763.按照秩序，最初应该行进到最后，无论总体还是细节，以使万物充满变化，变化决定一切品质；因为品质通过差异被完善，这种差异或多或少地关系到对立面。谁不明白，真通过假的存在得其品质，同样，善通过恶的存在得其品质，如同光通过暗的存在得其品质，热通过冷的存在得其品质？没有黑，只有白，我们如何得到颜色？只有不完全性才能产生中间色的品质。没有对照，还会有感觉吗？没有参照物，又如何对照？若只看白色，不通过色彩活跃，视觉不会模糊吗？而色彩归功于黑色，比如，绿色就是这样。若只听一个声调，听觉不会迟钝吗？但听觉是通过音调的变化被唤醒的，这也是对照的结果。没有丑，如何拥有美呢？所以在一些图片中，为生动形象地表现少女的美丽，会将丑陋的脸摆放在漂亮的脸旁边。没有不快乐、不幸福，又如何拥有快乐和幸福呢？除非不时地有各种想法，否则，满脑子只有一个念头，不是会把人逼疯吗？教会的属灵事物也是一样，其对立面关系到恶与假。然而，它们并非来自主，而来自人，人拥有选择自由，他凭这自由既可转向善用，也可转向恶用；好比黑和冷，它们并非来自太阳，而是来自地球，地球通过自转，依次背离和转向太阳。若没有地球的这种背离和转向，既不存在日子，也不存在年，因此地上既没有人，也没有万物。我听说，拥有各种善与真的教会，只要其善关系到对主的爱，其真关系到对主的信，就会象王冠上的宝石一样多。
763. 按照秩序, 最初应该行进到最后, 无论总体还是细节, 以使万物充满变化, 变化决定一切品质; 因为品质通过差异被完善, 这种差异或多或少地关系到对立面。 谁不明白, 真通过假的存在得其品质, 同样, 善通过恶的存在得其品质, 如同光通过暗的存在得其品质, 热通过冷的存在得其品质? 没有黑, 只有白, 我们如何得到颜色? 只有不完全性才能产生中间色的品质。 没有对照, 还会有感觉吗? 没有参照物, 又如何对照? 若只看白色, 不通过色彩活跃, 视觉不会模糊吗? 而色彩归功于黑色, 比如, 绿色就是这样。 若只听一个声调, 听觉不会迟钝吗? 但听觉是通过音调的变化被唤醒的, 这也是对照的结果。 没有丑, 如何拥有美呢? 所以在一些图片中, 为生动形象地表现少女的美丽, 会将丑陋的脸摆放在漂亮的脸旁边。 没有不快乐, 不幸福, 又如何拥有快乐和幸福呢? 除非不时地有各种想法, 否则, 满脑子只有一个念头, 不是会把人逼疯吗? 教会的属灵事物也是一样, 其对立面关系到恶与假。 然而, 它们并非来自主, 而来自人, 人拥有选择自由, 他凭这自由既可转向善用, 也可转向恶用; 好比黑和冷, 它们并非来自太阳, 而是来自地球, 地球通过自转, 依次背离和转向太阳。 若没有地球的这种背离和转向, 既不存在日子, 也不存在年, 因此地上既没有人, 也没有万物。 我听说, 拥有各种善与真的教会, 只要其善关系到对主的爱, 其真关系到对主的信, 就会象王冠上的宝石一样多。
763. It is part of the divine design that things proceed from beginning to end; this is both a pattern overall and a pattern in smaller increments within the overall pattern. This design allows for the variety of all things, and this variety allows there to be qualities of all kinds. The quality of anything is more perfectly assessed through its contrast to things that are somewhat its opposite and things that are very much its opposite.
Darkness allows us to appreciate what a wonderful thing light is, and coldness allows us to appreciate what a wonderful thing heat is. Likewise (as everyone surely recognizes), falsity allows us to appreciate what a wonderful thing truth is, and evil allows us to appreciate what a wonderful thing goodness is.
What would color be if only white existed, and black did not? The quality of the other colors would be poorer if there were no way to darken them.
