135. 记事二：
一天早晨，我一觉醒来，只见灵界太阳照耀着，我发现诸天堂远在它之下，如同我们的大地远在太阳之下。接着只听见从那些天堂传来妙不可言的声音，它们联结起来，形成一句可理解的话：“神只有一位，祂是人；祂就居于那太阳当中。”这句话经由中间天堂降至最低层天堂，由此降至我所在的灵人界；我发现众天使的一神观在逐渐下降的过程中，被转变成了三神观。这个发现促使我与那些思想三神的人展开交谈，我说：“多么荒诞的想法！你们从哪得来的？”他们回答：“我们思想三神是因为，这就是我们对三位一体神这个概念的理解，不过，我们不会让它从嘴里溜出来。在讲话时，我们总是大声宣称神是一。若我们脑子里有不同想法，就随它去吧，只要它不冒出来，不将我们言谈中有关神一体性的概念割裂开就行了。尽管如此，它仍时不时地冒出来，因为它就在我们脑海里。在这种时候，我们若真说出来，就会声称有三神。不过，我们会小心避开这一点，免得在听众面前沦为笑柄。
然后，他们公开了自己的想法，声称：“不是有三神吗？因为有三个神性位格，其中每一个都是神。当我们的教会领袖引用他的神圣信条，将创世归于这一位，将救赎归于那一位，将圣化归于第三位，尤其当他将某些属性归于他们，每一个都有各自属性，并断言各自的属性不共享时，我们不可能想到别的；这些属性不仅包括创世、救赎和圣化，还包括分配、调解和作工。既如此，岂不是有一位神创造了我们，并将公义归给我们，而另一位救赎我们，并充当调解人，第三位则将分配付诸实践，并使我们成圣吗？谁不知道神儿子被父神差到世上来挽救人类，因而成为赎罪者、调解者、劝慰者和代求者？既然祂自永恒就与神儿子为一，那么父和子岂不是两个不同的位格？既然这二者在天上，一个坐在另一个的右手边，那么不得有第三个位格在世上执行天上的法令吗？”
闻听此言，我沉默了，心想：“多么愚蠢啊！他们根本就不知道圣言中的调解是什么意思。”很快就有三位天使奉主命从天而降，来到我身边，好让我通过内在直觉与那些思想三神的人交谈，尤其使我能谈论调解、代求、劝慰和赎罪；他们将这些属性归于第二个位格，也就是圣子，不过，要等到祂成为人之后；创世很多世纪后，祂才道成肉身，在这段时期，这四种救赎方式是不存在的；因此父神没有得到劝慰，也没有为人类所做的赎罪，并且没人从天上被派去代求和调解。
然后，我凭临到我的灵感对他们说：“你们都近前来，仔细听好，在圣言中调解、代求、劝慰和赎罪到底是什么意思。这些是取了人样式的那一位神的恩典所预见的四件事。父神绝不可被靠近，祂也不可能靠近任何人，因为祂是无限者，就其存在而言，就是耶和华。祂若真的以其存在靠近人，必将他烧毁，如同大火烧掉木头，使其化为灰烬。这一点从摩西想见神时，祂对摩西所说的话明显看出来：
没有人看见我还能存活。（出埃及记33:20）
还有，主说：
从来没有人见过神，除了父怀里的独生子。（约翰福音1:18；马太福音11:27）
又：
没有人听见过父的声音，也没有看见过祂的形像。（约翰福音5:37）
诚然，我们读到，摩西面对面看见耶和华，还当面与祂交谈（出埃及记33:11；申命记34:10），但这一切都是通过一位天使来实现的，这和亚伯拉罕、基甸的情况是一样的。由于这就是父神本身的性质，所以祂乐意取人的样式，以此让人们靠近祂，从而听见他们，和他们说话；这人身就是所谓神的儿子，也就是那调解、代求、劝慰和赎罪者。因此，我会解释父神的人身所预见的这四件事的含义。
“调解表示这个人身是媒介，人通过该媒介能靠近父神，父神也能靠近人，从而教导并引领人，好叫他得救。因此，父神的人身所表示的神儿子被称为救主，在世上则被称为耶稣，也就是救恩。代求表示不停地调解；因为爱本身，也就是怜悯、仁爱和恩典的源头，不停地代求，也就是说，为那些守祂诫命、祂所爱的人不断调解。赎罪表示移除人未经调解就靠近耶和华时要冲入的罪孽。劝慰表示仁慈与恩典的作工，以防止人通过罪将自己带入诅咒，也表示保护，以防止他亵渎神圣事物。这就是圣所中约柜上面的施恩座的含义。
“众所周知，在圣言中，对神的论述都是照着表象说的，如祂发怒、报复、试探、惩罚、扔进地狱、诅咒，甚至行恶。而事实上，祂不向任何人发怒，也不会报复、试探、惩罚、扔进地狱或诅咒。所有这些事距离神，犹如地狱距离天堂那样遥远，确切地说，无限遥远。所以，它们是在讲述表象。赎罪、劝慰、代求和调解也是在另一个意义上讲述表象，因为这些要理解为靠近神和通过祂的人身接受神恩典的属性。若不理解这些术语，人们就会将神一分为三，并将教会的整个教义体系都基于这三者之上，从而歪曲圣言。主在但以理书（11:31；12:11）和马太福音（24:15）中所预言的那‘行毁坏可憎的’便由此而来。”我说完这番话，这群灵人从我周围散去。我注意到，那些真正思想三位神的人注视地狱；而那些思想一位神，神性三位一体在祂里面，并且这三位一体就在主神救主里面之人则仰望天堂。而天堂的太阳向后者显现，耶和华以其人身就居于这太阳当中。
135. 第二個經歷:
一天早晨睡醒, 心靈世界的太陽向我榮耀顯現。在太陽的下方, 我看見天國顯現, 就像世間的地面與太陽那樣的距離。然後聽見我從天國聽到一些無法拆分開來的話語, 難以描述, 一並降下,形成一個宣告, 表達的大意如下:"有一位上帝, 祂是人, 祂住在那太陽之中。"這些話往下傳, 經過二層天, 到最低層天國, 由那裡進入我所在的靈界。
我能感受得到, 當天人們這個關於上帝的觀念往下傳的過程中, 逐漸轉變成三位上帝的觀念。於是, 我走向那些有三位上帝觀念的靈, 說:"多麼荒誕的想法！你們從哪得來的？"
"當想像三位一體之上帝時, 就會有三的概念, "他們回答:"不過當我們說的時候, 這些念頭不會轉為言語。我們談話時, 會著重強調上帝只有一位。如果思想裡有不同的念頭, 讓它去吧, 只要我們的言語中不說出那些打破上帝唯一的觀念就行了。但時不時會冒出來, 畢竟這念頭在裡面。假如讓我們坦白地講出來, 我們會說有三位上帝。但我們會儘量小心, 否則別人聽到了, 會嘲笑我們。"
[2]然後他們坦率地說出他們的想法:"難道不是三位上帝嗎？因為有三個神性的位格, 每一位都是上帝啊？當我們的教會領袖, 從他總結的神聖教義中如此教導時, 我們還能想到別的嗎？他將創造歸給一位, 救贖歸給另一位, 聖化歸給第三位。還有, 他將特定的屬性歸屬給他們, 每一位有其特定的屬性, 並斷言各自屬性彼此不共用。這些屬性不僅有創造,救贖,和聖化的性質, 還有歸算(分配屬靈的賞賜或懲罰),調解(或中保)和施行等特徵。這樣, 就有一位是創造我們的, 並且分配(或歸算)給我們獎賞或懲罰; 第二位是救贖我們的, 並且為我們調解代求; 第三位就是將歸算給我們,以及為我們代求的獎賞或懲罰付諸實施, 並使我們成聖。
"人人皆知子上帝是被父上帝差遣到世上來救贖人類的, 因而祂成為代贖者,調解者,勸慰者和代求者。創世之先父與子同在, 難道父與子不是兩個不同的位格嗎？這兩位在天國, 一位坐在另一位的右手邊, 就必須有第三位來世上執行二位在天上所做的決定啊, 不是這樣嗎？"
[3]聽完他們所講的, 我沉默不語, 自己在內心想:"啊, 何等的荒唐！他們完全不知道聖言中"調解"一詞的意思。"
