5945. Faith comes from charity, and as to its essence [is] CHARITY
I had conversation with certain Englishmen. It was believed that that in the world they were Bishops. I spoke with them about faith and charity. From the belief they had adopted in the world they supposed that faith was possible without charity and that faith was prior to charity because charity came from it. And [we spoke] about other things having to do with justification by faith. Their conversation was quite ingenious. They were saying that faith without charity was possible, merely because doctrinal details from the Word can be believed, (as for example that [it is possible] to believe that there is a God, that the Word is Divine, and similar things), which unless they were believed could not have been accepted by a person into his life and heart, for unless there is faith, they said, how can they be accepted? On account of this they come into [charity] through faith, and unless there were faith, they would not do so. From this they concluded also that faith is possible without charity, and that if faith is possible without this, it is saving because through it a person is then led by God in what is evil and in what is good, so that there is a presence of God in these times which they said was justification by faith alone.
[2] But it was shown to them that realistically this was not faith unless there was charity together with it, but what they had believed to be faith were merely items of deeper knowledge, namely, the knowledge that there is a God, that the Word is Divine, and much more; and that items of deeper knowledge, although they appear like faith still are not faith, and that these things are what come first with a person, and that they do not become elements of faith before a person has charity. They appear as if they are believed, when nevertheless they are not inwardly believed, for which reason faith successively recedes as a person begins to think and will wickedly, and they also recede from a person's spirit after death because they are not rooted in charity. It was also shown that this faith is what is called historical faith, which is that something is believed to be true because a person whom they believed to be learned said it was. Such faith also is different from the person himself, for what is another's in oneself is not one's own. And beside this there are things they know nothing about that they said must be believed even though they are not understood. From this it was evident to them for the first time that they did not have faith but only deeper knowledges, and that deeper knowledges were first in time, through which comes faith because there is charity.
[3] Yet they insisted for a long time that still there is faith and that this ought to be prior to charity, and if it is prior, [faith] in God is from it. But it was shown that realistically charity and faith are one, and that to the extent a person has charity, to the same extent a person has faith, and that consequently both, namely faith and charity, exist conjointly; but since faith in its essence is charityتust as truth in its essence is goodness, however much living truth there isحeaning truth that is active in a person, that is to say, has been appropriated to him, there is the same amount of goodness, but they are joined into a one. Thus truth is only the form of goodness, for when goodness appears in a visible form it is called faith, consequently there is not one without the other. Whether you say faith or truth it is the same, and whether you say goodness or charity it is the same; furthermore this is the same with a person's thought and affection. It is impossible to think without affection, for the very essence of thought is affection. A person can certainly think the things he knows, but this can be done from a natural affection, which is the affection for glory, reputation, a high position. But this affection does not make thinking spiritual; there must be spiritual affection, which is called charity.
[4] Besides this, in so far as people have charity, so far they are enlightened and see the truths that pertain to faith. They acknowledge these from enlightenment but never from the natural affection spoken of above. If this is the affection from which a person acknowledges them, it is from the light of confirmatory passages which simulates the light of truth but is a deceptive light because in it things that are false can be acknowledged as well those that are true, as for example that there is no God, or that the Word is not Divine. The evil that are like this and have convinced themselves of these [falsities] seem to themselves to see in light. Those have this kind of light that have confirmed in themselves the [belief] that faith alone saves. Besides this there is faith from charity, that is to say faith which in its essence is charity. It is continually perfected by such things as give confirmation, because from spiritual light he is constantly seeing many truths, and these all join with charity's goodness, and perfect it.
