these minds by means of the
inflow of innocence from heaven that they can be opened. But with those
who begin from childhood to be inflamed with the lust of ruling through
the holy things of the church as means, the spiritual mind is wholly
shut; so, too, is the rational mind, and finally the natural mind, even
to the sensual mind, or as it is said in heaven, even to the nose. And
thus men become merely sensual, and are the most stupid of all in things
spiritual and thus in things rational, and the most crafty of all in
worldly and thus in civil matters. That they are so stupid in spiritual
things they do not themselves know, because in heart they do not believe
these things, and because they believe craft to be prudence and cunning
to be wisdom. And yet all of this kind differ according to the kind and
strength of their lust for ruling and for exercising rule, also
according to the kind and strength of the persuasion that they are holy,
and according to the kind of good and truth from the Word that they
profane. (A.E., n. 1056.)

Profaners of this kind are stupid and foolish in spiritual things, but
are crafty and keen in worldly things, because they make one with the
devils in hell, and because, as has been said above, they are merely
sensual, and are therefore in what is their own (proprium), which draws
its delight of life from the unclean effluvia that exhale from waste
matters in the body, and that are emitted from dunghills; and these
cause a swelling of their breasts when their pride is active and the
titillation of these cause delight. That such is the source of their
delight is made evident by their delights after death when they are
living as spirits; for then more than the sweetest odors do they love
the rank stenches arising from the gases of the belly and from
outhouses, which to their smell are more fragrant than thyme. The
approach and touch of these close up the interiors of their mind, and
open the exteriors pertaining to the body, from which come their
quickness in worldly things and their dullness in spiritual things.

In a word, the love of ruling by means of the holy things of the church
corresponds to filth, and its delight to a stench indescribable by
words, and at which angels shudder. Such is the exhalation from their
hells when they are opened; but they are kept closed because of the
oppression and occasional swooning which they produce. (A.E., n. 1057.)

IV. The Third Kind of Profan