785a.启13:3.“我看见他的头中有一个似乎受了死伤”表示他们的教义与圣言不一致，因为圣言经常提到与这种宗教原则或宗教说服根本不一致的“爱”、“生活”和“作为或工作”。这从“头”和“受了死伤”的含义清楚可知：那兽的“头”是指被歪曲和玷污的圣言神圣事物的知识(对此，参看AE775节)。在圣言中，当经上论述教会和那些属于教会的人时，“头”表示聪明和智慧；在最普遍的意义上，表示对真理的理解和对良善的意愿。但由于此处论述的是那些不愿让理解力进入信仰的秘密，而是想让它被囚禁，以服从其秘密之人，而“龙”和他的这只“兽”就描述了这些人，所以可推知，这兽的“头”表示知识(或科学)；因为理解力在哪里看不见，哪里就没有聪明，取而代之的是知识。此外，聪明不能论及那些处于虚假的人，只能论及知识(对此，可参看《新耶路撒冷及其属天教义》，33节)。“受了死伤”是指与圣言不一致；因为与圣言不一致的教义是死的；这死就是“受了死伤”所表示的。
此处所说的不一致是指他们将爱之生活，也就是善行与信仰分离，认为唯信称义、唯信得救，将称义和得救的一切从爱之生活，或善行那里拿走；由于在圣言中，有上千处经文提到爱和实行，经上声明，人要照着自己的行为和作为受审判，并且这些与上述宗教原则或宗教说服不一致，所以这就是这兽的头受了死伤所表示的。由此可见，“我看见兽头中有一个似乎受了死伤”这句话表示与圣言不一致，因为圣言经常提到与这种宗教原则或宗教说服根本不一致的“爱”、“生活”和“作为”。它们不一致，这一点从以下事实很清楚地看出来：这个宗教或宗教说服的信条是，不用律法的作为，唯独信就能称义并得救；事实上，若有得救的东西被置于作为中，那是有害的，因为有人的功德和自我在它们里面。因此，许多人放弃行善，心里说：“善行不拯救我，恶行也不定我的罪，因为我有信。”他们基于这个原则还断言，那些在死亡的那一刻以某种信心宣称自己有信的人会得救，无论他们的生活是什么样。但由于在圣言中，有上千处经文提到了“行为”和“作为或工作”，以及“行”和“爱”，而这些与他们的宗教原则或宗教说服不一致，所以那些坚持这种说服的人，或说它的教条主义者就找到了将这些说法与信仰结合起来的方法。因此，这就是“他看见兽头中有一个似乎受了死伤”和“他致死的击伤却医好了；全地都希奇跟从那兽”这些话的含义。不过，下文将解释这击伤是如何医好的，即通过设计结合的方式来医治。
然而，首先要在此从圣言引用一些提到“行为”、“作为”、“工作”(working)的经文，以便人人都可以看到在此由“头中有一个受了死伤”所表示的这种不一致；还看到这击伤是完全无法医好的，除非人照着圣言的训词生活，并实行它们。马太福音：
凡听了我的话又去行的，好比一个谨慎的人；凡听见我的话不去行的，好比一个愚蠢的人。(马太福音7:24,26)
路加福音：你们为什么称呼我主啊，主啊，却不实行我所说的话呢？凡到我这里来，听见我的话就去行的，就像一个人把房子盖在磐石上；但听了不去行的，就像一个人把房子盖在没有根基的土地上。(路加福音6:46–49)
马太福音：撒在好地上的，就是人听了圣言又留意，由此结出果实来，有的结了一百倍，有的六十倍，有的三十倍。(马太福音13:23)同一福音书：凡废掉这些诫命中最小的一条，又教导人这样做的，他在天国里必称为最小的。但是，凡遵行又教导的，他在天国里必称为大的。(马太福音5:19)
约翰福音：你们若遵行我所吩咐你们的，就是我的朋友了。(约翰福音15:14)同一福音书：
你们既知道这些事，若是去行就有福了。(约翰福音13:17)
又：
你们若爱我，就会遵守我的诫命。有了我的诫命而又遵行的人，就是爱我的；我也要爱他，并且要向他显明我自己。我们要到他那里去，在他那里作我们的住所。不爱我的人就不遵守我的话。(约翰福音14:15,21–24)
路加福音：耶稣说，那些听了我的话而遵行的人，就是我的母亲、我的弟兄了。(路加福音8:21)马太福音：
我饿了，你们给我吃；我渴了，你们给我喝；我作寄居者，你们收留我；我赤身露体，你们给我穿；我病了，你们看望我；我在监里，你们来看我。主对这些人说，你们这蒙赐福的，可来承受那创世以来为你们所预备的国。祂对那些没有做这些事的人说，你们这被咒诅的人，离开我，进入那为魔鬼和他的使者所预备的永火里去吧！(马太福音25:31–46)
约翰福音：我父是修剪葡萄树的人；凡不结果子的枝子，祂就除掉。(约翰福音15:1,2)
路加福音：你们要结出与悔改相称的果子来；凡不结好果子的树就砍下来，丢在火里。凭着他们的果子就可以认出他们来。(路加福音3:8,9;马太福音7:19,20)
约翰福音：你们多结果子，我父就因此得荣耀，你们也就成为我的门徒了。(约翰福音15:7,8)马太福音：
神的国必从他们夺去，赐给那能结果子的民族。(马太福音21:40–43)约翰福音：行真理的必来就光，为要显明他的行为是靠神而行的。(约翰福音3:21)
同一福音书：我们知道神不听罪人，但若有人敬拜神，又遵行祂的旨意，神才听他。(约翰福音9:31)马太福音：
人子要在祂父的荣耀里同祂的天使降临；那时，祂要照各人的行为报应各人。(马太福音16:27)
约翰福音：那时他们要出来，行善的，复活得生命；作恶的，复活受审判。(约翰福音5:29)
启示录：我必照各人的作为赐给你们各人；那得胜又坚持我工作到底的。(启示录2:23,26)
又：
他们的作为必跟随他们。(启示录14:13)
又：
死了的人都凭着这些案卷所记载的，照他们的作为受审判。死人都照他们的作为受审判。(启示录20:12,13)
又：
看哪，我必快来；赏赐在我，要照各人的作为赐给他。(启示录22:12)
又：
那些遵行祂诫命的有福了。(启示录22:14)
又：
祂对以弗所教会的天使说，我反对你，就是你把起初的仁爱离弃了；应当回想你是从哪里坠落的，行起初的作为；不然，等等。(启示录2:4,5)
又：对士每拿教会的天使说，我知道你的作为；对别迦摩教会的天使说，我知道你的作为；对推雅推喇教会的天使说，我知道你的作为；对撒狄教会的天使说，我知道你的作为；对非拉铁非教会的天使说，我知道你的作为。(启示录2:9,13,19;3:1,8)
这两章论述了从七个教会的作为并照着这些作为来检查并判断这七个教会的品质，即它们现在是什么样，将来是什么样。
