803.在荷兰，学院的神学家专心研究当今信仰的奥秘，尤其被称为科克由者（Cocceians科克由的追随者）。由于这些奥秘的必然产物就是预定论的教义，况且这教义还通过多特会议被确定下来，所以预定论的种子就这样被播下和种植，如同从任意一棵树的果实中取了一粒种子种到田里一样。由于这个原因，平信徒以各种方式谈论预定论。有的双手紧抓不放，有的一边用一只手抓着，一边嘲笑它，有的把它猛掷出去，好象它是一条似蛇的蜥蜴，因为他们根本不懂这个孵化毒蛇的信之奥秘。他们对这些奥秘一无所知，因为他们专心贸易；而这些信的奥秘的确触及了他们的觉知，但未渗透进去。因此，在平信徒，甚至在神职人员当中，预定论就象海中岩石上的一座人形雕像，手上拿着金光闪闪的大贝壳。一看见它，有的船长出于敬意和尊重，会降帆驶过，有的只是瞄一眼，行个礼，而有的则朝它吹口哨，就象见到了荒唐可笑的东西。它还象印度来的不知名的鸟儿，栖息在高塔上，有人赌咒发誓说它是一只鸽子，有人猜测它是一只大公鸡，其他人大声断言，它肯定是一只猫头鹰。
803. 在荷兰, 学院的神学家专心研究当今信仰的奥秘, 尤其被称为科克由者 (Cocceians科克由的追随者)。 由于这些奥秘的必然产物就是预定论的教义, 况且这教义还通过多特会议被确定下来, 所以预定论的种子就这样被播下和种植, 如同从任意一棵树的果实中取了一粒种子种到田里一样。 由于这个原因, 平信徒以各种方式谈论预定论。 有的双手紧抓不放, 有的一边用一只手抓着, 一边嘲笑它, 有的把它猛掷出去, 好象它是一条似蛇的蜥蜴, 因为他们根本不懂这个孵化毒蛇的信之奥秘。 他们对这些奥秘一无所知, 因为他们专心贸易; 而这些信的奥秘的确触及了他们的觉知, 但未渗透进去。 因此, 在平信徒, 甚至在神职人员当中, 预定论就象海中岩石上的一座人形雕像, 手上拿着金光闪闪的大贝壳。 一看见它, 有的船长出于敬意和尊重, 会降帆驶过, 有的只是瞄一眼, 行个礼, 而有的则朝它吹口哨, 就象见到了荒唐可笑的东西。 它还象印度来的不知名的鸟儿, 栖息在高塔上, 有人赌咒发誓说它是一只鸽子, 有人猜测它是一只大公鸡, 其他人大声断言, 它肯定是一只猫头鹰。
803. The professors who teach in their schools - especially the ones known as Coccejans - devote intense study to the mystical teachings of the modern-day faith. These mystical teachings lead inevitably to the dogma of predestination, a dogma that was well established by the Synod of Dort. They sow and implant that teaching in their students, as if they were farmers who do not care from what kind of fruit they take seed to plant in their field.
As a result, the lay people from that country talk to each other a lot about predestination. They are of different opinions about it, however. Some embrace it with both hands. Some pick it up with just one hand and laugh at it. Others throw it away from themselves like a snake or a lizard.
Lay people there do not know the mystical teachings of faith that gave birth to that viper, because they focus on their businesses. The mystical teachings of that faith do indeed reach their intellect, but they do not sink in.
The dogma of predestination among the laity and also among the clergy of that nation is like a statue of a person, built upon a rock jutting out into the sea, with a great golden conch shell in its hand. When the ship captains who are sailing by see that statue, some of them lower the mainsail as a sign of honor and veneration, some just wink and salute at it, and others hiss at it as something ludicrous.
To them, predestination is also like some unknown bird from India situated atop a high tower. Some swear it is a turtledove, some guess that it is a rooster, and others curse at it and cry out, "It's a screech owl!"
803. The doctors who teach in their high schools are devoted students of the mysteries of present-day faith, especially those who in Holland are known as Cocceian 1 . Since the inevitable product of these mysteries is the dogma of predestination, and this was in addition established by the Synod of Dort, predestination is sown and planted as seed in a field taken from the fruit of any tree. That is how it is that laymen have a great deal of conversation about predestination, but in different ways. Some grasp it with both hands, some only with one hand and a smile, while some throw it from them like a wounded 2 snake; for they know nothing of the mysteries of the faith from which that viper was hatched. The reason for this ignorance of theirs is their pre-occupation with business; the mysteries of that faith touch their understandings without penetrating them. So the dogma of predestination is in the case of laymen, and also in the case of the clergy, like a statue of a human figure placed on a rock in the sea, with a great sea-shell in its hand glittering as if made of gold. On seeing it as they sail past some sea-captains dip their sail in salute and out of respect; some merely wink at it and greet it, and others whistle at it as at something ridiculous. It is also like an unfamiliar bird from India perched on a high tower; some swear it is a dove, some hazard the guess that it is a cock, and others assert with oaths that they are sure it is an owl.
Footnotes:
1. The followers of J. Cocceius (or Koch), 1603-1669, a famous Dutch theologian and Hebrew scholar.
2. Reading anguem laceratum for anguem lacertum ('snake lizard').
803. The teachers who instruct in their lyceums study the mysteries of the prevailing faith very intently, especially those who are there called Cocceians; and because the dogma of predestination springs inevitably from those mysteries, and, moreover, has been established by the Synod of Dort, it also is sown and planted there, as seed from the fruit of any tree is planted in a field. Because of this the laity talk much among themselves about predestination; but in different ways; some grasping it with both their hands, some with one only, laughing at it, and some hurl it from them as a snaky lizard; for they know nothing of the mysteries of the faith from which that viper was hatched. These mysteries they are ignorant of, because they are intent upon their business; and while these mysteries do indeed touch their understanding, they do not penetrate it. Therefore the dogma of predestination among the laity, and even among the clergy, is like an image in the human form placed on a rock in the sea, with a large shell glittering like gold in its hand, at the sight of which some captains sailing past lower their sails as a mark of honor and reverence; some merely wink at it and salute it; while some hiss at it as at something ludicrous. It is also an unknown bird from India placed on a high tower, which some swear is a turtledove, some guess is a cock, and others loudly affirm that it, is certainly an owl.
803. The doctors, especially those called Cocceians, 1 who teach in their schools, devote most of their study to the mysteries of the present-day faith; and because the dogma of predestination springs inevitably from these mysteries, and as this was, moreover, established by the Synod of Dort, 2 it is sown and implanted in their pupils like seed in the ground taken from the fruit of any tree. Hence the laity talk much among themselves about predestination, but with much diversity of opinion. Some grasp it with both hands, some with one hand only, not taking it seriously, while some cast it from them as they would a snake, for they are not versed in the mysteries from which that viper was hatched. The reason for this ignorance is that they are intent on their business; and the mysteries of that faith, while indeed they may touch the understanding, do not penetrate deeply. Thus for the laity as well as for the clergy, the dogma of predestination is like an image in human form, placed on a rock in the sea, and holding in its hand a great shell gleaming like gold. When they see it, some captains as they pass by, dip their sails as a mark of honor and veneration, some give it only a fleeting glance and salute it, and some deride it as a piece of mummery. It is also like an unknown bird from India, perched upon a high tower which some swear to be a turtle dove, some imagine it to be a cock, while others declare with an oath that it certainly is an owl.
Footnotes:
1. Cocceians, followers of Cocceius, a Dutch Hebraist and theologian, A.D. 1603-1669. He developed the federal or covenant system of theology, an attempt to do justice to the historical development of revelation.
2. Dortdrecht or Dort, Synod of. This was held in 1618-19 to settle the disputes between the Arminians or "Remonstrants" who called in question the theory of Predestination, and the Calvinists. The Synod condemned the tenets of the Arminians.
803. Doctores Didascali in Lyceis illorum maximopere student mysticis fidei hodiernae, imprimis illi ibi qui vocantur Coccejani, et quia ex mysticis illis inevitabiliter enascitur dogma Praedestinationis, et haec insuper a Synodo Dodrechtana constabilita est, inseminatur etiam illa, ac implantatur, sicut semen ex fructu cujuscunque arboris desumtum, agro. Inde est, quod Laici de Praedestinatione inter se multum loquantur, sed diversimode; quidam illam ambabus manibus amplectuntur; quidam solum una manu, et arrident; quidam illam abjiciunt sicut anguem lacertum; ignorant enim mystica fidei, ex quibus Vipera illa exclusa est; quod haec ignorent, est causa, quia Negotiis suis intenti sunt, et mystica fidei istius, quidem tangunt intellectum illorum, sed non penetrant in illum; quare Praedestinationis dogma apud Laicos, et quoque apud Clericos, est sicut Simulachrum in forma humana positum super Scopulo in mari cum magna Concha, quae fulget sicut ex auro, in manu, ad quod visum aliqui Navarchae praeternavigantes demittunt velum mali, honorandi et venerandi causa, aliqui modo ad illud nictant oculis et salutant, et aliqui ad id sibilant ut ad ludicrum quid. Et est sicut Avis ignota ex India posita super alta turri, quam aliqui jurant esse Turturem, aliqui divinant esse Gallum, et aliqui dejerant et clamant, certe est ulula.