第十二章：论第五种恶，即可能在超自然的想象形式和领受中临到灵魂的恶，也就是对神作出低下而不合宜的判断。
Chapter XII: Of the fifth evil that may come to the soul in supernatural imaginary forms and apprehensions, which is a low and unseemly judgment or God.
第五种恶也同样严重；它临到灵魂，是由于灵魂渴望在记忆和想象中保留前述以超自然方式传达给它的事物之形式和图像，尤其是当它渴望把这些用作达到神性联合的手段时。因为人很容易对神的存有和伟大作出低于其不可领会之本性所应得的判断，既不够尊贵，也不够高尚；因为，虽然我们的理性和判断未必明确构想神像这些事物中的任何一种，可是一旦灵魂实际上看重这些领受，这种看重本身就使它、并造成它不按信心所教导的高度来尊重神，或不按信心所教导的高度来感受神；因为信心告诉我们，他是无可比拟、不可领会的，等等。因为姑且不说灵魂把它给受造物的一切都从神那里夺去，它看重这些可领受之物，自然会引导它在这些事物与神之间作某种内在比较，而这会阻止它按应有的高度判断并尊重神。因为受造物，无论属地还是属天，以及灵魂官能所能涵括的一切明确图像和知识种类，无论是自然的还是超自然的，无论在此生中多么崇高，都不能与神的存有相比，也不与其相称；因为神不落在任何属和任何种之内，而受造物却如此，神学家们就是这样告诉我们的。并且，灵魂在此生中不能以清楚而明确的方式领受任何事物，除非那事物落在属和种之内。为此，圣约翰说：「从来没有人见过神。」圣约翰 i, 18。以赛亚也说，人未曾眼见神是怎样的。以赛亚书 lxiv, 4。神又对摩西说，当他处于这必死状态中时，他不能看见他。出埃及记 xxxiii, 20。因此，凡以灵魂的记忆和其他官能所能理解之物来使这些官能受累的人，就不能按应有的方式尊重神，也不能按应有的方式感受神。
No less serious is the fifth evil that comes to the soul from its desire to retain in the memory and imagination the said forms and images of things that are supernaturally communicated to it, above all if it desires to use them as a means to Divine union. For it is a very easy thing to judge of the Being and greatness of God less worthily and nobly than befits His incomprehensible nature; for, although our reason and judgment may form no express conception that God is like any one of these things, yet the very esteeming of these apprehensions, if in fact the soul esteems them, makes and causes it not to esteem God, or not to feel concerning Him, as highly as faith teaches, since faith tells us that He is incomparable, incomprehensible, and so forth. For, quite apart from the fact that the soul takes from God all that it gives to the creature, it is natural that its esteem of these apprehensible things should lead it to make a certain inward comparison between such things and God, which would prevent it from judging and esteeming God as highly as it ought. For the creatures, whether terrestrial or celestial, and all distinct images and kinds of knowledge, both natural and supernatural, that can be encompassed by the faculties of the soul, however lofty they be in this life, have no comparison or proportion with the Being of God, since God falls within no genus and no species, whereas the creatures do, or so the theologians tell us. And the soul in this life is not capable of receiving in a clear and distinct manner aught save that which falls within genus and species. For this cause Saint John says that no man hath seen God at any time. St. John i, 18. And Isaias says it has not entered into the heart of man what God is like. Isaias lxiv, 4. And God said to Moses that he could not see Him while he was in this mortal state. Exodus xxxiii, 20. Wherefore he that encumbers his memory and the other faculties of the soul with that which they can comprehend cannot esteem God, neither feel concerning Him, as he ought.
2. 让我们在较低的层面作一个比较。显然，一个人越把眼睛定在君王的仆人身上，越注意他们，他就越少注意君王本人，也越少尊重君王；因为，虽然这种比较未必以形式上、明确的方式呈现在悟性中，它却内在于这个行为本身，因为人越把注意力给仆人，就越从他们的主人那里夺去注意力；若仆人在他们的主、君王面前时，在他看来仍有任何重要性，他就不可能对君王有很高的看法。灵魂留心前述受造物时，对待它的神也是如此。然而，这个比较处在很低的层面；因为正如我们已经说过，神与他的受造物属于不同的存有，因为他与它们全都相距无限遥远。因此，必须把它们全都从视线中驱逐出去，灵魂也必须从它们的一切形式上收回目光，好使它仍能借信心和盼望注视神。
2. Let us make a comparison on a lower level. It is clear that the more a man fixes his eyes upon the servants of a king, and the more notice he takes of them, the less notice does he take of the king himself, and the less does he esteem him; for, although this comparison may not be formally and distinctly present in the understanding, it is inherent in the act, since, the more attention the man gives to the servants, the more he takes from their lord; and he cannot have a very high opinion of the king if the servants appear to him to be of any importance while they are in the presence of the king, their lord. Even so does the soul treat its God when it pays heed to the creatures aforementioned. This comparison, however, is on a very low level, for, as we have said, God is of another being than His creatures in that He is infinitely far from them all. For this reason they must all be banished from sight, and the soul must withdraw its gaze from them in all their forms, that it may yet gaze on God through faith and hope.
3. 因此，那些不仅留心上述想象领受，而且以为神像其中某些领受，并认为借着这些领受就能达到与神联合的人，已经大大迷失正路，并将继续不断在悟性中失去信心之光；悟性正是借这信心之光与神联合。他们也不会在盼望的崇高中成长；记忆正是借盼望而在盼望中与神联合，而这种联合必须借着同一切属于想象之物脱离联合而实现。
3. Wherefore those who not only pay heed to the imaginary apprehensions aforementioned, but suppose God to be like some of them, and think that by means of them they will be able to attain to union with God, have already gone far astray and will ever continue to lose the light of faith in the understanding, through which this faculty is united with God; neither will they grow in the loftiness of hope, by means whereof the memory is united with God in hope, which must be brought about through disunion from all that is of the imagination.