644# 基督教各教会的主教，以及由此在他们以下的教职人员，在圣言中所说的归算上，之所以理解为信仰的归算，并且认为基督的公义与功德被铭刻在这信仰上，从而归于人，是因为十四个世纪以来，也就是自尼西亚会议以来，他们不愿知道别的信仰。因此，唯有这种信仰扎根于他们的记忆，并由记忆进入他们的心智，仿佛已成一种组织化的结构；从那时起，这种信仰便 滋生出一种光，像夜间火灾所发出的光，在这光中，这种信仰显得仿佛就是神学真理本身，其余一切教义都按次序链结其上。若将这个首要原则，或这根柱子移去，其余一切便都会瓦解。因此，当他们阅读圣言时，若思想另一种信仰，而不是这种归算性的信仰，那么那光连同他们全部神学就会熄灭，黑暗便会兴起，整个基督教会也会在这黑暗中消散。因此，这信仰被留下，像树被砍倒毁坏之后，树墩仍留在地里，直到经过七期（但4:23）。
今日教会中那些已经坚定于此的首领，当这种信仰受到攻击时，谁不是像用棉花塞住耳朵一样，不愿听任何反对它的话呢？但是，我亲爱的读者，请打开耳朵，阅读圣言，你就会清楚地看见另一种信仰和另一种归算，并非你至今所被劝服相信的那一种。
644# 基督教会的领袖及其下属将圣言中的归算理解为信仰的归算，基督的功德和公义就铭刻在这信仰上，从而被归于人，因为自尼西亚议会以来的十四个世纪，他们就不想知道其它任何信仰。因此，唯独这种信仰固定在他们的记忆中，从而固定在他们的心智里，就像一个有组织的事物，或他们存在的一部分一样。从那时起，这种信仰就提供了一种像来自夜间之火的光；它因着这光而看起来就像真正的神学本身，或神学真理本身，而在一个相互关联的系列中的其它一切事物都取决于它，如果这个头或支柱被移除，这些事物就会分崩离析。因此，如果他们在阅读圣言时，想到的是其它任何信仰，而不是这种归算的信仰，那么这光，连同他们的整个神学都会熄灭，黑暗将出现，使整个基督教会都消失不见。因此，这种信仰留给了他们，就像树砍伐毁坏时，留在地里的树根的余干，直到七期完成（但以理书4:23）。当这种信仰被攻击时，在当今教会公认的领袖当中，谁不是堵住耳朵，就像塞上棉花一样，以免听到反对它的任何话呢？但我的读者，请张开你的耳朵，阅读圣言，你就会清晰感知到一种与你此前说服自己所相信的不同的信仰和归算。
644. We have seen, then, that the Word speaks of an assigning of spiritual credit or blame [after death]. Leaders and officials in the Christian churches have taken these passages to mean we are given spiritual credit if we have a faith that is inscribed with the justice and merit of Christ. Why? Because for fourteen centuries, from the time of the Council of Nicaea, they had not been willing to find out that faith meant anything other than this. Therefore this was the only faith that occupied their memory and became systematized in their mind. From that time on, this faith developed a light of its own that was like a bonfire at night. In that light, this faith looked like the profoundest of theological truths, a verity on which all other truths were leaning, one on top of the other. All other truths would have collapsed, they felt, if this chief truth, this central pillar were removed.
Therefore if they had given thought while reading the Word to any other meaning of faith than "the faith that assigns Christ's merit to us," that light and their entire theology would have been extinguished, and a darkness would have arisen and caused the entire Christian church to fade away. Therefore that concept of faith was left in place, "like the stump of a root in the ground, once the tree had been cut down and destroyed, until seven times would pass over it" (Daniel 4:23).
As for today, are there any leaders of the church devoted to this teaching who do not stuff their ears with cotton when that concept of faith comes into question? They do not want to hear it.
O reader of mine, unblock your ears and read the Word, and you will clearly perceive different concepts than the ones you have convinced yourself of until now - a different meaning of faith and a different sense of how spiritual credit or blame are assigned.
