5897. “为要给你们存留余种在这地上” 表教会的中间和至内在部分。这从 “余种” 的含义清楚可知, “余种” 是指与真理联结并被主储存在人里面的良善 (468, 530, 560, 561, 660, 1050, 1906, 2284, 5135, 5342节), 在此是指教会中间和至内在部分。之所以说 “中间和至内在部分”, 是因为人里面的至内在之物占据属世层的中间, 至内在之物和相对内在之物便在那里共存。一般来说, 哪里有一系列连续接踵而来的事物, 并又有另一个系列使得它们能在其中分布并共存, 如属世层的情形, 哪里这个系列的至内在部分与另一个系列的中间或中心部分是同一个东西。这就是至内在的事物在更外在的事物里面排列自己的方式。

“为要给你们存留余种在这地上” 暗示教会的至内在部分必存在于雅各的儿子们中间。并不是说他们自己要在这至内在部分, 而是说表面上处处看似一个真教会的教会代表要建在他们中间, 圣言也要存在于那里。这些就是当论及教会、从这个民族抽象出来理解时的 “余种” (经上或译为余剩）所表示的事。

圣言各处都提到 “余种” 或 “余剩”, 以及 “余民”; 照纯文字来理解这两个词的话, 它们表示一个人民或民族当中的余剩或余民。但迄今为止, 人们完全不知道它们在灵义上表示被主储存在内层人中的良善与真理; 如在以下经文中, 以赛亚书:

到那日, 耶和华发生的苗必华美尊荣, 地出产的果实必为以色列逃脱的人显为荣华茂盛。那时, 剩在锡安留在耶路撒冷的, 就是一切住耶路撒冷, 在生命册上记名的, 必称为圣。(以赛亚书 4:2, 3)

“剩在锡安留在耶路撒冷的”, 以及 “在生命册上记名的” 和其他人一样, 绝不会成圣; 因此, “剩下和留下的” 明显表示神圣并记在生命册上的事物。这些事物就是与真理联结并被主储存在内层人中的良善。

同一先知书:

到那日, 以色列所剩下的和雅各家所逃脱的, 不再倚靠那击打他们的, 却要诚实倚靠耶和华以色列的圣者。所剩下的, 就是雅各家所剩下的, 必归回大能的神。(以赛亚书 10:20, 21)

“剩下的 (或余剩）” 不是指任何人民或民族的余民, 这一点从以下事实可以看出来: 在圣言中, 尤其在先知书部分, “以色列” 不是指以色列, “雅各” 也不是指雅各; 这二者表示教会和构成教会的东西。正因如此, “剩下的 (或余剩）” 不是指以色列和雅各的余民, 而是指构成教会的真理和良善。当经上说 “一个人民的余剩” 和 “一个民族的余民” 时, 他们并非表示任何人民的余剩或任何民族的余民; 因为 “人民 (经上或译百姓）” 在内义上表示真理 (1259, 1260, 3295, 3581节), “民族” 表示良善 (1259, 1260, 1416节)。这一点, 即 “剩下的 (或余剩）” 表示真理与良善之所以一直不为人知, 看似很奇怪, 是因为字义, 尤其它呈现为历史形式的地方, 将人的心思吸引走, 并强有力地阻止它深入思考这类观念。

同一先知书:

余剩的百姓, 就是从亚述剩下回来的, 必有一条大道, 如当日以色列从埃及地上来经过红海一样。(以赛亚书 11:16)

“从亚述剩下的” 同样是指那些没有通过错误的推理而被毁坏的人; 因为 “亚述” 表示这类推理 (参看1186节)。又:

到那日, 万军之耶和华必作祂余剩之民的荣冠华冕。(以赛亚书 28:5)

又:

犹大家所逃脱余剩的, 仍要往下扎根, 向上结果。必有余剩的民从耶路撒冷而出; 必有逃脱的人从锡安山而来。(以赛亚书 37:31, 32)

又:

在地中所剩的人都要吃奶油与蜂蜜。(以赛亚书 7:22)

耶利米书:

