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Doc. 209.] HIS SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE IN 1744. 185
to continue in that state. Faith is in this wise separated
from our understanding, and resides above it, This is pure
faith; the other, so long as it is mixed up with our own under
standing, is impure. Man’s understanding must be put in
bonds and under the government of faith. * The ground of
faith, however, must be this, that He who has spoken it is God
over all and Truth itself. That we must become like little
children must, it seems, be understood in this sense . Much
of what I have experienced agrees with this, perhaps also the
roasting of so many heads, which were the food of the Evil
One, and their being thrown into a stove.‡
99. That confirmations also obscure faith, may be seen from
this consideration, that the understanding never goes beyond
mere probabilities, and thus is constantly engaged, as it were,
in trying major and minor terms.§ On this account the con
firmations of our own understanding are always subject to
doubt, by which the light of faith is darkened. * Faith, con
sequently, is purely God’s gift, and is received by man when
he lives according to the commandments of God, and when he
continually prays to God for it.**
100. April 19X20. I had a different kind of sleep alto
gether ; I dreamt much, and afterwards a tremor came over
me; yet I could not bring anything to my remembrance, for
each time I tried it escaped me.
101. I clasped my hands, and on awaking it seemed to
me as if they were pressed together by a hand or finger.
This means, with God’s help, that our Lord has heard my
prayers.
102. Afterwards I was in vision, which is neither a state
of sleep, nor of wakefulness, nor of ecstasy. It was repre
sented to me that King Charles [XII ]³ §§ the first time fought in
vain; but that afterwards in his second battle against the Saxons
he was victorious, and covered with blood. Still later the
* See Note 165, ix, A.
‡ See no. 87.
** See Note 165, ix, B, and x.
# See Note 162, i, C.
-
See Note 161, vi.
§ See Note 166. i.
See Note 162, i, F.
§§ See Note 161, v.
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