519.可通过对比来说明这种人的性质。他们就象里面只有龙的灵和启示录中“蝗虫”所指之人的神殿；他们还象其中的讲坛，圣言不在上面，而是被掷于脚下；象涂抹艳丽的外墙，但打开窗户后，却发现猫头鹰和可怕的夜鸟在里面飞舞；他们又象盛满死人骨头的粉饰坟墓；象用镀金的渣滓和干粪制成的硬币；象包裹朽木的树皮和木纤维；或象包裹亚伦儿子麻风身体的衣服；更确切地说，象积满脓液的溃疡，由于薄皮遮盖就以为痊愈了。谁不知道一个圣洁的外在和一个亵渎的内在不一致？这种人通常比其他人更害怕检查自己，所以他们再也觉察不到自己里面的恶毒，就象他们在排泄前觉察不到肠胃里臭不可闻的物质一样。但必须记住，不可将此处所说的人与那些行为良好、信仰正确的人相混淆，也不可与那些在敬拜，特别是经历属灵试探时，懊悔罪恶，自言自语或以相似的口头忏悔祷告之人相混淆。因为这种忏悔通常出现在更新与重生前后。
519. 可通过对比来说明这种人的性质。 他们就象里面只有龙的灵和启示录中“蝗虫”所指之人的神殿; 他们还象其中的讲坛, 圣言不在上面, 而是被掷于脚下; 象涂抹艳丽的外墙, 但打开窗户后, 却发现猫头鹰和可怕的夜鸟在里面飞舞; 他们又象盛满死人骨头的粉饰坟墓; 象用镀金的渣滓和干粪制成的硬币; 象包裹朽木的树皮和木纤维; 或象包裹亚伦儿子麻风身体的衣服; 更确切地说, 象积满脓液的溃疡, 由于薄皮遮盖就以为痊愈了。 谁不知道一个圣洁的外在和一个亵渎的内在不一致? 这种人通常比其他人更害怕检查自己, 所以他们再也觉察不到自己里面的恶毒, 就象他们在排泄前觉察不到肠胃里臭不可闻的物质一样。 但必须记住, 不可将此处所说的人与那些行为良好, 信仰正确的人相混淆, 也不可与那些在敬拜, 特别是经历属灵试探时, 懊悔罪恶, 自言自语或以相似的口头忏悔祷告之人相混淆。 因为这种忏悔通常出现在更新与重生前后。
第4节 人生来就倾向于各种罪恶, 除非他通过悔改在某种程度上移走自己的罪恶, 否则他仍在罪中, 而凡在罪中者必不能得救
519. The nature of these people can be illustrated by various comparisons.
They are like church buildings full of dragon spirits and people meant by the locusts in the Book of Revelation. They are like pulpits where there is no copy of the Word, because it has been hidden under foot.
They are like [a building with] exterior walls covered in beautifully colored plaster, but screech owls and dreadful night birds are flying around inside because the windows were left open. They are like whitewashed tombs in which lie the bones of the dead. They are like gilded coins made out of dregs or dried dung. They are like bark and pith around a core of rotted wood. They are like the vestments of the sons of Aaron worn on a leprous body. They are like wounds that are thought to have been cured, but infecting pus remains just under a thin surface of skin.
Who does not know that outward holiness and inward profaneness do not go together?
People like this are more afraid than others to examine themselves. As a result they are no more aware of the vices that are inside them than they are of the foul-smelling contents of their own intestinal tract before they excrete them into the latrine.
Be careful, however, not to confuse the people I have just mentioned with those who live good lives and have good beliefs. Also, do not confuse them with those who are practicing repentance from some sins and who pray or quietly say an oral confession like [the one above] to themselves, perhaps during worship and especially in times of spiritual crisis. It is common for a confession like this both to precede and to follow reformation and regeneration.
519. The nature of people of this sort can be illustrated by comparisons. They are like churches with congregations of none but the spirits of the dragon, and the people meant in Revelation by locusts. They are also like pulpits in those churches where there is no Word, because it has been buried underfoot. They are like walls with beautifully coloured panelling, but with windows left open so that owls and ill-omened night-birds fly inside. They are like whitewashed tombs containing dead men's bones. They are like coins made out of dregs or dried dung plated with gold. They are like bark and bast surrounding rotting wood, or like the vestments of Aaron's sons on a leprous body; or rather, like ulcers full of pus covered by thin skin, so as to look as if healed. Is anyone unaware that a holy external and an unholy internal do not agree? Such people also are more than ordinarily afraid of examining themselves; so they are no more conscious of the rottenness in them than they are of the foul and stinking matter in their stomachs and bowels before being ejected into a lavatory.
