第三章 论圣灵——神性运行
第一节 论圣灵——神性运行
138# 凡曾对我等救主存持正见的圣职灵众，离世第三日入灵界之后，必先受教于神性三一之真义，其中尤重辨明圣灵之本相：圣灵绝非独立自存之上帝，乃是圣言所记、由独一无处不在之上帝所发的神性运行。
之所以必先详明此理，缘由有二：其一，诸多灵恩迷妄之辈离世之后，深陷病态幻念，自谓本身便是圣灵；其二，世间不少信徒在世之时，皆认定圣灵借自身开口传言，动辄援引主在马太福音之言恫吓他人，称凡驳斥圣灵借彼等所传之言者，皆犯下不得赦免之罪。（太 12:31，32）
凡受此开导、舍弃 “圣灵为独立位格上帝” 妄见之人，继而受教上帝合一之实：上帝并非如《亚他那修信经》所言，割裂为三位各自独立、皆为上帝与主的位格；完整神性三一全然蕴藏于救主之内，一如每人之灵魂、肉身、由内生发之能力，共聚于一身。明晓此理之后，灵众方得预备接纳新天纯正信仰；待心性全然完备，天路便为其敞开，得以归入持守同道真知的天堂群体，赐下居所，与众弟兄永世同享属天福乐。
前文已论创世之上帝、救赎之主，今当接续阐释圣灵。本篇论说体例一如前章，分列六则要义如下：
一、灵即是神性真理，并且也是由独一上帝（神性三一尽在其内）所发出的神性能力与运行，亦即由主上帝拯救者所发出者。
二、圣灵所表征的神性能力与运行，总括而言，即是改造与重生；由此衍生更新、赐下生命、圣化、称义，并使人脱离诸恶、得蒙洁净、罪愆赦免，至终成就救恩。
三、圣灵施行于圣职人员之中的神性能力与运行，尤为侧重光照与教导。四、主在信祂之人里面运行这一切属灵能力。
五、主由自身、从父施行作为；并非父借子为外在媒介而施行。
六、人的灵即其心智，以及凡由此发出的一切。
138# 当所有具有圣职品级，对主我们的救主持有正确观念的牧师进入灵界时（这通常发生在死后第三天），他们首先接受关于神性三位一体的教导，尤其关于圣灵的教导，即：圣灵不是独自为神，当经上在圣言中提到圣灵时，圣灵是指从那一位全在的神那里发出的神性运作或神性活动。他们特别需要接受关于圣灵的教导，其原因是，相当多的狂热者死后会陷入疯狂的幻想，以为他们自己是圣灵；另一个原因是，教会中许多在世时以为圣灵通过他们说话的人，都会引用主在马太福音中的话，即：说话反对他们受圣灵默示所说的话，是不可饶恕的罪（马太福音12:31，32），以此来恐吓别人。那些接受教导后放弃圣灵独自为神的信仰之人会被教导，神的一体性不可分为三个位格，其中每一个都独为神，独为主，如《亚他那修信经》所断言的那样；相反，神性三位一体就在主救主里面，就像灵魂、身体和发出的能量，或这两者所发挥的力量在每个人里面一样。然后，他们预备接受新天堂的信仰；当这种预备完成时，一条通往拥有类似信仰的天堂社群的道路就向他们打开，他们被赐予在弟兄当中的一个住所，与他们一起生活在幸福中，直到永远。由于前面已经论述了神创造者和主救赎主，所以现在有必要论述圣灵。这个主题和前面的主题一样，需要分为以下一系列命题：
（1）圣灵是神性真理，也是从那一位神，即从主神救主那里发出的神性能量和运作，或神性能力和活动，神性三位一体在这一位神里面。
（2）圣灵是指神性能量和运作，或神性能力和活动；一般来说，神性能量和运作，或神性能力和活动是改造和重生；照着改造和重生而来的是更新、复活、成圣和称义；照着这些后者而来的是从邪恶中的洁净，罪的赦免，最终是拯救。
（3）“圣灵的差遣”是指神性能量和运作，或神性能力和活动；尤其对神职人员来说，神性能量和运作，或神性能力和活动，是指光照和教导。
（4）主在那些信祂的人里面运作这些能量，或说在他们身上实施这些强大效果。
（5）主凭自己从父那里运作，而不是反过来。
（6）人的灵就是他的心智和从它发出的一切。
138. Chapter 3: The Holy Spirit and the Divine Action
UPON entering the spiritual world, which generally happens on the third day after death, all members of the Sacred Order who have developed a just idea of the Lord our Savior are first taught about the divine Trinity. They are specifically taught that the Holy Spirit is not a separate God; the Word uses the phrase to mean the divine action that radiates from the one omnipresent God. They are specifically taught about the Holy Spirit because after death many fanatics who have believed they were divinely inspired fall into the mad delusion that they themselves are the Holy Spirit. There are many church people who believed while they were in the world that the Holy Spirit spoke through them. They terrify others with the Lord's statement in Matthew that it is an unforgivable sin to speak against what the Holy Spirit has inspired in them (Matthew 12:31-32).
