123、⑺主的圣治不断努力把人与祂自己，并祂自己与人结合起来，以便祂能将永生的幸福赐给人；这一切只能成就到邪恶及其欲望被移走的程度。主的圣治不断努力将人与祂自己，并祂自己与人结合起来，这种结合就是那被称为改造和重生的，人由此而拥有救恩，这在前面已经说明（27-45节）。谁不明白，与主结合就是永生和救恩？凡相信人自创造时就是神的形像和样式（创世记1:26-27），并知道何为神的形像和样式的人都明白这一点。
凡具有正常理性的人，当他基于自己的理性思考，并愿意出于自己的自由思考时，谁会相信有本质上平等的三位神呢？谁会相信神性存在或神性本质能被分割呢？一位神里面有一个三位一体，这一点是能够想象并理解的，就像人能理解一位天使或一个人里面有灵魂、身体和它们所产生的生命一样。由于在一个位格里面的这三位一体唯独存在于主里面，所以可推知，凡结合都必须是与主的结合。运用你的理性自由思考一下，你就会看到在自己光中的这个真理。但首先要承认一位神、一个天堂和永生是真实存在的。
既然神为一，人自创造时就被造为祂的一个形像和样式，既然通过地狱之爱及其欲望，以及欲望的快乐，人已进入对一切邪恶的爱中，由此毁坏了他自己里面的神的形像和样式，那么可推知，主的圣治不断努力将人与祂自己，并祂自己与人结合起来，从而使人成为祂的形像。还可推知，主如此行，是为了祂能赐给人永生的幸福，因为这就是神性之爱的性质。
但主无法赐给人这些礼物，也无法使他成为祂自己的一个形像，除非人貌似凭自己将外在人中的罪移走；因为主不仅是神性之爱，还是神性智慧；神性之爱若不通过并照着自己的神性智慧，就什么也做不了。人无法照着神性智慧与主结合，从而被改造、重生和得救，除非他被允许出于自由照着理性行动，因为人由此而为人。凡符合主的神性智慧的，都属于祂的圣治。
123. (7) It is the continual endeavor of the Lord's Divine providence to conjoin a person with Himself and Himself with the person, in order to be able to impart to him the felicities of eternal life - which is possible only to the extent that evils with their lusts have been put away. We have already shown in nos. 27-45 above that it is the continual endeavor of the Lord's Divine providence to conjoin a person with Himself and Himself with the person, that this conjunction is what is called reformation and regeneration, and that from it a person gains salvation.
Who does not see that conjunction with God is eternal life and salvation? Everyone sees this who believes that people from creation are images and likenesses of God (Genesis 1:26-27), and who knows what an image and likeness of God is.
[2] What person possessing sound reason, when he thinks in accordance with his rationality and is willing so to think in accordance with his freedom, can believe that there are three Gods, equal in essence, and that the Divine being or Divine essence can be so divided?
The existence of a trinity in one God - this can be conceived of and comprehended, as one comprehends the soul and body in an angel or person, and the issuing of life from these. And because this trinity in one exists solely in the Lord, it follows that the conjunction must be with Him.
Use your rationality and at the same time your freedom of thought and you will see the truth of this in its own light. Only first grant the existence of God and heaven, and of eternal life.
[3] Now because God is one, and the human being from creation was made an image and likeness of Him, and because as a consequence of hellish love and its lusts and their delights mankind has come into a love for all evils and so has destroyed the image and likeness of God in it, it follows that it is the continual endeavor of the Lord's Divine providence to conjoin a person with Himself and Himself with the person, and so make him to be an image of Himself. It follows as well that the object of this is to enable the Lord to impart to the person the felicities of eternal life, for such is the nature of Divine love.
[4] However, the Lord cannot impart these felicities, nor make the person an image of Himself, unless the person puts away sins as though of himself in his external self, because the Lord is not only Divine love but also Divine wisdom, and Divine love acts only out of its Divine wisdom and in accordance with it. It is in accordance with the Lord's Divine wisdom that a person cannot be conjoined with Him and so be reformed, regenerated and saved unless the person is permitted to act in freedom in accordance with his reason, for it is this that makes a person human; and whatever accords with the Lord's Divine wisdom is also a provision of His Divine providence.
