786# “他致死的击伤却医好了”表示表面上看，通过精心设计的作为与信仰的结合似乎清除了这种不一致。这从“致死的击伤”和“医好”的含义清楚可知：“致死的击伤”是指与圣言不一致；因为此处“致死的击伤”和刚才“受了死伤的头”具有相同的含义。在圣言中，“击伤或受伤”表示诸如摧毁教会和人的属灵生命的那类事物(可参看AE584节)；由于取自圣言的教义构成教会，所以当教义与圣言不一致时，它就不再是一个教会，而是一种冒充教会的宗教或宗教说服。“医好”，也就是医好击伤，是指表面上看，通过精心设计的作为与信仰的结合似乎清除了这种不一致。当“致死的击伤”表示与圣言不一致时，这就是“医好”的含义，这一点是显而易见的，不用进一步推论。尽管如此，这击伤并没有医好，只是表面上被清除了，这一点可见于接下来的内容。首先，要说一说那些自以为比其他所有人都更敏锐、更明智，同时又自以为被赋予天赋异禀，能通过基于谬误的推理使任何虚假都能看上去像真理的人。然而，为叫这些主题可以被调查、理解并随后展开，我要在此阐明善行与信仰的这些结合。其中一些结合是被简单人相信的，一些则是由有学问的人设计发明的；通过这些结合，表面上看，与圣言的不一致似乎被清除了。
(1)最简单的人只知道唯信在于相信那些在圣言里，并且教会的教义由此所教导的事。
(2)不那么简单的人不知道唯信是什么，只知道信就是相信必须做的事；他们当中很少有人在相信和实行之间作出任何区分。
(3)事实上，有些人以为信产生善行，却不考虑它是如何产生善行的。
(4)有些人认为信必须始终走在前面，善行或良善来自它，或源于它，如同果实来自树。(5)有些人相信这是通过人的合作完成的；相反，有些人则相信这不用人的合作就能完成。(6)但由于教义教导，唯信得救，无需善行，所以有些人就轻视善行，从心里说，他们所做的一切在神眼里都是良善，神不看邪恶。(7)但由于在圣言中，经上如此频繁地提到行为和作为，实行和工作或作工(working)，所以出于调和圣言与这个信条的必要性，他们设计了各种并不一致的结合方式；然而，这些结合的方式是这样：信独自保存，作为也独自保存，以便拯救可以在信中，丝毫不在作为中。
(8)一些人将信与那些到达称义的最后阶段的人行善的努力结合起来；但他们把它与没有从人的自愿部分获得任何东西，相反，只来自流注或灵感的努力结合在一起，因为来自人的自愿部分的良善本身不是良善。
(9)一些人则将信与主的功德结合起来，声称这功德在属于人生命的一切中作工，而与此同时，人对此一无所知。
(10)一些人将信与道德的良善和文明的良善结合起来，而这些良善是为了世上的生活，而不是为了永生所要行的良善。他们还断言，这些就是圣言所提到的“行为”和“作为”，并“实行”和“作工”所指的良善；为了其中的功用，善行必须在平信徒面前被教导和宣讲，因为他们不知道信与作为结合的奥秘；有些人不能理解它们。
(11)在有学问的人当中，许多人以为一切事物的结合都在唯信里面，也就是说，对神之爱，对邻之仁，生活的良善，作为，主的功德和神都包含在唯信里面，除了人从自己思考、意愿和实行这些事之外。
(12)要知道，除了上述结合方式外，还有其它许多结合的方式被设计出来；这些人在灵界设计得更多；因为属灵的思维能扩散到属世思维无法抵达的无数事物中。在灵界，我曾看见一个人想出一百多种结合方式，每一种都有一个从开始通过方法到达目的的思路发展过程在里面；但当他到达目的，以为现在就能看见结合时，他被光照，发现他越从内在思想这个主题，就越将信与善行分离，而不是把它们结合起来。由此可见，尤其被有学问的人设计出来、似乎由此清除了这个信条与圣言的不一致，或说使这种不一致看似一致的结合方式是什么，“那兽致死的击伤医好了”又是什么意思。
786. And his death stroke was healed. That this signifies the discordance apparently removed by means of assumed conjunctions of works with faith, is evident from the signification of a death stroke, as denoting discordance with the Word; for the same is here signified by a death stroke, as that just above by the head wounded unto death. That wounds in the Word signify such things as destroy the church, and the spiritual life of man, may be seen above (n. 584). And because doctrine from the Word constitutes the church, therefore when doctrine is not in accordance with the Word it is no longer a church, but a religious persuasion which counterfeits a church. The same also is evident from the signification of being healed, namely, the wound, as denoting that that disagreement was apparently removed by assumed conjunctions of works with faith. That this is signified by being healed, when by the death stroke is signified discordance with the Word, is evident without further deduction. Nevertheless that stroke is not healed, but only apparently removed. This will be seen in what follows.
First, something shall be said concerning the conjunctions of good works with faith as assumed by those who have believed themselves to be more acute and sagacious than the rest, and at the same time to be endowed with such gifts of intellect, that by reasonings from fallacies they can cause any falsity whatever to appear like truth. In order, however, that these subjects may be investigated, brought down to the apprehension, and afterwards unfolded, the conjunctions of good works with faith shall be here stated. Some of these are believed by the simple, and some invented by the learned, by which it appears as if that discordance with the Word were removed.
[2] 1. The most simple suppose that faith alone consists in believing those things that are in the Word, and which the doctrine of the church thence teaches.
2. The less simple do not know what faith alone is, but only that faith is the same as believing in what is to be done. Few of them make any distinction between believing and doing.
3. Others, indeed, suppose that faith produces good works, but do not think how it produces them.
4. Others think that faith in all cases precedes, and that good works come from it, or that they exist as fruit from a tree.
5. Some believe that the latter takes place from man by co-operation; some, on the contrary, that it is effected without such co-operation.
6. But because the doctrinal teaches that faith alone saves, without good works, therefore some take no account of good works, saying in their hearts, that all things that they do in the sight of God are good, and that evils are not seen by God.
7. But because deeds and works, also doing and working, are frequently mentioned in the Word, therefore, from the necessity of reconciling the Word with that dogma, they devise various modes of conjunction, which, however, are such that faith is kept by itself and works by themselves, in order that salvation may be in faith, and nothing of it in works.
8. Some conjoin faith with the endeavour to do good by those who have reached the last degree of justification; but they do this with an endeavour that derives nothing from man's Voluntary, which, on the contrary, is solely from influx or inspiration, because good from the Voluntary is, in itself, not good.
9. Some conjoin faith with the merit of the Lord, saying that this worketh in everything pertaining to man's life, while at the same time he is ignorant of it.
10. Some conjoin faith with moral good, and with civil good, which are to be done for the sake of life in the world, but not for the sake of eternal life. They also affirm that these goods are meant by the deeds and works, and by the doing and working, mentioned in the Word; and that, for the sake of the uses therein, good works are to be taught and preached before the laity, because they have no knowledge of the mysteries concerning the conjunction of faith and works; and some cannot comprehend them.
11. Many of the learned suppose that the conjunction of all things is in faith alone, that is to say, that in it are contained love to God, love towards the neighbour, the good of life, works, the Lord's merit, and God, besides what a man thinks concerning these things, and wills and does from himself.
12. It must be noted that still many other means of conjunction, in addition to the above, have been devised; and still more by the same persons in the spiritual world; for spiritual thought can range over innumerable things which transcend the power of natural thought.
I saw a certain one in the spiritual world devising more than a hundred methods to produce this conjunction, and in every one there was an advance in meditation from the beginning through the means, even to the end; but when he came to the end, and believed that he now saw the conjunction, he was enlightened, and he observed that the more interiorly he thought upon the subject, the more he separated faith from good works; and he did not conjoin them.
From these considerations it is evident what the methods of conjunction are which the learned, especially, have devised, by which the discordance of this dogma with the Word seems to be removed, and what is meant by the death stroke of the beast being healed.
