564. 第11节 一个从不悔改或从不检视和检查自己的人, 最终不再知道何为诅咒的邪恶和得救的良善
由于在改革宗, 几乎没人实践悔改, 所以在此有必要补充一点, 即凡不检视和检查自己的人, 最终不再知道何为诅咒的邪恶和得救的良善, 因为他没有借以认识这一点的宗教信仰。 人没有看到, 认识与承认的邪恶仍旧存留, 凡存留的东西会变得越来越根深蒂固, 直到它阻塞内在心智, 人由此首先变得属世, 然后感官化, 最终成为肉体的, 在这种状态下, 他认识不到任何诅咒的邪恶和得救的良善。 他变得象一棵生长在岩石上的树, 将其根扎在岩石裂缝中, 最终因缺失水分而枯萎。
凡受过良好教育的人皆具理性和道德, 但通向理性的途径有两种, 一种来自尘世, 另一种来自天堂。 人若仅循尘世而非天堂的途径通向理性与道德, 那么就只在言谈举止上是理性与道德的, 其内在仍是动物, 甚至是野兽, 因为他和地狱居民行动如一, 而地狱全是野兽。 但若人也循天堂的途径通向理性与道德, 那他就具有真正的理性和道德, 因为他在灵, 言语, 身体上都是如此。 言语和身体里的属灵物就象灵魂一样驱动属世物, 感官和肉体, 他也和天堂居民行动如一。 因此, 既有属灵的理性道德之人, 也有纯粹属世的理性道德之人。 这两类人在尘世无法彼此区分, 特别是由于习练而变得伪善之人, 但天人区分他们, 容易得就象区分鸽子和猫头鹰, 或绵羊和老虎一样。
纯属世人能看到别人的善与恶, 也会指责他们, 但因为他不检视和检查自己, 所以看不到自己的恶。 倘若别人发现他的恶, 他就用理性掩盖它, 就象蛇将头钻进沙土, 又象大黄蜂把自己埋在泥里。 这一切是由于恶的快乐造成的, 这快乐包围着他, 就象沼泽上吸收并熄灭光线的薄雾。 地狱的快乐无非是这样。 它从地狱呼出, 流入每个人, 注入他的脚底, 背部和后枕骨。 当它通过头在前额, 通过身体在胸部被接受时, 人就成为地狱的奴隶, 因为人类大脑专注于觉知及其智慧, 而小脑则专注于意愿及其爱。 这就是为何头脑分为大, 小脑的原因。 但地狱快乐被纠正, 改造, 反转, 只能通过属灵的理性和道德。
564. Those Who Have Never Practiced Repentance or Looked at or Studied Themselves Eventually Do Not Even Know What Damnable Evil or Saving Goodness Is
Since only a few people in the Protestant Christian world practice repentance, it is important to add that those who have not looked at or studied themselves eventually do not even know what damnable evil or saving goodness is, because they lack the religious practice that would allow them to find out. The evil that we do not see, recognize, or admit to stays with us; and what stays with us becomes more and more firmly established until it blocks off the inner areas of our minds. As a result, we become first earthly, then sense-oriented, and finally bodily. In these cases we do not know of any damnable evil or any saving goodness. We become like a tree on a hard rock that spreads its roots into the crevices in the rocks and eventually dries up because it has no moisture.
[2] All people who were brought up properly are rational and moral. There are different ways of being rational, however: a worldly way and a heavenly way. People who have become rational and moral in a worldly way but not also in a heavenly way are rational and moral only in word and gesture. Inwardly they are animals, and predatory animals at that, because they are in step with the inhabitants of hell, all of whom are like that. People who have become rational and moral in a heavenly way as well, however, are truly rational and truly moral, because they have these qualities in spirit as well as in word and deed. Something spiritual lies hidden within their words and actions like the soul that activates their earthly, sense-oriented, and bodily levels. Such people are in step with the inhabitants of heaven.
Therefore there is such a thing as a rational, moral person who is spiritual, and such a thing as a rational, moral person who is only earthly. In the world you cannot tell them apart, especially if their hypocrisy is well rehearsed. Angels in heaven can tell the two apart, however, as easily as telling doves from eagle-owls or sheep from tigers.
[3] Those who are only earthly can see good and evil qualities in others and criticize them, but because they have never looked at or studied themselves, they see no evil in themselves. If someone else discovers an evil in them, they use their rational faculty to hide it, as a snake hides its head in the dust; then they plunge themselves into that evil the way a hornet dives into dung.
Their delight in evil is what has this blinding effect. It surrounds them like a fog over a swamp, absorbing and suffocating rays of light. This is the nature of hellish delight. It radiates from hell and flows into every human being, but only into the soles of our feet, our back, and the back of our head. If we receive that inflow with our forehead and our chest, however, we are slaves to hell, because the human cerebrum serves the intellect and its wisdom, whereas the cerebellum serves the will and its love. This is why we have two brains. The only thing that can amend, reform, and turn around hellish delight of the kind just mentioned is a rationality and morality that is spiritual.
564. XI. A person who has never repented, or looked into himself and examined himself, ends up not knowing what is the evil that damns him and what the good that saves him,
Since so few people in the world of the Reformed Christians repent, it is necessary to add this point, that anyone who has not looked into or examined himself ends up not knowing what is the evil that damns him and the good that saves him. For he has no religious belief by which he can know this. The evil which a person does not see, recognise and acknowledge, lasts; and what lasts grows deeper and deeper roots until it blocks the interiors of his mind. This makes a person first natural, then sensual and finally bodily. In neither of these last two states does he recognise any damning evil or saving good. He becomes like a tree growing on hard rock, spreading its roots among the cracks in it, which ends up by withering for lack of moisture.
[2] Everyone who has been properly brought up is rational and moral. But there are two routes to rationality, one from the world, the other from heaven. A person who has followed the world's route to rationality and morality, and not that from heaven too, is only rational and moral in speech and behaviour; inwardly he is an animal, or rather, a wild beast, because he acts as one with the inhabitants of hell, where all are of this nature. However, a person who has also followed heaven's route to rationality and morality is truly rational and moral, because he is this at the same time in spirit, speech and body. Speech and body have the spiritual like a soul within them, and this activates the natural, sensual and bodily functions. He also acts as one with the inhabitants of heaven. There are therefore people who are rational and moral in a spiritual way, and also people who are rational and moral in a purely natural way. These cannot be told apart in the world, especially if a person is steeped in hypocrisy as the result of practising it. But the angels in heaven can tell them apart as plainly as doves from owls, or as sheep from tigers.
[3] A purely natural person can see evils and good qualities in others, and can also criticise others. But because he has not looked into and examined himself, he sees no evil in himself; and if any evil is uncovered by someone else, he employs his rational faculty to conceal it, like a snake hiding its head and plunging into the dust, or a hornet into dung. This is caused by the joy of evil, and this surrounds him, like mist over a marsh, absorbing and attenuating the rays of light. The joy of hell is nothing but this. From hell it exhales and flows into everyone, but into the soles of the feet, the back and the rear of the head. However, should it be received by the fore part of the head, or by the chest in the body, that person becomes a slave of hell. The reason is that the human cerebrum is assigned to the understanding and to its wisdom, the cerebellum to the will and its love. That is why the brain has two parts. But the only thing which can cure, reform and turn upside down that hellish joy is spiritual rationality and morality.
564. XI. ONE WHO HAS NEVER REPENTED OR HAS NEVER LOOKED INTO AND SEARCHED HIMSELF, FINALLY CEASES TO KNOW WHAT DAMNING EVIL OR SAVING GOOD IS.
As few in the Reformed Christian world practice repentance, this is here added, that he who has not looked into and searched himself, finally ceases to know what damning evil or saving good is, because he has no religion from which to know it; for the evil that a man does not see, recognize, and acknowledge, remains; and whatever remains becomes more and more enrooted, until it obstructs the interiors of the mind, whereby man becomes first natural, then sensual, and finally corporeal, and in such states he knows not any damning evil or saving good. He becomes like a tree growing on a hard rock, which spreads its roots among the crevices and finally withers away from lack of moisture.
[2] Every man rightly educated is rational and moral; but there are two ways to rationality, one from the world and the other from heaven. He who has become rational and moral from the world only, and not from heaven, is rational and moral in word and gesture only, but is inwardly a beast, and even a wild beast, because he acts as one with those who are in hell, where all are wild beasts. But he who is rational and moral from heaven also, is truly rational and moral, because he is so at once in spirit, word, and body; the spiritual being within these two latter like a soul actuating the natural, sensual, and corporeal; it also acts as one with those who are in heaven. Therefore there can be a spiritual-rational and moral man, and also a merely natural-rational and moral man. These two are not distinguished from each other in the world, especially if the man has by practice become imbued with hypocrisy; but they are distinguished by the angels in heaven as easily as doves from owls or sheep from tigers.
[3] The merely natural man can see good and evil in others, and also rebuke others; but not having looked into and examined himself, he does not see any evil in himself, and if any is discovered by another, he cloaks it by means of his rationality; as a serpent hides his head in the dust, and immerses himself in it, as a hornet buries himself in mud. This is done by the delight of evil, which encompasses him as a fog does a marsh, absorbing and extinguishing the rays of light. Infernal delight is no other. It is exhaled from hell, and flows into every man, into the soles of his feet, his back, and his occiput; and when it is received by the head in the forehead and by the body in the breast, man is made a slave to hell; and for the reason that the human cerebrum is devoted to the understanding and the wisdom it contains, but the cerebellum to the will and its love. This is why there are two brains. But that infernal delight can be corrected, reformed, and inverted solely by the spiritual-rational and moral.
564. XI. HE WHO HAS NEVER PRACTICED REPENTANCE, OR WHO HAS NOT LOOKED INTO AND EXAMINED HIMSELF, AT LENGTH DOES NOT KNOW WHAT IS CONDEMNATORY EVIL AND WHAT IS SAVING GOOD.
