二、灵义存在于圣言整体及其一切细节之中
196# 灵义存在于圣言整体及其一切细节之中。这一点，莫若由例证来看得更清楚；例证如下。约翰在启示录中说：“我观看，见天开了。有一匹白马，骑在马上的称为诚信真实，他审判、争战都按着公义。他的眼睛如火焰，他头上戴着许多冠冕；又有写着的名字，除了他自己没有人知道。他穿着溅了血的衣服；他的名称为神之道。在天上的众军骑着白马，穿着细麻衣，又白又洁，跟随他。……在他衣服和大腿上有名写着说：万王之王，万主之主。我又看见一位天使站在日头中，向天空所飞的鸟大声喊着说：你们聚集来赴神的大筵席，可以吃君王与将军的肉、壮士与马和骑马者的肉，并一切自主的、为奴的，以及大小人民的肉。”（启19:11—18）
这些话究竟表示什么，除非由圣言的灵义，无人能看见；而除非藉对应知识，也无人能看见灵义；因为所有词语皆为对应，没有一个词是空虚的。对应知识教导人：“白马”表示什么，“骑在其上者”表示什么，“如火焰的眼睛”表示什么，头上的“冠冕”表示什么，“溅了血的衣服”表示什么，天上祂军中之人所穿“又白又洁的细麻衣”表示什么，“站在日头中的天使”表示什么，他们受邀前来聚集的“大筵席”表示什么，以及他们所要吃的“君王的肉”“将军的肉”和许多其他人的肉表示什么。
【2】至于这些各自在灵义中表示什么，可参见《揭秘启示录》（820—838节）以及《白马》小册中的解释；故此处不再进一步阐释。那里已经说明，此处所描绘的是作为圣言的主；“祂的眼睛如火焰”，意指祂神性之爱的神性智慧；头上的“冠冕”以及“除了祂自己没有人知道的名”，意指由祂而来的圣言神性真理；并且，除主以及主向其启示的人之外，无人看见圣言在灵义中为何如。又说明，“溅了血的衣服”意指圣言的属世意义，即其字义，此义遭受了暴力。这里所描绘的是圣言，明明可见，因为经上说：“他的名称为神之道。”这里所指的是主，也明明可见，因为经上说，骑在白马者的名是“万王之王，万主之主”；这与启示录十七章十四节相同，那里说：“羔羊必胜过他们，因为羔羊是万主之主、万王之王。”
【3】圣言的灵义将在教会末期被开启，不仅由那些关于白马和骑在其上者的话来表示，也由那大筵席来表示；那筵席是藉站在日头中的天使，邀请众人前来吃君王的肉、将军的肉等等。借此表示从主而来的一切良善之归己。若没有灵义内在于这些表达之中，如灵魂在身体之内，则其中所有说法都将是空洞之词，没有生命，也没有灵。
196# （2）灵义就在整部圣言和它的每个部分中。看到这一点的最好方式就是通过下面的例子。在启示录，约翰说：
我看见天开了，见有一匹白马；骑在马上的称为忠信真实，祂审判、争战都按着公义。祂的眼睛如火焰，祂头上戴着许多冠冕，又有写着的名字，除了祂自己没有人知道。祂穿着浸满血的衣服，祂名称为神的圣言。在天上的众军骑着白马，穿着细麻衣，又白又洁，跟随祂。在祂衣服和大腿上有名写着，万王之王，万主之主。我又看见一位天使站在日头中，大声呼喊说，你们来，聚集来赴大筵席；可以吃君王的肉，千夫长的肉，壮士的肉，马和骑马者的肉，并自由的，为奴的，小的大的，众人的肉。（启示录19:11-18）
除非从圣言的灵义来看，否则没有人能明白这些话的意思。除非知道对应关系，否则没有人能看到灵义，因为所有这些话都是对应，没有一句话是没有意义的。对应学教导了“白马”、“骑在马上的”、“如火焰的眼睛”、“头上的冠冕”、“浸满血的衣服”、天上众军所穿的“白细麻衣”、“站在日头中的天使”、天上的飞鸟来并聚集来赴的“大筵席”，以及它们要吃的“君王和千夫长的肉”，以及其他许多人的肉表示什么。
至于每一个细节在灵义上都表示什么，可参看《揭秘启示录》（820-838节）和《白马》这本小著中的解释；因此，没有必要在此详细解释它们。这些书已经说明，在刚才所引用的这段经文中，经上描述了在圣言方面的主。“如火焰的眼睛”是指祂的神性之爱的神性智慧；“头上的冠冕”和“除了祂自己没有人知道的名字”是指来自祂的圣言的神性真理，除了主和祂所揭示给的人外，没有人知道圣言在灵义上的性质。“浸满血的衣服”是指圣言的属世意义，即字义，它已经被施暴。很明显，经上如此描述的，正是圣言，因为经上说：“祂名称为神的圣言。”同样清楚的是，所指的是主，因为经上说：“骑在白马上的那一位的名字是万王之王、万主之主。”这里的“万王之王、万主之主”与启示录17:14中的是一样的，在那里，经上说：“羔羊必胜过他们，因为祂是万主之主、万王之王。”
圣言的灵义将在教会结束时被揭开，这一点不仅由论到“白马”和“骑在马上的那一位”的话来表示，而且还由站在日头中的天使邀请所有人来赴的大筵席来表示，他们可以吃君王和千夫长等等的肉；吃这些东西表示将来自主的一切良善都变成人自己的，或说都融入自己。所有这些表述都将没有意义，都是空话，没有生命和灵，除非它们里面有灵义，就像灵魂在身体里面一样。
196. 2. There is a spiritual meaning throughout the Word and in every part of it. The best way to see this is through examples as follows:
In the Book of Revelation John says,
I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. The One sitting on it was called faithful and true, who judges with justice and does battle. His eyes were like a flame of fire. On his head were many gems. He had a name written that no one knew except him. He was dressed in blood-stained clothing. His name was the Word of God. His armies in heaven followed him on white horses; they were dressed in linen that was white and clean. On his clothing and on his