389# 第五则可记事
有一次，我见有一纸自天降下，落入灵界中的一个社群。其处有两位教会首领，属下有祭司与长老。纸上载有劝谕，命他们承认主耶稣基督为天地之上帝，正如祂亲自所教导的：“天上地下所有的权柄都赐给我了”（太28:18）；又命他们离弃那“无律法之工而称义的信仰”之教义，因为此说乃谬误。
那纸为众人所读，且被多人抄录；其中所载诸事，也有多人依判断而思索、谈论。然而他们既接受此纸之后，便彼此说：“且听教会首领之言。”于是他们听了那两位首领；但首领却反驳此纸，并加以否定。原来那社群的首领，因在前世已深受谬误浸染，心甚刚硬；故彼此稍作商议之后，便将那纸送还天上，即送还其所来之处。
此事既成，众人中起了一阵低声怨议；多数平信徒便从先前所表同意中退转。于是他们在属灵事物上的判断之光，就是先前曾经辉耀的光，忽然熄灭了。此后他们再次受劝戒，然而徒然无益。我看见那社群渐渐下沉；但究竟沉至何等深处，我没有看见。于是它便从那些唯独敬拜主、并憎恶唯信称义之人的眼前被移去了。
【2】过了几日，我看见将近一百人从低地上升；那小社群曾沉降至那里。他们来到我这里，其中一人开口说：
“请听一件奇事。我们下沉之时，起初有一处地方显现在我们眼前，仿佛池沼；不久却像干地；其后又像一座小城，城中许多人各有其屋。过了一日，我们彼此商议当作何事。多人说：应当去见那两位教会首领，温和地责备他们，因为他们把那纸送还天上，就是它降下来的地方；而我们遭遇此事，正是因此而起。
“于是众人选出几人，前往那两位首领那里。”
那与我说话的灵又说，他自己就是被选者之一；并继续说：
“当时，我们中有一人智慧出众，他对那两位首领如此说道：
‘我们本以为，在我们这里较诸他处更有教会，也更有宗教，因为我们曾听人说，我们处在福音最明亮的光中。然而我们中有人得了从天而来的光照，并在光照中得着知觉，明白今日基督教界已不复有教会，因为已不复有宗教。’”
【3】那两位教会首领说：“你们说的是什么话？凡有圣言之处，凡救世主基督为人所知之处，凡有圣礼之处，难道那里不是教会吗？”
我们那位同伴回答说：“这些固然属于教会，因为它们构成教会；然而它们并非在人之外构成教会，乃是在人之内构成教会。”
他又说：“倘若人所敬拜的是三位上帝，那里能有教会吗？倘若教会全部教义建立在保罗一句话的误解之上，并因此不建立在圣言之上，那里能有教会吗？倘若世人的救主，即教会之上帝本身，并不被人亲近，那里能有教会吗？
“谁能否认，宗教就在于避恶而行善？若有人教导说，唯有信仰拯救，而仁义不同时拯救，那里还有宗教吗？若有人教导说，从人而出的仁义不过只是道德的、世俗的仁义，那里还有宗教吗？谁看不出，在这种仁义中并无任何宗教成分？
“唯信之中，有任何行为或作为吗？然而宗教恰恰在于实行。举世之中，岂有一个民族，会把救恩的一切全然排除于仁义之善之外，而仁义之善就是善行？然而一切宗教皆在于善，一切教会皆在于教导真理，并借真理教导善的教义。
“倘若我们接受那自天降下之纸所怀藏、所带来的内容，那将是何等荣耀临于我们！”
【4】那时，两位首领说：“你说得太高了。难道‘行为中的信仰’，即完全称义并拯救人的信仰，不就是教会吗？难道‘状态中的信仰’，即继续推进并成全人的信仰，不就是宗教吗？孩子们，你们当领会这一点。”
然而我们那位智慧者说：“请听，诸位父亲。照你们的教义，人领受‘行为中的信仰’，岂不如同木桩一般吗？木桩能被赋予生命而成为教会吗？
“照你们的观念，‘状态中的信仰’岂不是‘行为中的信仰’之延续和推进吗？既然照你们的教义，一切得救之物都在信仰之中，而在从人而来的仁义之善中毫无得救之物，那么宗教究竟在哪里呢？”
于是那些教会高位者说：“朋友，你这样说，是因为你不懂唯信称义的奥秘；凡不懂这些奥秘的人，就不从内在知道救恩之路。你的道路是外在的、平民的；你若愿走，就去走吧。但你只须知道：一切善皆出于上帝，丝毫不出于人；因此人在属灵事物上，凭自己什么也不能。如此，人又怎能凭自己行那为属灵之善的善呢？”
【5】我们那位与他们辩论的人听了这些，甚为愤慨，回答说：“你们所谓称义的奥秘，我比你们更清楚；我直白地告诉你们，在你们这些奥秘的内层，我所看见的不过是些幽灵而已。
“宗教难道不就是承认并爱上帝，逃避并憎恶魔鬼吗？上帝岂不就是善本身？魔鬼岂不就是恶本身？普天之下凡有宗教者，谁不知道这一点？
“承认并爱上帝，难道不就是行善吗？因为善属于上帝，并出于上帝。逃避并憎恶魔鬼，难道不就是不作恶吗？因为恶属于魔鬼，并出于魔鬼。
“换言之，你们所谓‘行为中的信仰’，即你们称为完全称义并拯救人的信仰；又换言之，你们所谓借唯信称义的行动，难道教导人行任何属于上帝并出于上帝的善吗？难道教导人逃避任何属于魔鬼并出于魔鬼的恶吗？绝无其事。因为你们断定，在善与恶两者之中，毫无救恩。
“你们所谓‘状态中的信仰’，即你们称为继续推进并成全人的信仰，又是什么呢？岂不仍与‘行为中的信仰’同一吗？你们既把一切由人而来的善，都从信仰中排除出去，这信仰又如何能够被成全呢？
“你们在奥秘中岂不是这样说：‘人既然因恩典白白得救，又怎能借任何出于自己的善而得救呢？’又说：‘从人而来的善，除了立功之善，还能是什么呢？然而基督的功德才是一切；所以，为救恩之故而行善，就是把唯独属于基督的东西归给自己；如此，也就是想要使自己称义，并使自己得救。’
“你们又说：‘既然圣灵无须人任何帮助而成就一切，人又怎能行善呢？既然从人而来的所有善，其本身并非善，那么还需要人所加上的任何善吗？’诸如此类，不一而足。
【6】“这些难道不就是你们的奥秘吗？然而在我眼中，这些不过是种种巧辩与诡计；其目的无非是排除善行，即仁义之善，好确立你们的唯信。正因你们如此行，所以你们在那种信仰上看人，并且一般而言，在一切属于教会和宗教的属灵事物上看人，都如看一根木桩，或一个无生命的偶像，而不把人看作照上帝形像受造的人。
“人被赋予，并且不断被赋予理解与意愿、相信与爱、说话与实行的能力，而且这些能力在人里面运作时，全然仿佛出于人自己；尤其在属灵事物上更是如此，因为人正是由于这些能力而成为人。倘若人在属灵事物上不思想、不行事，好像出于自己，那么圣言还有何意义？教会和宗教还有何意义？敬拜又还有何意义？
“你们知道，由爱而向邻舍行善就是仁义；但你们并不知道仁义是什么。然而仁义乃是信仰的灵魂和本质。既然仁义是信仰的灵魂与本质，那么一旦信仰离开仁义，它还是什么呢？岂不就是死的信仰？而死的信仰不过是幽灵而已。我称它为幽灵，因为雅各称没有善行的信仰不仅是死的，甚至是属魔鬼的。”
【7】那时，那些首领中有一人听见自己的信仰被称为死的、属魔鬼的、幽灵，便勃然大怒，从头上摘下礼冠，掷在桌上，说：“在我报复我们教会信仰的仇敌以前，我决不再戴上它！”
他说着摇头，口中喃喃道：“那个雅各！那个雅各！”
那礼冠前额有一块金属牌，其上刻着：唯信称义。
就在那时，忽然有一个怪物从地中显现上来，有七个头，脚如熊脚，身体如豹，口如狮子，恰与启示录十三章一、二节所描绘的兽相同；那兽的像也曾被制作，并受人敬拜，见同章十四、十五节。
这个幽灵从桌上取下礼冠，将其下方撑大，然后戴在自己的七个头上。此事既成，地在它脚下裂开，它便沉下去了。
那首领见此，便喊叫说：“暴力！暴力！”
于是我们离开他们。看哪，有阶梯显在我们眼前；我们便由此上升，重新回到地上，并进入天的视域，就是我们先前所在之处。
这就是那位灵向我所叙述的事；他曾与其他约一百人一同，从低地上升而来。
389# 记事五：
我曾看见一份文件从天堂传给灵人界中的一个社群，那里有两个教会的主教，以及下属的牧师和长老。这份文件包含对他们的一个劝诫，即劝他们承认主耶稣基督是天地之神，如祂自己所教导的（马太福音28:18），并放弃他们关于信仰使人称义，无需律法行为的教义，因为它是错误的。很多人阅读并复制了这份文件，其中许多人用自己的判断来思考并谈论了文件的内容。然而，领受之后，过了一段时间，他们彼此说：“让我们听听主教们怎么说。”主教们听了；他们反驳并谴责了它。事实上，这个社群的主教们因活在世上时所吸收的虚假，心里已经刚硬了。因此，经过短暂的商讨，他们把这份文件送回它所来自的天堂。当这事发生时，在一阵窃窃私语之后，大多数平信徒收回了他们之前的同意；然后，他们之前在属灵事物上闪闪发光的判断之光突然熄灭了。在他们再次被劝诫、敦促重新考虑这个问题，但徒劳无功后，我看到这个社群沉下去了，我没有看到它沉得有多深；因此，它从那些只敬拜主，厌恶唯信称义的人的视线中消失了。