What is sensation without contrast? And what is contrast without the existence of things that are opposites? Our eyesight is dimmed by whiteness alone, but is brought to life by colors - such as green, for example - that are darkened by a measure of blackness. Our ear grows deaf to a single note that constantly assaults our organs of hearing; the ear is stimulated, though, by notes in various different harmonic relationships.
[2] What is beauty if there is no ugliness to serve as a contrast? This is why some paintings highlight and bring to life the beauty of a young woman by including an ugly image beside her.
What are joy and delight apart from their contrast with what is miserable and unpleasant?
Surely we all become deranged if we constantly think the same idea and never interrupt it with a variety of other notions that tend in different and even opposite directions.
The same is true of the spiritual qualities offered by the church. The opposites of these qualities relate to evil and falsity. Evil and falsity are not from the Lord, though; they come from us. We have free choice, and we can exercise that choice to serve either a good purpose or an evil purpose. Falsity and evil are like the dark and the cold. The sun does not cause the dark or the cold; it is the earth's turning away that causes them. And yet without that turning away, there would be no day, there would be no year, and therefore there would be nothing and no one on this planet.
I have been told that the churches and all their varying approaches to goodness and truth - provided their goodness has something to do with loving the Lord and their truths have something to do with faith in him - are like all the different gems on a monarch's crown.
763. The reason why it is a principle of order that what is first should advance, both generally and in detail, to its last state, is to permit everything to be varied; and it is varieties which determine quality, for quality is perfected by differences relating to what is more or less its opposite. Can anyone fail to see that truth gets its quality from the existence of falsity; and likewise good gets its quality from the existence of evil, light its from the existence of darkness, heat its from the existence of cold? How could we have colour, if only white existed and no black? It is only incompleteness which produces the quality of the intervening colours. How could we have meaning without contrast, and contrast except by reference to opposites? Is not the eyesight dimmed by nothing but white, and enlivened by colour; and colour owes something to black, as for instance, green does. Does not the ear go deaf, if a single note is continually dinned into its organs? But it is aroused by variation of pitch, and this too is the result of contrasts. How can we have beauty without a contrast with ugliness? That is why the beauty of some young woman is vividly displayed in some paintings, which have an ugly face put alongside. How could we have pleasure and bliss, except by contrast with what is unpleasant or unblest? Does not a single idea held constantly in the mind drive one mad, unless it is varied at intervals by ideas tending in the opposite direction?
It is much the same with the spiritual things of the church; here the opposites refer to evil and falsity. Yet these do not come from the Lord, but from human beings, who have free will and can apply it to good or to evil purposes. To use a comparison, it is the same as with darkness and cold. These do not come from the sun, but from the earth, which as it revolves successively withdraws from and turns away from the sun. Yet were it not for this turning towards and withdrawal, there would be neither days nor years, and so nothing, indeed, no one, upon earth. I have been told that churches which possess differing kinds of good and truth, so long as the kinds of good they have relate to love to the Lord and the truths they have relate to faith in the Lord, are like so many jewels in a king's crown.
763. It is according to order that a first should go forth to its last both in general and in particular, in order that variety may exist in all things, and through varieties every quality; for quality is perfected by means of differences relating to what is more or less opposite. Who cannot see that truth takes on its quality through the existence of falsity, and good likewise through the existence of evil, as light takes on its quality through the existence of darkness, and heat through the existence of cold? What would color be if there were no black and nothing but white? If it were otherwise the quality of intermediate colors could not but be imperfect. What is sensation apart from relation; and what is relation except to things opposite? Is not the sight of the eye obscured by looking at white only, and quickened by a color that inwardly derives something from black, such, for example, as green? Is not the sense of bearing dulled by the continued strain of one tone upon its organs, and stimulated by a modulation that is varied by relative sounds? What is the beautiful without relation to the unbeautiful? So in some pictures in order to present vividly the beauty of a virgin, an ugly face is placed beside the handsome one. What are joy and happiness without relation to what is joyless and unhappy? Will not one become insane by dwelling upon one idea only, uninterrupted by a variety that tends to things opposite? It is the same with the spiritual things of the church, the opposites of which have relation to evil and falsity, which, nevertheless, are not from the Lord, but from man who has freedom of choice which he can turn either to a good use or an evil use; comparatively as it is with darkness and cold, which are not from the sun but are from the earth, which by its revolutions in turn withdraws from the sun and returns to it; and without its turning from and to the sun there would be neither day nor year, consequently no person and no thing on the earth. I have heard that churches which are in different goods and truths, provided their goods relate to love to the Lord, and their truths to faith in Him, are like so many gems in a king's crown.
