5971. After this they thought it over and then asked where it comes from that faith separated [from charity], that is to say, faith alone, nevertheless still appears to be faith, that is, why they do not feel otherwise than that they believe. But it was replied to them that it is a faith consisting in knowledge, like boys have, in other words, faith in an authority؛that it is true] because the church leaders have said so, and that this faith appears like faith yet is not, for it is without understanding and willing, thus without the mind: without understanding because they say it must be believed even though they do not understand, and without willing because they remove actions, the good works of charity, and faith like this draws nothing from the person or his life because a person's life is the life of his mind.
[2] This is also the reason why when those who lived evilly begin to think their own thoughts about what must be believed, they reject religion and become naturalists, but that those who live well receive faith and believe. For before there is faith, there must absolutely be knowledge and concepts, which nonetheless reside merely in the memory and from there are drawn into the thought for the sake of the charity's goodness being able to act into the truths there and join these to itself, because good must have such objects, for it cannot act into voids and emptinesses and form what is good, thus neither can it form spiritual faith, which is a one with charity.
5971. They then reasoned, and investigated whence it is, that, notwithstanding all this, faith separated, or faith alone, still appears as faith, that is, that they do not perceive anything else than that they believe it; but they were answered that this is the faith of memory-knowledge such as there is with children, or the faith of authority, because their leaders have said thus or thus; and that this faith appears as if it were faith, but yet is not, since it is destitute of will and understanding and destitute of mind; destitute of understanding, because they say a thing must be believed although they do not understand it; and destitute of will, because they remove the deeds or goods of charity; and such a faith derives nothing from the man or his life, because a man's life is the life of his mind. This, also, is the reason why they who have lived ill, when they begin to think from their own mind about what ought to be believed reject religion and become naturalists; but those who live aright receive faith and believe; for, of a certainty, the science and cognition must precede the faith. They, however, reside in the memory alone, and thence in the thought for the reason that the good of charity is able to operate upon the truths that are there, and adjoin them to itself, - for good must have such objects, since it can not operate into emptiness and vacancy, and form good; neither, consequently, spiritual faith, which is one with charity.
5971. Ratiocinabantur dein et quaesiverunt unde tamen est quod fides separata seu sola fides appareat usque ut fides, hoc est, quod non aliter percipiant quam quod credant, sed respondebatur illis, quod sit fides scientiae, qualis est apud pueros, seu fides autoritatis quia antesignani ita dixerunt, et quod haec fides appareat sicut fides, sed quod usque non sit, est enim absque intellectu et absque voluntate, ita absque mente, absque intellectu quia dicunt credendum esse tametsi non intelligunt, et absque voluntate quia removent facta seu bona charitatis, et talis fides nihil trahit de homine seu ejus vita, quia vita hominis est vita mentis ejus; quae etiam causa est, quod qui male vixerunt, dum incipiunt ex mente sua cogitare de credendis, quod rejiciant religionem, et fiant naturalistae, at qui bene vivunt accipiant fidem et credunt; nam ante fidem omnino praecedere debet scientia et cognitio, quae tamen solum residet in memoria et inde cogitatione, ob causam ut bonum charitatis possit operari in vera ibi, et sibi illa adjungere, bonum enim habebit talia objecta, nam in inania et vacua non potest operari, et formare bonum, ita nec fidem spiritualem, quae unum est cum charitate.