449.启9:17.“因此我在异象中看见那些马和骑马的”表那时发现其心智内层对唯信的推理都是想象和幻想，他们自己因它们而疯狂。“看见”表示发现他们的性质；“马”表示其心智内层对唯信的推理，在此表示想象和幻想的推理，因为经上说，约翰“在异象”中看见他们。“那些骑马的”表示那些凭对圣言的理解而聪明的人，但在此表示那些因与圣言背道而驰的想象和幻想而疯狂的人。
由于其心智的内层以这种形式显现，以此表示对唯信的想象和幻想，故关于他们的一些事有必要公之于众，这些事都是我从他们口中得来的，如：他们说：“人彻底堕落后，唯信岂不成了得救的唯一途径了吗？离了这条途径，我们如何出现在神面前？这岂不是唯一的途径？我们不是生在罪中，我们的本性不是因亚当的过犯而全然堕落了吗？除了唯信外，还有其它任何医治的方法吗？我们的行为对此能做什么呢？谁能凭自己做出任何好行为？谁能使自己洁净、得到赦免、称义和得救呢？人凭自己所做的一切行为中不都潜藏着功德与自以为义吗？就算我们所行之事是善的，难道我们能行出一切、守全律法吗？此外，人若在一条（诫命）上犯了罪，就犯了全部，因为它们是连在一起的。主为何来到世间，忍受痛苦的十字架受难？不是为了从我们身上拿走律法的谴责和咒诅，让我们与父神和解，单单成为功与义，因为这功与义可通过信归算给人吗？要不然，祂的到来有什么好处，或谁从祂的到来中受益？因此，既然基督为我们受难，也为我们成全了律法，又顶住了谴责的权柄，那么邪恶还能谴责我们，良善还能救我们吗？所以，有信的我们有充分的自由随心所欲地思想、意愿、言说和行动，只要不损害我们的名声、荣光和利益，不招致社会法律的制裁，给我们带来耻辱和伤害。”再往北游荡的一些人则声称，为了得救的缘故所做出的好行为是有害、险恶和被诅咒的；这些人当中还有些是长老。
这些就是我所听到的话；不过，他们私下里小声嘀咕的话更多，只是我没听清。而且，他们说话时毫无羞耻，无所顾忌，言行淫荡，根本不为任何罪恶而担忧，除非为了显得诚实而出于伪装担忧。这就是那些使唯信成为宗教信仰的全部之人心智的内层，因而其身体的外层。但是，如果直接靠近主救主自己，相信祂，行出良善，并且这两种行为都是为了得救的缘故，人虽貌似凭自己而行，但仍相信是靠着主，那么他们说的所有这些话就都土崩瓦解。若非这些事貌似凭这个人来行出，就不会有任何信、任何仁被赐下，因而也就没有宗教信仰，从而没有救恩。
449. And thus I saw the horses in the vision and those who sat on them. (9:17) This symbolizes the discovery then that the reasonings of the interiors of their minds concerning faith alone were fanciful and illusory, and that they themselves were insane because of them.
To see means, symbolically, to perceive their character. The horses symbolize the reasonings of the interiors of their minds concerning faith alone - here their fanciful and illusory reasonings, because we are told that John saw them in vision. People sitting on horses symbolize people who are intelligent owing to their understanding of the Word - here people who are insane because of their fanciful and illusory reasonings contrary to the Word.
[2] Because the interiors of these people's minds appeared in such guises, guises which symbolize fanciful and illusory reasonings concerning faith alone, we should disclose some of them that I took from their own mouths. As for example:
"After the so grievous fall of man, was faith alone not made the one means of salvation? How can we appear before God apart from that means? Is it not the only means? Are we not born in sin? Is our nature not utterly corrupted by Adam's transgression? Is there any other means of healing than faith alone? What shall our works contribute to this? Who can do any good work of himself? Who can purify himself, absolve himself, or justify and save himself? Do not merit-seeking and self-righteousness lie concealed in every little work that a person does of himself? And if perchance we were to do something that is good, could we do it all and fulfill the law? Furthermore, if one sins again one precept, one sins against them all, because they are bound up together.
"Why did the Lord come into the world and so grievously suffer the cross except to take away from us the condemnation and curse of the law, to propitiate God the Father, to become Himself alone merit and righteousness, which are imputed to a person through faith? Otherwise what good or for what good purpose was His advent?
"So, then, since Christ suffered for us and fulfilled the law for us, and took away its power to condemn, can evil in that case any longer condemn us? Or goodness save us? Consequently we who have faith are at complete liberty to think, will, speak and do whatever we please, provided we do not suffer any loss of reputation, esteem, or material gain, or incur the penalties of civil law, which would bring infamy and disgrace."
Some of these people who wandered about further north said that good works done for the sake of salvation are hurtful, destructive, and cursed. Among them were also some church elders.
[3] This much I heard; but they kept prattling on and muttering about more, which I did not hear.
They spoke, moreover, shamelessly, without constraint, and behaved wantonly in both word and deed, free of any fear over any wickedness except to keep up pretenses in order to appear respectable.
Such are the interior workings of the minds, and so the outer actions of the bodies, of people who make the whole of religion faith alone.
All of this that they told me collapses, however, if one turns to the Lord directly as Savior, believing in Him and doing good, both of these for the sake of salvation, and this by the person as if of himself, yet believing that it is the Lord's doing. Unless a person does this as if of himself, no faith is possible, and no charity, and thus no religion and so no salvation.
449. [verse 17] 'And thus I saw the horses in a vision and those sitting upon them' signifies the discovery then that the reasonings of the interiors of their mind concerning faith alone were imaginary and visionary, and that they themselves were insane because of them. By 'to see' is signified to discover the quality thereof; by 'the horses' are signified the reasonings of the interiors of their mind concerning faith alone, here such as are imaginary and visionary, because it is said that he saw them 'in a vision'; by 'those sitting upon' the horses are signified those who are intelligent by reason of the Word's being understood, here those who are insane by reason of imaginary and visionary things that are opposed to the Word.
[2] Because the interiors of their mind appear under such forms, by which the imaginary and visionary things concerning faith alone are signified, some things concerning them are to be made public, which I have taken from their mouth; as these: 'Was not faith alone, after the grievous fall of man, made the sole means of safety? How can we appear before God without that means? Is it not the only means? Are we not born in sins, and is not our nature entirely corrupted by Adam's transgression? Is there any other means of healing but faith alone? What can our works do for this? Who can do any good work from himself? Who is able to purify, acquit, justify and save himself? Does not merit and self-righteousness lurk in every least work that a man does from himself? And if, perchance, we should do anything that was good, could we do all, and fulfil the law? Besides, if one sins against one [commandment] one sins against all, because they cohere. Why did the Lord come into the world and endure the grievous cross, except to take away the condemnation and curse of the law from us, to propitiate God the Father, to become merit and righteousness alone, which might be imputed to man by means of faith? Otherwise what is the good of, or who benefits from, His coming? Since therefore Christ has suffered for us, and has fulfilled for us the law, and has withstood its right of condemnation, can evil then any longer condemn us, and can good save us? Therefore, we who have faith are in the full freedom of thinking, willing, speaking and doing whatever we please, so long as we make no sacrifice of reputation, honour and gain, and do not invoke the penalties of the civil law to our disgrace and harm.'
Some who were wandering further to the north were saying that the good works that are done for the sake of salvation are hurtful, pernicious and accursed; among these there were also some presbyters.
[3] These are the things that I heard; but they mumbled and muttered more that I did not hear. Moreover they were speaking shamelessly with all license, and were lascivious in word and deed, without anxiety on account of any villainy except out of pretence for the sake of appearing respectable. Such are the interiors of the mind, and consequently the exteriors of the body, of those who make faith alone everything of religion. But all those things that were said by them fall to the ground if the Lord the Saviour Himself is immediately approached and believed in, and good is done, both of these for the sake of salvation, and by a man as if from himself, yet with the faith that it is from the Lord. Unless these things are done as if by the man, neither any faith nor any charity is given, and so there is no religion, and thus no salvation.
449. Verse 17. And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat upon them, signifies that then it was discovered that the reasonings of the interiors of their minds concerning faith alone were imaginary and visionary, and that they themselves were insane from them. "To see" signifies to discover their quality; by "horses" are signified the reasonings of the interiors of their minds concerning faith alone; in the present case, imaginary and visionary reasonings, because it is said, that he saw them "in vision." By "those sitting upon horses" are signified such as are intelligent from the Word understood, but here, such as are insane from imaginary and visionary things which are contrary to the Word.
