563# 众所周知，习惯会成为第二天性；因此，对一个人容易的事，对另一个人却可能是困难的。省察自己，并承认所省察出来的事，也是如此。
对于雇工、搬运工和农夫来说，有什么比从早到晚用双臂劳作更容易呢？相反，一个尊贵而娇养的人，若要做同样的事，连半小时也无法做到而不感到疲惫、不出汗。
对于习惯于奔走的人来说，手持棍杖、穿着柔软的鞋，走一英里的路是容易的；而一个习惯乘车的人，几乎连从一条街慢跑到另一条街都做不到。
凡是经常从事自己手艺的工匠，都能轻松而乐意地完成自己的工作；离开工作之后，还渴望再回去做。相反，另一个虽懂得同样手艺、却懒惰怠惰的人，几乎难以被迫去做。
凡人在某种职分或某种学习中，也是如此。对于热爱虔敬的人来说，有什么比向上帝祈祷更容易呢？而对于委身不虔的人来说，又有什么比祈祷更困难呢？反过来也一样。
哪一位祭司第一次在君王面前讲道时不会害怕呢？但当他熟练之后，便能无所畏惧地继续讲道。
对于天使般的人来说，有什么比举目望天更容易呢？对于魔鬼般的人来说，有什么比垂目望向地狱更容易呢？但若后者成为伪善者，他也能同样仰望天；只是他的心已经转向别处。
每一个人都会被自己的目的，以及由此形成的习惯所浸染。
563# 众所周知，习惯形成第二天性；因此，对一个人来说很容易的事对另一个人来说很难；这适用于自我省察和忏悔由此所发现的罪。对一个雇工、搬运工或农民来说，还有什么比用双手从早晨工作到晚上更容易的呢？而一个绅士或娇嫩的人做同样的工作，半个小时就不能不疲劳和出汗。对一个男仆或外跑者来说，拿着拐杖、穿着合适的鞋子跑好几英里是很容易的；而一个习惯乘车的人很难从这条街跑到，甚至慢慢跑到下一条街。
每一个勤奋工作的技工都能轻松愉快地完成工作，当离开工作岗位时，他很乐意回来；而另一个擅长同一行业的懒惰技工，几乎无法被驱使工作。这同样适用于每个人，无论他的职业或追求是什么。对一个习惯虔诚的人来说，还有什么比向神祷告更容易的呢？而对一个不虔诚的奴隶来说，还有什么比这更难的，反之亦然呢？第一次在国王面前讲道，有哪个牧师不觉得紧张、发怵呢？但当他习惯了，他就会大胆地继续前进。对一个天使人来说，还有什么比举目仰望天堂更容易的呢？而对一个魔鬼人来说，还有什么比把目光投向地狱更容易的呢？但如果后者变成一个伪君子，他也能仰望天堂，但他的心却远离。每个人都充满了他所关注的目的和由此产生的习惯。
563. It is well known that habits form a kind of second nature, and therefore what is easy for one person is difficult for another. This applies also to examining ourselves and confessing what we have found.
It is easy for manual laborers, porters, and farm workers to work with their arms from morning till evening, but a delicate person of the nobility cannot do the same work for half an hour without fatigue and sweating. It is easy for a forerunner with a walking stick and comfortable shoes to ply the road for miles, whereas someone used to riding in a carriage has difficulty jogging slowly from one street to the next.
[2] All artisans who are devoted to their craft pursue it easily and willingly, and when they are away from it they long to get back to it; but it is almost impossible to force a lazy person with the same skills to practice that craft. The same goes for everyone who has some occupation or pursuit.
What is easier for someone who is pursuing religious devotion than praying to God? And what is more difficult for someone who is enslaved to ungodliness?
All priests are afraid the first time they preach before royalty. But after they get used to it, they go on boldly.
What is easier for angelic people than lifting their eyes up to heaven? What is easier for devilish people than casting their eyes down to hell? (If they are hypocrites, however, they can look toward heaven in a similar way, but with aversion of heart.)
We are all saturated with the goal we have in mind and the habits that result from it.
563. It is well known that habit becomes second nature, so that what is easy for one person is difficult for another. The same is true of self-examination and confessing its results. Is there anything easier for a hired labourer, a porter or a farm-labourer than to toil with his hands from morning to night? Yet on the other hand a gentleman who leads a soft life could not do the same for half an hour without fatigue and sweat. It is easy for a runner with a staff and in soft shoes to cover a mile, while one who is used to riding in a carriage can hardly run slowly from one street to the next.
