114、⑷没有人的帮助，主无法移走外在人中的邪恶。所有基督教会都接受这个教义：人在靠近圣餐之前，要检查自己，要看到并承认自己的罪，要通过停止并弃绝邪恶进行悔改，因为它们来自魔鬼；否则，罪不得赦免，他会受到诅咒。英国人虽持守唯信的教义，然而在圣餐礼的劝诫仪式中，他们公开教导要自我检查，承认和忏悔罪，悔改并开始新生活。他们用这些话来威胁那些不这样做的人：如果他们不悔改，魔鬼就会像进入犹大那样进入他们，使他们充满一切罪孽，毁灭身体和灵魂。德国人、瑞典人和丹麦人也持守唯信的教义，但在圣餐礼的劝诫仪式中也有这样的教导，同样威胁说：所有这样的人都会因混合神圣和亵渎而遭受地狱的惩罚和永恒的诅咒。牧师会在那些即将领受圣餐的人面前大声宣读这一切，人们也听见这些话，完全承认事实就是这样。
然而，当这些人在同一天听了关于唯信的讲道，同时听见说律法不定他们的罪，因为主已为他们成全了律法，除了邀功的东西外，他们凭自己不能行任何良善，因此他们的行为丝毫无助于他们的救恩，只有他们的信有助于救恩时，他们回到家就完全忘了他们先前的忏悔，事实上将其撇弃到他们只想着关于唯信的那个讲道的地步。那么哪种教导是真的呢？是第一个还是第二个？两种自相矛盾的说法不可能都是真的。如一种观点认为，若不自我检查，认识、承认、忏悔并放弃罪，因而不悔改，就没有罪的赦免，因而没有救恩，只有永恒的诅咒。另一种观点认为，像这样的事丝毫无助于救恩，因为主已通过十字架受难为世人的一切罪，为那些有信的人作了赎价；只要我们有信，确信这是真的，并信靠主功德的转稼，就没有罪了，在神面前看上去就像那些把脸洗得发亮的人。由此清楚可知，基督教界所有教会的共同宗教信仰是：人要检查自己，要看见并承认自己的罪，然后停止它们；否则就没有救恩，只有诅咒。此外，这也是一个神性真理本身，这一点从圣言中吩咐人悔改的经文明显看出来，如下列经文，路加福音：
耶稣说，你们要结出与悔改相称的果子来。现在斧子已经放在树根上，凡不结好果子的树就砍下来，丢在火里。（路加福音3:8-9）
又：
耶稣说，你们若不悔改，都要如此灭亡！（路加福音13:3，5）
马可福音：
耶稣传讲神国的福音。你们当悔改，信福音！（马可福音1:14-15）
又：
耶稣差遣祂的门徒出去，他们就出去传道，叫人悔改。（马可福音6:12）
路加福音：
耶稣对使徒说，要向所有民族传悔改、赦罪的道。（路加福音24:47）
马可福音：
约翰传悔改的洗礼，使罪得赦。（马可福音1:4；路加福音3:3）
用某种理解力想想这一点；你若有宗教信仰，就会发现，从罪中悔改就是通往天堂的路，与悔改分离的信不是真正的信，那些因不悔改而没有信的人在通往地狱的路上。
114. (4) Evils in the external self can be put away by the Lord only through the agency of the person. In all Christian churches it is an accepted point of doctrine that before coming to Holy Communion a person ought to examine himself, see and acknowledge his sins, and repent by desisting from them and rejecting them because they are of the devil; and that otherwise sins are not forgiven him and he is damned.
Even though the English are caught up in the doctrine of faith alone, still in their prayer at Holy Communion they openly teach self-examination, acknowledgment and confession of sins, repentance, and amendment of life, and they threaten those who do not do these things with these words, that otherwise the devil will enter into them as he did into Judas, and fill them with all iniquities, and destroy both body and soul. 1
Germans, Swedes, and Danes, who are also caught up in the doctrine of faith alone, teach the like in their prayer at Holy Communion, threatening, too, that otherwise the people will make themselves subject to punishments in hell and eternal damnation for their commingling of the sacred and the profane. The priest reads this aloud before those who are about to come to the Holy Supper, and the people listen to it with full acknowledgment of its being so.
