不認識自己就不認識神
Our wisdom, in so far as it ought to be deemed true and solid Wisdom, consists almost entirely of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves. But as these are connected together by many ties, it is not easy to determine which of the two precedes and gives birth to the other. For, in the first place, no man can survey himself without forthwith turning his thoughts towards the God in whom he lives and moves; because it is perfectly obvious, that the endowments which we possess cannot possibly be from ourselves; nay, that our very being is nothing else than subsistence in God alone. In the second place, those blessings which unceasingly distil to us from heaven, are like streams conducting us to the fountain. Here, again, the infinitude of good which resides in God becomes more apparent from our poverty. In particular, the miserable ruin into which the revolt of the first man has plunged us, compels us to turn our eyes upwards; not only that while hungry and famishing we may thence ask what we want, but being aroused by fear may learn humility. For as there exists in man something like a world of misery, and ever since we were stript of the divine attire our naked shame discloses an immense series of disgraceful properties every man, being stung by the consciousness of his own unhappiness, in this way necessarily obtains at least some knowledge of God. Thus, our feeling of ignorance, vanity, want, weakness, in short, depravity and corruption, reminds us (see Calvin on John 4: 10), that in the Lord, and none but He, dwell the true light of wisdom, solid virtue, exuberant goodness. We are accordingly urged by our own evil things to consider the good things of God; and, indeed, we cannot aspire to Him in earnest until we have begun to be displeased with ourselves. For what man is not disposed to rest in himself? Who, in fact, does not thus rest, so long as he is unknown to himself; that is, so long as he is contented with his own endowments, and unconscious or unmindful of his misery? Every person, therefore, on coming to the knowledge of himself, is not only urged to seek God, but is also led as by the hand to find him.
1．不認識自己就不認識神b( a) 我們所擁有的一切智慧，也就是那真實與可靠的智慧，幾乎包含了兩個部分，就是認識神和認識自己。( 2) e 雖然在許多方面它們之間的關係極密切，然而b 孰是因孰是果，則很難斷定。e 首先，若有人省察自己，就不得不立刻思想到神，因他的“生活、動作”都在乎他（徒17：28）。顯然，我們具有的才智絕非出於自己，甚至連我們的存在都在乎神。其次，神借這些才智，就如從天降與我們的雨露，匯流成河，引領我們再歸回源頭（神）那裡去。事實上，我們的貧乏，反而更彰顯神裡面無限的豐盛。亞當的悖逆使我們淪落到悲慘的滅亡中，而這景況迫使我們仰望神。如此，我們不僅會飢渴地在神裡面尋求我們一切所缺乏的，還在因恐懼喚起的覺醒中學會謙卑。( 3)“b 因人心充滿罪惡，e( b) 我們便喪失了神原先賜給我們的義袍，我們引以為恥的赤身露體便將我們的罪惡暴露無遺。也因我們每一個人深感自己的悲慘，以至使我們對神略知一二。b 因深感自己的無知、虛空、貧乏、軟弱，也更因感覺到自己的墮落和敗壞，我們便意識到智慧的真光、真美德、豐富的良善，以及無瑕疵的公義，這一切唯獨存留在主裡面。因這緣故，我們的罪反而催逼我們思想到神的恩惠；而且除非我們先對自己不悅，否則我們不會真誠地仰望神。只要人仍舊不認識自己，即仍舊滿足於他的稟賦，同時對自己悲慘的處境無知或漠不關心，那他無疑會安於現狀。據此，認識自己不僅喚醒我們尋求神，同時也會牽著我們的手領我們尋見
Love never fails.
愛是永不止息。
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