417、对此，我补充以下难忘的事：
我在灵界看见两群羊，一群山羊，一群绵羊。我想知道他们是谁，因为我知道，在灵界所看到的动物不是动物，而是当地居民的情感和随之而来的思维的对应。于是我走近了，当我靠近时，动物的形像消失了，取而代之的是人。而且很明显，组成山羊群的，是那些确认唯信称义的教义之人；组成绵羊群的，是那些认为仁与信是一体，正如良善与真理是一体的人。
于是，我与那些看似山羊的人交谈，我说：“你们为什么这样聚集在一起？”他们大多是以博学的名声为荣耀的神职人员，因为他们知道唯信称义的奥秘。他们说，他们聚集起来是要召开会议，因为他们听说保罗的话，即“人称义是因着信，不在乎律法的行为”(罗马书3:28)没有被正确理解，保罗所说的“律法行为”是指摩西律法为犹太人所规定的行为；我们从保罗对彼得所说的话也清楚看到这种误解，他指责彼得犹太化，尽管彼得知道“人称义不是因律法的行为”(加拉太书2:14-16)。此外，保罗也区分了信的律法和行为的律法，区分了犹太人和外邦人，或受割礼和未受割礼的，他所说的割礼是指犹太教，和其它地方一样；他还以这些话作了总结：
这样，我们因信废了律法吗？断乎不是，我们反倒坚固律法。(罗马书3:31)
他在一系列经文中(罗马书3:27-31)说了这一切；在前一章他还说：
原来在神面前，不是听律法的为义，乃是行律法的称义。(罗马书2:13)
又：
神必照各人的行为报应各人。(罗马书2:6)
哥林多后书：
我们众人必要在基督的审判台前显露出来；叫各人按着身体所行的，或善或恶受报。(哥林多后书5:10)
更不用提保罗著作中的其它许多话了；由此明显可知，保罗拒绝没有善行的信仰，和雅各一样(雅各书2:17-26)。
保罗指的是摩西律法为犹太人所规定的行为，我们从以下事实进一步证实这一点：在摩西五经中，为犹太人制定的一切律例都被称为“律法”，因而都是“律法的行为”，我们从以下经文可以看到这一事实：
素祭的条例乃是这样。(利未记6:14, 18等)
赎愆祭的条例乃是这样。(利未记7:1)
平安祭的条例乃是这样。(利未记7:11等)
这就是燔祭、素祭、赎罪祭、赎愆祭和平安祭的条例。(利未记7:37)
这是走兽和飞鸟的条例。(利未记11:46等)
这条例是为生育的妇人，无论是生男生女。(利未记12:7)
这是大麻风的条例。(利未记13:59; 14:2, 54, 57)
这是患漏症的条例。(利未记15:32)
这是疑恨的条例。(民数记5:29, 30)
这是拿细耳人的条例。(民数记6:13, 21)
这是洁净的条例。(民数记19:14)
这是关于红母牛的条例。(民数记19:2)
为王定的条例。(申命记17:15-19)
实际上，整个摩西五经都被称为“律法书”(申命记31:9, 11-12, 26; 路加福音2:22; 24:44; 约翰福音1:45; 7:22-23; 8:5; 以及其它地方)。对此，他们还补充说，他们在保罗书信中看到，要活出十诫的律法来，凭仁爱，也就是对邻之爱就完全了律法(罗马书13:8-11), 因而不是凭唯信。他们说，这就是他们聚在一起的原因。
然而，为了不打扰他们，我退了出来；然后从远处看，他们又像山羊了，时而躺卧，时而站立；但他们转身离开了绵羊群。他们在深思时，看起来像躺着的山羊，当他们得出结论时，又像站着的山羊。不过，我两眼一直盯着他们额上的角，惊奇地发现，他们额上的角有时向前、向上延伸，有时向后弯曲，最后完全转到后面。这时，他们突然都转过身来，面向绵羊群，但仍看似山羊。因此，我再次走近他们，问他们现在发生了什么事。他们回答说，他们已经得出结论：唯有信产生被称为善行的仁之良善，正如树结出果实一样。但随后我们就听到雷声，看见一道闪电从上面而来；很快就有一位天使出现，站在这两群羊之间，他对着绵羊群喊叫：“不要听他们的！他们没有放弃原先的信，这信教导说，父神为了圣子而施怜悯；这信不是对主的信；信也不是树，人才是树。唯有悔改并仰望主，你们才会有信。在此之前的信不是信，它里面没有任何生命。”然后，角向后转的山羊试图靠近绵羊；但站在他们之间的天使将绵羊一分为二，并对左边的绵羊说：“加入山羊行列吧！只是我告诉你们，必有豺狼来掳走他们；而你们会与他们一起被掳走。”
然而，这两群绵羊被分开，左边的那群绵羊听到天使的警告后，他们面面相觑，说：“让我们和先前的同伴商量一下吧。”于是，左边的羊群对右边的说：“你们为什么离开你们的牧师呢？信和仁不是一体，不可分割，就像树和它的果实一样吗？因为树经由它的枝子延伸到果实。从枝子上除去通过连续或不间断的连接而流入果实的任何东西，果实不会灭亡吗？如果情况不是这样，就问问我们的牧师。”于是他们就问，而牧师们环顾其余的人，其余的人则眨了眨眼，暗示他们说得好。然后牧师们回答说，情况就是这样。他们说：“信因其果实而得以保存。”但他们不会说，信延续到果实中，或说信包含在果实中。
此后，右边羊群中的一位牧师起身说：“他们回答你们说，情况是这样，但却告诉自己的同伴说，情况不是这样；因为他们不是这样想的。”因此，右边的羊群问：“那他们是怎么想的？难道他们不是按自己想的来教导吗？”这位牧师回答说：“不；他们认为，人为了得救或永生所做的被称为善行的仁之良善不是良善，而是邪恶，因为人试图凭自己的行为来拯救自己，为自己索取唯一救主的公义和功德；一切善行，只要人在其中感受到自己的意愿，就都是如此。因此，他们彼此之间称人凭自己所做的善行不受祝福，反受诅咒，说它们配得地狱，而不是天堂。”
但左边的羊群说：“关于他们，你在撒谎。他们不是在我们面前明明白白地宣讲仁爱及其行为吗？他们将这些行为称为信的行为。”但牧师回答说：“你们不明白他们的讲道。只有在场的神职人员才会留意和明白。他们只想到道德的仁爱，及其文明和政治的良善，他们将这些良善称为信之良善；然而，它们绝不是信之良善。因为一个无神论者能以同样的方式做同样的行为，并且形式上或表面上一模一样。因此，他们一致说：没有人凭任何行为得救，而是唯信得救。不过，这一点可通过类比来说明。一棵苹果树会结出苹果；但如果一个人为了得救而行善，就像这棵树通过连续性，或不间断的连接结出苹果一样，那么这些苹果内部是腐烂的，满了虫子。他们还说，一棵葡萄树会结出葡萄；但如果人真的行属灵的良善，就像葡萄树结出葡萄一样，那么他只会结出野葡萄。”
然后，左边的羊群又问：“那么，他们的仁之良善或行为，也就是信的果实，是何性质呢？”牧师回答说：“它们是看不见的，从圣灵而在一个人里面，这个人对此一无所知。”但他们说：“如果一个人对它们一无所知，那么至少必有某种结合吧。否则，它们怎么能被称为信的行为呢？或许那时，那些无法感知到的良善通过某种间接流注，如通过意愿的某种情感、影响或抱负、灵感、激励和鞭策，通过思维里面的一种默契感知和由此产生的劝诫、忏悔，因而通过良心，进而通过强迫，以及像小孩子或智者一样对十诫和圣言的服从，或通过具有类似性质的某种其它手段，进入人的意志行为。”但牧师回答说：“不是这样的；即便他们说，善行是通过这些方法实现的，因为善行是通过信实现的，他们在讲道中仍以这种方式用话语埋葬它们，其最终结果就是否认它们源于信。然而，其中一些人仍教导这些方法，但却作为信的标志，而不是信与仁的联系来教导。左边的一些人认为通过圣言有结合。”这时他们说：“当人自愿照圣言行事时，不就有这样的结合吗？”但牧师回答说：“他们认为事实并非如此，或说这不是他们的想法。相反，他们认为只有通过听圣言才会有结合，因而通过对圣言的理解没有结合，唯恐有什么东西通过理解力明显进入人的思维和意愿。因为他们断言，人里面一切自愿的东西都是邀功的，或寻求功德的，人在属灵问题上和木头一样，不能开始、意愿、思考、理解、相信、运作和合作任何事。然而，对圣灵通过信进入讲道者言语的流注来说，情况就不同了，因为这些是嘴口的行动，不是身体的行动；还因为人通过信与神一起行动，但通过仁与人一起行动。”
但他们中间有一个人当听说，这种结合只通过听圣言来完成，而不是通过理解圣言来完成的时，就愤怒地说：“当教会里的一个人转过身去，或像一根柱子一样坐着充耳不闻时，或当他正在睡觉时，这结合难道是通过仅从圣灵那里所获得的对圣言的理解而来的吗？或它只是圣言书卷的某种呼气的结果吗？还有比这更荒谬的吗？此后，右边羊群中有一个人在判断力上胜过其余的人，他请求大家听他说话，说：“我听一个人说：‘我栽了一个葡萄园。现在我要喝这葡萄酒，直到喝醉。’但另一个人问他：‘你要用自己的右手从自己的杯子里喝这酒吗？’第一个人说：‘不！我要用看不见的手从看不见的杯子里来喝。’于是第二个人说：‘那你肯定喝不醉！’”接着这个人又说：“请听我说。我告诉你们，要从所理解的圣言中来喝酒。主就是圣言，难道你们不知道吗？圣言不是从主来的吗？因此，主不是在圣言中吗？那么，你们若出于圣言行善，不就是出于主，出于祂的口和旨意来行善吗？如果你们同时仰望主，那么祂还会引领你们，使你们行善，祂会通过你们去行善，使你们貌似凭自己行善。当为了国王，出于他的口和意愿去做事时，谁会说：‘我是出于我自己，出于自己的口或命令，出于自己的意愿做这事的呢？’”随后，牧师转向神职人员，说：“你们这事奉神的啊，不要迷惑羊群！”
