Life31.没有人能从自己行出真正为良善的善事，这是真理。但利用这一真理来废除或摧毁一个避恶如罪的人所行的一切仁之良善，是大恶；因为这完全违反圣言，圣言吩咐人要行善；这也完全违反爱神和爱邻的诫命，律法和先知书仰赖于这两条诫命；并且这破坏和推翻了宗教的一切。因为众所周知，宗教在于行善，各人将照各人的行为受审判。每个人若祈求主的能力，因这能力天生就能貌似凭自己避开邪恶；然后他所行的就是来自主的良善。
31. The truth is that none of us can on our own do anything good that is really good; but it is outrageous to use this principle to destroy all the good and caring actions done by people who turn away from evils because they are sins. Using this principle in this way is in fact diametrically opposed to the Word, which mandates what we are to do; it is contrary to the commandments of love for the Lord and love for our neighbor on which depend all the Law and the Prophets [Matthew 22:40]; and it is to demean and subvert everything that has to do with religion. Everyone knows that religion means doing what is good and that we are all going to be judged according to our deeds.
We are all by nature capable of turning away from evils with apparent autonomy because of the Lord's power, if we pray for that power; and what we then do is good that comes from the Lord.
31. It is true that nobody can do good of himself that is good. But to use this to dismiss any good of charity that a person does who refrains from evils as sins is a monstrous lie, for it is diametrically contrary to the Word, which commands a person to do such goods. To dismiss them is contrary to precepts of love toward God and love for the neighbor, commandments on which hang the Law and the Prophets. And it is to defame and supplant the whole of religion. For everyone knows that religion is the doing of good, and that each of us will be judged in accordance with his deeds.
Every person is so created as to be able to refrain from evils by the Lord’s power as though of himself, if he implores that power, and the good he does after that is good from the Lord.
31. It is a truth that no man can do good, which is good, from himself; but to destroy, by applying this truth, all the good of charity that a man does who shuns evils as sins, is gross wickedness; for it is diametrically contrary to the Word, which enjoins man to do good. It is also contrary to the precepts of love to God and love towards the neighbour, on which commandments hang the Law and the Prophets; and it undermines and overturns the whole of religion; for every one knows that religion consists in doing good, and that every one will be judged according to his deeds. Every man by nature is such that he can shun evils, as of himself, from the Lord's power, if he implores it; and what he does after this, is good from the Lord.
31. That no man can from himself do what is really good, is the truth. But so to use this truth as to do away with all the good of charity that is done by a man who shuns evils as sins is a great wickedness, for it is diametrically contrary to the Word, which commands that a man shall do. It is contrary to the commandments of love to God and love toward the neighbor on which the Law and the Prophets hang, and it is to flout and undermine everything of religion. For everyone knows that religion is to do what is good, and that everyone will be judged according to his deeds. Every man is so constituted as to be able (by the Lord's power, if he begs for it) to shun evils as of himself; and that which he afterwards does is good from the Lord.
31. Veritas est, quod nullus homo possit facere bonum a se, quod bonum est: sed per id destruere omne bonum charitatis, quod homo, qui fugit mala ut peccata, facit, est enorme; est enim e diametro contra Verbum, quod mandat quod homo faciet; est contra praecepta amoris in Deum, et amoris erga proximum, a quibus mandatis Lex et Prophetae pendent; et est sugillare et supplantare omne religionis; unusquisque enim scit, quod religio sit bonum facere, et quod quisque secundum facta judicetur. Omnis homo talis est, ut possit fugere mala sicut a se ipso ex potentia Domini, si illam imploret; et quod postea facit, est bonum a Domino.