Faith16.这一点可通过与一棵树作比较来说明。一棵树的最初源头是一粒种子，这种子里面有一种结出果实的努力。这种努力被热激活，先生出根来，从根发出长有枝叶的幼苗或茎干，最后结出果实；结出果实的努力便以这种方式显示存在。由此明显可知，结出果实的努力不断贯穿于整个生长过程，直到它显示存在；因为如果它真的停止了，植物的生长能力就会立刻消亡。这一过程的应用是这样：树是人；他里面产生方法的努力来自在他理解力中的意愿；带有枝叶的幼苗或茎干在人里面就是工具性的方法，或说意愿进入结果所用的方法；果实，也就是树里面结出果实的努力的终极结果，在人里面就是功用；他的意愿在这些功用中显示存在。由此可见，通过理解力产生功用的意愿不断贯穿于整个过程，直到它显示存在。关于意愿和理解力，以及它们的结合，可参看《新耶路撒冷教义之生活篇》（43节）。
16. Comparison with a tree may serve to illustrate this. In its first origin, a tree is a seed in which there is a drive to produce fruit. Stimulated by warmth, this drive first produces roots, and then from the roots a shoot or stem with branches, leaves, and finally fruit. That is how the drive to produce fruit manifests itself. We can see from this that the drive to produce fruit is constant throughout the whole process until it becomes manifest, since if it were to fail, the power to grow would promptly die.
This is how the illustration works: The tree is the person. Our drive to produce the means to an end comes from our will and passes into our understanding. Our shoot or stem and its branches and leaves are the means we use, means called the truths that belong to religious faith. The fruits, which in the case of the tree are the final effects of its drive to be fruitful, are in our case the useful acts in which our will becomes manifest.
We can see from this that our will to be of service by using our understanding is constant throughout the whole process until finally it becomes manifest.
On will and understanding and their union, see The Doctrine of Life for the New Jerusalem 43.
16. This can be illustrated by comparison with a tree. In its first origin a tree is a seed, which has in it an endeavor to produce fruit. This endeavor, when awakened by warmth, produces first a root, and from that a stalk or sapling with branches and leaves, and finally fruit; and so the endeavor to bear fruit finds expression.
It is apparent from this that the endeavor to produce fruit is constant throughout its progression to the time it finds expression; for if the endeavor were to cease, the tree’s ability to grow would immediately die.
The application is this: The tree is a person. The endeavor to produce the means proceeds in a person from his will into his intellect. The stalk or sapling with its branches and leaves are, in a person, the instrumental means and are called truths of faith. The fruits that are the ultimate effects of the endeavor to bear fruit in the case of a tree are, in a person, useful activities. It is in these that his will finds expression.
It may be seen from this that the will to produce useful applications by means of the intellect is constant throughout its progression to the time it finds expression.
Regarding the will and the intellect and their union, see The Doctrine of Life for the New Jerusalem 43.
16. This may be illustrated by comparison with a tree. A tree in its first origin is a seed, in which there is an endeavour to produce fruit. This endeavour, being excited by heat, first produces a root, and from it a shoot or stem with branches and leaves, and lastly fruit: and thus the endeavour to bear fruit is brought into existence. From this it is evident that the endeavour to produce fruit is continuous in the whole of the progression until it is brought into existence; for were it to cease, vegetative power would instantly perish.
The application is this. The tree is man. The endeavour to produce means is with man from the will in the understanding; the shoot or stem with branches and leaves are, with man, the means by which [the will proceeds into effect], and are called truths of faith; and the fruits, which are the ultimate effects of the endeavour in a tree to bear fruit, are in man, uses. His will manifests itself in uses [as effects]. From this it may be seen that the will to produce uses by means of the understanding is continuous in the whole progression, until it manifests itself. Respecting the will and the understanding, and their conjunction see THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE FOR THE NEW JERUSALEM 43.
16. All this may be illustrated by comparison with a tree. The prime source of a tree is a seed, and in this there is an endeavor to bring forth fruit. This endeavor, roused to activity by heat, brings forth first a root, and then from that a stem or stalk with branches and leaves, and at last the fruit; and in this way the endeavor to bear fruit comes forth into manifest being. From this it is evident that the endeavor to bring forth fruit is constant through the whole progression until it attains manifest being, for if it ceased the capacity to vegetate would die at once. This is the application: The tree is man; in him the endeavor to bring forth the means is from his will in his understanding; the stem or stalk with branches and leaves, in him are the instrumental means, and are called the truths of faith; the fruits which in the tree are the ultimate effects of the endeavor to bear fruit, in man are uses and in these his will comes forth into manifest being. From this it may be seen that the will to bring forth uses by means of the understanding is constant through the whole progression, until it comes into manifest being. (Concerning the will and the understanding, and their conjunction, see the Doctrine of Life for the New Jerusalem 43.)
16. Illustrari haec possunt per comparationem cum arbore. Arbor in sua prima origine est semen, in quo est conatus producendi fructum. Hic conatus excitatus a calore, primum producit radicem, et ex illa virgam seu caulem cum ramis et foliis, et demum fructus; et sic conatus fructificandi existit: ex quibus patet, quod conatus producendi fructus sit perpetuus in omni progressione, usque dum existit; nam si ille desineret, facultas vegetandi illico moreretur. Applicatio haec est:- Arbor est homo; conatus producendi media est apud hominem a voluntate in intellectu; virga seu caulis cum ramis et foliis, sunt apud hominem media per quae, et vocantur vera fidei; fructus qui sunt ultimi effectus conatus fructificandi in arbore, sunt apud hominem usus; in his voluntas existit. Ex his potest videri, quod voluntas producendi usus medio intellectu sit perpetua in omni progressione, usque dum existit. De voluntate et de intellectu, et de conjunctione illorum, videatur in Doctrina Vitae pro Nova Hierosolyma 43.