531.对此，我补充这则记事：
有一次，我突然得了一种几近致命的重病，整个脑袋被压垮了。从耶路撒冷冒出一股瘟疫般的烟雾，这耶路撒冷名叫所多玛和埃及。我痛得半死，盼望结束。我就这样在床上躺了三天半。我的灵是这样，我身体随之也这样。然后，我听见周围有声音说：“看哪，那个传讲悔改使罪得赦，唯独称基督这个人为神的死了，躺在我们城市的街道上。”他们问一些神职人员值不值得埋葬此人，他们说：“不，让他躺在这里，叫人们看看。”于是，他们来来回回经过，嘲笑讥讽。事实上，当我解读启示录的这一章时，所有这一切就临到我身上。那时，我听见嘲笑者的尖锐言辞，尤其是这些话：“没有信，怎能实践悔改？基督这个人怎能被当作神来崇拜？既然我们白白得到救恩，无需我们自己的任何功德，那么，除了唯信，也就是父神差祂儿子拿走律法的诅咒，将儿子的功德归给我们，使我们在祂眼里称义，通过牧师宣告我们罪得赦免，然后赐给我们圣灵在我们里面执行一切良善外，我们还需要什么呢？这些事难道不符合圣经、不符合理性吗？”站在旁边的人群闻言都鼓起掌来。
我听到这话，却不能回应，因为我几乎要死了。但三天半之后，我的灵复活了，我在灵里离开那街，进入城市，又说道：“悔改吧，信靠基督，你们的罪就被赦免，你们也会得救，否则你们必要灭亡。主自己不也传讲悔改，使罪得赦，并且人当信祂吗？祂不是吩咐门徒也这样传讲吗？你们的信条不是导致对生活的高枕无忧吗？”但他们说：“一派胡言！难道圣子没有做出偿还吗？难道圣父没有将其归给我们，让信它的我们称义吗？因此，我们便被恩典之灵引领，罪与我们有什么相干呢？死亡有什么权柄管到我们呢？你这罪与悔改的传道者，到底懂不懂福音？”这时，有声音从天上传来，说：“一个不知悔改者的信除了是死信外，还能是什么？结局到了，结局已临到你们，在你们自己眼里高枕无忧、无可指摘吧，在自己的信仰里称义吧，你们这些魔鬼。”然后，城当中突然有一道鸿沟裂开，并且越裂越宽，房子相继陷落，被吞没了。随即水开始从大漩涡涌出，漫过这片废墟。”
当他们就这样陷落、似乎被淹没时，我想知道他们在深渊里的命运。于是，有声音从天上对我说：“你必看到、听到。”这时，看似淹没他们的大水在我眼前消失了。因为在灵界，水是对应，因此出现在那些陷入虚假之人的周围。然后，在我看来，他们似乎在一片沙地，那里有一堆堆的石头；他们在当中奔跑，哀号说，他们从自己的大城被扔出来了。他们扬声喊叫：“为什么这一切会临到我们身上？我们不是凭我们的信干净、纯洁、公义和神圣了吗？我们不是已经凭我们的信洁净、净化、称义和成圣了吗？”有的则哭喊：“我们不是凭我们的信变得适合出现在父神面前，并在天使面前被视为、算作、宣称为干净、纯洁、公义和神圣了吗？不是已经为我们作了和解、挽回、补偿，因此我们从罪中得赦、被清洗和洁净了吗？基督不是已经拿走律法的咒诅了吗？为什么我们还是被扔到这里，如被定罪一般？我们曾听到一个大胆的传道者谴责我们大城的罪孽，喊着说：‘信靠基督，悔改吧。’就在我们信靠基督功德之时，我们不就已经信靠祂了吗？就在我们忏悔自己是罪人时，不就已经悔改了吗？那么为什么所有这一切会临到我们身上？”
这时，突然有声音从一边对他们说：“你们知道自己的罪吗？你们可曾省察过自己？可曾由此避恶如反对神的罪？人不避罪，就仍留在罪中。罪不就是魔鬼吗？所以你们就是主所说的那些人：
那时，你们必开始说，我们在你面前吃过、喝过，你也在我们的街上教训过人。祂要说，我告诉你们，我不晓得你们是哪里来的。你们这一切作恶的人，离开我去吧！（路加福音13:26，27）
马太福音（7:22，23）也论到他们。所以，离开我，各自到自己的地方去。你们看到洞穴的入口就进去，在那里你们每个人都有要完成的工作，然后按你们的工作量得食物。要不然，饥饿很快会迫使你们进去。”
此后，有声音从天上传到地上一些在那大城之外的人（在启示录11:13也有所描述），大声说：“当心！和这类人打交道要小心。难道你们不明白，正是被称为罪恶和罪孽的邪恶使人肮脏、污秽吗？若不通过真正的悔改和对耶稣基督的信靠，人怎能从邪恶中被洁净和净化呢？真正的悔改就是省察自己，认识并承认自己的罪，在主面前愧疚自责、忏悔它们，祈求帮助和能力以抵制它们，从而停止罪恶，过新的生活，并貌似凭自己做所有这些事。当你们领圣餐时，一年做这么一两次；以后当你们发现所愧疚的罪复发时，就对自己说，我们不会赞成它们的，因为它们是反对神的罪。这就是真正的悔改。
“谁不明白，凡不省察并看到自己罪的人仍留在罪中？因为一切邪恶自人出生时就令他快乐；报复、行淫、欺骗、亵渎，尤其出于自我之爱控制其他人都令人快乐。难道不是这快乐使得它们没有被看到吗？或许有人会说，它们是罪，难道你们不是因这快乐而宽宥它们吗？你们甚至以虚假来说服自己，证明它们不是罪，从而继续留在罪中，并且后来犯罪比之前更频繁，直到你们再也不知道什么是罪，确切地说，不知道是否有罪这回事。凡真正悔改之人的情形则不然，他将自己所认识并承认的邪恶称为罪，因此开始避开并远离它们，最终感觉它们的快乐并不令人快乐。越是这种情形，他就越看到并热爱良善，最终感受到它们里面的快乐，这种快乐才是天堂的快乐。一言以蔽之，人越弃绝魔鬼，就越被主接纳，主会教导、引领他，使他退离邪恶，将他保守在良善中。这就是从地狱去往天堂的道路，舍此别无他途。”
奇怪的是，改革宗对真正的悔改有某种根深蒂固的反对和厌恶。这种情绪如此强烈，以致他们无法迫使自己省察自己，也看不到自己的罪，并在神面前忏悔它们。一想到这一点，仿佛就有一种恐惧侵袭他们。在灵界，我曾就这个问题询问过很多人，他们全都声称这超出了他们的能力。当听说天主教徒仍这样做，即省察自己，在神父面前公开忏悔自己的罪时，他们感到非常惊讶；还说，改革宗信徒甚至私下里都不能在神面前这样做，尽管在领受圣餐前，他们同样被责成这样做。有些人查究其因，发现是唯信诱发了这种不知悔改的状态和这样一种心态。然后他们得以看到那些敬拜基督，但不祈求圣徒，也不崇拜所谓基督的代理者，或任何基督的钥匙掌管者的天主教徒得救。
这事以后，只听见似乎有雷轰，一个声音从天上发言说：“我们无比震惊！告诉改革宗的会众，要信靠基督，悔改，你们就会得救。”我进一步说：“洗礼难道不是悔改的圣礼，因而是进入教会的入门吗？洗礼的引领人代表即将受洗的人所承诺的，不就是他要弃绝魔鬼及其行为吗？圣餐难道不是悔改的圣礼，因而是进入天堂的入门吗？恭领圣餐前，不是要向领受圣餐者宣称，他们要千方百计悔改吗？教理问答，就是基督教会的通行教义不都在教导悔改吗？第二块石版上的六条诫命不都在说，不可作这样或那样的恶，要行这样或那样的善吗？因此你们能知道，人避恶到什么程度，就爱善到什么程度；在此之前，他不知何为善，甚至不知何为恶。”
