539.自我反省后，人还有两个义不容辞的责任：祈求与忏悔。祈求应是，主是仁慈的，祂会赋予人抵制所悔改罪恶的力量，祂也会提供行善的倾向与情感，因为离了主，人什么也做不了（约翰福音15:5）。忏悔应是，人要看到、认识并承认自己的罪，发现自己是可怜的罪人。人既没必要在主面前列举自己的罪，也没必要祈求它们被宽恕。没必要列举罪，是因为他已找到、并在自己身上看到这些罪，它们随之会呈现在主面前，因为它们呈现在人自己面前。主还会引导他自我反省，使罪恶暴露，激起难过的情绪，连同停止罪恶、开启新生活的努力。
之所以不必向主祈求罪被宽恕，原因有二：其一，罪无法被抹除，只能被移走；只要人随后停止罪恶，开启新生活，它们就会被移走。因为每种恶周围都粘附着成“群”一样的无数欲望，当人允许自己被改造与重生时，它们只能逐渐、而无法瞬间被移走。其二，由于主是怜悯本身，所以祂宽恕所有人及其罪，祂一个罪也不报应到人头上，因为祂说：“他们不知道自己在做什么。”尽管如此，罪不会由此被除掉，因为当彼得问，他该饶恕弟兄的罪过几次呢？是否该饶恕七次呢？主说：“我对你说：不是到七次，乃是到七十个七次”。（马太福音18:21－22）
那么，主还有什么不能做的呢？然而，对于饱受良心遣责的人来说，为了缓解压力、获得解脱而在教会牧师面前列举自己的罪过，没什么坏处，因为他会由此形成自我检查、每日反思自己邪恶的习惯。然而，这种忏悔是属世的，而上面所描述的忏悔是属灵的。
539. 自我反省后, 人还有两个义不容辞的责任: 祈求与忏悔。 祈求应是, 主是仁慈的, 祂会赋予人抵制所悔改罪恶的力量, 祂也会提供行善的倾向与情感, 因为离了主, 人什么也做不了 (约翰福音15:5)。 忏悔应是, 人要看到, 认识并承认自己的罪, 发现自己是可怜的罪人。 人既没必要在主面前列举自己的罪, 也没必要祈求它们被宽恕。 没必要列举罪, 是因为他已找到, 并在自己身上看到这些罪, 它们随之会呈现在主面前, 因为它们呈现在人自己面前。 主还会引导他自我反省, 使罪恶暴露, 激起难过的情绪, 连同停止罪恶, 开启新生活的努力。
之所以不必向主祈求罪被宽恕, 原因有二: 其一, 罪无法被抹除, 只能被移走; 只要人随后停止罪恶, 开启新生活, 它们就会被移走。 因为每种恶周围都粘附着成“群”一样的无数欲望, 当人允许自己被改造与重生时, 它们只能逐渐, 而无法瞬间被移走。 其二, 由于主是怜悯本身, 所以祂宽恕所有人及其罪, 祂一个罪也不归算到人头上, 因为祂说: “他们不知道自己在做什么。 ”尽管如此, 罪不会由此被除掉, 因为当彼得问, 他该饶恕弟兄的罪过几次呢? 是否该饶恕七次呢? 主说: “我对你说: 不是到七次, 乃是到七十个七次”。 (马太福音18:21-22)
那么, 主还有什么不能做的呢? 然而, 对于饱受良心遣责的人来说, 为了缓解压力, 获得解脱而在教会牧师面前列举自己的罪过, 没什么坏处, 因为他会由此形成自我检查, 每日反思自己邪恶的习惯。 然而, 这种忏悔是属世的, 而上面所描述的忏悔是属灵的。
539. There are two duties that we are obliged to perform after we have examined ourselves: prayer and confession. The prayer is to be a request that [the Lord] have mercy on us, give us the power to resist the evils that we have repented of, and provide us an inclination and desire to do what is good, since "without him we cannot do anything" (John 15:5). The confession is to be that we see, recognize, and admit to our evils and that we are discovering that we are miserable sinners.
