762# 自世界被造以来，此地上曾有四个教会存在；这是照着神圣秩序而有的。此秩序乃是：凡有开端者，必有其终结；然后新的开端方得兴起。由此可知，每一日皆始于早晨，渐次前行，而终于黑夜；黑夜以后，又重新开始。每一年亦始于春，经过夏而进至秋，终于冬；冬以后，又复开始。为使这些事成就，太阳在东方升起，由此经南方而行至西方，终于北方；又从北方重新升起。
教会亦复如此：第一教会，即上古教会，如同早晨、春天与东方；第二教会，即古教会，如同白日、夏天与南方；第三教会，如同黄昏、秋天与西方；第四教会，如同黑夜、冬天与北方。古时的智慧人由这些照秩序而有的进程，推论出世界的四个时代：第一称为金时代，第二称为银时代，第三称为铜时代，第四称为铁时代；这些教会本身，也曾藉尼布甲尼撒所见之像，由这些金属来代表。
再者，教会在主面前显为一个人；这“至大的人”也必像个体的人一样，经过自身的各个年龄阶段：由婴孩期进入少年期，又经少年期进入青年期，最后进入老年；届时他死去，便要复起。主说：“一粒麦子不落在地里死了，仍旧是一粒；若是死了，就结出许多子粒来。”（约12:24）
762# 按照神性秩序，自创世以来，有四个教会存在于这个地球上，神性秩序要求在一个新的开始出现之前，要有一个开始和一个结束。因此，每一天都从早晨开始，行进，到夜里结束，然后重新开始；同样，每一年都从春天开始，从夏天行进到秋天，到冬天结束，然后又开始。为了产生这些变化或效果，太阳从东方升起，从东方经过南方行进到西方，最后在北方结束它的行程，然后再升起。教会也是如此；第一个教会，即上古教会，就像早晨、春天和东方；第二个教会或古教会就像白天、夏天和南方；第三个教会就像傍晚、秋天和西方；第四个就像黑夜、冬天和北方。
古代的智者从这些有序的行程中推断出世界的四个时代，他们称第一个时代为黄金时代，第二个时代为白银时代，第三个时代为青铜时代，第四个时代为黑铁时代；尼布甲尼撒梦见的雕像上的这些金属也代表这些教会。此外，在主眼里，教会被视为一个人，这个更大的人必须像一个个体的人一样经历其生命的各个阶段，也就是说，从婴儿时期到青年时期，从青年时期到成年时期，最后到老年时期；然后，当他死亡时，他会再次复活。主说：
一粒麦子不落在地里死了，仍旧是一粒；若是死了，就结出许多子果实来。（约翰福音12:24）
762. The existence of four [successive] churches on this planet since the world was created accords with the divine design, which is that there is a beginning and an end of one thing before a new beginning arises. This is why every day begins with the morning, progresses [through the afternoon to the evening], and comes to an end in the night; and after that, the cycle begins anew. Likewise, every year begins in spring, progresses through summer to fall, and comes to an end in winter; after winter, the cycle begins anew. In order to maintain these cycles, the sun starts out in the east, moves through the south into the west, and ends up in the north; from the north it returns to start the cycle again.
The same is true of churches. The first church, which was the earliest church, was like the morning, spring, and the east. The second, or early church, was like the day, summer, and the south. The third church was like evening, fall, and the west. The fourth is like night, winter, and the north.
[2] From these orderly progressions, the ancient philosophers concluded that the world would have four ages. They called the first the Golden Age; the second, the Silver Age; the third, the Bronze Age; and the fourth, the Iron Age. In the statue seen by Nebuchadnezzar, the churches were represented by these same metals [].
In the Lord's sight the church appears as a single individual. Just as we do as individuals, this universal human will go through its own life stages. It goes from childhood to youth, and on into adulthood and finally old age. When it dies, it rises again. The Lord says, "Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it stays the way it is; but if it dies, it bears much fruit" (John 12:24).
762. The rise on this earth of four churches since the creation of the world is in accordance with Divine order. This demands that there should be a beginning and an end to it, before a new beginning can arise. This is why every day begins with the morning, advances, and ends in night, after which a new day begins. Likewise every year begins with spring, advances through summer to autumn, and ends in winter; and after this the year begins again. It is to produce this result that the sun rises in the east, and then travels through the south to the west, and ends in the north, from which it rises again. It is much the same with churches. The first of these, the Most Ancient Church, was like morning, spring and the east. The second, the Ancient Church was like the day, summer and the south. The third was like evening, autumn and the west, the fourth like night, winter and the north.
