386. 对此，我补充这则记事：
有一次，我在灵界四下观望，听到似乎有磨牙声，又似敲击声，他们还混杂着刺耳的声音。于是，我询问所听到的是什么，与我同在的天使说：“是一些俱乐部，我们称之为‘酒馆’，那里正在进行辩论。这些辨论从远处听上去就是如此，不过，走近它们，它们听上去只不过如同辩论声。”我靠近发现一些小房子，由芦苇和泥建成。我想透过窗户往里看看，但一扇窗户也没有；没有可以进去的门，因为天上的光会流入进来，给他们造成混乱。但突然右边出现一扇窗户；于是，我听见他们抱怨说，他们处在一片黑暗中。没过多久，左边又出现一扇窗户，而右边那扇则关上了；然后，黑暗逐渐被驱散，他们发觉自己在光中。此后，我被允许从门进入并倾听。有一张桌子在中间，周围有长凳。不过，在我看来，他们似乎都站在长凳上，彼此激烈辩论信与仁：一方认为信是教会的首要事物；另一方认为仁才是。认为信是首要的那一方说：“我们岂不是因信而与神有关，因仁而与人有关吗？因此，信不是天上的，仁不是地上的吗？我们得救，岂不是靠天上的，而非靠地上的？再者，神难道不能从天上赐予信，因为它是天上的，人必不能为自己获取仁，因为它是地上的？人为自己所获取的，并不属于教会，因而不能拯救。谁能靠行为，就是所谓仁爱的行为在神眼里称义？相信我们，我们不仅唯信称义，还唯信成圣，只要信不被来自仁爱行为的邀功之事所玷污。”除此以外还有更多事。
认为仁是教会首要事物的这一方则针锋相对驳斥这些事，说：“是仁拯救，而不是信；神不是爱所有人，不是愿意所有人都好吗？若不通过人，神如何实现这一切？难道神只是叫人彼此谈论与信相关的那类事？祂不是叫人去行出那些属于仁的事吗？难道你们看不出声称仁是地上的很荒唐吗？仁是天上的，因为你们不去行仁之善，所以你们的信才是地上的！除了像一根木头或一块石头外，你们如何接受信？你们却说，只要听圣言就行。然而，只是听一听，圣言如何运作，又如何作用在一根木头或一块石头上？或许你们在不知道它的情况下仍富有活力，但除了能说唯信得救这句话外，这活力又能是什么呢？至于何为信，何为得救之信，你们并不知道。”
但这时，有一个人起身，与我交谈的天使称他为“调和论者”（Syncretist）。他从头上摘下帽子放在桌子上，但很快又戴回去，因为他是个秃头。他说：“听着！其实你们都错了！真相是：信是属灵的，仁是道德的；不过，它们却联结起来，这种联结要靠圣言，靠圣灵，靠果效，人可以毫不知情，事实上可称作顺从，但没有人参与的份。我自己思想这些问题已经好长时间了，最终悟出：人可以从神接受属灵的信，但无法被神驱向属灵的仁，除非他像一根盐柱。”
说完这番话，那些处于唯信的人给他鼓掌，而那些处于仁的人却叫喊起来；后者愤慨地说：“朋友，听着！你们不晓得道德的生活可以是属灵的，也可以仅仅是属世的。对那些通过神行善，却貌似通过自己而行的人来说，道德的生活就是属灵的。而对那些通过地狱行善，却貌似通过自己而行的人来说，道德的生活仅仅是属世的。”
前面说过，他们的辩论听上去就像磨牙声、敲击声，其中混杂着刺耳的声音。听上去就像磨牙声的辩论，是那些处于唯信之人的；听上去就像敲击声的，是那些处于唯仁之人的；它们所混杂的刺耳声则出自调和论者。他们的声音从远处听上去之所以如此，是因为他们在世时把时间全都花在辩论上，并未避开任何邪恶，所以没有行出任何属灵的道德良善；而且，他们浑然不知信的全部是真理，仁的全部是良善；没有良善的真理在灵里不是真理；没有真理的良善在灵里不是良善；因此，一个必作成另一个。当右边出现窗户时，之所以有黑暗，是因为天上的光从右边流入会影响意愿；当右边的窗户被关闭，左边的另一扇窗户出现时，之所以有光，是因为天上的光从左边流入会影响认知，并且就其认知而言，人人都可以处于天堂之光，只要意愿在其邪恶方面被关闭。
386. To this I will append the following account:
When I once looked about in the spiritual world, I heard what sounded like the gnashing of teeth, and like a thumping, too, intermixed with a harsh noise. So I asked what I was hearing, and the angels who were with me said, "There are clubs, which we call taverns, where people argue with each other. This is the way their debates sound at a distance, but close by they sound only like arguments.