我要将我羊群中所余剩的, 从我赶他们到的各地内招聚出来, 领他们归回本圈, 他们也必繁殖增多。(耶利米书 23:3)

又:

在剑下幸存的人民, 在旷野蒙恩, 我要将安息赐给他, 赐给以色列。(耶利米书 31:2)

“在剑下幸存的人民” 是指那些被称为 “小孩子” 的人, 其余的都死了以后, 他们被领到迦南地。这些 “小孩子” 就是余民, 他们表示纯真的良善, 把他们引到迦南地代表并入主的国度。

以西结书:

我要保留一些余剩的人, 你们中有人得以在列族中逃脱刀剑, 分散在地上。那时, 你们那些逃脱的人必在被掳所到的各族中记念我。(以西结书 6:8, 9)

“他们分散并被掳所到的各族中余剩的人和留下的人” 之所以代表主储存在人之内层中的良善与真理, 是因为人不断在邪恶与虚假当中, 被它们所掳。邪恶与虚假就是 “各族或列邦” 所表示的。外在人在脱离内在人时, 完全就在它们中间, 所以若非主将良善与真理聚敛起来, 它们在人生命过程的各个阶段被注入人, 此人就绝无可能得救。没有余留或余剩, 任何人都没有救恩。

约珥书:

到那凡求告耶和华名的必得逃脱; 因为照耶和华所说的, 在锡安山, 耶路撒冷必有逃脱的人, 在剩下的人中, 必有耶和华所召的。(约珥书 2:32)

弥迦书:

雅各余剩的人必在列族当中, 在多民中间, 如森林间百兽中的狮子。(弥迦书 5:8)

西番雅书:

以色列所剩下的人必不作罪孽, 不说谎言, 口中也没有诡诈的舌头; 而且吃喝躺卧, 无人惊吓。(西番雅书 3:13)

这些话描述了剩下之人的品质, 众所周知, 被称为 “以色列” 的百姓从来就不曾有这种品质。由此也明显可知, “剩下的人” (或余民）具有其它含义; 显然, 这些是指良善与真理, 因为这些才是那 “不作罪孽, 不说谎言, 口中也没有诡诈的舌头” 的。

撒迦利亚书:

城中街上必满有男孩女孩在街上玩耍。这事在我余剩的民眼中看为希奇, 但如今, 我待这余剩的民必不像从前。因为这余剩的民将是平安之种; 葡萄树必结果子, 地土必有出产, 天也必降甘露。我要使这余剩的民承受这一切。(撒迦利亚书 8:5, 6, 11, 12);

“余剩的民” 在此被称为 “平安之种”, 他们就是拥有源于良善的真理之人, “葡萄树必结果子, 地土必有出产, 天也必降甘露” 描述了这些真理所结的硕果。

灵义上所指的余留或余剩因邪恶的生活和虚假的信念而被如此封闭, 以至于不再显现。当首先出于情感接受真理, 后来又出于情感否认它时, 它们就被毁了; 因为当这种情况发生时, 真理与虚假就会混在一起, 这就是所谓的亵渎。关于这类余剩或余留, 我们在圣言, 如以赛亚书中读到:

耶和华将人迁走; 旷野在这地中增多; 那里若还有十分之一, 也必连根拔起。(以赛亚书 6:12, 13)

“十” 表示余剩或余留 (参看276, 1906, 2284节)。又:

我必治死你的根; 你所余剩的人他必杀戮。(以赛亚书 14:30)

这论及非利士人, 他们是指那些拥有认知的知识, 但没有照之生活的人 (1197, 1198, 3412, 3413节); 所余剩的人被称为 “根”, 是因为使得人成为真正之人的良善与真理从他们, 如同从根发出。所以, “耶和华将人迁走” (如刚才所引用的以赛亚书中的经文）表示毁灭余留或余剩。

耶利米书:

年轻人必死在剑下; 他们的儿女必因饥荒而死; 并且没有余剩的人留给他们。(耶利米书 11:22, 23);

这论及亚拿突人。又:

