359.⑷然而，信、仁、以及信或仁的生命，无一来自自己，唯独来自主。因为我们读到：
若不是从天上赐的，人就不能得甚么。（约翰福音3:27）
耶稣说：
常在我里面的，我也常在他里面，这人就多结果子。因为离了我、你们就不能作甚么。（约翰福音15:5）
然而，务必要明白，这句话意思是说：人凭自己的努力只能获得属世之信，属世之信坚信某事如此，是因为权威人士就是这么宣称的。他也只能获得属世之仁，属世之仁就是为了某种回报而努力施予恩惠。这种信与仁包含人的自我，还没有来自主的生命。尽管如此，藉着这种信与仁，人仍能预备自己成为主的容器；人越是预备自己，主就越进入，并使他的属世之信变成属灵的，同样使他的属世之仁也变成属灵的，从而使这二者复活。当人靠近作为天地之神的主时，这一切就会成就。因为人被造为神的形象，所以他被造为神的居所。故主说：
有了我的命令又遵守的，这人就是爱我的。我也必爱他，并要到他那里去，与他同住。（约翰福音14:21，23）
还有：
看哪，我站在门外叩门。若有听见我声音就开门的，我要进到他那里去，我与他、他与我一同坐席。（启示录3:20）
由此可以得出这样的结论：只要人以属世的方式预备自己接受主，主就会进去，并使人内在的一切变成属灵的，从而赋予它们生命。而另一方面，人越不预备自己，就越将主从自己那里推开，并凭他的自我行事；人凭自己所做的一切，里面都没有真正的生命。不过，只有等到论述仁爱（392－462）和自由选择（463－508）的章节时，这些要点才以呈现在更清晰的光明中；而再到后面有关改造和重生的章节（571－625），它们会变得更清晰。
359. (4)然而, 信,義,以及信或義中的生命, 沒有絲毫來自於自己, 唯獨從主而來。
因為我們讀到:"若不是從天上賜的,人就不能得甚麼"(約翰福音3:27)。耶穌還說:"常在我裡面的,我也常在他裡面,這人就多結果子。因為離了我,你們就不能作甚麼"(約翰福音15:5)。
然而, 要明白一點:對我們自身而言, 不能靠自己獲得屬世之信以外的任何信, 這屬世之信是指因權威人士的斷定而確證某事如此。我們也只能獲得屬世之義, 也就是為了某種回報而做些什麼利於自己的事。在此二者之中, 是人的自我顯現, 而從主而來的生命仍未出現。然而, 有此屬世之信與義, 我們便在預備自己成為接受主的容器。當我們如此預備自己時, 主便進來將我們屬世之信轉為屬靈之信,屬世之義轉為屬靈之義, 並帶給它們生命。當我們走向並接近這身為天地之上帝的主時, 這些事情就會發生。
人是照著上帝的形像被造的, 也被造為上帝的居住之地。所以主說:"有了我的命令又遵守的,這人就是愛我的。我也必愛他,並要到他那裡去,與他同住"(約翰福音14:21, 23)。看哪,我站在門外叩門。若有聽見我聲音就開門的,我要進到他那裡去,我與他,他與我一同坐席(啟示錄3:20)。
總而言之, 當人在屬世的層面為接受主而預備自己時, 主便進到人裡面,使他裡面的一切屬世事物成為屬靈, 如此便有了生命。不過另一方面, 人越是不預備自己, 自己就越與主的距離遙遠, 越發僅憑自己做事; 人憑自己所做的, 沒有生命在裡頭。
直到我們進入之後各章——義(392-462)與自由選擇(463-508)之前, 無法對這個主題有更進一步闡明。在關於改造與更新(571-625)一章也會有類似的觀點。
359. (d) Nevertheless, no faith, no goodwill, and none of the life within faith or goodwill comes from ourselves; instead they come from the Lord alone. We read, We cannot receive anything unless it is given to us from heaven (John 3:27). And Jesus said, "Those who live in me and I in them bear much fruit, because without me you cannot do anything" (John 15:5). This has to be understood, however, in a particular way: On our own we cannot acquire any faith for ourselves except earthly faith, which is a persuasion that something is the case because a man in authority said so. On our own we cannot acquire any goodwill for ourselves except earthly goodwill, which is our working to gain favor for the sake of some reward. In both of them the self is present, but life from the Lord is not present yet. Nevertheless, with this earthly faith and goodwill we are preparing ourselves to be a vessel for the Lord. As we are preparing ourselves, the Lord comes in and turns our earthly faith into spiritual faith, does the same with our goodwill, and brings them both to life. These things happen when we go to the Lord as the God of heaven and earth.
