357.⑵人能自己获取仁。这与信一样。圣言除了教导信与仁这救恩的两要素外，还会教导别的吗？我们读到：
你要尽心尽性爱主，且爱邻如己。（马太福音22:37－39）
耶稣说，我赐给你们一条新命令，乃是彼此相爱。你们若彼此相爱，众人因此就认出你们是我的门徒了。（约翰福音13:34，35；还有15:9；16:27）
我们还读到，人要像一棵好树那样结出果子来；那些行善的，在复活时要得着报答（路加福音14:14）等等。如果人不能展现自己的仁，或以某种方式获取它，上述教导有什么用？人难道不能施舍、周济贫乏人吗？不能在家或工作中行善吗？不能照十诫去生活吗？难道他没有使他这样行事的灵魂，以及促使他为了某个目的去行事的理性头脑吗？难道他不能思想自己理应做这些事，因为它们是圣言，因而是神所要求的吗？没人缺乏这种能力，因为主将它赐给每个人；祂赐给人，如同人自己的；在操练仁爱的时候，谁不知道他是出于自己这样做的？
357. (2)人可以自己獲取義。
這與信一樣。聖言中除了教導信與義这得救的兩大要素之外, 還有別的嗎？ 我們讀到:
你要盡心盡意愛主, 並愛鄰舍如己(馬太福音22:37-39)。耶穌說:"我賜給一條命令, 就是彼此相愛。你們若彼此相愛, 眾人因此就認出你們是我的門徒了"(約翰福音13:34-35; 類似的還有約翰福音15:9; 16:27)。
我們還讀到, 人當像一棵好樹那樣結出果子來; 那些行善的, 在復活時得報答(路加福音14:14); 還有很多類似的陳述。如果人不能表現自己的義, 或者以某種方式獲得義, 上述的教導還有何意義呢？難道人不能為慈善捐款, 去幫貧窮人？不能在家或工作中做好事？不能遵照十誡去生活嗎？難道人不可以獲取這樣的精神, 去做以上之事, 不可以擁有理性的頭腦促使人為這為那而去做這些事情嗎？人不可以因為這些是聖言,也就是上帝命令當行之事而去付諸行動嗎？誰都不會缺乏這樣的能力。所有人都擁有這樣的能力, 是因為上帝將此賜給全人類, 好像是人自己擁有的能力。當人們在實踐義行時, 確實都覺得是自己在行。
357. (b) We are able to acquire goodwill for ourselves. The situation here is the same as the situation with faith. What else does the Word teach except faith and goodwill? These two are essential for salvation. We read,
You are to love the Lord with all your heart and with all your soul, and your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:37-39)
And Jesus said, "I give you a command to love each other. You will be recognized as disciples of mine by the fact that you love each other. " (John 13:34-35; ; )
There are also teachings to the effect that we need to bear fruit the way a good tree does and that those who do good things will be rewarded in the resurrection, not to mention many other teachings. What would be the point of these teachings if we were unable to practice goodwill on our own or to acquire it for ourselves in any way? We are able to make charitable donations, to help the needy, to do good things in our home and in our work. We are able to live by the Ten Commandments. We have a soul that enables us to do these things, and a rational mind we can use to make ourselves move toward this or that goal. We are able to plan to put these actions into effect because they have been commanded in the Word, and therefore by God. No human being lacks this power. We all have it because God gives it to us all, and gives it as our own possession. As we practice acts of goodwill, surely we all feel that we are doing so on our own.
357. (ii) A person can acquire charity for himself.
This is the same as with faith. For what else does the Word teach except faith and charity, the two essentials for salvation? We read:
You are to love the Lord with all your heart and with all your soul, and your neighbour as yourself, Matthew 22:34-39.
And Jesus said, I give you a [new] commandment, to love one another. By this you will be known to be my disciples, by loving one another, John 13:34-35; similarly John 15:9; 16:27.