763. It is according to order that the first should proceed to its last both in the general and in the particular, so that there may be a variety in all things, and, by means of varieties, that every quality may exist; for quality is perfected by means of differences, as these are graded in relation to what is more or less opposite. Every one may see that truth acquires its quality by contrast with falsity, and good by contrast with evil, just as light and heat acquire their quality by contrast with darkness and cold. Again, there would be no color if there were white only, and no black; for then the quality of intermediate colors would be wanting. There would be no sensation without a related sequence of perception, and this depends upon the existence of opposites. The sight of the eye is dimmed by white alone, and enlivened by color, which essentially derives something from black, like the color green. The ear is deafened by the continual strain of one tone upon its organic structure, but is enlivened by melody, or a variety of notes in graded sequence. There is no beauty except in relation to the ugly; and, therefore, that maidenly beauty may be portrayed to the life, in some pictures an unsightly form is placed in contrast. There is nothing pleasant and prosperous except in relation to misery and adversity. Moreover, anyone would be maddened by the constant brooding over one idea, were he not to introduce a variation, and contemplate something quite different.
It is similar with the spiritual things of the Church, the opposites of which are related to evil and falsity. These opposites, however, are not from the Lord but from man, who is endowed with free will, and this he can turn to a good or to an evil use. So also is it the case with darkness and cold; these do not come from the sun, but from the earth, which by its revolutions successively withdraws and turns away. Yet without this turning and withdrawal there would be neither day nor year, and consequently neither inanimate nor animate created things upon it. I have heard that Churches which are in a variety of goods and truths, are like so many jewels in a king's crown, provided their goods have relation to love to the Lord, and their truths to faith in Him.
763. Quod secundum ordinem sit, ut primum procedat ad suum ultimum in Communi et in Particulari, est ut omnium varietas existat, et per varietates omnis qualitas, nam qualitas per differentias relativas ad plus et minus opposita perficitur; quis non potest videre quod Verum suum quale accipiat, per quod detur Falsum, similiter Bonum quod detur Malum, similiter ut lux quod detur caligo, et calor quod detur frigus. Quid color, si modo daretur album et non nigrum; aliunde non est colorum intermediorum qualitas nisi imperfecta. Quid Sensus absque relatione, et relatio nisi ad opposita; numne visus oculi infuscatur ex solo albo, et vivificatur ex colore, qui intus aliquid trahit ex nigro, qualis est color viridis; numne Auris surdescit ex uno tono continue stringente organa ejus, et excitatur ex modulamine, quod variatur per relationes.
[2] Quid pulchrum absque relatione ad impulchrum, quare ut pulchritudo alicujus virginis ad vivum sistatur, in quibusdam picturis ad latus apponitur imago deformis. Quid jucundum et faustum absque relatione ad injucundum et infaustum. Quis non delirat ex una constante idea, nisi varietas ex talibus quae vergunt ad opposita, interpolet illam. Simile est in spiritualibus Ecclesiae, quorum opposita se referunt ad malum et falsum; quae tamen non sunt ex Domino, sed ex homine, cui liberum arbitrium est, quod ad bonum usum et ad malum usum potest flectere; comparative sicut est cum caligine et frigore; haec non sunt ex Sole, sed ex Tellure, quae per circumvolutiones 1 successive se subducit et vertit, et tamen absque versione et subductione ejus, non foret dies nec annus, et inde non aliquid, nec aliquis super terra. Audivi, quod Ecclesiae, quae in differentibus bonis et veris sunt, modo bona illorum se referunt ad amorem in Dominum, et vera ad fidem in Dominum, sint veluti totidem Clenodia in Corona Regis.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: circum volutiones.