An earnest invitation to sinners to turn to God
一个请罪人归向神的迫切邀请

Dearly Beloved,
I gladly acknowledge myself a debtor to you, and am concerned, as I would be found a good steward of the household of God, to give to everyone his portion. But the physician is most concerned for those patients whose case is most doubtful and hazardous; and the father\'s pity is especially turned towards his dying child. So unconverted souls call for earnest compassion and prompt diligence to pluck them as brands from the burning (Jude 23). Therefore it is to them I shall first apply myself in these pages.

亲爱的朋友，我乐意承认我欠你的债，并且，既然我是上帝的仆人，我极欲尽本份竭力让神所有的家人得到他们在基督里的福份。医生特别会关心那些罹患重病的人，父亲也会特别怜悯他正奄奄一息的孩子，因此未曾归正的人迫切需要我们的同情，也需要我们极努力的将他们 “从火中抢出来”（犹23）。所以，我要在这书上首先对他们说话。

But from where shall I fetch my argument? With what shall I win them? O that I could tell! I would write to them in tears, I would weep out every argument, I would empty my veins for ink, I would petition them on my knees. O how thankful should I be if they would be prevailed with to repent and turn.

但我该从何说起呢？要如何才能赢回他们呢？哦！我迫切地想知道！我冀望能以泪为墨写 给他们，也希望用哭泣来强化我的说服力！我甚而想流干我的血成为墨水，想跪下来求他们。 哦！若我能说服他们悔改，我会何等地感谢神啊！

How long have I labored for you! How often would I have gathered you! This is what I have prayed for and studied for these many years, that I might bring you to God. O that I might now do it! Will you yet be entreated?

我为你们的灵魂费了多少苦心！我多次愿意聚集你们！这么多年来，我向神所求的是：“ 把你们带到上帝的面前。”但愿我现在就能成功！你们愿意听我的劝告吗？

But, O Lord, how insufficient I am for this work. Alas, with what shall I pierce the scales of Leviathan, or make the heart feel that is hard as the nether millstone? Shall I go and speak to the grave, and expect the dead will obey me and come forth? Shall I make an oration to the rocks, or declaim to the mountains, and think to move them with arguments? Shall I make the blind to see?

“但，神啊！我在这事工上无能为力。哎呀，我该用什么刀剑刺透鳄鱼的鳞甲，或使那如下 磨石般结实的心有感觉呢？难道我要向坟墓说话，并期望死人听从我的话而从坟墓出来吗？难 道我要向石头演讲，向山宣读，并且期待他们因我的论证而移动吗？难道我要叫瞎眼的看见？

From the beginning of the world was it not heard that a man opened the eyes of the blind (John 9:32). But, O Lord, You can pierce the heart of the sinner. I can only draw the bow at a venture—but may You direct the arrow between the joints of the harness. Slay the sin, and save the soul of the sinner who casts his eyes on these pages.

‘从创世以来，未曾听见有人把生来是瞎子的眼睛开了’（约九32）。但，主啊！你能刺透罪 人的心。我只能随便开弓，但恳求你引导箭射入甲缝。那位阅读本书的罪人，求主治死他的 罪，并且拯救他的灵魂。”

There is no entering into heaven but by the strait passage of the second birth; without holiness you shall never see God (Heb 12:14). Therefore give yourselves unto the Lord now. Set yourselves to seek Him now. Set up the Lord Jesus in your hearts, and set Him up in your houses. Kiss the Son (Psalm 2:12) and embrace the offers of mercy; touch His scepter and live; for why will you die? I do not beg for myself—but would have you happy: this is the prize I run for. My soul\'s desire and prayer for you is, that you may be saved (Rom 10:1).

除非人进入重生的窄门，否则便无法上天堂；非圣洁，你不能见主（来十二14）。因此，你们现在要将自己献给神；你们现在要预备你们的心寻找惦。你们要在心里高举主耶稣，在你们的家里高举惦。当以嘴亲子（诗二12），拥抱惦的慈悲；触摸惦的杖，好得生命；你何必死亡呢？我不是为了自己恳求你，而是为了你的快乐。我跑，是为了得这个奖杯。我心里所愿，向神所求的，是要你得救（罗十1）。

I beseech you to permit a friendly plainness and freedom with you in your deepest concern. I am not playing the orator to make a learned speech to you, nor dressing the dish with eloquence in order to please you. These lines are upon a weighty errand indeed—to convince, and convert, and save you. I am not baiting my hook with rhetoric, nor fishing for your applause—but for your souls. My work is not to please you—but to save you; nor is my business with your fancies—but with your hearts. If I have not your hearts, I have nothing. If I were to please your ears, I would sing another song. I could then tell you a smoother tale; I would make pillows for you and speak peace, for how can Ahab love this Micaiah, who always prophesies evil concerning him? (1 Kings 22:8). But how much better are the wounds of a friend, than the fair speeches of the harlot, who flatters with her lips, until the darts strike through the liver? (Prov 7:21-23 and Prov 6:26). If I were to quiet a crying infant, I might sing him into a happier mood, or rock him asleep; but when the child is fallen into the fire, the parent takes another course; he will not try to still him with a song or trifle. I know, if we succeed not with you, you are lost; if we cannot get your consent to arise and come away, you will perish forever. No conversion—no salvation! I must get your goodwill, or leave you miserable.

当我与你谈及你最切身的事时，请容我些微地用一种朋友的直率和坦诚的方式。我不想扮演雄辩家的角色，对你发表一篇满腹经纶的演讲，我也不想凭能言善道的口才来讨好你；我写这些因为我有重要的任务，要叫你知罪；使你归正，拯救你的灵魂。我不是运用修辞学，放饵在钩上，也不是想赢得你的掌声，而是要吸引你的灵魂。我的任务不是要讨好你，而是要拯救你；我的目的不是要激发你的绮想，而是要影响你的心。我若没有你的心，我就没有你。我若要取悦你的双耳，我会选择另一首曲子。若我要传扬自己，就不会用这个方法，我会说一个更好听的故事；我会为你安枕，说：平安。因为亚哈怎可能爱那单说凶言的米该亚呢（王上廿二 8）？但朋友加的伤痕远比妓女的巧言来得好，因为她用谄媚的嘴，直等剑穿他的肝（箴七21- 23；六26）。如果我要叫一个正在哭泣的婴孩安静，我可能会唱歌为了使他的心情更好，或摇摇篮使他睡着；但，若婴孩是掉在火里，那么父母就会用别的方法；他们不可能唱歌，或是扮鬼脸使他安静。我确定，如果我们没有赢回你，你就没有救了。假如我们不能说服你起来离开你的道路，你将永远灭亡。没有归正就没有得救！我必须得着你离弃自己道路的承诺；不然， 在我离去后，你就要落入悲惨的光景中。

But here the difficulty of my work again occurs to me. \'O Lord, choose my stones out of the brook (1 Sam 17:40,45). I come in the name of the Lord Almighty. I come forth, like the stripling David against Goliath, to wrestle, not with flesh and blood—but with principalities and powers, and rulers of the darkness of this world (Eph 6:12). This day let the Lord smite the Philistines, spoil the strong man of his armor, and give me the captives out of his hand. Lord, choose my words, choose my weapons for me; and when I put my hand into the bag, and take out a stone and sling it, may You carry it to the mark, and make it sink, not into the forehead—but into the heart of the unconverted sinner, and smite him to the ground like Saul of Tarsus (Acts 9:4).\'

但提到这儿，我就又想起我的难题。“主啊！帮助我在溪中挑选石头。我来是靠着万军之耶和华的名，就是以色列军队的神（撒上十七40、45）。我来，像幼年的大卫攻击歌利亚一样，要与‘那些执政的、掌权的、管辖这幽暗世界的争战’（弗六12）。但愿主今日攻打非利士人，抢夺壮士的军装，并且把落入他们手中的俘虏给我。主啊！挑选我的言语，挑选我的工具。当我从囊中掏出一块石子，用机弦甩去时，但愿神使这石子击中目标，使它不是进入额内，而是进入仍未归正之人的心内；击打他，使他像大数的扫罗一样，不支倒地（徒九4）。”

Some of you do not know what I mean by conversion, and in vain shall I attempt to persuade you to that which you do not understand. Therefore for your sakes I will show what conversion is.

你们当中有一些人不知道我所说的归正是什么意思；若是这样，我劝你们归正也是枉然 的。因此，为了你们的缘故，我要解释归正的意义。

Others cherish secret hopes of mercy, though they continue as they are. For them I must show the necessity of conversion.

也有人抱着蒙怜悯的侥幸心态，虽然他们仍然生活在尚未归正的光景中；我必须说服他们 归正的必要性。

Others are likely to harden themselves with a vain conceit that they are converted already. To them I must show the marks of the unconverted.

也有人以徒具虚名的妄想刚硬自己，认为自己已经归正了，对于这些人我要让他们知道， 未曾归正之人的特征是什么。

Others, because they feel no harm, fear none, and so sleep as upon the top of a mast. To them I shall show the misery of the unconverted.

也有人因为没有感觉到有什么危险的事就不怕，这些人就像睡在桅杆上；对于这些人我要 让他们晓得，未曾归正之人的悲惨。

Others sit still, because they do not see the way of escape. To them I shall show the means of conversion.

也有人因为看不到可以逃走的路而彷徨失措；对于这些人我要指示他们，归正的途径。

And finally, for the quickening of all, I shall close with the motives to conversion.

最后，因为我希望所有的人重生，所以我要阐明归正的动机。