698.“并不悔改所行的”表尽管从圣言得到教导，他们仍不离弃信之虚假和由此而来的生活邪恶。“不悔改”表示不离弃，如前所述（693节），“所行的”或“行为”在此表示信之虚假，和由此而来的生活邪恶，如前所述（641节）。按照字义，是“疼痛”或“疮”不能迫使他们悔改自己的虚假和邪恶，但按照灵义，是来自圣言的教导不能将他们从其虚假和邪恶中驱离，因为这些是属地狱的。由此明显可知，“并不悔改所行的”表示尽管从圣言得到教导，他们仍不离弃自己的信之虚假和由此而来的生活邪恶。之所以说此处“所行的”或“行为”表示信之虚假和由此而来的生活邪恶，是因为信之虚假在先，生活的邪恶随后而来。事实上，邪恶不定有信之人的罪，这就是一个信之虚假；结果，人活得高枕无忧，不用思想任何邪恶，因而从不悔改，或实践悔改的行为。若人说服自己相信行为无助于救恩，唯信而无需行为就得救，情形也一样。
698. And did not repent of their works. This symbolically means that despite being instructed from the Word, they still did not turn away from the falsities of their faith or their consequent evil practices.
Not repenting means, symbolically, not to turn away, as in no. 693 above; and works symbolize falsities of faith and people's consequent evil practices, as in no. 641 above.
According to the literal sense, neither sufferings nor sores could compel the people to repent of their falsities and evils, but according to the spiritual sense, instruction from the Word could not compel them to abandon their falsities and evils because they are hellish.
It is apparent from this that the people's not repenting of their works means symbolically that despite being instructed from the Word, they still did not turn away from the falsities of their faith or from their consequent evil practices.
We say that works here are falsities of faith and the consequent evil practices. We say this because falsity of faith precedes and evil practice follows. For it is a falsity of faith that evil does not condemn a person who possesses faith. Therefore the person lives unconcernedly, not thinking about any evil, and so never reproaches himself or repents. The result is the same if he persuades himself that works contribute nothing to salvation, but that faith alone saves without works.
698. 'And did not repent of their works' signifies that, although instructed out of the Word, still they do not withdraw from untruths of faith and the consequent evils of life. By 'not to repent' is signified not to withdraw, as above (693); and by 'works' here are signified untruths of faith and the consequent evils of life, as above (641). According to the sense of the letter it is annoyances and sores that cannot drive them to repent of untruths and evils, but according to the spiritual sense it is instruction out of the Word that cannot drive them from untruths and evils, because these are infernal. It is plain from these considerations that by 'did not repent of their works' is signified that, although instructed out of the Word, they still did not withdraw from untruths of faith and the consequent evils of life. It is said that the 'works' here are untruths of faith and the consequent evils of life. It is so said because untruth of faith precedes, and evil of life follows. For it is an untruth of faith that an evil does not condemn him who is in faith, in consequence of which the man lives unconcerned, not thinking about any evil. And thus he never repents or does penance. He acts in a similar manner if he persuades himself that works effect nothing for salvation, but faith alone without them.
698. And they repented not of their works, signifies that although instructed from the Word, still they would not recede from the falsities of faith and the evils of life thence. "Not to repent" signifies not to recede from, as above, (693), and by "works" are here signified the falsities of faith, and evils of life thence, as above, (641). According to the sense of the letter, neither distresses, nor sores could compel them to repent of their falsities and evils, but it is according to the spiritual sense, that instruction from the Word could not drive them from their falsities and evils, because these are infernal. Hence it appears, that by "They repented not of their works," is signified, that although instructed from the Word, yet they would not recede from their falsities of faith and the evils of life thence. It is said that "works" here signify the falsities of faith and evils of life thence; and it is so said because falsity of faith precedes, and the evil of life follows. For it is a falsity of faith, that evil does not condemn him who is in faith, thence man lives securely not thinking about any evil, and thus never repents, or does the work of repentance. In like manner, if he persuades himself that works contribute nothing to salvation, but faith alone without them.
698. "Et non resipuerunt ad operibus suis," significat quod tametsi instructi ex Verbo, usque non recedant a falsis Fidei et inde malis vitae. - Per "non resipiscere" significatur non recedere, ut supra (693); et per "opera" hic significantur falsa fidei et inde mala vitae, ut supra (641). Secundum Sensum literae est quod molestiae et ulcera non possent adigere illos ad resipiscendum a falsis et malis; sed secundum Sensuum spiritualem est, quod instructio ex Verbo non posset adigere illos a falsis et malis, quia haec infernalia sunt. Ex his patet, quod per "non resipuerunt ex operibus suis significetur quod tametsi instructi ex Verbo usque non recedant a falsis fidei et inde malis vitae. Dicitur quod "opera" hic sint falsa fidei et inde mala vitae; ita dicitur quia falsum fidei praecedit, et malum vitae sequitur: falsum enim fidei est, quod malum non damnet illum qui in Fide est; inde homo vivit secure non cogitando de aliquo malo, et sic nunquam resipiscit, seu paenitentiam agit; similiter facit si sibi persuadet quod Opera nihil ad salutem faciant, sed sola Fides absque illis.