BE44.简要分析：以上是新教会信仰的简单形式。在附录中将作更进一步阐释，并且将在（关于新耶路撒冷教义的）主要著作中论及主上帝我们的拯救者以及在他里面的三一、对上帝和对邻舍的爱、信及其与两种爱的联合、以及照那里的次序涉及的其它相关内容中作更充分地说明。不过，有必要在此对该信仰的简单形式作一定程度的解释。关于第一点，也就是“有独一上帝，神性之‘三’在这‘一’位上帝之中，这一位上帝就是主耶稣基督”，可通过下文的概括来说明。上帝是独一的，他的本质不可见，有神性的三一，这些是既定的和不变的真理；因此，由于上帝是独一的，他的本质不可见，于是得出：上帝是一位（onePerson，一个身位或位格）；并且，当他是一位时，“三”在那“一”位之中。至于这一位就是主耶稣基督，可从以下内容看出：他由父上帝受孕（路加福音1:34，35）。因而就他的灵魂和生命本身而言，他是上帝。因此，正如他自己所说：父与他为一（约翰福音10:30），他在父里面，父在他里面（约翰福音14:10，11）；认识他也就认识父，看见他就是看见了父（约翰福音14:7，9）；除了在父怀里的独生子，从来没有人看见父（约翰福音1:18）；父的一切都是他的（约翰福音3:35，16:15）；他是道路、真理、生命，若不藉着他，没有人能到父那里去（约翰福音14:6）；结果，由于他在他里面，所以他自己也是他。并且，照着保罗书信所言，神性的一切丰盛都有形有体信在他里面（歌罗西书2:9）；先知书上还说，因有一婴孩为我们而生，有一子赐给我们，他名称为上帝和永在的父（(以赛亚书9:6）；经上还说他有权柄掌管所有人（约翰福音17:2）；他有天上地上一切权柄（马太福音28:18）。于是可知，他是天和地的上帝。第二点，得救之信在于对他的信仰，可从以下得知：耶稣说，信他的人要活过来，永远不死（约翰福音11:25，26）；父的旨意是要使每一个看见了子而信的人得永生（约翰福音6:40）；上帝爱世人，甚至将他独一的儿子赐给他们，叫一切信他的人不致灭亡，反得永生（约翰福音3:15，16）；信子的人有永生，不信子的人，不得见永生，而且上帝的愤怒在他身上（约翰福音3:36）。至于余下的三点，也就是：诸罪莫作，因为它们属于魔鬼且来自魔鬼；众善奉行，因为它们属于上帝且来自上帝；避恶与行善之举应当由人仿佛靠自己行出来，不过务当相信这些举动来自主，是主与他同在并借着他行出来的；不需要在此解释，因为整本圣经从头到尾都可以证明这些，总而言之，无非教导避免作恶，努力行善，信靠主上帝。此外，倘若离了这三点，也就不是属于任何宗教了，因为宗教是生活的宗教；而生活就是避恶和行善，除非仿佛凭自己来主动这么做，人就无法行善和避恶了。如果把这三样从教会拿走了，那么圣经连同宗教也一样同时被除去，教会也就不成教会了。关于新教会的信仰，在后文（n.116，117）将从总体和具体两方面进一步详述；并且，所有这方面内容都将在（关于各教义的）著作本身展开说明。
44. BRIEF ANALYSIS
This is the Faith of the New Church in simple form. It will appear more fully in the Appendix, and in still greater fulness in the first part of the major work, treating of the Lord God the Saviour, and of the Trinity in Him; of love to God and love towards the neighbour; of faith, and its conjunction with those two loves. This faith will also he treated of in the remaining parts of that work, which will follow in their proper order there. But it is important that this preliminary account of the above-mentioned faith should be shown here to some extent.
The first Article, viz., that there is one God in Whom is the Divine Trinity, and that He is the Lord Jesus Christ, is shown by the following summary. It is a sure and abiding truth that God is one, that His essence is indivisible, and that there is a Trinity. Since, therefore, God is one, and His essence is indivisible, it follows that God is one Person; and that, since He is one Person, the Trinity is in that Person. That this Person is the Lord Jesus Christ is evident from the following statements: He was conceived of God the Father, Luke 1:34-35: thus, as to His soul and essential life, He is God. Therefore, as He Himself said, the Father and He are one, John 10:30. He is in the Father, and the Father in Him, John 14:10-11. He who sees Him and knows Him, sees and knows the Father, John 14:7, 9. No one sees and knows the Father except He Who is in the bosom of the Father, John 1:18. All things of the Father are His, John 3:35, 16:15. He is the way, the truth and the life, and no one comes to the Father but through Him, John 14:6; consequently by Him, because He is in Him, thus is He Himself. According to Paul, in Him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, Colossians 2:9; and according to Isaiah,
Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, Whose name is God, Father of eternity. Isaiah 9:6.
Further, He has power over all flesh, John 17:2 whence it follows that He is the God of heaven and earth.
The second Article, viz., that a saving faith is to believe on Him, is shown by these sayings:
Jesus said . . . He that believeth on Me shall never die, but shall live. John 11:25-26.
This is the will of My Father, that everyone who believes on the Son may have eternal life. John 6:40.
God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16.
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, but he that believeth not on the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him. John 3:36.
There is no need to illustrate and prove the remaining Articles, which are that evils ought to be shunned because they are of the devil and from the devil, that good actions ought to be done because they are of God and from God, yet that man ought to believe that they are from the Lord with him and through him; for the whole Sacred Scripture from beginning to end confirms them and, in short, teaches nothing else than shunning evils and doing goods, and believing on the Lord God. Besides, without these three things there is not any religion, for religion belongs to life, and life is to shun evils and do goods; and man cannot do the one or the other except as of himself. Wherefore, if you remove these three things from the Church, you remove the Sacred Scripture, and religion also in which case the Church ceases to be a Church.
For a further account of the Faith of the New Church in its universal and particular forms, see below, nos. 116-117. All this will be demonstrated in the major work.
44. BRIEF ANALYSIS.
This is the faith of the New Church in its simple form, which will appear more fully in the Appendix, and in its full form in the work itself, in its First Part; where we shall treat of the Lord God the Saviour, and of the Trinity in Him; of love to God, and love towards the neighbor; of faith and its conjunction with those two loves; and also in the other parts, which will follow in order there. But it is necessary that this preliminary concerning that faith should here be briefly illustrated. Its first, namely, That there is one God, in whom there is the Divine Trinity, and He is the Lord Jesus Christ, is summarily illustrated in the following manner. It is a certain and established truth, that God is one, and His essence is indivisible, and that there is a Trinity; since, therefore, God is One, and His essence is indivisible, it follows, that God is one Person, and when He is one Person, that the Trinity is in that Person. That this is the Lord Jesus Christ, appears from this, that He was conceived from God the Father (Luke 1:34-35); and thus as to His soul and life itself He is God; and therefore, as He Himself said, that:
The Father and He are One (John 10:30).
He is in the Father, and the Father in Him (John 14:10, 11).
He who seeth Him and knoweth Him, seeth and knoweth the Father (John 14:7, 9).
No one seeth and knoweth the Father, but He who is in the bosom of the Father (John 1:18).
All things of the Father are His (John 3:35; 16:15).
He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no one cometh unto the Father but by Him (John 14:6);
thus from Him, because He is in Him, and thus is He Himself; and according to Paul that:
All the fulness of the Divinity dwells in Him bodily (Colossians 2:9).
And according to Isaiah:
Unto us a Boy is born, unto us a Son is given, whose name is God, Father of Eternity (9:5).
And again, that:
He hath power over all flesh (John 17:2).
And:
He hath all power in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18).
Thence it follows that He is the God of heaven and earth.
Second, That saving faith is to believe in Him, is illustrated by these:
Jesus said, he that believeth in Me, shall not die to eternity, but shall live (John 11:25, 26).
This is the will of the Father, that everyone who believeth in the Son may have eternal life (John 6:40).
God so loved the world, that He gave His Only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:15, 16).
He that believeth in the Son, hath eternal life, but he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him (John 3:36).
The three remaining propositions, namely, That evils ought to be shunned, because they are of the devil and from the devil; and that goods ought to be done, because they are of God and from God; but that it is to be believed that they are from the Lord, with him and through him. There is no need to illustrate and demonstrate these; for the whole Sacred Scripture, from beginning to end, proves them, and, in short, teaches nothing else but to shun evils, and do goods, and to believe in the Lord God. Besides, without these three there is not any religion, for religion is of the life; and life is to shun evils and do goods, and man cannot do goods and shun evils except as of himself. Wherefore if these three are removed from the church, the Sacred Scripture, together with religion, is likewise removed at the same time: which being removed the church is not a church. For a further account of the faith of the New Church, in its universal and particular form, see below (n. 116-117); all which will be demonstrated in the work itself.
44. BREVIS ANALYSIS.
Haec est Fides Novae Ecclesiae in simplici forma, in ampliore videbitur in Appendice, et in ampla in ipso Opere, in ejus Parte Prima, ubi docebitur de Domino Deo Salvatore et de Trinitate in Ipso; de Amore in Deum et de Amore erga proximum; ac de Fide et ejus conjunctione cum binis illis Amoribus et quoque in reliquis, quae ordine sequuntur ibi. Sed interest ut hoc Praeliminare de illa fide, hic paucis illustretur, ac illustratur ejus PRIMUM, Quod sit unus Deus, in Quo est Divina Trinitas: et quod Ille sit Dominus Jesus Christus, per haec summatim; veritas certa et constans est, quod Deus sit Unus, et Ipsius Essentia individua, et quod sit Trinitas, cum itaque Deus est unus et Ipsius Essentia individua, sequitur quod Deus sit una Persona, et cum est una Persona, quod Trinitas sit in illa: quod sit Dominus Jesus Christus, patet ex his quod conceptus sit a Deo Patre, Luca 1:34-35; et quod sic quoad animam et ipsam vitam sit Deus; et inde sicut Ipse dixit, quod Pater et Ipse unum sint, Johannes 10:30. Quod Ipse in Patre et Pater in Ipso sit, Johannes 14:10-11. Quod qui videt Ipsum et cognoscit Ipsum videat et cognoscat Patrem, Johannes 14:7, 9. Quod nemo videat et cognoscat Patrem nisi Ipse qui in sinu Patris est; Johannes 1:18. Quod omnia Patris sint Ipsius, Johannes 3:35; Cap. 16:15. Quod sit Via, Veritas et Vita, et quod nemo veniat ad Patrem nisi per Ipsum, Johannes 14:6. ita ab Ipso, quia est in Ipso, et sic Ipse; et secundum Paulum, Quod omnis plenitudo Divinitatis in Ipso habitet corporaliter, Colossenses 2:9. et secundum Esajam "Puer natus est nobis, Filius datus est nobis, cujus en Deus, PATER AETERNITATIS," 9:5. Ac praeterea, Quod Ipsi sit potestas omnis carnis, Johannes 17:2. Et quod Ipsi sit omnis potestas in Caelo et in Terra, Matthaeus 28:18; ex quibus sequitur, quod sit Deus Caeli et Terrae. ALTERUM, Quod Fides salvifica sit credere in Ipsum, illustratur per haec "Jesus dixit, Qui credit in Me, non morietur in aeternum, sed vivet, Johannes 11:25-26. Haec est voluntas Patris, ut omnis qui credit in Filium, habeat vitam aeternam, Johannes 6:40. Adeo dilexit Deus Mundum, ut Filium suum Unigenitum dederit, ut omnis qui credit in Ipsum non pereat, sed habeat vitam aeternam, Johannes 3:15-16. Qui credit in Filium, habet vitam aeternam, qui vero non credit Filio, non videbit vitam, sed ira Dei manet super illo" Joh. 3:36. TRIA RELIQUA, quae sunt, quod fugienda sint mala, quia sunt diaboli et a diabolo; et quod facienda sint bona, quia sunt Dei et a Deo; at quod credendum sit; quod sint a Domino apud illum et per illum, illustrare et demonstrare, non opus est: Universa enim Scriptura Sacra a principio ad finem confirmat illa, ibi non aliud in summa docetur, quam fugere mala et facere bona, et credere in Dominum Deum: et praeterea absque his tribus non est aliqua religio, Religio enim est vitae, ac vita est fugere mala et facere bona, ac homo haec facere et illa fugere non potest, nisi ut ab ipso; quare si removes haec tria ab Ecclesia, removes ab illa Scripturam Sacram, et quoque removes Religionem, quibus remotis Ecclesia non est Ecclesia. Praeterea de Fide Novae Ecclesiae in forma universali et in forma particulari, videatur infra, n. 116, 117; quae omnia in Ipso Opere demonstranda sunt.