我必使那转脸进入埃及地寄居在那里的犹大余剩的人, 尽都灭绝; 进入埃及地, 住在那里的, 无人逃脱, 也没有一个犹大余剩的人。(耶利米书 44:12, 14, 28)

犹大人之所以不能在埃及寄居, 也不能住在那里, 他们被严厉禁止这样做, 是因为犹大支派代表主的属天教会, 属天之人根本不想知道 “埃及” 所表示的记忆知识。因为他们从他们所在的属天良善知道一切, 如果他们真的去往或使用记忆知识, 属天良善就会灭亡。事实上, 由于主的属天国度的成员处于属天良善, 属天真理是仁爱, 而属灵真理是信仰, 所以他们甚至不愿提及信仰, 唯恐他们从良善 “下去” 并 “回头看” (参看202, 337, 2715, 3246, 4448节)。这些事也是这些话的意思:

在房顶上的, 不要下来拿家里的东西。在田里的, 也不要回去取衣裳。(马太福音 24:17, 18)

参看刚才5895节。这些事同样路加福音中这句话的意思:

你们要回想罗得的妻子。(路加福音 17:32)

她回头看, 变成一根盐柱。关于一看和回头, 可参看前文 (2454, 3652节)。

彻底被毁, 甚至没有一个人剩下的列族代表他们当中的罪孽满盈, 以致没有丝毫良善与真理幸存下来, 因而没有任何余留或余剩; 如摩西五经:

他们击杀了巴珊王噩和他的众子并他的众民, 没有留下一个幸存者。(民数记 21:35; 申命记 3:3)

又:

我们夺了西宏的一切城邑, 将有人居住的各城, 连男带女, 以及小孩子尽都毁灭, 没有留下一个幸存者。(申命记 2:34)

其它经文也记着列族的彻底毁灭。

关于余留或余剩, 即主储存在人之内层中的良善与真理, 情况是这样: 当人出于情感, 因而出于自由处于良善与真理时, 良善与真理就被植入人内。并且当这种情况发生时, 天堂的天使就会靠近, 并与此人联结。正是天使与他的这种联结使得与真理结合的良善来存在于人的内层中。但是, 当外在事物占据人的注意力, 如他忙于追求世俗和肉体事物时, 天使就会离开; 一旦他们离开, 这些良善与真理就连一丝痕迹也不显现了。然而, 由于这种联结已经实现, 所以此人有能力与天使联结, 进而与属于他们的良善并真理联结。只是这种联结不如主所愿的那样经常和充分, 主照着对那人最有利的方向来掌控局势。

417. Four angels standing upon the four corners of the earth, signifies the Divine proceeding from the Lord in the whole spiritual world. This is evident from the signification of "angels," as being the Divine proceeding from the Lord (See above, n. 130, 200, 302); and from the signification of "the four corners of the earth," as being the whole spiritual world; for "the four corners" signify the spiritual world because there are lands there as well as on our globe; for there, as here, there are mountains, hills, rocks, plains, valleys, and other things, as has been several times said above; and as the Last Judgment on all in the spiritual world is treated of in Revelation, and here the separation of the good from the evil there, therefore "the earth" means that world. "The earth" signifies the church, as has been frequently said before, because the face of the earth in the spiritual world is exactly like the face of the church with the spirits and angels there; the face of the earth is most beautiful where the angels of the higher heavens dwell, and also beautiful where the angels of the lower heavens dwell, but unbeautiful where evil spirits dwell; for where the angels dwell there are paradises, gardens, flower beds, palaces, and all things in heavenly form and harmony, from which enjoyments flow and inmostly delight the mind; but with the evil spirits all places are marshy, or stony, or barren, and they dwell in huts of a vile appearance, and also in caverns and caves.