But it should be grasped that those so far discussed are not to be confused with those whose actions and beliefs are good, nor with those who repent of any sins and talk to themselves or pray using the same sort of verbal confession when worshipping, and even more when undergoing spiritual temptation. For that general confession both precedes and follows reformation and regeneration.
519. The character of such may be illustrated by comparisons. They are like temples where only the spirits of the dragon, and those who are meant by "locusts" in the Apocalypse, are congregated; and they are like the pulpits therein, where the Word is not because it is put beneath the feet. They are like plastered walls with the plaster beautifully colored, but within them when the windows are opened, owls and direful night birds are flying about. They are like whitened sepulchres which contain dead men's bones. They are like coins made of the dregs of oil or of dried dung covered with gold. They are like the bark and wood fiber covering rotten wood; like the garments of Aaron's sons about a leprous body; and even like ulcers containing pus covered over with a thin skin, and supposed to be healed. Who does not know that a holy external and a profane internal do not accord? Such also are more afraid than others to examine themselves; therefore they are no more sensible of the viciousness within them, than they are of the pungent and ill-smelling substances in their stomachs and bowels before they are cast out into the draught. But it must be remembered that those here spoken of are not to be confounded with those who do well and believe rightly, nor with those who repent of some sins, and when worshiping, and still more when in spiritual temptation, speak within themselves or pray from a like oral confession; for such a general confession both precedes and follows reformation and regeneration.
519. The nature of such persons may be illustrated by comparisons. They are like temples in which are gathered only spirits of the dragon and those meant by the locusts in the Revelation; and they are like the pulpits in those temples where the Word has no place, because it is buried underfoot. They are like walls covered with plaster, beautifully colored, within which, when the windows are opened, fly owls and horrid birds of night, or like whited sepulchres full of dead men's bones. They are like coins made of dross or worthless material covered over with gold, or like the bark of a tree trunk enclosing a rotten stock. They are like the garments of Aaron's sons on a leprous body, or like ulcers full of corrupt matter, supposed to be healed, but covered only with a thin skin. Every one knows that a holy external and a profane internal are incongruous. Such persons more than others are afraid to examine themselves, so that they have no more perception of the vices within them than of the fetid ill-smelling substances in the stomach and bowels before these are cast out into the draught. It must be noted, however, that the persons who have just been spoken of are not to be confounded with those who live well and believe aright; nor with those who repent of some of their sins, and who make such oral confession in their worship; nor still more with those who in time of spiritual temptation pour out their soul in prayer; for this public confession precedes and follows reformation and regeneration.
519. Quales illi sunt, illustrari potest per Comparationes: sunt sicut Templa, in quibus sunt modo spiritus Draconis, et illi qui per Locustas in Apocalypsi intelliguntur, congregati; et sunt sicut Pulpita ibi, ubi non est Verbum, quia repostum sub pedibus. Sunt sicut Parietes incrustati, et incrustatio pulchre colorata; intra quos apertis fenestris volitant ululae, et dirae 1 noctis aves. Sunt sicut Sepulchra dealbata, in quibus sunt ossa mortuorum. Sunt sicut Monetae ex amurcis 2 seu 3 arefactis fimis factae et auro obductae. Sunt sicut cortices et codices circum putre lignum: ac sicut vestes filiorum Aharonis circum leprosum corpus: imo sicut ulcera, intra quae sanies, obducta tenui cute, quae creduntur sanata. Quis non scit, quod sanctum externum et prophanum internum non una concordent. Tales etiam prae aliis timent se explorare; quare non plus sentiunt vitiosa in se, quam nidorosa et graveolentia 4 in ventriculis et in illis, antequam in latrinam ejecta sunt. Sed tenendum est, quod illi, de quibus hactenus dictum est, non confundendi sint cum illis, qui bene agunt et bene credunt; nec cum illis, qui poenitentiam ab aliquibus peccatis agunt, et ex parili confessione orali, dum in cultu, et plus dum in tentatione spirituali, secum loquuntur aut orant; nam communis illa confessio et praecedit et sequitur reformationem 5 et regenerationem.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: ditae.
2. Prima editio: amureis.
3. Prima editio: scu.
4. Prima editio: granveolenta.
5. Prima editio: reformatiorem.