839# 之前已经说明，每个人都是他自己的爱，人的爱与生命构成一体，并且就是一。现在要说明，人的信取决于他的爱或生命，也取决于他的作为。前面说明，作为包含人的爱与生命的一切在里面，因为作为是它们的产物和结果，也是一切在先事物共存于其中的终端。这就是为何第三层天堂的天使根据人说话的语气或声音，他的步伐、手的触碰、身体动作，或他的喜悦，以及其它许多东西，也就是行为，就能知道他的品质。在第三层天堂，从这些东西就能知道一个人，这一点在世上不为人知，因为人们以为，它们里面什么都没有，只有动作；然而，他心智的生命通过他身体的生命产生这些行为；这两种生命，以及属于它们的一切，都同意这些行为的产物；由此可推知，生命在它们里面显现。因此，既然一个人的生命发出进入作为，并在它们里面显现，那么可推知，他的信也是如此；因为信就是承认一件事就是如此，承认属于思维，同时属于意愿。而意愿和思维通过身体生命产生行为，所以信也在作为中表现出它的品质。然而，没有任何东西被承认以这种方式包含在思维、意愿和作为中，除非它也属于人的爱和生命；因为承认属于爱和生命；这清楚表明，信因像人的爱和生命，故也像他的作为。
作为是指一个人所做、所说、所写的一切，无论大小、多少；例如，凡一个官员，或一个牧师、一个商人、一个仆人在履行其职责时所做的。此外，这一切作为或工作，无论大小，当是从人里面的主那里做的时，就都是良善，当是人自己做的时，都是邪恶。因此，只要人避开邪恶，因为它们是反对神的罪，这些作为就是良善；只要人不避开邪恶，它们就是邪恶。信也一样；信的品质取决于作为的品质；因为它们就像思维和言语，或意愿和行为那样构成一体。有人以为，即便生活邪恶，他仍可以有信，至少相信有一位神，主是世界的救主，有天堂和地狱，圣言是神圣的。但我可以肯定地说，他若不因邪恶是罪而避开邪恶，然后仰望主，就根本不相信这些事。因为它们不是他的生命和爱的一部分，只是他的记忆和知识的一部分；并且在他与邪恶斗争，并战胜它们之前，它们不会成为他的生命和爱的一部分。这一点已通过死后许多以为自己至少相信有一位神，主是世界的救主，以及其它类似的事之人的状况向我清楚显明了；那些生活邪恶的人实际上根本没有信仰，或说根本不相信。
839. It has been shown previously that every man is his own love; and also that the love and life of man make one and are one. It shall now be shown that a man's faith is according to the quality of his love or life, also according to his works. It was shown above that works contain in themselves all things of the love and life of man, because works are their results and effects, and the ultimates in which all things prior co-exist. This is why the angels of the third heaven know a man's quality from the sound of his speech; also from his step, a touch of the hand, a movement of the body, or his joy, and several other things which are actions. That a man is known in the third heaven from such things is not known in the world, because it is believed that they are nothing but motion; when nevertheless the life of his mind causes them, by means of the life of his body. Each life, with all that pertains to it, concurs in the production of these things; it consequently follows that the life manifests itself in them.
When, therefore, a man's life goes forth into works, and manifests itself in them, it follows that his faith also does the same; for faith is an acknowledgment that a thing is so, and acknowledgment pertains to the thought, and also to the will. And whereas will and thought by means of the life of the body produce action, therefore faith also shows its quality in works. But still nothing is acknowledged to be contained in this way, in thought, will, and work, unless it also pertains to a man's love and life; for acknowledgment is of love and life. It is therefore evident, that because faith is like a man's love and life, it is also like his works.
By works are meant everything that a man does, speaks, and writes, whether much, or little; as, for example, whatever a deputy, or a priest, or a merchant, or a servant does in the discharge of their duties. All those works, moreover, both small and great, are good, when they are done from the Lord in him, but evil when done by the man himself. Thus they are good in the measure that he shuns evils because they are sins against God, and they are evil in the measure that he does not shun them. The case is the same with faith, the quality of which is according to the quality of the works; for they make one, like thought and speech, or will and action.
A man supposes that although he lives wickedly he can still have faith, at least to believe that there is a God, that the Lord is the Saviour of the world, that there are a heaven and a hell, and that the Word is holy. I can, however, confidently say that if he does not shun evils because they are sins, and consequently look to the Lord, he does not believe in these things at all. For they are not part of his life and love, but only of his memory and knowledge; and they do not become part of his life and love before he fights against evils and overcomes them. This has been made evident to me from the case of many after death who supposed that they had believed, at least, in the existence of God, and that the Lord is the Saviour of the world, and other things of a similar kind; but still those who lived wickedly had in reality no belief at all.
839. It has been shown already that every man is his love, and that the love and life of man make one and are one. It shall now be shown that a man's faith is such as his love or life is, also that a man's faith is according to his works. It has been shown above that works contain in themselves all things of man's love and life, since works are their products and effects, and are the ultimates in which all things prior coexist. For this reason angels of the third heaven know what the quality of a man is by the tone of his speech, also by his step, by the touch of the hand, by the action of the body, by his exultation, and by many other things, which are acts. That a man is known in the third heaven by such things is not known in the world, because man believes that there is nothing in such things but mere motion; when yet the life of his mind produces these actions by means of the life of his body; and both of these lives, with everything pertaining to them, concur in the production of these acts, from which it follows that they manifest themselves in them. Since, then, a man's life goes forth into works, and manifests itself in them, it follows that his faith does the same; for faith is the acknowledgment that a thing is so, and acknowledgment is of the thought and at the same time of the will; and as will and thought produce action by means of the life of the body, so also faith is manifested in works as to its quality. And yet nothing is acknowledged to be so in thought, will, and work together, except what pertains to man's love and life, for it is his love and life that acknowledge; which shows that as faith is such as man's love and life are, so it is such as his works are.
[2] By works all things are meant that a man does, speaks, and writes, whether great and many or little and few; as whatever an officer does in his office, or whatever a priest does in his, or a merchant in his, or a servant in his; all such works, whether little or great, are good when they are done from the Lord with man, and are evil when they are done by the man himself; thus they are good so far as man shuns evils because they are sins against God, and they are evil so far as he does not shun evils. It is similar with faith; such as his works are such is his faith, for these make one like thought and speech or like will and action. Man supposes that even if he lives wickedly he can still have faith, at least to believe that there is a God, that the Lord is the Savior of the world, that there is a heaven and a hell, and that the Word is holy. But I can affirm that if he does not shun evils because they are sins, and then look to the Lord, he does not at all believe these things; since they are not of his life and love, but only of his memory and knowledge; and they do not come to be of his life and love until he fights against evils and overcomes them. This has been made clear to me by the state of many after death who supposed that they had believed at least that there is a God, and that the Lord is the Savior of the world, and other like things; and yet such as had lived wickedly had not believed.
839. Prius ostensum est quod unusquisque homo sit suus amor, ac quod amor et vita hominis unum faciant ac unum sint: nunc dicetur quod fides hominis sit qualis ejus amor seu vita, tum quod fides hominis sit secundum ejus opera. Supra ostensum est quod opera in se contineant omnia amoris et vitae hominis, quoniam opera sunt productiones et effectus eorum, et sunt ultima, in quibus omnia priora coexistunt; inde est quod ab angelis tertii caeli homo noscatur qualis est, ex sono loquelae, et quoque ex gressu, ex tactu manus, ex actu corporis, ab exultatione ejus, et ex pluribus, quae sunt actiones; quod homo ex illis noscatur in tertio caelo, non notum est in mundo, quia homo credit quod talibus nihil insit, nisi quam solus motus; cum tamen vita mentis ejus per vitam corporis ejus producit talia, ac utraque vita cum omnibus suis ad producendum illa concurrit; ex quo sequitur quod se manifestet in illis. Cum itaque vita hominis se producit in opera, ac se manifestat in illis, sequitur quod etiam fides ejus; nam fides est agnitio quod ita sit, et agnitio est cogitationis et simul voluntatis; et quia voluntas et cogitatio per vitam corporis producunt actionem, ideo etiam fides se in operibus manifestat, qualis est. Sed usque nihil agnoscitur quod ita sit cogitatione, voluntate et opere simul, nisi etiam sit amoris et vitae hominis; amor et vita ejus agnoscit; inde patet quod fides, quia est sicut amor et vita hominis, etiam sit sicut sunt ejus opera.
[2] Per opera intelliguntur omnia quae homo facit, loquitur et scribit, sive magna et multa sint, sive parva et pauca; sicut quicquid praefectus facit in sua functione, quicquid sacerdos in sua, quicquid mercator in sua, quicquid famulus in sua; ac omnia illa opera, tam parva quam magna, sunt bona quando a Domino apud illum, et sunt mala quando ab ipso homine; ac bona sunt quantum fugit mala quia peccata contra Deum sunt, et mala sunt quantum non illa fugit. Simile est cum fide; qualia sunt opera ejus, talis est fides ejus, nam unum faciunt sicut cogitatio et loquela, ac sicut voluntas et actio. Homo putat quod tametsi male vivit usque possit fidem habere, ad minimum credere quod Deus sit, [quod] Dominus sit salvator mundi, quod caelum et infernum sint, quod Verbum sanctum sit; sed asseverare possum, si non fugit mala quia peccata sunt, et tunc spectat ad Dominum, prorsus non credat illa; non enim sunt vitae et amoris ejus, sed sunt solum memoriae et scientiae ejus, quae non prius vitae et amoris ejus fiunt, quam dum pugnat contra mala, et vincit illa. Hoc patuit mihi a multis post mortem, qui putaverunt se credidisse, ad minimum quod Deus sit, et quod Dominus Salvator mundi sit, et similia; illi qui male vixerunt, usque non crediderunt.