5958. FAITH ALONE AND JUSTIFICATION THEREBY: IT CAN NEVER BE CONJOINED WITH CHARITY. THE AUTHOR OF "THE DUTY OF MEN." I conversed on several occasions [with him] who wrote in England, The Duty of Men. He is similar to what he was in the world; thus, earnestly meditating, as in the world, on this matter, that he wishes to conjoin faith alone and justification thereby with charity towards the neighbor - for he knows that, in the Word, mention is often made of love, doing good and works. He believes that man, through faith alone, at length comes to charity; also, when he is justified, since there is then a certain tendency to good; and he supposes that that tendency exists through faith alone; that through that he is then led by God, and that then, consequently, merit is not placed in works; also, that faith alone effects conjunction with God, and that God therefore leads first to charity, and afterwards in charity. He still constantly ponders on this, and always desires to approach, and also seems to himself to approach, even close to the conjunction; but, when he is there, his eyes are opened to see where he is, and he then sees that he is in a path far removed from conjunction, and that the path he has taken, has, through ratiocination, been filled with falsities which have appeared as truths; and he also frequently heard a voice from the angels, that he is not in the way of truth, and that the conjunction can never take place. He is then shown by the angels that there is a beam, and as it were, a barrier, that separates, which can by no means be penetrated, and that such an obstacle opposes men forever. But still he continually goes on meditating. He told me that in the world he saw another way, which is that of charity, and that he wished to go that way, but was dissuaded by a certain celebrated prelate, also because if he did not take the way of the doctrine respecting faith alone and justification by it, his book would not meet with acceptance; wherefore, he pursued that course in his meditations, and, by various appearances, it then seemed to him that he established the conjunction, but that he now sees, because he is in different light, that it is ever to no purpose. I conversed with him also by spiritual-natural ideas, and showed that the thing was impossible, and the appearance from the experience of many things, was owing to this, that they who had led a life of charity, but have adopted from their clergy the doctrine about faith alone, entertained that opinion only in the memory, but still did not lead a life according to that faith - which life is, that afterwards evil does not condemn at all, and good avails nothing, since it is from proprium, and thus merit is in it. These did not think this, nor, therefore, that justification is by faith alone, but were merely acquainted with [the dogma]. Inasmuch as there is conjunction in the case of these, therefore experience has been taken from them and he added this to his confirmations. I spoke much with him about this matter, showing that conjunction exists with these, and by no means with those who lived according to the doctrine respecting faith alone and justification thereby; and it was shown that if these also had known genuine truths as to the memory, still there could never be conjunction. The life of charity is to practice good, sincerity and justice, from religion, thus, because it is commanded by the Lord in the Word. By that life conjunction takes place, because application is made by man, and hence there is a reception. Man ought to lead that life as from himself, but still to believe that he does so from the Lord; for man in the beginning, because he is in darkness, is not able to think otherwise than that it is from himself, when, nevertheless, it is from the Lord, inasmuch as the Lord is constantly present and gives to man so to live. So far as he applies himself, and so far as he applies himself as from himself, so far the Lord inflows, and so far the man receives and so far he is conjoined. But faith alone excludes all such reception; wherefore, conjunction never [occurs], for he places everything on the side of God, and nothing on the side of man, and man cannot be moved by God thereto, when he lives from a principle of faith alone. And with these who have applied that faith to the life, believing that evil does not condemn, and [that] one cannot do good of himself, and hence thinks neither of evil nor of good, as of himself; he who has lived thus to any considerable extent, can never afterwards be led to the life of charity, and thus to conjunction, for he has perverted his Rational and Spiritual, as to which he is unable to be turned back again afterwards. It is otherwise with those who have merely known these things, but have not lived according to them, or have not imbued their very life itself with that falsity.