接著, 受主之命, 三位天人從天降下,並與我在一起, 為了讓我能夠更深層地領悟, 能更好地與那些持有三位上帝之觀念者交談, 特別是對調解,代求,勸慰與代贖的領悟。天人們將調解,代求,勸慰與代贖的屬性歸給第二位, 也就是子, 也就是上帝取了人身之後才有的這些屬性。創世許多個世紀之後, 祂才降世為人, 在此之前, 這四種拯救的方式並不存在:父上帝未被勸慰, 人類未被代贖, 沒有誰從天上差下來調解或代求。
[4]有靈感臨到我, 於是我對他們說:"進前來, 仔細聽, 聽聽聖言中調解,代求,勸慰與代贖所指何意。這是上帝之人身顯現的四種施恩的行動。
"無人能接近父上帝, 祂也不能接近任何人, 因為祂是無限, 在祂自己的根本(耶和華)之中。如果祂以祂的根本來接近人, 祂將毀滅這人, 就像火燒木頭,化為灰燼。當摩西想見上帝, 上帝對摩西說的話, 可得知:'沒有人看見我而活著'(出埃及記33:20)。還有, 主說:'從來沒有人看見過父, 除了父懷中的獨生子'(約翰福音1:18;馬太福音11:27)。主還說:'沒有人聽過父的聲音, 看見過祂的形像'(約翰福音5:37)。
無可否認, 我們在聖言中讀到, 摩西眼對眼看過耶和華, 還與祂談話(出埃及記33:11;申命記34:10)。這只是以天人作為媒介來完成, 同樣情形, 還發生在亞伯拉罕和基甸身上。
"因為父上帝的如此屬性, 祂樂意取了人的樣式, 藉此人可以接近祂, 祂可以聆聽他們並與他們交談。這個人的樣式就是我們所說的上帝之子, 就是調解,代求,勸慰與代贖。
"我來解釋由父上帝所取之人來執行的四項活動的含義:
[5]"調解表示這個人是媒介, 通過祂,人能夠接近父上帝,父上帝能接近人, 教導並引導人, 使其能得救。因此, 從這個意義上來講, 上帝之子(就是父上帝所取之人)被稱為'拯救者', 在世時被稱為'耶穌'——也就是拯救的意思。
"代求表示持續的調解。因為愛本身——就是仁慈,憐憫和恩惠的源頭——不停地代求, 也就是, 為那些遵守祂命令之人, 就是為祂所愛之人不停地調解。
"代贖表示將人所陷入之罪孽的移除, 人便可與耶和華和好。
"勸慰表示憐憫與恩惠的行為, 防止人因其罪受詛。也是表示保護,防止人褻瀆神聖之物。聖所中, 約櫃之上的施恩座表示同樣的意思。
[6]"當知道, 在聖言中, 常按照表面現象來說到上帝:例如, 表面上看, 祂發怒, 報仇, 試探人, 懲罰人, 將他們扔進地獄, 詛咒他們。實際上, 從表象看來, 祂在作惡事。然而, 祂不會向任何人發怒, 從不會報仇, 試探或懲罰任何人, 也不會將任何人扔進地獄或詛咒任何人。做這些對上帝來講, 如同地獄離天國那麼遙遠, 實際上是無限遙遠。因此, 這些是說明表象的形式。調解,代求,勸慰與代贖同樣是某種表象的體現, 表示藉著上帝所取之人, 得以接近上帝,領受上帝而來的恩惠。
"因為人們不明白這些屬性, 就將上帝一分為三, 並發現教會的所有教導都以這三位為基礎。這麼做, 就歪曲了聖言。結果就出現那"行毀壞可憎的"(主在但以理書11:31; 12:11和馬太福音24:15中所預言的)。
在我說完之後, 這群靈從我周邊離去了。我注意到那些仍思考三位上帝的靈, 往下朝著地獄方向觀望。而思想一位上帝,在祂裡面有聖三一,這聖三一就在主上帝拯救者之中, 這些靈朝天觀看。天上的太陽向後者顯現, 耶和華以祂的人身顯現在其中。
135. The second memorable occurrence. One morning after I woke up, the sun in the spiritual world appeared to me in its splendor. Beneath it I saw the heavens as far away from that sun as our earth is from our sun. Then from the heavens I heard individual words that would be impossible for me to convey, which came together to form a statement that could be expressed as follows: There is one God, he is human, and his dwelling place is in that sun. This utterance came down through the middle heavens to the lowest one. From there it came into the world of spirits, where I was.
The angels' idea of one God gradually turned into an idea of three gods as it came down - I could sense it. So I went over to speak with spirits who were thinking three gods.
"What a heinous idea!" I said. "Why did it ever occur to you?"
"We are thinking three from our mental image of a triune God," they answered, "but this does not come down into words when we speak. Out loud we always say that God is one. If there is a different idea in our minds, so be it, as long as it does not flow down and break up the oneness of God in what we say. From time to time, though, our idea does in fact flow down, because it is there inside us. If we happened to speak at that point we would be saying three gods; but we are careful not to say that so that we are not laughed at by people who hear us. "
[2] Then they openly voiced their real thinking and said, "Aren't there three gods, though? There are three divine persons, each of whom is God. What else can we think when the leader of our church, drawing on the treasury of the church's sacred dogmas, ascribes creation to one divine person, redemption to another, and sanctification to the third? Worse yet, when our leader assigns them activities, he gives each person its own activity and says that that activity cannot be shared by the other persons. The activities are not only creating, redeeming, and sanctifying, but also assigning spiritual credit or blame, mediating, and putting things into effect. In that case surely there is one who created us, who also assigns us credit or blame; a second who redeemed us, who also mediates for us; and a third who gives us our assigned and mediated credit or blame, who also sanctifies us.
"Everyone knows that the Son of God was sent into the world by God the Father to redeem the human race. That's why he became the One who purges, mediates, appeases, and intercedes. Because he is the same as the Son of God from eternity, there are two persons that are distinct from each other. And because the two of them are in heaven, the one sitting on the others right-hand side, there has to be a third who carries out in the world the decisions the other two made in heaven. "
[3] When they finished I kept quiet, but I was thinking to myself, "What idiocy! They have no idea what the Word means by mediation. "
Then the Lord commanded three angels to come down from heaven and become connected to me so that I could draw on deep perception as I talked to the spirits who had the idea of three gods, particularly on the topics of mediation, intercession, appeasement, and ritual purging. The spirits I was talking to attribute those activities to the second person, the Son, but only after he became human. Yet he became human many ages after creation. In the meantime those four means of salvation did not exist: God the Father had not been appeased, the human race had not been ritually purged, and no one had been sent from heaven to intercede or mediate.
[4] Then I spoke to them from the inspiration that came over me at that point. I said, "Come near, all who are able, and hear what the Word means by mediation, intercession, ritual purging, and appeasement. They are four activities attributed to the grace of the one God in his human manifestation.
"No human being can ever get close to God the Father. Neither can God the Father get close to any human being. He is infinite. He is in his underlying reality, which is Jehovah. If he came close to any of us with that underlying reality he would consume us the way fire consumes a piece of wood and leaves nothing but ashes. This is clear from what God said to Moses when Moses wanted to see him: God said that no one can see him and live (Exodus 33:20). The Lord says, 'No one has ever seen God except the Son, who is close to the Father's heart' (John 1:18; Matthew 11:27). The Lord also says, 'No one has heard the voice of the Father or seen what he looks like' (John 5:37).
