380.⑵不正当的信是指背离独一正信的一切信，这就是那些从别处爬进来，仅视主为人，而非神之人所持守的信。不正当的信是指背离独一正信的一切信，这是不证自明的；因为既然独一之信是真理，那么可推知，凡背离它的都不是真理。
教会的一切善与真皆源于主与教会的婚姻。因此，本为仁的一切事物和本为信的一切事物皆来自该婚姻；另一方面，凡非来自该婚姻的仁与信之物都不是来自合法结合，而是来自非法结合，因而要么来自多偶的婚姻或结合，要么来自通奸。凡承认主，却又拥护异端邪说的虚假之信都是多偶制的产物；而凡承认一个教会有三个主的信则都是通奸的产物。因为这样的信好比一个娼妓，或好比一个女人嫁给了一个男人，却和另外两个男人过夜，并且在与每一个同睡时都称其为她的丈夫。这就是他们的信被视为不正当的原因。在很多经文中，主称这些人为“奸淫”者，这也是祂在约翰福音所说“贼与强盗”的意思：
我实实在在地告诉你们，人进羊圈，不从门进去，倒从别处爬进去，那人就是贼，就是强盗。我就是门，凡从我进来的，必然得救。（约翰福音10:1，9）
进羊圈就是进入教会，也是进入天堂。进羊圈也表示进天堂，是因为天堂与教会合为一体，构成天堂的，无非是存在于它里面的教会。因此，正如主是教会的新郎和丈夫，祂也是天堂的新郎和丈夫。
运用上述三个指标就能鉴定信是婚生子还是私生子。这三个指标就是承认主是神的儿子；承认祂是天地之神；承认祂与父为一。所以，信越背离这三要素，就越是不正当的信。那些仅将主视为一个人，而非神的人所具有的信既是不正当的，也是不贞的。这一事实从两个可憎的异端明显看出来，即阿里乌派和苏西尼派，他们遭到诅咒，并被逐出基督教会。因为他们否认主的神性，从别处爬进来。不过，我担心这些可憎之物如今仍普遍潜伏在教会中人的灵里面。令人惊讶的是，人越相信自己在学问和判断上胜过别人，就越倾向于抓住“主是人，不是神，并且因祂是人，所以不可能是神”这样的观念，将其归为己有。凡将这些观念归为己有的，都使自己与阿里乌派、苏西尼派为伴，而在灵界，他们都在地狱中。
这就是当今教会中人的普遍的灵，其原因在于：每个人都有一个同伴灵，否则，这人就无法理性、属灵地分析思考，因而不再是人，而是动物。此外，每个人都会吸引一个在其意愿的情感，因而其理解力的感知上类似于自己的灵。若有人凭着取自圣言的真理和照之的生活而将自己引入善情，那么指派给他的同伴就是一位天堂天使。反之，若有人通过自证虚假并过着邪恶生活而将自己引入恶情，那么指派给他的同伴就是地狱灵。一旦这样指定，此人与撒旦的关系就会越来越紧密，仿佛兄弟一般，然后越发强化他的谬念，违背圣言真理，也越发使他认同攻击主的可憎阿里乌派和苏西尼派。这是因为，所有撒旦都不能忍受听到出自圣言的任何真理，甚至不想听到耶稣之名；若是听见，他们就会狂怒，四处乱窜，辱骂中伤；这时，若有天堂之光流入，他们就会冲进他们所喜爱的洞穴和黑暗中；他们在其中所享受的这种光，如同猫头鹰在黑暗中所享受的光，或象猫在地下室捕鼠时所享受的光。这就是所有在内心和信仰中否认主的神性和圣言的圣洁之人死后的命运；这就是其内在人的性质，无论外在人多么会表演，伪装得多象一个基督徒。我因着自己的耳闻目睹知道这一切都是真的。
凡仅口头上尊主为救世主和救主，而在心里和灵里却视祂为纯粹的人之人，在说出和教导这类观念时，嘴巴都象抹了蜜，心里却象满了苦胆。他们说的话就象甜饼，心思却象毒酒，或象含有飞蛇的糕点。若是牧师，他们就像悬挂和平国家国旗的海盗，当过往船只当作朋友靠近他们时，他们就升起海盗旗，而不是前者，然后夺取船只，把船上的人员当成俘虏。他们还像善恶知识树的蛇，象光明天使那样靠近，手里拿着从那树上的苹果，并将它涂成金色，仿佛从生命树上采摘下来的；然后献上它们说：
神知道，你们吃的日子眼睛就明亮了，你们便如神能知善恶。（创世记3:5）
他们吃了后，就顺从这蛇下到阴间，与他一起生活。阴间周围全都是吃了阿里乌斯和苏西尼的苹果的撒旦。那些不穿礼服就参加婚礼，后来被丢在外边黑暗里的人（马太福音22:11－13）所指的，就是他们。礼服就是信主是神的儿子，是天地之神，与父为一。那些仅口头上尊主为救世主和救主，而在心里和灵里却视祂为纯粹的人之人，若将自己的思想展示给其他人，并说服他们相信，就是属灵的杀人犯，其中最坏的则是属灵的食人者。因为人的生命来自他对主的爱与信；但是，若这爱与信的核心元素，就是信主是神人（God－man）和人神（Man－god），被拿走，他的生命就转变成死亡。因此，这人就是这样如同羔羊那样被狼杀死和吞吃。
380. (2)假信指任何背離唯一真信的其它任何信。假信存在於這些人之中:從別處爬進來, 認為主只不過是個人,而非上帝。
一切背離唯一真信的, 皆為假信, 這是不證自明的。因為既定唯有一信為真, 那麼一切背離此信的就不是真的。主與教會的結合產生出教會中的一切善與理。因此一切本質上為義,或本質上為信的, 都是這個結合的產物。然而, 一切非此結合產物的義信之物, 並非來自合法的結合, 而是非法結合。它們或者來自于多配偶的結合(一夫多妻或一妻多夫), 或者來自於邪淫的結合。任何信, 若承認主又支持異端邪說中的偽謬, 那這樣的信來自於一夫多妻(或一妻多夫)的產物。
如果承認一個教會之上有三位主, 那麼這樣的信就是來自於邪淫的產物。這樣的信就如同一個淪為娼妓的單身女子; 或者像已有丈夫的已婚婦人獻身給另外兩個男子, 和誰同床時就認誰為丈夫。因此, 這類型的信被稱為非法的。
在許多經文中, 主稱這類信仰者為"姦淫"者, 這類人也是祂在『約翰福音』中所說的"賊"與"盜":
我實實在在地告訴你們, 人進羊圈, 不從門進去, 倒從別處爬進去, 那人就是賊, 就是強盜。我就是門, 凡從我進來的, 必然得救(約翰福音10:1, 9)。
進羊圈就是進入教會, 也是進入天國。進羊圈也表示進天國, 是因為天國與教會為一。除了有教會在裡面的人, 沒有其它什麼能組成天國。因此, 正如主是教會的新郎與丈夫, 祂也是天國的新郎與丈夫。
[2]可用上述三個指標來鑒定信的真假:承認主是上帝之子; 承認祂是天地之上帝; 承認祂與父為一。越是背離這三項, 就越虛假。
人若不認主為上帝, 視祂僅為一個人而已, 這樣的信不但是假的, 而且不潔。這樣的事實, 可從兩個不可言喻的異端明顯看出:亞流主義與索齊尼派。他們已被基督徒教會逐出教會, 因為他們否定了主的神性, 從別處爬進去。不過, 我擔心這些可憎之物仍潛伏在當今教會之中。
有個令人驚訝的事實, 任何人越是相信自己在學問和判斷上勝過別人, 就越易於被這樣的觀念佔據,並認為是自己的觀念:主只是一個人,並非上帝; 並主張:因為祂是個人, 祂不能成為上帝。當人接受這些觀點並持為己有, 他們就加入亞流派與索齊尼派教徒之列, 他們在地獄之中。
