815a.启13:11.“我又看见另一只兽从地里上来”表示来自圣言字义、支持信仰与生活分离的确认，以及由此对教会真理的歪曲。这从“两只兽”的含义清楚可知：本章论述的这“两只兽”是指对“龙”所表示的那些事物的确认，因为“龙”尤表唯信(参看AE714节)；“从海里上来的兽”表示来自属世人、确认信仰与生活分离的推理(也可参看AE774节)；因此，这只“兽”表示来自圣言字义、支持信仰与生活分离的确认，以及由此对教会真理的歪曲。这两只“兽”进一步描述了“龙”，这一点从这一章的2、4、11节经文明显看出来。此外，任何异端信条都可以通过两种方法被确认，即：来自属世人的推理和来自圣言字义的确认；这两种方法就是这两只“兽”所表示的。前一只“兽”表示来自属世人的推理，因为那只兽是从海里上来的，而“海”表示人的属世层；但这只“兽”表示来自圣言字义的确认，因为它是从地里上来的，而“地”表示圣言所在的教会。这“兽”也表示对圣言的歪曲，因为圣言若非被歪曲，永远不可能确认一个虚假信条。事实上，圣言的一切都是真理；因此，一切真理都能从圣言得到确认，而虚假是决无可能的，这可从前面所说的，以及本章接下来所说的清楚看出来。
815b# 由于前面(AE785节)从圣言引用了提到“作为”、“行为”、“作工或工作”和“实行或遵行”的经文，所以现在我要引用提到“信或信心”(译注：faith，译者多译为信心，偶尔译为信)和“相信或信”(译注：believing，译者多译为信)的经文，但只从福音书中引用，不从使徒书信中引用，因为福音书里面有主自己的话，这些话都包含灵义在里面，与天堂的直接交流通过灵义实现；而使徒的著作里面没有灵义，尽管它们都是对教会有用的书。
下面是提到“信心或信”(faith)和“相信或信”(believing)的圣言经文。马太福音：
有一个百夫长来到主这里，说，主啊，我不配你到我屋檐下；只要你说一句话，我的僮仆就必得医治。耶稣听见就希奇，对跟随祂的人说，我实在告诉你们，这么大的信心，就是在以色列，我也没有遇见过。祂对百夫长说，你去吧，照你所相信的给你作成了；他的僮仆就在那时刻医好了。(马太福音8:8,10,13)
主之所以照他们的信医治这个人和其他人，是因为那时要建立的教会的第一和首要的事就是，他们要相信主是全能的神，没有这种信，教会就无法建立起来。因为主是天堂的神和大地的神，若不承认祂的神性(这承认就是信)，与主的结合是不可能的。百夫长显然承认主是全能的神，因为他说：“我不配你到我屋檐下；只要你说一句话，我的僮仆就必得医治。”
同一福音书：有一个患血漏的女人摸耶稣的衣裳繸子；因为她在自己里面说，我若只摸得着祂的衣裳，就必得医治。耶稣转过来看见她，就说，女儿，放心，你的信使你痊愈；就在那一刻，她就得了医治。(马太福音9:20–22)
又：他们把一个躺在床上的瘫痪病人带到耶稣面前；耶稣见他们的信心，就对瘫痪病人说，放心吧，你的罪赦了。起来，拿起你的床往家去吧！(马太福音9:2–7;路加福音5:19–25)
又：
有两个瞎子喊着说，大卫的子孙，可怜我们吧。耶稣对他们说，你们相信我能作这事吗？他们对祂说，主啊，是的。于是耶稣摸他们的眼睛，说，照你们的信心给你们作成吧；他们的眼睛就开了。(马太福音9:27–30)
病人得医治所凭的这信不是指其它信，而是指被称为历史的信，那时这信也是神迹的信。因此，那时有许多人靠这信行神迹。这信就是，主是全能的，因为祂能凭自己行神迹；因此，祂也允许自己被敬拜，但旧约的众先知不是这种情况，他们没有被敬拜。但在这历史的信成为得救的信以先，必须始终有这历史的信；因为当人从圣言学习真理，并照之生活时，历史的信就在他里面变成得救的信。
又：有一个迦南妇人，她女儿被鬼附得甚苦，就来拜耶稣说，主啊，帮助我。耶稣对她说，你的信心是大的；照你所愿的给你作成吧；她的女儿就得了医治。(马太福音15:22–28)
约翰福音：有一个大臣，他的儿子患病了，在他儿子死之前找耶稣医治他。耶稣对他说，去吧，你儿子活了；那人就相信耶稣对他说的话。他的仆人迎见他，说你的儿子活了。因此，他和他全家就都相信了。(约翰福音4:46–53)
同一福音书：耶稣遇见那被祂治好的生来瞎眼的人，对他说，你相信神的儿子吗？他回答说，主啊，谁是祂，好让我相信祂呢？耶稣对他说，你已经看见祂，这同你说话的就是祂。他说，主啊，我相信；就拜耶稣。(约翰福音9:35–38)
路加福音：
耶稣对死了女儿的管会堂的说，不要怕，只要相信，她必得痊愈；那女儿就复活了。(路加福音8:50,55)
同一福音书：主治好的十个麻风病人中，有一个是撒玛利亚人，他回来脸伏在耶稣的脚旁；耶稣对他说，起来，去吧；你的信使你痊愈。(路加福音17:15,16,19)
又：
耶稣对瞎子说，你的信救了你；瞎子立刻看见了。(路加福音18:42,43)马可福音：当门徒不能医治一个人的儿子，他被哑巴的灵附着时，耶稣对他们说；耶稣对他说，你若能相信，在相信的人，一切事都有可能；孩子的父亲流着泪喊着说，主啊，我相信，求你帮助我的不相信；他就得了医治。(马可福音9:17,23,24)
对主的信治好这些人的原因有三个：第一，他们承认主的神性全能，承认祂是神。第二，信就是承认，直觉来自承认；来自承认的一切直觉都会使另一个人同在或出现，这在灵界是很常见的事。因此，在这种情况下，直觉来自对主的全能的承认。当主将要建立一个新教会时，正是出于这种承认，他们是最先拥有对主的一种直觉的，或说是首先仰望主的。由此清楚可知，此处的信是什么意思。第三个原因是，主所医治的一切疾病都代表、因而表示对应于这些属世疾病的属灵疾病；属灵的疾病只能被主医治，事实上通过仰望祂的神性全能，以及生活的悔改被医治。这就是为何有时祂说：“你的罪赦了；去吧，不要再犯罪了。”他们的神迹之信也代表并表示这信；但主医治属灵疾病所凭的信只有通过来自圣言的真理和照之的生活才能被赐下；真理本身和遵行它们的生活本身构成信的品质。不过，接下来的内容会详述这一点。
约翰福音：
当拉撒路死了时，他姐姐说，主啊，他这时必是臭了。耶稣对她说，我不是对你说过，你若相信，就必看见神的荣耀吗？(约翰福音11:39,40)
路加福音：耶稣对那妇人，就是眼泪湿了耶稣的脚，用自己的头发擦干，又亲吻祂的脚，还把香膏抹上的罪人说，你的罪赦了；你的信救了你，平安地去吧！(路加福音7:38,48,50)
从这些话清楚看出，正是对主全能的信医治了他们，也同样是这信赦了他们的罪，也就是除去他们的罪。原因在于，这个女人不仅信主的神性全能，还爱祂；因为她亲吻主的脚。因此，主说“你的罪赦了，你的信救了你”，因为信使得主的神性同在或出现，爱则进行结合。然而，对主来说，同在却不结合是可能的；由此明显可知，拯救人的，是来自爱的信。
又：
在船上，耶稣对门徒说，你们这小信(little faith)的人哪，为什么害怕呢？于是起来，斥责风和海，就大大平静了。(马太福音8:26;马可福音4:39–41;路加福音8:24,25)
又：
彼得按主的吩咐，从船上下来，在水上走；但当风变强时，就害怕，将要沉下去，便大喊，主啊，救我！耶稣立刻抓住他的手，说，你这小信(little faith)的人哪，为什么疑惑呢？(马太福音14:28–31)
又：当门徒不能医治疯子时，主对他们说，唉！这又不信又乖僻的世代啊，我和你们在一起要到几时呢？耶稣就医好了他；祂对门徒说，他们不能医治他，是因他们不相信。(马太福音17:14等)
又：耶稣来到自己的家乡，在那里，他们都厌弃祂；耶稣说，一个先知，除了在自己的家乡和自己的家之外，没有不受尊敬的。耶稣因为他们不相信，就不在那里行许多异能了。(马太福音13:57,58)
当门徒不能奉主的名行神迹时，主称他们为“小信的人”，祂因他们的不相信而不能在自己的家乡行神迹，因为门徒的确相信主是弥赛亚或基督，以及神的儿子，先知在圣言中所写的那一位；然而，他们却不相信祂是全能的神，父耶和华就在祂里面；只要他们相信祂是一个人，同时却不相信祂是神，那么全能所属的祂的神性就不能凭信而与门徒同在。因为信使主同在，如前所述；但只信作为一个人的祂不会使祂的神性全能同在。由于同样的原因，如今世上那些只仰望祂的人身，却不同时仰望祂的神性之人不能得救；苏西尼派和阿里乌派就是这种情况。
出于类似的原因，主不能在自己的家乡行神迹，因为在那里，他们从小就看见祂和其他人一样；因此，他们不能将对祂神性的观念附在这个看见上；如果这种观念不存在，那么主的确存在于一个人里面，但不是与神性全能一起存在于他里面；因为信照着对主的感知的性质或品质而使主存在于人里面。人不承认其它的事，从而弃绝它们。为叫主可以通过信在人里面实现或运作某事，主的神性必须存在于人里面，而不是存在于他外面。
约翰福音：众人中间有许多人信了耶稣，说，基督来的时候，祂所行的迹象岂能比这人所行的更多吗？(约翰福音7:31)马可福音：
信的人必有这些迹象随着他们，就是：奉我的名赶鬼；用新舌头说话；他们拿起蛇；若喝了什么致命之物，也必不能伤害他们；他们给病人按手，病人就可痊愈。他们出去，到处宣讲，主与他们一同工作，用迹象随着，证实圣言。(马可福音16:17–20)
由于犹太民族唯因神迹而相信耶和华，所以很明显，此处所指的，是一种神迹之信，而不是得救之信。因为他们是外在人，外在人只被外在事物打动去进行神性敬拜，如强力冲击心智的神迹。此外，对一个新教会将在其中建立的人来说，神迹之信也是最初的信；对当今基督教界的所有人来说，这种信同样是最初的信，这就是为何主所行的神迹被描述，还被传讲。因为对所有人来说，最初的信是一种历史的信，后来，当人通过他的生活变得属灵时，这信就变成得救之信。事实上，首先要相信的是，主是天地之神，祂是全能、全在、全知、无限，并与父为一。知道这些事是必须的；但只要它们只是知识，或说只是被知道，它们就是历史的；历史的信使得主同在，因为它是来自主的神性性质的一种对主的直觉。然而，这信不拯救人，直到人过信仰的生活，也就是仁爱的生活；因为那时，他意愿并实行他所相信的，意愿和实行属于爱，爱与信使之同在的那一位结合。至于门徒所行的神迹，以及他们在基督教会开始时所行的神迹，如赶鬼，用新舌头说话等等，表示什么，可参看前文(AE706c节)。
马太福音：耶稣说，我实在告诉你们，你们若有信心像一粒芥菜种，就是对这座山说，你从这边挪到那边，它也必挪去；并且为你们，没有一件事是不可能的。(马太福音17:14–20)
马可福音：要对神有信心；因为我实在告诉你们，无论何人对这座山说，你当被拔起来，抛在海里，他心里不疑惑，只相信他所说的必成，他所说的就必给他作成。所以我告诉你们，凡你们祷告所求的，无论是什么，只要相信你们必得着它们，就必拥有它们。(马可福音11:22–24)
马太福音：耶稣对门徒说，你们若有信心，不疑惑，不但能行无花果树上所行的事，就是对这座山说，你被拔起来，抛在海里，也必作成。只要相信我，无论你们求什么，就必得着。(马太福音21:21,22)
路加福音：
你们若有信心像一粒芥菜种，就是对这棵桑树说，你要拔起根来，栽在海里，它也会服从你们。(路加福音17:6)
