857. About a Spirit who confessed one God the Creator of the universe
A certain spirit came forth boldly and confidently, and during a conversation with others in which we were speaking about the Lord, asked self-confidently, so that I could at first suspect nothing else but that he believed, "Who is the Lord about whom you are speaking?" I said that He was Jesus Christ. He said that he did not know who this was, and that he had not heard of him, but that he only believed in the One God the Creator of the universe.
When I wanted him to inform me where he came from - whether he was from among the inhabitants of this earth, from India, Japan, Africa, or elsewhere - but was unable to find out, I could therefore not yet reply to these words, because spirits must be instructed according to the circumstances of their belief during earthly life. Therefore he moved on, saying that he wanted others to tell him who else was Lord, other than the one Creator of the universe.
2] But I was still able to speak with him, and said that no one can be saved without true belief; whereupon he asked what belief is, and how a person can be saved by belief - this also self-confidently. Finally I told him that anyone who does not believe in the Son, cannot believe in the one God, Creator of the universe, because all power has been given to the Son in the heavens and on the earth [Matt. 28:18].
In the end he was also unwilling to learn what the Son of God is, and that He is, because he cannot understand it; and he said he would never be able to understand that anyone was God's Son. Then I answered, that matters of belief are mysteries to the believers, which we should believe, even if we do not understand; and if we do not believe in the Son, it cannot be avoided that such are damned to hell [Mark 16:16]. But he insisted that he did not understand, therefore did not believe.
But I found out that there was a league of evil spirits for which he had served as a medium, and that he had been sent out to play this part, when yet he had known very well. Meanwhile these spirits, or this league, were as usual inspiring this same faith in general, and it was as if the whole realm were half-filled with that same opinion, or falsity.
857. CONCERNING A SPIRIT WHO PROFESSED ONE GOD, THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE
A certain spirit came forth boldly and with confidence, and when in conversation with others we spoke about the Lord, he asked who the Lord was of whom we were speaking, and this with so much confidence that at first I could not suspect otherwise than that he believed. I said that He was Jesus Christ. He said that he did not know who He was, and that he had not heard of Him; but that he believed only in one God, the Creator of the universe. I then wanted him to inform me from whence he had come, whether he was of the inhabitants of this earth, India, Japan, Africa, or some other place, but I could not find this out. On this account I could as yet give no answer to these questions, for spirits must be informed according to the circumstances as to their faith during their lifetime. Wherefore he removed himself further off, and said that he wanted to be informed by others, who was Lord other than the One Creator of the universe. Being still able to speak with him, I said that no one can be saved without true faith. He then inquired as to what faith is, consequently, how can man be saved by faith, and this also with confidence. At length he was told that he who does not believe in the Son cannot believe in the one God, the Creator of the universe, because all power in heaven and on earth is given to the Son [Matt. xxviii 18. In the end he was unwilling even to know what is meant by the Son of God, or that there is such a Being, because he could not understand it, and would never be able to understand that anyone was the Son of God. I then replied that those things which are of faith are to them arcana which we ought to believe even though we do not understand them, and that if we do not believe in the Son, we can never escape being damned to hell [Mark xvi 16 ]. But he insisted that he did not understand, therefore he did not believe. In the meantime I noticed that there was a league of evil spirits whom he served as a subject, and he had been sent that he might pretend to be such, when yet he well knew [otherwise]. Meanwhile, as is usual, from them, that is, from that league, a like faith was inspired in the community which was such that the whole sphere was half-filled with a similar opinion or falsity.
857. De Spiritu, qui professus 1
unum Deum Creatorem universi
Quidam spiritus audacter et cum fiducia prodiit, et quando cum aliis sermo fuit, et loquuti sumus de Domino, is cum fiducia, sic ut nihil aliud primum suspicari potuerim, quam quod crediderit, interrogavit, "quis esset Dominus, de quo loquereris?" dixi, quod esset Jesus Christus, dixit, quod nesciret quis esset, et quod nec audiverit de ipso, sed solum quod crediderit Unum Deum Creatorem universi; cum ab eo informari vellem, undenam esset, num ex hujus telluris incolis, India, Japonia, Africa, aut aliunde, sed non potui scire unde, ad haec adhuc ideo nihil respondere potui, quia informandi sunt spiritus secundum circumstantias, quoad eorum fidem in vita, quare longius se contulit, et dixit se aliis velle informari, quis esset alius Dominus quam unus Creator universi; sed usque potui cum eo loqui, dixique quod nemo salvari possit, absque vera fide, tunc quaesivit quid fides, proinde quomodo salvari possit homo per fidem hoc quoque cum fiducia, tandem ei dictum est, quod qui non credit in Filium, non potest credere in unum Deum Creatorem universi, quia Filio tradita est potestas omni coelis et in terris [Matth. XXVIII: 18]; tandem noluit scire quoque quid et quod Filius Dei, quia hoc non potest intelligere, et [dixit] quod nusquam intelligere posset, qoud aliquis esset Filius Dei; tunc respondebam, quod ea quae sunt fidei, sint 1
iis arcana, quae credere debeamus, tametsi non intelligimus 2
, et si non credimus in Filium, nusquam evitari possit, quin damnentur 3
ad infernum [Marc. XVI [16]; sed institit quod non intelligeret, ideo non crederet, interea appercepi quod esset liga 4
malorum, quibus pro subjecto inserviit, et emissus, ut talem se simularet, cum tamen bene novisset; ab iis seu liga interea 5
inspirabatur similis fides in communi, ut solet, quod se habet, sicut tota sphaera simili opinione vel falsitate semirepleta esset.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has proffessus
1. In the Manuscript sunt in sint emendatum
2. nisi intelligamus legeris
3. sic manuscript; J.F.I. Tafel's edition has damnemur substituit
4. hoc est foedere ligati
5. The Manuscript has intrea