6239. “你在他们以后所生的后裔” 表以后所生的内层真理与良善。这从 “后裔” 和 “他们以后” 的含义清楚可知: “后裔” 是指属于信与仁的事物 (参看613, 2020, 2584节), 因而是指真理与良善; “他们以后” 是指以后所生的内层事物。之所以表示内层事物, 是因为以后从内在所生的事物更为内在。事实上, 以前所生的那些事物相继作为手段或方法而服务于内在, 以便产生以后所生的更为内在的事物, 因为内在逐渐将属世层提升到自己这里。

这一点从构成人里面理解力的一切的产生明显看出来; 因为人一开始是感官的, 或说在感官层面, 后来变得越来越内在, 直到他能充分利用自己的理解力。通过信与仁所实现的新一代或新生与此类似。正因如此, 人是逐渐得以完善的 (参看前面关于当人正在重生时, 逐渐提升到内层的说明, 6183节)。

在圣言中, “后裔 (经上或译为族类、后代、世代、代、出身、出世、出生）” 表示属于信与仁的事物, 这是因为就内义而言, 所指的是属灵的出生, 而非其它出生。在诗篇, 所表示的也是这种后裔:

他们必大大地害怕, 因为神在义人的族类中。(诗篇 14:5)

“义人的族类” 表示从良善流出的真理, 因为 “义人” 论及良善。以赛亚书:

他们必不徒然劳碌, 也不在惊恐中生产后代。因为他们都是蒙耶和华赐福的种。(以赛亚书 65:23)

又:

谁做成这事, 从起初宣召历代呢？就是我耶和华; 我是首先的, 也与末后的同在。(以赛亚书 41:4)

以西结书:

你的根源, 你的出身, 是在迦南地; 你父亲是亚摩利人, 你母亲是赫人。论到你出世的景况, 在你出生的日子没有为你断脐带, 也没有用水洗你, 好使我看见。(以西结书 16:3, 4)

这段经文论及耶路撒冷的可憎, 很明显, “出生” 或 “后代” 表示灵义上的出生或后代。

以赛亚书:

像永恒之日、不朽的世代兴起一样。(以赛亚书 51:9)

“永恒之日” 表示上古教会的状态和时间。之所以用 “永恒” 来论及上古教会, 是因为这个教会处于对主之爱的良善, 该良善因直接从主流出, 故被称为 “永恒”; “不朽的世代” 表示源于这良善的良善。

与此类似的事也出现在摩西五经中:

你当追想永恒之日, 思念代代之年。(申命记 32:7)

此处 “永恒之日” 表示大洪水之前的上古教会的状态和时间, 该教会是一个属天教会; “代代之年” 表示大洪水后古教会的状态和时间, 该教会是一个属灵教会; 此处论述的是这些教会。

约珥书:

犹大必存到永远, 耶路撒冷必存到代代。(约珥书 3:20)

“永远” 在此论及犹大, 是因为 “犹大” 代表属天教会 (3881节); “代代” 论及耶路撒冷, 是因为 “耶路撒冷” 表示属灵教会 (402节)。

以赛亚书:

惟有我的公义永远长存, 我的救恩直到代代。(以赛亚书 51:8)

此处 “永远” 论及爱之良善, 因为 “公义” 论及这良善 (612, 2235节); “代代” 论及信之良善。

诗篇:

你的国是万世永恒的国; 你的统治代代长存。(诗篇 145:13)

此处意思也一样; 因为除非 “永恒” 论及属天之物, “代代” 论及属灵之物, 否则只提及其中一个就行了; 用这二者只是一个毫无意义的重复。

属于信之状态的事物也由以下律法来表示: 私生子直到十代不可入耶和华的会 (申命记 23:2); 亚扪人或是摩押人甚至直到十代不可入耶和华的会 (申命记 23:3), 以东人和埃及人第三代可以入耶和华的会 (申命记 23:8)。在十诫中, 同样表示与信之状态有关的事物, 在那里, 经上说: 恨耶和华神的, 祂必追讨自父及子, 直到三四代的罪 (出埃及记 20:5)。

“后裔 (经上或译为族类、后代、世代、代、出身、出世、出生）” 之所以表示属于信与仁的事物, 是因为就灵义而言, 所指的是与重生有关的事物, 或已经重生的人, 而非别的出生。在圣言中, “生产”、“生育”、“怀孕” 也一样; 这些词表示信与仁的生产、生育和怀孕 (1145, 1255, 3860, 3868, 4668, 5160, 5598节)。

65. And girt about at the paps with a golden girdle, signifies Divine good likewise. This is evident from the signification of "being girt about at the paps with a girdle," as being to be encompassed about the breast; "paps" and "girdle" are mentioned, because paps stand out from the breast, and a girdle encompasses. Divine good going forth from the Lord is here meant because this is signified by the "breast" in general and by the "paps" in particular. Good proceeding is meant because all garments signify things that proceed, for they are outside the body and clothe it; as things that proceed are also outside the body and encompass it. (That this is so can be seen from what is said in the work on Heaven and Hell, of The Garments with which Angels are Clothed, n. 177-182; namely, that everyone is clothed with garments according to his affection for becoming intelligent and wise, and this affection is what proceeds from them; for there is a sphere that proceeds from every angel and spirit, which is a sphere of affection, and is called the sphere of his life, and their garments are according to this sphere. That this is so does not appear before their eyes, but yet they know that it is so. Of this sphere, see Arcana Coelestia 2489, 4464, 5179, 7454, 8630.)

[2] From this it can be seen that the "Lord's garments" signify the proceeding Divine, which is Divine truth united to Divine good, which fills the universal heaven and enters into the interiors of the mind, and gives to him who receives it intelligence and wisdom. This is meant by being "clothed with white garments." Because the proceeding Divine good is signified by "the girdle" with which the Lord was girded, therefore the girdle appeared golden, for "gold" signifies the good of love (See Arcana Coelestia 113, 1551, 1552, 5658, 6914, 6917, 9510, 9874, 9881). The "paps" are mentioned instead of the breast, which was girt with the girdle, because "paps" signify spiritual love, and "breast" signifies the good itself of that love. This love is signified by "paps" in Isaiah:

I will make thee a magnificence of eternity, the joy of generation and generation. Thou shalt suck the milk of the nations, and shalt suck the paps of kings (Isaiah 60:15 (Isaiah 60:18)).

"Kings" are truths out of good from the Lord (See above, n. 31; "paps" and "breast" are that good, which is the good of spiritual love.

[3] That "breast" signifies the good of spiritual love is from correspondence with heaven; for the whole heaven corresponds to all things of man; the inmost or third heaven corresponding to the head; the middle or second to the breast; and the outmost or first to the feet. Because there is this correspondence, heaven is also called the Greatest Man. And as the inmost or third heaven corresponds to the head, by "head" is signified the good of celestial love, which is the good of love to the Lord; because that good rules and makes that heaven; and as the middle or second heaven corresponds to the breast, by "breast" is signified the good of spiritual love, which is the good of love to the neighbor, because that good rules and makes that heaven; and as the outmost or first heaven corresponds to the feet, by "feet" is signified the good of natural love from spiritual love, which is the good of faith; because that good rules and makes that heaven. From this it is clear why "paps" signify spiritual love, and the "breast" its good. (But these things may be better understood from what is shown in the work on Heaven and Hell, especially in the following chapters: On the Three Heavens, n. 29-39; That the Divine of the Lord in the Heavens is Love to Him and Charity towards the Neighbor, n. 13-19; That the Universal Heaven represents one Man, n. 59-67; That there is a Correspondence of Heaven with all things of Man, n. 87-102; and in the Arcana Coelestia, n. 4938, 4939, 10087. It may be permitted to cite from that work, by way of illustration, this further reason why the "breast" signifies the good of spiritual love, namely, that within the breast are the heart and lungs, and the "heart" from correspondence signifies celestial love, while the "lungs" signify spiritual love, but the lungs fill the breast. That there is this correspondence, see in the Arcana Coelestia, n. 3883-3896, 9280, 9300. What celestial love is, and what spiritual love, see in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 23.)