"Admittedly, we read that Moses saw Jehovah eye to eye and spoke with him face to face [Exodus 33:11; Deuteronomy 34:10]; but an angel was involved as an intermediary. The same with Abraham and Gideon.
"Now, because this is the true nature of God the Father, it pleased him to take on a human manifestation and give people access through it so that he could hear them and talk to them. This human manifestation is what is called the Son of God. This is what mediates, intercedes, appeases, and ritually purges.
"Let me, therefore, give the meaning of these four activities carried out by God the Father's human manifestation:
[5] "Mediation refers to his human manifestation as the medium through which we can get closer to God the Father, and God the Father can get closer to us and teach and lead us so as to save us. This is why the Son of God, meaning the human manifestation of God the Father, is called the Savior, and in the world was called Jesus, which means salvation.
"Intercession refers to ongoing mediation. Absolute love, with its mercy, forgiveness, and grace, constantly intercedes; that is, it mediates for the people who do its commandments, the people it loves.
"Ritual purging refers to the removal of the sins that we would quickly fall into if we turned to Jehovah without mediation.
"Appeasement refers to the actions of mercy and grace that prevent us from causing our own damnation through sin and also protect us from desecrating what is holy. This has the same meaning as the mercy seat over the ark in the tabernacle.
[6] "It is known that God uses appearances when he speaks in the Word: for example, the appearance that he is angry, takes revenge, tests people, punishes them, throws them into hell, and damns them. Indeed, the appearance is that he does evil. Nevertheless, he is angry at no one, does not take revenge on, test, or punish anyone, throw anyone into hell, or damn anyone. To do this would be as far from God as hell is from heaven - in fact, infinitely farther. Therefore these are expressions of an appearance. In a sense, ritual purging, appeasement, interceding, and mediating are also expressions of an appearance. They mean activities through God's human manifestation that provide us access to God, and to grace from God.
"Because people have not understood these qualities they have divided God into three and have founded every teaching in the church on these three. By doing so they have falsified the Word. The result is the abomination of desolation foretold by the Lord in Daniel [Daniel 11:31; 12:11], and later on in Matthew chapter 24[:15]. "
After I had spoken, the group of spirits withdrew from around me. I noticed that the spirits who were still thinking three gods were looking down toward hell. The spirits who were thinking that there is one God within whom there is a divine Trinity and that the Trinity is in the Lord God the Savior were looking toward heaven. To the latter group the sun in heaven appeared, where Jehovah exists in his human manifestation.
135. The second experience.
On waking up one morning I saw the sun of the spiritual world shining brightly, and below it I saw the heavens at a great distance, as remote as the earth is from its sun. From these heavens inarticulate sounds were audible, which joined to form an intelligible utterance: 'God is one, He is man and His dwelling is in that sun.' This utterance passed down through the middle heavens to the lowest, and from there into the world of spirits, where I was; and I noticed that the angels' idea of one God as it gradually descended was turned into the idea of three Gods. This observation induced me to start a conversation with those who thought of three Gods. 'What a monstrous idea!' I said, 'Where did you get it?'
'We think of three,' they replied, 'because this is how we grasp the idea of a Triune God, but still we do not allow it to pass our lips. In speaking we always say out loud that God is one. If we have a different idea in our minds, so be it, so long as it does not spill over and shatter the oneness of God when we speak. Even so, from time to time it does spill over, because it is within our minds, and at such times, if we were to speak out, we should say that there were three Gods. We take care to avoid this, so as not to become a laughing stock to our hearers.'
[2] Then they began openly to speak as they thought. 'Surely there are three Gods,' they said, 'since there are three Divine Persons, each of whom is God. We cannot think differently when the leader of our church quotes a whole bookcase full of his holy dogmas, ascribing to one creation, to a second redemption, to a third sanctifying; even more so when he attributes to each of them His own characteristic, which he says cannot be shared; and these are not merely creation, redemption and sanctifying, but also imputation, mediation and performance. Is there not then one God who created us and also imputes righteousness to us? Another who redeemed us, and also acts as mediator? And a third who puts into effect the imputation which is achieved through mediation, and also sanctifies us? Is there anyone who does not know that the Son of God was sent into the world by God the Father to redeem the human race, and thus become an expiator, mediator, propitiator and intercessor? And since He is identical with the Son of God from eternity, are there not two quite distinct Persons? And since these two Persons are in heaven, one sitting at the right hand of the other, must there not be a third Person, who puts into effect in the world the decrees issued in heaven?'
[3] On hearing this I said nothing, but thought to myself: 'What idiocy! They do not have the slightest idea of what is meant by mediation in the Word.'
Then at the Lord's command three angels came down from heaven and joined me, so that I could employ inward perception in speaking with those who thought of three Gods. I was especially enabled to speak about mediation, intercession, propitiation and expiation, the functions they attribute to the second Person, the Son, but only after He had become man; and His incarnation took place many centuries after creation, so that during this period these four means to salvation did not yet exist. So then God the Father was not propitiated, no expiation had been made for the human race, nor had anyone been sent from heaven to intercede and mediate.
