527．然而，有一些人不能检查自己，如婴儿，尚未达到自我反省年龄的少男少女，还有根本不反思的头脑简单者，以及所有不敬畏神的人；除此之外，还有一些身体、心智疾病患者，更别提那些坚信唯信（这信将基督功德归于人）称义之人，他们确信，导向悔改的检查会引入人自己的东西，从而毁灭这信，以至于把救赎从它唯一永恒之地逐出去。仅口头忏悔对所有这些都有用，而本章前文已说明，这并不是悔改。
但那些知道何为罪的人，尤其那些通过圣言了解很多，也这样教导，却不检查自己，因此看不到自己任何罪的人，好比那些积攒了财富，却把它放在箱子和保险柜里，除了看一看，数一数外不再动它的人，还好比那些只是为了财富聚敛金银财宝，并把它们藏在地窖里的人。这种人就象把银子埋在地里、包在手巾里的商人（马太福音25:25；路加福音19:20）；也象种子撒于其上的路旁和土浅石头地（马太福音13:4，5）；还象长满树叶却不结果子的无花果树（马可福音11:13）；他们心如铁石，不是肉心（撒迦利亚书7:12）；又象鹧鸪抱不是自己下的蛋；他们不按正道得财的，到了中年，那财都必离开他们，他们终久成为愚顽人（耶利米书17:11）；同样象有灯无油的五个童女（马太福音25:1－12）。
那些从圣言获取大量有关仁爱与悔改的信息，了解很多戒律，却不照此生活的人，好比贪食者，他们将食物塞进嘴里，不经咀嚼就下咽，导致食物在胃里不消化，当它输送出去时，就破坏乳糜，导致慢性疾病，最终因此悲惨死去。所以，这种人不管拥有多少光，由于没有属灵之热，可被称为冬天、冻土、北极气候，甚至是冰雪之地。
527. 然而, 有一些人不能检查自己, 如婴儿, 尚未达到自我反省年龄的少男少女, 还有根本不反思的头脑简单者, 以及所有不敬畏神的人; 除此之外, 还有一些身体, 心智疾病患者, 更别提那些坚信唯信 (这信将基督功德归于人) 称义之人, 他们确信, 导向悔改的检查会引入人自己的东西, 从而毁灭这信, 以至于把救赎从它唯一永恒之地逐出去。 仅口头忏悔对所有这些都有用, 而本章前文已说明, 这并不是悔改。
但那些知道何为罪的人, 尤其那些通过圣言了解很多, 也这样教导, 却不检查自己, 因此看不到自己任何罪的人, 好比那些积攒了财富, 却把它放在箱子和保险柜里, 除了看一看, 数一数外不再动它的人, 还好比那些只是为了财富聚敛金银财宝, 并把它们藏在地窖里的人。 这种人就象把银子埋在地里, 包在手巾里的商人 (马太福音25:25; 路加福音19:20) ; 也象种子撒于其上的路旁和土浅石头地 (马太福音 13:4-5) ; 还象长满树叶却不结果子的无花果树 (马可福音11:13) ; 他们心如铁石, 不是肉心 (撒迦利亚书7:12) ; 又象鹧鸪抱不是自己下的蛋; 他们不按正道得财的, 到了中年, 那财都必离开他们, 他们终久成为愚顽人 (耶利米17:11) ; 同样象有灯无油的五个童女 (马太福音 25:1-12)。
那些从圣言获取大量有关仁爱与悔改的信息, 了解很多戒律, 却不照此生活的人, 好比贪食者, 他们将食物塞进嘴里, 不经咀嚼就下咽, 导致食物在胃里不消化, 当它输送出去时, 就破坏乳糜, 导致慢性疾病, 最终因此悲惨死去。 所以, 这种人不管拥有多少光, 由于没有属灵之热, 可被称为冬天, 冻土, 北极气候, 甚至是冰雪之地。
527. Nevertheless, there are some people who are incapable of examining themselves: for example, children and young men and women before they reach the age at which they can reflect upon themselves; simple people who lack the ability to reflect; all who have no fear of God; some who have a mental or physical illness; and also people who, entrenched in the teaching that justification comes solely through the faith that assigns us Christ's merit, have convinced themselves that if they practiced self-examination and repentance something of their own selves might intrude that would ruin their faith and divert or redirect their salvation from its sole focus.
For the types of people just listed, an oral confession is of benefit, although, as discussed earlier in this chapter [516-519], it is not the same as practicing repentance.
