449、启9:17.“因此我在异象中看见那些马和骑马的”表示那时发现，他们心智的内层关于唯信的推理都是想象和幻想的，他们自己因它们而疯狂。“看见”表示发现他们的品质；“马”表示他们心智内层关于唯信的推理，在此表示想象和幻想的推理，因为经上说，约翰“在异象中”看见他们。“那些骑马的”表示那些因对圣言的理解而聪明的人，但在此表示那些因与圣言相反的想象和幻想而疯狂的人。
由于他们心智的内层以这些形式出现，而这些形式表示关于唯信的想象和幻想的推理，所以我将他们的一些话公之于众，这些话是我从他们自己的口中听来的；这些话如下：“在人严重堕落之后，唯信不就成了得救的唯一方法了吗？没有这个方法，我们怎能出现在神面前？它不是唯一的方法吗？我们不是生在罪中吗？我们的本性不是因亚当的过犯而完全败坏了吗？除了唯信外，还有其它医治的方法吗？我们的作为能对此有何贡献呢？谁能凭自己做任何善行？谁能洁净、赦免自己，使自己称义并得救呢？功德或寻求功德和自我公义不就潜藏在人凭自己所做的一切作为中吗？也许我们应该做善事，但我们能做一切并成全律法吗？此外，人若冒犯了一条诫命，就冒犯了全部，因为它们是连在一起的。主为何降世，在十字架上忍受如此的痛苦呢？不就是为了从我们身上除去律法的定罪和诅咒，与父神和解，唯独成为功德和公义吗？这功德和公义可以通过信被归给人。要不然，祂的降临有什么好处，或谁会从祂的降临中受益呢？因此，既然基督为我们受苦，为我们成全了律法，又除去了律法定罪的权利，那么邪恶还能再定罪吗？或良善还能拯救我们吗？因此，我们有信的人处于完全的自由，也就是说，可以完全自由地思考，意愿，说话，并随心所欲地做任何事，只要不损害我们的名声、荣誉和利益，不招来民法的惩罚，因为这对我们来说，是一种耻辱和伤害。”再往北游荡的一些人说，为得救所做的善行是有害的、致命的和受诅咒的；在这些人当中还有一些教会长老。
这些话是我所听见的；但他们喋喋不休，喃喃自语的话更多，只是我没有听见。此外，他们说起话来毫无羞耻，肆无忌惮，言行都很淫荡，他们不为任何恶行而害怕或担心，除非出于伪装，或为了显得诚实、体面。这就是那些使唯信成为宗教的全部之人的心智内层，因而其身体的外层。然而，如果一个人直接靠近主自己，就是救主，相信祂，也行善，这两者都是为了得救，并且这个人貌似凭自己如此行，但仍相信这是靠着主，或说相信这是主做的，那么他们所说的这一切话都会崩塌、落空。除非人貌似做这些事，否则信根本不能被赐下，仁也不能被赐下；因此没有宗教，从而没有拯救。
449. And thus I saw the horses in the vision and those who sat on them. (9:17) This symbolizes the discovery then that the reasonings of the interiors of their minds concerning faith alone were fanciful and illusory, and that they themselves were insane because of them.
To see means, symbolically, to perceive their character. The horses symbolize the reasonings of the interiors of their minds concerning faith alone - here their fanciful and illusory reasonings, because we are told that John saw them in vision. People sitting on horses symbolize people who are intelligent owing to their understanding of the Word - here people who are insane because of their fanciful and illusory reasonings contrary to the Word.
[2] Because the interiors of these people's minds appeared in such guises, guises which symbolize fanciful and illusory reasonings concerning faith alone, we should disclose some of them that I took from their own mouths. As for example:
"After the so grievous fall of man, was faith alone not made the one means of salvation? How can we appear before God apart from that means? Is it not the only means? Are we not born in sin? Is our nature not utterly corrupted by Adam's transgression? Is there any other means of healing than faith alone? What shall our works contribute to this? Who can do any good work of himself? Who can purify himself, absolve himself, or justify and save himself? Do not merit-seeking and self-righteousness lie concealed in every little work that a person does of himself? And if perchance we were to do something that is good, could we do it all and fulfill the law? Furthermore, if one sins again one precept, one sins against them all, because they are bound up together.
"Why did the Lord come into the world and so grievously suffer the cross except to take away from us the condemnation and curse of the law, to propitiate God the Father, to become Himself alone merit and righteousness, which are imputed to a person through faith? Otherwise what good or for what good purpose was His advent?
"So, then, since Christ suffered for us and fulfilled the law for us, and took away its power to condemn, can evil in that case any longer condemn us? Or goodness save us? Consequently we who have faith are at complete liberty to think, will, speak and do whatever we please, provided we do not suffer any loss of reputation, esteem, or material gain, or incur the penalties of civil law, which would bring infamy and disgrace."
Some of these people who wandered about further north said that good works done for the sake of salvation are hurtful, destructive, and cursed. Among them were also some church elders.
[3] This much I heard; but they kept prattling on and muttering about more, which I did not hear.
They spoke, moreover, shamelessly, without constraint, and behaved wantonly in both word and deed, free of any fear over any wickedness except to keep up pretenses in order to appear respectable.
Such are the interior workings of the minds, and so the outer actions of the bodies, of people who make the whole of religion faith alone.
All of this that they told me collapses, however, if one turns to the Lord directly as Savior, believing in Him and doing good, both of these for the sake of salvation, and this by the person as if of himself, yet believing that it is the Lord's doing. Unless a person does this as if of himself, no faith is possible, and no charity, and thus no religion and so no salvation.
449. [verse 17] 'And thus I saw the horses in a vision and those sitting upon them' signifies the discovery then that the reasonings of the interiors of their mind concerning faith alone were imaginary and visionary, and that they themselves were insane because of them. By 'to see' is signified to discover the quality thereof; by 'the horses' are signified the reasonings of the interiors of their mind concerning faith alone, here such as are imaginary and visionary, because it is said that he saw them 'in a vision'; by 'those sitting upon' the horses are signified those who are intelligent by reason of the Word's being understood, here those who are insane by reason of imaginary and visionary things that are opposed to the Word.
[2] Because the interiors of their mind appear under such forms, by which the imaginary and visionary things concerning faith alone are signified, some things concerning them are to be made public, which I have taken from their mouth; as these: 'Was not faith alone, after the grievous fall of man, made the sole means of safety? How can we appear before God without that means? Is it not the only means? Are we not born in sins, and is not our nature entirely corrupted by Adam's transgression? Is there any other means of healing but faith alone? What can our works do for this? Who can do any good work from himself? Who is able to purify, acquit, justify and save himself? Does not merit and self-righteousness lurk in every least work that a man does from himself? And if, perchance, we should do anything that was good, could we do all, and fulfil the law? Besides, if one sins against one [commandment] one sins against all, because they cohere. Why did the Lord come into the world and endure the grievous cross, except to take away the condemnation and curse of the law from us, to propitiate God the Father, to become merit and righteousness alone, which might be imputed to man by means of faith? Otherwise what is the good of, or who benefits from, His coming? Since therefore Christ has suffered for us, and has fulfilled for us the law, and has withstood its right of condemnation, can evil then any longer condemn us, and can good save us? Therefore, we who have faith are in the full freedom of thinking, willing, speaking and doing whatever we please, so long as we make no sacrifice of reputation, honour and gain, and do not invoke the penalties of the civil law to our disgrace and harm.'
Some who were wandering further to the north were saying that the good works that are done for the sake of salvation are hurtful, pernicious and accursed; among these there were also some presbyters.
[3] These are the things that I heard; but they mumbled and muttered more that I did not hear. Moreover they were speaking shamelessly with all license, and were lascivious in word and deed, without anxiety on account of any villainy except out of pretence for the sake of appearing respectable. Such are the interiors of the mind, and consequently the exteriors of the body, of those who make faith alone everything of religion. But all those things that were said by them fall to the ground if the Lord the Saviour Himself is immediately approached and believed in, and good is done, both of these for the sake of salvation, and by a man as if from himself, yet with the faith that it is from the Lord. Unless these things are done as if by the man, neither any faith nor any charity is given, and so there is no religion, and thus no salvation.
449. Verse 17. And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat upon them, signifies that then it was discovered that the reasonings of the interiors of their minds concerning faith alone were imaginary and visionary, and that they themselves were insane from them. "To see" signifies to discover their quality; by "horses" are signified the reasonings of the interiors of their minds concerning faith alone; in the present case, imaginary and visionary reasonings, because it is said, that he saw them "in vision." By "those sitting upon horses" are signified such as are intelligent from the Word understood, but here, such as are insane from imaginary and visionary things which are contrary to the Word.
[2] Because the interiors of their minds appeared under such forms as signify imaginary and visionary reasonings concerning faith alone, a few of them, which I have heard from their own mouths, shall be made public; as these: "Was not faith alone, after the grievous fall of man, made the only means of salvation? How can we appear before God without that means? Is it not the only means? Are we not born in sins, and is not our nature entirely corrupted by the transgression of Adam? Can there be any other means of healing but faith alone? What can our works contribute towards this? Who can do any good work from himself; who can purify, forgive, justify, and save himself? Does not merit and self-righteousness lurk in every work that man does from himself? And if, perchance, we should do anything that was good, could we do all, and fulfil the law? Besides, if anyone sins against one commandment, he sins against all, because they cohere. Why did the Lord come into the world, and suffer so grievously on the cross, but to take away from us damnation and the curse of the law, to reconcile God the Father, and become merit and righteousness alone, which might be imputed to man through faith? Otherwise, what good could be answered by His coming? Since, then, Christ suffered for us, and fulfilled the law for us, and took away its right of condemnation, can evil then any longer condemn, and can good save us? Therefore we who have faith, are in the full liberty of thinking, willing, speaking, and doing whatever we please, provided we do no injury to our reputation, honor, and interest, nor incur the penalties of the civil law, which would be a disgrace and hurt to us."
Some, who wander further north, said, "That good works, which are done for the sake of salvation, are hurtful, pernicious and cursed; among these, also, there were some presbyters.
[3] These things are what I heard, but they mumbled and muttered many more, which I did not hear. They spoke, also, shamelessly with all license, and were lascivious, both in words and deeds, without fear for any wicked deed, except out of pretense, for the sake of appearing honest. Such are the interiors of the mind, and thence the exteriors of the body of those who make faith alone the all of religion. But all those things, which were uttered by them, fall to the ground, if the Lord Himself, the Savior, is immediately approached, and believed in, and good is done, each for the sake of salvation, and by man as from himself, with a belief, however, that it is from the Lord. Unless these things are done as by man, neither faith nor charity can be given at all; nor, consequently, can religion nor salvation.
449. (Vers. 17.) "Et ita vidi equos in visione et sedentes super illis," significat tunc detectum quod ratiocinia interiorum mentis illorum de sola fide essent imaginaria et visionaria, ac ipsi insanientes ex illis. - Per "videre" significatur detegere quale eorum; per "equos" significantur ratiocinia interiorum mentis eorum de sola fide, hic illa imaginaria et visionaria, quia dicitur quod viderit illos "in visione;" per "sedentes super equis" significantur intelligentes ex Verbo intellecto, hic insanientes ex imaginariis et visionariis quae sunt contra Verbum.
Quia interiora mentis illorum sub talibus formis apparuerunt, per quae significantur imaginaria et visionaria de sola fide, propalanda de his sunt aliqua, quae ex ore illorum accepi; ut haec: - "Annon sola fides post lapsum hominis tam gravem facta est unicum medium salutis; quomodo possumus apparere coram Deo absque illo medio; annon id medium est solum; sumusne nati in peccatis, estne natura nostra a praevaricatione Adami prorsus corrupta, num aliud medium sanationis est quam sola fides; quid facient opera nostra ad haec; quis potest facere aliquod bonum opus a se; quis semet potest purificare, absolvere, justificare et salvare; annon latet in unoquovis opusculo, quod homo facit a se, meritum et propria justitia; et si forte faceremus aliquid quod foret bonum, num facere possemus omnia, ac implere legem; et amplius, si quis peccat contra unum, peccat contra omnia, quia cohaerent: cur Dominus in mundum venit, et passus est tam gravem crucem, nisi ut nobis auferret damnationem et maledictionem Legis, propitiaret Deum Patrem, fieret meritum et justitia solus, quae homini imputarentur per fidem; quid boni aut cui bono alioquin Adventus Ipsius: cum itaque Christus pro nobis passus est, et pro nobis implevit Legem, et sustulit jus damnationis ejus, num tunc amplius malum potest nos damnare, et num bonum potest nos salvare; quare nos qui fidem habemus, sumus in plena libertate cogitandi, volendi, loquendi et faciendi quicquid lubet, modo non jacturam famae, honoris et lucri faciamus, et poenas legis civilis nobis irrogemus, ex quo infamia et damnum.
Quidam, qui remotius in septentrione vagabantur, dicebant quod "Bona opera, quae fiunt salutis gratis damnosa, perniciosa et maledicta sint;" inter hos erant etiam aliqui presbyteri.
Haec sunt quae audivi, sed blaterabant et mussitabant plura, quae non audivi. Praeterea loquebantur in omni licentia proterve, ac lasciviebant et verbis et falsis, absque timore pro ullo facinore, nisi ex simulatione propter apparentiam honesti. Talia sunt interiora mentis, et inde exteriora corporis eorum qui omne religionis faciunt solam iidem. Sed illa omnia quae ab illis dicta sunt cadunt, si Ipse Dominus Salvator immediate aditur, ac in Ipsum creditur, et bonum agitur, utrumque propter salutem, et ab homine sicut ab illo, cum fide tamen quod a Domino; quae nisi fiunt sicut ab homine, non datur aliqua fides, nec aliqua charitas, ac ita non religio, et sic non salvatio.