6065. About those who have faith separate [from charity] and about this faith, what it is.
About Melanchthon and about the ten commandments
What the mercy-seat is and what the cherubim are
Melancthon was sent out of his chamber and roused to gather those spirits who in the world professed faith alone and for whom this was the chief point of religion. Up to several thousand were gathered, and then they were sent from there into a field where they were separated, everyone according to his or her life. When they had been gathered, it was then said to them from heaven that this faith saves no one because there is no life in it or truth. On this account they asked what truth is and what life is.
[2] It was then replied that truth and life are living according to the commandments of the decalogue, as for example, not stealing, not acting insincerely or unjustly, which is the 7th commandment, and it is a truth that acting insincerely is a sin, that living unjustly is a sin, and that living sincerely and acting justly is truth, thus truth and life act as one. 1Truth is knowing what is evil, it is knowing what is good, and it is a part of a person when a person shuns what is evil and loves what is good. It is the same in regard to the sixth commandment, to shun adulteries, to love the chastity of marriage; truth is knowing that adulteries are sins, and truth is knowing that chastity is heavenly. Thus it is life that makes it truth and there is truth when there is also life. It is the same with not killing, not harboring hatred and revenge, if these acts are shunned, a person has charity; likewise with the 8th commandment, not bearing false witness, etc.
From this it is clear that life and truth are one, and insofar as a person does not shun falsities, which are believing and doing these evils, so far there is no truth in him; and insofar as he lives according to these precepts, so far he has truth and so far he loves truth and wants to know what sincerity, justice, chastity, charity and truth are, and because he is then led by the Lord, he is given to know what evil and good are, and what these individual virtues are.
These things therefore are truth, which is faith. Faith without them is the sound of a voice with nothing articulate, that is to say, no word, in the sound; it is unarticulated sound, and so not a voice. 2
Then and not otherwise can he believe that there is a God, that the Lord is the savior of the world, [understand] why he came into the world, why he suffered the cross, what is meant by his bearing the sins of the world, and many other things; for insofar as a person carries out these commandments that are on the second table, which was the covenant on man's part, so far the Lord enables him to believe that there is a God, which is the covenant on God's part on the first table.
It is clear from this that the decalogue is a complex of everything of truth and good, and also from these facts: that it was promulgated with such a great miracle and with such great holiness; that the ten commandments were written with the finger of God; that they are called ten from the fact that they constitute all [of the commandments]; that they were placed in the ark, over which was the mercy-seat and above which were the cherubim. 3The mercy seat is the Lord, and the cherubim were the Word in the literal sense, and the Veil was placed in front of it, and it was called the holy of holies, and outside it were all things of Heaven and the Church in a representative image. There was the table of showbread; there was the golden altar of incense; there was the candelabrum with its lights. By these all the things of heaven and of the Church were displayed, symbolically. And since the Divine Law was there in its entire complex, in the night there was fire there, in the day it was cloud. Fire symbolizes love, and a cloud truth. It was due to the presence of the Law that all the Levites together with Aaron camped around the ark, and that Aaron served there, and also that the Ark showed them the way when they set out, for it is the truth itself, which is the truth of faith, that when lived, leads. 4Later the ark opened the Jordan, by which is understood entrance into the Church, the land of Canaan symbolized the Church; and later it also brought about miracles, and it was brought into the city of David, by which is symbolized Church where the Divine Truth reigns. Its form was seen and made visible in Heaven. And there, between the Cherubim, the Lord spoke with Moses and with Aaron.
If I know this, then I know what faith, love, religion, and the Church and heaven are in a person, otherwise I do not.
This therefore is thinking about God in one's way of life, since thinking about God in one's living is otherwise not possible, and this is also loving God. This is also starting from a way of life and thus receiving faith, and thus faith is from life and in accord with it. This is also love to God and love toward the neighbor. From this the nature of the union of love and faith is clear.
Footnotes:
1. This sentence is emphasized in the original by the symbol, "N.B." in the margin.
2. This sentence is emphasized in the original by the symbol, "N.B." in the margin.
3. This sentence is emphasized in the original by the symbol, "N.B." in the margin.
4. This sentence is emphasized in the original by the symbol, "N.B." in the margin.
6065. THOSE WHO ARE IN FAITH SEPARATE: ALSO, WHAT THAT FAITH IS. MELANCTHON, AND THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 1
Melancthon was let out of his cell, and incited to assemble those spirits who, in the world, confessed faith alone, and with whom this was the chief thing of religion. They were assembled to the number of many thousands, and then were sent thence to a field where they might be separated, each according to his life. When they were assembled, a communication was made to them out of heaven, that that faith saves no one, for the reason that there is neither life nor truth in it. Wherefore, they inquired what truth is, and what life is.
