3005. From this one may also realize what a looking through faith is, and what faith is, for some think that faith is nothing, when yet a looking through faith can do all things, as also a looking from all the facets of faith with conviction. But faith is such that insofar as the looking at the Lord is from the person's self, so far it recedes from the Lord and has no power, but insofar as it is from the Lord, so far it has power; the same is true of conviction regarding matters of faith. Otherwise they are like that mad person. It is an insanity not unlike that of those who thought they had been god the father, and god the son, and this with insane conviction; and those who thought they had been Charles XII, who were sent to be among the raving. They are also like this who want to obtain faith by their own powers. 1748, 31 Aug.
3005. Hence may also be known what [is] intuition, through faith, and what [is] faith; for some suppose that faith is of nothing, and yet intuition by faith can effect all things, and [there is] an intuition of all things that pertain to faith, with persuasion. But faith is of such a nature that so much of intuition in the Lord [as comes] from man, or from self so much does it recede from the Lord, and is of no efficacy, but so far [as it comes] from the Lord, so far is it efficacious. It is similar with the persuasion of what belongs to faith, otherwise they are like that mad man; it is an insanity not unlike theirs who supposed they were God the Father, and God the Son, yea from insane persuasion; also [like his] who supposed he was Charles XII. These were put amongst the mad; they also are similar, who wish to acquire faith to themselves from their [propriis] strength. - 1748, August 31.
3005. Exinde quoque sciri potest, quid intuitio per fidem, et quid fides, nam quidam putant, quod fides nihili sit, cum tamen intuitio per fidem omnia possit, [ut] et intuitio omnium quae sunt fidei, cum persuasione; sed fides est talis, ut quantum intuitionis in Dominum ex homine, aut ex semet, tantum recedit a Domino, et nullius efficaciae est, sed quantum a Domino, tantum efficaciae 1
, similiter persuasio eorum quae sunt fidei; aliter sunt vesano isti similes, est 2
insania non absimilis istorum, qui putarunt se fuisse deus pater, et deus filius, et quidem ex insana persuasione, tum qui putabat se fuisse Carolum XII: qui inter vesanos missi, similes sunt quoque ii, qui fidem ex propriis viribus sibi comparare volunt. 1748, 31 Aug.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has efficaciae
2. The Manuscript has est est