291、世人并非完全不知道，一切良善皆来自天堂，一切邪恶皆来自地狱；因为凡在教会的人都知道这一点。在教会，凡就任牧职的人，谁不教导一切良善皆来自神，若不是从天上赐的，人就不能得什么？谁不教导魔鬼将邪恶注入人们的思维，迷惑他们，并刺激他们作恶？因此，那些相信自己出于一种神圣的热情讲道的牧师，会祈祷圣灵教导他们，引导他们的思维和话语。其中一些人声称，他们明显感觉到自己被引导；当他们的讲道受到称赞时，他们虔诚地回答说，他们是从神，而不是从他们自己说的。此外，当看到有人言行良好时，他们就说他被神引领；另一方面，当看到有人言行败坏时，他们就说他被魔鬼引领。众所周知，教会里就有这种说话方式，但有谁相信这是真的呢？
291. The fact that all good comes from heaven and all evil from hell is something not unknown in the world. Everyone in the church knows it. What person who has been inaugurated into the priesthood does not teach that all good is from God, that man can take nothing of himself that has not been given him from heaven, 1and moreover that the devil infuses evils into a person's thoughts, leads him astray, and incites him to do them?
The priest who believes that he preaches out of a holy zeal, prays, therefore, that the Holy Spirit may teach him and direct his thoughts and his speech, and some say that they have sensibly perceived themselves to be so energized; and when they are praised for their sermons, they piously reply that they have spoken not of themselves but from God.
Consequently, too, when they see someone speaking well or behaving well, they say that he has been led to it by God. And on the other hand, when they see someone speaking ill or doing ill, they say that he has been led to it by the devil. People know that that is the way people in the church speak. But who believes that it is the reality?
Footnotes:
1. John 3:27.
291. It is not entirely unknown in this world that everything good comes from heaven and everything evil from hell. Everyone in the church knows it. Is there anyone who has been ordained into the ministry who does not teach that everything good comes from God and that we cannot gain anything that is not given us from heaven? Ministers teach also that the devil puts evils into our thoughts and leads us astray by prompting us to do them. So the ministers who believe they are preaching with holy zeal pray that the Holy Spirit will teach them and guide their thoughts and their speech. Some of them say they have a sense of being led. When their sermons are praised they answer devoutly that they have not been speaking from their own resources but from God.
So too, when they see people speaking and behaving well they describe them as led to it by God, and conversely when they see people speaking and behaving badly, they describe them as led to it by the devil. Everyone knows that this is how people talk in the church, but who really believes it?
291. That all good is from heaven and all evil from hell is not unknown in the world: it is known to everyone in the Church. Who in the Church, who has been inaugurated into the priesthood, does not teach that all good originates from God, and that man cannot receive anything from himself which has not been given him from heaven; also that the devil infuses evils into men's thoughts and leads men astray and incites them to commit evils? Therefore, the priest who believes that he preaches from a holy zeal, prays that the Holy Spirit may teach him and direct his thoughts and his words. There are some who say that they have sensibly perceived that they have been so moved; and when their preaching is commended they piously reply that they have spoken not from themselves but from God. Therefore also when they see anyone speaking and acting well they say that he was led to it by God; and on the other hand, when they see anyone speaking and acting wickedly they say that he was led to it by the devil. It is well known that language of this kind is prevalent in the Church; but who believes that it is true?
291. That all good is from heaven and all evil from hell, is not among the things unknown in the world; for it is known to every one in the church. Who in the church that has been inaugurated into the priesthood does not teach that all good is from God, and that man is unable from himself to accept anything except what has been given him from heaven; also that it is the devil who infuses evils into the thoughts of men and leads them astray, and excites them to do evils? Therefore the priest who believes that he preaches from a holy zeal prays that the Holy Spirit may teach him and direct his thoughts and his words, and some declare that they have sensibly perceived that they have been so actuated, and when their preaching is praised they piously reply that they have spoken from God and not from themselves. Moreover, when they see any one speaking well or doing well they say that he has been led to it by God; and on the other hand, when they see any one talking or acting wickedly they say that he has been led to it by the devil. That there is such a mode of speaking in the church is well known; but who believes it to be true?
291. Quod omne bonum e Coelo sit, et quod omne malum ex inferno, in mundo non inter incognita est; notum est cuique in Ecclesia; quisnam ibi, qui sacerdotio inauguratus est, non docet quod omne bonum sit a Deo, et quod homo non aliquid ex se possit sumere, quod non datum est ei e Coelo; tum etiam quod diabolus infundat mala in cogitationes, et seducat, atque excitet ad faciendum illa: quare sacerdos qui credit se ex sancto zelo praedicare, orat ut spiritus sanctus doceat illum, ducat cogitationes suas, et loquelam ejus, et quidam 1dicunt se sensu percepisse 2quod acti sint, et cum praedicationes laudantur, pie respondent, quod non a se, sed a Deo loquuti sint. Quare etiam cum vident aliquem bene loquentem et bene agentem, dicunt illum ad id a Deo ductum esse; et vicissim cum vident aliquem male loquentem et male agentem, dicunt illum ad id a diabolo ductum esse: quod talis sermo sit in Ecclesia, notum est; sed quis credit quod ita sit.
Footnotes:
1 Prima editio: qvidam
2 Prima editio: petcepisse