64#神性全在之理，可藉灵性世界中天使与灵奇特的临在光景加以阐明。灵性世界本无真实空间，仅有空间的表象；一位天使或灵只需进入与对方相似的爱之情感，并由此生出相合的思维，便能瞬间显现在对方面前 —— 正是爱之情感与对应思维，造出灵性世界之中空间的表象。
灵性世界的一切居民皆有此种临在之能，此事于我已然显明：我曾亲眼看见非洲人与印度人近在眼前，他们在物质大地之上虽相隔数千里；我甚至能显现在本星系诸行星的居民面前，亦能临在于太阳系以外其他星系行星上的居民那里。
正因这种临在并非依托固定处所，只是依托处所之表象，我得以与众使徒交谈，也与离世的教宗、帝王、君主对话；又与当代教会改革者路德、加尔文、梅兰希顿交谈，亦见过诸多来自遥远地域的灵。
倘若天使与灵尚且拥有这般不受地域束缚的临在，那无限的神性充盈整个宇宙，其全然全在又当何等圆满？
天使与灵能有此种临在，根源在于一切爱之情感，以及由情感而生的理智思维，皆是居于空间之内、却不受空间局限，存于时间之中、却超越时间束缚。人思念远在印度的弟兄、亲眷或友人，那人便仿佛立于眼前；同样，追忆之时，心中也会生出对他们的眷恋之情。
借这些人人皆能体会的经历，便可在某种程度上领会神性全在；人的思绪亦是同理：当人回想旅途各处所见之物，心灵便仿佛临在于那些景象之中。
就连肉身肉眼的视觉，也效仿此种临在之特性：眼睛本无法辨识距离远近，唯有依靠中间介质，方能丈量相隔之尺度。若无中间介质显明太阳的遥远，太阳看上去便近在眼前，甚至仿佛居于眼眸之内；光学典籍的作者，亦在书中证实此理属实。
人有双重视觉，一为理智之视，一为肉身之视，二者皆具备此种内在临在之能，因人的灵藉肉眼视物；一切走兽却无这般能力，它们不具备属灵的内在视觉。
由以上诸事便可确知：上帝自神性秩序的初始之物直至末后万物全然全在。至于祂亦全然全在于地狱之中，前一节已有阐明。
64# 神性全在可通过天使和灵人在灵界出现在彼此面前的奇妙方式来说明。由于灵界没有空间，只有空间的表象，所以一位天使或一个灵人可以瞬间与另一个人同在，只要后者进入一种相似的情感和由此产生的思维，因为正是这两者制造了空间的表象。这就是与那里的所有人同在的性质，这一点通过以下事实向我清楚显明，即：在那里，我能看见附近的非洲人和亚洲人或印度人，尽管在地上，他们相隔数千英里；事实上，我甚至能与我们太阳系星球上的人同在，也能与属于其它星系的星球上的人同在。由于这种同在不在空间中，而是在空间的表象中，所以我与使徒们、已故的教皇、皇帝和君主进行了交谈，也与当代的教会改革者，或现代教会的创始人，即路德、加尔文、梅兰希顿进行了交谈，还与来自遥远地区的其他人进行了交谈。既然就连天使和灵人都有这种同在的方式，那么对于宇宙中的无限神性同在来说，还有什么限制呢？
天使和灵人之所以具有这种同在的方式，或说这种同在之所以具有这种性质，是因为一切爱之情感和由此产生的一切理解力之思维都在空间中，却无关空间，在时间中，却无关时间。任何人都可以想到印度的一个兄弟、亲戚或朋友，然后专注于他们，就好像与他们同在。同样，他也可以通过回忆来感受对他们的爱。通过每个人都熟悉的这些例子，可以在某种程度上说明神性全在。人类的思维提供了其它例子；因为当有人回想起他在各个地方旅行时所看到的东西时，就好像他又出现在这些地方。事实上，就连肉体视力也模仿了这种同在；它只有通过中间物体才会注意到距离，可以说距离是通过这些中间物体来测量的。事实上，如果中间物体没有表明太阳如此遥远，那么这太阳本身就会靠近眼睛，甚至仿佛在眼睛里。光学作家们在他们的著作中已经指出，事实就是这样。这种同在既属于人的理解力视觉，也属于他的肉体视觉，因为是他的灵在通过他的眼睛观看；但动物不是这种情况，因为动物没有属灵视觉。这一切能使我们看到，神从其秩序的初到其秩序的末，都是全在的。前几节（TCR 61，62节）已经说明，祂在地狱也是全在的。
64. The divine omnipresence can be illustrated by the amazing way angels and spirits become present to each other in the spiritual world. Because there is no [physical] space in that world - there is only apparent space - an angel or a spirit can be visibly present with another in a moment, provided she or he comes into the same state of love and thought [as that other], since love and thought create the appearance of space.
All who are in the spiritual world have this way of becoming present. This became clear to me from the fact that I was able to see people from Africa and India nearby in that world, although we were many thousands of miles apart on earth. In fact, I was able to become visibly present with people on planets in this solar system and even with people on planets in other solar systems beyond this one.