I went over and saw cottages constructed of interwoven rushes, with clay for mortar. I wanted to look through a window, but there wasn't one. I looked for a window because I was not permitted to enter through the door, as light from heaven would then flow in and befuddle the people.
Suddenly, however, a window materialized on the right side, and I heard the people complain then that everything had gone dark. But shortly a window materialized on the left side, with the window on the right side closing, and then the darkness was by degrees dispelled, and they saw each other in a state of light. After that I was allowed to enter through the door and listen.
There was a table in the middle of the room, with benches surrounding it, yet the people all seemed to me to be standing on the benches, and to be arguing sharply with each other about faith and charity, the people on one side saying that faith was the principal tenet of the church, and on the other side that charity was.
Those who made faith the principal tenet said, "Do we not deal with God as regards faith, and with people as regards charity? Is not faith therefore something heavenly, and charity something earthly? Are we not saved by what is heavenly, and not by anything earthly?
"Furthermore, cannot God confer faith from heaven, because it is something heavenly, and must not a person confer on himself charity, because it is something earthly? What a person confers on himself is unrelated to the church and is therefore not saving. Can works that are called works of charity justify anyone in that case before God?
"Believe us when we say that by faith alone we are not only justified but also sanctified, provided our faith is not contaminated by hopes for merit that spring up from works of charity."
And so on.
[2] In reply, the people who made charity the principal tenet of the church sharply refuted them, saying that charity is saving, and not faith. "Does not God hold all people dear and will good to all? How can God do this except through the agency of people? Does God enable people to speak with one another only about matters having to do with faith, and not enable them to do things for one another that are matters of charity?
"Do you not see how absurdly you spoke about charity, saying that it is something earthly? Charity is something heavenly, and because you do not do the good pertaining to charity, your faith is earthly. How do you receive faith other than as a log or rock? You say that it is simply by hearing the Word, but how can the Word do anything simply by being heard, and how can it have any effect on a log or rock? Perhaps you are animated without being aware of it. However, what is that animation except to enable you to say that faith alone is saving? Yet what that faith is, and what saving faith is, you do not know."
[3] But one among them then arose, whom an angel speaking with me called a syncretist. 1He took the cap from his head and placed it on the table, but quickly replaced it, as he was bald. He said, "Listen, you are all wrong. The truth is that faith is spiritual, and charity moral; but still they are conjoined, and they are conjoined by the Word, by the Holy Spirit, and by the effect these have, without the person's knowing. Indeed, the person may be said to be a compliant form, but one in which the person has no part.
"I have thought to myself a long time about this, and I eventually found that God can enable a person to receive a faith that is spiritual, but cannot move him to a charity that is spiritual without his being like a pillar of salt."
[4] When he said this, the people caught up in faith alone applauded, while those espousing charity booed. And the latter said with annoyance, "Listen, my friend, you do not know that a moral life can be spiritual, and that it can be merely natural - being a moral life that is spiritual in the case of people who do good from the Lord, though doing it as if of themselves, and being a moral life that is merely natural in the case of people who do good from hell, though doing it as if of themselves."
[5] I said before that the arguing sounded like the gnashing of teeth, and like a thumping, too, intermixed with a harsh noise. The particular arguing that sounded like the gnashing of teeth came from those who were espousing faith alone; the arguing that sounded like a thumping came from those who were espousing charity alone; and the intermixed harsh noise came from the syncretist. I heard their voices at a distance thus because they had all argued in the world, but did not refrain from any evil and so did not do any moral good that was spiritual. Moreover, they also did not know at all that the totality of faith is truth, and that the totality of charity is goodness, and that truth without goodness is not truth in spirit, and that goodness without truth is not goodness in spirit; thus that one must form the other.
The reason everything became dark when a window materialized on the right side is that light flowing in from heaven on that side affects the will. And a state of light returned when the window on the right side closed and a window materialized on the left side, because light flowing in from heaven on the left side affects the intellect, and everyone can be in the light of heaven as regards his intellect, provided his will is closed as regards the evil in him.
Footnotes:
1. An espouser of syncretism, a system of belief that attempts to reconcile differing religious and philosophic positions. The term was applied especially to the views of George Calixtus, a Lutheran theologian in the 17th century, and to his followers.
386. To these things I will add this MEMORABLE OCCURRENCE. Once when I looked around in the spiritual world I heard as it were the gnashing of teeth, and also as it were a knocking, and mingled with those [sounds] a raucous sound, and I inquired what they were. And the angels who were with me said, 'They are Clubs (Collegia) that are called Inns (Diversoria) by us, where they are holding controversial debates. Their controversies are heard in this manner from afar off, but near by they are heard only as controversies.' I approached and saw little huts woven out of rushes plastered with mud; and I wanted to look in through a window, but there was none. Nor was it allowed to enter by the door, because in that event light out of heaven would inflow and confuse them. But suddenly from the right side a window was made, and then I heard complaints that they were in darkness. Presently, however, a window was made from the left side, the window from the right side having been closed, and then the darkness was dispersed a little and they seemed to themselves to be in light. And after this it was granted me to go in through the door, and to hear. There was a table in the middle, and benches round about. But despite this they all seemed to me to be standing on the benches and disputing sharply among themselves about FAITH and CHARITY, one lot [contending] that faith was the chief thing of the Church, the other that it was charity. Those who were making faith the chief thing said, 'Do we not act with God from faith, and with man from charity? Is not faith therefore heavenly, and charity earthly? Are we not saved by means of what is heavenly and not by what is earthly? Again, is not God able to give faith out of heaven because it is heavenly, and should not man set about giving himself charity because it is earthly? and what a man gives himself, this is not of the Church, and therefore does not save. Can any one thus be justified before God as a result of the works that are called works of charity? Believe us, that by faith alone we are not only justified but also sanctified, provided the faith is not contaminated by the merit-seeking qualities that are derived from the works of charity.'
[2] Besides more. Those, however, who were making charity the chief thing of the Church were sharply refuting this, saying that charity saves and not faith. 'Does not God hold all dear to Him, and will good to all? How can God do this except by means of men? Does God only grant to talk with men about the things that are of faith, and not to do to men the things that are of charity? Do you not see that you have absurdly said of charity that it is earthly? Charity is heavenly, and because you are not doing the good of charity, your faith is earthly. How do you acquire faith except as a stock or stone? You say, by only a hearing of the Word, but how can the Word operate by only having been heard? and how can it operate upon stock or stone? Perhaps you have been vivified all unknown to you, but what is the vivification, except that you are able to say that faith alone saves? But what faith is, and what is a saving faith, you do not know.'
[3] Whereupon one arose, who was called a Syncretist by the angel speaking with me. He took a turban off his head and put it on the table, but promptly replaced it because he was bald. He said, 'Listen, you are all astray. It is true that faith is spiritual, and charity is moral, but yet they are joined together, and joined together by the Word, by the Holy Spirit, and by a putting into practice unbeknown to the man, which can indeed be called obedience, but in this the man does not have any part. I have thought about these things myself a long time, and I have at length found that a man can acquire from God a faith, which is spiritual, but that he cannot be moved by God to a charity that is spiritual any more than a pillar of salt.'
[4] These things having been said, those who were in faith alone were applauding, but those who were in charity were booing. And the latter were indignantly saying, 'Listen, comrade, you do not know that there is a spiritual moral life, and that there is a merely natural moral life; a spiritual moral life with those who do good from God and yet as if from themselves, and a merely natural moral life with those who do good out of hell and yet as if from themselves.'
[5] It was said that the controversy was heard as the gnashing of teeth, and as a knocking, with a raucous sound mingled with them. The controversy heard as the gnashing of teeth was from those who were in faith alone; but the controversy heard as a knocking was from those who were in charity alone; and the raucous sound mingled therewith was from Syncretists. Their sounds were so heard from afar off because all of them had engaged in controversy in the world, and had not shunned any evil, and therefore had not done any spiritual moral good. Moreover they had been altogether ignorant that everything of faith is truth, and everything of charity is good, and that truth without good is not truth in spirit, and that good without truth is not good in spirit, and that thus the one produces the other. The reason why it got dark when a window was made from the right side is because the light inflowing out of heaven from that side affects the will; and the reason why it got light when the window from the right side was closed up, and a window was made from the left side, is because light inflowing out of heaven from the left side affects the understanding, and every man can be in the light of heaven as to the understanding if only the will is closed as to the evil thereof.
