154# 此理可藉诸多合乎理性的事例加以阐明，兹举数例如下。众所周知，使徒们领受主所赐的圣灵之后，曾在世间许多地方传扬福音，又以口传与文字将福音广布；他们这一切作为，皆是由自己、从主而行。彼得的教导与著述是一种方式，雅各、约翰、保罗也各有不同方式，各人皆照自身的理解而行。主以祂的灵充满全体使徒，但各人都照自己领悟的性质，从中取出各自的一份，并照自己能力的性质付诸实行。天上众天使也都为主所充满，因为他们在主里面，主也在他们里面；但每位天使仍照自身心智的状态言语行事：有的质朴，有的智慧，由此显出无穷无尽的差异；然而每一位天使，都是由自己、从主说话。
【2】一切教会圣职人员也是同理，无论其人是在真理之中，还是在伪谬之中；各人都有自己的口舌，也有自己的理解力，各人都从自己的心智发言，也就是从自己所拥有的灵发言。所有新教徒，无论称为福音派还是改革派，在接受路德、梅兰希顿或加尔文所传授的教义之后，并不是这些人或他们的教义由自己、借着信徒说话；而是信徒自己由自己、从这些教义说话。任何一条教义都可以有千百种阐释方式；因为每一条教义都像丰饶之角，各人从中取出合乎并适应自己性情的东西，并照着自己的才能加以解释。
【3】心脏与肺的互动，亦可阐明此理。心脏对肺并进入肺而动作，肺则由自己、从心脏而反应；二者虽是相异的器官，却彼此相互联结。肺由自己、从心脏而呼吸，并非心脏借着肺来呼吸；倘若如此，二者的运作便会一同止息。心脏对全身脏腑并进入脏腑的作用也是如此：心脏将血液输送至周身各处，各脏腑则从中汲取各自的份量，各按其所履行之用途的性质而行动，因此有不同的运作方式。
【4】同样，这也可由以下事实说明：从父母而来的恶，也就是所谓遗传之恶，在人里面并进入人而运行；从主而来的善也是如此。善在上方或内部运行，恶在下方或外部运行。倘若恶是借着人施行作用，人便不能被改造，也不能被归罪；同样，倘若从主而来的善是借着人运行，人也不能被改造。然而，由于二者都取决于人的自由选择，所以当人由自己、从恶而行时，便成为有罪责；当人由自己、从善而行时，便成为无罪责。如今，既然恶就是魔鬼，善就是主，那么人若从魔鬼而行，便成为有罪责；若从主而行，便成为无罪责。正因每个人都有这种自由选择，人才能被改造。
【5】人的内在与外在也是同理。二者彼此区分，却又相互联结；内在在外在里面、并进入外在而施展功用，却不是借着外在行事。因为内在包含千千万万的东西，外在只从其中取出适合用途的部分。此处所说人的内在，是指人的意志与理智的心智；其中有成团成卷的观念，倘若这些观念尽数从人口中流出，就会像风箱吹出的气流一样。内在由于包含普遍性的东西，可以比作海洋、花圃与园林；外在则从其中取出足以满足用途的东西。主的圣言也像海洋、花圃与园林；当圣言以某种丰盛程度存在于人的内在时，人便由自己、从圣言说话行事，而不是圣言借着他说话行事。主也是如此，因为祂自己就是圣言，也就是圣言中的神性真理与神性良善。主由自己，或说由圣言，在人里面并进入人而运行，却不是借着人运行；因为当人从圣言而行时，便是自由地由主行事并说话。
【6】不过，这一点还可以用灵魂与身体之间的相互交通更贴切地说明。灵魂与身体是两个彼此有别的存在，却又彼此相互联结。灵魂在身体里面、并进入身体而行动，却不是借着身体行动；而身体则由自己、从灵魂而行动。之所以说灵魂不是借着身体行动，是因为灵魂与身体并不会彼此商议和协商；灵魂也不会命令或请求身体去做这事或那事，或借自己的口说话；身体也不会要求或请求灵魂给予并供应什么。因为灵魂所有的一切，都是身体的，二者彼此互属、相互对应。主的神性与人性也是同理。因为父的神性是祂人性的灵魂，祂的人性则是祂的身体；而祂的人性并不请求自己的神性告诉它应当说什么、做什么。因此主说：“到那日，你们要奉我的名祈求；我并不对你们说，我要为你们求父。父自己爱你们，因为你们已经爱我”（约16:26，27）。“到那日”，是指主得荣耀以后，也就是祂与父完全而绝对联合以后。这是主亲自为那些将属于祂新教会的人所启示的奥秘。
