These are
closed up because they have turned themselves away from heaven, and
have retroverted those faculties that were capable of looking
heavenward, which are, as has been said above, the interiors of the
human mind. For this reason they are incapable of seeing anything
true or good, this being to them in thick darkness, while whatever is
false and evil is in light. [3] And yet sensual men can reason, some
of them more cunningly and keenly than any one else; but they reason
from the fallacies of the senses confirmed by their knowledges; and
because they are able to reason in this way they believe themselves
to be wiser than others.{2} The fire that kindles with affection
their reasonings is the fire of the love of self and the world. Such
are those who are in false intelligence and wisdom, and who are meant
by the Lord in Matthew:
Seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do
they understand (13:13-15).
And again:
These things are hid from the intelligent and wise, and
revealed unto babes (11:25, 26).
{Footnote 1} The sensual is the outmost of man's life, clinging
to and inhering in his bodily part (n.
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