这些事不可以照着这些话来理解，这一点从以下事实明显看出来：这些话是对门徒说的，即：你们若有信心像一粒芥菜种，就能将一座山或一棵桑树拔起离开其位置，并把它抛在海里；无论他们求什么，就必得着。然而，每个人只要有信，就必得着凡他所求的，并不符合神序；门徒将一座山或一棵桑树拔起离开其位置，并把它抛在海里也不符合神序。相反，此处的“信”是指来自主的信；因此，它被称为“对神的信”，那些处于来自主的信之人只求有助于主的国和自己得救的东西；他们不想要其它东西；因为他们心里说：“我为什么求无助于这种功用的东西呢？”因此，他们若真的去求除了他们从主那里被恩准去求的东西之外的任何东西，就不可能有对神的信，也就是说，不可能有来自主的信。事实上，天堂天使不可能渴望，从而去求别的任何东西；即便这样做，他们也决不相信他们会得着它。主之所以把这信比作将一座山或一棵桑树抛在海里的能力和力量，是因为主无论在此处，还是在圣言的别处，都通过对应说话；因此，这些话必须属灵地来理解。因为一座“山”表示对自我和世界的爱，因而表示对邪恶的爱；一棵“桑树”表示这爱的信，也就是对来自邪恶的虚假的信，“海”表示地狱；因此，“靠着对神的信拔起一座山，把它抛在海里”表示把这些爱扔进地狱，这些爱本身是极其邪恶的，是属魔鬼的；对来自邪恶的虚假的信也是如此；这一切是通过来自主的信作成的。将来自主的信的能力和力量比作拔起一座山和一棵桑树，把它抛在海里，还因为在灵界，这些事真的会发生。在那里，对邪恶的这些爱有时看似山，对来自邪恶的虚假的信则看似一棵桑树。一位天使靠着来自主的信，就能将这两者连根拔起，并把它们扔进地狱。一座“山”表示对主之爱，在反面意义上表示自我之爱(参看AE405,510节)；一棵“无花果树”或一棵“桑树”表示在其良善和真理方面的属世人，在反面意义上表示在邪恶和虚假方面的属世人(参看AE403节)。
815c# 关于神迹之信，就说这么多。现在要从福音书中引用一些关于得救之信的经文，得救之信就是对来自对主之爱的真理的信。约翰福音：
摩西在旷野怎样举蛇，人子也必照样被举起来，叫凡信祂的，不至灭亡，反得永生。神爱世人，甚至赐下祂的独生子，叫凡信祂的，不至灭亡，反得永生。信祂的人，不受审判；不信的人，已受了审判，他不信神独生子的名。(约翰福音3:14–19)
同一福音书：父爱子，已将万有交在祂手里；信子的人有永生；不信子的人不得见永生，神的愤怒停留在他身上。(约翰福音3:35,36)
又：
你们若不信我是祂，必要死在罪中。(约翰福音8:24)
又：
他们对耶稣说，我们当行什么，才算作神的工作呢？耶稣回答说，信父所差来的，这就是神的工作。我就是生命的粮，到我这里来的，必定不饿；信我的，永远不渴。差我来的那位的旨意是这样，叫一切见子而信祂的人得永生，并且在末日我要叫他复活。这不是说有人看见过父，惟独与父同在的那一位，祂看见过父。我实在地告诉你们，信我的人有永生。我就是生命的粮。(约翰福音6:28,29,35,40,46–48)
又：耶稣说，那听我话、又信差我来者的，就有永生，必不进入审判，而是出死入生。我实在地告诉你们，时刻将到，死人要听见神儿子的声音，听见的人就要活了。父怎样在自己有生命，就赐给子也照样在自己有生命。(约翰福音5:24–26)
又：耶稣喊着说，若有人渴了，就让他到我这里来喝，信我的人，就如经上所说的，从他腹中要流出活水的江河来。耶稣这些话是指着信祂之人要受灵说的。(约翰福音7:37–39)
又：
耶稣说，我就是复活，就是生命；信我的人，虽然死了，也必活过来；凡活着信我的人必永远不死。(约翰福音11:25–27)
又：耶稣喊着说，信我的人不是信我，而是信差我来的那位。我是光，到世上来，叫凡信我的，不住在黑暗里。若有人听见我的话却不相信，我不审判他；弃绝我、不领受我话的人，有一位审判他的，就是我所讲的话在末日要审判他。(约翰福音12:44–48)
又：你们应当趁着有光，相信这光，使你们成为光明之子。(约翰福音12:36)
又：
你们心里不要愁烦；要相信神，也要相信我。(约翰福音14:1)
又：凡接待耶稣的，就是相信祂名的人，祂就赐他们权柄，作神的儿子。
(约翰福音1:12)
又：
有许多人看见祂的迹象，就相信了祂的名。(约翰福音2:23)
又：
记这些事，要叫你们相信耶稣是基督，是神的儿子，并且使你们信了，可以因祂的名得生命。(约翰福音20:31)
马可福音：耶稣对门徒说，你们往全世界去，传福音给一切受造物。相信而受洗的必然得救，不相信的必被定罪。(马可福音16:15,16)这些和其它经文描述了得救之信，就是相信主；相信主也是相信父，因为祂与父为一。“相信主或信主”表示不仅崇拜和敬拜祂，还从祂那里生活，当一个人照着来自主的圣言生活时，他就从祂那里生活；因此，“相信主或信主”就是相信祂使人重生，将永生赐给那些被祂重生的人。
“相信或信祂的名”与“相信或信祂”具有相同的含义，因为主的“名”表示用来敬拜祂，并且祂用来拯救人的信与爱的一切品质。这一切品质之所以由“祂的名”来表示，是因为在灵界，给人们所起的名字始终与他们的情感和生活一致；因此，每个人的品质单单从他的名字就能得知。所以当有人的名字被别人叫出来，这个名字所指的品质受到喜爱时，这个人就会同在或出现，两个人就像同伴和弟兄一样结合在一起。然而，主的品质是信和爱的一切，祂通过它们拯救人，因为这品质就是从祂发出的本质。因此，当人想到这品质时，主就与他同在，当这品质被爱时，主就与他结合。这就是为何那些相信祂名的人得永生。这清楚表明，一个人知道信和爱的品质，也就是知道主的“名”是多么有必要；还表明，爱这品质是多么有必要；这是通过实行主所吩咐的那些事实现的。此外，“耶稣”和“基督”这两个名字也涉及这个品质，因为“耶稣”表示拯救，“基督”或“弥赛亚”表示神性真理，它涵盖了信与爱的一切，包括知识、教义和生活。因此，当经上提到这些名字时，必须想到它们的品质，并且必须照之生活。这就是主在马太福音中所说这些话的意思：
耶稣说，若是你们中间有两个人在地上奉我的名一致同意他们所求的任何事，我在天上的父，必给他们作成。因为哪里有两三个人奉我的名聚会，那里就有我在他们中间。(马太福音18:19,20)
主的确与所有人同在，而且祂的爱面向所有人；然而，人只有照着他对主的接受，以及对祂的爱和信才能被祂引领和拯救。
这清楚表明，对一个人来说，知道信和爱的品质，也就是知道主的名，而且也爱这品质是多么有必要，因为主只有通过祂的品质才能被爱。主自己教导说，必须照着圣言所规定的信和爱的品质靠近和敬拜主，而不是父：
没有人在任何时候看见过父，惟有子将祂表明出来。(约翰福音1:18)
又：
若不藉着祂，没有人能到父那里去。(约翰福音14:6)
又：
因为父与祂为一。(约翰福音10:30)因此，靠近父，而不是主，就是从一个中制造出两个，因而在主之外敬拜神性，尽管神性就在祂里面；这会摧毁人对主之神性的观念。由此再次明显看到这一真理：
相信子的人得永生。(约翰福音3:36)主自己在约翰福音也教导，相信主就是相信父：相信我的人不是相信我，而是相信差我来的那位；人看见我，就是看见那差我来的。(约翰福音12:44,45)这些话的意思是，相信主的人不是相信与父分离的祂，而是相信在父里面的祂；因此，经上补充说：“看见我的，就看见那差我来的。”在约翰福音的另一处：
你们要相信神，也要相信我。(约翰福音14:1)同一福音书：
腓力，我在父里面，父在我里面，你不相信吗？你们当信我，我在父里面，父在我里面。我实在地告诉你们，我所做的工作，相信我的人也要做，因为我往父那里去。(约翰福音14:10–12)
又：到那日，你们要奉我的名来求；我并不对你们说，我要为你们向父祈求，父自己爱你们，因为你们已经爱我，又相信我是从神出来的。我从父出来，到了世界；我又往父那里去。门徒说，因此我们相信你是从神出来的。(约翰福音16:26-28,30)
“从父出来”表示从祂成孕，“往父那里去”表示与祂完全合一。“从父出来”表示从祂成孕，这一点从祂的成孕(马太福音1:18–25;路加福音1:34,35)很清楚地看出来。“往父那里去”表示与祂完全合一，这一点从如前所述，祂的人身通过十字架受难而得荣耀明显看出；因此，祂说“到那日，你们必奉我的名求”，不再奉父的名。
又：多马说，我的主，我的神。耶稣对多马说，你因看见了我才相信；那没有看见就相信的有福了。(约翰福音20:28,29)正因主现在与被称为父的神性本身完全合一，所以多马称祂为他的主，他的神。在约翰福音的别处也一样：父所分别为圣又差到世上来的，因为我说我是神的儿子，你们就向祂说，你亵渎了吗？我若不做我父的工作，你们就不必相信我；你们纵然不相信我，也当相信这些工作，叫你们又知道又相信父在我里面，我也在父里面。(约翰福音10:36–38)
犹太人不相信，这一点明显可见于约翰福音5:14–47;10:24–26;12:37–49;马太福音21:31,32。他们不相信是因为，他们想要一个弥赛亚高举他们，使他们的荣耀在世界上的所有民族之上；还因为他们完全是属世的，不是属灵的；又因为他们歪曲了圣言，尤其在圣言论述主、论述他们自己的地方。这些就是他们不相信的原因，这一点从如今犹太人的信仰也明显看出来，他们完全是属世的，几乎不知道，或不想知道关于主在天上的国的任何事。如今基督教界的人也不会相信主与父为一，因而是天地之神，这就是主在路加福音中的这些话的意思：
人子来的时候，在地上找得到信吗？(路加福音18:8)不过，关于这个主题，主若愿意，我们将在别处予以详述。
815. (Verse 11) And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. That this signifies confirmations from the sense of the letter of the Word in favour of faith separated from life, and thence falsifications of the truth of the church, is evident from the signification of the two beasts treated of in this chapter, as denoting what confirm those things that are signified by the dragon, for by the dragon is chiefly signified faith alone (as may be seen above, n. 714). And by the beast ascending out of the sea are signified reasonings from the natural man confirming the separation of faith from life (as may be seen also above, n. 774). By this beast therefore are signified confirmations from the sense of the letter of the Word in favour of faith separate from life, and thence falsifications of the truth of the church. That the dragon is further described by these two beasts is evident from verses 2, 4, 11, of this chapter.