786. And the stroke of his death was healed, signifies the discordance apparently cleared away by means of devised conjunctions of works with faith. This is evident from the signification of "the stroke of death," as being discordance with the Word; for "stroke of death" has a like signification here as "the head wounded to death" just above. That "strokes" signify in the Word such things as destroy the church and the spiritual life of man may be seen above n. 584; and as doctrine from the Word constitutes the church, so when doctrine disagrees with the Word there is no longer a church, but only a religion that counterfeits the church. The above is evident also from the signification of "being healed," that is, of the "stroke," as being that this discordance was apparently cleared away by devised conjunctions of works with faith. That this is the signification of "being healed," when "the stroke of death" signifies disagreement with the Word, can be seen without further argument. Nevertheless, that this stroke was not healed, but only apparently cleared away, will be seen in what follows. In the first place something shall be said in passing about the conjunctions of good works with faith that are devised by those who have believed themselves to be keener and more sagacious than all others, and at the same time to be endowed with such gifts of genius as to be able by reasonings from fallacies to induce upon any falsity whatever an appearance of truth. But in order that this may be investigated, presented to the comprehension, and afterwards unfolded, I will here speak of those conjunctions of good works with faith, by means of which the disagreement with the Word is apparently cleared away, some of which are believed by the simple, and some devised by the learned.
[2] 1. The very simple know no otherwise than that faith alone consists in believing those things that are in the Word, and that are taught therefrom by the doctrine of the church.
2. The less simple do not know what faith alone is; they merely know that faith is to believe what must be done; and few of them make any distinction between believing and doing.
3. Others, however, suppose that faith produces good works, but do not consider how it produces them.
4. Others think that faith must always precede, and that goods are brought forth from it, or spring from it as fruit does from a tree.
5. Some believe that this is done by man's co-operation, others that it is done without his cooperation.
6. But as the doctrine declares that faith alone without good works is what saves, therefore some make no account of good works, saying in their heart that everything they do is good in God's sight, and that evils are not seen by God.
7. But as deeds and works, and doing and working, are so frequently mentioned in the Word, from the necessity of reconciling the Word with that dogma, they devise various modes of conjunctions that are not consistent, and yet are such that faith is kept by itself, and works by themselves, to the end that salvation may be in faith, and nothing of it in works.
8. Some conjoin faith with the endeavor to do good with those who have attained to the last stage of justification, yet with an endeavor that derives nothing from the voluntary part of man, but only from influx or inspiration, since the good that is from the voluntary part of man is in itself not good.
9. Some conjoin faith with the Lord's merit, saying that this works all things pertaining to man's life, while man does not know it.
10. Some conjoin faith with moral good and with civil good, which are goods that are to be done for the sake of life in the world, not for the sake of eternal life; and they contend that these are the goods that are meant by the "deeds" and "works," and "doing" and "working," mentioned in the Word; and that for the sake of the uses there, good works must be taught and preached before the laity, because they have no knowledge of the arcana respecting the conjunction of faith and works, and some cannot comprehend them.
11. Many of the learned suppose that in faith alone all are conjoined, that is, that love to God, charity towards the neighbor, the good of life, works, the Lord's merit, and God, are all included in faith alone, except that man thinks, wills, and does something from himself respecting these.
12. It is to be known that many other modes of conjunction have been devised, and that still more are devised by the same persons in the spiritual world; for spiritual thought can spread forth into innumerable things that natural thought cannot reach. I have seen a certain person in the spiritual world who had thought out hundreds of modes of conjunction, and in every one there was a progress in the train of thought from a beginning through means to an end; but when he had reached the end, and believed that he now saw the conjunction, he was enlightened and perceived that the more interiorly he thought upon the subject the more he separated faith from good works instead of conjoining them. From this it can be seen what the modes of conjunction are that have been devised especially by the learned, by which the disagreement of this dogma with the Word may appear like an agreement, which is what is meant by "the stroke of death of the beast was healed."
786. "Et plaga mortis ejus sanata est." Quod significet discordantiam apparenter summotam per inventas conjunctiones operum cum fide, constat ex significatione "plagae mortis", quod sit discordantia cum Verbo, simile enim per "plagam mortis" hic significatur, quod mox supra per "caput sauciatum in mortem": (quod "plagae" in Verbo significent talia quae destruunt ecclesiam et vitam spiritualem hominis, videatur supra (n. 584); et quia doctrina ex Verbo facit ecclesiam, ideo cum doctrina discordat cum Verbo, non amplius est ecclesia, sed est religiosum quod mentitur ecclesiam): et ex significatione "sanata esse", nempe plaga, quod sit quod discordantia illa apparenter summota sit per inventas conjunctiones operum cum fide; quod hoc significetur per "sanari", cum per "plagam mortis" significatur discordantia cum Verbo, absque ulteriore deductione constare potest; at quod usque plaga illa non sanata sit, sed modo apparentur summota, videbitur in sequentibus. Primum aliqua in medium afferentur de conjunctionibus bonorum operum cum fide, inventis ab illis qui crediderunt se acutiores et sagaciores reliquis esse, et simul tali dote ingenii praeditos ut per ratiocinia ex fallaciis possint inducere cuicunque falso apparentiam veri; sed ut ea indagentur, ad captum sistantur, et dein evolvantur, velim hic conjunctiones bonorum operum cum fide, per quas apparet sicut discordantia cum Verbo summota esset, quasdam creditas a simplicibus, et quasdam inventas ab eruditis, tradere.
[2] (1.) Simplicissimi non sciunt aliter quam quod sola fides sit credere illa quae in Verbo sunt, et quae doctrina ecclesiae inde docet.
(2.) Minus simplices non sciunt quid sola fides, sed quod fides sit credere quod faciendum sit; pauci ex illis distinguunt inter credere et facere.
(3.) Alii vero autumant quod fides producat bona opera, sed non cogitant quomodo producit.
(4.) Alii cogitant quod fides omnino praecedet, et quod bona ex illa producantur, aut existant sicut fructus ex arbore.
(5.) Quidam credunt quod ita fiat per cooperationem ab homine, quidam quod absque ejus cooperatione.
(6.) Sed quia doctrinale dictat quod sola fides absque bonis operibus salvet, ideo quidam bona opera nihili pendunt, dicentes corde quod omnia quae faciunt in conspectu Dei sint bona, et quod mala a Deo non videantur.
(7.) At quia toties in Verbo dicuntur "facta" et "opera", tum "facere" et "operari", ex necessitate conciliandi Verbum cum illo dogmate, excogitant conjunctiones, sed diversimode, usque tamen tales, ut fides per se sit, et opera per se sint, ob causam ut in fide sit salvatio, et nihil in operibus.
(8.) Quidam conjungunt fidem cum conatu faciendi bonum apud illos qui ad ultimum justificationis gradum pervenerunt, sed cum conatu qui nihil trahit ex voluntario hominis, sed solum ex influxu seu inspiratione, quia bonum ex voluntario hominis in se non bonum est.
(9.) Quidam conjungunt fidem cum merito Domini, dicentes quod id operetur omnia vitae hominis, eo nesciente.
(10.) Quidam conjungunt fidem cum bono morali et cum bono civili, quae bona facienda sunt propter vitam in mundo, et non propter vitam aeternam: et quod haec bona intelligantur per "facta" et "opera" ac per "facere" et "operari" in Verbo, et quod propter usus ibi bona opera docenda et praedicanda sint coram laicis, quia hi arcana conjunctionis fidei et operum non sciunt, et quidam non capiunt.
(11.) Multi ex eruditis putant quod conjunctio omnium sit in sola fide; nempe, quod in illa sit amor in Deum, charitas erga proximum, sit bonum vitae, sint opera, sit meritum Domini, sit Deus; praeter quod homo ipse aliquid de illis ex se cogitet, velit et faciat.
(12.) Sciendum est quod plures adhuc conjunctionis modi inventi sint, et quod adhuc plures ab iisdem inveniantur in mundo spirituali, nam cogitatio spiritualis exspatiari potest in innumerabilia in quae cogitatio naturalis nequit. Vidi quendam ibi excogitavisse modos conjunctionis ultra centenos, et in singulis progressum fuisse meditatione a principio per media usque ad finem; sed cum in fine erat, et credidit quod nunc conjunctionem videret, illustratus est et animadvertit quod quo interius de ea re cogitavit, eo plus separaverit fidem a bonis operibus, quam illa conjunxerit. Ex his constare potest quales sunt conjunctionis modi, quos praecipue eruditi invenerunt, ut discordantia dogmatis istius cum Verbo appareret sicut concordans, quod intelligitur per "plagam mortis bestiae sanatam."