[4] Then I spoke with them by means of the inspiration I had received. 'Gather round,' I said, 'as many of you as can, and listen to what is meant in the Word by mediation, intercession, expiation and propitiation. These are the four things predicated of the grace of the one God in His Human. God the Father could under no circumstances be approached, nor can He approach any person, because he is infinite and in His Being (esse), which is Jehovah. If He approached anyone in that form, He would destroy him, as fire does wood, reducing it to ashes. This is plain from His reply when Moses desired to see Him: that no one can see Him and live (Exodus 33:20). The Lord too said that no one has ever seen God, except the Son who is in the Father's bosom (John 1:18; Matthew 11:27); and again, that no one has heard the Father's voice or seen His appearance (John 5:37). We do read that Moses saw Jehovah face to face, and spoke personally with Him; but this was done through an angel, and the same happened in the cases of Abraham and Gideon. Now because such is God the Father in Himself, He was pleased to take upon Himself human form, and in this to allow people to approach Him, so as to hear them and speak with them. It is this Human which is called the Son of God, and this it is which mediates, intercedes, propitiates and makes expiation. I shall tell you therefore what is the meaning of those four actions attributed to the Human of God the Father.
[5] 'Mediation means that the Human is the intermediary by means of which a person can approach God the Father, and God the Father can approach him, and so teach and guide him to salvation. This is why the Son of God, meaning the Human of God the Father, is called the Saviour, and on earth Jesus, which means salvation. Intercession means continual mediation; for love itself, to which mercy, clemency and grace belong, continually intercedes, that is, acts as intermediary for those who obey His commandments, and whom He loves. Expiation means the removal of the sins into which everyone would rush, if he were to approach Jehovah without mediation. Propitiation means the working of clemency and grace, to prevent anyone consigning himself to damnation through sins; likewise, protection against profaning what is holy. This was the meaning of the Mercy Seat above the Ark in the Tabernacle. 1
[6] 'It is well known that in the Word God spoke in terms of appearances. For instance, He is said to be angry, take vengeance, tempt, punish, cast into hell, damn, in fact to do evil. Yet the truth is that He is angry with no one, never takes vengeance, tempts, punishes, casts anyone into hell or damns him. Such actions are as remote from God as hell is from heaven, or rather infinitely more so. This is why they are expressions of appearances. In another sense, expiation, propitiation, intercession and mediation are also expressions of appearances, meaning the characteristics of approach to God and of grace coming from God by means of His Human. Failure to understand these things has led people to divide God into three, and base all the church's doctrine upon these three, thus falsifying the Word. This is the origin of the "abomination of desolation" which was predicted by the Lord in the book of Daniel, and further mentioned in Matthew, chapter 24.'
At the end of this speech the group of spirits around me broke up, and I noticed that those who were really thinking of three Gods were looking towards hell, and those who were thinking of one God, in whom is the Divine Trinity, which is in the Lord God the Saviour, were looking towards heaven. To this party there appeared the sun of heaven, in which is Jehovah in His Human.
Footnotes:
135. Second Memorable Relation:
One morning as I awoke from sleep, the sun of the spiritual world appeared to me in its glory; and as far below it as our earth is from its sun I saw the heavens; and presently there were heard from the heavens words ineffable, the sum of which found utterance in this declaration, "There is one God, who is Man; and His abode is in that sun." This utterance passed down through the middle heavens to the lowest, and from that into the world of spirits where I was; and I perceived that the angels' idea of the one God, in its descent by degrees, was changed into the idea of three Gods. Observing this I went forward to speak with those whose thought was of three Gods, saying, "What a monstrous idea! Where did you get it?"
They replied, "We think of three from our way of conceiving of the Triune God; nevertheless this idea does not fall into our utterance. When we speak we always declare emphatically that God is one. If there is a different idea in our minds, let it be, provided it does not come forth and sever the idea of the unity of God in our speech. Still it does come forth from time to time, because it is within; and if at such times we should speak plainly we should declare that there are three Gods. But we guard against this, lest we should be laughed at by those hearing us."
[2] Then they spoke openly from their thought, saying, "Are there not three Gods, since there are three Divine persons, each of whom is God? We cannot think otherwise when a leader of our church, speaking from his collection of holy dogmas, ascribes to one creation, to another redemption, and to the third sanctification; and when furthermore he ascribes to them certain attributes, to each one His own, which he asserts are incommunicable; and these include not only creation, redemption, and sanctification, but also imputation, mediation, and operation. Is there not, then, one who creates us, and He also imputes; and is there not another who redeems us, and He also mediates; and a third who effects the mediated imputation, and He also sanctifies? Who does not know that the Son of God was sent into the world by God the Father to redeem the human race, and thus become the Expiator, Mediator, Propitiator, and Intercessor? And as He was one with the Son of God from eternity, are not the Father and Son two distinct persons? And as these two are in heaven, one sitting at the right hand of the other, must there not be a third person to carry out in the world what is decreed in heaven?"
[3] Hearing this I was silent, and thought to myself, O what folly! They have no idea of what is meant in the Word by mediation.
And presently, at the Lord's command, three angels descended from heaven and were associated with me, in order that I might speak from interior perception with those who were in the idea of three Gods, particularly in respect to mediation, intercession, propitiation, and expiation, which they attribute to the second person, that is, the Son, but not until after He had become Man; and He became Man many centuries after creation, and during this time these four means of salvation did not exist, and thus God the Father was not propitiated, no expiation was made for the human race, and no one was sent from heaven to intercede and mediate.
[4] Then from an inspiration that came upon me I spoke with them, saying, "Draw near, as many of you as can, and hear what is meant in the Word by mediation, intercession, expiation, and propitiation. These are the four predicates of the grace of the one God in His Human. God the Father can in no way be approached, nor can He approach any man, because He is the Infinite, and is in His own Esse which is Jehovah; and if from His Esse He were to approach man He would consume him as fire consumes wood and reduces it to ashes. This is evident from what He said to Moses when Moses wished to see God:
That no man could see Him and live (Exodus 33:20). And the Lord says:
That no man hath seen God at any time, except the Son who is in the bosom of the Father (John 1:18; Matthew 11:27).
Again:
That no one hath either heard the Father's voice or seen His shape (John 5:37).
We read, indeed, that Moses saw Jehovah face to face, and spoke with Him mouth to mouth; but this was done through an angel, as was the case also with Abraham and Gideon. Such, then, being the nature of God the Father in Himself, it pleased Him to assume a Human, and in that to become accessible to men, and thus hear them and speak with them; and that Human is what is called the Son of God; and it is that which mediates, intercedes, propitiates, and expiates. I will therefore explain the signification of these four things which are predicated of the Human of God the Father.
[5] Mediation means that this Human is the medium through which man is enabled to approach God the Father, and God the Father to approach man, and to so teach and lead man that he may be saved. Therefore the Son of God, by which is meant the Human of God the Father, is called the Savior, and in the world, Jesus, that is, Salvation. Intercession means unceasing mediation; for love itself, which is the source of mercy, clemency, and grace, unceasingly intercedes, that is, mediates in behalf of those who keep His commandments, whom He loves. Expiation means the removal of the sins into which man would rush if Jehovah unclothed should be approached. Propitiation means the operation of clemency and grace to prevent man's bringing himself by sin into condemnation; also protection, to prevent him from profaning holiness. This was the signification of the mercy-seat over the ark in the tabernacle.
[6] It is known that in the Word God has spoken according to appearances, as that He becomes angry, takes revenge, tempts, punishes, casts into hell, damns, and even does what is evil; when in fact He is angry with no one, neither does He take revenge, tempt, punish, cast into hell, or damn. All these things are as far from God as hell is from heaven, and infinitely farther; consequently they are forms of speech to express the appearance. Expiation, propitiation, intercession, and mediation, are also forms of speech to express the appearance in another sense, since these are to be understood as predications of approach to God and of receiving grace from God through His Human. But these terms not having been understood, men have divided God into three, and upon these three have based the entire doctrine of the church, and have thus falsified the Word. From this has come 'the abomination of desolation' foretold by the Lord in Daniel, and again in Matthew 24."
When I had said this the crowd of spirits withdrew from about me, and I noticed that those whose thought was actually of three Gods looked towards hell; while those whose thought was of one God, in whom is a Divine trinity, and that this trinity is in the Lord God the Savior, looked towards heaven; and these beheld the sun of heaven, in which Jehovah in His Human dwells.
135. The second experience. One morning, as I awoke from sleep, the Sun of the spiritual world appeared to me in its splendor, and beneath it I saw the heavens at a distance from it as the earth is distant from its sun. Then from the heavens were heard words ineffable, which, linked together, were proclaiming: "There is one God who is Man, and His habitation is in that Sun." This utterance descended through the middle heavens to the lowest, and from there to the world of spirits, where I was; and I perceived that the idea of one God which the angels entertained was changed, according to the degrees of descent, into the idea of three Gods. When I observed this I entered into conversation with those who held the idea of three Gods, saying: "What a monstrous idea this is! Where did you acquire it?" They replied: "We think of three from our conception of the triune God; yet we never give expression to this thought: for when we speak we always say plainly that there is one God. If there is in our mind any other idea, let it be so, provided only it does not come forth and divide the unity of God in our speech. Yet at times it does come forth, for it is there; and if we were then to speak out we should say that there are three Gods. We are, however, on our guard against this, lest we incur the ridicule of those who hear us."
[2] Just then they did speak openly from what was in their mind. They said: "Surely there are three Gods, because there are three Divine Persons, each of whom is God. We cannot think otherwise, since the Head of our Church from his store of sacred dogmas ascribes creation to one, redemption to another, and sanctification to a third; and especially when he assigns to each his own peculiar attributes, which he declares to be incommunicable, these being not only creation, redemption, and sanctification, but also imputation, mediation and operation. Is there not then one who has created us and also imputes, another who redeems us and also mediates, and a third who operates the mediated imputation and also sanctifies? Who does not know that the Son of God was sent into the world by God the Father to redeem mankind, and so become the expiator, mediator, propitiator and intercessor? And since He is one with the Son of God from eternity, are there not two Persons distinct from each other? Since these two are in heaven, one sitting at the right hand of the other, will there not be a third Person to carry out in the world what is decreed in heaven?"