785b# 在马太福音的第五、六、七章，从头到尾，主也在教导善行，教导它们的品质和由此而来的天堂祝福；祂还以下面的比喻来教导：葡萄园里的工人；园户和仆人；得到银钱和才干的买卖人；若不结果子，就要被砍掉的葡萄园中的无花果树；撒玛利亚人所怜悯的被强盗打伤的人(关于他，主问律法师，这三个人哪一个是落在强盗当中那人的邻舍，当他回答说“是怜悯他的”时，耶稣对他说，“你去照样行吧”)；十个童女，其中五个灯里有油，五个没有，“灯里的油”表示在信里面的仁；以及其它经文。
此外，主的十二个门徒代表在整体上信与仁的一切方面的教会；其中彼得、雅各与约翰代表在其秩序中的信、仁与善行，彼得代表信，雅各代表仁，约翰代表善行；因此，当彼得看见约翰跟着耶稣时，主对彼得说：
彼得，这与你何干呢？约翰，你跟从我吧；因为彼得论到约翰说，这人将来如何？(约翰福音21:21,22)
主的回答表示那些实行善行的人必须跟随主。约翰代表善行方面的教会，所以他靠着主的胸膛。教会在那些实行善行的人里面，这一点也由主从十字架上对约翰所说的话来表示：
耶稣见祂的母亲和祂所爱的那门徒站在旁边，就对祂母亲说，妇人，看哪，你的儿子；又对那门徒说，看哪，你的母亲；从那时起，那门徒就把她接到自己那里去了。(约翰福音19:26,27)
这段经文表示哪里有善行，哪里就有教会，因为在圣言中，“妇人或女人”，和“母亲”一样表示教会。所引用的经文都来自新约。旧约里还有更多经文，如在那里，经上说：所有遵守并实行律法、典章和诫命的人都受到祝福，而那些不遵行的人则受到诅咒(如利未记18:5;19:37;20:8;22:31–33;26:3,4,14,15;民数记15:39,40;申命记5:9,10;6:25;15:5;17:19;27:26;以及其它上千处经文)。
除了圣言中提到“行为”和“实行或遵行”的经文外，还有许多提到名词“爱”和动词“爱”的经文；动词的“爱”和“实行或遵行”意思一样，因为爱的人就会实行；事实上，爱就是意愿，因为每个人都意愿他从内心所爱的，而意愿就是实行或遵行，因为每个人若能，就实行他所意愿的。此外，行为或所做的事不是别的，正是行为中的意愿。主在许多经文中教导了爱(如马太福音5:43–48;7:12;路加福音6:27–39,43–49;7:36–50;约翰福音13:34,35;14:14–23;15:9–19;17:22–26;21:15–23)，并以这些话简要教导了爱：你要全心、全灵魂爱主你的神；这是第一条大的诫命。其次也相仿，就是要爱邻如己。律法和先知都系于这两条诫命。(马太福音22:35–38,40;路加福音10:27,28;申命记6:5)“爱神胜过一切，并爱邻如己”就是实行祂的诫命(参看约翰福音14:21–24)。此外，“律法和先知”表示在一切事物和每个细节中的圣言。从所引用的这一切经文很明显地看出，与善行分离的信并不拯救人，拯救人的是来自善行并与善行同在的信。因为实行善行的人有信，不实行的人没有信。
785. (Verse 3) And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded unto death. That this signifies the discordance of their doctrinals with the Word, in which love, life, and works are so often mentioned, which do not at all agree with that religious persuasion, is evident from the signification of the heads of that beast, as denoting the knowledge of the holy things of the Word, which are falsified and adulterated (concerning which see above, n. 775). By head, in the Word, where the church is treated of, and those who belong to the church, is signified intelligence and wisdom; and, in the universal sense, the understanding of truth and the willing of good. But because those treated of here are unwilling that the understanding should enter into the mysteries of faith, but desire it to be held captive in subservience to their mysteries; and as these are they who are described by the dragon and by this his beast, it follows, that by the head of this beast is signified knowledge; for where the understanding does not see, there intelligence does not exist, but in the place of it knowledge. And, moreover, of those who are in falsities we cannot use the term intelligence, but knowledge (concerning which see the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 33); and from the signification of being wounded unto death, as denoting to disagree with the Word. For the doctrine which disagrees with the Word is dead; and this is what is signified by being wounded unto death.
[2] The discordance here meant is, that they separate the life of love, which is good works, from faith, and make the latter alone justifying and saving, and consequently take away every thing of righteousness and salvation from the life of love or from good works. Now because to love and to do are mentioned in the Word in a thousand passages, and as man is to be judged according to his deeds and works, and these do not accord with the above religious persuasion, therefore these things are signified by the death stroke of the head of this beast. From these things it is now evident that by these words, "I saw one of the heads of the beast as it were wounded unto death," is signified discordance with the Word, in which love, life, and works are so often mentioned, which do not at all accord with that religious persuasion.
That they do not accord is manifestly evident from this fact, that it is the dogma of this religious persuasion that faith alone justifies and saves without the works of the law; indeed, that if anything of salvation be placed in works, it is injurious, because man's merit and proprium are in them. Consequently, many abstain from doing them, saying in their heart, "good works do not save me, and evil works do not condemn me, because I have faith." On this ground also they declare that those are saved, who, at the hour of death, can pronounce with a sort of confidence that they have faith, whatever their life may have been.
But because deeds and works, also doing and loving, are mentioned in the Word in a thousand passages, and these things are not in accord with their religious persuasion, therefore those who maintain that persuasion have found means of conjoining these statements with faith. These statements therefore are signified by seeing one of the heads of the beast as it were wounded unto death, and by his death stroke being healed, and by the whole earth wondering after the beast. But how that wound was healed, namely, by assumed modes of conjunction, shall be explained in the following article.
[3] First, however, some passages shall here be adduced from the Word, where deeds, works, doing, and working are mentioned, in order that every one may see the discordance which is here signified by one of the heads wounded unto death; also that this wound is incurable unless man lives according to and does the precepts of the Word.
In Matthew:
"He who heareth my words and doeth them," is like "a prudent man; but he who heareth my words and doeth them not, is like a foolish man" (7:24, 26).
In Luke:
"Why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Every one who cometh to me, and heareth my words, and doeth them, is like a man who built his house upon a rock; but he who heareth and doeth not, is like a man who built his house upon the ground without a foundation" (6:46-49).
In Matthew
"He that was sown in good earth is he who heareth the Word and attendeth to it, and who thence beareth fruit and bringeth forth, some a hundred-fold, some sixty-fold, and some thirty-fold" (13:23).
Again:
"Whosoever shall break the least of these commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called least in the kingdom of the heavens" (5:19).
In John:
"Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you" (15:14).
Again:
"If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them" (13:17).
Again:
"If ye love me, keep my commandments; he who hath my precepts and doeth them, he it is that loveth me, and I will love him, and will manifest myself unto him, and I will come unto him, and make my abode with him; but he who loveth me not, keepeth not my words" (14:15, 21-24).
In Luke:
Jesus said, "My mother and my brethren are they who hear the Word of God and do it" (8:21).
In Matthew:
"I was hungry and ye gave me to eat, I was thirsty and ye gave me to drink, I was a sojourner and ye took me in, I was naked and ye clothed me, I was sick and ye visited me, I was in prison and ye came unto me"; to whom the Lord said, "Come ye blessed, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world"; to those who have not done these things, "Depart from me, ye cursed, into eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angels" (25:35 to the end).
In John:
"My Father is the vinedresser; every branch which beareth not fruit, he taketh away" (15:1, 2).
In Luke:
"Bring forth fruits worthy of repentance; every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, shall be hewn down and cast into the fire; by their fruits ye shall know them" (3:8, 9).
In John:
"Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples" (15:7, 8).
In Matthew:
"The kingdom of God shall be taken away from them, and shall be given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof" (Matthew 21:40-43).
In John:
"He who doeth the truth, cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God" (3:21).
Again:
"We know that God heareth not sinners, but if any one worship God, and do his will, him he heareth" (9:31).
In Matthew:
"The Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then shall he render to every one according to his deeds" (16:27).
In John:
"Then shall they come forth, those who have done good unto the resurrection of life, but those who have done evil unto the resurrection of judgment" (5:29).
In the Apocalypse:
"I will give unto you every one according to his works; he who overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end" (2:23, 26).
Again:
"Their works shall follow them" (14:13).
"The dead were judged according to the things which were written in the books, according to their works" (20:12, 13).
"Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give unto every one according to his works" (22:12).
Again:
"Blessed are they who do his commandments" (22:14).
He said to the angel of the church of Ephesus, "I have against thee that thou hast left thy first love; remember whence thou art fallen, and do the first works, or else, etc." (2:4, 5).
It was said to the angel of the church of Smyrneans, "I know thy works"; to the angel of the church in Pergamos, "I know thy works"; to the angel of the church in Thyatira, "I know thy works"; to the angel of the church in Sardis, "I know thy works"; and to the angel of the church in Philadelphia, "I know thy works" (Apoc. 2:9, 13, 19; 3:1, 8).
The quality of the seven churches, as they are and as they will be, is examined and judged from their works, and according to their works, throughout those two chapters.
[4] The Lord also teaches good works, and their quality and the heavenly blessedness therefrom, in Matthew, chapters v., vi., vii., from beginning to end; also in the parables of the labourers in the vineyard; the husbandman and his servants; and the traders, to whom were given pounds, and to whom were given talents; the fig-tree in the vineyard, which should be cut down, if it did not bear fruit; the man wounded by robbers, to whom the Samaritan showed mercy (concerning whom the Lord asked the lawyer, which of the three was neighbour to him that fell among thieves, and when he answered, "He that shewed mercy on him," Jesus said, "Go and do thou likewise"); the ten virgins, of whom five had oil in their lamps and five had none; where oil in the lamps signifies charity in faith; besides various other passages.
[5] The twelve disciples of the Lord also represented the church as to all things of faith and charity in the aggregate; and in particular, Peter, James, and John, represented faith, charity, and good works in their order - Peter faith, James charity, and John good works. This is why the Lord said to Peter, when Peter saw John following the Lord, "What is that to thee, Peter? Thou, John, follow me," for Peter said of John, "What shall this man do?" (John 21:21, 22); and the Lord's answer signified that they who do good works should follow the Lord. Because John represented the church as to good works, therefore he leaned upon the breast of the Lord. That the church is in those who do good works, is also signified by the Lord's words from the cross, in John:
Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved, standing by, and he said to his mother, "Woman, behold thy son"; and he said to that disciple, "Behold thy mother"; and from that hour that disciple took her unto himself (John 19:26, 27).
This signified that where good works are, there the church will be. For woman, and also mother, signify the church.
The passages quoted are all from the New Testament. The number in the Old Testament to the same purpose is still greater. As where it is said:
"Blessed are all those who keep and do the statutes, the judgments, and the precepts; and cursed are those who do them not" (as in Leviticus 18:5; 19:37; 20:8; 22:31, 32, 33; 26:4, 14, 15; Numbers 15:39, 40; Deuteronomy 5:9, 10; 6:25; 15:5; 17:19; 27:26); and in a thousand other passages.
Besides the passages in the Word where deeds and doing are mentioned, there is also a great number where love and loving are mentioned; and by loving is meant the same as by doing. For he who loves also does. For to love is to will, because every one wills what he inwardly loves; and to will is to do, since every one does, that which he wills, when he is able. A deed, moreover, is nothing else but the will in act.
Love is taught by the Lord in many passages.
As in Matthew 5:43-48; 7:12; Luke 6:27-39; 43 to the end; 7:36 to the end; John 13:34, 35; 14:14-23; 15:9-19 17:22-26; 21:15-23; and in brief in these words: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul; this is the first and great commandment. The second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself; on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets" (Matthew 22:35-38; Luke 10:27, 28; Deuteronomy 6:5).
To love God above all things, and the neighbour as oneself, is to keep the commandments, or do His precepts. (See John 14:21-24.) Moreover, the law and the prophets signify the whole Word as to all and every part thereof.
From all these quotations it is now quite clear that it is not faith separate from good works that saves, but faith from them and with them. For he who does good works has faith; but he who does not, has not faith.
785. Verse 3. And I saw one of his heads as if it had been wounded to death, signifies the discordance of their doctrinals with the Word, in which "love," "life," and "works," which do not at all agree with that religious principle, are so often mentioned. This is evident from the signification of the "heads" of that beast, as being the knowledge of the holy things of the Word which are falsified and adulterated (See above, n. 775). When the church and those of the church are treated of in the Word, "head" signifies intelligence and wisdom; and in the most universal sense the understanding of truth and the will of good. But as this treats of those who are not willing that the understanding should enter into the mysteries of faith, but who wish it to be held captive under obedience to their mysteries, and as these are described by "the dragon" and this his "beast," it follows that the "head" of this beast signifies knowledge [scientia]; for where the understanding does not see there is no intelligence, but in place of it knowledge. Moreover, intelligence cannot be predicated of those who are in falsities, but only knowledge (See about this in the New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine, n. 33). The above is evident also from the signification of "being wounded to death," as being in disagreement with the Word; for doctrine which disagrees with the Word is dead; and this death is what is signified by "being wounded to death."
[2] The discordance is that they separate the life of love, which is good works, from faith, and make faith alone justifying and saving, and they take away everything of justification and salvation from the life of love or from good works; and as loving and doing are mentioned in the Word in a thousand passages, and it is declared that man is to be judged according to his deeds and works, and as this does not agree with that religious principle, therefore this is what is signified by the death-stroke of the head of this beast. From this it can be seen that the words, "I saw one of the heads of the beast as if it had been wounded to death," signifies disagreement with the Word, in which "love," "life," and "works," which do not at all agree with that religious principle, are so often mentioned. That they do not agree is clearly evident from the fact that it is a dogma of that religion that faith alone, without the works of the law, justifies and saves, yea, that if anything of salvation be placed in works it is damnable, because of man's merit and what is his own [proprium] in them. For this reason many abstain from doing them, saying in their heart, Good works do not save me, and evil works do not damn me, because I have faith. From this principle they also assert that those are saved who about the hour of death declare with some confidence that they have faith, whatever their life may have been. But "deeds" and "works," also "doing" and "loving," are mentioned in the Word in a thousand passages, and as these disagree with that religious principle, therefore its dogmatists have devised means of conjoining them with faith. This, therefore, is the signification of the words "he saw one of the heads of the beast as if it had been wounded to death," and "the stroke of his death was healed, and the whole earth wondered after the beast." But how that stroke was healed, namely, by devised modes of conjunction, shall be said in the following article.
[3] In the first place, some passages shall here be quoted from the Word where "deeds," "works," "doing," and "working," are mentioned, that everyone may see the discordance that is here signified by "one of the heads wounded to death;" also that this stroke is wholly incurable unless man lives according to the precepts of the Word by doing them.
In Matthew:
Everyone that heareth My words and doeth them is like to a prudent man; but everyone that heareth My words and doeth them not is like to a foolish man (Matthew 7:24, 26).
In Luke:
Why call ye Me Lord, Lord, and do not the things that I say? Everyone who cometh to Me and heareth My words and doeth them is like a man that built a house upon a rock; but he that heareth and doeth not is, like unto a man that built a house upon the ground without a foundation (Luke 6:46-49).
In Matthew:
He that was sown in good earth, this is he that heareth the Word and giveth heed, and who thence beareth fruit, and yieldeth some a hundred-fold, some sixty-fold, some thirty-fold (Matthew 13:23).
In the same:
Whosoever shall break the least of these commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of the heavens; but whosoever doeth and teacheth them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of the heavens (Matthew 5:19).
In John:
Ye are My friends if ye do whatsoever I command you (John 15:14).
In the same:
If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them (John 13:17).
In the same:
If ye love Me keep My commandments. He that hath My commandments and doeth them, he it is that loveth Me; and I will love him, and will manifest Myself unto him. And I 1will come unto him and will make 2My abode with him. But he that loveth Me not keepeth not My words (John 14:15, 21-24).
In Luke:
Jesus said, My mother and My brethren are those who hear My 3word and do it (Luke 8:21).
In Matthew:
I was an hungered and ye gave Me to eat, I was thirsty and ye gave Me to drink, I was a sojourner, and ye took Me in, I was naked and ye clothed Me, I was sick and ye visited Me, I was in prison and ye came unto Me. And to these the Lord said, Come, ye blessed, possess as inheritance the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. And to those who had not done these things He said, Depart from Me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:31-46 the end).
In John:
My Father is the vinedresser; every branch that beareth not fruit He taketh away (John 15:1, 2).
In Luke:
Bring forth fruits worthy of repentance; every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewn down and cast into the fire.
By their fruits ye shall know them (Luke 3:8, 9; Matthew 7:19, 20).
In John:
Herein is My Father glorified, that ye may bear much fruit and become My disciples (John 15:7, 8).
In Matthew:
The kingdom of God shall be taken away from them, and shall be given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof (Matthew 21:40-43).
In John:
He that doeth the truth cometh to the light, that his works may be made manifest that they have been wrought in God (John 3:21).
In the same:
We know that God heareth not sinners, but if anyone worship God and do His will, him He heareth (John 9:31).
In Matthew:
The Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and then He shall render unto everyone according to his deeds (1 Matthew 16:27).
In John:
Then shall come forth they that have done goods into the resurrection of life, but they that have done evils into the resurrection of judgment (John 5:29).
In Revelation:
I will give unto you to everyone according to his works; he that overcometh and keepeth My works unto the end (Revelation 2:23, 26).
Their works shall follow them (John 14:13).
The dead were judged out of the things that were written in the books according to their works. And the dead were all judged according to their works (Revelation 20:12, 13).
Behold I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give unto everyone according to his works (Revelation 22:12).
Happy are they that do His commandments (Revelation 22:14).
He said to the angel of the church of Ephesus, I have against thee that thou hast left thy first charity; remember whence thou hast fallen, and do the first works; but if not, etc. (Revelation 2:4, 5).
It was said to the angel of the church in Smyrna, I know thy works; to the angel of the church in Pergamos, I know thy works; to the angel of the church in Thyatira, I know thy works; to the angel of the church in Sardis, I know thy works; and to the angel of the church in Philadelphia, I know thy works (Revelation 2:9, 13, 19; 3:1, 8).
These two chapters treat of the exploration and judgment of those seven churches as to what they are and will be from their works and according to their works.
[4] Also in the fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters of Matthew from their beginning to their end the Lord teaches good works, and what they must be, and that thence is heavenly happiness; likewise in the parables of the laborers in the vineyard, of the husbandmen and servants, of the traders to whom pounds [minae] were given and those to whom talents were given; of the fig-tree in the vineyard which was to be cut down if it bore no fruit; of the man wounded by robbers, to whom the Samaritan showed mercy, respecting whom the Lord asked the lawyer which of the three was a neighbor, who answered, "He that showed mercy," and Jesus said to him, "Go and do thou likewise;" of the ten virgins, of whom five had oil in their lamps and five had none, "oil in the lamps" signifying charity in faith; also in other passages.
[5] Moreover, the twelve disciples of the Lord represented the church in respect to all things of faith and charity in the complex; and of them, Peter, James, and John represented faith, charity, and good works in their order, Peter faith, James charity, and John good works; therefore the Lord said to Peter, when Peter saw John following the Lord:
What is that to thee, Peter? Follow thou Me, John; for Peter said of John, What of him? (John 21:21-22).
This signifies that those who do good works must follow the Lord. Because John represented the church in respect to good works, he reclined at the Lord's breast. That the church is with those who do good works is also signified by the Lord's words from the cross to John:
Jesus saw His mother, and spoke to the disciple whom He loved, who was standing by; and He said to His mother, Woman, behold thy son; and He said to that disciple, Behold thy mother; and from that hour that disciple took her unto himself (John 19:26-27).
This signifies that where good works are, there the church will be, for in the Word "woman," like as "mother," signifies the church. Thus much from the New Testament; there are yet more passages in the Old Testament, as where:
All are called blessed who keep and do the statutes, the judgments, and the commandments, and those cursed who do them not (as in Leviticus 18:5; 19:37; 20:8; 22:31-33; 26:3-4, 26:14, 26:16; Numbers 15:39-40; Deuteronomy 5:9-10; 6:25; 15:5; 17:19; 27:26 in a thousand other passages).
[6] Besides those passages in the Word where "deeds" and "doing" are mentioned there are also very many where "love" and "loving" are mentioned; and "loving" means the like as "doing," since he that loves does, for to love is to will, since everyone wills what he interiorly loves; and to will is to do, since everyone does that which he wills when he is able. Moreover, what is done is nothing but the will in act. Respecting love the Lord teaches in many passages (as in Matthew 5:43-48; 7:12; Luke 6:27-39, 6:43-49; 7:36-50 to the end; John 13:34, 35; 14:14-23; 15:9-19; 17:22-26; 21:15-23), and in brief in these words:
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God in thy whole heart and from thy whole soul; this is the first and great commandment. The second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang the law and the prophets (Matthew 22:35-38, 40; Luke 10:27, 28; Deuteronomy 6:5).
"To love God above all things, and the neighbor as oneself," is to do His commandments (John 14:21-24); and "the law and the prophets" signify the Word in all things and in every particular. From all these passages cited from the Word it is fully evident that it is not faith separated from good works that saves, but faith from good works and with them. For he who does good works has faith, but he who does them not has no faith.
Footnotes:
1. The photolithograph has "I will come," the Greek "we will make."
2. The photolithograph has "I will make," the Greek "we will make."
3. The photolithograph has "My," the Greek reads, "of God."
785. [Vers. 3.] "Et vidi unum capitum ejus sicut sauciatum in mortem." Quod significet discordantiam doctrinalium eorum eum Verbo, ubi "amor", "vita" et "opera" toties dicuntur, quae cum illo religioso prorsus non concordant, constat ex significatione "capitum" illius bestiae, quod sit scientia sanctorum Verbi, quae falsificantur et adulterantur (de qua supra n. 775): per "caput" in Verbo, ubi agitur de ecclesia et de illis qui ab ecclesia sunt, significatur intelligentia et sapientia, et in sensu universali intellectus veri et voluntas boni; at quia hic agitur de illis qui non volunt ut intellectus intret in mysteria fidei, sed quod ille captivandus sit sub obedientia illorum mysteriorum, et illi sunt qui per "draconem" et hanc ejus "bestiam" describuntur, sequitur quod per "caput" hujus bestiae significetur scientia; nam ubi intellectus non videt, ibi non est intelligentia, sed loco ejus scientia; et praeterea de illis qui in falsis sunt, non praedicari potest intelligentia, sed scientia (de qua re videatur Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae, n. 33): et ex significatione "sauciatum esse in mortem" quod sit discordare cum Verbo; nam doctrina quae cum Verbo discordat mortua est, et hoc mortuum est quod significatur per "sauciatum in mortem."
[2] Id quod discordat, est quod separent vitam amoris, quae sunt bona opera, a fide, et hanc faciunt solam justificantem et salvantem, ac vitae amoris seu bonis operibus omne justificationis et salutis auferunt; et quia in Verbo mille in locis dicitur "amare" et "facere", et quod homo secundum "facta" et "opera" judicandus sit, et haec cum religioso illo non concordant, ideo haec sunt quae significantur per "plagam capitis hujus bestiae in mortem": ex his itaque constare potest quod per "Vidi unum capitum bestiae sicut sauciatum in mortem" significetur discordantia cum Verbo, ubi "amor", "vita" et "opera" toties dicuntur, quae cum illo religioso prorsus non concordant. Quod non concordent, patet manifeste ex eo, quod dogma istius religiosi sit, quod sola fides absque operibus legis justificet et salvet, immo quod si in operibus aliquid salutis ponitur sit damnosum, propter meritum et propter proprium hominis in illis; quare etiam plures abstinent ab illis faciendis, dicendo corde, "Bona opera me non salvant, et mala me non damnant, quia fidem habeo": ex quo principio etiam declarantur illi salvati qui circa mortis horam ex quadam confidentia enuntiant se fidem habere, utcunque eorum vita fuerat. Sed quia in Verbo mille in locis dicuntur "facta" et "opera", tum "facere" et "amare", et illa discordant cum religioso illo, ideo dogmatici ejus invenerunt modos conjungendi illa cum fide: haec itaque sunt quae significantur per quod "viderit unum capitum bestiae quasi sauciatum in mortem", et quod "plaga mortis ejus sanata sit", et quod "admirata sit tota terra post bestiam"; sed quomodo plaga illa sanata est, nempe per inventos conjunctionis modos, dicetur in sequente articulo.
[3] Hic primum ex Verbo adducentur loca ubi "facta", "opera", "facere" et "operari" dicuntur, ut quisque possit videre discordantiam quae hic significatur per "unum capitum sauciatum ad mortem", tum quod plaga illa prorsus incurabilis sit, nisi homo vivat secundum praecepta in Verbo faciendo illa:
Apud Matthaeum,
"Qui audit verba mea..et facit illa", similis est "viro prudenti;.... qui vero audit verba mea et non facit illa", similis est "viro stulto" (7:24, 26);
apud Lucam,
"Quid, ..Me Vocatis Domine, Domine, et non facitis quae dico? Omnis qui Venit ad Me, et audit sermones meos, et facit eos, .... similis est homini aedificanti domum.... super petra:.... qui vero audit et non facit, similis est homini aedificanti domum super humo sine fundamento" (6:46-49);
apud Matthaeum,
"Ille qui in terram bonam seminatus est, hic est qui Verbum audit et attendit, et qui inde fructum fert et facit, alius centuplum, alius sexagecuplum, alius trigecuplum" (13:23);
apud eundem,
"Quisquis solverit..praeceptorum horum minimum, et docuerit ita homines, minimus vocabitur in regno caelorum; qui vero facit et docet, hic magnus vocabitur in regno caelorum" (5:19);
apud Johannem,
"Amici mei estis si feceritis quaecunque mando vobis" (15:14);
apud eundem,
"Si haec scitis, beati estis si feceritis illa" (13:17);
apud eundem,
"Si amatis Me, mandata mea servate:.... qui habet praecepta mea, et facit illa, ille est qui amat Me, .... et Ego amabo illum, et manifestabo illi Me Ipsum, et ad illum 1
veniam, et mansionem apud illum 2
faciam; qui vero non amat Me, verba mea non servat" (14:15, 21-24);
apud Lucam,
Jesus dixit, "Mater mea et fratres mei hi sunt, qui audiunt Verbum 3
meum et faciunt illud" (8:21);
apud Matthaeum,
"Esurivi et dedistis Mihi edere, sitivi et potastis Me, peregrinus tui et collegistis Me, nudus tui et induistis Me, aegrotus tui et visitastis Me, in custodia tui et venistis ad Me": quibus Dominus dixit, "Venite, benedicti, ...tanquam hereditatem possidete regnum paratum vobis a fundatione mundi": et dixit illis qui non fecerunt, "Discedite a Me, maledicti, in ignem aeternum paratum diabolo et angelis ejus" (25:31 ad fin. );
apud Johannem,
"Pater meus Vinitor.., omnem palmitem non ferentem fructum, tollit eum" (15:1, 2);
apud Lucam,
"Facite..fructus dignos paenitentia; omnis arbor non faciens fructum bonum, exscindetur et in ignem conjicietur;..ex fructibus cognoscitis eos" (3:8, 9 [; ac Matthaeus 7:19, 20]);
apud Johannem,
"In hoc glorificatus est Pater meus, ut fructum multum feratis, et reddamini discipuli mei" (15:7, 8);
apud Matthaeum,
"Auferetur" iis "regnum Dei, et dabitur genti facienti fructus ejus" (21:40-43);
apud Johannem,
"Qui..facit veritatem, venit ad lucem, ut manifestentur ejus opera, quia in Deo facta sunt" (3:21);
apud eundem,
"Scimus quod peccatores Deus non audiat, sed si quis Deum colit, et voluntatem Ipsius facit, hunc audiat" (Johannem 9:31);
apud Matthaeum,
"Venturus..est Filius hominis in gloria Patris sui cum angelis suis, et tunc reddet unicuique secundum facta ejus" (16:27 4
);
apud Johannem,
"Exibunt qui bona fecerunt, in resurrectionem vitae; qui vero mala fecerunt, in resurrectionem judicii" (5:29);
in Apocalypsi,
"Daturus sum vobis, unicuique secundum opera ejus;.... qui vicerit et servaverit usque ad finem opera mea" (2:23, 26);
"Opera illorum sequentur illos" (14:13);
"Judicati sunt mortui juxta ea quae scripta sunt in libris, secundum opera eorum;".... et mortui "judicati sunt omnes secundum opera illorum" ( 5
"Ecce venio cito, et merces mea Mecum, ut dem unicuique secundum opus ejus" (22:12);
"Beati qui faciunt mandata Ipsius" (22:14);
Dixit angelo Ephesinae Ecclesiae, "Habeo contra te, quod charitatem priorem reliqueris; recordare..unde excideris, ...ac priora opera fac; sin vero...." etc. (2:4, 5);
Dictum est angelo Ecclesiae Smyrnaeorum, "Novi opera tua"; angelo Ecclesiae in Pergamo, "Novi opera tua"; angelo Ecclesiae in Thyatiris, "Novi opera tua"; angelo Ecclesiae in Sardibus, "Novi opera tua"; et angelo Ecclesiae in Philadelphia, "Novi opera tua" (Apocalypsis 2:9, 13, 19, 3:1, 8 6
):
septem illae ecclesiae, quales sunt et quales erunt, in binis illis capitibus ex operibus et secundum opera illarum explorantur et judicantur.