[2] It was then replied, that truth and life are to live according to the commands of the decalog: for instance, not to steal, or act insincerely and unjustly; which is the 7th 2commandment. The truth, in this case, is, that to act insincerely is a sin; that to live unjustly is a sin also, that living sincerely and acting justly is truth: thus, truth and life make one. Truth is to know evil and it is to know good; 3and truth is man's when he shuns evil and loves good. In like manner as regards the sixth commandment, to shun adulteries, to love the chastity of marriage: truth is, to know that adulteries are sins and it is truth that chastity is heavenly. Hence life causes truth to be; and truth is when there is also life. It is similar with not to kill, cherish hatred or take revenge. If this be shunned, a man comes to have charity. Similarly as regards the 8th, Not to witness falsely, etc.
[3] From these things it is manifest that life and truth are one and so far as man does 4falsities, which consist in believing and doing those evils, so far the truth is not in him. So far, also, as he lives according to those [commandments], so far is he in truth, and so far he loves truth, and desires to know what sincerity, justice, chastity, charity and truth are; and, inasmuch as he is then led by the Lord, it is granted him to know what evil and good are, and what those specific [evils and goods].
[4] These things, therefore, are truth, which is faith. Faith, apart from these, is a sounding word, and has nothing of articulation, or voice, in the sound. 3It is sound inarticulated, consequently, not a word.
[5] In this, and no other way, is he able to believe that God is, that the Lord is the Savior of the world, why He came into the world, why He suffered the cross, what is meant by His having borne the sins of the world, and many other things; for, so far as a man practices those precepts which belong to the second table, which was the covenant on man's part, so far does the Lord grant him to believe that God is, which is the covenant of the first table, which is on the part of God. That the decalog is the complex of all things of truth and good, is hence plain, and also from the fact that it was promulgated with such a miracle and with such solemnity, that the ten commandments were written by the finger of God, that they are called ten from the fact that they are all, and that they were placed in the ark, upon which was the mercy-seat, and above that, the cherubim. The mercy-seat is the Lord; and the cherubim were the Word in the letter - also the veil placed in front and it was called the Holy of Holies. Outside these, were all things of heaven and the Church in a representative image. There, was the table with the shew-bread; there, was the golden altar of incense there, was the candlestick with the lamps: by all which were represented all things belonging to heaven. That Church, also, was a representative one and, inasmuch as the Divine Law in its whole complex was in it, therefore there was a fire there by night, and a cloud by day. The fire signified love, and the cloud truth. Hence it was, that all the Levites, together with Aaron, pitched their tents round the ark, and that Aaron ministered there; likewise, that the ark showed them the way when they went forward; 3for the very truth, which is of faith, when it is living, leads. Afterwards, that ark divided the Jordan, by which is meant, entrance into the Church: the land of Canaan signifies the church. And afterwards, also, it wrought miracles, and was introduced into the city of David, by which is signified the Church in which Divine Truth reigns. The pattern of it was seen and exhibited in heaven, and the Lord there spoke, between the Cherubim, with Moses and Aaron.
[6] When I know these things, then I know what faith is, what love, what religion, and what the Church and heaven in man. Otherwise, not.
[7] This, therefore, is to think about God in the life, since [no one is able] to think about God in the life in any other way; and this, also, is to love God. This, too, is to begin from life and to receive faith thus; and thus faith is from life and according to it. This, likewise, is love to God and love towards the neighbor. Hence is plain what the conjunction of love and faith is.
Footnotes:
1. In the margin: "What the Mercy-seat is, and what the Cherubim."
2. The Latin edition of Dr. Immanuel Tafel here reads, "the 5th"; but, inasmuch as the 5th, according to the Lutheran division, which was the one Swedenborg uniformly employed, is, "Thou shalt not commit murder," and is moreover referred to later on in this very paragraph, whereas the one here under consideration is, "Thou shalt not steal," which is the 7th in the Lutheran enumeration, we have substituted 7 for 5 in the text. There is no doubt whatever that the 7th - which is the 8th in the Church of England division - is the one meant.
3. In the margin: "N.B."
4. The Editor of the Latin reads fugit, in this place, and inserts (non) to supply the manifest sense of the passage. We prefer to read facit; which gives the sense perfectly without any addition. -TR.
6065. De illis qui in fide separata, et de illa fide quid, de Melanchthone, deque decem praeceptis
Propitiatorium quid et cherubi quid
Melanchthon ex suo cellario emissus et actus est ut congregaret illos spiritus qui in mundo solam fidem fassi sunt, et quibus haec praecipuum religionis fuit, congregati ad plura millia, et tunc inde missi in campum ubi separarentur, quivis secundum vitam ejus: quando illi congregati sunt, tunc sermo ad illos ex coelo factus est, quod fides illa neminem salvet, ex causis quia non vita in illa, nec veritas, quare quaerebant quid veritas et quid vita.
[2] Tunc respondebatur, quod veritas et vita sit vivere secundum praecepta decalogi, ut non furari, insincere et injuste agere, 1
quod est 7 praeceptum, tum veritas est quod agere insincere sit peccatum, quod vivere injuste sit peccatum, tum quod vivere sincere, et agere juste sit veritas, sic veritas et vita unum agunt, veritas est scire malum, est scire bonum, et veritas est homini dum fugit malum, et amat bonum. Similiter de sexto praecepto fugere adulteria, amare castitatem conjugii, veritas est scire quod adulteria sint peccata, et veritas est quod castitas sit coelestis, inde vita facit ut veritas sit, et veritas est dum etiam vita est; similiter est cum non occidere, odio habere et vindicare, si hoc fugitur, fit ei charitas, similiter 8 non false testandum etc.
[3] Ex his patet quod vita et veritas sint unum et quantum homo [non] fugit falsitates quae sunt credere et facere illa mala, tantum non sit veritas in illo, tum quantum vivit secundum illa [praecepta] , tantum sit in veritate, et tantum veritatem amat, et vult scire quid sinceritas, justitia, castitas, charitas, veritas, et quia tunc ducitur a Domino, datum ei scire quid malum et bonum, et quid singula illa. Haec itaque sunt veritas, quae fides, fides absque illis est vox sonans et nihil articulati seu vocis in sono, est sonus non articulatus, ita non vox.
[4] Tunc et non aliter potest credere quod Deus sit, quod Dominus sit salvator mundi, cur in mundum venit, cur passus est crucem, quid significat quod sustulerit peccata mundi, et plura alia, nam quantum homo praecepta illa facit, quae sunt secundae tabula, quae fuit foedus a parte hominis, tantum dat Dominus ei credere quod Deus sit, quod est foedus tabulae primae a Deo.
[5] Quod decalogus sit complexus omnium veri et boni, inde patet, etiam ex eo quod promulgatus sit cum tanto miraculo, et cum tanta sanctitate, quod decem praecepta inscripta sint digito Dei, quod decem vocata ab eo quod sint omnia, quod posita sint in arca, super qua propitiatorium, et super quo cherubi. Propitiatorium est Dominus, et cherubi erant Verbum in litera, ac Velum antepositum, et vocatum est sanctum sanctorum, extra illa in imagine repraesentativa fuerunt omnia Coeli et Ecclesiae, fuit mensa cum panibus propositionis, fuit altare suffitus aureum, fuit candelabrum cum lucernis, per [quae] omnia coeli repraesentabantur et Ecclesiae, repraesentative; et quum Lex Divina ibi in omni complexu, ideo noctu erat ignis ibi, diu fuit nubes, ignis significabat amorem, et nubes veritatem, inde erat quod omnes Levitae cum Aharone castrametarentur circum arcam, et quod Aharon serviret ibi, 1
tum quod Arca monstraret illis viam cum proficiscerentur, nam ipsa veritas quae est fidei, dum vivitur, ducit; postea arca illa aperuit Jordanem, per quem intelligitur introitus in Ecclesiam, terra Canaan significabat Ecclesiam; et postea quoque miracula fecit, ac introducta est in urbem Davidis per quam significatur Ecclesia ubi Divinum Verum regnat. Forma ejus fuit visa et monstrata in Coelo: tum Dominus ibi inter Cherubos cum Mose et cum Aharone loquutus est.
[6] Cum haec scio tunc scio quid fides, quid amor, quid religio, et quid Ecclesia et coelum in homine, alioquin non.
[7] Hoc itaque est cogitare de Deo in vita, cum aliter cogitare de Deo in vita [non detur], et hoc quoque est amare Deum. Hoc quoque est incipere a vita et sic accipere fidem, et quod sic fides sit ex vita et secundum illam. Hoc quoque est amor in Deum et amor erga proximum. Inde patet qualis conjunctio amoris et fidei est.
Footnotes:
1. Sidebar: NB.