577# 由此还可推出：主不断在重生人的行动中，因为祂不断在拯救人的行动中；而人若不重生，就不能得救，正如主在约翰福音中亲口所说：“人若不重生，就不能见上帝的国”（约3:3，5，6）。因此，重生乃是得救的媒介，而仁义与信仰乃是重生的媒介。若说重生会随着当今教会那种没有人之合作的信仰而来，实是虚空的虚空。
前文所述的行动与合作，可见于一切具有某种活动性与运动性的事物中。心脏与其一切动脉之间，便有这样的行动与合作：心脏行动，动脉则凭其外覆之膜或管壁而合作；由此有血液循环。肺也是如此：空气按其大气高度所产生的压力而作用，肋骨先与肺合作，随后肺又与肋骨合作；由此，身体中一切膜层都有呼吸。照样，脑膜、胸膜、腹膜、膈膜，以及其余覆盖内脏并在内里构成内脏的膜层，都行动并被行动，因而彼此合作；因为它们具有弹性，故万物由此存在并持续存在。每一纤维、每一神经、每一肌肉，甚至每一软骨中，也都是如此；在这些事物的每一个里面都有行动与合作，这是人所共知的。
这样的合作也存在于每一种感觉中；因为身体的感觉器官与运动器官一样，都是由纤维、膜层和肌肉构成的。但逐一描述各感官的合作，是多余的；因为众所周知，光作用于眼，声音作用于耳，气味作用于鼻，滋味作用于舌，而各器官则使自身与这些作用相适应；由此产生感觉。
由此，谁不能领会：若在大脑的属灵有机体中，没有这种行动与合作同流入的生命相应，就不可能有思想与意愿存在？因为生命从主流入这有机体；而这有机体因与之合作，人才知觉到自己所思想的，也同样知觉到其中所权衡、所判断，并决定付诸行动的事。
若唯有生命行动，而人不仿佛出于自己地合作，那么人便不能思想，较之树桩无异；也如同牧师讲道时的殿堂，只能因声音从门壁反响而有类似回声的感觉，却毫不理解所讲之言。人在仁义与信仰上若不与主合作，也必如此。
577# 从上述内容也可以推知，主不断在重生人的行动中，因为祂不断在拯救他的行动中；没有人能得救，除非他重生，如主自己在约翰福音中所说的：
人若不重生，就不能见神的国。（约翰福音3:5-6）
因此，重生是得救的方法，而仁爱和信仰是重生的方法。认为重生随当今教会的信仰而来，把人的合作排除在外，是愚蠢至极的，或说是完全徒劳的。
此处描述的行动和合作可见于处于活动和运动状态的一切事物中。心脏及其整个动脉系统的行动和合作就是这种；心脏行动，动脉通过其鞘或膜合作，血液循环由此产生。肺也是如此；取决于空气上方的大气高度的气压作用于肺，肋骨首先与肺合作，紧接着肺与肋骨合作；身体的每一层膜的呼吸由此产生。正是通过这种方式，脑的脑膜、胸膜、腹膜、横膈膜，以及覆盖内脏，并进入其组成部分的其它膜，起作用并被作用，从而进行合作；因为它们在性质上是有弹性的；它们的存在和持续存在由此产生。一切纤维和神经，一切肌肉，甚至一切软骨都是如此；众所周知，在这些东西的每一个里面都有行动和合作。
这种合作也存在于一切感官中；因为身体的感觉器官跟身体的运动器官一样，是由纤维、膜和肌肉构成的。描述每种情况下的合作是没有必要的；因为众所周知，光作用于眼睛，声音作用于耳朵，气味作用于鼻孔，味道作用于舌头，器官则适应这种作用；感觉由此产生。谁由此看不出，除非在脑的属灵有机体中有这种行动和合作，以及流入的生命，否则意愿和思维不能存在？因为来自主的生命流入这个有机体，由于这种合作，人对他所思考的东西，同样对那里被权衡、总结并决定要做的事有一种感知或理性理解。如果只有生命在行动，人不貌似凭自己去合作，那么他就像一块木头一样不能思考，或当牧师讲道时，他就像一座教堂或圣殿一样不能思考。由于从门上传来的声音的回响，教堂或圣殿可能的确可以说感觉到一种回声，但它感觉不到讲道的任何话语。人若不在仁爱和信仰方面与主合作，也会是这个样子。
577. It follows from this that the Lord is constantly active in regenerating us. He is constantly active in saving us, and no one can be saved without being regenerated, as the Lord himself says in John: "Those who are not born again cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3, 5-6). Regeneration is therefore the means of being saved; and goodwill and faith are the means of being regenerated.
The notion that we are regenerated as a consequence of simply having the faith that is preached by the church of today - a faith that involves no cooperation on our part - is the height of foolishness.
[2] The kind of action and cooperation just described is visible in action and movement of all types. The interaction between the heart and all its arteries is an example. The heart acts and the arteries use their sheaths and linings to cooperate; this results in circulation. A similar thing happens with the lungs. The air pressure, which depends on the height of the atmosphere above it, acts upon the lungs; the lungs work the ribs, which is immediately followed by the ribs working the lungs. This breathing motion affects every membrane in the body. The meninges of the brain, the pleura, the peritoneum, the diaphragm, and all the other membranes that cover the internal organs and inwardly hold them together, act and react and cooperate in this way, because they are flexible. Together these movements provide for our continued existence.
A similar thing happens in every fiber and nerve and in every muscle. In fact it even occurs in every piece of cartilage. It is well documented that in each of these there is an [initiating] action and then a cooperation.
[3] Such cooperation also exists in all our bodily senses. Just like the motor organs, the sensory organs consist of fibers, membranes, and muscles; but there is no need to describe the cooperation of each one. It is well known that light acts upon the eye, sound upon the ear, odor upon the nose, taste upon the tongue; and that the organs adapt themselves to that input, which results in sensation.
Surely everyone can see from these examples that thought and will could not exist unless there was a similar action and cooperation between life as it inflows and the spiritual organic structure underlying our brain. Life flows from the Lord into that organic structure. Because the organic structure cooperates, it perceives what it is thinking. Likewise it perceives what is under consideration there, what conclusion is formed, and what action it has decided to take. If the life force alone took action but we did not cooperate (seemingly on our own), our ability to think would not exceed a log's. We would have no more thought than a church building does when a minister is preaching; the church can indeed feel the reverberation of sound coming through the double doors as an echo, but it cannot appreciate anything about the sermon. We would be no different if we did not cooperate with the Lord in developing goodwill and faith.
577. A further consequence of this is that the Lord is continually in the process of regenerating a person, because He is continually in the process of saving him, and no one can be saved unless he is regenerated, exactly as the Lord said in John: he who is not born again cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:3, 5-6). Regeneration is therefore the means to salvation, and charity and faith are the means to regeneration. The idea that regeneration comes as a consequence of the faith the present-day church upholds, that is, without the person's co-operation, is the height of folly.
[2] Action and co-operation as here described can be observed in everything which has any activity and power of movement. Such is the action and co-operation of the heart and every one of its arteries. The heart acts and the artery uses its coverings or tunics to co-operate; and this is how the circulation of the blood works. It is much the same with the lungs. The air acts by the atmospheric pressure which depends on altitude, and the ribs first co-operate with the lungs, and then the lungs co-operate with the ribs. This is how every membrane in the body breathes. In the same way the meninges of the brain, the pleura, the peritoneum, the diaphragm and all the other coverings of the viscera and their inward structures act and are acted upon and so co-operate, since they are elastic. This is how they come into existence and continue in existence. It is much the same in every fibre and nerve, and in every muscle, even in every cartilage. It is well known that in each of these there is action and co-operation.
