338.有些人的理性生活纯由绊倒人的事构成。经上在圣言中预言，绊倒人的事就要来了（马太福音18:7;路加福音17:1），事实上要攻击宗教信仰或真理，信仰或真理都关注弥赛亚神。因为属世心智从不相信祂变成了一个人，像一个人那样说话，以及许多类似的事。因此，即便人声称有信，然而，当他请教他的属世心智时，仍会陷入怀疑，从而默默否认。这一过程随后发生在信的具体事务上，结果，人的理性生活纯由绊倒人的事构成。因此，唯独弥赛亚神知道那些完全否认弥赛亚神，甚至到了亵渎的地步，因为他们从小就被如此教导的人，其生活是否比那些以为自己知道信的教义，并曾声称有信之人的更糟糕。（1747年12月14日）
338. The intellectual activity of some consists of nought but mere offenses
It was foretold in the Word that offenses would come [Matt. 18:7, Luke 17:1], and indeed against the faith, or the truths of religion, which all regard God the Messiah. For [the truth] that He became a human being, spoke as a human being, and many similar ones, the earthly mind can never believe; therefore, even if one professes belief, yet still, on consulting the earthly mind, one falls into doubt and then into unspoken denial. The same process follows in regard to particular matters of belief, with the consequence, that the person's mental life consists of nothing but offenses.
Therefore, Only God the Messiah knows whether the life of people who completely deny God the Messiah, even to the point of blaspheming [Him], when they had been taught to do so from childhood, is worse than the life of those who had thought themselves well versed in the doctrine of faith, and had professed it, [and yet entertain such offenses]. 1747, the 14th day of December.
338. THAT THE INTELLECTUAL LIFE OF SOME IS COMPOSED OF MERE SCANDALS
It is foretold in the Word that scandals 1would come, and indeed against faith or the truths of faith which all have regard to God Messiah; for the natural mind can never believe that He became a Man, spoke as a Man, and many similar things. Therefore although man makes a profession of faith, nevertheless, when he consults his natural mind, he falls into doubt, and so into a tacit denial. This follows in the single things which concern faith, on which account his intellectual life consists of mere scandals. Thus God Messiah alone knows whether the life of those who altogether deny God Messiah, so that they even blaspheme, since they have been so instructed from childhood, is worse than that of those who have supposed that they knew the doctrine of faith, and have professed it. 1747, Dec. 14.
Footnotes:
1. The word scandal (Latin, scandalum) is from the Greek meaning a stumbling-block or offence. See Matthew 18:7, Luke 17:1.
338. Quod quorundam vita intellectualis ex meris scandalis quam composita sit
Quod scandala ventura, praedictum in Verbo [Matth. XVIII: 7, Luc. XVII: 1], et quidem contra fidem, seu veritates fidei, quae omnes spectant Deum Messiam, nam quod homo factus, loquutus sicut homo, et plura similia, mens naturalis nusquam potest credere, ideo tametsi fatetur fidem, usque dum mentem naturalem consulit, labitur in dubitationem 1
et sic in tacitam negationem; hoc sequitur in singulis, quae fidem concernunt, quapropter vita intellectualis consistit ex meris scandalis, sic Deus Messias Solus novit, num vita eorum qui prorsus negant Deum Messiam, usque ut blasphement, quum ita instructi sunt ab infantia, pejor sit, quam eorum, qui putarunt fidei doctrinam nosse, et professi. 1747, die 14 Dec.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has dubitionem