We also read that man is to bring forth fruit like a good tree; and that those who do good deeds will be rewarded at the resurrection [Luke 14:14]; and many similar statements. What would be the point of them if a person could not display charity of himself, or acquire it for himself in any way? Surely he can give alms, help the needy, and do good deeds in his home or at his work? Surely he can live in accordance with the Ten Commandments? Has he not got a soul to make him act like this, and also a rational mind which can induce him to act for some purpose or other? Surely he can think that he will do 1 these actions because they are enjoined in the Word, and so by God? There is no one who lacks this ability; and the reason for its not being lacking is that the Lord confers it on everybody, and He confers it as if it were something of the person's own. For is there anyone who when he does a charitable act is aware of doing it otherwise than of himself?
Footnotes:
1. Reading facturus for fructurus, which makes no sense.
357. (2) Man can acquire for himself charity. It is the same here as with faith. For what does the Word teach but faith and charity, since these two are the essentials of salvation? For we read:
Thou shalt love the Lord with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and thy neighbor as thyself (Matthew 22:34-39).
Jesus said, A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another. From this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, that you love one another (John 13:34, 35, 15:9; 16:27).
It teaches also that man ought to bear fruit like a good tree; that he who does good shall be rewarded in the resurrection; besides other like things. What would be the use of all this if man were unable of himself to exercise charity, or acquire it for himself in any way? Cannot man give alms, can he not aid the needy, can he not do good in his own house and in his employment? Can he not live according to the commandments of the Decalogue? Has he not a soul from which he can do these things, and a rational mind whereby he can lead himself to act for this or that end? Can he not think that he ought to do these things because they are commanded in the Word, thus by God? No man lacks this power, and for the reason that the Lord gives it to everyone; and He gives it as something that is the man's own; for who, in exercising charity, knows otherwise than that he does it from himself?
357. (2) A man can acquire charity for himself. This is true of charity as well as of faith, for what does the Word teach but faith and charity, since these are the two essentials of salvation? For it is written:
"Thou shalt love the Lord with all thy heart, and with all thy soul and thy neighbor as thyself" Matthew 22:34-39.
And Jesus said: "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another... by this shall ye be known (A.V., shall all men know) that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another" John 13:34-35; and for similar sayings Spiritual Diary John 15:9, and John 16:27.
It is also said that a man ought to bear good fruit, like a good tree; and that he who does good shall be recompensed at the resurrection and there are many other passages to the same effect. But what is the purpose of this teaching unless a man could of himself practice charity, and in some way procure it for himself? Can he not give alms, relieve the needy, and do good at home and at his business? Can he not live according to the commandments of the Decalogue? Has he not a soul by which he can do these things, and also a rational mind by which he can direct himself to do them for certain ends? Can he not consider that he should do them because they are commanded in the Word, and consequently by God? There is no man that does not possess this power, because the Lord imparts it to every one; and He gives it as something of man's own, for every one, when he practices charity, supposes that he does so of himself.
357. II. QUOD HOMO SIBI POSSIT COMPARARE CHARITATEM; est similis res quae cum fide; quid enim aliud docet Verbum, quam Fidem et Charitatem, quia hae sunt duo essentialia salutis; legitur enim Amabis Dominum ex toto corde tuo et ex tota anima tua, et proximum ut teipsum, Matthaeus 22:35-37; 1 et Jesus dixit, mandatum do vobis, ut ametis vos invicem; ex hoc cognoscemini quod mei discipuli sitis quod ametis vos invicem, Johannes 13:34-35, pariter Cap. 15:9; 16:27: tum, quod homo facturus sit fructus sicut bona arbor; et quod qui bona facit, remuneraretur in resurrectione; praeter plura similia: ad quid haec nisi homo ex se posset Charitatem exercere, ac illam ullo modo sibi comparare; potestne dare eleemosynas, opitulari egentibus, facere bona in sua domo, inque suo officio; potestne vivere secundum praecepta Decalogi; estne illi anima ex qua potest agere illa, et quoque Mens rationalis ex qua se ducere potest ad agendum propter hunc aut illum finem; potestne cogitare quod facturus 2 sit illa, quia mandata sunt in Verbo, et sic a Deo; non ulli homini deest haec potentia; quod non desit, est quia Dominus dat illam unicuique; et dat illam sicut aliquam proprietatem; quis enim novit aliter, dum charitatem facit, quam quod faciat ex se.
Footnotes:
1. Sic Schmidt, sed 22:37-39 apud Novum Testamentum Graecum et Biblia Anglica.
2. Sic Errores Typographici.