12. R. Thou art moved to good effect. For the Reason which is talking with thee promises so to demonstrate God to thy mind, as the sun demonstrates himself to the eyes. For the senses of the soul are as it were the eyes of the mind; but all the certainties of the sciences are like those things which are brought to light by the sun, that they may be seen, the earth, for instance, and the things upon it: while God is Himself the Illuminator. Now I, Reason, am that in the mind, which the act of looking is in the eyes. For to have eyes is not the same as to look; nor again to look the same as to see. Therefore the soul has need of three distinct things: to have eyes, such as it can use to good advantage, to look, and to see. Sound eyes, that means the mind pure from all stain of the body, that is, now remote and purged from the lusts of mortal things: which, in the first condition, nothing else accomplishes for her than Faith. For what cannot yet be shown forth to her stained and languishing with sins, because, unless sound, she cannot see, if she does not believe that otherwise she will not see, she gives no heed to her health. But what if she believes that the case stands as I say, and that, if she is to see at all, she can only see on these terms, but despairs of being healed; does she not utterly contemn herself and cast herself away, refusing to comply with the prescriptions of the physician? A. Beyond doubt, above all because by sickness remedies must needs be felt as severe. R. Then Hope must be added to Faith. A. So I believe. R. Moreover, if she both believes that the case stands so, and hopes that she could be healed, yet loves not, desires not the promised light itself, and thinks that she ought meanwhile to be content with her darkness, which now, by use, has become pleasant to her; does she not none the less reject the physician? A. Beyond doubt. R. Therefore Charity must needs make a third. A. Nothing so needful. R. Without these three things therefore no mind is healed, so that it can see, that is, understand its God.

CAPUT VI. Sensus animae in quibus percipit Deum.

12. R. Bene moveris. Promittit enim ratio quae tecum loquitur, ita se demonstraturam Deum tuae menti, ut oculis sol demonstratur. Nam mentis quasi sui sunt oculi sensus animae ; disciplinarum autem quaeque certissima talia sunt, qualia illa quae sole illustrantur, ut videri possint, veluti terra est atque terrena omnia: Deus autem est ipse qui illustrat. Ego autem ratio ita sum in mentibus, ut in oculis est aspectus. Non enim hoc est habere oculos quod aspicere; aut item hoc est aspicere quod videre. Ergo animae tribus quibusdam rebus opus est ut oculos habeat quibus jam bene uti possit, ut aspiciat, ut videat. Oculi sani mens est ab omni labe corporis pura, id est, a cupiditatibus rerum mortalium jam remota atque purgata: quod 0876 ei nihil aliud praestat quam fides primo. Quod enim adhuc ei demonstrari non potest vitiis inquinatae atque aegrotanti, quia videre nequit nisi sana, si non credat aliter se non esse visuram, non dat operam suae sanitati. Sed quid, si credat quidem ita se rem habere ut dicitur, atque ita se, si videre potuerit, esse visuram, sanari se tamen posse desperet; nonne se prorsus abjicit atque contemnit, nec praeceptis medici obtemperat? A. Omnino ita est, praesertim quia ea praecepta necesse est ut morbus dura sentiat. R. Ergo fidei spes adjicienda est. A. Ita credo. R. Quid, si et credat ita se habere omnia, et se speret posse sanari, ipsam tamen quae promittitur lucem non amet, non desideret, suisque tenebris, quae jam consuetudine jucundae sunt, se arbitretur debere interim esse contentam; nonne medicum illum nihilominus respuit? A. Prorsus ita est. R. Ergo tertia charitas necessaria est. A. Nihil omnino tam necessarium. R. Sine tribus istis igitur anima nulla sanatur, ut possit Deum suum videre, id est intelligere.