176# 倘若历次教会会议不就近教会真实的上帝，其论断又有何可信根基？教会本是主的身体，而祂自己便是教会的头。无头之体，岂能称其为教会？倘若一具身体被安上三个头颅，又将是何等畸形的形体？如今的教会，正是在三首并立的框架下商议教义、裁定决议。如此一来，那唯独从主而来的属天光照——祂既是天上的上帝、教会的上帝，也是圣言中的上帝——便持续从属灵层面沉降、世俗化，最终沦为仅限于感官认知的外在光亮。但凡真实的神学真理，本以内在形式显明于心，尚未被人辨识，便遭理性思维驱逐，如同糠秕被簸箕扬散、随风尽去。
在这般光景中，伪谬取代真理，幽暗遮蔽明光。世人如同身处洞穴，戴镜窥影、秉烛摸索；对天堂之中的属灵真理闭目闭塞，却单单睁眼依附肉体感官的虚浮亮光。读经之心亦是如此：心智对真理沉睡麻木，对伪谬却格外警醒敏锐，全然契合《启示录》海中兽的样貌描述：口如狮子、身如豹子、脚如熊（启13:2）。
天堂中有声音启示：尼西亚会议落幕之际，主对门徒的末世预言已然应验：“日头要变黑，月亮也不放光，众星要从天上坠落，天势都要震动。”（太24:29）使徒教会曾如明亮新星，闪耀于繁星密布的天空中；但两次尼西亚会议之后，这颗星辰日渐昏暗、归于黯淡，正如自然界中天文学家屡次观测到的星象消隐之况。
圣言记明，雅威上帝居于人所不能靠近的光中（诗104:2；提前6:16）。祂若不亲自降临、取了人性，在人性之中成为照亮世界的真光（约1:9；12:46），世人便无从就近祂。人若试图直接趋近居于自身独有荣光之中的父雅威，其虚妄无异于借清晨的羽翼飞向烈日、凭日光存活而非饮食养生、凭血肉之躯翱翔于高空清气之中，全然悖乎事理、绝无可能。
176# 当这些议会不直接靠近教会的神时，人怎能信靠它们呢？教会不是主的身体，主不是它的头吗？没有头的身体算什么呢？有哪种身体会有三个头，人们在这三个头的指导下制定计划，做出决定，或提出建议，通过法令呢？光照（当它唯独来自主时，它是属灵的，主是天堂和教会的神，也是圣言的神）岂不变得越来越属世，最终变成感官的吗？然后，在内在形式上的真正神学真理，连一个都感知不到；相反，这样的真理会立刻从理性理解的思维中被逐出，就像糠秕被簸箕扬到空中一样。在这种状态下，谬误取代真理潜入心智，黑暗则取代光线。人们就像站在洞穴里，鼻梁上架着眼镜，手里拿着蜡烛，向天堂之光中的属灵真理闭上眼睛，向属于身体感官的虚幻之光的感官真理睁开眼睛。后来阅读圣言时也是如此；那时，心智对着真理就睡着，对着虚假则清醒；他们变得像启示录所描述的从海里上来的兽：
口像狮子的口，身体像豹的身体，脚像熊的脚。（启示录13:2）
在天堂，据说，当尼西亚议会结束时，主向门徒预言的事就发生了：
日头变黑了，月亮也不放光，众星要从天上坠落，天势都要震动。（马太福音24:29）
事实上，使徒教会像一颗新星出现在星空中。但两次尼西亚议会之后，这个教会最终变得像变暗并消失不见的那颗星，这种现象实际上发生过几次，如天文学家在自然界所观察到的。我们在圣言中读到：
耶和华神住在不能靠近的光里。（提摩太前书6:16）
那么除非祂住在可以靠近的光里，也就是说，除非祂降临，并取得一个人身，在人身中成为世界的光（约翰福音1:9; 12:46），否则谁能靠近祂呢？谁都能看出，接近在自己光中的耶和华父，就像乘上早晨的翅膀飞向太阳，或以阳光而不是以物质食物为食，或让一只鸟在以太中飞翔，让雄鹿在空中奔跑一样不可能。
176. How much trust should we put in councils when they do not go directly to the God of the church? The church is the body of the Lord. He is its head. What good is a body without a head? What kind of a body has three heads, under whose direction the people constituting that body develop plans and make decisions? Enlightenment is spiritual when it comes from the Lord alone, who is the God of heaven and the church, and who is also the God of the Word. When councils do not go directly to God, enlightenment becomes more and more earthly and even mindlessly physical. Then if we catch a whiff of any genuine theological truth in its inner form we immediately reject it from the thinking of our rational mind like chaff tossed into the air from a winnowing basket. In that case, false perspectives come in to replace the truth, and darkness comes in instead of rays of light. Then we are standing in a cave with glasses on our nose, candle in hand, closing our eyes to spiritual truths that are in the light of heaven and opening them to input from the faint, deceptive light of our physical senses. Later a similar thing happens when we read the Word: our mind falls asleep to what is true and wakes up to what is false. We become like the description of the beast from the sea: we develop the mouth of a lion, the body of a leopard, and the feet of a bear (Revelation 13:2).
There is a saying in heaven that when the Council of Nicaea finished, the followings things happened that the Lord had predicted to his disciples:
The sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. (Matthew 24:29)
In fact, the apostolic church had been like a new star appearing in the sky. The church after the two Nicene councils was like the same star dimming and disappearing (a phenomenon that has in fact happened several times in the physical world, according to astronomers' observations).
We read in the Word that Jehovah God dwells in inaccessible light [1 Timothy 6:16]. Who then could turn to him unless he dwelt in accessible light, that is, unless he came down, took on a human manifestation, and in it became the Light of the world (John 1:9; 12:46)? Surely anyone can see that turning to Jehovah the Father in his own light is as impossible as taking Dawn's wings from her and using them to fly to the sun, or feeding off the sun's rays instead of proper food. It would be like a bird flying in the ether or a deer running through the air.
176. How can one trust Councils, when they do not directly approach the God of the church? Is not the church the Lord's body, and is He not its head? What use is a body without a head? And what sort of body is it that has three heads on it, under the guidance of which they debate and pass decrees? Surely then enlightenment, which, coming from the Lord alone, who is God of heaven and the church and at the same time God of the Word, is spiritual, becomes more and more natural until it finally reaches the level of the senses. Then it cannot scent out any real theological truth in its inward form without it being instantly expelled from the thinking of the rational understanding, like chaff being scattered to the winds from a winnowing shovel. In that state fallacies then take the place of truths and darkness the place of light rays. Then these people stand as it were in a cavern with spectacles on their noses, candle in hand, and keep their eyelids shut against spiritual truths illuminated by heavenly light, and open them to sense impressions illuminated by the deceptive light of the bodily senses. What happens when the Word is read is much the same; the mind then goes to sleep confronted with truths, and is wide awake confronted with falsities, becoming like the description of the beast from the sea, 'its mouth like a lion's, its body like a leopard's, and its feet like a bear's' (Revelation 13:2).
[2] It is said in heaven that when the Council of Nicaea finished its work, there took place simultaneously the things the Lord foretold to the disciples:
The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken, Matthew 24:29.
In fact the Apostolic church was like a new star appearing in the starry sky; but the church after the two Nicene Councils became like the same star later dimming and vanishing, an event recorded a number of times in the natural world according to astronomical observations. We read in the Word that 'Jehovah God dwells in inaccessible light' [1 Timothy 6:16]. So who could approach Him, did He not dwell in accessible light, that is, had He not come down, taken upon Himself human form, and in this become the Light of the World (John 1:9; 12:46)? Can anyone fail to see that approaching God the Father in His light is as impossible as taking the wings of the morning and using them to fly to the sun? Or living on sunlight rather than material food? Or for a bird to fly in the ether, or a stag to run through the air?
176. What confidence is to be had in councils when they do not go directly to the God of the church? Is not the church the Lord's body, and He its head? What is a body without a head? And what sort of a body is that upon which three heads have been put, under the auspices of which men hold consultations and pass decrees? Does not enlightenment (which is spiritual when it is from the Lord alone, who is the God of heaven and the church, and also the God of the Word) then become more and more natural and at length sensual? And then not a single genuine theological truth in its internal form is perceived without being instantly cast out of the thought of the rational understanding, and like chaff from a winnowing machine blown into the air. In this state fallacies steal into the mind instead of truths, and darkness instead of rays of light; and men stand as if in a cave with spectacles on the nose and torch in hand, shutting their eyes to spiritual truths, which are in the light of heaven, and opening them to sensual truths belonging to the fatuous light of the bodily senses. And it is the same afterwards when the Word is read; the mind is then asleep to truths and awake to falsities, and becomes like the beast described as rising up out of the sea:
With a mouth like that of a lion, a body like that of a leopard, and feet like those of a bear (Revelation 13:2).
It is said in heaven that when the Nicene Council had finished its work, that had come to pass which the Lord foretold to His disciples:
The sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken (Matthew 24:29);
and in fact the Apostolic church was like a new star appearing in the starry heaven. But the church after the two Nicene councils became finally like the same star darkened and lost to view, as has sometimes happened, according to the observation of astronomers, in the natural world. We read in the Word that:
Jehovah God dwells in light unapproachable (1 Timothy 6:16).