[2] Nevertheless, when on the same day they hear the preaching of faith alone - that the law does not then condemn them because the Lord fulfilled it for them, that they cannot do any good that is not merit-seeking, and thus that their works have not a whit of salvation in them, but that faith alone does - these same people return home with their earlier confession completely forgotten, and rejecting it to the extent that they think in conformity with the preaching of faith alone.
Which, then, is true - the first or the second? Two propositions contrary to each other cannot both be true. So in the present instance. It must be true either that without self-examination and a recognition, acknowledgment, confession and rejection of sins, thus without repentance, forgiveness of them is not possible, and so neither salvation, but eternal damnation; or that these things contribute nothing to salvation, because the Lord through the suffering of the cross made complete satisfaction for all the sins of mankind for those who have faith, that those who have faith simply, trusting it to be so, and having confidence in the imputation of the Lord's merit, are without sins, and that they appear before God as people washed with shining faces.
[3] It is apparent from this that it is the common religion of all the churches in the Christian world that a person must examine himself, see and acknowledge his sins, and afterward desist from them, and that otherwise no salvation is possible, but only damnation.
That this also is the veriest Divine truth is apparent from passages in the Word where it is commanded that a person must repent, as from the following:
(Jesus 2said,) "Bear fruits worthy of repentance... Even now the ax is lying at the root of the (tree). Every tree... which does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire." (Luke 3:8-9)
(Jesus said,) "... unless you repent, you will all... perish." (Luke 13:3, 5)
... Jesus (preached) the gospel of the kingdom of God?, "... Repent, and believe in the gospel." (Mark 1:14-15)
(Jesus sent out the disciples, who) went out and preached that people should repent." (Mark 6:12)
(Jesus said to the apostles that they should preach) repentance and remission of sins... among all nations... (Luke 24:47)
(John preached) a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. (Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3)
Think about this also with some understanding, and if you have any religion, you will see that repentance from sins is the way to heaven, that faith apart from repentance is not faith, and that people who lack faith for want of repentance are on the road to hell.
Footnotes:
1. The English text of the prayer is quoted in The Doctrine of Life 5, as follows: "The way and means to be received as worthy partakers of that Holy Table is First, to examine your lives and Conversations by the rule of God's commandments, and wherein soever ye shall perceive yourselves to have offended either by will, word or deed, there to bewail your own sinfulness, and to confess yourselves to Almighty God, with full purpose of amendment of life; and if ye shall perceive your offences to be such, as are not only against God, but also against your neighbors, then ye shall reconcile yourselves unto them, being ready to make restitution and satisfaction according to the utmost of your power, for all injuries and wrongs done by you to any other, and being likewise ready to forgive others that have offended you, as ye would have forgiveness of your offences of God's hand, for otherwise the receiving of the Holy Communion doth nothing else but increase your damnation. Therefore if any of you be a blasphemer of God, or hinderer or slanderer of His word, or adulterer, or be in malice or envy, or in any other grievous crime, repent you of your sins, or else come not to the Holy Table; lest after the taking of that Holy Sacrament the Devil enter into you, as he entered into Judas, and fill you with all iniquities, and bring you to destruction both of body and soul."
2. Both Matthew 3:8, 10 and Luke 3:8-9 attribute this statement to John the Baptist.
114. 4. The Lord cannot rid us of the evils in our outer nature without our help. In all Christian churches the accepted teaching is that before we come to take Holy Communion we should examine ourselves, see and admit our sins, and repent by refraining from them and rejecting them because they come from the devil. Otherwise our sins are not forgiven, and we are damned.
Even though the English accept a theology of faith alone, in the prayer before Holy Communion they explicitly enjoin self-examination, acknowledgment, confession of sins, repentance, and taking up a new life. They threaten people who do not do so by saying that the devil will enter into them as he entered into Judas and fill them with all iniquity, destroying both body and soul. The Germans, Swedes, and Danes, who also accept a theology of faith alone, teach much the same in their prayer before Holy Communion, adding the threat that otherwise we will render ourselves liable to the punishments of hell and eternal damnation because of this mixture of the sacred and the profane. The priest reads these words with a loud voice to the people who come to Holy Communion, and the people hear them with a full recognition of their truth.
