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Edward Polhill was a well-known Puritan author who lived in England in the 1600s whose writings focused on theology and principles of the Bible.
爱德华·波尔希尔（Edward Polhill）是十七世纪生活在英格兰的一位著名清教徒作者，他的著作专注于神学以及圣经的原则。
Polhill’s writings are an invaluable addition to your library.
波尔希尔的著作是你书库中极其宝贵的补充。
The content covered is pertinent and beneficial.
其所涵盖的内容切中要害，并且大有益处。
IT is the saying of a grave divine, that in the school of Satan, the first A B C of Atheism is this; “All these will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me;”
一位庄重的神学家曾说过，在撒但的学校里，无神论的第一个字母表（A B C）是这样一句话：“你若俯伏拜我，我就把这一切都赐给你；”
but ill the school of Jesus, the first A B C of religion is this; “If any man will be my disciple, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”
但在耶稣的学校里，宗教的第一个字母表却是这样一句话：“若有人要跟从我，就当舍己，背起他的十字架来跟从我。”
Opposition is evangelical genius, the church has the cross for its inheritance:
敌对乃是福音的天赋特质，教会以十字架为其产业；
it is the ordinance of God, that through tribulation we must enter into his kingdom.
这是神的定规（ordinance），我们必须经过患难才能进入祂的国。
This has been the way of the saints in all ages;
这乃是历世历代圣徒所行走的道路；
the cloud of witnesses have walked in it to heaven;
那一大群见证人（cloud of witnesses）正是沿着这条路行走，进入天堂；
Jesus Christ, the captain of our salvation, was made perfect through sufferings;
耶稣基督——我们救恩的元帅——也是借着受苦得以完全；
and therefore, christians who are to follow him whithersoever he goeth, must provide for the cross, especially at such a time as this.
因此，凡要无论祂往哪里去都跟从祂的基督徒，就必须为十字架作好准备，尤其是在这样的一个时代。
Now, not only the common lot of Christianity, but the dark aspect of the times bid us prepare for sufferings:
如今，不仅基督信仰本身的普遍命运，而且这时代阴暗的景象，都呼召我们为受苦作准备：
charity is cold, differences are hot, moderation vanishes, enmity everywhere appears,
爱心冷淡，分歧炽烈，温和消失，仇恨处处显露，
popery lifts up itself in the world, Protestants help on the design, by destroying each other,
罗马天主教（popery）在世上抬起头来，新教徒（Protestants）却因彼此毁灭，反而助长了这一图谋，
sin is gone up with a great cry to heaven, black clouds of wrath hang over our heads for it,
罪恶带着极大的呼声上达于天，因此忿怒的黑云悬在我们的头顶之上，
the decays of holy love threaten a removal of our candlestick,
圣洁之爱的衰败，威胁着我们的灯台将被挪去，
lukewarmness in religion shows, that we are fit to be spued out of God’s mouth:
宗教上的不冷不热显明，我们正适合被从神的口中吐出去：
every one that hath eyes in his head, may see the tendency of such things as these;
凡是头上有眼睛的人，都能看出这些事情的趋向；
and therefore, christians have more than an ordinary obligation on them to provide for the cross,
因此，基督徒比寻常时候更有义务为十字架作准备，
and nothing less than a stock of holy graces can put them into a posture for it.
并且，唯有一整套圣洁的恩典，才能使他们处在合宜的状态中来承担这一切。
It is true, Diogenes, when he was asked, what he gained by his philosophy, answered, that he gained this by it, that he was ad omnem fortunam paratus, ready for everything that should fall out.
诚然，第欧根尼（Diogenes）被问到他从哲学中得到了什么时，回答说，他借此得着这一点：他是 ad omnem fortunam paratus（拉丁文，意为“为一切境遇预备好了”），随时准备面对一切将要发生的事。
Philosophy may pretend to this, but nothing but true christianity can effect it;
哲学或许自称能够做到这一点，但唯有真正的基督信仰才能真实成就它；
it is an easy matter to speak finely, and say, as one did, “Si fractus illabatur orbis, impavidum ferient ruinæ;”
漂亮地说话是容易的，比如有人曾说过：“Si fractus illabatur orbis, impavidum ferient ruinæ”（拉丁文，意为“即便破碎的世界倾塌在我们身上，废墟也不能使我们惊惧”）；
if the broken world fall about our ears, the ruins of it shall not starle us:
意思是：若这破碎的世界在我们耳边崩塌，其废墟也不能使我们惊慌；
but nothing less than gracious and divine principles can enable a man piously to suffer for the cause of God and conscience;
然而，唯有充满恩典并属神的原则，才能使人虔诚地为神与良心的缘故而受苦；
he that parts with all outward things here, had need have an interest in Him, who is better than all:
那在此舍弃一切外在之物的人，必须在那位比万有更美的主里面有分；
he that stands fast in a storm of persecution without, had need of a pure, serene conscience within;
那在外在逼迫的风暴中站立得住的人，内里必须有一颗纯洁、安宁的良心；
he that will adhere to persecuted truth, had need to be well settled in it, and carry the sweet savour of it upon his heart:
那愿意持守受逼迫之真理的人，必须在其中站立稳固，并将那真理的馨香带在心中；
he that will stand out against the threatenings of men, had need be well-fixed in the promises of God, and from thence draw out comfort in an evil day.