[3] When I heard this I was silent; but I thought to myself, What folly is this! they have no idea of what is meant in the Word by mediation.
At that moment, by the Lord's command, three angels descended from heaven and joined me, that from an interior perception I might converse with those who entertained the idea of three Gods, particularly on the subject of mediation, intercession, propitiation and expiation, functions which they attribute to the second Person or the Son, but not till after He became Man. As He became Man many ages after the creation, during which those four means of salvation did not exist, so God the Father was not propitiated, no expiation was made for the human race, and no one was sent from heaven who acted as intercessor and mediator.
[4] Then speaking from an inspiration that came upon me, I said to them: "Come near, as many of you as can, and hear what is meant in the Word by mediation, intercession, expiation and propitiation. These are four terms expressing the grace of the one God in His Human. God the Father can nowhere be approached, nor can He come to any man, because He is infinite and dwells in His own Being, which is Jehovah, by whom a man, if he were approached, would be consumed as wood is consumed by fire and reduced to ashes. This is evident from what He said to Moses, who desired to see Him:
that no man can see Him and live. Exodus 33:20;
and the Lord says:
no man hath seen God at any time, except the Son, who is in the bosom of the Father. John 1:18; Matthew 11:27,
also:
no one hath heard the voice of the Father nor seen His shape. John 5:37.
We read indeed that Moses saw Jehovah face to face, and held actual converse with Him; but this was done by means of an angel, as was the case also with Abraham and Gideon. Now since God the Father in Himself is of such a nature, He was pleased to assume the Human and in this to admit men to Himself, and so hear and talk with them. It is this Human which is called the Son of God, and which mediates, intercedes, propitiates and expiates. I will explain therefore what is signified by those four terms used in reference to the Human of God the Father.
[5] "Mediation signifies that the Human is a medium by which a man may come to God the Father, and God the Father to him, and so teach and lead him that he may be saved. Therefore the Son of God, by whom is meant the Human of God the Father, is called the Savior, and on earth Jesus, that is, Salvation. Intercession signifies perpetual mediation, for Love itself, to which belong mercy, pity and grace, perpetually intercedes, that is, mediates for those who do His commandments, and whom therefore He loves. Expiation signifies the removal of sins in which a man would become immersed were he to approach Jehovah not clothed with His Human. Propitiation signifies the operation of pity and grace, to prevent a man from bringing himself into condemnation by sin; and it likewise signifies protection, lest he should profane what is holy. This was the signification of the mercy-seat over the ark in the tabernacle.
[6] It is well known that God spoke in the Word according to appearances, as when it is said that He is angry, that He avenges, tempts, punishes, casts into hell, condemns, and even that He does evil; when yet He shows anger to no one, never takes revenge, tempts, punishes, casts into hell, nor does He condemn; such things are as far removed from God as hell is from heaven, and infinitely farther. They are forms of speech then, used only according to appearances. Such also in another sense are expiation, propitiation, intercession and mediation; for these are forms of speech expressive of approach to God and of grace from God through His Human. Because these have not been understood men have divided God into three, and upon these three have founded the whole doctrine of the Church, and so have falsified the Word. Hence has arisen, 'the abomination of desolation' foretold by the Lord in Daniel, and again in Matthew 24: "On these words the company of spirits around me withdrew, and I noticed that those who actually entertained the idea of three Gods were looking towards hell; while those who thought of one God, in whom is a Divine Trinity which is in the Lord God the Savior, looked towards heaven; and to them appeared the Sun of heaven, in which is Jehovah in His Human.
135. SECUNDUM MEMORABILE: Quodam mane evigilatus a somno, apparuit mihi Sol Mundi spiritualis in suo jubare, et sub illo vidi Coelos distantes, sicut Tellus a suo Sole; et tunc e Coelis auditae sunt voces ineffabiles, quae simul collectae articulabantur in hoc effabile, quod unus Deus, qui Homo, sit, cujus habitaculum est in Sole illo; hoc articulatum decidit per Coelos medios ad Infimum, et ex hoc in Mundum spirituum, ubi eram; et appercepi, quod idea unius Dei, quae erat Angelis, secundum gradus delapsus verteretur in ideam trium Deorum; quod cum observabam ingressus sum loqui cum illis, qui tres Deos cogitabant, dicens, oh, quae enormitas, unde vobis illa; et respondebant, cogitamus tres ex idea perceptiva nostra de Deo Triuno, sed haec usque non cadit in os nostrum; cum loquimur, 1 nos semper dicimus pleno ore quod Deus unus sit; si in mentibus nostris alia est, sit, modo non defluat, et scindat unitatem Dei in ore; at usque tempore a tempore defluit, quia inest, et tunc si eloqueremur, dicturi essemus tres Deos, sed ab hoc cavemus, ne exponamur risui audientium:
[2] et tunc aperte ex cogitatione loquebantur, dicentes, nonne sunt tres Dii, quia sunt tres Personae Divinae, quarum unaquaevis est Deus; nec possumus aliter cogitare, quum Antistes Ecclesiae nostrae ex scrinio sanctorum suorum dogmatum, adscribit uni Creationem, alteri Redemptionem, et tertio Sanctificationem, et plus cum proprietates, cuivis suam, quas asserit incommunicabiles, illis attribuit, quae non modo sunt Creatio, Redemptio, et Sanctificatio, sed etiam Imputatio, Mediatio et Operatio; estne tunc unus qui creavit nos, et ille quoque imputat, alter qui redemit nos, et hic quoque mediat, et tertius qui imputationem mediatam operatur, et hic quoque sanctificat: quis non scit, quod Filius Dei a Deo Patre in Mundum missus sit, ut Genus humanum redimeret, et sic fieret Expiator, Mediator, Propitiator, et Intercessor, et quia hic unus est cum Filio Dei ab aeterno, suntne duae Personae a se distinctae; et quia hae duae in Coelo sunt, una sedens ad dextram alterius, eritne tertia Persona quae decreta in Coelo exsequetur in Mundo.
