Chapter 24.—The Infirmity of the Human Mind.

They, then, who see their own mind, in whatever way that is possible, and in it that Trinity of which I have treated as I could in many ways, and yet do not believe or understand it to be an image of God, see indeed a glass, but do not so far see through the glass Him who is now to be seen through the glass, that they do not even know the glass itself which they see to be a glass, i.e. an image. And if they knew this, perhaps they would feel that He too whose glass this is, should by it be sought, and somehow provisionally be seen, an unfeigned faith purging their hearts,1033    1 Tim. i. 5 that He who is now seen through a glass may be able to be seen face to face. And if they despise this faith that purifies the heart, what do they accomplish by understanding the most subtle disputes concerning the nature of the human mind, unless that they be condemned also by the witness of their own understanding? And they would certainly not so fail in understanding, and hardly arrive at anything certain, were they not involved in penal darkness, and burdened with the corruptible body that presses down the soul.1034    Wisd. ix. 15 And for what demerit save that of sin is this evil inflicted on them? Wherefore, being warned by the magnitude of so great an evil, they ought to follow the Lamb that taketh away the sins of the world.1035    John i. 29

CAPUT XXIV.

Infirmitas mentis humanae. Qui ergo vident suam mentem, quomodo videri potest, et in ea trinitatem istam de qua multis modis ut potui disputavi, nec tamen eam credunt vel intelligunt esse imaginem Dei; speculum quidem vident, sed usque adeo non vident per speculum qui est per speculum nunc videndus, ut nec ipsum speculum quod vident sciant esse speculum, id est, imaginem. Quod si scirent, fortassis et eum cujus est hoc speculum, per hoc quaerendum et per hoc utcumque interim videndum esse sentirent, fide non ficta corda mundante (I Tim. I, 5), ut facie ad faciem possit videri, qui per speculum nunc videtur. Qua fide cordium mundatrice contempta, quid agunt intelligendo quae de natura mentis humanae subtilissime disputantur, nisi ut ipsa quoque intelligentia sua teste damnentur? In qua utique non laborarent, et vix ad certum aliquid pervenirent, nisi poenalibus tenebris involuti et onerati corpore corruptibili quod aggravat animam (Sap. IX, 15). Quo tandem merito inflicto malo isto, nisi peccati? Unde tanti mali magnitudine admoniti, sequi deberent Agnum qui tollit peccatum mundi (Joan. I, 29).