[2] People who know what sin is and especially those who know a lot about it from the Word and who teach about it, but who do not examine themselves and therefore see no sin within themselves, can be compared to people who scrape and save money, only to put it away in boxes and containers and make no other use of it than looking at it and counting it. They are like people who collect pieces of gold and silver jewelry and keep them in a safe in a storage room for no other purpose than to own them. They are like the businessman who hid his talent in the ground and the one who wrapped his mina in a handkerchief (Matthew 25:25; Luke 19:20). They are like the hardened pathways and rocks onto which the seed fell (Matthew 13:4-5). They are like fig trees with abundant foliage that bear no fruit (Mark 11:13). They are like hearts of stone that have not turned to flesh ([Ezekiel 36:26]; Zechariah 7:12). They are "like partridges that nest but do not bear young. They amass riches, but without judgment. In the middle of their days they leave their riches behind and at the end of their [lives] they become fools" (Jeremiah 17:11). They are also like the five young women who had lamps but no oil (Matthew 25:1-12).
[3] People who take in many teachings from the Word about goodwill and repentance and who know all about the commandments and yet do not live by those things could be compared to gluttons who stuff food in chunks into their mouths and swallow it without chewing, so that it sits undigested in their stomach and then clogs up their chyle and causes chronic diseases, from which they eventually die a wretched death.
No matter how much light they may have, people like this can be called winters, frozen lands, arctic climates, and indeed snow and ice, because they have no spiritual warmth.
527. Still there are some who cannot examine themselves, for instance young children, and boys and girls until they are old enough to become capable of introspection; likewise the simple, who do not reflect at all; also, all who lack the fear of God; moreover, some who are sick in mind or body; not to mention those who, firmly believing in justification by faith alone which imputes to us the merit of Christ, have convinced themselves that examination leading to repentance would introduce something of the person himself destructive of faith, so as to eject and cast forth salvation from its one and only focal point. For all of these a merely verbal confession may serve; and it was shown before in this chapter that this is not repentance.
[2] Those who know what sin is, and even more those who know a great deal from the Word, and teach this, but do not examine themselves, so seeing no sin in themselves, can be compared to those who scrape together wealth and store it in cases and chests, making no other use of it except to gloat over and count; or to those who make collections of gold and silver masterpieces for their treasure-houses, and shut them up in cellars, merely in order to be known as wealthy. These are like the merchant who hid his talent underground, and hid his mina 1 in a napkin (Matthew 25:25; Luke 19:20). They are also like hard paths and rocks on which seed falls (Matthew 13:4-5); and like fig-trees with luxuriant foliage, but which do not bear fruit (Mark 11:13). Their hearts are adamant and do not turn to flesh (Zechariah 7:12). They are like partridges which gather eggs but do not lay them, they amass riches, but unjustly; in the midst of their days they leave them behind, and at the last become fools (Jeremiah 17:11). They are like the five virgins, who had lamps but no oil (Matthew 25:1-12).
[3] Those who take many sayings about charity and repentance from the Word, and know a great many commandments, yet do not live by them, can be compared with gluttons who cram gobbets of food into their mouths, and swallow them into their stomachs without chewing them. There they languish undigested, and passed on from there they pollute the chyle, bringing about chronic diseases which end up by causing a wretched death, Such people, being devoid of spiritual heat, however much they enjoy light, can be called winters, cold countries, arctic climes, or, rather, snow and ice.
Footnotes:
1. This mina was one sixtieth of a talent, often translated 'pound' in English Bibles.
527. Yet there are some who cannot examine themselves, such as infants, boys and girls before they arrive at the age when they are capable of self-examination, also the simple minded, who are not capable of reflection; and again, all those who have no fear of God, and beside these some who are sick in mind and body; and above all those who are confirmed in the doctrine of justification by faith alone, which imputes Christ's merit to man, and who have persuaded themselves, that by such examination and repentance something of man would enter, which would destroy faith, and thus would banish and reject salvation from its one only abiding-place. To all such a mere lip-confession is serviceable. That this is not repentance has been shown above in this chapter.
[2] But those who know what sin is, and still more those who know many things from the Word and teach them, and yet do not examine themselves, and consequently see no sin in themselves, may be likened to those who scrape up wealth and lay it up in chests and coffers, making no further use of it than to look at it and count it; also to those who gather into their treasuries jewels of gold and silver, or hide them in vaults, for the mere sake of being rich.
Such are like the trader who hid his talent in the earth, and like him who hid his pound in a napkin (Matthew 25:25; Luke 19:20).
They are also like the hard wayside and the stony places upon which the seed fell (Matthew 13:4, 5).
Also like fig trees full of leaves but bearing no fruit (Mark 11:13).
They are the hearts of adamant, which do not become hearts of flesh (Zechariah 7:12).
They are like the partridges which gather and bring not forth; they get riches, but not with judgment; they leave them in the midst of their days, and at their end become fools (Jeremiah 17:11).
They are like the five virgins who had lamps but no oil (Matthew 25:1-12).
[3] Those who acquire from the Word much about charity and repentance, and who have abundant knowledge of its teachings, and yet do not live in accordance therewith, may be compared to gluttons, who stuff their food into their mouths in chunks, and swallow it without chewing, so that it remains undigested in the stomach, and when it passes out vitiates the chyle, and brings on lingering diseases, from which they finally die a miserable death. And as such are without spiritual heat, however much light they may possess, they may be called winters, frozen grounds, arctic climates, and even fields of snow and ice.