那要抵挡人之威吓的人，必须牢牢扎根于神的应许之中，并从那里在患难的日子里汲取安慰。
How can a christian part with the present world, if he hath not another, a better, to go to;
若一个基督徒没有另一个、更美的世界可去，他怎能舍弃今世？
or lay down a temporal life, if he hath not a lively hope of an eternal one in heaven?
若他在天上没有对永生的活泼盼望，他怎能舍弃暂时的生命？
How can he lift up himself above the dregs of a corrupt world, if he be not extasied and rapt up in love to God:
若他没有在爱神中被提起、被吸引（extasied and rapt up），他怎能超越这败坏世界的渣滓？
or bear the terrors and cruelties of men, if the fear of God do not prevail and over-rule his heart?
若敬畏神不能在他心中占据上风并掌权，他怎能承受人的恐吓与残酷？
Humility must make him a worm, a nothing in his own eyes, that he may be willing to be trampled on by men.
谦卑必须使他在自己眼中成为一条虫、成为虚无，好叫他甘心被人践踏。
Obedience must work him to a compliance with God’s commanding will, that patience may fit him to subject to his disposing one.
顺服必须使他与神命令的旨意相契合，好叫忍耐使他顺服于神护理（disposing）的旨意。
Believe it, it is a great, an heroical thing, to suffer for religion;
你要相信，为信仰而受苦乃是一件伟大而英勇的事；
it must be grace, true grace, (such as carries a man up above himself and the world, and joins him to the fountain of comfort and happiness) that will make him fit to suffer and lose all for righteousness sake.
必须是恩典，真实的恩典（那种把人提升到超越自我与世界之上，并使他与安慰与幸福的泉源相联合的恩典），才能使人适合为义的缘故受苦并失去一切。
READER.
读者。
The ensuing discourse hath no other design, but only to show, how christians are to bear sufferings, and what graces are requisite thereunto:
以下的论述别无他意，只是要说明基督徒当如何忍受苦难，以及为此所必需的恩典是什么：
if any glory may come to God, or profit to men by it, it is as much as is desired by him, who is
若因此能将任何荣耀归于神，或给人带来任何益处，这正是那位作者所切切盼望的，
A LOVER OF TRUTH,
一位真理的爱慕者，
EDWARD POLHILL.
爱德华·波尔希尔。
Table of Contents
目录
To the Reader
致读者
CHAPTER I: Persecution will come on good men
第一章：逼迫必临到良善之人
CHAPTER II: It is useful to christians to discern the signs of the times
第二章：基督徒分辨时代的征兆是有益的
CHAPTER III: Preparation for sufferings considered more generally
第三章：更概括地论为受苦所作的预备
CHAPTER IV: Preparation for suffering: the first direction is, Try thy heart
第四章：为受苦作预备：第一条指引是察验你的心
CHAPTER V: The second direction for suffering, mortification of sin
第五章：为受苦的第二条指引：治死罪
CHAPTER VI: The third direction for suffering in the knowledge of God
第六章：为受苦的第三条指引：在认识神上
CHAPTER VII: The fourth direction for suffering is precious faith
第七章：为受苦的第四条指引是宝贵的信心
CHAPTER VIII: The fifth direction for suffering, is love to God and Christ
第八章：为受苦的第五条指引是爱神与基督
CHAPTER IX: The sixth direction for suffering, is a lively hope of eternal life
第九章：为受苦的第六条指引是对永生的活泼盼望
CHAPTER X: The seventh direction for suffering is holy fear
第十章：为受苦的第七条指引是圣洁的敬畏
CHAPTER XI: The eighth direction for suffering is humility
第十一章：为受苦的第八条指引是谦卑
CHAPTER XII: The ninth direction for suffering is active obedience to the will of God
第十二章：为受苦的第九条指引是积极顺服神的旨意
CHAPTER XIII: The tenth direction for suffering, is patience under God’s will
第十三章：为受苦的第十条指引是在神旨意之下的忍耐
CHAPTER XIV: Some inducements to suffer anything, rather than part with the pure religion
第十四章：宁可忍受一切，也不舍弃纯正信仰的若干劝勉