BE114.关于上述观点，在此附加两个摘自《揭开启示》的亲身见闻；第一个如下（摘自AR531）：有一次我突然患上几乎致命的重病，整个头沉重下垂。从那被称为“所罗玛和埃及”的耶路撒冷散发出如同瘟疫般的气体。我极度痛苦，痛得半死，盼着终结。在这样的状态下卧床三天半，灵魂如此，身体跟着受苦。然后，我听到周围有声音说：“看哪，他躺在我们城里的街上，就是传扬要悔改以求罪得赦免的那个，他还宣扬唯独基督这个人是上帝呢。”他们向一些牧师征询他值不值得安葬。（正如启示录11:8-11中所说的被杀于那城的两个见证人。）牧师们的回答：“不，就让他躺在那，让人们观看。”人们来来回回经过，嘲笑讥讽。事实上，当我在解读《启示录》这一章时，这些事都临到我。然后我听见一些嘲讽的话语，特别是这些话：“没有信，人怎么悔改？基督是人，怎么能当作上帝来敬拜？我们得救在于白白的恩典，没有任何我们自己的功德，那还需要我们做什么，除了单单相信父上帝差他儿子除去律法的咒诅，将他儿子所成之功归给我们，因此我们在他而前称义，藉他的使者，就是他的祭司们来宣告我们罪得赦免，然后赐下圣灵在我们里面引导向善？这些事不符合圣经，不合理性吗？”站在周围的群众一片欢呼。 【2】听到这些话，我无法回应，因为躺在那里，几乎要死。不过，三天半后，我的灵魂复元，在灵里，我离开那街，进了城，再次传讲：“你们要悔改，信基督，你们的罪方得赦免，得以拯救，要不然你们会灭亡。主自己不是传讲悔改为罪得赦免，还传讲你们当信他吗？他不是吩咐门徒们也传同样的道吗？不是以生活的完全来遵循你们所信的教义吗？”不过，他们却这样回复：“一派胡言！子所作之功不是已满足这些了吗？父不是将此归给我们，称我们这些信的人为义了吗？所以，我们被恩典之灵所引领。那么，在我们里面还能有什么罪呢？死与我们还有什么关系呢？传扬罪与悔改的人哪，你不明白这福音吗？”然后，从天上有声音传来，说：“一个不悔改之人的信仰若不是死的，还能是怎样的信仰呢？你们的末日来了，临到你们这些麻木不仁的人身上，你们看自己无可责备，凭你们的信俨然称义，你们这些魔鬼。”城中突然出现一道裂缝，越裂越宽，变成又长又宽的鸿沟，城中的房屋一栋接一栋倒塌，被深沟吞没。有水从沟中冒出，漫过那片废墟。 【3】他们就这样被水淹没，眼看就要溺死。我想知道他们在沟底的命运如何，有声音从天上告诉我：“你会看到和听到的。”看似要淹没他们的水在我眼前消失了，因为灵界中的这些水乃是对应，显现于这些陷入伪谬之人周围。然后，我见他们在一片沙地上，沙地上有石堆，他们在上面奔跑着，为他们从大城落到此处而哀号。他们哭喊，扬声大叫：“这些事为什么临到我们身上？因着在世上的信仰，我们不是被洁净了，被称为义，且成圣了吗？”其他人还哭喊着说：“我们的信不是洁净了我们，我们不是被称义和成圣了吗？”还有人说：“不是因着我们的信，我们在父上帝面前不是显现为如此，看起来算为洁净、正义与圣洁了吗？不是向众天使宣告我们已经成为这样的吗？我们不是因着和解、挽回和代赎而从罪中得赦免、被洁净、称为义且成圣了吗？基督不是消除了律法的谴罚吗？那我们为什么被投到这里，好像受罚呢？“那个胆大包天的罪恶传道人在我们的大城里传讲‘要信基督，还要悔改’。我们不是信了基督的吗？我们相信他的功德啊！我们没有悔改吗？我们承认自己是个罪人啊！那为何这些事会临到我们呢？” 【4】突然有个声音从另一边传来，对他们说：“你们知道自己有什么罪吗？你曾省检过自己吗？结果有没有视恶如同敌对上帝的罪那样避免作恶吗？任何人若没有像避免犯（如同敌对上帝的）罪那样避免作恶，仍然陷在恶中。罪不是魔鬼吗？所以啊，你们就是主所说的那类人：那时、你们要说、我们在你面前吃过喝过、你也在我们的街上教训过人、他要说、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）。“你们还是《马太福音》7:22，23中所说的那类人。所以，每个人去你们自己的地方吧。你们会看到通往洞穴的洞口，进去，你们每个人在那里都会分派各自的活，按劳分配食物。如果你不进去，会饿到你进去的。” 【5】在这之后，天上有声音向地面上那些城外的人们（就是《启示录》第11:13所说的“其余的”）大声说：“你们要当心，和这些人相处要小心。你们不明白是被称为罪恶与罪孽的那些恶事使人不洁净吗?若不是凭真实的悔改和信靠耶稣基督，人怎能从恶中被洁净呢？真实的悔改就是省察自己，意识到并承认自己的罪，对这些罪恶有内疚感，在主而前坦白，恳求他的引领并依靠他的能力来抵挡这些罪恶，戒除这些恶罪恶，开始新生活，犹如自己在做这一切事情。去领圣餐时，一年做这么一到两次；之后，若这些让你内疚的罪再发生时，对自己说：‘我们当拒绝行这些恶，因为这是犯罪敌对上帝’。这才是真悔改。 【6】“有谁不明白，人若不省察自己并看到他的罪恶，仍陷在这些罪恶中呢？一个人生来就以恶为乐，乐于报复、通奸、欺诈、亵渎，特别是出于我欲而支配他人。不正是以此为乐而让他对这些恶视而不见？偌若有人偶然说它们是罪恶，难道不是出于其中的快乐而为这些罪恶找借口？恐怕还会利用伪谬之词来说服自己并去确证这些并非罪恶，于是继续陷入其中，后来作这些恶比先前更严重，直到不再知道什么是罪，不知道到底有没有罪这回事了。“真悔改就不同。他认识到并承认他的恶，称其为罪，因而抑制自己不去触犯，不喜欢这些恶，曾以为乐的事现在觉得不快乐了。而且，越是这样表现，就越是明白并爱上良善，最终乐于行善，这是天上的快乐。总而言之，任何人只要拒绝魔鬼，就被主接纳，受主教导和带领，并凭着主避免作恶，被带入良善。这是由地狱通往天上的方法，除引以外，别无它法。” 【7】令人惊讶的是，更正教徒对真悔改有根深蒂固的反对、抵触和憎恶，程度如此之深，以致他们无法迫使自己去自我省察，不能看见他们自己的罪恶并在上帝面前坦白。当他们思想这些时，仿佛有某种恐惧感来侵扰他们。我就此在灵界向多人探询此事，他们都一口认定那种做法超出他们的能力。当他们听说天主教徒仍这么做，也就是他们在神父面前省察自身并公开坦白他们的罪恶，他们十分惊奇，声称更正教徒即便私下面对上帝也做不到这点，尽管在取圣餐前被要求类似这么做。有人查究其因，发现是唯信导致这样不悔改的状态，产生这样的性情。然后让他们见到，那些敬拜基督、不求圣徒、不拜教皇或所谓的钥匙掌管者的天主教徒们得救了。 【8】在这之后，我听见像雷轰和说话的声音从天上传来，说：“真让人震惊！告诉更正教徒会众们，当信基督，并要悔改，你就得救。”我这么说了，并且说：“洗礼不是悔改的圣事吗，不是由此被引进教会吗？受洗者所承诺的不是与魔鬼及其恶行决裂吗？圣餐礼不也是悔改的圣事吗，不是藉此进到天上吗？领圣餐的人没有被告知在领受之前务必要行悔改之工吗？“教理问答，也就是基督徒教会通行的教义中，没有教导应当悔改吗？第二块石版的六条诫命中不是写了你们不可以行这样那样的恶，你们当行这般那般的善吗？“所以你们要晓得，人避免不作恶的程度如何，他热爱良善的程度就如何；在这之前，他不知何为善，甚至不知何为恶。”
114. To the above shall be added two memorable experiences taken from THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED. The first is as follows. 1I was once suddenly seized with an almost deadly disease. My whole head was oppressed, for a pestilential smoke had been let in from the great city which is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt, Revelation 11:8. Half-dead with severe anguish, I expected the end. I lay like this in bed for three and a half days, so greatly was my spirit affected, and from this my body. Then I heard around me the voices of people saying, "Lo he who preached repentance for the remission of sins, and the man Christ alone, lies dead in the street of our city." And they asked several of the clergy whether he was worthy of burial, as was said of the two witnesses slain in that city. Revelation 11:8-10. And they answered, "No, let him lie for a spectacle." And they passed to and fro, and mocked. All this truly happened to me when this chapter of the Revelation was being explained. Then grievous sayings were heard from them, especially these: "How can repentance be performed without faith? And how can Christ, a man, be adored as God? Whilst we are freely saved without any merit of our own, what need is there of anything apart from faith alone; the faith that God the Father sent the Son to take away the damnation of the law, so that He might impute His merit to us, and so justify us in His sight, and absolve us from our sins, and then give the Holy Spirit to operate every good work in us? Are not these things agreeable to Scripture and to reason?" The crowd standing by applauded these speeches.
[2] I heard all this, but could not reply, because I lay almost dead. But, after three and a half days my spirit revived, and I went forth in the spirit from the street into the city, and again I said "Repent, and believe on Christ, and your sins will be remitted, and you will be saved; if you do not do this, you will perish. Did not the Lord Himself preach repentance for the remission of sins, and that men should believe on Him? Did He not command His disciples to preach the same? Does not a complete disregard as to how life should be lived follow from the dogma of your faith?" But they said, "What idle talk Has not the Son made satisfaction? And has not the Father imputed this, and justified us who have believed this? As we are thus led by the spirit of grace, what sin is there, then, in us, and what power has death over us? Dost thou comprehend this gospel, thou preacher of sin and repentance?" But then a voice came forth from heaven saying, "What is the faith of the impenitent but a dead faith? The end is come, the end is come upon you that are secure and blameless in your own eyes, justified by your own faith, you who are devils." And suddenly a deep gulf opened in the middle of the city, spreading itself far and wide; and house fell upon house, and they were swallowed up. And presently water bubbled up from a large whirlpool and overflowed the waste.
[3] When they were thus overwhelmed, and to all appearance drowned, I desired to know their condition in the abyss, and I was told from heaven, "You shall see and hear." And immediately the waters wherein they seemed to be drowned disappeared before my eyes; for waters in the spiritual world are correspondences, and consequently appear to surround those who are in falsities. And then they appeared to me to be in a sandy bottom where there were large heaps of stones, among which they ran, lamenting that they were cast out of their great city. And they called out, crying, "Why has this happened to us? Are we not clean, pure, just and holy, through our faith?" Others exclaimed, " Are we not cleansed, purified, justified and sanctified, through our faith?" And others cried, "Are we not through our faith made such that we are reputed and seen to be clean, pure, just and holy in the sight of God the Father, and before the whole Trinity? And are we not declared to be such in the presence of the angels? Are we not reconciled, propitiated, expiated, and thereby absolved, washed and cleansed from sins? And has not the damnation of the Law been taken away by Christ? Why, then, are we cast down hither as damned? We have been told by a bold preacher of sin in our great city, Believe on Christ, and do the work of repentance.' Have we not believed on Christ whilst we believed on His merit? And did we not do the work of repentance when we confessed ourselves sinners? Why, then, has all this befallen us?"
[4] But then a voice from near-by said to them, "Do you know any single sin of which you are guilty? Have you ever examined yourselves? Have you in consequence thereof shunned any evil as a sin against God? Yet whoever does not shun evil remains in it. Is not sin the devil? Wherefore, you are 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 tell you, I know you not, whence ye are depart from Me all ye workers of iniquity. Luke 13:26-27; Matthew 7:22-23. "Depart, therefore, everyone to his own place. You see the openings into the caverns; enter therein, and work shall be given each of you to do, and afterwards food in proportion to your work. If you do not obey, hunger will at length compel you to enter."
[5] Afterwards there came a voice from heaven to some on that territory who were outside that great city, and who are also described in Revelation 11:13, crying aloud, "Take heed to yourselves, take care lest you associate with people like them. 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 save by actual repentance and faith in the Lord God the Saviour? Actual repentance is to examine oneself, to know and acknowledge one's sins, to hold oneself guilty, to confess them before the Lord, to implore help and power to resist them, and thus to desist from them and lead a new life; and to do all this as of oneself. Practise this once or twice a year, when you approach the Holy Communion; and afterwards, when the sins whereof you accounted yourselves guilty recur, then say to yourselves, We will not entertain them because they are sins against God'; this is actual repentance.
[6] Who cannot understand that if a man does not examine himself and see his sins, he remains in them? For all evil is delightful to man from his birth. It is delightful to take revenge, to commit whoredom, to defraud, to blaspheme. And does not this delight blind you to the nature of these evils? Moreover, if perchance it is said that they are sins, do you not excuse them on account of that delight? Nay, do you not confirm them by false reasonings, and persuade yourselves that they are not sins? And so you remain in them, and commit them afterwards more than before; and this even till you do not know what sin is, or whether there is such a thing as sin. It is otherwise with everyone who actually practises repentance. He calls his evils, which he knows and acknowledges, sins; wherefore he begins to shun and detest them, and to feel their delights as undelightful. And in proportion as he does this he sees and loves what is good, and at length feels the delights of good, which are the delights of heaven. In a word, so far as anyone casts the devil behind him, so far he is adopted by the Lord, and taught and guided by Him, and withheld from evils and held in good. This is the way, and there is no other, from hell to heaven."
[7] It is remarkable that among the Reformed there is a certain deep-rooted opposition to, refusal of, and aversion for actual repentance, which is so great that they cannot force themselves to examine themselves and to see their sins, and to confess them before God. It is as if they are seized with horror whenever they consider doing this. I have enquired of very many of them in the spiritual world concerning actual repentance, and they have all said that it is beyond their power. When they heard that Papists do as much as this; that is, that they examine themselves and confess their sins openly in the presence of a monk, they were greatly astonished, and wondered also why the Reformed cannot do the same in private before God, when it is just as much enjoined on them before they approach the Holy Supper. Some of those who were there enquired into the reason for this, and they found that faith alone induced just such a state of impenitence and state of heart and then it was given them to see that those Papists who approach and adore Christ, and do not adore, but only honour, the primates and priests of their Church, are saved.
[8] After this there was heard a sound like thunder, and a voice speaking from heaven, saying, "We are amazed. Say to the assemblage of the Reformed, 'Believe on Christ and do the work of repentance, and you will be saved.'" And I said so, and added, "Is not baptism a sacrament of repentance, and thereby an introduction into the Church? What else do the sponsors promise for the one who is to be baptized 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 declared to the communicants that they must certainly do the work of repentance before they come to the table? Is not the Decalogue, which teaches repentance, the doctrine of the whole Christian Church? Is it not said there, in the six precepts of the second table, Thou shalt not do this and that evil; and not said, Thou shalt do this and that good? Wherefore you may know that so far as anyone shuns evils, so far he loves good; and that before this he does not know what good or evil are."
Footnotes:
114. To the above shall be added two Relations taken from The Apocalypse Revealed. The First is this: I was seized suddenly with a disease almost deadly. My whole head was oppressed with pain; a pestilential smoke was let in from the great city which is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt (Revelation 11:8). I was half dead with severe anguish, I expected the end. Thus I lay in bed through three days and a half; my spirit became such, and from it my body. Then I heard about me voices saying, "Lo! he lieth dead in the street of our city, who preached repentance for the remission of sins, and Christ the man as the only God." And they asked some of the clergy, whether he was worthy of burial, as was said concerning the two witnesses slain in that city (Revelation 11:8-10). And they answered, "No, let him lie, let him be looked at"; and they passed to and fro, and mocked. All this befell me of a truth, when that chapter of Revelation was being explained. Then there were heard severe speeches from them, such as the following: "How can repentance be performed without faith? And how can Christ, the man, be adored as God? Whilst we are saved freely without any merit of our own, what need is there of anything besides faith alone, that God the Father sent the Son to take away the damnation of the law, to impute His merit to us, and so to justify us in His sight, and absolve us from our sins, and then to give the Holy Spirit to operate all good in us? Are not these things agreeable to Scripture, and to reason also?" The crowd standing by applauded these things. I heard all this without any power to reply, being almost dead. But after three days and a half my spirit recovered, and as to the spirit I went forth from the street into the city, and again said, "Repent, and believe in Christ, and your sins will be remitted, and you will be saved, but otherwise you will perish. Did not the Lord Himself preach repentance for the remission of sins, and that men should believe in Him? Did He not command His disciples to preach the same? Does not a full security of life follow the dogma of your faith?" But they said, "What idle talk! Has not the Son made satisfaction? And does not the Father impute it to us, and justify us who have believed this? Thus we are led by the spirit of grace, then what sin is in us, what death is with us? Dost thou comprehend this gospel, thou preacher of sin and repentance?" But then a voice went forth from 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, unblamable in your own eyes, justified in your own faith, devils." And suddenly a deep gulf was then 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 a large whirlpool, and overflowed the waste. When they were thus submerged, and 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 immediately the waters wherein they seemed to be inundated disappeared, for waters in the spiritual world are correspondences, and consequently appear around those who are in falsities; and then they appeared to me in a sandy bottom, where were large heaps of stones, among which they ran, and lamented that they were cast out of their great city: and they shouted and cried, "Why has all this befallen us? Are we not, through our faith, clean, pure, just, and holy?" Others exclaimed, "Are we not, through our faith, cleansed, purified, justified, and sanctified?" And others cried, "Are we not, through our faith, rendered worthy to be reputed and esteemed clean, pure, just, and holy, before God the Father, and before the whole Trinity, and to be declared such before the angels? Are not we reconciled, atoned for, expiated, and thereby absolved, washed and cleansed from sins? And is not the curse of the law taken away by Christ? Why then are we cast down hither like the condemned? We have heard from an audacious preacher of sin in our great city, Believe in Christ, and do the work of repentance. Have we not believed in Christ, whilst we believed in His merit? And have we not done the work of repentance, whilst we confessed ourselves sinners? Why then has all this befallen us?" But then a voice from one side said to them, "Do you know any one sin in which you are? Have you ever examined yourselves? Have you in consequence thereof shunned any evil as sin against God? And whosoever does not shun it, remains in it. Is not sin the devil? Wherefore you are they of whom the Lord says:
Then shall ye begin to say, we have eaten and drunk in Thy presence, and Thou hast taught in our streets; but He shall answer, I say unto you, I know you not, whence ye are; depart from Me all ye workers of iniquity (Luke 13:26-27; Matthew 7:22-23).
Depart therefore every one to his place; you see the openings into those caverns, enter therein, and work shall be given each of you to do, and afterwards food in proportion to your work; but if not, still presently you will be compelled by hunger to enter.
Afterwards there came a voice from heaven to some on that land, who were without the great city, and who are also described in Apocalypse 11:13), crying aloud, "Take heed to yourselves, take heed how you associate yourselves with such persons. Cannot you 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 faith in the Lord God the Savior? Actual repentance consists in a man's examining himself, in knowing and acknowledging his sins, in making himself guilty, in confessing them before the Lord, in imploring help and power to resist them, and thus in desisting from them, and leading a new life, and doing all these things as of himself. Do this once or twice in a year, when you come to the Holy Communion; and afterwards when the sins, whereof you made yourselves guilty, recur, then say to yourselves, we will not consent to them, because they are sins against God; this is actual repentance. Who cannot understand, that he who does not examine himself and see his sins, remains in them? For all evil is delightful to a man from his birth; it is a delight to revenge, to commit whoredom, to defraud and to blaspheme; does not the delight cause them not to be seen? And, if perchance it is said that they are sins, do you not on account of that delight excuse them?
"Yea, do you not by falsities confirm them, and persuade yourselves that they are not sins, and so remain in them, and afterwards do them more than before; even till you do not know what sin is, or whether there be any sin? But the case is otherwise with everyone who performs actual repentance; the evils which he has known and acknowledged he calls sins, and therefore he begins to shun and be averse to them, and to feel their delight as undelightful; and in proportion as this is the case, so far he sees and loves goods, and at length feels the delights of these, which are the delights of heaven. In a word, so far as anyone rejects the devil to the back, so far he is adopted by the Lord, and by Him is taught, led, withheld from evils, and held in goods. This is the way, and there is no other from hell to heaven." This is wonderful, that there is in the Reformed a certain deep-rooted opposition and aversion to actual repentance, which is so great, that they cannot force themselves to self-examination, and to see their sins, and to confess them before God; they are seized as it were with horror when they intend it. I have inquired of many in the spiritual world concerning this, and they all said, that it is above their power.
When they heard that the papists practice such duties, namely, that they examine themselves, and confess their sins openly before a monk, they greatly wondered, and likewise that the Reformed cannot do the same in private before God, although it is alike enjoined them previous to their approaching the Holy Supper. Some have examined into the cause of this, and found, that faith alone induces such an impenitent state and such a heart; and then it was given them to see, that such of the papists as approach and adore Christ, and do not adore, but only honor, the primates and leaders of their church are saved.
After the above admonition, was heard as it were thunder, and a voice speaking from heaven, saying, "We are amazed; say unto the assembly of the Reformed, believe in Christ, and do the work of repentance, and you shall be saved." And I told them; and added further, "Is not baptism a sacrament of repentance, and thereby 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 Sacred Supper a sacrament of repentance, and thereby an introduction into heaven? Is it not declared to the communicants, that they must altogether do the work of repentance before they approach? Is not the Decalogue, which teaches repentance, the doctrine of the whole Christian Church? Is it not there said, in the six commandments of the second table, thou shalt not do this and that evil, and not said, thou shalt do this and that good? Hence you may know, that in proportion as anyone shuns evil, in the same proportion he loves good, and that before this, he does not know either what good is, nor what evil is."
114. His adjicientur DUO MEMORABILIA ex APOCALYPSI REVELATA, desumpta, PRIMUM hoc. Subito correptus sum morbo paene lethali; totum caput ingravatum erat; immissus fuit fumus pestilentus ex magna urbe, quae vocatur spiritualiter Sodoma et Aegyptus, Apocalypsis 11:8: fui semimortuus cum saevo dolore, exspectavi extremum; ita jacui in lecto per tres dies et dimidium; Spiritus meus talis factus est, et ex illo Corpus meum. 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, sicut de binis testibus in Urbe illa occisis, Cap. 11:8, 9, 10, et dixerunt quod non, jaceat, spectetur, abibant, redibant, subsannabant; ex veritate ita mihi contigit, cum explicabatur illud Caput Apocalypseos. Auditae sunt ab illis voces graves, imprimis hae; quomodo potest Paenitentia agi sine 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 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. Audivi illa, nec potui respondere, quia jacui paene mortuus. Ast post tres dies et dimidium spiritus meus convaluit, et quoad illum exivi e platea in Urbem, et dixi iterum, Paenitentiam agite, et credite in Christum, et remittentur vobis peccata, et salvabimini; et si non, peribitis; annon Ipse Dominus praedicavit paenitentiam in remissionem peccatorum, ac ut crederent in Ipsum; annon mandavit Discipulis ut idem praedicarent; annon plenaria securitas vitae sequitur vestrae fidei dogma: sed dixerunt, quid garris, Filiusne satisfecit, Paterne id imputavit, et 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, ac 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; et 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, et coram tota Trinitate reputemur et videamur, 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 dejecti sumus: audivimus ab audaci 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 quo 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 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 ibi, qui extra Urbem illam magnam fuerunt, de quibus etiam Vers. 13. in illo Capite, 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 Dominum Deum Salvatorem. 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, ac 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 se, et videt sua peccata, maneat in illis; omne enim malum a nativitate jucundum est, jucundum enim est vindicare, scortari, depraedare, blasphemare; annon jucundum facit, ut non videantur; et si forte dicitur quod peccata sint, annon ex jucundo illorum excusatis illa, imo per falsa confirmatis, et persuadetis vobis, quod peccata non sint; et sic manetis in illis, et postea facitis illa 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 jucunda, quae sunt jucunda Caeli: Verbo, quantum quis rejicit diabolum a tergo, tantum adoptatur a Domino, et ab Ipso docetur, ducitur, detinetur a malis, et tenetur in bonis: haec via et non alia est 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 per multos 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 antequam ad Sacram Caenam accedunt et quidam ibi inquisiverunt, cur hoc, ac invenerunt, quod Sola Fides talem impaenitentiae Statum, et tale Cor induxerit: et tunc datum est illis videre, quod illi ex Pontificiis, qui adeunt et adorant Christum, et non adorant sed modo honorant Primates et Antistites Ecclesiae suae, salventur.
Post haec auditum est sicut tonitru, et vox loquens e Caelo, dicens, miramur; dic 1ad Coetus 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 DECALOGUS 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, nec quid malum.
Footnotes:
1. dic pro diei.