There are also two means by which any heretical dogma may be confirmed - reasonings from the natural man, and confirmations from the sense of the letter of the Word; these two means therefore are signified by these two beasts. The reason why by the former beast are signified reasonings from the natural man is, that by the sea, out of which that beast ascended, is signified the Natural of man; but the reason why by this beast are signified confirmations from the sense of the letter of the Word is, that by the earth, out of which he ascended, is signified the church where the Word is. That the falsifications of the Word are also signified by this beast is, that the Word can never confirm any false dogma, unless it be itself falsified. For all things in the Word are truths; therefore all truths can be confirmed from the Word, but falsities not at all; as is very evident from what has been said above, and will be evident from what remains to be said in this chapter.
[2] Because above (n. 785), passages have been quoted from the Word where works, deeds, working, and doing, are mentioned, we will now bring forward passages where faith and believing are mentioned, but these from the Gospels only, and not from the Epistles of the Apostles, because in the Gospels are the Lord's own words, all of which contain a spiritual sense, by which there is immediate communication with heaven; but in the writings of the Apostles there is no such sense, although they are books that are useful to the church.
[3] The passages where faith and believing are mentioned in the Gospels are the following:
In Matthew:
There came a centurion to the Lord, saying, "Lord, I am not fit that thou shouldest come under my roof; but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. Jesus hearing, wondered, and said to them that followed him, Verily, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith in Israel. And he said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, be it done unto thee; and his servant was healed in that hour" (8:8, 10, 13).
The reason why the Lord healed this person and others according to their faith was, that the first and primary [thing] of the church then to be established was, that they should believe the Lord to be God Almighty, for without that belief no church could have been established. For the Lord was the God of heaven and the God of earth with whom no conjunction is possible except by the acknowledgment of His Divinity, which acknowledgment is faith. That the centurion acknowledged the Lord as God Almighty is evident; for he said, "I am not fit that thou shouldest come under my roof; but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed."
[4] In the same:
"A woman labouring with an issue of blood, touched the hem of" Jesus' "garment; for she said within herself, If I may only touch the hem of his garment, I shall be healed. Jesus turning about and seeing her, said, Daughter, be of good comfort, thy faith hath made thee whole; and she was healed in that hour" (9:20-22).
Again:
"They brought unto him a paralytic lying upon a bed. Jesus, seeing their faith, said unto the paralytic, Be of good comfort, thy sins are remitted; arise, take up thy bed, and go to thine house" (9:2-7; Luke 5:19-25).
In the same:
"Two blind men cried, saying, Have mercy upon us, thou Son of David; Jesus said unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They say unto him, Yea, Lord; then he touched their eyes, saying, According to your faith, be it unto you; and their eyes were opened" (9:27-29).
By this faith, whereby the sick were healed, no other faith is meant than that which is called historical, this being also at that time miraculous. By that faith therefore many then performed miracles. The faith was, that the Lord was Almighty because He was able to perform miracles of Himself; therefore He also allowed Himself to be worshipped, which was not the case with the prophets of the Old Testament, who were not worshipped. But this historical faith in all cases precedes before it becomes saving faith. Historical faith becomes saving in a man, when he learns truths from the Word, and lives according to them.
[5] In the same:
A woman of Canaan, whose daughter was troubled by a demon, "came and worshipped" Jesus, "saying, Lord help me; Jesus said unto her, Great is thy faith; be it unto thee as thou wilt; and her daughter was healed" (15:22-28).
In John:
"A ruler, whose son was sick," entreated Jesus to heal his son before he died. "Jesus said unto him, Go thy way, thy son liveth; and the man believed in the word which Jesus said unto him, and his servants met him, saying, Thy son liveth; therefore he believed, and his whole house" (4:46-53).
In the same:
"Jesus finding the man born blind, whom he healed, said unto him, Believest thou then in the Son of God? He answered him and said, Who is he, Lord, that I may believe in him? He said unto him, Thou also hast seen him, and he who speaketh with thee, is he; he said, Lord, I believe; and he worshipped him" (9:35-38).
In Luke:
Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, whose daughter was dead, "Fear not, only believe, and she shall be made whole," and she rose up (8:50, 55).
In the same:
One of the ten lepers that were healed by the Lord returned, he was a Samaritan, and fell upon his face at the feet of Jesus; and Jesus "said unto him, Arise, go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole" (17:19).
In the same:
Jesus said to the blind man, "Thy faith hath made thee whole; and immediately his sight was restored" (18:42, 43).
In Mark:
Jesus said to the disciples when they were unable to heal a certain man's son who had a dumb spirit; to whom Jesus said, "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth; the father of the child crying out with tears, said, Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief"; and he was healed (9:17, 23, 24).
There were three reasons why faith in the Lord healed them. The first was that they acknowledged His Divine Omnipotence, and that He was God. The second was, that faith is acknowledgment, and from acknowledgment comes intuition; and all intuition from acknowledgment causes another to be present, which is a common thing in the spiritual world. In this case, therefore, the intuition was from the acknowledgment of the Lord's Omnipotence. And it was from this acknowledgment that they were first of all to have an intuition of the Lord, when a new church was to be established by Him. Hence it is evident, what is meant there by faith. The third reason was, that all the diseases which the Lord healed, represented and thence signified spiritual diseases, to which natural diseases correspond; and spiritual diseases cannot be healed except by the Lord, and indeed by looking to His Divine Omnipotence, and by repentance of life. Therefore also He sometimes said,
"Thy sins are forgiven thee; go and sin no more."
This faith was also represented and signified by their miraculous faith. But the faith whereby spiritual diseases are healed by the Lord, is only possible by truths from the Word, and by a life according to them, the truths themselves and the life according to them constituting the quality of the faith. Upon this subject, however, more will be said in what follows.
[6] In John:
The sister of Lazarus, who was now dead, said to Jesus, Lord, by this time he stinketh; Jesus saith unto her, "Said I not unto thee, if thou wouldst believe thou shouldst see the glory of God" (11:39, 40).
In Luke:
"Jesus said to the woman who was a sinner, and who made his feet wet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed his feet, which she also anointed with oil, Thy sins are remitted thee; thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace" (7:38, 48, 50).
From these words also it is evident, that faith in the Lord's Omnipotence healed them, and also that the same faith remitted, that is, removed, their sins. The reason was that the woman not only had faith in the Lord's Divine Omnipotence, but also loved Him; for she kissed His feet, and therefore the Lord said, Thy sins are remitted thee; thy faith hath made thee whole. For faith causes the Divine of the Lord to be present, and love conjoins. For it is possible for the Lord to be present and not conjoined; it is evident therefore that faith from love saves.
[7] Again:
Jesus said to the disciples in the ship, "Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith; then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the sea, and there was a great calm" (Matthew 8:26; Mark 4:39, 41; Luke 8:24, 25).
Peter, at the bidding of Jesus, descended out of the ship, and walked upon the waters; but when the wind became boisterous, "he feared greatly, and, beginning to sink, cried out, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and said, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" (Matthew 14:28-31).
When the disciples could not heal the lunatic, Jesus said unto them, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you?" And Jesus healed him. And he told the disciples, that they could not heal him by reason of their unbelief (Matthew 27:14, and following verses).
Jesus came into his own country, and they were there "offended in him, he said, A prophet is not without honour save in his own country, and in his own house. And he did not many mighty works there, because of their unbelief" (Matthew 13:57, 58).
The reason why the Lord called the disciples men of little faith when they could not perform miracles in His name, and why He could not perform miracles in His own country on account of their unbelief was, that the disciples did indeed believe the Lord to be the Messiah or Christ, the Son of God, and the prophet of whom it was written in the Word. They did not yet, however, believe in Him as God Omnipotent, and that Jehovah the Father was in Him; and so far as they believed Him to be a man, and not at the same time God, His Divine, to which Omnipotence belonged, could not be present with the disciples by faith. For faith causes the Lord to be present, as said above; but faith in Him, as a man only, does not cause His Divine Omnipotence to be present. This also is the reason why those cannot be saved, who, at this day in the world, look to His Human only and not at the same time to His Divine; as is the case with Socinians and Arians.
[8] It was for a similar reason that the Lord could not perform miracles in His own country, for they there saw Him from infancy, as any other man; and therefore they could not attach to this the idea of His Divinity; and if this idea is not present, the Lord is indeed present in a man, but not with Divine Omnipotence; for it is faith that causes the presence of the Lord in man according to the nature of the perception concerning Him. Other things a man does not acknowledge, and so he rejects them. For, in order that the Lord may accomplish any thing in man by faith, His Divine must be present in man, and not out of Him.
In John:
"Many of the people believed on" Jesus; "and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done?" (7:31).
In Mark:
"These signs shall follow them that believe; In my name they shall cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover. They went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following" (16:17-20).