[2] However, when these same people hear a sermon about faith alone on the very same day, when they hear that the law does not condemn them because the Lord has fulfilled it for them, that on their own they cannot do anything good without claiming credit for it, and that therefore their deeds contribute nothing whatever to their salvation and only their faith does, then they go home totally oblivious to their earlier confession. In fact, they dismiss it to the extent that they are thinking about this sermon on faith alone.
So which is true, the first or the second? Two mutually contradictory statements cannot both be true. For example, one option is that there is no forgiveness of sins and therefore no salvation, only eternal damnation, unless we examine and identify and recognize and confess and reject our sins--unless we repent. The other option is that things like this contribute nothing to our salvation, because by suffering on the cross the Lord has made full satisfaction for people who have faith; and if we only have faith--a trust that this is true--and are sure that the Lord's merit has been credited to our accounts, then we are sinless and appear before God with faces washed gleaming-clean. We can see, then, that all Christian churches share the basic conviction that we need to examine ourselves, see and admit our sins, and then refrain from them; and that otherwise we face not salvation but damnation.
We can see that this is also divine truth itself in passages in the Word where we are commanded to repent, passages like these:
John said, "Bring forth fruits worthy of repentance. Right now, the axe is lying at the root of the tree. Every tree that does not bring forth good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire." (Luke 3:8-9)
Jesus said, "Unless you repent, you will all be destroyed." (Luke 13:3, 5)
Jesus proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God: "Repent, and believe the good news." (Mark 1:14-15)
Jesus sent out his disciples who preached repentance as they went forth. (Mark 6:12)
Jesus told the apostles that they were to preach repentance and the forgiveness of sins to all nations. (Luke 24:47)
John preached the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. (Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3)
Think about this, then, with some clarity of mind and if you are religious you will see that repentance from sins is the pathway to heaven. You will see that faith apart from repentance is not really faith and that people who are without faith because they are without repentance are on the road to hell.
114. IV. EVILS IN THE EXTERNAL MAN CANNOT BE REMOVED BY THE LORD EXCEPT THROUGH MAN'S INSTRUMENTALITY. In all Christian Churches this tenet of doctrine has been accepted, that before a man approaches the Holy Communion he shall examine himself, see and acknowledge his sins, and do the work of repentance by desisting from them and rejecting them because they are from the devil; and that otherwise his sins are not forgiven, and he is condemned. Although the members of the English Church hold the doctrine of faith alone, yet in the exhortation to the Holy Communion they openly teach self examination, the acknowledgment and confession of sins, repentance and newness of life, threatening those who do not comply in words which declare that "otherwise the devil will enter into them as he did into Judas, and fill them with all iniquity and destroy both body and soul". The Germans, the Swedes and the Danes, who also hold the doctrine of faith alone, teach the same in the exhortation to the Holy Communion, also threatening that otherwise they will render themselves subject to eternal condemnation 1for mingling the holy and the profane. This is read out by the priest in a loud voice before those who are about to observe the Holy Supper, and is listened to by them with full acknowledgment that it is so.
[2] Nevertheless, when these same persons the same day listen to preaching concerning faith alone to the effect that the Law does not condemn them because the Lord has fulfilled it for them, and that of themselves they cannot do any good except what is merit-seeking and thus that works have nothing of salvation in them, but faith only, they return home entirely forgetful of their former confession and rejecting it in proportion as they think from the preaching concerning faith alone. Now which doctrine is true, the first or the second?-for two things contrary to each other cannot both be true, the first stating that without self-examination, recognition, acknowledgment, confession and rejection of sins, thus without repentance, there is no forgiveness of them, thus no salvation, but eternal condemnation; the second stating that such things contribute nothing to salvation because the Lord made full satisfaction for all the sins of men by the passion of the cross, for those who have faith, and that those who have faith only, being fully confident that this is true, and trusting in the imputation of the Lord's merit, are without sins, and appear before God like those with faces washed and shining brightly.
