不认识自己就不认识神
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．不认识自己就不认识神b( a) 我们所拥有的一切智慧，也就是那真实与可靠的智慧，几乎包含了两个部分，就是认识神和认识自己。( 2) e 虽然在许多方面它们之间的关系极密切，然而b 孰是因孰是果，则很难断定。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、动作”都在乎他（徒17：28）。显然，我们具有的才智绝非出于自己，甚至连我们的存在都在乎神。其次，神借这些才智，就如从天降与我们的雨露，汇流成河，引领我们再归回源头（神）那里去。事实上，我们的贫乏，反而更彰显神里面无限的丰盛。亚当的悖逆使我们沦落到悲惨的灭亡中，而这景况迫使我们仰望神。如此，我们不仅会饥渴地在神里面寻求我们一切所缺乏的，还在因恐惧唤起的觉醒中学会谦卑。( 3)“b 因人心充满罪恶，e( b) 我们便丧失了神原先赐给我们的义袍，我们引以为耻的赤身露体便将我们的罪恶暴露无遗。也因我们每一个人深感自己的悲惨，以至使我们对神略知一二。b 因深感自己的无知、虚空、贫乏、软弱，也更因感觉到自己的堕落和败坏，我们便意识到智慧的真光、真美德、丰富的良善，以及无瑕疵的公义，这一切唯独存留在主里面。因这缘故，我们的罪反而催逼我们思想到神的恩惠；而且除非我们先对自己不悦，否则我们不会真诚地仰望神。只要人仍旧不认识自己，即仍旧满足于他的禀赋，同时对自己悲惨的处境无知或漠不关心，那他无疑会安于现状。据此，认识自己不仅唤醒我们寻求神，同时也会牵着我们的手领我们寻见
Love never fails.
爱是永不止息。
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