535. 第8节 那些不自我反省, 但由于是罪仍会避开恶行之人也悔改。 那些出于宗教原因布施行善之人行的就是这种悔改
由于本章最后几节 (564-566) 所说的众多原因, 真正的悔改, 即“检查自己, 认识并承认自己的罪, 向主祈求, 开启新生活”, 对改革宗基督教界来说非常困难, 所以我在此提出一个相对容易的悔改, 即, 当人正思想某种恶行, 并打算付诸行动时, 他可以对自己说: “我正思想这个邪恶, 也准备行动, 但因为它是罪, 所以我不能这样做。 ”通过这种方式, 会遏制地狱注入诱惑, 阻止它进一步推进。 奇怪的是, 谁都会指责别人意欲行恶, 并说: “不能那么做, 这是罪过。 ”然而却很难对自己这么说。 原因在于, 对自己说这种话会触及意愿, 而对别人说这种话仅触及最接近于听觉的思维。
在灵界曾做过一次调查, 以查看谁能实践真正的悔改, 结果发现, 这样的人稀少得如同无边沙漠中的鸽子。 有人说, 他们能以较容易的方式悔改, 但不能在神面前检查自己, 忏悔自己的罪。 所有出于宗教原因行善之人, 皆避免犯下实际恶行, 但他们极少反思属于意愿的内在, 他们以为自己不在恶中, 因为他们行了善, 更确切地说, 他们以为善行会遮盖邪恶。 但是, 我的朋友, 仁爱的起点是避开邪恶。 圣言, 十诫, 洗礼, 圣餐, 甚至理智都教导这一点, 因为若没有某种自我反省, 人如何摆脱并驱逐邪恶呢? 除非内在被洁净, 否则, 善如何成为善呢? 我也深知, 所有敬虔之人, 以及理智健全者, 读到这些内容时, 都会点头表示赞同, 也会视之为真正的真理, 然而仍旧很少有人实实在在去行动。
535. Repentance Is Also Practiced by Those Who Do Not Examine Themselves but Nevertheless Stop Doing Evils Because Evils Are Sinful; This Kind of Repentance Is Done by People Who Do Acts of Goodwill as a Religious Practice
In the Protestant Christian world, active repentance, which is examining ourselves, recognizing and admitting to our sins, praying to the Lord, and starting a new life, is extremely difficult to practice, for a number of reasons that will be covered under the final heading in this chapter [564-566]. Therefore here is an easier kind of repentance: When we are considering doing something evil and are forming an intention to do it, we say to ourselves, "I am thinking about this and I am intending to do it, but because it is a sin, I am not going to do it. " This counteracts the enticement that hell is injecting into us and keeps it from making further inroads.
It is amazing but true that it is easy for any of us to rebuke someone else who is intending to do something evil and say, "Don't do that - that's a sin!" And yet it is difficult for us to say the same thing to ourselves. The reason is that saying it to ourselves requires a movement of the will, but saying it to someone else requires only a low level of thought based on things we have heard.
[2] There was an investigation in the spiritual world to see which people were capable of doing this second type of repentance. It was discovered that there are as few of such people as there are doves in a vast desert. Some people indicated that they were indeed capable of this second type of repentance, but that they were incapable of examining themselves and confessing their sins before God. Nevertheless, all people who do good actions as a religious practice avoid actual evils. It is extremely rare, though, that people reflect on the inner realms that belong to their will. They suppose that because they are involved in good actions they are not involved in evil actions, and even that their goodness covers up their evil.
But, my friend, to abstain from evils is the first step in gaining goodwill. The Word teaches this. The Ten Commandments teach it. Baptism teaches it. The Holy Supper teaches it.
Reason, too, teaches it. How could any of us escape from our evils or drive them away without ever taking a look at ourselves? How can our goodness become truly good without being inwardly purified?
I know that all devout people and also all people of sound reason who read this will nod and see it as genuine truth; yet even so, only a few are going to do what it says.
535. VIII. Those too repent who do not examine themselves, but still refrain from evil actions because they are sins. This kind of repentance is practised by those who perform charitable deeds for religious reasons.
Real repentance, which is examining oneself, recognising and acknowledging one's sins, praying to the Lord and starting a new life, is very difficult in the part of the world occupied by the Reformed Christian churches, for a number of reasons which will be discussed in the last section of this chapter [564-566]. So I propose to describe an easier kind of repentance. When anyone is turning over in his mind some evil deed, and intending to do it, he should say to himself: 'I am thinking about this and I intend to do it, but I shall not because it is a sin.' This has the effect of blunting the thrust of hell's tempting and preventing it from advancing any further. It is extraordinary how anyone can scold another intending to do evil and say to him: 'Don't do that, because it is a sin;' but he finds it very difficult to say that to himself. The reason is that saying it to oneself involves the will, but saying it to someone else merely comes from a level of thought not far removed from hearing.
[2] In the spiritual world enquiry was made to see who could practise this second form of repentance; and there were as few to be found as there are doves in a broad expanse of desert. Some said that they could do this, but were unable to examine themselves and confess their sins before God. Yet all those who do good for religious reasons avoid committing actual evil, though they very rarely reflect upon interior matters, which are the business of the will, believing that they cannot be doing evil because they are doing good, or rather, that the good actions cover up the evil ones.
But, my friend, the starting-point of charity is to shun evils. This is what is taught by the Word, the Ten Commandments, baptism, the Holy Supper, even by one's reason. For how can anyone escape evils and get rid of them without some self-inspection? How can good become good, unless it is inwardly made pure? I am well aware that all religious people, as well as those with a sound faculty of reason, will nod in assent when they read this, and see it as a genuine truth - yet still there will be few who actually do it.
