144# 经上记载，耶稣受洗之时，天为之敞开，约翰见圣灵仿佛鸽子降下，落在祂身上（太 3:16，可 1:10，路 3:21，约 1:32，33）。此异象如此显现，缘由在于洗礼预表重生与除净罪污，鸽子亦是同类表象。人皆可明理分辨：鸽子并非圣灵本体，圣灵亦不居于鸽子之内。
天堂之中鸽子时常显现；每逢鸽子出现，天使便知晓，这是身旁众人心中情意、以及由此生发有关重生与洁净罪愆之念的对应表象。是以天使一靠近这般人，与他们谈论的事理便与鸽子显现时众人心中所思全然相异，鸽子随之即刻消散。
这与众先知所见各类异象同理，譬如约翰见羔羊立于锡安山上（启 14:1，及其余多处经文）。无人不知，主并非羔羊，羔羊亦不含藏主本体，羔羊只是主纯真本性的表征。由此可见世人的谬误昭然若揭：仅凭主受洗时鸽子降于其身、又有天音传出 “这是我的爱子，我所喜悦的” 一语（太 3:17），便据此推衍出神性三一分为三个独立位格。
主借着仁义与信仰使人重生，此理可由施洗约翰之言印证：“我是用水给你们施洗，叫你们悔改；但那在我以后来的，能力比我更大…… 他要用圣灵与火给你们施洗”（太 3:11，可 1:8，路 3:16）。
所谓 “用圣灵与火施洗”，便是凭属信仰的神性真理、属仁义的神性良善，成就人的重生。主另有一语表意相近：“人若不是从水和圣灵生的，就不能进上帝的国”（约 3:5）。此处所言 “水”，正如圣言别处所载，预表外在、属肉体之人所持的真理；“灵” 则预表内在、属灵之人里面源自良善的真理。
144# 我们读到：
当耶稣受洗时，天开了，约翰看见圣灵仿佛鸽子降下。（马太福音3:16; 马可福音1:10; 路加福音3:21，22; 约翰福音1:32，33）
这种事发生，是因为洗礼表示重生和洁净；鸽子具有同样的含义。谁看不出鸽子不是圣灵，圣灵也不是鸽子？鸽子经常出现在天堂；每当它们出现时，天使们就知道它们是附近一些人关于重生和洁净的情感和由此产生的思维的对应。因此，一旦他们接近这些人，并与他们谈论其它某个主题，而不是鸽子出现时他们所思想的主题，鸽子就会立刻消失。先知们看到的许多事物也是如此，如约翰看见羔羊站在锡安山上（启示录14:1；以及其它地方）。谁不知道主不是那羔羊，也不在羔羊里面，羔羊只是祂纯真的一个代表？这清楚表明了那些从主受洗时所看见降到祂身上的鸽子，和同时从天上听见的声音，即“这是我的爱子”（马太福音3:16-17）中推断出三位格的三位一体之人的错误。施洗约翰所说的话就是指主通过信仰和仁爱使人重生：
我是用水给你们施洗，叫你们悔改；但那在我以后来的，要用圣灵与火给你们施洗。（马太福音3:11; 马可福音1:8; 路加福音3:16）
“用圣灵与火施洗”是指通过属于信仰的神性真理和属于仁爱的神性良善使人重生。主的这句话也是这个意思：
人若不是从水和灵生的，就不能进神的国。（约翰福音3:5）
在此处，和在圣言的其它地方一样，“水”都表示属世人或外在人中的真理，而“灵”表示属灵人或内在人中来自良善的真理。
144. We read that when Jesus was baptized the heavens opened and John saw the Holy Spirit coming down like a dove (Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22; John 1:32-33). This happened because baptism means regeneration and purification, and so does a dove.
Surely anyone can see that that dove was not the Holy Spirit and that the Holy Spirit was not in the dove. In heaven doves appear quite often. Every time they appear, the angels know that they correspond to feelings and thoughts in other angels nearby about regeneration and purification. As soon as the angels go to those other angels and start a conversation on a different subject than the one being pondered when the doves appeared, the doves immediately vanish.
