607. 每个世人要么和天堂天人联系或交往, 要么和地狱灵联系或交往, 因为他生来就有变成属灵的能力。 除非他生来就和那些属灵者有某种联系, 否则这是不可能的。 我在《天堂与地狱》一书已说明, 就其心智而言, 人既在尘世, 也在灵界。 但人, 天人和灵都不知道这种联系, 原因在于, 世人处于属世状态, 而天人与灵处于属灵状态, 由于属世和属灵之间的不同, 所以一个不为另一个所见。 《婚姻之爱》 (n。326-329) 所载的记事描述了这种不同的性质。 由此清楚可知, 不是思维, 而是情感将他们联系起来。 几乎没人反思自己的情感, 因为它们并不在觉知, 因而其思维所在的光明中, 而仅在意愿, 因而其爱之情所在的热中。 爱之情所带来的人, 天人和灵之间的这种联系如此紧密, 以致于若它被切断, 他们因此分离, 人会即刻昏迷, 若不修复这种联系, 重建他们的结合, 人就会死亡。
我说过, 人经由重生变得属灵, 但这并不意味着他变成如天人本身那样的属灵, 而是变成属灵-属世, 也就是说, 他的属世含有某种属灵成分在其中。 这就象思维在言谈中的存在, 或意愿在行为中的存在, 因为当一个停止时, 另一个也会停止。 同样, 人的灵存在于发生在身体上的一切细节里, 正是人的灵促使属世去做它所做的一切。 就其本身而言, 属世是被动的, 死的力量, 而属灵是主动的, 活的力量。 被动的或死的力量无法凭自己行动, 而必须被主动的或活的力量驱动。
因为人通过与灵界居民的不断交往而存活, 所以当他离世后, 会立刻被带到他在世时所联系的那类人当中。 因此, 死后, 每个人都感觉自己仍在尘世, 因为此时他来到其意之情类似他的同伴中间, 他能认出他们, 就象在世时亲人家属认出他们自己一样。 这就是圣言所说那些人被召集在一起, 并被聚集到自己同类中的意思。 所有这些考虑都能证实, 重生者和天堂天人交往, 未重生者和地狱灵交往。
607. People Who Have Been Regenerated Are in Fellowship with the Angels of Heaven; People Who Have Not Been Regenerated Are in Fellowship with the Spirits of Hell
Every human being is in fellowship, that is, in close association, with either angels of heaven or spirits of hell, because we are born to become spiritual, and we cannot become spiritual unless we are associated with others who are spiritual. In the work Heaven and Hell I have shown that our minds are in both worlds, the physical and the spiritual.
Nevertheless both the people and the angels or spirits are unaware of this connection, because as long as we remain alive in this world, we are in an earthly state, whereas the angels and spirits are in a spiritual state. Because of the differences between what is earthly and what is spiritual, neither one of us appears to the other. The nature of the differences is described in the memorable occurrence recorded in Marriage Love 326-329. That passage makes it clear that it is not our thoughts but rather our feelings that form a connection between us. Yet hardly any of us reflect on our feelings, because they are not in the light of our intellect and thought; they are instead in the warmth of our will and of the emotions that relate to what we love. Nevertheless, the connection that is established by feelings of love held in common between people on the one hand and angels and spirits on the other is so tight that if it were broken and the angels and spirits were separated from us, we would immediately lose consciousness. If that relationship were not reestablished and angels and spirits were not reconnected to us, we would die.
[2] When I say that we become "spiritual" as a result of being regenerated, I do not mean that we [who are still in the physical world] become as fully spiritual as angels; I mean that we become both spiritual and earthly, meaning that within our earthly self there is a spiritual self, which is present in much the same way thought is present in speech or the will is present in action - if one stops, the other stops. Similarly, our spirit is present in the individual things our body does. The spirit is what drives the earthly component to do what it does. Viewed on its own, the earthly part of us is something passive; it is a dead force. The spiritual part of us is something active; it is a living force. Something passive, a dead force, cannot take action on its own. It must be driven by something active, a living force.
[3] Since we live constantly in fellowship with inhabitants of the spiritual world, as soon as we leave the physical world we are immediately placed among the spirits like ourselves whom we had been with while in the world. This is why all of us after we die seem to ourselves to be still alive in the world - we come into contact with people who have the same feelings as we do in our will. We claim these spirits as "our people," just as friends and neighbors in this world claim each other as "their people. " This is what the Word means when it says that those who die are gathered to their people.
These points establish the fact that people who have been regenerated are in fellowship with the angels of heaven, whereas people who have not been regenerated are in fellowship with the spirits of hell.
607. IX. A person who is regenerate is in touch with the angels of heaven, one who is not with the spirits of hell.
The reason why everyone on earth is in touch, that is, is associated with either the angels of heaven or the spirits of hell, is that he has by birth the ability to become spiritual. This would be impossible unless he were somehow linked with those who are spiritual. I showed in my book HEAVEN AND HELL that as regards his mind a person is in both the natural and spiritual worlds. This link is not known to men on earth, nor is it to angels or spirits because, so long as a person lives in the world, he is in the natural state, while an angel or spirit is in the spiritual state. The difference between the natural and the spiritual prevents the one from being seen by the other. There is a description of the nature of this difference in my book CONJUGIAL LOVE; see the account of an experience related there (326-329) 1 . From this it is plain that what links them is not thoughts, but affections; and hardly anyone reflects on his affections, because they are not exposed to the light enjoyed by the understanding and consequently its thought-processes, but to the heat enjoyed by the will and consequently the affection of its love. The link between men and angels and spirits brought about by the affections of love is so close that if it were broken and angels and spirits were thus cut off, men would immediately fall unconscious; and if the link were not repaired and re-established, they would die.
[2] When we say that a person by regeneration becomes spiritual, this does not mean that he becomes spiritual in the way an angel is in himself. It means that he becomes spiritual-natural; that is to say, his natural has something spiritual within it. This is like the presence of thought in speech, and of will in action, for if one ceases, so does the other. Likewise a person's spirit is present in everything that happens in the body, and it is the spirit which impels the natural to do what it does. The natural regarded in itself is passive, a dead force, but the spiritual is active, a living force. What is passive or a dead force cannot act of its own accord, but must be impelled by what is active or a living force.
[3] Since a person lives constantly in touch with the inhabitants of the spiritual world, when he leaves the natural world, he is therefore at once brought into the company of those who resemble the companions he had while he was in the world. That is why everyone after death has the impression that he is still living in the world. For he then comes into the company of those who share similar affections of the will; he recognises such people, in much the same way as relations recognise those who are akin to them in the world. This is what is said in the Word about those who die, that they are collected and gathered to their own people. These considerations can now establish that a regenerate person is in touch with the angels of heaven, an unregenerate one with the spirits of hell.
Footnotes:
1. See also 280 above.
607. IX. A REGENERATE MAN IS IN COMMUNION WITH ANGELS OF HEAVEN AND AN UNREGENERATE ONE IN COMMUNION WITH SPIRITS OF HELL.
Every man is in communion, that is, in affiliation either with angels of heaven or with spirits of hell, because he is born to become spiritual, and this would be impossible unless he were born to be in some conjunction with those who are spiritual. It has been shown in the work on Heaven and Hell that as to his mind man is in both worlds, the natural and the spiritual. But neither man nor angel nor spirit knows of this conjunction, for the reason that man while he lives in the world is in a natural state, while angels and spirits are in a spiritual state; and because of the distinction between the natural and the spiritual, one is not visible to the other. The nature of this distinction has been described in the work on Conjugial Love in the Memorable Relation there recorded (n. . 326-329). From that it is clear that their conjunction is not one of thoughts but of affections, and scarcely anyone reflects upon his affections, because they are not in the light in which the understanding is, and therefore its thought is; but only in the heat in which the will is and therefore the affection of its love is. The conjunction between men and angels and spirits by means of the affections of love is so close that if it were severed and they were thereby separated, men would instantly fall into a swoon, and if the relation were not restored, and their conjunction renewed, men would die.
[2] It has been said that man becomes spiritual by regeneration, but this does not mean that he becomes spiritual as an angel is in himself, but that he becomes spiritual natural, that is to say, that the spiritual is inwardly in his natural, just as thought is in speech, or as will is in action, for when one ceases the other ceases. In like manner man's spirit is in every least thing that takes place in the body, and it is that which impels the natural to do whatever it does. The natural viewed in itself is passive or is a dead force, but the spiritual is active or is a living force; the passive or a dead force cannot act from itself, but must be impelled by the active, or by a living force.
[3] As man lives continually in communion with the inhabitants of the spiritual world, he is also, when he leaves the natural world, introduced immediately among such as are like those with whom he had been associated in the world. Therefore it is that after death everyone seems to himself to be still living in the world, for he then comes into the company of those who are like him as to their will's affections, and whom he then acknowledges, as kinsmen and relations acknowledge their own in the world; and this is what is meant where it is said in the Word of those who die, that they are brought together and gathered to their own. From all this it can now be seen that a regenerate man is in communion with the angels of heaven, and an unregenerate man with the spirits of hell.
607. IX. A REGENERATE MAN IS IN COMMUNION WITH THE ANGELS OF HEAVEN, AND AN UNREGENERATE MAN IN COMMUNION WITH THE SPIRITS OF HELL.
Every man is in communion, that is, in association with angels of heaven or with spirits of hell, because he is born to become spiritual; and this is not possible, unless he is in some kind of conjunction with those who are spiritual. It is shown in Heaven and Hell that man, as to his mind, is in both worlds, the natural and the spiritual; but men, angels and spirits do not know of this conjunction, because men, during their life in the world, are in a natural state, and angels and spirits in a spiritual state. On account of the distinction between natural and spiritual, they are invisible to each other. The nature of this distinction has been described in a narrative relating experiences in the spiritual world, in the book Conjugial Love 325-328. It is there made evident that they are not conjoined as to thoughts, but as to affections; and scarcely any one reflects upon affections, because these are not in the light in which are the understanding and the thought arising from it, but in the heat in which are the will and the affection of its love. This conjunction of men with angels and spirits by means of their love's affections is so close that, were it severed, and they were thus separated from each other, men would instantly become faint; and if the union were not restored and they were not brought together again, men would perish.
[2] When it is said that a man by regeneration becomes spiritual it is not to be understood that he becomes spiritual as an angel in himself is spiritual. He becomes spiritual natural, that is, there is a spiritual within his natural, just as thoughts within speech, and as will is within action; for when the one ceases the other ceases also. Similarly a man's spirit is in every thing that is done in the body, and it is this which impels the natural to do what it does. The natural in itself is passive, or a dead force, but the spiritual is active, or a living power; and a passive, or a dead force, cannot act of itself, but it must be actuated by an active, or by a living power.
[3] As a man lives continually in communion with the inhabitants of the spiritual world, therefore, when he leaves the natural world, he is immediately introduced among his like, with whom he has been associated while in the world; for he then enters the company of those who resemble him in the affections of his will. These he acknowledges, as relatives and kinsfolk acknowledge their own in the world. This is the meaning of what is said in the Word concerning those who die, that they are gathered to their own. It may now be evident from what has been said that a regenerate man is in communion with angels of heaven, and an unregenerate man with spirits of hell.
607. Quod Homo regeneratus sit in communione cum Angelis coeli, et non regeneratus in communione cum Spiritibus inferni.
Quod omnis homo sit in communione, hoc est, in consociatione cum Angelis Coeli, aut cum Spiritibus inferni, est causa, quia natus est ut fiat spiritualis, et hoc non possibile est, nisi ut cum illis, qui spirituales sunt, in quadam conjunctione sit; quod homo in utroque Mundo, naturali et spirituali, quoad mentem sit, in Libro de COELO ET INFERNO, ostensum est; sed de hac conjunctione non Homo, nec Angelus ac Spiritus scit, ex causa, quia homo, quamdiu vivit in Mundo, est in statu naturali, ac Angelus et Spiritus in statu spirituali, et propter discrimen inter naturale et spirituale, non apparet unus alteri; hoc discrimen, quale est, descriptum 1 est in Libro de AMORE CONJUGIALI in 2 Memorabili ibi, 326-329; ex quo patet, quod non sint conjuncti quoad cogitationes, sed quoad affectiones, et super his vix aliquis reflectit, quia non sunt in luce, in qua est intellectus et inde ejus cogitatio, sed in calore in quo est voluntas et inde amoris ejus affectio; conjunctio per affectiones amoris inter homines ac inter Angelos et Spiritus, tam arcta est, ut si scinderetur, et illi inde separarentur, homines actutum caderent in deliquium, et si non resarciretur, et illi conjungerentur, homines exspirarent.
[2] Quod dictum sit, quod homo per regenerationem fiat spiritualis, non intelligitur quod fiat spiritualis qualis est Angelus in se, sed quod fiat spiritualis naturalis, hoc est, quod intus in ejus naturali sit spirituale, ad similitudinem sicut cogitatio est in loquela, et sicut voluntas in actione, nam cessante una cessat altera; similiter est Spiritus hominis in singulis quae fiunt in corpore, et hic est qui agit naturale ad faciendum quod facit; naturale in se spectatum est passivum seu vis mortua, spirituale autem est activum seu vis viva; passivum seu vis mortua non potest agere ex se, sed agendum est ab activo seu vi viva.
[3] Quoniam homo in communione cum indigenis Mundi spiritualis continue vivit, ideo etiam, cum e Mundo naturali excedit, statim inseritur similibus, cum quibus fuerat in Mundo; inde est, quod unusquisque post mortem videatur sibi sicut adhuc viveret in Mundo, nam tunc cum similibus quoad affectiones suae voluntatis, 3 in consortium venit, quos tunc agnoscit, similiter ut propinqui et affines agnoscunt suos in Mundo: et hoc est, quod in Verbo dicitur de illis qui moriuntur, quod congregati et collecti sint ad suos. Ex his nunc constare potest, quod homo regeneratus sit in communione cum Angelis Coeli, et non regeneratus cum spiritibus inferni.
Footnotes: