565.现简要描述一下纯粹属世的理性道德之人。他本质上是感官的，如果持续如此，就变成肉体或血气的。但需分段描述这类人。感官是人类心智生命的最外层，紧紧附着并联结于人的五种身体感觉。若人通过身体感觉判断一切，那么他就是所谓的感官者，并且他只相信亲眼看到的，亲手摸到的，视这些事物为真实，拒绝其他一切。他那从天堂之光获得视觉的内在心智是关闭的，以至于他根本看不见涉及天堂和教会的真理。这样一个人在最外层思考，而不是通过属灵之光从内在思考，因为他处于粗俗的属世之光，故他从内在反对属天堂与教会的事物，尽管表面上他也赞成它们，若想藉此获取名利，热情还更甚。坚信虚假而又受过良好教育的学者，比其他人更感官化，若他们反对圣言真理，更是如此。
感官者推理尖锐巧妙，因为他们的思维如此接近言语，以至处在其中，仿佛就在嘴唇上，还因为在说话时，他们的一切聪明才智唯独出于记忆。而且，他们擅长证明虚假，证明后就以之为真，但其推理与证据都是基于感官造成的谬误，这些谬误会迷惑并说服普通民众。感官者比其他人更狡猾恶毒。贪婪、通奸和狡诈者尤其感官化，尽管在外界看来，他们似乎很有才能。其心智的内在粗鄙淫秽，他们通过这内在心智与地狱相通，正是圣言所说的死人。地狱灵都是感官的，地狱越深，他们就越感官化，地狱灵发出的场会从后面联结到人的感官上。在天堂之光中，他们的后枕骨看似被掏空。那些唯独通过感官推理之人，被古人称为知识树上的蛇。
感官印象应位居最后，而不是首位，在聪明智慧人里面，它们的确位居最后，服从于更内在的事物，但在愚顽人里面，它们则占据首位，居于主导地位。若感官印象位居最后，它们就能用来打开通往觉知的道路，真理也会通过提炼萃取而得到完善。这些感官印象最接近尘世，并允许来自尘世的东西流向它们，可以说，会筛选它们。人凭感官与尘世接触，凭理性与天堂接触。感官印象为心智内在提供服务，既存在为智力部分提供服务的感官印象，也存在为自愿部分提供服务的感官印象。除非思维被提升至感官之上，否则人的智慧极其有限。当人的思维被提升至感官之上时，他会进入更加清晰的光明中，最终进入天堂之光，因此能觉察从天堂流下来的这类观念。觉知的最外层是属世的认知能力，意愿的最外层则是感官的快乐。
565. 现简要描述一下纯粹属世的理性道德之人。 他本质上是感官的, 如果持续如此, 就变成肉体或血气的。 但需分段描述这类人。 感官是人类心智生命的最外层, 紧紧附着并联结于人的五种身体感觉。 若人通过身体感觉判断一切, 那么他就是所谓的感官者, 并且他只相信亲眼看到的, 亲手摸到的, 视这些事物为真实, 拒绝其他一切。 他那从天堂之光获得视觉的内在心智是关闭的, 以至于他根本看不见涉及天堂和教会的真理。 这样一个人在最外层思考, 而不是通过属灵之光从内在思考, 因为他处于粗俗的属世之光, 故他从内在反对属天堂与教会的事物, 尽管表面上他也赞成它们, 若想藉此获取名利, 热情还更甚。 坚信虚假而又受过良好教育的学者, 比其他人更感官化, 若他们反对圣言真理, 更是如此。
感官者推理尖锐巧妙, 因为他们的思维如此接近言语, 以至处在其中, 仿佛就在嘴唇上, 还因为在说话时, 他们的一切聪明才智唯独出于记忆。 而且, 他们擅长证明虚假, 证明后就以之为真, 但其推理与证据都是基于感官造成的谬误, 这些谬误会迷惑并说服普通民众。 感官者比其他人更狡猾恶毒。 贪婪, 通奸和狡诈者尤其感官化, 尽管在外界看来, 他们似乎很有才能。 其心智的内在粗鄙淫秽, 他们通过这内在心智与地狱相通, 正是圣言所说的死人。 地狱灵都是感官的, 地狱越深, 他们就越感官化, 地狱灵发出的场会从后面联结到人的感官上。 在天堂之光中, 他们的后枕骨看似被掏空。 那些唯独通过感官推理之人, 被古人称为知识树上的蛇。
感官印象应位居最后, 而不是首位, 在聪明智慧人里面, 它们的确位居最后, 服从于更内在的事物, 但在愚顽人里面, 它们则占据首位, 居于主导地位。 若感官印象位居最后, 它们就能用来打开通往觉知的道路, 真理也会通过提炼萃取而得到完善。 这些感官印象最接近尘世, 并允许来自尘世的东西流向它们, 可以说, 会筛选它们。 人凭感官与尘世接触, 凭理性与天堂接触。 感官印象为心智内在提供服务, 既存在为智力部分提供服务的感官印象, 也存在为自愿部分提供服务的感官印象。 除非思维被提升至感官之上, 否则人的智慧极其有限。 当人的思维被提升至感官之上时, 他会进入更加清晰的光明中, 最终进入天堂之光, 因此能觉察从天堂流下来的这类观念。 觉知的最外层是属世的认知能力, 意愿的最外层则是感官的快乐。
565. Allow me to briefly describe people whose rationality and morality are merely earthly. Such people are truly sense-oriented. If they continue in this direction, they become bodily or carnal. The description that follows will be presented as a list of points in outline form.
"Sensory" is a term for the lowest level of life within the human mind; it clings, and is closely joined, to the five senses of the human body.
"Sense-oriented people" are people who judge everything on the basis of their physical senses - people who will not believe anything unless they can see it with their eyes and touch it with their hands. What they can see and touch they call "something. " Everything else they reject.
The inner levels of their mind, levels that see in heaven's light, are closed to the point where they see nothing true related to heaven or the church. Their thinking occurs on an outermost level and not inside, where the light is spiritual. Since the light they have is dull and earthly, people like this are inwardly opposed to things related to heaven and the church, although they are outwardly able to speak in favor of them. If they have hope of gaining ruling power or wealth by so doing, they are even capable of speaking ardently in favor of them.
The educated and the scholarly who are deeply convinced of falsities - especially people who oppose the truths in the Word - are more sense-oriented than others.
[2] Sense-oriented people are able to reason sharply and skillfully, because their thinking is so close to their speech as to be practically in it - almost inside their lips; and also because they attribute all intelligence solely to the ability to speak from memory. They also have great skill at defending things that are false. After they have defended falsities convincingly, they themselves believe those falsities are true. They base their reasoning and defense on mistaken impressions from the senses that the public finds captivating and convincing.
Sense-oriented people are more deceptive and ill intentioned than others.
Misers, adulterers, and deceitful people are especially sense-oriented, although before the world they appear smart.
The inner areas of their mind are disgusting and filthy; they use them to communicate with the hells. In the Word they are called the dead.
The inhabitants of hell are sense-oriented. The more sense-oriented they are, the deeper in hell they are. The sphere of hellish spirits is connected to the sensory level of our mind through a kind of back door. In the light of heaven the backs of their heads look hollowed out.
The ancients had a term for people who debate on the basis of sense impressions alone: they called them serpents of the tree of the knowledge [of good and evil].
[3] Sense impressions ought to have the lowest priority, not the highest. For wise and intelligent people, sense impressions do have the lowest priority and are subservient to things that are deep inside. For unwise people, sense impressions have the highest priority and are in control.
If sense impressions have the lowest priority, they help open a pathway for the intellect. We then extrapolate truths by a method of extraction.
Sense impressions stand closest to the world and admit information that is coming in from it; they sift through that information.
We are in touch with the world by means of sense impressions and with heaven by means of impressions on our rationality.
Sense impressions supply things that serve the inner realms of the mind.
There are sense impressions that feed the intellect and sense impressions that feed the will.
Unless our thought is lifted above the level of our sense impressions, we have very little wisdom. When our thinking rises above sense impressions, it enters a clearer light and eventually comes into the light of heaven. From this light we become aware of things that are flowing down into us from heaven.
The outermost contents of our intellect are earthly information. The outermost contents of our will are sensory pleasures.
565. This leads to a description of the person who is rational and moral in a purely natural way. Regarded in essence he is sensual, and if he continues so, he becomes bodily or fleshly. This description will take the form of a sketch divided into sections. 1
The sensual is the lowest level of life in the human mind, firmly attached to and bound up with the five bodily senses. The term 'sensual man' is applied to a person whose every judgment relies upon the bodily senses, and who believes nothing but what he can see with his eyes and touch with his hands, regarding these things as real and rejecting all else.
The interiors of his mind, which would allow him to see by the light of heaven, are shut off, so that he can see no truth at all that has to do with heaven and the church. Such a person thinks at the most superficial level with no inward enlightenment from any spiritual light, because he experiences the gross light of nature. Consequently he is inwardly opposed to anything to do with heaven or the church, even though outwardly he can speak in their favour, and with passion if he seeks power over others and wealth by their means. Educated and learned people who have become deeply convinced of false ideas are more sensual than others, the more so if they oppose the truths of the Word.
[2] Sensual men are sharp and clever in reasoning, because their thought is so close to their speech that it is virtually in it, being, so to speak, on their lips; and because in speaking they regard all intelligence as based solely on memory. They are clever at proving false ideas, and having done so believe them to be true. But their reasoning and proofs are based upon illusions produced by the senses, and these serve to attract the attention of and persuade ordinary people.
Sensual men surpass others in trickery and malice. Misers, adulterers and tricksters are especially sensual, even though they seem talented to the world's gaze. The interiors of their minds are foul and filthy, since through them they are in touch with the hells. In the Word they are called dead. The spirits in the hells are sensual, and the deeper their hell, the more sensual they are. The sphere emanating from spirits in hell links itself to a person's sensual faculty from behind. In the light of heaven the backs of their heads look as if hollowed out. Those whose reasoning has been based solely upon sense impressions were called by the ancients serpents of the tree of knowledge.
[3] Sense impressions should occupy the last place, not the first; in the case of a wise and intelligent person they do come last and are subject to what is more interior. But in the case of an unwise person they occupy the first place and dominate him.
If sense impressions are in the last place, they serve to open the way to the understanding, and truths are refined by the method by which they are extracted. These sense impressions are very close to the world and allow in what comes from the world, and they, so to speak, sift them. Sense impressions put a person in touch with the world, rational notions in touch with heaven. Sense impressions supply such things as may be of service to the interiors of the mind. There are sense impressions which supply the intellectual part and others which supply the voluntary part.
If thought is not raised above the level of sense impressions, a person's wisdom is very restricted. When a person's thought is raised above this level, he comes into brighter illumination, and eventually into the light of heaven, so that then he can perceive such ideas as flow down from heaven. The lowest level of the understanding is natural factual knowledge, the lowest level of the will the pleasure of the senses.
Footnotes:
1. The following sketch repeats much of what was said in 402 above.
565. There shall now be given a brief description of the merely natural-rational and moral man, who viewed in himself is sensual, and if he goes on, becomes corporeal or fleshly; but the description shall be sketched in separate statements.
The sensual is the outmost of the life of man's mind, adherent to and coherent with his five bodily senses.
He is called a sensual man who judges of everything from the bodily senses, and believes nothing but what he can see with his eyes and touch with his hands, calling that something real, and rejecting everything else.
The interiors of his mind, which have their vision from the light of heaven, are closed, so that he sees nothing of the truth that relates to heaven and the church.
Such a man thinks in outermosts, and not interiorly from any spiritual light, because he is in gross natural light; therefore he is interiorly opposed to the things that pertain to heaven and the church, although outwardly he can speak in favor of them, even zealously, in proportion to his hope of gaining power and wealth by means of them.
Men of learning and erudition, who have confirmed themselves deeply in falsities, and still more those who have confirmed themselves against the truths of the Word, are more sensual than others.
[2] Sensual men reason acutely and skillfully, because their thought is so near to speech as to be almost in it, as it were, on the lips; also because they ascribe all intelligence to the speech that is from memory alone. Moreover, they can dexterously confirm falsities, and after confirming them they believe them to be true; but their reasoning and confirmation are from the fallacies of the senses, which captivate and persuade the common people.
Sensual men are more cunning and malicious than others.
The avaricious, adulterous, and crafty are especially sensual, although to the world they seem talented.
The interiors of their minds are vile and filthy; by these they communicate with the hells; in the Word they are called dead.
Those who are in the hells are sensual, and more so the more deeply they are in them; and the sphere of infernal spirits conjoins itself from behind with man's sensual. In the light of heaven their occiput seems hollow.
Those who reasoned from sensual things only, were called by the ancients serpents of the tree of knowledge.
[3] Sensual things ought to occupy the last place, not the first; and in a wise and intelligent man they do occupy the last place, and are subordinate to things interior; but in a foolish man they occupy the first place, and are predominant.
When things sensual occupy the last place, a way is opened by means of them to the understanding, and truths are perfected by the method of extraction.
Such sensual things stand most near to the world, and admit what flows to them from the world, and, as it were, sift it.
By means of sensual things man communicates with the world, and by means of rational things with heaven.
Sensual things supply what is of service to the interiors of the mind.
There are sensual things that supply what is serviceable both to the intellectual and to the voluntary part.
Unless thought is raised above sensual things man has but little wisdom. When man's thought is raised above sensual things, he comes into a clearer light, and at length into heavenly light, and then he has a perception of such things as flow down from heaven.
The outmost of the understanding is the natural knowing faculty, and the outmost of the will is sensual delight.
565. The following is a brief description of the merely naturally rational and moral man who, in himself, is sensual, and who, if he continues on his own way, becomes corporeal or carnal. This description will be sketched out in summary form. The sensual is the ultimate of the life of man's mind, adhering to and cohering with the five bodily senses. He is called a sensual man who judges all things by his bodily senses, and who believes nothing but what he can see with his eyes and touch with his hands. He ascribes reality to such things, denying it to all others. The interiors of his mind, which see from the light of heaven, are closed, so that he sees nothing of the truth pertaining to heaven and the Church. Such a man exercises his thought upon matters that are most external, and does not think interiorly from any spiritual light. As he is in gross natural light (lumen), he is interiorly opposed to those things that pertain to heaven and the Church; yet outwardly he can argue in favor of them, with an ardor in proportion to the hope he entertains of obtaining authority and wealth by means of them. Learned and scholarly men, who have deeply confirmed themselves in falsities, especially if they have confirmed themselves against the truths of the Word, are more sensual than others.
[2] Sensual men reason keenly and ingeniously, because their thought is so near their speech as to be almost in it, and, as it were, on their very lips, and because they make all intelligence consist in speaking from memory only. They are also expert in confirming falsities, and after establishing them, they believe them to be truths. Their reasoning and proofs, however, they base upon the fallacies of the senses, by which the majority of the people are deceived and persuaded. Sensual men are crafty and malicious above all others. The covetous, the adulterous and the deceitful are especially sensual, though to the world they appear intellectual. The interiors of their mind, because they communicate with the hells, are corrupt and filthy; and in the Word they are said to be dead. Those who are in the hells are sensual, and the more sensual they are, the deeper the hell they inhabit. The sphere of infernal spirits unites, from behind, with the sensual principle of man; and in the light of heaven the back part of their head appears to be hollow. Those who reasoned from sensual things alone were called by the ancients serpents of the tree of knowledge.