启示录12
1.天上现出大异象来。有一个妇人，身披日头，脚踏月亮，头戴十二星的冠冕。
2.她怀了孩子，在生产的艰难中疼痛呼叫。
3.天上又现出异象来。看哪，有一条大红龙，七头十角，七头上戴着七个冠冕。
4.他的尾巴拖拉着天上星辰的三分之一部分，把它们摔在地上。龙就站在那将要生产的妇人面前，等她生产之后，要吞吃她的孩子。
5.妇人生了一个儿子，男孩，是将来要用铁杖辖管列族的。她的孩子被提到神和祂宝座那里去了。
6.妇人就逃到旷野，在那里有神给她预备的地方，使他们在那里养活她一千二百六十天。
7.在天上就有了争战。米迦勒同他的使者与龙争战。龙也同它的使者去争战。
8.他们并没有得胜，天上再没有他们的地方。
9.大龙被摔下来，就是那古蛇，名叫魔鬼和撒旦，是迷惑全世界的。他被摔在地上，他的使者也同他被摔下去。
10.我听见在天上有大声音说，我们神的救恩，能力，国度，并祂基督的权柄，现在都来到了。因为那在我们神面前昼夜控告我们弟兄的，已经被摔下去了。
11.他们胜过他，是因羔羊的血，和他们所见证的道。他们虽至于死，也不爱惜性命。
12.所以诸天和住在其中的，你们都快乐吧。只是住在地与海上的有祸了，因为魔鬼知道自己的时候不多，就大大发怒下到你们那里去了。
13.龙见自己被摔在地上，就逼迫那生了儿子的妇人。
14.于是有大鹰的两个翅膀赐给妇人，叫她能飞到旷野，到自己的地方，躲避那蛇的面。她在那里被养活一载二载半载。
15.蛇就在妇人后面，从口中吐出水来像河一样，要使这河吞没她。
16.地却帮助妇人，那地开口吞了那龙从口吐出来的河。
17.龙向妇人发怒，去与她其余的种争战，就是那守神诫命，为耶稣基督作见证的。
18.我就站在海边的沙上。
此处论述的是新教会及其教义。“妇人”在此表示新教会，她所生的“孩子”表示它的教义。还论述了那些在现教会中的人，他们通过教义相信三位格的三一体，相信基督位格的二元性，同样相信唯信称义；这些人就是“龙”所表示的。然后论述了这些人对新教会的迫害，以及主对新教会的保护，直到它的人数从少到多。
第1节.“天上现出大异象来”表主关于祂在天上和地上的新教会，以及对新教会教义的艰难接受和抵制的启示（532节）。“有一个妇人，身披日头，脚踏月亮”表主在天上的新教会，也就是新天堂，以及即将在地上的新教会，也就是新耶路撒冷（533节）。“头戴十二星的冠冕”表新教会的智慧与聪明源自对出于圣言的神性良善与神性真理的认知（534节）。
第2节.“她怀了孩子，在生产的艰难中疼痛呼叫”表即将诞生的新教会的教义，以及由于龙所表示的那些人的抵制而对该教义的艰难接受（535节）。
第3节.“天上又现出异象来”表主关于那些反对新教会及其教义之人的启示（536节）。“看哪，有一条大红龙”表改革宗教会中那些将神一分为三，将主一分为二，将仁与信分离，认为拯救人的是信，而非同时是仁的人（537节）。“七头”表因被歪曲和亵渎的圣言真理而疯狂（538节）。“十角”表大有能力（539节）。“七头上戴着七个冠冕”表被歪曲和亵渎的所有圣言真理（540节）。
第4节.“他的尾巴拖拉着天上星辰的三分之一部分，把它们摔在地上”表他们因圣言真理的歪曲而使良善与真理的一切属灵认知远离教会，因运用于虚假而完全毁灭它们（541节）。“龙就站在那将要生产的妇人面前，等她生产之后，要吞吃她的孩子”表新教会的教义刚刚出现时，“龙”所表示的那些人会努力毁灭它（542节）。
第5节.“妇人生了一个儿子，男孩”表新教会的教义（543节）。“是将来要用铁杖辖管列族的”表那凭源自圣言字义的真理，同时凭源自属世之光的理性事物将要说服所有因与仁分离之信而陷入死的敬拜，并愿意信服之人的（544节）。“她的孩子被提到神和祂宝座那里去了”表主对该教义的保护，以及天上的天使对它的守卫（545节）。
第6节.“妇人就逃到旷野”表一开始，教会在少数人当中（546节）。“在那里有神给她预备的地方，使他们在那里养活她一千二百六十天”表那时该教会的状态，与此同时规定它要逐渐增长，直到长足身量（547节）。
第7节.“在天上就有了争战。米迦勒同他的使者与龙争战。龙也同它的使者去争战”表前教会的虚假与新教会的真理争战（548节）。
第8节.“他们并没有得胜，天上再没有他们的地方”表他们确信陷入了虚假与邪恶，但仍留在其中，因此被强行脱离了与天堂的联结，并被扔了下去（549节）。
第9节.“大龙被摔下来，就是那古蛇，名叫魔鬼和撒旦”表这些人从主转向他们自己，从天堂转向世界，因而陷入其欲望的邪恶，陷入虚假（550节）。“是迷惑全世界的”表他们败坏了教会的一切事物（551节）。“他被摔在地上，他的使者也同他被摔下去”表进入灵人界，灵人界在天堂与地狱的中间，与地上的人直接结合就是通过灵人界（552节）。
第10节.“我听见在天上有大声音说，我们神的救恩，能力，国度，并祂基督的权柄，现在都来到了”表天上天使的喜乐，因为现在唯独主在天上和教会进行统治，那些信祂的人得救了（553节）。“因为那在我们神面前昼夜控告我们弟兄的，已经被摔下去了”表那些反对新教会教义的人通过最后的审判而被移除（554节）。
第11节.“他们胜过他，是因羔羊的血，和他们所见证的道”表凭圣言的神性真理和对主的承认而得胜（555节）。“他们虽至于死，也不爱惜性命”表凡爱自己胜过主的（556节）。
第12节.“所以诸天和住在其中的，你们都快乐吧”表天堂的一种新状态，即他们在主里面，主在他们里面（557节）。“只是住在地与海上的有祸了，因为魔鬼就大大发怒下到你们那里去了”表对教会中那些陷入信之虚假，并由此陷入生活的邪恶之人的悲哀，因为他们与那龙结合（558节）。“知道自己的时候不多”表因为那龙知道新天堂已经形成，因而地上的新教会即将建立，那时他与其同类将被扔进地狱（559节）。
第13节.“龙见自己被摔在地上，就逼迫那生了儿子的妇人”表在灵人界，龙们一摔下去，就开始因新教会的教义而侵扰新教会（560节）。
第14节.“于是有大鹰的两个翅膀赐给妇人，叫她能飞到旷野，到自己的地方”表对新教会的神性谨慎，以及它还在少数人当中时对它的保护（561节）。“躲避那蛇的面。她在那里被养活一载二载半载”表由于那些迷惑人者的狡诈，小心谨慎地规定新教会要来到许多人当中，直到它长足身量（562节）。