thigh he had a name written: King of Kings and Lord of Lord's. Then I saw an angel standing in the sun who was crying with a great voice, "Come and gather yourselves for the great feast, that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of commanders, the flesh of the mighty, the flesh of horses and those who ride on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slaves, small and great. " (Revelation 19:11-18)
No one can see what these words mean except from the Word's spiritual meaning. We cannot see the spiritual meaning unless we work with the study of correspondences. All these words are correspondences; not a word is pointless. The study of correspondences teaches the meaning of the white horse, the One sitting on it, the eyes like a flame of fire, the gems on his head, the blood-stained clothing, the white linen worn by the members of his army from heaven, the angel standing in the sun, the great feast to which people should come and gather themselves, and the flesh of kings and commanders and of many other people and things that they were supposed to eat.
[2] For what each detail means spiritually, see the explanations in Revelation Unveiled 820-838. See also the small work White Horse. Because of those treatments, I will forgo a detailed explanation here. There I have shown that this passage describes the Lord in his role as the Word. His eyes that were like a flame of fire mean the divine wisdom that comes from his divine love. The gems on his head and the name that no one knows except him mean the divine truths of the Word that come from him and the fact that no one sees the nature of the Word in its spiritual meaning except the Lord and anyone to whom he reveals it. The blood-stained clothing means the Word's earthly meaning, its literal meaning, that has had violence inflicted upon it.
It is obvious that the Word is being described, because it says, "His name is the Word of God. " It is also obvious that the passage refers to the Lord, because it says that the name of the One sitting on the white horse was King of Kings and Lord of Lord's. This is like Revelation 17:14, where it says, "The Lamb will conquer them because he is Lord of Lord's and King of Kings. "
[3] The necessity for the Word's spiritual aspect to be revealed when the church comes to an end - this is the inner meaning of what is said of the white horse and the One sitting on it. It is also the meaning of an angel standing in the sun, extending an invitation to all to come and eat the flesh of kings and commanders and so on. Eating these things means our incorporation into ourselves of everything that is good from the Lord.
