Specimen and Sketch (Whitehead) n. 1

1. Specimen and Sketch of the Doctrine of the New Church in a Summary

The churches in Germany, Hungary, Poland, Denmark, England, and Holland, which, by the Reformation, were separated from the Roman Catholic church, differ from each other in various things; but they all agree in the articles concerning a trinity of persons in the divinity, the origin of sin from Adam, the imputation of the merit of Christ, and justification by faith alone. [Brief Exposition, n. 17.]

Specimen (Whitehead) n. 2

Specimen and Sketch (Whitehead) n. 2

2. The Roman Catholics, before the Reformation, held entirely similar teachings respecting these four articles; similar respecting a Trinity of Persons in the Divinity, similar respecting the origin of sin from Adam, similar respecting the imputation of the merit of Christ, and similar respecting justification by faith, with the sole difference, that this faith they conjoined with good works. [Brief Exposition, n. 19.]

Specimen (Whitehead) n. 3

Specimen and Sketch (Whitehead) n. 3

3. The leading Reformers, Luther, Melancthon, and Calvin, retained all the dogmas concerning a Trinity of Persons in the Divinity, the origin of sin from Adam, the imputation of the merit of Christ, and justification by faith alone, as they had been held by the Roman Catholics; but in order that they might be totally severed from the Roman Catholics as to the very essentials of the church, which are faith and charity, they separated good works from faith, and declared that they were not at the same time saving. [Brief Exposition, n. 21.]

Specimen (Whitehead) n. 4

Specimen and Sketch (Whitehead) n. 4

4. Nevertheless, those leading Reformers adjoined good works to their faith, so that no one can see from reason, whether they are conjoined or separated. [Brief Exposition, n. 24.]

Specimen (Whitehead) n. 5

Specimen and Sketch (Whitehead) n. 5

5. But those leading Reformers adjoined good works to that faith in order that the doctrine may agree with the Sacred Scripture; then there is a conformity and not a discrepancy, unless the quality of the works tends to make it. [Cf. Brief Exposition, n. 27.]

Specimen (Whitehead) n. 6

Specimen and Sketch (Whitehead) n. 6

6. The dogmas concerning the imputation of the merit of Christ and justification thereby have come from the idea of a Trinity of Persons, and hence of three Gods. [Brief Exposition, n. 30.]

Specimen (Whitehead) n. 7

Specimen and Sketch (Whitehead) n. 7

7. All those dogmas appear as erroneous, and also become so, when the idea of a Trinity of Persons and hence of three Gods is rejected, and the idea of one God, in whom is the Divine Trinity is received. [Brief Exposition, n. 39.]

Specimen (Whitehead) n. 8

Specimen and Sketch (Whitehead) n. 8

8. Then the faith of the church of today concerning the reconciliation of the Father, satisfaction, mediation, imputation, and, from this, the remission of sins, and hence justification, regeneration, and sanctification, falls to the ground together with all else that depends on it.

Specimen (Whitehead) n. 9

Specimen and Sketch (Whitehead) n. 9

9. In its place, faith truly saving, which is faith in one God, united with good works, is acknowledged and received. It is not imputative faith. [Brief Exposition, n. 41.]

Specimen (Whitehead) n. 10

Specimen and Sketch (Whitehead) n. 10

10. And this faith is faith in God the Savior Jesus Christ, and in its simple form, is as follows: (1) There is one God, in whom is the Divine Trinity, and He is the Lord Jesus Christ. (2) Saving faith is to believe in Him. (3) Evils must be shunned because they are of the devil and from the devil. (4) Goods must be done because they are of God and from God. (5) And these must be done by man as of himself, but he must believe that they are from the Lord in Him and through Him. [Brief Exposition, n. 43.]

Specimen (Whitehead) n. 11

Specimen and Sketch (Whitehead) n. 11

11. This faith can by no means be given together with the former faith, nor the former with it; and if they are together, such a collision and conflict takes place that everything of the church with man perishes. [Brief Exposition, n. 102.]

