838、因此，让每个人都警惕这一异端，即：人凭没有律法作为的信仰称义；因为一个处于这种异端，并且直到临终都没有完全从中退出的人，死后就与地狱的魔鬼联系在一起；事实上，他们就是主所说的“山羊”：
你们这被咒诅的人，离开我，进入那为魔鬼和他的使者所预备的永火里去。(马太福音25:41)
因为论到“山羊”，主没有说他们作恶，而是说他们没有行善。他们之所以没有行善，是因为他们对自己说：“我不能凭自己行善；律法不会定我的罪；基督的宝血洁净了我，释放了我；十字架受难已经担当了罪的罪责；基督的功德通过信仰被归算给我；我与天父和好了，我在恩典之中，被视为儿子；祂视我们的罪为软弱，为了祂的儿子立刻赦免了我们的罪；因此，祂通过唯信使人称义；除非唯信是得救的唯一途径，否则凡人就无法得救。因为神的儿子受十字架的苦难，并成全律法，若不是为了除去我们过犯的诅咒，还能有什么其它目的呢？”他们对自己说这些和许多类似的话，从而不去行本为良善的良善；因为没有任何良善从他们的唯信中发出，唯信无非是一种知识或认知的信仰，本身是一种历史信仰，因而只是知识或科学。事实上，它是一种死的信仰，生命或灵魂不会进入死的信仰，除非这个人直接靠近主，并貌似凭自己避恶如罪；在这种情况下，人貌似凭自己所行的良善来自主，因而是良善本身；对此，以赛亚书上如此说：
祸哉，担着罪孽的犯罪民族，恶者的种子，败坏的儿子；你们伸手，我必掩目不看你们；就是你们多多地祈祷，我也不听；你们要洗濯、自洁，从我眼前除掉你们的恶行；要止住作恶，学习行善；你们的罪虽像朱红，必变白如雪；虽红如丹颜，必如羊毛。(以赛亚书1:4, 15-18)
耶利米书：
你当站在耶和华的房门口，在那里宣传这话：你们不要倚靠虚谎的话，说，这些是耶和华的殿，是耶和华的殿，是耶和华的殿(神的教会，神的教会，神的教会，是我们的信仰所在)；你们偷盗、杀害、通奸、起假誓，然后来到这称为我名下的房中，站在我面前，说，我们得救了，你们好去行那些可憎的事吗？这房子岂可成为贼窝？看哪，我都看见了，这是耶和华说的。(耶利米书7:2-4, 9-11)
838. Let everyone beware of the heresy therefore that a person is justified by faith apart from works of the Law. For someone caught up in the heresy, who does not fully turn away from it before the end of his life draws near, is after death associated with demons of hell. Indeed, they are the goats of which the Lord says,
Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. (Matthew 25:41)
For the Lord does not say of the goats there that they did evil things, but that they did not do good ones. And they did not do good ones because they say to themselves, "I cannot do good of myself. The Law does not condemn me. The blood of Christ purifies me and liberates me. His suffering of the cross has taken away the guilt of sin. Christ's merit is imputed to me through faith. I am reconciled to the Father, in a state of grace. He looks upon me as His child, and He regards our sins as frailties, which He instantly forgives for the sake of His Son. Thus He justifies us through faith alone, and no mortal could be saved if it were not the sole means of salvation. For what other end did the Son of God suffer the cross and fulfill the Law except to take away the condemnation due our transgressions?"
These and many more like them are the things they say to themselves, and so they do not do goods that are good. For their faith alone, which is nothing but a theoretical one, being in itself a faith they are taught and consisting therefore only of knowledge, does not produce any good works. Indeed, it is a lifeless faith, into which no life or soul enters unless the person turns directly to the Lord and refrains from evils as being sins, and this as though of himself. The good things that the person does then as though of himself are from the Lord, and are thus in themselves good.
