第四节 真理之丰盛若如束相联，便能提升并完善信仰
349# 如束相联的真理之丰盛，能提升并完善信仰。
按照今日关于信仰的观念，人无法认识到：信仰就其全范围而言，乃是真理的总汇；更少有人能认识到：人为给自己获得信仰，也能有所贡献。然而，信仰就其本质而言乃是真理；因为它是真理在自身之光中。并且，真理怎样可以获得，信仰也照样可以获得。谁若愿意，不能趋近主呢？谁若愿意，不能从圣言搜集真理呢？凡在圣言中、并出自圣言的真理，皆发光；而在光中的真理，就是信仰。
主乃是光本身，祂流入每一个人；凡有出自圣言之真理在人里面的，主便使这些真理在他里面发光，由此成为信仰。这正是主在约翰福音中所说的：人当住在主里面，主的话也住在人里面（约15:7）；“主的话”就是真理。
但为使人正当地理解：如束相联的真理之丰盛如何提升并完善信仰，须将论述分为以下诸点：
一、信仰的真理可以无限增多。
二、这些真理的排列乃成系列，因而如同成束。
三、信仰照着这些真理的丰富与相联而得以完善。
四、真理无论多么众多，并且显得彼此各异，却从主而合为一；主就是圣言，是天地的上帝，是凡有血气者的上帝，是葡萄园即教会的上帝，是信仰的上帝，并且是光本身、真理本身、永生本身。
349# 从如今流行的信仰观念中无法看出，在其全面意义上的信仰是真理的总合或复合体，更无法看出，人能朝为自己获得信仰而做出任何贡献。然而，信仰在其本质上就是真理；因为它是在自己光中的真理，正如真理是可以获得的，信仰也是可以获得的。若愿意，谁不能接近主呢？若愿意，谁不能从圣言中收集真理呢？在圣言中并来自圣言的一切真理都发出光来；在光中的真理就是信仰。主作为光本身，流入每个人；在凡有来自圣言的真理在里面的人中，主使真理闪闪发光，从而成为信之真理。这就是主在约翰福音中的教导：
他们要住在祂里面，祂的话也住在他们里面。（约翰福音15:7）
主的话就是真理。但为了正确理解“连贯成一个整体，或仿佛捆成捆的大量真理提升并完善信仰”，对这个主题的讨论需要分为以下几个点：
（1）信之真理可以无限繁殖。
（2）它们按系列来排列，因而可以说被捆成捆。
（3）信仰照着真理的数量和连贯性而被完善。
（4）真理无论多么众多，看起来多么多样化，它们仍被主构成一体，主是圣言，天地之神，一切肉体的神，葡萄园或教会的神，信仰的神，是光本身，以及真理和永生。
349. 4. Having a Quantity of Truths That Are Bound Together like Strands in a Cable Elevates and Improves Our Faith
If all we had was an awareness of the faith that exists nowadays, it would be impossible for us to know that in its proper surroundings faith is an array of truths; still less could we see from today's faith that we are capable of doing something to acquire faith for ourselves. Yet faith in its essence is truth. Faith is truth in its own light. Therefore as truth is something that we can acquire, so is faith. We can all turn to the Lord if we want to. We can all gather truths from the Word if we want to. Every truth that is in the Word, or from the Word, shines; and faith is truth in light.
The Lord, who is light itself, flows into us all. If we have truths from the Word, he makes them shine in us and become part of our faith. This is what the Lord is saying in John, that we live in the Lord and his words live in us (John 15:7). The Lord's words are truths.
To correctly understand this statement - that having a quantity of truths that are bound together like strands in a cable elevates and improves our faith - the discussion needs to be broken into the following points:
a. Truths of faith can be multiplied to infinity.
b. Truths of faith come together to form structures that are like fascicles of nerves.
c. Our faith improves depending on the quantity of truths we have and how well they fit together.
d. However numerous these truths are and however divergent they appear, they are united by the Lord who is the Word; the God of heaven and earth; the God of all flesh; the God of the vineyard, or the church; the God of faith; the light itself; the truth itself; and eternal life.
349. IV. The mass of truths, which cohere as it were in a bundle, raises the level of faith and brings it to perfection.
Looking at present-day faith does not permit one to recognise that faith taken all around is a collection of truths. Still less does it suggest that a person can make some contribution to the acquisition of his faith. Yet faith is in essence truth, being truth in its own light, and so just as truth can be acquired, so can faith. Is there anyone who cannot approach the Lord, if he wishes? Or who cannot gather truths from the Word, if he wishes? Every truth in the Word and taken from the Word shines, and truth in light is faith. The Lord, who is light itself, flows into everyone; and if a person possesses truths from the Word, He makes them shine in them, so making them part of faith. This is what the Lord says in John, that they should remain in Him and His words would remain in them (John 15:7). The Lord's words are truths. But in order to allow the idea to be correctly grasped, that the mass of truths cohering, as it were in a bundle, raises the level of faith and brings it to perfection, the comments on this must be split into the following parts:
(i) The truths of faith are capable of being multiplied to infinity.