644. The reason why the leaders of the Christian churches, and thus their underlings, have understood imputation in the Word to mean the imputation of a faith with the righteousness and merit of Christ inscribed on it and so attributed to man, is that for fourteen centuries, that is, since the time of the Council of Nicaea, they have been unwilling to know about any other kind of faith. Thus that faith alone has settled in their memories and so their minds, as if systematised. From that time on their mind has borrowed the sort of light that comes from a house on fire at night. This light has made that faith seem like theological truth itself, and on it depends all the rest of theology like links in a chain; and these could fall apart if that headpiece or pillar were taken away. If therefore they had thought of any other kind of faith than that which is imputed, when they were reading the Word, that light together with their whole theological system would have been extinguished, allowing darkness to arise that would have blotted out the whole Christian church. That faith therefore was left, like a stump rooted in the ground, when a tree has been cut down and destroyed, until seven periods have passed (Daniel 4:23). Is there anyone among the established champions of the church at the present time who, when that faith is attacked, does not stop his ears as if with cotton-wool to avoid hearing a word spoken against it? Open your ears, my friend the reader, and read the Word, and you will clearly grasp a different faith and a different kind of imputation from the one of which you have so far been persuaded.
644. The rulers of the Christian churches and in consequence their subordinates, have understood by imputation in the Word the imputation of faith upon which were inscribed the righteousness and merit of Christ, which were thus ascribed to man, for the reason that for fourteen centuries, that is, since the time of the Nicene Council, they have not wished to know about any other faith. Therefore such faith alone is fixed in their memories and consequently in their minds, like a thing organized, which from that time has furnished a light like that which comes from a fire at night-time, from which light that faith has appeared like true theology itself, on which all other things hang in a linked series, and these would fall asunder if that head or pillar were removed. If therefore they were to think when they read the Word, of any other than this imputative faith, that light, together with their entire theology, would be extinguished, and a darkness would arise which would cause the whole Christian church to vanish. Therefore it is left to them,
Like a stump of roots in the earth, the tree being cut down and destroyed, until the seven times shall be accomplished (Daniel 4:23).
Who among the confirmed leaders of the present church does not, when that faith is attacked, close his ears as if with cotton against hearing anything opposed to it? But, my reader, open your ears, and read the Word, and you will have a clear perception of a faith and an imputation other than those which you have heretofore believed in.
644. The leaders of the Christian Churches and their subordinates have interpreted the imputation mentioned in the Word to mean an imputation of faith, on which the righteousness and merit of Christ have been inscribed and thus ascribed to man; because for fourteen centuries, that is from the time of the Nicene Council, 1 they have not desired to know of any other faith. Therefore this faith alone has become fixed in their memory, and consequently in their mind like part of their very being. From that time it has afforded such a light as comes from a fire in the night, and by this light that faith has appeared as theological truth itself. Upon it depend all things else in a connected series, which would fall to pieces if that head or pillar were to be removed. If, therefore, they were to think of any other than this imputative faith when reading the Word, that light together with all their theology would be extinguished; and darkness would arise in which the whole Christian Church would disappear. This faith, therefore, has been left,
As a stump of the roots in the earth, when the tree has been hewn down and destroyed... till seven times pass over him, Daniel 4:23.
There is not a confirmed leader of the Church to-day, if this faith is attacked, but stops his ears as with cotton wool lest he should hear a word against it. But do you, my reader, open your ears, and read the Word; and you will clearly perceive a different kind of faith and imputation from what you had persuaded yourself to believe.
Footnotes:
1. Nice (Nicaea), city of Asia Minor, in Bithynia. In A.D. 325 it was the seat of a Council summoned to settle the Arian controversy. The creed there adopted is known as the Nicene Creed.
644. Causa, quod Praesules Ecclesiarum Christianarum, et inde subalterni illorum per Imputationem in Verbo intellexerint imputationem Fidei, cui Justitia et Meritum Christi inscripta sunt, et sic homini adscripta, est quia non de alia fide per quatuordecim 1 Saecula, hoc est, a tempore Synodi Nicenae, voluerunt scire; quare illa sola insedit memoriae et inde menti illorum, sicut organizata, quae ab eo tempore foenerata est lucem, qualis est ex incendio tempore noctis, ex qua luce illa fides visa est tanquam ipsum verum Theologicum, ex qua pendent omnia reliqua in serie concatenata, quae dilaberentur, si illud caput, seu illa columna amoveretur: quare si aliam Fidem, quam imputativam illam cogitarent, cum legerunt Verbum, lux illa una cum omni Theologico illorum, exstingueretur, et oborirentur tenebrae, e quibus tota Ecclesia Christiana evanesceret, quare relicta est illa, sicut stirps radicum in terra, excisa et deperdita arbore, usque dum septem tempora transirent, Daniel 4:20; 2 quis inter confirmatos antistites Ecclesiae hodie, dum impugnatur illa fides, non obturat aurem sicut gossypio ad audiendum aliquid contra illam. Sed, mi Lector, aperi aures, et lege Verbum, et clare percipies aliam fidem et aliam imputationem, quam hactenus tibi persuaseras.
Footnotes: