六、人的灵即其心智，以及凡由此发出的一切
156# 六、人的灵即其心智，以及凡由此发出的一切。
就具体意义而言，“人的灵”所指的无非是人的心智；因为心智才是死后继续活着的部分，那时便称为灵。若是善的，便是天使性的灵，后来成为天使；若是恶的，便是撒但性的灵，后来成为撒但。每个人的心智，便是他的内在人；这内在人实际就是人，并且在构成其身体的外在人里面。因此，当身体被抛弃时——这事借着死亡而发生——人便处于完整的人形之中。
由此可知，凡以为人的心智仅在头脑之中的人，实属错误。心智在那里只是处于本源原则之中；凡人凭理智所思想、凭意志所行动的一切，都是首先从这些原则发出的。但在身体中，心智则处于由这些原则而来的事物之中；这些事物被形成为感受与行动之用。又因心智在内里附着于身体之物，便将感觉与运动注入其中，并且也灌输一种知觉，使身体仿佛由自己思想、由自己行动；但凡有智慧的人都知道，这不过是谬见。
如今，既然人的灵凭理智思想，并凭意志行动；而身体不是由自己思想行动，乃是从灵思想行动，那么，由“人的灵”所指的，就是人的聪明和爱的情感，以及凡从这二者发出并运行的一切。人的灵表示这些属于心智之物，这一点从圣言中许多地方可以清楚看出；只要把这些地方列举出来，任何人都能看见，它们所指的无非就是这些。众多经文中略举数处如下：
比撒列“充满了智慧、聪明和知识的灵”（出31:3）；尼布甲尼撒论到但以理，说他里面有“卓越的灵，有知识、聪明和智慧”（但4:5；5:12、14）；约书亚“充满智慧的灵”（申34:9）；“你们要为自己造一个新心和新灵”（结18:31）；“灵里贫穷的人有福了，因为天国是他们的”（太5:3）；“我住在痛悔谦卑的灵里，为要使谦卑人的灵苏醒”（赛57:15）；“上帝所要的祭，就是破碎的灵”（诗51:17）；我要赐下“赞美的外衣，代替忧伤的灵”（赛61:3）。此外还有别处。
“灵”也表示败坏而不义的心智之物，这从以下经文可以看出：“他说到那些愚昧的先知，他们随从自己的灵而行”（结13:3）；“你们怀的是糠秕，生的是碎秸；至于你们的灵，火必吞灭你们”（赛33:11）；“那随灵游荡、吐出谎言的人”（弥2:11）；“这一代……他们的灵向上帝并不坚定”（诗78:8）；“淫乱的灵”（何5:4；4:12）；“使一切心都融化……使一切灵都萎缩”（结21:12；英文本21:7）；“你们灵里所起的，必永不成就”（结20:32）；“只要他灵里没有诡诈”（诗32:2）；法老的灵不安（创41:8）；尼布甲尼撒的灵也同样不安（但2:3）。
由这些以及许多其他经文可以明显看出：“灵”表示人的心智，以及属于心智的事物。
156# （6）人的灵就是他的心智和从它发出的一切。从这个词的严格意义上来说，人的灵仅仅是指他的心智，因为死后，正是这心智仍活着，那时它被称为灵：若是善的，就是天使灵，然后是天使；若是恶的，就是撒但灵，然后是撒但。每个人的心智都是他的内在人，即真正的人，或实际上的这个人，住在构成他身体的外在人里面；因此，当身体通过死亡而脱去时，内在人就处于完整的人的形式。因此，那些以为人的心智只住在头部里面的人是错误的。在头部，它只存在于初始结构中，人出于其理解力所思考的一切，和出于其意愿所做的一切，都首先从这些初始结构中发出；在身体中，它存在于为感觉和行动而形成的衍生物中。由于心智始终附着于身体结构，或说与它们内在相连，所以它赋予它们感觉和运动。它还激发一种感觉，好像身体凭自己思考和行动；但每个智者都知道，这是一个谬误。由于人的灵出于理解力思考，出于意愿行动，还由于身体不是从它自己那里，而是从灵那里行动，所以可推知，人的灵是指他的聪明和他的爱之情感，以及从它们发出并运作的一切。“人的灵”表示诸如属于心智的那类事物，这一点从圣言中的许多经文明显看出来。只需引用其中少量经文，谁都能看出，这就是“灵”的含义。以下就是从众多经文中所取的少量经文；出埃及记：
比撒列被智慧、理解或聪明和知识的灵充满。（出埃及记31:3）
但以理书：
论到但以理，尼布甲尼撒说他里头有美好的灵，有知识、理解或聪明和智慧。（但以理书5:11，12）
申命记：
约书亚充满智慧的灵。（申命记34:9）
以西结书：
你们要造一个新心和一个新灵。（以西结书18:31）
马太福音：
灵里贫穷的人有福了，因为天国是他们的。（马太福音5:3）
以赛亚书：
我住在痛悔和谦卑的灵里，要使谦卑人的灵苏醒。（以赛亚书57:15）
诗篇：
神所要的祭，就是破碎的灵。（诗篇51:17）
以赛亚书：
我要赐赞美衣代替忧伤之灵。（以赛亚书61:3）
以及其它地方。“灵”也表示诸如属于败坏和邪恶心智的那类事物，这一点从以下经文明显看出来：
祂对愚顽的先知说，他们随从自己的灵。（以西结书13:3）
你们怀的是糠秕，生的是碎秸；至于你们的灵，火必吞灭你们。（以赛亚书33:11）
在灵里游荡，说谎的人。（弥迦书2:11）
灵对神不坚定的一代。（诗篇78:8）
淫乱的灵。（何西阿书5:4; 4:12）
每一颗心都必融化，每一个灵都必昏厥。（以西结书21:7）
你们的灵里所起的，万不能成就。（以西结书20:32）
灵里没有诡诈的。（诗篇32:2）
法老的灵烦乱。（创世记41:8）
尼布甲尼撒的灵烦乱。（但以理书2:3）
从这些和其它众多经文中很清楚地看出，“灵”表示人的心智和属于它的一切。
156. 6. Our spirits are our minds and whatever comes from them. Our "spirit" really means nothing else but our mind. Our mind is what lives on after death. It is then called a spirit. If it is good, it is called an angelic spirit and later on an angel. If it is evil, it is called a satanic spirit and later on a satan. For each one of us, our mind is our inner self, our true self. It lives inside our outer self that constitutes our body. When our body is cast aside, which death does for us, we are in a complete human form.
People are wrong, then, to believe that our mind exists only in our head. Our mind is present in our head only in its primary structures. Everything that we think with our intellect and do from our will first emanates from these primary structures. In the rest of our body, our mind is present in extensions of these primary structures that have been designed to allow us sensation and action. Because our mind is inwardly connected to the parts of our body, our mind supplies those parts with sensation and motion and also inspires awareness as if our body thought and acted on its own, although every wise person knows this is not how it is.
Now, because our spirit thinks with its intellect and acts with its will, and our body thinks and acts not on its own but with the help of our spirit, it follows that our "spirit" means our intelligence and our type of love, as well as whatever emanates from our love and intelligence and has an effect.
Many passages in the Word make clear that our "spirit" means the nature of our mind. When I quote only a few of these passages, anyone will be able to see that this is exactly what "spirit" means. The following are just a few of the many:
And Bezaleel was filled with the spirit of wisdom, intelligence, and knowledge. (Exodus 31:3)
Nebuchadnezzar said of Daniel that there was "an excellent spirit" of knowledge, intelligence, and wisdom in him (Daniel 5:12).
Joshua was filled with the spirit of wisdom. (Deuteronomy 34:9)
Make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. (Ezekiel 18:31)
Blessed are the poor in spirit, because the kingdom of the heavens consists of such people. (Matthew 5:3)
I live among people with a beaten and humble spirit so that I may revive the spirit of the lowly. (Isaiah 57:15)
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. (Psalms 51:17)
I will give a cloak of praise to replace a constricted spirit. (Isaiah 61:3)
And so on.
