Life39.良善热爱真理，这一点可以一个牧师、士兵、商人和工匠为例来说明。
一个牧师：如果他处于牧师职务的良善，这牧师职务在于关心灵魂的拯救，教导通往天堂的道路，引导他所教导的那些人，那么他就照着他出于对它的爱和强烈渴望处于这良善的程度而获取他可以教导并用来引导人的真理。然而，一个未处于牧师职务的良善，而是处于其源于爱自己爱世界的职务快乐，这快乐对他来说是唯一良善的牧师，也出于对它的爱和强烈渴望而照着构成其良善的快乐影响程度而大量获取这些真理。
一个士兵：如果他处于对服兵役的爱，并感觉到它的良善，无论这良善是保卫国家，还是追求声誉，那么他会出于并照着这良善而获取与它有关的知识；他若是一个指挥官，就会获取属于指挥官的聪明。这些知识就如同用来滋养并形成他的爱之快乐，也就是其良善的真理。
一个商人：他若出于对经商的爱而致力于经商，就会非常乐意获取作为手段进入并构成这爱的一切。这些也如同真理，而经商是他的良善。
一个工匠：他若热情投入自己的工作，并把它作为其生命的良善来热爱，就会购买工具，并通过诸如涉及他工作知识的那类事物而使自己技艺精湛，由此使他的工作成为他的良善。从这些例子明显可知，真理是手段，爱之良善通过这些手段存在，并成为某种实际的东西；所以，良善热爱真理是为了它可以存在。因此，在圣言中，“行真理”表示使良善存在。下面这些话就表示这一点：
行真理。（约翰福音3:21）
行主的话。（路加福音6:47）
遵守祂的诫命。（约翰福音14:24）
行祂的话。（马太福音7:24）
遵行神的圣言。（路加福音8:21）
遵守律例典章。（利未记18:5）
这也是“行善”和“结果子”的意思，因为“良善”和“果子”就是那开始存在之物。
39. We can illustrate the fact that goodness loves what is true by taking priests, soldiers, merchants, and artisans as examples. With respect to priests, if they are focused on the good that a priest can do, which is looking out for the salvation of souls, teaching the way to heaven, and leading the people they teach, then because they are focused on this goodness, because they love and long for it, they acquire the truths that they teach and that enable them to lead.
On the other hand, priests who are not focused on the good that priests can do but rather on the gratifications of the office - and who are this way because of love for themselves and for the world, which is all they regard as good - then because of that love and longing they too acquire as much truth as the gratification that is their "goodness" inspires them to acquire.
As for soldiers, if they have a love for military service and see some good in it, whether in providing protection or in seeking their own glory, then because of the goodness they seek and in keeping with it they acquire the necessary knowledge and, if they are officers, understanding. These are the truths by which the pleasure of their love, which is their "goodness, " is nourished and given form.
As for merchants, if they commit themselves to being in business because they love it, they gladly take in everything that serves as a means of putting together and building what they love. These means, too, are like truths, when doing business is the goodness these people love.
As for artisans, if they apply themselves to their work diligently and love it as what makes their life worthwhile, they buy their tools and improve themselves by learning what they need to know. This is what makes their work good.
We can see from all this that truths are the means by which the good that we do out of love becomes manifest, becomes something; so goodness loves what is true in order to become manifest.
So in the Word, "doing the truth" means acting in such a way that some good will be done. This is the meaning of "doing the truth" in John 3:21, "doing what the Lord says" in Luke 6:46, "doing his commandments" in John 14:21, "doing his words" in Matthew 7:24, "doing the Word of God" in Luke 8:21, and "doing the statutes and judgments" in Leviticus 18:5.
This is also the meaning of "doing good" and "bearing fruit, " because what is done is something "good, " some "fruit."
39. That goodness loves truth may be illustrated by analogy in the case of priests, soldiers, businessmen, and craftsmen.
In the case of a priest: If a priest is prompted by the good of the priesthood, which is to provide for the salvation of souls, to teach the way to heaven, and to lead those whom he teaches, then to the extent that he is prompted by that good, thus by a love of it and desire for it, he acquires the truths he needs for him to teach and by which to lead.
On the other hand, if a priest is not prompted by the good of the priesthood, but by the enjoyment of his function out of a love of self and the world, which is to him the only good, then he is also prompted by a love of it and desire for it to acquire for himself an abundance of truths in the measure of the enjoyment that inspires him, which is his good.
In the case of a soldier: If a soldier is prompted by a love of military service, and feels his good to lie in the national defense or personal honor, then he is moved by that good and in the measure of it to acquire for himself its discipline, and if he is an officer, the science of it. These serve as the truths by which the delight of his love — which is his good — is nourished and given form.
[2] In the case of a businessman: If a businessman has devoted himself to business out of a love of it, he learns with pleasure everything that enters into that love as the means and gives expression to it. These, too, serve as its truths when the business is its good.
In the case of a craftsman: If a craftsman earnestly applies himself to his work and loves it as his life’s good, he buys the necessary tools and improves his skills by whatever contributes to his knowledge of the craft. By these means he makes his work good.
It is apparent from this that truths are the means by which the goodness of love finds expression and becomes real; consequently, that good loves truths in order to exist.
In the Word, therefore, to do truth means to give goodness expression. This is the meaning of doing the truth in John 3:21; of doing the Lord’s sayings in Luke 6:47; of doing His commandments in John 14:21; of doing His words in Matthew 7:24; of doing the word of God in Luke 8:21; and of doing His statutes and judgments in Leviticus 18:5.
This, too, is the meaning of doing good and producing fruit; for good and fruit are what result.
39. That good loves truth may be illustrated by taking for example a priest, a soldier, a merchant and an artisan.
A priest: If he is principled in the good of the priesthood, which consists in providing for the salvation of souls, in teaching the way to heaven and in leading those whom he teaches-so far as he is principled in this good from love of it and ardent desire-he procures for himself truths which he may teach and by which he may lead. A priest, however, who is not principled in the good of the priesthood, but who is in the delight of his office from the love of self and the world, which to him is the only good, also from love of it and ardent desire, procures for himself those truths in abundance according to the influence of the delight which constitutes his good.
A soldier: If he is in the love of military service, and perceives his good to be the protection of his country or the seeking of reputation, he procures for himself from that good and according to it the knowledge relating to it; and if he is an officer, the intelligence pertaining to it. These are as truths by which the delight of his love, which is his good, is nourished and formed.
A merchant: If he has devoted himself to trade from the love of it, he acquires with pleasure all those things which, as means, enter into and compose that love. These also are as truths, whilst trading is his good.
An artisan: If he zealously applies himself to his work, and loves it as the good of his life, he purchases tools and makes himself proficient by such things as relate to the knowledge of his work and thereby he causes his work to be his good.
From these instances it is evident that truths are the means by which the good of love exists and becomes a reality; and consequently that good loves truths in order that it may exist. Hence, in the Word, by doing truth is meant, causing good to exist. This is meant by
Doing truth. John 3:21
Doing the Lord's sayings. Luke 6:47
Doing His precepts. John 14:24
Doing His sayings. Matthew 7:24
Doing the Word of God. Luke 8:21; and
Doing His statutes and judgments. Leviticus 18:5.
This also is meant by doing good and bearing fruit; for good or fruit is that which comes forth into existence.
39. That good loves truth may be illustrated by comparison with a priest, a soldier, a trader, and an artificer. With a priest: - If he is in the good of the priesthood, which is to care for the salvation of souls, to teach the way to heaven, and to lead those whom he teaches, then in proportion as he is in this good (thus from his love and its desire) he acquires the truths which he may teach, and by means of which he may lead. But a priest who is not in the good of the priesthood, but is in the delight of his office from the love of self and of the world, which to him is the only good, he too from his love and its desire acquires those truths in abundance in proportion as he is inspired by the delight which is his good. With a soldier:--If he is in the love of military service, and is sensible of its good, whether it be that of national defense, or that of his own fame, from this good and according to it he acquires its special knowledge, and if he is a commander, its intelligence; these are like truths by which the delight of love which is his good is nourished and formed. With a trader: -If he has taken up this calling from the love of it, he learns with avidity everything that enters into and makes up that love as its means; these also are like truths, while trading is his good. With an artificer: -If he applies himself with earnestness to his work, and loves it as the good of his life, he purchases tools, and perfects himself by whatever pertains to a knowledge of it, and by these means he so does his work that it is a good. From these comparisons it is evident that truths are the means through which the good of love comes into manifest being, and becomes something; consequently that good loves truths in order that it may do so. Hence in the Word to "do the truth" means to cause good to come into manifest being. This is meant by
Doing the truth (John 3:21);
Doing the Lord's sayings (Luke 6:47);
Keeping His commandments (John 14:24);
Doing His words (Matthew 7:24);
Doing the Word of God (Luke 8:21); and by
Doing the statutes and judgments (Leviticus 18:5).
And this also is to "do what is good," and to "bear fruit," for "good" and "fruit" are that which comes into manifest being [est id quod existit].
39. Quod bonum amet Verum, illustrari potest per comparationes cum sacerdote, milite, negotiatore et artifice. Cum sacerdote:-ille, si in bono sacerdotii est, quod est prospicere saluti animarum, docere viam ad caelum, ac ducere quos docet; is sicut est in illo bono, ita ex amore et ejus desiderio, comparat sibi vera quae doceat, et per quae ducat: sacerdos autem qui non in bono sacerdotii est, sed in jucundo functionis suae ex amore sui et mundi, quod solum illi bonum est, ille etiam ex amore et ejus desiderio comparat sibi illa in copia secundum jucundum, quod est ejus bonum, inspirans. Cum milite:- si in amore militiae est, ac in tutela aut in fama sentit bonum, is ex bono hoc et secundum id comparat sibi scientiam ejus, et si praefectus est, intelligentiam ejus: haec sunt sicut Vera, ex quibus jucundum amoris, quod est bonum ejus, nutritur et formatur. Cum negotiatore:- si se addixerat negotio ex amore ejus, is haurit cum voluptate omnia quae ut media illum amorem ingrediuntur et componunt: haec quoque sunt sicut Vera, cum negotiatio est bonum ejus. Cum artifice:- si studio incumbit suae operae, et illam amat ut bonum suae vitae, is emit instrumenta, et per talia quae sunt scientiae ejus, perficit se; per haec facit opus suum ut sit bonum. Ex his patet quod vera sint media, per quae bonum amoris existit, et fit aliquid; consequenter, quod bonum amet vera ut existat. Inde in Verbo per "veritatem facere" intelligitur facere ut bonum existat. Hoc intelligitur per
"Veritatem facere" (Johannes 3:21 1);
"Sermones Domini facere" (Lucas 6:47 2);
"Praecepta Ipsius facere" (Johannes 14:24);
"Verba Ipsius facere" (Matthaeus 7:24 3);
"Verbum Dei facere" (Lucas 8:21); ac
"Statuta et judicia facere" (Leviticus 18:5 4).
Hoc quoque est "bonum" et "fructum" facere, nam bonum et fructus est id quod existit
Footnotes:
1. iii. pro "iv.",
2. 47 pro "5",
3. 24 pro "20",
4. xviii. pro "xvii."