154# 这一点可通过各种理性考虑来说明。例如，众所周知，使徒们从主那里领受了圣灵的恩赐后，走遍世界上大部分地区传福音，并以口头和书信的形式来传播；这是他们凭自己从主那里如此行的。彼得以一种方式教导和写作，雅各以一种方式教导和写作，约翰以另一种方式，保罗又以一种方式，各人都根据自己特有的聪明来教导和写作。主以自己的灵充满他们；但各人照着各人感知的品质而从中取了一部分，并照着各人能力的品质来使用它。主充满天堂里的所有天使，因为他们在主里面，主也在他们里面；但每位天使都照着他自己的心智状态而说话和行动，有些天使简单，有些天使智慧，因而具有无限的多样性；然而，每位天使都凭自己从主那里说话（和行动）。
教会的每个牧师都是如此，无论他处于真理，还是处于虚假。每个牧师都有自己的表达方式和自己的聪明，每个牧师都出于自己的心智，也就是说，出于他自己所拥有的灵说话。以所有新教徒为例，无论是被称为福音派的，还是被称为改革宗的；他们在路德、梅兰希顿或加尔文所教导的教义上接受教导后，不是这些领袖或他们的教义凭自己通过其追随者说话，而是其追随者凭自己从领袖或教义那里说话。此外，每个教义都可以用上千种方式来解释，因为每个教义都像一个丰饶角，各人从中汲取匹配和适合自己天赋的东西，并照着自己特有的才干来解释它。
这一点可通过心脏在肺部内和肺部上的作用，以及肺部凭自己从心脏那里的反作用来说明；这两者是两个不同的作用，却又是相互结合的。肺部凭自己从心脏那里呼吸；但心脏并不通过肺部呼吸；如果这种情况真的发生了，那么它们都会停止行动。心脏在全身内脏内和内脏上的作用也是如此。心脏将血液输送到各个方向，各个内脏则照着它所发挥的功用的性质，也照着它的功能而从中汲取各自的份，因此，每一个都是以自己的方式（来汲取血液）。
这个真理同样可以通过源于父母的邪恶来说明；这邪恶被称为遗传之恶，在人内和人身上起作用；源于主的良善也是如此，这良善从上面或里面起作用，而这邪恶从下面或外面起作用。如果邪恶通过人行动，那么人就不能改造，也无可指责；如果源于主的良善通过人行动，那么人同样不能改造；但由于良善和邪恶都取决于人的自由选择，所以当人凭自己从邪恶那里行动时，他就有罪了，当他凭自己从良善那里行动时，他就无罪了。既然邪恶是魔鬼，良善是主，那么当人从魔鬼那里行动时，他就有罪了，当他从主那里行动时，他就无罪了。正是每个人所拥有的这种自由选择使得人能够改造。
人的整个内在和整个外在也是如此。这两者是完全不同的，但又相互结合。内在在外在内和外在上起作用，但不通过外在行动；内在有上千个计划，而外在只从中选择那些适合它功用的计划。因为人的内在（内在是指他的自愿和可感知的心智）有一大堆观念在里面，如果这些观念通过人的口流出来，或在说话时流出来，那么这就像一阵狂风从风箱中呼啸而出一样。内在及其内容的普遍性可以比作一片海洋、花坛或花园，而外在只从中选择适合它的功用，或说足够它用的东西。主的圣言就像海洋、花坛或花园；因为当它以某种程度的丰盛存在于人的内在里面时，它并不通过人行动，而是人凭自己从圣言那里说话和行动。主也是如此，因为祂就是圣言，即圣言里面的神性真理和神性良善。主从祂自己或圣言那里在人里面和人身上起作用，但不通过人行动，因为当人从圣言那里行动和说话时，他就是从主那里自由地行动和说话。
但这一点可通过灵魂和身体的相互作来更好地说明。这两者是完全不同的，但又相互结合。灵魂在身体内和身体上起作用，但不通过身体行动，而身体凭自己从灵魂那里行动。灵魂不通过身体行动，因为这两者不会互相商量和深思熟虑；灵魂不会命令或要求身体做这个或那个，或从它的口中说话；身体也不会要求或乞求灵魂给予或提供任何东西；因为属于灵魂的一切也属于身体，相互和可互换地。主的神性和人身也是这样，因为主人身的灵魂是父的神性，人身是父的身体；人身不会要求它自己的神性告诉它说什么、做什么。因此，主说：
