245# 教会照其教义而成立，且教义出于圣言，此为人所共知；然而，建立教会的仍非教义本身，而是教义之完整与纯正，因而亦即圣言之理解。至于在人个体之中那作为特殊教会者，则建立并构成它的，并非教义本身，而是依教义而有的信仰与生活。同样，圣言在人个体中特别建立并构成教会，也非凭圣言本身，而是凭其由圣言汲取并应用于自身的、照真理而有的信仰，以及照良善而有的生活。
圣言如同矿藏，其中深处蕴有丰盛无尽的金银；又如矿藏，其愈向内处，愈有更为宝贵的宝石隐伏。这些矿藏乃照圣言之理解而被开启；若无对圣言本身、对其内怀、对其深处之理解，圣言在一个人那里之构成教会，并不多于亚洲世界中的那些矿藏之使一个欧洲人成为富人；除非他在那些矿藏的拥有者与采掘者之列，则情形方才不同。
圣言在那些由此探究信仰之真与生活之善者那里，如同波斯王或莫卧儿与中国皇帝的宝库；教会之人则如同这些宝库的主管，获准为己用而任意取用其中所需。惟那些仅仅拥有圣言并阅读圣言、却不探求为信仰所需之纯正真理与为生活所需之纯正良善者，则如同从新闻传闻中知道那里有如此巨大的宝库，却连其中一枚钱币也未得着的人。
那些拥有圣言，却不由此汲取任何纯正真理之理解与纯正良善之意愿者，犹如以为自己因向他人借来的财富而富有，或因他人的田产、房屋与货物而有产业的人；此为幻想，人人皆见。又如有人身着华美衣服，乘坐镀金马车，前后左右皆有侍从，前方又有引路者，然而这一切却无一属于他自己的所有。
245# 众所周知，教会取决于它的教义，而教义来自圣言。然而，建立或形成教会的，不是教义，而是教义的完整和纯洁，因而是对圣言的理解。建立并构成个体人里面的特定教会的，也不是教义，而是基于教义的信仰和生活。同样，具体地建立并构成人里面的教会的，不是圣言，而是基于真理的信仰和基于良善的生活，人从圣言中获得这些真理和良善，并应用于自己。圣言就像深处包含大量金银的矿山，又像越往深处，藏着的石头就越宝贵的矿山；这些矿山照着人对圣言的理解而被打开。如果人不理解圣言的真正性质，就是它在自己里面，在其核心和深处的样子，那么圣言就无法在他里面形成一个教会，就像亚洲的矿山不会使一个欧洲人变得富有一样；当然，如果他是矿山的主人和开采者之一，情况就不同了。
对那些为了信仰的真理和生活的良善而查考圣言的人来说，圣言就像波斯王、莫卧儿或中国皇帝的宝库，而教会之人则像负责管理它们的官员，可以随意取用。然而，那些只拥有并阅读圣言，却不试图从中为他们的信仰寻求真正真理，为他们的生活寻求真正良善的人，就像那些只通过道听途说知道那里有大量财宝，却没有从中得到一分钱的人。那些拥有圣言，却没有从中获得对真正真理的任何理解，或对真正良善的任何意愿的人，就像那些因从别人那里借来的钱而自认为很富有的人，或像那些持有属于别人的地产、房子和商品的人。谁都能看出，这只是一种幻觉。他们又像那些穿着华服昂首阔步，乘坐镀金的马车，后面和两边有随从，前面有开路的，然而这种辉煌一点也不属于自己的人。
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.