[3]在現今教會中對此有個普遍的態度, 其原因在於:每一個人都有個伴隨靈。如果沒有這位伴隨靈, 人就無法分析地,理性地,屬靈地思考, 以至於不再是人, 而是動物。每個人都會吸引一個與自己在意志的喜好,因而認知的感知上類似的靈相隨。倘若某人藉著聖言所學真理使自己熱愛良善並照此活出良善, 天國之天人就與之相伴。反之, 人若藉著自行確證偽謬而趨向邪惡,並照此過行惡的生活, 地獄之惡靈則與之相伴。一旦如此, 此人就與撒旦的關係越來越緊密, 也就越來越確信自己所信的偽謬, 並以此來與聖言的真理作對, 就更加堅固亞流與索齊尼之類厭惡並抨擊主。原因是, 一切撒旦都不能忍受聽到出自聖言的任何真理, 甚至不想聽到耶穌這個名字。如果他們聽到這些, 會變得惱怒, 四處亂竄, 口噴褻瀆之詞。於是, 天國之光湧入, 他們頭朝下徑直投入深坑黑暗之中。那是他們喜歡的地方, 在那裡享受著那裡的光, 如同貓頭鷹在黑暗之中,貓在地洞中捕鼠。這就是那些內心及信仰中否認主的神性以及聖言的聖潔之人死後的下場。這是他們內在人的性質, 然而外在人卻表現與掩飾得如同一個基督徒。我瞭解他們的情形, 我親眼目睹親耳所聞。
[4]有些人只是嘴上崇奉主為救贖者和拯救者, 心中與靈裡卻視祂僅純粹為一個人。當他們發表或教導這些觀點時, 嘴巴就像塗滿了蜂蜜, 心卻滿了苦澀的膽汁。他們說的話如同甜餅, 心思卻如同毒酒, 或者內含蛆蟲的蛋糕。如果他們是神職人員, 就會像懸掛和平國旗的海盜船上的海盜, 當懸掛盟友旗幟的船隻經過時, 他們立馬換上自己的海盜旗, 將對方船隻及船上成員全部俘虜。
他們還像善惡知識樹的毒蛇, 扮得如同天人那樣接近人, 還拿著善惡知識樹上摘下的蘋果, 把蘋果塗上紅色,如同生命樹上的果子, 遞給這人說:"上帝知道, 你們吃的日子眼睛就明亮了, 你們便如上帝能知善惡"(創世記3:5)。
當他們吃了, 就順從毒蛇下到地面與蛇一起生活。在那周圍生活著吃了亞流與索齊尼蘋果的撒旦們。這樣的人, 也指那些不穿禮服參加婚禮之人, 後來被丟在外邊黑暗裡(馬太福音22:11-13)。禮服表示信主為上帝之子, 是天地之上帝, 與父為一。
僅僅以嘴唇崇奉主, 心中與靈裡卻只是視祂為一個人, 這些人展現這樣的思想並說服他人如此信, 就好比屬靈的殺人犯, 嚴重者甚至是屬靈的食人獸。一個人的生命來自於對主的愛與信; 但是, 如果這愛與信的本質——就是信主是神人(God-man)與人神(Man-god)——被移走, 他的生命就轉變成死亡。在這樣的情形下, 人如同羔羊被狼所殺和吞食。
380. (b) Illegitimate faith is all faith that departs from the one and only true faith. Illegitimate faith exists in people who climb up some other way and view the Lord not as God but only as a human being. All faith that departs from the one true faith is illegitimate. This is self-evident. Given that only one faith is true, it follows that any faith that departs from it is not true. The marriage between the Lord and the church generates everything that is good and that is true in the church. Everything that is essentially goodwill and essentially faith comes from that marriage. Any goodwill and faith that are not from that marriage come from an illegitimate bed, not a legitimate one. They come from either a polygamous marriage bed or an adulterous one. Every faith that acknowledges the Lord and yet adopts false and heretical beliefs comes from a polygamous bed.
A faith that acknowledges three lords over one church comes from an adulterous bed. It is like a single woman who is promiscuous; or like a married woman who has a husband but rents herself out overnight to two other men, and when she sleeps with them she calls each of them her husband. Therefore these types of faith are called illegitimate.
In many passages the Lord calls people with these types of belief "adulterers. " He also means people like this when he mentions thieves and robbers in John:
Truly I say to you, those who do not enter through the door to the sheepfold but instead climb up some other way are thieves and robbers. I am the door. Anyone who enters through me will be saved. (John 10:1, 9)
Coming into "the sheepfold" is coming into the church and also coming into heaven. It means coming into heaven because heaven and the church are one. Nothing else constitutes heaven except the church in the spiritual world. Therefore just as the Lord is the bridegroom and husband of the church, he is also the bridegroom and husband of heaven.