The situation is similar with many things the prophets saw. John, for example, saw a lamb on Mount Zion (Revelation 14:1 and elsewhere). Surely everyone realizes that the Lord was not that lamb and was not in that lamb. The lamb was instead a representation of the Lord's innocence. This highlights the error of those who deduce the existence of three persons in the Trinity from the dove seen above the Lord when he was baptized and the voice heard from heaven saying, "This is my beloved Son" [Matthew 3:16-17].
The Lord uses faith and goodwill to regenerate us. This is the meaning of John the Baptists saying, "I baptize you for repentance with water, but the one who is coming after me will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire" (Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16). Baptizing with the Holy Spirit and with fire means regenerating through the divine truth that is in faith and the divine goodness that is in goodwill. The following words of the Lord also mean the same thing: "Unless you have been born of water and spirit you cannot enter the kingdom of God" (John 3:5). "Water" in this passage, and elsewhere in the Word, means truth in our earthly or outer self, while "spirit" means truth connected with goodness in our spiritual or inner self.
144. We read that when Jesus was baptised, the heavens were opened and John saw the Holy Spirit coming down in the form of a dove (Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:21; John 1:32-33). This was because baptism stands for regeneration and cleansing, and so does a dove. How can anyone fail to see that the dove was not the Holy Spirit, nor was the Holy Spirit in the dove? In heaven doves are often to be seen, and the angels know that, when they are, they are correspondences of affections and consequently of thoughts about regeneration and cleansing in the minds of some bystanders. So as soon as they approach them and engage them in conversation about any subject other than what they were thinking about when they appeared, the doves immediately vanish. This is similar to many of the visions seen by the prophets, as for instance John's vision of the Lamb on Mount Zion (Revelation 14:1 and elsewhere).
[2] Is there anyone who does not know that the Lord was not the Lamb, nor in it, but that the Lamb was a representation of His innocence? This makes clear as daylight the error of those who deduce the three persons of the Trinity from the dove seen over the Lord at His baptism, and the voice then heard from heaven saying, 'This is my beloved Son.' The way the Lord brings about a person's regeneration by faith and charity is meant by what John the Baptist said:
I baptise you with water for repentance, but he who will come after me will baptise with the Holy Spirit and with fire, Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16.
To baptise with the Holy Spirit and with fire is to regenerate by means of the Divine truth of faith and by means of the Divine good of charity. The following words of the Lord have a similar meaning:
Unless a person has been born by water and the spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God, John 3:5.
Water here as elsewhere in the Word means truth in the natural or external man; spirit means truth arising from good in the spiritual or internal man.
144. We read:
That when Jesus was baptized the heavens were opened, and John saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove (Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:21, 22; John 1:32, 33).
This took place because baptism signifies regeneration and purification; and a dove has the same signification. Who cannot see that the dove was not the Holy Spirit; and that the Holy Spirit was not the dove? Doves often appear in heaven; and whenever they appear the angels know that they are correspondences of the affections and the consequent thoughts concerning regeneration and purification of some who are near by; therefore as soon as these are approached and are spoken to about some other subject than was in their thoughts when that appearance took place the doves instantly vanish. This is like many things seen by the prophets; as that John saw a lamb standing upon Mount Zion (Revelation 14:1); and elsewhere. Who does not know that the Lord was not that lamb, and was not in the lamb, but the lamb was a representation of His innocence? This shows clearly the error of those who deduce a trinity of three persons from the dove seen descending upon the Lord when He was baptized, and from the voice heard out of heaven saying, "This is My beloved Son." That the Lord regenerates man by means of faith and charity is meant by what John the Baptist said:
I baptize you with water unto repentance; but He that cometh after me shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16).
"To baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire" means to regenerate by the Divine truth that belongs to faith and the Divine good that belongs to charity. The same is meant by these words of the Lord:
Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God (John 3:5).