到那日，你们要奉我的名来求；我并不对你们说，我要为你们向父祈求，父自己爱你们，因为你们已经爱我。（约翰福音16:26，27）
“到那日”是指祂得了荣耀之后，也就是说，祂与父完全绝对地合一之后。这个奥秘来自主自己，是给那些将属于祂的新教会之人的。
154. This point can also be illustrated by a number of parallels.
We all know that after the Lord bestowed the Holy Spirit on the apostles, they preached the good news across much of the world and publicized it through speaking and writing. They did this on their own initiative on behalf of the Lord. Peter wrote and taught one way, James another way, John a third, and Paul a fourth. Each of them used their own intelligence. The Lord filled them all with his spirit, but they each took a portion of it that depended on the quality of their perception, and they each exercised that portion depending on the quality of their own ability.
All the angels in the heavens are filled with the Lord - they are in the Lord and the Lord is in them. Yet for each of them, the speech and action depends on the quality of the mind. Some speak and act simply, and some wisely, with infinite variety. They all speak on their own initiative on behalf of the Lord.
[2] The same goes for all ministers in the church - those with false beliefs as well as those with true beliefs. They each have their own voice and their own intelligence. They each speak on the basis of their own mind, meaning the spirit inside them.
Consider the situation of all Protestants, whether they happen to be called Evangelical or Reformed. Once they have been taught the theological system handed down by Luther, Melanchthon, or Calvin, it is not that Luther, Melanchthon, and Calvin, or the theologies themselves, speak on their own initiative through the Protestants' mouths. Instead, the Protestants speak on their own initiative on behalf of their church founders.
Every dogma can be explained in a thousand different ways. It is like a horn of plenty. People take out of the dogma whatever is matched and suited to their character, and use their particular gifts to explain it.
[3] This point can also be illustrated by the action of the heart on and in the lungs, and the lungs' reaction on their own initiative on behalf of the heart. These are two distinct things, yet they are reciprocally united. The lungs breathe on their own initiative on behalf of the heart. The heart, however, does not breathe through the lungs. If it did they would both stop functioning.
The same applies to the heart's action on and in every internal organ in the body. The heart sends blood out in all directions. The internal organs draw on that blood. Each organ takes whatever it needs depending on how vital a service it provides. Its level of service also determines how it functions; different organs function in different ways.
[4] The same point can be illustrated by the following parallels as well. The evil we get from our parents, called hereditary evil, acts on us and in us. So does goodness from the Lord. Goodness comes from above or within; evil from below or outside. If evil were to act through us we could not be reformed, but we would not be responsible either. By the same token, if goodness from the Lord acted through us we could not be reformed. Because good and evil are a matter of our free choice we become guilty when we act on our own initiative on behalf of evil, and innocent when we act on our own initiative on behalf of goodness. Because evil is the Devil and goodness is the Lord, we become guilty if we act on behalf of the Devil, and innocent if we act on behalf of the Lord. The free choice that we all have makes it possible for us to be reformed.
[5] The same situation exists for all of us with our inner and outer selves. These selves are two distinct things, yet they are reciprocally united. Our inner self acts on and in our outer self, but not through it. Our inner self contains thousands of things. Our outer self takes from our inner self only what is suited for some useful purpose. In our inner self, the part of our mind that enables us to have volition and perception, there are arrays of concepts in enormous quantities. If these concepts flowed out through our mouths they would be like a blast of air from an industrial bellows. Our inner self, with its universe of contents, is comparable to an ocean, a large flower garden, or a park. The outer self takes from it just as much as it needs to get something done.