All the expressions in this passage would be pointless words, words without life or spirit, if there were no spiritual meaning inside them like the soul in a body.
196. (ii) THE SPIRITUAL SENSE IS PRESENT IN EVERY PART AND DETAIL OF THE WORD.
This can be seen by examples, such as the following. John says in Revelation:
I saw heaven open, and there was a white horse; and he who sat on it was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and fights. And his eyes were a flame of fire; and on his head were many diadems. He had a name written, which no one but he knows. And he was clothed in a garment dyed in blood; and his name is called The Word of God. His armies in heaven followed him on white horses, clothed in white, clean linen. He has written on his garment and on his thigh his name: King of kings and Lord of lords. I saw further an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice, Come and gather for the great feast, to eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of captains and the flesh of strong men, and the flesh of horses and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all free men and slaves, both small and great, Revelation 19:11-18.
No one can see what all this means except from the spiritual sense of the Word; and no one can see this except by knowing the correspondences. For every word corresponds to something and not one is without meaning. A knowledge of correspondences shows the meaning of 'a white horse', 'him who sat on it', 'eyes like a flame of fire', the 'diadems' on his head, 'the garment dyed in blood', 'the white linen' worn by His army in heaven, 'the angel standing in the sun', 'the great feast' to which they were to come and gather, as well as 'the flesh of kings and captains' and many more, which they were to eat.
[2] The meaning in the spiritual sense of all these details has been expounded in My Apocalypse Revealed (820-838), and my short work THE WHITE HORSE, so it would be superfluous to expound them further. It was shown there that this is a description of the Lord as the Word. His eyes like a flame of fire mean the Divine wisdom of His Divine love. The diadems on His head and the name which no one but He knows mean the Divine truths in the Word which come from Him, and that no one sees what the Word is like in its spiritual sense except the Lord and those to whom He reveals it. A garment dyed in blood means the natural sense of the Word, that is, the literal sense, to which violence was done. It is quite plain that it is the Word which is so described, for it says 'His name is called The Word of God.' It is also quite plain that it is the Lord who is meant, for it says that the name of him who sat on the white horse was 'King of kings and Lord of lords', much as in Revelation 17:14, where it says: 'And the Lamb shall overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings'.
[3] The spiritual sense of the Word being laid bare at the end of the church is what is meant not only by what is said about the white horse and him who sat on it, but also by the great feast, to which the angel standing in the sun invited all to come, and to eat the flesh of kings and captains, etc.; this means making one's own all the kinds of good given by the Lord. All the expressions used there would be meaningless, devoid of life and spirit, if they did not inwardly contain a spiritual sense, just as the body contains a soul.
196. (2) The spiritual sense is in each and every part of the Word. This can be best seen by example, as in the following. In the Apocalypse John says:
I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He that sat upon him was called faithful and true, and in righteousness He doth judge and make war. And His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems, having a name written that no man but Himself knoweth. And He was clothed in a garment dyed in blood and His name is called The Word of God. His armies in heaven were following Him upon white horses, and were clothed in fine linen, white and clean. He hath on His garment and on His thigh a name written King of kings and Lord of lords. I saw also an angel standing in the sun, who cried with a loud voice, Come and be gathered together unto the great supper; that ye may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of commanders of thousands and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of those that sit on them, and the flesh of all, free and bond, small and great (19:11-18).
What these words signify no one can see except from the spiritual sense of the Word; and no one can see the spiritual sense except from a knowledge of correspondences for all these words are correspondences, and not one of them is void of meaning. The science of correspondences teaches the significance of "the white horse," of "Him who sat upon him," of "His eyes" which were "like a flame of fire," of "the diadems on His head," "the garment dyed in blood," "the white linen" with which those were clothed who belonged to His army in heaven, of "the angel standing in the sun," of "the great supper" to which the fowls of heaven "came and were gathered together" and of "the flesh of kings and commanders of thousands" and many others whose flesh they were to eat.
