245.众所周知，教会与其教义一致，而教义来自圣言。然而，确立一个教会的，不是教义，而是教义的完整和纯正，因而是对圣言的理解。建立并构成个体人里面特定教会的，也不是教义，而是遵从教义的信仰和生活。同样，对于一个人来说，建立并构成具体教会的，不是圣言，而是与真理相一致的信仰、与良善相一致的生活；人从圣言获得这些真理与良善，并将其运用到自己身上。圣言就像深藏大量金银的矿山，还像越往深处矿石就越宝贵的矿山。这些矿山照着人对圣言的理解程度而被打开。若不照着圣言本来的样子、照着它的核心和深处去理解圣言，那么圣言就无法在人里面形成一个教会，就像亚细亚的矿山不会使一个欧洲人变得富有一样。若他是矿山的主人和开采者之一，情况就截然不同了。
对于那些为从中提取信仰的真理和生活的良善而探究圣言的人来说，圣言就像波斯王、莫卧儿或中国皇帝所拥有的宝藏。而教会中人则像管理宝藏的各级官员，他们被允许照自己想要的取用。另一方面，那些只是拥有并阅读圣言，却不寻求纯正真理来建立信仰、寻求纯正良善来指导生活的人，就像那些通过道听途说得知那里有大量财宝，却从未由此获取分毫的人。那些拥有圣言却未从中获取丝毫对纯正真理的理解，或对纯正良善的意愿之人，就像是这类人：他们自以为很富有，然而钱都是从别人那里借来的，或持有的是别人的地产、房屋和财物。谁都能看出，这不过是幻想。他们还像这类人：他们出行时身穿华衣、乘驾镀金的马车，后面和两边有护卫，前面有开路的，然而这些没有一样是他自己的。
245. 眾所周知, 教會與其教義保持一致, 而教義來自聖言。然而, 並非教義構成教會, 而是教義的完整與純正,也就是對聖言的理解構成了教會。同樣地, 就個人而言特定的教會, 並非聖言建立和構成這特定的教會, 而是與真理相符的信,以及與各種良善相符的生活(個人從良善中汲取)來建立和構成。聖言如同一個礦, 其深處富藏金銀; 又或像個這樣的礦, 越往深處寶藏越豐富。正是對聖言的理解來打開這些礦藏。倘若聖言不是被理解, 就如同礦在深處不被挖掘, 聖言就不會在某人之中形成教會(對個人而言的特定教會就不會被建立)。就像在亞洲的礦藏無法使某個歐洲人變得富有; 但若此人是礦主和經營者之一, 情況就不同了。
[2]對於那些探尋聖言以求從中汲取真理和良善, 聖言就如同波斯王,莫臥兒或中國皇帝所擁有的財寶; 屬於教會的人們就如同這些財寶的司庫, 被許可來按他們的意思支取這些財寶。另一方面, 那些只是擁有聖言讀聖言, 而沒有尋求純正真理來建立信仰, 尋求各樣的良善來指導生活, 就如同一些人只是聽聞某處有大量的財寶, 卻從未由此獲得分毫。那些擁有聖言卻未從中獲取絲毫對純正真理的認知, 或者對真正良善的意志, 就像某些人認為自己很富有,但擁有的都是借來的錢, 或者像某些人持有大量的土地,房屋和物資,但全是別人的。誰都看得出這都是幻覺。他們還如同有人身穿華貴衣裳,坐著鍍金的馬車外出, 侍衛們四圍環繞護送, 前方還有騎士們開路, 然而事實上沒有一樣為他所有。
245. As everyone knows, the church depends on its body of teaching and its body of teaching is based on the Word. Nevertheless, it is not the body of teaching itself but its integrity and purity, and therefore an understanding of the Word, that forms the church. The church in miniature that is in us as individuals is also formed and established not by a body of teaching but by our faith and by our living our faith. Likewise, what forms and establishes the church in miniature in any of us is not the Word; it is the faith based on true perceptions and the life based on good actions that we individually draw from the Word and apply to ourselves.
The Word is like a mine that has gold and silver deep down in great abundance; it is like a mine where the farther in we go, the more precious are the types of stone we find. Our understanding of the Word is what gives us access to these "mines. " If we did not understand the Word's true nature as it is at its heart and in its depth, the Word would no more form the church in us than mines like these in the Middle East would make some person in Europe rich. It would be different, of course, if that person were one of the owners and operators of the mine.
For people who search the Word for truths to believe and good ways to live, the Word is like the treasures belonging to the ruler of Persia or the emperors of Mongolia and China, and the people in the church are like governors under those leaders who are allowed to take whatever they want for their own use. People who merely own the Word and read it but do not search it for genuine truths to believe and genuinely good ways to live are like people who know from reading newspapers that there are astounding treasures in those other lands, but they themselves do not get a penny from those treasures.
People who own the Word but do not receive from it any understanding of genuine truth or any willingness to do genuine good are like people who think they are rich because they have borrowed money from others or who think themselves well off because they include in their reckoning other people's properties, houses, and possessions, which as anyone can see is not their wealth. They are also like people who parade around in magnificent clothing and ride in gilded carriages with attendants on the back and sides, and with heralds running out in front, but not a bit of this magnificence belongs to them.
245. It is well known that a church is like its doctrine, and the Word is the source of doctrine. Yet it is not doctrine which establishes a church, but the wholeness and purity of its doctrine, and consequently its understanding of the Word. But in the case of the particular church which exists in the individual, it is not doctrine which establishes and makes it, but faith and life in accordance with faith. Likewise it is not the Word which establishes and makes the particular church in the case of a person, but faith in accordance with truths, and life in accordance with the kinds of good which he draws from this source and applies to himself. The Word is like a mine, the depths of which are rich in gold and silver; or like a mine containing richer and richer veins of gems the further one goes into it. It is the understanding of the Word which opens up these mines. If it is not understood as it is in itself, in its inmost recesses and in its depth, the Word would no more bring about a church in the case of a person than the mines in Asia would make a European wealthy. It would be quite different, if he were among the mine-owners and operators.
[2] For those who probe the Word to extract from it the truths of faith and the kinds of good which are needed for life, the Word is like treasures owned by the Shah of Persia or the Mogul or Chinese Emperors. People belonging to the church are like their treasurers, who have permission to take out as much as they want for their own purposes. On the other hand those who merely possess the Word and read it, without seeking for genuine truths to establish faith, and genuine kinds of good to guide life, are like those who know from the newspapers that there are vast treasures there, but never get a penny from them. Those who possess the Word without drawing from it any understanding of genuine truth or any will for genuine good, are like those people who think themselves wealthy because they have taken huge loans from others, or large proprietors on the strength of renting other people's estates, houses and merchandise. Anyone can see that this is imaginary. They are also like people who walk about in magnificent costume, ride in gilded carriages with outriders behind and on either side and runners in front, yet do not actually own any of these things.
245. It is known that the church is in accordance with its doctrine, and that doctrine is from the Word; nevertheless it is not doctrine but soundness and purity of doctrine, consequently the understanding of the Word, that establishes the church. Neither is it doctrine, but a faith and life in accordance with doctrine, that establishes and constitutes the special church in the individual man. So too it is not the Word that establishes and constitutes the church in particular in man, but a faith according to the truths, and a life according to the goods, which man derives from the Word, and applies to himself. The Word is like a mine containing in its depths gold and silver in great abundance, and like a mine which at greater and greater depths conceals stones more and more precious; these mines are opened in the measure of man's understanding of the Word. The Word such as it is in itself, in its bosom, and in its depth, when not understood, would no more form a church in man than mines in Asia would make a European rich; although it would be otherwise if he were one of the owners and workers of the mine. The Word with those who search in it for truths of faith and goods of life, is like the treasuries of the king of Persia, or of the emperor of the Moguls or of China, and men of the church are like officers placed over them, who are permitted to take for their use as much as they please. But those who merely have possession of the Word and read it, but do not try to get from it genuine truths for their faith or genuine goods for their life, are like those who know by hearsay that there are such great treasures there, but do not receive a penny from them. Those who have the Word, but do not gain from it any understanding of genuine truth, or any will for genuine good, are like those who think themselves rich for having money borrowed from others, or like those who hold estates, houses, and merchandise belonging to others. This, as everyone can see, is mere hallucination. They are also like those who go about magnificently clothed, and are driven about in gilded carriages, with attendants behind and beside them, and couriers ahead, and yet none of this is their own property.
245. It is generally acknowledged that the nature of the Church depends upon its doctrine, and that doctrine is derived from the Word. Still it is not doctrine that establishes the Church, but the integrity and purity of its doctrine, thus the understanding of the Word. However, doctrine does not establish and build up the Church as it appears with the individual man, but faith and life in accordance with doctrine. Similarly, the Word does not establish and build up the Church as it appears with man in general, but faith in accordance with the truth and a life in accordance with the good which a man derives from the Word and applies to himself. The Word is like a mine deep down in which are to be found gold and silver in great abundance; and like a mine in which stones the more precious lie concealed the deeper its depths are explored. These mines are opened up according to man's understanding of the Word; and without this understanding of the Word, as it is in itself, in its interior content, and in its depth, it could no more build up the Church in a man than mines of precious stones and minerals in Asia could make a European rich unless he had some share in their possession and management.
The Word, with those who search it for the truths of faith and the goods of life, is like the wealth of the King of Persia or that of the Emperors of Mongolia 1 and China; and men of the Church are like officers placed in charge of this treasure, who have the privilege of taking as much as they choose for their own use. Those, however, who only have the Word and read it, but who do not seek out genuine truth for their faith and genuine good for their life, are like those who only know by hearsay that such great wealth exists, the Word and who do not derive from it any understanding of genuine truth and any will to genuine good, are like those who fancy themselves rich on wealth but who never receive a single penny of it. Those who have the Word and who do not derive from it any understanding of genuine truth and any will to genuine good, are like those who fancy themselves rich on wealth borrowed from others, or as possessors of estates, houses and merchandise merely hired by them. Every one sees that this is a delusion. They are indeed, like men who strut about in gorgeous garments and who ride in gilded chariots with footmen in front, alongside and behind, and who notwithstanding can claim none of this grandeur as their own.
Footnotes:
1. Mongolia, the country of the Monguls or Moguls.
245. Quod Ecclesia sit secundum Doctrinam ejus, et quod Doctrina sit ex Verbo, notum est; sed usque Doctrina non instaurat Ecclesiam, sed integritas et puritas Doctrinae, consequenter intellectus Verbi; sed specialem Ecclesiam, quae est apud hominem in singulari, non instaurat et facit Doctrina, sed fides et vita secundum illam; similiter Verbum non instaurat et facit Ecclesiam in specie apud hominem, sed fides secundum vera, et vita secundum bona, quae inde haurit et sibi applicat. Verbum est sicut Fodina, in qua aurum et argentum in profundo in omni copia sunt, ac sicut Fodina, in qua interius et interius lapides plus et plus pretiosi latent; hae fodinae aperiuntur secundum intellectum Verbi; absque intellectu Verbi, quale 1 est in se, in suo sinu, et in sua profunditate, illud non plus faceret Ecclesiam apud hominem, quam Fodinae illae in Asiatico orbe facerent Europaeum divitem; aliter si foret inter illarum possessores et operarios.
[2] Verbum apud illos, qui scrutantur vera fidei et bona vitae inde, est sicut sunt Gazae apud Regem Persiae, aut apud Imperatores Mogolis et Chinae, et homines Ecclesiae sicut praefecti illarum, quibus data est venia ad suos usus desumere quantum libet; at illi qui Verbum modo possident, ac legunt illud, et tamen non inquirunt genuina vera pro fide, et genuina bona pro vita, sunt sicut illi qui ex novellis sciunt, quod tantae gazae ibi sint, sed ex illis ne quidem nummum accipiunt. Illi, qui Verbum possident, et non aliquem intellectum genuini veri et voluntatem genuini boni inde hauriunt, sunt sicut qui credunt se divites ex opibus mutuo acceptis ab aliis, aut possessionatos ab aliorum praediis, domibus et mercibus, quod hoc sit phantasticum, quisque videt. Similes etiam sunt illis, qui incedunt in magnificis vestibus, vehuntur in auratis curribus cum satellitiis a tergo et ad latera, et praecursoribus, et tamen non quicquam ex illis suae proprietatis sunt.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: qualis.