322、正常理性告诉我们，所有人都预定上天堂，没有人预定下地狱。因为所有人都生而为人，这意味着他们都有神的形像在里面。他们里面的神之形像就是理解真理和实行良善的能力。理解真理的能力来自神性智慧，实行良善的能力来自神性之爱。这种能力就是神的形像；它留在每个神志正常的人里面，不会被根除。人成为一个文明和道德之人的能力由此而来；文明和道德的人也能变成属灵的，因为文明和道德是属灵生活的容器。人若知道并遵守所在国家的法律，就被称为一个文明人；若使这些法律成为他的习惯和美德，并出于理性活出它们，就被称为一个道德人。
接下来我需要说明文明和道德的生活如何是属灵生活的容器。活出这些法律，不仅文明和道德的法律，还有神性法律，你将成为一个属灵人。几乎没有一个民族会野蛮到不立法禁止杀人、与别人的妻子通奸、偷盗、作假见证和侵犯他人权利的地步。文明和道德的人遵守这些法律，是为了可以，或似乎可以是一个好公民；但他若不同时视这些法律为神性，就只是一个文明和道德的属世人；若同时视它们为神性，就会成为一个文明和道德的属灵人。不同之处在于：后者既是地上王国的好公民，也是天上王国的好公民；而前者只是地上王国的好公民，不是天上王国的好公民。正是他们所行的良善造成了这种不同；文明和道德的属世人所行的良善本身不是良善，因为人与世界在它们里面；而文明和道德的属灵人所行的良善本身是良善，因为主与天堂在它们里面。
由此可见，每个人生来都能成为一个文明和道德的属世人，故也能成为一个文明和道德的属灵人。他唯一要做的是：承认神，不作恶，因为它们反对神，并做善事，因为这与神一致。做这一切能使灵性进入他的文明和道德的活动，它们便活了。否则，这些活动里面没有灵性；因此，它们不是活的。这就是为何属世人，无论他的行为如何文明、道德，都被称为死的；而属灵人被称为活的。
按照主的圣治，每个民族都有某个宗教；每种宗教的首要原则是承认一位神的存在，否则它不能被称为宗教。凡照其宗教生活，也就是说，避免作恶，因为这违背神的民族，都在其属世生活中接受某种属灵元素。一个人若听见某个非基督徒或外邦人说，他不愿做这样或那样的恶，因为这违背他的神，心里岂不会说，这人会得救吗？似乎没有别的可能。正常的理性会告诉他这一点。另一方面，一个人若听见一个基督徒说：“这样或那样的恶对我来说无关紧要；为何说它违背神呢？”心里岂不会说，这人不会得救吗？这似乎是不可能的。正常的理性也会告诉他这一点。
如果有这样一个人说，我生来就是基督徒，受过洗，认识主，读过圣言，参加过圣餐礼，同时又贪恋杀人、报复、奸淫、偷盗、作假见证或说谎，以及各种暴行，并且不视它们为罪，那么这一切有什么用呢？这样一个人会思想神或永生吗？他会认为有什么神或永生存在吗？正常的理性岂不会告诉我们，这样一个人不可能得救吗？之所以
对基督徒说这些话，是因为非基督徒或外邦人在生活上比基督徒更关注神。对此，我需要按下列顺序予以详述：
⑴创世的目的是一个来自人类的天堂。
⑵因此，按照圣治，人人都能得救；凡承认神，并过着良善生活的人都会得救。
⑶若未得救，那是人自己的过错。
⑷这意味着所有人都预定上天堂，没有人预定下地狱。
322. Every Person Can Be Reformed, and There Is No Predestination
Sound reason declares that all people have been predestined for heaven and no one for hell. For all have been born human beings, and therefore they have the image of God in them. The image of God in them is their ability to understand truth and their ability to do good. The ability to understand truth originates from Divine wisdom, and the ability to do good from Divine love. This capacity is the image of God, which remains in a healthy person and is not eradicated.
It is because of this that a person can become civic-minded and moral, and someone who is civic-minded and moral can also become spiritual, for civic-mindedness and morality are the recipient vessel of a spiritual quality. He is called a civic-minded person who knows the laws of the kingdom of which he is a citizen and lives according to them; and he is called a moral person who makes those laws his mores and his virtues and lives them in conformity with reason.
[2] I must now say how a civil and moral life is the recipient vessel of a spiritual life. Live those laws not only as civil and moral laws, but also as Divine laws, and you will be a spiritual person.
There is scarcely any nation so barbarous as not to have enacted laws against killing, against licentiousness with another's wife, against stealing, against bearing false witness, and against doing violence to something belonging to another. A civic-minded and moral person keeps these laws in order to be, or to appear to be, a good citizen. But if he does not make them also Divine laws, he is only a natural civic-minded and moral person, whereas if he makes them also Divine, he becomes a spiritual civic-minded and moral person. The difference is that the latter is not only a good citizen of the earthly kingdom, but also a good citizen of the kingdom of heaven, while the former is a good citizen of the earthly kingdom, but not of the kingdom of heaven. They are set apart by the good things that they do. The good things that natural civic-minded and moral people do are not good in themselves, for they have the person and the world in them. The good things that spiritual civic-minded and moral people do are good in themselves, because they have the Lord and heaven in them.
[3] It can be seen from this that because every person is born to be able to become a natural civic-minded and moral person, so he is also born to be able to become a spiritual civic-minded and moral one. He has only to acknowledge God and not commit evils because they are opposed to God, but do good things because they are on the side of God. By this a spirit enters into his civic and moral actions and they have life; but without it they do not have any spirit in them and so lack life. A natural person, therefore, however civic-mindedly and morally he behaves, is said to be dead, while a spiritual person is called alive.
[4] It is owing to the Lord's Divine providence that every nation has some religion, and the primary tenet of every religion is to acknowledge the existence of God, for otherwise it is not called a religion. Moreover, every nation that lives its religion, namely that does not do evil because it is opposed to their God, receives some spiritual element in its natural existence.
Who, when he hears some gentile say that he refuses to do this or that evil because it is opposed to his God, does not say to himself, "Is this person not being saved? It appears as though he must be." Sound reason declares this to him.
And on the other hand, when someone hears a Christian say, "I regard this or that evil to be of no consequence. What does it mean to say it is opposed to God?" who does not say to himself, "Is this person being saved? It appears as though he cannot be." This, too, sound reason declares to him.
[5] If someone says, "I was born a Christian. I have been baptized. I know the Lord. I have read the Word. I have observed the sacrament of the Holy Supper" - do these things mean anything when he does not regard homicides or the vengeful passions that motivate them, or adulterous affairs, surreptitious thefts, false witness or lies, and various forms of violence, as sins? Does such a person think about God or give any thought to eternal life? Does he think they exist? Does not sound reason also declare that such a one cannot be saved?
We have said this in application to a Christian, because a gentile in his life thinks about God in accordance with religion more than a Christian.
We shall, however, say more on this subject in the following discussions, under this sequence of headings:
(1) The end in creation is a heaven from the human race.
(2) It is owing to Divine providence, therefore, that every person can be saved, and that those are saved who acknowledge God and live rightly.
(3) The person himself is at fault if he is not saved.
(4) Thus all are predestined for heaven, and no one for hell.
322. Everyone Can Be Reformed, and There Is No Such Thing as Predestination
Sound reason tells us that everyone is predestined to heaven and no one to hell. We are all born human, which means that we have the image of God within us. The image of God within us is our ability to discern what is true and to do what is good. Our ability to discern what is true comes from divine wisdom and our ability to do what is good comes from divine love. This ability is the image of God; it is enduring with everyone who is whole and is never erased. It is why we can become civic, moral individuals; and if we can become civic and moral individuals, we can become spiritual individuals, since civic and moral life is receptive of spiritual life. We are called civic individuals if we know and abide by the laws of the country we are living in. We are called moral individuals if we make habits and virtues of these laws and live by them for rational reasons.
[2] Next I need to say how civic and moral living is receptive of spiritual living. Live by these laws not only as civic and moral laws but also as divine laws and you will be a spiritual person.
There is hardly a nation so barbaric that it does not have laws forbidding murder, promiscuity with other people's spouses, theft, perjury, and violation of others' rights. Civic and moral individuals keep these laws in order to be or to seem to be good citizens; but if they do not regard them as divine laws as well, they are civic and moral individuals only on the earthly level. On the other hand, if they do regard them as divine laws, they become civic and moral spiritual individuals.
The difference is that in the latter instance they are not just good citizens of their earthly kingdom, they are good citizens of the kingdom of heaven as well; in the former instance they are good citizens of their earthly kingdom but not of the kingdom of heaven. It is the good they do that makes the difference. The good that worldly civic and moral individuals do is not intrinsically good because they themselves and the world are at its heart. The good that civic and moral spiritual individuals do is intrinsically good because the Lord and heaven are at its heart.
[3] This shows that since we are all born capable of becoming civic and moral individuals on the earthly level, we are also born capable of becoming civic and moral individuals on the spiritual level. All we have to do is acknowledge God and not do evils because they are against God, and do what is good because that is for God. Doing this enables the spirit to enter into our civic and moral acts, and they come to life. Otherwise there is no spirit in our acts, and they are not alive. This is why worldly people are called "dead" no matter how civic and moral their behavior is, while spiritual people are called "living."
[4] Under the Lord's divine providence, every nation has a religion, and the first principle of every religion is a recognition of the existence of God. Otherwise we cannot call it a religion. Every nation that lives by its religion--that is, that does not do evil because it is against its God--is given a spiritual element within its worldly life.
Imagine hearing non-Christians say that they do not want to do some evil thing because it is against their God. Is there anyone who would not say inwardly that these people are saved? Nothing else seems possible; that is what sound reason tells us. Conversely, suppose some Christian says, "One evil or another does not matter to me. What is this business about saying that it's against God?" Is there anyone who would not say inwardly that this person is not saved? It seems impossible; that is what sound reason tells us.
[5] If this individual says, "I was born Christian, I was baptized, I have confessed the Lord, read the Word, and taken the Holy Supper," does all this matter if this individual has a craving for murder and revenge, for adultery, surreptitious theft, perjury, lies, and all kinds of violence, and does not regard them as sins? Are people like this thinking about God or about some eternal life? Do they think that they exist? Surely sound reason tells us that people like this cannot be saved.
I make these statements about Christians because non-Christians pay more attention to God than Christians do, because their religion is in their life.
I need now to say more about this, though, in the following sequence.
1. The ultimate purpose of creation is a heaven from the human race.
2. Consequently, under divine providence everyone can be saved; and everyone is saved who believes in God and lives a good life.
3. It is our own fault if we are not saved.
4. This means that everyone is predestined to heaven and no one to hell.
322. CHAPTER XII
EVERY MAN MAY BE REFORMED, AND THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS PREDESTINATION
It is a dictate of sound reason that all are predestined to heaven, and no one to hell; for all are born men, and consequently the image of God is in them. The image of God in them consists in this, that they are able to understand truth and to do good. To be able to understand truth is from the Divine Wisdom, and to be able to do good is from the Divine Love. This power constitutes the image of God, which remains with the man of sound mind, and is not eradicated. In consequence of this he can become a civil and a moral man; and he that becomes this can also become spiritual; for what is civil and moral is the receptacle of what is spiritual. He who knows the laws of the state of which he is a citizen and lives according to them is said to be a civil man; and he is said to be a moral man who makes those laws the standard of his morals and of his virtues, and from reason lives according to them.
[2] I will now state how the civil and the moral life is the receptacle of the spiritual life: Live these laws not only as civil and moral laws but also as Divine laws, and you will be a spiritual man. There scarcely exists a nation so barbarous that it has not by its laws prohibited murder, adultery with the wife of another, theft, false witness and the violation of another's property. The civil and the moral man observes these laws in order that he may be, or seem to be, a good citizen; but if he does not at the same time regard these laws as Divine he is only a civil and a moral natural man; and if he also regards them as Divine he becomes a civil and a moral spiritual man. The difference is, that the latter is a good citizen not only of an earthly kingdom but also of the heavenly kingdom, while the former is a good citizen of an earthly kingdom but not of the heavenly kingdom. They are distinguished by the good they do. The good which civil and moral natural men do is not good in itself, for man and the world are in it; while the good which civil and moral spiritual men do is good in itself because the Lord and heaven are in it.
[3] Hence it may be evident that every man because he is born such that he can become a civil and a moral natural man is also born such that he can become a civil and a moral spiritual man. The only condition is that he should acknowledge God and not do evil because it is against God but should do good because it is in harmony with God. When this condition is observed a spirit enters into his civil and moral actions, and they live; but when it is not observed there is no spirit in them, and consequently they do not live. Therefore the natural man, however civil and moral his actions may be, is called dead, while the spiritual man is called alive.
[4] It is of the Lord's Divine Providence that every nation has some form of religion; and the primary essential of every religion is the acknowledgment that there is a God, otherwise it is not called a religion; and every nation that lives according to its religion, that is, which refrains from doing evil because it is contrary to its God, receives something spiritual in its natural. When one hears some Gentile say that he will not commit this or that evil because it is contrary to his God, does he not say to himself, Is not this man saved? It appears as if it could not be otherwise: sound reason declares this to him. On the other hand, when one hears a Christian say, I regard this or that evil as of no moment; what does it signify that it is said to be contrary to God? does he not say to himself, Surely this man cannot be saved? it seems to be impossible that he should. This also sound reason declares.
[5] Should such a one say, I was born a Christian, I have been baptised, I have known the Lord, I have read the Word, I have attended the sacrament of the Supper, do these things avail when he does not regard as sins murder, or the revenge which inspires it, adultery, secret theft, false testimony or lying, and various forms of violence? Does such a man think of God or of any eternal life? Does he think that these exist? Does not sound reason declare that such a one cannot be saved? These things have been said of the Christian because the Gentile thinks more about God from religion related to life than the Christian does. More, however, will be said on this subject in what follows in this order:
I. The end of creation is a heaven from the human race.
II. Therefore it is from the Divine Providence that every man can be saved; and that those are saved who acknowledge God and live well.
III. The man himself is in fault if he is not saved.
IV. Thus all are predestined to heaven, and no one to hell.
322. EVERY MAN MAY BE REFORMED, AND THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS PREDESTINATION.
Sound reason declares that all men were predestined to heaven, and no one to hell; for all are born men, and in consequence the image of God is in them. The image of God in them is the ability to understand truth and to do good. The ability to understand truth is from the Divine wisdom, and the ability to do good is from the Divine love. This ability is the image of God, which remains in every sane man, and is not eradicated. From this comes his ability to become a civil and moral man; and the civil and moral man can also become spiritual, for the civil and moral is a receptacle of the spiritual. He is called a civil man who knows the laws of the kingdom wherein he is a citizen and lives according to them; and he is called a moral man who makes these laws his morals and his virtues, and from reason lives them.
[2] It shall now be told how a civil and moral life is a receptacle of spiritual life: Live these laws, not only as civil and moral laws, but also as Divine laws, and you will be a spiritual man. Scarcely a nation exists so barbarous as not to have prohibited by laws murder, adultery with the wife of another, theft, false-witness, and injury to what is another's. The civil and moral man observes these laws, that he may be, or may seem to be, a good citizen; but if he does not also regard these laws as Divine he is merely a civil and moral natural man; while if he does also regard them as Divine he becomes a civil and moral spiritual man. The difference is that the latter is both a good citizen of the earthly kingdom and a good citizen of the heavenly kingdom; while the former is a good citizen of the earthly kingdom only, and not of the heavenly kingdom. The difference is seen in the goods they do; the goods done by civil and moral natural men are not in themselves good, for the man and the world are in them; the goods done by civil and moral spiritual men are good in themselves, because the Lord and heaven are in them.
[3] From all this it can be seen that as every man was born that he might become a civil and moral natural man, so, too, he was born that he might become a civil and moral spiritual man; and this is done simply by his acknowledging God and not doing evil because it is against God, but doing good because it is accordant with God, whereby a spirit enters into his civil and moral activities, and they live; otherwise there is no spirit in them, and therefore they are not living. And this is why the natural man, however civilly and morally he may act, is called dead; but the spiritual man is called living.
[4] It is of the Lord's Divine providence that every nation has some religion; and the primary thing in every religion is to acknowledge that there is a God, otherwise it is not called a religion; and every nation that lives according to its religion, that is, that refrains from doing evil because it is contrary to its god, receives something of the spiritual in its natural. When one hears some Gentile say that he is unwilling to do this or that evil because it is contrary to his god, does he not say to himself, Is not this man saved? it seems as if it could not be otherwise. Sound reason declares this to him. On the other hand, when he hears a Christian say, I make no account of this or that evil; why is it said to be contrary to God? does he not say to himself, Is this man saved? it seems impossible. Sound reason declares this also.
[5] If such an one says, I was born a Christian, I have been baptized, I have known about the Lord, I have read the Word, I have attended the sacrament of the Supper-does this amount to anything if he does not regard murders, or the revenge that breathes them, adulteries, secret thefts, false testimony or lies, and various kinds of violence, as sins? Does such a man think about God or any eternal life? Does he believe that there is any God or any eternal life? Does not sound reason declare that such a person cannot be saved? All this has been said respecting a Christian, because a Gentile thinks about God from religion in his life more than a Christian does. But on this more shall be said in what follows, and in this order:-
(1) The end of creation is a heaven from the human race.
(2) Therefore it is of the Divine providence that every man can be saved; and that those are saved who acknowledge God and live well.
(3) Man himself is to blame if he is not saved.
(4) Thus all men were predestined to heaven, and no one to hell.
