BE66.预定论也是当今教会信仰的产物，因为它源于对直接凭怜悯就可瞬时得救的相信，以及人在属灵之事上的全然无能为力和没有自由意志的信条（关于这方面更多信息，请参见下文n68，69）。预定论从这些信条跟随而出，如前文所述，就像一条飞行的火蛇生出另一条，或者一只蜘蛛孕育出另一只。预定论还从以下错误观念得出：在皈依宗教之举动上，人就像一根木桩那样毫无生机，事后他都不知道自己是否真的是一根因恩典而活着的木桩。因为，据说上帝在他乐意的时间和地点（因而由得上帝高兴）通过听道将信赐给人（n.11a）；此外，拣选只不过是上帝的恩典，与人这方面的行动无关，无论这种活动来自属世的能力还是来自恩典（协和信条，p821，附录p182）。跟随信并由此作为信之证据的行为，当思想这些行为时，反映在心智上的貌似它们是肉体的作为，而运行它们的灵并未显明它们的起源，而是使它们像信一样成为恩典、因而出于上帝乐意所产生的效果。 【2】由上可知，预定论的教条很明显是从当今教会之信的而来，就像树苗从它的根发出，我可以说，这是该教会之信几乎不可避免的结果。这个教条首先由一些预定论者提出的，然后由高德加（Godoschalk），再由加尔文和他的追随者逐渐形成，最后在多特会议上坚定地并被确认，从那时起，它就被和堕落前预定和堕落后预定论者（SupraandInfraLapsarians）作为的帕拉迪姆神像（希腊智慧女神帕拉斯的神像），或者或者更确切地说，作为帕拉斯盾牌上的戈耳工（Gorgon）和梅丢萨（Medusa）两个蛇发女怪迎入他们的教会。 【3】照着预定论，有一些人注定要遭受诅咒，还有什么观念比这个更可憎，还有什么比这更残暴的概念可以施加于所信的上帝呢？因为对上帝有以下想法极其恐怖：作为爱本身和慈悲本身的主，愿意让许多人为地狱而生出，或者说无数人生下来就注定走向灭亡，也就是，注定成为魔鬼和撒旦；并且，出于他无限的神性智慧，他并未也不会为那些生活良善并承认上帝的人有所预备，借以逃脱永火与折磨。然而事实上，主是所有人的创造者和拯救者，他独自引领每个人，不愿一人灭亡。那么，还有什么比以下想法更骇人呢——在主引领和照管下的众多民族和百姓，被预定作为猎物交给魔鬼来满足它贪得无厌的欲望？？然而，这真的是当今教会之信的产物；不过新教会之信避之如怪物。
66. Predestination is an offspring of the faith of the present Church because it is produced from a faith in instantaneous salvation from direct mercy, and from a belief in man's utter impotence and lack of free-will in spiritual affairs; concerning which, see below, 68. Predestination follows from these dogmas as one fiery serpent from another, or as one spider from another, as may be seen above. It follows also from the false notion that man is as it were inanimate in the act of conversion, that he is like a stock, and that afterwards he is unaware whether or not he is a stock made alive by grace. For it is said that God gives faith through the hearing of the Word when and where He wills, see 11(a); consequently of His good pleasure; likewise that election is solely from the grace of God, independently of any action by man, whether such activity proceeds from natural power or from grace Formula Concordiae, page 821; Appendix, page 182. The works which follow faith as evidences thereof appear on reflection like works of the flesh, while the spirit which performs them does not reveal their origin, but makes them to be, like faith, from grace and thus from good pleasure.
[2] From these considerations it is plain that the dogma of predestination has sprung from the faith of the present Church as a shoot from its root, and I can affirm that it has followed as the almost inevitable conclusion of such a faith. This dogma was first fashioned by the Predestinarians, then by Gottschalk, afterwards by Calvin and his followers, and was at last firmly established by the Synod of Dort, from whence it was conveyed by the Supra and Infra Lapsarians into their own church as the Palladium of religion; or, rather, as the head of Gorgon or Medusa engraved on the shield of Pallas.
[3] Now, what more detestable notion could have been hatched, and what more cruel idea of God believed, than that any part of the human race has been damned as the result of predestination? For it would be a horrible belief that the Lord, Who is Love itself and Mercy itself, willed that a great number of mankind should be born for hell, or that myriads of myriads should be born doomed to destruction; that is, born to be devils and satans; also that out of His Divine Wisdom, which is infinite, He has not and does not make any provision for those who live well and acknowledge God, whereby they might escape everlasting fire and torment; when yet the Lord is the Creator and Saviour of all, and He alone leads everyone, and wills no one's death. What, then, more monstrous could be believed or thought than that a host of nations and peoples, under His direction and oversight, should be delivered by predestination to the devil as his prey, to glut his insatiable appetite? Yet this idea is an offspring of the present Church, which the faith of the New Church abhors as monstrous.
