Canons of the New Church # 37
37. CHAPTER V. THE DIVINE PROCEEDING, CALLED THE HOLY SPIRIT, IS, IN ITS PROPER SENSE, THE WORD, WHEREIN IS THE HOLY OF GOD
1. The Word is the Holy Itself in the Christian Church, on account of the Divine of the Lord that is within it and from it. Therefore the Divine proceeding, called the Holy Spirit, is in its proper sense the Word and the Holy of God.
2. The reason the Lord is the Word, is that it is from the Lord and it is about the Lord, thus it is, in its essence, the Lord Himself.
3. Because the Lord is the Word, He alone is Holy, and He is "the Holy One of Israel" so often mentioned in the Prophets, of whom, moreover, it is there said that He alone is God.
4. It is on this account that the place where the ark was in the tabernacle-because in it was the Law, the beginning of the Word, and above it the mercy seat, and above this the Cherubim, all these things signifying the Lord as the Word-was spoken of as the "Sanctuary" and the "Holy of Holies".
5. It is on this account, too, that the New Jerusalem, the Church that approaches the Lord only and draws truths out of His Word, is spoken of as "holy" and also "the city of holiness", and that the men in whom that Church is are spoken of as "the people of holiness"; also that this Church is "the kingdom of the saints (lit: holy ones), that shall last for ever" 1 , mentioned in Daniel [Dan. 7:18-27].
6. The Prophets and the Apostles, because the Word was written through them, are spoken of as "holy". [Luke 1:70; Rev. 18:20].
7. The Holy Spirit, with reference to the Holy Word taught by the Lord, is termed "the Spirit of Truth" [John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13], of which the Lord says that He speaks not from Himself but from the Lord [John 16:13-14]; and further that He is that Spirit [John 14:18; 16:14-22].
8. The reason why a man, "who speaks a word against the Holy Spirit is not forgiven" [Matt. 12:32], is because he denies the Divinity of the Lord and the holiness of the Word; for this man is devoid of religion.
9. The reason why one "who speaks a word against the Son of Man" is forgiven [Matt. 12:32] is because he denies that this or that is Divine truth from the Word in the Church, yet he believes that there are Divine truths in and from the Word. "The Son of Man" is Divine truth from the Word in the Church; and this Divine truth cannot be seen by everyone.
[Four pages of the original are missing here.]
Poznámky pod čarou:
1. The words "that shall last for ever" are omitted in the Skara Manuscript.
Zechariah 4
1
And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep,
2
And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof:
3
And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.
4
So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord?
5
Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.
6
Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
7
Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.
8
Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
9
The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you.
10
For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth.
11
Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?
12
And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves?
13
And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.
14
Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the LORD of the whole earth.
