512. 第2节 现今被说成出现在信之前, 其后跟有福音安慰的悔罪不是悔改
改革宗把焦虑, 悲伤与恐惧叫做悔罪, 它发生在经历重生者身上, 在他们获得信之前出现, 其后跟有福音安慰。 他们声称, 发生在这类人身上的悔罪是惧怕神的愤怒和人与生俱来的永恒咒诅的结果, 这愤怒和咒诅是由于亚当的罪和随之向恶的倾向所导致的。 若没有这悔罪, 将主, 救主的功与义归于人的信就不会被赐下。 获得这信的那些人会收到福音安慰, 这安慰就是, 他们无需自己配合就是公义的, 即被新造, 重生与称圣。 他们就这样从诅咒的状态转到永生幸福的状态, 即永生。 但关于这悔罪, 接下来要考虑几个问题: (1) 它是悔改吗? (2) 它有意义吗? (3) 有这回事吗?
512. The "Contrition" That Is Nowadays Said to Precede Faith and to Be Followed by the Consolation of the Gospel Is Not Repentance
The Protestant Christian world holds that there is a certain type of anxiety, pain, and terror (which they call "contrition") that comes over people who are going to be regenerated. It comes on before they have faith and is followed by the consolation of the Gospel.
They claim that this contrition arises in them as the result of fear of the justifiable anger of God, and therefore fear of the eternal damnation that clings to us all because of Adam's sin and because of our resulting inclination toward evil. They say that the faith that ascribes the merit and justice of the Lord our Savior to us is not granted us if we lack that feeling of contrition. Those who have acquired this faith are said to receive "the consolation of the Gospel," which means that they are justified, that is, renewed, regenerated, and sanctified, without any cooperation on their part. In this way they are moved from damnation to the eternal blessedness that is everlasting life.
Let us examine this "contrition": (1) Is it the same as repentance? (2) Is it of any value? (3) Does it in fact exist?
512. II. Contrition, which is said at the present time to precede faith and to be followed by the consolation of the Gospel, is not repentance.
The Reformed Christian church has a tradition of a kind of anxiety, grief and dread which they call contrition; in those undergoing regeneration it precedes their acquisition of faith and is followed by the consolation of the Gospel. This contrition, they say, arises in them as a result of fearing the just wrath of God, leading to the everlasting damnation which is inherent in everyone as the result of Adam's sin and the consequent tendency to evils. Without this contrition, faith which imputes the merit and righteousness of the Lord the Saviour is not bestowed. Those who have acquired this faith receive the consolation of the Gospel, which is that they are justified, that is, made new, regenerated and sanctified without any cooperation on their part. They are thus rescued from damnation and given everlasting blessing, which is everlasting life. But there are three questions about contrition to be discussed: whether it is the same as repentance; whether it is of any importance; and whether there is such a thing.
512. II. THE CONTRITION, WHICH AT THE PRESENT DAY IS SAID TO PRECEDE FAITH, AND TO BE FOLLOWED BY THE CONSOLATION OF THE GOSPEL, IS NOT REPENTANCE.
In the Reformed Christian world a certain kind of anxiety, grief, and terror are spoken of, which they call contrition, which precedes faith in those who are about to be regenerated, and which is followed by the consolation of the Gospel They claim that this contrition in such persons arises from a fear of that just wrath of God and consequent eternal damnation which inheres in every man, owing to the sin of Adam and the resulting proclivity of man to evil; also, that without that contrition, the faith which imputes to man the merit and righteousness of the Lord the Savior, is not bestowed; and that those who have obtained this faith, receive the consolation of the Gospel, which is, that they are justified, that is, renewed, regenerated and sanctified, without any co-operation of their own, and are thus transferred from a state of damnation to one of eternal blessedness, which is life eternal. But respecting this contrition the following questions are to be considered: 1. Is it repentance? 2. Is it of any consequence? 3. Is there such a thing?
512. II. CONTRITION, WHICH AT THE PRESENT DAY IS SAID TO PRECEDE FAITH, AND WHICH IS FOLLOWED BY THE CONSOLATION OF THE GOSPEL, IS NOT REPENTANCE.
In the Reformed Christian Church it is taught that there is a certain kind of anxiety, grief and terror called contrition; and in those who are to be regenerated it precedes faith, and is followed by the consolation of the Gospel. It is said of this contrition that it arises from the fear of the just wrath of God and eternal damnation, man's heritage from Adam's sin and the consequent inherent propensity to evils. For it is said, without this contrition, the faith which imputes to man the merit and righteousness of the Lord the Savior, is not granted; but those who obtain this faith receive the consolation of the Gospel, which means that they are justified, that is, renewed, regenerated and sanctified, without any co-operation on their part, and are thus transferred from a state of damnation to that of everlasting blessedness, which is eternal life. But respecting this contrition, we must consider: (1) Is it repentance? (2) Is it of any importance? (3) Has it any real existence?
512. Quod Contritio, de qua hodie dicitur quod praecedat Fidem, et quam sequitur consolatio Evangelii, non sit Poenitentia.
In Christiano Reformato Orbe traditur quaedam species anxietatis, doloris, et terroris, quam vocant CONTRITIONEM, quae apud regenerandos praecedit illorum fidem, et quam sequitur consolatio Evangelii; dicunt, quod contritio illa apud eos exoriatur ex timore pro justa ira Dei, et inde aeterna damnatione, cuivis ex peccato Adami et inde proclivitate ad mala inhaerente, et quod absque illa Contritione, fides, quae est imputativa meriti et justitiae Domini Salvatoris, non donetur, et quod illi, qui hanc fidem adepti sunt, consolationem Evangelii recipiant, quae est, quod justificentur, hoc est, innoventur, regenerentur et sanctificentur, absque ulla illorum cooperatione, et quod sic a damnatione transferantur in aeternam 1 benedictionem, quae est vita aeterna. Sed de Contritione hac expendendum est. 1. Num sit poenitentia. 2. Num sit alicujus momenti. 3. Numeri detur.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: aeternom.