2474. I was engaged in a conversation with angels about this matter and was shown by means of a comparison with the human body that faith and works relate like soul and body, works without faith being like a body without a soul, consequently like a corpse, and faith without works being like a soul having no body.
Faith occurs with much variety: faith merely by rote, faith [acquired] by learning, faith [acquired] by understanding, faith with conviction, faith with conviction from love toward the neighbor. This shows what kind of life can be in faith of the mouth, and faith by learning, and faith by understanding, for it is love that fashions human character and gives a person the ability to be a suitable vessel. From this it is therefore obvious how the character develops from belief without conviction, and from belief together with conviction, and from conviction without love toward the neighbor, and from conviction having love toward the neighbor within it, consequently belief together with the works of charity. 1748, 1 July.
From heaven these words were today confirmed in general, as if the Lord had been seen. 1
Footnotes:
1. These words appear written vertically in the left margin of paragraphs 2473 and 2474.
2474. I discoursed concerning these things with the angels, and it was proven to me by comparison with the body of man that faith and works are circumstanced like the soul and body; works without faith are like a body without a soul, therefore like a corpse; and that faith without works is like a soul endowed with no body. Faith is given with much variety; [there is] a faith merely oral; a scientific faith; intellectual faith; faith with persuasion; faith with persuasion from love towards the neighbor. Hence it may appear what quality of life can be in oral faith, and scientific faith, and intellectual faith, for love is what forms the disposition of man, and gives him the faculty to be able to be an applied vessel. Hence it may appear how thus the disposition is formed by faith, without persuasion; and by faith, with persuasion; and by persuasion, without love towards the neighbor; and by persuasion, wherein is love towards the neighbor; and so faith with the works of charity. - 1748, July 1. - [Marginal note.] - These things in general were confirmed this day from heaven. The Lord, as it were, being seen. - 1748, October 19 or 20.
2474. De his cum angelis in sermone fui, et mihi demonstratum, per comparationem cum corpore hominis, quod fides et opera se habeant sicut anima et corpus, opera absque fide, sicut corpus absque anima, proinde 1
sicut cadaver; et quod fides absque operibus, sicut anima nullo corpore praedita; fides cum multa varietate datur, fides solum oretenus, fides scientifice, fides intellectualiter, fides cum persuasione, fides cum persuasione ex amore erga proximum, exinde constare potest, qualis vita inesse possit fidei oretenus, et fidei scientifice, et fidei intellectualiter, nam amor est quae format indolem hominis, et dat ei facultatem ut possit esse vas adplicatum, quomodo sic indoles formatur a fide absque persuasione, et a fide cum persuasione, et a persuasione absque amore erga proximum, et a persuasione cui inest amor erga proximum, sic fides cum operibus charitatis, exinde constare potest. 1748, 1 Julius 2
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Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has proide
2. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has Junius