346.前面说过，信在人里面的产生就是属灵的视觉。由于属灵的视觉，也就是理解力和心智的视觉，和属世的视觉，也就是眼睛和身体的视觉互相对应，故信的一切状态好比眼睛及其视觉的某种状态。出于真理的信之状态对应于视力的一切正常状态，出于虚假的信之状态则对应于视力的一切非正常状态。关于这两种视力的非正常状态，我会在这两种视觉，即心智视觉和身体视觉的对应关系之间作个对比。虚假和真理混杂其中的不正当的信，好比被称为角膜白斑的眼睛和视力疾病，它会造成视力模糊。出于歪曲真理的徒有其表的信和出于各种被玷污的良善的不贞的信，好比被称为青光眼的眼睛和视力疾病，它是晶状体结晶液的干燥和硬化。
封闭或盲目的信，就是被视为神秘的信，尽管不知道它们是真是假，或是超越理性还是违背理性，好比被称为黑蒙或黑内障的眼病，它会因视神经受阻而丧失视力，尽管眼睛看似完好无损。信多神的不确定的信好比被称为白内障的眼病，它由于巩膜与葡萄膜之间的阻塞而丧失视力。独眼的信，就是信他神胜过真神，或对基督徒而言，信其他神胜过信主神，救主，好比被称为斜视的眼病。嘴上信，心里不信的伪信或法利赛人之信，好比导致视力丧失的眼睛萎缩症。幻想或颠倒的信，就是通过巧妙的论证看似真理的虚假，好比被称为夜盲症的眼病，这病借着幻光在黑暗中看东西。
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346. 正如以上所說, 信的產生體現在屬靈的看見。因為屬靈的看見, 是屬於認知,因而屬於思想的能力, 而屬世的看見, 是屬於眼睛,因而屬於身體的能力。兩者相互對應, 信的每一個狀態好比眼睛及其眼界的某種狀態。真正之信的狀態就比作眼見的健康狀態; 虛假之信的狀態如同眼見的不健康狀態。
關於不健康的狀態, 我將思想的眼見與身體的眼見之間的對應關係上作個比較。(1)假冒之信, 其中偽謬混於真理之中。好比眼睛和視力得病, 虹膜上有污點或斑點, 擾亂視線。(2)似是而非之信, 真理被歪曲; 不貞之信, 良善被污染。好比得了青光眼, 令虹膜外緣的水樣液乾燥發生梗阻, (3)封閉或盲目之信, 就是信神秘之事, 哪怕不知道它們到底是對是錯, 或者是否合乎理性。好比得了名為黑蒙或黑內障的眼病, 是因視覺神經的阻塞而損傷視覺, 儘管眼睛看起來正常。(4)飄忽不定之信, 就是信多神。好比得了名為白內障的眼病, 是由於鞏膜與葡萄膜間的阻塞而引起的視覺受損。(5)獨眼之信, 就是信他神勝過真神, 或者對基督徒而言, 信其它神勝過信主上帝我們的拯救主。這好比得了斜視的眼病。(6)偽善或法利賽之信, 就是嘴上信, 心裡不信。好比得了萎縮症而引起視覺損失。(7)虛構或顛倒之信, 就是利用精巧的論證令偽謬看起來像真理。好比得了夜盲症, 在暗環境下或夜晚時視力很差或完全看不見東西。
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346. As I said above, faith takes the form of spiritual sight in us. Since spiritual sight (the sight of the intellect and therefore the mind) and physical sight (the sight of the eye and therefore the body) correspond to each other, every state of faith is comparable to a state of the eye and its sight. The states of true faith are comparable to all the healthy states of eyesight. The states of false faith are comparable to all the unhealthy states of eyesight.
