586.人只能逐渐重生，这一点可通过存在于自然界的每一事物来说明。一棵树不可能一天之内长成参天大树，而是先从种子开始生长，接着发出根，然后长成变成茎的嫩芽，由此发展出枝和叶，最后开花、结果。大小麦也不是一天之内收获的；房子不是一天建成的；人也不是一天就长足身量，何况智慧；教会也不是一天建立并完善的。若没有一个起点，就不可能有朝向目标的任何发展。对重生持不同观念者，对仁和信一无所知，也不知道这二者的增长都取决于人与主的合作。所有这一切清楚表明，人的重生类似他的受孕、在子宫孕育、出生、教育的过程。
586. 人只能逐渐重生, 这一点可通过存在于自然界的每一事物来说明。 一棵树不可能一天之内长成参天大树, 而是先从种子开始生长, 接着发出根, 然后长成变成茎的嫩芽, 由此发展出枝和叶, 最后开花, 结果。 大小麦也不是一天之内收获的; 房子不是一天建成的; 人也不是一天就长足身量, 何况智慧; 教会也不是一天建立并完善的。 若没有一个起点, 就不可能有朝向目标的任何发展。 对重生持不同观念者, 对仁和信一无所知, 也不知道这二者的增长都取决于人与主的合作。 所有这一切清楚表明, 人的重生类似他的受孕, 在子宫孕育, 出生, 教育的过程。
586. We can be regenerated only gradually. Each and every thing that exists in the physical world serves as an illustration of this fact. A seedling does not grow up into a mature tree in a single day. First there is a seed, then a root, then a shoot, which develops into a trunk; then branches come out of that and develop leaves and finally flowers and fruit. Wheat and barley do not spring up ready for harvest in a single day. A home is not built in a single day. We do not become full grown in a single day; reaching wisdom takes us even longer. The church is not established - let alone perfected - in a single day. We will make no progress toward a goal unless we first make a start.
People who have a different conception than this of regeneration know nothing about goodwill or faith, or how each of these qualities grows as we cooperate with the Lord. All this makes clear that regeneration progresses analogously to the way we are conceived, carried in the womb, born, and brought up.
586. The fact that a person can only be regenerated by stages can be illustrated by every single thing which comes into existence in the natural world. A tree cannot grow into a tree in a single day, but grows first from a seed, then a root, then a shoot which becomes a stem, from which branches develop with leaves, and finally flowers and fruits. Nor do wheat and barley produce a harvest in a single day. A house cannot be built in a single day: nor does a person reach full size in a single day, much less full wisdom. Nor is a church founded and brought to full development in a single day. No development towards an end is possible without a starting-point. Those who hold other ideas about regeneration know nothing about charity and faith, and how both of these grow in keeping with the person's co-operation with the Lord. All this makes it plain that regeneration is on the model of a person's conception, gestation in the womb, birth and upbringing.
586. That man can only be regenerated gradually, may be illustrated by each and all things that come into existence in the natural world. A tree cannot reach its full growth in a day, but there is first growth from the seed, then from the root, and then from the shoot, which becomes the trunk, and from this go forth branches and leaves, and finally blossoms and fruit. Wheat or barley does not ripen for the harvest in a day; a house is not built in a day, nor does a man acquire his full stature in a day, still less wisdom; a church is not established and perfected in a day, nor is there any progression to an end except from a beginning. Those who have a different conception of regeneration know nothing of charity and faith, nor of the growth of either according to man's cooperation with the Lord. From all this it is clear that regeneration is effected in a manner analogous to that in which man is conceived, carried in the womb, born and educated.
586. That a man can only be regenerated by successive stages may be illustrated by all things, in general and in particular, which exist in the natural world. A tree does not arrive at maturity in a single day; but it grows first from its seed, afterwards from its root, and then from its shoot, from which its stem is formed. From this proceed branches with their leaves, and lastly flowers and fruit. Nor does a crop of wheat or barley reach the harvest stage in one day. A house is not built in a day; nor does a man attain to his full bodily stature in a day, much less to the stature of wisdom; nor is the Church established and perfected in a day. No progression to an end is possible unless it has a beginning from which it starts. Those who think otherwise of regeneration know nothing of charity and faith, and of the growth of each according to man's co-operation with the Lord. It is, therefore, evident that regeneration takes place in a manner analogous to that in which a man is conceived, carried in the womb, born and educated.
586. Quod homo non possit regenerari nisi successive, illustrari potest ab omnibus et singulis, 1 quae in Mundo naturali existunt; Arbor non potest in arborem crescere intra unum diem, sed primum ex semine, postea ex radice, et deinde ex surculo, ex quo fit caudex, et ex hoc procedunt rami cum foliis, et demum flores et fructus: nec surgit triticum ac hordeum in messem uno die; non aedificatur domus uno die; nec assurgit homo in staturam uno die, minus in sapientiam: nec Ecclesia instauratur et perficitur uno die; nec datur aliqua progressio ad finem, nisi sit initium a quo. Qui aliter concipiunt Regenerationem, non sciunt aliquid de Charitate et Fide, et de crescentia utriusque secundum cooperationem hominis cum Domino. Ex his patet, quod Regeneratio fiat, ad instar 2 sicut homo concipitur, gestatur in utero, nascitur et educatur.
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