4218. On those who claim that faith alone saves, without good works
I perceived several times during the lapse of a day or two an aura of whoredom, which aura was all around, but came up especially from below, beneath the buttocks. I wondered where this aura came from, because it was an offensive one. I was told that it was from those who had convinced themselves that faith alone saves, and that good works accomplish nothing whatever, but rather condemn, and are therefore filthy. Those spirits are beneath the buttocks, engaged in quarrels and brawls, and what else, I was not aware. From there descends an aura within the body to the left, and from their effort to desire to be saved more than others, that aura strives ever upwards, and in fact as said, through the left side of the body, trying to reach the heart, and the head.
[2] I spoke with those holding that principle, and was inspired to ask them what they had believed, because they said that faith only saves. This they did not know, for they do not know what faith is, only that faith saves. On thinking it over, they said that if they believe God the Father created, Jesus saved, and the holy spirit purified us, then they are saved.
When asked, And if they live an evil life? they said that they ought to live well, but if they had lived evilly, then provided they embrace that faith, they are saved - even if it be in the last hour of death and they had lived in evil all their lives. Those who were below declared that they do not know what faith is, that the sum of what they know is, Father, son and holy spirit, and beyond that they do not know what faith is. For people summarize everything they have learned into a single item, theirs being that they only know Father, Son and holy Spirit, and thus that knowing this would save them. 1749, 15 April.
4218. CONCERNING THOSE WHO SAY THAT FAITH ALONE SAVES WITHOUT GOOD WORKS.
I perceived occasionally during the lapse of one or two days a sphere of scortation, which was diffused around, but which more especially descended from the region beneath the nates. As the sphere was an infesting one, I wondered from whence it came, and it was said that it proceeded from those who were in the persuasion that faith alone was saving, and that good works had no effect but to damn, and were therefore abominable. Those of this class are under the nates, dwelling in mutual railings and feuds, farther than which I did not perceive. From thence descends a sphere within the body, to the left, and from their attempt to be saved above others there is a perpetual struggle upwards, and in the direction, as was said, of the left part of the body and onwards towards the heart and the head. In speaking with those of this principle, it was given to ask them what they really believed in saying that faith alone saved. This, however, they did not know, for they do not know what faith is, except that it is something which saves. Upon reflection they said that if they should believe that God the Father created them, that Jesus saved them, and the Holy Spirit purified them, then salvation would follow of course, even though in the very hour of death, and though they had lived an evil life all their days. Those who were still lower down said that they knew nothing as to what faith was; that the sum of their knowledge was simply - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and if there was anything more in faith they were ignorant of it; for as men are prone to reduce what they have learned into one formula, this was theirs, to wit, that they barely knew - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and that to know this would save them. - 1749, April 15.
4218. De illis qui dicunt solam fidem salvare absque bonis operibus
Percepi per tempus diei vel bidui, aliquoties sphaeram scortationis, quae sphaera circum erat, sed cumprimis ab inferiori sub natibus descendebat, miratus unde ista sphaera, quia infestabat, dictum est, quod ab iis qui persuaserunt sibi solam fidem salvare, et bona opera nihil prorsus facere, sed damnare, et sic esse spurca; ii sunt sub natibus, inter se in rixis et jurgiis, praeterea non percepi, inde descendit sphaera intra corpus ad sinistrum, et ex conatu eorum quod prae aliis salvari velint, continuo sursum enititur, et quidem ut dictum, per sinistram partem corporis, et conantur versus cor, et versus caput. Loquutus cum iis qui tali principio fuerunt, quaerere datum, quid crediderunt, quia dixerunt fidem unice salvare; hoc nesciebant, nam nesciunt quid fides, praeterquam quod fides salvificat, quando cogitabant, dicebant [quod] si credant quod Deus Pater creavit nos, Jesus salvavit, et spiritus sanctus purificavit, quod tunc salventur, dictum iis, si vivant male? dicebant quod vivere bene debeant, sed si male vixerint, modo fidem istam habeant, quod tunc salventur, etiamsi foret in ultima mortis hora, et per totam vitam male vixissent. Qui infra erant, dicebant, quod nesciant quid fides, solum quod sciant in una summa, Pater, filius et spiritus sanctus, et praeterea quid fides nesciant, nam homo in unum quoddam redigit quae didicit, et hoc erat eorum, modo quod sciant Pater, Filius et Spiritus sanctus, et sic quod hoc scire salvaret eos. 1749, 15 April.