527# 然而，仍有一些人不能省察自己；如婴孩，以及尚未至能自我观照之年龄的男童女童；亦如心思单纯、全无反省者；又如一切不存敬畏上帝之心者；此外，还有某些心灵或身体有疾之人。再者，还有那些因“唯独信仰称义”之教义，即因基督功德归算之教义而被坚固者；他们使自己确信：若借省察并由此悔改，便会有某种出于人的东西介入其中，从而败坏信仰，并将救恩逐出、抛离其唯一的中心。对于此等人与彼等人，所适用的只是口头认罪；然而这并非悔改，已在本章前文中说明。
【2】但是，那些知道何为罪，尤其是那些从圣言知道许多事，并且教导这些事，却不省察自己，因而在自己里面看不见任何罪的人，可以比作搜聚财富、藏于柜匣之中，除观看和计算之外别无用途的人；也可以比作在库房中积聚金银珍宝，又锁于地窖，只以富有为目的的人。他们类似那把银子埋藏在地里的仆人，又类似那把银子包在手巾里的人（太25:25；路19:20）。
他们也如同坚硬的路旁与石头地，种子落在其上（太13:4、5）；又如叶子茂盛而不结果子的无花果树（可11:13）。他们是金刚石般的心，不化为肉心（亚7:12）。他们如同鹧鸪：“鹧鸪抱不是自己下的蛋；人以不义得财，到了中年，那财都必离开他，他终久成为愚顽人”（耶17:11）。他们又如那五个童女，有灯却没有油（太25:1–12）。
【3】那些从圣言汲取许多关于仁义与悔改的教导，并且大量知道诫命，却不照之而生活的人，可以比作贪食者：他们把食物成块塞入口中，未经牙齿嚼碎便送入胃里；食物在那里未经消化而滞留，继而被挤压出来，污秽乳糜，并引发迟缓缠绵之病，终至悲惨而死。此等人既无属灵之热，纵然处在光中，也可称为寒冬、冷土、北极之境，甚至是冰雪与霜冻。
527# 然而，有些人不能省察自己，如：婴儿，在达到能自我省察的年龄之前的男孩和女孩；缺乏反思能力的简单人；所有敬畏神的人；除此之外还有一些在心智和身体上患病的人；尤其那些确认将基督的功德归算给人的唯信称义的教义，并说服自己相信，人的某种东西会通过这种省察和悔改进入，这会摧毁信仰，因而会把救赎从它唯一的居住地驱逐和弃绝的人。这些人都只满足于口头的忏悔；但如本章前面所示（TCR 516-519节），这不是悔改。
但那些知道罪是什么的人，尤其那些拥有圣言的大量知识，也教导它们，却不省察自己，从而看不到自己身上的任何罪之人，可以比作那些积攒财富，把它放在保险柜和箱子里，除了看一看，数一数外不再动它的人；他们也可以比作那些仅仅为了财富而把金银珠宝收进宝库，或藏在地窖里的人。这些人就像把他连得（译注：他连得是古代中东、希腊及罗马地区通用的重量和货币单位）藏在地里的商人，也像把英镑包在手巾里的人（马太福音25:25; 路加福音19:20）。他们还像种子落在上面的硬路和石头地（马太福音13:4，5）；又像长满叶子却不结果的无花果树（马可福音11:13）；又像没有变成肉心的石心（撒迦利亚书7:12）。他们就像聚而不生产的鹧鸪；他们得财，却不按公平；到了他们日子的中间，他们必离弃它们，终久成为愚顽人（耶利米书17:11）。他们就像有灯无油的五个童女（马太福音25:1-12）。
那些从圣言中获得关于仁爱和悔改的大量教导，知道其教义的大量知识，或关于诫命的一切，却不照之生活的人，可以比作贪吃的人，他们将大块食物塞进嘴里，不经咀嚼就咽到肚子里，以至于食物在胃里没有消化，然后堵塞或破坏乳糜，导致慢性疾病，最终导致他们悲惨的死亡。这些人没有属灵之热，无论享有多少光，都可以被称为冬天、冻土、北极气候，甚至冰雪。
527. Nevertheless, there are some people who are incapable of examining themselves: for example, children and young men and women before they reach the age at which they can reflect upon themselves; simple people who lack the ability to reflect; all who have no fear of God; some who have a mental or physical illness; and also people who, entrenched in the teaching that justification comes solely through the faith that assigns us Christ's merit, have convinced themselves that if they practiced self-examination and repentance something of their own selves might intrude that would ruin their faith and divert or redirect their salvation from its sole focus.
For the types of people just listed, an oral confession is of benefit, although, as discussed earlier in this chapter [516-519], it is not the same as practicing repentance.