[2] These ordered progressions gave the wise men of antiquity the idea of the four ages of the world. They called the first golden, the second silver, the third copper and the fourth iron. These metals were also used to represent the churches themselves in Nebuchadnezzar's statue. Moreover, in the Lord's sight the church looks like one person; and this person on the grand scale will pass through the same stages in his life as one on the small scale, progressing, that is, from childhood to adolescence, from that to young adulthood, and finally to old age; and then after death he will rise again. The Lord says:
Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it stays as it is; but if it dies, it bears much fruit, John 12:24,
762. That four churches have existed on this earth since the creation of the world is in accordance with Divine order, which requires that there be a beginning and then its end before a new beginning starts in. Therefore every day begins with morning, progresses, ends in night, and then begins anew; also every year begins with spring, progresses through summer to autumn, closes in winter, and then begins again; and in order that these changes may take place the sun rises in the east progresses therefrom through the south to the west, and finishes its course in the north, after which it rises again. It is the same with churches; the first, which was the Most Ancient, was like morning, spring, and the east; the second or Ancient church was like day, summer, and the south; the third was like evening, autumn, and the west; and the fourth like night, winter and the north. From these orderly progressions the wise men of ancient times inferred four ages of the world, the first of which they called the golden age, the second the silver age, the third the copper age, and the fourth the iron age, by which metals, moreover, these churches are represented in Nebuchadnezzar's statue. And again, in the Lord's sight the church is seen as a single man, and this larger man must pass through his stages of life like an individual, that is to say, from infancy to youth, from this to manhood, and finally to old age; and then, when he dies, he will rise again. The Lord says:
Except a grain of wheat fall into the earth and die, it abideth [alone]; but if it die, it beareth much fruit (John 12:24).
762. That four Churches should have existed on this earth since the creation of the world is according to Divine order, which is, that there should be a beginning and an end to it before a new beginning arises. Hence every day begins with morning, advances, and ends in night, and after that begins afresh; every year also begins with spring, advances through summer to autumn, and ends in winter; and after that begins again. To produce these effects the sun rises in the east, proceeds through the southern heat of noonday to the west, and sinks in the cold of the north; after which he rises again. It is similar with Churches. The first of these, the Most Ancient, was as morning, spring and the east; the second or the Ancient Church, was as day, summer and the south; the third was as evening, autumn and the west; and the fourth was as night, winter and the north. From these progressions according to order the wise men of old inferred four ages of the world, the first of which they called the golden age, the second the silver age, the third the copper age, and the fourth the iron age; and by these metals also the Churches themselves were represented in Nebuchadnezzar's image. Moreover, the Church appears in the sight of the Lord as one man; and as the Grand Man it must pass through its ages like an individual, advancing from infancy to youth, from this to manhood, and at length to old age; and then, when he dies, he will rise again. The Lord says:
"Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit" John 12:24.
762. Quod quatuor Ecclesiae post Creationem Mundi in hac Tellure exstiterint, est secundum ordinem Divinum, qui est, quod principium sit et ejus finis, antequam novum principium exsurgit: inde est, quod omnis dies inchoet a mane, et progrediatur, et desinat in noctem, et post hanc e novo inchoet: tum quod omnis annus exordiatur a vere, et per aestatem progrediatur ad autumnum, et desinat in hyemem, et post hanc iterum exordiatur; ut haec fiant, est quod Sol surgat in Oriente, et exinde per meridiem progrediatur in Occidentem, et desinat in septentrionem, e qua rursus exoritur. Simile est cum Ecclesiis; Prima illarum quae antiquissima, fuit sicut mane, ver et oriens; Altera seu antiqua fuit sicut dies, aestas et meridies; Tertia sicut vespera, autumnus et occidens; et Quarta sicut nox, hyems, et septentrio.
[2] Ex his progressionibus secundum ordinem, sapientes Antiqui concluserunt quatuor Aetates Mundi, quarum primam vocabant auream, secundam argenteam, tertiam cupream, et quartam ferream, cum quibus metallis etiam ipsae Ecclesiae repraesentatae sunt per statuam Nebuchadnezaris. Praeterea Ecclesia coram Domino apparet sicut unus homo, et Maximus hic Homo transibit aetates suas sicut parvus homo, videlicet ab infantia ad adolescentiam, et per hanc ad juventutem, et tandem in senectam, et tunc cum moritur, resurget: dicit Dominus, Nisi granum tritici cadens in terram moriatur, manet, at vero si moritur, multum fructum fert, Johannes 12:24. 1
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: XIV.