567.在此，我将补充几个记事。记事一：
我突然得了一种几近致命的疾病，整个脑袋受到压迫，有毒的烟雾从耶路撒冷被吹向叫所多玛与埃及的地方（启示录11:8）。我痛得半死，盼望结束。在这种状态下，我在床上躺了三天半。我的灵经受这些疼痛，随之我的身体也是如此。然后我听见周围有声音说：“看哪，这里躺着一个死人，就在我们城市的街道上，他就是那传讲悔改使罪得赦，以及基督、独一之人为神者。”他们问一些神职人员是否埋葬此人，他们回答说：“不，让他躺在这里，叫人们看看。”他们走来走去，不断奚落我。这是我解释启示录第十一章时，发生在我身上的真实事件。然后我听见那些奚落我的人对我的严重指控，尤其是这些话：“没有信，人如何悔改？作为人的基督，怎能被当作神敬拜？既然我们白白得到救恩，无需自己这部分的功德，那么，我们只是信父神派祂的儿子拿走律法施加的诅咒，将祂自己的功德归到我们头上，使我们在祂眼里称义，借牧师的口赦免我们的罪，然后赐我们圣灵，祂会在我们里面作工，成就一切善，这样不就行了，还有其它必要吗？难道这不符合圣经与理智吗？”站在周围的人群听到这番言论，都鼓起掌来。
我听到这一切，却不能回应，因为我几乎要死了。但三天半之后，我的灵恢复过来，我在灵里沿着街道进入城市，又说道：“悔改吧，信靠基督，你们的罪就被赦免，你们也会得救，否则你们将灭亡。主自己不也传讲悔改，使罪得赦，并且人当信祂吗？祂不是吩咐祂的门徒也这样传讲吗？难道你们的信条不是导致对生活的彻底漠视吗？”但他们说：“一派胡言！难道圣子没有成全救恩吗？难道圣父没有将这一切归给我们吗？祂称相信这一点的我们为公义，于是我们被恩典的灵引领，那么我们还有什么罪呢？死亡和我们有什么相干？你这罪与悔改的传道者，到底懂不懂福音？”然后有声音从天上传来，说：“一个不知悔改者的信除了是死亡的信外，还能是什么？结局已经来临，结局已临到你们身上，在自己眼里安全无虞、无可指摘吧，在自己的信仰里称义吧，撒旦。”然后城当中突然敞开一个裂缝，并不断拓宽，房子相继陷落，他们被吞没了。随即大水从鸿沟涌出，淹没了这片废墟。”
当他们就这样陷落，并被洪水淹没后，我想知道他们在深渊里的命运，我从天堂被告知：“你必看见、听到。”然后淹没他们的洪水在我眼前消失了，因为在灵界，洪水是对应，所以会出现在有虚假信仰的人周围。随后，我看见他们沉到沙底，这里有一堆堆的石头，他们在当中跑来跑去，哀号说，他们从自己的大城被驱逐出来了。他们不停地大声喊叫：“这一切为什么会发生在我们身上？我们不是靠着我们的信干净、纯洁、公义和神圣了吗？我们不是已被我们的信洁净、净化、称义与成圣了吗？”有的则哭喊：“我们不是已通过我们的信被造成适合出现在父神面前，被看到，表现出色，并且在天人面前被宣称为干净、纯洁、公义和神圣了吗？我们不是已经和解、挽回、补偿，因此获得赦免、从罪中被洗礼和洁净了吗？基督不是已经拿走律法的诅咒了吗？为什么我们还是被扔到这该死的地方？我们曾听到一个胆大的人指责我们大城的罪过，呼喊说：‘信靠基督，悔改吧。’就在我们信靠基督功德之时，我们不就已经信靠祂了吗？就在我们忏悔自己是罪人时，不就已经悔改了吗？为什么这一切还要临到我们头上？”
然后旁边有声音对他们说：“你们知道自己的罪吗？你们可曾检查过自己，因而避开有悖于神的罪恶了吗？凡不避恶者皆在恶中。罪难道不是魔鬼吗？所以你们就是主说的那些人：
那时，你们要说：‘我们在你面前吃过、喝过，你也在我们的街上教训过人。祂要说：‘我告诉你们，我不晓得你们是哪里来的。你们这一切作恶的人，离开我去吧！’（路加福音13:26，27；以及马太福音7:22，23祂所说的那些人）
所以，离开吧，各自到自己的地方。你们看到洞穴的入口就进去，每个人都要完成各自的任务，然后按你们所做的工得食物。即使你们拒绝，饥饿也会很快迫使你们进去。”
随后，有声音从天上传来，对地上住在大城外面的一些人（他们还在启示录11:13被提及）大声说：“当心！谨防与这类灵交往。难道你们不知道，正是被称为罪的邪恶和罪孽使人肮脏污秽吗？除了通过真正的悔改和信靠主耶稣基督，谁能从罪恶中被洁净和净化呢？真正的悔改就是检查自己，认识并承认自己的罪，在主面前认罪悔改，祈求帮助和力量以抵制它们，从而停止罪恶，开启新生活，你们必须貌似凭自己做所有这一切。当你们参加圣餐礼时，一年这样做一两次，从今以后，每当你们发现所指责的罪复发时，就对自己说：‘我们不会这样做，因为这是悖逆神的罪’。这就是真正的悔改。
谁不明白，凡不检查并看到自己罪的人仍留在罪中？人自出生时，就从各种邪恶中寻找乐趣。报复、行淫、欺骗、亵渎、尤其是出于爱己而控制他人，皆令他感到快乐。难道不是这快乐使得你们看不见这些罪吗？或许有人会说，它们是罪，难道它们所给予的快乐不会使你们宽宥它们，甚至还会以虚假证明它们不是罪吗？因此，你们仍在罪中，以后犯罪比之前更频繁，直到你们再也不知道什么是罪，更确切地说，甚至怀疑是否存在罪之类的事。真正悔改之人的情形则不同，他将自己认识并承认的邪恶称为罪，因此开始避开并远离它们，最终感觉它们的乐趣不再使他感到快乐。只要做到这一切，他就会发现并热爱良善，最终感受到善的快乐，这才是天堂天人体验到的快乐。总之，只要人将魔鬼置于身后，他就会被主接纳，主会教导、引领他，使他摆脱恶的辖制，将他保守在善中。这就是从地狱去往天堂的道路，也是唯一的道路。”
非常奇怪的是，改革宗信徒对真正的悔改有某种根深蒂固的抵触、反感和厌恶，这种情绪如此强烈，以至于他们无法驱使自己自我反省、看到自己的罪，并在神面前忏悔它们。一旦有这样的意图，就会有一种恐惧紧紧抓住他们。对此，我在灵界问过很多人，他们全都声称这超出了他们的能力。当听说天主教徒仍这样做，即检查自己，并在神父面前公开忏悔自己的罪过时，他们感到非常惊讶；还说，改革宗信徒甚至私下里都不能在神面前这样做，尽管在领受圣餐前，他们同样要履行这项义务。那里的一些人想知道事情为何会这样，他们发现，这种不知悔改的状态和心态是由唯信诱发的。然后他们被允许看到那些敬拜基督，但不祈求圣徒的罗马天主教徒得救。
这事以后，我听到似雷的声响，一个声音从天上传来，说：“我们都很惊讶。告诉改革宗的集会，‘要信靠基督，悔改，你们就会得救。’”我照做后，又加上一句：“洗礼不是悔改的圣礼，因此是进入教会的入门吗？监护人代表即将受洗的人所许诺的，不就是他要弃绝魔鬼及其行为吗？圣餐不是悔改的圣礼，因而是进入天堂的入门吗？领受圣餐者不是被告知，恭领圣餐前务必要悔改吗？教义手册、整个基督教会的教义不都在教导悔改吗？第二块石版上的六条诫命不都在那里说，你不要作这样或那样的恶，你要行这样或那样的善吗？由此你能知道，人弃绝并远离邪恶到什么程度，就会被良善感动并热爱良善到什么程度，在此之前，他不知何为善，甚至也不知何为恶。”
567. 在此, 我将补充几个记事。 记事一:
我突然得了一种几近致命的疾病, 整个脑袋受到压迫, 有毒的烟雾从耶路撒冷被吹向叫所多玛与埃及的地方 (启示录11:8)。 我痛得半死, 盼望结束。 在这种状态下, 我在床上躺了三天半。 我的灵经受这些疼痛, 随之我的身体也是如此。 然后我听见周围有声音说: “看哪, 这里躺着一个死人, 就在我们城市的街道上, 他就是那传讲悔改使罪得赦, 以及基督, 独一之人为神者。 ”他们问一些神职人员是否埋葬此人, 他们回答说: “不, 让他躺在这里, 叫人们看看。 ”他们走来走去, 不断奚落我。 这是我解释启示录第十一章时, 发生在我身上的真实事件。 然后我听见那些奚落我的人对我的严重指控, 尤其是这些话: “没有信, 人如何悔改? 作为人的基督, 怎能被当作神敬拜? 既然我们白白得到救恩, 无需自己这部分的功德, 那么, 我们只是信父神派祂的儿子拿走律法施加的诅咒, 将祂自己的功德归到我们头上, 使我们在祂眼里称义, 借牧师的口赦免我们的罪, 然后赐我们圣灵, 祂会在我们里面作工, 成就一切善, 这样不就行了, 还有其它必要吗? 难道这不符合圣经与理智吗? ”站在周围的人群听到这番言论, 都鼓起掌来。
我听到这一切, 却不能回应, 因为我几乎要死了。 但三天半之后, 我的灵恢复过来, 我在灵里沿着街道进入城市, 又说道: “悔改吧, 信靠基督, 你们的罪就被赦免, 你们也会得救, 否则你们将灭亡。 主自己不也传讲悔改, 使罪得赦, 并且人当信祂吗? 祂不是吩咐祂的门徒也这样传讲吗? 难道你们的信条不是导致对生活的彻底漠视吗? ”但他们说: “一派胡言! 难道圣子没有成全救恩吗? 难道圣父没有将这一切归给我们吗? 祂称相信这一点的我们为公义, 于是我们被恩典的灵引领, 那么我们还有什么罪呢? 死亡和我们有什么相干? 你这罪与悔改的传道者, 到底懂不懂福音? ”然后有声音从天上传来, 说: “一个不知悔改者的信除了是死亡的信外, 还能是什么? 结局已经来临, 结局已临到你们身上, 在自己眼里安全无虞, 无可指摘吧, 在自己的信仰里称义吧, 撒旦。 ”然后城当中突然敞开一个裂缝, 并不断拓宽, 房子相继陷落, 他们被吞没了。 随即大水从鸿沟涌出, 淹没了这片废墟。 ”
当他们就这样陷落, 并被洪水淹没后, 我想知道他们在深渊里的命运, 我从天堂被告知: “你必看见, 听到。 ”然后淹没他们的洪水在我眼前消失了, 因为在灵界, 洪水是对应, 所以会出现在有虚假信仰的人周围。 随后, 我看见他们沉到沙底, 这里有一堆堆的石头, 他们在当中跑来跑去, 哀号说, 他们从自己的大城被驱逐出来了。 他们不停地大声喊叫: “这一切为什么会发生在我们身上? 我们不是靠着我们的信干净, 纯洁, 公义和神圣了吗? 我们不是已被我们的信洁净, 净化, 称义与成圣了吗? ”有的则哭喊: “我们不是已通过我们的信被造成适合出现在父神面前, 被看到, 表现出色, 并且在天人面前被宣称为干净, 纯洁, 公义和神圣了吗? 我们不是已经和解, 挽回, 补偿, 因此获得赦免, 从罪中被洗礼和洁净了吗? 基督不是已经拿走律法的诅咒了吗? 为什么我们还是被扔到这该死的地方? 我们曾听到一个胆大的人指责我们大城的罪过, 呼喊说: ‘信靠基督, 悔改吧。 ’就在我们信靠基督功德之时, 我们不就已经信靠祂了吗? 就在我们忏悔自己是罪人时, 不就已经悔改了吗? 为什么这一切还要临到我们头上? ”
然后旁边有声音对他们说: “你们知道自己的罪吗? 你们可曾检查过自己, 因而避开有悖于神的罪恶了吗? 凡不避恶者皆在恶中。 罪难道不是魔鬼吗? 所以你们就是主说的那些人:
那时, 你们要说: ‘我们在你面前吃过, 喝过, 你也在我们的街上教训过人。 祂要说: ‘我告诉你们, 我不晓得你们是哪里来的。 你们这一切作恶的人, 离开我去吧! ’ (路加福音13:26-27; 以及马太福音7:22-23祂所说的那些人)
所以, 离开吧, 各自到自己的地方。 你们看到洞穴的入口就进去, 每个人都要完成各自的任务, 然后按你们所做的工得食物。 即使你们拒绝, 饥饿也会很快迫使你们进去。 ”
随后, 有声音从天上传来, 对地上住在大城外面的一些人 (他们还在启示录11:13被提及) 大声说: “当心! 谨防与这类灵交往。 难道你们不知道, 正是被称为罪的邪恶和罪孽使人肮脏污秽吗? 除了通过真正的悔改和信靠主耶稣基督, 谁能从罪恶中被洁净和净化呢? 真正的悔改就是检查自己, 认识并承认自己的罪, 在主面前认罪悔改, 祈求帮助和力量以抵制它们, 从而停止罪恶, 开启新生活, 你们必须貌似凭自己做所有这一切。 当你们参加圣餐礼时, 一年这样做一两次, 从今以后, 每当你们发现所指责的罪复发时, 就对自己说: ‘我们不会这样做, 因为这是悖逆神的罪’。 这就是真正的悔改。
谁不明白, 凡不检查并看到自己罪的人仍留在罪中? 人自出生时, 就从各种邪恶中寻找乐趣。 报复, 行淫, 欺骗, 亵渎, 尤其是出于爱己而控制他人, 皆令他感到快乐。 难道不是这快乐使得你们看不见这些罪吗? 或许有人会说, 它们是罪, 难道它们所给予的快乐不会使你们宽宥它们, 甚至还会以虚假证明它们不是罪吗? 因此, 你们仍在罪中, 以后犯罪比之前更频繁, 直到你们再也不知道什么是罪, 更确切地说, 甚至怀疑是否存在罪之类的事。 真正悔改之人的情形则不同, 他将自己认识并承认的邪恶称为罪, 因此开始避开并远离它们, 最终感觉它们的乐趣不再使他感到快乐。 只要做到这一切, 他就会发现并热爱良善, 最终感受到善的快乐, 这才是天堂天人体验到的快乐。 总之, 只要人将魔鬼置于身后, 他就会被主接纳, 主会教导, 引领他, 使他摆脱恶的辖制, 将他保守在善中。 这就是从地狱去往天堂的道路, 也是唯一的道路。 ”
非常奇怪的是, 改革宗信徒对真正的悔改有某种根深蒂固的抵触, 反感和厌恶, 这种情绪如此强烈, 以至于他们无法驱使自己自我反省, 看到自己的罪, 并在神面前忏悔它们。 一旦有这样的意图, 就会有一种恐惧紧紧抓住他们。 对此, 我在灵界问过很多人, 他们全都声称这超出了他们的能力。 当听说天主教徒仍这样做, 即检查自己, 并在神父面前公开忏悔自己的罪过时, 他们感到非常惊讶; 还说, 改革宗信徒甚至私下里都不能在神面前这样做, 尽管在领受圣餐前, 他们同样要履行这项义务。 那里的一些人想知道事情为何会这样, 他们发现, 这种不知悔改的状态和心态是由唯信诱发的。 然后他们被允许看到那些敬拜基督, 但不祈求圣徒的罗马天主教徒得救。
这事以后, 我听到似雷的声响, 一个声音从天上传来, 说: “我们都很惊讶。 告诉改革宗的集会, ‘要信靠基督, 悔改, 你们就会得救。 ’”我照做后, 又加上一句: “洗礼不是悔改的圣礼, 因此是进入教会的入门吗? 监护人代表即将受洗的人所许诺的, 不就是他要弃绝魔鬼及其行为吗? 圣餐不是悔改的圣礼, 因而是进入天堂的入门吗? 领受圣餐者不是被告知, 恭领圣餐前务必要悔改吗? 教义手册, 整个基督教会的教义不都在教导悔改吗? 第二块石版上的六条诫命不都在那里说, 你不要作这样或那样的恶, 你要行这样或那样的善吗? 由此你能知道, 人弃绝并远离邪恶到什么程度, 就会被良善感动并热爱良善到什么程度, 在此之前, 他不知何为善, 甚至也不知何为恶。 ”
567. To these points I will add the following memorable occurrences.
The first memorable occurrence. I was suddenly overcome with a deathly illness. My whole head felt worse and worse. A poisonous smoke was blowing in from the Jerusalem that is called Sodom and Egypt (Revelation 11:8). I was half dead and in severe pain. I thought I was about to die. I lay in bed in that condition for three and a half days. My spirit developed this sickness, and then my body came down with it as well.
Then I heard voices around me saying, "Look, he is lying dead in the street of our city - the one who was preaching that we should repent so that our sins would be forgiven and [that we should worship] only Christ the human being. "
They asked some of the clergy, "Is he worthy of burial?"
The clergy replied, "No. Let him lie there as a spectacle. "
They kept going away and coming back to mock me.
And I am telling the truth when I say that this happened to me at the very time that I was explaining the eleventh chapter of the Book of Revelation.
Then I heard more serious words from the people who had been mocking me - especially these: "How can repentance be practiced apart from faith? How can Christ the human being be adored as God? Given that we are saved for free without our deserving it at all, what then do we need except faith alone - the faith that God the Father sent the Son to take away the damnation of the law, to credit us with his own merit, to justify us before the Father, to absolve us from our sins (with the priest as his mouthpiece), and then to give us the Holy Spirit, who activates every good thing within us? Aren't these points in accordance with Scripture and also with reason?"
The crowd of bystanders applauded these statements.
[2] I heard all this but was unable to respond because I was lying there almost dead.
After three and a half days, however, my spirit regained its health. In the spirit I went from that street into the city, and I said again, "Practice repentance and believe in Christ, and your sins will be forgiven and you will be saved. If you do not, you will perish. The Lord himself preached that we must repent in order for our sins to be forgiven, and that we must believe in him. He commanded the disciples to preach the same message. Surely the dogma of your faith leads to utter complacency about the way you live!"
"What are you babbling about?" they replied. "The Son has made satisfaction. The Father has assigned us the Son's credit and has justified us for the reason that these are our beliefs. We are now led by the spirit of grace. What sin could there be within us? What death could there be among us? Do you grasp this Good News, you preacher of sin and repentance?"
Then a voice from heaven said, "Surely the faith of someone who has not practiced repentance is nothing but a dead faith. The end has come, the end has come upon you who are complacent, guiltless in your own eyes, justified by your own faith - satans!"
At that moment a chasm suddenly opened up in the middle of the city and spread outward. The houses were falling in on each other and the people were swallowed up. Soon water bubbled up from the great hole and flooded what was already devastated.
[3] After they sank to a lower level and were seemingly covered in water, I wanted to know what their situation was like in the depths. A voice from heaven told me, "You will see and hear. "
Then the water that had seemingly flooded them disappeared from before my eyes. (Water in the spiritual world is a correspondence that appears around people who have false beliefs.) I saw the people in a sandy place at a great depth, where there were piles of stones. They were running between the piles of stones and loudly bemoaning their having been cast out of their great city. They were shouting and wailing, "Why has this happened to us? We are clean, pure, just, and holy because of our faith. Through our faith we have been cleansed, purified, justified, and sanctified. "
Some among them were saying, "Hasn't our faith made it possible for us to appear before God the Father and be seen and esteemed by him and declared before angels as clean, pure, just, and holy? Haven't we been reconciled, atoned for, ritually purged, and therefore absolved, washed, and wiped free of our sins? Didn't Christ take away the damnation of the law? Why then have we been thrown down here like the damned? We did hear from a bold proclaimer of sin in our great city, 'Believe in Christ and practice repentance. ' But didn't we believe in Christ when we believed in his merit? Didn't we practice repentance when we confessed that we were sinners? Why then has this happened to us?"
[4] A voice was then heard from the side: "Are you aware of any sin in yourselves? Have you ever examined yourselves, and then abstained from any evil because it is sinful against God? If you do not abstain from sin, then you are still in it; and sin is the Devil. You, then, are the people of whom the Lord spoke when he said, 'You will then begin to say, "We ate and drank with you. You taught in our streets. " But he will say, "I tell you, I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from me, all you workers of wickedness"' (Luke 13:26-27). Matthew 7:22-23 is also about you. Therefore go away, each to your own place. Do you see the openings to those caves? Go in there, and each of you will be given your own work to do, and food in accordance with your work. If you don't go in, your hunger will drive you in. "
[5] After that a voice from heaven came to some people who were up at the level of the ground but were outside the city (see Revelation 11:13). The voice said loudly, "Beware! Beware of associating with people like that. Don't you understand that evils that are called sins and acts of wickedness make us unclean and impure? How can you be cleansed and purified from them except by active repentance and by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ? Active repentance is examining yourselves, recognizing and admitting to your sins, accepting that you are at fault, confessing them before the Lord, begging for his help and power in resisting them, stopping doing them, and living a new life. All this is to be done as if you were doing it on your own. Do this once or twice a year when you are about to take Holy Communion. Afterward, when the sins for which you are at fault recur, say to yourselves, 'We do not want these, because they are sins against God. ' This is active repentance.
[6] "Surely you can all recognize that if you do not examine yourselves and see your sins, you remain in them. From birth you find all evils delightful. It feels good to take revenge, to be promiscuous, to cheat, to slander, and especially to dominate others out of love for yourselves. Because they feel good you overlook them. If someone happens to point out to you that they are sins, you make excuses for them because they feel good; you use false arguments to insist that they are not sins, and you stay in them. And afterward you do those evil things more than you did before, to the point where you no longer know what sin is or even whether there is such a thing.
"It is different, however, for people who actively go through a process of repentance. The evils that they recognize and admit to [in themselves] they call sins. They therefore begin to abstain and turn away from them. Eventually they begin to feel the pleasure of those evils as unpleasant. The more this happens, the more they see and love what is good, and eventually even feel delight in it, which is the delight that the angels in heaven feel. Briefly put, the more we put the Devil behind us, the more we are adopted by the Lord and are taught, led, held back from what is evil, and kept in what is good by him. This is the pathway from hell to heaven; there is no other way. "
[7] It is amazing that Protestants have such a deep-seated resistance, antipathy, and aversion to active repentance. Their reaction to it is so strong that they cannot force themselves to do self-examination, to see their sins, and to confess them before God. It is as if they are overcome by horror as soon as they form the intention to do it. I have asked many Protestants in the spiritual world about this, and they all said that it is completely beyond their strength. When they heard that Catholics practice this, that is, that they examine themselves and openly confess their sins to a monk, the Protestants were profoundly amazed, especially since the Protestants themselves could not do this even in secret before God, although they had been commanded, just as the Catholics had been, to do this when they were about to take the Holy Supper. Some people in the spiritual world investigated why this was, and discovered that faith alone was what had led to such an impenitent state and such an attitude of heart. Then those Protestants were allowed to see that Catholics who worship Christ and do not call on the saints are saved.
[8] After that we heard a kind of thunder, and a voice speaking from heaven and saying, "We are amazed. Say to the gathering of Protestants, 'Believe in Christ and practice repentance, and you will be saved. '"
So I said it.
I added, "Clearly, baptism is a sacrament of repentance and therefore introduction into the church. What else do godparents promise for the child being baptized but that he or she will renounce the Devil and all his works? Clearly, the Holy Supper is a sacrament of repentance and therefore introduction into heaven. Doesn't the priest say to those about to take it that they absolutely have to practice repentance first? Clearly, the catechism is the universal teaching of the Christian church; it urges repentance. Isn't it true that the six commandments on the second tablet say, 'You are not to do this and that thing that is evil,' not, 'You are to do this and that thing that is good'? Therefore you are capable of knowing that the more we renounce and turn away from what is evil, the more we desire and love what is good; and that before that, we do not know what good is, or even what evil is. "
567. At this point I shall add some accounts of experiences, of which this is the first. 1
I was suddenly struck by a nearly fatal illness. My whole head became heavy. A pestilential fog assailed me from the Jerusalem, the name of which is Sodom and Egypt (Revelation 11:8). I was half-dead with savage pain, and awaited my end. I lay thus in my bed for three and a half days. My spirit underwent these pains, and so consequently did my body. Then I heard voices around me saying: 'Look, here there lies dead in a street in our city the man who preached repentance for the forgiveness of sins, and Christ the man alone as God.' They asked some of the clergy whether he deserved burial. They said he did not; 'let him lie there for people to see.' They kept going away, coming back and ridiculing me. This truly happened to me, when I was writing the explanation of the eleventh chapter of Revelation.
Then I heard serious charges brought against me by those who ridiculed me, in particular the following. 'How,' they said, 'can one repent without faith? How can Christ the man be reverenced as God? When we are freely given salvation without any merit on our part, what need have we of anything but faith that God the Father sent His Son to take away the condemnation imposed by law, to impute His own merit to us and so to justify us in His sight, to absolve us from our sins by a priest's proclamation, and then to give us the Holy Spirit, who performs all the good we do? Surely all this is in agreement with Scripture, and also with reason? The crowd standing round applauded this speech.
[2] I heard this, but was unable to reply, because I lay almost dead. But after three and a half days my spirit revived, and I went out from the street in the spirit into the city, and said again: 'Repent and believe in Christ, and your sins will be forgiven and you will be saved; if not, you will perish. Did not the Lord Himself preach repentance for the forgiveness of sins, and that men should believe in Him? Did He not command His disciples to preach the same? Does not the dogma of your faith lead to total lack of concern for how you live?'
'What nonsense!' they said. 'Did not the Son make satisfaction? And does not the Father impute that? He justifies us who have believed this. Thus we are led by the spirit of grace; what sin is there then in us? What has death to do with us? Do you understand this Gospel, you who proclaim sin and repentance?'
Then a voice came out of heaven, saying: 'What is the faith of the impenitent but a dead one? The end has come, the end has come upon you who feel secure and blameless in your own eyes, you satans who think yourselves justified by your faith.' Then suddenly a pit opened up in the middle of the city, gaped wide, and house after house fell into it, and they were swallowed up. A little while later water boiled up out of that broad whirlpool and flooded the devastated city.
[3] When they had been thus seen to be plunged and overwhelmed in a flood, I wanted to know what was their fate in the depths, and I was told from heaven that I should see and hear.
Then before my eyes the waters disappeared which had overwhelmed them, for waters in the spiritual world are correspondences, and therefore appear around those who have false beliefs. Then I saw them on a sandy bottom, where there were heaps of stones, among which they ran about bewailing their expulsion from their great city.
They kept shouting and crying: 'Why has this happened to us? Are we not through our faith clean, pure, righteous and holy? Have we not been by our faith cleansed, purified, justified and sanctified?' Others cried: 'Have we not been made through our faith fit to appear before God the Father, and to be seen, accounted and declared before the angels clean, pure, righteous and holy? Have not reconciliation, propitiation and expiation been accomplished for us, so that we are acquitted, washed and cleansed of sins? Has not Christ taken away our condemnation by the law? Why then have we been cast down here as damned? We heard a daring man denouncing sin in our great city cry "Believe in Christ and repent." Did we not believe in Christ, when we believed in His merit? Did we not repent, when we confessed ourselves to be sinners? Why then has this happened to us?'
[4] Then a voice was heard close by saying to them: 'Do you know any sin that is in you? Have you ever examined yourselves, and therefore shunned any evil as a sin against God? Anyone who does not shun it remains in it. Is not sin the devil? You therefore are those of whom the Lord says:
Then you will begin to say, We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets. But he will say, I tell you, I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all who do iniquity, Luke 13:26-27; also those described in Matthew 7:22-23.
Depart, therefore, each of you to his own place. You see the openings leading to caves. Go in there, and there each of you will be given work to do, and you will receive food in proportion to the work you do. Even if you refuse, hunger will none the less force you to go in.'
[5] Afterwards a voice came from heaven to some people on the earth's surface, who had been outside that great city (and those too are mentioned in Revelation 11:13), saying loudly: 'Beware! Beware of associating with such people. Can you not understand that it is the evils called sins and iniquities that make a person unclean and impure? How can anyone be cleansed and purified from them, except by real repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ? Real repentance is examining oneself, recognising and acknowledging one's sins, accusing oneself and confessing them before the Lord, asking for help and power to resist them, and so desisting from them, leading a new life, and doing all this as if of oneself. Do this once or twice a year, when you go to Holy Communion, and thereafter, when the sins you accused yourselves of recur, you should say to yourselves, "We do not want to do those things because they are sins against God." This is real repentance.
[6] 'Can anyone fail to understand that a person who does not examine himself and see his sins continues in them? For from birth we find every evil pleasant. It is pleasant to take revenge, commit fornication, cheat, blaspheme, and particularly to control others out of self-love. Does not the pleasure cause them not to be seen as sins? And if perhaps someone says that they are sins, would not the pleasure they give make you excuse them, or even use false arguments to prove that they are not sins? Thus you continue in them and do them afterwards more than before; and this goes on until you do not know what a sin is, or rather, whether there is such a thing as sin. The case is different with anyone who has really repented, He calls his evils, which he has recognised and acknowledged, sins, and therefore begins to shun them and turn away from them; and he ends by feeling the pleasure they give as distasteful. In so far as this happens, he sees and loves what is good, and ends by feeling the pleasure that gives, and this is the pleasure experienced by the angels in heaven. In short, in so far as anyone casts the devil behind his back, he is adopted by the Lord, who teaches and guides him, restrains him from evils and keeps him in good deeds. This and no other is the way from hell to heaven.'
[7] It is extraordinary that the Reformed have some inborn resistance, contrariety and aversion for real repentance. This is so strong that they cannot bring themselves to examine themselves, and to see their sins, and to confess them before God. A kind of horror grips them when they form such an intention. I have questioned very many in the spiritual world on the subject, and they all said that this is beyond their powers. On hearing that the Roman Catholics none the less do this, that is, examine themselves and openly confess their sins before a monk, they were very surprised; and they said too that the Reformed are unable to do this secretly before God, although this duty is imposed equally on them, before coming to the Holy Supper. Some people there enquired why this was, and discovered that it was the dogma of faith alone that had produced such a state of impenitence and made their hearts like this. Then they were allowed to see that those Roman Catholics who worship Christ, and do not invoke the saints, are saved.
[8] After this a clap of thunder was heard and a voice speaking from heaven, saying: 'We are astonished. Tell the gathering of the Reformed: "Believe in Christ, and repent, and you will be saved."' So I told them, and went on: 'Is not baptism a sacrament of repentance and so an introduction into the church? What else do the godparents promise on behalf of the person to be baptised, but to abjure the devil and his works? Is not the Holy Supper a sacrament of repentance and so an introduction to heaven? Are not communicants told that they must at all costs repent before they present themselves? Is not the Catechism the universal doctrine of the Christian church, and does it not teach repentance? Is it not said there in the six commandments of the second table, "You are not to do this or that evil act," not "You are to do this or that good act." From this you may know that in so far as anyone abjures and turns away from evil, so far does he strive after and love good; and that before this he does not know what good is, nor even what evil is.'
Footnotes:
1. This passage is repeated from Apocalypse Revealed 531.
567. To all this the following Memorable Relations shall be added.
First:
I was suddenly seized with a disease almost deadly; my whole head was oppressed; a pestilential smoke was let into it from the Jerusalem which is called:
Sodom and Egypt (Revelation 11:8).
I was half dead with the fierce pain; I expected my end. In this state I lay in my bed for three days and a half. My spirit was brought into that condition, and from it my body.
Then I heard about me the voices of some, who said, "Behold, he who preached repentance for the forgiveness of sins and Christ as alone man, lies dead in the street of our city." And they asked some of the clergy whether that man was worthy of burial; and they answered, "No; let him lie and be looked at." And they kept going, and coming, and scoffing.
Of a truth this so happened to me while explaining the eleventh chapter of The Apocalypse.
Then harsh remarks were heard from the scoffers, especially these "How can man repent without faith? How can the man Christ be adored as God? Since we are saved freely without any merit of our own, what need is there of anything except the faith only that God the Father sent the Son to take away the damnation of the law, to impute to us His merit, and so justify us before Him, absolve us from our sins by the declaration of a priest, and then give us the Holy Spirit to work in us all good? Is this not in accordance with Scripture and also in accordance with reason?" At this the crowd that stood by applauded.
[2] I heard this and was unable to reply, because I lay almost dead. But after three days and a half my spirit recovered, and in spirit I went out on the street into the city and said again, "Repent, and believe in Christ, and your sins will be forgiven, and you will be saved; otherwise, you will perish. Did not the Lord Himself preach repentance for the forgiveness of sins, and that they should believe in Him? Did He not command His disciples to preach the same? Does not complete unconcern about life follow the dogma of your faith?"
But they said, "What nonsense! Has not the Son made satisfaction? Does not the Father impute this to us? We who believe this He justifies; thus we are led by the spirit of grace. What then is sin in us, and what is death with us? Preacher of sin and repentance, do you understand this gospel?"
Then a voice came forth out of heaven, saying, "What is the faith of an impenitent man but a dead faith? The end has come, the end has come upon you, unconcerned, blameless in your own eyes, justified in your own belief, satans." Then suddenly a chasm was opened in the midst of the city; it widened; house after house fell into it, and they were swallowed up; and straightway water welled up from the wide gulf and overflowed the waste.
[3] When they had thus sunk down and been apparently overflowed, I was wishing to know their lot in the abyss, and I was told from heaven, "You shall see and hear."
And then the waters by which they seemed to be overflowed disappeared before my eyes; for waters in the spiritual world are correspondences, and therefore appear about those who are in falsities - I then saw them in the sandy bottom, where heaps of stones were piled, among which they were running about and lamenting that they had been cast out of their great city.