Because we have been created as images of God, we have been created as vessels for God. Therefore the Lord says, "The people who love me are those who have my commandments and follow them. I will love these people, come to them, and make a home with them" (John 14:21, 23). Also, "Behold! I am standing at the door and knocking. If any hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and will dine with them and they with me" (Revelation 3:20).
In conclusion, as we prepare ourselves in an earthly way to receive the Lord, the Lord comes in and makes all the earthly things in us spiritual and therefore alive. On the other hand, however, the less we prepare ourselves, the more we distance the Lord from ourselves and do everything on our own; and what we do on our own has no life in it.
These points cannot be put in any clearer light before we come to the chapters on goodwill [392-462] and free choice [463-508]. Similar points will also appear later on in the chapter on reformation and regeneration [571-625].
359. (iv) But still faith, charity or life in either of them is not in the least created by man, but only by the Lord.
For we read that man cannot take anything, unless it is given him from heaven (John 3:27). And Jesus said:
He who remains in me, and I in him, brings forth much fruit, because without me you can do nothing, John 15:5.
This, however, must be understood to mean that a person can only acquire by his own efforts natural faith, which is a firm belief that a thing is so because an authoritative person so declared it. He can also acquire only natural charity, which is working in someone's favour for the sake of some reward. These two contain man's self, and there is no life as yet from the Lord. Still a person by either of these prepares himself to receive the Lord. In so far as he prepares himself, so far does the Lord come in and make his natural faith spiritual, and likewise his charity, and so make both living. These results follow when a person approaches the Lord as the God of heaven and earth.
Since man was created an image of God, he was created to be a dwelling for God. Therefore the Lord says:
He who has my commandments and does them, he it is who loves me; and I shall love him, and come to him and make my dwelling with him, John 14:21, 23.
Also:
Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with me, Revelation 3:20.
From these statements the conclusion follows, that in so far as a person prepares himself on the natural level to receive the Lord, so does the Lord come in and make everything within him spiritual, so giving everything life. On the other hand, however, in so far as a person does not prepare himself, to that extent he distances the Lord from himself, and does everything of himself; and what a person does of himself has no life in it. But it is impossible to cast much light on this subject until I have discussed charity and free will, and I shall come back to it later in the chapter on reformation and regeneration.
359. (4) Yet nothing of faith or of charity, or of the life of either, is from man, but from the Lord alone. For we read,
That a man can receive nothing except it have been given him from heaven (John 3:27).
And Jesus said:
He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit; for apart from Me ye can do nothing (John 15:5).
But this is to be understood thus, that man of himself is unable to acquire for himself any but natural faith, which is a persuasion that a thing is so because some man of authority has said so; or any but natural charity, which is an endeavor to gain favor with a view to some recompense. In such faith and charity there is what is man's own, and as yet no life from the Lord. Nevertheless, by means of such faith and charity man prepares himself to be a receptacle of the Lord; and so far as he prepares himself, the Lord enters, and causes his natural faith to become spiritual, likewise his charity, and thus makes both to be alive; and this is done when man goes to the Lord as the God of heaven and earth. Because man was created an image of God, he was created an abode of God; therefore the Lord says:
He that hath My commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me and I will love him, and I will come unto him and make an abode with him (John 14:21, 23).
Again:
Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hear My voice and open the door, I will come into him, and will sup with him, and he with Me (Revelation 3:20).
