421.由此可见当如何理解“仁爱和善行如祝愿和行善那样是两回事”这句话；也就是说，它们形式上是有区别的，如同思维和意愿的心智有别于它用来言谈和行动的身体。它们还有本质上的分别，因为心智本身被区分为属灵的内层区域和属世的外层区域，如前所述。因此，若行为从属灵的心智发出，那它们就是从仁爱的善愿发出的；然而，若从属世的心智发出，那它们就是从不仁爱的善愿发出的。尽管它外表看似仁爱，而内里却不是。纯表面的仁爱的确看似仁爱，但没有仁爱的本质。
这一点可通过地里的种子来对照说明：每一粒种子都能长成一株植物，无论有用无用－这取决于种子的性质。属灵的种子，也就是源于圣言的教会真理同样如此。教义由这种子形成，若由纯正真理形成，便是有用的教义；若由被歪曲的真理形成，便为无用。源于善愿的仁爱也一样，无论这善愿是为了自我和尘世，还是为了狭义或广义上的邻舍。若为了自我和尘世，它就是不正当的仁爱；若为了邻舍，它就是真仁爱。对此，更多内容可见于有关信的那一章，尤其可见于说明“仁爱就是有善愿，善行就是通过这善愿行善”那一节（374节）；以及“仁与信若非尽可能实现在行为中，并在它们里面共存，只不过是易逝的精神概念”那几节（375－376节）。
421. 這些觀點能讓我們明白, 我們當如何理解這個說法:義與善工是兩回事, 正如願人們好與對他們好是兩碼事。也就是說, 它們有形式上的不同, 如同思想(用來思考與意志)與身體(思想通過身體來說話和行動)的分別。它們還有本質上的分別, 因為正如之前所說, 思想本身區分為屬靈的在內(在上)的區域和屬世的在外(在下)的區域。因此, 如果行為來自屬靈的思想, 那麼它們來自於善願(願人們好), 也就是義。然而, 如果行為來自於屬世的思想, 那麼它們雖然來自於善願(願人們好), 但並非來自於義。儘管外表看起來像義, 往內在看卻並非如此。只從外表看像是義, 但缺少義的本質。
這可用地裡的種子作個比方:各樣的種子長成樹, 有用無用, 取決於什麼種子。屬靈的種子(從聖言所學之真理)也是如此。教義由此形成, 若由純正真理形成, 便是有用的教義; 若由被歪曲的真理形成, 便為無用。由願鄰舍好(不管是為私己還是為世俗利益, 抑或為了鄰舍)而產生義, 也適合此理(什麼種子長成什麼樣的樹)。若是為了私己和世俗利益, 產生的便是虛假之義; 若是為了鄰舍的緣故, 便是真正的義。關於這個觀點可在關於信的那章看到, 特別是說明"義是對他人的善念; 善工是從善念而來的善行"的那部分(374節)。還有"義與信只不過是多變的精神層面的概念而已, 除非有機會轉變成行為, 並且體現在行為中"的那部分(375-376節)。
真正的義就是在所從事的職業或工作的任何場合,與交往的人們公正誠實地行事
421. These things enable us to see how we are to understand the statement that goodwill and good works are two distinct things: wishing people well and treating them well. That is, they are formally distinct, like the mind that does the thinking and willing and the body through which the mind speaks and acts. In fact, they are essentially distinct as well, because the mind itself is divided into an inner region that is spiritual and an outer region that is earthly, as I said just above.
Therefore if the things we do come from our spiritual mind, they come from wishing others well, or goodwill. If, however, they come only from our earthly mind, they come from a form of wishing others well that is not genuine goodwill. It can appear to be goodwill in its outer form and yet not be genuine goodwill in its inner form. Goodwill that exists in an outer form alone does indeed present the look of goodwill, but lacks its essence.
This point could be illustrated by an analogy with seeds in the ground. Every type of seed gives rise to a shoot, but those shoots are either useful or useless, depending on their species. The same is true for spiritual seed, that is, for truth in the church that comes from the Word. A body of teaching grows out of this truth - a useful body of teaching if it is made out of genuine truths, a useless one if it is made out of truths that have been falsified. The same thing applies to goodwill that is exercised as the result of wishing our neighbors well, whether we wish them well for our own sake or for a worldly reason or for the sake of our neighbor in a narrower or a broader sense. If we wish our neighbors well for our own sake or for a worldly reason, our goodwill is not genuine. If we wish our neighbors well for their sake, our goodwill is genuine. See many statements that address these topics in the chapter on faith, especially in the discussion showing that "goodwill" is benevolence toward others; that "good works" are good actions that result from benevolence (374); and that goodwill and faith are transient and exist only in our minds unless, when an opportunity occurs, they culminate in actions and become embodied in them (375-376).
421. These points can show how we must understand the assertion that charity and good deeds are as different as willing well and doing good; that is to say, they are formally distinct as is the mind which thinks and wills from the body which the mind uses to speak and act. But there is also an essential distinction, because the mind itself is distinguished into an interior zone which is spiritual, and an exterior which is natural, as was said previously. If therefore deeds come from the spiritual mind, they come from its good will, which is charity; but if they come from the natural mind, they come from good will which is not charity. Even though it may seem in external appearance like charity, it is not charity in its interior appearance. Charity merely in external appearance may indeed look like charity, but it does not possess the essence of charity.