They shouted and cried out, "Why has this come upon us? Are we not, by our faith, clean, pure, just, and holy? Are we not, by our faith, cleansed, purified, justified and sanctified?" And others cried out, "Are we not, by our faith, made such that before God the Father we appear, are seen, and are reputed, and before the angels are declared to be clean, pure, just and holy? Have we not been reconciled, propitiated, expiated, and therefore absolved, washed, and cleansed from sin? Has not the condemnation of the law been taken away by Christ? Why, then, have we been cast down into this place as if damned? We heard a bold preacher against sin say in our great city, 'Believe in Christ, and repent.' Have we not believed in Christ, since we have believed in His merit? Have we not, repented, since we have confessed that we are sinners? Why then has this befallen us?"
[4] Then was heard a voice from one side saying to them, "Do you know of anyone sin in which you are? Have you ever examined yourselves, and consequently shunned any evil as a sin against God? He who does not shun evil is in evil. Is not sin the devil? Therefore you are those of whom the Lord says:
Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk before Thee, and Thou hast taught in our streets. But He will say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from Me, all ye workers of iniquity (Luke 13:26, 27; as also those of whom He speaks,Matthew 7:22, 23).
Away, therefore, each to his own place. You see openings in the caverns; enter, and to each one of you will be given his own task to be done, and then food in proportion to your work. If you do not, hunger will soon compel you to go in."
[5] Afterward there came a voice out of heaven to some on the earth who were outside of that great city (who also are spoken of in Revelation 11:13), saying loudly, "Beware, beware of affiliation with such spirits. Can you not understand that the evils which are called sins and iniquities render man unclean and impure? How can man be cleansed and purified from them except by actual repentance, and by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ?"
"Actual repentance is to examine oneself, to recognize and acknowledge one's sins, to hold oneself guilty, to confess sins before the Lord, to pray for help and power to resist them, and thus refrain from them and begin a new life; and all this you must do as if of yourselves. Do so once or twice a year, when you come to the holy communion; and afterward, whenever the sins of which you have found yourselves guilty recur, say to yourselves, 'We will not do this because it is a sin against God.' This is actual repentance.
[6] Who cannot understand that he who does not examine and see his sins remains in them? For every evil is delightful to a man from his birth; it is delightful to him to take revenge, to commit whoredom, to defraud, to blaspheme, and especially to exercise dominion from self-love; and does not this delight prevent your seeing these sins? And if, perchance, you are told that they are sins, do you not from their delight excuse them, and even prove to yourselves by means of falsities that they are not sins? And, therefore, you remain in them, and afterward commit them more frequently than before, and this even until you do not know what sin is, or indeed whether there is any such thing. With anyone who actually repents it is different. His evils, such as he has recognized and acknowledged, he calls sins, and therefore begins to shun them and turn away from them; and finally to feel their delight to be undelightful. And so far as this is done he sees and loves good, and at length feels the delight of good, which is the delight of the angels of heaven. In a word, so far as anyone puts the devil behind him, he is accepted by the Lord, and is taught, led, withheld from evil, and kept in good by Him; and this is the way, and the only way, from hell to heaven."
[7] It is wonderful that with the Reformed there is a certain enrooted objection, repugnance, and aversion to actual repentance, which is so great as to prevent their compelling themselves to examine themselves, to see their sins, and to confess them before God; it is as if horror seized them when this is proposed. In the spiritual world I have asked very many about this, and they all have declared that it was beyond their power. When they have heard that this is still done by the papists, that is, that they examine themselves, and openly confess their sins to a monk, they have been very much astonished, and especially that the Reformed could not even do this in secret before God, although it is equally enjoined upon them before they come to the holy supper. Some there wished to know why this is so; and they found that such a state of impenitence and such a heart are induced by faith alone. Then it was granted them to see that those Roman Catholics who worship Christ and do not invoke saints are saved.
[8] After this, something like thunder was heard, and a voice speaking from heaven, saying, "We are amazed. Say to the assembly of the Reformed, 'Believe in Christ, repent, and you will be saved. '"
This I said, adding also, "Is not baptism a sacrament of repentance, and therefore introduction into the church? What do the sponsors promise for him who is about to be baptized, but that he will renounce the devil and his works? Is not the holy supper a sacrament of repentance, and thus introduction into heaven? Are not communicants told by all means to repent before coming to it? Does not the catechism, the doctrine of the entire Christian church, teach repentance? Is it not there said, in the six commandments of the second table, Thou shalt not do this or that evil, and not, Thou shalt do this or that good? From this you may know that so far as anyone renounces evil and turns away from it, so far he is moved by and loves good, and until then does not know what good is, nor even what evil is."
567. MEMORABILIA.
To the above will be added the following Memorabilia. The first experience is as follows. I was once suddenly attacked by a disease that almost proved fatal. My whole head was racked with pain; a pestilential smoke blew in upon me from the Jerusalem called Sodom and Egypt, Revelation 11:8; I was half dead with cruel pain, and I expected the end. Thus I lay in bed for three days and a half. It was my spirit that was so affected, and from it my body. I then heard around me voices of those who cried, "Lo! There lies dead in the street of our city he that preached repentance for the remission of sins, and the man Christ alone." Then they asked some of the clergy whether he was worthy of burial; but they answered, "No; let him lie, as a spectacle to be looked at;" and they kept passing to and fro, and mocked. Of a truth this happened to me when I was writing the explanation of the eleventh chapter of the Revelation. Then I heard the scoffers saying sententiously such things as these: "How can repentance be performed without faith? How can the man Christ be adored as God? Since we are saved of free grace without any merit of our own, what need we but this faith only, that God the Father sent the Son to take away the condemnation of the law, to impute His merit to us and so justify us in His sight, to absolve us from our sins by the declaration of a priest, and then to give the Holy Spirit to work all good in us? These things are agreeable to Scripture, and also to reason." All this the crowd standing by applauded.
[2] I heard these things, but had not the power to reply, as I lay almost dead. But after three days and a half my spirit recovered; and being in the spirit, I went from the street into the city, and said again, "Repent, and believe in Christ, and your sins will be remitted, and you will be saved; otherwise you will perish. The Lord Himself preached repentance for the remission of sins, and that men should believe in Him; and He commanded His disciples to preach the same. Does not the teaching of your faith result in complete unconcern regarding your life?" But they said: "What nonsense you are talking! The Son has made satisfaction; the Father imputes it to us, and justifies us who have believed this. We are led in this way by the spirit of grace, and therefore sin can have no place in us, and death can have no power over us. Do you understand this Gospel, you that preach sin and repentance"?"
Then a voice came down from heaven, saying: "The faith of an impenitent man is a dead faith. The end is come, the end is come upon you, satans, that are unconcerned, blameless in your own eyes, and justified in your own faith." Then suddenly in the middle of the city an abyss opened up, which spread widely; and houses falling upon one another were engulfed; and presently water welled up from the wide chasm and overflowed the waste.
[3] When they were thus submerged and seemed to be overwhelmed, I desired to know the lot of those in the abyss; and a voice from heaven said to me: "You shall see and hear." Thereupon the waters in which they seemed overwhelmed were dispersed before my eyes; for waters in the spiritual world are correspondences, and consequently appear to surround those who are in falsities. Then I saw them on a sandy stretch of land where heaps of stones were collected, among which they were running about, and lamenting that they had been cast out of their great city. They kept shouting and calling out, "Why has this befallen us? Are we not through our faith clean, pure, just and holy? Have we not through our faith been cleansed, purified, justified and sanctified?" Others cried out, "Are we not through our faith rendered fit to appear before God the Father, to be seen in His presence, to receive imputation, and to be declared clean, pure, just and holy before the angels? Are we not reconciled, propitiated, expiated, and thus absolved, washed and cleansed from our sins? Is not the condemnation of the law taken away by Christ? Why, then, are we cast into this place as condemned? We heard a bold preacher against sin say in our great city, 'Believe in Christ and repent.' Did we not believe in Christ when we believed in His merit? And did we not repent when we confessed that we were sinners? Why, then, has this befallen us?"
[4] Thereupon a voice close at hand was heard saying, "Do you know of any sin to which you are addicted? Have you examined yourselves, and in consequence shunned any evil as a sin against God? for he who does not shun sin remains in it, and sin is the devil. You are, therefore, those of whom the Lord says:
"Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But He shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are: depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. Luke 13:26-27; Matthew 7:22-23.
Depart, therefore, every one to his own place. You see those openings into caverns? Enter, and work shall be given each of you to do, and afterwards food in proportion to your work. If you refuse to enter, hunger will nevertheless compel you."
[5] Then there came a voice from heaven to some on the earth who were outside that great city, and who are mentioned in Revelation 11:13, crying aloud, "Take heed; beware of associating with such as these. Can you not understand that evils, which are called sins and iniquities, render a man unclean and impure? How can a man be cleansed and purified from them but by actual repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ? Now actual repentance consists in a man's examining himself, recognizing and acknowledging his sins, owning that he is guilty of them, confessing them before the Lord, imploring help and power to resist them, and thus desisting from them and leading a new life, and doing all this as of himself. Do this once or twice a year, when you come to the Holy Communion; and afterwards, when the sins of which you have been guilty present themselves, then say to yourselves, 'We will not commit them because they are sins against God.' This is actual repentance.
[6] "Every one can understand that the man who does not search out and see his sins remains in them; for from his birth all evil is delightful to him. You know it is delightful to take revenge, to commit fornication, to defraud, to blaspheme, and especially to domineer over others from the love of self. The delight these evils afford prevents them from being recognized as sins; and should it be pointed out that they are sins, that delight causes you to make excuses for them, and indeed to prove by falsities that they are not sins. Thus you continue in them, and afterwards practice them more than before, till you do not know what sin is, or whether there is any such thing. It is otherwise with the man who actually repents. The evils in himself which he recognizes and acknowledges, he calls sins, and on that account begins to shun them and to turn away from them; and at length he no longer finds delight in them. In proportion as this is the case, he sees and loves what is good, and at length finds delight in it; and this is the delight of the angels of heaven. In a word, so far as any one renounces the devil, he is adopted by the Lord, and by Him is taught, led, withheld from evil and kept in good. This is the way, and there is no other, that leads away from hell to heaven."
[7] It is a remarkable fact that the Reformed have a certain deep-rooted repugnance to actual repentance. This is so intense that they cannot bring themselves to practice self-examination, to see their sins, and confess them before God; they are seized as it were, with horror at the thought of it. I have questioned many of them in the spiritual world concerning this, and they all declared it was beyond their power. When they were informed that the Roman Catholics constantly do so, that is, that they examine themselves and openly confess their sins before a monk, they were greatly astonished; more especially as the Reformed cannot do the same in private before God, although it is equally enjoined upon them before they come to the Holy Supper. Some of them inquired into the cause of this, and they found that it was the doctrine of faith alone which induced this impenitent state of heart; and it was then granted them to see that those Roman Catholics who worship Christ, and do not invoke saints, are saved.
[8] After this there was heard a sound as of thunder, and a voice speaking from heaven, saying: "We are astonished! Say to the assembly of the Reformed, 'Believe in Christ, and repent, and you will be saved.'" I did so, and added: "Baptism is a sacrament of repentance, and thus an introduction into the Church; for the sponsors promise for the one about to be baptized that he will renounce the devil and his works. The Holy Supper is also a sacrament of repentance, and thus an introduction into heaven; for it is announced to communicants that they ought to repent, as far as in them lies, before coming to it. The Decalogue, that is, the Catechism of the universal doctrine of the Christian Church, teaches repentance; for there, in the six precepts of the second table, it is said: 'Thou shalt not do this and that evil,' and not, 'Thou shalt do this and that good.' Hence you may know, that as far as any one renounces and turns away from evil, he desires and loves good; and that before this takes place he does not know what good is, nor even what evil is."
567. His adjicientur sequentia MEMORABILIA: Primum hoc. Subito correptus sum morbo paene lethali; totum Caput ingravatum erat; immissus fuit fumus pestilentus ex Hierosolyma, quae vocatur Sodoma et Aegyptus, Apocalypsis 11:8fui semimortuus cum saevo dolore, exspectavi extremum; ita jacui in meo lecto per tres dies et dimidium; spiritus meus talis factus est, et ex illo corpus meum: et tunc audivi circum me voces dicentium, en jacet in platea Urbis nostrae mortuus, qui praedicavit Poenitentiam in remissionem peccatorum, et solum Christum hominem: et interrogabant aliquos e Clero, Numeri ille sepultura dignus sit; dixerunt quod non, jaceat ac spectetur; et abibant, redibant, subsannabant: ex veritate ita mihi contigit, cum explicabatur Caput XImum Apocalypseos. Auditae sunt tunc voces subsannantium graves, imprimis hae; quomodo potest Poenitentia agi absque fide; quomodo potest Christus homo adorari ut Deus; dum gratis salvamur absque ullo nostro merito, quid opus tunc nisi sola fide quod Deus Pater miserit Filium, qui damnationem Legis auferret, imputaret nobis meritum Ipsius, et sic coram Se justificaret nos, et absolveret nos praecone Sacerdote a peccatis, et tunc daret Spiritum sanctum, qui omne bonum in nobis operetur; annon haec sunt secundum Scripturam, et quoque secundum rationem; his Cohors adstans adplaudebat.
[2] Audiebam haec, nec potui respondere, quia jacui paene mortuus: at post tres dies et dimidium Spiritus meus convaluit, et quoad illum exivi e platea in Urbem, et dixi iterum, Poenitentiam agite, et credite in Christum, et remittentur vobis peccata, et salvabimini, et si non, peribitis; annon Ipse Dominus praedicavit poenitentiam in remissionem peccatorum, ac ut crederent in Ipsum; annon mandavit Discipulis ut idem praedicarent; anne plenaria securitas vitae sequitur vestrae fidei dogma: sed dixerunt, quid garris; Filiusne satisfecit, Paterne id imputat; nos qui credidimus hoc, justificat; ducimur sic spiritu gratiae; quid tunc in nobis peccatum; quid tunc cum nobis mors; capis hoc Evangelium, praeco peccati et poenitentiae: sed tunc exivit vox e Coelo, dicens, quid fides impoenitentis nisi mortua; venit finis, venit finis super vos securos, in oculis vestris inculpatos, in fide vestra justificatos, Satanae; et subito tunc barathrum aperiebatur in medio Urbis, seque dilatavit, et domus super domum cecidit, et absorpti sunt, et mox e lata voragine ebullivit aqua, et inundavit vastitatem.
[3] Quando ita demersi sunt, et visi inundati, desiderabam scire sortem illorum in profundo, et dictum est mihi e Coelo, videbis et audies; et tunc coram oculis meis disparatae sunt aquae, quibus inundati visi sunt, quia Aquae in Mundo spirituali sunt Correspondentiae, et inde apparent circum illos qui in falsis sunt; et tunc mihi visi in Fundo arenoso, ubi strues e lapidibus congestae, inter quas currebant, et lamentabantur quod ex magna sua Urbe conjecti essent, et vociferabantur et clamabant, cur hoc nobis; annon sumus per Fidem nostram mundi, puri, justi, sancti; annon sumus per Fidem nostram, mundati, purificati, justificati, sanctificati; et alii, annon sumus per fidem nostram tales facti, ut coram Deo Patre appareamus, videamur, reputemur, et coram Angelis declaremur mundi, puri, justi et sancti; sumusne reconciliati, propitiati, expiati, et sic exsoluti, abluti, et abstersi a peccatis; sublatane est a Christo damnatio Legis; cur itaque ut damnati huc conjecti sumus; audivimus ab audace praecone peccati in magna nostra Urbe, credite in Christum, et agite poenitentiam; annon credidimus in Christum, cum in Meritum Ipsius; et annon egimus poenitentiam, cum confessi sumus quod simus peccatores; cur itaque hoc nobis evenit.
[4] Sed tunc audita est vox ad illos a latere, an scitis ullum peccatum in quo estis; an usquam exploravistis vos; an ideo fugistis aliquod malum ut peccatum contra Deum, et qui non fugit illud, est in illo; estne peccatum diabolus; quare estis de quibus Dominus dicit, Tunc incipietis dicere, edimus coram Te et bibimus, et in plateis nostris docuisti, sed dicet, dico vobis, non novi vos unde estis; discedite a Me omnes operarii iniquitatis, Luca 13:26-27, ut et de quibus Matthaeus 7:22-23; 1 abite itaque, quisque in suum locum; videtis aperturas in Cavernas; intrate illuc, et dabitur ibi cuique vestrum suum opus ad faciendum, et tunc cibus ad mensuram operis; si non, usque fames urgebit vos ad intrandum.
[5] Postea vox e Coelo facta est ad quosdam super terra, qui extra Urbem illam magnam fuerunt, de quibus etiam [Apoc.] Cap. 11:13, dicens alte, cavete vobis, cavete vobis a consociatione cum similibus; annon potestis intelligere, quod mala, quae vocantur peccata et iniquitates, immundum et impurum reddant hominem; quomodo potest homo ab illis mundari et purificari, quam per actualem poenitentiam, et per fidem in Dominum Jesum Christum: actualis poenitentia est, explorare se, cognoscere et agnoscere sua peccata, se reum facere, confiteri illa coram Domino, implorare opem et potentiam resistendi illis, et sic desistere ab illis, et novam vitam agere, et haec omnia sicut a vobis; facite ita semel aut bis in anno, quando acceditis ad Sanctam Communionem, et postea cum peccata, quorum reos vos fecistis, recurrunt, tunc vobiscum dicatis, non volumus illa, quia sunt peccata contra Deum; haec est Poenitentia actualis.
[6] Quis non potest intelligere, quod qui non explorat et videt sua peccata, maneat in illis, omne enim malum a nativitate jucundum est, jucundum enim est, vindicare, scortari, defraudare, blasphemare, imprimis dominari ex amore sui, annon jucundum facit ut non videantur, et si forte dicitur quod peccata sint, annon ex jucundo illorum excusatis illa, imo per falsa confirmatis quod peccata non sint, et sic manetis in illis, et facitis illa postea plus quam prius, et hoc eousque, dum non scitis quid peccatum, imo num sit peccatum. Aliter fit cuivis, qui Poenitentiam actualiter egit; ille mala sua, quae cognovit et agnovit, vocat peccata, ac ideo incipit illa fugere et aversari, 2 et tandem jucundum illorum sentire injucundum; et quantum hoc fit, tantum videt et amat bona, et tandem sentit horum jucundum, quod est jucundum Angelorum Coeli; verbo, quantum quis rejicit diabolum ad tergum, tantum adoptatur a Domino, et ab Ipso docetur, ducitur, detinetur a malis, et tenetur in bonis; haec via est, et non alia ab Inferno ad Coelum.
[7] Hoc mirabile est, quod quaedam insita renuentia, tergiversatio et aversatio pro Poenitentia actuali sit Reformatis, quae tanta est, ut non possint adigere semet ad explorandum se, et ad videndum sua peccata, et ad confitendum ea coram Deo; est sicut horror invadat illos dum id intendunt; quaesivi permultos in Mundo spirituali de eo, et dixerunt omnes, quod hoc sit supra vires illorum: cum audiverunt quod Pontificii usque hoc faciant, hoc est, quod explorent se, et palam confiteantur peccata sua coram Monacho, valde mirati sunt, et insuper quod Reformati non possint id facere in occulto coram Deo, tametsi id illis aeque injunctum est antequam ad Sacram Coenam accedunt; et quidam ibi inquisiverunt cur hoc, ac invenerunt quod sola Fides talem impoenitentiae statum et tale cor induxerit: et tunc datum est illis videre, quod illi ex Pontificiis, qui adorant Christum, et non invocant Sanctos, salventur.
[8] Post haec auditum est sicut tonitru, et vox loquens e Coelo, dicens, miramur; dic ad Caetum Reformatorum, credite in Christum, et agite Poenitentiam, et salvabimini: et dixi, et insuper; estne BAPTISMUS Sacramentum Poenitentiae, et inde Introductio in Ecclesiam; quid aliud Patrini pro Baptizando spondent, quam ut abdicet diabolum et ejus opera. Estne SACRA COENA Sacramentum poenitentiae, et inde Introductio in Coelum; diciturne ad Communicantes, ut omnino ante accessionem poenitentiam agant. Estne CATECHISMUS Doctrina Universalis Ecclesiae Christianae 3 docens poenitentiam; diciturne ibi in sex Praeceptis Secundae Tabulae, hoc et illud Malum non facies, et non dicitur, hoc et illud Bonum facies: inde potestis scire, quod quantum quis Malum abdicat et aversatur, tantum Bonum affectet et amet, et quod prius non sciat quid Bonum, imo nec quid Malum.
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