[4] Docet etiam Dominus bona opera, tum qualia erunt, et quod inde beatitudo caelestis, apud Matthaeum, in capitibus quinto, sexto, et septimo, a principio ad finem eorum: tum in Parabolis de Operariis in Vinea, de Colonis et Servis ibi, de Negotiatoribus, quibus datae sunt Minae, et quibus data sunt Talenta: de Ficu in Vinea, quae exscinderetur si non fructum ferret: de Vulnerato a Latronibus, cui Samarita misericordiam fecit, de quo Dominus interrogavit legisperitum quis illorum trium esset proximus, qui dixit, "Qui misericordiam praestitit", cui Jesus dixit, "Abi tu et fac similiter": de decem Virginibus, quarum quinque habebant oleum in lampadibus, et quinque non; "oleum in lampadibus" significat charitatem in fide: praeter in aliis.
[5] Duodecim etiam discipuli Domini repraesentaverunt ecclesiam quoad omnia fidei et charitatis in complexu: et ex illis Petrus, Jacobus et Johannes repraesentaverunt fidem, charitatem, et bona opera, in suo ordine; Petrus fidem, Jacobus charitatem, et Johannes bona opera: inde quod Dominus dixerit ad Petrum, cum Petrus videret Johannem sequi Dominum,
"Quid ad te", Petre? "Tu sequere Me", Johannes, (Petrus enim dixit de Johanne, "Quid hic?") (Johannes 21:21, 22,)
significabat, quod sequerentur Dominum, qui bona opera faciunt. Quia Johannes ecclesiam quoad bona opera repraesentavit, ideo ille accubuit ad pectus Domini. Quod ecclesia sit apud illos qui bona opera faciunt, etiam significatur per verba Domini e cruce ad Johannem,
Jesus vidit matrem suam, et dixit ad discipulum quem amabat, qui adstabat; et dixit matri suae, "Mulier ecce filius tuus; et dixit discipulo illi, Ecce mater tua; et ex illa hora accepit illam discipulus ille ad se" (Johannes 19:26, 27);
per quae significabatur quod ecclesia erit ubi bona opera; per "mulierem" enim, similiter per "matrem", in Verbo significatur ecclesia. Haec e Novo Testamento: sunt adhuc plura in Veteri, ubi
Benedicuntur omnes qui statuta, judicia et praecepta custodiunt et faciunt, et maledicuntur qui illa non faciunt (ut Leviticus 18:5; 19:37; 20:8; 22:31-33; cap. 26 [3,] 4, 14, 15; Numeri 15:39, 40; Deuteronomius 5:9, 10; 6:25; cap. 7
15:5, 17:19, 27:26: et in mille aliis locis).
[6] Praeter illa loca in Verbo ubi "facta" et "facere" dicuntur, etiam sunt perplura ubi "amor" et "amare" dicitur; et per "amare" intelligitur simile quod per "facere", nam qui amat is facit; amare enim est velle, nam quisque vult quod interius amat; et velle est facere, quisque enim facit quod vult, quando potest; factum etiam non est nisi quam voluntas in actu. De amore docet Dominus multis in locis (Ut Matthaeus 5:43-48; 7:12; Luca 6:27-39, 43 ad fin. ; cap. 7:36 ad fin. : Johannes 13:34, 35; 14:14-23; 15:9-19; 17:22-26; 21:15-23); et in summa his verbis,
"Amabis Dominum Deum tuum in toto corde tuo, et ex tota anima tua;.... hoc est primum et magnum mandatum: [secundum] ..simile est illi, Amabis proximum tuum sicut te ipsum: ex his duobus mandatis..Lex et Prophetae pendent" (Matthaeus 22:35-38 [, 40] ; Luca 10:27, 28; Deuteronomius 6:5):
"amare Deum super omnia, et proximum sicut se ipsum", est facere praecepta Ipsius (Johannes 14:21-24); ac "Lex et Prophetae" significant Verbum in omnibus et singulis. Ex his et illis locis e Verbo allatis, plene constare potest quod non fides separata a bonis operibus salvet, sed quod fides ex illis et cum illis; nam qui bona facit, is fidem habet; qui autem non bona facit, is fidem non habet.
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.
2. The editors made a correction or note here.
3. The editors made a correction or note here.
4. The editors made a correction or note here.
5. The editors made a correction or note here.
6. The editors made a correction or note here.
7. The editors made a correction or note here.