[2] But what each particular thing signifies in the spiritual sense can be seen explained in the Apocalypse Revealed (n. 820-838) and also in the little work on The White Horse; therefore further explanation of them is unnecessary. It is there shown that it is the Lord as to the Word who is described; and that by "His eyes which were like a flame of fire" the Divine wisdom of His Divine love is meant; and by "the diadems on His head" and "the name which no one but Himself knew" the Divine truths of the Word from Him are meant, and that the nature of the Word in its spiritual sense is seen by none but the Lord and him to whom He reveals it; also by "His garment dyed in blood" the natural sense of the Word is meant, which is the sense of the letter, to which violence has been done. It is very clear that it is the Word that is thus described, for it is said, "His name is called the Word of God." That it is the Lord who is meant is equally clear, for it is said that the name of the One sitting upon the white horse was, "King of kings and Lord of lords," the same as in Revelation 17:14, where it is said, "And the Lamb shall overcome them; for He is Lord of lords and King of kings."
[3] That the spiritual sense of the Word is to be opened at the end of the church is signified not only by what is said of the white horse and Him who sat upon it, but also by the great supper to which the angel standing in the sun invited all [the fowls of heaven] to come, and to eat the flesh of kings, of commanders of thousands, and so forth; by which is signified the appropriation of all goods from the Lord. All these expressions would be empty words, and without life and spirit, if there were no spiritual sense with in them like the soul in the body.
196. (2) THE SPIRITUAL SENSE IS IN THE WHOLE OF THE WORD, AND IN EVERY PART OF IT.
This cannot be better seen than from examples, such as the following: John says in the Revelation:
"I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse; and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True; and in righteousness He doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns; and He had a name written that no man knew but He Himself: And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood; and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean... And He hath on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying, Come and gather yourselves together unto the great supper (A.V., the supper of the great God); That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all, free and bond, both small and great" Revelation 19:11-18.
What these words signify no one can see but from the spiritual sense of the Word; and no one can see the spiritual sense of the Word but from a knowledge of correspondences, for all the words are correspondences and not one is without meaning. The science of correspondences teaches the signification of a white horse, of Him that sat upon it, of His eyes which were like a flame of fire, of the crowns which were on His head, of the vesture dipped in blood, of the white linen with which they who were of His army in heaven were clothed, of the angel standing in the sun, of the great supper to which they should come and gather themselves, and also of the flesh of kings, captains and many others which they were to eat.
[2] The particular signification of each of those things in the spiritual sense may be seen explained in The Apocalypse Revealed 820-838; and also in the small work on "The White Horse;" it is therefore unnecessary to explain them here at great length. In those books it is shown that in the passage just quoted the Lord is described as to the Word. By His eyes, which were as a flame of fire, is meant the Divine Wisdom of His Divine Love; by the crowns, which were on His head, and by the name which no one knew but Himself, are meant the Divine truths of the Word from Him, and that no one knows what the Word is in its spiritual sense, except the Lord and those to whom He reveals it; also, by His vesture dipped in blood is meant the natural sense of the Word, which is the sense of its Letter, to which violence had been done. It is very evident that it is the Word which is thus described, for it is said, "His name is called The Word of God." It is also clear that it is the Lord who is meant, for it is said that the name of Him who sat upon the white horse was "King of kings and Lord of lords," the same term being used in Revelation 17:14, where it is said: "And the Lamb shall overcome them: for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings." That the spiritual sense of the Word would be revealed at the end of the Church is signified not only by what is said of the white horse, and of Him that sat upon it, but also by the great supper to which all were invited to come by the angel standing in the sun, to eat the flesh of kings and captains and the rest, by which is meant the appropriation of good of all kinds from the Lord. All these expressions would be without meaning, and without life and spirit, unless there was within them a spiritual sense, as the soul is within the body.
196. II. QUOD SENSUS SPIRITUALIS IN OMNIBUS ET SINGULIS VERBI SIT, non melius videri potest, quam ab Exemplis; quae sint haec sequentia. Dicit Johannes in Apocalypsi, Vidi Coelum apertum, cum ecce Equus Albus, et qui Sedens super eo vocabatur Fidelis et Verus, qui in Justitia judicat et pugnat: et Oculi ejus flamma ignis; ac super Capite Ejus diademata multa, habens Nomen scriptum, quod nemo scit nisi Ipse: et indutus erat vestimento tincto sanguine; et vocatur Nomen Ipsius VERBUM DEI. Exercitus Ejus 1 in Coelo sequebantur Ipsum super Equis albis, induti byssinum album et mundum. Habet super vestimento et super femore suo Nomen scriptum REX REGUM ET DOMINUS DOMINORUM. Vidi porro unum Angelum stantem in Sole, qui clamavit voce magna, venite et congregamini ad Coenam magnam, ut comedatis carnes regum, et carnes chiliarchorum, et carnes fortium, et carnes equorum et sedentium super illis, et carnes omnium liberorum et servorum, et parvorum et magnorum, Cap. Apocalypsis 19:11-18. Quid haec significant, nemo videre potest nisi ex Sensu spirituali Verbi, et nemo Sensum spiritualem nisi ex scientia Correspondentiarum; nam omnes voces sunt correspondentiae, et nulla vox est vana. Scientia Correspondentiarum docet, quid significat Equus albus, quid Sedens super illo, quid Oculi qui sicut flamma ignis, quid Diademata quae super capite, quid Vestimentum tinctum sanguine, quid Byssinum album, quo induti qui ab exercitu 2 Ipsius in Coelo, quid Angelus stans in Sole, quid Coena magna ad quam venirent et congregarentur, tum quid Carnes regum et chiliarchorum, et plurium aliorum, quas comederent.
[2] Quid autem singula illa in Sensu spirituali significant, in APOCALYPSI REVELATA 820-832, 3 et quoque in Opusculo de EQUO ALBO, explicatum videatur, quare illa ulterius explicare supersedetur: ibi ostensum est, quod Dominus quoad Verbum ibi describatur, et quod per Oculos Ipsius qui sicut flamma ignis, intelligatur Divina Sapientia Divini Amoris Ipsius; et per Diademata quae super Capite, et quod per Nomen, quod nemo scit nisi Ipse, intelligantur Divina Vera Verbi ab Ipso, et quod quale est Verbum in sensu spirituali nemo videat quam Dominus, et cui Ipse revelat; tum, quod per Vestimentum tinctum sanguine, intelligatur sensus naturalis Verbi, qui est sensus literae ejus, cui violentia illata est; quod sit Verbum, quod ita describitur, manifeste patet, nam dicitur, VOCATUR NOMEN EJUS VERBUM DEI; quod sit Dominus qui intelligitur, etiam manifeste patet, nam dicitur quod Nomen Sedentis super Equo Albo esset, REX REGUM ET DOMINUS DOMINORUM, similiter ut in Apocalypsi 17:14, ubi dicitur, Et Agnus vincet illos, quia EST DOMINUS DOMINORUM ET REX REGUM.
[3] Quod Sensus spiritualis Verbi aperiendus sit in fine Ecclesiae, significatur non modo per illa quae de Equo Albo et de Sedente super illo dicta sunt, sed etiam per Coenam magnam, ad quam per Angelum in Sole stantem, omnes invitati sunt ut venirent, et ederent carnes regum, et chiliarchorum, etc, per quae significatur appropriatio omnium bonorum a Domino. Omnes ibi expressiones forent voces vanae, et absque vita et spiritu, nisi Sensus spiritualis intus in illis esset, sicut anima in corpore.
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