[2] Because the interiors of their minds appeared under such forms as signify imaginary and visionary reasonings concerning faith alone, a few of them, which I have heard from their own mouths, shall be made public; as these: "Was not faith alone, after the grievous fall of man, made the only means of salvation? How can we appear before God without that means? Is it not the only means? Are we not born in sins, and is not our nature entirely corrupted by the transgression of Adam? Can there be any other means of healing but faith alone? What can our works contribute towards this? Who can do any good work from himself; who can purify, forgive, justify, and save himself? Does not merit and self-righteousness lurk in every work that man does from himself? And if, perchance, we should do anything that was good, could we do all, and fulfil the law? Besides, if anyone sins against one commandment, he sins against all, because they cohere. Why did the Lord come into the world, and suffer so grievously on the cross, but to take away from us damnation and the curse of the law, to reconcile God the Father, and become merit and righteousness alone, which might be imputed to man through faith? Otherwise, what good could be answered by His coming? Since, then, Christ suffered for us, and fulfilled the law for us, and took away its right of condemnation, can evil then any longer condemn, and can good save us? Therefore we who have faith, are in the full liberty of thinking, willing, speaking, and doing whatever we please, provided we do no injury to our reputation, honor, and interest, nor incur the penalties of the civil law, which would be a disgrace and hurt to us."
Some, who wander further north, said, "That good works, which are done for the sake of salvation, are hurtful, pernicious and cursed; among these, also, there were some presbyters.
[3] These things are what I heard, but they mumbled and muttered many more, which I did not hear. They spoke, also, shamelessly with all license, and were lascivious, both in words and deeds, without fear for any wicked deed, except out of pretense, for the sake of appearing honest. Such are the interiors of the mind, and thence the exteriors of the body of those who make faith alone the all of religion. But all those things, which were uttered by them, fall to the ground, if the Lord Himself, the Savior, is immediately approached, and believed in, and good is done, each for the sake of salvation, and by man as from himself, with a belief, however, that it is from the Lord. Unless these things are done as by man, neither faith nor charity can be given at all; nor, consequently, can religion nor salvation.
449. (Vers. 17.) "Et ita vidi equos in visione et sedentes super illis," significat tunc detectum quod ratiocinia interiorum mentis illorum de sola fide essent imaginaria et visionaria, ac ipsi insanientes ex illis. - Per "videre" significatur detegere quale eorum; per "equos" significantur ratiocinia interiorum mentis eorum de sola fide, hic illa imaginaria et visionaria, quia dicitur quod viderit illos "in visione;" per "sedentes super equis" significantur intelligentes ex Verbo intellecto, hic insanientes ex imaginariis et visionariis quae sunt contra Verbum.
Quia interiora mentis illorum sub talibus formis apparuerunt, per quae significantur imaginaria et visionaria de sola fide, propalanda de his sunt aliqua, quae ex ore illorum accepi; ut haec: - "Annon sola fides post lapsum hominis tam gravem facta est unicum medium salutis; quomodo possumus apparere coram Deo absque illo medio; annon id medium est solum; sumusne nati in peccatis, estne natura nostra a praevaricatione Adami prorsus corrupta, num aliud medium sanationis est quam sola fides; quid facient opera nostra ad haec; quis potest facere aliquod bonum opus a se; quis semet potest purificare, absolvere, justificare et salvare; annon latet in unoquovis opusculo, quod homo facit a se, meritum et propria justitia; et si forte faceremus aliquid quod foret bonum, num facere possemus omnia, ac implere legem; et amplius, si quis peccat contra unum, peccat contra omnia, quia cohaerent: cur Dominus in mundum venit, et passus est tam gravem crucem, nisi ut nobis auferret damnationem et maledictionem Legis, propitiaret Deum Patrem, fieret meritum et justitia solus, quae homini imputarentur per fidem; quid boni aut cui bono alioquin Adventus Ipsius: cum itaque Christus pro nobis passus est, et pro nobis implevit Legem, et sustulit jus damnationis ejus, num tunc amplius malum potest nos damnare, et num bonum potest nos salvare; quare nos qui fidem habemus, sumus in plena libertate cogitandi, volendi, loquendi et faciendi quicquid lubet, modo non jacturam famae, honoris et lucri faciamus, et poenas legis civilis nobis irrogemus, ex quo infamia et damnum.
Quidam, qui remotius in septentrione vagabantur, dicebant quod "Bona opera, quae fiunt salutis gratis damnosa, perniciosa et maledicta sint;" inter hos erant etiam aliqui presbyteri.
Haec sunt quae audivi, sed blaterabant et mussitabant plura, quae non audivi. Praeterea loquebantur in omni licentia proterve, ac lasciviebant et verbis et falsis, absque timore pro ullo facinore, nisi ex simulatione propter apparentiam honesti. Talia sunt interiora mentis, et inde exteriora corporis eorum qui omne religionis faciunt solam iidem. Sed illa omnia quae ab illis dicta sunt cadunt, si Ipse Dominus Salvator immediate aditur, ac in Ipsum creditur, et bonum agitur, utrumque propter salutem, et ab homine sicut ab illo, cum fide tamen quod a Domino; quae nisi fiunt sicut ab homine, non datur aliqua fides, nec aliqua charitas, ac ita non religio, et sic non salvatio.