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443. 義的生活是道德的生活, 同時也是屬靈的生活
任何人都被父母和老師教導當過道德的生活, 也就是, 做名好公民, 誠實為人。他還學習去履行各樣的責任, 就是令生命完美的各樣美德。他還學習通過外在的行為規範去履行這些誠實的行為。隨著年齡增長, 他還學會理性的運用, 以此來提高他生活的品德。
從孩童到青春期開始, 道德的生活是屬世的, 由此之後逐漸變得越來越理性。人們若細細思量這個問題便會看出, 道德的生活與義的生活其實是同一回事, 就是向鄰舍正當行事, 控制自己的生活免受邪惡的污染(參看435-438節)。然而在生命的最初階段, 道德的生活只是義的生活之最外在層面, 也就是只在生命的外在表面部分, 而非內在的深處。
[2]從嬰孩到老年, 人要經過四個生命的階段。在第一個階段, 照著別人的教導而行動; 在第二個階段, 照著自己的認知而自願去行動; 在第三個階段, 意志推動認知, 認知修正意志; 在第四個階段, 行為經過深思熟慮, 並且目標明確。
這些是一個人的靈所經歷的階段, 與他的身體並不平行。他的身體可以有道德地行動和理性地說話, 而他的靈可以在同時意圖與思考相反的事情。這可從假裝者,說謊者,諂媚者與偽善者明顯看出, 屬世之人有如此屬性。很清楚, 這樣的人有雙重思想, 他們的思想能分為兩個互不認同的兩部分。
然而, 對於那些意志良善與思維理性,因而行良善之事並說話理性之人, 情況就截然不同了。這就是聖言中所說的"心靈簡單"所表示之類的人。稱他們簡單, 是因為他們並非兩面之人。
[3]這些陳述闡明了"內在人"與"外在人"兩個概念的真正意義。沒有人能從一個人的外在所示的道德就得出他的內在有道德的結論。他的內在人能轉向完全相反的方向, 能像烏龜那樣把頭藏在殼裡, 像蛇把頭藏在盤卷的身子裡。這類所謂的有德之人就像攔路強盜既生活在城鎮裡又在森林裡, 在城裡的舉止像個品性端正的公民, 在森林中卻打劫路人。
對那些內在有道德, 也就是在靈裡有道德之人, 情形就完全不同了, 這是被主更新後的結果。這種人的類型就是"屬靈道德"的意思。
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443. A Life of Goodwill Is a Moral Life That Is Also Spiritual
We all learn from our parents and teachers to live a moral life, that is, to behave like civil human beings. We learn to discharge the duties of an honorable life, which are related to the various virtues that constitute the essence of being honorable. We also learn to discharge these dutiful acts through the outward forms called manners. As we advance in age, we learn to add the exercise of rationality, and we use that rationality to enhance the morality of our life.
The moral life in youths up to early adulthood is earthly. After that it becomes increasingly rational. People who reflect on the question can see that a moral life is the same thing as a life of goodwill, which is behaving well to our neighbor and regulating our life to keep it from being contaminated with evils (as follows from the points made above in 435-438). Nevertheless, in the first phase of our lives, our moral life is a life of goodwill on the outermost level, that is, only in the outward, most superficial part of our life, but not deeper within it.
[2] There are four phases to our lives. We pass through them as we go from infancy to old age. The first phase is when our behavior follows other people's instructions. The second is when our behavior is our own, and our intellect restrains us. The third is when our will pushes our intellect and our intellect restrains our will. The fourth is when our behavior is deliberate and purposeful.
These phases of our lives are phases of the life of our spirit, however; they do not necessarily relate to our body. Our body can behave morally and speak rationally, and yet our spirit can intend and think things that are the opposite of morality and rationality. It is clear from pretenders, flatterers, liars, and hypocrites that this is the nature of our earthly self. Clearly, people like this have a dual mind - their mind can be divided into two parts that do not agree.
It is different for people who have benevolent intentions and think rational thoughts, and as a result do good things and speak rationally. These are the type of people meant by "the simple in spirit" in the Word. They are called simple because they are not dual.
[3] These statements clarify the proper meaning of the outer self and the inner self; they show that we cannot conclude from other people's morality in their outer self that they have morality in their inner self. Their inner self could be turned in the opposite direction. It could be hiding the way a turtle hides its head in its shell or the way a snake hides its head in its coils. In that case their supposedly moral self is like a robber who spends time both in the city and in the woods; in the city the robber behaves like a moral person, but in the woods, like a thief.
It is completely different for people who are inwardly moral, whose spirit is moral, and who attained that nature by being regenerated by the Lord. Such people constitute the type meant by the phrase "spiritually moral. "
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443. XIV. When a moral life is at the same time spiritual, this is charity.
Everyone is taught by his parents and teachers to lead a moral life, that is, to be a good citizen, and act in an honest fashion. Honesty refers to various virtues which are its essentials; and he learns by means of these to give formal expression to honesty and this constitutes its graces. As he advances in age, he learns in addition rational arguments, and so to perfect the morality of his life. Moral life for boys up to the beginning of adolescence is natural, and from then on becomes more and more rational. Careful reflexion can show that a moral life is the same thing as a charitable one; it is dealing well with the neighbour, and controlling one's life so as to prevent it being contaminated with evils. This follows from the demonstration in 435-438 above. Still, in the first period of one's life, a moral life is only in its outermost form a charitable one; that is, it affects only its outward form and front, not the inward parts.
[2] From infancy to old age man passes through four stages of life. In the first he acts as he is taught by others. In the second he acts of his own accord, as governed by the understanding. In the third the will acts on the understanding and the understanding modifies the will. In the fourth he follows the course of action he has convinced himself is right and set before himself as his aim. These are stages in the life of a person's spirit and are not paralleled in his body. The body is capable of acting in moral fashion and talking rationally, while the spirit can will and think the opposite. It is obvious that the natural man is like this from looking at pretenders, toadies, liars and hypocrites, who as is well known have duplicitous minds, that is, their minds are split into two parts which disagree. The case is different with those who will good and think rationally, and as a result do good deeds and talk rationally; they are the people meant by 'the simple in spirit' in the Word, being called simple because they are not duplicitous.
[3] These remarks can show plainly the real meaning of the terms 'external' and 'internal man'. No one can draw any conclusions from the morality of the external about that of the internal, since he may be facing the opposite direction, and hiding as a tortoise does its head in its shell, or a snake its in its coils. The so-called moral man of this sort is like a highwayman in town and in the woods; in town he adopts the role of a moral citizen, but in the woods he preys on travellers. It is quite different in the case of those who are inwardly moral, that is, in spirit, the result of being regenerated by the Lord; these are the people meant by 'the spiritually moral.'
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443. XIV. WHEN MORAL LIFE IS AT THE SAME TIME SPIRITUAL, IT IS CHARITY.
Every man is taught by his parents and teachers to live morally, that is, to act the part of a good citizen, to discharge the duties of an honorable life (which relate to the various virtues that are the essentials of an honorable life), and to bring them forth through the formalities of an honorable life, which are called proprieties; and as he advances in years he is taught to add to these what is rational, and thereby to perfect what is moral in his life. For in children, even to early youth, moral life is natural, and becomes afterwards more and more rational. Anyone who reflects well upon it can see that a moral life is the same as a life of charity, and that this is to act rightly towards the neighbor, and to so regulate the life as to preserve it from contamination by evils; this follows from what has been shown above (435-438). And yet, in the first period of life, a moral life is a life of charity in outermosts, that is, it is merely the outer and foremost part of it, not the inner part.
[2] For there are four periods of life through which man passes from infancy to old age; the first is when he acts from others according to instructions; the second, when he acts from himself, under the guidance of the understanding; the third, when the will acts upon the understanding, and the understanding regulates the will; and the fourth, when he acts from confirmed principle and deliberate purpose. But these periods of life are the periods of the life of a man's spirit, not in like manner of his body; for the body can act morally and speak rationally while its spirit is willing and thinking opposite things. That this is the nature of the natural man is obvious in the case of pretenders, flatterers, liars, and hypocrites. These evidently enjoy a double mind, that is, their minds are divided into two discordant minds. It is otherwise with those who will rightly and think rationally, and consequently act rightly and talk rationally. These are meant in the Word by the "simple in spirit;" they are called simple, because they are not double-minded.
[3] From all this it can be seen what is meant specifically by the external man; also that, from the morality of the external man, no one can form any conclusion as to the morality of the internal, since this may be turned in an opposite direction, and may hide itself as a tortoise hides its head within its shell, or as a serpent hides its head in its coil. For such a so-called moral man is like a robber in a city and in a forest, acting the part of a moral person in the city, but of a plunderer in the forest. It is wholly otherwise with those who are moral inwardly or in the spirit, which they become through regeneration by the Lord. These are meant by the spiritually-moral.
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443. XIV. MORAL LIFE, WHEN IT IS AT THE SAME TIME SPIRITUAL, IS CHARITY.
Every one learns from parents and teachers to live morally, that is, to act the part of a good citizen, and to perform those honorable duties, pertaining to the various virtues, which are the essentials of honorable conduct. He learns to give outward expression to these essentials in what are called the proprieties of life; and as he grows in years, to add a rational appreciation to these, and so perfect his moral character. For moral life in children is merely natural till they approach the period of youth, and then it becomes more rational. He who considers the matter carefully may see that the moral life is the same as the life of charity; for this consists in acting well towards the neighbor, and in so regulating the life that it may not be contaminated by evils. That this is so follows from what was shown above in 435-438. However, in the first period of a man's life, the moral life is the life of charity in things most external; it is only its exterior and more superficial part, and not its interior.
[2] There are four periods of life through which a man passes from infancy to old age. In the first, he acts at the direction of others, according to their instructions; in the second, he acts of himself, under the guidance of the understanding; in the third, the will acts upon the understanding, and the understanding modifies the will; and in the fourth, he acts from settled conviction and purpose. These are the phases in the life of a man's spirit, but they are not the same for the body; for this can act morally and speak rationally while the spirit may will and think the contrary. That this is the case with the natural man is plain from dissemblers, flatterers, liars, and hypocrites, who evidently take delight in their double mind, or a mind divided into two discordant minds. It is otherwise with those who will what is good and think rationally; and who consequently do what is good and speak rationally. These are meant in the Word by "the simple in spirit," so described because they are not double-minded.
[3] Hence it may be seen what is properly meant by the external and the internal man. No one from the morality of the external man can form a conclusion as to the morality of the internal man, because this may be quite different. It may conceal itself as a tortoise hides its head in its shell, or as a serpent its head in its coil. Such a so-called moral man is like a robber in a city and in a forest, who acts the moral man in the city, but the robber in a forest. It is otherwise with those who are moral inwardly, or in respect of the spirit, having become so through regeneration by the Lord. These are meant by the spiritually moral.
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443. Quod Vita Moralis dum simul est Spiritualis sit Charitas.
Omnis homo a parentibus et magistris discit moraliter vivere, hoc est, civilem personam agere et honestatis officia exhibere, quae se referunt ad varias virtutes, quae sunt 1 honestatis essentialia, et producere illa per formalia ejus, quae vocantur decora, et sicut aetate provehitur, superaddere rationalia, ac moralia vitae per illa perficere; nam moralis vita apud pueros usque ad primam adolescentiam est naturalis, quae deinde plus et plus fit 2 rationalis. Qui bene reflectit, potest videre, quod moralis vita sit eadem cum Charitatis Vita, quae quod sit bene agere cum proximo, et moderari ne sit malis contaminata, sequitur ex illis, quae supra 435-438 ostensa sunt. Sed usque in prima aetatis periodo, Moralis Vita est Charitatis Vita in extremis; hoc est, modo exterior et anterior ejus pars, et non interior.
[2] Sunt enim quatuor Periodi vitae, quas homo ab Infantia ad senectutem pertransit; PRIMA est, in qua agit ex aliis secundum instructiones: SECUNDA est, in qua agit ex se moderante intellectu: TERTIA est, in qua Voluntas agit in Intellectum, et Intellectus modificat illam: QUARTA est, in qua agit ex confirmato et ex proposito. Sed hae Periodi vitae, sunt periodi vitae Spiritus hominis, non similiter ejus corporis, hoc enim potest moraliter agere et rationaliter loqui, et tamen Spiritus ejus potest contraria velle et cogitare; quod homo naturalis sit talis, manifeste patet a simulatoribus, assentatoribus, mendacibus et hypocritis; quod hi gaudeant duplici mente, seu quod Mens illorum divisa sit in binas discordantes, constat: aliter apud illos, qui bene volunt et rationaliter cogitant, et inde bene agunt et rationaliter loquuntur; hi sunt qui per Simplices spiritu in Verbo intelliguntur; simplices dicuntur quia non sunt duplices.
[3] Ex his videri potest, quid proprie intelligitur per Externum et Internum hominem, et quod nemo possit a Moralitate Externi hominis concludere ad moralitatem Interni, quoniam hic potest in contrario versu esse, et se recondere sicut testudo suum caput in concha, et sicut serpens suum caput in spira; est enim talis ita dictus moralis homo, sicut latro in Urbe et in sylva, qui in Urbe agit personam moralem, sed in sylva praedonem: Aliter prorsus illi qui interius seu quoad Spiritum morales sunt, quod fiunt per regenerationem a Domino; hi sunt qui intelliguntur per Morales spirituales.
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