Page:The Swedenborg Library Vol 3.djvu/57

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THE UNDERSTANDING IN CAPTIVITY.
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light into themselves. This tenet the Reformed Church has retained from the Roman Catholic religion which declares that no one but the church itself, by which they mean the pope and papal consistory, ought to interpret the Word; and that he who does not in faith embrace all the doctrine delivered by the church, is to be considered a heretic, and anathematized.

That this is the case is evident from a clause of the Council of Trent in which all the tenets of that religion are established, and where the following words are to be found towards the end:

"Then the president, Moronus, said, 'Go in peace;' and this was followed by acclamations, and among others by this declaration of the cardinal of Lorain and the fathers — 'This is what we all believe; we are all of this very opinion; we all with one consent abide by and subscribe to it; this is the faith of the blessed Peter and of the apostles; this is the faith of the fathers; this is the faith of the orthodox. So be it; amen, amen. Anathema to all heretics, anathema, anathema.'"

These particulars are adduced to show that the Reformed have retained from the Roman Catholic religion a blind faith, that is, a faith separated from the understanding. And they who do retain it henceforth cannot be enlightened by divine truths from the Lord.

So long as the understanding is held captive under obedience to faith, or so long as the understanding is removed from seeing the truths of the church, theology

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