After all are taught, any who abandon their belief that the Holy Spirit is a separate God are later informed about the unity of God. They are told that that unity has not been partitioned into three Persons, each of whom is God and Lord (as the Athanasian Creed would have it). Instead the divine Trinity exists within the Lord the Savior like the soul, the body, and the radiating effect of any human being.
Then they undergo preparations to accept the faith of the new heaven. After their preparation is complete, a road opens up for them to a community in heaven where that same faith exists. They are given a place to live among their companions. There they live in eternal bliss.
Because we have covered God the Creator and the Lord the Redeemer, we need to cover the Holy Spirit as well. This treatment, like the rest, will be divided into separate points. They are as follows:
1. The Holy Spirit is the divine truth and also the divine action and effect that radiate from the one God, in whom the divine Trinity exists: the Lord God the Savior.
2. Generally speaking, the divine actions and powerful effects meant by the Holy Spirit are the acts of reforming and regenerating us. Depending on the outcome of this reformation and regeneration, the divine actions and powerful effects also include the acts of renewing us, bringing us to life, sanctifying us, and making us just; and depending on the outcome of these in turn, the divine actions and powerful effects also include the acts of purifying us from evils, forgiving our sins, and ultimately saving us.
3. In respect to the clergy, the divine actions and powerful effects meant by "the sending of the Holy Spirit" are the acts of enlightening and teaching.
4. The Lord has these powerful effects on those who believe in him.
5. The Lord takes these actions on his own initiative on behalf of the Father, not the other way around.
6. Our spirits are our minds and whatever comes from them.
138. CHAPTER THREE
THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE WAY GOD WORKS
On entering the spiritual world, which generally happens on the third day after death, all ordained priests, who have had a fairly correct idea of the Lord our Saviour, are first taught about the Divine Trinity; and in particular that the Holy Spirit is not God in His own right, but when mentioned in the Word means the Divine activity which proceeds from the one omnipresent God. The reason why they particularly need to be taught about the Holy Spirit is that most of those who claim inspiration fall after death into the crazy fancy that they are themselves the Holy Spirit. Another reason is that many in the church, who while in the world believed that the Holy Spirit spoke through them, frighten other people by quoting the Lord's saying in Matthew, that speaking against what they say by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit is an unforgivable sin (Matthew 12:31-32). Those who after receiving instruction abandon their belief that the Holy Spirit is God in His own right, are then told about the oneness of God, that He is not divided into three Persons, each of which is individually God and Lord, as the Athanasian Creed asserts, but that the Divine Trinity is contained in the Lord the Saviour, just as soul, body and the power they exert are in any human being. They are then prepared to receive the faith of the new heaven, and when this preparation is complete, the way is opened for them to reach a community in heaven which has a similar faith, and they are given a place to live with their companions, with whom they are destined to live in a blessed state to eternity.
Now having dealt with God the Creator and the Lord the Redeemer, I must deal with the Holy Spirit. This subject, like the previous ones, needs to be split up into a series of propositions, as follows:
(i) The Holy Spirit is Divine Truth, and also the Divine power and activity which proceeds from the one God, in whom is the Divine Trinity, and so from the Lord God the Saviour.
(ii) The Divine power and activity meant by the Holy Spirit are, generally speaking, reformation and regeneration, which lead to renewal, quickening, sanctification and justification; and these lead to purification from evils and the forgiveness of sins, and ultimately to salvation.
(iii) The Divine power and activity meant by the sending of the Holy Spirit, with the clergy takes the particular form of enlightenment and instruction.
(iv) The Lord confers these benefits on those who believe in Him.
(v) The Lord works of Himself from the Father, and not the reverse.
(vi) A person's spirit is his mind, and whatever comes from it.
138. CHAPTER 3
THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE DIVINE OPERATION
All those of the clerical order who have cherished any right idea of the Lord our Savior, when they enter the spiritual world (which generally takes place on the third day after death), receive instruction at first about the Divine trinity, and particularly about the Holy Spirit, that it is not a God by itself, but that the Divine operation proceeding from the one and omnipresent God is what is meant in the Word by the Holy Spirit. They are thus particularly instructed about this, because very many enthusiasts after death fall into the insane phantasy that they themselves are the Holy Spirit; also because many belonging to the church who had believed while in the world that the Holy Spirit spoke through them, terrify others with the words of the Lord in Matthew (12:31, 32), claiming that to speak against what the Holy Spirit has inspired into them is the unpardonable sin. Those who after instruction relinquish the belief that the Holy Spirit is a God by itself are then taught that the unity of God is not divided into three persons, each one of whom is singly God and Lord, according to the Athanasian creed; but that the Divine trinity is in the Lord the Savior, like the soul, the body, and the proceeding energy in every man. After this they are prepared for receiving the faith of the new heaven; and when so prepared a way is opened for them to a society in heaven where a like faith prevails, and an abode is given them among brethren, with whom they are to live in blessedness to eternity. As God the Creator and the Lord the Redeemer have already been treated of, it is now necessary to treat also of the Holy Spirit; and this subject, like the others, shall be considered under appropriate heads, as follows:
(1) The Holy Spirit is the Divine Truth and also the Divine Energy and Operation proceeding from the one God in whom is the Divine Trinity, that is, from the Lord God the Savior.
(2) The Divine Energy and Operation, which are meant by the Holy Spirit, are, in general, reformation and regeneration; and in accordance with these, renovation, vivification, sanctification, and justification; and in accordance with these latter, purification from evils and forgiveness of sins, and finally salvation.
(3) The Divine Energy and Operation which are meant by the "sending of the Holy Spirit," are, with the clergy especially, enlightenment and instruction.
(4) The Lord makes these energies operative in those who believe in Him.
(5) The Lord operates of Himself from the Father, and not the reverse.
(6) The spirit of man is his mind and whatever proceeds from it.
138. CHAPTER III
THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE DIVINE OPERATION
When clerics, who have entertained any correct idea of our Lord the Savior, enter the world of spirits, which generally happens the third day after their death, their first instruction is concerning the Divine Trinity, and particularly concerning the Holy Spirit. This they are informed is not a God by itself, but when mentioned in the Word, it means the Divine Operation proceeding from the one omnipresent God. They are particularly instructed concerning the Holy Spirit because very many fanatics after death fall under the insane delusion that they themselves are the Holy Spirit; and many belonging to the Church, who while in the world believed that the Holy Spirit spoke through them, terrify others with the words of the Lord in Matthew 12:31-32, declaring that to speak against what the Holy Spirit has breathed into them is the unpardonable sin. Those who, after instruction, abandon the belief that the Holy Spirit is a God by itself, are then informed that the unity of God is not divided into three Persons, each of whom is singly God and Lord, according to the Athanasian Creed, 1 but that the Divine Trinity is in the Lord the Savior, as the soul, the body and the virtue thence proceeding are in every man. They are then prepared to receive the faith of the New Heaven; and after this preparation a way is opened for them to a society in heaven where a like faith prevails; and a dwelling-place is given them with kindred spirits, among whom they live in a state of blessedness for ever. Now, as we have treated of God the Creator, and of the Lord the Redeemer, it is necessary that we should also treat of the Holy Spirit; and the treatment of this subject, like that of the others, will be under particular heads, as follows:
(1) The Holy Spirit is the Divine Truth, and also the Divine Virtue and Operation proceeding from the one God, in whom is the Divine Trinity, thus from the Lord God the Savior.
(2) The Divine Virtue and Operation, signified by the Holy Spirit, consist in general in reformation and regeneration; and following upon these, renewal, vivification, sanctification and justification; and following upon these again, purification from evils and remission of sins; and finally, salvation.
(3) The Divine Virtue and Operation, meant by the sending of the Holy Spirit, with the clergy consist in particular in enlightenment and instruction.
(4) The Lord operates these virtues in those who believe on Him.
(5) The Lord operates of Himself from the Father, and not the reverse.
(6) Man's spirit is his mind, and whatever proceeds from it.
Footnotes:
1. Athanasian Symbol or Creed. Although bearing the name of Athanasius, it was probably composed by Hilary, in the century after the formulation of the Nicene Creed, A.D. 325. The name was given to it about the year A.D. 670 as an excellent system of the doctrines of Athansius concerning the Trinity and the Incarnation, principally in opposition to the Arians. It is received by the Romish Church and also by the Reformed.
138. CAPUT TERTIUM
DE SPIRITU SANCTO,
ET DE DIVINA OPERATIONE.
Omnes e Sacro Ordine, qui aliquam justam ideam de Domino Salvatore nostro foverunt, dum intrant Mundum spiritualem, quod ut plurimum fit tertio die post obitum, primum instruuntur de Divina Trinitate; et in specie de Spiritu Sancto, quod non sit Deus per se, sed quod per Illum in Verbo intelligatur Divina Operatio procedens a Deo Uno et Omnipraesente; causa quod de Spiritu Sancto in specie instruantur, est quia plerique Enthusiastae post mortem incidunt in vesanam phantasiam, quod ipsi sint Spiritus Sanctus; et quod multi ab Ecclesia, qui in Mundo crediderunt quod Spiritus Sanctus per illos loquutus sit, terreant alios per verba Domini apud Matthaeum, quod dicere contra illa, quae Spiritus Sanctus inspiravit illis, sit peccatum irremisibile, Matthaeus 12:31-32; illi qui post instructionem recedunt a fide, quod Spiritus Sanctus sit Deus per se, informantur postea de Unitate Dei, quod non sit tripartita in Personas, quarum unaquaevis singulatim est Deus et Dominus secundum Symbolum Athanasianum, sed quod Divina Trinitas sit in Domino Salvatore, sicut Anima, Corpus, et Virtus procedens, apud quemvis hominem; hi deinde praeparantur ad recipiendum fidem Novi Coeli, et his, postquam praeparati sunt, aperitur via ad Societatem in Coelo, ubi similis fides est, et datur illis mansio cum confratribus, cum quibus in beatitudine vivent in aeternum. Nunc quia actum est de Deo Creatore, et de Domino Redemptore, necessum est, ut quoque de Spiritu Sancto agatur; quae Transactio, sicut reliquae dispescenda est in suos Articulos, qui sunt sequentes. I. Quod Spiritus Sanctus sit Divina Veritas, et quoque Divina Virtus et Operatio procedens a Deo Uno, in quo Divina Trinitas est, ita a Domino Deo Salvatore. II. Quod Divina Virtus et Operatio, quae intelligitur per Spiritum Sanctum, sint in genere Reformatio et Regeneratio, et secundum has Innovatio, Vivificatio, Sanctificatio et Justificatio, et secundum has Purificatio a malis et Remissio peccatorum, et tandem Salvatio. III. Quod Divina illa virtus et operatio, quae intelligitur per missionem Spiritus Sancti, apud Clericos in specie sit Illustratio et Instructio. IV. Quod Dominus operetur illas Virtutes in illis qui credunt in Ipsum. V. Quod Dominus operetur ex Se a Patre, et non vicissim. 1 VI. Quod spiritus hominis sit ejus Mens, et quicquid ex illa procedit.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: vicissim (absque interpunctione).