1327. They asserted that they had suffered persecutions for their belief and for the Gospel, but because they were in a state like the one they had been in during their bodily life, they were asked whether they had suffered for their belief, thus for the Lord, or for themselves so that they might sit upon 12 thrones and judge the 12 tribes; and so, whether they had suffered for the Kingdom of the Lord, or for their own Kingdom. Had they suffered on account of believing in the Lord, or on account of religious truth, when yet it is repulsive to truth to suffer for one's own glory or to be saved by one's own merit-a fact which they could not deny believing? But it was proven to them that they had suffered for their own glory, and therefore not for truth, no differently than those who suffer for heresies and suchlike causes. As to their having believed, when yet it was not true believing, and yet had taught truly, this is quite a common and familiar circumstance. People can preach truths and yet live contrarily. They wanted also to broach the matter of their life, how they had condemned people and had arrogated to themselves the power of excommunicating and liberating, or closing and opening heaven. However, it was not allowable to bring up any of the personal matters of their lives. And to their assertion that they had not believed otherwise than that they were suffering for true faith and thus for the Lord, they received the reply that everyone lives as they believe, and therefore from their life it may gathered what their real belief is. Many imagine that they believe or have faith, when yet they do not, because their life proves what their belief was. After giving this some thought, they were unable to reply. All that was said was that the Lord has something good in store for those who imagine they have faith, even if they do not.
1327 1/2. They were therefore taught what the inward meaning is of the Lord's words that those will attain the heavenly kingdom who suffer persecution and are miserable, namely, that those suffering persecution, when it is for true faith and in the true faith, are not troubled about bodily and worldly concerns. The "miserable and the poor" mean those who are spiritually miserable and poor, whether they had been rich or poor in the world, or in a high position, or kings, or beggars-thus all who are spiritually miserable and poor, and therefore suffer persecution by falsities and evils, and endure them, as one undergoing temptations. Therefore, they are those who fight against the devil's gang. So all the words [of the blessings] are to be understood in their spiritual meaning.
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