371# 上古之人以“耶和华说话”来表示直接领受，因为他们知道是主赋予他们直接领受的能力。只有以爱为首要原则时，这种直接领受的能力才能维持。当对主的爱，因而对邻舍的爱消退时，这种直接领受也就消失。所存之爱的程度决定了他们拥有直接领受的程度。这种直接领受是上古教会特有的。当信仰从爱分离后，正如洪水之后的人，仁义便需要通过信仰而被赋予人，良心接着取代直接领受，它也是内在的指示，不过是另一种方式的指示；关于这点，蒙主怜悯，容后再述。当良心给予指示时，在圣经中同样被说成“耶和华说话”，因为良心是基于圣经中的启示和知识形成的。当圣经说什么或指示什么时，实际上就是主说话。因此，即便是今天，当涉及良心或信仰的话题时，没有什么比“主说”更为常见了。
371、上古之人以“耶和华说”来表示感知，因为他们知道，主赋予他们感知力。只要爱是首要事物，这种感知力就持续存在。当对主之爱，因而对邻之爱灭绝时，感知就消失；但只要爱依然存在，感知就存在，或说所保留的爱的量决定了他们所拥有的感知的量。这种感知力是上古教会所特有的，但当信与爱分离，如在大洪水后的人当中的情形，仁通过信被赋予时，良心就取代了感知。这种良心也会给予指示，只是方式不同；对此，蒙主的神性怜悯，容后再述。当良心指示时，在圣言中，经上同样会说“耶和华说”，因为良心是由启示，认知或知识和圣言形成的。当圣言说或指示时，就是主在说。因此，当涉及良心或信仰的问题时，再没有比说“主说”更常见的了，甚至如今也是这样。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]371. When the earliest people described Jehovah as speaking, they meant perception, because they realized that the Lord made it possible for them to perceive. This capacity for perception lasted only as long as love had primary importance. When love for the Lord came to an end, and love for others consequently did the same, perception died out. To the extent that love remained, perception remained.
This perceptiveness was distinctive to the earliest church. After faith had been separated from love, as it was in those who lived after the Flood, and charity was being acquired by way of faith, conscience took over. Conscience, too, speaks from within, but not in the same way. More on this will, by the Lord's divine mercy, appear later.{*1} When conscience dictates, the Word describes it the same way — that is, as speech by Jehovah. Our conscience is formed from the revelations and knowledge of Scripture, and when the Word speaks or supplies an inner dictate, it is the Lord who is speaking. No expression is more common, even today, than "the Lord says" when we refer to a matter of conscience or of faith.
Footnotes:
{*1} On the shift from perception to conscience in people who lived after the Flood, see, for example, 393, 573, 597. [LHC]
Potts(1905-1910) 371
371. By the "speaking of Jehovah" the most ancient people signified perception, for they knew that the Lord gave them the faculty to perceive. This perception could continue no longer than while love was the principal. When love to the Lord ceased, and consequently love toward the neighbor, perception perished; but insofar as love remained, perception remained. This perceptive faculty was proper to the Most Ancient Church, but when faith became separated from love, as in the people after the flood, and charity was given through faith, then conscience succeeded, which also gives a dictate, but in a different way, of which, by the Lord's Divine mercy, hereafter. When conscience dictates, it is in like manner said in the Word that "Jehovah speaks;" because conscience is formed from things revealed, and from knowledges, and from the Word; and when the Word speaks, or dictates, it is the Lord who speaks; hence nothing is more common, even at the present day, when referring to a matter of conscience, or of faith, than to say, "the Lord says."
Elliott(1983-1999) 371
371. When the most ancient people used the phrase 'Jehovah is saying' they meant perception, for they recognized that it was the Lord who enabled them to perceive. This perception could last only so long as love remained the chief thing. When love to the Lord, and so love towards the neighbour, died out, perception came to an end, the amount of love that remained determining the amount of perception they had. This power of perception was peculiar to the Most Ancient Church, but after faith had been separated from love, as it was among those following the Flood, and charity was conferred through faith, conscience took the place of perception. This conscience was a dictate as well, though in a different way; but this in the Lord's Divine mercy will be discussed later on. When conscience dictates, it is likewise said that 'Jehovah says' in the Word, for conscience is formed from things revealed in the Word, and from cognitions derived from it. And when the Word states or dictates, it is the Lord who is stating. Consequently nothing is more common, even today, than to assert that 'the Lord is saying' when referring to some matter of conscience or of faith.
Latin(1748-1756) 371
371. Antiquissimi per 'loquentem Jehovam' significabant perceptionem, nam noverunt quod Dominus daret illis percipere; perceptio haec non diutius manere potuit quam cum amor principale esset; cum cessavit amor in Dominum, et sic erga proximum, periit perceptio; et quantum amoris remansit, tantum perceptionis. Perceptivum hoc proprium erat Antiquissimae Ecclesiae; sed postquam fides separata est ab amore, ut in postdiluvianis, et charitas data per fidem, successit conscientia, quae quoque dictat, sed alio modo, de qua, ex Divina Domini Misericordia, in sequentibus. Cum conscientia dictat, similiter dicitur, nempe quod Jehovah loquatur in Verbo; quia conscientia formatur ex revelatis et cognitionibus e Verbo; et cum Verbum dicit seu dictat, est Dominus qui dicit; quare nihil communius est dicere, etiam hodie, quam quod Dominus loquatur, cum agitur de re conscientiae aut fidei.