341# 若人相信：过良善生活并正确相信者仍不得救，并且上帝能够凭自由与任意，随其所愿拯救或定罪任何人；那么，灭亡之人便有理由指控上帝无怜悯、无仁慈，甚至残酷；甚至可以否认上帝是上帝，并且还可说，上帝在祂圣言中所说的是虚言，所命令的是无价值之事，或不过是空谈。
再者，若过良善生活并正确相信者不得救，他也可以指控上帝违背自己的约；这约是祂在西奈山所立，并用自己的指头写在两块石版上的。上帝不能不拯救那些照祂诫命而生活、并信祂的人，这一点由主的话可以确知（约14:21-24）。凡有宗教并有健全理性的人，只要思想这一点，便能由此坚固自己：上帝恒常与人同在，赐给人生命，也赐给人理解与爱的能力；因此，对于过良善生活并正确相信者，上帝不能不爱他，并藉爱将自己与他结合。
这岂不是上帝铭刻于每个人、并铭刻于每个受造物之中的法则吗？父母岂能弃绝自己的婴孩？鸟岂能弃绝自己的雏鸟？动物岂能弃绝自己的幼兽？甚至虎豹与蛇也不能如此。若行相反之事，便是违背上帝所在、并照之而行的秩序，也违背祂照之创造人的秩序。
如今，正如上帝不可能定罪一个过良善生活并正确相信者；反过来，上帝也不可能拯救一个过邪恶生活、并由此相信伪谬者。这后一种情形同样违背秩序，因而也违背祂的全能；因为祂的全能只能循公义之路而行，而公义的律乃是真理，真理不能改变。因为主说：“天地废去较比律法的一点一画落空还容易。”（路16:17）
凡对上帝的本质以及人的自由意志略有所知的人，都能领会这一点。譬如，亚当有自由吃生命树上的果子，也有自由吃分别善恶树上的果子；若他只是吃生命树，或诸生命树上的果子，上帝可能将他逐出园子吗？我相信不能。但在他吃了分别善恶树上的果子以后，上帝可能将他留在园子里吗？我也相信不能。同样，上帝也不能将已被接入天堂的天使抛入地狱，亦不能将已被判定为魔鬼者送入天堂。
关于这二者，上帝凭祂的神性全能也不能如此行，见前文论神性全能的内容（49-70）。
341# 如果良好地生活、正确地相信的人不会得救，神能自由且随意地拯救或诅咒祂想要的任何人，那么迷失或灭亡的人就可以公正地指责神无情、严厉，甚至残忍；事实上，他可以否认神是神。他还可以声称，神在祂的圣言中说的话毫无意义，并吩咐了一些无关紧要或微不足道的事。或者，如果良好地生活、正确地相信的人不会得救，那么他也可以指责神违反祂的约，就是祂在西乃山上所立，并用手指写在两块石版上的约。从主在约翰福音（14:21-24）中的话明显看出，神只能拯救那些照祂的诫命生活，拥有对祂的信仰之人；凡有宗教信仰和健全理性的人，当考虑到神不断与人同在，赋予他生命，以及理解和爱的能力，并且祂必爱那良好地生活、正确地相信的人，并通过爱与他结合时，都可以确认这一点。这不是神刻在每个人和每个生物上的吗？父母岂能弃绝儿女呢？鸟岂能弃绝幼雏呢？兽岂能弃绝幼崽呢？甚至连老虎、豹子和蛇也不会这样做。因为神以不同的方式行事，既违背了祂所在和行事所遵照的秩序，也违背了祂创造人类的秩序。由于对神来说，诅咒任何良好地生活、正确地相信的人是不可能的，所以另一方面，对祂来说，拯救任何生活邪恶、因而相信虚假的人也是不可能的；这也违背秩序，因而违背神的全能，全能只能在公义的路上行进；公义的律法就是不能改变的真理。因为主说：
天地过去比律法的一点一画落空还容易。（路加福音16:17）
凡了解神的本质和人的自由意志的人都能看到这一点。例如，亚当既有自由吃生命树的果子，也有自由吃善恶知识树的果子。如果他只吃了一棵或几棵生命树，神怎么可能把他赶出园子呢？我认为不会。另一方面，他吃了善恶知识树后，神怎么可能还把他留在园子里呢？我认为不会。同样，一旦一位天使被接进天堂，神就不能把这位天使扔进地狱；一旦魔鬼受到审判，神就不能把他引入天堂。因为祂不能出于祂的神性全能做这两件中的任何一件事（可参看前面关于神性全能那一章，TCR 49-70节）。
341. If people who lived good lives and believed the right things were not saved, and God could freely save or condemn on a whim anyone he wanted to, people who perished could justly accuse God of lacking mercy and compassion or even of being vicious. Indeed they could deny that God is God. Furthermore they could argue that God said pointless things in his Word and gave principles that were worthless and ridiculous. For another thing, if people who lived good lives and believed the right things were not saved, they could accuse God of violating the covenant that he made on Mount Sinai and wrote with his own finger on the two tablets.
From the Lord's words in John 14:21-24 it is clear that God cannot avoid saving people who live by his principles and have faith in him. Everyone who has religion and sound reason can provide arguments to support this by considering that God, who is constantly with us and gives us life and the faculties of understanding and loving, cannot help loving us and being united to us in love if we live good lives and believe the right things. God has built this into every human being and every creature. Can a father and mother reject their babies? Can a bird reject its chicks? Can an animal reject its young? Not even tigers, panthers, or snakes are able to do this. Doing otherwise would be going against the design in which God exists and through which he acts, and going against the design he built into us at creation.
Now, as it is impossible on the one hand for God to condemn anyone who has lived a good life and has believed the right things, it is impossible on the other hand for God to save anyone who has lived an evil life and has therefore believed the wrong things. This too would go against the divine design and therefore against God's omnipotence, which cannot follow any other path than the path of justice. The laws of justice are truths that cannot be changed, for the Lord says, "It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for the tip of one letter of the law to fall" (Luke 16:17).
Everyone who knows anything about the essence of God and human free choice is able to perceive this. For example, Adam had the freedom to eat fruit from the tree of life and fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If he had eaten fruit only from the tree (or trees) of life, would it have been possible for God to expel him from the garden? I think not. On the other hand, after he ate fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, would it have been possible for God to keep him in the garden? Again, I think not. Likewise, once an angel has been accepted into heaven, God cannot throw that angel into hell; and once a devil has been judged, God cannot move him to heaven. For God's inability to do either of these things despite his omnipotence, see the part on the divine omnipotence in the first chapter, 49-70.
341. To believe that a person who lives a good life and holds a proper belief is not saved, but that God has freedom to save or damn at His whim anyone He wishes, would enable the person who is lost justifiably to accuse God of lack of mercy and unforgivingness, not to say cruelty. In fact it would amount to denying that God was God, and to asserting that what He said in His Word was worthless and that His commandments were of no, or at any rate trifling, importance. Moreover, if a person who lives a good life and holds a proper belief is not saved, he too can convict God of breaking His covenant which He made on Mount Sinai and wrote with His finger on two tables. It is evident from the Lord's words (in John 14:21-24) that God cannot avoid saving those who live in accordance with His commandments and have faith in Him. Indeed anyone who has a religion and sound reason can convince himself of this, if he reflects that God, who is continually present with man, giving him life and the ability to understand and love, must inevitably love him, and by His love link Himself to those who live a good life and hold a proper belief. This is surely something God has imprinted on every human being and on every living thing. Can a father or mother reject their young children, can a bird reject its chicks, an animal its whelps? Not even tigers, panthers and snakes can do this. For God to act differently would be contrary to the order in which He is and according to which He acts, as well as contrary to the order He imposed by creation on man.
[2] Now just as it is impossible for God to damn anyone who lives a good life and holds a proper belief, so in the reverse case it is impossible for God to save anyone who lives a wicked life and as a result holds a false belief. This second proposition is also contrary to order, and therefore contrary to His omnipotence, which can only proceed by way of justice; and the laws of justice are immutable truths. For the Lord says:
It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one dot of the law to fall out, Luke 16:17.
Anyone who knows anything of the essence of God and of man's free will can grasp this, For example, Adam was free to eat of the tree of life, and of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If he had only eaten of the tree or trees of life, would it have been possible for God to drive him out of the garden? I hardly think so. But after he had eaten of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, would it have been possible for God to keep him in the garden? Again, I hardly think so. Likewise I hardly think God could cast any angel who had been received into heaven down to hell, nor admit anyone judged a devil into heaven. Neither of these things are possible for God by His own omnipotence, as may be seen in the section on the Divine omnipotence (49-70 above).
341. Under the belief that the man who lives well and believes aright is not saved, and that God is able freely and at pleasure to save and damn whom He will, the man who is lost may justly accuse God of unmercifulness and severity, and even of cruelty, and may even deny that God is God. He may also claim that in His Lord God has spoken unmeaning things, and has commanded things of no importance, or that are trifling. Or again, if the man who lives well and believes aright is not saved, he may also accuse God of violating His covenant, which He made on Mount Sinai and wrote with His finger upon the two tables. That God cannot but save those who live according to His commandments and have faith in Him, is evident from the Lord's words (in John 14:21-24); and anyone in possession of religion and sound reason can confirm himself in this, when he reflects that God who is unceasingly in man and who gives him life and also the ability to understand and love, must needs love him who lives well and believes aright, and must needs conjoin Himself with him by love. Is not this inscribed by God on every man and every creature? Can a father and mother reject their children, or a bird or beast its young? Not even tigers, panthers, or serpents can do this. For God to do otherwise would be contrary to the order into which He is and according to which He acts, and also contrary to the order into which He created man. Since then, it is impossible for God to damn anyone who lives well and believes aright, so on the other hand it is impossible for Him to save anyone who lives wickedly and therefore believes what is false; this too is also contrary to order, and therefore contrary to God's omnipotence, which can proceed only in the path of justice; and the laws of justice are truths that cannot be changed. For the Lord says:
It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one tittle of the law to fall (Luke 16:17).
This can be seen by anyone who knows anything about the essence of God, and man's freedom of will. For example, Adam was at liberty to eat of the tree of life, and also of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If he had eaten of the tree or trees of life only, would it have been possible for God to expel him from the garden? I believe that it would not. But after he had eaten of the tree of the knowledge of good and will, would it have been possible for God to retain him in the garden? Again I believe that it would not; likewise that God cannot cast into hell an angel that has been received into heaven, neither introduce into heaven a condemned devil. That neither of these can He do from His Divine omnipotence, may be seen above in the section on the Divine Omnipotence (49-70).
341. Where it is believed that the man who lives well and who believes aright is not saved, and that God of His free will and pleasure can save and condemn whomsoever He will, the man who perishes may rightly charge God with unmercifulness, inclemency and even cruelty; he may even deny that God is God. He may also declare that God in His Word has spoken things which are of no importance, nay, even trifling in their nature. Moreover, if a man who lives well and believes aright is not saved, he may also charge God with violating His own covenant, which He made on Mount Sinai, and wrote with His own finger upon the two tables. That God cannot but save those who live according to His commandments, and have faith in Him, is evident from the words of the Lord in John 14:21-24; and every one who has religion and sound reason may confirm himself in this truth when he considers that God is continually with man, imparting to him life and the power to understand and to love; and that He must needs love him, and by love unite Himself to him who lives well and believes aright.
Is not this inscribed by God on every man and on every creature? Can a father and a mother reject their children, or a bird its young, or a beast its cubs? Even tigers, panthers and serpents cannot but love their offspring. For God to do otherwise would be contrary to the order in which He is, and according to which He acts and also contrary to the order into which He has created mankind. As it is impossible for God to condemn any one who lives well and believes aright, so on the other hand it is impossible for Him to save any one who lives an evil life and consequently believes what is false. For this again is contrary to order, and equally contrary to His Omnipotence, which cannot proceed except along the path of justice; and the laws of justice are truths, which cannot be changed; for the Lord says,
"It is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the Law to fail" Luke 16:17.
Every one who knows anything of the essential nature of God and of man's Free Will may perceive this. He knows, for example, that Adam was at liberty to eat of the tree of Life, and also of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. If he had eaten only of the tree or trees of life, would it have been possible for God to drive him out of the garden? I believe that it would not. But, after he had eaten of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, would it have been possible for God to retain him in the garden? In this case also I believe that it would not. Similarly God cannot cast into hell any angel who has been received into heaven, nor can He introduce into heaven any one who has been condemned as a devil. That from His Divine Omnipotence He cannot do either may be seen above in the section on the Divine Omnipotence, 49-70.
341. Credere, quod homo qui bene vivit et rite credit, non salvetur, et quod Deus possit salvare et damnare ex libero et placito quemcumque vult, homo qui perit, potest jure arguere Deum immisericordiae et inclementiae, et quoque saevitiae, imo negare Deum esse Deum; et insuper quod in Verbo suo loquutus sit vana, et praeceperit talia quae nihili sunt, aut quae nugae sunt; et porro, si homo, qui bene vivit et rite credit, non salvatur, potest ille etiam arguere Deum violationis foederis sui, quod pepigit super monte Sinai, et suo digito inscripsit duabus Tabulis: quod Deus non possit nisi salvare illos qui secundum praecepta Ipsius vivunt, 1 et fidem habent in Ipsum, constat ex Domini verbis, apud Johannem 14:21-24, et potest unusquisque, cui religio et sana ratio est, se confirmare in eo, dum cogitat, quod Deus, qui constanter est apud hominem, et dat ei vitam, et quoque facultatem intelligendi et amandi, non possit aliter quam amare illum, et per amorem conjungere se illi, qui bene vivit et rite credit; estne hoc a Deo inscriptum omni homini et omni creaturae; num potest pater et mater rejicere infantes suos, num avis pullos suos, num animal catulos suos; hoc ne quidem possunt tigrides, pantherae, et serpentes; aliter facere, foret contra ordinem, in quo Deus est, et secundum quem agit, et quoque contra ordinem, in quem creavit hominem.
[2] Nunc sicut impossibile est Deo damnare aliquem qui bene vivit, et rite credit, ita vicissim impossibile 2 est Deo, salvare aliquem qui male vivit, et inde falsa credit; hoc alterum etiam est contra ordinem, proinde contra Omnipotentiam Ipsius, quae non potest procedere quam per viam Justitiae, et leges Justitiae sunt veritates, quae non possunt mutari, nam Dominus dicit, Facilius est Coelum et Terram transire, quam Legis unum apicem cadere, Luca 16:17 omnis, qui aliquid novit de essentia Dei, et de Libero arbitrio hominis, 3 hoc potest percipere; sicut pro exemplo, Adamo fuit liberum edendi ex arbore vitae, et quoque ex arbore scientiae boni et mali; si modo edisset 4 ex Arbore seu arboribus vitae, num possibile fuisset Deo expellere illum ex Horto; credo quod non, at postquam edit 5 de Arbore scientiae boni et mali, num possibile fuisset Deo retinere illum in Horto; credo etiam quod non; similiter quod Deus non possit aliquem Angelum receptum in Coelo dejicere in Infernum, nec aliquem judicatum diabolum immittere in Coelum; quod utrumque ex Divina sua Omnipotentia non possit facere, videatur in Transactione de DIVINA 6 OMNIPOTENTIA supra 49-70.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: vivit.
2. Prima editio: impossible.
3. Prima editio: homidis.
4. Prima editio: edidisset.
5. Prima editio: edidit.
6. Prima editio: DIVINA.