第50章 呼吁自制
§1
第50章 呼吁自制
§2
An Appeal for Self-Control
§3
彼得的劝告是具有最高价值的。他向那些同有一样宝贵信心的人说：{1TT 266.1}[1]
§4
The exhortation of Peter is of the highest value to all who are striving for immortality. He addresses those of like precious faith:?{1TT 266.1}[1]
§5
“作耶稣基督仆人和使徒的西门彼得写信给那因我们的上帝和救主耶稣基督之义，与我们同得一样宝贵信心的人。愿恩惠、平安因你们认识上帝和我们主耶稣，多多地加给你们。上帝的神能已将一切关乎生命和虔敬的事赐给我们，皆因我们认识那用自己荣耀和美德召我们的主。因此，祂已将又宝贵、又极大的应许赐给我们，叫我们既脱离世上从情欲来的败坏，就得与上帝的性情有份。正因这缘故，你们要分外地殷勤。有了信心，又要加上德行；有了德行，又要加上知识；有了知识，又要加上节制；有了节制，又要加上忍耐；有了忍耐，又要加上虔敬；有了虔敬，又要加上爱弟兄的心；有了爱弟兄的心，又要加上爱众人的心。你们若充充足足地有这几样，就必使你们在认识我们的主耶稣基督上不至于闲懒不结果子了。人若没有这几样，就是眼瞎，只看见近处的，忘了他旧日的罪已经得了洁净。所以弟兄们，应当更加殷勤，使你们所蒙的恩召和拣选坚定不移。你们若行这几样，就永不失脚。这样，必叫你们丰丰富富地得以进入我们主救主耶稣基督永远的国”（彼后1:1-11）。{1TT 266.2}[2]
§6
“Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue: whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”?2 Peter 1:1-11.?{1TT 266.2}[2]
§7
我们所处的世界充满了光明和知识，但有许多自称拥有宝贵信心的人，却宁愿蒙昧无知。他们周围全是光明，但他们却不善加利用。父母们不明白自己有自省自察，力求知识，及在婚后生活中付诸实践的必要。他们若是听从使徒的劝告，每天都按加法的计划生活，就在认识我们主耶稣基督上，不至于闲懒不结果子了。但是许多人不明白成圣的工作。他们在加法上只学到初步的教训，便认为自己已经成圣了。成圣是一种渐进的工作，并非一时或一日之功，然后自己不费什么特别的努力即可永远保持。{1TT 266.3}[3]
§8
We are in a world where light and knowledge abound, yet?many claiming to be of like precious faith are willingly ignorant. Light is all around them, yet they do not appropriate it to themselves. Parents do not see the necessity of informing themselves, obtaining knowledge, and putting it to a practical use in their married life. If they followed out the exhortation of the apostle, and lived upon the plan of addition, they would not be unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But many do not understand the work of sanctification. They seem to think they have attained to it, when they have learned only the first lessons in addition. Sanctification is a progressive work; it is not attained to in an hour or a day, and then maintained without any special effort on our part.?{1TT 266.3}[3]
§9
许多父母没有婚后生活所应有的知识。他们没有谨慎自守，以免撒但趁机控制他们的心思及生活。他们看不出上帝要求他们在婚后生活的任何方面都当节制。只有很少的人认识到，管束自己的情欲，也是宗教本分之一。他们既已自己选择结婚对象，就因而推理婚姻准许人放纵低级情欲。甚至那些自命敬虔的男女，也放松了肉体情欲的控制。他们没有想到自己浪费生命活力，削弱自己对生活的把握，使整个身体系统衰败，这一切上帝都是要他们负责的。{1TT 267.1}[4]
§10
Many parents do not obtain the knowledge that they should in the married life. They are not guarded lest Satan take advantage of them and control their minds and their lives. They do not see that God requires them to control their married lives from any excesses. But very few feel it to be a religious duty to govern their passions. They have united themselves in marriage to the object of their choice, and therefore reason that marriage sanctifies the indulgence of the baser passions. Even men and women professing godliness give loose rein to their lustful passions, and have no thought that God holds them accountable for the expenditure of vital energy, which weakens their hold on life and enervates the entire system.?{1TT 267.1}[4]
§11
婚姻掩盖了色调最黑暗的罪恶。自命敬虔的男女，放纵败坏的情欲而糟蹋自己的身体，以致使自己卑劣到禽兽不如的地步。他们滥用了上帝所赐给他们，要他们在圣洁尊贵中保持的能力。生命和健康牺牲在下贱情欲的坛上，上等的高贵能力也屈服于兽性之下。干犯这等罪恶的人并不了解自己行为的后果。他们若都能看出自己犯罪纵欲所带来的痛苦有多大，就会警醒起来，至少有些人会避免犯这要付可怕代价的罪行了。大批的人过着这样悲惨的生活，他们觉得生不如死。也有许多人早年夭亡，他们的生命牺牲在过度放纵兽欲的可耻行为中。但他们因为是结过婚了，便以为自己没有犯罪。{1TT 267.2}[5]
§12