[3] Every sense too affords an example of co-operation, for the sensory organs, like the motor organs, are composed of fibres, membranes and muscles. But it would be a waste of time to describe how each of them co-operates. We know that light acts on the eye, sound on the ear, smell on the nose, and taste on the tongue, and that the organs respond to these things, thus giving rise to sensation. Can anyone fail to perceive from this that if there were no such action and cooperation with inflowing life in the spiritual organism of the brain, thought and will could not come into existence? For life flows into that organism from the Lord, and because it co-operates the perception is possible of what is thought, likewise what is there judged, concluded and given expression in action. If all that happened was that life acted and the person did not co-operate as if of himself, he could no more think than a block of wood, or than the structure of a church can when a minister is preaching. In this case something like an echo may be experienced as the result of the reflexion of sound from the doors, but no speech. That is what a person would be like, if he did not cooperate with the Lord as regards charity and faith.
577. From the foregoing it also follows, that the Lord is unceasingly in the act of regenerating man, because He is unceasingly in the act of saving him, and no one can be saved unless he is regenerated, according to the Lord's own words in John:
Except a man be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:(John 3:3, 5-6).
Regeneration, therefore, is the means of salvation, while charity and faith are the means of regeneration. To say that regeneration follows the faith of the present church, which leaves out man's co-operation, is vanity of vanities.
[2] The action and cooperation here described may be seen in everything that is in any state of activity and mobility. Such is the action and cooperation of the heart and of every artery thereof; the heart acts, and the arteries by their sheaths or coats cooperate; hence circulation. It is the same with the lungs. The air acts by its incumbent weight according to the height of the atmosphere, and at first the ribs cooperate with the lungs, and immediately after the lungs with the ribs; from which there is respiration in every membrane of the body. Thus the meninges of the brain, the pleura, the peritoneum, the diaphragm and the other parts which cover the viscera and enter into their composition, act and are acted upon, and thus they cooperate; for they are elastic; and from this is their existence and subsistence. It is the same in every fiber and nerve, and in every muscle, and even in every cartilage; in everyone of these, as is known, there is action and cooperation.
[3] There is such a cooperation also in every sense; for the sensories of the body, like the motor organs, consist of fibers, membranes, and muscles; but to describe the co-operative action of each, is needless; for it is known that light acts upon the eye, sound upon the ear, odor upon the nostrils, and taste upon the tongue, and that the organs adapt themselves thereto; from which there is sensation. Who cannot see from all this, that unless there were such action and cooperation with the influent life in the spiritual organism of the brain, will and thought could not exist? For life from the Lord flows into that organism, and because of this cooperation, man has a perception of what he thinks, and in like manner of what is there considered, concluded upon, and defined into act. If life were to act merely, and man were not to co-operate as if of himself, he could no more think than a stock, or than a temple while the minister is preaching in it. The temple may indeed, owing to the reverberation of the sound from its doors, have a sense, as it were, of the echo, but not of the discourse. So would man be, did he not co-operate with the Lord in respect to charity and faith.
577. From what has been said it follows that the Lord is continually in the act of regenerating man, because He is continually in the act of saving him; and no one can be saved unless he is regenerated, according to the Lord's own words in John,
That he who is not born again cannot see the kingdom of God, John 3:3, 5-6.
Regeneration, therefore, is the means of salvation, and charity and faith are the means of regeneration. It is utterly vain to suppose that regeneration results from the faith of the present Church, which excludes man's co-operation.
[2] Action and co-operation, as have been described above, may be seen in every thing that is in a state of activity and mobility. The action and co-operation of the heart and its whole arterial system are of this kind; the heart acts, and the arteries, by their sheaths or coats, co-operate, and the circulation of the blood results. It is similar with the lungs; the air acts by pressure according to the height of the atmosphere, and the ribs first co-operate with the lungs, and immediately afterwards the lungs with the ribs, and the respiration of every membrane of the body results. It is in this way that the meninges of the brain, the pleura, the peritoneum, the diaphragm and the other membranes which cover the viscera, and which enter into their composition, act and are acted upon, and so co-operate, for they are in their natures elastic; and thus their existence and subsistence result. The case is similar in every fibre and nerve, in every muscle, and even in every cartilage, in every one of which, as is well known, there are action and co-operation.