When the Lord's Word is quite thoroughly present in our inner self it too is comparable to an ocean, a large flower garden, or a park. In that case we speak and act on our own initiative on behalf of the Word. The Word does not act through us. The same is true in regard to the Lord, because he is the Word, that is, the divine truth and the divine goodness in it. The Lord acts on his own (or from the Word) on us and in us, but not through us, because we act and speak freely on the Lord's behalf when we act and speak from the Word.
[6] The point here can be more accurately illustrated by the mutual interaction between soul and body. The soul and the body are two distinct things, yet they are reciprocally united. The soul acts on and in the body but not through it. Instead, the body acts on its own initiative on behalf of the soul.
The soul does not act through the body in that the soul and the body do not consult and engage in decision making with each other. The soul does not command or request the body to do this or that, or say this or that with its mouth. The body does not call for or petition the soul to give it, or supply it with, something. Everything belonging to the soul belongs to the body, mutually and reciprocally.
The same is true for the divine and the human natures in the Lord. The Father's divine nature is the soul of his human nature, and the human nature is his body. The human nature does not ask its divine nature to tell it what to say or do. This is why the Lord says, "In that day you will ask in my name. And I will not tell you that I am going to petition the Father on your behalf, for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me" (John 16:26-27). "In that day" means after glorification, that is, after complete and absolute union with the Father.
The Lord himself is divulging this secret for those who will be part of his new church.
154. These points may be illustrated by a number of reasoned arguments. For instance, it is well known that, after the Apostles had been given the Holy Spirit by the Lord, they preached the Gospel throughout much of the world, and spread the news of it by word of mouth and by their writings. They did this of themselves from the Lord; for Peter taught and wrote in one way, James in another, John in another and Paul in another, each according to his own intelligence. The Lord filled them all with His Spirit, but each drew a contribution from that source which was determined by the nature of his perception, and they carried out their duty in a way determined by the nature of the ability of each. All the angels in the heavens are full of the Lord, for they are in the Lord and the Lord is in them; but still each speaks and acts in accordance with his own mental state, some simply, some wisely, and so with infinite variety, yet each one speaks of himself from the Lord.
[2] It is the same with every minister of the church, the one who preaches truths as much as the one who preaches falsities; each has his own mouth and his own intelligence, and each speaks as he is guided by his own mind, that is, the spirit which he possesses. All Protestants, whether they go by the name of Evangelical or Reformed, once they have been taught the dogmas handed down from Luther, Melanchthon or Calvin, do not have these three or their dogmas speaking of themselves through their mouths, but they themselves speak of themselves from the leaders. Moreover, each separate dogma can be expounded in a thousand ways, for each is like a cornucopia, from which each preacher chooses what suits and matches his own character, and expounds it according to the talents he possesses.
[3] This can be illustrated by the action of the heart in and on the lungs, and by the spontaneous reaction of the lungs from the heart. These are two distinct actions, but still reciprocally connected. The lungs breathe spontaneously from the heart, but the heart does not breathe by means of the lungs. If this happened, both of them would cease working. It is the same with the heart's action in and on the viscera throughout the body. The heart circulates blood to all parts, but the viscera draw on this blood, each part taking its proper ration to enable it to perform its proper use, and acting in accordance with this, but in different ways.
[4] A further illustration of the same point is this. The evil which comes from one's parents, what is called hereditary evil, works in and on a person; and likewise the good which comes from the Lord, but this is above or within, the evil is below and outside. If the evil worked by means of the person, he could not be reformed, nor would he be liable to blame; and likewise if the good coming from the Lord worked by means of the person, he could not be reformed in that case either. But because either action depends upon a person's free choice, he incurs guilt when he acts of himself from evil, and remains innocent when he acts of himself from good. Now since evil is the devil and good is the Lord, he incurs guilt if he acts from the devil, and is innocent if he acts from the Lord. It is that free choice, which is open to every individual, that makes it possible for a person to be reformed.