[9] That it is a miraculous and not a saving faith which is there meant is evident also from this fact, that the Jewish nation believed in Jehovah only on account of His miracles. For they were external men; and these are moved to Divine worship only by external things, such as miracles, and these strike their minds. A miraculous faith was also the primary faith with those among whom a new church was to be established; and it is also the primary faith with all in the Christian world at this day, therefore the miracles performed by the Lord were described, and are also preached. For the primary faith with all is a historical faith, which afterwards becomes saving when a man by his life becomes spiritual. For it is first of all to be believed, that the Lord is the God of heaven and earth, and that He is omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, infinite, and one with the Father. It is necessary that these things should be known; and so far as they are mere knowledge, they are historical; and historical faith causes the Lord to be present, because it is an intuition of the Lord from the nature of His Divinity. But still that faith does not save, until a man lives the life of faith, which is charity; for he then wills and does what he believes. And to will and to do pertains to the love; and Him whom faith causes to be present love conjoins. What those miracles which the disciples were to do signified, and those which were done by them in the beginning of the church, as the casting out of demons, speaking with new tongues, and others, may be seen above (n. 706).
[10] In Matthew:
"Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say to this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you" (405, 510); and that the fig-tree, or sycamine, signifies the natural man as to the goods and truths therein; and, in the opposite sense, the same as to evils and falsities, may be seen above (n. 403).
[11] So far concerning miraculous faith. It remains now to adduce some passages from the evangelists concerning saving faith, which is the faith of truth from love to the Lord.
In John:
"As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so also must the Son of man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. He who believeth in him, is not judged, but he who believeth not, is already judged, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God" (3:14-19).
In the same:
"The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand; he who believeth in the Son hath eternal life, but he who believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him" (3:35, 36).
In the same:
"Unless ye believe that I am he, ye shall die in your sins (8:24).
In the same:
"They said unto" Jesus, "What shall we do that we may work the works of God? Jesus answering said, This is the work of God, that ye believe in him whom the" Father "hath sent. I am the bread of life; he who cometh to me shall not hunger, and he who believeth in me shall never thirst. This is the will of him who sent me, that every one who seeth the Son, and believeth in him, may have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. No one hath seen the Father, save he who is with the Father, He hath seen the Father; verily I say unto you, he who believeth in me, hath eternal life; I am the bread of life " (6:28, 29, 33, 35, 36, 40, 46-48).
In the same:
Jesus said, "He who heareth my word and believeth him who sent me, hath eternal life, and shall not come into judgment, but is passed from death into life; verily I say unto you, that the hour cometh, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live; even as the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself" (5:24-26).
In the same:
"Jesus cried saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink; whosoever believeth in me, as the Scripture saith, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water; these things said he of the spirit, which they who believe in him should receive" (John 7:37-39).
In the same:
"Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; but whosoever liveth and believeth in me, shall never die" (11:25-27).
In the same:
"Jesus cried and said, He who believeth in me, believeth not in me but in him that sent me; I am come a light into the world, that every one who believeth in me may not abide in darkness; and if any one hear my words, and yet believe not, I do not judge him; he who despiseth me; and doth not receive my words, hath one that judgeth him, the word which I have spoken, shall judge him at the last day" (12:44-48).
In the same:
"As long as ye have the light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light" (12:36).
In the same:
"Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me" (14:1).
In the same:
"As many as received Jesus, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe in his name" (1:12).
In the same:
"Many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did" (2:23).
In the same:
"These things are written that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye may have life in his name" (20:31).
In Mark:
Jesus said unto his disciples, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be condemned" (16:15, 16).
In these and other passages saving faith is described, which is to believe in the Lord; and to believe in Him is also to believe in the Father; because He and the Father are one. By believing in the Lord is signified not only to adore and worship Him, but also to live from Him. And a man lives from Him when he lives according to the Word which is from Him. Therefore, to believe in Him is to believe that He regenerates man, and gives eternal life to those who are regenerated by Him.
[12] What is signified by believing in Him is also signified by believing in His name. For the name of the Lord signifies all the quality of faith and love by which He is to be worshipped, and by which man is saved by Him. The reason why this is signified by His name is, that no other names are given to persons in the spiritual world than those that are expressive of the quality of their affection and life; whence the quality of every one is known from his name alone. Hence when the name of any one is pronounced by another, and the quality which is understood by the name is loved, he then becomes present, and they are conjoined as companions and brethren. But the quality of the Lord is everything of faith and love, by which He saves man; for this quality is the essence which proceeds from Him. Consequently, when this quality is thought of by man, the Lord is then present with him, and when it is loved, the Lord is then conjoined to him. This is why those who believe in His name have eternal life. It is evident therefore how necessary it is that a man should know the quality of faith and love, which is the Lord's name; and should love that quality; this is effected by the doing of those things which the Lord commanded.
The names Jesus and Christ also involve that quality. For Jesus signifies salvation, and Christ or Messiah signifies Divine truth; which comprehends everything of faith and love as to knowledges, doctrine, and life. When therefore those names are mentioned, their quality should be thought of, and the life framed according thereto. This is meant by the words of the Lord in Matthew:
Jesus said, "If two of you shall agree in my name upon earth concerning any thing whatsoever ye shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father who is in the heavens; for where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (18:19, 20).
The presence of the Lord is indeed with all, and also His love is towards all; but still a man cannot be led and saved by the Lord, except according to his reception of the Lord, by love and faith towards Him.
[13] From these things also it is further evident, how necessary it is for a man to know the quality of that faith and love which is the name of the Lord, and also to love that quality; for the Lord cannot be loved except through His quality. That the Lord and not the Father, is to be approached, and is to be worshipped, according to the quality of the faith and love which is laid down in the Word, the Lord Himself teaches, saying,
That no one hath ever seen the Father, but that the Son brings him forth to view (John 1:18).
Then that no one cometh to the Father but by him (John 14:6).
As also because the Father and he are one (John 10:30).
Wherefore to approach the Father and not the Lord, is to make two out of one, and so to worship the Divine outside the Lord, which notwithstanding is in Him. In this way, also, the idea of the Lord's Divinity perishes with man. From these things the truth is again evident,
"That he who believeth in the Son hath eternal life" (John 3:36).
[14] That to believe in the Lord is to believe in the Father, the Lord Himself also teaches in John:
"He who believeth in me, believeth not in me but in him that sent me; and he that seeth me, seeth him that sent me" (12:44, 45).
By these words is meant, that he who believes in the Lord, does not believe in Him separate from the Father, but also in the Father; therefore it is added, "He who seeth me, seeth him that sent me."
Also in another passage in John:
"Believe in God, believe in me" (John 14:1).
In the same:
Believest thou not, Philip, "that I am in the Father and the Father in me? believe me, that I am in the Father, and the Father in me; verily I say unto you, he that believeth in me, the works which I do, he shall do also, because I go to my Father" (14:10-12).
In the same:
"In that day ye shall ask in my name; and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you. For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came forth from God. I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world; and again, I leave the world and go to the Father. His disciples said unto him, By this we believe that thou camest forth from God" (16:26-28, 30).
To come forth from the Father signifies to be conceived of Him; and to go to the Father signifies to be fully united to Him. That to come forth from the Father denotes being conceived of Him, is quite clear from what is said in Matthew concerning the Lord's conception (1:18-25); and in Luke (1:34, 35). And that to go to the Father denotes being fully united to Him, is clear from the glorification of His Human by the passion of the cross, of which we have spoken above. Therefore it is said,
"In that day ye shall ask in my name," and no more in the name of the Father.
[15] In the same:
Jesus said unto Thomas, "Because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed; blessed are they that do not see, and believe." And Thomas said, "My Lord and my God" (John 20:28, 29).
Because the Lord was now fully united to the very Divine which is called the Father, therefore Thomas calls him his Lord and his God.
Similarly elsewhere in the same:
"Say ye of him whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest, because I said, I am the Son of God? If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not; although ye believe not me, believe the works, that ye may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I in the Father" (10:36-38).
That the Jews did not believe, is clear in John 5:14-47; 10:24-26; 12:37-49; Matthew 21:31, 32. The reason of their incredulity was, that they wanted a Messiah who should exalt them to glory above all the nations of the earth, and because they were altogether natural and not spiritual; also because they had falsified the Word, especially where it treats of the Lord and themselves. That these were the causes of their unbelief is also evident from the faith of the Jews at this day, who are altogether natural, and scarcely know, or wish to know, anything about the Lord's kingdom in the heavens. That neither would they in the Christian world at this day believe that the Lord is one with the Father, and thence the God of heaven and earth, is meant by the Lord's words in Luke:
"When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" (18:8).
But on this subject, the Lord willing, we shall treat elsewhere.
815. Verse 11. And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, signifies confirmations from the sense of the letter of the Word in favor of faith separated from life, and the consequent falsifications of the truth of the church. This is evident from the signification of "the two beasts" treated of in this chapter, as being the confirmation of those things that are signified by "the dragon," for "the dragon" signifies especially faith alone (See above, n. 2, 4, 11 of this chapter. There are moreover two means by which any heretical dogma may be confirmed, namely, by reasonings from the natural man and by confirmations from the sense of the letter of the Word; and these two means are what are signified by these two "beasts." The former "beast" signifies reasonings from the natural man, because the "sea" out of which that beast came up signifies the natural of man, while this "beast" signifies confirmations from the sense of the letter of the Word, because the "earth" out of which it came up signifies the church where the Word is. This "beast" signifies also falsifications of the Word, because the Word unless it is falsified can never confirm a false dogma, since all things of the Word are truths; consequently all truths can be confirmed from the Word, but by no means falsities, as can be clearly seen from what has been said above and also from what follows in this chapter.
[2] As passages from the Word have been cited above n. 785 in which "works," "deeds," "working," and "doing" are mentioned, I will now cite passages where "faith" and "believing" are mentioned, but only from the Gospels, and not from the Epistles of the Apostles, and for the reason that the Gospels contain the words of the Lord Himself, all of which have concealed in them a spiritual sense, through which immediate communication with heaven is granted, while the writings of the Apostles contain no such sense, although they are nevertheless useful books for the church.
[3] The passages of the Word where "faith" and "believing" are mentioned are the following. In Matthew:
There came a centurion to the Lord, saying, Lord, I am not worthy that Thou shouldst come under my roof; but say the word only, and my boy shall be healed. Jesus hearing, marveled and said to them that followed Him, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith in Israel. And He said unto the centurion, Go thy way, and as thou hast believed be it done unto thee; and his boy was healed in that hour (Matthew 8:8, 10, 13).
The Lord healed this person and others according to their faith, because the first and primary thing of the church then to be established was to believe that the Lord is God Almighty, for without that faith no church could have been established. For the Lord was the God of heaven and the God of earth, with whom no conjunction is possible except by an acknowledgment of His Divinity, which acknowledgment is faith. The centurion evidently acknowledged the Lord to be God Almighty, for he said, "I am not worthy that Thou shouldst come under my roof; but say the word only, and my boy shall be healed."
[4] In the same:
A woman afflicted with an issue of blood touched the hem of Jesus' garment; for she said within herself, If I shall but touch His garment I shall be healed. Jesus turning and seeing her, said, Daughter be of good cheer, thy faith hath made thee whole; and she was healed in that hour (Matthew 9:20-22).
In the same:
They brought unto Him one sick of the palsy lying on a bed; Jesus seeing their faith, said unto the sick of the palsy, Be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven. Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thy house (Matthew 9:2-7; Luke 5:19-25).
In the same:
Two blind men cried, saying, Have mercy on us, Thou Son of David. Jesus said unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They say unto Him, Yea, Lord. Then touched He their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it done unto you; and their eyes were opened (Matthew 9:27-30).
No other faith than that which is called historical, which at that time was a miraculous faith, was meant by this faith whereby the sick were healed; consequently by this faith many wrought miracles at that time. This faith was, that the Lord was Almighty, because He was able to do miracles of Himself; for this reason He also allowed Himself to be worshiped, which was not the case with the prophets of the Old Testament, who were not worshiped. But there must always be this historical faith before it becomes a saving faith; for a historical faith becomes a saving faith with man by his learning truths from the Word, and living according to them.
[5] In the same:
A woman of Canaan, whose daughter was vexed by a demon, came and worshiped Jesus, saying, Lord, help me. Jesus said unto her, Great is thy faith; be it done unto thee as thou wilt; and her daughter was healed (Matthew 15:22-28).
In John:
A ruler whose son was sick besought Jesus to heal his son before he died. Jesus said unto him, Go thy way, thy son liveth; and the man believed in the word that Jesus spake unto him. And his servants met him, saying, Thy son liveth. Therefore he believed, and his whole house (John 4:46-53).
In the same:
Jesus finding the man born blind whom He healed, said unto him, Believest thou, then, on the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is He, Lord, that I may believe on Him? He said unto him, Thou hast both seen Him and He it is that speaketh with thee. He said, Lord, I believe; and he worshiped Him (John 9:35-38).
In Luke:
Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, whose daughter was dead, Fear not, only believe, and she shall be made whole; and the daughter was raised up again (Luke 8:50, 55).
In the same:
One of the ten lepers that were healed by the Lord, who was a Samaritan, returned and fell upon his face at the feet of Jesus; and Jesus said unto him, Arise, go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole (Luke 17:15, 16, 19).
In the same:
Jesus said to the blind man, Thy faith hath saved thee; and immediately he was able to see (Luke 18:42, 43).
In Mark:
Jesus said to the disciples, when they were unable to heal a certain man's son 1who had a dumb spirit; to whom Jesus said, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth; the father of the boy crying out with tears, said, Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief; and he was healed (Mark 9:17, 23, 24).
There were three reasons why faith in the Lord healed these; first, because they acknowledged His Divine omnipotence, and that He was God; secondly, because faith is acknowledgment, and from acknowledgment intuition; and all intuition from acknowledgment makes another to be present; this is a common thing in the spiritual world. So now, when a New Church was to be established by the Lord, it was this intuition from an acknowledgment of the Lord's omnipotence from which they were first to look to the Lord; and from this it is clear what is here meant by faith. The third reason was, that all the diseases healed by the Lord represented and thus signified the spiritual diseases that correspond to these natural diseases; and spiritual diseases can be healed only by the Lord, and in fact by looking to His Divine omnipotence and by repentance of life. This is why He sometimes said, "Thy sins are forgiven thee; go and sin no more." This faith also was represented and signified by their miraculous faith; but the faith by which spiritual diseases are healed by the Lord can be given only through truths from the Word and a life according to them; the truths themselves and the life itself according to them make the quality of the faith. But more about this in what follows.
[6] In John:
When Lazarus was dead, his sister saith, Lord, by this time he stinketh. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, If thou wouldst believe thou shouldst see the glory of God? (John 11:39, 40).
In Luke:
Jesus said to the woman who was a sinner, and who made His feet wet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed His feet, which she also anointed with oil, Thy sins are forgiven thee; thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace (Luke 7:38, 48, 50).
From this it is clear that it was faith in the Lord's omnipotence that healed them, and that the same faith remitted, that is, removed, sins. The reason of this was that this woman not only had faith in the Divine omnipotence of the Lord, but also loved Him, for she kissed His feet. Wherefore the Lord said, "Thy sins are forgiven thee, thy faith hath saved thee," because faith makes the Divine of the Lord to be present, and love conjoins. It is possible, however, for the Lord to be present and not be conjoined; from which it is evident that it is faith from love that saves.
[7] Again:
Jesus said to the disciples in the boat, Why are ye fearful, O ye men of little faith? Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the sea, and there came a great calm (Matthew 8:26; Mark 4:39-41; Luke 8:24, 25).
Peter, at the Lord's command, went down out of the boat and walked upon the waters; but when the wind became strong he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus took hold of his hand and said, O man of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt (Matthew 14:28-31).
When the disciples could not heal the lunatic, Jesus said unto them, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? and Jesus healed him; and He said to the disciples that they could not heal him by reason of their unbelief (Matthew 17:14, seq.).
Jesus came into His own country, and there they were offended in Him; and Jesus said, A prophet is not without honor save in his own country and in his own house. And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief (Matthew 13:57, 58).
The Lord called the disciples "men of little faith" when they were unable to do miracles in His name, and He was unable to do miracles in His own country because of their unbelief, for the reason that while the disciples believed the Lord to be the Messiah or Christ, also the Son of God, and the prophet of whom it was written in the Word, yet they did not believe that He was God Almighty, and that Jehovah the Father was in Him; and yet so far as they believed Him to be a man, and not at the same time God, His Divine to which omnipotence belongs could not be present with the disciples by faith. For faith presents the Lord as present, as has been said above; but faith in Him as a man only does not present His Divine omnipotence as present. For the same reason those in the world at the present day who look to His Human alone and not at the same time to His Divine, as the Socinians and Arians do, cannot be saved.
[8] And for a like reason the Lord could not do miracles in His own country, for there they had seen Him from infancy like another man; and therefore they were unable to add to that idea the idea of His Divinity; and when that idea is not present while the Lord is present, He is not present in man with Divine omnipotence; for faith presents the Lord as present in man according to the quality of the perception of Him. Other things man does not acknowledge and therefore rejects; for in order that the Lord may operate anything with man by faith the Lord's Divine must be present in man, and not outside of him.
John:
[9] In John:
Many of the multitude believed on Jesus, and said, When the Christ shall come, will He do more signs than those which this one hath done? (706.
[10] In Matthew:
Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place, and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you (405, 510; and that a "fig-tree," or a "sycamine tree," signifies the natural man in respect to its goods and truths, and in the contrary sense the same in respect to evils and falsities, see above, n. 403.
[11] So much respecting miraculous faith. Passages from the Gospels respecting saving faith, which is faith in truth from love to the Lord, shall now follow. In John:
As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in Him may not perish but may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him may not perish, but may have eternal life. He that believeth in Him is not judged; but he that believeth not hath been judged already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God (John 3:14-19).
In the same:
The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into His hand; he that believeth in the Son hath eternal life, but he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the anger of God abideth on him (John 3:35, 36).
In the same:
Except ye believe that I am He ye shall die in your sins (John 8:24).
In the same:
They said to Jesus, What shall we do that we may work the works of God? Jesus answering said, This is the work of God, that ye believe in Him whom the Father hath sent. I am the bread of life; he that cometh to Me shall not hunger, and he that believeth in Me shall never thirst. This is the will of Him that sent Me, that everyone that seeth the Son and believeth in Him may have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. Not that anyone hath seen the Father save He that is with the Father; 2He hath seen the Father. Verily I say unto you, he that believeth in Me hath eternal life. I am the bread of life (John 6:28, 29, 35, 40, 46-48).
In the same:
Jesus said, He that heareth My word and believeth Him that sent Me hath eternal life, and shall not come into judgment, but shall pass from death into life. Verily I say unto you, that the hour shall come when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live. Even as the Father hath life in Himself so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself (John 5:24-26).
In the same:
Jesus cried out, saying, If anyone thirst let him come unto Me and drink. He that believeth in Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. These things He said of the Spirit which those believing in Him were to receive. (John 7:37-39).
In the same:
Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in Me, though he die yet shall he live; but everyone who liveth and believeth in Me shall not die to eternity (John 11:25-27).
In the same:
Jesus cried out and said, He that believeth in Me believeth not in Me but in Him that sent Me. I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth in Me may not abide in the darkness. And if anyone hear My words and yet believe not, I judge him not; he that rejecteth Me and receiveth not My words hath one that judgeth him, the word that I have spoken shall judge him at the last day (John 12:44-48).
In the same:
While ye have the light believe in the light, that ye may be sons of light (John 12:36).
In the same:
Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me (John 14:1).
In the same:
As many as received Jesus, to them gave he power to become sons of God, even to them that believe in His name (John 1:12).
In the same:
Many believed in His name, beholding His signs (John 2:23).
In the same:
These are written that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye may have life in His name (John 20:31).
In Mark:
Jesus said to the disciples, Going into all the world, preach ye the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be condemned (Mark 16:15, 16).
These and other passages describe saving faith, which is to believe in the Lord; and to believe in Him is also to believe in the Father, because He and the Father are one. "To believe in the Lord" signifies not only to adore and worship Him, but also to live from Him, and one lives from Him when he lives according to the Word which is from Him; therefore "to believe in Him" is to believe that He regenerates man, and gives eternal life to those who are regenerated by Him.
[12] "To believe in His name" has a similar signification as "to believe in Him," since the Lord's "name" signifies every quality of faith and love by which He is to be worshiped, and by which He saves man. This is signified by "His name," because in the spiritual world names that are given to persons are always in accord with the quality of their affection and life, and in consequence the quality of each one is known from his name alone. So when anyone's name is pronounced, and the quality that is meant by the name is loved, that one becomes present, and the two are united as companions and brethren. The quality of the Lord however is everything of faith and love by which He saves man, for that quality is the essence proceeding from Him; therefore when that quality is thought of by man the Lord becomes present with him, and when this quality is loved the Lord is conjoined to him. Thence it is that those who believe in His name have eternal life. This shows how necessary it is that man should know the quality of faith and love, that is, the Lord's "name;" also how necessary it is to love that quality, which comes by doing those things that the Lord has commanded. The names "Jesus" and "Christ" moreover involve this same quality, since "Jesus" means salvation, and "Christ" or "Messiah" Divine truth, which is everything of faith and love as to knowledges, doctrine, and life. When, therefore, these names are mentioned their quality must be thought of and they must live according to it. This is what is meant by the words of the Lord in Matthew:
Jesus said, If two of you on earth shall agree in My name respecting anything that they shall ask it shall be done for them by My Father who is in the heavens. For where two or three are gathered together in My name there am I in the midst of them (Matthew 18:19, 20).
There is, indeed, a presence of the Lord with all and also a love towards all; and yet man cannot be led and be saved by the Lord except in the measure of his reception of the Lord by faith in Him and love to Him.
[13] This shows how necessary it is for man to know the quality of faith and love, that is, the Lord's name, also to love it, since the Lord can be loved only through His quality. That the Lord, and not the Father, must be approached and must be worshiped in accordance with the quality of the faith and love that is prescribed in the Word the Lord Himself teaches, saying:
That no one has seen the Father at any time but that the Son brings Him forth to view (John 1:18);
Also that no one cometh to the Father except through Him (John 14:6);
Since the Father and He are one (John 10:30).
Therefore to approach the Father and not the Lord is to make two out of one, and thus to worship apart from the Lord the Divine that is in Him. And this destroys in man the idea of Divinity in respect to the Lord, which again makes evident the truth:
That he that believeth in the Son hath eternal life (John 3:36).
[14] That to believe in the Lord is to believe in the Father, the Lord Himself teaches also in John:
He that believeth in Me believeth not in Me but in Him that sent Me; and he that seeth Me seeth Him that sent Me (John 12:44, 45).
This means that he that believes in the Lord believes in Him not separate from the Father, but in the Father; and it is therefore added, "He that seeth Me seeth Him that sent Me." So elsewhere in John:
Believe in God, believe in Me (John 14:1).
In the same:
Philip, believest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in Me? Believe Me, that I am in the Father and the Father in Me. Verily I say unto you, He that believeth in Me, the works that I do he shall do also, because I go to My Father (John 14:10-12).
In the same:
In that day ye shall ask in My name; and I say not unto you that I will pray the Father for you, for the Father Himself loveth you, because ye have loved Me and have believed that I came out from God. I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world; and I go unto the Father. The disciples say, In this we believe that Thou camest forth from God (John 16:26-30).
"To come forth from the Father" signifies to be conceived of Him, and "to go to the Father" signifies to be fully united to Him. That "to come forth from the Father" means to be conceived of Him is clearly evident from His conception (Matthew 1:18-25; and in Luke 1:34, 35). That "to go to the Father" means to be fully united to Him is evident from the glorification of His Human by the passion of the cross, which has been spoken of above; and therefore He says, "In that day ye shall ask in My name," and no more in the name of the Father.
[15] In the same:
Jesus said unto Thomas, Because thou hast seen Me thou hast believed; happy are they that have not seen and yet have believed. And Thomas said, My Lord and my God (John 20:29, 20:28).
It was because the Lord was now fully united to the Divine Itself, which is called the Father, that Thomas called Him his Lord and his God. So elsewhere in the same:
Say ye of Him whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest, because I said I am the Son of God? If I do not the works of My Father believe me not; though ye believe not Me believe the works, that ye may know and believe that the Father is in Me and I in the Father (John 10:36-38).
That the Jews did not believe is evident in John 5:14-17; 10:24-26; 12:37-39; Matthew 21:31-32. The cause of their unbelief was their wish for a Messiah who would exalt them to glory above all the nations in the world; also that they were wholly natural and not spiritual; also that they had falsified the Word, especially where it treats of the Lord and also of themselves. That such were the causes of their unbelief is evident also from the faith of the Jews at this day, who are altogether natural, and know or wish to know scarcely anything about the Lord's kingdom in the heavens. That neither would those in the Christian world at the present day believe that the Lord is one with the Father, and is therefore the God of heaven and earth, is meant by the Lord's words in Luke:
When the Son of man cometh shall He find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:8).
But on this subject, the Lord willing, more will be said elsewhere.
Footnotes:
1. The photolithograph has "filiam" "daughter," for "filium," "son. "
2. The Latin has "Father" for "God."
815. [Vers. 11.] "Et vidi aliam bestiam ascendentem e terra." Quod significet confirmationes ex sensu litterae Verbi pro fide separata a vita, et inde falsificatione veri ecclesiae, constat ex significatione "duarum bestiarum" de quibus in hoc capite, quod sint quae confirmant illa quae per "draconem" significantur; per "draconem" enim significatur imprimis sola fides (videatur supra, n. 714); et per "bestiam ex mari ascendentem" significantur ratiocinia ex naturali homine confirmantia separationem fidei a vita (videatur etiam supra, n. 774); per hanc itaque "bestiam" significantur confirmationes ex sensu litterae Verbi pro fide separata a vita, et inde falsificationes veri ecclesiae: quod "draco" per has binas "bestias" ulterius describatur, patet ex vers. 2, 4, 11, hujus capitis. Sunt etiam duo, per quae dogma aliquod haereticum potest confirmari; nempe, sunt ratiocinia ex naturali homine, et sunt confirmationes ex sensu litterae Verbi; haec duo itaque per duas has "bestias" significantur. Quod per "priorem bestiam" significentur ratiocinia ex naturali homine, est quia per "mare", ex quo ascendit illa bestia, significatur naturale hominis; quod autem per hanc "bestiam" significentur confirmationes ex Verbi sensu litterae, est quia per "terram", e qua ascendit, significatur ecclesia ubi est Verbum: quod 1
falsificationes Verbi etiam per hanc "bestiam" significentur, est quia Verbum nusquam potest confirmare dogma falsum, nisi falsificetur: omnia enim Verbi sunt vera; quare omnia vera possunt ex Verbo confirmari, et neutiquam falsa, ut manifeste constare potesta supradictis, et quoque a sequentibus in hoc capite.
[2] Quoniam supra (n. 785) e Verbo allata sunt loca ubi "opera", "facta", "operari" et "facere" dicuntur, velim hic afferre loca ubi "fides" et "credere" nominantur, sed modo loca ex Evangelistis, non autem ex Epistolis Apostolorum; causa quod solum ex Evangelistis, est quia ibi sunt Ipsius Domini verba, quae omnia in se sensum spiritualem recondunt, per quem immediata communicatio cum caelo datur; Apostolorum autem scriptis non talis sensus inest; sunt usque libri utiles ecclesiae.
[3] Loca ubi "fides" et "credere" in Verbo dicuntur, sunt sequentia:
Apud Matthaeum,
Venit centurio ad Dominum, dicens, "Domine, non sum idoneus ut sub tectum meum subeas, sed tantum dic verbum, et sanabitur puer meus. .... Audiens..Jesus admiratus est, et dixit sequentibus Se, Amen dico vobis, non in Israele tantam fidem inveni:.... et dixit centurioni, Vade, et sicut credidisti, fiat tibi, et sanatus est puer ejus in hora illa" (8:8, 10, 13):
quod Dominus hunc et reliquos sanaverit secundum fidem eorum, erat causa, quia primum et primarium ecclesiae instaurandae erat ut crederent Dominum esse Deum omnipotentem; nam absque illa fide non aliqua ecclesia potuit instaurari; erat enim Dominus Deus caeli et Deus terrae, cum quo non datur aliqua conjunctio quam per agnitionem Divinitatis Ipsius, quae agnitio est fides: quod centurio agnoverit Dominum pro Deo omnipotente, patet; dixite enim, "Non sum idoneus ut sub tectum meum subeas, sed tantum dic verbum, et sanabitur puer meus."
[4] Apud eundem,
"Mulier profluvio sanguinis laborans..., tetigit fimbriam indumenti" Jesu, "nam dixit in se ipsa, Si modo tetigero indumentum Ipsius, sanabor; Jesus..conversus illam videns, dixit, Filia, confide; fides tua te salvam fecit: et sanata est in hora illa" (9:20-22):
apud eundem,
"Obtulerunt paralyticum super lecto jacentem; videns Jesus..fidem eorum, dixit paralytico, Confide, ...remissa sunt...peccata tua;.... surgens tolle lectum tuum et abi in domum tuam" (9:2-7; Luca 5:19-25):
apud eundem,
"Duo caeci clamantes et dicentes, Miserere nostri, fili Davidis:.... dixit illis Jesus, Creditisne quod possim hoc facere? Dicunt illi, Immo Domine; tunc tetigit oculos illorum, dicens, Juxta fidem vestram fiet vobis; et aperti sunt eorum oculi" (Matth. 9:27-29 [, 30]):
per hanc fidem, per quam sanati fuerunt aegroti, non intelligitur alia fides quam quae vocatur historica, quae etiam eo tempore fuit miraculosa; quapropter multi per eam fidem eo tempore miracula fecerunt: fides erat quod Dominus esset omnipotens, quia ex Se potuit miracula facere; quare etiam admisit in Se adorationes, secus ac prophetae Veteris Testamenti, qui non adorati sunt. Sed haec fides historica omnino praecedet, antequam eadem fit salvifica; nam tunc fides historica apud hominem fit salvifica, quando homo vera ex Verbo addiscit, et secundum illa vivit.
[5] Apud eundem,
Mulier Cananaea, cujus filia a daemonio agitata fuit, "venit et adoravit" Jesum, "dicens, Domine adjuva me;.... dixit illi Jesus, ..Magna est fides tua, fiat tibi sicut vis; et sanata est filia ejus" (15:22-28)
apud Johannem,
"Regius, cujus filius aegrotabat" rogabat Jesum, ut sanaret filium suum antequam moreretur; "dixit illi Jesus, Abi, filius tuus vivit; et credidit homo verbo quod dixit illi Jesus:...et servi occurrerunt illi, ...dicentes, Filius tuus vivit;.... ideo credidit ille, et tota domus ejus" (4:46-53):
apud eundem,
Jesus inveniens caecum natum, quem sanavit, dixit illi, "Tune credis in Filium Dei? Respondit ille et dixit, Quis est, Domine, ut credam in Illum? Dixit illi.., Et vidisti Ipsum, et qui loquitur tecum Ipse est. Ille..dixit, Credo, Domine, et adoravit Ipsum" (9:35-38):
apud Lucam,
Jesus dixit ad archisynagogum, cujus filia mortua est, "Ne timeto, crede modo, tum servabitur"; et resuscitata est filia (8:50, 55):
apud eundem,
Unus ex decem leprosis a Domino sanatis, reversus, qui erat Samarita, cecidit super faciem suam, ad pedes Jesu, "et dixit illi" Jesus, "Surge, abi, fides tua sanum te fecit" (17 [Luc. 15, 16,] Luc. 19):
apud eundem,
Jesus ad caecum dixit, "Fides tua salvum te fecit, et extemplo videre potuit" (Luc. 18:42, 43):
apud Marcum,
Jesus dixit ad discipulos, cum non sanare potuerunt alicujus filiam habentem spiritum mutum; cui Jesus dixit, "Si possis credere, omnia possibilia sunt credenti:..exclamans pater pueri cum lachrymis dixit, Credo Domine; juva meam incredulitatem"; et sanatus est (Marc. 9:17, 23, 24).
Quod fides in Dominum sanaverit illos, erant tres causae: prima, quod agnoverint Divinam Ipsius omnipotentiam, et quod esset Deus: secunda erat, quia fides est agnitio, et ex agnitione intuitio; ac omnis intuitio ex agnitione sistit alium sibi praesentem, quod in mundo spirituali commune est; hic itaque intuitio ex agnitione omnipotentiae Domini, quae erat ex qua primum intuituri Dominum erant, quum nova ab Ipso ecclesia institueretur; inde constare potest quid per fidem ibi intelligitur: tertia causa erat, quod omnes morbi, quos Dominus sanavit, repraesentaverint et inde significaverint morbos spirituales morbis illis naturalibus correspondentes; ac morbi spirituales non possunt sanari nisi quam a Domino, et quidem per intuitionem in Divinam Ipsius omnipotentiam, ac per paenitentiam vitae; quare etiam aliquoties dixit, "Remissa sunt tibi peccata, abi et non pecca amplius"; haec fides etiam per fidem hanc miraculosam repraesentabatur et significabatur; sed fides, per quam a Domino sanantur morbi spirituales, non datur nisi quam per vera ex Verbo, et per vitam secundum illa; ipsa vera et vita secundum illa faciunt quale fidei: sed de hac plura in sequentibus:
[6] Apud Johannem,
Dicit soror Lazari jam dum mortui, "Domine jam olet;...dicit illi Jesus, Nonne dixeram tibi, [quod] si crederes, visura esses gloriam Dei?" (11:39, 40):
apud Lucam,
Jesus dixit mulieri peccatrici, quae madefecit lachrymis pedes Ipsius, et capillis capitis abstersit, et osculata pedes, quos etiam oleo unxit, .... "Remissa sunt tibi peccata tua, .... fides tua te salvam facit, abi in pacem" (7:38, 48, 50):
ex his quoque patet quod fides omnipotentiae Domini sanaverit illos, et quoque quod eadem fides remiserit, hoc est, removerit, peccata; causa erat, quia mulier illa non solum fidem Divinae omnipotentiae de Domino habuit, sed etiam Ipsum amavit, nam osculata est pedes Ipsius; quare dixit Dominus, "Remissa sunt tibi peccata tua, fides tua te salvam facit"; fides enim sistit Divinum Domini sibi praesens, et amor conjungit; potest enim Dominus praesens sisti sed non conjungi; inde patet quod fides ex amore salvet.
[7] [Et alibi, ]
Jesus dixit discipulis in navi, "Quare timidi estis, exiguae fidei homines? Tunc erexit Se, et reprehendit ventum et mare, et facta est tranquillitas magna" (Matthaeus 8:26; Marcus 4:39-41; Luca 8:24, 25):
Petrus ex jussu Domini descendit e navi, et ambulavit super aquis; verum cum veniret ventus fortis, "extimuit, et incipiens demergi clamavit, ..Domine, serva me; Jesus..statim apprehendens manum ejus, dixit.., Exiguae fidei homo, quare dubitabas?" (Matthaeus 14:28-31):
Quum discipuli non potuerunt sanare lunaticum, Jesus dixit illis, "Generatio incredula et perversa, quousque ero vobiscum?" et Jesus sanavit eum; et dixit ad discipulos quod non potuerint sanare eum, propter incredulitatem eorum (Matthaeus 17:14, seq.):
Jesus venit in patriam suam, et ibi "scandalizati sunt in Ipsum; et Jesus dixit.., Non est propheta minus honoratus quam in patria sua, et in domo sua; ideo non fecit ibi virtutes multas propter incredulitatem eorum" (Matthaeus 13:57, 58):
quod Dominus vocaverit discipulos "homines exiguae fidei", cum non potuerunt miracula in nomine Ipsius facere, et quod non potuerit miracula facere in patria sua propter incredulitatem eorum, erat causa, quia discipuli quidem credebant Dominum esse Messiam seu Christum, tum Filium Dei, et Prophetam, de quo scriptum est in Verbo, sed usque nondum crediderunt Ipsum Deum omnipotentem, et quod Jehovah Pater esset in Ipso; et tamen quatenus crediderunt Ipsum hominem, et non simul Deum, non potuit Divinum Ipsius, cui omnipotentia est, sisti discipulis praesens per fidem: fides enim sistit Dominum praesentem, ut supra dictum est; sed fides in Dominum ut hominem solum, non sistit omnipotentiam Divinam Ipsius praesentem; quae etiam causa est, quod non salvari possint qui hodie in mundo solum spectant ad humanum Ipsius, et non simul ad Divinum Ipsius, ut faciunt Sociniani et Ariani.
[8] Ex simili causa fuit quod Dominus non potuerit miracula facere in patria sua, quia ibi viderunt Ipsum ab infantia sicut alium hominem; quare non potuerunt isti ideae adjicere ideam Divinitatis; et quando haec non adest, quidem Dominus est praesens sed non cum Divina omnipotentia in homine, nam fides sistit Dominum praesentem in homine secundum quale perceptionis de Ipso; reliqua homo non agnoscit et sic rejicit; ut enim Dominus aliquid operetur per fidem apud hominem, erit praesentia Divini Domini in homine, et non extra illum.
[9] Apud Johannem,
"Multi..de turba crediderunt in" Jesum, "et dixerunt, quod Christus quando venerit, numquid plura signa is faceret, quam quae Hic fecit?" (7:31):
apud Marcum,
"Signa..credentes haec sequentur; in nomine meo daemonia ejicient, linguis loquentur novis, serpentes tollent, etiamsi letale quid biberint, non illis nocebit; super infirmos imponent manus, et bene habebunt:.... illi..exeuntes praedicarunt ubique, Domino cooperante et verbum confirmante per subsequentia signa" (16:17-20).
Quod fides miraculosa, et non salvifica sit, quae ibi intelligitur, constare etiam potest ex eo, quod Judaica gens solum crediderit in Jehovam propter miracula; erant enim externi homines, et hi solum ad cultum Divinum per externa quae animos percellunt, qualia sunt miracula, moventur. Etiam miraculosa fides erat prima fides apud illos apud quos nova ecclesia instauranda erat: etiam illa fides est prima fides apud omnes in Christiano orbe hodie; quare miracula a Domino facta, descripta sunt, et quoque praedicantur: nam fides prima apud omnes est fides historica, quae postea fit salvifica quando homo per vitam fit spiritualis; nam omnium primo credendum est quod Dominus sit Deus caeli et terrae, ac quod sit omnipotens, omnipraesens, omnisciens, infinitus, ac unus cum Patre; haec scienda sunt, et quatenus modo sciuntur, sunt historica, et fides historica sistit Dominum praesentem, est enim illa fides intuitio Domini ex quali Divinitatis Ipsius; sed usque illa fides non salvat, priusquam homo vivit vitam fidei, quae est charitas; nam tunc vult et facit quae credit, ac velle et facere est amoris, et amor conjungit Ipsum quem fides sistit praesentem. Quid miracula illa, quae discipuli facturi erant, et quae ab illis facta sunt initio Ecclesiae Christianae, ut quod "daemonia ejicerent", "linguis novis loquerentur", et plura, significaverunt, videatur supra (n. 706 [c]).
[10] Apud Matthaeum,
"Jesus dixit, .... Amen dico vobis, si habueritis fidem sicut granum sinapis, dicetis monti huic, Transi illuc, tunc transibit, et nihil impossibile erit vobis" (17:14-20):
apud Marcum,
"Habete fidem Dei; amen. .dico vobis, quod quicunque dixerit monti huic, Tollere, ..projice te in mare, nec dubitaverit corde suo, sed crediderit quod quae dicit futura sint, fiet illi quod dixerit: propterea dico vobis, omnia quaecunque precantes petitis, credite quod accepturi sitis, tunc fiet vobis" (11:22-24):
apud Matthaeum,
"Jesus dixit" discipulis..."Si habueritis fidem, et non dubitaveritis, non tantum id quod in ficu factum est facietis: sed etiam si monti huic dixeritis, Tollere, ..projice te in mare [, fiet] ; immo omnia quae petieritis...credentes" in Me, "accipietis" (21:21, 22):
apud Lucam,
"Si habeatis fidem sicut granum sinapis, et dixeritis sycomoro huic, Eradicare et plantare in mari, utique obediet vobis" (17:6).
Quod haec aliter intelligenda sint quam secundum verba, constare potest ex eo, quod dictum sit ad discipulos, "Si fidem haberent sicut granum sinapis, quod montem et sycomorum potuissent loco suo evellere et projicere in mare", tum quod "omnia quae peterent accepturi essent"; cum tamen non ex Divino ordine est ut quisque acciperet quod petit, si modo fidem haberet; tum quod evellerent montem et arborem ex suo loco, et projicerent in mare: sed per "fidem" hic intelligitur fides a Domino; quare etiam vocatur "fides Dei"; et qui in fide a Domino est, nihil aliud petit quam quod regno Domini et sibi ad salutem conducit; reliqua non vult; dicit enim corde, Cur petenda quae non talis usus sunt? Quare non potest aliquam fidem Dei seu fidem a Domino habere in petendo quam quod a Domino ei petere datur. Immo angelis caeli impossibile est aliud velle, ita aliud petere; si aliud, non possunt fidem habere quod accepturi sunt. Quod Dominus comparaverit talem fidem valori et potentiae projiciendi montem aut sycomorum in mare, erat quia Dominus hic ut alibi locutus est per correspondentias; quare illa verba etiam spiritualiter intelligenda sunt: per "montem" enim significatur amor sui et mundi, ita amor mali; et per "sycomorum" significatur fides illius amoris, quae est fides falsi ex malo; et per "mare" significatur infernum; quare per "montem evellere et projicere in mare per fidem Dei", significatur amores illos, qui in se diabolici sunt, ejicere in infernum, similiter fidem falsi ex malo; hoc fit per fidem a Domino. Quod comparatio valoris et potentiae fidei a Domino facta sit cum evulsione et projectione montis et sycomori, est etiam quia in mundo spirituali actualiter ita fit: amores illi mali quandoque ibi apparent sicut montes, ac fides falsi ex malo sicut sycomorus, ac utrumque ab angelo per fidem a Domino potest eradicari et projici in infernum. (Quod per "montem" significetur amor in Dominum, ac in opposito sensu amor sui, videatur supra, n. 405, 510: et quod "ficus" aut "sycomorus" significet naturalem hominem quoad bona et vera ibi, ac in opposito sensu eundem quoad mala et falsa, supra, n. 403.)
[11] Haec de fide miraculosa. Sequuntur nunc loca ex Evangelistis de fide salvifica, quae est fides veri ex amore in Dominum: Apud Johannem,
"Sicut Moses exaltavit serpentem in deserto, ita oportet exaltari Filium hominis, ut omnis qui credit in Ipsum, non pereat sed habeat vitam aeternam. Adeo namque dilexit Deus mundum, ut Filium suum unigenitum dederit, ut omnis qui credit in Ipsum, non pereat, sed habeat vitam aeternam. .... Qui credit in Ipsum, non judicatur; qui autem non credit, jam judicatus est, quia non credidit in nomen unigeniti Filii Dei" (3:14-19):
apud eundem,
"Pater amat Filium, et omnia dedit in manum Ipsius; qui credit in Filium, habet vitam aeternam; qui Vero non credit Filio, non videbit vitam, sed ira Dei manet super illum" (3:35, 36):
apud eundem,
"Nisi credideritis quod Ego sim, moriemini in peccatis vestris" (8:24):
apud eundem,
"Dixerunt..ad" Jesum, "Quid faciemus ut operemur opera Dei? Respondens Jesus dixit, Hoc est opus Dei, ut credatis in Ipsum quem misit" Pater. .... "Ego sum panis vitae; qui venit ad Me, non esuriet, et qui credit in Me, non sitiet unquam. .... Haec..est voluntas Ipsius qui misit Me, ut omnis qui videt Filium, et credit in Ipsum, habeat vitam aeternam, et resuscitem illum in extremo die. .... Non Patrem vidit quis, nisi qui est apud 2
Deum, Hic vidit Patrem: amen. .dico vobis, qui credit in Me, habet vitam aeternam: Ego sum panis vitae" (6 3
apud eundem,
Jesus dixit, "Qui verbum meum audit, et credit Ipsi qui misit Me, habet vitam aeternam, et in judicium non veniet, sed transcendet e morte in vitam: amen. .dico vobis, quod veniet hora, ...quando mortui audient vocem Filii Dei, et qui audient, vivent: quemadmodum..Pater vitam habet in Se Ipso, ita dedit Filio vitam habere in Se Ipso" (5:24-26):
apud eundem,
"Jesus clamavit, dicens, Si quis sitiverit, venito ad Me et bibito; quisquis credit in Me, sicut dixit scriptura, flumina e Ventre illius fluent aquae viventis: haec..dixit de spiritu, quem accepturi erant, credentes in Ipsum" (7:37-39):
apud eundem,
"Jesus..dixit, Ego sum resurrectio et vita; qui credit in Me, etsi moriatur, vivet; omnis vero qui vivit, et credit in Me, non morietur in aeternum" (11:25-27):
apud eundem,
"Jesus..clamavit et dixit, Qui credit in Me, non credit in Me, sed in Ipsum qui misit Me. .... Ego lux in mundum veni, ut omnis qui credit in Me, in tenebris non maneat: et si quis audiverit mea verba, non tamen crediderit, Ego non judico illum;.... qui spernit Me, et non accipit mea verba, habet qui judicet illum, verbum, quod locutus sum, ..judicabit illum extremo die" (12:44-48):
apud eundem,
"Quousque lucem habetis, credite in lucem, ut filii lucis sitis" (12:36):
apud eundem,
"Non turbator cor vestrum; credite in Deum, et credite in Me" (14:1):
apud eundem,
"Quotquot..receperunt" Jesum, "dedit illis potestatem ut filii Dei essent, credentibus in nomen Ipsius" (1:12):
apud eundem,
"Multi crediderunt in nomen Ipsius, videntes signa Ipsius" (2:23):
apud eundem,
"Haec..scripta sunt, ut credatis quod Jesus sit Christus Filius Dei, et ut credentes vitam habeatis in nomine Ipsius" (20:31):
apud Marcum,
Jesus dixit discipulis, "Euntes in mundum universum, praedicate Evangelium omni creaturae; qui crediderit et baptizatus fuerit, salvabitur; qui vero non crediderit, condemnabitur" (16:15, 16):
in his et in aliis locis describitur fides salvifica, quod credendum sit in Dominum, et quod credere in Ipsum sit etiam credere in Patrem, quia Ipse et Pater unum sunt. Per "credere in Dominum" significatur non modo adorare et colere Ipsum, sed etiam vivere ab Ipso; et vivitur ab Ipso cum vivitur secundum Verbum, quod ab Ipso; quare "credere in Ipsum" est credere quod Ipse regeneret hominem, et quod regeneratis ab Ipso det vitam aeternam.
[12] Simile quod per "credere in Ipsum" significatur per "credere in nomen Ipsius"; "nomen" enim Domini significat omne quale fidei et amoris, per quod Ipse colendus est, et per quod homo ab Ipso salvatur: causa, quod id per "nomen Ipsius" significetur, est quia non alia nomina dantur personis in mundo spirituali, quam secundum quale affectionis et vitae eorum; unde quisque cognoscitur, qualis est, ex solo nomine ejus; inde cum nomen ejus enuntiatur, ac amatur id quale quod intelligitur per nomen, tunc sistitur ille praesens, et conjunguntur sicut socii aut fratres: quale autem Domini est omne fidei et amoris per quod homo ab Ipso salvatur, nam id quale est essentia procedens ab Ipso; quare cum cogitatur id quale, tunc sistitur Dominus praesens apud illum, et cum amatur id quale, tunc conjungitur ei Dominus; inde est, quod qui credunt in nomen Ipsius vitam aeternam habeant. Inde patet quam necessarium sit homini scire quale fidei et amoris, quod est "nomen Domini", tum amare illud quale, quod fit per facere illa quae a Domino praecepta sunt. Etiam nomina "Jesus" et "Christus" involvunt id quale, nam Jesus significat salvationem, et Christus seu Messias significat Divinum Verum, quod est omne fidei et amoris quoad cognitiones, doctrinam et vitam; inde cum nominantur illa nomina, quale eorum cogitandum est, et secundum id vivendum. Hoc intelligitur per verba Domini apud Matthaeum,
Jesus dixit, "Si duo ex vobis consenserint in nomine meo super terra de omni re, quamcunque petierint, fiet illis a Patre meo qui in caelis est; ubi enim sunt duo aut tres congregati in nomine meo, ibi sum in medio eorum" (18:19, 20).
Est quidem praesentia Domini apud omnes, et quoque amor erga omnes; sed usque non potest homo duci et salvari a Domino quam secundum receptionem Domini in homine per fidem et amorem in Ipsum.
[13] Ex his patet quam necessarium est homini scire quale fidei et amoris, quod est nomen Domini; tum amare illud quale, nam Dominus non amatur nisi quam per quale suum. Quod Dominus adeundus sit, et secundum quale fidei et amoris, quod praescribitur in Verbo, colendus sit, et non Pater, Ipse Dominus docet, dicens,
Quod nemo Patrem viderit unquam, sed quod Filius exponat [ (Johannes 1:18)] ;
Tum quod nemo veniat ad Patrem, nisi per Ipsum [ (Johannes 14:6)] ;
Ut et quia Pater et Ipse unum sunt [ (Johannes 10:30)] :
quare "adire Patrem", et non Ipsum, est ex uno duos facere, et sic colere illud Divinum extra Dominum quod in Ipso est; per quod etiam perit homini idea Divinitatis de Domino: ex his iterum patet veritas,
Quod qui credit in Filium, vitam aeternam habeat [ (Johannes 3:36)] .
[14] Quod credere in Dominum sit credere in Patrem, etiam docet Ipse Dominus apud Johannem,
"Qui credit in Me, non credit in Me, sed in Ipsum qui misit Me; et qui videt Me, videt Ipsum qui misit Me" (12:44, 45):
per haec intelligitur, quod qui credit in Dominum non credat in Ipsum separatum a Patre, sed etiam in Patrem; quare adjicitur, "Qui videt Me, videt Ipsum qui misit Me." Tum alibi apud Johannem,
"Credite in Deum, ..credite in Me" ( 4
14:1);
apud eundem,
Philippe, "nonne credis quod Ego in Patre, et Pater in Me?.... Credite Mihi quod Ego in Patre et Pater in Me:.... amen. .dico vobis, qui credit in Me, opera quae Ego facio, ille etiam faciet, .... quia Ego ad Patrem meum abeo" (14:10-12);
apud eundem,
"In ista die in nomine meo petetis; et non dico vobis quod Ego petiturus sim Patrem pro vobis; Ipse..Pater amat vos, quod vos Me amaveritis et credideritis quod Ego a Deo exiverim; exivi a Patre, et veni in mundum, ...et vado ad Patrem: dicunt..discipuli, .... In hoc credimus quod a Deo exiveris" (16:26-28, [29,] 30):
"exire a Patre" significat conceptum ab Ipso; et "vadere ad Patrem" significat plenarie uniri Ipsi;
quod "exire a Patre" sit quod conceptus sit ab Ipso, constat manifeste a conceptione Ipsius (Apud Matthaeum, cap. 1:18-25; et apud Lucam cap. 1:34, 35);
et quod "vadere ad Patrem" sit plenarie uniri Ipsi, patet a glorificatione Ipsius Humani per passionem crucis (de qua prius); quare dicit, quod "In ista die in nomine meo petetis", et non amplius in nomine Patris.
[15] Apud eundem,
Jesus dixit ad Thomam, "Quia vidisti Me, ..credidisti; beati qui non vident et credunt:".... "et dixit Thomas.., Domine mi, et Deus mi" (Johannes 20:29, 28):
quia Dominus nunc plene unitus fuit Ipso Divino quod "Pater" vocatur, ideo Thomas vocat Ipsum suum Dominum, et suum Deum. Similiter alibi apud eundem,
"Quem Pater sanctificavit, et misit in mundum, vosne dicitis, quod blasphemes, quia dixi, Filius Dei sum? Si non facio opera Patris mei, ne credite Mihi; [si vero facio,] si utique Mihi non credatis, operibus credite, ut cognoscatis et credatis quod Pater in Me, et Ego in Patre" (10:36-38).
Quod Judaei non crediderint, patet Apud Johannem, cap. 5:14-47; 10:24-26; 12:37-49; Matthaeus 21:31, 32:
causa incredulitatis eorum fuit, quia voluerunt Messiam qui evecturus esset illos in gloriam super omnes gentes in mundo; et quia prorsus naturales fuerunt, et non spirituales; et quia Verbum, imprimis ubi agitur de Domino et quoque de ipsis, falsificaverunt: quod ideo non crediderint, patet a fide Judaeorum etiam hodie; qui prorsus naturales sunt, illi vix aliquid sciunt ac volunt scire de regno Domini in caelis. Quod nec hodie in Christiano orbe credituri sint quod Dominus sit unus cum Patre, et inde Deus caeli et Deus terrae, intelligitur per Domini verba apud Lucam,
"Filius hominis veniens, num inveniet fidem super terra?" (18:8):
sed de hac re, volente Domino, alibi plura.
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.