359# 四、然而，信仰、仁义及二者的生命，无一出于人，而唯独出于主。
因为经上说：“若不是从天上赐的，人就不能得什么。”（约3:27） 耶稣又说：“常在我里面的，我也常在他里面，这人就多结果子；因为离了我，你们就不能作什么。”（约15:5） 但此处须如此理解：人凭自己所能为自己取得的信仰，只是属世的信仰，也就是因某位权威人士如此说，便确信事情确是如此；人凭自己所能有的仁义，也只是属世的仁义，也就是为求某种报偿而行、以博取人之恩惠的作为。在这二者之中，皆有人的自我，尚未有从主而来的生命。然而，人仍藉着这二者预备自己，使自己成为主的接受器皿；人怎样预备自己，主便怎样进入，并使他的属世信仰成为属灵信仰，也同样使他的仁义成为属灵仁义；如此，二者便成为有生命之物。这些事之所以成就，乃在人趋近主、承认他为天地之上帝时。
人既被造为上帝的形像，便被造为上帝的居所。因此主说：“有了我的命令又遵守的，这人就是爱我的；爱我的必蒙我父爱他，我也要爱他，并且要向他显现。”又说：“我们要到他那里去，与他同住。”（约14:21，23） 又说：“看哪，我站在门外叩门，若有听见我声音就开门的，我要进到他那里去，我与他、他与我一同坐席。”（启3:20）
由此可得出结论：人怎样在属世层面预备自己接受主，主便怎样进入，并使他里面的一切成为属灵，因而成为有生命。反之，人在何等程度上不预备自己，便在何等程度上使主远离自己，并凡事凭自己而行；而人凭自己所行的一切，其内毫无生命。 不过，在论仁义与自由意志之前，这些事尚不能置于充分光明中使人看见；此后在论改造与重生一章中，将会更清楚地显明。
359# （4）然而，信仰，仁爱，或两者的生命，都不来自人，只来自主。因为我们读到：
若不是从天上赐给人的，他就不能得什么。（约翰福音3:27）
耶稣说：
住在我里面的，我也住在他里面，这人就多结果子；因为离了我，你们就不能作什么。（约翰福音15:5）
但这句话要这样来理解：人凭自己只能为自己获得属世信仰，属世信仰是一种说服，即相信某事就是这样，因为某个权威人士就是这么说的。人凭自己也只能为自己获得属世仁爱，属世仁爱就是为了某种回报而获得恩惠的努力。在这种信仰和仁爱里面有人的自我，或人自己的东西，还没有来自主的生命。尽管如此，通过这种信仰和仁爱，人预备自己成为主的容器；只要人预备自己，主就会进入，并使他的属世信仰变成属灵的，同样使他的属世仁爱也变成属灵的，从而使两者都活过来。当人靠近作为天地之神的主时，这一切就会成就。由于人被创造为神的形像，所以他被创造为神的住所；因此，主说：
有了我的诫命又遵守的，这人就是爱我的，我也要爱他，我要到他那里去，在他那里作我的住所。（约翰福音14:21，23）
又：
看哪，我站在门外叩门；若有人听见我的声音而开门，我要进到他那里去，我与他，他与我一同坐席。（启示录3:20）
由此可以得出结论：人怎样属世地预备自己接受主，主就怎样进去，并使人里面的一切从内在都变成属灵的，从而活着。而另一方面，人越不预备自己，就越离弃主，并凭他自己的自我做一切事；人凭自己所做的一切，都没有生命在里面。不过，在我们论述仁爱（TCR 392-462节）和自由意志或自由选择（TCR 463-508节）之前，这些要点不可能呈现在更清晰的光中；但在后面关于改造和重生那一章（TCR 571-625节）中，它们会变得清晰。
359. (d) Nevertheless, no faith, no goodwill, and none of the life within faith or goodwill comes from ourselves; instead they come from the Lord alone. We read, We cannot receive anything unless it is given to us from heaven (John 3:27). And Jesus said, "Those who live in me and I in them bear much fruit, because without me you cannot do anything" (John 15:5). This has to be understood, however, in a particular way: On our own we cannot acquire any faith for ourselves except earthly faith, which is a persuasion that something is the case because a man in authority said so. On our own we cannot acquire any goodwill for ourselves except earthly goodwill, which is our working to gain favor for the sake of some reward. In both of them the self is present, but life from the Lord is not present yet. Nevertheless, with this earthly faith and goodwill we are preparing ourselves to be a vessel for the Lord. As we are preparing ourselves, the Lord comes in and turns our earthly faith into spiritual faith, does the same with our goodwill, and brings them both to life. These things happen when we go to the Lord as the God of heaven and earth.