527. There are many, however, who cannot examine themselves, as infants and boys and girls before they arrive at an age when they become capable of self-examination. This is also the case with simple persons, who are not capable of reflection; with all those who have no fear of God; and with those who are sick in mind and body. To these must be added all who are confirmed in the doctrine of justification by faith alone which imputes the merit of Christ, and who have persuaded themselves that by examination and consequent repentance, something of man would enter which would ruin faith, and so, by depriving salvation of its only abiding place, would place it beyond their reach. Such persons are content with mere lip-confession; but this, as was shown above in this chapter, is not repentance.
[2] On the other hand, those who know what sin is, and particularly those who have much knowledge of the Word and teach it to others, and yet do not examine themselves and consequently see no sin in themselves, may be likened to those who scrape together great wealth and store it up in boxes and chests, applying it to no useful purpose, but who gloat over it and count it. They are like those who gather into their treasuries, merely for wealth's sake, jewels of gold and silver, hiding them away in cellars.
They are also like the traders, one of whom hid his talent in the earth, and another his pound in a napkin. Matthew 25:25; Luke 19:20.
They are like hard and stony paths on which seed falls, Matthew 13:4-5; like fig trees full of leaves, but barren of fruit, Mark 11:13; like hearts of adamant, which cannot be made flesh, Zechariah 7:12.
They are like partridges 'which gather and bring not forth; they get riches, but not by right; in the midst of their days they leave them, and in their end they become fools.' They are like the five virgins who had lamps and no oil, Matthew 25:1-12.
[3] Those who learn much from the Word about charity and repentance, and who know its precepts in abundance, but do not live according to them, may be compared to gluttons, who stuff into their mouth great pieces of food; and these being swallowed without mastication remain in the stomach undigested, till passing out they vitiate the chyle, and bring on lingering disorders which at last put a miserable end to their lives. Such persons, being without spiritual heat, however much light they may enjoy, may be likened to winter, frozen ground, arctic regions, even snow and ice.
527. At usque sunt aliqui, qui non possunt se explorare, sicut infantes, pueri et puellae ante advectam aetatem dum suae intuitionis fiunt: pariter simplices, qui nullius reflexionis sunt; tum etiam cuncti, quibus non timor Dei; et praeter hos aliqui aegroti animo et corpore: et insuper illi, qui confirmati ex doctrina justificationis per solam fidem imputativam meriti Christi, sibi persuaserunt, quod per explorationem et inde poenitentiam, aliquid hominis intraret, quod pessumdaret fidem, et sic salutem extra unicum suum focum ejiceret et projiceret. His et illis inservit modo confessio oralis, quae quod non sit poenitentia, supra in hoc Capite ostensum est.
[2] Sed illi qui sciunt quid peccatum, et magis qui sciunt plura ex Verbo, et docent illa, et non explorant se, et inde nullum peccatum in se vident, assimilari possunt illis, qui corradunt opes, et illas reponunt in scriniis et arculis, absque alio usu ex illis, quam ut spectentur et numerentur: et illis qui in thesauraria colligunt Clenodia auri et argenti, et in cellariis occludunt illa, propter solum finem opulentiae; qui similes sunt negotiatori, qui talentum suum recondidit sub terra, et qui minam suam in sudario, 1 Matthaeus 25:25; Luca 19:20. Sunt etiam sicut durae viae et petrae, in quas semen cadit, 2 Matthaeus 13:4-5, 3 et quoque sicut ficus luxuriantes foliis, et non ferunt fructus, 4 Marcus 11:13. 5 Suntque corda adamantina, quae non fiunt carnea, 6 Sacharia 7:12. Sunt sicut perdices, quae colligunt et non pariunt, faciunt divitias sed non cum judicio, in medio dierum suarum deserunt illas, et in postremitate sua fiunt stulti, Jeremias 17:11. Sunt sicut quinque virgines, quibus lampades et non oleum, 7 Matthaeus 25:1-12.
[3] Illi qui ex Verbo hauriunt multa de charitate et de poenitentia, et sciunt 8 praecepta in copia, et non vivunt secundum illa, comparari possunt cum voracibus, qui cibaria in frustis ingerunt in buccam, et non comminuta dentibus inferunt in ventrem, ubi indigesta morantur, et inde expressa inquinant chylum, et inducunt lentos morbos, a quibus tandem misere moriuntur. Tales quia sunt absque spirituali calore, utcunque in luce, vocari possunt hyemes, terrae frigidae, climata arctica, imo nives et glacies.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: similes�sudario (absque italicis).
2. Prima editio: sicut�cadit (absque italicis).
3. Prima editio: 12:4.
4. Prima editio: sicut�fructus (absque italicis).
5. Prima editio: 12.
6. Prima editio: corda�carnea (absque italicis).
7. Prima editio: sicut�oleum (absque italicis).
8. Prima editio: fciunt.