腓立比書講道集 第 15 章 第 2/2 段

But the terrible thing is that, though commanded thus to lament over those who sin, we show no repentance even over our own sins, but are disposed to stumble without feeling, and are anxious about everything else, and reckon up everything else rather than our own sins.

For this reason we rejoice with a profitless joy, the joy of the world, which is quickly quenched and which begets countless griefs.

Let us therefore grieve with a grief that is the mother of joy, and let us not delight in a joy that begets grief.

Let us shed tears that sow much pleasure, and let us not laugh a laughter that begets for us the gnashing of teeth.

Let us be afflicted with an affliction from which relief springs up, and let us not seek a luxury from which much affliction and pain are born.

Let us toil a little upon the earth, that we may take our delight perpetually in the heavens.

In this perishable life let us afflict ourselves, that in the boundless one we may obtain relief.

Let us not give ourselves over to dissipation in this brief span, lest we groan in the boundless one.

Do you not see how many even here are afflicted for the sake of the affairs of this life?

Consider that you too are one of these, and bear the affliction and the pain, nourished by the hope of the things to come.

You are not better than Paul, nor than Peter, who never obtained relief, who passed their whole life in hunger and thirst and nakedness.

If you wish to obtain the same things as they, why do you travel the contrary road? If you wish to arrive at that city of which they were counted worthy, walk that road which leads thither.

The road of ease does not lead thither, but the road of affliction.

That one is broad, this one is narrow.

Let us walk this one, that we may attain unto eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord, with whom to the Father together with the Holy Spirit be glory, might, honour, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.