[2] To test and find out whether a given faith is a legitimate or an illegitimate offspring, one can use the three indications presented just above: acknowledgment that the Lord is the Son of God; acknowledgment that he is the God of heaven and earth; and acknowledgment that he is one with the Father. The more a given faith departs from these essentials, the more illegitimate it is.
People who view the Lord not as God but only as a human being have a faith that is both illegitimate and adulterous. This is obvious from two atrocious heresies, the Arian heresy and the Socinian heresy, which have been anathematized by and cut off from the Christian church because they deny the Lord's divinity and climb up another way. I am afraid that these abominations lie hidden in the general spirit of people in the church.
Astounding to say, the more that people believe they have better scholarship and judgment than others, the more readily they latch onto, and adopt as their own, ideas that the Lord is human but not divine and that because he is human he could not be divine. When people adopt these ideas as their own, they join the club of Arians and Socinians who in the spiritual world are in hell.
[3] The reason for this general spirit among people in the church today is that all of us have a spirit who is allied with us. Without that spirit we could not think analytically, rationally, or spiritually. Without those types of thinking we would be brute animals, not human beings. We all invite to ourselves a spirit who is similar to the desire in our will and the consequent perception in our intellect. If we develop good desires through truths from the Word and through living by those truths, we connect an angel from heaven to ourselves. On the other hand, if we develop evil desires through convincing ourselves of false beliefs and through living an evil life, we connect spirits from hell to ourselves. Once these evil spirits are connected to us, we increasingly develop a kind of sibling relationship with satans. Then we become more and more convinced of falsities that are against the truths in the Word and more and more hardened in an Arian and Socinian loathing for the Lord, because no satan can stand to hear any truth from the Word or to say the name Jesus. If satans hear these things, they turn into furies running around and uttering blasphemy. Then if light from heaven flows in they throw themselves headfirst into caves, into their own pitch darkness. In those places they have a light like that of night birds in the dark or like that of cats in basements when they are chasing mice. This is how all people who deny the Lord's divinity and the Word's holiness in their heart and in their faith turn out after death. Their inner self has this nature no matter how well their outer self does impressions and pretends to be Christian. I know this is true, because I have seen it and heard it.