Because we have been created as images of God, we have been created as vessels for God. Therefore the Lord says, "The people who love me are those who have my commandments and follow them. I will love these people, come to them, and make a home with them" (John 14:21, 23). Also, "Behold! I am standing at the door and knocking. If any hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and will dine with them and they with me" (Revelation 3:20).
In conclusion, as we prepare ourselves in an earthly way to receive the Lord, the Lord comes in and makes all the earthly things in us spiritual and therefore alive. On the other hand, however, the less we prepare ourselves, the more we distance the Lord from ourselves and do everything on our own; and what we do on our own has no life in it.
These points cannot be put in any clearer light before we come to the chapters on goodwill [392-462] and free choice [463-508]. Similar points will also appear later on in the chapter on reformation and regeneration [571-625].
359. (iv) But still faith, charity or life in either of them is not in the least created by man, but only by the Lord.
For we read that man cannot take anything, unless it is given him from heaven (John 3:27). And Jesus said:
He who remains in me, and I in him, brings forth much fruit, because without me you can do nothing, John 15:5.
This, however, must be understood to mean that a person can only acquire by his own efforts natural faith, which is a firm belief that a thing is so because an authoritative person so declared it. He can also acquire only natural charity, which is working in someone's favour for the sake of some reward. These two contain man's self, and there is no life as yet from the Lord. Still a person by either of these prepares himself to receive the Lord. In so far as he prepares himself, so far does the Lord come in and make his natural faith spiritual, and likewise his charity, and so make both living. These results follow when a person approaches the Lord as the God of heaven and earth.
Since man was created an image of God, he was created to be a dwelling for God. Therefore the Lord says:
He who has my commandments and does them, he it is who loves me; and I shall love him, and come to him and make my dwelling with him, John 14:21, 23.
Also:
Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with me, Revelation 3:20.
From these statements the conclusion follows, that in so far as a person prepares himself on the natural level to receive the Lord, so does the Lord come in and make everything within him spiritual, so giving everything life. On the other hand, however, in so far as a person does not prepare himself, to that extent he distances the Lord from himself, and does everything of himself; and what a person does of himself has no life in it. But it is impossible to cast much light on this subject until I have discussed charity and free will, and I shall come back to it later in the chapter on reformation and regeneration.
359. (4) Yet nothing of faith or of charity, or of the life of either, is from man, but from the Lord alone. For we read,
That a man can receive nothing except it have been given him from heaven (John 3:27).
And Jesus said:
He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit; for apart from Me ye can do nothing (John 15:5).
But this is to be understood thus, that man of himself is unable to acquire for himself any but natural faith, which is a persuasion that a thing is so because some man of authority has said so; or any but natural charity, which is an endeavor to gain favor with a view to some recompense. In such faith and charity there is what is man's own, and as yet no life from the Lord. Nevertheless, by means of such faith and charity man prepares himself to be a receptacle of the Lord; and so far as he prepares himself, the Lord enters, and causes his natural faith to become spiritual, likewise his charity, and thus makes both to be alive; and this is done when man goes to the Lord as the God of heaven and earth. Because man was created an image of God, he was created an abode of God; therefore the Lord says:
He that hath My commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me and I will love him, and I will come unto him and make an abode with him (John 14:21, 23).
Again:
Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hear My voice and open the door, I will come into him, and will sup with him, and he with Me (Revelation 3:20).
