多特信经简介TheCanons of Dordt
作者: R. Scott Clark 译者: 王一
所有人都知道郁金香五要点TULIP，但并不是所有人都知道这五要点是从哪儿来的。多特信经可能是最出名，同时又是最少人看过的改革宗会议文件。这份信经绝不止是五个字母而已。它以牧者般的口吻阐明了恩典的教义，为我们作了福音管家的典范。
Everyone
knows the acronym TULIP, but not everyone knows where this acronym comes from.
The Canons of Dordt are among the most famous but unread deliverances of any
Reformed Synod. The canons are more than five letters. The canons teach a
pastoral doctrine of grace and provide a model for the stewardship of the
Gospel.
欧洲和不列颠地区的改革宗教会经过了多年的论战之后，多特总会信经终于成文。在十六世纪末期，人们愈发抵触改革宗神学中罪、恩典、信心、称义、代赎、坚忍、确据等教义。今天被我们称为亚米念的赫曼森（James Hermanson,
1559-1609）在当时还是日内瓦学院里的一名前途光明的学生，未显出什么明显的异端思想。
The
Canons (rules) of the Synod of Dordt were written after years of controversy
within the Reformed churches in Europe and Britain. In the late sixteenth
century the Reformed doctrines of sin, grace, faith, justification, atonement,
perseverance, and assurance faced a growing resistance. At the same time, James
Hermanson (c. 1559–1609), known to us as Jacob Arminius, was a student in the
Genevan Academy where he showed promise and no obvious evidence of heterodoxy.
可到了1590年，教会开始对亚米念的教义出现质疑。不过他当时表现的很好，加上他的赞助人也极力维护，便不了了之了。到了1594年，亚米念发展出了一套对罗马书第七章的新的解释，他解释保罗在第七章并不是在描述一个已经重生的人。接着，1596年，在研究了罗马书第9章之后，他总结一个人是否被包含在恩典之约中并不是唯独由上帝至高的旨意决定的。相反，如果一个人用信心寻求上帝对他的接纳，那么上帝是愿意接纳他的。这是很聪明的一步。表面上这看起来像是在为因信称义的教义辩护，实际上是在重新定义拣选和信心的教义。渐渐地，他的观点变得流行起来。在荷兰和其他地区认信的牧师和神学家们开始敲响了警钟。审核会谈马上举行，亚米念应对得不错，这让正统派感到不安却又找不出什么明显的证据。尽管质疑声弥漫，但当时莱顿大学的董事会还是聘请亚米念为神学教授。马上，亚米念便成了一个充满争议的人物。有报道称他教导上帝拣选那些他预先知道会信的人。他也对改革宗工作之约的教义提出质疑。不过，在公共场合中，亚米念则特意表现的与其他正统派同事的观点是一致的。
Questions
about Arminius’ doctrine arose as early as 1590, but Jacob had married well and
his patrons protected him. About 1594 he developed a new reading of Romans
chapter 7 in which he argued that Paul could not be describing a regenerate
person. By 1596, after studying Romans chapter 9, he concluded that inclusion
in the covenant of grace is not determined solely by God’s sovereign decree.
Instead, God has willed to accept those who seek acceptance with Him by faith.
This was a clever move. He appeared to be defending justification by faith all
the while redefining the doctrine of election and the definition of faith. As
time passed, his views became more well known. Confessional pastors and
theologians in the Netherlands and elsewhere began to sound the alarm.
Dialogues were conducted and Arminius said the right things, leaving the
orthodox uneasy but without hard evidence of error. Despite swirling doubts,
the regents of the University of Leiden appointed Arminius to professor of
theology. Almost immediately, Arminius was controversial. He was reported to teach
that God elects those whom he foreknows would believe. He also raised questions
about the Reformed doctrine of the covenant of works. In public, however,
Arminius went out of his way to agree with his orthodox colleagues.
到了1605年，教会呼召认信的改革宗牧师们对亚米念本人以及越发增多的追随者们（亚米念主义者）施行纪律惩戒。正统派呼吁举行全国总会对亚米念主义者进行惩戒，但是政府却拒绝了。 反倒是亚米念主义领导者们，藉着政府召开一次总会，修改了比利时信条和海德堡要理问答，让这两份文件更倾向于亚米念的观点。
By
1605, however, confessional Reformed pastors were calling for discipline
against Arminius and his growing band of followers (the Arminians). The
orthodox called for a national synod to discipline the Arminians, but the
politicians refused. Instead, leading Arminians in the government called for a
synod to revise the Belgic Confession and the Heidelberg Catechism to make them
more amenable to Arminius’ views.
亚米念本人卒于1609年十月，这时论战进入到一个新的阶段。亚米念主义者们发表了一份抗辩文来反对改革宗教会，在抗辩文中他们概括了对改革宗教义五点反对意见。早在1611年各个教会就起草了一些初步回应，抗辩派提出的五点，改革宗各教会在多特总会上一一作出回应。Arminius died in
October 1609, and the controversy entered a new phase. The Arminians published
a remonstrance against the Reformed churches in which they outlined five
objections to Reformed doctrine. Some preliminary responses were drafted as
early as 1611, but it was the Remonstrants who first gave us five points to
which the Reformed churches would respond at the great Synod of Dordt.
由于政府极力地阻止这次全国大会，多特总会差点就无法召开。这次神学危机也险些触发了战争。拿骚的毛里茨亲王（1567-1625）十分同情正统派，于是便召开了这次全国总会。而抗辩派的回应则是在1617年组织了多次暴乱。毛里茨的主要竞争对手以战争威胁，不过到了1618年，当毛里茨率一队饱经沙场的老将们亲临亚米念者的大本营乌特勒支时，对方就老实了。
The
Synod of Dordt almost did not occur. Political forces within the government
worked mightily to prevent a national synod to address the problem. The
theological crisis threatened to break out into warfare. Prince Maurice of
Nassau (1567–1625), who sympathized with the orthodox, called for a national
synod. The Remonstrants responded by organizing riots in 1617. Maurice’s chief
rival threatened war, but when Maurice arrived in Utrecht (an Arminian
stronghold) in 1618 with battle-tested veterans, the opposition melted.
克服了重重阻难，历史上最伟大的国际性改革宗总会终于在1618年11月13日在多特召开。参加大会的有来自欧洲各国和不列颠的教会代表团。可惜的是，由于路易十三的禁令，重要的法国教会代表团未能出席。The greatest
international Reformed synod convened in Dordrecht, on 13 November 1618. In
attendance were delegations from across Europe and Britain. Forbidden by Louis
XIII from attending, the French delegation was
notably
absent.
1610年，抗辩派提出这样五点：一，拣选以预见的信心和顺服为条件；二，普世的代赎；三，重生使罪人有能力行善以致得救；四，可抗拒的恩典；五，信徒可能会沉沦。
In
1610 the Remonstrants proposed these five points: One: Election conditioned
upon foreseen faith and obedience; Two: Universal atonement; Three:
Regeneration enables sinners to do good toward salvation; Four: Resistible
grace; Five: Believers may fall away.
因为总会是逐条回应抗辩派的这五条，所以信经原本的次序并不是TULIP。第一条教义是关于上帝的拣选与遗弃（reprobation）。与使徒保罗、奥古斯丁、路德、加尔文一样，总会确定，因着亚当的堕落，我们都深陷罪中，只配被定罪，并且无能为恩典作准备甚至无能与恩典合作以致被称义（1.1）。称义的方法就是唯独藉着接受基督而得救的信心（1.2-4）。唯有蒙拣选的人才会有这信心（1.5-6）。在基督里的拣选是指上帝无条件地、永恒不变地选择一些人使他们得救（1.7-11）。因为只有蒙拣选的人才会相信，信徒在这真理上会真正得到安慰，他们的信心就是上帝向他们施行恩典的证据。蒙拣选的人会以不同的方式得到上帝向他们施恩的确据，「并不是由于好奇问难地窥探神隐秘和深奥之事而来」，而是藉着相信福音而观察到「蒙拣选的确实果子」（1.12）。那些怀疑（自己是否得救）的人「应当坚持使用神所指定的这些蒙恩之道，在我们里面生发这些恩赐」（1.16）。
Because
the synod replied to the Five Articles of the Remonstrants point by point, the
order of the Canons is not actually TULIP. The first head of doctrine concerned
divine election and reprobation. With the apostle Paul, Augustine, Luther, and
Calvin, the synod ruled that, by virtue of Adam’s fall, we are so profoundly
sinful that we deserve only condemnation and are able to do nothing to prepare
for grace or even to cooperate with it toward our justification (1.1). The
instrument of justification is a faith that embraces Christ alone for salvation
(1.2–4). Only the elect come to faith (1.5–6). Election in Christ is God’s
unchangeable and eternal choice of a certain number of persons to salvation unconditioned
by anything in the sinner (1.7–11). Believers find comfort in this truth since
only the elect believe, and their faith is evidence of God’s grace toward them.
The elect will, in different ways, attain assurance of God’s grace toward them,
“not by inquisitively prying into the secret and deep things of God,” but by
believing the Gospel and paying attention to “the infallible fruits of
election” (1.12). Those who doubt should “nevertheless make use of the means
which God has appointed for working these graces in us” (1.16).
第二条教义教导我们，基督的死绝不仅是使救赎成为一种可能，我们的救主实际上确保了他所有子民的救赎。他的死为所有蒙拣选者满足了上帝的公义（2.1-2）。基督的死的确有无限的价值，但是本来就是计划为蒙拣选者来满足上帝忿怒的。所以福音的应许才能是「凡相信钉十字架基督的人，不至灭亡，反得永生。」（2.5）。与讽刺加尔文主义的教导相反，总会宣布，基督藉着他的死「有效地从各民、各族、各国中拯救那些（唯独那些）从永恒蒙选召的人得救，就是圣父所赐给他的那些人」（2.8）。
The
second head of doctrine teaches that Christ’s death did not simply make
salvation available for those who will, but rather our Savior actually secured
the salvation of all His people. His death satisfied God’s justice for all the
elect (2.1–2). Christ’s death is of infinite worth, but intended to satisfy
God’s wrath for the elect. Therefore, the promise of the Gospel is that
“whosoever believes in Christ crucified shall not perish, but have eternal
life” (2.5). Contrary to the caricature of Calvinism, the synod said that, by
His death, Christ redeemed “out of every people, tribe, nation, and language,
all those, and those only, who were from eternity chosen to salvation and given
to Him by the Father” (2.8).
第三、第四条教义合在一起阐述了改革宗关于罪和重生的教义。虽然我们原本被造是良善正直的，我们却误用自由选择了罪和随之而来的死（3/4.1）。我们的本性如此悖逆，以致我们「若没有圣灵的重生之恩」既不能自发出生命，也无能自由地选择（3/4.3）。自然之光所产生的知识以及上帝的律法只能定我们的罪（3/4.4-5）。唯独圣灵「借着使人和好的服事」使他的选民重生（3/4.6）。我们之所以能相信是因为上帝已经使我们活过来（次序绝不是反过来的），但是圣灵藉着圣言的传讲使我们重生，福音的外在宣告是诚恳的，福音的应许也是诚恳的（3/4.8，11，17）。那些拒绝福音的人必须对他们的选择负责，而蒙拣选的人得以重生的功劳则必须唯独归于上帝至高的恩典（3/4.10，12）。上帝的至高主权并没有将我们变成「木头人」，因为圣灵是藉着圣言工作的。圣灵「在属灵方面苏醒我们、医治我们、改正我们，同时用甜蜜的、大有能力的方法使我们折服」（3/4.16）。
The
third and fourth heads of doctrine were combined to articulate the Reformed
doctrine of sin and regeneration. Though we were created good and upright, we
freely chose sin and with it death (3/4.1). We are so corrupt by nature that we
are incapable of life or free choice apart from “the regenerating grace of the
Holy Spirit” (3/4.3). The natural knowledge and law of God only condemns us
(3/4.4–5). Only God the Spirit “through the word or ministry of reconciliation”
raises His elect to life (3/4.6). We believe because God has made us alive (and
not the reverse), but the Spirit makes us alive by working through the
administration of the Word; the external proclamation of the Gospel is sincere
and the Gospel promise sincere (3/4.8, 11, 17). Those who refuse the Gospel are
responsible for their choices, and the regeneration of the elect must be
credited only to God’s sovereign grace (3/4.10, 12). God’s sovereignty does not
make us “stocks and blocks” because the Spirit works through the Word. It
“spiritually quickens, heals, corrects, and at the same time sweetly and
powerfully bends it, that where carnal rebellion and resistance formerly
prevailed” (3/4.16).
第五条教义是为了捍卫圣徒永蒙保守。那些得蒙上帝赐信心的人，就是那些「蒙圣灵重生的人，他也从今世罪恶的统治与奴役中拯救出来」（5.1）。我们继续不断地与罪争战，是为叫我们（在上帝面前）谦卑，寻求天国（5.2）。我们若靠自己的力量，必会退后沉沦，但是上帝的恩典是「以恩慈坚固我们，并以大能保守我们，直到末了」（5.3）。如同大卫一样，信徒有时会陷入严重的罪中，失去上帝的恩宠，但是上帝依旧保守他们（5.4-5）。上帝绝不允许他的百姓「进行到丧失儿子名份之恩」（5.6）。基督「确实有效地更新」 他的百姓，「使他们真正悔改，诚恳为罪忧伤」（5.7）。然而，圣灵所赐的得救的确据不是通过「圣经以外的怪异启示 」，而是从「相信神的应许而来的」（5.10）。蒙恩的确据绝不会在基督徒中间生出放纵不虔，「反倒使他们更留心并更渴望谨守主道」（5.13）。即如圣灵藉着福音的宣讲使我们重生，他也藉着圣礼坚固我们的信心和得救的确据（5.14）。
The
fifth head defended the perseverance of the saints. Those to whom He gives the
gift of faith, whom He “regenerates by the Holy Spirit, he also delivers from
the dominion and slavery of sin” (5.1). Our ongoing struggle with sin gives us
reason to humble ourselves and to seek heaven (5.2). Left to ourselves, we
would fall away, but grace “mercifully confirms and powerfully preserves” us
“even to the end” (5.3). Sometimes believers, such as David, fall into grievous
sin and lose the sense of God’s favor, but God preserves them (5.4–5). God
never allows His people “to proceed so far as to lose the grace of adoption”
(5.6). Christ “certainly and effectually renews” His people “to repentance, to
a sincere and godly sorrow for their sins” (5.7). The Spirit grants assurance
to His people not, however, “by any peculiar revelation,” but rather it
“springs from faith in God’s promises” (5.10). Assurance of grace does not
produce immorality among Christians. Rather, “it renders them much more careful
and concerned to continue in the ways of the Lord” (5.13). As the Spirit makes
us alive through the preaching of the Gospel, He strengthens our faith and
assurance through the sacraments (5.14).
多特信经展现了各地改革宗教会对于核心教义的理解上惊人的一致。实际上，受到威胁的正是宗教改革的核心。如果上帝的恩宠取是以我们里面有什么为条件的话，那么我们必定沉沦，因为我们只有死在罪里。如果福音把我们的顺服也装进去的话，那福音就不再是福音了。如果代赎只不过是一个假设条件，如果蒙拣选的人还可能沉沦，那么恩典就不再是恩典了。
The
Canons of Dordt represent a remarkable consensus of conviction among the
Reformed churches on essential doctrines. Indeed, the very Reformation was at
stake. If God’s favor is conditioned upon anything in us, then we are lost
because we are dead in sin. If the Gospel is reconfigured to include our
obedience, then it is no longer the Gospel. If atonement is merely
hypothetical, if the elect can fall away, then grace is no longer grace.
多特总会的回应是深思熟虑的，满有牧者心肠的，同时也是坚定不移的。会议最终得出结论，把我们自身所有的作为救赎的条件这类思想，完全无法帮助我们操练敬虔，也无法使我们有得救的确据。福音乃是基督为我们（译注：即我们是被动者）。多特信经不但是一份值得珍惜的属灵遗产，作为一份回应挑战的典范，应当在我们今天的教会中，在要理问答课堂上继续使用。
The
synod’s response was careful, pastoral, and firm. The synod concluded that it
does not help piety or assurance to make our salvation depend on anything in
us. The Gospel is Christ for us. The Canons of Dordt are an inheritance to be
treasured, but they are also to be used in our congregations, in our catechism
classes, and as an example of how to respond to challenges.