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CHRISTIAN READER,—
基督徒读者——
There are two things which should be of highest regard with us, a serviceable life, and a comfortable death;
有两件事当在我们心中居首要地位：有用的生命，和安慰的死亡；
and they are both so inseparably conjoined, that in vain do we hope for the one without the other.
而这二者是如此密不可分，以致若没有其中之一，就徒然盼望另一件。
Which of these is to be preferred, was a doubt which put the apostle to an anxious disquisition.
这二者哪一个更当被优先看重，曾使使徒陷入焦灼的思索与辩论。
On the one side there was service, on the other side there was gain.
一方面是服事，另一方面是益处。
If he lived, he should preach Christ,
若他活着，他就要传讲基督；
if he died, he should enjoy Christ, and remain with him for ever;
若他死了，他就要享受基督，并永远与祂同在；
therefore Paul was at a stand, and knew not what to determine.
因此保罗站在两难之间，不知该如何决定。
Surely he had a holy heart that could thus set duty against enjoyment,
他确实拥有一颗圣洁的心，竟能这样把责任与享受相对而论，
and think his service worthy to come into competition with his spiritual and eternal interests!
并且认为自己的服事竟配得与他属灵且永恒的益处相竞争！
That which made Paul so indifferent and incurious as to the means,
使保罗对方式如此淡然、不加计较的原因，
was the resolved fixing of his scope—his end and scope was Christ’s glory.
乃在于他已坚定地确立了自己的目标——他的终极目标就是基督的荣耀。
Now, it was all one to him how God would use him to such a purpose;
因此，对他而言，神如何使用他来达成这一目的，都是一样的；
as a man that is resolved upon a journey, taketh the way as he findeth it, fair or foul;
正如一个立志出行的人，无论道路平坦或崎岖，都照着所遇见的路前行；
it is enough that it leadeth him to his journey’s end;
只要这条路能把他带到旅程的终点，就已经足够；
so Christ might be glorified, either by his ministry, or by martyrdom, Paul was indifferent;
同样地，只要基督得着荣耀，无论是借着他的事奉，还是借着他的殉道，保罗都无所偏向；
it was enough that Christ should be glorified.
只要基督得荣耀，这就够了。
None have such an unfeigned respect to Christ’s glory but those that live in the communion of his life.
唯有活在基督生命交通中的人，才会对基督的荣耀怀有如此真诚无伪的尊重。
Men’s tendency is according to the principle by which they are acted;
人的趋向乃取决于驱动他们的原则；
carnal men, that act by their own life, and live upon their own root, bring forth fruit to themselves.
属肉体的人，凭着自己的生命行事，从自己的根而活，只为自己结果子。
Water riseth no higher than its fountain;
水不能高过它的泉源；
but those that have life from Christ, use it for him;
但那些从基督得生命的人，却为祂使用这生命；
to them to live is Christ;
对他们而言，活着就是基督；
as they live in him, and by him, so they live for him, and to him.
他们既在祂里面活、靠祂而活，也就为祂而活、向祂而活。
We need then to take all occasions to press men to get into Christ,
因此，我们需要抓住一切机会，劝勉人进入基督里面，
that they may live in the communion of his life,
使他们可以活在祂生命的交通中，
and in the strength and influence of it be carried out to his glory.
并在这生命的能力与影响之下，被推动去荣耀祂。
This is that which will make life serviceable, and death sweet;
这正是使生命有用、死亡甘甜的根源；
and to this we need to be pressed by all kind of arguments both those which are taken from God’s relation to us,
为此，我们需要借着各样的论证被激励，无论是出于神与我们之间关系的论证，
as also those which are taken from our expectations from him, Rom. 14:8.
还是出于我们对祂所存盼望的论证（罗马书 14:8）。
We are all the Lord’s by every kind of right and title,
我们在各样的权利与名分上，都是属主的，
and therefore owe all manner of service to him, even though nothing should come of it;
因此理当向祂尽一切服事，即便我们什么回报也得不到；
but they that do the Lord’s work will not want his wages;
但凡作主工的人，必不缺少祂的赏赐；
though he might require our service out of mere sovereignty,
纵然祂可以单凭主权要求我们的服事，
yet he condescendeth to propound a reward,
然而祂却俯就自己，设立赏赐，
and that so full and ample, that it should ravish our hearts every time we think of it.
并且那赏赐如此丰盛、如此充足，每当我们思想时，足以夺去我们的心。
These considerations, which I have here loosely discoursed of,
这些我在此略略论述的思考，
are notably improved in the ensuing treatise,
在接下来的论著中被极其出色地展开，
which being communicated to me by a friend of the author,
这本论著是作者的一位朋友转交给我的，
I could not but return it with this character,
我不禁给它这样的评语，
that it is a discourse grave and judicious,
这是一篇庄重而明智的论述，
and yet quickened with such warmth and vigour of illustration,
同时又因热切而有力的譬喻而生动起来，
as that it may be of great use to awaken men unto more seriousness
使它在唤醒人对重大之事更深的严肃态度上，大有用处，
in the great concernments of their souls,
在关乎他们灵魂的重大事务上，
among which nothing can be more momentous than our living in Christ,
其中，没有什么比我们活在基督里面更为重要，
that we may live to him, and then with him for evermore.
使我们可以向祂而活，并最终永远与祂同在。
This being signified, I leave thee to the work itself,
既已说明这些，我便把你交托给这部作品本身，
which I cannot but judge to proceed from one both of a good head and heart,
我不得不判断，这作品出自一位既有清醒头脑、又有良善之心的人，
and profess myself
并声明我自己
Thine in the service of the gospel,
在福音事奉中属于你的人，
THO. MANTON.
托马斯·曼顿（THO. MANTON）。
Table of Contents
目录
THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY
献辞书信
TOTHE READER
致读者
PREFACE
序言
I. The division of the chapter, and interpretation of the text
一、本章的分段与经文的解释
II. The doctrine, That such as have Christ for their life, gain by death, with the explication of the phrase, ‘To me to live is Christ’
二、教义：以基督为生命的人，因死亡而得益处，并解释“我活着就是基督”这句话
III. What privative gain the Christian hath by death
三、基督徒在死亡中所得的消极益处
IV. What positive gain a Christian hath by death
四、基督徒在死亡中所得的积极益处
V. The difference betwixt a sinner and a saint at death
五、罪人与圣徒在死亡时的区别
VI. The sinner’s privative misery at death
六、罪人在死亡时所承受的消极痛苦
VII. The positive part of a sinner’s misery at death
七、罪人在死亡时所承受的积极痛苦
VIII. A second use of trial, with motives to enforce it
八、第二项试验性的应用，并附带推动的动机
IX. The marks of a true Christian from the text
九、从经文中得出的真基督徒的标记
X. Other marks of saints
十、圣徒的其他标记
XI. The third use—viz., Exhortation to mind spiritual life
十一、第三项应用——即劝勉人注重属灵的生命
XII. The life in Christ must be minded speedily, with the grounds of it
十二、在基督里的生命必须迅速加以注重，并说明其理由
XIII. This life in Christ must be minded diligently, with some motions to it
十三、在基督里的生命必须殷勤注重，并提出若干激励
XIV. The first direction for the attaining a spiritual life, Illumination
十四、获得属灵生命的第一项指引：光照
XV. The second help to a spiritual life, Humiliation
十五、属灵生命的第二项帮助：谦卑（Humiliation，指在神面前的自卑与痛悔）
XVI. The third help to a spiritual life, Application of, or affiance on, Jesus Christ
十六、属灵生命的第三项帮助：应用或倚靠耶稣基督
XVII. The fourth help, Dedication to God
十七、第四项帮助：将自己献给神
XVIII. Two other helps, The word and prayer
十八、另外两项帮助：圣言与祷告
XIX. Motives to mind this spiritual life: It is the most honourable, most comfortable, most profitable life
十九、注重属灵生命的动机：这是最尊贵、最安慰、最有益的生命
XX. Comfort to true Christians
二十、赐给真基督徒的安慰
XXI. Comfort against the world’s fury, and Satan’s rage
二十一、抵挡世界狂怒与撒但暴怒的安慰
XXII. Comfort against our own corruptions, our own or other believers’ dissolution
二十二、抵挡我们自身败坏，以及自己或其他信徒死亡（dissolution，指身体与灵魂分离）的安慰
XXIII. The excellency of heaven
二十三、天堂的卓越荣耀
XXIV. The certainty that saints shall obtain heaven
二十四、圣徒必得天堂的确据
XXV. The eternity of the saints’ happiness in heaven
二十五、圣徒在天堂中幸福的永恒性