43. Man has two faculties, one called the will and the other the understanding. They are distinct from each other, but they are so created that they may be one; and when they are one, they are called the mind. The human mind then, consists of these two faculties, and the whole life of man resides therein. As all things in the universe which are according to Divine order have relation to good and truth, so all things with man have relation to the will and the understanding, for good with man pertains to his will and truth with him pertains to his understanding. For these two faculties are the receptacles and subjects of good and truth: the will is the receptacle and subject of all things belonging to good, and the understanding is the receptacle and subject of all things belonging to truth. Goods and truths with man reside nowhere else; nor, consequently, do love and faith, since love has relation to good, and good to love, while faith has relation to truth and truth to faith.
[2] Nothing is of greater importance to know than how the will and the understanding constitute one mind. They make one mind as good and truth make one; for there is between the will and the understanding a marriage similar to that between good and truth. The nature of this marriage was stated in some measure in the preceding article; and to this it should be added that, as good is the very being (esse) of a thing and truth is its consequent existing (existere), so the will with man is the very being (esse) of his life and the understanding is its consequent existing (existere); for good, which is of the will, forms itself in the understanding, and in a certain manner renders itself visible.
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