原作者:John Cosin主教(1594-1672),1662版公祷书修订的负责人,17世纪英国圣公会达拉姆教区主教,卡罗琳神学家之一。
原文自:《尊敬的圣教师父,达拉姆主教约翰·科辛文集》卷之二。[The Works of Right Reverend Father in God John Cosin, Lord bishop of Durham. Vol.2.]
翻译:S.Albans,仅作原文翻译,不包含个人观点。
OF THE CALENDAR, AND THE SPECIAL USE THEREOF IN THE CHURCH OF GOD
关于日历及在上帝教会中使用日历
认真研究和思考的人会发现,教会的日历满是益处,也满是喜悦。它除了作为一切教会和世俗事务的必要工具,提供美妙的组织和时间安排,日历还给予了时令和节期的交互更替,其中有的被高举和分别为圣,而有的则列入平常日子之中1。
但日历主要还是用在教会中(圣奥古斯丁言2),为保存一隆重的记念而设立,并按时继续下去,有时候每周一次,有时候则举行年度的记念,以追念圣父3、圣子4和圣灵5,即不可分离的三一上帝6,已赐给世人的那些美妙的大恩,也是为着能建立和传扬我们信奉的基督信仰与宗教。
我们的这个信仰,正是圣天使7被派来帮助我们的信仰,那些有荣耀的众使徒8,蒙尊贵的烈士军队9,有名望的其他主的众圣徒和仆人们10,几代之先他们曾闻名于世:有的毕生虔敬圣洁,有的以死表明无辜;正因为如此,教会在日历上,依然铭记这些圣洁的属天圣人的名字,保存在记录和登记中(就如古时一样),他们也是上帝对我们发慈悲的神圣纪念,是他古老真理的见证,是古今真道乃是一致的宣告,是他们曾作为的敬虔的激励,并要永永远远的记载,表明他们曾在世上作圣仆,今日如上帝的天军居天国。
然而,随着时间的推移,在这方面被称为圣的男女已经如此众多,以至于一年中的所有日子,都不够各自纪念他们了;是那些信仰的大教长们,依智慧和中庸之道,上帝(他特别祝福我们的教会)遣他们改革我们许多疏忽的事物,设立了一个隆重的节日11,为上帝所有的圣徒一起赞美主;又在每月之中拣选了一些日子,来纪念圣人和圣行,不单是我们百姓守它们,基督的普世教会也庆祝它们,为是叫人最受感动,又最能晓明:并因此避免了不必要数目的节日的负担;但这并非要否认上帝众多的真殉道者和圣人们,在诸圣日这个总的节日里,我们隆重地记念他们,在那日的公共礼仪里,我们读的特用的经课、祝文、书信以及福音,恰正表明了这一点。
A Prayer and Thanksgiving for the whole estate of Christ’s Catholic Church.
为基督全大公教会的祈祷和感谢文
并含对先世圣人的记念文
With a commemoration of the Saints before us.
无所不能永生的上帝,先前托付圣使徒教导我们,为普天下的各样人祈求祷告:我们恭恭敬敬的恳求主施恩典,就是现今在威严的你面前为众人所献的;
Almighty God, Who by Thy holy Apostle hast taught us to make prayers and supplications for all men; We humbly beseech Thee most mercifully to receive these our prayers, which we offer unto Thy Divine Majesty for all men in general;
又特别地为主的百姓,就是我们奉基督名的所有人的母亲——圣而公之教会;求主常常感化,使她谨守正道,同心合意,并叫一切奉主圣名的人,都能信从主的圣道,彼此亲爱和睦,同归于一族,同在一位牧人手下,这牧人就是我们主耶稣基督。
and more especially for Thine own people, the holy Catholic Church, the Mother of us all that bear the name of Christ; beseeching Thee to inspire it continually with the spirit of truth, unity, and concord: And grant that all they who do confess Thy holy Name, may agree in the truth of Thy holy Word, and live in unity and godly love; being one fold, under one Shepherd, Jesus Christ our Lord.
主你不但教我们祷告,也吩咐我们为众人感谢主,自创世始,在众圣徒中,主曾展示各样美妙的恩典与德行,并藉由他们恩赐予圣教会,我们为此向主献上至高赞美,和诚心感谢;
And here, forasmuch as we be not only taught to pray, but to give thanks also for all men, we do offer up unto Thee most high laud, and hearty thanks for all Thy wonderful graces and virtues, which Thou hast declared in all Thy Saints, and by them bestowed upon Thy holy Church from the beginning of the world;
尤其是为我主圣子耶稣基督的母亲, 光荣和最为蒙福的童贞马利亚;和所有天国的圣天使;及众圣宗长,先知,使徒和殉道者,即一切地上的圣洁之人,他们用自己的生命和劳苦,光照此世万代,我们用敬意铭记他们,用喜乐纪念他们;
and chiefly in the glorious and most blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of Thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord; as also in the blessed Angels of heaven; and in all other holy persons upon earth, who by their lives and labours have shined forth as lights in the several generations of the world ; such as were the holy Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, and Martyrs, whom we remember with honour, and commemorate with joy;
为他们,也为了一切其他主欢喜的仆人们,就是为所有已经离我们而去,信奉主的,已享安息的祖先和弟兄,我们赞美并尊大主的圣名。愿我们在世上,能常与他们在圣共融里相通,享受他们的慰藉,乐意追求他们圣洁的榜样,遵循他们对主信德的坚守:
and for whom, as also for all other Thy happy servants, our fathers and brethren, who have departed this life with the seal of Faith, and do now rest in the sleep of peace, we praise and magnify Thy holy Name: most humbly desiring, that we may continue in their holy communion, and enjoy the comfort thereof while we are on earth, following with glad will and mind their holy examples of godly living and steadfastness in Thy faith:
这样,就在末日,我们能和他们一起,他们也和我们一起,可蒙称为义人而复活,我们的灵魂和身体也能在天国里得完全。上帝啊,求主容我们为此及其他诸事,向主祈求,又向你呼告,颂扬你的圣名,我们遵照主基督的教训就说,
and that, at the last day, we with them, and they with us, may attain to the resurrection of the just, and have our perfect consummation both of soul and body in the kingdom of heaven. For these, and for all other things that Thou, O God, would have us to pray, and to praise Thy great Name, we are hold to call upon Thee, and say, as Christ our Lord hath taught us,
我们在天上的父…等
Our Father, &C.