[2] This has been said to make known that "the earth," in the nearest sense, means the spiritual world; nor could any other earth appear to John, since it was seen by him when he was in the spirit; and when man is in the spirit he sees nothing on our globe, but only what is in the spiritual world. This is why John saw four angels, and these were standing upon the four corners of that earth. There were four angels seen, because these standing "on four corners" signify the Divine proceeding from the Lord in the whole spiritual world, for the four quarters, namely, the eastern, western, southern, and northern, constitute the whole of that world, for that world is thus divided; and those who are in the good of love to the Lord dwell in the eastern quarter, likewise in the western, the former in clear because interior good of love, the latter in obscure because exterior good of love; those who are in the clear light of truth dwell in the southern quarter, and those who are in the obscure light of truth in the northern. (But on these quarters see in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 141-153, where they are treated of.) And because all things have reference to the good of love and to the truth from that good, or in general to good and truth, therefore these four quarters also mean all things of heaven and the church. These quarters are meant also in the Word by "the four winds," and here by "the four corners." It is evident, therefore, that the angels were not seen standing on the four corners of the earth, but in the four quarters. The quarters are called "the four corners" because "corners" signify the outermost parts, and the outermost parts signify all things, because they include all.

[3] That "corners" signify quarters is evident from the passages in the Word, where quarters are designated as "corners," as in the following. In Moses:

Thou shalt make for the tabernacle twenty boards for the south corner southward. And for the second side of the tabernacle, towards the north corner, twenty boards (Exodus 26:18, 20; 27:9, 11; 36:21, 23, 25).

"For the south corner" means for the southern quarter; and "towards the north corner" means towards the northern quarter, for there were twenty boards for each side. So in Ezekiel:

Next the border of Dan, from the east corner even to the west corner, Asher one. And thence next the border of Asher, from the east corner even unto the corner towards the west (4 Ezekiel 48:1-8).

In the same:

These shall be the measures: the north corner four thousand and five hundred, and the south corner the same, and from the east corner the same, and the west corner the same, next the border to the east corner towards the west (Ezekiel 48:16, 17, 23-28, 33, 34; also Ezekiel 47:17-20).

In Moses:

Ye shall measure without the city the corner towards the east two thousand cubits, and the south corner the same, and the west corner and the north corner the same (Numbers 35:5).

Also in Joshua (Joshua 15:5; 18:12, 14, 15, 20). Here the east, south, west, and north corners mean the sides towards the east, south, west, and north quarters. This makes clear that the "four angels standing upon the four corners of the earth" mean not upon its four corners, but in its four quarters. So elsewhere in Revelation:

Satan shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth (Revelation 20:8).

[4] "Four corners" are mentioned, and not four quarters, because "corners" also signify all things, since they are outermost parts, for the outermost parts comprehend all things from the center to the last circumferences, for they are the last borders. This is why four horns were placed on the four corners of the altar, and upon them the blood was poured, and thus expiation was made for the whole altar (as is evident from Exodus 27:2; 29:12; 30:2, 3, 10; 38:2; Leviticus 4:7, 18, 25, 30, 34; 16:18, 19; Ezekiel 41:22; 43:20).

[5] That "corners" signify all things because the outermost parts (for the reason stated above, that the outermost parts include and comprehend all things) is clearly evident from some of the statutes given to the sons of Israel, as:

That they should not round or shave the corner of their head (Leviticus 19:27).

That they should not shave off the corner of their beard (Leviticus 19:27; 21:5).

And that they should not wholly finish the corners of their field when they reaped (Leviticus 19:9; 23:22).

Why such statutes were given them cannot be known unless it is known what is signified by "the hair of the head," by "the beard," by "the field," and also by "the corner;" "the hair of the head," and "the beard" signify the ultimate of man's life, which is called the corporeal sensual; and "field" signifies the church, and "reaping" the truth of doctrine. By these statutes, therefore, it was represented that the ultimates must be preserved because they signify all things; for unless there are outermost things, the middle things are not kept together, but are dispersed, comparatively as the interior parts of man would be dispersed if he were not encompassed by skins. It is similar in everything, thus in what is signified by "the hair of the head," by "the beard," and by "the harvest of the field." (That "the hair of the head" signifies the outermost of man's life, which is called the corporeal sensual, may be seen above, n. 66; and that "the beard" has a like signification, see Arcana Coelestia 9960; that the outermosts or ultimates signify all things in the complex, thus the whole, n. 10044, 10329, 10335.) And as "a field" signified the church, and "harvest" its truths, so "not to finish wholly the corners of thy field when thou reapest" signifies the conservation of all things that are signified by "the harvest of the field."

