6024. I spoke with them as to whether there is anything of will in those things they call faith, when charity is separated from them. It was ascertained that there is not, but that will is therein when charity and faith make one. For instance, that God sent His Son to save the human race: in this, with those who have separated charity from faith, there is not perceived anything of will, but merely thought from the memory; it is such, consequently, as is dissipated in the other life. The reason is, because the will is not reached and opened, unless something thereof [i.e. of the thought] pass into act, or into deeds; for it cannot be opened by mere thinking, unless the thinking pass into doing, which takes place by willing: in any other case, the will is laid asleep, and of no account, because not called forth or formed. It was granted me to speak with those who were in separated faith, as to whether they can say fruits of faith. They stated that the last step of justification is the tendency to do good, and that there they stop, because, if fruits were added, they would be from the man; then merit is in them and they are not good: because, also, after that stage, nothing of evil is imputed to man, whatever he does. [They said] also that, therefore, those fruits are from the Lord, and do not appear to the man.* This takes place by application of the Lord's merit, which makes every work of the man to be good, consequently fruit. This do they rave. It was inquired whether that tendency is not will. They say that it is not will, which is man's but is something of God's in the will; which, therefore, is also imperceptible. They are exceedingly careful that faith be not conjoined with good works, because if they are conjoined, faith is not faith. This is the reason why many have written of their conjunction, but in so mysterious a style that it is only intelligible to the learned. This is the study of the learned: from which it is manifest, that they pervert the whole Word and all those things which the Lord commanded concerning good deeds. Hence it is, that preachers who have had faith of this kind in the world, are not able to preach in the spiritual world; for, although they are forced to preach life and good deeds, still it is heard from the sound of their voice that they do not understand any other good deeds, or works, than mere moral and civil acts; and thus their idea is discerned from the sound: wherefore, they are not allowed to preach any more, save only those who, in the world, understood spiritual works. - At that time, all were assembled, from every side, who have been in such thought concerning the fruit of faith. They were for the most part clergy who were more learned than others. The rest, who believed in simplicity that good works were the fruit of faith, were not assembled with these. Those learned ones, also, were congregated below, at the left, near hell, and were borne about to their places according to their life; nor was it permitted them to preach any more. The reason was, because such a principle in the thought, enters the will, and all the acts of the will, unawares to the man. I also saw such persons in hell. Many said that, concerning the fruits of faith, they did not think anything else than that faith produces them, just as a tree does fruits; and that man ought to think about the works which he has done, and which he is going to do. - They said, further, that there was with Adam such freedom that he was able to do good from himself; but that this was not the case with his descendants; and that this also could be proved. - It was told them, that, just as no one can do anything from himself, so also can no one believe from himself, and thus that the case is similar, and consequently there is no faith; but the most learned of them replied, that still we possess freedom of belief, or freedom of faith, from the Lord, but not freedom of doing, or the freedom of charity; which, with Adam, was free determination. To say that this is destroyed, is insanity.