, together with the knowledge needed for this. As
this is their kind of existence, they cannot think, "I will this but not
that," or "I know this but not that," still less, "I understand this" or
"I love that." They are borne along by affection and its knowledge
without rationality and liberty. It is not from the natural world that
they are borne along so, but from the spiritual world. Nothing can exist
in the natural world that does not have its connection with the spiritual
world: thence is every cause that accomplishes an effect. On this see
also some things below (n. 96).
75. It is otherwise with man, who has affections not only of natural
love, but also of spiritual and celestial loves. For man's mind is of
three degrees, as was shown in Part III of the treatise _Divine Love and
Wisdom._ Man can be raised therefore from natural knowledge into
spiritual intelligence and on into celestial wisdom. From the two,
intelligence and wisdom, he can look to the Lord, be conjoined with Him,
and thereby live to eternity. This elevation as to affection would not be
possible did he not from rationality have the power to raise the
understanding, and from liberty the power to will this.
[2] By means of the two faculties man can think in himself about what he
perceives outside him through the senses, and can also think on high
about what he thinks below. Anyone can say, "I have thought and I think
so and so," "I have willed and I will so and so," "I understand that this
is a fact," "I love this for what it is," and so on. Obviously, man
thinks above his thought, and sees it, as it were, below him. This comes
to him from rationality and liberty; from rationality he can think on
high, and from liberty he can will so to think. Unless he had liberty to
think so, he would not have the will, nor the thought from it.
[3] Those, therefore, who will to understand only what is of the world
and nature and not what moral and spiritual good and truth are, cannot be
raised from knowledge into intelligence, still less into wisdom, for they
have stifled those faculties. They render themselves no longer men except
that they can understand if they wish, and can also will, by virtue of
the implanted rationality and liberty; from the two capacities it is that
one can think and from thought speak. In other respects, they are not men
but beasts, and some, in their abuse of those faculties, are worse than
beasts.
76. From an unclouded rationality
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