535. VIII. THOSE ALSO REPENT WHO ALTHOUGH THEY DO NOT EXAMINE THEMSELVES, YET REFRAIN FROM EVILS BECAUSE THEY ARE SINS; AND THOSE WHO FROM RELIGION DO THE WORKS OF CHARITY EXERCISE SUCH REPENTANCE.
Since actual repentance, which is examining oneself recognizing and acknowledging one's sins, praying to the Lord and beginning a new life, is in the Reformed Christian world exceedingly difficult for many reasons that will be given in the last section of this chapter, therefore an easier kind of repentance is here presented, which is, that when anyone is giving thought to any evil and intending it, he shall say to himself, "Although I am thinking about this and intending it, I will not do it because it is a sin." By this means the temptation injected from hell is checked, and its further entrance prevented. It is strange that anyone can find fault with another for his evil intentions, and say, "Do not do that because it is a sin," and yet find it difficult to say this to himself; but this is because the latter touches the will, but the former only the thought nearest to hearing. Inquiry was made in the spiritual world as to who were capable of this [actual] repentance, and they were found to be as few as doves in a vast desert. Some said that they could repent in the easier way; but were not able to examine themselves and confess their sins before God. All who do good from religion, avoid actual evils, but they very rarely reflect upon the interiors pertaining to the will, for they believe that they are not in evil because they are in good, and even that the good covers the evil. But, my friend, the first thing of charity is to shun evils. This is taught in the Word, the Decalogue, baptism, the holy supper and even by the reason; for how can anyone flee away from evils and banish them without some self-inspection? And how can good become good until it has been interiorly purified? I know that all pious men, and also all men of sound reason, will assent to this when they read it, and will see it as genuine truth; but still, that few will act accordingly.
535. VIII. THOSE ALSO REPENT WHO, ALTHOUGH THEY DO NOT EXAMINE THEMSELVES, YET ABSTAIN FROM EVILS BECAUSE THEY ARE SINS; AND REPENTANCE OF THIS KIND IS LIKEWISE EFFECTED BY THOSE WHO DO THE WORKS OF CHARITY FROM A RELIGIOUS MOTIVE.
Actual repentance, which consists in self-examination, in the recognition and acknowledgment of one's sins, in prayer to the Lord, and in beginning a new life, is exceedingly difficult in the Reformed Christian world for many reasons which will be given in the last article of this chapter; therefore an easier kind of repentance will be mentioned here. When this is present in a man who is meditating and intending any evil, it causes him to say, "I am thinking of this, and intending it; but as it is a sin, I will not do it." By this means the temptation from hell is broken, and its further entrance prevented. It is a remarkable fact that it is easy for any one to rebuke another who is intending evil, and say to him, "Do not do this, because it is a sin," and yet it is difficult for him to say the same to himself. For in the latter case it is a matter of will, but in the former a matter of thought, easily communicated because very superficial.
Inquiry was made in the spiritual world as to who could exercise this repentance, and they were found to be as rare as doves in a vast wilderness. Some said that they could do it, but that they were not able to examine themselves and confess their sins before God. However, all who do good from a religious motive certainly avoid actual evils; yet seldom do they reflect upon the interior things of the will, imagining that they are not in evil because they are in good; in fact, that the good conceals the evil. But, my friend, the first essential of charity is to shun evils, as the Word, the Decalogue, Baptism, the Holy Supper and reason itself, all teach; for how can any one shun evils and put them away unless he examines himself? and how can good become good unless it is inwardly purified? I know that all men of piety, and all men of sound reason, will assent to this when they read it, and see that it is genuine truth; yet there are few that will act accordingly.
535. Quod etiam Poenitentiam agant illi, qui non explorant se, sed usque a malis, quia peccata sunt, desistunt: et quod haec poenitentia fiat ab illis, qui Charitatis opera ex religione faciunt.
Quoniam Poenitentia actualis, quae est explorare se, cognoscere et agnoscere sua peccata, supplicare ad Dominum, et novam vitam inchoare, in Christiano Reformato Orbe maxime difficilis est, propter plures causas, de quibus in ultimo hujus Capitis Articulo, ideo facilior species Poenitentiae adducetur, quae est, ut quando quis malum versat animo, et illud intendit, sibi dicat, cogito hoc, et intendo hoc, sed quia peccatum est, non faciam illud; per hoc injecta ab Inferno tentatio infringitur, et ulterior ejus ingressus inhibetur. Hoc mirabile est, quod quisque possit increpare alium, qui malum intendit, et dicere, ne fac illud quia peccatum est, et tamen difficulter ipse sibi id potest dicere; causa est, quia hoc movet voluntatem, illud autem modo cogitationem auditui proximam.
[2] Inquisitum est in Mundo spirituali, quinam hoc alterum possunt facere, ac inventi sunt tam pauci, sicut columbae in spatioso deserto; et aliqui dixerunt, quod quidem id possint, sed quod explorare se, et peccata sua confiteri coram Deo, non possint; at 1 usque omnes illi, qui bonum faciunt ex religione, evitant actualia mala, at quam rarissime super interiora, quae Voluntatis sunt, reflectunt, credentes, quod in malis non sint quia in bonis, imo quod bona contegant mala; sed, mi amice! primarium Charitatis est fugere mala; hoc docet Verbum, hoc Decalogus, hoc Baptismus, hoc Sancta Coena, hoc etiam Ratio, nam quomodo aliquis potest effugere mala, et illa abalienare absque aliqua intuitione sui, et quomodo bonum potest fieri bonum, nisi interius purificatum est. Scio quod omnes pii, et quoque sani ratione, dum haec legunt, annuituri sint, et visuri id ut genuinum verum, sed quod usque pauci ita facturi.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: At.