth are called relationships 1because they refer to spiritual affinities, which in heaven are actually such. The reason why this is the case in heaven is, because the good of love conjoins; and the more interior the good, the nearer is the conjunction; hence it is that the more interiorly a man is in the good of love the nearer heaven is to him. This originates from the fact that the Lord is nearer to an angel, a spirit, or a man, the more interiorly they love Him; to love Him interiorly is to love His precepts interiorly; that is, to perceive, will, and do them from the delight of love. For this reason, nearness, in the Word, signifies presence and conjunction (as may be seen, 14:23).
And in the same, "Ye know" the Comforter, the Spirit of truth; "for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you" (14:17);
the Comforter, [the Spirit] of truth, is the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord; therefore it is said, "He shall be in you."
Footnotes:
1. Latin propinquitates, literally "nearnesses."
16. For the time is near, signifies such an interior state. This is evident from the signification of "time," as meaning state (See the work on John 14:23);
and in the same:
Ye know the Comforter, the Spirit of truth; for He abideth with you, and shall be in you (John 14:17);
"the Comforter, the Spirit of truth" is Divine truth going forth from the Lord; therefore it is said, "He shall be in you."
16. "Quia tempus prope." - Quod significet statum interiorem talem, constat ex significatione "temporis", quod sit status (de qua in opere De Caelo et Inferno 162-169, ubi agitur De Tempora in Caelo); et ex significatione "prope", quod sit internum; hic itaque quia dicitur de statu, quod sit status interior talis qualis supra descriptus est: per statum intelligitur status affectionis et inde cogitationis. Qui hoc legit, et non scit aliquid de sensu interno, opinatur quod per "tempus prope" intelligatur, quod tempus, quo implerentur illa quae in Apocalypsi continentur, prope esset; sed quod id non intelligatur, constare potest ex eo, quod praeterlapsa sint septendecim saecula antequam impleta sunt: sed quia Verbum in littera est naturale, ac interius spirituale, ideo dictum est "tempus prope", ut in caelo intelligeretur status interior; nam si status interior, secundum sensum spiritualem, ibi dictum esset, non intellectum fuisset ab angelis, nam hi secundum correspondentias omnia Verbi percipiunt.
Quod "prope" significet interius, est quia distantiae in caelo se habent prorsus secundum differentias boni amoris; quare qui in affini bono sunt, etiam propinqui sunt; unde est quod affinitates in terris dicantur propinquitates, quia referunt affinitates spirituales, quae in caelo actualiter tales sunt. Causa quod in caelo ita sit, est quia bonum amoris conjungit; et quo interius est, eo propius: inde est quod caelum eo propius homini sit, quo is interius in bono amoris est: hoc originem ducit ex eo, quia Dominus eo propius est angelo, spiritui et homini, quo interius amant Ipsum; interius amare Ipsum est interius amare praecepta Ipsius, hoc est, ex jucundo amoris illa percipere, velle et facere; inde est quod "propinquum" in Verbo significet praesentiam et conjunctionem (videatur n. 5911, 9378, 9997, 10001). Hoc propinquum describitur ita apud Johannem,
"Jesus dicit, Qui amat Me verbum meum servat, et Pater meus amabit illum, et ad illum veniemus, et mansionem apud illum faciemus" (14:23);
et apud eundem,
"Vos cognoscitis" Paracletum Spiritum veritatis, "quia apud vos manet, et in vobis erit" (14:17);
Paracletus (Spiritus) veritatis est Divinum Verum procedens a Domino; quare dicitur quod "erit in vobis."