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Ignorant formal Christianity
无知的形式化基督教
(J. C. Ryle, “What Is Needed?” 1895)
(J. C. 赖尔，”我们需要什么？” 1895年)
I am convinced that one of our grave defects today, is a most serious diminishing of the good old custom of private reading of the Bible. Between the growth of Christian periodicals and books, I have a strong impression that Bibles are not read as much and as carefully as they were two hundred years ago.
我确信，我们今天的一个严重缺陷是，私下阅读圣经这一良好的古老习惯正在严重减少。随着基督教期刊和书籍的增长，我强烈感觉到圣经并没有像两百年前那样被广泛和仔细地阅读。
I am well aware that there are more Bibles in Great Britain at this moment, than there ever were since the world began! There is more Bible-buying and Bible-selling, more Bible-printing and Bible-distributing, than there ever was! But all this time, I fear we are in danger of forgetting–that to have the Bible is one thing–and to read it privately ourselves quite another!
我很清楚，此刻在大不列颠的圣经数量比世界开始以来的任何时候都多！圣经的购买和销售、印刷和分发比以往任何时候都多！但在这段时间里，我担心我们正面临忘记一件事的危险——拥有圣经是一回事，而私下阅读它则是另一回事！
I am afraid that the Bible of many a man and woman in Great Britain is never read at all. In one house, it lies in a corner–as stiff, cold, glossy and fresh as it was, when it came from the bookseller’s shop! In another house, it lies on a table, with its owner’s name written in it–a silent witness against him day after day! In another house, it lies on some high shelf, neglected and dusty–to be brought down only on grand occasions, such as a birth in the family–like a heathen idol at its yearly festival. In another house, it lies deep down at the bottom of some box or drawer, among the things not wanted, and is never dragged forth into the light of day–until the arrival of sickness, or death! These things are sad and solemn. But they are true.
我担心在大不列颠，许多男女的圣经根本没有被阅读过。在一个家里，它躺在角落里——像从书店买来时一样僵硬、冰冷、光滑和崭新！在另一个家里，它躺在桌子上，上面写着主人的名字——日复一日成为对他的无声见证！在另一个家里，它躺在高高的架子上，被忽视和蒙尘——只有在重大场合，比如家里有新生儿时才被拿下来——就像异教徒的偶像在其年度节日中一样。在另一个家里，它深深地躺在某个箱子或抽屉的底部，和不需要的东西放在一起，直到生病或死亡来临时才被拖到光天化日之下！这些事情令人悲伤和庄重。但它们是真实的。
I am afraid that many in Great Britain who do read the Bible–yet do not read it aright. One man looks over a chapter on Sunday evening–but that is all. Another reads a chapter every day at family prayers–but that is all. A third goes a step further, and hastily reads a verse or two in private every morning, before he goes out of his house. A fourth goes further still, and reads as much as a chapter or two every day, though he does it in a great hurry, and omits reading it on the smallest inconvenience.
我担心在大不列颠，许多阅读圣经的人却没有正确地阅读它。一个人在周日晚上浏览一章——但仅此而已。另一个人在家庭祷告时每天读一章——但仅此而已。第三个人更进一步，每天早上在离家前匆忙私下读一两节经文。第四个人走得更远，每天读一两章，尽管他匆忙地读，并在最小的不便时就省略阅读。
But each and every one of these men does what he does–in a heartless, scrambling, formal kind of way.
但是这些人中的每一个人所做的事情都是以一种无情的、匆忙的、形式化的方式进行的。
He does it coldly, as a duty.
他冷冷地做这些事，仿佛在履行一项义务。
He does not do it with appetite and pleasure.
他并不是怀着热情和愉悦去做这些事。
He is glad when the task is over.
当任务结束时，他感到高兴。
And when the book is shut–he forgets it all!
当书本合上时，他就把所有内容都忘得一干二净！
This is a sad picture.
这是一幅令人悲伤的景象。
But in multitudes of cases–oh, how true!
但在众多情况下，噢，这是多么真实啊！
But why do I think all this?
但为什么我会有这样的想法呢？
What makes me speak so confidently?
是什么让我如此自信地说出这些话？
Listen to me a few moments, and I will lay before you some evidence.
请听我说几句，我将向你们呈现一些证据。
Neglect of the Bible, is like disease of the body–it shows itself in the face of a man’s conduct.
忽视圣经，就像身体的疾病一样——它会在一个人的行为中表现出来。
It tells its own tale.
它会讲述自己的故事。
It cannot be hidden.
它无法被隐藏。
I fear that many neglect the Bible–because of the enormous ignorance of true religion which everywhere prevails.
我担心许多人忽视圣经，是因为到处盛行着对真正宗教的巨大无知。
There are thousands of professing Christians in this country, who know literally nothing about the Gospel.
在这个国家里，有成千上万自称是基督徒的人，他们对福音一无所知。
They could not give you the slightest account of its distinctive doctrines.
他们无法给你解释其独特教义的丝毫内容。
They have no more idea of the true meaning of conversion, grace, faith, justification, and sanctification–than of so many words and names written in Arabic!
对于皈依、恩典、信仰、称义和成圣的真正含义，他们的理解不比对阿拉伯文写的那么多词语和名字的理解多多少！
And can I suppose that such people search the Scriptures?
我能假设这样的人会查考圣经吗？
I cannot suppose it.
我无法做出这样的假设。
I do not believe they do!
我不相信他们会这么做！
I fear that many neglect the Bible–because of the utter indifference with which they regard false doctrine–as if it did not signify much, and was all the same thing in the long run–whether one was a Roman Catholic, or a Socinian, or a Mormonite, or a Deist, or an Agnostic.
我担心许多人忽视圣经，是因为他们对错误教义完全漠不关心——仿佛这并不重要，长远来看都是一样的——无论一个人是天主教徒、[Socinian]、[Mormonite]、自然神论者还是不可知论者。
And can I suppose that such people search the Scriptures?
我能假设这样的人会查考圣经吗？
I cannot suppose it.
我无法做出这样的假设。
I do not believe they do!
我不相信他们会这么做！
I fear that many neglect the Bible–because of the readiness with which they receive false teaching.
我担心许多人忽视圣经，是因为他们轻易接受错误的教导。
They are led astray by the first false prophet they meet with, who “comes in sheep’s clothing,” and has a pleasant voice, a nice manner, and a gift of eloquent speech!
他们被遇到的第一个”披着羊皮”来的假先知所误导，这些假先知有悦耳的声音、友好的态度和雄辩的口才！
They swallow all that he says without inquiry, and believe him as implicitly as papists believe the Pope!
他们不加质疑地吞下他所说的一切，对他的信任就像天主教徒对教皇的信任一样盲目！
And can I suppose that such people search the Scriptures?
我能假设这样的人会查考圣经吗？
I cannot suppose it.
我无法做出这样的假设。
I do not believe they do!
我不相信他们会这么做！
I declare my firm conviction, that an idle neglect of the Bible is one cause of the ignorant formal Christianity which is so widely prevalent in these latter days!
我坚定地宣告，对圣经的懒惰忽视是导致当今如此普遍的无知形式化基督教的原因之一！
Brethren!
弟兄们！
We are drifting, drifting, drifting–and what the end will be–no man can tell.
我们正在漂移，漂移，漂移——而结局会如何——没有人能说得清。