This can be illustrated by a comparison with seeds in the earth. Each separate seed grows into a plant, either useful or useless, depending on what the seed is. The same happens with spiritual seed, which is the truth the church learns from the Word. Doctrine is formed from this, useful doctrine if formed from genuine truths, useless if from falsified truths. It is exactly the same with the formation of charity from willing well, depending whether this is for selfish or worldly reasons, or for the sake of the neighbour, whether this is narrowly or broadly interpreted. If it is for selfish or worldly reasons, it is spurious charity, but if for the sake of the neighbour, it is genuine charity. However, more on this subject may be found in the chapter on faith, in particular in the section where it was shown that charity is having a good will, and that good deeds are doing good from having a good will (374); and that charity and faith are merely unstable mental concepts unless, when possible, they are realised in deeds and come into existence together in them (375-376).
421. From all this it can be seen how it is to be understood that charity and good works are distinct like willing well and doing well; that is to say, formally they are distinct, as the mind, which thinks and wills, is distinct from the body through which the mind speaks and acts; while essentially they are distinct because of the distinction in the mind itself which has an inner region that is spiritual, and an outer that is natural, as said above; so that when works proceed from the spiritual mind, they proceed from its good will, which is charity; but when they proceed from the natural mind, they proceed from a good will that is not charity. For even when it appears in the external form like charity, it is not charity in the internal form. In fact, charity in external form merely presents the show of charity, but does not possess its essence. This may be illustrated by a comparison with seeds in the ground. Each seed produces a plant, whether useful or useless, according to the nature of the seed. So is it with spiritual seed, which is the truth of the church derived from the Word; from this seed doctrine is formed, useful if from genuine truths, useless if from truths falsified. It is the same with charity that springs from good will, whether the good will is for the sake of self and the world or for the sake of the neighbor in a limited or in a broad sense; if for the sake of self and the world, it is spurious charity, but if for the sake of the neighbor, it is genuine charity. But of this more may be seen in the chapter on Faith, especially in the section where it is shown that charity is willing well, and good works are doing well from willing well (n. 374); and that charity and faith are only mental and perishable things unless they are determined to works and coexist in them when possible (n. 375-376).
421. It may thus be seen how it is to be understood that charity and good works are distinct, like willing what is good and doing what is good. They are distinct formally, like the mind which thinks and wills, and the body by which the mind speaks and acts; and as was shown above, they are essentially distinct, the mind itself being divided into two regions, an interior which is spiritual, and an exterior which is natural. If works, therefore, proceed from the spiritual mind they proceed from its will to good which is charity; but if from the natural mind, they proceed from a will to good which is not charity. Externally it may appear like charity, but still it is not charity in its internal form; and that which presents the appearance of charity in external form only does not possess its essence.
This may be illustrated by comparison with seeds sown in the ground. From each seed there sprouts forth a young plant useful or useless, according to the nature of the seed. It is similar with spiritual seed, which is the truth of the Church from the Word. From this is formed doctrine, which is profitable if formed from genuine truth, but unprofitable if formed from perverted truth. So, also, is it with charity from good will, whether it is exercised for the sake of self and the world, or for the sake of the neighbor in either a restricted or in a wide sense. If it is exercised for the sake of self and the world, it is spurious charity; but if for the sake of the neighbor, it is genuine charity. More, however, may be seen on this subject in the chapter on Faith, particularly where it is shown that "Charity consists in willing what is good, and good works consist in doing what is good from willing what is good" 374; and that "Charity and faith are merely fleeting mental abstractions unless, wherever it is possible, they are expressed in works, and exist together in them," 375-376
421. Ex his videri potest, quomodo intelligendum est, quod Charitas et Bona opera distincta sint sicut bene velle et bene facere, videlicet, quod formaliter distincta 1 sint, sicut Mens quae cogitat et vult, et sicut corpus per quod Mens loquitur et agit; at quod essentialiter distincta sint, quia ipsa Mens est distincta, quae quod interior ejus regio sit spiritualis, et exterior naturalis, supra dictum est; quare si opera procedunt ex Mente spirituali, procedunt ex ejus bene velle, quod est Charitas, at 2 vero si ex Mente naturali, procedunt ex bene velle quod non est Charitas, tametsi apparere potest tanquam Charitas in forma externa, et tamen usque non est Charitas in forma interna, et Charitas in sola forma externa, quidem speciem Charitatis praefert, sed non essentiam Charitatis possidet. Hoc illustrari potest per comparationem cum seminibus in terra, ex unoquovis semine enascitur virgultum tam utile quam inutile secundum quale seminis; similiter semen spirituale, quod est verum Ecclesiae ex Verbo, ex hoc formatur Doctrina, utilis si ex genuinis veris, inutilis si ex falsificatis: consimiliter itaque Charitas ex bene velle, 3 sive velle bene sit propter se et mundum, sive sit propter proximum in stricto aut lato sensu; si propter se et mundum, est Charitas spuria, si autem propter proximum, 4 est Charitas genuina. Sed plura de his videantur in Capite de Fide, in specie in Articulo ubi ostensum, 5 Quod Charitas sit bene velle, et quod Bona opera sint benefacere ex bene velle, 374. 6 Et quod Charitas et Fides sint modo res mentales et caducae, nisi dum fieri potest, determinentur in Opera, et in illis coexistant, 375-376.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: distIncta.
2. Prima editio: et.
3. Sic Errores Typographici.
4. Sic Errores Typographici.
5. Prima editio: ostensum..
6. Prima editio: 473.