As few persons in the Reformed Christian world practice repentance, attention is drawn to this fact, that he who has not looked into and examined himself at length does not know what is condemnatory evil and what is saving good; for he has no religion to lead him to that knowledge. The evil which a man does not see, recognize and acknowledge, remains with him, and becomes more and more deeply rooted, until at length it closes up the interiors of his mind so that he becomes first natural, then sensual and at last corporeal. In all these states he is not aware of any condemnatory evil or saving good, and he becomes like a tree planted on a hard rock, which spreads its roots among the crevices, and at length withers away from lack of moisture.
[2] Every properly educated man is rational and moral; but there are two ways to rationality, one leading from the world and the other from heaven. He who becomes rational and moral from the world, and not also from heaven, is only rational and moral in outward speech and behavior, but inwardly he is a beast, in fact a wild beast, because he acts in unison with those who are in hell, where all are of this character. On the other hand, he who is rational and moral from both the world and heaven, is truly rational and moral, because he is so in spirit, speech and behavior. For the spiritual, which actuates the natural, the sensual and the corporeal, is within his speech and actions as their soul. Such a man also acts in unison with those who are in heaven. There is, then, a spiritually rational and moral man, and also a merely naturally rational and moral man. In the world these are indistinguishable, especially if the latter has acquired by practice the habit of hypocrisy; but by the angels in heaven they are distinguished as clearly as doves from owls, and as sheep from tigers.
[3] The merely natural man can see what is evil and what is good in others, and can also reprove others; but as he has not looked into and examined himself, he does not see any evil in himself; and if any is pointed out to him by some one else, he covers it over by plausible reasoning, as a serpent hides its head in the dust; or he plunges deeply into it as a hornet buries itself in mire. He acts thus from the delight of evil, which envelops him as a thick mist hangs over a marsh, absorbing and suffocating the rays of light. This is the delight of hell, which emanating thence, flows into every man, into the soles of his feet, the back, and the back part of the head. If it is allowed to enter the fore part of the head and the breast, the man then becomes a slave to hell; for the cerebrum of man is the seat of the understanding and of wisdom, but the cerebellum is the seat of the will and its love. It is for this reason that there are two brains. This infernal delight is amended, reformed and inverted only by means of what is spiritually rational and moral.
564. Quod qui Poenitentiam nusquam egit, aut se non introspexit et scrutatus est, tandem non sciat quid malum damnabile, et quid bonum salutare.
Quoniam pauci in Christiano Reformato Orbe poenitentiam agunt, ideo adjectum est hoc, quod qui non se introspexit et scrutatus est, ille tandem non sciat quid malum damnabile, et quid bonum salutare; non enim ei Religio est, unde hoc sciat; malum enim, quod homo non videt, cognoscit et agnoscit, manet, et quod manet, radicatur plus et plus, usque dum obstruat interiora mentis ejus, ex quo homo fit primum naturalis, deinde sensualis, et demum corporeus, et hic et ille non scit aliquod malum damnabile, nec bonum salutare; fit sicut arbor super dura petra, quae inter foramina ejus spargit radices, et tandem, quia deficit 1 humor marcescit.
[2] Omnis homo rite educatus, est rationalis et moralis, sed ad rationalitatem sunt duae viae, una e Mundo, altera e Coelo: ille qui rationalis et moralis factus est e Mundo, et non etiam e Coelo, non rationalis et moralis est nisi ore et gestu, ac intus est bestia, imo fera, quia unum agit cum illis qui in Inferno sunt, ubi omnes tales sunt: at qui rationalis et moralis etiam est e Coelo, hic vere rationalis et moralis est, quia simul spiritu, ore et corpore; in his binis est spirituale intus sicut anima, quod actuat naturale, sensuale et corporeum, unum etiam agit cum illis qui in Coelo sunt: quare datur spiritualis rationalis et moralis homo, et quoque mere naturalis rationalis et moralis, et unus ab altero non internoscitur in Mundo, imprimis si hypocrisin exercitio imbuit, sed ab Angelis in Coelo internoscuntur tam probe, sicut columbae a bubonibus, et sicut oves a tigribus.
[3] Mere naturalis homo potest mala et bona videre apud alios, et quoque redarguere illos, sed quia non semet introspexerat et scrutatus est, non videt aliquod malum apud se, et si aliquod ab alio detegitur, medio suo rationali obvelat illud, sicut serpens suum Caput pulvere, ac immergit se illi, sicut crabro 2 se fimo. Hoc facit jucundum mali, quod circumfundit illum, sicut nimbus paludem, ac absorbet et suffocat radios lucis; jucundum infernale non aliud est; hoc inde exhalatur et influit in omnem hominem, sed in plantas pedum, tergum et occipitium ejus; sed si hoc recipitur Capite in frontispicio, ac corpore in pectore, homo ille inferno emancipatur; causa est, quia Cerebrum humanum dicatum est intellectui et ibi sapientiae, Cerebellum autem voluntati et ejus amori; inde est quod duo Cerebra sint. Sed illud jucundum infernale unice per Spirituale rationale et morale emendatur, reformatur et invertitur.
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