[2] Any artisan who works hard at his job performs it easily and willingly, and when he is away from it is anxious to get back to it; while another who has the same trade, but is lazy, can hardly be at length induced to practise it. It is much the same with anyone who holds any office or is engaged in any study. Is anything easier for the religious zealot than to pray to God, or more difficult for the slave of irreligion, or the reverse of these? Is not any priest who is preaching for the first time before the king afraid? But once he is established as a preacher, he proceeds fearlessly. What is easier for one who is an angel than to lift up his eyes to heaven, or for one who is a devil than to cast them down to hell? But if the second man becomes a hypocrite, he can look up to heaven as well as the first, but keep his heart turned away. The end he has in view and the disposition it engenders permeates every person.
563. It is known that habit is a second nature, and that therefore what is easy for one is difficult for another; and this is true of self-examination and a confession of what is thereby discovered. What is easier for a hired laborer, a porter, or a farmer, than to work with his hands from morning till evening, while a gentleman or a delicate person could not do the same work for half an hour without fatigue and sweating? It is easy for a footman with a staff and easy boots to pursue his way for miles, while one accustomed to ride can hardly run slowly from one street to another. Every mechanic who is attentive to his task goes through it easily and willingly, and when he leaves it, longs to return; while another, who understands the same trade, but is indolent, can scarcely be driven to work. The same is true of everyone, whatever may be his office or pursuit. To one diligent in piety, what is easier than to pray to God? while to one who is a slave to impiety, what is more difficult, and vice versa? What priest, preaching before a king for the first time, does not feel timid? but after doing it frequently he goes through boldly. What is easier for an angelic man than to raise his eyes to heaven, or for a devilish man than to cast them down toward hell? But if the latter becomes a hypocrite, he too can look up to heaven, but his heart is turned away. Everyone becomes imbued with the end he has in view and the habit arising therefrom.
563. It is well known that habit forms a second nature, and consequently that what is easy to one person is difficult to another; so it is with self-examination, and the confession of sins that have been discovered. There is nothing easier than for a hired laborer, a porter, or a farmer to work with his hands from morning till evening, while a gentleman, or one delicately brought up, could not do such work for half an hour without fatigue. It is easy for an out-runner with staff and suitable shoes to run for miles; while a person accustomed to ride in a coach can with difficulty run even slowly from one street to the next. Every workman who is diligent at his work performs it easily and willingly, and when he leaves it, is glad to return to it; whereas another, skilled in the same trade but slothful, can scarcely be driven to it. The case is the same in every employment and pursuit. There is nothing easier than for a person of pious habits to pray to God; and on the other hand, more difficult for one who is a slave to impiety. No priest, preaching for the first time before a king, is free from nervousness; but when he has been accustomed to it, he proceeds with boldness. What is easier than for a man angel to raise his eyes towards heaven, and for a man devil to cast his downward towards hell? If, however, the latter is a hypocrite, he can likewise look upward towards heaven, though his heart is turned away. It is the end regarded, and the habit thence formed, which determine the character.
563. Notum est, quod Consuetudo faciat alteram naturam, et quod inde facile sit uni, quod alteri difficile, ita quoque explorare se, et explorata confiteri; quid facilius est mercenario, bajulo et colono, quam laborare brachiis a mane ad vesperam, cum vicissim honoratus et delicatus absque lassitudine et sudore idem non potest facere semissem 1 horae. Facile est praecursori cum baculo et in mollibus calceis carpere viam millenaris, 2 quum 3 assuefactus vehi curru, vix potest lente currere ab una platea in alteram. Omnis artifex assiduus operi suo facile et libenter id peragit, et abiens ab illo avet redire, cum alius ejusdem artificii gnarus, sed socors, vix tandem cogi ad illud potest: similiter omnis qui in aliqua functione aut in aliquo studio est. Quid pietatis studioso facilius est quam orare ad Deum, et quid impietati emancipato difficilius, et vicissim. Quis sacerdos prima vice concionans coram Rege, non timet, at postquam instauratus est, intrepide pergit. Quid facilius est homini Angelo quam elevare oculos ad Coelum, et homini diabolo dejicere oculos ad infernum, at si hic hypocrita fit, potest similiter suspicere ad Coelum, sed averso corde: finis propter quem, et inde habitus unumquemvis imbuit.
Footnotes: