486.预定论是当今教会信仰的产物，因为它脱胎于人在属灵事物上绝无能力和选择权的信念。预定论既源自这一信念，也源自人的皈依如同死物的观念，认为人在皈依方面就象一根木头，因此也没法知道他这根木头到底被恩典激活了没有。据说，拣选纯粹出于神的恩典，人类行为被完全排除在外，不论这行为是出于自然界的力量，还是出于理智。何地何时被拣选全在于神的意愿，因而仰赖祂的美意。随信而来、作为其证据的行为，在反思者的眼里，就象肉体的行为，而产生它们的灵，并未显明它们的来源，只是使它们成为恩典或美意的对象，就象信本身一样。
从所有这一切清楚可知，当今教会关于预定论的教义出自这信念，就象嫩芽发于种子一样；我可以断定，预定论从该信念流出，几乎是不可避免的结果。它首先出现在预定论者身上，接着就是郭查克，再后来是加尔文及其追随者，最后通过多特会议被确定下来。然后，预定论如同一尊宗教神像，更确切地说，就象刻在雅典娜盾牌上的蛇发女怪美杜莎的头一样，被堕落前预定论者与堕落后预定论者们抬进教会。
但是，还能想出比这更恶毒的事吗？还有比认为神会通过预定咒诅人类中的某些人更残忍的观念吗？相信作为爱本身和怜悯本身的主，愿意众多人为地狱而生，或无数人天生注定为魔鬼和撒旦，而祂无论过去还是现在，都不会凭其无限的神圣智慧规定，凡生活良善且承认神者，必不被丢进永火和折磨当中，这难道不是一个冷酷无情的信条吗？祂永远是主，所有人的创造者和救主，唯独祂引领所有人，不愿一人死亡。所以，还有比相信或认为祂统治并看顾下的国民和百姓注定作为猎物被交给魔鬼，以填饱牠们的肚腹更无耻的事吗？但这正是当今教会信仰的产物；而新教会的信仰则憎之如怪物。
486. 预定论是当今教会信仰的产物, 因为它脱胎于人在属灵事物上绝无能力和选择权的信念。 预定论既源自这一信念, 也源自人的皈依如同死物的观念, 认为人在皈依方面就象一根木头, 因此也没法知道他这根木头到底被恩典激活了没有。 据说, 拣选纯粹出于神的恩典, 人类行为被完全排除在外, 不论这行为是出于自然界的力量, 还是出于理智。 何地何时被拣选全在于神的意愿, 因而仰赖祂的美意。 随信而来, 作为其证据的行为, 在反思者的眼里, 就象肉体的行为, 而产生它们的灵, 并未显明它们的来源, 只是使它们成为恩典或美意的对象, 就象信本身一样。
从所有这一切清楚可知, 当今教会关于预定论的教义出自这信念, 就象嫩芽发于种子一样; 我可以断定, 预定论从该信念流出, 几乎是不可避免的结果。 它首先出现在预定论者身上, 接着就是郭查克, 再后来是加尔文及其追随者, 最后通过多特会议被确定下来。 然后, 预定论如同一尊宗教神像, 更确切地说, 就象刻在雅典娜盾牌上的蛇发女怪美杜莎的头一样, 被堕落前预定论者与堕落后预定论者们抬进教会。
但是, 还能想出比这更恶毒的事吗? 还有比认为神会通过预定咒诅人类中的某些人更残忍的观念吗? 相信作为爱本身和怜悯本身的主, 愿意众多人为地狱而生, 或无数人天生注定为魔鬼和撒旦, 而祂无论过去还是现在, 都不会凭其无限的神圣智慧规定, 凡生活良善且承认神者, 必不被丢进永火和折磨当中, 这难道不是一个冷酷无情的信条吗? 祂永远是主, 所有人的创造者和救主, 唯独祂引领所有人, 不愿一人死亡。 所以, 还有比相信或认为祂统治并看顾下的国民和百姓注定作为猎物被交给魔鬼, 以填饱牠们的肚腹更无耻的事吗? 但这正是当今教会信仰的产物; 而新教会的信仰则憎之如怪物。
486. Predestination is an offspring of the faith of today's church. It is born from the belief that we are absolutely powerless and have no choice in spiritual matters. It arises from that belief and also from the notions that our conversion to God is more or less passive, that we are like a log, and that we have no awareness of whether grace has brought this log to life or not. [In other such teachings] it is said that we are chosen by the pure grace of God exclusive of any human action, whether that action is initiated by the powers of our nature or of our reason. We are told that our being chosen takes place where and when God wants - it is entirely up to him. In the sight of one who reflects, the good works that follow faith as signs of it are just like works of the flesh. The Spirit that produces those good works does not reveal what their origin is, but produces them as works of grace or good pleasure, just as it does with faith itself.
[2] From these teachings it is clear that the dogma of today's church regarding predestination has arisen from denial of free choice as a shoot arises from a seed. I can assert that it flows forth as a scarcely avoidable by-product of that belief. A flowing forth like this first occurred among the Predestinarians; then another came from Gottschalk, and later on yet another from Calvin and his followers. Eventually the concept was firmly established by the Synod of Dort. From there it was imported by the Supralapsarians and the Infralapsarians as a sacred central effigy in their religion, or better yet, as the head of Medusa the Gorgon carved into the shield of Pallas [Athena].
[3] How could we attribute more harmfulness or cruelty to God than by believing that he predestines some members of the human race to hell? It would be believing in divine cruelty to think that the Lord, who is love itself and mercy itself, would want a multitude of people to be born for hell or millions to be born under a curse, that is, to be born devils and satans. It would be believing in divine cruelty to think that even though the Lord has divine wisdom, which is infinite, he would neglect to ensure through providence and foresight that those who live good lives and acknowledge God are not thrown into eternal fire and torment.
The Lord is in fact the Creator and Savior of all. He alone leads all people. He wishes the death of no one. How could we attribute greater savagery to him than by thinking that the vast arrays of nations and populations under his divine guidance and watchful eye would just be handed over by predestination as prey to satiate the Devil's gaping jaws? This is the offspring of the faith of today's church; the belief of the new church, though, abhors it as something monstrous.
486. Predestination is the offspring of the faith of the church at the present time, because it is the product of a belief in man's utter impotence and lack of choice in spiritual matters. It results from that belief and also from man's, so to speak, lifeless conversion, that he is like a block of wood, and that he has therefore no way of telling whether the block is brought to life by grace or not. For it is said that one is chosen purely as an act of God's grace without any activity on one's part, whether derived from one's natural powers or one's reason. Being chosen takes place where and when God wills, that is, at His good pleasure. The deeds which follow faith as its evidences are to the eyes of one who reflects like the deeds of the flesh; and the spirit which brings them about does not display their origin, but makes them the subject of grace or good pleasure, just as faith is.
[2] These considerations make it plain that the dogma of the present-day church concerning predestination has emerged from this source, like a shoot from a seed. I can assert that it stemmed from that belief as an almost inevitable consequence; an event which first happened with the Predestinarians, starting with Gottschalk 1 , then with Calvin and his followers, and was finally established firmly by the Synod of Dort 2 . Afterwards it was imported by the Supralapsarians and Infralapsarians into their church as an ensign of religion, or rather like the head of the Gorgon or Medusa engraved on the shield of Pallas.
[3] But what more hurtful idea could be thought up, or what more cruel belief could anyone hold about God, than that some of the human race are predestined to damnation? It would be cruel to believe that the Lord, who is love itself and mercy itself, could wish a large number of people to be born destined for hell, or that hundreds of millions are born lost souls, that is, born devils and satans; and that the Lord did not of His Divine wisdom, which is infinite, and does not take care that those who live a good life and acknowledge God are not cast into the fire and everlasting torment. In fact, the Lord is the creator and saviour of all; He alone guides all and wishes no one's death. Could therefore anything more horrifying be believed or thought than that a group of nations and peoples under His control and gaze should be predestined to be handed over as prey to the devil, to fill his maw? Yet this is the offspring of the faith of the present-day church. The faith of the new church recoils from this as a monstrosity.
Footnotes:
1. A German theologian of the 9th century.
2. A conference held at Dordrecht in 1618-19 which condemned the belief of the Arminians, and upheld Calvin's doctrine of predestination.
486. Predestination is an offspring of the faith of the present church, for it is born from a belief in man's absolute impotence, with no power of choice in spiritual things; it is born from this doctrine and also from the belief in man's conversion as being a dead thing, in that he is like a stock, and has therefore no conscious knowledge whether he is a stock vivified by grace or not. For it is said that election is of the mere grace of God, exclusive of all human action, whether it proceed from the powers of nature or of reason, and that it takes place where and when God wills, thus from His good pleasure. The works that follow faith as evidences thereof, resemble, to a reflecting mind, the works of the flesh; and the spirit which produces them does not make evident their origin, but effects them out of grace or good pleasure, like faith itself.
[2] From all this it is clear that the dogma of the present church respecting predestination has come forth from this belief like a shoot from its seed; and I may say that it has flowed forth out of it as an almost inevitable consequence. This consequence was first reached by the Predestinarians, then by Gottschalk, afterwards by Calvin and his disciples, and was at length firmly established by the Synod of Dort, and from that was carried forth into the church as the palladium of religion, or rather as the head of Gorgon or Medusa engraved on the shield of Pallas by the Supralapsarians and Infra-Lapsarians.
[3] But what more pernicious thing could have been devised, or could anything more cruel be believed of God, than that some of the human race are damned by predestination? For would it not be a cruel creed, that the Lord, who is love itself and mercy itself, should desire a multitude to be born for hell, or that myriads of myriads should be born doomed, that is, devils and satans; also that from His Divine wisdom, which is infinite, He should not have provided and does not provide, that those who live well and acknowledge God should not be cast into eternal fire and torment? He is ever the Lord, the Creator and Savior of all, and He alone leads all, and desires not the death of any. Therefore, what more infamous thing could be believed or thought than that whole nations and peoples should, under His auspices and oversight, be handed over by predestination to the devil as his prey, to satisfy his voracity? But this is an offspring of the faith of the present church; the faith of the New Church abhors it as a monster.
486. Predestination is an offspring of the faith of the present Church. It springs from the belief in man's absolute impotence and want of freedom in spiritual things; and also from the belief that in conversion man is, as it were, an inanimate thing, like a tree stock, without conscious knowledge whether he has been quickened by grace or not. For it is asserted that election is of God's mere grace, exclusive of any action on man's part, whether proceeding from his natural or from his rational powers; and that election takes place where and whenever God wills, thus according to His good pleasure. Moreover, the works which follow faith as evidences, are to the reflecting mind as the works of the flesh; for the Spirit which operates them does not declare their origin, but makes them, like faith, a matter of grace or good pleasure.
[2] It is, therefore, plain that the doctrine of the present Church on predestination has sprung from that faith, like a shoot from its seed; and I may add, as a logical consequence. It first arose among the Predestinarians; then it was taken up by Gottschalk, 1 and afterwards by Calvin 2 and his followers. Finally it was firmly established by the Synod of Dort, 3 and thence, as the palladium 4 of religion, or rather as the head of the Gorgon Medusa, engraven on the shield of Pallas, it was carried into their Church by the Supralapsarians 5 and the Infralapasrians.
[3] But what more pernicious doctrine could have been devised, or what more cruel notion concerning God could have been conceived than that some of the human race were predestined to damnation? For it would be a cruel faith, that the Lord, who is Love itself and Mercy itself, wills that a multitude of men should be born for hell, or that countless thousands should be born accursed, that is, should be born devils and satans; and that from His own infinite Divine Wisdom He did not provide, and does not still provide, that those who live well and acknowledge God should not be cast into the fire of everlasting torment. Yet the Lord is the Creator and Savior of all, and He alone leads all, and wills the death of no one. What then, can be believed or conceived more dreadful than that multitudes of nations and peoples should under His direction and oversight be delivered up by predestination to the devil as prey to glut his voracious appetite? This, however, is the offspring of the faith of the present Church; but the faith of the New Church abhors it as monstrous.
Footnotes:
1. Gottschalk, A.D. 805-868, a German monk who adopted the views of Augustine, which later took shape as Calvinism. The chief feature of this teaching is the doctrine of Predestination, based upon the belief that man is incapable of himself to will anything good, but is entirely under grace. Gottschalk was found guilty of heresy by the Council of Mainz, A.D. 848, and later condemned to imprisonment for life.
2. Calvin, John, A.D. 1509-1564, was called by Melanchthon "The theologian of the sixteenth century." He studied law as well as theology, became a Protestant and induced the authorities of Geneva to renounce Popery. The friend of John Knox, he exercised a powerful influence on Scottish Protestantism. His views may be summarized thus: particular election; particular redemption; moral inability in a fallen state; free grace; and ultimate salvation for the elect, notwithstanding many failings and aberrations on the part of the believer. In its leading features his theology is that of Augustine.
3. Dortdrecht or Dort, Synod of. This was held in 1618-19 to settle the disputes between the Arminians or "Remonstrants" who called in question the theory of Predestination, and the Calvinists. The Synod condemned the tenets of the Arminians.
4. Palladium, statue of Pellas, on the preservation of which the safety of Troy depended; temple of Pallas; meton. central or essential feature.
5. Supralapsarian, one who maintains that the decree of election as regards eternal salvation of some and the eternal reprobation of others was a part of the original plan; and that the fall of Adam was predestinated from all eternity. (Supra, beyond, and lapsus, the fall.)
486. Praedestinatio est foetus fidei hodiernae Ecclesiae, quia nascitur ex fide absolutae impotentiae et nullius arbitrii in spiritualibus; ex illa, et quoque ex conversione sicut inanimata hominis, quod sit sicut truncus, et quod dein ex nulla conscientia sciat, Numeri ipse truncus vivificatus sit ex gratia, vel non, nam dicitur, quod electio sit ex mera gratia Dei exclusa hominis actione, sive ex viribus naturae, sive rationis, proficiscatur; et quod electio fiat ubi et quando Deus vult, ita ex beneplacito: Opera, quae ut testimonia sequuntur fidem, sunt coram visu reflectente similia Operibus carnis, ac Spiritus, qui operatur illa, non manifestat ex qua origine sunt, sed facit illa gratiae, seu beneplaciti sicut ipsam fidem.
[2] Ex his patet, quod hodiernae Ecclesiae dogma de Praedestinatione, inde ut ex semine surculus, exiverit; et possum dicere, quod ut Consectarium vix evitabile ex illa fide effluxerit; quod factum est primum apud PRAEDESTINATIANOS, inde a GODOSCHALCO, postea a CALVINO et ejus asseclis, et demum a SYNODO DODRECHTANA valide stabilita, et inde ut Palladium religionis, aut potius, sicut caput Gorgonis aut Medusae clypeo Palladis insculptum, a SUPRA ET INFRA LAPSARIIS in Ecclesiam suam exportata.
[3] Sed quid damnosius potuit excludi, et quid crudelius de Deo credi, quam quod aliqui ex Humano genere ex praedestinato damnati sint: crudelis enim fides foret, quod Dominus, Qui est Ipse Amor, et Ipsa misericordia, velit ut multitudo hominum nascatur ad Infernum, seu quod myriades myriadum nascantur devoti, hoc est, quod nascantur Diaboli et Satanae; et quod non ex Divina sua Sapientia, quae est infinita, providerit et provideat, ne illi qui bene vivunt, et agnoscunt Deum, in ignem et cruciatum aeternum conjiciantur; est usque Dominus omnium Creator et Salvator, et Ipse solus ducit omnes, et nullius mortem vult; quid ergo immanius potest credi et cogitari, quam quod Caetus gentium et populorum sub auspicio et sub intuitu Ipsius ex praedestinato traderentur Diabolo in praedam, ac satiaret ingluviem ejus. Sed hoc est foetus fidei hodiernae Ecclesiae; at Fides novae Ecclesiae illud ut monstrum abhorret.