Who, then, can approach Him, unless He take up His abode in light that is approachable, that is, unless He come down and assume a Human, and in it become the light of the world (John 1:9; 12:46)? Anyone can see that to get near to Jehovah the Father in His own light is as impossible as to take the wings of the morning and fly on them to the sun, or to feed upon the sun's rays instead of material food, or as for a bird to fly in the ether, or a stag to run on air.
176. What confidence can be placed in councils when they do not directly approach the God of the Church? Is not the Church the Lord's body, and He its head? And what is a body without a head? And what kind of a body is that on which have been placed three heads, under the guidance of which counsel is taken and decrees are made? Does not enlightenment which is spiritual, coming from the Lord alone, the God of heaven and of the Church, and also of the Word, become in that case more and more natural, and finally sensual? Then it does not perceive any genuine theological truth in its internal form; rather is such truth at once cast out from the thought of the rational understanding, as chaff is dispersed into the air by the winnowing fan. In this state fallacies take the place of truths and darkness the place of radiant light. Then men stand as in a cave, with spectacles on nose and candle in hand, closing their eyes to spiritual truths which are in the light of heaven, and opening them to sensual truths which are in the delusive light of the bodily senses. Something similar happens to them when they hear the Word read. Their minds are asleep to truths but awake to falsities; and they become like the Beast described as rising out of the sea,
with a mouth like a lion, a body like a leopard and feet like a bear. Revelation 13:2.
[2] It is said in heaven that at the conclusion of the Council of Nice those things happened which the Lord foretold to His disciples:
"The sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken" Matthew 24:29.
In fact the Apostolic Church was like a new star appearing in the starry heaven; but the Church, after the two Nicene Councils, was like the same star obscured and rent asunder, as has sometimes happened in the world of nature, according to the observations of astronomers. In the Word it is written:
Jehovah God dwells in light inaccessible.
Who then could approach Him unless He dwelt in light accessible, that is, unless He descended, and assumed the Human, and in it became the Light of the world? John 1:8; 12:46. Every one may see that to approach Jehovah the Father in His own light is as impossible as to take the wings of the morning and on them fly to the sun, or to feed on the sun's rays instead of material food, or for a bird to fly in the ether, or a stag to run in the air.
176. Quid fidendum est Conciliis, dum non immediate adeunt Deum Ecclesiae; estne Ecclesia Corpus Domini, et Ipse ejus Caput; quid Corpus absque Capite, et quale est Corpus cui imposita sunt tria Capita, sub quorum auspicio consulta ineunt, et decreta faciunt; annon tunc Illustratio, quae a Solo Domino, qui est Deus Coeli et Ecclesiae, et simul Deus Verbi, est spiritualis, fit plus et plus naturalis, et tandem sensualis, et tunc non odoratur aliquod genuinum verum Theologicum in ejus forma interna, quin illico e cogitatione intellectus rationalis ejiciatur, et sicut palea e ventilabro in aerem disjiciatur; in quo statu tunc loco veritatum subeunt fallaciae, et loco radiorum lucis tenebrae, et tunc stant sicut in caverna, cum perspicillis super naribus, et cum candela in manu, et occludunt palpebras ad Vera spiritualia, 1 quae in luce Coeli sunt, at aperiunt illas ad sensualia, quae in luce fatua sensuum Corporis sunt; similiter postea fit dum legitur Verbum, tunc Mens obdormit ad vera, ac evigilat ad falsa, et fit sicut describitur Bestia a mari, quoad os sicut leo, quoad corpus sicut pardus, et quoad pedes sicut ursus, Apocalypsis 13:2.
[2] In Coelo dicitur, quod dum Concilium Nicaenum peractum est, coinciderint haec, quae Dominus praedixit Discipulis, Sol obscurabitur, et Luna non dabit lumen suum et Stellae cadent de Coelo, et Virtutes coelorum commovebuntur, Matthaeus 24:29 et actualiter Ecclesia Apostolica fuit sicut Stella nova apparens in Coelo astrifero, at Ecclesia post duo Concilia Nicaena, facta est sicut eadem Stella postea opacata et disparata, quemadmodum etiam in Mundo naturali secundum observationes Astronomorum aliquoties evenerat. In Verbo legitur, quod Jehovah Deus habitet 2 in Luce inaccessibili [1 Timotheus 6:16], quis ergo potest Ipsum adire, nisi habitaret in luce accessibili, hoc est, nisi descenderit, et assumserit Humanum, et in hoc Lux Mundi factus sit, Johannes 1:9; 12:46; quis non videre potest, quod adire Jehovam Patrem in sua Luce, tam impossibile sit, sicut est sumere sibi alas ex Aurora, et per illas volare ad Solem, aut pascere se ex radiis Solis et non ex cibo elementari, aut est Avi volare in aethere, ac Cervo currere in aere.
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