第15节.“蛇就在妇人后面，从口中吐出水来像河一样，要使这河吞没她”表旨在摧毁新教会的源于大量虚假的推理（563节）。
第16节.“地却帮助妇人，那地开口吞了那龙从口吐出来的河”表由于组成新教会的米迦勒们所提出的以理性来理解的属灵真理，这些大量推理落空（564节）。
第17节.“龙向妇人发怒，去与她其余的种争战，就是那守神诫命，为耶稣基督作见证的”表那些因对主里面神性和人性合一的奥秘，以及唯信称义的确认而自以为智慧的人对那些承认唯独主是天地之神，十诫是生活法则之人所燃起的仇恨；他们（即龙们）袭击新来者，企图迷惑他们（565a）。
第18节.“我就站在海边的沙上”表他的状态现在是属灵-属世的（565b）。
531. To this I will append the following account:
I was suddenly seized with an almost fatal illness. My whole head was weighed down. A toxic smoke emanated from the Jerusalem called Sodom and Egypt. I was half-dead with the fierce pain. I awaited the end. In that state I lay in my bed for three and a half days. Thus was my spirit afflicted, and because of it my body.
And then I heard about me voices saying, "Look, there he lies dead in our city's street, the one who preached repentance for the forgiveness of sins and Christ alone, a man." And they asked some of the clergy whether they ought to bury him.
The clerics said, "No. Let him lie there for people to see."
The people went to and fro, scoffing.
In truth this happened to me when I was expounding this chapter of the book of Revelation.
I heard then the sober words of the people scoffing, especially the following:
"How can one repent apart from faith? How can Christ, a man, be worshiped as God? Since we are saved by grace apart from any merit of our own, what need do we have then of anything but simply a faith that God the Father sent His Son to take away the condemnation of the Law, to impute His Son's merit to us and thus justify us in His sight, to absolve us of our sins through His emissary the priest, and to grant us then the Holy Spirit to bring about any goodness in us? Does this not accord with Scripture, and also with reason?"
At that the crowd standing around applauded.
[2] I heard this, but could not reply, because I lay almost dead. But after three and a half days my spirit recovered, and in the spirit I went from the street into the city and said again, "Repent and believe in Christ, and your sins will be forgiven you and you will be saved. If you don't, you will perish. Didn't the Lord Himself preach repentance for the forgiveness of sins, and for people to believe in Him? Didn't He command His disciples to preach this, too? The dogma attending your faith - is it not followed by a lack of concern over the way you live?"
But they said, "What nonsense are you prattling on about? Did not the Son make satisfaction? Did the Father not impute this to us and justify those of us who believe it? We are led, therefore, by the spirit of grace. What then is sin in us? What then does death have to do with us? Do you not comprehend this gospel, you preacher of sin and repentance?"