[3] It is clear from this that it is the common religious belief of all the Churches in the Christian world that man should examine himself, should see and acknowledge his sins and then desist from them; and that otherwise there is no salvation but condemnation. Moreover, that this is the Divine Truth (Veritas) itself is evident from passages in the Word where man is commanded to repent, as the following:
Jesus (A.V. John) said: Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance. . . . Now also the axe is laid unto the root of the tree; every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Luke 3:8-9.
Jesus said: Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Luke 13:3, 5.
Jesus preached: The gospel of the kingdom of God repent ye, and believe the gospel. Mark 1:14-15.
Jesus sent forth His disciples: And they went out and preached that men should repent. Mark 6:12.
Jesus said to the apostles that 'repentance and remission of sins should be preached among all nations.' Luke 24:27.
John preached: The baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3.
Consider this with some degree of understanding; and if you have any religious principles you will see that repentance from sins is the way to heaven, that faith separate from repentance is not faith, and that those who are not in faith because they are not repentant are on the way to hell.
Footnotes:
1. Original Edition has "quod ... se ... reos ... facturos esse." Tafel's Latin edition (1855) has "quod ... se reos ... facturos essent (corrected in erata to facturi)"; and Worcester's Latin edition (1899) has "quod ... se reos ... facturi essent."
114. (4) The evils in the external man can be put away by the Lord only through man's instrumentality. In all Christian churches the doctrine has been accepted that before man approaches the holy communion he shall examine himself, shall see and acknowledge his sins, and shall do the work of repentance by refraining from evils and by rejecting them because they are from the devil; and otherwise his sins are not forgiven, and he is damned. The English hold the doctrine of faith alone, and yet in their exhortation to the holy communion they plainly teach self-examination, acknowledgment, confession of sins, repentance, and renewal of life; and those who fail to do this are threatened in these words that unless they repent the devil will enter into them as he did into Judas, and will fill them with all iniquity, and destroy both body and soul. The Germans, the Swedes, and the Danes, who also hold the doctrine of faith alone, have the same teaching in their exhortation to the holy communion, threatening also that all such will be subject to infernal punishments and to eternal damnation for mixing the holy and the profane. This is read by the priest with a loud voice before those who are about to come to the Holy Supper, and is listened to by them with full acknowledgment that it is so.
[2] And yet when these same persons listen on the same day to the preaching of faith alone, and at the same time that the law does not condemn them because the Lord fulfilled it for them, and that they are not able from themselves to do any good except what is meritorious, and thus works have nothing saving in them, but faith only, they return home entirely forgetful of their former confession, and discarding it so far as they give their thought to the preaching about faith alone. Which of these, then, is true; this or that? For two things contrary to each other cannot both be true, as on the one hand, that without self-examination, recognition, acknowledgment, confession, and renunciation of sins, thus without repentance, there is no forgiveness of sins, thus no salvation, but eternal damnation; and on the other hand that such things contribute nothing to salvation, because the Lord by the passion of the cross has made full satisfaction for all the sins of men, for those who have faith; and that those who have faith only, with confidence that it is true, and with a trust in the imputation of the Lord's merit, are without sins, and appear before God like those with washed and bright faces. From all this it is clear that it is the common religion of all the churches in the Christian world that man should examine himself, should see and acknowledge his sins, and afterwards refrain from them; and that otherwise there is not salvation, but damnation. Moreover, that this is the veritable Divine truth is evident from the passages in the Word, where man is commanded to repent; as the following:-
Jesus said, Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance. Even now is the axe laid unto the root of the tree; every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire (Luke 3:8-9).
Jesus said, Except ye repent ye shall all perish (Luke 13:3, 5). Jesus preached the gospel of the kingdom of God. Repent ye and believe the gospel (Mark 1:14-15).
Jesus sent forth His disciples, and they went out and preached that men should repent (Mark 6:12).
Jesus said to the apostles that repentance and remission of sins should be preached unto all nations (Luke 24:47).
John preached the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins (Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3).
Think of this with some understanding; and if you have religion you will see that repentance from sins is the way to heaven, that faith separate from repentance is not faith, and that those who are not in faith because they do not repent are in the way to hell.
114. IV. Quod mala in Externo homine a Domino non possint removeri nisi medio homine. In omnibus Ecclesiis Christianis receptum est hoc doctrinae, quod homo antequam ad sanctam Communionem accedit, semet exploraturus sit, visurus et agniturus sua peccata, et acturus poenitentiam, desistendo ab illis, et rejiciendo illa, quia a diabolo sunt; et quod alioquin peccata ei non remittantur, et quod sit damnatus: Angli, tametsi in doctrina de sola fide sunt, usque in Oratione 1ad sanctam Communionem, aperte docent explorationem, agnitionem, confessionem peccatorum, poenitentiam, et renovationem vitae, ac minantur illos qui illa non faciunt, his verbis, quod alioquin diabolus intraturus in illos sicut in Judam, ac impleturus illos omni iniquitate, et destructurus et corpus et animam. Germani, Sueci, Dani, qui etiam in doctrina de sola fide sunt, in Oratione ad sanctam Communionem docent similia, minando etiam, quod alioquin se reos poenarum infernalium facturi essent, 2ac damnationis aeternae, propter commixtionem sancti et prophani: haec a sacerdote alta voce praeleguntur coram illis, qui Sanctam Coenam obituri sunt, et auscultantur ab illis cum omni agnitione quod ita sit.
[2] Attamen iidem, cum eodem die audiunt praedicationem de sola fide, et tunc quod Lex illos non damnet, quia Dominus illam pro illis impleverat, et quod a se non possint aliquod bonum nisi meritorium facere, et sic opera nihil salutis in se habeant, sed sola fides, redeunt domum cum plena oblivione confessionis prioris, et cum rejectione ejus, quantum ex praedicatione de sola fide cogitant. Quid nunc verum est, sive hoc sive illud; non possunt duo sibi contraria esse vera, ut quod absque exploratione, cognitione, agnitione, confessione et rejectione peccatorum, ita absque poenitentiam, non detur remissio illorum, ita non salvatio, sed damnatio aeterna: aut quod talia nihil faciant ad salutem, quia satisfactio plenaria pro omnibus peccatis hominum a Domino per passionem crucis facta est pro illis qui in fide sunt, et quod illi qui in sola fide cum fiducia quod ita sit, et in confidentia de imputatione meriti Domini, absque peccatis sint, et quod appareant coram Deo sicut qui lavati facie nitent.
[3] Ex his patet, quod communis religio omnium Ecclesiarum in Christiano orbe sit, quod homo se exploraturus sit, visurus et agniturus sua peccata, et postea destiturus ab illis, et quod alioquin non salvatio, sed damnatio. Quod etiam sit ipsa Divina Veritas, patet a locis in Verbo, ubi mandatur quod homo poenitentiam acturus sit, ut ab his, "Jesus dixit, facite fructus dignos POENITENTIA, jam jam secures 3ad radicem arboris 4jacet; omnis arbor non faciens fructum bonum, exscindetur et in ignem conjicietur," Lucas 3:8-9 5. Jesus dixit, nisi POENITENTIAM egeritis, omnes peribitis," Lucas 13:3, 5. Jesus praedicavit Evangelium Regni Dei; POENITENTIAM agite, et credite Evangelio," Marcus 1:14-15. Jesus emisit discipulos, qui exeuntes praedicarent ut POENITENTIAM agerent," Marcus 6:12. Jesus dixit ad Apostolos, quod illos 6oporteat 7praedicare POENITENTIAM ET REMISSIONEM PECCATORUM, IN OMNIBUS GENTIBUS, 8Lucas 24:47. Johannes praedicavit Baptisma POENITENTIAE 9IN REMISSIONEM PECCATORUM, 10Marcus 1:4, Lucas 3:3. Cogita de hoc etiam ex aliquo intellectu, et si tibi religio est, videbis, quod poenitentia a peccatis sit via ad Coelum, et quod fides separata a poenitentia non sit fides, et qui in non fide sunt ex non poenitentia, in via ad infernum sint.
Footnotes:
1 Prima editio: Orationc
2 facturi essent, ubi in prima editione facturos esse,
3 Prima editio: secaris
4 Prima editio: arhoris
5 Prima editio: Luc:
6 Prima editio: illos
7 Prima editio: aporteat
8 Prima editio: GENTIBUS"
9 Prima editio: PAENIDENTIAE
10 Prima editio: PECCATORUM"