5937. En Farao zei tot Jozef; dat dit de doorvatting betekent van het natuurlijke vanuit het innerlijk hemelse, staat vast uit de betekenis van zeggen in de historische dingen van het Woord, namelijk het doorvatten, waarover meermalen eerder; uit de uitbeelding van Farao, namelijk het natuurlijke in het algemeen, nrs. 5160, 5799;

en uit de uitbeelding van Jozef, namelijk het innerlijk hemelse, nrs. 5869, 5877; omdat het hemelse dat Jozef uitbeeldt, innerlijk is en het natuurlijke dat Farao uitbeeldt, uiterlijk is, is daarom het doorvatten van het natuurlijke vanuit het innerlijk hemelse; alle doorvatting immers is vanuit het innerlijke; nooit is er enige doorvatting van het innerlijke vanuit het uiterlijke; waarvandaan immers de invloeiing is, daarvandaan is de doorvatting. Wat doorvatten is dat zo vaak wordt genoemd, moet hier in het kort worden gezegd; bij elk mens is het vermogen om te doorvatten of iets zo is ofwel niet zo is; het vermogen om van binnen in zichzelf of in zijn gemoed te concluderen, maakt dat de zaak wordt doorvat; dit vermogen is nooit bestaanbaar tenzij er invloeiing vanuit de geestelijke wereld is; in deze gave munt de ene mens boven de andere uit; zij die minder uitmunten, zijn diegenen die slechts weinig binnen in zich of in hun gemoed concluderen en dan doorvatten, maar die zeggen dat iets zo is omdat anderen in wie zij geloof hebben, dat zo gezegd hebben; maar zij die meer uitmunten, zijn diegenen die niet vanuit anderen maar vanuit zich zien dat iets zo is; toch is de doorvatting die bij elk mens is, er een in wereldse dingen, niet echter heden ten dage bij iemand in geestelijke dingen; de oorzaak hiervan is deze dat het geestelijke dat invloeit en de doorvatting maakt, verduisterd en bijna uitgeblust is door de verkwikkingen van de liefde van de wereld en van zich; daarom bekommeren zij zich ook niet om de geestelijke dingen dan alleen voor zover uit plicht en gewoonte; indien de vrees vanuit de plicht en de verkwikking vanuit gewoonte werd weggenomen, zouden zij die dingen afwijzen, verafschuwen, ja zelfs loochenen; om geestelijke dingen te kunnen doorvatten, moet men in de aandoening van het ware vanuit het goede zijn en aanhoudend verlangen de ware dingen te weten; vandaar wordt iemands verstandelijke verlicht en wanneer het verstandelijke is verlicht, wordt het hem gegeven van binnen in zich te doorvatten; maar degene die niet in de aandoening van het ware is, weet dat, waarvan hij weet dat het zo is, uit de leerstellingen van de Kerk waaraan hij geloof hecht en omdat een priester, een presbyter of een monnik heeft gezegd dat iets zo is. Hieruit kan vaststaan wat doorvatten is en dat dit bestaat in de wereldse, maar niet in geestelijke dingen; wat nog hieruit blijkt dat eenieder blijft in het dogma waarin hij geboren is, ook zij die als joden zijn geboren, en ook diegenen die buiten de Kerk zijn, hoewel zij binnen haar leven; en eveneens zouden degenen die in een ketterij zijn, indien hun de eigenlijke ware dingen zelf werden gezegd en die eveneens werd bevestigd, toch niet in het minst doorvatten dat het ware dingen zijn, zij zouden aan hen als valse dingen verschijnen.

121. Faith separate from love or charity is like the light of winter, in which all things on earth are torpid, and no harvests, fruits, or flowers, are produced; but faith with love or charity is like the light of spring and summer, in which all things flourish and are produced (n. 2231, 3146, 3412-3413). The wintry light of faith separate from charity is changed into dense darkness when light from heaven flows in; and they who are in that faith then come into blindness and stupidity (n. 3412-3413).

They who separate faith from charity, in doctrine and life, are in darkness, thus in ignorance of truth, and in falsities, for these are darkness (n. 9186). They cast themselves into falsities, and into evils thence (n. 3325, 8094). The errors and falsities into which they cast themselves (n. 4721, 4730, 4776, 4783, 4925, 7779, 8313, 8765, 9224). The Word is shut to them (n. 3773, 4783, 8780). They do not see or attend to all those things which the Lord so often spoke concerning love and charity, and concerning their fruits, or goods in act, concerning which (n. 1017, 3416). Neither do they know what good is, nor thus what celestial love is, nor what charity is (n. 2517, 3603, 4136, 9995).

Faith separate from charity is no faith (n. 654, 724, 1162, 1176, 2049, 2116, 2343, 2349, 2417, 3849, 3868, 6348, 7039, 7342, 9783). Such a faith perishes in the other life (n. 2228, 5820). When faith alone is assumed as a principle, truths are contaminated by the falsity of the principle (n. 2335). Such persons do not suffer themselves to be persuaded, because it is against their principle (n. 2385). Doctrinals concerning faith alone destroy charity (n. 6353, 8094). They who separate faith from charity were represented by Cain, by Ham, by Reuben, by the firstborn of the Egyptians, and by the Philistines (n. 3325, 7097, 7317, 8093).

They who make faith alone saving, excuse a life of evil, and they who are in a life of evil have no faith, because they have no charity (n. 3865, 7766, 7778, 7790, 7950, 8094). They are inwardly in the falsities of their own evil, although they do not know it (n. 7790, 7950). Therefore good cannot be conjoined with them (n. 8981, 8983). In the other life they are against good, and against those who are in good (n. 7097, 7127, 7317, 7502, 7545, 8096, 8313). Those who are simple in heart and yet wise, know what the good of life is, thus what charity is, but not what faith separate is (n. 4741, 4754).

All things of the church have relation to good and truth, consequently to charity and faith (n. 7752-7754). The church is not with man before truths are implanted in his life, and thus become the good of charity (n. 3310). Charity constitutes the church, and not faith separate from charity (n. 809, 916, 1798-1799, 1834, 1844). The internal of the church is charity (n. 1799, 7755). Hence there is no church where there is no charity (n. 4766, 5826). The church would be one if all were regarded from charity, although men might differ as to the doctrinals of faith and the rituals of worship (n. 1285[1-3], 1316, 1798-1799, 1834, 1844, 2385, 2982, 3267, 3451). How much of good would be in the church if charity were regarded in the first place, and faith in the second (n. 6269, 6272). Every church begins from charity, but in process of time turns aside to faith, and at length to faith alone (n. 1834-1835, 2231, 4683, 8094). There is no faith at the last time of the church, because there is no charity (n. 1843). The worship of the Lord consists in a life of charity (n. 8254, 8256) The quality of the worship is according to the quality of the charity (n. 2190). The men of the external church have an internal if they are in charity (n. 1100, 1102, 1151, 1153). The doctrine of the ancient churches was the doctrine of life, which is the doctrine of charity, and not the doctrine of faith separate (n. 2385, 2417, 3419-3420, 4844, 6628, 7259-7262).

The Lord inseminates and implants truth in the good of charity when he regenerates man (n. 2063, 2189, 3310). Otherwise the seed, which is the truth of faith, cannot take root (n. 880). Then goods and truths increase, according to the quality and quantity of the charity received (n. 1016). The light of a regenerate person is not from faith, but from charity by faith (n. 854). The truths of faith, when man is regenerated, enter with the delight of affection, because he loves to do them, and they are reproduced with the same affection, because they cohere (n. 2484, 2487, 3040, 3066, 3074, 3336, 4018, 5893).

They who live in love to the Lord, and in charity towards the neighbor, lose nothing to eternity, because they are conjoined to the Lord; but it is otherwise with those who are in separate faith (n. 7506-7507). Man remains such as is his life of charity, not such as his faith separate (n. 8256). All the states of delight of those who have lived in charity, return in the other life, and are increased immensely (n. 823). Heavenly blessedness flows from the Lord into charity, because into the very life of man; but not into faith without charity (n. 2363). In heaven all are regarded from charity, and none from faith separate (n. 1258, 1394). All are associated in the heavens according to their loves (n. 7085). No one is admitted into heaven by thinking, but by willing good (n. 2401, 3459). Unless doing good is conjoined with willing good and with thinking good, there is no salvation, neither any conjunction of the internal man with the external (n. 3987). The Lord, and faith in Him, are received by no others in the other life, than those who are in charity (n. 2343).

Good is in the perpetual desire and consequent endeavor of conjoining itself with truths, and charity with faith (n. 9206-9207, 9495). The good of charity acknowledges its own truth of faith, and the truth of faith its own good of charity (n. 2429, 3101-3102, 3161, 3179-3180, 4358, 5807, 5835, 9637). Hence there is a conjunction of the truth of faith and the good of charity, concerning which (n. 3834, 4096-4097, 4301, 4345, 4353, 4364, 4368, 5365, 7623-7627, 7752-7762, 8530, 9258, 10555). Their conjunction is like a marriage (n. 1904, 2173, 2508). The law of marriage is that two be one, according to the Word of the Lord (n. 10130, 10168-10169). So also faith and charity (n. 1094, 2173, 2503). Therefore faith which is faith, is, as to its essence, charity (n. 2228, 2839, 3180, 9783). As good is the esse of a thing, and truth the existere thence, so also is charity the esse of the church, and faith the existere thence (n. 3409, 3180, 4574, 5002, 9145). The truth of faith lives from the good of charity, thus a life according to the truths of faith is charity (n. 1589, 1947, 2571, 4070, 4096-4097, 4736, 4757, 4884, 5147, 5928, 9154, 9667, 9841, 10729). Faith cannot be given but in charity, and if not in charity, there is not good in faith (n. 2261, 4368). Faith does not live with man when he only knows and thinks the things of faith, but when he wills them, and from will does them (n. 9224).

There is no salvation by faith, but by a life according to the truths of faith, which life is charity (n. 379, 389, 2228, 4663, 4721). They are saved who think from the doctrine of the church that faith alone saves, if they do what is just for the sake of justice, and good for the sake of good, for thus they are still in charity (n. 2442, 3242, 3459, 3463, 7506-7507). If a mere cogitative faith could save, all would be saved (n. 2361, 10659). Charity constitutes heaven with man, and not faith without it (n. 3513, 3584, 3815, 9832, 10714-10715, 10721, 10724). In heaven all are regarded from charity, and not from faith (n. 1258, 1394, 2361, 4802). The conjunction of the Lord with man is not by faith, but by a life according to the truths of faith (n. 9380, 10143, 10153, 10310, 10578, 10645, 10648). The Lord is the tree of life, the goods of charity the fruits, and faith the leaves (n. 3427, 9337). Faith is the "lesser luminary," and good the "larger luminary" (n. 30-38).

The angels of the Lord's celestial kingdom do not know what faith is, so that they do not even name it, but the angels of the Lord's spiritual kingdom speak of faith, because they reason concerning truths (n. 202-203, 337, 2715, 3246, 4448, 9166, 10786). The angels of the Lord's celestial kingdom say only yea, yea or nay, nay, but the angels of the Lord's spiritual kingdom reason whether it be so or not so, when there is discourse concerning spiritual truths, which are of faith (n. 2715, 3246, 4448, 9166, 10786), where the Lord's words are explained:

Let your discourse be yea, yea, nay, nay; what is beyond these is from evil (Matt. 5:37).

The reason why the celestial angels are such, is, because they admit the truths of faith immediately into their lives, and do not deposit them first in the memory, as the spiritual angels do; and hence the celestial angels are in the perception of all things of faith (n. 202, 585, 597, 607, 784 1 121, 1387, 1398, 1442, 1919, 5113, 5897, 6367, 7680, 7877, 8521, 8780, 9936, 9995, 10124).

Trust or confidence, which in an eminent sense is called saving faith, is given with those only who are in good as to life, consequently with those who are in charity (n. 2982, 4352, 4683, 4689, 7762, 8240, 9239-9245). Few know what that confidence is (n. 3868, 4352).

What difference there is between believing those things which are from God, and believing in God (n. 9239, 9243). It is one thing to know, another to acknowledge, and another to have faith (n. 896, 4319, 5664). There are scientifics of faith, rationals of faith and spirituals of faith (n. 2504, 8078). The first thing is the acknowledgment of the Lord (n. 10083). All that flows in with man from the Lord is good (n. 1614, 2016, 2751, 2882-2883, 2891-2892,2904, 6193, 7643, 9128).

There is a persuasive faith, which nevertheless is not faith (n. 2343, 2682, 2689, 3427, 3865, 8148).

It appears from various reasonings as though faith were prior to charity, but this is a fallacy (n. 3324). It may be known from the light of reason, that good, consequently charity, is in the first place, and truth, consequently faith, in the second (n. 3324-6273). Good, or charity, is actually in the first place, or is the first of the church, and truth, or faith, is in the second place, or is the second of the church, although it appears otherwise (n. 3324-3325, 3330, 3336, 3494, 3539, 3548, 3556, 3570, 3576, 3603, 3701, 3995, 4337, 4601, 4925-4926, 4928, 4930, 5351, 6256, 6269, 6272-6273, 8042, 8080, 10110). The ancients disputed concerning the first or primogeniture of the church, whether it be faith or whether it be charity (n. 367[1-2], 2435, 3324).

4319. Much experience has shown me that no man or spirit, or any angel, thinks, says, or does anything at all from himself, but from others. Nor are these others themselves the source of anything they think, say, or do but others again, and so on with these. Thus all, corporately and individually, think, speak, and act from the First Source of life, that is, from the Lord, no matter how completely they seem to do so independently, by themselves. This has often been shown to spirits who had believed during their lifetime, and had convinced themselves of the idea, that nothing lay outside themselves, that is, the whole source of their thought, speech, and activity lay within themselves and their own souls in which life has been implanted and shows itself. They have also been shown through actual experiences (such as one can have in the next life but are not possible in the world) that the source of evil people's thought, will, and action is hell, and the source of good people's is heaven, that is, the Lord through heaven; yet for all that, their evil or else their good seems to begin within those people themselves. This is something Christians know from teaching drawn from the Word, that is to say, the teaching that all evil comes from the devil and all good from the Lord. Yet there are few who believe it. And because they do not believe it they make their own the evils which they think, will, and do. They do not however make any good their own, for people who believe that the source of the good they do lies within themselves lay claim to it and attribute it to themselves, and in so doing place merit in it. They also know from what is taught in the Church that no one is able independently, by himself, to do anything good, insomuch that whatever originates in himself and in his proprium is evil, no matter how much it may seem to be good. This also few people believe, even though it is the truth.

[2] Evil people who have convinced themselves of the idea that they live independently by themselves, and therefore that whatever they think, will, and do begins in themselves, have declared, when shown that the truth of the matter is exactly as doctrine teaches, their readiness to believe it. But they have been told that knowing does not amount to believing, and that believing is something internal and cannot exist except within the affection for good and truth, and therefore can exist only with those who are governed by the good of charity towards the neighbour. Those same spirits, being evil ones, insisted that they were ready to believe it because they had seen it. But they were subjected to examination in a way commonly experienced in the next life, namely that of close inspection by angels. When they were inspected the upper part of their heads seemed to have been removed and their brains to be rough and hairy and also full of darkness. This showed the inner nature of people whose faith is no more than knowledge and not true faith, and that knowing something does not amount to believing it. For the heads of those who know and also believe look like human heads, and their brains look well-ordered, white, and shining, since heavenly light is received by them. But with those who merely know and imagine that in knowing they therefore believe, when in fact they do not believe because they lead an evil life, heavenly light is not received, nor consequently intelligence and wisdom which are present within that light. For this reason when they approach angelic communities, that is, heavenly light, it turns for them into darkness. This is why their brains are seen to be full of darkness.