第三节 人人皆能重生，各按其状态
579# 人人既皆已蒙救赎，故皆能重生；但各按其状态而定。为使此事得以理解，须先略论救赎。主降世，主要为着这两件事：一是从天使与人那里移除地狱；二是荣耀祂自己的人性。因为在主降临以前，地狱日益增长，甚至侵扰天堂的天使；又因它横亘于天堂与世界之间，拦阻主与地上世人之间的交通，以致没有任何神圣真理与神圣良善能由主传达给人。因此，整个人类都面临完全的定罪；并且天堂的天使也不能长久保持其完整状态。
【2】所以，为了挪开地狱，并由此除去那迫近的定罪，主降世，移除地狱，制伏地狱，并由此开启天堂，使祂此后能与地上世人同在，拯救那些照祂诫命而生活的人；因而也使他们重生并得救。由此可知，所谓“人人既皆已蒙救赎，故皆能重生”，正是这个意思；又因重生与得救合而为一，所以人人皆能得救。因此，教会所教导的“若无主的降临，无人能够得救”，应这样理解：若无主的降临，无人能够重生。
【3】至于主降世的另一个目的，即荣耀祂自己的人性，则是因为祂由此成为永远的救赎者、重生者和拯救者。不可相信，主借着一次在世上成就的救赎，便使其后所有人都已一次性地被救赎；而应相信，祂不断地救赎那些信祂并遵行祂话语的人。关于这些事，可参看“救赎”一章中更详尽的论述。
579# 为了理解这一点，首先必须说一说救赎。主降世主要是为了这两个目的：将地狱从天使和世人那里移除，并荣耀祂的人身。因为在主降临之前，地狱已经如此增长，以至于侵扰天堂天使，还通过介入到天堂与世界之间来阻断主与世人的交流；因此，任何神性真理或良善都不能从主传给人类。所以，一个彻底的诅咒威胁到整个人类，天堂天使也无法长久地保持他们的完好。
因此，为了清除地狱，从而除去这即将到来的诅咒或定罪，主来到这个世界，移除地狱，征服了它，从而打开天堂。祂这样做是为了以后可以与地上的人同在，拯救那些照着祂的诫命生活的人，从而能重生并拯救他们，因为那些重生的人就得救了。这就是当如何理解这句话：既然所有人都被救赎了，那么他们都可以重生，由于重生和得救构成一体，所以所有人都可以得救。因此，教会的教导，即除非主降世，否则没有人能得救，要以这种方式来理解：除非主降世，否则没有人能重生。
至于主降世的另一个目的，即荣耀祂的人身，这是因为通过这种方式，祂成为了永远的救赎主、重生者和救主。千万不要以为通过在世上所施行的一次救赎，以后所有人就都被救赎了；而是要相信，主不断救赎那些信祂，并遵守祂诫命的人。关于这些主题，详情可参看救赎那一章。
579. Because We Are All Redeemed, We Are All Capable of Being Regenerated, Each of Us in a Way That Suits the State We Are In
To clarify the statement in the heading, I need first to say something about redemption. The Lord came into the world for two main reasons: to move hell away from both angels and people; and to glorify his own human nature. Before the Lord's Coming, hell had grown so much that it was assaulting the angels of heaven. By placing itself between heaven and the world, hell had also become able to intercept the communication between the Lord and human beings on earth; as a result, no divine truth or goodness from the Lord was able to get through to human beings. A total damnation threatened the entire human race, and the angels of heaven would not have been able to maintain their integrity for long either.
[2] In order to move hell out of the way and to remove the impending threat of total damnation, the Lord came into the world, relocated hell, brought it under control, and made heaven accessible again, so that he would be able to be present among people on earth and regenerate and save those who were living according to his commandments. All who are regenerated are saved. This is what is meant by the statement in the heading that because we are all redeemed, we are all capable of being regenerated. And because being regenerated is the same thing as being saved, we are all also capable of being saved.
Therefore the teaching of the church that without the Lord's Coming no one could have been saved should be taken to mean that without the Lord's Coming no one could have been regenerated.
[3] As for the second purpose for which the Lord came into the world - to glorify his human manifestation - he did this in order to become the Redeemer, the Regenerator, and the Savior to eternity. There is a belief that because the Lord carried out a redemption while he was in the world, therefore we have all already been redeemed. We should not believe that. We should believe instead that forevermore he redeems people who believe in him and do what he says. On this topic, see further in the chapter on redemption.
579. III. Since all have been redeemed, everyone can be regenerated, in each case depending on the person's state.
To make this intelligible, something must first be said about redemption. The Lord had two chief ends in view in coming into the world, to distance hell from angels and men, and to glorify His Human. For before the Lord's coming, hell had grown so high as to molest the angels of heaven and, by standing between heaven and the world, to cut off communication by the Lord with people on earth. As a result no Divine truth and good could get through from the Lord to men. Consequently complete damnation threatened the whole human race, nor could the angels of heaven either have long survived unharmed.
[2] So the Lord came into the world to move hell further off and so remove that threat of damnation. He moved hell to a distance and brought it under control, thus opening the way to heaven, so that thereafter He could be present with people on earth and save those who lived in accordance with His commandments. Thus He came to regenerate and save them, for those who are regenerated are saved. This is what is meant by saying that since all have been redeemed, everyone can be regenerated, and because regeneration and salvation are one and the same, everyone can be saved. This teaching then of the church, that but for the Lord's coming no one could be saved, is to be understood as meaning that no one could be regenerated but for the Lord's coming.
[3] The other purpose for which the Lord came into the world, the glorification of His Human, was because He by this means became the Redeemer, Regenerator and Saviour for ever. For it must not be believed that by the single deed of redemption carried out in the world all thereafter were redeemed, but it should be believed that He unfailingly redeems those who believe in Him and do what He says. More on this subject can be found in the chapter on redemption.
579. III. SINCE ALL HAVE BEEN REDEEMED, ALL MAY BE REGENERATED EACH ACCORDING TO HIS STATE.
That this may be understood, something must be premised respecting redemption. The Lord came into the world chiefly for these two purposes, to remove hell from angel and from man, and to glorify His Human. For before the Lord's coming hell had grown up so far as even to infest the angels of heaven, and also, by interposing itself between heaven and the world, to intercept the Lord's communication with men on earth, so that no Divine truth and good could pass from the Lord to men. Consequently a total damnation threatened the whole human race, and the angels of heaven could not have long continued to exist in their integrity.
[2] And thus, in order that hell might be cleared away, and this impending damnation be thereby removed, the Lord came into the world, and dislodged hell, subjugated it, and thus opened heaven; so that He could henceforth be present with men on earth, and save those who live according to His commandments, and consequently could regenerate and save them, for those who are regenerated are saved. This is how it is to be understood, that, since all have been redeemed they may be regenerated, and because regeneration and salvation make one, all may be saved. So the teaching of the church, that without the Lord's coming no man could have been saved, is to be understood in this way, that without the Lord's coming no one could have been regenerated.
[3] In respect to the other purpose for which the Lord came into the world, namely, to glorify His Human, this was because He thereby became the Redeemer, Regenerator and Savior forever. For it is not to be believed that by redemption once wrought in the world, all men had been thereby redeemed, but that the Lord is perpetually redeeming those who believe in Him and who obey His words. But on these points more may be seen in the chapter on Redemption.
579. III. SINCE ALL MEN HAVE BEEN REDEEMED, ALL CAN BE REGENERATED, EVERY ONE ACCORDING TO HIS STATE.
That this may be understood, something must first be said concerning redemption. The Lord came into the world chiefly for these two purposes, to remove hell from angels and men, and to glorify His Human. For, before the Lord's coming, hell had so increased as to infest the angels of heaven, and also, by interposing between heaven and the world, to intercept the Lord's communication with men on earth; and thus no Divine Truth or Good could pass from the Lord to mankind. Consequently, the whole human race was threatened with total condemnation, and the angels, moreover, could not long have continued in their integrity.
[2] In order, therefore, that hell might be driven back, and this impending condemnation averted, the Lord came into the world, and, removing hell, subjugated it and thus opened up heaven. He did this that He might thereafter be present with men on earth, and save those that lived according to His commandments, and consequently regenerate as well as save them; for it is those who are saved that are regenerated. This is what is meant when it is said that all, having been redeemed, can be regenerated; and as regeneration and salvation constitute one, that all can be saved. The doctrine, therefore, which the Church teaches, that unless the Lord had come into the world no one could have been saved, is to be understood in this way, that unless He had come into the world no one could have been regenerated.
[3] The other purpose for which the Lord came into the world was to glorify His Human; because in this way He became the Redeemer, Regenerator and Savior for ever. For it must not be supposed that by the redemption once wrought in the world, all were, thereafter, redeemed; but that He is continually redeeming those who believe on Him and keep His commandments. More, however, may be seen on these subjects in the chapter on Redemption.
579. Quod omnes, quia omnes redempti sunt, regenerari possint, quisque secundum suum statum.
Ut haec intelligantur, praemittendum est aliquid de Redemptione; Dominus in mundum venit, principaliter propter haec duo, ut removeret infernum ab angelo et ab homine, ac ut glorificaret Humanum suum, nam ante adventum Domini, infernum succrevit, usque ut infestaret angelos coeli, ut et per interpositionem inter coelum et mundum interciperet communicationem Domini cum hominibus telluris, ex quo non potuit aliquod Divinum Verum et Bonum a Domino ad homines pertransire: inde totalis Damnatio imminuit universo Generi humano, et quoque nec Angeli coeli in integritate sua potuerunt diu subsistere.
[2] Ut itaque submoveretur infernum, et sic imminens illa damnatio tolleretur, Dominus in Mundum venit, et removit infernum, et subjugavit illud, et sic aperuit Coelum, ut postea posset praesens esse apud homines telluris, et salvare illos, qui secundum praecepta Ipsius viverent, consequenter illos regenerare et salvare, nam salvantur qui regenerantur: ita intelligitur hoc, quod omnes, quia omnes redempti sunt, regenerari possint, et quia regeneratio et salvatio unum faciunt, quod omnes possint salvari: hoc itaque, quod Ecclesia docet, quod absque adventu Domini nemo potuerit salvari, ita intelligendum est, quod nemo absque adventu Domini regenerari potuerit.
[3] Quod alterum finem, propter quem Dominus in mundum venit, attinet, qui est, ut glorificaret Humanum suum, fuit, quia sic factus est Redemptor, Regenerator et Salvator in aeternum; nam non credendum est, quod per Redemptionem semel factam in Mundo, omnes post illam redempti sint, sed quod perenniter redimat illos, qui in Ipsum credunt, et verba Ipsius faciunt. Sed plura de his videantur 1 in Capite de Redemptione.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: vidcantur.