357# 二、人能够为自己取得仁义。
此与信仰同理；因为圣言所训示者，除了信仰与仁义之外，尚有何物？盖二者乃得救之两大本质。经上记着：“你要尽心、尽性……爱主你的上帝；又要爱邻如己。”（太22:34—39） 耶稣又说：“我赐给你们一条命令，乃是要你们彼此相爱；……你们若彼此相爱，众人因此就认出你们是我的门徒。”（约13:34，35；又见15:9；16:27） 又说，人当结果，如好树结果；凡行善者，必在复活时得其报偿；此外类似经文甚多。若人不能如同凭自己实行仁义，并以某种方式为自己取得仁义，则这一切诫命究竟何所指归？人岂不能施舍？岂不能扶助贫乏？岂不能在家中、在职分中行善？岂不能照十诫而生活？他岂无灵魂，可以由之行此诸事？岂无理性心智，可以由之引导自己，为此一目的或彼一目的而行动？他岂不能思想：自己当行这些事，因为它们乃圣言所命，因而乃上帝所命？ 无人缺少此种能力；其所以不缺少，乃因主将此能力赐予每一个人，并且赐予时仿佛使之成为人的某种自有。因为人在实行仁义时，除了以为自己是凭自己而行之外，又有谁知其为别样呢？
357# （2）人能为自己获得仁爱。这适用于仁爱，就像适用于信仰一样。因为既然仁爱和信仰是救赎的两个要素，那么圣言除了教导它们外，还教导什么呢？我们读到：
你要用你的全心和全灵魂爱主，又要爱邻如己。（马太福音22:37-39）
约翰福音：
耶稣说，我赐给你们一条新命令，就是你们彼此相爱。你们若彼此相爱，众人因此就认出你们是我的门徒了。（约翰福音13:34，35; 15:9; 16:27）
经上还教导说，人应当像一棵好树一样结出果子来；行善的，到复活的时候，要得着报答（路加福音14:14）；此外还有其它类似经文。如果人不能凭自己实践仁爱，或以某种方式为自己获得它，那么这个教导有什么用呢？难道人不能施舍、救济穷人吗？难道他不能在自己家里或工作中行善吗？难道他不能照十诫生活吗？难道他没有一个灵魂使他能做这些事，没有一个理性心智使他能为某些目的而指导自己做这些事，或说引导自己为某个目的而行动吗？难道他不能思想他应当做这些事，因为它们是在圣言中被吩咐的，因而是神所吩咐的吗？没有人缺乏这种能力，因为主将它赐予了每个人；主把它当作人自己的东西来赐予；因为当实践仁爱时，谁不觉得他是出于自己或凭自己如此行？
357. (b) We are able to acquire goodwill for ourselves. The situation here is the same as the situation with faith. What else does the Word teach except faith and goodwill? These two are essential for salvation. We read,
You are to love the Lord with all your heart and with all your soul, and your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:37-39)
And Jesus said, "I give you a command to love each other. You will be recognized as disciples of mine by the fact that you love each other. " (John 13:34-35; ; )
There are also teachings to the effect that we need to bear fruit the way a good tree does and that those who do good things will be rewarded in the resurrection, not to mention many other teachings. What would be the point of these teachings if we were unable to practice goodwill on our own or to acquire it for ourselves in any way? We are able to make charitable donations, to help the needy, to do good things in our home and in our work. We are able to live by the Ten Commandments. We have a soul that enables us to do these things, and a rational mind we can use to make ourselves move toward this or that goal. We are able to plan to put these actions into effect because they have been commanded in the Word, and therefore by God. No human being lacks this power. We all have it because God gives it to us all, and gives it as our own possession. As we practice acts of goodwill, surely we all feel that we are doing so on our own.
357. (ii) A person can acquire charity for himself.
This is the same as with faith. For what else does the Word teach except faith and charity, the two essentials for salvation? We read:
You are to love the Lord with all your heart and with all your soul, and your neighbour as yourself, Matthew 22:34-39.
And Jesus said, I give you a [new] commandment, to love one another. By this you will be known to be my disciples, by loving one another, John 13:34-35; similarly John 15:9; 16:27.
We also read that man is to bring forth fruit like a good tree; and that those who do good deeds will be rewarded at the resurrection [Luke 14:14]; and many similar statements. What would be the point of them if a person could not display charity of himself, or acquire it for himself in any way? Surely he can give alms, help the needy, and do good deeds in his home or at his work? Surely he can live in accordance with the Ten Commandments? Has he not got a soul to make him act like this, and also a rational mind which can induce him to act for some purpose or other? Surely he can think that he will do 1 these actions because they are enjoined in the Word, and so by God? There is no one who lacks this ability; and the reason for its not being lacking is that the Lord confers it on everybody, and He confers it as if it were something of the person's own. For is there anyone who when he does a charitable act is aware of doing it otherwise than of himself?
Footnotes:
1. Reading facturus for fructurus, which makes no sense.
357. (2) Man can acquire for himself charity. It is the same here as with faith. For what does the Word teach but faith and charity, since these two are the essentials of salvation? For we read:
Thou shalt love the Lord with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and thy neighbor as thyself (Matthew 22:34-39).
Jesus said, A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another. From this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, that you love one another (John 13:34, 35, 15:9; 16:27).
It teaches also that man ought to bear fruit like a good tree; that he who does good shall be rewarded in the resurrection; besides other like things. What would be the use of all this if man were unable of himself to exercise charity, or acquire it for himself in any way? Cannot man give alms, can he not aid the needy, can he not do good in his own house and in his employment? Can he not live according to the commandments of the Decalogue? Has he not a soul from which he can do these things, and a rational mind whereby he can lead himself to act for this or that end? Can he not think that he ought to do these things because they are commanded in the Word, thus by God? No man lacks this power, and for the reason that the Lord gives it to everyone; and He gives it as something that is the man's own; for who, in exercising charity, knows otherwise than that he does it from himself?
357. (2) A man can acquire charity for himself. This is true of charity as well as of faith, for what does the Word teach but faith and charity, since these are the two essentials of salvation? For it is written:
"Thou shalt love the Lord with all thy heart, and with all thy soul and thy neighbor as thyself" Matthew 22:34-39.
And Jesus said: "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another... by this shall ye be known (A.V., shall all men know) that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another" John 13:34-35; and for similar sayings Spiritual Diary John 15:9, and John 16:27.
It is also said that a man ought to bear good fruit, like a good tree; and that he who does good shall be recompensed at the resurrection and there are many other passages to the same effect. But what is the purpose of this teaching unless a man could of himself practice charity, and in some way procure it for himself? Can he not give alms, relieve the needy, and do good at home and at his business? Can he not live according to the commandments of the Decalogue? Has he not a soul by which he can do these things, and also a rational mind by which he can direct himself to do them for certain ends? Can he not consider that he should do them because they are commanded in the Word, and consequently by God? There is no man that does not possess this power, because the Lord imparts it to every one; and He gives it as something of man's own, for every one, when he practices charity, supposes that he does so of himself.
357. II. QUOD HOMO SIBI POSSIT COMPARARE CHARITATEM; est similis res quae cum fide; quid enim aliud docet Verbum, quam Fidem et Charitatem, quia hae sunt duo essentialia salutis; legitur enim Amabis Dominum ex toto corde tuo et ex tota anima tua, et proximum ut teipsum, Matthaeus 22:35-37; 1 et Jesus dixit, mandatum do vobis, ut ametis vos invicem; ex hoc cognoscemini quod mei discipuli sitis quod ametis vos invicem, Johannes 13:34-35, pariter Cap. 15:9; 16:27: tum, quod homo facturus sit fructus sicut bona arbor; et quod qui bona facit, remuneraretur in resurrectione; praeter plura similia: ad quid haec nisi homo ex se posset Charitatem exercere, ac illam ullo modo sibi comparare; potestne dare eleemosynas, opitulari egentibus, facere bona in sua domo, inque suo officio; potestne vivere secundum praecepta Decalogi; estne illi anima ex qua potest agere illa, et quoque Mens rationalis ex qua se ducere potest ad agendum propter hunc aut illum finem; potestne cogitare quod facturus 2 sit illa, quia mandata sunt in Verbo, et sic a Deo; non ulli homini deest haec potentia; quod non desit, est quia Dominus dat illam unicuique; et dat illam sicut aliquam proprietatem; quis enim novit aliter, dum charitatem facit, quam quod faciat ex se.
Footnotes:
1. Sic Schmidt, sed 22:37-39 apud Novum Testamentum Graecum et Biblia Anglica.
2. Sic Errores Typographici.