(ii) Their arrangement is into groupings, thus, so to speak, into bundles.
(iii) Faith is perfected in proportion to their volume and coherence.
(iv) However numerous the truths are and however varied they appear, they are made one by the Lord, who is the Word, the God of heaven and earth, the God of all flesh, the God of the vineyard or the church, the God of faith, and light itself, truth and everlasting life.
349. IV. AN ABUNDANCE OF TRUTHS COHERING, AS IF IN A BUNDLE, EXALTS AND PERFECTS FAITH.
From the conception of faith that prevails at the present day it cannot be seen that faith in its compass is a complex of truths, still less that man can contribute anything toward acquiring faith for himself; and yet faith in its essence is truth; for it is truth in its own right, and as truth can be acquired so also can faith. Who cannot go to the Lord if he will? Who cannot collect truths from the Word if he will? And every truth in the Word and from the Word, gives light; and truth in light is faith. The Lord who is Light itself, flows into every man; and in everyone in whom there are truths from the Word, He causes truths to shine and thus to become truths of faith. And this is what the Lord teaches in John:
That they should abide in Him, and His words in them (15:7).
The Lord's words are truths. But to make it properly understood that an abundance of truths cohering as if in a bundle exalts and perfects faith, the consideration of the subject shall distributed under the following heads:
(1) Truths of faith may be multiplied to infinity.
(2) They are disposed into series, thus, as it were, into bundles.
(3) According to their abundance and coherence faith is perfected.
(4) However numerous truths are and however diverse they appear, they make one from the Lord, who is the Word, the God of heaven and earth, the God of all faith, the God of the vineyard or the church, the God of faith, light itself, the truth, and life eternal.
349. IV. A NUMBER OF TRUTHS, THAT COHERE AS ONE WHOLE, EXALTS AND PERFECTS FAITH.
From the idea of faith prevalent at the present time, it cannot be realized that faith, in its comprehensive sense, is an aggregate of truths, and still less that a man can contribute anything towards its attainment. Nevertheless, faith in its essence is truth, for it is truth in its own light; and just as truth can be acquired, so also can faith. Who cannot approach the Lord, if he is so disposed? Who, again, if he so desires, cannot collect truths from the Word? And every truth in and from the Word shines as light, and truth, when seen in light, is faith. The Lord, who is Light Itself, enters by influx into every man; and He causes truths from the Word, in whomsoever there should be any present, to shine as the light, and so to become the truths of faith. This is what the Lord means in John, where He says:
men should abide in the Lord, and that His words should abide in them, John 15:7;
and the words of the Lord are truths. But to enable one to understand rightly the proposition that "a number of truths, that cohere as one whole, exalts and perfects faith," the subject will be treated under the following heads:
(1) The truths of faith can be multiplied to infinity.
(2) They are arranged in series, and thus, as it were, into groups.
(3) Faith is perfected according to the number and coherence of truths.
(4) Truths, however numerous and diverse they may appear, make one from the Lord, who is the Word, the God of heaven and earth, the God of all flesh, the God of the vineyard or Church, the God of faith, and Light itself, Truth, and Life eternal.
349. IV.
Quod copia veritatum sicut in fasce cohaerentium exaltet et perficiat fidem.
Ex perceptione de fide quae hodie est, non potest cognosci, quod fides in suo ambitu sit complexus veritatum, et adhuc minus quod homo ad fidem sibi comparandam possit aliquid conferre, cum tamen fides in sua essentia est veritas, est enim veritas in sua luce, et quod sicut veritas potest comparari, ita quoque fides; quis non potest adire Dominum si vult, et quis non potest ex Verbo colligere veritates si vult; et omnis veritas in Verbo et ex Verbo lucet, ac veritas in luce est fides; Dominus qui est ipsa Lux, influit apud omnem hominem, et in quo veritates ex Verbo sunt, in illo facit ut luceant, et sic fiant fidei; et hoc est, quod Dominus dicit apud Johannem, Ut maneant in Domino, et verba Ipsius in illis, Johannes 15:7, verba Domini sunt veritates. Sed ut rite comprehendatur, quod copia veritatum sicut in fasce cohaerentium exaltet et perficiat fidem commentatio dispescenda est in haec momenta, 1. Quod veritates fidei sint multiplicabiles in infinitum. 2. Quod dispositio illarum sit in series, ita sicut in fasciculos. 3. Quod secundum copiam et cohaerentiam illarum perficiatur fides. 4. Quod veritates utcunque numerosae sunt, et diversae apparent, a Domino, qui est Verbum, Deus Coeli et Terrae, Deus omnis carnis, Deus Vineae seu Ecclesiae, Deus fidei, et ipsa Lux, Veritas, et Vita aeterna, unum faciant.