4653. About those who are in faith alone
Those who have impressed on themselves the belief that faith alone saves appear [where they do] depending on the nature of their faith. Those who have believed this more inwardly are below on the right on a level beneath the sole of the foot, where those are who also form a society of more inward friendship. See no. 4439 about this society. Those of them who have not so inwardly imprinted on themselves the belief that faith alone saves, who only know about it and more or less believe it when they are thinking from doctrinal statements, are also on the right, more in front and deeper down. There too come those who have professed and defended faith alone. But those of them who had led an evil life are sent down under the earth into the deep there and more toward the front where they appear to be surrounded by waters. This region spreads out widely. But those who have totally believed that faith alone saves and have thus rejected good works as contributing nothing toward salvation, and those of them who taught this and impressed it on others with zeal, appear forward a little on the right, at face level. When anything flows out from there, it is perceived as if it came from Luther. And amazingly, when James is being thought of, who said that they should show their faith by works [James 2:18], there is an appearance as of a knife flying out of there to kill those who feel this way.
Those, however, who had known that the [generally accepted] confession of faith is that faith alone saves but did not teach it or further impress it on themselves and had led a life of goodness and justice are in the lower earth.
4653. CONCERNING THOSE WHO ARE IN FAITH ALONE.
They who have impressed on themselves the notion that faith alone saves, appear according to the quality of their faith. Those who have believed this more inwardly, are at the right hand, beneath, on a level under the sole of the foot. They, also, are there, who form a society of more interior friendship, concerning which society, See n. 4439. Those of them who have not so inwardly impressed on themselves the doctrine that faith alone saves, but only know and as it were believe it when they think from doctrinals, are also at the right, further forwards, and deeper down. Thither, also, come those who have both professed and defended faith alone; but those of them who have passed an evil life, are there let down under the earth into a deep place, and more towards the front where they appear surrounded, as it were, by waters. This region is widely extended. But they who have completely believed that faith alone saves, and so have rejected good works, as contributing nothing to salvation, and those of them who have taught it and impressed it on others, from zeal, appear forwards, close at hand on the right, in the plane of the face. When anything flows out thence, it is perceived as if [it came] from Luther; and, wonderful to relate, when James, who said that they should show their faith by works, is thought about, there is an appearance as if a knife flew forth from thence to slay those who feel it to be so. But those who knew that the confession of faith is that faith alone saves: but have not taught it, or any farther impressed it on themselves [than merely to assent to it], and have lived a life of good and justice, are in the lower earth.
4653. De illis qui in sola fide
Qui sibi impresserunt quod sola fides salvet, illi secundum fidei quale apparent, qui intimius hoc crediderunt, sunt ad dextram infra ad planum sub planta pedis, ibi sunt qui societatem intimioris amicitiae etiam formant, de qua societate videatur n. 4439: qui eorum non tam intime sibi impresserunt quod sola fides salvet, solum quod id sciant et quasi credant, cum cogitant ex doctrinali, sunt etiam ad dextrum magis antrorsus et profundius: illuc veniunt etiam qui solam fidem et professi et defenderunt, sed qui eorum malam vitam egerunt ibi demittuntur sub terra in profundum et anterius versus, ubi circumdati apparent sicut ab aquis; haec regio late se extendit. Qui autem prorsus crediderunt quod fides sola salvet, et sic rejecerint bona opera, sicut nihil ad salutem conducentia, et qui eorum docuerunt id et impresserunt aliis ex zelo, illi apparent antrorsum perparum ad dextram, in plano faciei; cum inde aliquid effluit, percipitur sicut ex Luthero; et mirum cum cogitatur de Jacobo, qui dixit quod fidem suam ostenderent operibus [Jacob. II: 18], apparet sicut inde evolet culter, ad occidendum illos qui ita sentiunt. Qui autem sciverunt quod confessio fidei sit quod sola des salvet, sed non id docuerunt, aut amplius sibi impresserunt, et vitam boni et justi vixerunt, sunt in terra inferiore.