There is no need for us to list our sins before the Lord and no need to beg that he forgive them. The reason we do not need to list our sins before the Lord is that we searched them out within ourselves and saw them, and therefore they are present before the Lord because they are present before us. The Lord was leading us in our self-examination; he disclosed our sins; he inspired our grief and, along with it, the motivation to stop doing them and to begin a new life.
[2] There are two reasons why we should not beg the Lord to forgive our sins. The first is that sins are not abolished, they are just relocated within us. They are laid aside when after repentance we stop doing them and start a new life. This is because there are countless yearnings that stick to each evil in a kind of cluster; these cannot be set aside in a moment, but they can be dealt with in stages as we allow ourselves to be reformed and regenerated.
The second reason is that the Lord is mercy itself. Therefore he forgives the sins of all people. He blames no one for any sin. He says, "They do not know what they are doing" [Luke 23:34] (but this does not mean our sins are taken away altogether). To Peter, who was asking how many times he should forgive a friend who was sinning against him - whether he should give forgiveness as many as seven times - the Lord answered, "I do not say as many as seven times, but as many as seventy times seven" (Matthew 18:21-22). How forgiving, then, is the Lord?
It does no harm, though, for people who are weighed down by a heavy conscience to lighten their load by listing their sins before a minister of the church, for the sake of absolution. Doing so introduces them to the habit of examining themselves and reflecting on their daily evils. Nevertheless, this type of confession is earthly in nature, whereas the confession described above is spiritual.
539. There are two obligations incumbent on one after self-examination: prayer and confession. Prayer should be that the Lord may have pity, grant the power to resist the evils of which one has repented, and supply the inclination and affection for doing good, since man without Him cannot do anything (John 15:5). Confession should be that one sees, recognises and acknowledges one's evils, and reveals oneself as a wretched sinner. There is no need to list one's sins before the Lord, nor to pray that they may be forgiven. There is no need to list one's sins, because one has examined them and seen them in oneself; consequently they are present to the Lord, because they are to oneself. The Lord has also guided the person in self-examination, disclosed the sins, and inspired sadness and together with this an effort to desist from them and begin a new life.
[2] There are two reasons why prayer ought not to be offered before the Lord for the forgiveness of sins. First, because sins are not wiped out, but taken away; and this happens as one subsequently desists from them and embarks on a new life. For there are countless longings attached like a cluster around every evil; these cannot be taken away in an instant, but only one after another, as a person allows himself to be reformed and regenerated. The second reason is that the Lord, being mercy itself, forgives everyone his sins, and does not hold even one of them against a person. For the Lord says, 'They do not know what they are doing.' But still this does not mean that the sins are abolished; for when Peter asked how many times he should forgive his brother his offences, whether as many as seven times, the Lord said:
Not up to seven times, I tell you, but up to seventy times seven times, Matthew 18:21-22.
What then will the Lord not do? Still there is no harm in someone, whose conscience is oppressing him, gaining relief by listing his sins before a priest of the church, so as to receive absolution. This is because by this means he is led into the habit of examining himself and reflecting on the evils he commits day by day. This, however, is a natural confession; the one described above is spiritual.
539. There are two duties incumbent on man, to be done after examination, namely, supplication and confession. The supplication should be that the Lord may be merciful, that He may give power to resist the evils that have been repented of, and that He will provide inclination and affection for doing good,
Since apart from the Lord man can do nothing (John 15:5).
The confession will be that he sees, recognizes, and acknowledges his evils, and finds himself to be a miserable sinner. There is no need for man to enumerate his sins before the Lord, nor to supplicate forgiveness of them. He need not enumerate them, because he has searched them out and seen them in himself, and consequently they are present to the Lord because they are present to himself. Moreover, the Lord led him to search them out, disclosed them, and inspired grief for them, and together with this an effort to refrain from them and begin a new life. Supplication need not be made to the Lord for forgiveness of sins, for the following reasons: First, because sins are not abolished, but removed; and they are removed so far as man continues to refrain from them and enters upon a new life; for there are innumerable lusts inherent, coiled up as it were, in every evil, and they cannot be put away instantly, but only gradually, as man permits himself to be reformed and regenerated. The second reason is, that as the Lord is mercy itself, He forgives all men their sins, nor does He impute a single sin to anyone, for He says, "They know not what they do." (Luke 23:34 Nevertheless, the sins are not thereby taken away; for to Peter asking how often he should forgive his brother's trespasses, whether he should do so seven times, the Lord said:
I say not unto thee, until seven times, but until seventy times seven (Matt.18:21-22).