123. 7. It is the unceasing effort of the Lord's divine providence to unite us to himself and himself to us in order to give us the joys of eternal life; and this can happen only to the extent that our evils and their compulsions are banished. I explained in 27-45 that it is the constant effort of the Lord's divine providence to unite us to himself and himself to us, and that this union is what we call reformation and regeneration. I explained also that this is the source of our salvation. Can anyone fail to see that union with the Lord is eternal life and salvation? Everyone can see this who believes that we were originally created in the image and likeness of God (see Genesis 1:26-27) and who knows what the image and likeness of God are.
[2] If we are truly rational and use our rationality when we think and use our freedom when we try to think, can any of us believe that there are three gods equal in essence and that the divine Being or divine Essence can be divided? As for a threefold nature in one God, that is something we can conceive and understand, just as we understand the soul and the body of an angel or a person and the life that they bring forth. Further, since this threefold nature in a single Being exists only in the Lord, it follows that any union must be a union with him.
Use your rationality and think freely, and you will see this truth in its own light. First, though, admit that the Lord, heaven, and eternal life are real.
[3] Now, since God is one and since by creation we have been made in his image and likeness, and since we have come into a love for all our evils through our hellish love, its compulsions, and their pleasures, thereby destroying the image and likeness of God within us, it follows that it is the constant effort of the Lord's divine providence to unite us with himself and himself with us and thereby to make us his images. It also follows that the Lord is doing this so that he may give us the bliss of eternal life, since this is the nature of divine love.
[4] The reason he cannot make this gift, cannot make us images of himself, unless we banish sins from our outer self in apparent autonomy is that the Lord is not just divine love but divine wisdom as well; and divine love does nothing unless it stems from divine wisdom and is in accord with it. It is in accord with divine wisdom that we cannot be united to the Lord and thus reformed, regenerated, and saved unless we are allowed to act freely and rationally. This is what makes us human. Anything that is in accord with the Lord's divine wisdom is also in accord with his divine providence.
123. VII. IT IS THE CONTINUAL ENDEAVOUR OF THE DIVINE PROVIDENCE OF THE LORD TO UNITE MAN TO HIMSELF AND HIMSELF TO MAN IN ORDER THAT HE MAY BE ABLE TO BESTOW UPON MAN THE FELICITIES OF ETERNAL LIFE; AND THIS CAN BE DONE ONLY SO FAR AS EVILS WITH THEIR LUSTS ARE REMOVED. It has been shown above (n. 27-45), that it is the continual endeavour of the Divine Providence of the Lord to unite man to Himself and Himself to man, and that this union is what is called reformation and regeneration, and that man has salvation from it. Who does not see that conjunction with God is life eternal and salvation? Everyone sees it who believes that men are from creation images and likenesses of God (Gen. 1:26-27), and who knows what an image and likeness of God is.
[2] Can anyone of sound reason, when he thinks from his own rationality, and is willing to think from his own liberty, believe that there are three Gods, equal in essence, and that the Divine Being (Esse) or Divine Essence can be divided? That there is a Trine in the one God can be thought and comprehended, just as one can comprehend that there is a soul, a body and an out-going life from these in an angel and in a man; and as this Trine in One is in the Lord alone, it follows that conjunction must be with Him. If you make use of your rationality and at the same time of your liberty of thought you will see this truth in its own light; but you must first grant that there is a God and a heaven and that there is eternal life.
[3] Now since God is One, and man from creation was made an image and likeness of Him, and since through infernal love and its lusts and their delights he has come into the love of all evils; and has thereby destroyed in himself the image and likeness of God, it follows that it is the continual endeavour of the Divine Providence of the Lord to unite man to Himself and Himself to man, and thus make man to be His image. It also follows that this is to the end that the Lord may be able to bestow upon man the felicities of eternal life, for such is the nature of Divine Love.
[4] However, the Lord cannot bestow these upon man, nor make him an image of Himself unless man as of himself removes sins in the external man; because the Lord is not only Divine Love but also Divine Wisdom, and Divine Love does nothing but from its own Divine Wisdom and according to it. Moreover, it is according to His Divine Wisdom that man cannot be united to the Lord and thus reformed, regenerated and saved unless he is permitted to act from freedom according to reason, for by this man is man; and whatever is according to the Divine Wisdom of the Lord pertains also to His Divine Providence.
123. (7) It is the unceasing effort of the Lord's Divine providence to conjoin man with Himself and Himself with man, that He may be able to bestow upon man the happinesses of eternal life; and this can be done only so far as evils with their lusts are put away. That it is the unceasing effort of the Lord's Divine providence to conjoin man with Himself and Himself with man, and that this conjunction is what is called reformation and regeneration, and that from it man has salvation, has been shown above (27-45). Who does not see that conjunction with God is life eternal and salvation? Every one sees it who believes that men are from creation images and likenesses of God (Genesis 1:26-27), and who knows what an image and likeness of God is.