The marriage covenant covers sins of the darkest hue. Men and women professing godliness debase their own bodies through the indulgence of the corrupt passions, and thus lower themselves beneath the brute creation. They abuse the powers which God has given them to be preserved in sanctification and honor. Health and life are sacrificed upon the altar of base passion. The higher, nobler powers are brought into subjection to the animal propensities. Those who thus sin are not acquainted with the result of their course. Could all see the amount of suffering which they bring upon themselves by?their own sinful indulgence, they would be alarmed, and some, at least, would shun the course of sin which brings such dreaded wages. So miserable an existence is entailed upon a large class that death would to them be preferable to life; and many do die prematurely, their lives sacrificed in the inglorious work of excessive indulgence of the animal passions. Yet because they are married they think they commit no sin.?{1TT 267.2}[5]
§13
【对爱情的误解】
§14
男女们啊，你们终有一天要明白什么是肉欲，以及满足肉欲有何后果了。有时在婚姻关系之内的情欲，其性质之卑劣，亦不下于在婚姻关系之外。使徒保罗曾劝告凡作丈夫的人，应当爱他们的妻子，“正如基督爱教会，为教会舍己。”“丈夫也当照样爱妻子，如同爱自己的身子；爱妻子，便是爱自己了。从来没有人恨恶自己的身子，总是保养顾惜，正象基督待教会一样”（弗5:25,28-29）。纯洁的爱并不促使人把妻子当作泄欲的工具。那叫人放纵的，乃是兽欲。{1TT 268.1}[6]
§15
【A False Conception of Love】
§16
Men and women, you will one day learn what is lust and the result of its gratification. Passion of just as base a quality may be found in the marriage relation as outside of it. The apostle Paul exhorts husbands to love their wives “even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it.” “So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church.”?Ephesians 5:25, 28, 29. It is not pure love which actuates a man to make his wife an instrument to minister to his lust. It is the animal passions which clamor for indulgence.?{1TT 268.1}[6]
§17
现今照着使徒所提示的情形，表现他们爱情的人是何其少啊！“正如基督爱教会，为教会舍己……（不使教会污秽，但）把教会洗净，成为圣洁……乃是圣洁没有瑕疵的”（弗5:25-27）。在婚姻关系中，这种性质的爱才能被上帝认为是神圣的。爱是一种纯洁神圣的原则，但肉体情欲却决不受约束，也不容理性的指挥和管束。它不明结局，也不辨因果。许多妇女因为忽视了生存律及破坏了自然律，以致身体虚弱，常年被疾病所苦。男女们浪费大脑神经的力量，使之起到反自然的作用，藉以满足卑贱的情欲，并将这一可怕的怪物——卑劣下贱的情欲——美其名曰爱情。?{1TT 268.2}[7]
§18
How few men show their love in the manner specified by the apostle: “Even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it; that He might [not pollute it, but] sanctify and cleanse it; ... that it should be holy and without blemish.”?Verses 25-27. This is the quality of love in the marriage relation which God recognizes as holy. Love is a pure and holy principle; but lustful passion will not admit of restraint, and will not be dictated to or controlled by reason. It is blind to consequences; it will not reason from cause to effect. Many women are suffering from great debility and settled disease because the laws of their being have been disregarded; nature’s laws have been trampled upon. The brain nerve power is squandered by men and women, being called into?unnatural action to gratify base passions; and this hideous monster, base, low passion, assumes the delicate name of love.?{1TT 268.2}[7]
§19
许多自称为基督徒的人在我面前经过，似乎缺乏道德的约束。他们身上更多的是兽性而非神性。他们实际上与禽兽无异。这等人贬损了自己曾承诺要呵护和珍重的妻子。他们将自己的妻子当成满足卑鄙私欲的工具。许多妇女因屈从而成了私欲的奴隶。她们不能保守自己的身体在圣洁和尊贵之中。为人妻者不再具有她婚前的尊严和自重。神圣的婚姻制度理应保守并增进她女性的尊严和圣洁的尊荣，但是她贞洁、高贵、庄严的女子气质却被焚化在低级情欲的祭坛之上，为讨好丈夫而牺牲了。她很快就会失去对丈夫的敬重，因为他连动物都遵从的律法也不尊重。婚姻生活成了难负的重轭；因为爱情已经死亡，而往往代之以不信任、嫉妒和仇恨。{1TT 269.1}[8]
§20
Many professed Christians who passed before me seemed destitute of moral restraint. They were more animal than divine. In fact, they were about all animal. Men of this type degrade the wife whom they have promised to nourish and cherish. She is made an instrument to minister to the gratification of low, lustful propensities. And very many women submit to become slaves to lustful passion; they do not possess their bodies in sanctification and honor. The wife does not retain the dignity and self-respect which she possessed previous to marriage. This holy institution should have preserved and increased her womanly respect and holy dignity; but her chaste, dignified, godlike womanhood has been consumed upon the altar of base passion; it has been sacrificed to please her husband. She soon loses respect for the husband, who does not regard the laws to which the brute creation yield obedience. The married life becomes a galling yoke; for love dies out, and frequently distrust, jealousy, and hate take its place.?{1TT 269.1}[8]
§21
【纵欲的后果】
§22
妻子若一味忍让，作丈夫的奴隶，满足他卑劣的情欲，没有一个男人会真正爱她的。她既然被动地屈从，就在丈夫眼中失去了以往的价值。他既看见她在一切事上都从高贵的降为下流，不久他就猜疑她也会温顺地忍受别人污辱，就象他对待她那样。他会怀疑她的忠贞和纯洁，厌弃她，转而寻找新的对象来激发强化他邪恶的欲火。上帝的律法不再受尊重了。这些人比禽兽更坏，他们乃是徒具人形的恶魔，他们不知道真实圣洁爱情的高尚尊贵原则。{1TT 269.2}[9]
§23
【The Fruitage of Excesses】
§24
No man can truly love his wife when she will patiently submit to become his slave and minister to his depraved passions. In her passive submission, she loses the value she once possessed in his eyes. He sees her dragged down from everything elevating, to a low level; and soon he suspects that she will as tamely submit to be degraded by another as by himself. He doubts her constancy and purity, tires of her, and seeks new objects to arouse and intensify his hellish passions. The law of God is not regarded. These men are worse than brutes; they are demons in human form. They are unacquainted with the elevating, ennobling principles of true, sanctified love.?{1TT 269.2}[9]
§25
妻子也会猜忌丈夫，怀疑他一有机会就向其他女人献殷勤，好像对她一样。她看到他并没有受良知或敬畏上帝之心所约束；这一切神圣的藩篱都已被肉体的情欲所破坏；在丈夫身上一切像上帝的品性，都成了卑劣兽欲的奴隶。?{1TT 269.3}[10]
§26
The wife also becomes jealous of the husband and suspects that if opportunity should offer he would just as readily pay?his addresses to another as to her. She sees that he is not controlled by conscience or the fear of God; all these sanctified barriers are broken down by lustful passions; all that is godlike in the husband is made the servant of low, brutish lust.?{1TT 269.3}[10]
§27
世上充斥着这一类的男女；许多整洁，动人，华贵的房屋，内部所藏的却是地狱。若是可能，你且猜想，这等父母的子女将是什么样的。这些子女岂不是要更趋下流吗？父母在子女身上是要留下其品性之印记的，因此这等父母所生的儿女，必遗传有卑鄙下贱的性质，而撒但也要培养他们身上一切足以趋向败坏的素质。现今所要解决的问题，就是作妻子的在见到丈夫只受卑贱情欲的支配之时，她的理性及判断力指示她，若如此行，便要摧残自己的身体，就是上帝命令要她保持圣洁尊贵，而留为献给上帝的活祭，在此情形之下，她是否要觉得有完全盲从丈夫之要求的义务呢？{1TT 270.1}[11]
§28
The world is filled with men and women of this order; and neat, tasty, yea, expensive houses contain a hell within. Imagine, if you can, what must be the offspring of such parents. Will not the children sink still lower in the scale? The parents give the stamp of character to their children. Therefore children that are born of these parents inherit from them qualities of mind which are of a low, base order. And Satan nourishes anything tending to corruption. The matter now to be settled is: Shall the wife feel bound to yield implicitly to the demands of her husband, when she sees that nothing but base passions control him, and when her reason and judgment are convinced that she does it to the injury of her body, which God has enjoined upon her to possess in sanctification and honor, to preserve as a living sacrifice to God??{1TT 270.1}[11]
§29
妻子牺牲自己的健康及生命以满足丈夫的兽欲，这并不是出于纯洁神圣的爱情。她若有真实的爱情和智慧，就当设法转移丈夫那只求满足肉欲的心思，去考虑那些有利害关系的属灵之事，使他达到高尚的属灵意境。若要不糟蹋自己的身体，去顺从丈夫的过度情欲，这事需要谦卑而亲切的恳劝，甚至冒着失去丈夫欢心的危险。她应当用亲爱温柔的方式提醒丈夫说，上帝对于她整个的人有最先及最高的主权，她不能忽视这等主权，因为她在上帝的大日要为此交账。“岂不知你们的身子就是圣灵的殿么？这圣灵是从上帝而来，住在你们里头的；并且你们不是自己的人；因为你们是重价买来的；所以要在你们的身子上荣耀上帝”（林前6:19-20）。“你们是重价买来的，不要作人的奴仆”（林前7:23）。{1TT 270.2}[12]
§30
It is not pure, holy love which leads the wife to gratify the animal propensities of her husband at the expense of health and life. If she possesses true love and wisdom, she will seek to divert his mind from the gratification of lustful passions to high and spiritual themes by dwelling upon interesting spiritual subjects. It may be necessary to humbly and affectionately urge, even at the risk of his displeasure, that she cannot debase her body by yielding to sexual excess. She should, in a tender, kind manner, remind him that God has the first and highest claim upon her entire being, and that she cannot disregard this claim, for she will be held accountable in the great day of God. “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are?God’s.”?1 Corinthians 6:19, 20. “Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.”?1 Corinthians 7:23.?{1TT 270.2}[12]
§31
妻子若能提高自己的情感，在圣洁尊贵之中保持文雅的妇道尊严，就可大量发挥其贤明的感化力，使丈夫成圣，从而完成她的高尚使命。这样做，她便一举两得，同时救了丈夫和自己。这事十分微妙，十分难于处理，需要多用智慧与忍耐，以及道德勇气和坚忍。在祷告中可以求得能力及恩惠。应当以真诚的爱作为心中主宰的原则，并只以爱上帝和爱丈夫的心，作为行动的正当根据。{1TT 271.1}[13]
§32
If she will elevate her affections, and in sanctification and honor preserve her refined, womanly dignity, woman can do much by her judicious influence to sanctify her husband, and thus fulfill her high mission. In so doing, she can save both her husband and herself, thus performing a double work. In this matter, so delicate and so difficult to manage, much wisdom and patience are necessary, as well as moral courage and fortitude. Strength and grace can be found in prayer. Sincere love is to be the ruling principle of the heart. Love to God and love to the husband can alone be the right ground of action.?{1TT 271.1}[13]
§33
作妻子的若认定丈夫有特权，可以完全支配她的身体，培养她的心意百依百顺丈夫的心意，与丈夫同流合污，牺牲个性，失其本色，事事迎合丈夫，她就不过是一部随丈夫操纵的机器，是他的享乐之物。由丈夫为她思想，为她决定，及为她行动。她所处的这种被动的地位，使上帝受了羞辱。她在上帝面前要为自己原当保留的本分负责。.{1TT 271.2}[14]
§34
Let the wife decide that it is the husband’s prerogative to have full control of her body, and to mold her mind to suit his in every respect, to run in the same channel as his own, and she yields her individuality; her identity is lost, merged in that of her husband. She is a mere machine for his will to move and control, a creature of his pleasure. He thinks for her, decides for her, and acts for her. She dishonors God in occupying this passive position. She has a responsibility before God which it is her duty to preserve.?{1TT 271.2}[14]
§35
当妻子让自己的身心受丈夫的控制，在凡事上顺服他的意志，牺牲自己的良心，尊严，甚至是个性的时候，她就丧失了发挥她应有强大为善的影响，使她的丈夫得到提高的机会。她本来能软化他刚硬的性情；她圣洁的感化力也能高雅纯洁地发挥出来，使他努力控制自己的情欲，更加具有属灵的心志。这样，他们就都能与上帝的性情有分，得以脱离世上从情欲来的败坏。{1TT 271.3}[15]
§36
When the wife yields her body and mind to the control of her husband, being passive to his will in all things, sacrificing her conscience, her dignity, and even her identity, she loses the opportunity of exerting that mighty influence for good which she should possess to elevate her husband. She could soften his stern nature, and her sanctifying influence could be exerted in a manner to refine and purify, leading him to strive earnestly to govern his passions and be more spiritually minded, that they might be partakers together of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.?{1TT 271.3}[15]
§37
【克己与节制】
§38
人的感化力可以大到足以引导人心思考高尚尊贵的题旨，超越未蒙恩典更新之心所自然追求的低级情欲的放纵。当兽欲成了丈夫情爱的主要基础，并支配他的行动时，妻子若为博取丈夫的欢心而迎合他的标准，就不蒙上帝喜悦了；因为她没有在丈夫身上发挥圣洁的影响。她若觉得必须毫无抗议地顺从他的兽欲，那她就是不明白自己对他和对上帝的本分。纵欲过度，足以摧毁爱慕敬虔活动之心，夺去保养身体所必需的脑力，最能耗损人的活力。任何妇女，都不应当协助她的丈夫做这种自我毁灭的事情。她若是有智慧并真正爱她的丈夫，就决不会这么做。{1TT 272.1}[16]
§39
【Self-Denial and Temperance】
§40
The power of influence can be great to lead the mind to high and noble themes, above the low, sensual indulgences for which the heart unrenewed by grace naturally seeks. If the wife feels that in order to please her husband she must come down to his standard, when animal passion is the principal basis of his love and controls his actions, she displeases God; for she fails to exert a sanctifying influence upon her husband. If she feels that she must submit to his animal passions without a word of remonstrance, she does not understand her duty to him nor to her God. Sexual excess will effectually destroy a love for devotional exercises, will take from the brain the substance needed to nourish the system, and will most effectively exhaust the vitality. No woman should aid her husband in this work of self-destruction. She will not do it if she is enlightened and has true love for him.?{1TT 272.1}[16]
§41
兽欲越放纵就越强，而要求放纵之呼声也越暴烈。愿敬畏上帝的男女都认清自己的本分。许多自称基督徒的人正是因为这方面的不节制而导致神经和大脑的麻痹。许多腐朽到骨髓的人竟身居高位，流泪祷告，被别人当作义人，但是他们污秽的身体决不能进入天城的门户。{1TT 272.2}[17]
§42
The more the animal passions are indulged, the stronger do they become, and the more violent will be their clamors for indulgence. Let God-fearing men and women awake to their duty. Many professed Christians are suffering with paralysis of nerve and brain because of their intemperance in this direction. Rottenness is in the bones and marrow of many who are regarded as good men, who pray and weep, and who stand in high places, but whose polluted carcasses will never pass the portals of the heavenly city.?{1TT 272.2}[17]
§43
唉，惟愿我能使众人明白，他们在上帝面前有责任保持自己身心的机能处于最佳状态，好为他们的创造主献上完美的服务！但愿基督化的妻子务要约束言语和行为，以免煽动丈夫的兽欲。很多人在这方面根本没有多余的精力可以虚耗了。他们从年轻时代，就放纵兽欲，削弱了脑力，损害了体质。克己节制应作为他们婚姻生活的座右铭。（2T.471-477.1870年）{1TT 272.3}[18]
§44
Oh, that I could make all understand their obligation to God to preserve the mental and physical organism in the best condition to render perfect service to their Maker! Let the Christian wife refrain, both in word and act, from exciting the animal passions of her husband. Many have no strength at all to waste in this direction. From their youth up they have weakened the brain and sapped the constitution by the gratification of animal passions. Self-denial and temperance should be the watchword in their married life.?{1TT 272.3}[18]