听到这些话，左边羊群的大多数人退出来，加入右边的羊群。这时，一些神职人员还说：“我们听到了我们以前从未听到的话。我们是牧人；我们不能抛弃这些羊。”于是，这些神职人员与他们一起退出来，并说：“那个人说的是真话。当出于圣言，因而出于主，出于祂的口和旨意来做事时，谁会说，我是出于我自己做这事的呢？若出于国王的口和意愿来做事，谁会说：‘我是出于我自己做这事的呢？’现在我们看到了圣治，明白了为什么一直找不到教会团体所承认的信仰与行为的结合。它不可能被找到，因为这种结合无法被赐予；事实上，他们的信不是对主的信，而主是圣言，因此它也不是来自圣言的信。”但其余的牧师却走了，他们挥舞着帽子喊着说：“唯信！唯信！唯信仍会存活！”
417. To this I will append the following account:
I saw in the spiritual world two flocks, one a flock of goats, and the other a flock of sheep. I wondered who they were, since I knew that animals seen in the spiritual world are not really animals, but are correspondent forms of the affections and consequent thoughts of the local inhabitants. Therefore I drew nearer, and as I approached, the likenesses of animals disappeared, and instead of them I saw people. It also became clear that those who formed the flock of goats were people who had confirmed themselves in the doctrine of justification by faith alone, and that those who formed the flock of sheep were people who believed that charity and faith are inseparable, as goodness and truth are inseparable.
[2] I then spoke with those who had looked like goats, and I said, "Why are you gathered together like this?"
They were mostly clergy, who vaunted themselves on account of their reputation for learning, because they knew the arcana of justification by faith alone. They said they had assembled to convene a council, because they had heard that the saying of Paul in Romans 3:28, that "a person is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law," was not rightly understood, since by deeds of the law Paul meant the deeds prescribed by Mosaic law, which existed for Jews.
"We see this clearly," they said, "also from Paul's words to Peter, whom he rebuked for Judaizing, even though Peter knew that no one is justified by the works of the law (Galatians 2:14-16). Moreover, Paul distinguishes between the law of faith and the law of works, 1and between Jews and gentiles, 2or between circumcision and uncircumcision; 3and by circumcision he means Judaism, as he does everywhere else. He also then concludes with these words: 'Do we then abolish the law by faith? Not at all. Rather we establish the law.' He says all of this in one series of verses, in Romans 3:27-31.
"In addition, he says as well in the preceding chapter, 'not the hearers of the law will be justified in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified' (Romans 2:13). Furthermore, that God will render to each one according to his deeds (Romans 2:6). And still further, 'We must all appear before the judgment seat of the Christ, that each one may give an account of the things done in the body..., whether good or evil' (2 Corinthians 5:10). Not to mention many other statements in Paul's writing, which make it apparent that Paul rejected faith apart from good works, just as much as James (James 2:17-26).
[3] "That Paul meant the deeds prescribed by Mosaic law, which existed for Jews - this we have further confirmed from the fact that all the statutes for the Jews in the books of Moses are called the Law, being thus works prescribed by the Law, which we see to be so from the following statements:
This is the law of the grain offering. (Leviticus 6:14ff.)
This is the law of the trespass offering... (Leviticus 7:1, 7)
This is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings... (Leviticus 7:11ff.)
This is the law of the burnt offering, the grain offering, the sin offering and trespass offering, the consecrations, and the sacrifice of the peace offerings... (Leviticus 7:37)
This is the law regarding animals and birds... (Leviticus 11:46f.)
This is the law regarding her who gives birth, to a son or a daughter. (Leviticus 12:7)
This is the law regarding a leprous plague... (Leviticus 13:59, cf. 14:2, 14:32, 14:54, 14:57)
This is the law regarding one suffering a discharge of fluid... (Leviticus 15:32)
This is the law regarding jealousness... (Numbers 5:29-30)
This is the law for the Nazirite... (Numbers 6:13, 21)
This is the law (regarding cleanness). (Numbers 19:14)
This is... the law (regarding the red heifer). (Numbers 19:2)
(The law for a king.) (Deuteronomy 17:15-19)
"In fact," the speakers said, "the whole five books of Moses are called the Book of the Law, in Deuteronomy 31:9, 11-12, 26, and elsewhere."
To this they added also that they saw in Paul that the law in the Ten Commandments ought to be lived, and that it is fulfilled by charity, which is love for the neighbor (Romans 13:8-10), thus not by faith alone.
They said that this was why they had come together.
[4] In order not to disturb them, however, I withdrew, and at a distance then they looked again like goats, sometimes like ones lying down, and sometimes like ones standing, but turned away from the flock of sheep. They looked like goats lying down when they were deliberating, and like ones standing when they drew conclusions.
But I kept my eyes on their horns, and I was surprised to see that the horns on their foreheads appeared sometimes as though extending forward and upward, and sometimes curving back to the rear, and finally to be completely turned backward. At that they suddenly all turned then to face the flock of sheep, though they looked like goats.
I went over to them again, therefore, and asked what was happening now. They said they had concluded that faith alone produces the goods of charity called good works, as a tree produces fruit.
But then we heard a clap of thunder and saw a flash of lightning from above; and presently an angel appeared, standing between the two flocks, who cried out to the flock of sheep, "Do not listen to them! They have not abandoned their earlier faith, which teaches that God the Father took pity for the sake of the Son. That faith is not faith in the Lord. Nor is faith a tree. Rather a person is a tree. Only repent and turn to the Lord, and you will have faith. Before then faith is not faith having any life in it."
The goats with their horns turned backward then tried to approach the sheep, but the angel standing between them divided the sheep into two groups and said to those on the left, "Attach yourselves to the goats. But I tell you that a wolf is going to come that will carry them off, and you with them."
[5] However, after the two groups of sheep had been separated, and those on the left heard the angel's warning, they looked at each other and said, "Let's confer with our former comrades."
So then the group on the left addressed the one on the right, saying, "Why did you leave your pastors? Are not faith and charity inseparable, as a tree and its fruit are inseparable? For a tree continues on through the branch into the fruit. Take away anything from the branch that flows by an unbroken connection into the fruit, and will not the fruit perish? Ask our priests if that is not the case."
So then they asked, and the priests looked around at the rest, who winked to tell them to speak well. And after that they replied that such was the case. "Faith is preserved by its fruits," they said. But they would not say that faith is contained in the fruits.
[6] At that one of the priests among the sheep on the right rose and said, "They replied to you that such is the case, but still they tell their own flock that it is not the case, as they think otherwise."
The group on the right asked, therefore, how those priests think then. "Do they not teach as they think?"
"No," the priest replied. "They think that every good of charity that is called a good work, that a person does for his salvation or for the sake of eternal life, is not good but evil, because by the work the person is trying of himself to save himself, claiming for himself the righteousness and merit of Him who is the only Savior. And this is the case, they think, with every good work in which a person is conscious of his own will. Consequently among themselves they call good works done by a person of himself not blessings but curses, saying that they merit hell rather than heaven."
[7] However, those of the group on the left said, "You are telling lies about them. Do they not clearly in our presence preach charity and its works, which they call works of faith?"
But the priest replied, "You do not understand their preaching. Only a clergyman who is present pays attention and understands. They think only of moral charity and its civic and political goods, which they call goods of faith, but which are absolutely not. For an atheist can do the same things in the same way and give them the same appearance. Therefore they unanimously say that no one is saved by any works, but by faith alone.
"But let us illustrate this with analogies. They say that an apple tree produces apples; however, if a person does good deeds for his salvation, as the tree does apples by an unbroken connection, then the apples are rotten inside and full of worms. They say, too, that a grapevine produces grapes; but if a person were to produce spiritual goods as a grapevine does grapes, he would produce wild grapes."
[8] At that those of the group on the left asked in response, "What then is the nature of their goods of charity or good works, which are the fruits of faith?"
The priest replied that they are unseen, being within a person from the Holy Spirit, of which the person is totally unaware.
Responding, they said, "If a person is totally unaware of them, there must at least be some connection. Otherwise how can they be called works of faith? Perhaps those unfelt goods are then insinuated into the person's volitional works by some mediating influx, as by some affecting, influencing, inspiring, prodding or spurring of the will, by a silent perception in the thought and a resulting admonition, contrition, and thus conscience, and so by an impulse, an obedience to the Ten Commandments and the Word, either as a little child or as a wise adult, or by some other means like these."
But the priest replied, "No, they are not. Even if their proponents say that it comes about by such means because good works come about by faith, still they sew these up in their sermons with words whose result is to deny that they originate from faith. Some of them still teach such means, but as signs of faith, and not as its bonds with charity."
Some of those on the left nevertheless conceived of a connection by means of the Word, and they said, "Is there not thus a connection, that a person acts voluntarily in accord with the Word?"
But the priest replied, "That's not what they think. Rather they think it is formed simply by hearing the Word, thus not by understanding the Word, lest something enter perceptibly through the intellect into a person's thought and will. For they assert that everything in a person's volitional makeup is merit-seeking, and that in spiritual matters a person cannot undertake, will, think, understand, believe, do or cooperate in anything any more than a log.
"Still, however, the case is different with the influx of the Holy Spirit through faith into the discourses of preachers, because these are actions of the mouth and not actions of the body, and because by faith a person acts with God, but by charity with men."
[9] But when one of those on the left heard that a connection is formed simply by hearing the Word and not by understanding the Word, he said irately, "Is it then by an understanding of the Word gained from the Holy Spirit only, when a person in church turns away or sits as deaf as a post, or when he sleeps, or gained simply from some exhalation from the Word, the book? What could be more absurd?"
After that a man from the group on the right, who excelled the rest in judgment, asked to be heard, and speaking said, "I heard someone say, 'I have planted a vineyard. Now I will drink wine till I am drunk.' But someone else said, 'Will you drink wine from your glass with your right hand?' And the first one said, 'No. I will drink it from an unseen glass with an unseen hand.' So the second one said, 'Then you surely won't get drunk!'"
Then the same man said, "Only listen to me, please. I say to you, drink wine from the Word understood. Do you not know that the Lord embodies the Word? Does the Word not come from the Lord? Is He not therefore present in it? If then you do good in obedience to the Word, do you not do it from the Lord, in obedience to His utterance and will? And if you then look to the Lord, He Himself also will lead you and do the good, and do it through you, so that you do it as though of yourself. Who can say, if he does something for a king, in obedience to his utterance and will, 'I do this of myself, in compliance with my own utterance or command, by my own will?'"
Following that the priest turned to the clergy and said, "Ministers of God, do not lead the flock astray!"
[10] Hearing this, a large majority of the group on the left went back and joined the group on the right. Some of the clergy also then said, "We have heard something we have not heard before. We are pastors. We will not abandon the sheep." And they went back with them and said, "That man spoke a true word. Who can say, if he acts in obedience to the Word, thus from the Lord, in obedience to His utterance and will, 'I do this of myself'? Who says, if he does something for a king, in obedience to his utterance and will, 'I am doing this of myself'?
"We see now the Divine providence in why the conjunction of faith and works acknowledged by the ecclesiastical body has not been found. It could not be found, because it cannot be imparted; for that faith is not faith in the Lord who embodies the Word, and so is not a faith derived from the Word."
But the rest of the priests went away, and waving their caps they cried, "Faith alone, faith alone! It will yet survive!"
Footnotes:
1. Romans 3:27.
2. Romans 3:29; 9:24.
3. Romans 2:25-27; 3:30; 4:9, 10
417. To these things I will add this MEMORABLE OCCURRENCE. In the spiritual world two flocks were seen, one of GOATS and the other of SHEEP. I wondered who they were, inasmuch as I knew that the animals seen in the spiritual world are not animals, but are the correspondences of the affections and consequently of the thoughts derived from those who are there. I therefore drew nearer and, as I approached, the likenesses of the animals disappeared and men were seen in their place; and it became obvious that those who were forming the flock of goats were those who have confirmed themselves in the doctrine of justification by faith alone, and those who were forming the flock of sheep were those who have believed charity and faith to be one as good and truth are one.
[2] Whereupon I spoke with those who were seen as goats, and said, 'Why are you assembled like this?' There were many from the clergy who boasted of the fame of their learning because they were all acquainted with the arcana of justification by faith alone. They said that they were assembled to hold a Council because they had heard that Paul's saying (Romans 3:28) 'that a man is justified by faith without the works of the law' was not rightly understood, since Paul by 'works' had understood the works of the Mosaic law that was for the Jews. In fact [they said] we see this misunderstanding clearly from his words to Peter, whom he rebuked for judaising, when yet he knew 'that no one is justified by the works of the law' (Galatians 2:14-16); also, that he distinguished between the law of faith and the law of works, and between Jews and Gentiles, or circumcision and uncircumcision, and by 'circumcision' he understands Judaism, as everywhere else; and moreover that he sums up with these words:
Do we then abrogate the law through faith? Far from it We establish the law [ Romans 3:31].
He says all these things in one series (Romans 3:27-31). And he also says in the preceding chapter:
Not the hearers of the law shall be justified by God, but the doers of the law shall be justified, Romans 2:13.
Then:
That God will render to everyone according to his works, Romans 2:6; and further:
We must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that each one may give an account of the things done through the body, whether good or bad, 2 Corinthians 5:10.
Besides more to that point; from which it is plain that Paul rejected faith without good works, equally with James (2:17-26).
[3] Moreover we are confirmed [in the view] that the works of the Mosaic law that were for the Jews were understood by Paul, because all the statutes for the Jews in Moses are termed 'the law,' thus 'the works of the law,' which we see from these statements:
This is the law of the meal-offering. Leviticus 6:14 seq. [H.B. 7 seq.].
This is the law of the sacrifice. Leviticus 7:1.
This is the law of the sacrifice of the peace-offerings. Leviticus 7:7, 11 seq.
This is the law for the burnt-offering, for the meal-offering, for the sacrifice of sin and guilt, for completions. Leviticus 7:37.
This is the law of the beast and the bird. Leviticus 11:46 seq.
This is the low of her that bringeth forth, for a son or a daughter. Leviticus 12:7.
This is the law of the leper. Leviticus 13:59; 14:2, 32, 54, 57.
This is the law of him who has an issue. Leviticus 15:32.
This is the law of jealousy. Numbers 5:29-30.
This is the law of the Nazirite. Numbers 6:13, 21.
This is the low of cleansing. Numbers 19:14.
This is the law concerning a red cow. Numbers 19:2.
The law for a king. Deuteronomy 17:15-19.
Yes indeed, the whole Book of Moses is called 'the Book of the Law' (Deuteronomy 31:9, 11-12, 26); again also with the Evangelists (Luke 2:22; 24:44; John 1:45 [Schm. 46]; John 7:22-23; 8:5, and elsewhere). To these things they added also what they had seen in Paul, that the law of the Decalogue is to be lived, and that it is fulfilled by charity, which is love towards the neighbour (Romans 13:8-11), thus not by faith alone. They said that they had assembled on account of these things.
[4] That I might not disturb them, however, I retired, and then again from afar off they were seen as goats, and sometimes lying down, and sometimes standing up; but they were turning away from the flock of sheep. They appeared lying down when they were deliberating, and standing up when coming to a conclusion. But I kept my sight on their horns, and I marvelled at the fact that the horns in their foreheads appeared at one time to be stretched forwards and upwards, at another to be curved backwards towards the rear, and finally bent back altogether. And then suddenly they were all turning to the flock of sheep, but still they were appearing as goats. Therefore I drew near again, and inquired, 'What now?' They said that they had come to the conclusion that faith alone produces the goods of charity that are called good works, as a tree produces fruits. But then thunder was heard and lightning was seen coming from above, and presently an angel appeared standing between the two flocks, and he called out to the flock of sheep, 'Pay no attention to them, they have not receded from the faith they formerly had, which is, that God the Father is compassionate for the sake of the Son, and this faith is not a faith in the Lord. Nor is faith a tree, but a man is a tree. But do the work of repentance and look to the Lord, and you shall have faith. Faith before that is not a faith in which there is anything living.' Whereupon the goats with the horns bent back wanted to approach the sheep, but the angel standing between them was dividing the sheep into two flocks, and he said to those on the left, 'Join up with the goats, but I say unto you that a wolf is coming, which will carry them off, and you with them.'
[5] But after the two flocks of sheep were separated and those on the left heard the threatening words of the angel, they looked at one another and said, 'Let us consult with our former companions.' And then the flock on the left spoke to that on the right, saying 'Why have you gone away from your pastors? Are not faith and charity one as a tree and its fruit are one? For a tree through the branch is continued into the fruit. Remove anything from the branch that inflows by continuity into the fruit, and is not the fruit going to perish? Ask our priests if this is not so.' Whereupon they asked, and the priests looked around to the rest who were winking their eyelids to intimate that they were speaking well. After this they answered that it is so, 'Faith is maintained by means of the fruit,' but they did not want to say that faith is continued into the fruit.
[6] But then one of the priests who was among the sheep at the right rose up and said, 'They have answered that it is so to you, but still to their own flock that it is not so, for they think otherwise.' And therefore they asked, 'How do they think then? Do they not think as they teach?' He said, 'No, they think that every good of charity that is called a good work, that is done by a man for the sake of salvation or eternal life, is not good but evil, because the man by the work from himself wants to save his owls self, by claiming to himself the justice and the merit of the One Saviour; and that this is the case with every good work in which a man feels his own will. Therefore among themselves they call good works from a man not blessed but cursed, deserving of hell rather than heaven.'
[7] But those of the flock on the left said, 'You speak lies against them. Do they not preach manifestly before us charity and its works, which they call the works of faith?' And he replied, 'You do not understand their preachings. Only a clergyman who is present pays attention and understands. They think only of a moral charity, and the civil and political goods thereof which they call the goods of faith, although they are not so at all. For an atheist is able to perform such works in the same manner and under the same form. Therefore they are unanimous in saying that no one is saved by any works, but by faith alone. But this shall be illustrated by comparisons. An apple-tree produces apples, but if a man does goods for the sake of salvation as that tree produces apples by what is continuous, then those apples are rotten within and full of worms. They also say that a vine brings forth grapes, but if a man were to produce spiritual goods as does a vine grapes, he would produce wild grapes.'
[8] But then they asked, 'What therefore is the nature of their goods of charity or works that are the fruits of faith?' He replied that they are unseen, inwardly in a man from the Holy Spirit, of which the man knows nothing. But they said, 'If the man knows nothing of them there must surely be some conjunction, otherwise how can they be called works of faith? Perhaps those goods that are imperceptible to the senses are insinuated into the man voluntary works by some mediating influx, as by some affection, aspiration, inspiration, incitement or excitement of the will? [Perhaps there is] a tacit perception in the thought, and thereby exhortation, contrition, and thus conscience and consequently compulsion, obedience to the Decalogue and the Word as a little child or as a wise man, or by another thing like those?' But he replied that it is not so, and if they say that it is effected by means of such things because by means of faith, still they crowd them with words in their sermons, with the result that it is not derived from faith. There are those who do deduce such things, but as signs of faith and not as its bonds with charity. Some, however, thought of conjunction by means of the Word, and then they said, 'Is there not a conjunction in such a manner that the man voluntarily acts in accordance with the Word?' But he replied, 'They think this is not so, but [that there is a conjunction] by means of hearing the Word only, thus not by the understanding of the Word, lest anything should manifestly enter by the understanding into a man's thought and will; for they claim that every voluntary thing of a man is merit-seeking, and that in spiritual things a man cannot commence, will, think, understand, believe, operate, or co-operate in, anything, any more than a stock; but yet it is another thing with the influx of the Holy Spirit by means of faith into the discourses of preachers, because these are acts of the mouth and not acts of the body, also because by means of faith a man acts with God, but with men by means of charity.'
[9] But when one [of them] heard that [the conjunction] was only by the hearing of the Word and not by the understanding of the Word, being indignant he said, 'Is it by means of the understanding of the Word by the Holy Spirit only, while the man in the congregation turns away or sits deaf as a post, or while he is sleeping, or is it the result only of an exhalation out of the volume of the Word? But what is more ludicrous?' After this, out of the flock at the right hand a certain man surpassing the rest in judgment asked to be heard, and in a speech said, 'I heard a certain person say, "I have planted a vineyard, now I shall drink wine until I get drunk." But another asked, "Are you going to drink the wine out of your goblet with your right hand?" And he said, "No! but out of an unseen cup by means of an unseen hand." And the other answered, "Then you certainly won't get drunk!"' Presently the same man [of the flock] said, 'Pray, hear me! I say unto you, Drink the wine derived from the Word understood. Do you not know that the Lord is the Word? Is not the Word derived out of the Lord? Is not He Himself thus in it? If therefore you do good out of the Word, do you not do it out of the Lord, out of His mouth and will, and if you then look to the Lord He will in fact lead you and will do it, and He will do this by means of you, and you will do it as if out of yourselves? Who that does anything by derivation from a king (ex Rege), from his mouth and will, is able to say, "I am doing this by myself (ex me), out of my own mouth or command, out of my own will?" Afterwards turning to the clergy he said, 'You ministers of God, Do not lead the flock astray.'
[10] On hearing these things the greater part of the flock on the left went back and joined the flock on the right. Even some of the clergy were saying, 'We have heard what we have not heard before. We are shepherds, we will not leave the sheep.' And they went back along with them, and they were saying, 'That man has spoken the true Word. Who that does anything out of the Word, thus out of the Lord, from His mouth and will, can say, "I am doing this out of myself"? Who that does anything by derivation from a king, from his mouth and will, can say, "I am doing this out of myself"? Now we see the Divine Providence, why a conjunction of faith and works that is acknowledged by the ecclesiastical body has not been found. It could not be found because [such a conjunction] cannot be given, for there is no faith in the Lord Who is the Word, and consequently neither is there a faith derived from the Word.' But the rest of the priests went away, waving their hats and crying out, 'Faith alone, faith alone, it will yet live!'
417. To the above I will add this Relation. I saw in the spiritual world two flocks, one of goats and the other of sheep; I wondered who they were, for I knew that animals, seen in the spiritual world, are not animals, but correspondences of the affections and thence of the thoughts of those who are there. Wherefore I approached nearer, and as I drew near, the likenesses of animals disappeared, and instead of them were seen men. And it was shown, that they who constituted the flock of goats, were those who had confirmed themselves in the doctrine of justification by faith alone; and they who constituted the flock of sheep, were those who believed that charity and faith are a one, as good and truth are a one.
[2] And then I spoke with those who had been seen as goats, and said, "Why are you thus assembled?" They consisted chiefly of clergy, who gloried in their fame for erudition, because they knew the arcana of justification by faith alone. They said that they were assembled to sit in council, because they had heard that what is said by Paul, (Romans 3:28), that "man is justified by faith without the works of the Law," was not rightly understood, because Paul by "the works of the Law" meant the works of the Mosaic law, which was for the Jews; which we also clearly see from his words to Peter; whom he rebuked for judaizing, when yet he knew that "no one is justified by the works of the Law" (Galatians 2:14-16); also, that he distinguishes between the law of faith and the law of works; and between Jews and Gentiles, or circumcision and uncircumcision, meaning by circumcision, Judaism, as everywhere else; and likewise from his summing up with these words:
Do we then abrogate the law through faith? Not so, but we establish the Law, (Romans 3:31).
He says all these things in one series, (Romans 3:27-31); and he also says in the preceding chapter:
For not the hearers of the Law are justified by God, but the doers of the Law shall be justified, (Romans 3:13).
God will render to every man according to his deeds, (Romans 2:6).
We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things done in the body, whether they be good or evil, (2 Corinthians 5:10).
Besides many other things from him; from which it is evident that Paul rejects faith without good works, equally with James 2:17-26.
[3] That the works of the Mosaic law, which were for the Jews, were meant by Paul, we are additionally confirmed in by this consideration, that all the statutes for the Jews in Moses are called "the Law," thus "the works of the Law," which we perceive from these passages:
This is the law of the meal-offering, (Leviticus 6:9).
This is the law of the sacrifice, (Leviticus 7:1).
This is the law of the sacrifice of the peace-offering, (Leviticus 7:7, 11 seq.).
This is the law of the burnt offering, of the meal-offering, of the sacrifice for sin and guilt, for the consecration, (Leviticus 7:37).
This is the law of the beast and of the bird, (Leviticus 11:46).
This is the law for her that bringeth forth a son or a daughter, (Leviticus 12:7).
This is the law of leprosy, (Leviticus 13:59; 14:2, 32, 54, 57).
This is the law of him that hath an issue, (Leviticus 15:32).
This is the law of jealousy, (Numbers 5:29-30).
This is the law of the Nazarite, (Numbers 6:13, 21).
This is the law of cleansing, (Numbers 19:14).
This is the law concerning the red heifer, (Numbers 19:2).
The law for the king, (Deuteronomy 17:15-19).
Yea, the whole book of Moses is called:
The book of the law, (Deuteronomy 31:9, 11-12, 26; also in the evangelists, Luke 2:22; 24:44; John 1:45; 7:22-23; 8:5; and other places).
To this they added also what they had seen in Paul, that the law of the Decalogue was to be lived, and that it is fulfilled by charity, which is love towards the neighbor, (Romans 13:8-11); thus not by faith alone. They said that this was the reason of their being convened.
[4] But that I might not disturb them, I retired; and then they again appeared, at a distance, like goats, and sometimes as lying down, and sometimes as standing; but they turned themselves away from the flock of sheep. They appeared as if they were lying down, when deliberating, and as standing up, when they came to a conclusion. But, keeping my eyes fixed upon their horns, I wondered on seeing that the horns on their foreheads sometimes appeared to extend forward and upward, then to be bent backward, and at last to be thrown back entirely. And then they all suddenly turned round to the flock of sheep, but still appeared as goats. Wherefore I drew near to them again, and inquired, What now? They replied, that they had come to this conclusion, that faith alone produces the goods of charity, which are called good works, as a tree produces fruit. But then thunder was heard, and lightning seen from above; and presently there appeared an angel standing between the two flocks, who cried to the flock of sheep, "Do not hearken to them; they have not receded from their former faith, which is, that God the Father hath compassion for the sake of the Son; which faith is not faith in the Lord; neither is faith a tree, but man is a tree; but do the work of repentance, and look to the Lord, and you will have faith; faith before that, is not a faith in which there is anything living." Then the goats, whose horns were directed backward, wished to approach the sheep; but the angel standing between them, divided the sheep into two flocks, and said to those on the left, "Join yourselves to the goats; but I say to you, that a wolf will come, which will snatch them away; and you with them."
[5] But after the two flocks of sheep had separated, and they on the left hand had heard the threatening words of the angel, they looked at one another, and said, "Let us confer with our former associates." And then the left-hand flock spoke to the right, saying, "Why have you receded from your pastors? Are not faith and charity a one, as a tree and its fruit are one? For the tree by its branch is continued into the fruit. Tear away anything from the branch which flows by continuity into the fruit, and will not the fruit perish? Ask our priests if it is not so." And then they asked, and the priests looked around to the rest, who winked with their eyelids to intimate that they had spoken well. And then they replied that it was so, that faith is preserved by the fruit; but they would not say faith is continued in the fruit.
[6] But then one of the priests, who was among the sheep on the right hand, rose up and said, "They have answered you that it is so, but they have told their companions that it is not so; for they think otherwise." Wherefore they inquired, "How, then, do they think? Do they not think as they teach?" He said, "No; they think that every good of charity, which is called a good work, done by man for the sake of salvation or eternal life, is not good but evil, by reason that man desires to save himself by his own works, by claiming to himself the justice and merit of the only Savior; and that it is so with every good work, in which man feels his own will. Therefore among themselves they call good works from man, not blessed, but cursed; and say that they merit hell rather than heaven."
[7] But the flock on the left hand said, "You speak falsehoods against them; do they not preach manifestly before us charity and its works, which they call the works of faith?" He replied, "You do not understand their preachings; only a clergyman, who is present, attends and understands. They think only of moral charity, and its civil and political goods, which they call the goods of faith, which yet are not at all so. For a man may be an atheist, and perform these works in the same manner, and under the same form. Wherefore they are unanimous in saying that no one is saved by any works, but by faith alone; but this shall be illustrated by comparisons. An apple tree produces apples; but if a man does what is good for the sake of salvation, as the tree produces apples by continuity, then those apples are rotten within, and full of worms. They say, also, that a vine produces grapes; but that if a man were to do spiritual goods as a vine grapes, he would produce wild grapes."
[8] But then they asked, "What is the nature of their goods of charity or works, which are the fruits of faith?" He replied, "They are inconspicuous, being inwardly in man from the Holy Spirit, concerning which man knows nothing." But they said, "If a man knows nothing concerning them, there must surely be some conjunction, or how could they be called works of faith? perhaps those insensible goods are then insinuated into the voluntary works of man by some mediating influx, as by some affection, aspiration, inspiration, incitation, and excitation of the will; by a tacit perception in thought and thence exhortation, contrition, and thus by conscience, and thence by impulse and obedience to the Decalogue and the Word, as an infant, or as a wise man, or by something else of a similar nature."
But he replied, "No; and if they say it is effected by such means because by faith, still they bury them with words in their discourses in such a manner that the result after all is, that they do not proceed from faith; some, however, do maintain such things, but as the signs of faith, but not as its bonds with charity. Some have nevertheless thought of a conjunction by the Word." And then they said, "Is there not thus conjunction, when man voluntarily acts according to the Word?" But he replied, "This is not what they think; they ascribe it solely to the hearing the Word, thus not to the understanding of the Word, lest anything should manifestly enter by the understanding into the thought and will of man; since they assert that everything voluntary in man is meritorious, and that in spiritual things, man cannot begin, will, think, understand, believe, operate, and cooperate anything, any more than a stock; but yet it is different with the influx of the Holy Spirit by faith into the speech of the preacher, because these are acts of the mouth, and not acts of the body; likewise because man acts by faith with God, but by charity with men."
[9] But when one of them heard that it was done merely by hearing the Word, and not by understanding the Word, being indignant, said, "Is this through the understanding of the Word, by the Holy Spirit alone, whilst man, throughout the church service, turns himself away, or sits deaf as a post, or while he is sleeping, or only from an exhalation from the volume of the Word? What is more ludicrous?" After this a certain man of the flock of the right hand, who excelled the rest in judgment, requested to be heard, and said, "I heard a certain person say, 'I have planted a vineyard, now will I drink wine even to intoxication. ' But another asked, 'Will you drink the wine out of your own cup by your own right hand?' And he said, 'No; but out of an inconspicuous cup from an inconspicuous hand. ' And the other replied, 'Of a certainty then you will not be intoxicated. '" Presently the same man said, "But hear me, I beseech you; I say unto you, drink wine from the Word understood. Do you not know that the Lord is the Word? Is not the Word from the Lord? Is he not therefore in it? If then you do good from the Word, do you not do it from the Lord, from his mouth and will? And if you at the same time look to the Lord, he will also lead you, and will cause you to do it, and this he will do through you, and you as from yourselves. Who can say, when doing anything from a king, from his mouth and will, 'I do this from myself, from my own mouth or command, and from my own will?' After this he turned to the clergy, and said, "Ye ministers of God, seduce not the flock."
[10] On hearing these things, the greater part of the flock on the left hand receded, and joined themselves with the flock on the right; some of the clergy also then said, "We have heard what we have not heard before; we are shepherds; we will not leave the sheep." And they receded along with them, and said, "That man spoke a true word. Who can say, when he does anything from the Word, thus from the Lord, from His mouth and will, I do this from myself? Who that does anything from the mouth and will of a king, says, 'I do this from myself'"? Now we see Divine providence, why a conjunction of faith and works has not been discovered, which has been acknowledged by the ecclesiastical body. It could not be found, because no such conjunction can be given, for theirs is not a faith in the Lord, who is the Word, and therefore neither is it a faith from the Word. But the other priests went away, flourishing their caps, and crying out, "Faith alone! faith alone, it will live still."
417. His adjiciam hoc MEMORABILE :-
Visi sunt in mundo spirituali bini greges, unus erat ex Hircis et alter ex Ovibus.
Miratus sum quinam essent, quippe novi quod animalia Visa in mundo spirituali non sint animalia, sed quod sint correspondentiae affectionum et inde cogitationum ex illis qui ibi sunt; quare accessi propius, et sicut accessi, disparatae sunt similitudines animalium, et loco illorum visi sunt homines: et manifestatum est, quod qui faciebant gregem Hircorum essent qui se confirmaverunt in doctrina justificationis per solam fidem, et qui faciebant gregem Ovium essent qui crediderunt quod charitas et fides unum sint, sicut bonum et verum unum sunt.
Et tunc locutus sum cum illis qui visi sunt sicut Hirci, et dixi, "Cur ita congregati estis." Erant plerique ex Clero, qui gloriati sunt ex fama eruditionis, quia noverunt arcana justificationis per solam fidem.
Dixerunt, quod congregati sint ut sedeant concilium, quia audiverunt quod Dictum Pauli, (Romanos 3:28) quod "Homo fide justificetur sine operibus legis,"
non rite intellectum sit, quoniam Paulus per "Opera Legis" intellexit Opera Legis Mosaicae quae pro Judaeis: "Quod etiam vidimus clare ex ejus verbis ad Petrum,
Quem increpavit quod judaizaret, cum tamen sciret, quod 'nemo per Opera legis justificetur' (Galatas 2:14-16); 1
tum quod distinguat inter Legem fidei et Legem operum. ac inter Judaeos et Gentes, seu Circumcisionem et Praeputium (et per 'Circumcisionem' intelligit Judaismum, ut ubivis alibi); et quoque quod claudat illa per haec verba,
'Ergone Legem abrogamus per fidem: absit, sed legem stabilimus:'
haec omnia in una serie dicit, (Romanos 3:27-31); et quoque dicit in capite quod praecedit,
'Non auditores Legis justificabuntur a Deo, sed factores Legis justificabuntur' (Romanos 2:13);
tum, quod Deus 'reddet unicuique secundum Opera ejus,' (Romanos 2:6);
et adhuc.
Omnes nos manifestari oportet coram tribunali Christi, ut reportet quilibet ea quae per corpus fecit, sive bonum sive malum' (2 Corinthios 5:10);
praeter plura apud illum; ex quibus patuit, quod Paulus rejecerit fidem absque bonis operibus, aeque ac Jacobus, (2:17-26). Quod a Paulo intellecta sint Opera Legis Mosaicae, quae pro Judaeis, insuper confirmati sumus ex eo, quod omnia statuta pro Judaeis apud Mosen dicantur 'Lex,' ita 'Opera Legis,' quod vidimus ex his:
'Haec Lex minchae,' (Leviticus 6:7 seq. (B.A. 14 seq.));
'Haec Lex sacrificii,' (Leviticus 7:1);
'Haec Lex sacrificii pacificorum,' (Leviticus 7:7, 11 seq.);
'Haec Lex pro holocausto, pro mincha, pro sacrificio peccati et reatus, pro impletionibus,' (Leviticus 7:37); 2
'Haec Lex bestiae et avis,' (Leviticus 11:46 seq.);
'Haec Lex parientis pro filio aut filia,' (Leviticus 12:7); Haec Lex leprae' (Leviticus 13:59; 14:2, 32, 54, 57);
'Haec Lex fluxu affecti,' (Leviticus 15:32); 3
'Haec Lex zelotypiae,' (Numeri 5:29-30);
'Haec Lex Naziraei,' (Numeri 6:13, 21);
'Haec Lex mundationis,' (Numeri 19:14);
'Haec Lex de vacca rufa,' (Numeri 19:2);
Lex pro Rege, (Deuteronomius 17:15-19);
imo totus Liber Mosis vocatur 'Liber Legis,' (Deuteronomius 31:9, 11-12, 26);
tum etiam apud Evangelistas, (Luca 2:22; 24; Johannes 1:46 (B.A. 45); 7:22-23; 8:5; et alibi).
His quoque addiderunt, quod viderint apud Paulum, quod Lex Decalogi vivenda sit, et quod impleatur a charitate, quae est amor erga proximum, (Romanos 13:8-11), ita non a sola fide. Dixerunt, quod propter haec convocati fuerint.
Sed ne turbarem illos recessi; et tunc iterum e longinquo visi sunt sicut Hirci, et quandoque sicut cubantes, et quandoque sicut stantes; sed avertebant se a grege Ovium. Sicut cubantes apparebant cum deliberabant, et sicut stantes cum concludebant. At visum meum tenui in cornibus illorum; et miratus sum, quod cornua in frontibus illorum nunc apparerent sicut porrecta antrorsum et sursum, nunc incurvata retrorsum versus tergum, et tandem prorsus reflexa; et tunc subito convertebant se omnes ad gregem Ovium, sed usque apparebant ut Hirci. Quare iterum accessi, et interrogavi "Quid nunc."
Dixerunt quod concluserint quod "Sola fides producat bona charitatis, quae vocantur bona opera, sicut arbor producit fructus."
At tunc auditum est tonitru et visum est fulgur desuper, et mox apparuit Angelus, stans inter binos illos greges, qui clamavit ad gregem Ovium, "Ne auscultate; non recesserunt a fide sua priore, quae est, quod Deus Pater misereatur propter Filium, quae fides non est fides in Dominum; nec fides est arbor, sed homo est arbor; at paenitentiam agite, et spectate ad Dominum, et habebitis fidem; fides ante illud non est fides in qua aliquod vivum est."
Voluerunt tunc Hirci reflexe cornuti accedere ad Oves, sed Angelus stans inter illos dividebat Oves in binos greges, et dixit illis a sinistris, "Adjungite vos Hircis; sed dico vobis, quod venturus sit Lupus, qui rapiet illos, et vos cum illis."
Sed postquam separati sunt bini greges Ovium; et illi a sinistris audiverunt minacia verba Angeli, inspexerunt se mutuo, et dixerunt, "Colloquamur cum pristinis consociis nostris." Et tunc sinister grex loquebatur ad dextrum, dicens, "Cur recessistis a Pastoribus vestris; annon fides et charitas unum sunt, sicut arbor et fructus unum sunt; arbor enim per ramum continuatur in fructum; divellite aliquid e ramo quod influit per continuum in fructum, annon periturus est fructus; - quaerite nostros Sacerdotes annon ita sit."
Et tunc quaesiverunt, et Sacerdotes circumspexerunt ad reliquos, qui nictabant palpebris ut dicerent, quod bene loquantur et posthac responderunt, quod ita sit, "Conservatur fides per fructus;" sed non voluerunt dicere, Continuatur fides in fructus.
At tunc unus ex Sacerdotibus, qui fuit inter Oves a dextris, surrexit et dixit, "Responderunt ad vos, quod ita sit, sed usque ad suos quod non ita sit, aliter enim cogitant."
Quare quaesiverunt, "Quomodo tunc cogitant; cogitantne sicut docent."
Dixit ille, "Non; cogitant quod omne bonum charitatis, quod vocatur bonum opus, quod fit ab homine propter salutem aut vitam aeternam, non sit bonum sed malum, ex causa quia homo per opus a se vult semetipsum salvare, vindicando sibi justitiam et meritum unius Salvatoris; et quod ita sit cum omni bono opere, in quo homo sentit suam voluntatem: quare apud se vocant bona opera ab homine non benedicta sed maledicta, et quod mereantur Infernum potius quam Caelum."
Sed dixerunt e grege sinistro, "Loqueris mendacia contra illos; praedicantne charitatem et ejus opera, quae vocant opera fidei, coram nobis manifeste."
Et ille respondit, "Non intelligitis praedicationes illorum; solum Clericus, qui adest, attendit et intelligit; cogitant modo charitatem moralem, et bona ejus civilia et politica, quae vocant fidei, et prorsus non sunt; homo enim atheus potest illa similiter et sub eadem forma facere; quare unanimiter dicunt, quod nemo per aliqua opera salvetur, sed per solam fidem; verum illustretur hoc per comparationes: quod arbor pomifera producat poma, sed si homo facit bona propter salutem, sicut arbor illa poma per continuum, tunc poma illa intus putida sunt, et plena vermibus: dicunt etiam quod vitis producat uvas; sed si homo facturus esset bona spiritualia sicut vitis uvas, faceret labruscas."
At tunc quaesiverunt, "Qualia ergo illis sunt bona charitatis seu opera, quae sunt fructus fidei."
Respondit quod "Sint inconspicua, intus in homine a Spiritu Sancto, de quo homo nihil scit."
Sed dixerunt, "Si homo nihil scit de illis, omnino erit aliqua conjunctio: alioquin quomodo possunt vocari opera fidei; forte tunc bona illa insensibilia insinuantur in opera voluntaria hominis per aliquem influxum mediantem, ut per aliquam affectionem, aspirationem, inspirationem, incitationem et excitationem voluntatis, tacitam perceptionem in cogitatione, et inde exhortationem, contritionem, et sic conscientiam et inde adactionem, obedientiam Decalogi et Verbi sicut infans aut sicut sapiens, aut per aliud quoddam illis simile."
At respondit, quod "Non; et si dicunt quod per talia fiat quia per fidem, usque confarciunt illa in sermonibus cum vocibus, ex quibus resultat quod non ex fide; quidam usque tradunt talia, sed ut Signa fidei non autem ut Vincula ejus cum charitate. Aliqui tamen excogitaverunt conjunctionem per Verbum."
Et tunc dixerunt, "Annon sic conjunctio, quod homo voluntarie faciat secundum Verbum."
Sed respondit, "Non hoc cogitant; sed per solum auditum Verbi, ita non per intellectum Verbi, ne per intellectum intret aliquid manifeste in cogitationem et voluntatem hominis; asserunt enim quod omne voluntarium hominis sit meritorium, et quod homo in spiritualibus non possit aliquid inchoare, velle, cogitare, intelligere, credere, operari et cooperari, plus quam stipes: sed usque aliud est cum influxu Spiritus Sancti per fidem in loquelas praedicatorum quia hae sunt actus oris, et non actus corporis, tum quia per fidem agit homo cum Deo, sed per charitatem cum hominibus."
Sed unus, cum audivit quod per solum auditum Verbi et non per intellectum Verbi, indignatus dixit, "Num sic per intellectum verbi a solo Spiritu Sancto, dum homo in concione avertit se aut sedet surdus sicut stipes, aut cum dormit, aut ex solo halitu ex volumine Verbi; sed quid ludicrius."
Post haec vir quidam e dextro grege praepollens reliquis judicio, petiit ut audiretur. Et loquens dixit, "Audivi quemdam dicentem, 'Plantavi vineam, nunc bibam vinum usque ad ebrietatem;' sed quaesivit alter, 'Num bibiturus es vinum ex tuo scypho per tuam dextram;' et dixit, 'Non, sed ex scypho inconspicuo, per manum inconspicuam;' et respondit alter, 'Certe tunc non inebriaberis.'" Mox idem vir dixit, "Sed me audite, quaeso: ego dico vobis, bibite vinum ex Verbo intellecto; nostisne quod Dominus sit Verbum; estne Verbum ex Domino; estne sic Ipse in illo; si ergo facitis bonum ex Verbo, facitisne id est Domino, ex Ipsius ore et Voluntate; et si tunc spectatis ad Dominum, etiam Ipse ducet vos et faciet, et hoc faciet per vos, et vos sicut ex vobis: quis potest dicere, qui facit aliquid ex Rege, illius ore et voluntate, 'Hoc facio ex me, ex meo ore seu mandato, ex mea voluntate.'" Post haec convertit se ad Clerum, et dixit, "Ministri Dei, ne seducite gregem."
His auditis maxima pars gregis sinistri recessit, et gregi dextro se associavit.
Aliqui etiam tunc e Clero dicebant, "Audivimus quod non prius; sumus Pastores, non relinquemus Oves:" et recesserunt una cum illis, et dicebant, "Ille vir locutus est verbum verum; quis dicere potest qui facit ex Verbo, ita ex Domino, Ipsius Ore et Voluntate, 'Hoc facio ex me;' quis dicit qui facit ex Rege, illius ore et voluntate, 'Hoc facio ex me;' nos videmus nunc Divinam Providentiam, cur non inventa fuit fidei et operum conjunctio, quae ab Ecclesiastica Societate agnita est; non potest inveniri, quia non potest dari, non enim est fides in Dominum Qui est Verbum, et inde nec est fides e Verbo."
Sed reliqui Sacerdotes abibant, et vibrabant pileos suos, et clamabant, "Sola fides, Sola fides vivet usque."
Footnotes:
1. 14-16 pro "14, 15"
2. 37 pro "38"
3. 32 pro "31"