[4] There are people who honor the Lord as their Redeemer and Savior with their mouth and lips alone but view him in their heart and spirit as a mere human being. In every case, when these people speak and teach, their mouth is like a jar full of honey but their heart is like a jar full of bile. Their words are like pastries but their thoughts are like poisoned wine. They themselves are like cake rolls with little worms inside. If they are priests, they are like pirates at sea who fly the flag of a peaceful country, but when a nearby ship signals to them as allies, they replace that flag with a pirate flag and capture the ship and its passengers.
They are also like serpents of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil who approach you as if they were angels of light. They hold apples in their hand from that tree that have been painted with deep red colors as if they were plucked from the tree of life. They offer them and say, "God knows that on the day you eat these, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil" (Genesis 3:5). When you eat, you follow the serpent into some underworld and you make your home with it. All around that underworld there are satans who ate the apples of Arius and Socinus.
People like this are also meant by the person who came [to the wedding] but was not dressed in a wedding garment and was thrown into outer darkness (Matthew 22:11-13). The wedding garment is faith that the Lord is the Son of God, is the God of heaven and earth, and is one with the Father.
People who honor the Lord with only their mouth and their lips, while in heart and spirit they regard him as a mere human being, and who reveal their thoughts and convince others to believe those thoughts are spiritual murderers. The worst of them are spiritual cannibals. Human life comes from love and faith in the Lord. If this essential ingredient of faith and love is removed - the recognition that the Lord is the human God and the divine Human - our life becomes death; its removal kills and devours us the way a wolf kills and devours a lamb.
380. (ii) Spurious faith is any faith which departs from the true and only faith, and is possessed by those who climb up another way and look upon the Lord not as God, but merely as a human being.
It is self-evident that spurious faith is any faith which departs from the true and only faith; for when one faith is the truth, it follows that anything that departs from it is not the truth. All good and truth in the church spring from the marriage between the Lord and the church. Thus everything which is in essence charity, or which is in essence faith, is the product of that marriage. But anything in charity and faith which is not the product of that marriage is not from a legitimate union but an illegitimate one. Thus it is the product either of a polygamous marriage or union, or of adultery. Any faith is the product of polygamy, if it acknowledges the Lord and espouses the falsities contained in heresies; a faith is the product of adultery, if it acknowledges three Lords in one church. For it is like a woman who is a prostitute, or one married to one man, but hiring herself out for the night to two others, each of whom she calls her husband when she sleeps with him. This is the reason their faiths are called spurious.
The Lord calls these people in many passages 'adulterers', and this too is what He means by 'thieves and robbers' in John:
Truly I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up another way, is a thief and robber. I am the door; if anyone enters by me, he will be saved, John 10:1, 9.
Entering the sheepfold is entering the church, and also heaven. It entails entering heaven too, because they make one, and it is nothing but the presence of the church in it which makes heaven. Therefore just as the Lord is the bridegroom and husband of the church, so too is He the bridegroom and husband of heaven.
[2] It is possible to investigate and recognise whether a faith is a legitimate offspring or an illegitimate one by using the three indicators described above. These are the acknowledgment of the Lord as the Son of God, the acknowledgment of Him as the God of heaven and earth, and the acknowledgment that He is one with the Father. Therefore in so far as any faith departs from these essentials, so far is it a spurious faith. There is a spurious and adulterous faith with those who look on the Lord not as God, but as merely a man. The truth of this is evident from the two unspeakable heresies, those of the Arians and the Socinians, which were made anathema in the Christian church and excommunicated from it. This was because they deny the divinity of the Lord, and climb up another way. But I am afraid that these abominations lurk hidden in the general attitude of the people in the church to-day. It is an astonishing fact that the more anyone believes himself to excel others in learning and judgment, the more prone he is to seize on and make his own ideas about the Lord being a human being and not God, arguing that because He is a human being He cannot be God. Anyone who makes those ideas his own betakes himself to the company of the Arians and Socinians, who in the spiritual world are in hell.
[3] The reason why this is the general attitude of people in the church today is that every person possesses a companion spirit. Without him the person could not think analytically, rationally and spiritually, so that he would not be a human being, but an animal. And each person attracts a spirit who resembles him in the affection of his will and thus the perception of his understanding. If someone brings himself into good affections by means of truths taken from the Word and by living in accordance with them, the companion assigned him is an angel from heaven. But if someone brings himself into evil affections by proving falsities to himself and living a wicked life, the companion assigned to him is a spirit from hell. Once so assigned, the person enters more and more into a kind of brotherhood with satans, and then strengthens more and more his belief in falsities in opposition to the truths in the Word, and in the abominable Arian and Socinian attacks on the Lord. The reason is that all satans cannot bear to hear any truth from the Word, or even the name of Jesus; if they do hear them, they become like furies, running about blaspheming. Then if light floods in from heaven, they throw themselves headlong into caves and the thick darkness they love; in this they enjoy the kind of light that owls do in the dark, and like that enjoyed by cats hunting mice in cellars. This is the fate after death of all who in their heart and faith deny the divinity of the Lord and the holiness of the Word; and this is the nature of their internal man, however much the external puts on an act and plays the role of a Christian. I know this is the case, because of what I have seen and heard.
