第二节 灵性世界中的路德、梅兰希顿与加尔文
796# 我曾多次与这三位基督教改革的先导者交谈，由此得知他们从起初直到今日的生命状态。
至于路德：他初入灵性世界时，是其教义最热烈的传播者和维护者；并且随着地上赞同并拥护他的人数增多，他为这些教义所发的热心也随之增长。在那里赐给他一所房屋，正如他在肉身生活时于艾斯勒本所有的房屋一样；他在其中间设立一个稍高的座位，自己坐在其上；又开门接纳听众，并将他们排列成次序：最赞同他的人，他召至离自己最近之处；较少赞同的人，则安置在他们之后。于是他连续讲论，并不时允许人提问，目的在于使他已经结束的讲论，能从某个问题重新开始，再次展开。
【2】由于这种普遍的赞同，他终于吸收了一种说服力；这种说服力在灵性世界中具有如此效能，以致无人能抗拒，也无人能反驳其所说之事。然而，因为这种说服力乃是古人所使用的一种蛊惑术，所以他后来被严禁再凭这种说服力严肃发言；此后，他便像从前一样，凭记忆并同时凭理智施教。这样的说服力，乃是一种蛊惑术，是由自我之爱流出的；由此终至如此情形：当有人反驳时，他所攻击的不只是所争论之事本身，也攻击那人本身。
【3】这就是他的生命状态，直到最后审判为止；这最后审判于一七五七年在灵性世界中施行。此后过了一年，他从原先的房屋被迁至另一处，同时也进入另一种状态。那时他听见我这仍在自然世界中的人，竟能与灵性世界中的人交谈，便同许多人一起来到我这里；经过若干问答之后，他觉察到：今日乃是前一个教会的终结，也是新教会的开端；这新教会正是但以理所预言的，也是主自己在福音书中所预告的；并且，启示录中的新耶路撒冷，以及那位飞在空中、向住在地上的人传永远福音的天使所指的，正是这新教会（启14:6）。他对此甚为愤怒，并加以斥责；然而，当他觉察到新天正在建立——这新天已经并且正在由那些唯独承认主为天地之上帝的人所形成，正如主自己的话所说：“天上地下所有的权柄都赐给我了”（太28:18）——又当他看见每日聚集到他那里的人群逐渐减少时，他的斥责便止息了。于是他更近前来，开始与我较为亲切地交谈。后来，当他被说服，知道“唯独因信称义”这一主要教义并非取自圣言，而是出于他自己的理解时，他便容许自己受教，学习关于主、关于仁义、关于真信仰、关于自由意志，并进而关于救赎的事；而这一切教导，都是单单根据圣言而来。
【4】最后，在被说服之后，他开始赞同，并且越来越多地在那些真理中坚固自己；而新教会正是由这些真理得以建立。那时他每日都在我那里；并且每逢他重新思想这些真理时，便开始嘲笑自己先前的教义，视之为与圣言截然相反之物。我听见他说：“不要惊奇我曾执取唯独称义之信，并将仁义从其属灵本质中排除，又从人在属灵事上的一切自由意志中夺去能力，此外还有许多别的教义；这些一旦接受了唯信，便如链条上的钩环一般接连悬挂其上。因为我的目的，是要与罗马天主教徒分离；若不如此，我便不能达到并取得这个目的。因此，我并不惊奇自己曾经偏离正道；我所惊奇的是，一个发狂的人竟能产生出那么多发狂的人。”他说这话时，从旁观看他当时那些以教义著作闻名、忠实追随其教义的若干神学作家，责怪他们竟没有看见圣经中那些相反的证据，而这些证据明明存在。
【5】探察的天使告诉我：这位领袖在那些坚固自己于唯独因信称义之教义的人中，较许多人更处于归正的状态；因为他在幼年时，在尚未着手进行改革以前，曾吸收仁义为首要的教义。因此，无论在他的著作中，还是在他的讲道中，他都曾极为出色地教导仁义。由此可知，称义之信在他那里只是被植入其外在的属世人中，并未扎根于其内在的属灵人中。至于那些在幼年时便坚固自己反对仁义之属灵性的人，情形则另当别论；当他们以种种确认来确立唯独因信称义时，这种情形也会自然发生。
我曾与萨克森选侯交谈；路德在世时曾与他同处。选侯告诉我，他曾屡次反驳路德，尤其指责他把仁义从信仰中分离出来，并宣布信仰是拯救人的，而仁义不是；然而圣经不仅把这两个普遍的得救媒介联结在一起，而且保罗还把爱置于信仰之上，说：“如今常存的有三样，就是信、望、爱；其中最大的是爱。”（林前13:13）但路德每次都回答说：由于罗马天主教徒的缘故，他不能不如此。此选侯乃在幸福者之列。
796# 我经常与这三个领袖，基督教会的改革者交谈，从而获知他们在灵界从一开始到现在的生活状态是什么样。至于路德，从他进入灵界的那一刻起，他就是他自己的教条的热心传播者和捍卫者；随着从地上来的那些认可和支持他的人数量增加，他对这些教条的热情与日俱增。他在那里得到一所房子，就像他活在肉身时在艾斯勒本所住的房子一样。他在这所房子的中心搭起了一种稍微高一些的宝座，他就坐在那里。他允许听众从一扇始终敞开的门进来，并分组安排他们。他把那些最赞成他的人安排到离他最近的地方，把那些不那么赞成他的人安排到他们后面的地方。然后，他定期向他们发表演讲，偶尔允许提问，以便他结束某个观点后，可以从不同的角度继续他的演讲。
随着时间推移，由于这种普遍的认可，他最终获得了一种说服能力或艺术；在灵界，这种说服能力或艺术如此有效，以至于没有人能抵制它，或反驳所说的话。但由于这是古人使用的一种咒语，所以他被严禁出于这种说服能力或艺术如此说话；此后，他又像以前一样出于记忆和理解来教导人。这种说服能力或艺术是一种咒语，源于自我之爱，因而最终具有这种性质：当有人反驳时，它不仅会攻击对手可能提出的问题，还攻击对手本身。
这就是直到1757年，最后的审判在灵界发生时，路德的生活状态。但过了一年，他从第一所房子搬到了另一所房子，同时经历了状态的变化。听说我仍活在自然界时，就能与灵界的人交谈，他就和其他几个人一起来拜访我。在问了一些问题，并得到我的回答后，他意识到，现在是但以理和主自己在福音书中所预言的前教会的结束和新教会的开始。他还意识到，启示录中的新耶路撒冷，以及飞在天空中间的天使要传给住在地上之人的“永远的福音”（启示录14:6）就是指这个新教会。他对此非常气愤，并怒斥我。但他发现，新天堂正在建立，是由那些根据主在马太福音（28:18）中的话，只承认主是天地之神的人形成的，并且正在形成；他也发现，自己的会众数量每天都在减少。因此，他不再怒斥，然后和我走得更近了，开始和我更亲密地交谈。当他确信，他不是从圣言，而是从他自己的聪明中得出了他的唯信称义的主要教条时，他就让自己接受关于主、仁爱、真正的信仰、自由选择或自由意志，以及救赎的教导，而这一切只来自圣言。
信服之后，他开始赞成作为新教会基础的真理，最终越来越确认它们。这段时间，他每天都和我在一起；随着他一个接一个地获得这些真理，他开始嘲笑自己以前的教条，简直与圣言截然对立。我听见他说：“不要奇怪我抓住唯信称义，剥夺了仁爱的属灵本质，从而剥夺了人们在属灵事物上的一切自由选择或自由意志，肯定许多依赖于被普遍接受时的唯信，就像链环依赖于链条一样的其它教条，因为我的目标是脱离罗马天主教，我无法以其它方式追求和实现这个目标。因此，我犯了错，我不奇怪；但我奇怪的是，一个疯子会让这么多人发疯；而且他们没有看到圣经中的矛盾，尽管这些矛盾如此明显。”他说这些话时，瞥了一眼站在他身边的一些教条主义作家，他们在他那个时代很有名，是他教义的忠实追随者。
检查天使告诉我，这个领袖比许多确认唯信称义的其他领袖更接近于转变的状态，因为在他年轻的时候，他在开始宗教改革之前，就充满了仁爱至上的教义。这就是为何在他的著作和布道中，他如此出色地教导仁爱; 因此，对他来说，称义的信仰只植入他的外在属世人，没有扎根于他的内在属灵人。对那些年轻时确认反对仁爱的灵性或属灵特征的人来说，情况就不同了；当他们通过确认确立唯信称义时，这种情况就会发生。我曾与萨克森选侯交谈过，路德在世上与他有联系。他告诉我，他经常责备路德，尤其责备他把仁爱与信仰分离，宣称使人得救的，是信仰，而不是仁爱；尽管不仅圣经将这两种普遍的得救方式结合在一起，甚至就连保罗都把仁爱置于信仰之上。因为他说：
有三样东西，即信，望，爱，其中最大的是爱。（哥林多前书13:13）
但他补充说，路德通常会回答说，由于罗马天主教，他不能不这样做。这位亲王在蒙福的人当中。
796. Luther, Melanchthon, and Calvin in the Spiritual World
I have often had conversations with these three leading reformers of the Christian church. I have learned what the state of their life has been from the beginning up to the present day.
As for Luther, from the moment he arrived in the spiritual world he was an ardent evangelist for and defender of his own theological teachings. As the number of people from earth who agreed and favored his position grew, his impassioned championing of those teachings only increased.
He was given a home like the one he had had in the world, at Eisleben. In the middle of that home he set up a chair on a low platform. He would sit there, and his door was open to people who came to hear him. He would line them up in rows, placing those who were most favorable to his views closest to himself and situating the less favorable behind them. Then he would follow a routine of holding forth for a while, and breaking now and then for questions, but always with a view to using the questions as a way to get back to the main point of his lecture.
[2] Over time, because of the widespread approval he was receiving he adopted a particular style of persuasive speaking that is so effective in the spiritual world that no one can resist it or take up a contrary position to what is being said. Because this technique was in fact a type of incantation that had been practiced in ancient times, however, he was strictly forbidden to use it. He went back to appealing to people's memory and understanding instead.
The type of persuasion (actually a form of incantation) that he had been practicing draws its power from self-love. Eventually that self-love leads the style of discourse to become such that when anyone contradicts what you are saying, you attack not only the point being made but also the person who is making it.
[3] This was the state of Luther's life all the way up to the time of the Last Judgment, which occurred in the spiritual world in 1757. Then a year after that, Luther was relocated from that first house of his to another; at the same time he was brought into a different state of life as well.
He came to hear about my situation - that although I was still in the physical world, I was having conversations with people in the spiritual world. Therefore he (and many others) sought me out. After a lot of questions and answers back and forth with me, he came to understand that this day is the end of the former church, and the beginning of the new church that Daniel had foretold and that the Lord himself prophesied in the Gospels. Luther also understood the idea that this new church is what is meant by the New Jerusalem in the Book of Revelation and by the everlasting gospel proclaimed by the angel, flying in the midst of heaven, to the people who dwell on the earth (Revelation 14:6).
At that point in the conversation, though, he became extremely upset and protested loudly against what I was saying. Nevertheless, as he gradually came to see that the new church has been and is being constituted of people who acknowledge the Lord alone as the God of heaven and earth (as the Lord himself says in Matthew 28:18), and as he noticed that the group that gathered around him daily was becoming smaller, his protestations came to an end.
We then developed a closer relationship and he began confiding in me. Once he had become thoroughly convinced that he had based his central doctrine of justification by faith alone on his own ideas and not on the Word, he allowed himself to be taught about the Lord, goodwill, true faith, free choice, and even redemption; and all this teaching was based exclusively on the Word.
[4] After being convinced, he began to prefer the truths that are foundational to the new church, and to become stronger in them. During this period he was spending time with me every day. Then whenever these truths would come to his mind, he would start to laugh at his own prior teachings, because they went directly against what the Word says.
I once heard him saying, "It is not all that surprising, though, that I latched onto faith alone as what justifies us, and cut goodwill off from its own spiritual essence, and took away the notion of any human free choice in spiritual things, not to mention the many other things that faith alone, once that is accepted, leads to, like one link after another in a chain. It was all because my goal was to separate from the Roman Catholics, and the notion of faith alone was the only way to pursue and achieve that. Therefore I am not surprised that I wandered off into error. But I am surprised that one deranged person can produce so many other deranged people. " Luther then looked over in the direction of some famous theological authors who were much read in their day, who were loyal adherents to his teachings.
"It does surprise me," he continued, "that people like these did not notice the statements in Sacred Scripture that contradict my teachings, even though such statements are standing there in plain sight. "
[5] The angels who examine people informed me that this leader, more than many others who had convinced themselves that we are justified by faith alone, was in a state of openness to change, because since his youth, before he ever began the Protestant Reformation, he had taken to heart the teaching that goodwill has the highest priority; this is why in both his writings and his sermons he had taught so beautifully about goodwill.
It became clear from this that the idea of justification by faith alone had taken root in his outer, earthly self, but not in his inner, spiritual self. The outcome is very different for people who become convinced in their youth that goodwill is not spiritual; this spontaneously occurs in listeners when a teacher uses supporting evidence to establish that we are justified by faith alone.
[6] I have had a conversation with the person who was the prince of Saxony when Luther was in the world. He told me that he had often raised objections to Luther, particularly on the point that Luther had separated goodwill from faith and declared that faith contributes to our salvation but goodwill does not, even though Sacred Scripture not only unites these two as the universal means of salvation, but Paul actually gives precedence to goodwill over faith when he says, "There are three things: faith, hope, and goodwill. The greatest of these is goodwill" (1 Corinthians 13:13). The prince noted, however, that Luther would give the same response every time - that he had no choice but to do so, because of the Roman Catholics. This prince is among the blessed.
796. Luther, Melanchthon and Calvin in the spiritual world.
I have held many conversations with these three leaders, who were the reformers of the Christian church, and thus I learned what has been the condition in which they lived from the beginning down to the present day. As for Luther, as soon as he arrived in the spiritual world, he was at once a keen propagator and defender of his dogmas, and as the numbers of his supporters coming from the earth increased, so did his zeal for those dogmas. He was given a house there similar to the one he had lived in while in the bodily life at Eisleben. In the middle of this he set up a slightly raised platform, where he took his seat. The door was open to admit listeners, whom he arranged in rows, the strongest supporters nearest to him, and those less favourable behind him. Then he spoke continuously, from time to time allowing questions, in order to be able to begin again by picking up the thread of the discourse he had just finished.
[2] As a result of this general support he finally adopted a false conviction; this is so potent in the spiritual world that no one can resist it or speak against what it prescribes. But because this was a kind of incantation as used by the ancients, he was forbidden to go on talking seriously on the basis of that conviction, and after that he taught as before from memory and at the same time the use of his understanding. A conviction of this sort which is a kind of incantation wells up from self-love. This ends up by making a person so disposed that, when anyone contradicts him, he not only attacks the subject under debate, but the other person himself.
[3] He lived like this up to the Last judgment, which took place in the spiritual world in 1757. A year later he was moved from his first house to another, at the same time moving into a different state. On hearing that I, although in the natural world, spoke with those who were in the spiritual world, he was one of a number who came to see me. After some questions had been put and answered, he perceived that the present time is the end of the former church and the beginning of the new church foretold by Daniel's prophecy, and also by the Lord Himself in the Gospels. He also grasped that it is this new church which is meant by the New Jerusalem in Revelation, and by the everlasting gospel which the angel flying in the midst of heaven announced to dwellers upon earth (Revelation 14:6). He became very indignant and abused me; but as he grasped that there was a new heaven, which was and is being made from those who acknowledge the Lord alone as God of heaven and earth, as His words in Matthew 28:18 state, and noticing that the size of his audience grew less day by day, he stopped being abusive, and then came closer to me and began to talk with me in a more intimate fashion. Once he had been convinced that he had drawn his principal dogma about justification by faith alone not from the Word, but from his own intelligence, he allowed himself to be instructed about the Lord, charity, true faith, free will and so on to redemption, all of this from no source but the Word. Finally when he had been convinced, he began to take a favourable view, and more and more to convince himself of the truths on which the new church is being founded.
[4] At this time he was with me daily, and then, whenever he recalled as being those truths, he began to laugh at his previous dogmas, as being something completely opposite to what the Word says. I heard him say: 'You should not be surprised that I seized upon faith alone as justifying, shut off charity from its spiritual essence and also took away from people all free will in spiritual matters, not to mention other things which hang like hooks from a chain on faith alone, once it is accepted. My aim was to make a split with the Roman Catholics, and there was no other way to achieve and accomplish this aim. I am not surprised therefore that I myself went astray, but I am surprised that one madman could drive so many others mad.' He glanced round here at some dogmatic writers who had been famous in his time, faithfully following his teaching, for failing to see the contradictions contained in Holy Scripture, evident though they were.
[5] The examining angels told me that this leader was in a better position to be converted than many others who had convinced themselves of justification by faith alone, because in childhood, before he started making the reformation, he had absorbed the dogma of the preeminence of charity. This was why both in his writings and his sermons he gave excellent teaching about charity. It is to be deduced from these facts that his belief in justification was implanted in his external natural man, not rooted in his internal spiritual man. The case is quite different with those who while young convince themselves that there is no spirituality in charity; and this also happens automatically, when justification by faith alone is well grounded upon arguments.
[6] I talked with the prince of Saxony with whom Luther had been in the world. He told me how he had often criticised him, in particular for separating charity from faith, and declaring faith and not charity as the means to salvation, when Holy Scripture not only links them as the two universal means to salvation, but Paul too puts charity above faith, saying that there are three things, faith, hope and charity, and the greatest of these is charity (1 Corinthians 13:13). Luther, however, replied every time that he could do no other because of the Roman Catholics. This prince is among the blessed.
796. LUTHER, MELANCTHON, AND CALVIN IN THE SPIRITUAL WORLD.
Having frequently talked with these three leaders, reformers of the Christian church, I have thus learned what the state of their life has been from its beginning in that world up to the present time. As for Luther, from the time that he entered the spiritual world he was a most vehement propagator and defender of his dogmas, and his zeal for them grew as the number of those from the earth who agreed with him and favored him increased. A house was given him there like the one he had at Eisleben while he lived in the body. In the center of this house he erected a sort of throne, somewhat elevated, where he sat; and through the open door he admitted hearers, and arranged them in classes, admitting to the class nearest to himself those who were the more favorable to him, and placing behind them those less favorable, and then he made set speeches to them, occasionally permitting questions in order that he might from some point resume the thread of his discourse.
[2] In consequence of this general approval he at length acquired a power of persuasion which is so efficacious in the spiritual world that no one is able to resist it or speak against what is said. But as this was a kind of incantation used by the ancients, he was strictly forbidden to speak any more from that power of persuasion; and thereafter he taught, as he had done before, from the memory and understanding together. This power of persuasion, which is a kind of incantation, flows from the love of self; and on this account it finally becomes of such a nature that when anyone contradicts, not only is the subject in question attacked, but also, the person himself.
[3] Such was the state of Luther's life up to the time of the last judgement, which took place in the spiritual world in the year 1757. But a year after that, he was removed from his first house to another, and at the same time underwent a change of state. And then, having heard that I, while still in the natural world, could speak with those in the spiritual world, he among others came to me; and after some questions and answers, he saw that there is at this day an end of the former church and the beginning of a new church, respecting which Daniel prophesied, and which was predicted by the Lord Himself in the Gospels. He also saw that it is this new church that is meant by the New Jerusalem in the Apocalypse, and by "the eternal gospel" which the angel flying in the midst of heaven proclaimed unto them that dwell upon the earth (Revelation 14:6). At this he became very angry and railed. But as he observed the increase of the new heaven (which was formed and is still forming of those who acknowledge the Lord alone as the God of heaven and earth, according to His word in Matthew (28:18), and also that the number of his own congregations was daily diminishing, he ceased his railing, and then came nearer to me, and began to talk with me more familiarly. And when he had been convinced that he had got his chief dogma of justification by faith alone from his own intelligence and not from the Word, he suffered himself to be instructed respecting the Lord, charity, true faith, freedom of choice, and also respecting redemption, and this solely from the Word.
[4] And finally when he had been convinced, he began to favor those truths out of which the New Church is built up, and finally to confirm himself in them more and more. At this time he was with me daily; and then, as often as he brought those truths together, he began to laugh at his former dogmas as things diametrically opposed to the Word; and I heard him say, "Do not wonder at my seizing upon justification by faith alone, excluding charity from its spiritual essence, and thus taking away from men all freedom of choice in things spiritual, and affirming other things that depend on faith alone once accepted, as links on a chain, since my object was to break away from the Roman Catholics, and this object I could compass and attain in no other way. I therefore do not wonder at my own errors, but I do wonder that one crazy man could make so many others crazy; so that they failed to see what is said in the Sacred Scriptures on the other side, although it is very manifest;" and as he said this he looked askance at certain dogmatic writers, men of celebrity in his time, faithful followers of his doctrine.
[5] I was told by the examining angels that the reason why this leader was more nearly in a state of conversion than many others who had confirmed themselves in the doctrine of justification by faith alone, was that in his childhood, before he entered upon the Reformation, he had been imbued with the dogma of the preeminence of charity; and for this reason his teaching respecting charity was so excellent, both in his writings and in his preaching; and as a consequence, justifying faith with him was merely implanted in his external-natural man, and had not taken root in his internal-spiritual man. It is otherwise with those who in their childhood confirm themselves against the spirituality of charity; and this comes of itself when justification by faith alone is established by confirmations. I have talked with the prince of Saxony, with whom Luther had been associated in the world, and he told me that he had often reproved Luther, especially for separating charity from faith and declaring faith to be saving and charity not saving, when not only does Sacred Scripture join together these two universal means of salvation, but Paul even sets charity before faith, when he says,
That there are three, faith, hope, charity, and that the greater of these is charity (1 Corinthians 13:13).
But he said that Luther as often replied that he could not do otherwise, because of the Roman Catholics. This prince is among the blessed.
796. II. LUTHER, 1 MELANCHTHON 2 AND CALVIN 3 IN THE SPIRITUAL WORLD.
I have frequently conversed with these three leaders, who were reformers of the Christian Church, and have thus learned what was the nature of their lives from the beginning down to the present time.
LUTHER. From the time he first entered the spiritual world he was a very keen disseminator and defender of his own dogmas; and his zeal for them increased with the increasing number of those coming from the earth who approved and favored them. A house was given him such as he had at Eisleben during his life in the body; and there in its central hall he set up a kind of throne, somewhat elevated, where he took his seat. Those who came to listen to him were admitted by a door which was always open, and these he arranged in groups. He assigned to places nearest himself those who were most favorable to his opinions, and to places behind them those who were less favorable. He then spoke continuously, but occasionally allowed questions, so that when he had finished some point, he might resume his discourse, from a different point of view.
[2] By securing general favor in this way, he acquired the art of persuasion, which in the spiritual world is so effective that no one can resist it or controvert what is asserted. As this art, however, was of the nature of enchantment which the ancients used, he was strictly forbidden to speak thus from persuasion; so he thereafter taught, as he had done before, from his memory and his understanding. This art of persuasion, which is a kind of enchantment, springs from the love of self; and consequently it at length attacks not only the matter which an opponent may raise, but even makes the attack personal.
[3] This was the state of Luther's life up to the time of the Last Judgment, which took place in the spiritual world in the year 1757. The year after he was removed from his first house to another, and was at the same time brought into a different state. Hearing that I, while living in the natural world, held intercourse with those who were in the spiritual world, he with several others paid visits to me. After asking some questions and receiving my answers, he perceived that now is the end of the former Church and the beginning of the New Church foretold by Daniel, and by the Lord Himself in the Evangelists. He also perceived that this New Church is meant by the New Jerusalem in the Revelation, and by the everlasting Gospel which the angel flying in the midst of heaven preached to those dwelling on the earth, Revelation 14:8. He was very indignant, and gave way to railing; but he saw that the new heaven [was being established] which was formed and is being formed by those who acknowledge the Lord alone as the God of heaven and earth, according to His words in Matthew 28:18; and he also observed that the numbers that resorted to him daily were decreasing. His storming, therefore, ceased, and he sought my closer acquaintance, and began to talk more familiarly with me. After being convinced that he had derived his chief dogma of justification by faith alone not from the Word but from his own intelligence, he suffered himself to be instructed concerning the Lord, charity, true faith, free will, and further, concerning redemption, and this from the Word alone.
[4] After being convinced, he at length began to favor, and then to confirm himself more and more in the truths on which the New Church is established. At this time he was with me daily; and as he acquired, one after another, those truths, he would laugh at his former views as being in direct opposition to the Word. And I heard him say: "Do not wonder that I seized upon faith alone as justifying, deprived charity of its spiritual essence and took away from men all free will in spiritual things, besides teaching many other dogmas which depend like so many links in a chain upon faith alone when once it is received. For my object was to break away from the Roman Catholics, and this end I could not otherwise follow up and attain. I do not wonder, therefore, that I erred; but I do wonder that the folly of one man should make so many others foolish, and that they did not see the contradictions of the Sacred Scripture, although these are so manifest." Here he glanced at some dogmatical writers, famous in his own day and faithful followers of his own doctrine, who were standing at his side.
[5] I was informed by the examining angels that this leading Churchman was in a state of conversion before many others who had confirmed themselves in justification by faith alone; because in his youth, before he began the Reformation, he was imbued with the doctrine of the pre-eminence of charity. This was why, both in his writings and in his sermons, he taught charity so excellently. Thus it came about that the doctrine of faith that justifies was with him implanted in his external natural man, but not rooted in his internal spiritual man. It is different with those who, in their youth, confirm themselves against the spiritual character of charity; and this happens when they establish justification by faith alone by using arguments in its favor.
I have conversed with the Elector of Saxony with whom Luther had been associated in the world. He told me that he had often reproved Luther, particularly for separating charity from faith, and for declaring the latter and not the former to be saving; although the Sacred Scripture joins together those two universal means of salvation, while Paul even sets charity above faith. For he says that there are three (things), faith, hope and charity, and that the greatest of these is charity, 1 Corinthians 8:13. But he added that Luther generally replied that he could not do otherwise, because of the Roman Catholics. This Prince is among the blessed.
Footnotes:
1. Luther, Martin, A.D. 1483-1646, the leader of the Protestant Reformation in Germany, was born at Eisleben, Saxony. He was a student at Erfurt in law and divinity, and was ordained priest in A.D. 1507. He left Erfurt for a chair in the university of Wittenberg, where his preaching attracted great attention. Here he made his first public protest against the Romish Church by condemning the sale of indulgences. The Lutheran Church dates its origin from the year A.D. 1520 when Luther was expelled from the Romish Church. It assumed a more definite shape on the publication in A.D. 1530 of the Augsburg Confession. This was drawn up by Melanchthon and Luther as the principal standard of the Church. The final establishment of the Lutheran Church was made possible by the friendly offices of Maurice, Elector of Saxony.
2. Melanchthon, the foremost scholar among the early Protestants, A.D. 1497-1560. He met Luther at Wittenberg where he was professor of Greek. He exercised a powerful influence over Luther, and was mainly responsible for drawing up the Augsburg Confession. On Luther's death he became the leader of the Lutherans.
3. Calvin, John, A.D. 1509-1564, was called by Melanchthon "The theologian of the sixteenth century." He studied law as well as theology, became a Protestant and induced the authorities of Geneva to renounce Popery. The friend of John Knox, he exercised a powerful influence on Scottish Protestantism. His views may be summarized thus: particular election; particular redemption; moral inability in a fallen state; free grace; and ultimate salvation for the elect, notwithstanding many failings and aberrations on the part of the believer. In its leading features his theology is that of Augustine.
796. DE LUTHERO, MELANCHTONE, ET CALVINO, IN MUNDO SPIRITUALI.
Cum Tribus his Antesignanis, qui Reformatores Ecclesiae Christianae fuerunt, saepius loquutus sum, et inde instructus, qualis fuit Status vitae illorum a principio usque ad hodie. Quod LUTHERUM attinet, a primo tempore, cum in Mundum spiritualem alluit, acerrimus propagator et defensor suorum dogmatum fuit, et sicut succrevit multitudo consentiens et favens e Terra, increvit ejus Zelus pro illis; ibi data ei fuit Domus, qualis 1 ei fuerat in vita corporis, Eislebiae; et ibi in medio erexit Solium parum elevatum, in quo consedit, et per apertam portam admisit auscultatores, et hos in Ordines disposuit; in proximum sibi adscivit faventiores, et post illos collocavit minus faventes, et tunc in tenore loquutus est, et per vices permisit interrogationes, propter finem ut telam sermonis finiti ex aliqua origine iterum exorsurus esset.
[2] Ex communi hoc favore tandem imbuit PERSUASIONEM, quae in Mundo spirituali talis efficaciae est, ut non ab ullo possit resisti, nec contra id quod dicitur loqui; verum quia hoc erat species incantationis ab antiquis in usu, ex Persuasione illa amplius loqui serio interdictum est, et postea sicut prius ex Memoria et simul Intellectu docuit: talis Persuasio, quae species incantationis est, scaturit ex amore sui, ex quo tandem talis fit, ut dum quis contradicit, non modo impugnet rem quaestionis, sed etiam ipsam Personam.
[3] Hic fuit Status vitae ejus usque ad Ultimum Judicium, quod in Mundo spirituali Anno 1757 factum est, at tunc post annum e Domo sua prima in aliam translatus, et simul tunc in alium statum: et quia hic audivit, quod ego, qui in Mundo naturali sum, loquerer cum illis qui in Mundo spirituali, inter plures accessit ad me, et post aliquas interrogationes et responsiones, percepit, quod hodie finis prioris Ecclesiae sit, et principium Novae, de qua prophetavit Daniel, et Ipse Dominus praedixit apud Evangelistas, et quod Nova haec Ecclesia intelligatur per Novam Hierosolymam in Apocalypsi, et per Evangelium aeternum quod Angelus volans in medio Coeli Evangelizavit habitantibus super Terra, Cap. 14:6. ibi, valde indignatus est, et objurgavit; verum sicut percepit, quod Novum Coelum, quod factum est et fit ab illis, qui solum Dominum pro Deo Coeli et Terrae, secundum Ipsius Verba, Matthaeus 28:18, agnoscunt, et sicut animadvertit Caetus quotidie ad se congregatos diminui, objurgatio cessavit, et tunc propius ad me accessit, et coepit familiarius mecum loqui; et postquam convictus est, quod principale Dogma de Justificatione per solam fidem non ex Verbo, sed ex propria Intelligentia assumserit, passus est se instrui de Domino, de Charitate, de vera Fide, de Libero Arbitrio, et porro de Redemptione, et hoc unice ex Verbo;
[4] tandem post convictionem incepit favere, et deinde plus et plus semet confirmare in Veritatibus, ex quibus Nova Ecclesia constabilitur; hoc tempore apud me erat quotidie, et tunc quoties recollegit Veritates illas, incepit ad priora sua Dogmata sicut ad talia quae e diametro contra Verbum sunt, ridere; et audivi illum dicentem, ne miremini quod Ego arripuerim Fidem solam justificantem, et excluserim Charitatem a spirituali sua essentia, et quoque omne Liberum Arbitrium in spiritualibus hominibus ademerim, praeter plura quae a sola Fide semel accepta, sicut unci a catena, pendent, quoniam finis meus fuit divelli a Romano-Catholicis, quem finem non aliter potui assequi et obtinere, quapropter non miror quod Ego aberraverim, sed miror quod unus delirans tot deliros potuerit producere; et inspexit a latere aliquos Scriptores dogmaticos suo tempore fama celebres, suae doctrinae fideles sectatores, quod non viderint oppositiones in Scriptura Sacra, quae tamen exstantes sunt.
[5] Dictum est mihi ab Angelis exploratoribus, quod Praesul ille prae multis aliis, qui se in Justificatione per solam fidem confirmaverunt, in Statu conversionis sit, quoniam in pueritia sua, antequam ingressus est Reformationem facere, imbuerit Dogma de praeeminentia Charitatis, quapropter etiam tam in Scriptis quam in Sermonibus suis tam egregie de Charitate docuit; ex quibus profluit, quod fides justificationis apud illum implantata fuerit in Externo naturali ejus homine, non autem radicata in Interno spirituali homine. Aliter vero fit cum illis, qui in pueritia sua se confirmant contra spiritualitatem Charitatis; quod etiam ex se fit, dum justificatio per solam fidem per confirmationes stabilitur.
[6] Loquutus sum cum Principe Saxoniae, cum quo Lutherus in Mundo fuerat; ille mihi retulit, quod saepius obloquutus sit, imprimis quod Charitatem separaverit e Fide, et hanc salvificam et non illam declaraverit, cum tamen Scriptura Sacra non modo illa duo universalia Media salutis conjungit, sed etiam Paulus Charitatem fidei praefert, dicendo, quod sint tria, Fides, Spes, et Charitas, et quod harum maxima sit Charitas, 1 Corinthios 13:13 sed quod Lutherus toties responderit, quod non possit aliter propter Romano-Catholicos. Hic Princeps est inter felices.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: quualis.