几天后，我看到大约一百人从低地，就是那个小社群沉没的地方升上来。他们走近我，其中一个人说：“请听听我们非同寻常的故事。当我们沉下去时，像一片沼泽一样的地方出现在我们面前，但很快又变得像干地，然后变得像一个小镇，我们中的许多人都在那里有自己的房子。第二天，我们一起商量该怎么办。许多人说，我们应该去找教会的那两位主教，温和、礼貌地指出，他们将文件送回它所来自的天堂，导致这一切发生在我们身上。”他们的确选出了几个人去找主教，和我说话的这一位就是其中之一。他继续说：“我们当中有一个人在智慧中超越其他人，他对主教们说了下面一番话：‘我们相信，教会和宗教在我们中间比在其他人中间更繁荣，因为我们听说，我们享有最强的福音之光。然而，我们中的一些人从天上得到光照，并在这光照中得到一种感知，即：如今的基督教界不再有任何教会，因为没有宗教。’
“主教们回答说：‘你在说什么呀？教会不是在有圣言、认识救主基督、举行圣礼的地方吗？’对此，我们的发言人回答说：‘这些的确属于教会，事实上构成教会；但它们并不构成人之外的教会，而是构成人之内的教会。’他进一步说：‘教会能存在于敬拜三位神的地方吗？教会能存在于整个教义都建立在被错误理解的保罗的一句话上，因而不建立在圣言上的地方吗？当世界的救主，即教会的神本身没有被靠近时，教会还能存在吗？谁能否认宗教就是避恶行善？有哪种宗教教导说，唯独信仰拯救人，而不是仁爱和信仰一起拯救人？有哪种宗教教导说，从人发出的仁爱只是道德和文明的仁爱？谁看不出，在这种仁爱里面没有宗教？唯信里面有任何行为或作为吗？然而，宗教就在于实行。全世界没有一个民族或人民不把仁之良善，即善行视为一切拯救，或说世界上所有非基督教的民族都认为仁之良善，即善行具有拯救的力量。事实上，宗教的全部都在于良善，教会的全部都在于教导真理，并通过真理教导良善的教义。如果我们接受从天上降下来的那份文件所包含的内容，我们将何等荣耀啊！’
“然后，主教们回答说：‘你的话太好高骛远了。行动中的信仰，即完全称义和得救的信仰，不就是教会吗？状态中的信仰，即发出和完善的信仰，不就是宗教吗？孩子们，抓住这一点吧，这是你们必须理解的。’但我们智慧的发言人说：‘教父们啊，请听我们说！按照你们的教导，人岂不认为行动中的信仰只不过是一根木头吗？一根木头能被复活，从而成为一个教会吗？按照你们的观念，状态中的信仰不就是行动中的信仰的延续和发展吗？因此，既然按照你们的教导，一切拯救的力量都在于信仰，丝毫不在于来自人的仁之良善，那么宗教在哪里呢？’然后，主教们回答说：‘朋友，你这样说，是因为你不知道唯信称义的奥秘；人若不知道这些奥秘，就不知道救赎之路的内在性质。你们的路是外在的，是平民的路；你若愿意，就走上这条路吧；只要知道，一切良善都来自神，无一来自人；因此，人凭自己在属灵事物上没有任何能力。那么，人如何能凭自己实行系属灵良善的良善呢？’
“对此，我们的发言人非常愤慨，回答说：‘我比你们自己更了解你们称义的奥秘，我清楚地告诉你们，我在这些奥秘里面只看到幽灵或幻觉。宗教不就是承认神，避开并憎恨魔鬼吗？神不就是良善本身，魔鬼不就是邪恶本身吗？全世界有哪个拥有某种宗教的人不知道这一点？承认神和爱神，不就是实行良善，因为良善属于神并来自神吗？避开和憎恨魔鬼，不就是停止作恶，因为邪恶属于魔鬼并来自魔鬼吗？换句话说，你们行动中的信仰，你们称之为完全称义并得救的信仰，或也可以说，你们唯信称义的行动，教导一个人要实行属于神并来自神的任何良善，或避开属于魔鬼并来自魔鬼的任何邪恶了吗？一点也没有；因为你们已经规定，救赎既不取决于行善，也不取决于避恶。此外，你们状态中的信仰，你们称之为发出并完善的信仰，和行动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，因为你们在你们的奥秘中说，既然救赎是白白的恩赐，那么人怎能通过他自己所行的任何良善得救时，这信仰如何能被完善呢？你们又说，凡人所行的良善，不都是寻求功德的吗？而事实上，一切功德不都只属于基督吗？因此，为了救赎而行善就是将只属于基督的东西归于我们自己，因而是一种自我称义和自我拯救的渴望。你们进一步补充说，当圣灵做一切事，无需来自人的任何帮助时，任何人怎能行善呢？当来自人的一切良善本身都不是良善时，还需要什么来自人的任何额外或辅助的良善呢？等等。
“‘这些不就是你们的奥秘吗？但在我眼里，它们只是为了消除善行，即仁之良善而人为发明的诡辩和诡计，以确立你们的唯信。由于你们在信仰上，以及总体上在教会和宗教的一切事物上都是这样做的，所以你们把人看作一根木头，或一个毫无生命的雕像，而不是看作照神的形像被创造的人，他已经被赋予并不断被赋予完全貌似凭自己去理解和意愿，相信和爱、说话和行动的能力，尤其在属灵事物上，因为人凭它们而为人。如果人在属灵事物上不貌似凭自己思考和行动或运作，那么圣言、教会、宗教和敬拜有什么用呢？你们知道，出于爱向邻舍行善就是仁爱。然而，你们不知道仁爱是什么，尽管仁爱就是信仰的灵魂和本质；既然仁爱是信仰的灵魂和本质，那么与仁爱分离的信仰不就是死的信仰吗？死的信仰只是幽灵。我之所以称它为幽灵，是因为雅各称没有好行为的信心不仅是死的，而且是属鬼魔的（雅各书2:14-26; 3:13-15）。’
“这时，其中一个主教当听到他的信仰被称为死的、属鬼魔的，是幽灵时，变得如此愤怒，以至于从头上扯下主教冠，扔到桌子上，说：‘我不会戴上它，直到我向我们教会信仰的敌人报了仇。’他摇摇头，喃喃自语，惊呼道：‘那个雅各！那个雅各！’他的主教冠前面有一块薄薄的金片，上面刻着：‘唯信称义。’这时，突然有一个怪物从地里上来，它有七个头，脚像熊，身体像豹，嘴巴像狮子，与启示录（13:1，2）描述的那只兽一模一样，它的像被造和敬拜（启示录13:14，15）。这个幽灵般的怪物从桌子上抓起主教冠，拉开帽檐，把它戴在它的七个头上。然后，它脚下的地面裂开了，它又沉入低地。看到这一幕，主教惊呼：‘暴力！暴力！’于是，我们离开了他们；看哪！我们面前出现了台阶，我们拾级而上，回到地面上，看到了我们以前所在的天堂。”这一切都是那个灵人告诉我的，他与其他一百个人已经从低地升上来了。
389. The fifth memorable occurrence. On one occasion I saw a document being sent down from heaven to a community in the world of spirits. In that community there were two people who governed the church. They had ministers and elders under them. The document strongly urged the people there to acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ as the God of heaven and earth, as he himself taught (Matthew 28:18), and to give up the teaching that faith justifies people without the works of the Law, because that teaching is wrong.