[5] It is the same with everything internal and external in a person's character; internal and external are two different things, but still joined in a reciprocal bond. The internal acts in and on the external, not by means of it. For the internal has thousands of plans, from which the external selects only those which can be of use. In a person's internal, by which is meant the voluntary and perceptive mind, there is a vast heap of ideas, which if they escaped through a person's mouth would be like wind from a bellows. Since the internal is concerned with universals, it can be compared with an ocean, a flower-bed or a garden, from which the external helps itself to sufficient for its purposes. The Lord's Word is like an ocean, a flower-bed and a garden. When the Word is present in considerable fulness in a person's internal, then he speaks and acts of himself from the Word, but the Word does not act by his means. It is the same with the Lord, since He is the Word, that is, the Divine truth and Divine good it contains. The Lord of Himself or from the Word acts in and on people, but not by their means, since everyone freely acts and speaks from the Lord when he does so from the Word.
[6] A closer parallel to this might be the mutual relationship between the soul and the body, which are two separate things, but linked in a reciprocal bond. The soul acts in and on the body, but not by means of the body; and the body acts of itself from the soul. The soul does not act by means of the body, because they do not consult and deliberate together; nor does the soul order or beg the body to do this or that, or to speak by its own mouth. Nor does the body demand or request the soul to give it or supply something, for everything of the soul's belongs to the body, and vice versa. It is the same with the Lord's Divine and His Human; for the Divine of the Father is the soul of His Human, and the Human is His body. The Human does not ask its Divine what it is to say or do. Therefore, the Lord says:
On that day you will ask in my name; and I do not tell you that I shall ask the Father for you, for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved me, John 16:26-27.
'On that day' means after His glorification, that is, after His union with the Father was accomplished and completed. This is a secret revealed by the Lord Himself for the benefit of those who are going to belong to His new church.
154. All this may be made clear by various rational considerations; as for example, it is known that when the Apostles had received from the Lord the gift of the Holy Spirit they preached the gospel through a great part of the world, promulgating it both by speech and by writing; and this they did of themselves from the Lord. For Peter taught and wrote in one manner, James in another, John in another, and Paul in another, each according to his own intelligence. The Lord filled them all with His Spirit; but the measure in which each partook of it was in accordance with the character of his perceptions; and this was made use of in accordance with the character of his ability. The Lord fills all the angels in the heavens, for they are in the Lord and the Lord is in them; and yet each one speaks and acts in accordance with the state of his own mind, some with simplicity and some with wisdom, thus with infinite variety; nevertheless everyone speaks of himself from the Lord.
[2] It is the same with every minister of the church, whether he be in truths or in falsities; each one has his own utterance and his own intelligence, and each one speaks from his own mind, that is, from the spirit he possesses. So with all Protestants, whether called Evangelical or Reformed, after they have been instructed in the dogmas taught by Luther, Melancthon, or Calvin. It is not these leaders or their dogmas that speak of themselves through their followers; but their followers speak of themselves from the leaders or the dogmas. Furthermore, each dogma may be explained in a thousand ways, for each is like a cornucopia from which everyone draws what favors and is suited to his genius, and explains it according to his talent.
[3] This may be illustrated by the action of the heart in and upon the lungs, and by the reaction of the lungs of themselves from the heart, the two being distinct, and yet reciprocally united. The lungs breathe of themselves from the heart; but the heart does not breathe through the lungs; if this should take place they would both cease to act. It is the same again with the action of the heart in and into the viscera of the whole body. The heart sends out the blood in all directions, and the viscera draw from it each one its portion in accordance with the nature of the use it performs, and in accordance with that use it acts, thus each in its own way.
[4] The same truth may be illustrated also by the evil derived from parents, which is called hereditary evil; this acts in and into man; in like manner good from the Lord acts, the good acting above or within, and the evil acting below or without. If the evil acted through man he would neither be capable of reformation nor be culpable; or if the good from the Lord acted through man he would be incapable of reformation; but as both good and evil depend on man's free choice he becomes guilty when he acts of himself from evil, and is blameless when he acts of himself from good. And since evil is the devil, and good is the Lord, man becomes guilty when he acts from the devil, and is blameless when he acts from the Lord. It is from this free choice, which every man has, that man is capable of reformation.
