88、凡出于内在理解力思考的人都能看出，意愿的能力和理解的能力不是来自人，而是来自拥有能力本身，也就是拥有本质上的能力的那一位。只要考虑一下，能力来自哪里？它不是来自那在其最丰满的力量上拥有它，也就是在它自己的本质中，因而从它自己的本质而拥有它的那一位吗？这意味着这种能力本质上就是神性。每种能力都需要必须赋予它的一个提供，因而需要一个来自比它自身更内在或更高之物的一个指令。眼睛凭自己没有看的能力，耳朵凭自己没有听的能力，嘴巴凭自己没有说的能力，手凭自己没有行动的能力；这种提供和随之而来的指令必须来自头脑。头脑凭自己没有思考和意愿任何具体事的能力，除非某种更内在或更高的东西指挥它如此行。理解能力和意愿能力也一样；这些只能来自本身拥有意愿能力和理解能力的那一位。
由此可见，被称为理性和自由的这两种官能来自主，而非来自人。由于它们来自主，故可推知，人凭自己不能意愿或理解任何东西，只能貌似凭自己如此行。凡知道并相信对一切良善的意愿和对一切真理的理解都不是来自人，而是来自主的人，都会确信事实就是如此。圣言在约翰福音中教导：
人凭自己不能得什么，凭自己也不能作什么。（约翰福音3:27；15:5）
88. Everyone who thinks to some degree from an interior understanding can see that the ability to will and the ability to understand originate not from man but from Him who has absolute ability, that is to say, who possesses ability in its essence. Only consider where ability comes from. Does it not come from Him who has it in the essence of its power, that is, who has it in Himself and so from Himself? Any ability, therefore, in itself is Divine.
Every ability must have a capability given it and so a determination from something more interior or higher than itself. The eye is not capable of seeing on its own, nor the ear of hearing on its own, nor the mouth of speaking on its own, or the hands of acting on their own. The capability and consequent determination must come from the mind. Nor is the mind capable of thinking and willing this or that on its own except there be something more interior or higher which determines the mind to it. It is the same with the ability to understand and the ability to will. These can come only from Him who is able in Himself to will and able in Himself to understand.
[2] It is apparent from this that these two faculties called rationality and freedom originate from the Lord, and not from man. Moreover, because they originate from the Lord, it follows that a person wills and understands nothing whatever of himself, but only as though of himself.
The reality of this can be confirmed in his own case by anyone who knows and believes that all willing of good and all understanding of truth originate from the Lord and not from man.
That a person can receive nothing of himself and do nothing of himself is what the Word teaches in John 3:27, 15:5.
88. Anyone capable of thinking with deeper discernment can see that our ability to intend and our ability to act do not come from ourselves but from the one who is Ability itself, that is, who has the very essence of ability. Simply consider where ability comes from. Does it not come from the One who possesses it at its fullest strength, that is, who has it in its own essence and therefore from its own essence? This means that ability is essentially divine.
Every ability needs resources that must be provided, so there must be some directive from within or above. The eye cannot see on its own, the ear cannot hear on its own, the mouth cannot speak on its own, the hand cannot act on its own--there must be some resource and therefore some directive from the mind. The mind, too, cannot think and intend anything in particular on its own unless something inner or higher directs it to do so. It is the same with our abilities to discern and to intend. These can come only from One who is intrinsically able to intend and able to discern.
[2] We can see from this that the two abilities called rationality and freedom come from the Lord and not from us. Since they do come from the Lord, it follows that we cannot intend anything on our own or discern anything on our own: it only seems that way. Anyone can become assured of this who knows and believes that the intending of everything good and the discernment of everything true comes from the Lord and not from us. The Word teaches in John 3:27 and John 15:5 that we cannot receive anything on our own or do anything on our own.
88. Everyone who has any thought from interior understanding can see that the power to will and to understand is not from man, but is from Him who has Power itself, that is, Power in its essence. Only consider, what is the source of power? Is it not from Him who has it in its very potency, that is, who has it in Himself and thus from Himself? Power in itself, therefore, is Divine. Every power must have an opportunity which has to be given to it, and thus there must be an act of determination from an agency more internal or higher than itself. The eye has no power to see from itself, nor the ear to hear from itself, nor the mouth to speak from itself, nor the hand to act from itself. There must be an opportunity and a consequent determination from the mind. Nor has the mind from itself the power to think and to will this or that apart from something more internal or higher which directs the mind to it. It is the same with the power to understand and the power to will, which can be given only by Him who has in Himself the power to will and the power to understand.
[2] From these considerations it is clear that these two faculties called rationality and liberty are from the Lord and not from man; and because they are from the Lord, it follows that man wills and understands nothing whatever from himself, but only as if it were from himself. That this is so anyone may convince himself who knows and believes that the willing of every good and the understanding of every truth are from the Lord and not from man. The Word teaches in John iii. 27; xv. 5, that
A man cannot receive anything from himself, and cannot do anything from himself.
88. Every one who has any thought from interior understanding can see that the power to will and the power to understand are not from man, but are from Him who possesses Power itself, that is, Power in its essence. Consider what this source of Power is. Is it not from Him who has it in its very potency, that is, who has it in Himself, and thus from Himself? Power in itself, therefore, is Divine. Every power must have a supply that must be imparted to it, and thus a determination from what is more internal or higher than itself. The eye has no power to see from itself, nor has the ear power to hear from itself, nor the mouth to speak from itself, nor the hand to act from itself; the supply and consequent determination must be from the mind Nor has the mind from itself the power to think and to will one thing or another apart from something more internal or higher that determines the mind to it. It is the same with the power to understand and the power to will; these can come only from Him who has in Himself the power to will and the power to understand.
[2] All this makes clear that these two faculties called rationality and liberty are from the Lord and not from man; and as they are from the Lord, it follows that man wills and understands nothing whatever from himself, but only as if it were from himself. Any one can be convinced that this is true who knows and believes that the volition of every good and the understanding of every truth are not from man but from the Lord. The Word teaches in John (John 3:27; 15:5) that
A man can receive nothing from himself, and can do nothing from himself.
88. Quisque cui aliqua cogitatio ex interiori intellectu est, potest videre, quod posse velle et posse intelligere, non sit ab homine, sed ab Ipso Cui ipsum posse est, hoc est, Cui Posse est in sua essentia: cogita modo, unde est posse; annon ab Ipso, cui id est in ipsa sua potentia, hoc est, cui id est in Ipso, et sic ab Ipso; quare posse in se est Divinum. Ad omne posse erit copia, quae danda est, et sic determinatio ab interiori seu superiori se; oculus non potest videre a se, nec auris audire a se, neque os loqui a se, aut manus facere a se; copia et inde determinatio a mente erit; nec potest mens cogitare et velle hoc aut illud a se, nisi aliquid interius aut superius sit quod mentem ad id determinat; simile est cum posse intelligere et posse velle; haec non dari possunt ab alio quam ab Ipso qui in Se 1potest velle et potest intelligere.
[2] Ex quibus patet, quod binae illae facultates, quae vocantur Rationalitas et Libertas, sint a Domino, et non ab homine; et quia a Domino sunt, sequitur quod homo nihil quicquam velit a se, et intelligat a se, sed modo sicut a se. Quod ita sit, quisque apud se confirmare potest, qui scit et credit, quod voluntas omnis boni, ac intellectus omnis veri, sit a Domino, et non ab homine. Quod homo 2non aliquid possit sumere a se: et non aliquid facere a se, docet Verbum apud Johannem 3:27; 15:5.
Footnotes:
1 Prima editio: se
2 Prima editio: bemo