Through this method of being present not in a place but in the appearance of a place, I have spoken with apostles, and with deceased popes, emperors, and monarchs; with Luther, Calvin, and Melanchthon, the founders of the modern-day church; and with others from distant regions. If angels and spirits have such a method of being present, surely an infinite divine presence exists throughout the universe.
The reason angels and spirits have this method of being present is that every feeling of love and every resulting thought in the intellect is in space independently of space and in time independently of time. Any one of us can think about a sibling, a relative, or a friend who is in the Indies, and then focus on those people as if they were present with us. We can also feel love for them on the basis of our memories. These phenomena, which are known to us, illustrate the divine omnipresence to some extent.
The divine omnipresence can also be illustrated by human thoughts. When we call to mind things we saw at this or that place while traveling, it is as if we are present in those places again.
Indeed, our physical eyesight emulates this presence. It is unaware of an objects distance except through things in between that provide a means of measuring. In fact, the sun itself would seem to be near to or even in our eye if things between us and the sun did not indicate that it is very far distant. People who have written on optics have recorded this phenomenon in their books.
The reason why our minds as well as our bodies have vision that can be present in this way is that our spirit sees through our spiritual eyes. Animals do not have a similar mental presence, however, since they have no spiritual sight.
From all this it stands to reason that God is omnipresent in his design from beginning to end. That he is also omnipresent in hell was shown in the point before this one [61-62].
64. A remarkable illustration of the Divine omnipresence is the way angels and spirits become present in the spiritual world. Since that world has no space, but only the appearance of space, an angel or a spirit can in an instant present himself to another, so long as he assumes a similar affection of love and so thinks alike; for it is these two factors which control the appearance of space. It was plain to me that presence there is of this nature from the fact that I could see Africans and Indians there in close proximity, despite the miles that separate them on earth. Indeed I was able to be in company with those who inhabit the planets of this solar system, and even with those from planets in other systems outside that of our sun. This presence, which depends not on position but an appearance of position, has allowed me to speak with Apostles, with dead Popes, Emperors and Kings, with the founders of the present church, Luther, Calvin and Melanchthon, as well as others from remote areas. When angels and spirits have such powers of being present, is there anything the Divine presence in the universe cannot do, seeing it is infinite?
[2] The reason angels and spirits have such powers of being present is that every affection of love and so every thought of the understanding is non-spatially in space and non-temporally in time. Anyone can think about a brother, relation or friend who is in the Indies and feel as if he were present with him. Likewise he can by calling them to mind feel the emotion of love for them. These matters which lie within the range of human experience can afford some sort of illustration of the Divine omnipresence. So too can human thoughts which allow us, by recalling to our memory what we saw in various places on a journey, to feel as if we were actually present in them. Even bodily sight imitates this kind of presence, taking no note of distance except by means of intervening objects, which provide a scale for measurement. The sun itself would appear close to the eye, if not actually within the eye, if there were nothing in between to show how distant it is, an observation made by writers on optics in their treatises. The sight of the understanding as well as that of the body allows a person to have this feeling of presence, because his spirit sees through his eyes. But no animal has this, because animals do not have any spiritual sight. All these facts serve to establish that God is present everywhere from first to last in His order. The previous section showed that He is present also everywhere in hell.
64. The Divine omnipresence may be illustrated by the wonderful way in which angels and spirits become present to each other in the spiritual world. Because there is no space in that world, but only an appearance of space, an angel or spirit may instantly become present with another whenever he comes into a like affection and consequent thought; for it is these two that cause the appearance of space. That such is the nature of presence with all there, has been made evident to me by having seen Africans and Asiatics there near together, although on the earth they are so many miles apart; and that I could even become present with those on the planets of our solar system, and also with those on planets belonging to other systems. Owing to this presence, not in space but in appearance of space, I have spoken with apostles, with departed popes, with emperors and kings, with the modern reformers of the church-Luther, Calvin, Melancthon, -and with others from widely separated countries. Such being the presence of angels and spirits, what limit is there to the Divine presence, which is infinite, in the universe? Angels and spirits are thus present, because every affection of love and every consequent thought of the understanding is in space without space, and in time without time. For anyone can think of a brother, relative, or friend who is in the Indies, and then have him as if present; in like manner he may, by remembrance, be moved by their love. From these facts, as they are known to man, the Divine omnipresence may in some measure be made clear; so, too, from human thought-as when anyone calls to mind what he has seen while traveling in various places, it is just as if he were present in those places again. Even bodily vision emulates this same kind of presence; it notices distance only by means of intermediate things, by which, as it were, the distance is measured. The sun itself would be near the eye, even as if in the eye, if intermediate objects did not reveal the fact of its being so distant. That this is so, optical writers have noted in their writings. This kind of presence pertains both to man's intellectual sight and to his bodily sight, because what sees is his spirit looking through his eyes; but such is not the case with any animal, because animals have no spiritual sight. All this enables us to see that God is omnipresent from the firsts to the lasts of His order. That He is also omnipresent in hell has been shown in a former section.