Specimen (Whitehead) n. 12

Specimen and Sketch (Whitehead) n. 12

12. The faith of the church of today has separated religion from the church, which consists solely in goods of life according to the truths of faith. [Brief Exposition, n. 45.] Truths constitute the way to heaven. In hell ___ ___* the Father, but in heaven, the true God.
* The MS. Here contains a word which Dr. Im. Tafel, the editor of the Latin edition, was unable to decipher. - Tr.

Specimen (Whitehead) n. 13

Specimen and Sketch (Whitehead) n. 13

13. The faith of the church of today has falsified the Word, since this teaches nothing but the goods of life and the truths of faith, and salvation by their union.

Specimen (Whitehead) n. 14

Specimen and Sketch (Whitehead) n. 14

14. The faith of the church of today has so far destroyed the church, that, at this day, there remains not any truth of the Word that has not been falsified, nor any good of religion that has not been adulterated.

Specimen (Whitehead) n. 15

Specimen and Sketch (Whitehead) n. 15

15. This last state of the church of today induced by that faith is what is meant in the Word by the "consummation of the age," and by the "abomination of desolation." [Brief Exposition, n. 70.]

Specimen (Whitehead) n. 16

Specimen and Sketch (Whitehead) n. 16

16. This last state of the church of today is what is meant by the "great affliction such as was not from the beginning of the world to this time, nor ever shall be." (Matt. 24:21.) [Brief Exposition, n. 74.]

Specimen (Whitehead) n. 17

Specimen and Sketch (Whitehead) n. 17

17. This state of the church, induced by that faith, is what is mean by these words: "After the affliction of those days the sun shall be darkened and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken." (Matt. 24:29; Rev. 8:12) [Brief Exposition, n. 77.]

Specimen (Whitehead) n. 18

Specimen and Sketch (Whitehead) n. 18

18. They who have been and are in the faith of the church today are meant by the he-goats in Daniel and Matthew. [Brief Exposition, n. 82.]

Specimen (Whitehead) n. 19

Specimen and Sketch (Whitehead) n. 19

19. They who have been and are in the faith of the church of today are meant in Revelation by "the dragon," his "two beasts," and the "false prophet," also by the "locusts." [Brief Exposition, n. 87.]

Specimen (Whitehead) n. 20

Specimen and Sketch (Whitehead) n. 20

20. They who have been and are in the faith of the church of today are meant, in the Old Testament, by the "Philistines"; and the faith itself by their idol. The rejection of the dogmas of the faith of the church of today and the revelation of the dogmas of the faith of the new church is meant by these words in Revelation: "He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new; and He said unto me, Write, for these words are true and faithful." (Chap. 21:5) [Brief Exposition, n. 95.]

Specimen (Whitehead) n. 21

Specimen and Sketch (Whitehead) n. 21

21. Further, that from the faith of the church of today, not a single good work can ever come forth which is not meritorious or hypocritical; consequently, that the good fruits of that faith are empty words. For it is a faith of imputation that is meant. [cf. Brief Exposition, n. 47.]

Specimen (Whitehead) n. 23

Specimen and Sketch (Whitehead) n. 23

23.* From the faith of the church of today a worship has abounded which is of the mouth alone and without life; when yet the worship of the mouth is acceptable to the Lord and efficacious according to the worship of the life, and not the reverse. [Brief Exposition, n. 51.]
* In the Latin number 22 is omitted.

Specimen (Whitehead) n. 24

Specimen and Sketch (Whitehead) n. 24

24. The former faith is a bundle of paradoxes which cohere and do not cohere, and therefore, its dogmas only enter into the memory and not into any understanding above the memory, but only into confirmations below it. For instance, the tenet concerning free will. [Brief Exposition, n. 53.]

Specimen (Whitehead) n. 25

Specimen and Sketch (Whitehead) n. 25

25. The dogmas of the former faith cannot be learned and retained except with great difficulty, nor be preached and taught except very sparingly and with great caution lest the nakedness of the faith appear; and this, because true reason perceives and receives nothing of them. As concerning free will. [Brief Exposition, n. 58.]