[5] It is the same with the entire internal and the entire external in man. These two are distinct, and yet are reciprocally united. The internal acts in and into the external, but not through it; for the internal meditates a thousand things, and from these the external chooses only such as are suited to its use. For in man's internal (by which is meant his voluntary and perceptive mind) there are voluminous heaps of ideas, and if these were to flow forth through man's mouth it would be like a blast from a bellows. As the internal deals with universals it may be compared to an ocean or flower bed or garden, from which the external selects just what is sufficient for its use. Again, the Word of the Lord is like an ocean or a flower bed or a garden, in that when it has place in man's internal in any degree of fullness it does not act through man, but man speaks and acts of himself from the Word. The same is true of the Lord, because He is the Word, that is, the Divine truth and Divine good that are in it. The Lord acts from Himself or from the Word in and into man, and not through him, since man acts and speaks from the Lord freely when he acts and speaks from the Word.
[6] But this may be illustrated more closely by the mutual interaction of the soul and body, which are two distinct things, and yet are reciprocally united. The soul acts in and into the body, not through it; the body acts of itself from the soul. The soul does not act through the body, for the two do not consult and deliberate each with the other, nor does the soul command or ask the body to do this or that, or to speak from its mouth; neither does the body demand or beg the soul to give or supply anything; for every thing that belongs to the soul belongs also to the body, mutually and interchangeably. It is the same with the Divine and the Human of the Lord, for the soul of His Human is the Divine of the Father, and the Human is His body; and the Human does not ask its own Divine to tell it what to say or do. Therefore the Lord says:
In that day ye shall ask in My name; and I say not unto you that I will pray the Father for you, for the Father Himself loveth you because ye have loved Me (John 16:26, 27).
"In that day" means after His glorification, that is, after His perfect and absolute union with the Father. This arcanum is from the Lord Himself, given for those who will be of His new church.
154. This may be further illustrated by the following rational considerations. It is well known that the Apostles, after they had received the gift of the Holy Spirit from the Lord, preached the Gospel throughout a large part of the world, and published it both orally and by writing; and this they did of themselves from the Lord. Peter taught and wrote in one manner, James in another, John in another, and Paul in yet another, each according to his own particular intelligence. The Lord filled them all with His spirit, of which each took a portion according to the character of his own perception, and exercised it according to his ability. All the angels in heaven are filled with the Lord, for they are in the Lord and the Lord in them; but nevertheless each speaks and acts according to the state of his own mind, some simply, some wisely, thus with infinite variety, and yet every one speaks (and acts) of himself from the Lord.
[2] It is the same with every minister in the Church, whether he is in truth or in falsity. Each has his own manner of expression and his own intelligence, and each speaks from his own mind, that is, from the spirit which he possesses as his own. Take for example the case of the Protestants, whether Evangelical or Reformed. After they have been instructed in the dogmas taught by Luther, 1 Melanchthon, 2 or Calvin, 3 these leaders or their dogmas do not speak, of themselves, through their disciples, but the disciples speak, of themselves, from their leaders and their dogmas. Every dogma, moreover, may be explained in a thousand different ways; for each is like a horn of plenty, from which every one takes what favors and suits his own genius, and then explains it according to his own peculiar talent.
[3] This may be illustrated also by the action of the heart in and upon the lungs, and by the reaction of the lungs themselves from the heart. These are two distinct actions, yet reciprocally united, for the lungs respire of themselves from the heart, but not the heart through the lungs; for if this were to happen, the action of both would cease. It is the same with the action of the heart in and upon the internal organs of the whole body; the heart propels the blood in every direction, but the organs draw from it, each one its share according to the use which it performs, and according to which it functions, thus the action of each is different.
[4] The same may also be illustrated by the following considerations. Evil derived from parents, called hereditary evil, acts in and upon man; so also does good from the Lord, the latter from above or from within, the former from beneath or from without. If evil were to act through man, he would not be capable of reformation, nor would he be subject to blame; and likewise, if good from the Lord were to act through man, he would not be capable of reformation; but as each depends on man's free choice, he becomes guilty when he acts of himself from evil, and guiltless when he acts of himself from good. Now since evil is the devil, and good is the Lord, he becomes guilty if he acts from the devil, and guiltless if he acts from the Lord. It is from this free choice, which every man has, that the possibility of his reformation arises.
