Faith25.人从很少的时候就拥有对知道的情感，或说求知欲；这种求知欲引导他学习许多将对他有用的东西，以及许多将无用的东西。当长大成人时，他就会从事某种职业并学习吸收关于它的信息；那时，这种职业会成为他的功用，他开始喜爱它，对它产生一种情感。对功用的情感或爱就是以这种方式开始的；这种情感或爱会产生对方法的情感，而方法会教他处理好自己的职业，并成为他的功用。这个过程适用于每个世人，因为每个人都有某种职业；为了这项职业，他从作为其目的的功用通过方法发展到实际的功用，也就是结果。但由于这种功用与获得它的方法是为了世上的生活，所以对它的情感或爱只是属世的。
25. Our Knowledge of What Is True and Good Does Not Become Faith until We Are Engaged in Caring. Once We Have a Faith That Is Born of Caring, Though, That Knowledge Becomes a Resource That Gives Form to Our Faith
RIGHT from earliest childhood we are eager to know things. Because of this we learn a great many things, some of which will be useful to us and some of which will not. When we grow up, we get involved in some occupation and absorb information about it; and as we do, the occupation becomes a way for us to be useful, and we begin to love it. This is how our love of being useful begins; and this love leads us to also love the means that allow us to do our occupation and make it effective.
This process applies to everyone in this world because we all have some occupation to which we progress, beginning from the service we envision as a goal, through the means, to the actual service that is the result. However, since this service and its means have to do with life in this world, loving it is an earthly type of love.
25. Concepts of Truth and Goodness Are Not Ones of Faith Before a Person Is Prompted by Charity, but Are a Storehouse from Which the Faith Accompanying Charity May Be Formed
From early childhood everyone has an affection for knowing. This affection leads him to learn many things that will be of service to him, and many things that will not be. When he grows up, by applying himself to some occupation he learns matters pertinent to that occupation. The occupation becomes for him then a useful endeavor, for which he develops an affection. Thus does an affection for useful service begin, and it produces an affection for the means by which he succeeds at his occupation, which is his useful service.
This process takes place with everyone in the world, because everyone has some occupation to which he progresses, from the endeavor which is the end, through the means, to the service itself which is the effect.
But because this endeavor, together with the means to it, is intended for life in the world, the affection for it is a natural one.
25. III. Cognitions 1of truth and good are not related to faith before a man is in charity; but they are a store from which the faith of charity can be formed
Man from his earliest childhood has the affection of knowing. By it he learns many things which will be of use to him, and many things which will be of no use. When he grows up, by application to some business he takes in the particulars relating to his business, which then becomes his use; and by it his affections are disposed. Thus begins the affection of use; and this produces an affection of the means by which he progresses in his business, which has become his use.
This progression takes place with every one in the world; because every one has some business, to the acquiring of which he proceeds from the use which is his end in view, through certain means leading to that use which is the ultimate effect. Since, however, this use, together with the means of attaining it, is for the sake of the life in this world, its love is natural.
Footnotes:
1. The term cognitiones, here used in the Latin, is translated "cognitions" to distinguish these knowledges from those that are meant by the Latin scientifica also used in the Writings of Swedenborg.
Two of the meanings most commonly associated with cognitiones are,
(i) a particular species of knowledge, as knowledges of the Word, of good and truth, or of spiritual things (Heaven and Hell 111, 351, 469, 474, 517-518); and
ii) a higher type of knowledge which is from understanding and perception (Heaven and Hell 110, 353).
25. THE KNOWLEDGES [COGNITIONES] OF TRUTH AND OF GOOD ARE NOT MATTERS OF REAL BELIEF [FIDEI] UNTIL THE MAN IS IN CHARITY, BUT ARE THE STOREHOUSE OF MATERIAL OUT OF WHICH THE FAITH OF CHARITY CAN BE FORMED.
From his earliest childhood man has the affection of knowing, which leads him to learn many things that will be of use to him, and many that will be of no use. While he is growing into manhood he learns by application to some business such things as belong to that business, and this business then becomes his use, and he feels an affection for it. In this way commences the affection or love of use, and this brings forth the affection of the means which teach him the handling of the business which is his use. With everybody in the world there is this progression, because everybody has some business to which he advances from the use that is his end, by the means, to the actual use which is the effect. But inasmuch as this use together with the means that belong to it is for the sake of life in this world, the affection that is felt for it is natural affection only.
25. (III.) QUOD COGNITIONES VERI ET BONI NON SINT FIDEI, ANTEQUAM HOMO IN CHARITATE EST, SED QUOD SINT PROMPTUARIUM, EX QUO FIDES CHARITATIS FORMARI POTEST.
Est homini affectio sciendi ex prima pueritia; per hanc discit plura, quae illi usui erunt, et plura quae non usui. Cum adolescit, ex applicatione ad quoddam negotium, haurit illa quae rei negotii sunt; hoc fit ei tunc usus, quo afficitur: sic incohat affectio usus, quae producit affectionem mediorum, per quae venit ad negotium suum, quod ejus usus est. Haec progressio est apud unumquemvis in mundo, quia unicuique est aliquod negotium, ad quod ab usu qui est finis per media ad ipsum usum qui est effectus, procedit. Verum quia hic usus cum mediis ejus est pro vita in mundo, est ejus affectio naturalis.