On this theme we find the following in Isaiah:
Woe to a sinful nation... laden with iniquity, the offspring of evildoers, corrupted children! ...When you spread out your hands, I hide My eyes from you; even if you make many prayers, I will not hear... Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, learn to do good... (Then) if your sins be like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; if they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. (Isaiah 1:4, 15-18)
And in Jeremiah:
Stand at the gate of the house of Jehovah, and proclaim there this word..., "Do not trust in the words of a lie, saying, 'The temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah are these (the church of God, the church of God, the church of God is where our faith is).' ...Will you go stealing, murdering, committing adultery, and swearing falsely..., and then come and stand before Me in this house on which My name is placed and say, 'We are rescued,' while you do these abominations? Has this house... become a den of thieves...? 'Behold, I, even I, have seen,' says Jehovah. (Jeremiah 7:2-4, 9-11)
838. Let everyone therefore beware of the heresy that A MAN IS JUSTIFIED BY FAITH WITHOUT THE WORKS OF THE LAW; for he who is in it and does not fully retract from it before his life ends is associated after death with infernal genii; for they are the 'goats' of whom the Lord says:
Depart from Me, O cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. Matthew 25:41; for the Lord does not say of the 'goats' that they did evils, but that they did not do goods. The reason they did not do goods is because they say to themselves, 'I cannot do good from myself; the law does not condemn me; Christ's blood cleanses me and liberates me; the passion of the cross has borne the guilt of sin; Christ's merit is imputed to me through faith; I am reconciled to the Father, in grace, I am regarded as a son; and He considers our sins as infirmities which He instantly remits for the sake of His Son; thus He justifies through faith alone; and if this were not the sole means of salvation no mortal (nemo mortalium) could be saved. For what other end should the Son of God suffer the cross, and fulfil the law, but that He might take away the damnation of our transgressions?' These and further similar things do they say to themselves, and so they do not do goods that are goods; for no goods proceed out of their faith alone, which is nothing but a faith of cognitions, in itself an historical faith, thus knowledge only. For it is a dead faith into which no life or soul comes unless the man directly approaches the Lord and as of himself flees from evils as sins. In that event the goods that the man does as of himself are from the Lord, thus goods in themselves. Concerning this matter it is thus [written] in Isaiah:
Woe to the sinful nation laden with iniquity, the seed of evildoers, souls misled; when you spread forth your hands I hide Mine eyes from you, even if you multiply prayer I will not hear. Wash you, purify you, put away the wickedness of your doings from before Mine eyes, cease to do evil, learn to do good; then though your sins have been as scarlet, they shall become white as snow; though they have been as purple, they shall be as wool. Isaiah 1:4, 15-18.
And in Jeremiah:
Stand at the gate of the house of Jehovah and proclaim there this word, Do not trust the words of a lie, saying, The temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah are these (the Church of God, the Church of God, the Church of God where our faith is); will you, with stealing, killing, committing adultery and swearing by means of a lie, then come and stand before Me in this house whereupon My Name is named and say, We have been delivered, while you are doing those abominations? Has this house become a den of robbers? Behold, even I have seen, Jehovah has said. Jeremiah 7:2-4, 9-11.
838. Let everyone therefore beware of that heresy, that man is justified by faith without the works of the law; for he who is in it, and does not fully recede from it before the end of life draws near, is consociated after death with infernal genii; for they are the goats of whom the Lord says:
Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels, (Matthew 25:41-42).
For the Lord does not say of "the goats" that they had done evils, but that they had not done goods. The reason that they did not do goods is because they say in themselves, "I cannot do good of myself; the law does not condemn me; the blood of Christ cleanses me, and liberates me; the passion of the cross has taken away the guilt of sin; the merit of Christ is imputed to me by faith; I am reconciled to the Father, I am in grace, I am regarded as a son; and He considers our sins as infirmities, which He immediately remits for His Son's sake; thus He justifies through faith alone; and unless this was the only means of salvation, no mortal could be saved. For what other end should the Son of God suffer the cross, and fulfill the law, but that He might take away the condemnation of our transgressions?" These and many similar things they say within themselves, and thus do not do goods which are goods; for from their faith alone, which is nothing but a faith of knowledge, in itself a historical faith, thus only science, there do not proceed any goods; for it is a dead faith, into which no life or soul comes, unless the man approaches the Lord immediately, and shuns evils as sins of himself; then the goods which he does as of himself are from the Lord, and thus goods in themselves; concerning which it thus speaks in Isaiah:
Woe the sinful nation, laden with iniquity, a seed of the evil, sons that are corrupt; when ye spread forth your hands, I hide mine eyes from you; yea, though ye multiply prayers, I do not hear; wash you, make you clean, put away the wickedness of your works from before Mine eyes, cease to do evil, learn to do good; then though your sins have been as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they have been red as purple, they shall be as wool, (Isaiah 1:4, 15-18).