[2] People who know what sin is and especially those who know a lot about it from the Word and who teach about it, but who do not examine themselves and therefore see no sin within themselves, can be compared to people who scrape and save money, only to put it away in boxes and containers and make no other use of it than looking at it and counting it. They are like people who collect pieces of gold and silver jewelry and keep them in a safe in a storage room for no other purpose than to own them. They are like the businessman who hid his talent in the ground and the one who wrapped his mina in a handkerchief (Matthew 25:25; Luke 19:20). They are like the hardened pathways and rocks onto which the seed fell (Matthew 13:4-5). They are like fig trees with abundant foliage that bear no fruit (Mark 11:13). They are like hearts of stone that have not turned to flesh ([Ezekiel 36:26]; Zechariah 7:12). They are "like partridges that nest but do not bear young. They amass riches, but without judgment. In the middle of their days they leave their riches behind and at the end of their [lives] they become fools" (Jeremiah 17:11). They are also like the five young women who had lamps but no oil (Matthew 25:1-12).
[3] People who take in many teachings from the Word about goodwill and repentance and who know all about the commandments and yet do not live by those things could be compared to gluttons who stuff food in chunks into their mouths and swallow it without chewing, so that it sits undigested in their stomach and then clogs up their chyle and causes chronic diseases, from which they eventually die a wretched death.
No matter how much light they may have, people like this can be called winters, frozen lands, arctic climates, and indeed snow and ice, because they have no spiritual warmth.
527. Still there are some who cannot examine themselves, for instance young children, and boys and girls until they are old enough to become capable of introspection; likewise the simple, who do not reflect at all; also, all who lack the fear of God; moreover, some who are sick in mind or body; not to mention those who, firmly believing in justification by faith alone which imputes to us the merit of Christ, have convinced themselves that examination leading to repentance would introduce something of the person himself destructive of faith, so as to eject and cast forth salvation from its one and only focal point. For all of these a merely verbal confession may serve; and it was shown before in this chapter that this is not repentance.
[2] Those who know what sin is, and even more those who know a great deal from the Word, and teach this, but do not examine themselves, so seeing no sin in themselves, can be compared to those who scrape together wealth and store it in cases and chests, making no other use of it except to gloat over and count; or to those who make collections of gold and silver masterpieces for their treasure-houses, and shut them up in cellars, merely in order to be known as wealthy. These are like the merchant who hid his talent underground, and hid his mina 1 in a napkin (Matthew 25:25; Luke 19:20). They are also like hard paths and rocks on which seed falls (Matthew 13:4-5); and like fig-trees with luxuriant foliage, but which do not bear fruit (Mark 11:13). Their hearts are adamant and do not turn to flesh (Zechariah 7:12). They are like partridges which gather eggs but do not lay them, they amass riches, but unjustly; in the midst of their days they leave them behind, and at the last become fools (Jeremiah 17:11). They are like the five virgins, who had lamps but no oil (Matthew 25:1-12).
[3] Those who take many sayings about charity and repentance from the Word, and know a great many commandments, yet do not live by them, can be compared with gluttons who cram gobbets of food into their mouths, and swallow them into their stomachs without chewing them. There they languish undigested, and passed on from there they pollute the chyle, bringing about chronic diseases which end up by causing a wretched death, Such people, being devoid of spiritual heat, however much they enjoy light, can be called winters, cold countries, arctic climes, or, rather, snow and ice.
Footnotes:
1. This mina was one sixtieth of a talent, often translated 'pound' in English Bibles.
527. Yet there are some who cannot examine themselves, such as infants, boys and girls before they arrive at the age when they are capable of self-examination, also the simple minded, who are not capable of reflection; and again, all those who have no fear of God, and beside these some who are sick in mind and body; and above all those who are confirmed in the doctrine of justification by faith alone, which imputes Christ's merit to man, and who have persuaded themselves, that by such examination and repentance something of man would enter, which would destroy faith, and thus would banish and reject salvation from its one only abiding-place. To all such a mere lip-confession is serviceable. That this is not repentance has been shown above in this chapter.
[2] But those who know what sin is, and still more those who know many things from the Word and teach them, and yet do not examine themselves, and consequently see no sin in themselves, may be likened to those who scrape up wealth and lay it up in chests and coffers, making no further use of it than to look at it and count it; also to those who gather into their treasuries jewels of gold and silver, or hide them in vaults, for the mere sake of being rich.
Such are like the trader who hid his talent in the earth, and like him who hid his pound in a napkin (Matthew 25:25; Luke 19:20).
They are also like the hard wayside and the stony places upon which the seed fell (Matthew 13:4, 5).
Also like fig trees full of leaves but bearing no fruit (Mark 11:13).
They are the hearts of adamant, which do not become hearts of flesh (Zechariah 7:12).
They are like the partridges which gather and bring not forth; they get riches, but not with judgment; they leave them in the midst of their days, and at their end become fools (Jeremiah 17:11).
They are like the five virgins who had lamps but no oil (Matthew 25:1-12).
[3] Those who acquire from the Word much about charity and repentance, and who have abundant knowledge of its teachings, and yet do not live in accordance therewith, may be compared to gluttons, who stuff their food into their mouths in chunks, and swallow it without chewing, so that it remains undigested in the stomach, and when it passes out vitiates the chyle, and brings on lingering diseases, from which they finally die a miserable death. And as such are without spiritual heat, however much light they may possess, they may be called winters, frozen grounds, arctic climates, and even fields of snow and ice.
