AC 8078 - Different Sorts of Faith

AC 8078 [3-4]

Faith merely natural
is faith which is insinuated by an external
and not by an internal way,
such as sensuous faith,
which consists in believing a thing to be so
because the eye has seen,
and the hand has touched.
This is the faith concerning which the Lord said to Thomas,
"Because you have seen, Thomas, you have believed;
blessed are those who do not see, and believe"
(John 20:29);
and also is like the faith of miracles,
which consists in believing a thing to be so
merely from the miracles,
. . . as also the faith of authority,
which consists in believing a thing to be so
because another,
in whom one has faith, has said it.

But spiritual faith
is that which is insinuated by an internal
and at the same time by an external way;
the insinuation by the internal way
causes it to be believed,
and then that which is insinuated by the external way
causes it to be confirmed.
The spiritual of faith is the affection of charity,
and from this the affection of truth
for the sake of good use and for the sake of life;
these make faith to be spiritual.
The insinuation of faith by the internal way
is effected by the reading of the Word,
and by enlightenment then from the Lord,
which is granted
according to the quality of the affection,
that is, according to the end sought in knowing the truth.