Let us compare the correspondences of these two kinds of sight, the mental and the physical, in each one's unhealthy states. Illegitimate faith, in which false beliefs have been mixed with true ones, is comparable to the disease of the eye and therefore of eyesight called a white macula or spot on the cornea, which obscures vision. Promiscuous faith based on truths that have been falsified and adulterous faith based on good things that have been contaminated are comparable to the eye disease and visual problem called a cataract - a drying and hardening of the crystalline fluid [of the lens]. Closed or blind faith, which is a faith in mystical things that we believe in, although we do not know whether they are true or false, beyond reason or contrary to it, is comparable to the eye disease called gutta serena or amaurosis - loss of sight because of blockage of the optical nerve, although the eye still looks as though it is functioning and healthy. Wandering faith, which is faith in many gods, is comparable to the disease of the eye that involves a loss of transparency in the anterior chamber, that is, a loss of vision resulting from an obstruction between the sclerotic tunic and the uvea. Half-blind faith, which is faith in some other god besides the true one, or among Christians, faith in someone else besides the Lord God our Savior, is comparable to the disease of the eye called strabismus. Hypocritical or pharisaical faith, which is faith of the mouth but not of the heart, is comparable to atrophy of the eye that causes loss of sight. Imaginary and backwards faith, which presents falsity as truth and bolsters it with clever argumentation, is comparable to the disease of the eye called nyctalopia, or night blindness, which is [poor] vision in the faint, deceptive light that occurs in the nighttime.
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346. It was said above that faith in its coming into being in the case of a person is spiritual sight. Now since spiritual sight, which is a faculty of the understanding and thus mental, and natural sight, which is a faculty of the eye and thus bodily, correspond to each other, each state of faith can be compared to a condition of the eye and the faculty of sight. The state of faith from truth corresponds to every healthy condition of the eyesight; the state of faith from falsity to every morbid condition of the eyesight. I shall make a comparison between the correspondences of the two kinds of sight, mental and bodily, in respect of the morbid conditions of either.
Spurious faith, in which falsities are mixed with truths, can be compared with the defect of the eye and sight called white spot on the cornea, which makes the sight dim. Meretricious faith, which arises from falsified truths, and adulterous faith, which arises from different kinds of adulterated good, can be compared with the defect of the eye and sight called glaucoma, which is a drying-up and hardening of the crystalline humour.
[2] Concealed or blind faith, which is faith in mysteries which are believed in, despite ignorance whether they are true or not, or whether they are above the level of reason or contrary to it, can be compared with the defect of the eye called gutta serena or amaurosis, which is a loss of sight arising from the obstruction of the optic nerve, although the eye appears to be intact and seeing. Erratic faith, which is in a plurality of gods, can be compared with the defect of the eye called cataract, which is loss of sight due to blockage between the sclerotic tunic and the uvea. One-eyed faith, which is in some god other than the true one, and in the case of Christians in a god other than the Lord God the Saviour, can be compared with the defect of the eye called squinting. Hypocritical or Pharisaical faith, which is a faith of the lips, but not the heart, can be compared with atrophy of the eye leading to loss of sight. Imaginary or upside-down faith, which is falsity made by clever proofs to seem like truth, can be compared with the defect of the eye called nyctalopia, which is the ability to see by deceptive light in darkness.
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346. It has been said above that faith, as to its existence in man, is spiritual sight. Now as spiritual sight which is the sight of the understanding, and thus of the mind, and natural sight which is the sight of the eye and thus of the body, mutually correspond, every state of faith may be compared with some state of the eye and its sight-a state of faith in what is true with every normal state of eyesight, and a state of faith in what is false with every perverted state Of eyesight. Let us compare then the correspondences of these two kinds of sight, mental and bodily, as to their perverted states. Spurious faith, in which falsities are mixed with truths, may be compared to that disease of the eye and consequently of the sight, called white specks on the cornea, which produces dimness of sight. Meretricious faith which comes from truths falsified, and adulterous faith which is from goods adulterated, may be compared to that disease of the eye and consequently of the sight, called glaucoma, which is a drying up and hardening of the crystalline humor. Closed or blind faith, which is a faith in things mystical that are believed, although it is not known whether they are true or false, or whether they are above reason or contrary to it, may be compared to the disease of the eye called gutta serena or amaurosis, which is a loss of sight while the eye still looks as though it saw perfectly, which arises from an obstruction of the optic nerve. Erratic faith, which is a faith in several Gods, may be compared to the disease of the eye called cataract, which is a loss of vision, arising from a stoppage between the sclerotic coat and the uvea. Purblind faith, which is a faith in any other than the true God, and among Christians in any but the Lord God the Savior, may be compared to the disease of the eye called strabismus. Hypocritical or Pharisiac faith, which is a faith of the lips and not of the heart, maybe compared to atrophy of the eye, and consequent loss of sight. Visionary and distorted faith, which is falsity made to appear like truth by an ingenious confirmation of it, may be compared to the disease of the eye called nyctalopia, which is seeing in darkness from an illusive light.
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346. It was stated above that faith, as it exists in man, is spiritual sight. Now, since spiritual sight, which is that of the understanding and thus of the mind, and natural sight, which is that of the eye and thus of the body, mutually correspond, therefore, every state of faith may be compared to some state of the eye and its sight. A state of faith in what is true may be compared to every perfect state of the eye and its sight, and a state of faith in what is false, to every perverted state of the eye and its sight. We will now point out the correspondence between these two kinds of sight, of the mind and of the body, with regard to the perverted states of each.
1. Spurious faith, in which falsities are mixed with truths, may be compared to that disease of the eye affecting the sight, described as a white speck on the cornea, which causes dimness of sight.
2. Meretricious faith, which is a faith from truths falsified, and adulterous faith, which is a faith from goods defiled, may be compared to that disease of the eye affecting the sight, called glaucoma, which is a drying up and hardening of the crystalline humor.
3. Closed or blind faith, which is a faith in things mystical, which are believed, but without any discernment whether they are true or false, or whether they transcend reason or are contrary to it, may be compared to that disease of the eye, called gutta serena, and amaurosis, which is a loss of vision, although the eye appears to have normal sight, caused by an obstruction of the optic nerve.
4. Wandering faith, which is a faith in several gods, may be compared to that disease of the eye called cataract, which is a loss of sight arising from an obstruction between the sclerotic coat and the uvea.
5. Purblind faith, which is a faith in any other than the true God, and, among Christians, in any but the Lord God the Savior, may be compared to that disease of the eye called strabismus, or squinting.
6. Hypocritical or pharisaical faith, which is a faith of the lips, and not of the heart, may be compared to atrophy of the eye, and consequent loss of sight.
7. Visionary and perverted faith, or falsity made to appear as truth by ingenious confirmation, may be compared to that disease of the eye called nyctalopia, by which there is vision in darkness, but from deceptive light.
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346. Supra dictum est, quod Fides quoad suam existentiam apud hominem sit Visus spiritualis; nunc quia visus spiritualis qui est intellectus et sic mentis, et visus naturalis qui est visus oculi et sic corporis, sibi mutuo correspondent, ideo potest omnis status fidei comparari cum statu oculi et ejus visus, status fidei veri cum omni statu integro visus oculi, et status fidei falsi cum omni statu perverso visus oculi: sed correspondentias duorum illorum visuum, mentis et corporis, quoad status utriusque perversos, comparabimus; FIDES 1 SPURIA, in qua falsa commixta sunt veris, comparari potest cum vitio oculi et inde visus, quod vocatur Macula alba supra corneam, visum reddens obscurum. FIDES MERETRIX, quae est ex falsificatis veris, 2 et FIDES ADULTERA, quae est ex adulteratis bonis, comparari possunt 3 cum vitio oculi et inde visus, quod vocatur Glaucoma, et est exsiccatio et induratio humoris chrystallini.
[2] FIDES OCCLUSA aut CAECA, quae est rerum mysticarum, quae creduntur tametsi nescitur num sint vera vel falsa, aut num sint supra rationem aut contra illam, comparari potest cum vitio oculi, quod vocatur Gutta serena et Amaurosis, quod est jactura visus et tamen oculus apparet sicut integre videns, oriunda ex obstructione nervi optici. FIDES ERRATICA quae est in plures Deos, comparari potest cum vitio oculi quod vocatur Cataracta, quae est jactura visus oriunda ex obstipatione inter tunicam scleroticam et uveam. FIDES LUSCA quae est in alium Deum quam in verum, et apud Christianos quam in Dominum Deum Salvatorem, comparari potest cum vitio oculi quod vocatur Strabismus. 4 FIDES HYPOCRITICA seu PHARISAICA, quae est oris et non cordis, comparari potest cum Atrophia oculi et inde jactura visus. FIDES VISIONARIA ET PRAEPOSTERA, quae est apparentia 5 falsi sicut 6 veri ex ingeniosa confirmatione, comparari potest cum vitio oculi quod vocatur Nyctalopia, 7 quae est visio ex luce fatua in tenebris.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: BIDES.
2. Prima editio: veris.
3. Prima editio: potest.
4. Prima editio: Strabisme.
5. Prima editio: appurentia.
6. Prima editio: sicul.
7. Prima editio: Nyctolopia.