351、那些相信神性在自然界的每一个细节中进行运作的人，能根据他们在自然界所看到的许多事物来确认支持神性，和那些确认支持自然的人证实得一样充分，甚至更充分。因为那些确认支持神性的人注意到他们在动植物的繁殖过程中所看到的奇迹。在植物的繁殖过程中，他们注意到扔在地里的一粒小种子如何发出根来，并通过根长出茎，然后相继长出枝、叶、花、果，最终结出新种子；就好像这种子知道繁殖的顺序，或自我更新的过程一样。凡有理性者，谁会以为纯粹是火的太阳拥有这种知识？或这太阳能将产生这类效果的能力赋予它的热和光，并能在植物中创造奇迹，深思功用？凡拥有提升了的理性官能之人，在看到并考虑这些奇事时，不能不想到它们来自拥有无限智慧的那一位，因而来自神。那些承认神性的人也会看到并思想这一切，而那些不承认神性的人则不会看到并思想这一切，因为他们不愿这样做。因此，他们任由自己的理性官能降至其感官层，而感官层从身体感官所在的光汲取它的一切观念，并为他们的幻觉辩护说：“难道你没看到这太阳通过它的热和光实现这些效果吗？你看不到的东西算什么呢？它还是个东西吗？”
那些确认支持神性的人，还注意到他们在动物的繁殖过程中所看到的奇迹；在此只提一下卵中的奇迹，如：这卵里面如何隐藏着在其种子或初始中的雏鸟，和它直到孵化出来所需的一切，以及它孵化出来后继续发育，直到变成其父母那种样式的鸟儿或飞行物所需的一切。此外，如果观察一下生命的形式，深入思考，就会情不自禁地充满惊讶；例如，最小的生物和最大的生物一样，甚至不可见的生物和可见的生物一样，都拥有感觉器官，即视觉、听觉、嗅觉、味觉和触觉；以及运动器官，也就是肌肉，以便它们飞翔和行走；还有心肺周围的内脏，它们都受大脑驱动。甚至连低等昆虫也享有这些有机组织，这一点从一些研究人员的解剖学描述中可以得知，最著名的是简·施旺麦丹所写的《自然的圣经》。
诚然，那些将一切事物都归因于自然界的人也看见这一切奇事，但他们只想到它们的存在，并声称是自然界产生了它们。他们这样说是因为，他们使自己的心智转离，不去思想神性；那些如此行的人当看到自然界中的奇事时，不能理性思考，更不用说以属灵的方式进行思考了；相反，他们会以感官和物质的方式来思考。这时，他们从自然的角度在自然界的范围内思考，而不是超越它，和那些地狱里的人一样。他们与动物的区别仅在于：他们拥有理性思考的能力，也就是说，他们能够理解，因此若愿意，也能不这么想。
351. People who believe that Divinity is at work in the details of nature can prove the role of Divinity for themselves by a host of things they observe in nature--just as fully as and even more fully than people who decide in favor of nature. People who decide for Divinity pay attention to the miracles they see in the way both plants and animals reproduce. In the reproduction of plants, they see that a root goes forth from a tiny seed cast into the ground, with a stem from the root and then twigs, leaves, flowers, fruit, all the way to new seeds. It is exactly as though the seed knew the sequence or the process for its own renovation. What rational person could believe that the sun, which is nothing but fire, knows this, or that it can endow plants with the ability to accomplish this with its warmth and light, that it can work these miracles in plants with the intent to perform some useful function? Anyone whose rational abilities are lifted up, on seeing and pondering such things, can only think that they come from One who has infinite wisdom, from God.
People who acknowledge Divinity see this and think this way. People who do not acknowledge Divinity, though, do not see this or think this way because they do not want to. So they lower their rational abilities down to the sensory level that gets all its concepts from the light that envelops our physical senses. They then "prove" their fallacies by saying, "Can't you see the sun making this happen by its warmth and light? What is anything that you cannot see? Is it anything at all?"
People who decide in favor of Divinity pay attention to the miracles they see in the way animals reproduce. At this point I may mention only what happens in eggs. Hidden within the egg is the chick "in seed" or in potential, with everything it needs for coming to hatching and for the whole sequence after hatching until it becomes a bird, a flying creature in the image of its parents. If people pay close attention to the nature of the form involved and think deeply about it, they cannot fail to be stunned. They see, for example, that in the smallest creatures as in the largest, in the invisible ones as in the visible, there are sensory organs for sight, smell, taste, and touch; there are organs of motion called muscles--these creatures actually fly and walk; and they have organs around their hearts and lungs that are activated by their brains. We have been informed by people who have written about their anatomy that even lowly insects enjoy these gifts: see especially Swammerdam's Book of Nature.
People who attribute everything to nature do see these things, but they simply think that they happen and say that nature makes them happen; and they say this because they have diverted their minds from thinking about Divinity. If people have diverted their minds from thinking about Divinity, then when they see the miracles in nature they cannot think rationally, let alone spiritually. They think in terms of sensation and matter, and in so doing think about nature from within nature and not from above it. This is just what people in hell do. The sole difference between them and animals is that they have rational capacity; that is, they could understand and think differently if they wanted to.
351. People who believe that the Divine operates in every single element of nature can, from the many things which they see in nature, confirm themselves on the side of the Divine, just as well as and even more than those who confirm themselves on the side of nature. For people who confirm themselves on the side of the Divine pay heed to the marvels which they see in the propagations of both plants and animals.
In the propagations of plants, they note how a tiny seed cast into the ground produces a root, by means of the root a stem, and then in succession branches, leaves, flowers and fruits, culminating in new seeds - altogether as though the seed knew the order of progression or the process by which to renew itself. What rational person can suppose that the sun, which is nothing but fire, has this knowledge? Or that it can impart to its heat and its light the power to produce such effects, and in those effects can create marvels and intend a useful result?
Any person having an elevated rational faculty, on seeing and considering these wonders, cannot but think that they issue from one who possesses infinite wisdom, thus from God.
People who acknowledge the Divine also see and think this; but people who do not acknowledge the Divine do not see and think it, because they do not want to. Therefore they allow their rational faculty to descend into their sensual self, which draws all its ideas from the light in which the bodily senses are, and which defends the fallacies of these, saying, "Do you not see the sun accomplishing these effects by its heat and its light? What is something that you do not see? Is it anything?"
[2] People who confirm themselves on the side of the Divine pay heed to the marvels which they see in the propagations of animals - to mention here only those in eggs, as that in them lies the embryo in its seed or inception, with everything it requires to the time it hatches, and moreover with everything that develops after it hatches until it becomes a bird or flying thing in the form of its parent. Also that if one gives attention to the form, it is such that, if one thinks deeply, one cannot help but fall into a state of amazement - seeing, for example, that in the smallest of these creatures as in the largest, indeed in the invisible as in the visible, there are sense organs which serve for sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch; also motor organs, which are muscles, for they fly and walk; as well as viscera surrounding hearts and lungs, which are actuated by brains. That even lowly insects possess such component parts is known from their anatomy as described by certain investigators, most notably by Swammerdam 1 in his Biblia Naturae. 2
[3] People who attribute all things to nature see these wonders, indeed, but they think only that they exist, and say that nature produces them. They say this because they have turned their mind away from thinking about the Divine; and when people who have turned away from thinking about the Divine see wonders in nature, they are unable to think rationally, still less spiritually, but think instead in sensual and material terms. They then think within the confines of nature from the standpoint of nature and not above it, in the way that those do who are in hell. They differ from animals only in their having the power of rationality, that is, in their being able to understand and so think otherwise if they will.
Footnotes:
1. Jan Swammerdam, 1637-1680, Dutch anatomist and entomologist.
2. Published posthumously under Dutch and Latin titles, Bybel der Natuure; of, Historie der insecten... / Biblia Naturae; sive Historia Insectorum... (A Book of Nature; or, History of Insects...), with text in Latin and Dutch in parallel columns, Leyden, 1737 (vol. 1), 1738 (vol. 2).
351. Those who believe in the Divine working in all the details of nature are able, by very many things which nature shows them, to confirm themselves in favour of the Divine, as fully as those confirmed in favour of nature, indeed more fully. For the former pay heed to the wonders displayed in the propagation both of vegetables and animals. In the propagation of vegetables: that out of a little seed cast into the earth, a root goes out, by means of a root, a stem, and branches, leaves, flowers, and fruit, one after the other, even to new seeds; just as if the seed knew the order of succession, or the process by which it is about to be renewed. Can any rational being imagine that the sun, which is pure fire, has this knowledge, or that it can infuse its heat and light with the capacity to effect such results, or that it is able to fashion the marvels in them, and contemplate the use? The man of elevated reason, who sees and ponders these things, cannot but think that they come from Him Who has infinite Wisdom, thus from God. Those who do acknowledge the Divine see and think this also; but those who do not acknowledge the Divine do not see and think this, because they will not. Thus they allow their rational to sink down into the sensual, which draws all its ideas from the light of the region of the bodily senses, and confirms their illusions, saying, Do you not see the sun effecting these things by means of its heat and light? What is a thing that you do not see? Is it anything? Those who confirm themselves in favour of the Divine pay heed to the wonders displayed in the propagation of animals: for instance, this fact alone is remarkable in eggs; how the little chick lies in them hidden in its seed, or undeveloped state, with everything it needs until the hatching out, and also with everything for its growth, after hatching, until it becomes a bird, or flying creature, in a form like, the parent. And, if one observes the living form, it is such as to fill with amazement any one who thinks deeply. For, in the most minute just as in the greatest of them, and indeed, in the invisible just as in the visible, there are organs of the senses, namely sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch; also organs of motion which are muscles, for they fly and walk; and the viscera surrounding heart and lungs, which are set in motion by the brains. That common insects also enjoy the use of these organs is well known from their anatomy, as described by certain writers, notably by Swammerdam, in his Biblia Naturae. Those who ascribe everything to nature certainly see things, but have in mind only the fact that they exist, and declare that nature produces them. They say this because they have turned their minds away from thinking about the Divine; and those who have done this are unable to think rationally, still less to think spiritually, when they see marvels in nature. But their thought is sensual and material; and then they think in nature from nature, and not above nature, in the same way as those who are in hell. The only thing that differentiates them from the beasts is that they have the power to think rationally, that is, they can understand, and so, if they choose, can think otherwise.
351. Those who believe in a Divine operation in all the details of nature, are able by very many things they see in nature to confirm themselves in favor of the Divine, as fully as others confirm themselves in favor of nature, yea, more fully. For those who confirm themselves in favor of the Divine give attention to the wonders which are displayed in the production both of plants and animals. In the production of plants, how out of a little seed cast into the ground there goes forth a root, and by means of the root a stem, and branches, leaves, flowers, and fruits in succession, even to new seeds; just as if the seed knew the order of succession, or the process by which it is to renew itself. Can any reasonable person think that the sun, which is mere fire, has this knowledge, or that it is able to empower its heat and light to effect these results, or is able to fashion these wonderful things in plants, and to contemplate use? Any man of elevated reason who sees and weighs these things, cannot think otherwise than that they come from Him who has infinite reason, that is, from God. Those who acknowledge the Divine also see and think this, but those who do not acknowledge the Divine do not see or think this because they do not wish to; thus they sink their rational into the sensual, which draws all its ideas from the lumen which is proper to the bodily senses and which confirms their illusions, saying, Do you not see the sun effecting these things by its heat and light? What is a thing that you do not see? Is it anything?
Those who confirm themselves in favor of the Divine give attention to the wonders which are displayed in the production of animals; to mention here only, in reference to eggs, how the chick in its seed or beginning lies hidden therein, with everything requisite till it is hatched, also with everything pertaining to its subsequent development, until it becomes a bird or winged thing of the same form as its parent. And if one observes the living form, it is such as to fill any one with astonishment who thinks deeply, seeing that in the minutest as in the largest living creatures, even in the invisible, as in the visible, there are the organs of sense, namely, sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch; and organs of motion which are muscles, for they fly and walk; also viscera surrounding the heart and lungs, which are set in action by brains. That even the commonest insects enjoy such organisms is shown in their anatomy as described by some writers, and especially by Swammerdam, in his Biblia Naturae. Those who ascribe everything to nature, see all these things, but they merely perceive that they exist, and say that nature produces them. They say this because they have turned their minds away from thinking about the Divine; and those who have done this are unable, when they see the wonderful things in nature, to think rationally, still less spiritually; but they think sensually and materially; and then they think in nature from nature, and not above nature, just as those do who are in hell. They differ from beasts only in having the power to think rationally, that is, in being able to understand, and therefore to think otherwise, if they choose.
351. Illi qui credunt Divinam operationem in singulis naturae, possunt ex permultis, quae in natura vident, se confirmare pro Divino, aeque, imo plus, quam illi qui se confirmant pro natura; illi enim qui se confirmant pro Divino, attendunt ad mirabilia quae conspiciuntur in productionibus tam vegetabilium quam animalium. In productionibus vegetabilium, 1 quod ex seminulo jacto in terram exeat radix, per radicem caulis, ac successive frondes, folia, flores, fructus, usque ad nova semina; prorsus sicut semen sciret ordinem successionis, aut processum, quo se renovaturum sit; quis Rationalis cogitare potest, quod Sol, qui est purus ignis, hoc sciat, aut quod possit indere calori suo et luci suae, ut talia efficiat, tum quod possit formare mirabilia in illis, ac intendere usum: homo, cui Rationale elevatum est, cum illa videt et expendit, non potest aliter cogitare, quam quod sint ab Ipso, Cui Infinita Sapientia est, ita a Deo: illi qui agnoscunt Divinum, id quoque vident et cogitant, at illi qui non agnoscunt, id non vident et cogitant, quia non volunt, et sic demittunt rationale suum in sensuale, quod omnes ideas suas trahit ex lumine in quo sunt sensus corporis, ac fallacias illorum confirmat, dicendo, numne vides Solem per calorem suum et lucem suam haec operantem[;] quid est id quod non vides; num est aliquid.
[2] Illi qui se confirmant pro Divino, attendunt ad mirabilia quae conspiciuntur in Productionibus animalium; ut hic solum memorem in Ovis, quod in illis lateat pullus in suo semine seu inchoamento cum omni requisito usque ad exclusionem, et quoque cum omni progressione post exclusionem usque ut fiat avis aut volatile in forma genitoris; et si attendit ad formam, quod illa talis sit, ut non possit, si alte cogitat, quam in stuporem venire, ut quod in minimis eorum sicut in maximis, imo in invisibilibus 2 sicut in visibilibus, sint organa sensuum, quae sunt visus, [auditus,] odoratus, 3 gustus, tactus, tum organa motuum quae sunt musculi, volant enim et gradiuntur, ut et viscera circum corda et pulmones, quae actuantur a cerebris: quod vilia insecta etiam talibus gaudeant, notum est ab anatome illorum a quibusdam descripta, imprimis a Swammerdamo in ejus Bibliis Naturae. 4
[3] Qui omnia naturae adscribunt, illi quidem vident talia, sed cogitant modo quod sint, et dicunt quod natura producat, et hoc dicunt quia averterunt mentem a cogitando de Divino, et qui averterunt se a cogitando de Divino, dum vident mirabilia in natura, non possunt rationaliter, minus spiritualiter[,] cogitare, sed cogitant sensualiter et materialiter, et tunc cogitant in natura ex natura, et non supra illam, similiter ut faciunt illi qui in inferno sunt, solum cum differentia a bestiis, quod rationalitate polleant, hoc est, quod possint intelligere, et sic aliter cogitare si 5 velint.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: vegetabilium;
2. Prima editio: invisibillbus
3. Prima editio: odoris,
4. Prima editio: natarae.
5. Prima editio: se