From all this comes the conclusion, that as man prepares himself naturally to receive the Lord, so the Lord enters and makes all that is within man inwardly spiritual, and thus alive. But on the other hand, so far as man does not prepare himself he removes the Lord from him and does everything from his own self; and what man himself does from himself has no real life in it. But these points cannot as yet be presented in such a light as to appear at all clearly until Charity and Freedom of Choice have been treated of; but they will be made clear later in the chapter on Reformation and Regeneration.
359. (4) But nothing of faith, or of charity, or of the life of both, is from man, but from the Lord alone. It is written:
"A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven" John 3:27;
and Jesus said:
"He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing" John 15:5.
By this it is to be understood that a man of himself can acquire for himself nothing but natural faith; and this is a persuasion that a thing is so because some person of authority has said it. Nor can he acquire anything but natural charity, which is an endeavor to obtain favor, for the sake of some reward; in such faith and charity there is man's proprium, but no life as yet from the Lord. Still, by both of these a man prepares himself to become a receptacle of the Lord; and, so far as he does so, the Lord enters and causes his natural faith and charity to become spiritual, and thus both to become living. This is done when a man approaches the Lord as the God of heaven and earth.
Because man was created an image of God, he was created a habitation of God; therefore the Lord says,
"He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me and I will love him" and come unto him, and make my abode with him. John 14:21, 23;
and again:
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" Revelation 3:20.
From this it follows that, as a man prepares himself on the natural plane to receive the Lord, so the Lord enters and makes all things within him spiritual, and consequently living. On the other hand, as a man does not prepare himself, he puts the Lord away, and does everything from himself; and what a man does from himself has no life in it. These things, however, cannot be seen at all clearly until Charity and Free Will have been dealt with; after which more will be seen on the subject in the chapter on Reformation and Regeneration.
359. IV. QUOD TAMEN USQUE NIHIL FIDEI, ET NIHIL CHARITATIS, ET NIHIL VITAE UTRIUSQUE, SIT AB HOMINE SED A SOLO DOMINO: legitur enim, quod homo non possit sumere quicquam, nisi sit datum illi e Coelo, Johannes 3:27. Et Jesus dixit, qui manet in Me, et Ego in illo, hic fert fructum multum, quia sine Me non potestis facere quicquam, Johannes 15:5 sed hoc ita intelligendum est, quod homo ex se non possit aliam Fidem sibi comparare, quam naturalem, quae est persuasio quod ita sit quoniam vir auctoritatis ita dixit; nec aliam charitatem quam naturalem, quae est operatio ad favorem propter aliquam remunerationem, in quibus duabus est proprium hominis, et nondum vita a Domino, sed usque homo per utramque praeparat se ut sit receptaculum Domini, et quemadmodum se praeparat, ita intrat Dominus, et facit ut Fides ejus naturalis fiat Fides spiritualis, similiter Charitas, et sic utraque viva; et haec fiunt, dum homo adit Dominum, ut Deum Coeli et Terrae. Homo quia creatus est imago Dei, creatus est habitaculum Dei, quare dicit Dominus, Qui habet praecepta mea, et facit illa, ille 1 est qui amat Me, et Ego amabo illum, et ad illum veniam, et mansionem apud illum faciam, Johannes 14:21, 23. Tum, Ecce sto ad januam et pulso, si quis audiverit vocem, et aperuerit januam, ingrediar ad illum, et coenabo cum illo, et ille Mecum, Apocalypsis 3:20. Ex his sequitur hoc conclusum, quod sicut homo se naturaliter praeparat ad recipiendum Dominum, ita Dominus intrat, et facit omnia apud illum intus spiritualia, et sic viva. Vice versa autem, quantum homo se non praeparat, tantum removet Dominum a se, et facit omnia ipse ex se, et quod homo ipse ex se facit, hoc non habet aliquid vitae in se. Sed haec non possunt adhuc in aliqua luce sisti videnda, priusquam de CHARITATE et de LIBERO ARBITRIO actum est, et videbuntur postea in Capite de REFORMATIONE ET REGENERATIONE.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: illo.