Of deeper matters, and God’s hidden judgments1 which are not to be inquired into
“My Son, beware thou dispute not of high matters and of the hidden judgments of God; why this man is thus left, and that man is taken into so great favour; why also this man is so greatly afflicted2, and that so highly exalted3. These things pass all man’s power of judging, neither may any reasoning or disputation have power to search out the divine judgments. When therefore the enemy suggesteth these things to thee, or when any curious people ask such questions, answer with that word of the Prophet, Just art Thou, O Lord, and true is Thy judgment,1 and with this, The judgments of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether.2 My judgments are to be feared, not to be disputed on, because they are incomprehensible to human understanding.
2. “And be not given to inquire or dispute about the merits of the Saints, which is holier than another, or which is the greater in the Kingdom of Heaven. Such questions often beget5 useless strifes and contentions6: they also nourish pride and vain glory, whence envyings and dissensions arise, while one man arrogantly7 endeavoureth to exalt4 one Saint and another another. But to wish to know and search out such things bringeth no fruit, but it rather displeaseth the Saints; for I am not the God of confusion but of peace;3 which peace consisteth more in true humility8 than in self-exaltation.
3. “Some are drawn9 by zeal10 of love to greater affection to these Saints or those; but this is human affection rather than divine. I am He Who made all the Saints: I gave them grace, I brought them glory; I know the merits of every one; I prevented them with the blessings11 of My goodness.4 I foreknew my beloved ones from everlasting12, I chose them out of the world;5 they did not choose Me. I called them by My grace, drew them by My mercy, led them on through sundry13 temptations. I poured mighty14 consolations16 upon them, I gave them perseverance17, I crowned their patience.
4. “I acknowledge the first and the last; I embrace all with inestimable love. I am to be praised in all My Saints; I am to be blessed above all things, and to be honoured in every one whom I have so gloriously exalted and predestined, without any preceding merits of their own. He therefore that shall despise one of the least of these My people, honoureth not the great; because I made both small and great.6 And he who speaketh against any of My Saints speaketh against Me, and against all others in the Kingdom of Heaven.”
They are all one through the bond of charity; they think the same thing, will the same thing, and all are united in love one to another.
5. “But yet (which is far better) they love Me above themselves and their own merits. For being caught up above themselves, and drawn beyond self-love, they go all straightforward18 to the love of Me, and they rest in Me in perfect enjoyment19. There is nothing which can turn them away or press them down; for being full of Eternal Truth, they burn with the fire of inextinguishable charity. Therefore let all carnal and natural men hold their peace concerning the state of the Saints, for they know nothing save to love their own personal enjoyment. They take away and add according to their own inclination20, not as it pleaseth the Eternal Truth.
6. “In many men this is ignorance, chiefly is it so in those who, being little enlightened, rarely learn to love any one with perfect spiritual love. They are still much drawn by natural affection and human friendship to these or to those: and as they reckon of themselves in lower matters, so also do they frame imaginations of things heavenly. But there is an immeasurable difference between those things which they imperfectly imagine, and these things which enlightened men behold21 through supernatural revelation.
7. “Take heed22, therefore, My son, that thou treat not curiously23 those things which surpass thy knowledge, but rather make this thy business and give attention to it, namely, that thou seek to be found, even though it be the least, in the Kingdom of God. And even if any one should know who were holier than others, or who were held greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven; what should that knowledge profit him, unless through this knowledge he should humble24 himself before Me, and should rise up to give greater praise unto My name? He who considereth how great are his own sins, how small his virtues25, and how far he is removed from the perfection of the Saints, doeth far more acceptably in the sight of God, than he who disputeth about their greatness or littleness.
8. “They are altogether well content, if men would learn to be content, and to refrain from vain babbling26. They glory not of their own merits, seeing they ascribe no good unto themselves, but all unto Me, seeing that I of my infinite charity have given them all things. They are filled with so great love of the Divinity, and with such overflowing27 joy, that no glory is lacking to them, neither can any felicity be lacking. All the Saints, the higher they are exalted in glory, the humbler are they in themselves, and the nearer and dearer are they unto Me. And so thou hast it written that they cast their crowns before God and fell on their faces before the Lamb, and worshipped Him that liveth for ever and ever.7
9. “Many ask who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven, who know not whether they shall be worthy28 to be counted among the least. It is a great thing to be even the least in Heaven, where all are great, because all shall be called, and shall be, the sons of God. A little one shall become a thousand, but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed. For when the disciples29 asked who should be the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven, they received no other answer than this, Except ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. But whosoever shall humble himself as this little child, the same shall be greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.”8
10. Woe30 unto them who disdain31 to humble themselves willingly with the little children; for the low gate of the kingdom of Heaven will not suffer them to enter in. Woe also to them who are rich, who have their consolation15 here;9 because whilst the poor enter into the kingdom of God, they shall stand lamenting32 without. Rejoice ye humble, and exult33 ye poor, for yours is the kingdom of God if only ye walk in the truth.
2 Psalm xix. 9.
3 Corinthians xiv. 33.
4 Psalm xxi. 3.
5 John xv. 19.
6 Wisd. vi. 8.
7 Revelation iv. 10; v. 14.
8 Matthew xviii. 3.
9 Philippians ii. 21.
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judgments
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| 判断( judgment的名词复数 )； 鉴定； 评价； 审判 | |
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afflicted
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| 使受痛苦，折磨( afflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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exalted
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| adj.(地位等)高的，崇高的；尊贵的，高尚的 | |
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exalt
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| v.赞扬，歌颂，晋升，提升 | |
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beget
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| v.引起；产生 | |
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contentions
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| n.竞争( contention的名词复数 )；争夺；争论；论点 | |
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arrogantly
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| adv.傲慢地 | |
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humility
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| n.谦逊，谦恭 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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blessings
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| n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福 | |
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everlasting
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| adj.永恒的，持久的，无止境的 | |
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sundry
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| adj.各式各样的，种种的 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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consolation
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| n.安慰，慰问 | |
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consolations
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| n.安慰，慰问( consolation的名词复数 )；起安慰作用的人（或事物） | |
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perseverance
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| n.坚持不懈，不屈不挠 | |
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straightforward
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| adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的 | |
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enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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inclination
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| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
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behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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virtues
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| 美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处 | |
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babbling
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| n.胡说，婴儿发出的咿哑声adj.胡说的v.喋喋不休( babble的现在分词 )；作潺潺声（如流水）；含糊不清地说话；泄漏秘密 | |
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overflowing
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| n. 溢出物,溢流 adj. 充沛的，充满的 动词overflow的现在分词形式 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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disciples
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| n.信徒( disciple的名词复数 )；门徒；耶稣的信徒；（尤指）耶稣十二门徒之一 | |
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woe
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| n.悲哀，苦痛，不幸，困难；int.用来表达悲伤或惊慌 | |
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disdain
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| n.鄙视，轻视；v.轻视，鄙视，不屑 | |
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lamenting
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| adj.悲伤的，悲哀的v.（为…）哀悼，痛哭，悲伤( lament的现在分词 ) | |
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exult
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| v.狂喜，欢腾；欢欣鼓舞 | |
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psalm
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| n.赞美诗，圣诗 | |
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