However, a voice was heard from heaven then, saying, "What is the faith of an impenitent person but a lifeless one? The end is coming. The end is coming upon you so unconcerned, so blameless in your own eyes, so justified in that faith of yours, you who are devils."
Then suddenly a chasm opened at the center of that city and widened, and one after another their houses fell and were swallowed up. And shortly water bubbled up from that broad gulf and flooded the devastated land.
[3] When they were thus covered with water and seemingly drowned, I wished to know their fate at the bottom, and I was told from heaven, "You will see and hear it."
And before my eyes then the water vanished - the water in which they were seemingly drowned, because bodies of water in the spiritual world are correspondent forms, which appear therefore around people who are caught up in falsities - and I saw them then in the sandy bottom. There were heaps of piled up stones there, and the people were running among them, lamenting the fact that they had been cast down from their great city. They kept crying out and bawling, "Why has this happened to us? Thanks to our faith in the world, are we not pure, just, and godly?"
And others cried, "Has our faith not cleansed us, purified us, justified and sanctified us?"
And still others, "Has our faith not made us such that in the sight of God the Father we appear, seem, and are regarded as clean, pure, just and godly, and declared to be so in the eyes of angels? Have we not been reconciled, restored to favor, and atoned for, and so freed, washed and cleansed of any sins? Has Christ not taken away the condemnation of the Law? Why, then, have we been cast down here as though condemned?
"A brazen preacher of sin told us in our great city, 'Believe in Christ and repent.' Have we not believed in Christ, since we believed in His merit? And have we not repented, since we confessed ourselves sinners? Why, then, has this befallen us?"
[4] At that they then heard from one side a voice speaking to them. "Are you aware of any sin gripping you? Have you ever examined yourselves? Have you as a result refrained from any evil as being a sin against God? Anyone who does not, remains caught up in it. Is not sin the devil? You are therefore the kind of people about whom the Lord says,
Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.' But He will say, 'I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.' (Luke 13:26-27)
"And also the kind of people spoken of in Matthew 7:22-23. 1
"Go, therefore, each to his own place. You will see caves opening into caverns. Go in, and there each of you will be given his own work to do, and food then commensurate with the work. If you don't want to go in, still hunger will drive you to."
[5] After that a voice from heaven addressed some people aboveground who were outside that great city - people also mentioned in Revelation 11:13 - saying loudly, "Beware! Beware of allying yourselves with people like that. Can you not understand that evils called sins and iniquities render a person unclean and impure? How can a person be cleansed and purified of those evils except by actual repentance and faith in Jesus Christ? Actual repentance is to examine oneself, to recognize and acknowledge one's sins, to make oneself guilty of them, to confess them before the Lord, to implore His aid and power in resisting them, and so to refrain from them and lead a new life, doing all this as though of oneself. Do this once or twice a year when you go to Holy Communion; and afterward, when the sins of which you have made yourself guilty recur, say to yourselves, 'We refuse to do them because they are sins against God.' That is actual repentance.
[6] "Who cannot understand that someone who does not examine himself and see his sins, remains caught up in them? For every evil is delightful from one's birth, inasmuch as it is delightful to take revenge, to be licentious sexually, to prey on others, to blaspheme, and most of all to dominate others from a love of self. Does delight not cause these to go unseen? And if by chance someone says they are sins, does not the delight you find in them cause you to excuse them, even to persuade you and by false arguments convince you that they are not sins, so that you remain caught up in them and go on doing them, afterward even more than before? And this until you do not know what sin is, indeed whether there is any such thing as sin.
"It is different with someone who repents actually. His evils that he recognizes and acknowledges, he calls sins, and therefore he begins to refrain from them and to be averse to them, and to feel the delight he had felt in them as undelightful. Moreover, to the extent that he does this, to the same extent he sees and loves goods, and finally feels delight in them, a delight which is one of heaven. In a word, to the extent someone casts the devil behind him, to the same extent he is adopted by the Lord and taught, led, withheld from evils by Him and kept in goods. This is the way, the only way, from hell to heaven."
[7] Surprisingly, it is a fact that the Protestant Reformed have a certain deep-seated resistance, opposition and aversion to actual repentance, which is so great that they cannot compel themselves to examine themselves and see their sins and confess them before God. It is as though a kind of horror besets them when they go to do it.
I have asked many of them in the spiritual world about this, and they have all said that it is beyond their power.
When they are told that Roman Catholics still do it, namely that they examine themselves and openly confess their sins to a monk, they are quite surprised, saying that the Protestant Reformed cannot do this in secret to God, even though they are likewise enjoined to do it before they take Holy Supper. Some of them there also inquired into why this was, and they found that faith alone produced in them such a state of impenitence and such a disposition.
They were then given to see, moreover, that Roman Catholics who worship the Christ and do not call on their saints, and who do not worship their so-called Vicar of Christ 2or any of his keepers of the keys, are saved.
[8] After that I heard what sounded like thunder and a voice speaking from heaven, saying, "We are astonished. Tell the company of the Protestant Reformed, 'Believe in the Christ and repent and you will be saved.'"
So I said that, and also added, "Is not Baptism a sacrament of repentance and thus an initiation into the church? What else do the sponsors promise for the one being baptized than to renounce the devil and his works?
"Is not Holy Supper a sacrament of repentance and thus an initiation into heaven? Are the communicants not told to thoroughly repent before they approach?
"Any catechism containing the universal doctrine of the Christian Church, is it not a document teaching repentance? Does it not say there in reference to the six commandments of the second table that you must not do this or that evil, and say that you must do this or that good?
"You may know from this that to the extent someone refrains from evil, to the same extent he loves good; and that before then you do not know what good is, nor even what evil is."
Footnotes:
1. "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'" (Matthew 7:22-23)
2. I.e., the Pope.
531. To these things I will add this MEMORABLE OCCURRENCE. I was suddenly attacked by a very nearly fatal illness. The whole head was oppressed. A pestilent vapour out of the Jerusalem that is called Sodom and Egypt was let loose. Half dead with the fierce pain, expecting the end, I lay in my bed for three and a half days. Such did my spirit become, and my body as the result thereof. And then around me I heard voices saying, 'See, there lies dead in the street of our city the one who preached repentance for the remission of sins, and the man Christ only!' And they were asking some of the clergy whether he was worthy of burial. They said, 'No, let him lie, let him be looked at!' They were going away, coming back, mocking. It really so happened to me when this chapter of The Apocalypse was being expounded. Then the harsh words of those mocking were heard, chiefly these: 'How can repentance be performed without faith? How can Christ, a man, be adored as God? Since we are saved by grace without any merit of our own, what do we need then but the faith alone that God the Father sent His Son that He might take away the condemnation of the law, impute His merit to us, and thus justify us in His view, and absolve us from sins with a priestly proclamation, and then give the Holy Spirit to work every good in us? Are not these things in accordance with Scripture and with reason also?' The crowds standing by were applauding.
[2] I was hearing these things, but I was not able to reply because I was almost dead. After three days and a half, however, my spirit got better, and as to the spirit I went out from the street into the city, and again I said, 'Do the work of repentance, and believe in Christ, and your sins will be remitted and you will be saved; otherwise you will perish. Did not the Lord Himself preach repentance for the remission of sins, and that they should believe in Him? Did He not command the disciples to preach the same? Is it not the case that a full security of life follows the dogma of your faith?' But they said, 'What rubbish you talk! Has not the Son made satisfaction, and has not the Father imputed it? He has justified us who have believed this. Thus we are led by the spirit of grace. What part does sin then have in us? What has death then to do with us? Do you comprehend this, O herald of sin and repentance?' But then a voice went forth out of heaven saying, 'What is the faith of an impenitent man but a dead faith? The end is coming, the end is coming upon you secure ones, blameless in your own eyes, justified in your own faith, you devils.' And suddenly a deep gulf was being opened in the midst of the city. This grew wider and wider, and house upon house fell down, and they were swallowed up, and soon waters bubbled up out of the wide hole and flooded the desolation.
[3] When they were thus submerged and seen to be flooded I was desirous to know their lot in the depths, and it was said to me out of heaven, 'You shall see and hear.' And then before my eyes the waters with which they had been flooded were dispersed; for the waters in the spiritual world are correspondences, and consequently they appear around those who are in untruths. Thereupon they were seen by me in a sandy ravine where heaps of stones were piled up, among which they were running and bemoaning the fact of their having been cast out of their great city. And [some of them] were screaming and crying out, 'Why has this happened to us? Are we not by our faith made clean pure, just, holy?' And others, 'Are we not by our faith cleansed, purified, justified and sanctified?' And others, 'Are we not by our faith become such that before God the Father we may appear, be seen and be reckoned, and before the angels be proclaimed, as clean, pure, just and holy? Are we not reconciled, rendered favourable, atoned for, and thus delivered, washed and wiped clean from sins? Has not the condemnation of the law been taken away by Christ? Therefore why have we been cast hither as damned? From a presumptuous preacher of sin in our great city we have heard, "Believe in Christ, and do the work of repentance." But did we not believe in Christ, while believing in His merit? And did we not do the work of repentance when we confessed that we were sinners? Why then has this happened to us?'
[4] But then a voice was heard directed to them from the side, 'Do you know any sin that you are in? Have you ever examined yourselves? Have you, by the same token, fled from any evil as a sin against God? For he who is not fleeing from it is in it; and is not sin the devil? You are therefore those of whom the Lord says, "Then shall you begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in Thy presence, and Thou hast taught in our streets, but He shall say, I say unto you, I have not known you whence you are, depart from Me all you workers of iniquity" (Luke 13:26-27); as also those of whom [He speaks in]. Matthew 7:22-23. Go away, therefore, each into his own place. You see openings into caves. Enter therein, and to each of you will be given his own work to do there, and then food in proportion to the amount of work. If you do not, hunger will yet compel you to enter.'
[5] Afterwards a voice out of heaven was directed to some upon the land who were outside that great city, of whom verse 13 also [treats], saying shrilly, 'Take care, take care how you associate with such as these. Are you not able to understand that the evils that are called sins and iniquities render a man unclean and impure? How can a man be cleansed and purified from these except by means of an actual repentance and a faith in Jesus Christ? Actual repentance is to examine oneself, to recognise and acknowledge one's own sins, to take the responsibility, to confess them before the Lord, to beg for help and power to resist them, and in this way to give them up and lead a new life, and to do all these things as from yourselves. Do this once or twice a year when you are approaching the Holy Communion; and afterwards, whenever the sins of which you made yourselves guilty recur, say then to yourselves, We are not willing them because they are sins against God. This is an actual repentance.
[6] Who cannot understand that he who does not examine and see his own sins remains in them? For every evil is delightful from birth, for it is delightful to take revenge, to commit whoredom, to prey [on others], to blaspheme, and especially to exercise a dominion derived from the love of self. Is it not the delight that makes these evils escape notice, and if perchance it is said that they are sins, do you not excuse them on account of their delight? In fact you persuade yourselves, and confirm by untruths, that they are not sins, and so you remain in them and commit them afterwards more than before, and this to such an extent that you no longer know what sits is, or even whether sin exists. It happens otherwise with any one who actually does the work of repentance. The evils of his that he recognises and acknowledges he calls sins, and therefore he begins to flee from them and avoid them and to feel their delight as undelightful. And in so far as this is done, so far he sees and loves goods and at length feels the delight thereof; which is the delight of heaven. In a word, in so far as any one is putting the devil behind him, so far he is being adopted by the Lord and being taught, led, withheld from evils and kept in goods by Him. This is the way, and there is no other from hell to heaven.'