386. To the above I will add this Relation. Once when I looked around in the spiritual world, I heard as it were the gnashing of teeth, and also as it were a knocking, and mixed with them a grating sound; and I inquired what they were. And the angels who were with me said, "There are colleges which are called by us diversoria, where disputations are carried on. These disputations are so heard at a distance, but on coming near to them they are only heard as disputations." I drew near and saw small houses, constructed of reeds plastered with mud. And I desired to look in through a window, but there was none; for it was not allowed to enter through the door, because the light from heaven would flow in and confuse them. But suddenly a window was made on the right side; and then I heard them complain that they were in darkness. Shortly afterwards a window was made on the left side, and that on the right was closed; upon which the darkness gradually dispersed, and they seemed to themselves to be in the light.
After this I was permitted to go in through the door and hear. There was a table in the middle, and benches round about; but they all seemed to me to stand upon the benches, and to dispute sharply with one another concerning Faith and Charity: on one side, that faith was the principal thing of the church; on the other, that charity was. They who made faith the principal, said, "Have we not to do with God by faith, and with man by charity? Is not faith therefore heavenly, and charity earthly? Are we not saved by what is heavenly, and not by what is earthly? Again, cannot God give faith from heaven, because it is heavenly, and must not man procure to himself charity, because it is earthly? And what man procures for himself, is not of the church, and therefore does not save? Can anyone be justified in the sight of God by works, which are called works of charity? Believe us, we are not only justified, but also sanctified by faith alone, provided that faith be not defiled by things meritorious, which are from the works of charity." Besides many more things.
[2] But they who made charity the principal thing of the church, sharply refuted these things, saying, "That charity saves, and not faith; are not all dear to God, and does He not will the good of all? How can God effect this, except by men? Does God only give to men to talk with one another about such things as relate to faith? and does He not give to men to do those things which are of charity? Do you not see that it is absurd in you to say that charity is earthly? Charity is heavenly, and because you do not do the good of charity, your faith is earthly. How do you receive faith but as a stock or a stone? You say by the hearing of the Word only. But how can the Word operate by being heard only, and this too upon a stock or a stone? Perhaps you are vivified without knowing it; but what is this vivification except in being enabled to say that faith alone saves? But what faith is, and what saving faith, you do not know."
[3] But there then arose one, who, by the angel that was talking with me, was called a Syncretist. He took off a turban from his head, and placed it on the table; but suddenly put it on again, because he was bald. He said, "Attend! you are all in error; it is true that faith is spiritual, and charity, moral; but yet they are joined together; and this by the Word, by the Holy Spirit, and by effect, without man's knowledge, which indeed may be called obedience, but in which man has no part. I have thought of these things with myself for a long time, and have at length discovered, that man may receive faith from God, which is spiritual, but that he cannot be moved by God to charity, which is spiritual, except as a pillar of salt."
[4] Having said this, he was applauded by those who were in faith alone, but hooted by those who were in charity; and the latter said, with indignation, "Hear, friend; you do not know that there is a moral life which is spiritual, and that there is a moral life merely natural; a moral life which is spiritual with those who do good from God, and yet as if from themselves; and a moral life merely natural with those who do good from hell, and yet as if from themselves."
[5] It was said that the disputation was heard as a gnashing of teeth, and as a knocking, with which a grating sound was mixed. The disputation heard as a gnashing of teeth, was by those who were in faith alone; but the disputation heard as a knocking, was by those who were in charity alone; and the grating sound that was mixed with them was from the Syncretist. The sounds of them were so heard at a distance, because when in the world, they all spent their time in disputations and did not shun any evil, and therefore they did not do any spiritual moral good; and, moreover, they were entirely ignorant that the all of faith is truth, and the all of charity, good, and that truth without good is not truth in spirit, and that good without truth is not good in spirit, and that thus one must make the other. The reason why there was darkness when a window was made on the right side, is because light from heaven flowing in on that side affects the will; and the reason why there was light when the window on the right side was shut, and another was made in the left, is because light flowing in from heaven on the left side affects the understanding, and every man may be in the light of heaven as to his understanding, provided the will be closed as to its evil.
386. His adjiciam hoc MEMORABILE:-
Quondam cum circumspexi in mundo spirituali, audivi sicut stridorem dentium, et quoque sicut pulsatile, et illis intermixtum sicut raucum; et quaesivi quid illa.
Et dixerunt Angeli qui apud me erant, "Sunt Collegia, quae a nobis vocantur Diversoria, ubi inter se disceptant; disceptationes illorum ita audiuntur e longinquo, sed prope non audiuntur nisi quam disceptationes."
Accessi, et vidi domunculas contextas ex juncis luto conglutinatas.
Et volui inspicere per fenestram, sed non erat; non enim licuit intrare per januam, quia sic lux e Caelo influeret, et confunderet.
At subito facta est fenestra a dextro latere, et tunc audivi conquestos, quod in tenebris essent.
Sed mox facta est fenestra a latere sinistro, clausa fenestra a latere dextro, et tunc paullatim discussae sunt tenebrae, et visi sibi in luce.
Et post haec mihi datum est intrare per januam, et audire. Erat mensa in medio, et scamna circum circa; omnes tamen mihi visi super scamnis stare, et acriter inter se disputare de Fide et Charitate, ab una parte quod Fides esset principale Ecclesiae, ab altera quod Charitas esset.
Illi qui faciebant Fidem principale, dixerunt, "Annon fide agimus cum Deo, et charitate cum hominibus; estne inde fides caelestis, et charitas terrestris; anne per caeleste salvamur, et non per terrestre. Tum, annon Deus potest dare fidem e Caelo, quia est caelestis, et annon homo sibi daturus esset charitatem, quia est terrestris; et quod homo sibi dat, hoc non est Ecclesiae, et ideo non salvat; num sic aliquis potest ex operibus, quae vocantur charitatis, coram Deo justificari; credite nobis, quod per fidem solam non modo justificemur, sed etiam sanctificemur, si non fides per meritoria, quae sunt ex operibus charitatis, inquinatur:" praeter plura.
At illi, qui Charitatem faciebant principale Ecclesiae, acriter refellebant illa, dicendo, quod "Charitas salvet, et non fides; annon Deus caros habet omnes, et bonum vult omnibus; quomodo potest Deus hoc facere nisi per homines; num Deus solum dat loqui cum hominibus quae fidei sunt, et non dat facere hominibus quae charitatis sunt; videtisne quod absurde dixeritis de charitate quod sit terrestris; charitas est caelestis, et quia vos non facitis bonum charitatis, est fides vestra terrestris; quomodo accipitis fidem nisi sicut truncus aut lapis; dicitis per 'solum auditum Verbi;' at quomodo potest Verbum modo auditum operari, et quomodo in truncum aut lapidem; forte vivificamini vobis insciis, sed quae vivificatio, nisi quod possitis loqui quod sola fides salvet; at quid fides, et quae fides salvans, non scitis."
Sed tunc surrexit unus, qui ab Angelo loquente mecum vocabatur Syncretista; is sumpsit tiaram e capite, et posuit super mensa, sed subito reposuit, quia calvus erat; ille dixit, "Audite, erratis omnes, verum est quod fides sit spiritualis, et charitas moralis, sed usque conjungentur, et conjunguntur per Verbum, per Spiritum Sanctum, et per Effectum, dum homo nescit, qui quidem vocari potest obedientia, sed in qua homo non aliquam partem habet. De his mecum diu cogitavi, et inveni tandem, quod homo a Deo possit accipere fidem, quae spiritualis sit, sed quod non possit moveri a Deo ad charitatem quae sit spiritualis, nisi sicut statua salis."
His dictis, adplaudebant qui in sola fide erant, sed explodebant qui in charitate; et hi ex indignatione dicebant: "Audi socie, tu non scis, quod sit vita moralis spiritualis, et quod sit vita moralis mere naturalis, vita moralis spiritualis apud illos, qui bonum faciunt a Deo et usque sicut a se, ac vita moralis mere naturalis apud illos qui bonum faciunt ex Inferno et usque sicut a se."
Dictum est, quod disceptatio audita sit sicut stridor dentium, et sicut pulsatile, quibus intermixtum erat raucum; disceptatio audita sicut stridor dentium erat ab illis qui in sola fide erant, disceptatio autem audita sicut pulsatile erat ab illis qui in sola charitate, et raucum intermixtum erat a Syncretista; quod ita auditi sint e longinquo soni illorum, erat quia omnes illi in mundo disceptarunt, et non aliquod malum fugerunt, et ideo non aliquod bonum morale spirituale fecerunt; et quoque prorsus nesciverunt, quod omne fidei sit verum, et omne charitatis sit bonum, et quod verum absque bono non sit verum spiritu, et quod bonum absque vero non sit bonum spiritu, et quod sic unum faciet alterum.
Quod tenebrae fierent cum facta est fenestra a latere dextro, est quia lux e Caelo ab illo latere influens afficit voluntatem; et quod lux fieret, dum, clausa fenestra a latere dextro, facta sit fenestra a latere sinistro, est quia 1lux a latere sinistro e Caelo influens afficit intellectum; et omnis homo in luce Caeli potest esse quoad intellectum, modo claudatur voluntas quod malum ejus.
Footnotes:
1. quia pro "qui"