[5] Those who have a natural faith and nothing of a spiritual one believe faith is easily received, if not in the world still in the other life, saying, "Won't I believe when I hear and see that it is true?" Many of them think in this way in their hearts. But the same ones after their life in the world, if they have not received a spiritual faith through a life of charity in the world can never receive it after that, as can clearly be shown from the fact that all people whatsoever who come from the world are first adjoined to good spirits and angels and are instructed in all manner of ways, and [their instructors] say it is true, demonstrate it, and confirm it with visible evidence, but still none of them accepts it. They throw it aside as in the world, the reason being that faith is not within them but outside them. Besides, if someone could believe in the other life when he hears and sees, then all would have been saved, which also points out that there is no faith unless there is real life, that is to say, charity. Besides this, it is important to know that as long as people are only thinking [good] thoughts and do not have a life in accord with them, they are taken up with themselves and are being led by themselves, but when and in so far as they are living in accord with them, so far they are raised up from their selfhood and led by the Lord. The person does not perceive this but still it is so, and in so far as people are led by the Lord, so far they have what is good in them, that is to say, what they will and think is good. But it should be clearly known that no one can live in accord with deeper knowledges from the Word unless starting from these they reflect upon their own thoughts, intentions and deeds, that is, examines themselves and abstain from evils and do what is good as if from themselves. Otherwise people do not receive [faith], and if there is no reception there is no conjunction with the Lord; thus they cannot be led by the Lord.
5945. FAITH IS OF CHARITY, AND AS TO ESSENCE IS CHARITY.
I have been in conversation with certain Englishmen. It was believed that in the world they were Bishops. I spoke to them about faith and charity. They supposed, from the opinion they had adopted in the world, that faith could be given without charity; also, that faith was prior to charity, because [the latter was] from it: [we conversed] also of other matters relating to justification by faith. Their discourse was exceedingly clever. They said that faith could be given without charity, not only because doctrinals from the Word can be believed in; for example, that [a man can] believe that there is a God, that the Word is Divine, and the like; which, except they were believed, they could not have been received by man, in life and heart; for unless there be faith, said they, how can they be received; wherefore, they enter by faith, and unless there were faith they would not enter. Hence, also, they concluded that faith can be given without charity, and that if faith can be given without it, it is saving [without it]; since man is then led through that, by God, away from evil and in good; so that there is then the presence of God, which they declared to be justification by faith alone. But it was shown them to the life, that there was no faith, unless there were at the same time charity, but what they believed to be faith, is, manifestly, merely the knowledges that there is a God, a Divine Word, and many more; and that knowledges, although they appear as it were of faith, still are not of faith; also, that these are the first things with man, and that they do not become of faith, before man is in charity. They appear as if believed, but yet, interiorly, they are not believed; and, therefore, the faith of these things gradually recedes as the man begins to think and will wickedly, and they also themselves recede from the man's spirit after death, because they were not rooted in charity. It was also shown that that faith is what is called historical faith; which is that a thing is believed to be so, because one of whom they held the opinion that he was learned had said so. Such a thing, also, is foreign to the man himself; for that which is another's in oneself is not one's own. And, moreover, there are things unknown, which, as they stated, must be believed notwithstanding that they are not understood. From this it was manifest to them, for the first time, that these things were not of faith, but merely knowledges, and that knowledges were the beginnings by means of which faith is, because charity is. But they repeatedly insisted, for a long time, that it is still faith, and that it ought to be prior to charity, and if prior, that it is therefore in God. But it was shown to the life that charity and faith were a one and so far as man is in charity, so far is he in faith, and thus that they both, namely, faith and charity, exist together; but, since faith as to essence is charity, exactly as truth as to essence is good, therefore, so much of truth as has life, consequently as is in man, or appropriated to him, so much is there of good, which is the conjunction of these into one. This truth is only the form of good; for good, while it exists in shape and form, is called faith; consequently, one does not exist without the other. Whether you say faith, or truth, it is the same thing, and whether you say good or charity, it is the same thing; moreover, this is as it is with man's thought and affection. Thinking apart from affection is impossible; for the very essence of thought is affection. Man can, indeed, think whatever he knows, but this is from natural affection, which is the affection of glory, of reputation and of honor. This affection, however, does not cause the thought to become spiritual; but there must be spiritual affection, which is called charity. Besides, so far as man is in charity, so far is he enlightened and sees the truths which are of faith. These he acknowledges from illustration, but never from natural affection - concerning which above - from which if he acknowledge them, it is by virtue of the light of confirmations, which light counterfeits the light of truth, but is an illusory light, for by it falsities can be acknowledged equally with truths; for example, that there is no God, and that the Word is not Divine. The evil who are of such a quality, and have confirmed themselves in those falsities, appear to themselves to see them as in the light. Such light is there with those who have confirmed in themselves that faith alone is saving. Moreover, the faith of charity, or the faith which as to its essence is charity, is continually perfected by such things as confirm; for it always sees many more truths from spiritual light, and these all conjoin themselves to the good of charity, and perfect it. They who are in natural, but not in any spiritual faith, believe that it is easy to receive faith, if not in the world, at any rate in the other life, saying, Can I not believe as soon as I hear and see that it is so? Thus do many of them think in themselves; but after the life in the world, the same persons, if they have not received spiritual faith by a life of charity in the world, are incapable of ever receiving it afterwards, as may be plainly manifest from this, that all persons whatsoever who come from the world, are at first adjoined to good spirits and angels, and instructed in every manner, and they [i.e. those spirits and angels] say, show, and confirm by ocular demonstration that a thing is so; but, yet, not one of them receives it; they reject it as in the world, for the reason that [their] faith is not in them, but outside them. Besides, if anyone were able to believe in the other life when he hears and sees, then would all be saved; which is also a proof that there is no faith unless there be life, or charity. It should be known, moreover, that, so long as man is in knowledges only, and not in any life according to them, he is in his proprium and led by self; but, when he is in a life according to them - and to the same extent - he is elevated out of his proprium, and is led by the Lord. This man does not perceive, but still it is so; and so far as man is led by the Lord, so far is there good in him, or good is what he wills and thinks. But it should be thoroughly known, that nobody can live according to the knowledges from the Word, except from them he reflect upon his thoughts, intentions and deeds, that is, examine himself, and abstain from evils and do good as from himself: otherwise, there is no reception by man; and if there is no reception, there is no conjunction with the Lord; therefore, neither can he be led by the Lord.
5945. Quod fides sit charitatis, et quod quoad essentiam
[sit] CHARITAS
Fui in sermone cum quibusdam Anglis, credebatur quod fuerint in mundo Episcopi, cum quibus loquutus sum de fide et charitate, illi ex opinione in mundo capta, putaverunt quod fides esset dabilis absque charitate, tum quod fides esset prior charitate, quia inde, et de aliis quae justificationis per fidem erant; erat sermo illorum admodum ingeniosus, dicendo quod fides absque charitate dabilis esset, non modo quia credi possint doctrinalia ex Verbo, sicut quod credere quod Deus sit, quod Verbum sit Divinum, et similia, quae nisi crederentur non potuissent recipi ab homine vita et corde, nam nisi fides, dixerunt, quomodo recipi possunt? quapropter intrant per fidem, et nisi fides non intrarent, inde concluserunt etiam quod fides dabilis sit absque charitate, et si fides absque ea dabilis, quod salvans sit, quia per illam tunc homo ducitur a Deo, in malo, et in bono, sic ut praesentia Dei tunc sit, quod dixerunt esse justificationem per solam fidem, sed ostensum illis est ad vivum, quod non fides esset, nisi simul charitas, sed quod crediderunt esse fidem, esse solum cognitiones scilicet quod Deus sit, quod Verbum Divinum sit, et plura, et quod cognitiones, tametsi apparent sicut fidei, usque non sunt fidei, et quod illae sint quae primae apud hominem, et quod illae non fiant fidei priusquam homo in charitate est, apparent sicut credi, sed usque interius non creduntur, quapropter etiam fides eorum recedit successive sicut homo incipit male cogitare et velle, et quoque recedunt a spiritu hominis post mortem quia non radicata sunt in charitate, ostensum etiam quod illa fides est quae vocatur fides historica, quae est quod credatur ita esse, quia ille de quo opinionem docti habuerunt, ita dixerat, tale etiam est alienum ab ipso homine, nam quod alius est in se non est suum, et praeterea sunt ignota, quae dixerunt quae credenda tametsi non intelliguntur; inde primum illis patuit, quod non fidei fuerint, sed modo cognitiones, et quod cognitiones essent primae, per quas fides quia charitas: sed usque institerunt diu,quod usque sit fides, et quod haec debeat prior esse charitate, et si prior, quod inde in Deo, sed ostensum est ad vivum, quod charitas et fides unum, et quantum homo in charitate tantum in fide, et sic quod utraque, nempe fides et charitas, simul existant, sed quoniam fides quoad essentiam est charitas, prorsus sicut verum quoad essentiam est bonum, ita tantum veri sit quod vitam habet, ita quod in homine sit, seu ei appropriatum, quantum boni est, quod sit conjunctio eorum in unum, sic verum modo est forma boni, bonum enim dum existit in specie et forma, vocatur fides, consequenter non datur unum absque altero; sive dicas fidem sive verum idem est, tum sive dicas bonum sive charitatem idem est; porro quod hoc simile sit cum cogitatione et affectione hominis, cogitare absque affectione impossibile est, ipsa enim essentia cogitationis est affectio, cogitare quidem potest homo illa quae scit, sed ex affectione naturali, quae est affectio gloriae, famae, honoris, sed haec affectio non facit ut cogitatio fiat spiritualis, sed erit affectio spiritualis, quae vocatur charitas; praeterea quantum homo in charitate est, tantum illustratur, et videt vera quae sunt fidei, agnoscit illa ex illustratione, sed nusquam ex affectione naturali, de qua supra, ex qua si agnoscit illa, est ex luce confirmantium, quae lux mentitur lucem veri, sed est lux fatua, nam per illam agnosci possunt aeque falsa ac vera, sicut quod Deus non sit, quod Verbum non Divinum sit, mali qui tales sunt, et confirmaverunt se in illis, apparent sibi videre illa sicut in luce, talis lux est illis qui confirmaverunt apud se fidem solam salvare. Praeterea fides charitatis, seu fides quae quoad suam essentiam est charitas, perficitur jugiter per talia quae confirmant, nam semper ex luce spirituali videt vera plura, et haec omnia se conjungunt bono charitatis, et id perficiunt. - 1
Illi qui in fide naturali sunt, et in nulla spirituali, credunt quod facile sit recipere fidem, si non in mundo utique in altera vita, dicentes annon cum audio et video quod ita sit possim credere, ita cogitant secum plures ex illis, sed iidem post vitam in mundo, si non fidem spiritualem per vitam charitatis receperunt in mundo, nusquam postea illam recipere possunt, quod manifeste constare potest ex eo, quod omnes quicunque e mundo veniunt, adjunguntur primum bonis spiritibus et angelis, et omni modo instruuntur, et dicunt quod ita sit, ostendunt, confirmant oculariter, sed usque nemo eorum recipit, rejiciunt sicut in mundo, causa quia fides non est in illis sed extra illos. Praeterea si quis credere posset in altera vita cum audit et videt, tunc omnes salvarentur, quod etiam indicium est, quod non fides sit nisi vita seu charitas. Praeterea sciendum est, quod quamdiu homo in solis cognitionibus est, et in nulla vita secundum illas, quod sit in suo proprio, et ducatur a se; at cum in vita secundum illas est, et quantum hoc, tantum elevatur a suo proprio et ducitur a Domino, hoc non percipit homo, sed usque ita est, et quantum homo ducitur a Domino, tantum ei bonum est, seu bonum est quod vult et cogitat; at probe sciendum, quod nemo vivere possit secundum cognitiones e Verbo, nisi ex illis reflectat super suas cogitationes, intentiones et facta, hoc est, exploret se, et abstineat a malis et faciat bonum sicut a se, alioquin non est receptio ab homine, et si non receptio non est conjunctio cum Domino, ita nec duci potest a Domino.
Footnotes:
1. partim abscissum in ms.