"Spirit" can also mean the nature of a corrupt and unjust mind, as the following passages make clear:
He spoke to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit. (Ezekiel 13:3)
Conceive garbage, give birth to stubble; in your spirit, fire will consume you. (Isaiah 33:11)
A man who is a wanderer in his spirit and who babbles a lie. (Micah 2:11)
A generation whose spirit was not steadfast with God. (Psalms 78:8)
A spirit of promiscuity. (Hosea 5:4; 4:12)
To melt every heart and constrict every spirit. (Ezekiel 21:7)
What has come up in your spirit will never be done. (Ezekiel 20:32)
Provided there is no guile in their spirit. (Psalms 32:2)
The spirit of Pharaoh was disturbed. (Genesis 41:8)
Likewise the spirit of Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 2:3). These and many other passages make it obvious that our "spirit" means our mind and its characteristics.
156. (vi) A PERSON'S SPIRIT IS HIS MIND, AND WHATEVER COMES FROM IT.
A person's spirit, regarded as an object, is nothing but his mind. It is this which lives on after death, and it is then called a spirit; if he is good, an angelic spirit and later an angel, if wicked, a satanic spirit and afterwards a Satan. Everyone's mind is his internal man, which is the real person and resides within the external man composed of his body. So when the body is cast off as the result of death, the internal man has a fully human form. Those, then, are in error who believe that a person's mind resides only in his head. There it is only in its beginnings, from which first emerge everything a person's understanding allows him to think and his will induces him to do. But in the body the mind is present in derivatives from those beginnings, and these have been so constructed as to permit sensation and action. Since it is inwardly attached to the bodily structures, it imparts to them sensation and movement, together with a feeling that the body thinks and acts of itself. Yet every intelligent person knows that this is a fallacy. Now since a person's spirit is allowed by his understanding to think and is induced by his will to act, and the body does not do so of itself but from the spirit, it follows that a person's spirit means his intelligence and the affection of his love, and everything which comes from it and acts.
[2] There are numerous passages in the Word to prove that a person's spirit means such things as are to do with the mind; their mere quotation will show anyone that this is so. The following are a few among many:
Bezaleel was filled with the spirit of wisdom, intelligence and knowledge, Exodus 31:3.
Nebuchadnezzar said of Daniel that an outstanding spirit of knowledge, intelligence and wisdom was in him, Daniel 5:12, 14.
Joshua was filled with the spirit of wisdom, Deuteronomy 34:9.
Make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit, Ezekiel 18:31.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for of such is the kingdom of the heavens, Matthew 5:3.
I dwell in a broken and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, Isaiah 57:15.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, Psalms 51:17.
I will give a cloak of praise in place of a depressed spirit, Isaiah 61:3.
Spirit also stands for the products of a wrong and unjust mind, as these passages prove:
He said to the foolish prophets, who run after their own spirit, Ezekiel 13:3.
Conceive chaff, bring forth stubble; as to your spirit, fire shall devour you, Isaiah 33:11.
A man who is in spirit a vagabond and utters a lie, Micah 2:11.
A generation whose spirit is not steadfast with God, Psalms 78:8.
A spirit of whoring, Hosea 4:12; 5:4.
That every heart may melt and every spirit be depressed, Ezekiel 21:7.
That which rises upon your spirit shall never be, Ezekiel 20:32.
Provided there is no deceit in his spirit, Psalms 32:2.
The spirit of Pharaoh was troubled, Genesis 41:8.
Likewise that of Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel 2:3.
These and very many other passages plainly establish that spirit means a person's mind and what is to do with it.
156. (6) The spirit of man is his mind and whatever proceeds from it. In the concrete, man's spirit means simply his mind; for this it is that lives after death, and it is then called a spirit-if good, an angelic spirit and afterwards an angel, if evil, a satanic spirit and afterwards a satan. The mind of everyone is his internal man, which is actually the man, and resides within the external man which constitutes his body; consequently when the body is cast off, which is effected by its death, the internal is in a complete human form. Therefore they err who believe that man's mind resides only in the head; it is there in principles only, from which everything that man thinks from his understanding or does from his will first proceeds; but in the body it is in derivatives, which are formed for sensation and action. And because the mind invariably adheres to the bodily structures it imparts to them sensation and motion; and it also inspires them with a perception that the body thinks and acts of itself, although this latter is a fallacy, as every wise man knows. Since, then, the spirit of man thinks from the understanding and acts from the will, and since the body acts not from itself but from the spirit, it follows that the spirit of man means his intelligence and his love's affection and whatever goes forth and operates from these. That "the spirit of man" signifies such things as pertain to the mind is evident from many passages in the Word. That this is their meaning anyone can see as soon as they are presented. The following are a few passages from among many:
Bezaleel was filled with the spirit of wisdom and understanding and knowledge (Exodus 31:3).