[6] That "corners" signify all things because they signify outermost things can be seen also from the following passages. In Moses:

I will hurl them into the extreme corners; I will make the remembrance of them to cease from man (Deuteronomy 32:26).

"To hurl into the extreme corners" signifies to be deprived of all good and truth; it is therefore added, "I will make the remembrance of them to cease from a man," which signifies that they would no longer have anything of spiritual life, which comes to pass when man is merely in the ultimates of life, called the corporeal sensual, in which alone most of those are who acquire nothing of spiritual life; for such then become not unlike the beasts, for this is the kind of life beasts have, but with this difference, that as man is born a man he is able to speak and to reason, but this he does from the fallacies of the senses, or of the outermost things of nature, of the world, and of the body; this is what is meant here by "being hurled into the extreme corners."

[7] In Jeremiah:

Their camels shall be for a prey, and the multitude of their cattle for a spoil; and I will disperse them unto every wind among the cut off of the corner; and from all the passages thereof I will bring calamity (Jeremiah 49:32).

This is said of the devastation of Arabia and Hazor by the king of Babylon; and "Arabia" and "Hazor" signify the knowledges of good and truth, and "the king of Babylon" signifies evil and falsity laying waste. The vastation of all confirming knowledges (scientifica), and cognitions of good and truth is signified by "their camels shall be for a prey, and the multitude of their cattle for a spoil;" "camels" meaning confirming knowledges (scientifica), and "cattle" the cognitions of good and truth. Vastation in respect to all things of good and truth, so that there is nothing left, is signified by "I will disperse them unto every wind, among the cut off of the corner;" "the cut off of the corner" meaning the outermost parts where there is no longer any good and truth. That evils and falsities will then break in on every side is signified by "from all the passages thereof I will bring calamity;" for in the spiritual world where the evil are, on every side ways from the hells are open, and evils and their falsities break in through these; and all who are in like evils and falsities go through these ways and consociate themselves with the evil there. This has been said to make known what is signified by "from all the passages I will bring calamity;" "to be for a prey and a spoil," and "to disperse and to bring calamity" signify devastation.

[8] In the same:

Behold, the days come in which I will visit upon everyone that is circumcised in the foreskin; Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the sons of Ammon, and Moab, and all the cut off of the corner that dwell in the wilderness; for all nations are uncircumcised, and the whole house of Israel is uncircumcised in heart (Jeremiah 9:25, 26).

Here "the cut off of the corner" signify those who are in the ultimates of the church separate from the interiors, which are spiritual, thus those who are only in things sensual, which are the ultimates of the natural man. (Respecting those who are merely sensual, who and of what quality they are see The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 50.) These are signified by "the cut off of the corner," because "corners" signify the quarters of the spiritual world, and the quarters of the spiritual world signify all the goods and truths of heaven and the church, as has been said previously. The habitations of spirits and angels in that world succeed in such an order that those who are in the highest wisdom and intelligence are in the midst, and from the midst even to the last circumferences those in less and less degree; and these diminutions are in exact accord with the distances from the midst; in the ultimates are those who are in no wisdom or intelligence, and outside of these are those who are in evils and falsities therefrom. These are the ones meant by "the cut off of the corner;" and as these are desert places, they are said "to dwell in the wilderness." (On these diminutions in the spiritual world, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 43, 50, 189.) The same are meant by "the uncircumcised nations" and "the house of Israel uncircumcised in heart;" "the uncircumcised" signifying those who are without love and charity, thus without good, and therefore in the loves of self and of the world; and those who are in these loves are in the ultimates of the natural man wholly separate from things spiritual; therefore they are "the cut off of the corner that dwell in the wilderness;" "Egypt, Judah, Edom, the sons of Ammon, and Moab," mean all who, through these loves, have separated from themselves the goods and truths of the church, consequently are outside of these, and thus are "the cut off of the corner":

The cut off of the corners (Jeremiah 25:23);

have a similar signification.

[9] In Moses:

There shall arise a star out of Jacob, and a scepter shall arise out of Israel, which shall break in pieces the corners of Moab (Numbers 24:17).

"The corners of Moab" mean all things that are signified by "Moab;" and "Moab" signifies those who are in the ultimates of the Word, of the church, and of worship; and in the contrary sense those who adulterate these by turning themselves towards self, and having regard to their own honor in every particular of these; therefore "the corners of Moab" mean adulterations of the Word, and thence of the church and of worship, such as are with those of that character:

The corner of Moab (Jeremiah 48:45);

has a similar signification.

[10] In Zephaniah:

A day of the trumpet and alarm upon the fenced cities and upon the high corners (Zephaniah 1:16).

"A day of the trumpet and alarm" signifies spiritual combat, which is against falsities and evils; "fenced cities" signify false doctrinals that have been confirmed; and "high corners" signify those things that favor their loves. This makes clear what is signified by "a day of the trumpet and alarm upon the fenced cities and upon the high corners." In the same:

I will cut off the nations; their corners shall be laid waste; I will make desolate their streets that none may pass by; and I will lay waste their cities so that there is no inhabitant (Zephaniah 3:6).

The destruction of all the goods of the church is signified by "I will cut off the nations, and their corners shall be laid waste;" "nations" meaning the goods of the church, and "corners" all things of it, because its outermost parts (as above). The destruction of the truths of doctrine is signified by "I will make desolate their streets and I will lay waste their cities;" "streets" meaning truths, and "cities" doctrinals; total destruction even until there is no truth and good left is signified by "that none pass by, and there is no inhabitant;" for "to pass by" in the Word is predicated of truths, and "to dwell" of goods.

[11] In the book of Judges:

All the sons of Israel went out, and the congregation was assembled as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba. And the corners of all the people, all the tribes of Israel presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God (Judges 20:1, 2).

"The corners of all the people presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God" signifies all on every side, or from every quarter, as is clearly evident from its being said that "all the sons of Israel and all the tribes of Israel went out, and the congregation was assembled from Dan to Beersheba;" but in the spiritual sense, "the corners of all the people" signify all the truths and goods of the church; so, too, "all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba," signify all these from the last to the first, and "the assembly of the people of God" signifies consideration of the things of the church; for in the histories of the Word, as well as in the prophecies, there is everywhere a spiritual sense; therefore in the historical sense "corners" signify quarters, such as are in the spiritual world; but in the spiritual sense they signify all the truths and goods of the church, for the reason given above.

[12] From this what is signified by "corner stone" in the following passages becomes evident. In Isaiah:

I will lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a proved stone, a precious corner stone, of a foundation that is founded (Isaiah 28:16).

In Jeremiah:

They shall not take of thee a stone for a corner, nor a stone of foundations (Jeremiah 51:26).

In Zechariah:

Out of Judah the corner, out of him the nail, out of him the bow of war (Zechariah 10:4).

In David:

The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner (Psalms 118:22; see also Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10, 11; Luke 20:17, 18).

"The stone of the corner" signifies all Divine truth upon which heaven and the church are founded, thus every foundation; and as the foundation is the ultimate upon which a house or temple rests, therefore it signifies all things. Because "the stone of the corner" signifies all things upon which the church is founded it is said "I will lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a proved stone, a precious cornerstone, of a foundation that is founded;" and it is called also "a stone for a corner" and "a stone of foundations;" and because "the stone of the corner" signifies all Divine truth upon which the church is founded, it also signifies the Lord in respect to His Divine Human; because all Divine truth proceeds from that; "the builders" (or architects) who rejected that stone, as is read in the Gospels, are those who are of the church, here of the Jewish Church, which rejected the Lord, and with Him all Divine truth; for with them there was nothing but vain traditions drawn from the sense of the letter of the Word in which the truths themselves of the Word were falsified and its goods adulterated. (That ultimates signify all things, see Arcana Coelestia 634, 5897, 6239, 6451, 6465, 9216, 9824, 9828, 9836, 9905, 10044, 10099, 10329, 10335, 10548)