6024. I spoke with them as to whether there is any element of will in those things that they call faith, when charity is separated from these. It was ascertained that there is not, but when charity and faith make one, then there is will within. For instance in the faith that God sent the Son so that the human race might be saved: in the case of those who separate charity from faith, no element of will is ever seen; it was only a thought from the memory, thus it is such that it is dispelled in the other life. The reason is that the will is not approached and opened unless something of it passes into act, or into deeds, for it cannot be opened by thinking alone, unless the thinking passes into act or deed, which takes place by willing; otherwise the will is asleep and as nothing because it is not aroused or directed.
[2] It was granted to speak with those who have a faith separate [from charity], as to whether they can say "fruits of faith." They said that the last step of justification is the endeavor to do good, and that there they stop, because if fruits were to be added, they would be from the person, and there would be merit in them, and these are not good. And because after this step nothing of evil is imputed to a person, whatever he does; therefore that these fruits are from the Lord, but not appearing to be so to the person, which happens through the application of the Lord's merit, 1which makes every work of the person something good, thus fruit. Thus they are insane. They were asked whether this endeavor could not be the will. They said that is not will that is the person's, but it is God's in the will, which therefore is also imperceptible. They take the greatest precaution lest faith be joined with good works, because if they are joined, faith is not faith, which is the reason that many have written about their conjunction, but so mystically that it is evident only to the learned. This is the scholars' subject of interest. From this is evident that they pervert the whole Word and all the things the Lord commanded about doing what is good. A consequence of this is that the preachers who have had such faith in the world cannot preach in the spiritual world, for although they are forced to preach life and good deeds, still from the sound of their voice one hears that they do not understand anything else by good deeds or works than merely moral and civil ones; and thus from the sound the concept they have is known, for which reason it is no longer allowed them to preach, but only those who in the world understood spiritual works. At that time all were collected, from every side, who had held such thought about the fruit of faith. They were for the most part church leaders, who were more learned than others. The rest who in simplicity had believed fruits of faith to be good works were not collected with them, and those learned were gathered together below to the left near hell and carried around to their places depending on their way of life, and they were not permitted to preach any longer. The reason was that such a principle in the thought enters the will and all the acts of the will, without the person knowing. I have seen people like this in hell. Many said that they had not thought other about the fruits of faith than that faith produces them, just as a tree produces fruit, and that a person ought to think about the works that he is going to and must do.
[3] They said further that in the case of Adam there was such freedom that from himself he could do good, but that this was not the case with his descendants, and that this was also a proof. It was said to them that just as someone cannot do anything whatever from himself, he also cannot believe from himself, and that thus it is the same, and that as a result it is not faith. But the most learned of them replied that we still have the freedom of believing, that is to say, freedom of faith from the Lord but not the freedom of doing, that is to say, the freedom of charity. He said that what was a matter of free choice with Adam, that this has been lost. Insanity!
Footnotes:
1. This sentence is emphasized in the original by the symbol, "N.B." written in the margin.
6024. I spoke with them as to whether there is anything of will in those things they call faith, when charity is separated from them. It was ascertained that there is not, but that will is therein when charity and faith make one. For instance, that God sent His Son to save the human race: in this, with those who have separated charity from faith, there is not perceived anything of will, but merely thought from the memory; it is such, consequently, as is dissipated in the other life. The reason is, because the will is not reached and opened, unless something thereof [i.e. of the thought] pass into act, or into deeds; for it cannot be opened by mere thinking, unless the thinking pass into doing, which takes place by willing: in any other case, the will is laid asleep, and of no account, because not called forth or formed.
It was granted me to speak with those who were in separated faith, as to whether they can say fruits of faith. They stated that the last step of justification is the tendency to do good, and that there they stop, because, if fruits were added, they would be from the man; then merit is in them and they are not good: because, also, after that stage, nothing of evil is imputed to man, whatever he does. [They said] also that, therefore, those fruits are from the Lord, and do not appear to the man. 1This takes place by application of the Lord's merit, which makes every work of the man to be good, consequently fruit. This do they rave. It was inquired whether that tendency is not will. They say that it is not will, which is man's but is something of God's in the will; which, therefore, is also imperceptible. They are exceedingly careful that faith be not conjoined with good works, because if they are conjoined, faith is not faith. This is the reason why many have written of their conjunction, but in so mysterious a style that it is only intelligible to the learned. This is the study of the learned: from which it is manifest, that they pervert the whole Word and all those things which the Lord commanded concerning good deeds. Hence it is, that preachers who have had faith of this kind in the world, are not able to preach in the spiritual world; for, although they are forced to preach life and good deeds, still it is heard from the sound of their voice that they do not understand any other good deeds, or works, than mere moral and civil acts; and thus their idea is discerned from the sound: wherefore, they are not allowed to preach any more, save only those who, in the world, understood spiritual works. - At that time, all were assembled, from every side, who have been in such thought concerning the fruit of faith. They were for the most part clergy who were more learned than others. The rest, who believed in simplicity that good works were the fruit of faith, were not assembled with these. Those learned ones, also, were congregated below, at the left, near hell, and were borne about to their places according to their life; nor was it permitted them to preach any more. The reason was, because such a principle in the thought, enters the will, and all the acts of the will, unawares to the man. I also saw such persons in hell. Many said that, concerning the fruits of faith, they did not think anything else than that faith produces them, just as a tree does fruits; and that man ought to think about the works which he has done, and which he is going to do. - They said, further, that there was with Adam such freedom that he was able to do good from himself; but that this was not the case with his descendants; and that this also could be proved. - It was told them, that, just as no one can do anything from himself, so also can no one believe from himself, and thus that the case is similar, and consequently there is no faith; but the most learned of them replied, that still we possess freedom of belief, or freedom of faith, from the Lord, but not freedom of doing, or the freedom of charity; which, with Adam, was free determination. To say that this is destroyed, is insanity.
6024. Loquutus sum cum illis, num aliquid voluntatis sit in illis quae vocant fidem, cum inde separatur charitas, exploratum, quod non sit, sed quod tunc voluntas insit, quando charitas et fides unum faciunt, sicut quod Deus miserit filium, ut salvaret genus humanum, hoc apud illos, qui separarunt charitatem a fide, non perspectum est aliquid voluntatis, sed quod esset modo cogitatio ex memoria, ita tale quod dissipatur in altera vita. Causa est, quia voluntas non aditur et aperitur, nisi aliquid ejus transeat in actum seu in facta, non enim potest aperiri per solum cogitare, nisi cogitare transeat in factum, quod fit per velle, alioquin voluntas sopita et nulla est, quia non excitata aut formata.
[2] Loqui datum est cum illis qui in fide separata, 1
num dicere queant fructus fidei, dixerunt quod ultimus gradus justificationis sit conatus ad faciendum bonum, et quod ibi subsistant, quia si fructus adderentur, quod forent ab homine, tum in illis meritum, et illa non sunt bona, et quia post illum gradum homini nihil mali imputetur quicquid facit, quod ideo illi fructus sint a Domino, non apparentes homini, quod fit per applicationem meriti Domini, quod facit ut omne opus hominis sit bonum ita fructus; ita vesani sunt. Quaesitum est, annon conatus ille sit voluntas, dicunt quod non sit voluntas quae hominis, sed Dei in voluntate, quae ita quoque non perceptibilis. Summopere cavent ne fides conjungatur bonis operibus, quia si conjunguntur fides non sit fides, quae causa est, quod plures scripserint de conjunctione illorum, sed tam mystice, ut solum eruditis pateat, hoc doctorum est studium, ex quibus patet, quod pervertant totum Verbum, et omnia illa quae Dominus mandavit de bonis faciendis. Inde est, quod praedicatores, qui talem fidem habuerunt in mundo, non possint praedicare in mundo spirituali, nam tametsi coguntur praedicare vitam et bona actu, usque auditur ex sono eorum, quod non intelligant alia bona actu seu opera quam mere moralia et civilia, et sic ex sono cognoscitur idea illorum, quare nec illis amplius liet praedicare, sed solum illis qui spiritualia opera in mundo intellexerunt. - Tunc colligebantur omnes ab undequaque, qui in tali cogitatione de fructu fidei fuerunt, erant plerique antistites, qui eruditi prae aliis fuerunt, reliqui qui fructus fidei simpliciter crediderunt bona opera, non cum illis collecti sunt, et illi eruditi congregati sunt infra ad sinistrum prope infernum, ac circumlati sunt ad loca sua secundum vitam, nec concessum est illis amplius praedicare. Causa erat, quia tale principium in cogitatione intrat voluntatem et omnia acta voluntatis, illo nesciente, vidi tales etiam in inferno. Plures dixerunt, quod non aliud cogitaverint de fructibus fidei, quam quod fides producat illos, sicut arbor fructus, et quod homo cogitare debeat de operibus quae faciet et quod faciet. - Dixerunt porro, quod apud Adamum fuerit tale liberum, ut ex se posset facere bonum, sed quod id non apud posteros, et quod id quoque argumento esset. - Dictum illis, quod sicut quis non potest facere quicquam a se, etiam non quicquam credere possit a se, et sic quod simile sit, et inde quod non sit fides, sed respondit eruditissimus eorum, quod liberum credendi seu liberum fidei ex Domino nobis adhuc sit, sed non liberum faciendi seu liberum charitatis, quod fuit liberum arbitrium apud Adamum, quod hoc deperditum sit. Insania.
Footnotes:
1. Sidebar: NB.