66. Predestination is also an offspring of the faith of the present church, because it is born from a belief in instantaneous salvation from immediate mercy, and from a belief in absolute impotence and no free-will in spiritual things, concerning which, see below (n. 68, 69). That this follows from them, as one fiery flying serpent from another, or one spider from another, may be seen above. Predestination also follows from the supposition, that man is as it were inanimate in the act of conversion, that he is like a stock, and that afterwards he is unconscious whether he is a stock made alive by grace, or not; for it is said, that God, by the hearing of the Word, gives faith, when and where He wills [n. 11 (a)], consequently of His good pleasure; and likewise that election is of the mere grace of God, independently of any action on man's part, whether such activity proceed from the powers of nature or of grace: Formula Concordiae (p. 821; Appendix, p. 182). The works which follow faith as evidences thereof, appear to the mind while it reflects on them like the works of the flesh, while the spirit which operates them does not make manifest from what origin they are, but makes them, like faith, to be the effects of grace, and thus of the good pleasure of God. Hence it is plain, that the dogma of predestination has sprung from the faith of the present church, as a sucker from its root; and I can say, that it has followed as the almost unavoidable consequence of that faith. This was first broached by the Predestinarians, and afterwards by Godoschalcus, then by Calvin and his followers, and lastly established and confirmed by the Synod of Dort, whence it was conveyed into the church, by the Supra and Infra Lapsarians, as the palladium of religion, or rather as the head of Gorgon or Medusa engraved on the shield of Pallas. But what more hurtful, or more cruel notion could have been hatched out and believed concerning God, than that any part of the human race are predestined to damnation? For it would be a cruel belief, that the Lord, who is love itself and mercy itself, willed that a multitude of men should be born for hell, or that myriads of myriads should be born devoted to destruction, or in other words, born to be devils and satans; and that, out of His Divine wisdom, which is infinite, He would not and did not provide for those who live well, and acknowledge God, that they should not be cast into everlasting fire and torment; whereas the Lord is the Creator and Saviour of all, and He alone leads all, and wills not the death of any. What then can be believed and thought more monstrous, than that multitudes of nations and peoples, should under His auspices, and in His sight, from a predestined decree, be delivered up to the devil as his prey, to satiate his maw? Yet this is an offspring of the faith of the present church; but the faith of the New Church abhors it as a monster.
66. Quod Praedestinatio sit Foetus fidei hodiernae Ecclesiae, est quia nascitur a fide momentaneae salvationis ex immediata Misericordia, et ex fide absolutae impotentiae et nullius arbitrii in spiritualibus, de qua infra n. 68, [69.] quod ex illis sequatur hoc sicut prester a prestere, seu aranea ab aranea, videatur supra; ex illa, et quoque ex conversione sicut inanimata hominis, quod sit sicut truncus, et quod dein ex nulla conscientia sciat num ipse truncus vivificatus sit ex gratia, vel non; nam dicitur, Quod Deus per auditum Verbi det fidem, quando et ubi vult, n. 11. 1(a) ita ex beneplacito; et quoque quod Electio sit ex mera gratia Dei exclusa hominis actione, sive ex viribus naturae, sive gratiae, proficiscatur, Form. Concordiae, p. 821, Appendix p. 182. Opera, quae ut testimonia sequuntur fidem, sunt coram visu reflectente similia operibus carnis, ac Spiritus, qui operatur illa, non manifestat ex qua origine sunt, sed facit illa gratiae, et sic beneplaciti sicut ipsam fidem. Ex his patet, quod ex Fide hodiernae Ecclesiae Dogma praedestinationis, ut ex radice surculus, exiverit; et possum dicere, quod ut consectarium vix evitabile ex illa fide effluxerit; quod factum primum apud Praedestinatianos, inde a Godoschalco, postea a Calvino et ejus asseclis, et demum a Synodo Dodrectana valide stabilita, et inde sicut Palladium religionis, aut potius sicut Caput Gorgonis seu 2Medusae clypeo Palladis insculptum, a Supra et Infra Lapsariis in Ecclesiam suam exportata. Sed quid damnosius potuit excludi, et quid crudelius de Deo credi, quam quod aliqui ex Humano Genere ex praedestinato Damnati sint; crudelis enim fides foret, quod Dominus, Qui est Ipse Amor et Ipsa Misericordia, velit ut multitudo hominum nascatur ad infernum, seu quod myriades myriadum nascantur devoti, hoc est, quod nascantur diaboli et satanae; et quod non ex Divina sua Sapientia, quae est infinita, providerit et provideat, ne illi, qui bene vivunt, et agnoscunt Deum, in ignem et cruciatum aeternum conjiciantur; est usque Dominus omnium Creator et Salvator, et Ipse Solus ducit omnes, ac nullius mortem vult; quid ergo immanius potest credi et cogitari, quam quod Coetus gentium et populorum sub auspicio ac sub intuitu Ipsius ex praedestinato traderetur 3diabolo in praedam ac satiaret ingluviem ejus. Sed hoc est Foetus fidei Ecclesiae hodiernae; at fides Novae Ecclesiae illud ut monstrum abhorret.
Footnotes:
1. 11 pro 10.
2. seu pro feu.
3. tradere- pro traderen-.