666.“圣约” 无非表重生和构成重生之物. 这一点从圣言很多地方清楚可知, 其中主自己就被称 “圣约”, 因为唯独祂重生人, 一个重生之人会注目于主, 主是爱与信的全部中的全部. 以赛亚书清楚表明, 主是圣约本身:

我耶和华凭公义召你, 必搀扶你的手, 保守你, 使你作众民的约, 作外邦人的光. (以赛亚 42:6)

“圣约” 表示主, “外邦人的光” 是信. 同样的内容还可见于以赛亚书 49:6, 8. 玛拉基书:

看哪, 我要差遣我的天使, 我必忽然进入祂的殿; 你们所寻求的主必忽然来到他的殿; 立约的天使, 就是你们所仰慕的, 看哪, 快要来到. 祂来的日子, 谁能当得起呢? (玛拉基书 3:1, 2)

此处, 主被称为 “立约的天使”. 在出埃及记 (31:16) 中, 安息日被称为永远的约, 因为它指主自己. 它还指被祂重生的属天之人.

由于主是圣约本身, 故显而易见, 构成圣约的, 是将一个人与主联结起来的一切, 也就是说, 是爱与信, 及属于爱与信之物. 事实上, 这些是主的, 主在它们里面, 所以圣约本身存在于这些事物中, 就在它们被接受之处. 这些事物只存在于已重生者身上, 对重生者而言, 凡属再造者 (Regenerator) 或主之物, 就构成圣约, 或就是圣约. 如以赛亚书:

我的慈爱必不离开你, 我平安的约也不迁移. (以赛亚书 54:10)

“慈爱和平安的约” 表示主和属于主之物. 同一先知书:

你们当就近我来, 侧耳而听, 你的灵魂就得以活. 我必与你们立永约, 就是应许大卫那可靠的恩典. 我已立他作万民的见证, 为万民的领袖和立法者 (leader and lawgiver). (以赛亚 55:3, 4)

“大卫” 表示主. “永约” 通过属于主的那些品质而存在并起作用. “当就近我来, 侧耳而听, 你的灵魂就得以活” 就是指这些品质.

耶利米书:

我要使他们彼此同心同道, 终生敬畏我, 使他们和他们后世的子孙得福. 又要与他们立永远的约, 不再离开他们, 我要向他们施恩, 又要把敬畏我的心放在他们心里. (耶利米书 32:39, 40)

这段经文论及的是那些要重生之人, 以及属于他们的事物, 即 “同心同道”, 就是爱与信, 这些事物属于主, 因而属于圣约.

又:

看哪, 耶和华说, 日子将到, 我要与以色列家和犹大家另立新约. 不像我与他们的祖宗所立的约. 因为他们背了我的约. 那些日子以后, 我与以色列家所立的约乃是这样: 我要将我的律法放在他们里面, 写在他们心上. 我要作他们的神, 他们要作我的子民. (耶利米书 31:31-33)

这里清楚说明了构成圣约的一切, 就是主里面的爱与信, 它们存在于要重生之人身上.

在耶利米书 33:20, 爱被称为白日立的约, 信被称为黑夜立的约. 以西结书:

我耶和华必作他们的神, 我的仆人大卫必在他们中间作王. 我必与他们立平安的约, 使凶猛的野兽从陆地断绝, 他们就必安居在旷野, 躺卧在林中. (以西结书 34:24, 25)

这明显论及重生. “大卫” 表主.

又:

大卫必作他们的王, 直到永远. 我要与他们立平安的约, 作为永约. 我要在他们中间设立我的圣所, 直到永远. (以西结书 37:25, 26)

这同样论及重生. “大卫” 和 “圣所” 表主.

又:

我与你立约, 你就属于我了. 我用水洗你, 洗净你身上的血, 又用油抹你. (以西结书 16:8, 9)

这清楚表示重生. 何西阿书:

当那日, 我必为我的民与田野的野兽和空中的飞鸟, 并地上的爬行物立约. (何西阿书 2:18)

这表示重生. “田野的野兽” 表示意愿之物, “空中的飞鸟” 表示觉知之物. 诗篇:

祂向百姓施行救赎, 命定祂的约, 直到永远. (诗篇 111:9)

这表示重生. 之所以被称为 “约”, 是因为它是被赋予和接受之物.

不过, 论到未重者, 也就是说, 将敬拜置于外在事物, 并且把自己以及他们随心所欲之物立为神明来敬拜之人, 经上说, 他们背了约, 因为他们背离了主.

耶利米书:

他们离弃了耶和华他们神的约, 事奉敬拜别神. (耶利米书 22:9)

摩西书:

若有人去事奉敬拜别神, 或拜日头, 或拜月亮, 或拜天象, 违背了他的约, 就用石头将他打死 (申命记 17:2, 3, 5)

“日头” 表我欲 (对自我之爱), “月亮” 表虚假原则, “天象” 表虚假本身. 由此清楚可知何为 “约柜”, 它包含证词或圣约, 即主自己, 还可知何为 “约书”, 即主自己 (出埃及记 24:4-7; 34:27; 申命记 4:13, 23), 以及何为 “立约的血”, 即主自己 (出埃及记 24:6, 8), 唯独祂是再造者 (Regenerator). 因此, “圣约” 就是重生本身.

259. The internal sense of the Word is principally for the use of angels, and it is also for the use of men.

In order that it may be known what the internal sense is, of what quality it is, and whence it is, it may here be observed in general, that they speak and think in heaven differently from the way they do in the world; in heaven spiritually, but in the world naturally; therefore when man reads the Word, the angels who are with him perceive it spiritually, whilst he perceives it naturally; consequently, the angels are in the internal sense, whilst men are in the external sense; nevertheless these two senses make one by correspondence.

The Word is understood differently by the angels in the heavens and by men on earth, the angels perceiving the internal or spiritual sense, but men the external or natural sense (n. 1887, 2395). The angels perceive the Word in its internal sense, and not in its external sense, proved from the experience of those who spoke with me from heaven, whilst I was reading the Word (n. 1769-1772). The ideas and speech of the angels are spiritual, but the ideas and speech of men are natural; therefore there is an internal sense, which is spiritual, for the use of the angels, illustrated by experience (n. 2333). Nevertheless the sense of the letter of the Word serves the spiritual ideas of the angels as a means of conveyance, just as the words of speech serve men to convey the sense of the subject (n. 2143). The things relating to the internal sense of the Word, fall into such things as belong to the light of heaven, thus into the perception of angels (n. 2618-2619, 2629, 3086). The things which the angels perceive from the Word are on this account precious to them (n. 2540-2541, 2545, 2551). The angels do not understand a single syllable of the sense of the letter of the Word (n. 64-65, 1434, 1929). They do not know the names of persons and places mentioned in the Word (n. 1434, 1888,4442, 4480). Names cannot enter heaven, nor be pronounced there (n. 1876, 1888).

All names mentioned in the Word signify things, and in heaven are changed into the ideas of the thing (n. 768, 1888, 4310, 4442, 5225, 5287, 10329). The angels think abstractly from persons (n. 6613, 8343, 8985, 9007). How elegant the internal sense of the Word is, even where nothing but mere names occur, shown by examples from the Word (n. 1224, 1888, 2395). Many names in a series express one thing in the internal sense (n. 5095). All numbers in the Word signify things (n. 482, 487, 647-648, 755, 813, 1963, 1988, 2075, 2 , 2523252, 4264, 6175, 9488, 9659, 10217, 10253). Spirits also perceive the Word in its internal sense, so far as their interiors are open into heaven (n. 1771). The sense of the letter of the Word, which is natural, is changed instantly with the angels into the spiritual sense, because there is a correspondence (n. 5648). And this is effected without their hearing or knowing what is contained in the literal or external sense (n. 10215). Thus the literal or external sense is only with man, and proceeds no further (n. 2015).

There is an internal sense of the Word, and likewise an inmost or supreme sense, concerning which see (n. 9407, 10604, 10614, 10627). The spiritual angels, that is, those who belong to the spiritual kingdom of the Lord, perceive the Word in its internal sense, and the celestial angels, that is, those who belong to the celestial kingdom of the Lord, perceive the Word in its inmost sense (n. 2157, 2275).

The Word is for men, and also for angels, being accommodated to each (n. 7381, 8862, 10322). The Word is the means of uniting heaven and earth (n. 2310, 2495, 9212, 9216, 9357). The conjunction of heaven with man is effected by means of the Word (n. 9396, 9400-9401, 10452). Therefore the Word is called "a covenant" (n. 9396). Because "covenant" signifies conjunction (n. 665-666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021, 6804, 8767, 8778, 9396, 10632).

There is an internal sense in the Word, because the Word has descended from the Lord through the three heavens to man (n. 2310, 6597). And thereby it is accommodated to the angels of the three heavens, and also to men (n. 7381, 8862). Hence it is that the Word is Divine (n. 2989, 4989); and is holy (n. 10276); and is spiritual (n. 4480); and is divinely inspired (n. 9094). This is the meaning of inspiration (n. 9094).

The regenerate man also, is actually in the internal sense of the Word, although he knows it not, since his internal man, which is endowed with spiritual perception, is open (n. 10400). But in this case the spiritual of the Word flows into natural ideas, and thus is presented naturally, because, while man lives in the world, he thinks in the natural (n. 5614). Hence the light of truth, with the enlightened, is from their internal, that is, through their internal from the Lord (n. 10691, 10694). By the same way holiness flows in with those who esteem the Word holy (n. 6789). As the regenerate man is actually in the internal sense of the Word, and in the sanctity of that sense, although he does not know it, therefore after death he comes into it, and is no longer in the sense of the letter (n. 3226, 3342-3343).