[3] Sensual things ought to be in the last place and not in the first; and with the wise and intelligent man they are in the last place, and kept in subjection to interior things; whereas with the foolish man they are in the first place, and have a controlling influence over him. When sensual things are in the lowest place, a passage is opened by them to the understanding, and whatever is true in them may be picked out and purified by a process of extraction. These sensual things stand nearest to the world and admit such things as flow in from the world, and as it were sift them. Man by sensual things has communication with the world, and by rational things with heaven. Sensual things furnish what is of service to the interior things of the mind. There are sensual things that minister to the intellectual part of the mind, and those that minister to the voluntary part. A man has but little wisdom unless his thought is elevated above sensual things; but when it is so elevated he comes into clearer light (lumen), and at length into the light (lux) of heaven; and he has a perception of the things that flow from heaven. Natural knowledge is the ultimate of the understanding, and sensual pleasure the ultimate of the will.
565. Sequitur nunc aliqua descriptio mere naturalis rationalis et moralis hominis, qui in se spectatus est sensualis, et si pergit, fit corporeus seu carneus: sed descriptio haec fiet in sciagraphia divisa in partes. Sensuale est ultimum vitae mentis hominis, adhaerens et cohaerens quinque sensibus corporis ejus. Is sensualis homo dicitur, qui omnia judicat ex sensibus corporis, et qui non credit, nisi quod oculis videre, et manibus tangere potest, haec dicens esse aliquid, reliqua rejiciens. Interiora mentis ejus, quae vident ex luce Coeli, clausa sunt, ut nihil veri, quod Coeli et Ecclesiae est, videat. Talis homo cogitat in extremis, et non interius ex aliqua luce spirituali, quia in crasso lumine naturali est: inde est, quod interius sit contra illa, quae Coeli et Ecclesiae sunt, tametsi exterius potest loqui pro illis, ardenter secundum spem dominationis et opulentiae per illa. Quod Docti et Eruditi, qui se confirmaverunt profunde in falsis, et plus qui contra vera Verbi, prae caeteris sensuales sint.
[2] Quod sensuales homines ratiocinentur acriter et solerter, quia cogitatio illorum est prope loquelam, ut paene in illa, et sicut in labiis, et quia in loquela ex sola memoria ponunt omnem intelligentiam: tum quod dextre possint confirmare falsa, et quod post confirmationem credant illa vera esse: sed quod ex fallaciis sensuum ratiocinentur et confirment, a quibus captatur et persuadetur vulgus. Quod sensuales homines astuti et malitiosi sint prae reliquis. Quod avari, adulteri et dolosi, imprimis sensuales sint, tametsi coram Mundo apparent sicut ingeniosi. Quod interiora mentis eorum sint foeda et spurca; quod per illa communicent cum infernis: quod in Verbo dicantur mortui. Quod illi, qui in Infernis sunt, sensuales sint, et eo plus, quo profundius: quod sphaera spirituum infernalium, conjungat se cum sensuali hominis a tergo; et quod in luce Coeli occipitium eorum appareat excavatum. Quod illi qui ratiocinati sunt ex solis sensualibus, ab antiquis dicti fuerint serpentes Arboris scientiae.
[3] Quod sensualia ultimo loco esse debeant, et non primo, et quod apud hominem sapientem et intelligentem ultimo loco sint, et subjecta interioribus, at quod apud hominem insipientem primo loco sint, et dominantia. Si sensualia ultimo loco sunt, quod per illa aperiatur via ad intellectum, ac elimentur vera per modum extractionis. Quod sensualia illa proxime exstent mundo, et admittant quae e Mundo alluunt, et quasi cribrent illa. Quod homo per sensualia communicet cum Mundo, et per rationalia cum Coelo. Quod sensualia subministrent illa, quae inserviunt interioribus mentis. Quod sint sensualia subministrantia 1 parti intellectuali, et subministrantia parti voluntariae. Quod nisi cogitatio supra sensualia elevatur, homo parum sapiat: quod homo cum cogitatio ejus supra sensualia elevatur, in lumen clarius veniat, et tandem in lucem coelestem, et tunc percipiat talia quae defluunt e Coelo. Quod ultimum intellectus sit scientificum naturale, et quod ultimum voluntatis sit jucundum sensuale.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: subministrrntia.