Nebuchadnezzar said of Daniel that an excellent spirit of knowledge and understanding and wisdom was found in him (Daniel 5:11, 12).
Joshua was full of the spirit of wisdom (Deuteronomy 34:9).
Make you a new heart and a new spirit (Ezekiel 18:31).
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for of such is the kingdom of the heavens (Matthew 5:3).
I dwell in the contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble (Isaiah 57:15).
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit (Psalms 51:17).
I will give the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness (Isaiah 61:3). (And elsewhere.)
That "the spirit" signifies also such things as pertain to a perverse and wicked mind is evident from the following:
He said to the foolish prophets that go away after their own spirit (Ezekiel 13:3).
Conceive chaff, bring forth stubble; as to your spirit, fire shall devour you (Isaiah 33:11).
A man who is a wanderer in spirit and uttereth falsehood (Micah 2:11).
A generation whose spirit is not constant with God (Psalms 78:8).
The spirit of whoredoms (Hosea 5:4; 4:12).
That every heart may melt, and every spirit faint (Ezekiel 21:7).
That which ascendeth upon your spirit shall never come to pass (Ezekiel 20:32).
In whose spirit there is no guile (Psalms 32:2).
Pharaoh's spirit was troubled (Genesis 41:8);
So also was Nebuchadnezzar's (Daniel 2:3).
From these and numerous other passages it is clearly evident that the "spirit" signifies the mind of man and such things as pertain thereto.
156. (6) A MAN'S SPIRIT IS HIS MIND, AND WHATEVER PROCEEDS FROM IT.
By a man's spirit, in the strict sense of the term, is meant simply his mind, for it is this which lives after death, and is then called a spirit; if good, an angelic spirit, and afterwards an angel; but if evil, a satanic spirit, and afterwards a satan. The mind of every man is the internal, or real man, and is within the external man, which constitutes its body; therefore, when the body is laid aside at death, the internal man is in a complete human form. So they are mistaken who suppose that a man's mind is only in his head. It is there only in the principles from which first proceeds everything that a man thinks from the understanding and does from the will. Moreover, it resides in the body in derivatives formed for sensation and action; and because it is inwardly connected with the bodily structures, it imparts to them sensation and motion. It also inspires a sort of perception that the body thinks and acts of itself; but every wise man knows that this is a fallacy. Now because a man's spirit thinks from the understanding and acts from the will, and because the body does not act from itself but from the spirit, it follows that a man's spirit means his intelligence and the affection of his love, and whatever proceeds and acts from them. That a man's spirit signifies such things as pertain to his mind, is obvious from many passages in the Word, which need only to be quoted to show that it is so. The following are a few taken from many.
Bezaleel "was filled with the spirit of wisdom, understanding and knowledge" Exodus 31:3.
Nebuchadnezzar testified of Daniel, that "an excellent spirit of knowledge and understanding and wisdom was in him" Daniel 5:12.
"Joshua... was full of the spirit of wisdom" Deuteronomy 34:9.
"Make you a new heart and anew spirit" Ezekiel 18:31.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" Matthew 5:3.
"I dwell... in a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble" Isaiah 57:15.
"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit" Psalms 51:17.
I will give "the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness" Isaiah 61:3; besides other passages to the same effect.
That spirit also signifies such things as relate to a perverse and wicked mind is evident from these passages:
He said to the foolish prophets "that follow their own spirit" Ezekiel 13:3.
"Ye shall conceive chaff; ye shall bring forth stubble: as to your spirit (A.V., breath) fire shall devour you. Isaiah 33:11.
"If a man walking in the spirit... and do lie" Micah 2:11.
"A generation... whose spirit was not steadfast with God" Psalms 78:8.
"The spirit of whoredoms" Hosea 5:4; 4:12.
"Every heart shall melt and every spirit shall faint" Ezekiel 21:7.