[4] All who honour the Lord as Redeemer and Saviour merely with their mouth and lips, while in their heart and spirit they look upon Him as purely a human being, when they utter and teach such ideas have a mouth like a skinful of honey, but a heart like a skinful of gall. Their words are like sugared loaves, but their thoughts are like poisoned draughts of wine, or like curlicues of cake containing flying serpents. 1 If they are priests, they are like pirates at sea who fly the flag of a country which is not hostile, but when a passing ship approaches them as friends, they hoist the pirate flag instead of the former one, and seize the ship and make prisoners those on board. They are also like the serpents of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, who come up to one in the guise of angels of light, holding in their hand apples from it coloured with golden tints as if they had been plucked from the tree of life, offering them with the words:
God knows that on the day you eat of them, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil, Genesis 3:5.
When they have eaten, they follow the serpent down to the underworld and live with him. Around that underworld are the satans who have eaten the apples of Arius and Socinus. It is they too who are meant by the man who went in not wearing a wedding garment, and who was cast into outer darkness (Matthew 22:11-13). The wedding garment is faith in the Lord as the Son of God, the God of heaven and earth, and one with the Father. Those who honour the Lord merely with their mouth and lips, but in their heart and spirit look upon Him purely as a human being, if they reveal their thoughts and persuade others, are spiritual murderers, and the worst of them are spiritual cannibals. A person's life comes from his love and faith in the Lord; but if this essential of faith and love, the belief that the Lord is God-man and Man-god, is taken away, his life is turned into death. So in this way the person is killed and devoured like a lamb by a wolf.
Footnotes:
1. This and the previous sentence are given rhetorical point by verbal assonances in Latin, which cannot be reproduced in English.
380. (2) Spurious faith is all faith that departs from the true faith, which is the one only faith, and this is the faith that is held by those who climb up some other way, and regard the Lord not as God but as a mere man. That spurious faith is all faith that departs from the true faith, which is the one only faith, is self evident; for if the one only faith is the truth, it follows that what departs from it is not truth. Every good and truth of the church is propagated by the marriage of the Lord and the church; thus everything that is essentially charity and that is essentially faith is from that marriage; and on the other hand, whatever of charity and faith is not from that marriage, is not from a legitimate but an illegitimate bed, thus from a polygamic bed or marriage, or from adultery. All faith that acknowledges the Lord but adopts the falsities of heresy is from a polygamic bed, and the faith that acknowledges three Lords of one church is from adultery. For this may be likened to a harlot or a woman married to one man and spending her nights with two others, calling each one her husband while sleeping with him. Therefore such faith is called spurious; and in many places the Lord calls those holding such a faith "adulterers," and they are also meant by "thieves and robbers" in John:
Verily I say unto you, he that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber; I am the door; by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved (10:1, 9).
Entering into the sheepfold is entering into the church, and also into heaven. It is entering also into heaven because heaven and the church make one, and nothing makes heaven except the church that is in it; consequently as the Lord is the bridegroom and husband of the church, so is He also the bridegroom and husband of heaven.
[2] It may be inquired into and may be known whether faith is a legitimate or a spurious offspring by the three indications mentioned above, namely, acknowledgment of the Lord as the Son of God, acknowledgment of Him as the God of heaven and earth, and acknowledgment that He is one with the Father. Therefore, so far as any faith departs from these its essentials, it is spurious. Faith is both spurious and adulterous with those who regard the Lord not as God but merely as a man. The truth of this is very evident from the two abominable heresies, Arianism and Socinianism, which have been anathematized in and excommunicated from the Christian church, and this because they deny the Lord's Divinity, and climb up some other way. But I fear that those abominations lie concealed at this day in the general spirit of the men of the church. It is remarkable that the more anyone deems himself to be superior to others in learning and judgment, the more prone he is to seize upon and appropriate to himself the idea that the Lord is a man and not God, and that because He is a man He cannot be God; and whoever appropriates to himself these ideas, introduces himself into companionship with Arians and Socinians, who in the spiritual world are in hell.
[3] Such is the general spirit of the men of the church at the present day, because with every man there is an associate spirit; for without this man would be unable to think analytically, rationally, and spiritually, and thus would not be a man but a brute. Moreover, every man attaches to himself a spirit in harmony with the affection of his own will and consequent perception of his understanding. To the man who introduces himself into good affections by means of truths from the Word and a life according to them, an angel from heaven is adjoined; while he who introduces himself into evil affections by the confirmation of falsities and a wicked life adjoins himself to a spirit from hell, and when this is done the man enters more and more, as it were, into fraternity with satans, and confirms himself more and more in falsities contrary to the truths in the Word, and in Arian and Socinian abominations against the Lord. This is because no satan can bear to hear any truth from the Word or to hear Jesus named; and if they hear these they become like furies, and run about and blaspheme; and then if light from heaven flows in they throw themselves headlong into caverns and into their own thick darkness, in which there is light to them, as there is to owls in the dark, or to cats in cellars watching for mice. Such do all those become after death, who in heart and faith deny the Divinity of the Lord and the holiness of the Word. Their internal man is of this nature, however much the external may play the mimic and feign to be Christian. That this is true I know, because I have seen and heard it.
[4] Of all who honor the Lord as the Redeemer and Savior with the mouth and lips only, while in heart and spirit they regard Him as a mere man, it may be said, when they are speaking of these things and teaching them, that their cheeks are like a bag of honey, and their heart like a bag of gall; their words are like cakes of sugar, while their thoughts are like emulsions of aconite; they are also like rolls of pastry containing snakes. If such persons are priests, they are like pirates on the sea who hoist the flag of a peaceful nation, but when a ship sailing near hails them as friends, they raise a piratical flag in place of the other, seize the ship, and carry away those on board into captivity. They are also like serpents of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, that approach like angels of light, carrying in their hands apples from that tree painted with golden colors, as if plucked from the tree of life; and they offer them, saying:
God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil (Genesis 3:5).
And when these have eaten, they follow the serpent into the lower world, and there they dwell together. Round about that world are the satans who have eaten of the apples of Arius and Socinus. Such as these are meant also by the man,
Who came to the marriage without a wedding garment, and was cast into outer darkness (Matthew 22:11-13);
"the wedding garment" meaning faith in the Lord as the Son of God, the God of heaven and earth, and one with the Father. Those who honor the Lord with the mouth and lips only, but in heart and spirit regard Him as a mere man, if they declare their thoughts and persuade others, are spiritual murderers, and the worst of them are spiritual cannibals; for a man's life is from love to the Lord and faith in Him; and if this essential element of faith and love, that the Lord is God-Man and Man-God, is taken away, man's life becomes death; thus in this way man is killed and devoured as a kid by a wolf.
380. (2) Spurious faith is every faith that departs from the one true faith, and is held by those who "climb up some other way," and regard the Lord not as God, but as a mere man. Every faith is spurious that departs from the one true faith. This is self-evident, for when it follows that what departs from it is not the truth. The marriage of the Lord and the Church gives birth to all good and truth of the Church, and therefore to all that is essentially charity and faith. Any charity and faith, however, not having their origin from that marriage, are not lawfully begotten, but are the illegitimate offspring of polygamy or adultery. All faith that acknowledges the Lord, and yet adopts heretical falsities, is the offspring of polygamy; and faith that acknowledges three lords of one Church is the offspring of adultery. For it is either like a courtesan, or like a woman married to one husband, who spends her nights with two others, and whilst favoring those, calls each of them by turns her husband. Such faith is therefore called spurious.
The Lord in many places calls those who profess such faith adulterers, and they are also meant by thieves and robbers in John:
"Verily I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheep-fold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber... I am the door: by me if any man shall enter in, he shall be saved" 10:1, 9.
To enter into the sheepfold is to enter into the Church, and also into heaven. This is because heaven and the Church make one, and nothing constitutes heaven but the Church there. As the Lord, therefore, is the Bridegroom and Husband of the Church, so also is He the Bridegroom and Husband of heaven. The legitimacy or illegitimacy of faith may be examined and determined by the three signs mentioned above, namely, the acknowledgment of the Lord as the Son of God, the acknowledgment of Him as the God of heaven and earth, and the acknowledgment that He is one with the Father; so far as any faith departs from these essentials, it is spurious.
[2] A spurious faith and, at the same time, an adulterous faith, is held by those who regard the Lord, not as God, but merely as a man. That this belief is entertained is clearly evident from the two impious heresies, Arianism 1 and Socinianism, 2 anathematized and banned from the Christian Church, because they deny the Lord's Divinity, and their followers "climb up some other way." I am afraid, however, that those abominations lie concealed widely diffused in the thought of men of the Church to-day. It is a remarkable circumstance that the more one considers himself superior to others in learning and judgment the more prone is he to seize upon and adopt these ideas concerning the Lord, namely, that He is a man and not God, and that, because He is a Man, He cannot be God; yet every one who adopts these ideas enters into fellowship with Arians and Socinians, who in the spiritual world are in hell.
[3] These ideas are widespread among men of the Church to-day because there is with every man an associate spirit; otherwise a man would be incapable of thinking analytically, rationally, and spiritually; and consequently he would not be a man but a brute; and every man attracts to himself a spirit in harmony with the affection of his own will and consequent perception of understanding. He who enters into good affections, by means of truths from the Word and by a life according to them, has associated with him an angel from heaven. He, however, who enters into evil affections, by confirming falsities and by an evil life, has associated with him a spirit from hell; and as a result of this association he enters more and more into companionship with satans. He then confirms himself more and more in falsities against the truths of the Word, and in the Arian and Socinian abominations against the Lord. This is because satans cannot bear to hear any truth from the Word, or even the name Jesus to be mentioned. Should they do so, they become like furies, running to and fro and uttering blasphemies. Then if light from heaven shines down upon them, they rush headlong into caverns and into their own darkness, where their light resembles that by which owls see in the dark and cats hunt mice in cellars. Such is the lot after death of all who, in heart and faith, deny the Divinity of the Lord and the holiness of the Word. This is the nature of their internal man, however the external may play the hypocrite and pretend to be Christian. I know that this is true from what I have seen and heard.
[4] All who honor the Lord as the Redeemer and Savior with the lips only, but who in heart and spirit regard Him as a mere man, when they speak and teach thus, are like those whose mouth is full of honey but whose heart is full of gall. Their words are like sugar but their thoughts like poison; they are like baked meats with adders lurking in the layers. If they are priests, they are like pirates at sea, flying the flag of a state at peace; but when a ship approaches them as friends, they hoist the pirates' flag in place of the other, seize the ship and make captive its crew. They are also like serpents of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. They draw near as angels of light, holding in their hand apples from that tree, but painted to resemble the golden apples of the tree of life. They offer these, saying,
"God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as God (A.V. gods), knowing good and evil" Genesis 3:5.
When those who accept the fruit have eaten, they follow the serpent to the lower world, and make their abode with him. All around that lower region dwell satans who have eaten of the apples of Arius 1 and Socinius. 2
They are likewise meant by the man who came to the wedding; but who, not being clothed with a wedding garment, was cast into outer darkness. Matthew 22:11-13.
The wedding garment is faith in the Lord as the Son of God, as the God of heaven and earth and one with the Father. If those who honor the Lord with the lips only, but who in heart and spirit regard Him as a mere man, reveal their thoughts and convert others to their belief, they are spiritual murderers, and the worst of them are spiritual cannibals. For the life of man is from love of the Lord and faith in Him; but if this essential of faith and love, namely, that the Lord is God Man and Man God, is taken away, his life is turned to death. Thus the man is slain, and devoured as a lamb by a wolf.
Footnotes:
1. Arius, theologian of Alexandria, A.D. 256-336; founder of Arianism, affirming that Christ was an originated Being. Excommunicated by bishops of Egypt for denying that Christ was made of the same substance (homo-ousion) of any previously existing substance. To settle the consequent dispute Constantine called the Council of Nicaea, A.D. 325. Athanasius successfully led the opposition to Arius; and Arius, with Eusebius, who also refused to accept the Athanasian position, was banished.
2. Socinians, members of a religious sect taking their name from Faustus Socinus, A.D. 1539-1604, and his uncle Laelius Socinus. They are antitrinitarians, denying the personality of the Holy Ghost and the Divinity of Christ. Early Socians believed in the miraculous conception and that Christ was entitled to Divine worship; but modern Socinians, chiefly Unitarians, deny both.
380. II. QUOD FIDES SPURIA SIT OMNIS FIDES, QUAE RECEDIT A VERA QUAE EST UNICA, ET QUOD SIT APUD ILLOS, QUI ALIUNDE ASCENDUNT, ET DOMINUM NON UT DEUM SED SOLUMMODO UT HOMINEM SPECTANT. Quod Fides spuria sit omnis fides, quae a vera quae est unica, recedit, ex se patet, nam dum unica est verum, sequitur quod id quod recedit, non sit verum; omne bonum et verum Ecclesiae propagantur a Conjugio Domini et Ecclesiae, ita omne id quod essentialiter est charitas, et essentialiter fides, est ex illo conjugio, at vero quicquid duarum illarum non ex illo est, non est ex toro legitimo, sed illegitimo, ita vel ex toro seu conjugio polygamico, vel ex adulterio; ex polygamico est omnis fides, quae agnoscit Dominum, et adoptat falsa haeresium; et fides ex adulterio est, qui agnoscit tres Dominos unius Ecclesiae, est enim vel sicut foemina meretrix, aut sicut mulier nupta 1 uni viro, et locat noctes duobus aliis, et dum cubat cum illis, vocat quemlibet suum virum; inde est, quod fides illarum dicantur spuriae; hos Dominus multis in locis vocat adulteros, et quoque hos intelligit per fures et latrones apud Johannem, Amen dico vobis, qui non ingreditur per Januam in Ovile, SED ASCENDIT ALIUNDE, is est fur et latro: Ego sum Janua, per Me si quis introiverit, salvabitur, Cap. 10:1, 9; ingredi in Ovile est in Ecclesiam, et quoque est ingredi in Coelum; quod etiam sit in Coelum, est quia unum faciunt, et non aliud 2 facit Coelum quam Ecclesia ibi; quapropter quemadmodum Dominus est Sponsus et Maritus Ecclesiae, ita quoque est Sponsus et Maritus Coeli.
[2] Explorari et cognosci potest, num Fides sit proles legitima, vel num proles spuria, ex tribus illius indiciis, de quibus supra, quae sunt, Agnitio Domini pro Filio Dei, agnitio Ipsius pro Deo Coeli et Terrae, et agnitio quod unus sit cum Patre, quantum itaque Fides aliqua recedit ab his essentialibus suis, tantum est spuria. Fides spuria et simul adultera 3 est apud illos, qui Dominum non ut Deum, sed solummodo ut hominem spectant: Quod ita sit, manifeste patet a binis nefandis Haeresibus, ARIANA et SOCINIANA, quae in Ecclesia Christiana anathematizatae et ex illa excommunicatae sunt, et hoc ideo quia Divinitatem Domini negant, et aliunde ascendunt: sed vereor, quod abominationes illae in communi spiritu hominum Ecclesiae hodie lateant occultatae. Hoc mirabile est, quod quo quis credit se eruditione et judicio praestantiorem aliis, eo pronius arripiat et appropriet sibi ideas de Domino, quod sit Homo et non Deus, et quod quia est Homo non possit esse Deus, et qui illas ideas sibi appropriat, is in sodalitium Arianorum et Socinianorum, qui in Mundo spirituali in Inferno sunt, se infert.
[3] Quod communis spiritus hominem Ecclesiae hodie talis sit, est causa, quia apud unumquemvis hominem est spiritus consocius, nam homo absque eo non potest analytice, rationaliter et spiritualiter cogitare, ita non esset homo sed brutum; et quisque homo adsciscit sibi spiritum similem suae voluntatis affectioni et inde intellectus perceptioni; ille qui inducit se in affectiones bonas per veritates ex Verbo et per vitam secundum illas, huic adjungitur Angelus e Coelo, at qui se inducit in affectiones malas per confirmationes falsitatum et per vitam malam, huic se adjungit Spiritus ex Inferno, quo adjuncto, homo plus et plus init sicut fraternitatem cum Satanis, et tunc plus et plus se confirmat in falsis contra vera in Verbo, et in abominatione Ariana et Sociniana contra Dominum; causa est, quia omnes Satanae non sustinent audire aliquod verum ex Verbo, nec nominari Jesum; quae si audiunt, fiunt sicut furiae, discurrunt et blasphemant; et tunc si lux e Coelo influit, praecipites se conjiciunt in cavernas, et in caliginem suam, in qua illis est lux sicut est Noctuis in tenebris, et qualis Felibus in cellis dum insectantur mures: tales fiunt omnes post mortem qui Divinitatem Domini et Sanctitatem Verbi corde et fide negant: Internus illorum homo talis est, utcunque Externus agit Mimum, et mentitur Christianum; quod ita sit, scio, quia vidi et audivi.
[4] Omnes qui Dominum ut Redemptorem et Salvatorem honorant solum ore et labiis, at corde et spiritu Ipsum ut merum hominem aspiciunt, illi dum illa loquuntur et docent, bucca illorum est sicut uter mellis, at cor sicut uter fellis; verba eorum sunt sicut panes saccharini, at cogitationes sicut 4 mulsa ex aconitis; et sunt sicut volvuli placentarum, in quibus sunt acontiae; si sunt sacerdotes, sunt sicut piratae in mari, qui appendunt vexillum regni pacis, at dum propinqua Navis ad illos ut amicos appellit, vexillum piraticum loco prioris attollunt, et navem cum populo ejus abducunt in captivitatem; illi etiam sunt sicut Serpentes arboris scientiae boni et mali, qui accedunt sicut Angeli lucis, tenentes in manu poma inde picta coloribus fulvis, sicut desumta ex Arbore vitae, ac porrigunt et dicunt, scit Deus quo die comederitis ex illis, aperientur oculi vestri, et eritis sicut Deus, scientes bonum et malum, Genesis 3:5, et cum comederunt, sequuntur Serpentem in Orcum, 5 et cohabitant; circum Orcum illum sunt Satanae, qui ex pomis Arii et Socini comederunt: Intelliguntur etiam per illum, qui non indutus veste nuptiarum intravit, qui conjectus est in tenebras exteriores, Matthaeus 22:11-13; vestis nuptiarum est Fides in Dominum ut Filium Dei, Deum Coeli et Terrae, ac unum cum Patre. Illi qui Dominum solum ore et labiis honorant, at corde et spiritu Ipsum ut merum hominem aspiciunt, si aperiunt sua cogitata et persuadent aliis, sunt Spirituales homicidae, ac pessimi illorum spirituales anthropophagi, vita enim homini est ex amore et fide in Dominum, at si removetur hoc essentiale fidei et amoris, quod Dominus sit Deus Homo et Homo Deus, fit vita ejus mors; sic itaque occiditur homo, ac devoratur sicut agnus a lupo.
Footnotes:
1. Sic Errores Typographici.
2. Prima editio: aliad.
3. Prima editio: adultem.
4. Prima editio: ficut.
5. Prima editio: Oreum.