And in Jeremiah:
Stand in the gate of the house of Jehovah, and proclaim there this word: Trust ye not in the words of a lie, saying, The temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah are these (the church of God, the church of God, the church of God is where our faith is); will ye, stealing, killing, committing adultery, and swearing by a lie, then come and stand before Me in this house, upon which My name is called, and say, We are delivered, while ye do these abominations? Is this house become a den of robbers? Behold, even I have seen, saith Jehovah, (Jeremiah 7:2-4, 9-11).
838. Caveat itaque sibi quisque ab haeretico illo, quod Homo justificetur Fide sine Operibus Legis; nam qui est in illo, et non plene recedit ab illo antequam finis vitae instat, post mortem consociatur geniis infernalibus; sunt enim "hirci," de quibus Dominus dicit,
"Discedite a Me maledicti in ignem aeternum paratum Diabolo 1et angelis ejus," (Matthaeus 25:(41,) 42); de "hircis" enim Dominus non dicit quod mala fecerint, sed quod non bona fecerint; quod non bona fecerint, est quia illi secum dicunt, "Non possum bonum facere a me ipso, lex me non damnat, sanguis Christi mundat me et liberat me, passio crucis sustulit reatum peccati, meritum Christi imputatur mihi per Fidem, sum reconciliatus Patri, in gratia, aspicior sicut filius, ac peccata nostra reputat sicut infirmitates quas illico propter Filium Suum remittit; sic justificat per solam Fidem, quae nisi foret unicum medium salutis, nemo mortalium salvari posset; propter quem finem alium Filius Dei pateretur crucem, et impleret legem, quam ut tolleret damnationem transgressionum nostrarum." Haec et plura similia secum dicunt illi, et sic bona quae bona sunt non faciunt, nam ex sola illorum Fide, quae non est nisi quam fides cognitionum, in se fides historica, ita solum scientia, non procedunt aliqua bona; est enim fides mortua, in quam non vita seu anima venit, nisi homo immediate adit Dominum, ac fugit mala ut peccata sicut a se; tunc bona quae homo facit sicut a se, sunt a Domino, ita in se bona; de qua re ita apud Esajam:
"Vae Genti peccatrici, gravi iniquitate, semini malorum, filiis corruptis; quando expanditis manus vestras, occulto oculos Meos a vobis; etiam si multiplicaveritis orationem, non Ego audio; lavate vos, purificate vos, removete malitiam operum vestrorum a coram oculis Meis; cessate malum facere, discite bonum facere: tunc si fuerint peccata vestra sicut coccinea, sicut nix albescent; si rubra fuerint sicut purpura, sicut lana erunt," (1:4, 15-18);
et apud Jeremiam:
"Sta in porta Domus Jehovae, et proclama ibi verbum hoc: Ne confidite super verbis mendacii, dicendo, Templum Jehovae, Templum Jehovae, Templum Jehovae illi" (Ecclesia Dei, Ecclesia Dei, Ecclesia Dei, ubi fides nostra); "num furando, occidendo, adulterando et jurando per mendacium, deinde venietis et stabitis coram Me in Domo hac, super qua nominatur Nomen Meum, et dicetis Erept. sumus, dum facitis abominationes illas; num spelunca latronum facta est Domus haec: etiam Ego ecce vidi, dictum Jehovae," (7:2-4, 9-11).
Footnotes:
1. Diabolo pro "diabolis"