[2] Who that is possessed of sound reason, when he thinks from his rationality and is willing to think from his liberty, can believe that there are three Gods, equal in essence, and that Divine Being (Esse) or Divine Essence can be divided? That there is a Trine in the one God can be conceived and comprehended, as one can comprehend that there are soul, body, and outgoing of life from these in an angel or in a man. And as it is in the Lord alone that this Trine in One is possible, it follows that conjunction must be with the Lord. Make use of your rationality together with your liberty of thinking and you will see this truth in its light; but first grant that there is a God, and a heaven and eternal life.
[3] Since, then, God is one, and man was made from creation an image and likeness of Him, and since by means of infernal love and its lusts and their enjoyments man has come into the love of all evils, and has thereby destroyed in himself the image and likeness of God, it follows that it is the unceasing effort of the Lord's Divine providence to conjoin man with Himself and Himself with man, and thus make man to be an image of God. It also follows, that this is to the end that the Lord may bestow upon man the happinesses of eternal life; for such is Divine love.
[4] But the Lord cannot bestow these upon man, nor make him an image of Himself, unless man, as if of himself, puts away sins in the external man; for the reason that the Lord is not only Divine love but is also Divine wisdom; and Divine love does nothing except from its own Divine wisdom and in accordance with it. And it is in accordance with his Divine wisdom that man cannot be conjoined with the Lord, and thus reformed, regenerated, and saved, unless it is permitted him to act from freedom in accordance with reason (for by this man is man) And whatever is in accordance with the Lord's Divine wisdom belongs also to His Divine providence.
123. VII. Quod continuum Divinae Providentiae Domini sit, ut conjungat hominem Sibi ac Se illi, ut dare possit ei felicia vitae aeternae; quod non fieri potest, nisi quantum mala cum illorum concupiscentiis remota sunt. Quod continuum Divinae Providentiae Domini sit conjungere hominem Sibi et Se illi, et quod illa conjunctio sit quae vocatur reformatio et regeneratio, et quod inde homini sit salvatio, supra 27-45, ostensum est. Quis non videt, quod conjunctio cum Deo sit vita aeterna et salvatio; hoc videt omnis qui credit, quod homines a creatione sint imagines et similitudines Dei, Genesi 1:26-27, et qui novit quid imago et similitudo Dei.
[2] Quis cui sana ratio est, dum ex rationalitate sua cogitat, et ex Libertate sua vult cogitare, potest credere, quod tres Dii sint, aequales essentia, ac quod Divinum Esse seu Divina Essentia possit dividi: quod Trinum sit in uno Deo, hoc potest cogitari et comprehendi, sicut comprehenditur anima et corpus in angelo ac in homine, ac procedens vitae ab illis; et quia hoc Trinum in uno datur solum in Domino, sequitur quod conjunctio erit cum Ipso: utere rationalitate tua ac simul libertate cogitandi, et hanc veritatem in sua luce videbis, sed admitte prius, quod sit Deus, quodque sit coelum, et quod sit vita aeterna.
[3] Nunc quia Deus est unus, ac homo ex creatione factus est imago et similitudo Ipsius, et quia per amorem infernalem, ac per ejus concupiscentias, et harum jucunda, in amorem omnium malorum venit, ac inde imaginem et similitudinem Dei apud se destruxit, sequitur quod continuum Divinae Providentiae Domini sit, ut conjungat hominem Sibi et Se homini, et sic facere ut sit imago Ipsius: quod hoc sit ob finem, ut Dominus homini dare queat felicia vitae aeternae, etiam sequitur, nam Divinus Amor talis est:
[4] quod autem illa non possit dare, nec facere illum imaginem Sui, nisi homo sicut a se removeat peccata in externo homine, est quia Dominus non modo est Divinus Amor, sed etiam Divina Sapientia, ac Divinus Amor nihil facit nisi ex Divina sua Sapientia, et secundum illam: quod homo non possit Ipsi conjungi, et sic reformari, regenerari et salvari, nisi 1ei liceat ex libero secundum rationem agere, per id enim homo est homo, est secundum Divinam Ipsius Sapientiam, et quicquid est secundum Divinam Domini Sapientiam, hoc quoque est Ipsius Divinae Providentiae.
Footnotes:
1 Prima editio: nisi