64. The Divine omnipresence may be illustrated by the wonderful presence of angels and spirits in the spiritual world. Because there is no space but only the appearance of space in that world, an angel or spirit is able to appear in the presence of another in a moment, provided they enter into a similar affection of love, 1 and corresponding thought, for these two cause the appearance of space. That such is the nature of presence with all in the spiritual world was made plain to me from the fact that I could see Africans and Indians together there although they are so many miles apart on the earth. Indeed I could appear present to inhabitants of the planets in our solar system as well as to inhabitants of planets in other systems beyond ours. By virtue of this, not local, but apparently local, presence, I have conversed with apostles, departed popes, emperors, and kings; with the founders of the church of today - Luther, 2 Calvin, 3 and Melanchthon 4 - and with others from distant countries. Such then being the nature of presence with angels and spirits, what must be the nature of the Divine presence, which is infinite, throughout the universe?
Presence with angels and spirits is of this nature because every affection of love, and consequently every thought of the understanding is in space without space, and in time without time. For every one can think of a brother, relative, or friend in the Indies and have him then, as if were, present with him. Similarly he can feel affection for his friends by calling them to remembrance. By these examples which are familiar to every one the Divine omnipresence may in some measure be illustrated. The thoughts of men furnish other examples; for when any one recalls to memory what he has seen on his travels in various places, he, as it were, re-visits them. Indeed physical sight acts in a somewhat similar manner. It does not notice distance except by means of intermediate objects, which serve as a measure. The sun itself would be close to the eye, would in fact appear to be in it, unless intervening objects indicated its remoteness, as writers on optics point out in their books. Presence of this nature pertains both to the intellectual and to the physical sight of man, because his spirit sees by means of his eyes; but this is not so with animals, for they have no spiritual sight. From these considerations it is evident that God is omnipresent from first things to last of His order: that He is also omnipresent in hell was shown in the preceding article.
Footnotes:
1. ...into a similar affection of love... in similem affectionem amoris. In general, by affectio is meant the relation or disposition toward a thing produced in a person by some influence (Lewis and Short). In Apocalypse Explained 1175 it is stated: "By affection is meant the same as love but love is as the fountain and affections are as the streams that how from it, thus also they are its continuations." In Divine Providence 194 affections are called loves, "... the life's love produces from itself subordinate loves called affections." In The Doctrine of Charity 8, we have "a spiritual love or affection," and "a... natural love or affection," and in The Doctrine of Charity 152: "His life and his soul become a love of use, or an affection of use."
2. 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.
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.
4. 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.
64. Omnipraesentia Divina illustrari potest per mirabilem praesentiam Angelorum et Spirituum in Mundo Spirituali; in hoc Mundo quia non est spatium, sed modo apparentia spatii, potest angelus seu spiritus momento praesens sisti alteri, modo in similem affectionem amoris et inde cogitationem veniat, nam haec duo faciunt apparentiam spatii; quod talis praesentia omnium ibi sit, patuit mihi ex eo, quod videre potuerim Africanos et Indos ibi in propinquo, tametsi tot milliaribus 1 distant in Tellure; imo quod potuerim praesens sisti illis qui in Planetis hujus Mundi sunt, et quoque illis, qui in Planetis in aliis Mundis extra Solarem hunc sunt: propter talem praesentiam non loci sed apparentiae loci, loquutus sum cum Apostolis, cumque defunctis Papis, Imperatoribus et Regibus, cum Ecclesiae hodiernae instauratoribus, Luthero, Calvino, et Melanchtone, cumque aliis ex dissitis regionibus; quando talis praesentia Angelis et Spiritibus est, quid non praesentia Divina in universo, quae infinita est.
[2] Causa quod Angelis et spiritibus talis praesentia sit, est causa, quia omnis affectio amoris et inde cogitatio intellectus est in spatio absque spatio, et in tempore absque tempore, potest enim quis cogitare de fratre, affini aut amico, qui in Indiis est, et tunc habere illum sicut praesentem apud se; similiter potest affici illorum amore ex recordatione. Per haec, quia cognita homini, potest Omnipraesentia Divina quodammodo illustrari; tum etiam per cogitationes humanas, quod cum aliquis in memoriam revocat quae in peregrinatione vidit in variis locis, quod sit in illis tanquam praesentibus. Imo visus corporis aemulatur eandem illam praesentiam; ille distantiam 2 non animadvertit, nisi quam per intermedia, quae sicut mensurant; ipse Sol prope oculum, imo sicut in oculo foret, nisi intermedia detegerent quod tam distans sit; quod ita sit, Scriptores optices in Libris suis etiam observarunt. Talis praesentia est utrique visui tam intellectuali quam corporeo hominis, quia spiritus ejus videt per oculos ejus, at similis non est ulli bestiae, quia illis non est aliquis visus spiritualis. Ex his constare potest, quod Deus Omnipraesens sit a Primis ad Ultima sui Ordinis; quod etiam sit Omnipraesens in Inferno, in priori Articulo ostensum est.
Footnotes: