227# 启3:14. “你要写信给老底嘉教会的天使”表示那些处于唯信的人，也就是那些处于与仁分离之信的人。这从写给该教会天使的信的内义或灵义清楚可知；因为写给众教会的各位天使的信所描述的教会本质只有从内义或灵义才能看出来；事实上，此处所写的内容是预言；所有预言，和圣言中的其它一切事物一样，都是通过对应来写的，以便天堂与教会的结合可以由此实现。结合通过对应关系实现；因为天堂，或天堂里的天使，以属灵的方式理解世人以属世的方式理解的一切，属世事物与属灵事物之间有一种永久的对应关系，通过对应关系有像灵魂与身体之间的那种结合。这就是为何圣言以这种风格来写；否则，它里面就不会有灵魂，因而不会有天堂；如果天堂不在它里面，那么神性也不会在它里面。因此，可以说从写给每个教会的信的内义或灵义清楚看出教会的本质是什么。由此明显可知，写给该教会天使的信论述的主题是那些处于唯信，也就是与仁分离之信的人。所谓与仁分离之信，就是与生活分离的信，因为仁属于生活；因此，当信与生活分离时，它不在人里面，而是在他外面；因为凡只住在记忆中，从记忆被提取到思维，没有进入人的意愿，并从意愿进入行为的东西，都不在人里面，而是在他外面；事实上，记忆和由此而来的思维只如同外院，通过外院进入房屋；房屋才是意愿。这就是唯信，或与仁分离之信。此外，关于这信的性质，可参看《新耶路撒冷及其属天教义》(108–122节)，也可参看《最后的审判》(33–39节)，《天堂与地狱》(270, 271, 364, 482, 526节)；还可参看前面对启示录的解释(AE204a, 211–213节)。此外，关于何谓仁爱，何谓邻舍，可参看《新耶路撒冷及其属天教义》(84–107节)，《天堂与地狱》(13–19,528–535节)，以及前面的解释(AE182, 198, 213节)。
227. (Verse 14) And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write. That this signifies those who are in faith alone, that is, who are in faith separated from charity, is evident from the internal or spiritual sense of all the things that are written to the angel of this church. For what essential of the church is meant in what is written to each of the churches, can be seen only from that sense; for what is here written is prophetical, and all propheticals, like all things of the Word in general, are written by correspondences, in order that the conjunction of heaven with the church may be thereby effected. Conjunction is effected by correspondences; for heaven, or the angels of heaven, understand all things spiritually which man understands naturally, and between natural and spiritual things there is a perpetual correspondence; and by correspondences a conjunction is effected such as that which exists between the soul and the body. This is why the Word is written in such a style; for otherwise it would be without soul, or life, consequently there would be nothing of heaven in it, neither would the Divine be in it. Hence then it is that, from the internal or spiritual sense of what is written to each church, it is clear what essential of the church is meant. Thus it is evident that in what is written to the angel of this church, the subject treated of is those who are in faith alone separated from charity. It is said faith separated from charity, and by this is meant faith separated from life; for charity pertains to the life; therefore when faith is separated therefrom, it is not in the man, but outside him. For what resides in the memory only, and is taken thence into the thought, without entering into a man's will, and thence into act, is not within him but outside him; for the memory, and thought therefrom, is only as an outer court, by means of which there is entrance into the house: the house being the will. Such is faith alone, or faith separated from charity. (More may be seen concerning the nature of this faith, in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 108-122; also in the small work, The Last Judgment 33-39; and in the work, Heaven and Hell 270. 271, 361, 482, 526; also in the above explanation of the Apocalypse, n. 204, 211, 212, 213. Moreover, what is meant by charity and by neighbour, may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 84-107; in the work, Heaven and Hell 13-19, 528-535; and above, in the explanation, n. 182, 198, 213.)
227. Verse 14. And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, signifies those who are in faith alone, thus those who are in faith separate from charity. This is evident from the internal or spiritual sense of all things that are written to the angel of this church; for the essential of the church that is described in what is written to each of the churches, is made evident only from the internal sense; for these are prophecies; and all prophecies, like all things else in the Word, are written by correspondences, to the end that by means of these there may be conjunction of heaven with the church. Conjunction is effected by means of correspondences; for heaven, or the angels in heaven, understand spiritually all those things that man understands naturally, and between natural and spiritual things there is a perpetual correspondence, and by means of correspondences there is conjunction like that between soul and body. On this account the Word is written in the style that it is; otherwise there would be no soul within it, consequently no heaven within it; and if heaven were not in it, the Divine would not be in it. For this reason then it is said that from the internal or spiritual sense of all things in what is written to each church, it is made manifest what essential of the church is meant; thus that what is written to the angel of this church treats of those who are in faith alone, that is, in faith separate from charity. It is said faith separate from charity, by which is meant faith separate from the life, for charity is of the life; consequently when faith has been separated from the life, it is not in the man but outside of him; for whatever has place in the memory only, and is taken up from the memory into the thought, without entering into man's will and from the will into act, that is not within man but outside of him; for the memory, and thought therefrom, is only as a court, through which there is entrance into the house; the house is the will. Such is faith alone, or faith separate from charity. Moreover, what this faith is may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 108-122; also in the small work on The Last Judgment 33-39; and in the work on Heaven and Hell 270, 271, 364, 482, 526. Also above, in the Explanation of Revelation, n. 204, 211-213. Moreover, what charity is and what the neighbor is, in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 84-107; in the work on Heaven and Hell 13-19, 528-535; and above, in the Explanation, n. 182, 198, 213.
227. (Vers. 14.) "Et Angelo Ecclesiae Laodicensium scribe." - Quod significet illos qui in sola fide sunt, ita qui in fide separata a charitate, constat ex sensu interno seu spirituali omnium quae ad Angelum hujus Ecclesiae scripta sunt, nam quodnam essentiale ecclesiae intelligitur in scripto ad quamlibet ecclesiam, non aliunde quam ex illo sensu patet; sunt enim prophetica, et omnia prophetica, sicut omnia Verbi in genere, scripta sunt per correspondentias, ob causam ut per illa conjunctio sit caeli cum ecclesia; per correspondentias, fit conjunctio: caelum enim seu angeli ibi intelligunt omnia spiritualiter quae homo naturaliter, et inter naturalia et spiritualia est perpetua correspondentia, et per correspondentias talis conjunctio qualis est animae et corporis. Inde est quod Verbum tali stylo conscriptum sit; alioqui non foret anima inibi, proinde nec caelum; et si non caelum, nec foret Divinum. Inde nunc est quod dictum sit quod ex interno seu spirituali sensu omnium quae in scripto ad quamlibet ecclesiam sunt pateat quodnam ecclesiae intelligitur; ita quod in his quae ad Angelum hujus Ecclesiae scripta sunt, agatur de illis qui in sola fide sunt, seu in fide separata a charitate. Fides separata a charitate dicitur; et per id intelligitur fides separata a vita, nam charitas est vitae: quare cum fides inde separata est, illa non est in homine, sed est extra illum; quod enim residet solum in memoria, et inde desumitur in cogitationem, ac non intrat voluntatem hominis et inde in actum, hoc non est intra illum sed extra illum; memoria enim et inde cogitatio est modo sicut atrium, per quod intratur in domum; domus est voluntas. Talis est sola fides, seu fides separata a charitate. (Praeterea qualis illa fides est 1
videatur in Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae, n. 108-122; tum in opusculo De Ultimo Judicio 33-39; ac in opere De Caelo et Inferno 270, 271, 364, 482, 526; ut et supra in Explicatione super Apocalypsin, n. 204(a), 211, 212, 213. Porro quid Charitas et quid Proximus, in Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae, n. 84-107; in opere De Caelo et Inferno 13-19, 528-535; ac supra in Explicatione, n. 182, 198, 213.)
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.