Psalm 19:8
The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
Psalm 33:18
Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy.
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『視不勝猶勝也。量敵而後進，慮勝而後會，是畏三軍者也。舍豈能為必勝哉？能無懼而已矣。』
“I look upon not conquering and conquering in the same way. To measure the enemy and then advance; to calculate the chances of victory and then engage – this is to stand in awe of the opposing force. How can I make certain of conquering? I can only rise superior to all fear.”
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因此,一個人無論受到什么與他自己的意愿相對立的痛苦,他一定不能將它歸結為人的意志,天使的意志,受造的靈的意志,而宁可歸結為賦予意志以力量的上帝的意志。然而,我們不能由此推論我們的意志沒有力量是因為上帝預見到我們的意; 志會做什么選擇。因為,能作預見的一定會預見到某些東西,而不會什么都預見不到。
再說,能預見到我們的意志將會做出什麼決定的上帝不是什么都沒預見到,而是預見到某些東西。然而,盡管上帝作了預見,但我們的意志仍然是有力量的。所以,我們決不可能被迫為了保持上帝的預見,就取消意志的自由,或者為了保持意志的自由而否認上帝能對未來的事情做出預見,這樣想是不虔誠的。我們忠實地承認兩個方面。堅持前者可以使我們更好地信仰,堅持後者可以使我們更好地生活。因為,不相信上帝的人不可能很好地生活。為了保持我們的自由而否認上帝的預見是錯誤的,正是靠著上帝的幫助我們才是自由的,或者將要自由。
由此可以推論,實行律法並非空洞的,責備、鼓而,贊美,咒也並非毫無作用,因為上帝也預見到這些事情,這些事情具有上帝所預見到的價值。祈禱也是有用的,可以獲得上帝喜愛,這些喜愛也是上帝預見到的,他會把它恩賜給向他祈禱的人,公正地獎賞良好的行為,慾罰罪惡。然而,沒有一個人犯罪是因為上帝預見到他會犯罪。一個人犯罪是他自己要犯罪,這是沒有疑問的,因為上帝的預見是不會錯的,不是那個人的命運或運氣,或者他的不幸運,而是那個人自己要對他的犯罪負責。無人犯罪,除非他自己選擇犯罪。如果他不礫意犯罪,他就不會犯罪。甚至他不愿意犯罪也在上帝的預見之中。
Therefore, whatsoever a man suffers contrary to his own will, he ought not to attribute to the will of men, or of angels, or of any created spirit, but rather to His will who gives power to wills. It is not the case, therefore, that because God foreknew what would be in the power of our wills, there is for that reason nothing in the power of our wills. For he who foreknew this did not foreknow nothing.
Moreover, if He who foreknew what would be in the power of our wills did not foreknow nothing, but something, assuredly, even though He did foreknow, there is something in the power of our wills. Therefore we are by no means compelled, either, retaining the prescience of God, to take away the freedom of the will, or, retaining the freedom of the will, to deny that He is prescient of future things, which is impious. But we embrace both. We faithfully and sincerely confess both. The former, that we may believe well; the latter, that we may live well. For he lives ill who does not believe well concerning God. Wherefore, be it far from us, in order to maintain our freedom, to deny the prescience of Him by whose help we are or shall be free.
Consequently, it is not in vain that laws are enacted, and that reproaches, exhortations, praises, and vituperations are had recourse to; for these also He foreknew, and they are of great avail, even as great as He foreknew that they would be of. Prayers, also, are of avail to procure those things which He foreknew that He would grant to those who offered them; and with justice have rewards been appointed for good deeds, and punishments for sins. For a man does not therefore sin because God foreknew that he would sin. Nay, it cannot be doubted but that it is the man himself who sins when he does sin, because He, whose foreknowledge is infallible, foreknew not that fate, or fortune, or something else would sin, but that the man himself would sin, who, if he wills not, sins not. But if he shall not will to sin, even this did God foreknow.
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無為
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