527. There are many, however, who cannot examine themselves, as infants and boys and girls before they arrive at an age when they become capable of self-examination. This is also the case with simple persons, who are not capable of reflection; with all those who have no fear of God; and with those who are sick in mind and body. To these must be added all who are confirmed in the doctrine of justification by faith alone which imputes the merit of Christ, and who have persuaded themselves that by examination and consequent repentance, something of man would enter which would ruin faith, and so, by depriving salvation of its only abiding place, would place it beyond their reach. Such persons are content with mere lip-confession; but this, as was shown above in this chapter, is not repentance.
[2] On the other hand, those who know what sin is, and particularly those who have much knowledge of the Word and teach it to others, and yet do not examine themselves and consequently see no sin in themselves, may be likened to those who scrape together great wealth and store it up in boxes and chests, applying it to no useful purpose, but who gloat over it and count it. They are like those who gather into their treasuries, merely for wealth's sake, jewels of gold and silver, hiding them away in cellars.
They are also like the traders, one of whom hid his talent in the earth, and another his pound in a napkin. Matthew 25:25; Luke 19:20.
They are like hard and stony paths on which seed falls, Matthew 13:4-5; like fig trees full of leaves, but barren of fruit, Mark 11:13; like hearts of adamant, which cannot be made flesh, Zechariah 7:12.
They are like partridges 'which gather and bring not forth; they get riches, but not by right; in the midst of their days they leave them, and in their end they become fools.' They are like the five virgins who had lamps and no oil, Matthew 25:1-12.
[3] Those who learn much from the Word about charity and repentance, and who know its precepts in abundance, but do not live according to them, may be compared to gluttons, who stuff into their mouth great pieces of food; and these being swallowed without mastication remain in the stomach undigested, till passing out they vitiate the chyle, and bring on lingering disorders which at last put a miserable end to their lives. Such persons, being without spiritual heat, however much light they may enjoy, may be likened to winter, frozen ground, arctic regions, even snow and ice.
527. At usque sunt aliqui, qui non possunt se explorare, sicut infantes, pueri et puellae ante advectam aetatem dum suae intuitionis fiunt: pariter simplices, qui nullius reflexionis sunt; tum etiam cuncti, quibus non timor Dei; et praeter hos aliqui aegroti animo et corpore: et insuper illi, qui confirmati ex doctrina justificationis per solam fidem imputativam meriti Christi, sibi persuaserunt, quod per explorationem et inde poenitentiam, aliquid hominis intraret, quod pessumdaret fidem, et sic salutem extra unicum suum focum ejiceret et projiceret. His et illis inservit modo confessio oralis, quae quod non sit poenitentia, supra in hoc Capite ostensum est.
[2] Sed illi qui sciunt quid peccatum, et magis qui sciunt plura ex Verbo, et docent illa, et non explorant se, et inde nullum peccatum in se vident, assimilari possunt illis, qui corradunt opes, et illas reponunt in scriniis et arculis, absque alio usu ex illis, quam ut spectentur et numerentur: et illis qui in thesauraria colligunt Clenodia auri et argenti, et in cellariis occludunt illa, propter solum finem opulentiae; qui similes sunt negotiatori, qui talentum suum recondidit sub terra, et qui minam suam in sudario, 1 Matthaeus 25:25; Luca 19:20. Sunt etiam sicut durae viae et petrae, in quas semen cadit, 2 Matthaeus 13:4-5, 3 et quoque sicut ficus luxuriantes foliis, et non ferunt fructus, 4 Marcus 11:13. 5 Suntque corda adamantina, quae non fiunt carnea, 6 Sacharia 7:12. Sunt sicut perdices, quae colligunt et non pariunt, faciunt divitias sed non cum judicio, in medio dierum suarum deserunt illas, et in postremitate sua fiunt stulti, Jeremias 17:11. Sunt sicut quinque virgines, quibus lampades et non oleum, 7 Matthaeus 25:1-12.
[3] Illi qui ex Verbo hauriunt multa de charitate et de poenitentia, et sciunt 8 praecepta in copia, et non vivunt secundum illa, comparari possunt cum voracibus, qui cibaria in frustis ingerunt in buccam, et non comminuta dentibus inferunt in ventrem, ubi indigesta morantur, et inde expressa inquinant chylum, et inducunt lentos morbos, a quibus tandem misere moriuntur. Tales quia sunt absque spirituali calore, utcunque in luce, vocari possunt hyemes, terrae frigidae, climata arctica, imo nives et glacies.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: similes�sudario (absque italicis).
2. Prima editio: sicut�cadit (absque italicis).
3. Prima editio: 12:4.
4. Prima editio: sicut�fructus (absque italicis).
5. Prima editio: 12.
6. Prima editio: corda�carnea (absque italicis).
7. Prima editio: sicut�oleum (absque italicis).
8. Prima editio: fciunt.