ing
to the eye's condition? What is light when the eye is closed? Do not bats
and owls have eyes to see light as darkness and darkness as light? I have
heard it said that some persons see in like manner, and that infernal
spirits, despite being in darkness, see one another. Does one not have
light in his dreams in the middle of the night? Is darkness not light,
therefore, and light darkness?" It can be replied, "What of that? Light
is light as truth is truth, and darkness is darkness as falsity is
falsity."

[4] Take a further example: confirmation that the crow is white. May its
blackness not be said to be only a shading which is not the real fact?
Its feathers are white inside, its body, too; and these are the stuff of
which the bird is made. As its blackness is a shading, the crow turns
white as it grows old--some such have been seen. What is black in itself
but white? Pulverize black glass and you will see that the powder is
white. When you call the crow black, therefore, you are speaking of the
shadow and not of the reality. The reply can be, "What of it? All birds
should be called white then."

Contrary as they are to sound reason, these arguments have been recited
to show that it is possible to confirm falsity that is directly opposite
to truth and evil that is directly opposite to good.

[5] Second: _Truth does not appear when falsity has been confirmed, but
falsity is apparent from truth confirmed._ All falsity is in darkness and
all truth in light. In darkness nothing is seen, nor indeed is it known
what anything is except by contact with it, but it is different in the
light. In the Word falsities are therefore called darkness, and those who
are in falsities are said to walk in darkness and in the shadow of death.
In turn, truths are called light in it, and those who are in truths are
said to walk in the light and to be the children of light.

[6] There is much to show that when falsity has been confirmed, truth
does not appear, but when truth has been confirmed, falsity is apparent.
For instance, who would see a spiritual truth unless the Word taught it?
Would there not be darkness that could be dispelled only by the light in
which the Word is, and only with one who wishes to be enlightened? What
heretic can see his falsities unless he welcomes the genuine truth of the
church? Until then he does not see them. I have talked with those who
confirmed themselves in faith apart from charity and who were asked