Specimen (Whitehead) n. 26

Specimen and Sketch (Whitehead) n. 26

26. The faith of the church of today takes away from God His Divine attributes, and ascribes to Him merely human attributes; as, that He regarded men from anger; that He willed to be reconciled; that He is reconciled by His love for the Son, and by intercession; that He willed to be appeased by the passion, and at the sight of the misery of the Son; and thus to return to mercy and to impute and apply the merit of the Son to him who supplicates from faith alone; besides many other things. [Brief Exposition, n. 60.]

Specimen (Whitehead) n. 27

Specimen and Sketch (Whitehead) n. 27

27. From the faith of the church of today monstrous offspring have been born, and still may be born; such as salvation from immediate mercy; the doctrine of necessity, and the absence of liberty in spiritual things; that man, in respect to conversion, is like a stock and a stone; that there is no bond between faith and charity; that there is predestination; and, with some at this day, that God pays no attention to the deeds of man but to faith alone; besides others; also in respect to the sacraments, Baptism and the Eucharist; and, moreover, in respect to the person of Christ; all of which have been drawn, in accordance with the principles of reason, from justification by faith alone. Heresies, from the first centuries to the present day, have sprung up from no other source than from this faith. [Brief Exposition, n. 64.]

Specimen (Whitehead) n. 28

Specimen and Sketch (Whitehead) n. 28

28. Unless the New Church be raised up by the Lord no one can be saved; and this is meant by these words, "Except those days be shortened there shall no flesh be saved." (Matt. 24:2) [Brief Exposition, n. 91.] The reason is, because the old church is founded upon justification by faith alone, and this, upon the idea of three Gods. Hence is all blindness and stupidity, unconcern, and the destruction of religion, so that scarcely anyone thinks about salvation. They who are skilled in these matters think nothing of the salvation of their own souls, or of the souls of their hearers.
The Reformed understand works of the intellect and not of the will, thus passive and not active works.

Specimen (Whitehead) n. 29

Specimen and Sketch (Whitehead) n. 29

29. This church is the New Jerusalem, mentioned in Revelation 21, which is there called the bride and wife of the Lamb. [Brief Exposition, n. 99.]

Specimen (Whitehead) n. 30

Specimen and Sketch (Whitehead) n. 30

30. The faith of the old church has shut heaven, and the faith of the New Church opens it.

Specimen (Whitehead) n. 31

Specimen and Sketch (Whitehead) n. 31

31. The Roman Catholics at this day know nothing of the imputation of the merit of Christ, and of justification by faith therein, because they approach the Pope as the vicar of Christ and worship saints, and only by monks are they taught about good works. [Brief Exposition, n. 105.]

Specimen (Whitehead) n. 32

Specimen and Sketch (Whitehead) n. 32

32. Therefore, if they recede from the vicarship and from the invocation of saints, and take the Holy Supper in both kinds, and approach the Lord, they can be initiated and introduced into the New Church more easily than the Reformed. [Brief Exposition, n. 105.]

Specimen (Whitehead) n. 33

Specimen and Sketch (Whitehead) n. 33

33. The faith of the New Church can in no wise be together with the faith of the former church, and if they are together such a collision and conflict takes place that everything of the church perishes with man. [Brief Exposition, n. 102.]

Analysis: It must not be assumed that the imputation of the merit of Christ is retained, for thus a man, getting out of a pit falls into the pit again; because imputation is impossible, and faith therein has the same effect as before [so that] to escape Scylla he falls into Charybdis. [cf. Brief Exposition, n. 104.]

Let the Sketch end with Jeremiah 7:2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11. [Brief Exposition, n. 115, "conclusion."]
He who escapes from the leopard falls on a bear and is torn to pieces. [cf. Brief Exposition, n. 104.]
He who rescues Himself from five of the dragon's horns falls into the other five. [cf. Brief Exposition, n. 104.]
The Lord conjoins Himself to man according to reception, and reception is according to life.
Nothing added by man can be conjoined with the merit of Christ, either from its worthiness in comparison with that merit, or from its agreement with it.

Corollary

Coronal Appendix