1436. About the seeds of faith taking root
Seeds of faith that have taken root in a person on earth, a soul, a spirit, and also in an angel, by means of enlightened knowledge [implanted] and then branching and sprouting in different directions, are of this nature: when a religious truth has been implanted, then gradually it grows out into many truths, as if taking over the whole space, and falsities are gradually consumed. For a truth of religion once conceived begets many, like rivulets of water from a spring, or roots of a tree in the earth; or like a tuberous root that has gone deep down, and at length takes up space by expanding, and consumes anything in its way.
First, evils are wiped away in the person, otherwise [religious truth] cannot be implanted. Evils are the "tares" that put forth roots widely, obstructing the roots of the good seed. After that comes conviction of the truth of religion, which gives birth to derivative convictions joined with other enlightened knowledge. Next comes the love of truth. Thus that seed reproduces and bears fruit beyond measure.
1436. CONCERNING THE SEEDS OF FAITH WHICH ARE INROOTED
The seeds of faith which are inrooted in a man, a soul, a spirit, and even in an angel, by means of cognitions and various derivations or germinations therefrom, are of such a nature that when the truth of such faith has been inseminated, then little by little it is amplified into many truths, so that it occupies, as it were, the whole space, and gradually falsities are consumed. For as soon as the truth of faith is conceived it begets many more truths, like waters flowing from a fountain, or like the roots of a tree in the earth, or like a glandulous root which is deeply inrooted, and at length occupies the space by expanding itself and eating away whatever it meets. In man evils are first obliterated, for otherwise there can be no insemination. Evils are the tares which throw out widely extended roots, and choke the roots of the good seed. Afterwards there is the persuasion of the truth of faith, which gives birth to derivative persuasions that are conjoined with other cognitions. Then comes the love of truth. Thus [the seed of faith] extends itself immensely, and brings forth fruit.
1436. De seminibus fidei, quae irradicantur
Semina fidei, quae per cognitiones, et inde varias derivationes, seu germinationes, in homine, anima, et spiritu, tum angelo, irradicata, talia 1
sunt, ut dum talis fidei veritas inseminata est, tunc sensim producitur in plures veritates, sic ut totum quasi spatium occupet, et falsitates sensim exeduntur, nam fidei veritas primum concepta gignit plures, sicut derivatione aquae a fonte, seu radicum arboris in terra, seu ut radix glandulosa, quae intrinsecus radicatur, et tandem occupat spatium se dilatando, et quae obvia sunt, exedit, primum obliterantur in homine mala, alioquin inseminari nequiret, mala sunt zizaniae, quae latas radices agunt, et boni seminis radices obruunt 2
, postea [inseminatur] persuasio veritatis fidei, quae parit persuasiones inde derivatas, et cum aliis cognitionibus conjunctas, dein venit amor veritatis, sic 3
producit se immensum, et fert fructus.
Footnotes:
1. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has irradictae (sic!), tales
2. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has obruit
3. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has si