What, then, will not the Lord do? Still it does no harm for one burdened in conscience to enumerate his sins before a minister of the church, in order to lighten his burden and obtain absolution; because he is thereby initiated into a habit of examining himself, and reflecting upon each day's evils. But this kind of confession is natural, while that described above is spiritual.
539. There are two duties incumbent on man after examination, namely, supplication and confession. There will be supplication that the Lord may be merciful, and that He may give power to resist the evils of which he has repented, and supply the inclination and desire to do good;
Since without the Lord a man can do nothing, John 15:5.
There will be confession, that the penitent sees, recognizes and acknowledges his evils, and perceives that he is a miserable sinner. There is no need to enumerate one's sins before the Lord, or to supplicate for their remission. Their enumeration is unnecessary, because the penitent has already searched them out, and seen them in himself; and consequently they are present before the Lord, as they are present to himself. Moreover, the Lord led him in the work of examination, and, revealing his sins to him, inspired him with sorrow for them and at the same time with the endeavor to desist from them and begin a new life.
There are two reasons why supplication for the remission of sins need not be made before the Lord. The first is that sins are not abolished, but removed; and they are removed as a man afterwards desists from them and enters into the new life; for there are innumerable lusts involved in every evil as in a cluster, which cannot be removed in a moment but only by degrees, as a man suffers himself to be reformed and regenerated. The second reason is that the Lord, because He is mercy itself, remits the sins of all, and does not impute a single one to any man, for He says: "They know not what they do;" yet they are not on that account abolished. When Peter asked how often he should forgive his brother his trespasses, whether he should forgive him till seven times, the Lord replied:
"I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven" Matthew 18:21-22.
What, then, will the Lord not do? Still it does no harm for one whose conscience is burdened, to enumerate his sins before a minister of the Church for the sake of absolution, in order that his burden may be lightened; for by this means he is led into the habit of examining himself, and of reflecting on the evils of each day. This confession, however, is natural, whereas that described above is spiritual.
539. Sunt duo Debita, quae homini incumbunt facere post explorationem, Supplicatio et Confessio. SUPPLICATIO erit, ut misereatur, det potentiam resistendi malis, quorum poenituit, et suppeditet inclinationem et affectionem faciendi bonum, Quoniam homo sine Ipso non potest facere quicquam, Johannes 15:5. CONFESSIO erit, quod videat, cognoscat et agnoscat sua mala, et deprehendat se miserum peccatorem. Coram Domino non opus est Enumeratione peccatorum, nec supplicare de Remissione illorum; quod non opus sit Enumeratione peccatorum, est causa, quia illa apud se exploravit et vidit, et inde illa apud Dominum praesentia sunt quia apud se; Dominus etiam in Exploratione duxit illum, et aperuit illa, et inspiravit maerorem, et una cum hoc conatum desistendi ab illis, et inchoandi novam vitam.
[2] Quod coram Domino supplicatio de Remissione peccatorum non fieri debeat, sunt hae causae: Prima, quia peccata non abolentur, sed removentur, et removentur sicut homo postea desistit ab illis, et novam vitam ingreditur; sunt enim innumerae Concupiscentiae, quae cuivis malo, ut in glomo, inhaerent, quae non possunt momento amoveri, sed successive sicut homo se patitur reformari et regenerari. Altera causa est, quod Dominus, quia est Ipsa Misericordia, remittat omnibus sua peccata, nec unum alicui imputet, dicit enim, non sciunt quid faciunt, sed usque non ideo ablata sunt, nam Petro interroganti, quoties remitteret fratri suo delicta, num usque ad septies, dixit, non dico tibi ad septies, sed usque ad septuagies septies, Matthaeus 18:21-22; quid non Dominus. Sed usque non nocet, quod quis gravatus conscientia, ut levetur, coram Ministro Ecclesiae peccata sua enumeret, causa absolutionis; quia sic introducitur in habitum explorandi se, et super mala quotidiana reflectendi: sed haec Confessio est naturalis, supra descripta autem est spiritualis.