This document was read and copied by many people. Many of them were using their own judgment in thinking and speaking about what was in the document. After they had accepted what the document said, however, they said to each other, "We should hear what our governors have to say about it. " They did hear their governors, but the governors spoke against the document and expressed disapproval of it. The governors of that community were in fact hard-hearted because of falsities they had absorbed in the previous world. Therefore after a brief meeting with each other, the governors sent the document back to heaven where it had come from.
After that happened there was some muttering, but many lay people ended up changing their minds. Then the light of judgment about spiritual things that those lay people had had, which had been brilliant up until then, suddenly went out.
After they were warned again, but to no avail, I saw the community sinking down. I did not see how far down it went. It was taken out of sight of those who worship the Lord alone and who reject faith alone as the means of justification.
[2] Several days later, however, I saw about a hundred people coming up from the lower earth, where that little community had sunk. The group came over to me.
One of them spoke and said, "Do you want to hear something amazing? When we sank down, we were in a place that looked like a pond. Soon, however, it looked like dry ground. Afterward it became a little town where many of us had homes.
"A day later we discussed among ourselves what to do. Many said that we should go to the two governors of the church and politely point out that their sending the document back to heaven where it had come from caused all this to happen to us. "
They did in fact choose some people who went to the governors. The person who was talking to me said that he had been part of that delegation.
"Then," he continued, "someone among us who was very skillful and wise spoke to the governors and said, 'We believed that the church and religion existed among us more than among others, because we had been told that we have the supreme light of the gospel. But some of us have been granted enlightenment from heaven; and with that enlightenment has come the perception that the church doesn't even exist in the Christian world anymore, because there is no religion there anymore. '
[3] "The governors said, 'What are you saying? Doesn't the church exist wherever the Word exists, Christ the Savior is known, and the sacraments are performed?'
"Our spokesperson replied, 'Those things are part of the church in the sense that they promote it, but they promote it within each of us, not outside of us. '
"Our spokesperson went on to say, 'Can the church exist where three gods are worshiped? Can the church exist where its entire body of teaching is based on a single statement by Paul that has been falsely interpreted, rather than on the Word? Can the church exist when people do not go to the Savior of the world, who is the God of the church?'
"Surely religion is abstaining from evil and doing good. Does a true religion hold that faith alone saves and not goodwill as well? Does a true religion hold that the goodwill that comes from people is only moral and civic? There is no religion in that kind of goodwill, as anyone can see. In faith alone there is no action or work. And yet religion consists in doing. All non-Christian nations in the world believe that acts of goodwill, or good works, have power to save. The whole of religion consists in good actions, and the whole of the church consists in a body of teaching that proclaims truths and uses those truths to teach good actions. Glorious things might have happened to us if we had only accepted the message of the document sent from heaven!
[4] "Then one of the governors said, 'Your argument aims too high. The church is about the activation of faith. This is the kind of faith that fully justifies us and saves us. Religion is about an ongoing state of faith, which is the kind of faith that emanates from God and perfects us. Take this in, my children. '
"But our wise spokesperson said, 'You listen, O Fathers. According to your dogma, people have no more ability to activate their faith than a piece of dead wood. Can a piece of wood be brought to life and become part of the church? Surely your idea of the ongoing state of faith is a continuation and progression of the activation of faith. Since, according to your dogma, faith has all power to save, and there is no such power in acts of goodwill that people perform, where does religion come in?'
"Then the church leaders said, 'Friend, you say things like that because you don't know the secrets of justification by faith alone. People who don't know those secrets don't know the path of salvation from within. Your path to salvation is external and common. Travel it if you want, but you should keep in mind that everything good comes from God and nothing from human beings; and therefore people have no power of their own in spiritual matters. How then can people do something good that is spiritually good by themselves?'
[5] "When he heard that, our spokesperson was outraged and said, 'I am more familiar with your supposed revelations on justification than you are! And I will tell you bluntly that I have explored those supposed revelations and have found nothing but phantoms in them. Surely religion is a matter of acknowledging God and avoiding and hating the Devil. God is goodness itself. "The Devil" is evil itself. Every religious person in the world knows that. Acknowledging and loving God is a matter of doing what is good, because what is good belongs to God and comes from God. Avoiding and hating the Devil is a matter of not doing what is evil, because what is evil belongs to the Devil and comes from the Devil. But does your view of the activation of faith (which you label as a faith that fully justifies people and saves them) or rather, your view that we become just through faith alone, teach us to do anything good (keeping in mind that what is good belongs to God and comes from God)? Does it teach us to abstain from any evil (keeping in mind that what is evil belongs to the Devil and comes from the Devil)? Absolutely not, because you have decided that there is no salvation in either of these actions.
"'What is this ongoing state of faith you are talking about, which you just called a faith that emanates from God and perfects us? Isn't it exactly the same thing as your activation of faith? How can this faith be perfected if you exclude from it any good that human beings do as if they are acting on their own?
"'In your supposed revelations you say, How can people be saved by any goodness that comes from themselves when in fact salvation costs them nothing? What good can people do without hoping to earn merit, when in fact all merit belongs to Christ? Doing something good for the sake of salvation would therefore be equivalent to attributing to ourselves what belongs to Christ alone. This would be trying to grant ourselves justification and save ourselves. Also how can people do any good work when the Holy Spirit does all the work without any help from us? What need would there be then for any additional goodness from us, since anything good that comes from us is not intrinsically good? And so on.
[6] "'Aren't these your supposed revelations? To my eyes, however, they look like mere sophistry and trickery aimed at doing away with good works, which are acts of goodwill, in an effort to establish your faith alone. Your views on faith and on everything spiritual that relates to the church and religion cause you to see people as logs. You see them as some inanimate sculpture and not as people created in the image of God who have been given, and are continually given, the ability to understand and will, to believe and love, and to speak and act completely as if they were on their own, especially in relation to spiritual things, because these are the things that make human beings human.
"'If people had no ability to think or act in spiritual ways as if they were acting on their own, what would be the point of the Word? What would be the point of the church and religion? What would be the point of worship? You know that doing good to your neighbor from love is goodwill, but you don't know what goodwill is. Yet goodwill is the soul and the essence of faith. And since goodwill is the soul and the essence of faith, what is faith when you remove goodwill? It is a dead thing. And a dead faith is nothing but a phantom. I call it a phantom because James says that faith without good works is not only dead but also diabolical' [James 2:14-26; ].
[7] "When he heard his faith called dead, diabolical, and phantasmic, one of the governors became so enraged that he tore the miter off his head, threw it on the table, and said, 'I will not put this back on until I have taken revenge on the enemies of the faith of our church. ' Then shaking his head he muttered, 'That James! That James!'
"On the front of the miter there was a thin metal plate with an inscription: Faith Alone Makes Us Just.
"Then suddenly a monster with seven heads appeared, rising out of the ground. It had the feet of a bear, the body of a leopard, and the face of a lion, just like the beast described in Revelation 13:1-2. We read that people made an image of that beast and worshiped it (Revelation 13:14-15).
"The ghostly monster snatched the miter from the table, stretched the brim, and put the miter on its seven heads. Then the ground yawned open under its feet and it sank back down.
"When he saw this, the governor shouted, 'Were being attacked! Were being attacked!'
"Then we left. To our surprise, steps appeared before our eyes. We climbed them. They took us back to the earth, where we had been before, with its view of heaven. "
The spirit who had come up with a hundred others from the lower earth told me all this.
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389. The fifth experience.
I once saw a document sent down from heaven to a community in the world of spirits, where there were two leading churchmen together with a retinue of canons and presbyters. The document contained an exhortation to acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ as God of heaven and earth, as He taught (Matthew 28:18), and to abandon as erroneous the doctrine that faith justifies without the deeds prescribed by the law. Many people read and copied out that document, and its contents were considered and talked over judiciously by many of them. But after receiving it, they said to one another: 'Let us hear the opinion of our leaders.'
So they listened to them, but they spoke against it and rejected it. However, the leaders of that community were hard of heart as the result of the falsities they had absorbed in their former world. After a short consultation, therefore, they sent the document back to heaven where it came from. When this was done, after some muttering most of the laymen abandoned their former acceptance, and then the light of their judgment in spiritual matters, which had previously been bright, was suddenly snuffed out. After a second, but vain, warning, I saw that community sinking down, though I could not see how deeply; but it sank out of sight of those who worship the Lord alone, and turn their backs on justification by faith alone.
[2] A few days later I saw perhaps as many as a hundred coming up from the lower earth, to which that small community had sunk; they approached me and one of them said: 'Listen to this extraordinary occurrence. When we sank down, we saw what looked like a lake, and after a while dry land; then later a small town in which many found a home for themselves. Next day we got together to discuss what we should do. Many people said that the two leaders of the church should be approached and gently reproved for sending the document back to the heaven it came from, since it was because of that this had happened to us. They also chose a few people (and the man talking to me said he had been one of them) who went off to the leaders, where one of their number who was especially wise addressed them as follows: "We believed that we excelled others in possessing the church and religion, because we heard it said that we enjoy the strongest light of the Gospel. But some of us have been granted enlightenment from heaven, and this enlightenment has been accompanied by the perception that at the present time there is no longer a church, because there is no religion, in the Christian world."
[3] 'The leaders said: "What is this you are saying? Is not the church where there is the Word, where Christ the Saviour is known, and where there are the sacraments?" Our spokesman replied to this: "They belong to the church, for they make the church; but they make it inside, not outside, a person." He went on to say: "Can there be a church where three Gods are worshipped? Can there be a church where its whole teaching is based upon a misinterpretation of a single saying of Paul, and thus not upon the Word? Can there be a church, when the Saviour of the world, who is the God of the church Himself, is not approached? Can anyone deny that religion is shunning evil and doing good? Is there any religion [where it is taught] that faith alone saves, and not together with charity? Is there any religion where it is taught that the charity which man exercises is only moral and civil charity? Is there anyone who does not see that that sort of charity contains nothing religious? Does faith alone involve any act or deed, though religion consists in action? Is there a nation anywhere in the whole world which attributes no saving power to the good of charity, which is good deeds? Yet the whole of religion consists in good, and the whole of the church consists in the teaching of truths, and by means of truths the teaching of various kinds of good. How glorious our lot would have been, if we had welcomed the teachings at the heart of the document sent down from heaven!"
[4] 'Then the leaders said: "Your remarks aim too high. Surely faith in action, which is the faith which fully justifies and saves, is the church? Surely faith at rest, which is the faith that goes forth and accomplishes, is religion? You must grasp this, my children." But then our wise man said: "Listen, fathers. Surely according to your dogma man resembles a block of wood in conceiving faith in action? Can a block be made alive so as to become a church? Surely faith at rest is according to your notion the continuation and progress of faith in action? And when, as your dogma insists, all saving power resides in faith, and the good of charity on man's part makes no contribution, where is religion then?" Then the prelates said: "Friend, you talk like this because you do not know the secrets of justification by faith alone; and if one is ignorant of these, one cannot know inwardly the way to salvation. Your way is external and fit only for the common people. Go that way if you like. But you should know that all good is from God, and nothing of it from man, so that in spiritual matters man can achieve nothing by himself. How then can a man by himself do good which is spiritual good?"
[5] 'To this our spokesman replied with great indignation: "I know more about your secrets of justification than you do, and I tell you frankly that I have seen nothing inwardly in your secrets but phantoms. Surely religion consists in acknowledging [and loving] God, and shunning and hating the devil? Is not God good itself and the devil evil itself? Is there anyone anywhere in the world, who, if he has a religion, does not know this? Is not acknowledging and loving God doing good, because this is God's and from God; and is not shunning and hating the devil not doing evil, because this is the devil's and from the devil? Or to put it another way, does your faith in action, which you called the faith that fully justifies and saves, or in other words your act of justification by faith alone, teach you to do any good deed which is God's and from God, or to shun any evil because it is the devil's and from the devil? None at all, since you lay down that there is no salvation in either. What is your faith at rest, which you called the faith that goes forth and accomplishes, but the same as faith in action? How can this be perfected, since you exclude all good done by man as if of himself, saying in your secret doctrines: 'How can anyone be saved by any good done by himself, when salvation is a free gift?' Or 'What good can be done by man except with a view to seeking merit, when yet Christ's merit is all-sufficient? Thus doing good to achieve salvation would be attributing to oneself what belongs to Christ alone, and it would also be wishing to justify and save oneself.' Or 'How can anyone do a good deed, when the Holy Spirit performs everything with no help from man? What need then is there for any extra good from man, when all good from man is not in essence good at all?'
[6] There are many other questions; are not these your secrets? But in my eyes they are simply quibbles and tricks invented in order to get rid of good deeds, which are the good deeds of charity, so as to establish firmly your doctrine of faith alone. And because you do so, you consider man as regards faith, and in general as regards all spiritual matters relating to the church and religion as a block of wood, or like a lifeless effigy, not as a human being created in the image of God, who has been given and is continually given the ability to understand and to will, to believe and to love, and to speak and act, exactly as if of himself, especially in spiritual matters, since they are what make a human being human. If a human being were not to think and act in spiritual matters as if of himself, what then would become of the Word? What would then become of the church and religion? And what of worship? You know that doing good to the neighbour as the result of love is charity; but you do not know what charity is. Yet it is the soul and essence of faith. And since charity is both these things, how can faith divorced from charity be anything but dead? Dead faith is nothing but a phantom. I call it a phantom, because James 2:17 calls faith without good deeds not only dead, but even diabolical."
[7] Then one of the leaders, on hearing his faith called dead, diabolical and a phantom, became so furious that he snatched the mitre off his head and threw it on the table saying: 'I will not put it on again until I have taken vengeance on the enemies of the faith of our church.' So he shook his head murmuring 'That man James! That man James!' On the front of the mitre was a plate, with the words 'Faith alone justifies' engraved on it. Then there suddenly appeared a monster rising out of the ground; it had seven heads, feet like a bear's, a body like a leopard's, a mouth like a lion's, exactly like the beast described in Revelation (Revelation 13:1-2), and of which an image was made and honoured (Revelation 13:14-15). This phantom took the mitre from the table, pulled its lower edge apart and put it on its seven heads. At this the ground gaped open beneath its feet and it sank down. On seeing this the leader cried: 'Assault, assault.' Then we left them, and found steps before our eyes which we went up; so we came back upon the earth and into sight of heaven, where we had been before.'
This was the story told me by the spirit who with a hundred companions had come up from the lower earth.
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389. Fifth Memorable Relation:
A paper was once seen let down from heaven into a society in the world of spirits, where there were two prelates of the church with subordinate canons and presbyters. The paper contained an exhortation to them to acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ as the God of heaven and earth, as He Himself taught (Matthew 28:18), and to withdraw from the doctrine of faith justifying without the works of the law, because it is erroneous. This paper was read and copied by many, and many thought of what was in it and spoke with judgment.
But having received it, they said to each other, "Let us hear what the prelates say."
And the prelates were heard; and they objected to it and condemned it. For the prelates of that society were hardened in heart by falsities imbibed in the former world. So after a brief consultation with each other, they sent the paper back to heaven whence it came.
When this had been done, after some murmuring, most of the laity withdrew their previous assent, and then the light of their judgment in spiritual things, which had before shone brightly, was suddenly extinguished. After they had been admonished again, but to no purpose, I saw that society sinking down (how deeply I did not see), and thus it was withdrawn from the sight of those who worship the Lord only, and are averse to justification by faith alone.
[2] Some days after I saw nearly a hundred ascending from the lower earth, just where that little society had sunk. They drew near to me, and one of them said, "Listen to something wonderful. While we were sinking down the place appeared to us like a swamp, but presently like dry land, and then like a small town in which many had each his own house. When a day had passed, we consulted together as to what ought to be done. Many said that those two prelates of the church ought to be called upon and mildly censured for sending the paper back to the heaven it came from, on account of which this had befallen us. And they chose certain ones who went to the prelates (and the one who talked with me said that he was one of them), and one who surpassed the others in wisdom spoke to the prelates as follows, 'We have believed that the church and religion were with us more than with others, because we have heard it said that we are especially in the light of the Gospel; but there has been given to some of us enlightenment from heaven, and in the enlightenment a perception that in the Christian world at the present day there is no longer a church, because there is no religion.'
[3] The prelates answered, 'What are you saying? Is not the church where the Word is, where Christ the Savior is known, and where the sacraments are?' To this our spokesman replied, 'These things belong to the church, and in fact constitute the church; but this they do, not outside of man, but within him.' And he said further, 'Can the church exist where three Gods are worshiped? Can the church exist where its whole doctrine is founded upon a single saying of Paul falsely understood, and consequently not upon the Word? Can the church exist so long as the Savior of the world, who is the very God of the church, is not approached? Who can deny that religion is to shun evil and do good? Is there any religion where it is taught that faith alone saves, and not charity together with faith? Is there any religion where it is taught that the charity proceeding from man is merely moral and civil charity? Who does not see that in such charity there is no religion? In faith alone is there anything of deeds or works? and yet religion consists in doing. In the whole world can a people be found that excludes all saving virtue from the goods of charity, which are good works, when in fact the whole of religion consists in good, and the whole of the church in doctrine which teaches truths, and by means of truths teaches good? What glory had been ours, if we had accepted those things that the paper let down from heaven carried in its bosom!'
[4] "The prelates then answered, 'You speak too loftily. Is not faith in act, which is faith fully justified and saving, the church? And is not faith in state, which is faith proceeding and perfecting, religion? Sons, lay hold on this.' But our wise spokesman said, 'Listen, fathers! According to your dogma does not man conceive of faith in act as a stock? Can a stock be vivified into a church? Is not faith in state, according to your idea, a continuation and progression of faith in act? And since, according to your dogma, all saving power is in faith, and nothing of it in the good of charity from man, where then is religion?'
"Then the priests answered, 'Friend, you so speak because you do not know the mysteries of justification by faith alone; and he who does not know these does not know interiorly the way of salvation. Your way is external and the way of the vulgar; go in it if you will, but know that all good is from God, and nothing from man, and thus man of himself has no ability in spiritual things. How then can man of himself do good that is spiritual good?'
[5] At this our spokesman, being very indignant, replied, 'I know your mysteries of justification better than you do, and I tell you plainly, that I see nothing in them interiorly but specters. Is it not religion to acknowledge God and to shun and hate the devil? Is not God good itself, and the devil evil itself? Is there anyone in the whole world who has any religion who does not know this? Is not doing good because it is of God and from God, - is not this acknowledging God and loving God? And is not ceasing to do evil, because it is of the devil and from the devil, - is not this shunning and hating the devil? Or, what is the same thing, does your faith in act, which you call faith fully justifying and saving, or, what is again the same, your act of justification by faith alone, does this teach the doing of any good that is of and from God, or the shunning of any evil that is of the devil and from the devil? Not in the least; because you maintain 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 thing as faith in act? And how can this be perfected when you exclude all good done by man as if by himself, saying in your mysteries, How can man be saved by any good done by himself, when salvation is gratuitous? And again you say, Is there any good done by man that is not made a matter of merit, when, in fact, all merit belongs to Christ? Therefore doing good for the sake of salvation is attributing to ourself what belongs to Christ alone, and is thus a desire to justify and save ourself. Again you say, How can any man do good, when the Holy Spirit does all things without any aid from man? What need is there of any accessory good from man, when all good that comes from man in itself is not good? and so on.
[6] Are not these your mysteries? But in my eyes they are mere cavils and subtleties invented for the purpose of setting aside good works, which are the goods of charity, so that you may establish your faith alone. And because you do this, in respect to faith, and in general in respect to all spiritual things which pertain to the church and religion; you look upon man as a stock or an inanimate figure, and not as a man created in the image of God, to whom there has been given and is continually given the ability to understand and to will and to believe and to love, to speak, and to act, altogether as if of himself, especially in spiritual things, because from them man is man. If man, in spiritual things, did not think and operate as if of himself, why the Word, why the church and religion, and why worship? You know that doing good to the neighbor and from love is charity. And yet you do not know what charity is, although it is the soul and essence of faith and since charity is that soul and essence, what is faith separated from charity but dead faith? And dead faith is a mere specter. I call it a specter, because James calls faith apart from good works not only dead, but even diabolical.'
[7] Then one of the prelates, when he heard his faith called dead, diabolical, and a specter, became so enraged that he snatched his miter from his head and dashed it upon the table, saying, 'I will not resume it until I have taken vengeance upon the enemies of the faith of our church;' and he shook his head, muttering, and saying, 'That James-that James.' On the front of his miter was a plate on which were engraved the words, Faith alone justifies. Then suddenly a monster appeared rising up out of the earth, with seven heads, with feet like a bear's, a body like a leopard's, and a mouth like a lion's, precisely like the beast described in theApocalypse (13:1, 2), of whom an image was made and worshiped (verses 14, 15). This specter took the miter from the table, and stretched it wide at the bottom and placed it on his seven heads, and then the earth gaped beneath his feet and he sank down. Seeing this, the prelate shouted, 'Violence, violence!' We then left them; and lo, steps appeared before us, by which we ascended and returned above ground, and in sight of the heaven where we had been before."
All this was told me by the spirit who, with a hundred others, had ascended from the lower earth.
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389. The fifth experience. I once saw a document sent down from heaven to a certain society in the world of spirits, where the Church had two prelates, with subordinate canons and elders. It contained an exhortation to them to acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ as the God of heaven and earth, as He Himself taught in Matthew 28:18; and to renounce their doctrine concerning faith which justifies without the works of the law, because it is erroneous. The paper was read, and extracts were made by many; and the contents formed the subject of much thought and well reasoned conversation. Some time, however, after receiving it, they said to one another, "Let us hear the prelates." These were heard, but they contradicted and condemned it; for they were hardened in heart because of the falsities they had learned while living on the earth. Therefore, after a short consultation, they sent the document back to heaven whence it had come. Thereupon, after some murmuring, most of the laity withdrew their previous assent; and the light of their judgment in spiritual matters, which had before shone brightly, was suddenly extinguished. After they had been urged a second time to reconsider the matter, but in vain, I observed the society sink underground, to what depth I did not see. Thus it was removed from the sight of those who worship the Lord only, and who hold in aversion the doctrine of justification by faith alone.
[2] Some days afterwards, I saw about a hundred persons coming up from the lower earth down to which that small society had descended. They came towards me, and one of them said: "Listen to our extraordinary story. On our descent, the place appeared like a swamp, which soon became dry land, and then a small town appeared, in which many of us had a house for himself. The next day we held a consultation on what should be done. Many said that the prelates of the Church ought to be approached and mildly censured, because they returned the paper to heaven from which it had been sent down, and so brought this disaster upon us. Accordingly they selected several who went to the prelates." He who spoke to me said he was one of their number. "Then one of us who excelled in wisdom addressed them as follows: 'We believed that the Church and religion flourished especially among us, because we have heard it said that we enjoyed the greatest Gospel light. Some of us, however, have been granted enlightenment from heaven and a perception that at this day there is no longer any Church in the Christian world, because there is no religion.'
[3] "The prelates replied: 'What is this you say? Does not the Church exist where the Word is read, where Christ the Savior is acknowledged, and the sacraments are administered?' To this our friend answered: 'These indeed belong to the Church, for they constitute it; but they do not constitute the Church outside of man, but within him.' He continued: 'Can the Church be where three Gods are worshiped, and where its whole doctrine is founded upon a single statement of the apostle Paul falsely interpreted, and consequently not upon the Word? Can the Church exist, when the Savior of the world, who is Himself the God of the Church, is not approached? No one can deny that religion consists in shunning evil and doing good. Is there any religion where it is taught that faith alone saves, apart from charity? Is there any religion where it is taught that charity which proceeds from man is merely moral and civil? Who does not see that in such charity there is no religion? In faith alone there is nothing of deed or work, when yet religion consists in doing. There is not a nation in the whole world which does not regard as all-saving the good of charity, which good works are; since the all of religion consists in good, and the all of the Church in doctrine which teaches truths, and which teaches good by means of truths. What glory would have been ours, if we had accepted what was contained in that document sent down to us from heaven!'
[4] "The prelates then replied: 'You speak in too lofty a strain. Faith in act, which is fully justifying and saving, constitutes the Church; and faith in state, which is faith proceeding and perfecting, constitutes religion. This is what you, my children, must understand.' But our wise friend said: 'Hear us, fathers! According to your teaching a man conceives faith in act to be no more than a log of wood. Can a log be so vivified as to become a Church? Again, in your opinion, faith in state is the continuation and progression of faith in act. Since, therefore, according to your teaching all saving virtue is in faith, and none in the good of charity, which proceeds from man, where then is religion?' Then the prelates said: 'You talk in this manner, friend, because you do not know the mysteries of justification by faith alone; and he who does not know these is ignorant of the interior nature of the way of salvation. Your way is external and plebeian; walk in it if you will; only know this, that all good is from God and none from man; and, therefore, in spiritual matters a man has no power of himself. How then, can he of himself do any good which is spiritual?'
[5] "To this, our friend who was carrying on the conversation replied with some warmth: 'I know your mysteries of justification better than you do yourselves, and I tell you plainly that I see nothing within these but mere illusions. Religion consists in acknowledging God, and in fleeing from the devil and hating him. God is goodness itself, and the devil evil itself. What man in the whole world, who is at all religious, does not know this? To acknowledge God and to love Him is to do good, because good is of God and from God; and to flee from the devil and hate him is to shun evil, because this is of the devil and from the devil. Now does your faith in act, which you call a faith which fully justifies and saves, or, what is the same thing, does your act of justification by faith alone, teach a man to do any good which is of God and from God, or to shun evil which is of the devil and from the devil? Not in the least; because you have laid it down that salvation does not depend either on doing good or on shunning evil. Further, what is your faith in state, which you call faith proceeding and perfecting, but the same as faith in act? How can this be perfected, when you exclude all good that comes from man as of himself, by saying in your mysteries, How can a man be saved by any good from himself, since salvation is a free gift? What good can come from man except such as is merit-seeking, and yet all merit belongs to Christ alone? Therefore, to do good for the sake of salvation would be to attribute to oneself what belongs to Christ alone, and thus would be to desire to justify and save oneself. You add, further, how can any one do good works, when the Holy Spirit performs all things, without any help from man? What need, then, is there of any good on man's part, designed to help him, since all the good that comes from man in itself is not good? and much more to the same effect. Are not these your mysteries? But in my eyes they are merely subtleties and artifices, contrived to eliminate good works, or the good of charity, in order to establish your faith alone.
[6] "'In consequence of this you regard man, with respect to faith, and in general, with respect to all the spiritual things of the Church and religion, as a log, or lifeless image; and not as a man created in the image of God, to whom has been given, and is continually being given, the power to understand and will, to believe and love, and to speak and act entirely as of himself, especially in spiritual things; for by virtue of these a man is a man. If a man in spiritual things were not to think and act as of himself, what then would be the use of the Word, the Church, religion and worship? You know that to do good to the neighbor from love is charity; but you do not know that charity is the soul and essence of faith; and because charity is both of these, what then is faith separated from charity, but dead? and a dead faith is nothing but a phantom. I call it so because the apostle James calls faith without good works not only dead, but diabolical.'
[7] "Then one of the prelates, on hearing his faith called dead, diabolical and a phantom, became so angry that he tore the mitre from his head, and threw it upon the table, saying: 'I will not take it up again until I have avenged myself on the enemies of the faith of our Church;' and he shook his head, muttering and exclaiming, 'That James! That James!' On the front of his mitre was a thin plate of gold inscribed with the words, 'Faith alone justifies.' Then suddenly there appeared rising out of the earth a monster with seven heads, with feet like a bear's, a body like a leopard's, and a mouth like a lion's, exactly like the beast described in Revelation 13:1-2, whose image was made and worshiped, verses 14-15. This apparition took the mitre off the table, and stretching it at the bottom, placed it upon his seven heads. Thereupon the earth opened under his feet, and he sank down to the lower regions. At the sight of this the prelate exclaimed, 'Violence! Violence!' Then we left them, and lo! steps appeared before us by which we ascended, and returned above ground, and to the sight of heaven, where we had been before." This was related to me by that spirit who, with a hundred others, had ascended from the lower earth.
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389. QUINTUM MEMORABILE.
Quondam visa est Charta e Coelo demissa in unam Societatem in Mundo spirituum, ubi erant duo Praesules Ecclesiae cum Canonicis et Presbyteris sub illis: in Charta illa fuit exhortatio, ut agnoscerent 1 Dominum Jesum Christum pro Deo Coeli et Terrae, prout Ipse docuit, Matthaeus 28:18, ac ut recederent a doctrina de Fide justificante sine operibus legis, quia erronea. Charta illa lecta et exscripta fuit a multis, et de illis, quae in ea erant, cogitabant et loquebantur multi ex judicio. At postquam receperunt illam, dixerunt inter se, audiamus Praesules, et auditi sunt, sed contradixerunt et improbaverunt: verum Praesules illius Societatis erant duri corde ex falsis in Mundo priori imbutis, quare post brevem consultationem inter se, remiserunt Chartam ad Coelum unde venit: quo facto, post aliquod murmur, plerique Laici a consensu priori suo recesserunt, et tunc lux judicii illorum in spiritualibus, quae prius exsplenduit, subito exstincta est; postquam iterum admoniti fuerunt, at frustra, vidi Societatem illam subsidentem, sed quam profunde, non vidi, ita subductam e conspectu illorum, qui unice colunt Dominum, et solam fidem justificantem aversantur.
[2] Sed post aliquos dies vidi ascendentes paene ad centum ex inferiore terra, quo usque parva illa 2 Societas subsidit, qui accesserunt ad me, et e quibus unus loquutus dixit, audi mirabile; dum subsidimus, apparuit nobis locus sicut stagnum, sed mox sicut terra sicca, et postea sicut parva urbs, in qua multis fuit sua domus; post diem consultavimus inter nos, quid faciendum; dixerunt multi, quod duo illi Praesules Ecclesiae adeundi sint, et mite arguendi, quia remiserunt Chartam in Coelum e quo demissa est, et propter id contigit nobis hoc; elegerunt etiam aliquos, qui abiverunt ad Praesules, et dixit mecum loquens, quod esset unus ex illis; et tunc quidam inter nos sapientia praepollens loquebatur ad Praesules, ita; credidimus quod apud nos prae reliquis esset Ecclesia, et Religio, quia dictum audivimus, quod in summa luce Evangelii simus; sed data est quibusdam e nobis illustratio e Coelo, et in illustratione perceptio, quod hodie in Orbe Christiano non sit amplius Ecclesia, quia non Religio.
[3] Dixerunt Praesules, quid loquimini; estne Ecclesia ubi est Verbum, ubi Christus Salvator notus est, et ubi sunt Sacramenta: ad haec respondit noster, illa sunt Ecclesiae, nam illa faciunt Ecclesiam, sed non faciunt illam extra hominem, sed intra hominem: et porro dixit, 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 3 esse, dum Salvator Mundi, qui est ipse Deus Ecclesiae, non aditur: quis negare potest, quin Religio sit fugere malum et facere bonum, num est aliqua Religio [ubi docetur], 4 quod sola fides salvet, et non simul charitas; num est Religio, ubi docetur, quod Charitas procedens ab homine non sit nisi quam Charitas moralis et civilis; quis non videt quod in illa Charitate non sit aliquid religionis; num est in sola Fide aliquod facti seu operis, cum tamen in facere consistit religio: Numeri datur in universo terrarum orbe Gens, quae excludit omne salvificum a bonis Charitatis, quae sunt bona Opera, cum tamen omne Religionis consistit in bono, et omne Ecclesiae in Doctrina, quae docet vera, et per vera bona; quae gloria nobis fuisset, si acceptaverimus illa, quae Charta e Coelo demissa in sinu suo portavit.
[4] Tunc Praesules dixerunt, 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 Sapiens noster dixit, audite Patres; annon homo concipit Fidem actu sicut stipes secundum vestrum dogma; num stipes potest vivificari in Ecclesiam; annon Fides statu est secundum vestram ideam continuatio et progressio Fidei actu, et cum secundum vestrum dogma, omne 5 salvificum est in Fide, et non aliquid in bono Charitatis ab homine, ubi tunc est Religio. Tunc dixerunt Antistites, 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 externa 6 et plebeja; vade illam si vis, at scias modo, quod omne bonum sit a Deo, et nihil ab homine, et quod sic homo in spiritualibus nihil possit a se; quomodo tunc potest homo facere bonum, quod est bonum spirituale, a se.
[5] Ad haec Noster loquens cum illis, valde indignatus, respondit, scio Arcana justificationis vestra plus quam vos, et aperte vobis dico, quod interius in Arcanis vestris non viderim nisi quam spectra; annon Religio est agnoscere 7 Deum, ac fugere et odio habere diabolum; estne Deus ipsum Bonum, et Diabolus ipsum Malum; quis in Universo terrarum orbe, cui est 8 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, seu quod idem, vestra Fides actu, quam vocastis Fidem plene justificantem et salvantem, seu quod idem, vester Actus justificationis per solam fidem, Numeri docet facere aliquod bonum, quod est Dei et a Deo, et Numeri 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, 9 nisi eadem cum Fide actu; quomodo potest haec perfici, cum excluditis omne bonum ab homine sicut ab ipso, dicendo in Arcanis vestris, quomodo potest homo salvari per aliquod bonum a se, cum salvatio est gratuita; tum quid bonum ab homine, nisi meritorium, et tamen meritum Christi est omne, quare bonum facere salutis causa, foret sibi attribuere quod solius Christi est, 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 ab homine, cum omne bonum ab homine in se non est bonum, praeter plura;
[6] 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 10 illam, 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 Verbum, quid tunc Ecclesia et Religio, et quid tunc Cultus: nostis quod facere bonum proximo ex amore sit Charitas, at non nostis quid Charitas, cum tamen Charitas est anima et essentia fidei, et quia Charitas est utraque illa, quid tunc Fides remota Charitate, nisi mortua, et Fides mortua non est nisi quam spectrum; voco illam spectrum, quoniam Jacobus vocat Fidem absque bonis Operibus non solum mortuam, sed etiam Diabolicam.
[7] Tunc unus ex Praesulibus illis, 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 11 fuero hostes Fidei Ecclesiae nostrae, et movit caput murmurans et dicens, 12 ILLE JACOB, ILLE JACOB: in fronte cidaris erat bractea, cui insculpta fuit SOLA FIDES JUSTIFICANS: et tunc subito apparuit monstrum e terra surgens cum septem capitibus, cui pedes sicut ursi, corpus sicut pardi, et os sicut leonis, prorsus similis bestiae, quae describitur Apocalypsis 13:1-2, cujus imago facta et adorata est, Vers. 13 14-15; hoc spectrum e Mensa desumsit Cidarim, et dilatavit illam infra, et posuit super septem suis capitibus; quo facto, terra hiabat sub pedibus ejus, et subsidit; hoc viso clamavit Praesul, VIOLENTIA, VIOLENTIA. Tunc abivimus ab illis, et ecce gradus coram oculis nostris, per quos ascendimus, et redivimus super terram, et in conspectum Coeli, ubi fuimus prius; haec narravit mihi Spiritus ille, qui cum centum aliis ex terra inferiore ascenderat.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: agroscerent.
2. Prima editio: ille.
3. Prima editio: Ecelesia.
4. Sic in margine exemplaris scriptoris et Apocalypsis Revelata 675.
5. Prima editio: omme.
6. Prima editio: cxterna.
7. Nisi legeris agnoscere et amare sic in margine exemplaris scriptoris et Apocalypsis Revelata 675.
8. Prima editio: ast.
9. Prima editio: persieientem.
10. Prima editio: quod.
11. Prima editio: utus.
12. Prima editio: dicens.
13. Prima editio: Vers.