675、对此，我补充以下难忘的事：
我看见主通过天堂把一张纸送到了一个英国人的社群，尽管这个社群是他们最小的社群之一，其中还有两位主教。这张纸上有一个劝诫，即：要承认主是天地之神，如祂所教导的(马太福音28:18)；要远离没有律法作为的信仰称义的教义，因为该教义是错的。许多人阅读并抄录了这张纸；他们出于内在判断理性思考和谈论了纸上的内容，并被主光照；这光照在光中被接受，对英国人比对其他人来说更是与生俱来的。然而，他们接受了这些观念后，却彼此说：“让我们问问主教吧。”于是，他们问了主教，但主教驳斥了这些观念，并表示反对。然而，那里的主教属于那些在世上因对统治教会圣物的爱，以及对通过它们甚至在政治事务中的显赫卓越的爱而在信与仁的属灵事物上变得心硬的人。因此，经过短暂的协商，他们把这张纸送回到它所来自的天堂。当主教们做了这事时，大多数平信徒在一阵窃窃私语之后，就放弃了他们先前的同意或接受；然后，他们先前在属灵事物上闪亮的光芒突然熄灭了；后来，他们再次被劝诫，但徒劳无功。我看到这个社群沉下去，但没有看到有多深，它就这样从那些只敬拜主，憎恶唯信的天使的视线中消失了。
但几天后，我看到他们当中多达一百人从这个小社群所沉入的低地升上来；他们走到我跟前，其中一位智者说：“请听听这奇事：当我们沉下去时，起初这个地方在我们看来，就像一个湖，但很快又像干地，后来像一座小城，我们每个人都在其中有自己的房子，尽管是一座简陋的房子。第二天，我们彼此商议该怎么办。许多人说，我们必须去找那两位主教，温和地与他们辩明：这种事之所以临到我们身上，就是因为把那张纸送回到它所来自的天堂。他们便选出一些人去找主教”，与我说话的这位智者说，他就是其中之一。“然后，我们当中的一位颇有智慧的人对主教说了下面一番话：‘你们这些教父们，听我们说。我们以为，比起其他人，我们当中更有一个值得被称为基督教界最重要的教会，一个被称为最伟大的宗教。但我们从天上得到光照，在这光照获得感知，意识到今天的基督教界不再有任何教会，也不再有任何宗教。’
“主教们说：‘你在说什么？教会不就存在于能找到圣言、认识基督救主、举行圣礼的地方吗？’对此，我们的发言人回答说：‘这些东西是教会，它们构成教会，但它们不是在人之外，而是在人之内构成教会。’他接着说：‘至于教会：在拜三位神的地方，教会能存在吗？在教会的整个教义都建立在被错误理解的保罗的一句话上，因而不是建立在圣言上的地方，教会能存在吗？在不靠近世界的救主，反而将祂一分为二的地方，教会能存在吗？至于宗教：谁能否认宗教就是避恶行善呢？有哪种宗教教导人们说，拯救人的，唯有信仰，而不是仁爱？有哪种宗教教导人们说，从人发出的仁爱只不过是道德文明的仁爱？谁看不出这种仁爱里面没有任何宗教？唯信里面有任何行为或作为吗？然而，宗教就在于实行。全世界有哪个民族会有一个将一切拯救的美德或得救的一切都排除在仁之良善，也就是善行之外的宗教呢？而事实上，宗教的一切都包含在良善中，教会的一切都包含在教义中，这教义必须教导真理，并通过真理教导良善。看，教父们，如果一个现在不存在的教会和一种现在不存在的宗教在我们当中开始并兴起，那么我们会有什么样的荣耀。’
“然后，主教们回答说：‘你说话太傲慢了。行为中的信仰，就是完全称义和得救的信仰，难道不是教会吗？状态中的信仰，就是发出并完善的信仰，难道不是宗教吗？要明白这一点，我的孩子们。’但这位智慧的英国人说：‘你们这些教父，听着。一个人不是像一根木头一样想象或产生行为中的信仰吗？按照你们的观点，教会难道存在于那时被赋予生命的木头中吗？状态中的信仰不就是行为中的信仰的延续和发展吗？既然按照你们的观点，得救的一切都在信仰中，丝毫不在来自人的仁之良善中，那么宗教在哪里呢？’对此，主教们说：‘朋友，你这样说，是因为你不了解唯信称义的奥秘；不了解它们的人，就不会从里面知道得救的道路。你的道路是一条外在、未经训练的平民道路。你若愿意，就走这条路；只要知道，一切良善都来自神，丝毫不来自人；因此，在属灵事物上，人凭自己根本不能做什么。那么，人怎能凭自己实行系属灵良善的良善呢？’
“听到这些话，与他们对话的这个英国人愤慨地说：‘我比你们自己还清楚你们称义的奥秘；我坦白地告诉你们，我在你们的这些内在秘密里面只看到幽灵。宗教不就是承认并热爱神、避开并恨恶魔鬼吗？难道神不是良善本身，魔鬼不是邪恶本身吗？全世界但凡有某种宗教的人，谁不知道这一点？行善不就是承认并热爱神，因为良善属于神、来自神吗？不作恶不就是避开并恨恶魔鬼，因为邪恶属于魔鬼、来自魔鬼吗？行为中的信仰，就是你们称之为完全称义并得救的信仰，或也可说，你们唯信称义的行为，教导要实行属于神并来自神的任何良善了吗？教导要避开属于魔鬼并来自魔鬼的任何邪恶了吗？根本没有！因为你们已经规定，这两者都没有救赎。你们状态中的信仰，就是你们称之发出并完善的信仰，是什么呢？和行为中的信仰不是一样的吗？当你们将人貌似凭自己所行的一切良善都排除在外时，这信仰怎能被完善？你们说：‘既然救恩是出于恩典，那么一个人怎能凭来自他自己的任何良善得救呢？’还说：‘除了邀功或追求功德的良善外，还有什么良善是来自人的呢？然而，基督的功德就是一切；因此，为了救赎而行善会将唯独属于基督的东西归给人自己，因而这将是试图使自己称义，并拯救自己。’又说：‘既然圣灵运作一切事，无需来自人的任何帮助，那么人怎能运作良善呢？既然来自人的一切良善，本身都不是良善，那么还需要什么来自人的任何辅助或额外的良善呢？’等等。
“这些不就是你们的奥秘吗？但在我眼里，这些东西纯粹是精心设计的诡辩和狡猾的诡计，目的是除去善行，也就是仁之良善，以确立你们的唯信。你们因这样做，所以就在这些事物上，总体上在属于教会和宗教的一切属灵事物上，把人看作一根木头，或一个无生命的雕像，而不是看作照神的形像所创造的人，完全貌似凭自己理解和意愿、相信和热爱、说话和行动的官能已经被赋予他，并不断被赋予他，尤其在属灵事物上，因为人正是凭它们而为人。如果一个人在属灵事物上不貌似凭自己思考和运作，那么信仰是什么呢？仁爱是什么呢？敬拜又是什么呢？事实上，教会和宗教是什么呢？你们知道，仁爱就是出于爱向邻舍行善。然而，你们却不知道仁爱是什么；而事实上，仁爱是信仰的灵魂、生命和本质。由于仁爱是这一切，所以当仁爱被除去时，信仰岂不是死的信仰？死的信仰无非是幽灵。我称其为幽灵，是因为使徒雅各称没有善行的信仰不仅是死的，而且是鬼魔的信仰。’
“这两个主教中的一个，当听到他的信仰被称为死的，是鬼魔的信仰和幽灵时，勃然大怒，以至于扯下头上的主教冠，扔在桌子上说：‘我不再拿起这主教冠，直到我向我们教会信仰的仇敌报了仇。’他摇摇头，喃喃自语说：‘那个雅各！那个雅各！’他的主教冠上有一个牌子，牌子上刻着‘唯信’。突然，有一个怪兽从地里升上来，它有七个头，脚像熊脚，口像狮子的口，与启示录(13:1, 2)所描述的那兽一模一样；这兽的像被制造和崇拜(启示录13:14, 15)。这个幽灵从桌子上取下那顶主教冠，往下拉长了，把它戴在他的七头上；然后他脚下的地就裂开了，他沉入地狱。看到这一幕，那主教大声喊道：‘暴行，暴行！’于是，我们就离开他们；看哪，我们眼前出现了台阶，我们拾级而上，回到地面上，看见天堂，就是我们原先所在的地方。”这些事是智慧的英国人告诉我的。
675. To this I will append the following account:
I saw a piece of paper sent down by the Lord through heaven into a society of Englishmen - though that society was one of their smallest - in which there were also two bishops. The piece of paper contained an exhortation to acknowledge the Lord as God of heaven and earth, as He Himself taught (Matthew 28:18 1), and to turn away from a doctrine of faith that justifies apart from works of the law, because the doctrine is wrong.
Many of the people read the piece of paper and made copies of it, and they thought and spoke rationally about what it contained from an interior power to judge, so that they were enlightened by the Lord and received that enlightenment with a clarity of sight more innate in the English than in others.
After their acceptance of these ideas, however, they said to each other, "Let us ask the bishops."
And they asked the bishops, but the bishops contradicted the ideas and disapproved them. However, the bishops there were some of those who in the world had become callous with respect to the spiritual aspects of faith and charity, owing to a love of dominion over the sanctities of the church and a love of their eminence in consequence of them also in political affairs. After a brief consultation with each other, therefore, they sent the piece of paper back to the heaven from which it came.
When the bishops did this, most of the laity, after some murmuring, turned away from their earlier acceptance, and their light in spiritual matters, which before had shone, was suddenly extinguished.
Then, after they were warned a second time, but in vain, I saw that society sink down - though how deeply I did not see - so that it disappeared from the sight of angels, who worship the Lord only and reject faith alone.
[2] Several days later I saw as many as a hundred people ascend from the lower earth to which that small society had sunk. They came over to me, and a wise man among them said, "Listen to this amazing thing. When we sank down, the place looked to us at first like a lake, but a little while later like dry land, and afterward like a small city, in which we each had his own house, though a poor one.
"The next day we took counsel with each other as to what we should do. Many said we should go to the two bishops and gently blame them for sending the piece of paper back to the heaven from which it descended, on which account this has befallen us.
"They chose some representatives who went to the bishops," and the wise man speaking with me said he was one of them. "And then some of the wiser among us spoke to the bishops," he said, "as follows:
"'Hear us, you church fathers. We believed that more than others we had a church among us that deserved to be called foremost in the Christian world, and a religion that deserved to be called great. But we were given an enlightenment from heaven, and in that enlightenment a perception that there is no longer any church in the Christian world today, and no longer any religion.'
[3] "The bishops said, 'What are you saying? Does the church not exist where the Word is found? Where Christ the Savior is known? And where the sacraments are celebrated?'
"To this our spokesman replied, 'These things embody the church and they form the church, but they do not form it around a person but within a person.'
"Going on then he said, 'As regards the church: Can the church exist where people worship three gods? Can the church exist where its entire doctrine rests on a single saying of Paul misinterpreted, and so not on the Word? Can the church exist when people do not turn to the Savior of the world, and where they divide Him in two?
"'As for religion: Who can deny that religion consists in refraining from evil and doing good? Is there any religion where people are taught that faith alone saves, and not charity? Is there any religion where people are taught that charity emanating from people is nothing but moral and civic charity? Who does not see that in such charity there is no religion? Is there any deed or work in faith alone? And yet religion consists in doing.
"'In the entire world is there any nation having in it some religion that excludes anything saving from goods of charity, which are good works, even though everything connected with religion consists in goodness, and everything connected with the church consists in doctrine, which ought to teach truths, and through truths, goodness?
"'See, church fathers, what glory we would have if a church that does not now exist and if a religion that does not now exist should begin and arise with us.'
[4] "The bishops then replied, 'You speak too arrogantly. Faith in act, the faith that fully justifies and saves, is it not the church? And faith in state, the faith that emanates and perfects, is it not religion? Apprehend that, my children.'
"But then the wise Englishman said, 'Listen, you church fathers. A person who produces faith in act, does he not do so like a log? Does the church exist in a log that is, according to your notion, then brought to life? Is not faith in state but a continuation and extension of faith in act? And since, according to your notion, everything saving resides in faith, and nothing in the good of charity issuing from a person, where then is religion?'
"At that the bishops said, 'Friend, you speak as you do because you do not know the mysteries of justification by faith alone, and someone who does not know these does not know the path of salvation from within. Your path is an external and untutored way. Go that way if you wish, but provided you know that all good comes from God and none from man, and that in spiritual matters a person can therefore do nothing at all of himself.'
[5] "Annoyed at that, the Englishman speaking with them said, 'I know your mysteries of justification better than you, and I tell you plainly that I have seen in your interior mysteries nothing but phantoms. Does religion not involve acknowledging and loving God and shunning and hating the devil? Is God not good itself, and the devil evil itself? Who in the entire world, if he has any religion, does not know this? To acknowledge and love God - is that not to do good because it is of God and from God? And to shun and hate the devil - is that not to refrain from evil because it is of the devil and from the devil?
"'Your faith in act, which you say is faith that completely justifies and saves, or to say the same thing, your act of justification by faith alone - does it teach the doing of any good that is of God and from God? And does it teach the shunning of any evil that is of the devil and from the devil? Not in the least, because you have determined that there is no salvation in either.
"'Your faith in state, which you say is faith that emanates and perfects - unless it is the same as faith in act, how can that faith in state be perfected when you exclude from it any good issuing from a person as though originating from him, saying, "How can a person be saved by any good issuing from him, when salvation is by grace? And what is good issuing from a person but merit-seeking? And yet the merit of Christ is everything. Consequently to do good for the sake of salvation would be to attribute to self what is Christ's alone, and therefore it would be to try to justify and save oneself. Moreover, how can anyone do good when the Holy Spirit accomplishes everything without the least help of the person? What need then is there for any additional good on the person's part, when any good issuing from the person is in itself not good. And so on."
[6] "'Are these not your mysteries? But in my eyes they are nothing but sophistries and shams concocted in order to set aside good works that are works of charity so as to establish your faith alone. And because you do this, you view people in relation to those works, and in relation to everything spiritual in general having to do with the church and religion, as being like logs or inanimate statues, and not as human beings created in the image of God, to whom have been given, and are continually given, the faculties of understanding and willing, of believing and loving, and of speaking and acting, entirely as though of themselves, especially in spiritual matters, because they are what make a person human. If a person did not think and act in spiritual matters as though of himself, what then would faith be, what then would charity be, and what then would worship be - indeed, what then would the church and religion be?
"'You know that to do good to the neighbor out of love is charity. But you do not know what charity is, even though charity is the soul, life force and essence of faith. And because charity is all of that, what then is faith divorced from charity but lifeless? And a lifeless faith is nothing but a phantom. I call it a phantom, because the Apostle James calls faith without good works not only lifeless but also the faith of demons.' 2
[7] "When he heard his faith called lifeless, the faith of demons, and a phantom, then one of the two bishops became so enraged that he snatched the miter from his head and threw it onto the table, saying, 'I will not take it up again until I have taken vengeance on the enemies of the faith of our church.' And he shook his head, muttering to himself and saying, 'That James! That James!'
"His miter had on it a plaque, which had engraved on it, 'FAITH ALONE.'
"And suddenly then a monster rising up from the earth appeared, with seven heads, having feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion, altogether like the beast described in Revelation 13:1-2, an image of which was made and worshiped, verses 14, 15, in the same chapter.
"This phantom took the miter from the table, and widening the lower part, placed it on its seven heads. At that the earth opened under its feet and it sank into hell.
"Seeing this, the bishop cried out, 'A violation! A violation!'
"We then departed from them, and suddenly we saw a stairway before us, by which we ascended and returned above ground into the sight of heaven, where we were before."
This is the account the wise Englishman related to me.
Footnotes:
1. "And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.'"
2. James 2:14-26
675. To these things I will add this MEMORABLE OCCURRENCE. There was seen a certain paper sent down by the Lord through heaven into one society of the English. This was, however, among the smallest of their societies, where also there were two bishops. In the paper was an exhortation that they should acknowledge the Lord as the God of heaven and earth, as He Himself teaches (Matthew 28:18), and that they should recede from the doctrine of a faith justifying without the works of the law, because it is erroneous. That paper was read and copied out by many; and concerning the things that were in it, they were thinking and speaking soundly out of interior judgment, and they were being enlightened by the Lord, and the enlightenment was being received in the light that is innate with the English more than with others. But after they received those things they said among themselves, 'Let us hear the bishops.' And they were heard; but they contradicted it and disapproved. The bishops who were there, however, were of those who in the world had become hard-hearted about the spiritual things of faith and charity as the result of a love of dominating over the holy things of the Church, and of being pre-eminent by means of them even in politics. Therefore after a brief consultation among themselves they sent the paper back to heaven whence it came. This done, after some murmuring most of the laity went back on their former assent, and then their light in spiritual things, which shone brightly before, was suddenly extinguished. And after they had been admonished again, but in vain, I saw that society sinking down, but how deeply I did not see. In this manner it was withdrawn out of the sight of the angels, who worship only the Lord and turn away from faith alone.
[2] After some days, however, I saw as many as a hundred coming up out of the lower land, whither that small society sank down. They approached me, and a wise one of them said, 'Hear something wonderful. When we sank down, the place at first appeared to us like a swamp, but presently as dry land, and afterwards as a small city in which everyone had his own house, but a poor one. The next day we had a consultation among ourselves as to what was to be done. Many said that the two bishops ought to be approached and argued with gently, because they sent the paper back into the heaven out of which it was sent down, on which account this happened to us. They chose some, who went off to the bishops. (And the one speaking with me said he was one of them). And then a certain one renowned among us for wisdom addressed the bishops thus: "Hear, O you fathers, we have believed that with us more than the rest was a Church that deserved to be called the foremost in Christendom, and a religion that deserved to be called great; but enlightenment has been given us out of heaven, and in the enlightenment a perception that at this day in Christendom the Church no longer exists, neither does religion."
[3] The bishops said, "What are you saying? Does not the Church exist where the Word is, where Christ the Saviour is known, and where the sacraments are?" To these words our spokesman replied, "Those things are the Church, and they make the Church, but they do not make it outside of man, but within man." And he said further, "WITH REGARD TO THE CHURCH: Can the Church exist where three Gods are worshipped? Can the Church exist where the whole of its doctrine is founded on a single saying of Paul falsely understood, and consequently not on the Word? Can the Church exist while the Saviour of the world is not approached, and where He is divided into two? WITH REGARD TO RELIGION: Who is able to deny that religion is to flee from evil and do good? Is there any religion where it is taught that faith alone saves and not charity? Is there a religion where it is taught that the charity proceeding from man is nothing but moral and civil charity? Who does not see that there is no religion in that charity? Is there in faith alone anything of deed or work? And yet religion consists in doing. Is there throughout the entire world a nation with whom there is a religion that excludes all saving virtue from the goods of charity, which are good works, when yet everything of religion consists in good, and everything of the Church in a doctrine that will teach truths, and good by means of the truths? See, O fathers, what glory we would have if the Church that does not exist, and the religion that does not exist, should begin and arise with us,"
[4] Then those bishops replied, "You are speaking too loftily. Is not faith in act, which is a fully justifying and saving faith, the Church? And is not faith in state, which is faith proceeding and perfecting, religion? Realise this, my sons." But the wise Englishman then said, "Hear, O fathers, does not a man conceive faith in act like a stock? Is the Church, according to your idea, then brought to life in the stock? Is not faith in state the continuation and progression of faith in act? And since according to your idea every saving virtue is in faith, and not any in the good of charity from man, where then is religion? The bishops then said, "Friend, you are speaking in this way because you do not know the mysteries of justification by faith alone, and he who does not know them does not know the way of salvation from within. Your way is the external and plebeian way. Go it if you will, but know only that all good is from God, and nothing from man, and that thus in spiritual things a man can do nothing at all from himself. How then can a man do the good that is spiritual good, from himself?"
[5] Indignant at these words, the Englishman speaking with them said," I know your mysteries of justification better than you do, and I tell you plainly that in your interior mysteries I have seen nothing but spectres. Is it not religion to acknowledge and love God, and to flee from the devil and hate him? Is not God Good itself, and the devil evil itself? In the whole wide world who that has religion does not know this? Is it not doing good to acknowledge and love God, because this is of and from God? And is it not a matter of not doing evil to flee from the devil and hate him, because evil is of and from the devil? Your faith in act, which you call a fully justifying and saving faith, or, what is the same, your act of justification through faith alone, does it teach the doing of any good that is of God and from God, and does it teach a fleeing from any evil that is of and from the devil? Not in the least, because you have stipulated that there is nothing of salvation in either. What is your faith in state, which you have called a proceeding and perfecting faith, if it is not the same as faith in act? How can this be perfected, when you exclude all good [done] by man as if from himself saying, 'How can a man be saved by any good from himself, when salvation is gratuitous?' Also, 'What is the good from man if not merit-seeking? and yet Christ's merit is all; and therefore to do good for the sake of salvation would be to attribute to oneself what is Christ's alone, and thus it would be also to will to justify and save oneself.' Also, 'How can any one operate good when the Holy Spirit operates all things without any help from man? What then is the need for accessory good from man, when all good from man in itself is not good?'
[6] Besides more. Are not these your mysteries? But in my eyes those things are simply subtleties and sly tricks made up for the purpose of removing good works, which are the goods of charity, so as to establish your faith alone. And because you do this, you regard man as to those things, and in general as to all the spiritual things that are of the Church and religion, as a stock or inanimate effigy, and not as a man created after the image of God, to whom has been and continually is given the faculty of understanding and willing, of believing and loving, and of speaking and doing, altogether as if from himself, especially in spiritual things, because man is a man by virtue of these. If man in spiritual things did not think and behave as if from himself, what then would faith be? and charity? and worship? Indeed what then would the Church and religion be? You know that doing good to the neighbour out of love is charity. But you do not know what charity is, when yet charity is the soul, life and essence of faith. And because charity is all of these, what then is a faith removed from charity, if not dead? And a dead faith is nothing but a spectre. I call it a spectre, because the apostle James calls faith without works not only dead but also diabolical."
[7] Then one of the two bishops, when he heard his faith called dead, diabolical and a spectre, became so enraged that he snatched the mitre off his head and threw it on a table, saying, "I will not take it up again until I have been avenged on the enemies of the faith of our Church." And he shook his head muttering and saying, "That James, that James!" Upon the mitre there was a metal plate on which was engraved FAITH ALONE. And suddenly a monster then appeared rising out of the earth with seven heads, having feet like a bear's, and a mouth like a lion's, altogether like the beast that is described (Revelation 13:1-2) of whom an image was made and adored (verses 14-15 in the same chapter). This spectre took the mitre down off the table, and stretched it out below, and put it upon his seven heads. When this was done, the earth was opening under his feet, and he sank down into hell. Having seen this, that bishop cried out, "Violence! violence!" Then we left them, and behold! there were steps before our eyes, by which we came up and returned above ground and into the sight of heaven, where we had been before.' The wise Englishman told me these things.
675. To this I will add this Relation. There was seen a certain paper sent down from the Lord through heaven to a society of the English, but that society was one of the smallest of them, where also there were two bishops. The paper contained an exhortation that they should acknowledge the Lord as the God of heaven and earth, as He taught, (Matthew 28:18); and that they should recede from the doctrine of justifying faith without the works of the law, because it is erroneous. This paper was read and copied by many; and respecting the things that were in it they thought and spoke soundly from interior judgment, and were enlightened by the Lord; and the enlightenment was received in the light, which is implanted with the English more than with others. Yet after they had received those things, they said among themselves, "Let us hear the bishops." And they were heard; but they contradicted and disapproved. For those bishops who were there, were of those who had become in the world hard of heart as to the spiritual things of faith and charity, from the love of dominion over the holy things of the church, and of super-eminence by means of them even in political affairs. Wherefore, after a short consultation among themselves, they sent the paper back to heaven, whence it came. This being done, after some murmuring, most of the laity receded from their former assent; and then their light in spiritual things, which before shone brightly, was suddenly extinguished; and they were afterwards admonished again, but in vain. I saw that society sinking down, but how deeply I did not see, thus it was withdrawn from the sight of the angels, who worship the Lord alone, and are averse to faith alone.
[2] But after some days, I saw as many as a hundred of them ascending from the lower earth, whither that small society sank down; who approached me, and a wise man from among them spoke and said, "Hear a wonder: when we sank down, the place at first appeared to us like a lake, but soon like dry land; and afterwards like a small city, in which everyone had his house, but a poor one. After a day we consulted among ourselves what was to be done. Many said that we must go to the two bishops, and mildly argue with them, because they sent back the paper into heaven, whence it was let down; on account of which this had happened to us. They chose some, who went to the bishops, and he that was speaking with me said that he was one of them. "And then a certain one among us who excelled in wisdom, addressed the bishops thus. 'Hear, ye fathers; we believed that with us above others was the church which deserved to be called the first in the Christian world, and a religion which deserves to be called the greatest. But there has been given to us enlightenment from heaven, and in the enlightenment a perception that at this day there is no longer any church in the Christian world, nor any religion. '
[3] The bishops said 'What are you saying? Is not the church where the Word is, where Christ the Savior is known, and where are the sacraments?' To this our spokesman replied, 'Those things are the church, and they make the church; but they do not make it outside of man, but within man. ' And he said further, 'As to the church: can the church be where three gods are worshiped? Can the church be where the whole of its doctrine is founded upon a single saying of Paul falsely understood, and hence not upon the Word? Can the church be where the Savior of the world is not approached, and where He is divided into two? As to religion: who can deny that religion is to shun evil and to do good? Is there any religion where it is taught that faith alone saves, and not charity? Is there religion where it is taught that charity proceeding from a man is nothing but moral and civil charity? Who does not see that in that charity there is not anything of religion? Is there in faith alone anything of deed or of work? And yet religion consists in doing. Is there given in the entire world a nation with any religion, which excludes everything saving from the goods of charity, which are good works, when yet the all of religion consists in good, and the all of the church in doctrine, which must teach truths, and good by truth? See, fathers, what glory we should have, if the church, which is not, and religion, which is not, should begin and arise with us. '
[4] Then those bishops replied, 'You speak too loftily. Is not faith in act, which is faith fully justifying and saving, the church? And is not faith in state, which is faith proceeding and perfecting religion? Apprehend this, O sons. ' But the wise Englishman then said, 'Hear, O fathers; does not a man conceive faith in act like a stock? Is the church, according to your idea, in a stock that is then vivified? Is not faith in state the continuation and progression of faith in act? And since according to your idea everything saving is in faith, and not anything in the good of charity from man, where then is religion?' The bishops then said, 'Friend, you speak thus, because you do not know the mysteries of justification by faith alone; and he who does not know them, does not know the way of salvation from within. Your way is an external and plebeian way. Go that way if you will; but know only that all good is from God, and nothing from man; and that thus in spiritual things a man can do nothing at all of himself. How then can a man do good, which is spiritual good, from himself?'
[5] The Englishman that was speaking with them, being indignant at this, said, 'I know your mysteries of justification better than you do yourselves; and I tell you plainly, that in these interior mysteries of yours I have seen nothing but specters. Is not religion to acknowledge and love God, and to shun and hate the devil? Is not God good itself, and the devil evil itself? Who in the whole world, who has any religion, does not know this? Is not acknowledging and loving God the doing of good because this is of God and from God? And is not shunning and hating the devil, to do no evil, because it is of the devil and from the devil? Your faith in act, which you called faith fully justifying and saving, or, what is the same, your act of justification by faith alone, does it teach the doing of any good which is of God and from God? And does it teach the shunning of any evil which is of the devil and from the devil? Nothing at all, because you have decided that there is nothing of salvation in either. What is your faith in state, which you have called faith proceeding and perfecting, but the same with faith in act? How can this be perfected, when you exclude all good done by man as of himself? saying: "How can a man be saved by any good from himself, when salvation is gratuitous?" Also, "What good is from man but meritorious good? And yet Christ's merit is all; and therefore to do good for the sake of salvation would be to attribute to oneself what is Christ's alone; and thus it would be also to will to justify and save oneself." Also, "How can anyone operate good, when the Holy Spirit operates all things without any help from man? What need is there then of any accessory good from man, when all the good from man is in itself not good?" and more besides.
[6] 'Are not these your mysteries? But in my eyes they are mere subtleties and artifices contrived for the end that you may remove good works, which are the goods of charity, to establish your faith alone. And because you do this, you regard man as to these things, and in general as to all spiritual things which are of the church and religion, as a stock, or as a lifeless image, and not as a man created in the image of God, to whom was given, and is continually given, the faculty of understanding and willing, of believing and loving, and of speaking and doing, altogether as of himself; especially in spiritual things, because man is man from them. If man did not think and operate as of himself in spiritual things, what then would faith be? and charity? and worship? Yea, what then would the church and religion be? You know that charity is to do good to the neighbor from love. Yet you do not know what charity is; when yet charity is the soul, the life, and the essence of faith. And because charity is all that, what then is faith when charity is removed, but dead faith? And dead faith is nothing but a specter. I call it a specter, because the apostle James calls faith without good works not only dead, but also diabolical. '
[7] Then one of those two bishops, when he heard his faith called dead, diabolical, and a specter, became so enraged, that he snatched the miter from his head, and threw it upon a table, saying, 'I will not resume it until I have been avenged on the enemies of the faith of our church. ' And he shook his head, murmuring and saying, 'That James, that James!' Upon the miter was a plate, on which was engraved 'Faith Alone. ' And then there suddenly appeared a monster rising out of the earth with seven heads, whose feet were like a bear's, and his mouth like a lion's, altogether like the beast which is described, (Revelation 13:1-2); whose image was made and adored, (Revelation 13:14-15). This specter took the miter from the table, and stretched it out beneath, and put it upon his seven heads; after which, the earth opened under his feet, and he sank down into hell. Seeing this, that bishop cried out, 'Violence, violence!' We then departed from them; and behold, there were steps before our eyes, by which we ascended, and returned upon the earth, and into the sight of heaven, where we were before." These things the wise Englishman related to me.
675. His adjiciam hoc MEMORABILE :-
Visa est quaedam Charta a Domino per Caelum demissa in unam societatem ex Anglis, sed erat illa societas inter minimas illorum, ubi etiam duo Episcopi erant; in qua charta fuit exhortatio, ut agnoscerent Dominum pro Deo Caeli et Terrae (ut Ipse docuit, Matthaeus 28:18); et quod recederent a Doctrina de Fide justificante sine Operibus Legis, quia erronea. Charta illa lecta fuit et exscripta a multis, et de illis, quae in ea erant, cogitabant et loquebantur ex interiori judicio sane, ac illustrabantur a Domino, et illustratio recipiebatur in luce, quae Anglis prae caeteris est insita.
At postquam receperunt illa, dixerunt inter se, "Audiamus Episcopos." Et auditi sunt, sed contradixerunt et improbaverunt: verum illi Episcopi, qui ibi, erant ex illis qui duri corde quoad spiritualia fidei et charitatis, ex amore domini super Sancta Ecclesiae, et supereminentiae per illa etiam in politicis, in mundo facti fuerunt; quare post brevem consultationem inter se remiserunt chartam ad Caelum unde venit.
Quo facto, post aliquod murmur, plerique Laici a consensu priori suo recesserunt, et tunc Lux eorum in spiritualibus, quae prius exsplenduit, subito exstincta est: et postquam iterum admoniti erant, at frustra, vidi societatem illam subsidentem, sed quam profunde non vidi, ita subductam e conspectu Angelorum, qui unice colunt Dominum, et solam Fidem aversantur.
Sed post aliquos dies vidi ascendentes usque ad centum ex inferiore terra, quo usque parva illa societas subsidit, qui accesserunt ad me; et e quibus unus sapiens locutus dixit, "Audi mirabile: -Dum subsidimus, apparuit nobis locus primum sicut stagnum, sed mox sicut terra sicca, et postea sicut parva urbs, in qua cuivis fuit sua domus, sed vilis. Post diem consultavimus inter nos, quid faciendum. Dixerunt multi, quod duo Episcopi adeundi sint, ac mite arguendi, quia illi remiserunt chartam in Caelum, e quo demissa est, et propter id contigit nobis hoc. Elegerunt aliquos, qui abiverunt ad Episcopos" (et dixit mecum loquens quod esset unus inter illos), "et tunc quidam inter nos sapientia praepollens loquebatur ad Episcopos, ita: -
"'Audite, vos Patres, credidimus quod apud nos prae reliquis esset Ecclesia, quae in Orbe Christiano mereretur vocari Primas, et Religio quae mereretur vocari Magnas; sed data nobis est illustratio e Caelo, et in illustratione perceptio quod hodie in Orbe Christiano non sit amplius Ecclesia, nec amplius Religio.'
"Dixerunt Episcopi, Quid loquimini; estne Ecclesia ubi est Verbum, ubi Christus Salvator notus est, et ubi sunt Sacramenta.
"Ad haec respondit noster, 'Illa sunt Ecclesia, et illa faciunt Ecclesiam, ast non faciunt illam extra hominem, sed intra hominem.' Et porro dixit, 'Quoad Ecclesiam: potest Ecclesia esse ubi coluntur Tres Dii; potest Ecclesia esse, ubi tota ejus Doctrina fundatur super unico Pauli dicto false intellecto, et inde non super Verbo; potest Ecclesia esse, dum non Salvator Mundi aditur, et ubi Ipse dividitur in duos. Quoad Religionem: quis negare potest quin Religio sit fugere malum et facere bonum; num est aliqua Religio ubi docetur quod sola Fides salvet, et non Charitas; num est Religio ubi docetur quod Charitas procedens ab homine non sit nisi quam Charitas moralis et civilis; quis non videt quod in ea Charitate non sit aliquid Religionis; num est in sola Fide aliquid Facti seu Operis, et tamen in Facere consistit Religio. Num datur in universo terrarum orbe gens, apud quam Religio, quae excludit omne salvificum a bonis Charitatis, quae sunt bona Opera; cum tamen omne Religionis consistit in bono, et omne Ecclesiae in doctrina quae docebit vera, et per vera bonum. Videte patres, quae gloria nobis foret, si Ecclesia quae non est, et Religio quae non est, apud nos inchoet et oriatur.'
"Tunc Episcopi illi responderunt, 'Loqueris nimis alte; annon Fides actu, quae est Fides plene justificans et salvans, est Ecclesia; et annon Fides statu, quae est Fides procedens et perficiens, est Religio; apprehendite hoc, filii.'
"Sed tunc dixit sapiens Anglus, 'Audite Patres: annon homo concipit Fidem actu sicut stipes; num in stipite secundum vestram ideam tunc vivificato est Ecclesia: annon Fides statu est continuatio et progressio Fidei actu; et cum secundum vestram ideam omne salvificum est in Fide, et non aliquid in bono charitatis ab homine, ubi tunc est Religio.'
"Tunc dixerunt Episcopi, 'Amice, loqueris ita, quia non scis arcana justificationis per solam Fidem: et qui illa non scit, non scit viam salvationis ab interiori. Tua via est via externa et plebeia; vade illam si vis; at scias modo, quod omne bonum sit a Deo, et nihil ab homine, et quod sic homo in spiritualibus prorsus nihil possit a se; quomodo tunc potest homo facere bonum, quod est bonum spirituale, a se;
"Ad haec indignatus Anglus loquens cum illis dixit, 'Scio arcana justificationis vestra plus quam vos; et aperte vobis dico, quod in interioribus vestris arcanis non viderim nisi quam spectra. Annon Religio est agnoscere et amare Deum, ac fugere et odio habere Diabolum; estne Deus Ipsum Bonum, et Diabolus ipsum Malum; quis in universo terrarum Orbe, cui est Religio, hoc non novit; estne agnoscere et amare Deum, facere bonum, quia hoc est Dei et a Deo; et estne fugere et odio habere Diabolum, non facere malum, quia hoc est Diaboli et a Diabolo. Vestra Fides actu, quam vocavistis Fidem plene justificantem et salvantem, seu, quod idem, vester actus justificationis per solam Fidem, num docet facere aliquod bonum quod est Dei et a Deo, et num docet fugere aliquod malum quod est Diaboli et a Diabolo; prorsus nihil, quia statuitis quod in utroque nihil salutis sit. Quid vestra Fides statu, quam vocavistis Fidem procedentem et perficientem, nisi eadem cum Fide actu. Quomodo potest haec perfici, cum excluditis omne bonum ab homine sicut ab ipso, dicendo, Quomodo potest homo salvari per aliquod bonum a se, cum salvatio est gratuita: tum Quid bonum ad homine nisi meritorium, et tamen meritum Christi est omne; quare bonum facere salutis causa, foret sibi attribuere quod solius Christi est, et sic etiam foret velle semet justificare et salvare; tum Quomodo potest quis operari bonum, cum Spiritus Sanctus operatur omnia absque ulla ope hominis,' quid tunc opus est aliquo bono accessorio ad homine, cum omne donum ad homine in se non est bonum; praeter plura. Nonne haec sunt arcana vestra; sed illa in meis oculis sunt merae argutiae et astutiae effictae propter finem ut removeatis bona Opera, quae sunt bona Charitatis, ad stabiliendum vestram solam Fidem. Et quia hoc facitis, spectatis hominem, quoad illa, et in genere quoad omnia spiritualia quae Ecclesiae et Religionis sunt, sicut stipitem, vel sicut simulachrum inanimatum, et non ut hominem creatum ad imaginem Dei, cui data est, et continue datur, facultas intelligendi et volendi, credendi et amandi, ac loquendi et faciendi, prorsus sicut a se, imprimis in spiritualibus, quia homo est homo ex illis. Si homo in spiritualibus non cogitaret et operaretur sicut a se, quid tunc Fides; quid tunc Charitas; et quid tunc Cultus; imo quid tunc Ecclesia et Religio. Nostis quod facere bonum proximo ex amore sit Charitas; at non nostis quid Charitas, cum tamen Charitas est anima, vita et essentia Fidei: et quia Charitas est omnis illa, quid tunc est Fides remota Charitate, nisi mortua; et Fides mortua non est nisi quam spectrum; voco illam spectrum, quia Jacobus Apostolus vocat Fidem absque bonis Operibus non solum mortuam sed etiam diabolicam.'
"Tunc unus ex binis illis Episcopis, cum audivit Fidem suam vocari mortuam, diabolicam, et spectrum, in tantum excanduit, ut e capite suo eriperet cidarim, et conjiceret super mensam, dicens, 'Non resumam antequam ultus fuero hostes Fidei Ecclesiae nostrae;' at movit caput, murmurans et dicens, 'Ille Jacob, ille Jacob.'
"Super cidari erat bractea, cui in sculpta fuit Sola Fides. Et tunc subito apparuit monstrum e terra surgens, cum septem capitibus, cui pedes sicut ursi, et os sicut leonis, prorsus simile Bestiae quae describitur Apocalypsis 13:(vers. 1-2), cujus imago facta et adorata est (vers. 14, 15, in eodem capite); hoc spectrum e mensa desumpsi, cidarim, et dilatavit illam infra, et posuit super septem suis capitibus; quo facto, terra hiabat sub pedibus ejus, et subsidit in Infernum; quo viso, clamavit Episcopus ille, 'Violentia, violentia.'
"Tunc abivimus ab illis; et ecce gradus coram oculis nostris, per quos ascendimus; et redivimus supra terram, et in conspectum Caeli, ubi fuimus prius."
Haec narravit mihi sapiens Anglus.