第四十二章：论三种不同的虔敬场所，以及意志应如何对待它们。
Chapter XLII: Of three different kinds of place for devotion and of how the will should conduct itself with regard to them.
我能想到三种场所，神惯常借它们推动意志进入虔敬。第一种在于某些地形和位置的安排；无论借土地或树木的布置，还是借宁静的独处，由多样性所产生的悦人效果，自然地唤醒虔敬。使用这些地方是有益的，条件是它们立刻把意志引向神，并使意志忘记这些地方本身；正如为了抵达旅程终点，明智的做法是不在旅程的方法和动因上作不必要的停留和考虑。因为那些努力使自己的欲望得到振奋、获得可感甘甜的人，反而会发现属灵的干枯和分心；因为属灵甘甜和满足只在内在收敛中才能找到。
I can think of three kinds of place by means of which God is wont to move the will to devotion. The first consists in certain dispositions of the ground and situation, which, by means of a pleasing effect of variety, whether obtained by the arrangement of the ground or of trees, or by means of quiet solitude, naturally awaken devotion. These places it is beneficial to use, if they at once lead the will to God and cause it to forget the places themselves, even as, in order to reach one’s journey’s end, it is advisable not to pause and consider the means and motive of the journey more than is necessary. For those who strive to refresh their desires and to gain sensible sweetness will rather find spiritual aridity and distraction; for spiritual sweetness and satisfaction are not found save in interior recollection.
2. 因此，当他们在这样的地方时，应当忘记它，努力在内里与神同在，仿佛根本不在那个地方。因为，如果他们依恋该地的快乐和喜悦，正如我们所说，他们寻求的就是感官的振奋和灵的动荡，而不是属灵安息。旷野隐修士和其他圣洁隐修士，在最广阔、最宜人的荒野中，选择足以容身的最小地方，在那里建造最小的斗室和洞穴，好把自己囚禁其中。圣本笃曾在这样的地方住了三年；另一位——即圣西门柱头隐修士E.p. 省略：「即圣西门」。这里当然是指圣西门柱头隐修士。——用绳子把自己系住，使自己没有更多自由，也不能走到绳子所及范围之外；还有许多人也这样做，多到不可胜数。这些圣人非常清楚地明白，若不熄灭对属灵甘甜和快乐的欲望与渴求，就不能达到灵修境界。
2. When they are in such a place, therefore, they should forget it and strive to be inwardly with God, as though they were not in that place at all. For, if they be attached to the pleasure and delight of the place, as we have said, they are seeking refreshment of sense and instability of spirit rather than spiritual repose. The anchorites and other holy hermits, who in the most vast and pleasing wildernesses selected the smallest places that sufficed for them, built there the smallest cells and caves, in which to imprison themselves. Saint Benedict was in such a place for three years, and another – namely, Saint Simon E.p. omits: namely, Saint Simon.’ The allusion is, of course, to Saint Simon Stylites. – bound himself with a cord that he might have no more liberty nor go any farther than to places within its reach; and even so did many who are too numerous ever to be counted. Those saints understood very clearly that, if they quenched not the desire and eagerness for spiritual sweetness and pleasure, they could not attain to spirituality.
3. 第二种具有更特殊的性质，因为它涉及某些地方（不一定是旷野，而可以是任何地方），神惯常在那里赐给少数特殊之人某些极可悦的属灵恩惠；通常，这样的地方会吸引在那里领受过恩惠之人的心，有时使他大大渴望并切愿回到那里；然而，当他去那里时，先前发生在他身上的事并不会重复，因为这不在他的掌控之中。神是在他所喜悦的时间、方式和地方赐下这些恩惠，并不受任何地方或时间所束缚，也不受领受恩惠之人的自由意志所束缚。然而，若这种愿望没有依恋，有时去这样的地方祷告是好的；这有三个理由。第一，因为虽然如我们所说，神不受任何地方束缚，但他似乎愿意灵魂在他赐给它恩惠的地方赞美他。第二，因为在那地方，灵魂更记得为自己在那里所领受的向神感恩。第三，因为借着记念那恩惠，灵魂的虔敬更强烈地被唤醒。
3. The second kind is of a more special nature, for it relates to certain places (not necessarily deserts, but any places whatsoever) where God is accustomed to grant to a few special persons certain very delectable spiritual favours; ordinarily, such a place attracts the heart of the person who has received a favour there, and sometimes gives him great desires and yearnings to return to it; although, when he goes there, what happened to him before is not repeated, since this is not within his control. For God grants these favours when and how and where He pleases, without being tied to any place or time, nor to the free-will of the person to whom He grants them. Yet it is good to go and pray in such places at times if the desire is free from attachment; and this for three reasons. First, because although, as we said, God is not bound to any place, it would seem that He has willed to be praised by a soul in the place where He has granted it a favour. Secondly, because in that place the soul is more mindful to give thanks to God for that which it has received there. Thirdly, because, by remembering that favour, the soul’s devotion is the more keenly awakened.
4. 人应当为这些理由前往这样的地方，而不是因为他以为神被束缚在那里赐给他恩惠，以致不能在自己所愿意的任何地方赐下恩惠；因为对神来说，灵魂比任何物质地点都是更适宜、更美好的地方。因此，我们在圣经中读到，亚伯拉罕就在神向他显现的地方筑了一座坛，并在那里呼求他的圣名；后来，他从埃及回来，又沿着神曾向他显现的同一条路返回，在自己所筑的同一座坛那里再次求告神。创世记 xii, 8；xiii, 4。雅各也标记神向他显现、他倚靠着梯子的地方，在那里立了一块石头，并用油浇在其上。创世记 xxviii, 13-19。夏甲也给天使向她显现的地方起了名字，并十分珍视它，说：「他看见了我之后，我还能在这里看见他吗？」创世记 xvi, 13。
4. It is for these reasons that a man should go to such places, and not because he thinks that God is bound to grant him favours there, in such a way as to be unable to grant them wheresoever He wills, for the soul is a fitter and more comely place for God than any physical place. Thus we read in Holy Scripture that Abraham built an altar in the very place where God appeared to him, and invoked His holy name there, and that afterwards, coming from Egypt, he returned by the same road where God had appeared to him, and called upon God there once more at the same altar which he had built. Genesis xii, 8; xiii, 4. Jacob, too, marked the place where God had appeared to him, leaning upon a ladder, by raising there a stone which he anointed with oil. Genesis xxviii, 13-19. And Agar gave a name to the place where the angel had appeared to her, and prized it highly, saying: Of a truth I have here seen the back of Him that seeth me.’ Genesis xvi, 13.
5. 第三种在于某些特殊地方，是神所拣选、使人在那里呼求并事奉他的，例如西奈山，他在那里把律法赐给摩西。出埃及记 xxiv, 12。又如他指示给亚伯拉罕、使他在那里献上自己儿子的地方。创世记 xxii, 2。同样还有何烈山，他在那里向我们的父以利亚显现。列王纪三〔A.V., 列王纪上〕xix, 8。
5. The third kind consists of certain special places which God chooses that He may be called upon and served there, such as Mount Sinai, where He gave the law to Moses. Exodus xxiv, 12. And the place that He showed Abraham, that he might sacrifice his son there. Genesis xxii, 2. And likewise Mount Horeb, where He appeared to our father Elias. 3 Kings [A.V., 1 Kings] xix, 8.
6. 神为什么选择这些地方而非其他地方，使人在那里赞美他，其理由唯有他自己知道。我们所应知道的是，一切都是为我们的益处；并且他会在那里垂听我们的祷告，也会在任何我们以完全信心向他祷告的地方垂听我们；虽然在奉献给事奉他的地方，我们有更大的机会蒙垂听，因为教会已经为此目的指定并奉献了那些地方。
6. The reason for which God chooses these places rather than others, that He may be praised there, is known to Himself alone. What it behoves us to know is that all is for our advantage, and that He will hear our prayers there, and also in any place where we pray to Him with perfect faith; although there is much greater opportunity for us to be heard in places dedicated to His service, since the Church has appointed and dedicated those places to that end.