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or the Doctrine of Divine Foreordination and Man’s Free Agency, Stated, Illustrated, and Proved from the Scriptures
或《神圣预旨与人的自由意志之教义：陈述、阐明，并由圣经加以证明》
HAPPY would it be for the Church of Christ and for the world, if Christian ministers and Christian people could be contented to be disciples,-LEARNERS; if, conscious of their limited faculties, their ignorance of divine things, and their proneness to err through depravity and prejudice, they could be induced to sit at the feet of Jesus and learn of him.
若基督的教会与世界能够如此有福：基督徒牧者与基督徒百姓甘心作门徒——学习者；若他们自觉才智有限，对属神之事无知，并且因败坏与偏见而易于错误，就能被引导坐在耶稣脚前，从祂学习。
The Church has been corrupted and cursed in almost every age by the undue confidence of men in their reasoning powers.
几乎在每一个世代，教会都因人过分倚靠自己的推理能力而被败坏并受咒诅。
They have undertaken to pronounce upon the reasonableness or unreasonableness of doctrines infinitely above their reason, which are necessarily matters of pure revelation.
他们竟敢断定那些无限高过他们理性的教义是否合理或不合理，而这些教义必然纯然属于启示之事。
In their presumption they have sought to comprehend “the deep things of God,” and have interpreted the Scriptures, not according to their obvious meaning, but according to the decisions of their finite reason.
他们在狂妄之中企图明白神深奥的事，并且解释圣经，不按其明显的意思，却按他们有限理性的裁决。
On no subject have men affirmed and denied more boldly, than on that of Divine foreordination.
在人所大胆肯定与否定的诸主题中，没有一项比神圣预旨更甚。
Had the question been, as it ought to have been, simply concerning the obvious teaching of the Scriptures, had men been content to interpret the language of Inspiration according to the acknowledged principles of interpretation, the faith of Christians might have been far more harmonious.
倘若这问题本当只是关乎圣经明显的教训，倘若人满足于按公认的释经原则解释默示之言，基督徒的信仰就可能更加和谐一致。
But before turning to the word of God, they have filled their minds with objections;
然而在转向神的圣言之前，他们先以反对意见充满自己的心思；
and then they have exhausted their learning in attempting so to interpret the language of Scripture, as to avoid the difficulties they saw in its obvious meaning.
然后他们竭尽学识，试图如此解释圣经的言语，好避开他们在其明显意思中所看见的难处。
Strange that they who object to this mode of proceeding concerning the doctrine of the Trinity, should yet resort to it in determining the truth of the doctrine of Divine foreordination.
奇怪的是，那些在三位一体教义上反对此种作法的人，却仍用此法来判定神圣预旨教义的真理。
For if we cannot comprehend the mode of God’s existence, because it is infinitely above us, for the same reason we cannot comprehend the counsels of infinite wisdom.
因为若我们不能明白神存在的方式，乃因它无限高过我们；同样的缘故，我们也不能明白无限智慧的旨意。
No one has ever studied the works of Nature or the Book of Revelation without finding himself encompassed on every side by difficulties he could not solve.
从未有人研究自然之工或启示之书而不发现自己在各方面都被无法解决的难题围绕。
The philosopher is obliged to be satisfied with facts;
哲学家不得不以事实为足；
and the theologian must content himself with God’s declarations.
神学家也必须以神的宣告为足。
The philosopher must not reject facts, because he cannot reconcile them with the perfections of God or the accountability of man;
哲学家不可因自己无法使这些事实与神的完全或人的责任相调和，就拒绝事实；
and the theologian must believe the plain teaching of God’s word, though he cannot solve the difficulties which seem to him to press upon it.
神学家也必须相信神圣言明白的教训，虽然他不能解决那些在他看来压在其上的难处。
It is necessary that the doctrine of Divine foreordination be frequently discussed, not only because it has important practical bearings, but because it has been and is more misrepresented and caricatured than almost any other doctrine of the Scriptures.
神圣预旨的教义必须常常被讨论，不但因为它具有重要的实践意义，也因为它比圣经中几乎任何其他教义都更常被歪曲与嘲讽。
The doctrines of Christianity are not mere abstractions, but great practical truths, designed and adapted, through the influence of the Holy Spirit, to mould the affections of the heart and to give a right direction to the conduct.
基督教的教义并非只是抽象概念，乃是伟大的实践真理，借着圣灵的影响而设立并配合，为要塑造人心的情感，并使行为得着正当的指引。
Both the advocates and the opponents of the doctrine of Divine decrees agree in attributing to it most important practical tendencies.
神圣预旨的教义之拥护者与反对者都一致承认它具有极其重要的实践倾向。
If the doctrine is true, these tendencies must be good;
若这教义是真的，这些倾向必然是良善的；
if false, we will acknowledge them to be evil.
若是假的，我们就承认它们是邪恶的。
The subject, then, demands a fair and candid investigation.
因此，这个题目要求公正而坦诚的考察。
And if we do not greatly err, those who give it such an investigation, will find the doctrine abundantly sustained by the Scriptures, and not pressed with any difficulty which should weaken our faith in it.
并且若我们并未大大错谬，那些如此考察的人必发现这教义有圣经极其充足的支持，也并未被任何足以削弱我们对其信心的难处所压迫。
Nay, they will see, that they must receive it;
不然，他们将看见他们必须领受它；
or, if consistent in rejecting it, they must reject some of the fundamental doctrines of Christianity.
或者，若他们在拒绝它上坚持一致，他们就必须拒绝基督教的一些根本教义。
The following volume is designed clearly to state the doctrine, as held by Calvinists, and to prove it true both by its fruits and by the direct testimony of God’s word.
以下这本书旨在清楚陈述加尔文主义者所持守的教义，并要借着其果效以及神圣言直接的见证证明它为真。
The first chapter exhibits very briefly the fruits of Calvinism, where it is admitted to have prevailed;
第一章极其简要地展示加尔文主义在被承认为占优势之处所结出的果效；
and in the following chapters the doctrine of Divine foreordination, in its two great branches, is clearly stated and defended.
并在后续各章中，将神圣预旨的教义按其两大分支清楚陈述并加以辩护。
The author, however, has not been disposed to act simply on the defensive.
然而，作者并不只愿意单单采取防御的立场。
He has deemed it proper to enter into a careful examination of some of the most serious errors of the opposite system.
他认为有必要仔细考察对立体系中一些最严重的错误。
Without entertaining any other than the kindest feelings toward those who differ from him, he has felt at liberty,-rather he has deemed it his duty,-freely to examine the claims of some of their doctrines.
他对那些与他不同的人只存最温厚的情感，却仍觉得自己有自由——更确切说，他认为这是他的责任——坦然审查他们某些教义的主张。
It is possible that the methods of stating and illustrating this important doctrine, adopted by the author, may strike forcibly the minds of some, and assist them in rightly understanding it.
作者所采用的陈述并阐明这重要教义的方法，或许会强烈触动某些人的心思，并帮助他们正确理解它。
If so, he will not have labored in vain.
若是如此，他的劳苦就不是徒然的。
With a sincere desire to contribute somewhat to the spread of sound doctrine, and thus to promote the glory of the Redeemer and the eternal happiness of men, he ventures, with prayer for the Divine blessing upon it, to throw before the Christian public this volume.
他怀着真诚的心愿，要为纯正教义的广传略尽绵力，从而促进救赎主的荣耀与人的永远福乐；因此他冒昧将这卷书呈于基督徒大众之前，并为此祈求神的赐福。
Should it be lost amid the multitude of abler works, he will not be disposed to complain;
若它在许多更有能力的著作之中被掩没，他也不愿抱怨；
but will rather rejoice, that the cause of truth and righteousness has many advocates more competent than himself.
反倒要欢喜，因为真理与公义的事业有许多比他更称职的拥护者。
TABLE OF CONTENTS
目录
Preface
序言
PART I – DIVINE FOREORDINATION
第一部分——神圣预旨
Chapter I. The Doctrine of Divine Foreordination proved to be Scriptural by its Fruits.
第一章 神圣预旨的教义藉着其果效证明为合乎圣经
Chapter II. The Doctrine of Divine Foreordination stated, and the Statement shown to be in Accordance with the Scriptures, the Westminster Confession of Faith, and with Standard Calvinistic Writers.
第二章 神圣预旨的教义加以陈述，并证明该陈述与圣经、《威斯敏斯德信条》以及加尔文主义的标准作者一致
Chapter III. The Doctrine of Divine Foreordination proved by the Word of God.
第三章 神圣预旨的教义由神的圣言证明
Chapter IV. Objections to the Doctrine of Divine Foreordination answered, and the Inconsistencies of Arminianism pointed out.
第四章 回答对神圣预旨教义的反对意见，并指出亚米念主义的不一致
PART II – DOCTRINE OF ELECTION
第二部分——拣选的教义
Chapter I. The Doctrine of Election stated.
第一章 拣选的教义加以陈述
Chapter II. Objections to the Doctrine of Election stated, and the Errors and Inconsistencies of Arminianism exposed.
第二章 陈述对拣选教义的反对意见，并揭露亚米念主义的错误与不一致
Chapter III. The Doctrine of Election proved by the Word of God.
第三章 拣选的教义由神的圣言证明
Chapter IV. Scriptural Argument continued, and the practical Importance of the Doctrine shown.
第四章 合乎圣经的论证续论，并表明该教义的实践重要性
Chapter V. The Scriptural Argument continued.
第五章 合乎圣经的论证续论
Chapter VI. Practical Bearing of the whole Doctrine of Divine Foreordination.
第六章 神圣预旨全教义的实践意义