[3] Such co-operation exists too, in all the senses; for the organs of sense, like those of motion in the body, consist of fibres, membranes and muscles. To describe the co-operation in each case is needless; for it is well known that light acts on the eye, sound on the ear, odor on the nostril, and taste on the tongue, and that the organs adapt themselves to such action; and thus sensation results. Any one may perceive then, that unless there were in the spiritual organism of the brain such action and co-operation with the inflowing life, thought and will could not exist. For life from the Lord flows into that organism, and as this co-operates, all that is thought, weighed, concluded and determined to be done, is rationally comprehended. If life alone were to act, and man did not co-operate as of himself, he could no more think than the stock of a tree, or than a church building whilst the minister is preaching. He may indeed, perceive something, caused by the reverberation of sound, coming from its doors, as an echo, but not a word of a sermon. 1 This is what man would be like unless he co-operated with the Lord in the matter of charity and faith.
Footnotes:
1. hic quidem ex repercussione soni e valvis ejus potest sentire sicut echo, sed nihil sermonis. Hic, the subject of the sentence, is masculine referring to homo or minister, and not the templum, a church building. Other translations make church the subject. The meaning supported by the context seems to be: He may hear a church building produce an echo but not a word of a sermon. A church has not the faculty of thought: it can react but not co-operate.
577. Ex his sequitur etiam hoc, quod Dominus continue sit in actu regenerandi hominem, quia continue est in actu salvandi illum, et nullus salvari potest, nisi regeneretur, secundum ipsa Domini verba apud Johannem, 1 Quod qui non generatur denuo, non possit videre regnum Dei, 3:3, 5-6: est itaque Regeneratio medium salvationis, ac Charitas et Fides sunt media regenerationis. Quod Regeneratio sequatur fidem hodiernae Ecclesiae, quae est absque cooperatione hominis, est vanitas vanitatum.
[2] Actio et cooperatio qualis descripta est, videri potest in omni re, quae in aliqua activitate et mobilitate est: talis actio et cooperatio est cordis et omnis ejus arteriae; Cor agit et Arteria ex suis involucris aut tunicis cooperatur, inde circulatio: simile est cum Pulmone; aer ex incumbentia secundum altitudinem suae athmosphaerae agit, et costae cum pulmone primum cooperantur, et mox postea pulmo cum costis; inde respiratio omnis membranae in corpore; ita meninges cerebri, pleura, peritonaeum, diaphragma, et reliquae, quae viscera tegunt, et quae intus componunt, agunt et aguntur, et sic cooperantur, sunt enim elasticae, inde existentia et subsistentia; simile est in omni fibra et nervo, inque omni musculo, imo in cartilagine; quod in singulis illis sit actio et cooperatio, notum est.
[3] Talis cooperatio est quoque in omni sensu, nam sensoria sicut motoria corporis, ex fibris, membranis et musculis consistunt, sed cujusvis cooperationem describere, supervacaneum est; scitur enim quod lux agat in oculum, sonus in aurem, odor in narem, et sapor in linguam, et quod organa illis se adaptent, unde sensatio: quis non inde potest percipere, quod nisi talis actio et cooperatio cum influa vita in spirituali organismo Cerebri foret, non posset existere cogitatio et voluntas; vita enim a Domino in organismum illum influit, qui quia cooperatur, percipitur id quod cogitatur, similiter id quod ibi expenditur, concluditur, et in actum determinatur; si sola vita ageret, et non homo cooperaretur sicut ex se, non posset plus cogitare quam truncus, aut quam templum, cum concionatur Minister; hic quidem ex repercussione soni e valvis ejus potest sentire sicut echo, sed nihil sermonis: talis foret homo nisi cooperaretur cum Domino quoad charitatem et fidem.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: Johannem.