SD 2473 - 2474 - the circle of faith and charity

SD 2473 - 2474
Certain have a persuasion
that faith alone saves without works,
and, indeed, is enhanced in value,
when yet it is most clearly apparent from the Lord's Word
that the tree is known from its fruit,
[Matt. 7:20, Luke 6:44]
as well as that love towards the neighbor is the principal thing in the law,
[Lev. 19:18, Matt. 19:19, 22:39, Mark 12:31, Luke 10:27]
besides other things,
which evidently prove that faith is not to be separated from works,
and that there is no life in faith,
if there are no works of charity,
which live from charity; so from faith.

. . . works without faith are like a body without a soul,
. . . and faith without works is like a soul endowed with no body.
Faith is given with much variety;
[there is] a faith merely oral; a scientific faith; intellectual faith;
faith with persuasion;
faith with persuasion from love towards the neighbor.
So it may appear what quality of life can be in oral faith,
and scientific faith, and intellectual faith,
for love is what forms the disposition of a person,
and gives him the faculty to be able to be an applied vessel.
Consequently it may appear
how the disposition is formed by faith, without persuasion;
and by faith, with persuasion;
and by persuasion, without love towards the neighbor;
and by persuasion, where there is love towards the neighbor;
and so faith with the works of charity.
(July 1, 1748)
[Marginal note] -
These things in general were confirmed this day from heaven.
The Lord, as it were, being seen.
(October 19 or 20, 1748)