"That which cometh into your spirit (A.V., mind), shall not be at all" Ezekiel 20:32.
"And in whose spirit there is no guile" Psalms 32:2.
The spirit of Pharaoh was troubled, Genesis 41:8.
and also the spirit of Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel 2:2.
From these and many other passages it is clearly manifest that the spirit signifies the mind of man, and whatever belongs to it.
156. VI. QUOD SPIRITUS HOMINIS SIT EJUS MENS, ET QUICQUID EX ILLO PROCEDIT. Per Spiritum hominis in concreto non aliud intelligitur quam Mens ejus, haec enim est quae vivit post mortem, et tunc vocatur spiritus, si bonus, Spiritus angelicus et postea angelus, si malus, Spiritus satanicus, et postea satanas. Mens cujusvis hominis est Internus ejus homo, qui actualiter est homo, et intus in Externo homine, qui facit corpus ejus, quare dum rejicitur corpus, quod fit per mortem, est in plena forma humana. Errant itaque, qui credunt quod Mens hominis modo sit in Capite; ibi solum est in principiis, ex quibus primum exit omne quod homo ex intellectu cogitat et ex voluntate agit; in corpore autem est in principiatis, formatis ad sentiendum et agendum; et quia intus adhaeret corporeis, infert illis sensum et motum, et quoque inspirat perceptionem, sicut corpus cogitet et agat ex se, sed quod hoc sit fallacia, omnis sapiens novit. Nunc quia spiritus hominis ex intellectu cogitat et ex voluntate agit, et corpus non ex se sed ex illo, sequitur quod per spiritum hominis intelligatur ejus intelligentia et amoris affectio, et quicquid ex illis procedit et operatur.
[2] Quod spiritus hominis talia quae mentis sunt, significet, constat ex multis locis in Verbo, quae dum modo adducuntur, a quovis videri potest, quod non aliud sit: 1 ex multis sint haec pauca, Bezaleel est 2 impletus spiritu sapientiae, 3 intelligentiae et scientiae, Exodus 31:3. Nebuchadnezar de Daniele, quod spiritus excellens, scientiae, intelligentiae et sapientiae esset in eo, Daniel 5:12. 4 Impletus est Jehoschua spiritu sapientiae, Deuteronomius 34:9. Facite vobis cor novum et spiritum novum, Ezechiel 18:31. Beati pauperes spiritu, quia talium est Regnum Coelorum, Matthaeus 5:3. Habito in contrito et humili spiritu, ad vivificandum spiritum humilium, Esaias 57:15. Sacrificia Dei spiritus infractus, Psalm 51:19. 5 Dabo pallium laudis loco spiritus contracti, Esaias 61:3, praeter alibi; Quod spiritus significet talia quae Mentis perversae et iniquae sunt, constat ex his: Dixit prophetis stultis, qui abeunt post spiritum suum, Ezechiel 13:3. Concipite quisquilias, parite stipulam, quoad spiritum vestrum, ignis comedet vos, Esaias 33:11. Vir qui vagabundus spiritu, et mendacium effutit, Micham 2:11. 6 Generatio, cujus non constans cum Deo spiritus, Psalm 78:8. Spiritus scortationum, Hoschea 5:4; 4:12. 7 Ut liquescat omne cor, et contrahatur omnis spiritus, Ezechiel 21:12. 8 Quod ascendit super spiritum vestrum, non fiet unquam, Ezechiel 20:32. 9 Modo non in spiritu ejus dolus, Psalm 32:2. Spiritus Pharaonis turbatus est, Genesis 41:8, similiter Nebuchadnezaris, Daniel 2:3. Ex his et perpluribus aliis locis manifeste constat, quod spiritus significet mentem hominis, et talia quae Mentis sunt.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: sint.
2. Sic Errores Typographici.
3. Prima editio: spiritusapientiae.
4. Prima editio: Daniel 4:5.
5. Sic Schmidt et Biblia Hebraica, sed 51:17 apud Biblia Anglica.
6. Prima editio: Micham 2.
7. Prima editio: Sach.
8. Sic Schmidt et Biblia Hebraica, sed 21:7 apud Biblia Anglica.
9. Prima editio: XII.