"Water," here as elsewhere in the Word, signifies truth in the natural or external man; and "spirit" signifies truth from good in the spiritual or internal man.
144. We read:
, when Jesus was baptized, the heavens were opened, and John saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove, Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:21-22; John 1:32-33.
This took place because baptism signifies regeneration and purification; and these are also represented by a dove. Any one can see that the dove was not the Holy Spirit, and that the Holy Spirit was not in the dove. In heaven doves frequently appear, and whenever they are seen the angels know that they are correspondences of the affections and the thoughts thence arising, concerning regeneration and purification, in some persons who are near by. Therefore as soon as they approach those persons, and converse with them on some other subject than that which occupied their thoughts when that appearance was presented, the doves instantly vanish. The case is the same with many things that appeared to the prophets, as when John saw a lamb on Mount Sion, Revelation 14:1: and in other passages. Any one can see that the Lord was not that Lamb, nor in it, but that it was a representation of His innocence. Hence is evident the error of those who conclude that there are three Persons in the Trinity from the dove seen when the Lord was baptized, and from the voice heard at the same time from heaven, saving, "This is my beloved Son."
That the Lord regenerates man by means of faith and charity is signified by these words of John the Baptist,
"I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but He that cometh after me... shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and with fire" Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16.
To baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire is to regenerate by means of the Divine Truth of faith, and by the Divine Good of charity. The same is signified by these words of the Lord:
"Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God" John 3:5.
By water here, as elsewhere in the Word, is signified truth in the natural or external man, and by spirit is signified truth from good in the spiritual or internal man.
144. Legitur, quod cum Jesus baptizabatur, Coeli aperti sint, et Johannes viderit Spiritum Sanctum descendentem sicut Columbam, Matthaeus 3:16, Marcus 1:10, Luca 3:21-22, 1 Johannes 1:32-33, hoc factum est, quia Baptismus significat Regenerationem et purificationem, similiter Columba; quis non percipere potest, quod Columba non esset Spiritus Sanctus, nec quod Spiritus Sanctus esset in columba; in Coelo saepius apparent Columbae, et quoties apparent, sciunt Angeli, quod sint correspondentiae affectionum et inde cogitationum de regeneratione et purificatione apud quosdam qui in vicinia stant, quare ut primum ad illos accedunt, et cum illis de quadam alia re, quam quae in cogitationibus illorum fuit, cum apparitio 2 illa erat, loquuntur, columbae illico evanescunt: hoc simile est sicut cum multis, quae visa sunt Prophetis, ut quod Johanni visus sit Agnus super monte Sionis, Apocalypsis 14:1, et alibi;
[2] quis non scit, quod Dominus non fuerit ille Agnus, neque in Agno, sed quod Agnus esset repraesentatio innocentiae Ipsius; inde elucet error illorum, qui ex Columba visa super Domino cum baptizabatur, et ex voce e Coelo audita tunc, Hic est Filius meus dilectus, tres Personas Trinitatis deducunt. Quod Dominus hominem regeneret per fidem et charitatem, intelligitur per hoc quod Johannes Baptista dixit, Ego vos baptizo aqua in poenitentiam, qui vero post me venturus est, ille baptizabit SPIRITU SANCTO, et igne, Matthaeus 3:11, 3 Marcus 1:8; Luca 3:16 baptizare Spiritu Sancto et igne, est regenerare 4 per Divinum Verum quod est fidei, et per Divinum Bonum quod est charitatis. Simile significatur per haec verba Domini, Nisi quis generatus fuerit aqua et spiritu, non potest ingredi in Regnum Dei, Johannes 3:5, per aquam hic ut alibi in Verbo, significatur verum in naturali seu externo homine, et per spiritum verum ex bono in spirituali seu interno.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: Luca 3:11.
2. Prima editio: apparatio.
3. Prima editio: 15.
4. Prima editio: regenenerare.