[5] It is the same with the whole internal and external in man. These are perfectly distinct, but yet reciprocally united; the internal acts in and upon the external, but not through it, as the internal includes innumerable things from which the external chooses only such as are suited to its purposes. For in the internal man, by which is meant his voluntary and perceptive mind, there are vast collections of ideas, and if they were to flow out in speech, it would be like the rush of wind from a pair of bellows. The internal, from the comprehensive nature of what it includes, may be compared to an ocean, or to a bed of flowers, or to a garden, from which the external selects what is adequate for its use. The Word of the Lord is like an ocean, a bed of flowers and a garden: and when it is present in any degree of fulness in the internal of a man, he then speaks and acts of himself from the Word, and not the Word through Him. It is the same with the Lord, because He Himself is the Word; that is, the Divine Truth and the Divine Good therein. The Lord acts of Himself, or from the Word, in and upon man, but not through him, because a man, in freedom, acts and speaks from the Lord when he does so from the Word.
[6] This, however, may be better illustrated by the mutual intercourse between the soul and the body. These two are perfectly distinct, but are reciprocally united; the soul acts in and upon the body, but not through it, while the body acts of itself from the soul. The soul does not act through the body, because they do not consult and deliberate with each other. The soul does not command or request the body to do or to say this or that; nor does the body demand or beg the soul to give or supply anything, for all that belongs to the soul belongs also to the body, mutually and reciprocally. This is the case with the Divine and the Human of the Lord; for the Divine of the Father is the soul of His Human, and the Human is His body; and the Human does not ask His Divine to say what it shall say or do. Therefore the Lord says:
"At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you; for the Father Himself loveth you, because ye have loved me" John 16:26-27.
"At that day" is after the glorification, that is, after perfect and complete union with the Father. This is an interior truth revealed from the Lord Himself for those who will form His New Church.
Footnotes:
1. Luther, Martin, A.D. 1483-1646, the leader of the Protestant Reformation in Germany, was born at Eisleben, Saxony. He was a student at Erfurt in law and divinity, and was ordained priest in A.D. 1507. He left Erfurt for a chair in the university of Wittenberg, where his preaching attracted great attention. Here he made his first public protest against the Romish Church by condemning the sale of indulgences. The Lutheran Church dates its origin from the year A.D. 1520 when Luther was expelled from the Romish Church. It assumed a more definite shape on the publication in A.D. 1530 of the Augsburg Confession. This was drawn up by Melanchthon and Luther as the principal standard of the Church. The final establishment of the Lutheran Church was made possible by the friendly offices of Maurice, Elector of Saxony.
2. Melanchthon, the foremost scholar among the early Protestants, A.D. 1497-1560. He met Luther at Wittenberg where he was professor of Greek. He exercised a powerful influence over Luther, and was mainly responsible for drawing up the Augsburg Confession. On Luther's death he became the leader of the Lutherans.
3. Calvin, John, A.D. 1509-1564, was called by Melanchthon "The theologian of the sixteenth century." He studied law as well as theology, became a Protestant and induced the authorities of Geneva to renounce Popery. The friend of John Knox, he exercised a powerful influence on Scottish Protestantism. His views may be summarized thus: particular election; particular redemption; moral inability in a fallen state; free grace; and ultimate salvation for the elect, notwithstanding many failings and aberrations on the part of the believer. In its leading features his theology is that of Augustine.
154. Haec per plura, quae rationis sunt, illustrari possunt; ut per haec: notum est, quod Apostoli, postquam donati sunt Spiritu Sancto a Domino, praedicaverint Evangelium per multum orbis, et quod hoc promulgaverint ore et scriptis, et hoc fecerunt ex se ipsis a Domino; aliter enim docuit et scripsit Petrus, aliter Jacobus, aliter Johannes, et aliter Paulus, quisque secundum suam intelligentiam; Dominus implevit omnes suo spiritu, sed quisque desumpsit inde spartam 1 secundum qualitatem suae perceptionis, et exsequuti sunt secundum qualitatem suae potentiae. Omnes Angeli in coelis impleti sunt Domino, sunt enim in Domino et Dominus in illis, sed usque quisque loquitur et agit secundum statum suae mentis, quidam simpliciter, quidam sapienter, ita cum infinita varietate, et tamen unusquisque loquitur ex se a Domino.
[2] Simile est cum omni Ministro Ecclesiae, tam illo qui in veris quam qui in falsis est, cuique est suum os et sua intelligentia, et quisque loquitur ex sua mente, hoc est, ex suo spiritu quem possidet. Omnes Protestantes, sive dicantur Evangelici sive Reformati, postquam instructi sunt dogmaticis a Luthero, Melanctone vel Calvino traditis, hi seu dogmatica eorum non loquuntur ex se per illos, sed ipsi ex se ab illis; unumquodvis dogma etiam potest mille modis exponi, est enim quodvis sicut cornucopiae, 2 ex quo quisque depromit quod suo genio favet et adaequatur, et exponit secundum suam dotem. 3
[3] Hoc illustrari potest per cordis actionem in pulmone et in illum, et per pulmonis reactionem ex se a corde; haec sunt duo distincta, at usque reciproce unita; pulmo respirat ex se a corde, non autem cor per pulmonem, si hoc fieret subsisteret utrumque; simile etiam est cum cordis actione in visceribus et in viscera totius corporis; cor emittit sanguinem undequaque, sed viscera inde hauriunt, quodlibet suum pensum secundum quale usus quod praestat, et quoque secundum hoc agit, ita diversimode.
[4] Idem hoc potest illustrari per haec; malum a parentibus, quod vocatur haereditarium, agit in homine et in hominem; similiter bonum a Domino, hoc supra aut intra, illud infra vel extra, si malum ageret per hominem, homo non foret reformabilis, neque foret culpabilis, similiter si bonum a Domino ageret per hominem, nec foret reformabilis, sed quia utrumque pendet a libera electione hominis, fit reus dum ex se a malo agit, et insons dum ex se a bono: nunc quia malum est diabolus, et bonum est Dominus, fit reus si agit a diabolo, ac insons si a Domino; ex libera illa electione, quae cuivis homini est, est quod homo reformari possit.
[5] Simile est cum omni Interno et Externo apud hominem; haec sunt duo distincta, sed usque reciproce unita; Internum agit in Externo et in illud, sed non agit per Externum, Internum enim millia volvit, ex quibus Externum modo desumit accommodata usui; in Interno enim hominis, per quod intelligitur Mens ejus voluntaria et perceptiva, sunt congeries idearum in volumine, quae si effluerent per os hominis, foret sicut ventosum ex folle; Internum, quia universalia volvit, comparari potest Oceano, aut Floreto, aut Horto, ex quibus Externum depromit quantum satis est pro usu: Verbum Domini est sicut Oceanus, Floretum et Hortus, quando Verbum est in aliqua plenitudine in Interno hominis, tunc homo loquitur et agit ex se a Verbo, et non Verbum per illum: simile est cum Domino, quia Ipse est Verbum, hoc est Divinum Verum et Divinum Bonum ibi, Dominus ex se seu ex Verbo agit in homine et in illum, non autem per illum, quia homo libere agit et loquitur a Domino dum a Verbo.
[6] Sed hoc propius illustrari potest per mutuum commercium animae et corporis, quae duo distincta sunt, sed reciproce unita; Anima agit in corpore et in corpus, sed non per corpus, at corpus agit ex se ab anima; quod anima non agat per corpus, est quia non consultant et deliberant inter se, nec anima mandat aut rogat, ut corpus hoc aut illud agat, vel ex ore suo loquatur, neque corpus poscit aut petit, ut anima aliquid det et suppeditet, omne enim animae est corporis, mutuo et vicissim: simile est cum Divino et Humano Domini, est enim Divinum Patris Anima Humani Ipsius, et Humanum est Corpus Ipsius, et Humanum non petit a Divino suo ut dicat quid loquuturum et operaturum est, quare dicit Dominus, In illo die in Nomine meo petetis et non dico vobis, quod Ego petiturus sim Patrem pro vobis, Ipse namque Pater amat vos, quia Me amastis, Johannes 16:26-27: in illo die est post glorificationem, hoc est, post perfectam et absolutam unionem cum Patre. Hoc Arcanum est ab Ipso Domino pro illis qui e nova Ipsius Ecclesia erunt.
Footnotes: