249、①凡拜自己和自然的人，当看到世上那么多不敬虔的人做出那么多不敬虔的事，甚至为此夸耀，却不见神因此作出任何惩罚时，都确认反对圣治。一切不敬虔的行为和对此的夸耀都是许可，其原因就是圣治的律法。人人都能自由地，甚至完全自由地去随心所欲地思想，无论反对神还是赞成神；人若思想反对神，在这个世上几乎不受惩罚，因为他在世上始终处于被改造的状态；但他在灵界会受到惩罚。这种情形在他死后发生，因为那时，他再也无法被改造了。
圣治的律法是许可的原因，这一点从前面所阐述的圣治律法清楚看出来，只要我们回想并细查它们；这些律法是：人要出于自由照着理性行动（参看71-99节）；人不可被外在手段或力量强迫去思考和意愿，因而去相信和热爱宗教的事，但要引导自己，有时还要强迫自己（参看129-153节）；人自己的谨慎什么都不是；它只是看似某种东西，并且当有这种表象，但圣治因延伸到最小细节而是普遍的（191-213节）；圣治关注的是永恒事物，而不是短暂事物，除非它们与永恒事物一致（214-220节）；人不允许从内在进入信之真理和仁之良善，除非他能被保持在它们里面，直到生命结束（221-233节）。
许可的原因是圣治的律法，这一点也可从接下来所阐述的原则清楚看出来，如：邪恶被许可是为了救赎的目的（275-284节）；圣治不断与恶人和善人同在（285-307节）；最后，主不可能违背祂的圣治律法，因为违背它们，就是违背祂的神性之爱和神性智慧，因而违背祂自己（331-340节）。如果把这些律法综合起来考虑，它们会清楚说明主允许不敬虔的行为，并且只要它们发生在思维中，就不进行惩罚，甚至当它们在意图，因而在意愿中，但没有行出来时，也很少进行惩罚的原因。然而，每种邪恶都自带惩罚；对它的惩罚就好像刻在它上面一样，恶人死后就会遭受这种惩罚。
刚才所阐述的内容有助于解释237节提出的以下观点，即：当看到反对虔诚、公义和诚实之人的阴谋诡计甚至也能得逞；在司法和商业领域，不义战胜公义时，拜自己和自然的人会进一步确认反对圣治。一切圣治律法都是必需的；由于它们是许可这些事的原因，所以显而易见，如果人要作为一个人活着，被改造并得救，主只能通过方法保守他远离这些不敬虔的行为。对那些承认各种杀人，奸淫，偷盗和假见证为罪的人来说，这些方法是圣言，尤其是十诫；但对那些不承认这些行为是罪的人来说，方法就是文明的法律，对惩罚的惧怕，以及道德的法律，对丧失名声，由此丧失地位和财富的惧怕。主用这些方法引导恶人，但只能引导他不去做这些事，不能引导他不去思想并意愿它们。主用前一种方法不仅引导善人不去做这些事，还引导他不去思想并意愿它们。
249. (1) That every worshiper of self and worshiper of nature confirms himself against Divine providence when he sees so many impious people in the world, and so many impieties committed by them, and at the same time some people's glorying in them, and yet without their incurring any punishment from God in consequence of them: All impieties, and also glorying because of them, are permissions, the reasons for which are found in the laws of Divine providence.
Every person can freely - indeed, quite freely - think as he pleases either in opposition to God or on the side of God, and one who thinks in opposition to God is rarely punished in the natural world, because he is always in a state to be reformed there. But he is punished in the spiritual world, which happens after death, because then he can no longer be reformed.
[2] That the reasons for permissions are found in the laws of Divine providence is apparent from its laws listed above if they are recalled and examined. They include:
That a person act in freedom in accordance with his reason (regarding which law, nos. 71-97.
That a person not be compelled by external means to think and will, thus to believe and love, matters having to do with religion, but that a person bring himself to do so and at times compel himself (regarding which law, nos. 129-153).
That one's own prudence is not real and only appears to be, and also ought to so appear; but Divine providence, owing to its presence in the least particulars, is universal (nos. 191-213).
That Divine providence regards eternal ends, and not temporal ones except as they accord with eternal ones (nos. 214-220).
That a person is not admitted more interiorly into truths of faith and goods of charity than the extent to which he can be maintained in them to the end of his life (regarding which law, nos. 221-233).
[3] That the reasons for permissions are found in the laws of Divine providence will also be apparent from the laws that follow, as from this one, that evils are permitted for the sake of the end, which is salvation [nos. 275-284].
So, too, from this one, that Divine providence is unceasing with the evil just as well as with the good [nos. 285-307].
And, finally, from this one, that the Lord cannot go against the laws of His Divine providence, because to go against them would be to go against His Divine love and against His Divine wisdom, thus against Himself [nos. 331-340].
If these laws are considered in relation to each other, the reasons may be made plain why impieties are permitted by the Lord and are not punished as long as they exist in thought, and rarely punished even when they exist in intention and so also in the will, and not in deed.
But still, every evil brings its own punishment. It is as though its own punishment were engraved on the evil - a punishment that the impious person suffers after death.
[4] The explanations now presented explain as well the following consideration cited above in no. 237, namely:
That the worshiper of self and worshiper of nature confirms himself still more against Divine providence when he sees that crafty schemes, cunning tactics and false pretenses succeed, even against people who are pious, just and honest, and that injustice triumphs over justice in the courts and in business dealings: The laws of Divine providence are all necessary, and because in them are found the reasons why such practices are permitted, it is apparent that for a person to live as a human being, to be reformed and saved, the Lord can remove them from a person only indirectly through the Word, and in particular through the commandments of the Decalogue, in people who acknowledge as sins all forms of murder, adultery, theft and the bearing of false witness.
In the case of people who do not acknowledge these things as sins, however, the same is accomplished indirectly through civil laws and fear of their penalties; and also indirectly through moral laws and fear for the loss of one's reputation and the loss of honor and material gain on that account.
The Lord leads evil people by the latter means, but only away from doing such things, not from thinking and willing them. But good people He leads by the prior means, not only from doing such things, but also from thinking and willing them.
249. 1. Everyone who worships self and the material world instead of divine providence feels justified in this on seeing so many irreligious people acting out their irreverence in so many ways even as they boast about it, and still not seeing any kind of punishment from God because of this. All instances of irreverence and of boasting about it are instances of permission whose reasons are laws of divine providence. All of us are free, perfectly free, to think whatever we wish, whether against God or for God. People who oppose God in their thoughts are rarely punished in this world, because they are always susceptible to reformation. They are punished in the spiritual world, though. This happens after they die, when they can no longer be reformed.
[2] We can see that laws of divine providence cause these instances of permission if we recall the laws already presented and look at them closely, as follows. We should act in freedom and in accord with reason (71-97 [71-99]). We should not be compelled by outside forces to think and intend and so to believe and love in matters of our religion, but we should guide ourselves and sometimes compel ourselves (129-153). Our own prudence is nothing. It only seems to be something, as it should. Rather, divine providence is all-inclusive because it extends to the smallest details (191-213). Divine providence focuses on eternal matters, and focuses on temporal matters only as they coincide with eternal ones (214-220). We are not granted inner access to the truths that our faith discloses and the good effects of our caring except as we can be kept in them to the end of our life (221-233).
[3] It will also become clear that the reasons behind instances of permission are the laws of divine providence from the principles about to be presented as follows. Evils are allowed for the sake of the goal, which is salvation [275-284]. Divine providence is constantly just as much with the evil as with the good [285-307]. And lastly, the Lord cannot act contrary to the laws of his divine providence, because to do so would be to act contrary to his divine love and his divine wisdom and therefore contrary to himself [331-340].
If we put these laws together, they can show us the reasons why acts of irreverence are allowed by the Lord and not punished when they happen in our thoughts and are rarely punished even when they are intended and therefore in our volition but are not acted out.
However, every evil entails its own punishment. It is as though there were engraved on the evil the punishment that the unbeliever will suffer after death.
[4] What has just been presented will serve to explain the following other instances cited in 237 as well. People who worship themselves and the material world feel justified in their denial of divine providence when they see the success of manipulation, plots, and deceit even against people who are devout, fair-minded, and honest, and when they see injustice defeating justice in legal and business affairs.
All the laws of divine providence are needed. Since they are the reasons things like this are allowed, we can see that if we are to live human lives, to be reformed and saved, the only way the Lord can keep us from such actions is indirectly. For people who realize that all kinds of murder, adultery, theft, and perjury are sins, this is accomplished through the Word, specifically through the provisions of the Ten Commandments. For people who do not realize that they are sins, civil laws and a fear of their penalties serve as means. Other means are moral laws including our fear of losing reputation, rank, and profit. The Lord uses these means to lead evil people, but he prevents them only from actions, not from thinking about acting or wanting to act. The Lord uses the other means to lead good people not only away from the actions but also away from thinking about acting and wanting to act.
249. II. CONFIRMATIONS FROM THE WORLDLY PROSPERITY OF THE WICKED AGAINST THE DIVINE PROVIDENCE. (Summarised in n. 237)
1. Every worshipper of himself and of nature confirms himself against the Divine Providence when he sees in the world so many wicked people, and so many of their impieties in which some of them even glory, and yet no punishment of such by God. All impieties and also the glorying in them are permissions, the causes of which are laws of the Divine Providence. Every man may freely, indeed very freely, think what he will, both against God and in favour of God. He who thinks against God is rarely punished in the natural world, because there he is always in a state subject to reformation; but he is punished in the spiritual world after death, for then he can no longer be reformed.
[2] That the laws of the Divine Providence are the cause of permissions is clear from its laws as set forth above, if they are recalled and examined. These are: Man should act from freedom according to reason, a law treated of above (n. 71-99); Man should not be compelled by external means to think and will, and thus to believe and love, the things of religion, but should persuade and at times compel himself to do so (n. 129-153) (Original Edition 154-174); There is no such thing as man's prudence: it only appears that there is, and there ought to be this appearance; but the Divine Providence is universal because it is in things most individual (n. 191-213); The Divine Providence regards eternal things, and not temporal things except so far as they accord with eternal things (n. 214-220); Man is admitted interiorly into the truths of faith and into the goods of charity only so far as he can be kept in them right on to the end of life, a law treated of (n. 221-233).
[3] That the laws of the Divine Providence are causes of permissions will also be clear from the following; as from this: Evils are permitted for the sake of the end, which is salvation; also from this: The Divine Providence is continual both with the wicked and with the good; and lastly from this: The Lord cannot act contrary to the laws of His Divine Providence, because to act contrary to them would be to act contrary to His Divine Love and Wisdom, and thus contrary to Himself. If these laws are considered together they may make manifest the reasons why impieties are permitted by the Lord, and are not punished when they exist in thought only, and seldom also when they exist in intention and thus also in the will and not in act. Yet its own punishment follows every evil; it is as if its punishment were inscribed upon the evil, and this punishment the wicked man suffers after death.
[4] What has just been set forth also explains 1the following proposition stated in n. 237: The worshipper of himself and of nature confirms himself against the Divine Providence still more when he sees that wicked designs, cunning devices and deceit are successful even against the pious, the righteous and the sincere, and that injustice triumphs over justice in the courts and in business. All the laws of the Divine Providence are necessities; and as they are the causes why such things are permitted it is clear that for man to be able to live as man, to be reformed and saved, these things can be removed from him by the Lord only by means. They are removed by means of the Word, and especially by the commandments of the Decalogue in the case of those who acknowledge all kinds of murder, adultery, theft and false witness as sins. In the case of those who do not acknowledge such things as sins, they are removed by means of the civil laws and fear of their penalties, and also by means of moral laws, and the fear of the loss of reputation and consequent loss of honour and wealth; and it is by these means that the Lord leads the wicked, but only away from doing such things and not from thinking and willing them. However, by the former means the Lord leads the good, not only away from doing these things but also from thinking and willing them.
Footnotes:
1. Original Edition has "explica" for "explicata" as in Tafel Latin edition (1855) and Worcester Latin edition (1899).
249. (1) Every worshiper of himself and of nature confirms himself against the Divine providence when he sees in the world so many impious persons, and so many of their impieties, and at the same time the glorying of some in these impieties, and yet no punishment of such by God. All impieties and also the glorying in them are permissions, the causes of which are laws of the Divine providence. Every man can freely, yea, most freely, think as he wishes, as well against God as for God; and he that thinks against God is rarely punished in the natural world, because there he is always in a state to be reformed; but he is punished in the spiritual world. This takes place after death, because he can then no longer be reformed.
[2] That the laws of Divine providence are the causes of permissions is clear from its laws that have been set forth above, when they are recalled and examined; which are these: Man should act from freedom in accordance with reason (see above,71-99); Man should not be compelled by external means to think and will, and thus to believe and love, the things of religion, but should guide himself and sometimes compel himself (see129-153); Man's own prudence is nothing, it merely appears to be something, and ought to appear as if it were; but the Divine providence, because of its minute particulars, is universal (191-213); The Divine providence looks to eternal things, and to temporal things only so far as they make one with eternal things (214-220); Man is admitted interiorly into truths of faith and into goods of charity only so far as he can be kept in them until the end of his life (221-233).
[3] That the causes of permissions are laws of the Divine providence will also be made clear from what is to follow, as from this: Evils are permitted for the sake of the end, which is salvation. Also from this: The Divine providence is unceasing, both with the evil and with the good. And finally from this: The Lord cannot act contrary to the laws of His Divine providence, for to act contrary to them would be acting contrary to His Divine love and to His Divine wisdom, thus contrary to Himself. When these laws are considered together they make clear the reasons why impieties are permitted by the Lord, and are not punished so long as they are in the thought, and rarely even while they are in the purpose and thus in the will, but not in the act. And yet its own punishment follows every evil; it is as if its punishment were inscribed upon the evil, and this punishment the wicked man endures after death.
[4] By what has now been set forth that which was stated above (in237) is also explained, namely, The worshiper of himself and of nature confirms himself against the Divine providence still further when he sees that plots, devices, and frauds are successful even against the pious, just, and sincere; and that injustice triumphs over justice in the courts and in business. All the laws of Divine providence are necessities; and as they are the causes of the permission of these things it is clear that if man is to live as a man, to be reformed and to be saved, these things can be taken away from him by the Lord only by means,-by the Word, and especially by the commandments of the Decalogue,-with those who acknowledge all kinds of murder, adultery, theft, and false witness as sins; but with those who do not acknowledge such things to be sins, by means of the civil laws and fear of their punishments, also by means of moral laws, and the fear of the loss of reputation, and thereby of honor and wealth. By these means the Lord leads the evil, but only away from doing these things, not from thinking and willing them; while by the former means He leads the good, not only away from doing these things, but also from thinking and willing them.
249. I. Quod omnis cultor sui et cultor naturae contra Divinam Providentiam se confirmet, cum in mundo videt tot impios, 1et tot illorum impietates, et simul quorundam gloriationes in illis, et usque non aliquam illorum punitionem a Deo. Omnes impietates, et quoque gloriationes super illis, sunt permissiones, quarum causae sunt leges Divinae Providentiae. Quisque homo libere, imo liberrime potest cogitare quod vult, tam contra Deum, quam pro Deo, et qui contra Deum cogitat, raro punitur in Mundo naturali, quia ibi semper in statu reformationis est; sed punitur in Mundo spirituali, quod fit post mortem, tunc enim non amplius reformari potest.
[2] Quod causae 2permissionum sint leges Divinae Providentiae, patet ex legibus ejus supra allatis, si revocantur et lustrantur, quae sunt; Ut homo ex libero secundum rationem agat, de qua lege supra 71-97. Ut homo non per media externa cogatur ad cogitandum et volendum, ita ad credendum et amandum illa quae religionis sunt, sed ut seipsum adducat, et quandoque cogat, de qua lege, 129-153 3.
Quod propria prudentia nulla sit, et solum appareat quod sit, et quoque apparere debeat sicut sit, sed quod Divina Providentia ex singularissimis universalis sit, 191-213.
Quod Divina Providentia spectet aeterna, et non aliter temporaria, quam quantum unum faciunt cum aeternis, 214-220.
Quod homo non interius immittatur in vera fidei et in bona charitatis, nisi quantum in illis potest teneri usque ad finem vitae, de qua lege, 221-233.
[3] Quod causae permissionum sint leges Divinae Providentiae, etiam a sequentibus patebit; ut ex hoc; Quod permittantur mala propter finem quae est salvatio. Tum ex hoc; quod Divina Providentia continua sit aeque apud malos quam apud bonos. Et demum ex hoc; Quod Dominus non possit agere contra leges Divinae suae Providentiae, quia agere contra illas foret agere contra Divinum Amorem suum, et contra Divinam Sapientiam suam, ita contra Se Ipsum. Hae Leges, si conferantur, possunt manifestare causas, cur a Domino permittuntur 4impietates, et non puniuntur dummodo in cogitatione sunt, et raro etiam in intentione, et sic etiam in voluntate, et non in facto. Sed usque unumquodvis malum sua poena sequitur; est sicut malo inscripta sit sua poena, quam impius post mortem luit.
[4] Per haec quae nunc adducta sunt, etiam explicate 5sunt sequentia haec supra 237 allata, quae sunt; Quod cultor sui et cultor naturae se confirmet contra Divinam Providentiam adhuc 6magis, cum videt quod succedant machinationes, astutiae et doli, etiam contra pios, justos et sinceros: et quod injustitia triumphet super justitiam in judiciis et in negotiis. Omnes leges Divinae Providentiae sunt necessitates; et quia sunt causae cur talia permittuntur, patet, quod ut homo vivere possit homo, reformari et salvari, talia non possint a Domino homini auferri, nisi mediate per Verbum, et in specie per Decalogi praecepta, apud illos qui agnoscunt omnis generis homicidia, adulteria, furta et falsa testimonia pro peccatis: at apud illos qui non agnoscunt talia pro peccatis, mediate per leges civiles ac timorem pro poenis illarum; tum mediate per leges morales, ac timorem jacturae famae, honoris et lucri propter illam: per haec media ducit Dominus malos, sed solum a faciendo illa, non autem a cogitando et volendo illa: per priora autem media ducit Dominus bonos, non solum a faciendo illa, sed etiam a cogitando et volendo illa.
Footnotes:
1 Prima editio: impios;
2 Prima editio: causa
3 129-153 ubi in prima editione 154-174.
4 Prima editio: permirtuntur
5 Prima editio: explica
6 Prima editio: adbuc