[7] It is a surprising fact that the Reformed have a certain innate refusal, evasiveness and aversion in regard to actual repentance, and this is so great that they cannot bring themselves to self-examination, or to seeing their own sins and confessing them before God. It is as if they are possessed by horror when they are endeavouring to do this. I have asked very many in the spiritual world about it and they all said that it was beyond their ability. When they heard that the Papists are doing this all the while, that is, that they examine themselves and openly make confession of their sins before a monk, they were exceedingly amazed, and above all at the fact that the Reformed are unable to do this in secret before God, although it has been enjoined on them just the same before they approach the Holy Supper. And some there have inquired why this is the case, and found that faith alone induced such a state of impenitence and such a heart. And then it was given them to see that those of the Papists who adore Christ, and neither invoke the saints nor adore the so-called Vicar [of Christ] or any of his key-bearers, are saved.
[8] After these things a thunder-like sound was heard, and a voice speaking out of heaven saying, 'We look on with amazement! Say to the congregation of the Reformed, Believe in Christ and do the work of repentance, and you will be saved.' And I said, being also above, 'Is not BAPTISM a sacrament of repentance and thereby an introduction into the Church? What else do the sponsors promise on behalf of the one to be baptised but that he will renounce the devil and his works? Is not the HOLY SUPPER a sacrament of repentance and thereby an introduction into heaven? Is it not said to the communicants that they must wholly do the work of repentance before approaching? Is not the CATECHISM a universal doctrine of the Christian Church teaching repentance? Is it not said there in the six precepts of the second table, Thou shalt not do this and that evil, and not, Thou shalt do this and that good? Consequently you have the ability to know that in so far as anyone is fleeing from evil, so far he is loving good; and that before this he does not know what good is, nor even what evil is.'
531. To the above I will add this Relation. I was once seized suddenly with a disease almost deadly. My whole head was weighed down. A pestilential smoke ascended from that Jerusalem which is called "Sodom and Egypt." I was half dead with the severe pain. I expected the end. Thus I lay in my bed three days and a half. My spirit became such, and from it my body. And then I heard voices about me, saying, "Lo, he who preached repentance for the remission of sins, and the Man Christ alone, lies dead in the streets of our city."
And they asked some of the clergy whether he was worthy of burial. They said, "No; let him lie to be looked at." And they passed to and fro, and mocked. All this befell me, of a truth, when I was explaining this chapter of Revelation. Then were heard harsh speeches of scoffers, especially these, "How can repentance be performed without faith? How can the man Christ be adored as God? Since we are saved of free grace without any merit of our own, what need we then but the faith alone, that God the Father sent the Son to take away the curse of the law, to impute His merit to us, and so to justify us in His sight, and absolve us from our sins by His herald the priest, and then give us the Holy Spirit to operate all good in us? Are not these things according to Scripture, and also according to reason?" These things the crowd standing by applauded.
[2] I heard these things, nor could I reply, because I lay almost dead. But after three days and a half my spirit recovered, and, being in the spirit, I left the street and went into the city, and said again, "Do the work of repentance, and believe in Christ, and your sins will be remitted, and ye will be saved; but otherwise ye will perish. Did not the Lord Himself preach repentance for the remission of sins, and that they should believe in Him? Did not He command the disciples to preach the same? Does not a full security of life follow the dogma of your faith?" But they replied, "What idle talk! Has not the Son made satisfaction? And does not the Father impute it to us, and justify us who have believed in it? Thus are we led by the spirit of grace; what sin can then be with us? What power has death over us? Do you comprehend this Gospel, thou preacher of sin and repentance?" But then a voice came forth out of heaven, saying, "What is the faith of an impenitent man, but a dead faith? The end is come, the end is come upon you that are secure, blameless in your own eyes, justified in your own faith, devils." And suddenly a deep gulf was opened in the midst of that city, which spread itself far and wide; and the houses fell one upon another, and were swallowed up; and presently water began to bubble up from the wide whirlpool, and overflowed the waste.
[3] When they were thus submerged, and they seemed inundated, I desired to know their lot in the deep. And it was said to me from heaven, "Thou shalt see and hear." And then the waters, in which they seemed to be inundated, disappeared before my eyes; for waters in the spiritual world are correspondences, and hence appear around those who are in falsities. Then they appeared to me in a sandy place, where heaps of stones were piled up; amongst which they were running, and lamenting that they were cast out of their great city. And they lifted up their voices, and cried, "Why has all this befallen us? Are we not, by our faith, clean, pure, just, and holy?" And others said, "Are we not, by our faith, cleansed, purified, justified, and sanctified?" And others said, "Are we not, by our faith, become such as to appear before God the Father, and to be seen and reputed clean, pure, just, and holy, and declared so before the angels? Are we not reconciled, propitiated, expiated, and thus absolved, washed, and cleansed from sins? And is not the condemnation of the law taken away by Christ? Why then are we cast down here as the condemned? We have heard from an audacious preacher of sin in our great city, 'Believe in Christ and repent. ' But have we not believed in Christ whilst we believed in His merit? And have we not done the work of repentance while we confessed ourselves sinners? Why then has all this befallen us?"
[4] But immediately a voice from one side said to them, "Do you know any sin in which you are? Have you ever examined yourselves? Have you, in consequence, shunned any evil as a sin against God? For he who does not shun sin, remains in it; and is not sin the devil? Ye are therefore of those of whom the Lord said:
Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in Thy presence, and Thou hast taught in our streets; but He shall say, I say to you, I know you not, whence ye are; depart from Me all ye workers of iniquity, (Luke 13:26-27); and of whom in Matthew 7:22-23. Depart ye, therefore, everyone to his own place. You see the openings into those caverns, enter, and there work shall be given each of you to do, and afterwards food in proportion to your work; if not, still hunger will compel you to enter."
[5] After this there came a voice from heaven to some on earth, who were without that great city, and who are described also (verse 13), crying aloud, "Take heed to yourselves, take heed how you associate with such persons; can you not understand that evils, which are called sins and iniquities, render man unclean and impure? How can man be cleansed and purified from them, but by actual repentance, and by faith in Jesus Christ? Actual repentance is to examine one's self to know and acknowledge his sins, to hold himself guilty, to confess them before the Lord, to implore help and the power to resist them, and thus to desist from them, and lead a new life, doing all these things as of yourselves. Do this once or twice a year, when you approach the Holy Communion, and afterwards when the sins, of which you have found yourselves guilty, recur; then say to yourselves, We will not consent to them because they are sins against God. This is actual repentance.
[6] "Who cannot understand that he who does not search out and see his sins, remains in them? For all evil is delightful from birth; for it is delightful to revenge, to commit whoredom, to defraud, to blaspheme, and especially to rule over others from self-love; is it not the delight that causes them not to be seen, and if perchance it is said they are sins, do you not from that delight excuse them? Yea, you persuade yourselves by falsities and confirm that they are not sins, and thus continue in them, and practice them afterwards more than before, even till you no longer know what sin is, or whether there be sin. It is otherwise with everyone who actually repents. His evils which he knows and acknowledges, he calls sins, and on that account begins to shun and turn away from them, and to feel their delight as undelightful. And in proportion as this is the case, he sees and loves goods, and at length feels delight in them, which is the delight of heaven. In a word, so far as anyone rejects the devil, so far he is adopted by the Lord, and by Him is taught, led, withheld from evils, and is held in goods. This and no other is the way from hell to heaven."
[7] It is wonderful, that the Reformed have a certain deep-rooted opposition and aversion to actual repentance, which is so great, that they cannot force themselves to examine themselves, neither can they see their sins, and confess them before God. It is as if a horror invades them when they think of it. I have inquired of many in the spiritual world concerning this, and they all said that it was beyond their power. When they heard that the Papists do it, that is, that they examine themselves and confess their sins openly before a monk, they have greatly wondered, more especially as the Reformed cannot do the same in private before God, although it is alike enjoined them before they approach the Holy Supper. Some have inquired into the cause of this, and it was discovered that faith alone induced such a state of impenitence, and such a heart. And then it was given them to see that those of the Papists who adore Christ, and do not invoke saints, nor adore His vicar, so-called, and any key-bearer of His, are saved.
[8] After this, there was heard as it were thunder, and a voice speaking from heaven, saying, "We are astonished! say to the assembly of the Reformed, Believe in Christ, and do the work of repentance, and you will be saved." And I said further, "Is not Baptism a sacrament of repentance, and thence an introduction into the church? What else do the sponsors promise for the person to be baptized, but that he will renounce the devil and his works? Is not the Holy Supper a sacrament of repentance, and hence an introduction into heaven? Is it not declared to the communicants, that they should by all means do the work of repentance before they approach? Does not the Catechism, which is the universal doctrine of the Christian church, teach repentance? Is it not said in the six commandments of the second table, Thou shalt not do this and that evil, and not, Thou shalt do this and that good? Hence you may know, that as far as anyone shuns evil, so far he loves good, and that before this he does not know what good is, nor even what evil is."
531. His adjiciam hoc MEMORABILE: -
Subito correptus sum morbo paene lethali; totum caput ingravatum est: immissus fuit fumus pestilentus ex Hierosolyma, quae vocatur "Sodoma et Aegyptus;" fui semimortuus cum saevo dolore; exspectavi extremum: ita jacui in meo lecto per tres dies et dimidium. Spiritus meus talis factus est, et ex illo corpus meum.
Et tunc audivi circum me voces dicentium, "En jacet in platea urbis nostrae mortuus, qui praedicavit paenitentiam in remissionem peccatorum, et solum Christum hominem." Et interrogabant aliquos e Clero, num ille sepultura dignus sit. Dixerunt quod "Non: jaceat, spectetur." Abibant; redibant, subsannabant.
(Ex veritate ita mihi contigit, cum explicabatur hoc caput Apocalypseos.)
Auditae sunt tunc voces subsannantium graves, imprimis hae: "Quomodo potest paenitentia agi absque fide; quomodo potest Christus homo adorari ut Deus: dum gratis salvamur absque ullo nostro merito, quid opus tunc nisi sola fide quod Deus Pater miserit Filium Qui damnationem legis auferret, imputaret nobis meritum Ipsius, et sic coram Se justificaret nos, et absolveret nos praecone Sacerdote a peccatis, et tunc daret Spiritum Sanctum, Qui omne bonum in nobis operetur; annon haec sunt secundum Scripturam et quoque secundum rationem." His cohors adstans adplaudebat.
Audiebam haec, nec potui respondere, quia jacui paene mortuus; at post tres dies et dimidium spiritus meus convaluit, et quoad illum exivi a platea in urbem, et dixi iterum, "Paenitentiam agite, et credite in Christum, et remittentur vobis peccata, et salvabimini: si non, peribitis. Annon Ipse Dominus praedicavit paenitentiam in remissionem peccatorum, ac ut crederent in Ipsum; annon mandavit Discipulis ut idem praedicarent; anne plenaria securitas vitae sequitur vestrae fidei dogma."
Sed dixerunt, "Quid garris; Filiusne satisfecit; Paterne id imputavit, nos, qui credidimus hoc, justificavit: ducimur sic spiritu gratiae: quid tunc in nobis peccatum; quid tunc cum nobis mors. Capis hoc evangelium, praeco 'peccati et paenitentiae?'"
Sed tunc exivit vox e Caelo, dicens, "Quid fides impaenitentis nisi mortua; venit finis, venit finis super Vos securos, in oculis vestris inculpatos, in fide vestra justificatos, diabolos. Et subito tunc barathrum aperiebatur in medio illius urbis, seque dilatavit, et domus super domum cecidit, et absorpti sunt: et mox e lata voragine ebullivit aqua, et inundavit vastitatem.
Quando ita demersi sunt et visi inundati, desiderabam scire sortem illorum in profundo. Et dictum est mihi e Caelo, "Videbis et audies."
Et tunc coram oculis meis disparatae sunt aquae, quibus inundati visi sunt, quia aquae in mundo spirituali sunt correspondentiae, et inde apparent circum illos qui in falsis sunt: ac tunc mihi visi sunt in fundo arenoso ubi strues e lapidibus congestae, inter quas currebant, et lamentabantur quod ex magna sua urbe conjecti essent.
Ac vociferabantur et clamabant "Cur hoc nobis; annon sumus per fidem nostram mundi, puri, justi, sancti." Et alii, "Annon sumus per fidem nostram mundati, purificati, justificati et sanctificati." Et alii, "Annon sumus per fidem nostram tales facti, ut coram Deo Patre appareamus, videamur, reputemur, et coram Angelis declaremur, sicut mundi, puri, justi et sancti." "Sumusne reconciliati, propitiati, expiati, et sic exsoluti, abluti et abstersi a peccatis; sublatane est a Christo damnatio legis; cur itaque ut damnati huc conjecti sumus. Audivimus ab audace praecone peccati in magna nostra urbe. 'Credite in Christum, et agite paenitentiam.' Annon credidimus in Christum, cum in meritum Ipsius; et annon egimus paenitentiam, cum confessi sumus quod simus peccatores. Cur itaque hoc nobis evenit."
Sed tunc audita est vox ad illos a latere, "An scitis ullum peccatum in quo estis; an usquam exploravistis vos; an ideo fugistis aliquod malum ut peccatum contra Deum (et qui non fugit illud, est in illo); estne peccatum Diabolus; quare estis de quibus Dominus dicit,
'Tunc incipietis dicere, Edimus coram Te et bibimus, et in plateis nostris, docuisti; sed dicet, Dico vobis, non novi vos unde estis, discedite a Me omnes operarii iniquitatis' - (Luca 13:26-27);
ut et de quibus Matthaeus 7:22-23. Abite ergo, quisque in suum locum. Videtis antra in cavernas; intrate illuc, et dabitur ibi cuique vestrum suum opus ad faciendum, et tunc cibus ad mensuram operis; si non, usque fames urgebit vos ad intrandum."
Postea vox e Caelo facta est ad quosdam super terra, qui extra urbem illam magnam fuerunt (de quibus etiam vers. 13), dicens alte, "Cavete vobis, cavete vobis a consociatione cum similibus; annon potestis intelligere, quod mala quae vocantur peccata et iniquitates, immundum et impurum reddant hominem; quomodo potest homo ab illis mundari et purificari quam per actualem paenitentiam, et per fidem in Jesum Christum; actualis paenitentia est, explorare se, cognoscere et agnoscere sua peccata, se reum facere, confiteri illa coram Domino, implorare opem et potentiam resistendi illis, et sic desistere ab illis, et novam vitam agere, et haec omnia sicut a vobis. Facite ita semel aut bis in anno, quando acceditis ad Sanctam Communionem; et postea cum peccata, quorum reos vos fecistis, recurrunt, tunc vobiscum dicatis, 'Non volumus illa quia sunt peccata contra Deum.' Haec est paenitentia actualis. Quis non potest intelligere, quod qui non explorat et videt sua peccata, maneat in illis. Omne enim malum a nativitate jucundum est; jucundum enim est vindicare, scortari depraedare, blasphemare, imprimis dominari ex amore sui: annon jucundum facit ut non videantur; et si forte dicitur quod peccata sint, annon ex jucundo illorum excusatis illa, imo persuadetis vobis, et per falsa confirmatis, quod peccata non sint, et sic manetis in illis, et facitis illa postea plus quam prius: et hoc eo usque dum non scitis quid peccatum, imo num sit peccatum. Aliter fit cuivis qui paenitentiam actualiter agit; ille mala sua quae cognovit et agnovit, vocat peccata, ac ideo incipit illa fugere et aversari, ac jucundum illorum sentire injucundum; et quantum hoc fit, tantum videt et amat bona, et tandem sentit horum jucundum, quod est jucundum Caeli. Verbo, quantum quis rejicit Diabolum ad tergum, tantum adoptatur a Domino, et ab Ipso docetur, ducitur, detinetur a malis, et tenetur in bonis. Haec via est, et non alia ab Inferno ad Caelum."
Hoc mirabile est, quod quaedam insita renuentia, tergiversatio et aversatio pro paenitentia actuali sit Reformatis; quae tanta est, ut non possint adigere semet ad explorandum se, et ad videndum sua peccata, et ad confitendum illa coram Deo: est sicut horror invadat illos cum id intendunt. Quaesivi permultos in mundo spirituali de eo, et dixerunt omnes quod hoc sit supra vires illorum. Cum audiverunt quod Pontificii usque hoc faciant, hoc est, quod explorent se, et palam confiteantur peccata sua coram monacho, valde mirati sunt; et insuper quod Reformati non possint id facere in occulto coram Deo, tametsi id illis aeque injunctum est ante quam ad Sacram Caenam accedunt. Et quidam ibi inquisiverunt cur hoc; et invenerunt quod sola fides talem impaenitentiae statum et tale cor induxerit. Et tunc datum est illis videre, quod illi ex Pontificiis qui adorant Christum, et non invocant Sanctos, et non adorant ita dictum Vicarium, et aliquem Ejus Clavigerum, salventur.
Post haec auditum est sicut tonitru, et vox loquens e Caelo, dicens, "Miramur; dic ad caetum Reformatorum 'Credite in Christum et agite paenitentiam, et servabimini.'"
Et dixi; ac insuper, "Estne Baptismus Sacramentum paenitentiae, et inde introductio in Ecclesiam; quid aliud patrini pro baptizando spondent, quam ut abdicet Diabolum et ejus opera. Estne Sacra Caena Sacramentum paenitentiae, et inde introductio in Caelum. Diciturne ad communicantes ut omnino ante accessionem paenitentiam agant. Estne Catechismus, doctrina universalis Ecclesiae Christianae, docens paenitentiam. Diciturne ibi in sex praeceptis secundae Tabulae, 'Hoc et illud malum non facies;' et non dicitur, Hoc et illud bonum facies. Inde potestis scire, quod quantum quis malum fugit, tantum bonum amet; et quod prius non sciatis quid bonum, imo nec quid malum."