[3] His auditis, tacui, at mecum cogitavi, oh quae fatuitas, non sciunt quicquam quod in Verbo per Mediationem intelligitur: et tunc ex mandato Domini descenderunt tres Angeli e Coelo, et mihi associabantur, propter causam, ut ex interiore perceptione cum illis, qui in idea trium Deorum erant, loquerer, et in specie de Mediatione, Intercessione, Propitiatione, et Expiatione, quae ab illis tribuuntur Secundae Personae, seu Filio, sed non prius quam postquam Homo factus est, et Homo factus est post plura saecula a Creatione, quando quatuor illa salutis media nondum fuerunt, et sic Deus Pater non propitiatus, Genus humanum non expiatum, et non aliquis e Coelo est missus qui intercessit et mediavit;
[4] et tunc ex inspiratione illata loquutus sum cum illis, dicens, adeste quot possunt, et audite, quid in Verbo per Mediationem, Intercessionem, Expiationem, et Propitiationem, intelligitur; sunt illae quatuor Praedicationes gratiae unius Dei in Humano suo; Deus Pater nusquam potest adiri, nec Ipse potest ullum hominem adire, quia est Infinitus et in suo Esse quod est Jehovah, a Quo si adiret hominem, dissolveret illum, sicut ignis lignum, et redigit illud in favillam; hoc patet ab his, quod dixerit ad Mosen volentem videre Ipsum, quod nemo possit videre Ipsum et vivere, Exodus 33:20 et Dominus dicit, Quod Deum nemo viderit unquam, nisi Filius qui in sinu Patris est, Johannes 1:18; Matthaeus 11:27 tum, Quod nemo vocem Patris audiverit, nec speciem Ipsius viderit, Johannes 5:37 legitur quidem, quod Moses viderit Jehovam facie ad faciem, et loquutus cum Illo ore ad os, sed hoc factum est per Angelum, similiter apud Abrahamum et Guideonem. Nunc quia talis est Deus Pater in se, placuit Ipsi assumere Humanum, et in hoc admittere homines, et sic audire illos, et loqui cum illis; et hoc Humanum est quod vocatur Filius Dei, et Hoc est, quod mediat, intercedit, propitiat et expiat.
[5] Dicam itaque, quid illa quatuor Praedicata de Humano Dei Patris significant: MEDIATIO significat, quod Illud sit intermedium, per quod homo possit adire Deum Patrem, et Deus Pater hominem, et sic docere et ducere eum ut salvetur, quare Filius Dei, per quem intelligitur Humanum Dei Patris, vocatur Salvator, et in Mundo Jesus, hoc est, Salus. INTERCESSIO significat perpetuam Mediationem, nam ipse Amor cujus est Misericordia, clementia et gratia, perpetuo intercedit, hoc est, mediat, pro illis qui faciunt praecepta Ipsius, quos amat. EXPIATIO significat amotionem peccatorum, in quae homo rueret, si nudum Jehovam adiret. PROPITIATIO significat clementiae et gratiae operationem, ne homo per peccata in damnationem se inferat, similiter tutelam, ne sanctitatem prophanet; hoc significabat Propitiatorium super Arca in Tabernaculo.
[6] Notum est, quod Deus in Verbo per apparentias loquutus sit, ut quod irascatur, vindicet, tentet, puniat, conjiciat in infernum, damnet, imo quod malum faciat, cum tamen nemini irascitur, non vindicat, tentat, punit, conjicit in infernum, damnat; haec tam longe absunt a Deo, sicut Infernum a Coelo, et infinite plus, quare sunt loquutiones apparentiae; loquutiones apparentiae in alio sensu etiam sunt Expiatio, Propitiatio, Intercessio et Mediatio, per quas intelliguntur praedicationes accessus ad Deum, et gratiae a Deo, per Humanum suum: quae quia non intellectae sunt, diviserunt Deum in Tres, et super Tribus his omnem doctrinam Ecclesiae fundaverunt, et sic Verbum falsificarunt; inde est ABOMINATIO DESOLATIONIS, a Domino apud Danielem [11:31; 12:11], et porro apud Matthaeum 24:15, 2 praedicta. His dictis recessit Cohors spirituum a circum me, et animadverti, quod illi qui actualiter cogitabant tres Deos, spectarent versus Infernum, et qui unum Deum, in quo Divina Trinitas, et quod haec sit in Domino Deo Salvatore, versus Coelum, et his Sol Coeli, in quo Jehovah in suo Humano est, apparuit.
Footnotes: