351. ⑵它们被排列成系列，因而可以说集成类似神经束那样的结构。这一点迄今不为人知，原因在于，组成整部圣言的属灵真理由于当今神学中起主导作用的玄奥神秘的信而无法被看到。结果，它们象贮藏室那样被埋到地下。有必要解释一下系列和束是什么意思。本书第一章论述了神，创造者，该章被分成一系列小节，其中：第一节论述了神的一体，第二节论述了神或耶和华的存在，第三节论述了神的无限，第四节论述了神的实体（就是圣爱与圣智），第五节论述了神的全能，第六节论述了创造。每一节的各个独立要点就构成系列，这些要点把内容捆在一起，仿佛形成束。这些系列，无论总体还是细节，因而无论联合还是分开，都包含真理，这些真理照着它们的丰富和连贯程度而提升和完善信。
若不知道人的心智是有组织的，是终止于属世有机体的一种属灵有机体，心智就居于属灵的有机体中，并根据它而产生自己的观念或思维，人必以为，直觉、思维和观念无非是照进头脑之光的放射和变化，这光创造出人所看到并认识的形式，该形式如同思维过程。但这纯粹是无稽之谈，因为众所周知，头部充满大脑，大脑是有组织的，心智就居于其中，心智的观念只要被接受和确认，就会在其中固定，并恒久存留。所以，问题在于，那里究竟是什么样的组织？答案就是，一切事物都被排列成系列，仿佛形成束，这就是构成信的真理在人的心智中被排列的方式。这一事实可通过以下分析来说明。
大脑由两种物质组成，一种是腺体，称为皮质和灰质；另一种是纤维，称为髓质。第一种物质，即腺体，排列成簇状，就象葡萄藤上的葡萄；这些簇状结构就是它的系列。第二种物质，或髓质，由从第一种物质的腺体发出的连续小纤维束组成；这些束是它的系列。为了履行各种功能而从大脑发出，并传到全身的所有神经，无非是成组成束的纤维；所有肌肉，以及人体一般所有脏腑和器官也是如此。所有这些具有这样的性质，是因为它们对应于心智有机体的排列系列。
此外，整个自然界没有一样东西不是由小束所形成的系列构成的。每棵树、每丛灌木、每株植物和每种蔬菜，甚至每穗玉米、每片草叶，无论整体还是部分，都是如此构建的。其普遍原因在于，这就是构建圣真的方式；因为我们读到，万物都是藉着圣言，也就是圣真造的，这个世界也是藉着圣言造的（约翰福音1:1等）。由此可见，如果人的心智不包含如此有序的物质排列，人类就不会拥有任何分析推理能力。每个人都照着其心智的有序排列，因而照着大量仿佛集结成束的真理而拥有这种能力；这种排列取决于他自由运用理性的程度。
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351. (2)信之真理彙聚, 形成類似神經束的結構。
這一點, 至今仍不為人知。對此無知的原因在於聖言的屬靈意義(就是將聖言編織為一個整體的內在含義)並不可見, 因為神秘主義與奧秘之信佔領了當今神學的每個領域。結果導致屬靈真理如同地窖那樣埋在地下。
為了讓大家更明白如同"神經束"一樣的"結構"怎麼回事, 我需要解釋一下。本書的第一章, 講的是上帝創造者, 分成幾個主題來闡述:首先, 上帝的唯一; 其次, 上帝的根本是耶和華; 第三, 上帝的無限; 第四, 上帝的本質是聖仁與聖智; 第五, 上帝的全能; 第六, 關於創造。分開的各個主題組在一起, 形成"結構"; 它們把內容聯繫在一起, 成為各"束"。這樣的結構, 不論大或小,合在一起或彼此分離, 包含的真理能提升並完善人們的信, 提升與完善的程度如何, 取決於人們獲取真理的性質如何, 以及真理之間的粘合程度如何。
[2]人的思想是有結構的, 或者說, 是屬靈的結構(以屬世的結構為終端), 在結構中並依照結構去思考或產生觀念。人若不知, 就禁不住認為, 感知,想法和觀念只不過是光在頭腦中的放射與變化, 顯現為他們所見的形式, 並接受為理性。這是荒誕可笑的, 因為任何人都知道, 人的頭裡面是腦, 人腦有其結構, 思想住於其中, 人的觀念在被接受和證實後固定並保留於其中。
下一個問題是, 人的思想如何被組織？答案是, 所有的內容被安排形成如同神經束樣的結構。構成信的真理在人的思想中也是如此被安排。
可通過以下的觀察來這個事實:
[3]人腦由兩種物質構成, 一種是被稱為皮層和灰質的腺體; 另一種是被稱為髓質的纖維細胞。 第一種腺體物質, 被安排成簇珠狀, 如同葡萄樹上的葡萄串; 這類的簇珠, 構成腺體物質的結構。第二類被稱為髓質的物質, 由連綿不斷的纖維束構成, 纖維束從第一種腺體物質發出。這些神經纖維束就是構成了髓質的結構。
由大腦發出的神經, 進到身體的各部位, 履行各樣的功能; 這一切的神經都只不過是纖維束而已; 所有的肌肉, 以及一切身體內在外在的器官也是如此。這些都有如此形式, 是因為它們對應於思想被組織的結構。
[4]此外, 遍及物質世界, 沒有什麼東西無結構——由纖維束打捆構成的結構。所有的樹木,灌木,蔬菜, 甚至所有的青草, 無論是總體上還是細節處, 都是如此構造。原因在於, 神性真理也是如此構造。我們讀到, 一切事物都是藉著聖言, 也就是藉著神性真理而被造的(約翰福音1:1及以後內容)。這些事實使我們看出, 如果人的思想未曾包含這樣井然有序安排的物質, 人類將不能擁有任何理性分析的能力。任何人擁有這樣的能力如何, 在於他的思想有序安排與組織得如何, 以及擁有的真理打包成捆的情況如何。思想被組織的水準反過來又取決於人們自由運用理性的情況如何。
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351. [b] Truths of faith come together to form structures that are like fascicles of nerves. People are still not aware of this. They do not know about it, because the spiritual truths that form the whole fabric of the Word have been invisible as a consequence of the mystical and enigmatic faith that takes up every square inch of modern-day theology. The result is that spiritual truths have sunk into the ground like old barns.
So that you will know what I mean by "structures" that are like "fascicles of nerves," I offer this explanation. The first chapter of this book, which is on God the Creator, has parts that form its structure. The first part of that chapter is on the oneness of God, the second on the underlying divine reality or Jehovah, the third on the infinity of God, the fourth on the essence of God, which is divine love and wisdom, the fifth on God's omnipotence, and the sixth on creation. Each of these parts is further subdivided into points that form its structure. These points wrap up the teachings they contain and form something like sheaves. These structures, on both the larger and the smaller scale, both jointly and separately, contain truths that elevate and improve our faith depending on the quantity of truths we have and on the bonds that exist between these truths.
[2] The human mind is structured. It is a spiritual organism that terminates in a physical organism in which and according to which the mind thinks or produces its ideas. People who do not know this cannot help thinking that perceptions, thoughts, and ideas are just rays and variations of light flowing into their heads and creating forms that they see and recognize as the thought process. This is ridiculous. As everyone knows, our heads are full of brains, our brains are structured, our minds live in them, and our ideas become fixed and permanent there as we receive and reinforce these ideas.
The next question is, how is the mind organized? The answer is that all its parts are arranged to form structures that are like fascicles of nerves. The truths that constitute faith are also arranged this way in the human mind.
The truth of this can be illustrated by the following observations.
[3] The cerebrum consists of two substances. One of them is glandular; it is called the cortex or gray-matter. The other is made of fibrils and is called the medullary substance. The first of these two, the glandular substance, is arranged in clusters like grapes on a vine. These clusters, then, constitute the structure of the glandular substance. The other substance, the medullary one, consists of common bundles of fascicles of individual nerve fibrils that come from the glands of the first substance. These common bundles of nerve fascicles, then, constitute the structure of the medullary substance.
All the nerves that come from the brain and go down into the body to perform various functions there are nothing but sheaves and fascicles of fibers. So are all muscles, and all the internal organs and other organs of the body. All these parts have this form because they correspond to the structures of the organism of the mind.
[4] Furthermore, absolutely everything in the whole of nature has a structure that consists of common bundles of fascicles of fibers. Every tree, shrub, bush, and vegetable - in fact, every type of grass and herb - has this characteristic in whole and in part. The overall cause of this is that divine truths are shaped this way. We read that all things were created by the Word, that is, by divine truth; and also that the world was made by the Word (John 1:1 and following). From all this you can see that if the human mind lacked a comparable organization of its substances, we would lack the analytical reasoning power that we all have. This reasoning power depends on how organized our minds are; that is, it depends on our having a quantity of truths that are bound together like strands in a cable. The level of organization in our minds in turn depends on our use of reason in freedom.
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351. (ii) The truths of faith are arranged into groupings, and thus, so to speak, into bundles, a fact that up to the present has been unknown. The reason for this ignorance is that the spiritual truths, out of which the whole of the Word is woven, have been rendered invisible, because of the mystical and enigmatic faith which plays the leading role in present-day theology. As a result, they have sunk into the ground like silos.
It needs to be explained what is meant by groupings and bundles. The first chapter of this book, dealing with God the Creator, is divided into grouped topics, the first of which is on the oneness of God; the second is on the being of God, that is, Jehovah; the third on the infinity of God; the fourth on the essence of God, which is Divine love and Divine wisdom; the fifth on the omnipotence of God; and the sixth on creation. The separate points in each make up the grouping; they tie together the contents, as it were into handfuls. These groupings in common and in particular, so both taken all together and individually, contain truths, which in proportion to their volume and coherence raise the level of faith and bring it to perfection.
[2] If anyone is unaware that the human mind is organised, or is a spiritual organism terminating in a natural organism, in which and controlled by which the mind operates on its ideas or thinks, he cannot help holding the opinion that perceptions, thoughts and ideas are merely rays and variations of light falling upon the head and presenting forms which he sees and acknowledges as reasons. But this is nonsense, for everyone knows that the head is filled with brains, the brains are organised, and the mind lives in them, and its ideas are fixed and remain in it as they are received and proved. So the question is, what sort of organisation is there? The answer is that everything is arranged into groupings, as it were into bundles, and this is how the truths that make up faith are arranged in the human mind. This fact can be illustrated by the following considerations.
[3] The brain consists of two substances, one glandular, called the cortical and grey matter; the other is fibrillary and is called the medullary substance. The first substance, the glandular one, is arranged in clusters like grapes on a vine; these clusters are its groupings. The second substance, called medullary, is composed of continuous bundles of fibres projecting from the glands of the first substance. These bundles are its groupings. All the nerves, which project from those and lead down into the body to perform various functions, are simply handfuls and bundles of fibres; so too are all the muscles, and generally speaking all the viscera and organs of the body. Both classes are of such a nature because they correspond to the groupings in which the mind is organised.
[4] Moreover throughout Nature there is nothing which is not composed of bunches to form groupings. Every tree, every bush, plant and vegetable, indeed every ear of corn or blade of grass is both generally and in detail so constructed. The universal cause of this is that this is the way Divine truths are structured; for we read that all things were created by the Word, that is, by Divine truth, and that the world too was made by the Word (John 1:1ff). These facts can allow us to see that, if the human mind did not contain such an orderly arrangement of substances, human beings would not possess any powers of analytical reasoning. Everyone has such powers in proportion to the orderly arrangement of his mind, and so in proportion to the volume of truths cohering as it were in a bundle; and this arrangement depends upon his free use of his reason.
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351. (2) The Truths of Faith are disposed into Series, thus, as it were into bundles. This has been hitherto unknown. It is unknown because the spiritual truths of which the whole Word is composed could not be seen, owing to the mystical and enigmatical faith which forms every point of the present theology; consequently they have been buried in the earth like storehouses. To make clear what is meant by series and bundles, it shall be explained. The first chapter of this book, which treats of God the Creator, is divided into a series of sections, the first of which treats of the Unity of God, the second the Being of God or Jehovah, the third the Infinity of God, the fourth the Essence of God (which is Divine love and Divine wisdom) the fifth the Omnipotence of God, and the sixth Creation. The arrangement of each section into its articles constitutes the series, and the contents of these are bound together as if into bundles. These series in general and in particular, thus conjointly and separately, contain truths which, according to their abundance and coherence, exalt and perfect faith
[2] He who does not know that the human mind is organized, or that it is a spiritual organism terminating in a natural organism, in which and according to which the mind produces its ideas or thinks, must needs suppose that perceptions, thoughts, and ideas are nothing but radiations and variations of light flowing into the head, and presenting forms which man sees and acknowledges as reasons. But this is foolishness; for everyone knows that the head is full of brains, that the brains are organized, and that in them the mind dwells, and that its ideas are fixed therein, and are permanent so far as they are accepted and confirmed. The question is, therefore, What is the nature of that organization? The answer is, that it is an arrangement of all things in series, as it were in bundles, and that in this way the truths belonging to faith are arranged in the human mind. That it is so, may be illustrated as follows.
[3] The brain consists of two substances, one of which is glandular, and is called the cortical and cineritious substance, and the other fibrillous, and is called the medullary substance. The first, or the glandular substance, is arranged into clusters like grapes on a vine; these clustered formations are its series. The second, or the medullary substance, consists of perpetual bundlings of little fibers issuing from the glandules of the former substance; these bundlings are its series. All the nerves that proceed from the brain, and pass down into the body for the performance of various functions, are nothing but groups and bundles of fibers; in a like manner all the muscles, and in general all the viscera and organs of the body. All these are such because they correspond to the series in which the mental organism is arranged.
[4] Moreover, in all nature there is nothing that is not formed into series of little bundles; every tree, every bush, shrub and plant, nay, every ear of corn and blade of grass in whole and in part, is so formed. The universal cause is, that such is the confirmation of Divine truths; for we read that all things were created by the Word, that is, by Divine truth, and that the world also was made by it (John 1:1 seq.). From all this it can be seen that unless there were such an arrangement of substances in the human mind, man would possess no ability to reason analytically, which everyone has according to this arrangement, thus according to his supply of truths cohering, as it were, in a bundle; and the arrangement is in accord with his use of reason from freedom.
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351. (2) The truths of faith are arranged in series, and thus, as it were, into groups. This has hitherto been unknown, because spiritual truths, of which the whole Word is composed, could not be seen, on account of the mystical and enigmatical faith in which is summarized the whole of present-day theology; and they have, therefore, remained stored away like grain in underground cellars. The following will explain what is meant by series and groups. The first chapter of this book, treating of God the Creator, is divided into series: the first of these treats of the Unity of God; the second, of the Being of God or Jehovah; the third, of the Infinity of God; the fourth, of the Essence of God, which is Divine Love and Divine Wisdom; the fifth, of the Omnipotence of God; and the sixth, of Creation. The subdivisions of each subject form the series, and bind together the contents into groups. These series, in general and in particular, thus conjointly and separately, contain truths which, according to their number and coherence, exalt and perfect faith.
[2] He who does not know that the human mind is organized, or that it is a spiritual organism terminating in a natural organism, in which and according to which the mind operates ideas or thinks, must suppose that perceptions, thoughts and ideas are only radiations and variations of light flowing into the head, and setting up forms which a man perceives and acknowledges as reasons. This, however, is foolishness; for it is universally known that the head contains the brains, that the brains are organized, that the mind has its seat in them, and that its ideas acquire fixity there, becoming permanent according to their reception and confirmation. The question, therefore, arises, What is the nature of this organization? and the answer is, that it is the arrangement of all things in series, and as it were into groups, and that the truths of faith are so arranged in the human mind. That this is the case may be illustrated by the following considerations.
[3] The brain consists of two substances, one of which is glandular, called the cortical and cineritious substance, and the other fibrillous, called the medullary substance. The first, or glandular substance, is arranged in clusters, like grapes on a vine. These clustered formations are its series. The other, called the medullary substance, consists of continual groupings of little fibres proceeding from the glands of the former, and these groupings form its series. All the nerves which proceed from the brain and pass down into the body, for the performance of various functions, are nothing but groups and bundles of fibres, and so are all the muscles, and in general, all the viscera and organs of the body. All these are of such a nature, because they correspond to the series in which the mental organism is arranged.
[4] Moreover, in all nature there is nothing which is not formed in series, composed of little groups; every tree, shrub, herb and plant, in fact every ear of corn and blade of grass, in general and in particular, is so formed. The universal cause of this is that Divine truths have such a conformation; for it is written that all things were created by the Word, that is by Divine Truth, and that the world also was made by it, John 1:1 and following verses. From this it may be seen that, unless there was such an arrangement of substances in the human mind, man would possess no power to reason analytically. This power every one enjoys according to this arrangement, and thus according to the number of truths cohering in group form; and this arrangement is according to his use of reason from freedom.
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351. QUOD DISPOSITIO VERITATUM FIDEI SIT IN SERIES, ITA SICUT IN FASCICULOS; quod ita sit, adhuc ignoratur, et ignoratur quia Veritates spirituales, ex quibus totum Verbum contextum est, propter mysticam et aenigmaticam fidem, quae facit omne punctum Theologiae hodiernae, non potuerunt apparere, et ideo, sicut horrea subsiderunt in terram. Ut sciatur quid intelligitur per series et fasciculos, explicabitur; Primum Caput hujus Libri, quod agit de Deo Creatore, distinctum est in Series, quarum prima est de Unitate Dei, secunda de Esse Dei seu Jehovah, tertia de Infinitate Dei, quarta de Essentia Dei, quae est Divinus Amor et Divina Sapientia, quinta de Omnipotentia Dei, et sexta de Creatione; articulationes cujusvis faciunt series, confasciant illa quae inibi sicut in manipulos. Hae series in communi et in particulari, ita conjunctim et seorsim, continent veritates, quae secundum copiam et simul cohaerentiam exaltant et perficiunt fidem.
[2] Qui non scit, quod Mens humana sit organizata, aut quod sit organismus spiritualis desinens in organismum naturalem, in quo et secundum quem Mens operatur suas ideas seu cogitat, non potest aliter opinari, quam quod perceptiones, cogitationes et ideae non sint aliud quam radiationes et variationes lucis influentes in caput, et sistentes formas, quas homo videt et agnoscit ut rationes; sed hoc delirum est, nam quisque scit, quod Caput sit plenum Cerebris, et quod Cerebra sint organizata, et quod Mens illis inhabitet, et quod ejus ideae inibi figantur et maneant sicut acceptae et confirmatae sunt; quaeritur itaque, qualis est illa organizatio; respondetur, quod sit ordinatio omnium in series, sicut in fasciculos, et quod veritates quae fidei sunt in Mente humana ita dispositae sint: quod ita sit, illustrari potest per sequentia haec,
[3] Quod Cerebrum consistat ex binis substantiis, quarum una est glandularis, et vocatur corticalis et cineritia, ac altera fibrillaris et vocatur medullaris; prima substantia quae est glandularis, disposita est in racemos, sicut uvae in vite; racemationes illae sunt ejus series: altera substantia, quae vocatur medullaris, constat ex perpetuis confasciculationibus fibrillarum prodeuntium ex glandulis prioris substantiae; hae confasciculationes sunt ejus series; omnes Nervi qui inde 1 procedunt, et demittuntur in corpus ad fungendum 2 variis muniis, non sunt nisi quam manipuli et fasciculi fibrarum, pariter omnes musculi, et in genere omnia viscera et organa corporis: haec et illa talia sunt, quia correspondent seriebus, in quas organismus mentis dispositus est.
[4] Praeterea in universa Natura non datur aliquid, quod non confasciculatum est in series: omnis arbor, omne arbustum, virgultum et legumen, imo omnis spica et herba, in communi et in parte, ita est. Causa universalis est, quia Divinae Veritates ita conformatae sunt, nam legitur, quod omnia per Verbum, hoc est, Divinum Verum, creata sint, et quod Mundus etiam per illud factus sit, Johannes 1:1. seq. Ex his videri potest, quod nisi in Mente humana talis ordinatio substantiarum esset, non foret homini aliquod analyticum rationis, quod cuivis est secundum ordinationem, ita secundum copiam veritatum sicut in fasce cohaerentium, et ordinatio secundum usum rationis ex libero.
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