322. Quod omnis homo reformari possit, et
Quod Praedestinatio non detur
Sana ratio dictat, quod omnes praedestinati sint ad coelum, et nullus ad infernum; sunt enim omnes nati homines, et inde imago Dei in illis est; imago Dei in illis est, quod possint intelligere verum, et quod possint facere bonum; posse intelligere verum est ex Divina Sapientia, ac posse facere bonum est ex Divino Amore; illa potentia est imago Dei, quae manet apud hominem sanum, et non eradicatur: inde est quod possit fieri homo civilis et moralis, et qui est civilis et moralis, is etiam potest fieri spiritualis, nam civile et morale est receptaculum spiritualis; civilis homo dicitur, qui scit leges sui Regni ubi est civis, et vivit secundum illas; et moralis homo dicitur, qui leges illas facit mores suos, et virtutes suas, et ex ratione illas vivit.
[2] Nunc dicam quomodo vita civilis et moralis est receptaculum vitae spiritualis; vive illas leges non modo ut leges civiles et morales, sed etiam ut Leges Divinas, et eris homo spiritualis. Vix datur Gens tam barbara, quae non per leges sancivit, quod non occidendum sit, non cum alterius uxore scortandum, non furandum, non false testandum, non violandum quod alterius est; has leges civilis et moralis homo servat, ut sit vel ut appareat bonus civis, sed si illas leges non simul Divinas facit, est modo civilis et moralis homo naturalis, at si illas etiam Divinas facit, fit civilis et moralis homo spiritualis; differentia est, quod hic non sit modo bonus civis Regni terrestris, sed etiam bonus civis Regni coelestis, ille autem bonus civis Regni terrestris, non autem Regni coelestis: bona, quae faciunt, distinguunt illos; bona quae civiles et morales naturals 1faciunt, non sunt bona in se, est enim homo et mundus in illis; bona quae civiles et morales spirituals faciunt, sunt bona in se, quia Dominus et coelum in illis est.
[3] Ex his constare potest, quod quisque homo, quia natus est ut fieri possit civilis et moralis naturalis, etiam natus sit ut fieri possit civilis et moralis spiritualis; est modo ut agnoscat Deum, et non faciat mala quia contra Deum sunt, sed faciat bona quia cum Deo sunt; per hoc venit spiritus 2in civilia et moralia ejus, et vivunt, at absque eo non est aliquis spiritus in illis, et inde non vivunt; quare naturalis homo, utcunque civiliter et moraliter agit, vocatur mortuus, at spiritualis homo vivus.
[4] Ex Divina Domini Providentia est, quod cuivis Genti sit aliqua Religio, et primarium omnis religionis est, agnoscere quod sit Deus, nam alioquin non vocatur religio; et omnis Gens quae vivit suam religionem, hoc est, quae non facit malum quia est contra suum Deum, recipit aliquod spirituale in suo naturali. Quis, cum audit aliquem Gentilem dicentem, quod hoc et illud malum non velit facere, quia est contra suum 3Deum, non secum dicit, annon hic salvatur; apparet sicut non possit aliter; hoc dictat ei sana ratio. Et vicissim, quis, cum audit Christianum dicentem, hoc et illud malum nihili 4facio, quid hoc quod dicatur esse contra Deum, non secum dicit, num hic salvatur; apparet sicut non possit; hoc etiam sana ratio dictat:
[5] si dicit, sum natus Christianus, sum baptizatus, novi Dominum, legi Verbum, obivi sacramentum coenae; num haec sunt aliquid, cum homicidia aut vindictas quae illa spirant, 5adulteria, furta clandestina, falsa testimonia aut mendacia, et varias violentias, non facit peccata; num talis cogitat de Deo, aut de aliqua vita aeterna; num cogitat quod sint; dictatne sana ratio, quod talis salvari non possit. Haec de Christiano dicta sunt, quia Gentilis plus quam Christianus ex religione in vita sua de Deo cogitat. Sed de his plura in sequentibus dicentur, in hoc ordine. 1. Quod finis creationis sit Coelum ex Humano Genere. 2. Quod inde ex Divina Providentia sit, quod unusquisque homo possit salvari, et quod salventur qui Deum agnoscunt et bene vivunt. 3. Quod ipse homo in culpa sit, si non salvatur. 4. Quod sic omnes praedestinati sint ad coelum, et nullus ad infernum.
Footnotes:
1 Prima editio: natutales
2 Prima editio: sptritus
3 Prima editio: fuum
4 Prima editio: nihili
5 Prima editio: spirat,