229.⑵教义应取自圣言的字义通过字义来证实。这是因为，主的临在、教导和启示就在于圣言字义。主行事必完全，在圣言的字义中就是在它的完全中，如前所示。因此，教义应取自字义。纯正真理的教义甚至完全取自圣言字义。因为字义上的圣言类似于穿上衣服的人，他的脸和手是裸露的。涉及人的信仰和生命、因而涉及人的救赎所必需的一切，在字义中是不遮盖的，剩下的才会披上外衣。不过，在很多地方，它们虽披上衣服，但仍能透现出来，就像一个女人的容貌透过脸上薄薄的面纱透现出来一样。而且，由于圣言的真理会因对它们的爱而倍增，并通过这爱而成形，故它们会越来越清晰地闪耀出来，并显为可见。
229. (2)教義是從聖言的文字意義中獲取並靠文字意義來支撐。
主在文字意義中呈現,教導並啟發我們。因為主行事必完全, 如前所述, 聖言在文字意義中就是在其完全之中, 這就是教義是從聖言的文字意義中獲取的原因。純正真理的教義甚至完全從聖言的文字意義中獲取, 因為聖言在那層意義之中, 如同穿著衣裳之人,手與臉裸露在外。關於人的信與生命,以及關於得救的一切資訊, 在那裡無所遮蓋, 儘管其餘部分被遮蓋。在許多被遮蓋的章節中, 仍是可見, 如同隔著婦人面前薄薄的面紗, 仍能睹其芳容。並且, 聖言的真理因著我們熱愛而不斷增加, 因著熱愛而使其顯現出來,
於是這些真理越來越清晰地向我們顯明。
229. 2. A body of teaching has to be drawn from the Word's literal meaning and supported by it. The reason for this is that the Lord is present, teaching and enlightening, in the Word's literal meaning. The Lord never works in an incomplete or partial way, and the literal meaning is where the Word is complete, as I have shown before. As a result, a body of teaching has to be drawn from the Word's literal meaning.
You can draw a complete body of genuinely true teaching from the Word's literal meaning. In that meaning the Word is like a clothed person whose face, forearms, and hands are exposed. All the teachings that relate to our faith and life and therefore our salvation are exposed there. The other teachings are clothed. Even then, in many passages where the teachings are clothed they are still visible, as a woman with a thin piece of silk over her face can still see objects in front of her. In fact, as the truths in the Word are multiplied and organized by our love for them, they shine out and become more and more clearly evident.
229. (ii) DOCTRINE IS TO BE DRAWN FROM THE LITERAL SENSE OF THE WORD, AND PROVED BY MEANS OF IT.
This is because the Lord is present in that sense, and He teaches and enlightens us. For the Lord never performs any act except in fulness, and the Word is in its fulness in the literal sense, as was shown above. This is why doctrine is to be drawn from the literal sense. The doctrine of genuine truth can even fully be drawn from the literal sense of the Word, for the Word in that sense resembles a person wearing clothes, but whose face and hands are bare. Everything needed for a person's faith and life, and so everything needed for his salvation, is there uncovered, though the remainder is clothed. In many passages where it is clothed it still shows through, like a woman's features through a thin silk veil over her face. Moreover, since the truths of the Word increase in number as they are loved and this love gives them shape, so they show through and become visible more and more clearly.
229. (2) Doctrine should be drawn from the sense of the letter of the Word and confirmed by it. This is because in it the Lord is present, and teaches and enlightens; for the Lord never operates except in fullness, and in the sense of the letter the Word is in its fullness, as has been shown above. This is why doctrine should be drawn from the sense of the letter. Moreover, the doctrine of genuine truth may be fully drawn from the sense of the letter of the Word; since the Word in that sense is like a man clothed, with his face bare and his hands bare; and all things pertaining to man's faith and life and thus his salvation are there naked; while the rest are clothed; but in many places where they are clothed, they show through, as objects are seen by a woman through a thin silk veil before her face. Furthermore, as the truths of the Word are multiplied as it were, by love for them, and by this love are arranged in order, they more and more clearly shine forth and are seen.
229. (2) DOCTRINE MUST BE TAKEN FROM THE SENSE OF THE LETTER OF THE WORD, AND BE CONFIRMED BY IT.
This is because the Lord is present in that sense, teaching and enlightening the mind; for the Lord never acts except in fulness, and the Word in the sense of the Letter is in its fulness, as was said above; therefore doctrine must be taken from the sense of the Letter. The doctrine of genuine truth may also be fully drawn from the literal sense of the Word; for the Word in that sense is like a person clothed, but whose face and hands are uncovered. Everything in the Word pertaining to man's faith and life, and thus to his salvation, is there unveiled. The rest is veiled; and in many places where it is veiled it is nevertheless visible, as things appear to a woman when they are seen through a thin veil of silk over her face. Moreover, as the truths of the Word increase from the love of them, and are co-ordinated by love, they become more and more translucent and obvious.
229. II. QUOD DOCTRINA EX SENSU LITERAE VERBI HAURIENDA SIT, ET PER ILLUM CONFIRMANDA; causa est, quia Dominus ibi est praesens, ac docet et illustrat, nam Dominus nusquam operatur aliquid nisi in pleno, et Verbum in Sensu literae est in suo pleno, ut supra ostensum est; inde est, quod Doctrina e Sensu literae haurienda sit. Doctrina genuini Veri ex Sensu literali 1 Verbi etiam plene potest hauriri, nam Verbum in illo Sensu est tanquam homo vestitus, cui facies est nuda, et quoque manus sunt nudae; omnia quae ad fidem et vitam hominis, ita quae ad salutem ejus pertinent, sunt ibi nuda; reliqua autem vestita; et in multis locis, ubi vestita sunt, transparent, sicut obvia mulieri per tenue sericum ante faciem: etiam vera Verbi, sicut multiplicantur ex amore illorum, et sicut per hunc ordinantur, ita clarius et clarius pellucent et apparent.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: liserali.