第二十六章：论在感官事物的喜乐上舍己给灵魂带来的益处；这些益处有属灵的，也有暂时的。
Chapter XXVI: Of the benefits that come to the soul from self-denial in rejoicing as to things of sense, which benefits are spiritual and temporal.
灵魂因在这种喜乐上舍己而获得的益处是奇妙的：其中有些是属灵的，有些是暂时的。
Marvellous are the benefits that the soul derives from self-denial in this rejoicing: some of these are spiritual and some temporal.
2. 第一项益处是，灵魂借着约束自己在感官事物中的喜乐，便从因过度使用感官而陷入的分散中恢复过来，并在神里面收敛。它已获得的灵性和德行得以保存；不但如此，它们还会增加，并且不断增加。〔直译：「并不断获益」。〕
2. The first is that the soul, by restraining its rejoicing as to things of sense, is restored from the distraction into which it has fallen through excessive use of the senses, and is recollected in God. The spirituality and the virtues that it has acquired are preserved; nay, they are increased and increase continually. [Lit., and gain continually.’]
3. 从在感官事物的喜乐上舍己而来的第二项属灵益处极其重大。我们可以真实地说，原本属感官的变成属灵的，原本属血气的变成合乎理性的；甚至可以说，灵魂正从人的生活前往一种天使般的分受；并且它不再是暂时的、人的，而成为属天且属于神的。因为，正如一个寻求感官事物的快乐、并把自己的喜乐安放在其上的人，不配也不值得任何别的名称，只配得我们已经给他的那些名称——也就是属感官的、属血气的、暂时的等等——同样，当他把自己的喜乐高举在这些感官事物之上时，他就配得所有那些别的名称，也就是属灵的、属天的等等。
3. The second spiritual benefit which comes from self-denial in rejoicing as to things of sense is exceeding great. We may say with truth that that which was sensual becomes spiritual, and that which was animal becomes rational; and even that the soul is journeying from a human life to a portion which is angelical; and that, instead of being temporal and human, it becomes celestial and divine. For, even as a man who seeks the pleasure of things of sense and sets his rejoicing upon them neither merits nor deserves any other name than those which we have given him – that is, sensual, animal, temporal, etc. – even so, when he exalts his rejoicing above these things of sense, he merits all those other names – to wit, spiritual, celestial, etc.
4. 这显然是真的；因为，虽然感官的使用和感性的能力，正如使徒所说，是与灵性的能力和操练相争的，加拉太书 v, 17。由此可知，当一种能力被削弱并终止时，其他相反的能力——其成长原先为前一种能力所阻碍——便会增加。因此，当灵得以成全时（灵是灵魂较高的部分，是与神发生关系并领受他交通的部分），它便配得上述所有属性，因为它在神属天而属灵的恩赐和福分中得以成全。这两点都由圣保罗证明；他称属感官的人（也就是只把自己意志的操练引向感官的人）为属血气的人，这人不领受神的事。但那另一种把意志举向神的人，他称之为属灵的人，说这人参透并判断万事，甚至神深奥的事也参透了。哥林多前书 ii, 9, 10, 14。因此，灵魂在此获得一种奇妙的益处，就是有一种非常能够领受神的福分和属灵恩赐的素质。
4. And it is clear that this is true; for, although the use of the senses and the power of sensuality are contrary, as the Apostle says, to the power and the exercises of spirituality, Galatians v, 17. it follows that, when the one kind of power is diminished and brought to an end, the other contrary kinds, the growth of which was hindered by the first kinds, are increased. And thus, when the spirit is perfected (which is the higher part of the soul and the part that has relations with God and receives His communications), it merits all these attributes aforementioned, since it is perfected in the heavenly and spiritual gifts and blessings of God. Both these things are proved by Saint Paul, who calls the sensual man (namely, the man that directs the exercise of his will solely to sense) the animal man, who perceives not the things of God. But this other man, who lifts up his will to God, he calls the spiritual man, saying that this man penetrates and judges all things, even the deep things of God. 1 Corinthians ii, 9, 10, 14. Therefore the soul gains herein the marvellous benefit of a disposition well able to receive the blessings and spiritual gifts of God.
5. 第三项益处是，意志在暂时之事中的快乐和喜乐大大增加；因为，正如救主所说，他们今生将得着百倍。圣马太 xix, 29。所以，如果你舍弃一种喜乐，主今生就会在属灵和暂时两方面赐给你百倍；同样，你若在这些感官事物中有一种喜乐，就会有百倍的痛苦和悲惨。因为，借着从视觉喜乐中得到洁净的眼睛，灵魂在一切所见之物中，无论属神的还是世俗的，都获得一种指向神的属灵喜乐。借着从听觉喜乐中得到洁净的耳朵，灵魂在一切所听之物中，无论属神的还是世俗的，都获得百倍、最属灵的、指向神的喜乐。其他感官得到洁净时也是如此。因为正如在无罪状态中，我们的始祖在乐园里所见、所说、所吃的一切，都给他们提供了更大的默观甘甜，使他们本性中的感性部分可以适当地服从理性并受理性安排；同样，凡感官已从一切感官事物中得到洁净、并归服于灵的人，在这些感官最初的活动中，就领受对神可悦认识和默观的喜乐。
5. The third benefit is that the pleasures and the rejoicing of the will in temporal matters are very greatly increased; for, as the Saviour says, they shall receive an hundredfold in this life. St. Matthew xix, 29. So that, if thou deniest thyself one joy, the Lord will give thee an hundredfold in this life, both spiritually and temporally; and likewise, for one joy that thou hast in these things of sense, thou shalt have an hundredfold of affliction and misery. For, through the eye that is purged from the joys of sight, there comes to the soul a spiritual joy, directed to God in all things that are seen, whether Divine or profane. Through the ear that is purged from the joy of hearing, there comes to the soul joy most spiritual an hundredfold, directed to God in all that it hears, whether Divine or profane. Even so is it with the other senses when they are purged. For, even as in the state of innocence all that our first parents saw and said and ate in Paradise furnished them with greater sweetness of contemplation, so that the sensual part of their nature might be duly subjected to, and ordered by, reason; even so the man whose senses are purged from all things of sense and made subject to the spirit receives, in their very first motion, the delight of delectable knowledge and contemplation of God.
6. 因此，对清洁的人而言，一切事物，无论高低，都是更大善益和进一步纯洁的机会；正如不洁的人，由于自己的不洁，容易从高低各样事物中得出恶来。但凡不能胜过欲望之喜乐的人，就不能借着神的受造物和作为，享受在神里面惯常喜乐的平静。在不再按感官而生活的人里面，感官和官能的一切活动都被引向对神的默观。因为，正如在健全哲学中，每一事物都按其存在以及它所活出的生命而行动，这是真实的；同样，毫无疑问，若灵魂活属灵的生命，而属血气的生命已被克制，它就必定径直走向神，因为它一切属灵的行动和活动都属于灵的生命。由此可知，这样的人既然心里清洁，就在万事中发现一种关于神的认识；这种认识是喜乐而愉悦的、贞洁的、纯净的、属灵的、欢欣而充满爱的。
6. Wherefore, to him that is pure, all things, whether high or low, are an occasion of greater good and further purity; even as the man that is impure is apt to derive evil from things both high and low, because of his impurity. But he that conquers not the joy of desire will not enjoy the serenity of habitual rejoicing in God through His creatures and works. In the man that lives no more according to sense, all the operations of the senses and faculties are directed to Divine contemplation. For, as it is true in good philosophy that each thing operates according to its being, and to the life that it lives, so it is clear, beyond contradiction, that, if the soul lives a spiritual life, the animal life being mortified, it must be journeying straight to God, since all its spiritual actions and motions pertain to the life of the spirit. Hence it follows that such a man, being pure in heart, finds in all things a knowledge of God which is joyful and pleasant, chaste, pure, spiritual, glad and loving.
7. 从以上所说，我推导出以下教义：也就是说，人在尚未成功地使自己的感官习惯于感官喜乐的洁净，以致从感官最初的活动中就获得上述益处、把自己一切能力引向神以前，必须在这些能力方面舍弃喜乐和快乐，好使自己的灵魂退出感官的生活。他必须惧怕：由于自己尚未属灵，也许会从实践这些事物中得到一种属于感官而非属于灵的快乐和活力；属于感官的活力可能在他一切行动中占据优势；而这可能导致感性增加，并维持和滋养它。因为，正如我们的救主所说：「从肉身生的就是肉身；从灵生的就是灵。」约翰福音 iii, 6。对此应当仔细思量，因为这是真理。那尚未克制自己在感官事物中的快乐的人，不要胆敢在这些事物上大量使用感官的能力和活动，以为它们会帮助他变得更加属灵；因为灵魂的能力若没有这些感官事物的介入，反而会更加增长——也就是说，如果它熄灭对它们的喜乐和欲望，而不是纵容自己在它们里面的快乐。
7. From what has been said I deduce the following doctrine – namely that, until a man has succeeded in so habituating his senses to the purgation of the joys of sense that from their first motion he is gaining the benefit aforementioned of directing all his powers to God, he must needs deny himself joy and pleasure with respect to these powers, so that he may withdraw his soul from the life of sense. He must fear that since he is not yet spiritual, he may perchance derive from the practice of these things a pleasure and an energy which is of sense rather than of spirit; that the energy which is of sense may predominate in all his actions; and that this may lead to an increase of sensuality and may sustain and nurture it. For, as Our Saviour says, that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit. St. John iii, 6. Let this be closely considered, for it is the truth. And let not him that has not yet mortified his pleasure in things of sense dare to make great use of the power and operation of sense with respect to them, thinking that they will help him to become more spiritual; for the powers of the soul will increase the more without the intervention of these things of sense – that is, if it quench the joy and desire for them rather than indulge its pleasure in them.
8. 无须谈论在来生中由弃绝这些喜乐而产生的荣耀福分。因为，除了荣耀生命中的身体恩赐，如敏捷和明澈，将远比那些没有舍己的灵魂更卓越之外，灵魂本质的荣耀也会按其对神的爱而增加；它正是为了神而弃绝了上述感官事物。因为，正如圣保罗所说，每一种被弃绝的片刻即逝的喜乐，都将积存为「极重、无比、永远的荣耀」。哥林多后书 iv, 17。我在此也不再列举从这喜乐之夜产生的其他益处，无论是道德的、暂时的还是属灵的；因为它们全都是已经描述过的那些益处，而且程度更为卓越；既然这些被弃绝的喜乐与自然人联系更密切，因此弃绝它们的人也由此获得更内在的纯洁。
8. There is no need to speak of the blessings of glory that, in the life to come, result from the renunciation of these joys. For, apart from the fact that the bodily gifts of the life of glory, such as agility and clarity, will be much more excellent than in those souls who have not denied themselves, there will be an increase in the essential glory of the soul corresponding to its love of God, for Whose sake it has renounced the things of sense aforementioned. For every momentary, fleeting joy that has been renounced, as Saint Paul says, there shall be laid up an exceeding weight of glory eternally. 2 Corinthians iv, 17. And I will not here recount the other benefits, whether moral, temporal or spiritual, which result from this night of rejoicing; for they all are those that have already been described, and to a more eminent degree; since these joys that are renounced are more closely linked to the natural man, and therefore he that renounces them acquires thereby a more intimate purity.