From all this comes the conclusion, that as man prepares himself naturally to receive the Lord, so the Lord enters and makes all that is within man inwardly spiritual, and thus alive. But on the other hand, so far as man does not prepare himself he removes the Lord from him and does everything from his own self; and what man himself does from himself has no real life in it. But these points cannot as yet be presented in such a light as to appear at all clearly until Charity and Freedom of Choice have been treated of; but they will be made clear later in the chapter on Reformation and Regeneration.
359. (4) But nothing of faith, or of charity, or of the life of both, is from man, but from the Lord alone. It is written:
"A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven" John 3:27;
and Jesus said:
"He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing" John 15:5.
By this it is to be understood that a man of himself can acquire for himself nothing but natural faith; and this is a persuasion that a thing is so because some person of authority has said it. Nor can he acquire anything but natural charity, which is an endeavor to obtain favor, for the sake of some reward; in such faith and charity there is man's proprium, but no life as yet from the Lord. Still, by both of these a man prepares himself to become a receptacle of the Lord; and, so far as he does so, the Lord enters and causes his natural faith and charity to become spiritual, and thus both to become living. This is done when a man approaches the Lord as the God of heaven and earth.
Because man was created an image of God, he was created a habitation of God; therefore the Lord says,
"He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me and I will love him" and come unto him, and make my abode with him. John 14:21, 23;
and again:
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" Revelation 3:20.
From this it follows that, as a man prepares himself on the natural plane to receive the Lord, so the Lord enters and makes all things within him spiritual, and consequently living. On the other hand, as a man does not prepare himself, he puts the Lord away, and does everything from himself; and what a man does from himself has no life in it. These things, however, cannot be seen at all clearly until Charity and Free Will have been dealt with; after which more will be seen on the subject in the chapter on Reformation and Regeneration.
359. IV. QUOD TAMEN USQUE NIHIL FIDEI, ET NIHIL CHARITATIS, ET NIHIL VITAE UTRIUSQUE, SIT AB HOMINE SED A SOLO DOMINO: legitur enim, quod homo non possit sumere quicquam, nisi sit datum illi e Coelo, Johannes 3:27. Et Jesus dixit, qui manet in Me, et Ego in illo, hic fert fructum multum, quia sine Me non potestis facere quicquam, Johannes 15:5 sed hoc ita intelligendum est, quod homo ex se non possit aliam Fidem sibi comparare, quam naturalem, quae est persuasio quod ita sit quoniam vir auctoritatis ita dixit; nec aliam charitatem quam naturalem, quae est operatio ad favorem propter aliquam remunerationem, in quibus duabus est proprium hominis, et nondum vita a Domino, sed usque homo per utramque praeparat se ut sit receptaculum Domini, et quemadmodum se praeparat, ita intrat Dominus, et facit ut Fides ejus naturalis fiat Fides spiritualis, similiter Charitas, et sic utraque viva; et haec fiunt, dum homo adit Dominum, ut Deum Coeli et Terrae. Homo quia creatus est imago Dei, creatus est habitaculum Dei, quare dicit Dominus, Qui habet praecepta mea, et facit illa, ille 1 est qui amat Me, et Ego amabo illum, et ad illum veniam, et mansionem apud illum faciam, Johannes 14:21, 23. Tum, Ecce sto ad januam et pulso, si quis audiverit vocem, et aperuerit januam, ingrediar ad illum, et coenabo cum illo, et ille Mecum, Apocalypsis 3:20. Ex his sequitur hoc conclusum, quod sicut homo se naturaliter praeparat ad recipiendum Dominum, ita Dominus intrat, et facit omnia apud illum intus spiritualia, et sic viva. Vice versa autem, quantum homo se non praeparat, tantum removet Dominum a se, et facit omnia ipse ex se, et quod homo ipse ex se facit, hoc non habet aliquid vitae in se. Sed haec non possunt adhuc in aliqua luce sisti videnda, priusquam de CHARITATE et de LIBERO ARBITRIO actum est, et videbuntur postea in Capite de REFORMATIONE ET REGENERATIONE.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: illo.