2831、“在后面，缠在灌木丛中”表示被属世知识缠住。这从“缠”和“灌木丛”或“杂乱的灌木丛”的含义清楚可知：“缠”在此是指被缠住；“灌木丛”或“杂乱的灌木丛”是指记忆知识或事实知识，如下文所解释的。属灵人之所以被关于信之真理的属世知识缠住，原因如下：属灵人不像属天人那样拥有对良善和真理的感知，取而代之的是良心；这良心是从信之良善和真理中形成的，自幼年起，他们就从父母和教师，后来又从他们生在其中的信之教义吸收这些良善和真理。那些没有对良善和真理的感知之人不得不靠知识或事实来确认、复核。每个人都对自己所学到的东西，以及信之良善和真理为自己形成某种概念，因为没有一个概念，任何东西都不会存在记忆中，只能存在一个空虚的器皿中。源于其它知识或认知，包括记忆知识或事实知识的确认性细节就会涌入并填满对事物的概念。通过许多细节对这个概念本身的确认不仅该概念固定在记忆中，以便它可以从记忆中被召唤出来进入思维，还能使信被注入它。
现大体讨论一下感知，由于很少有人知道何为感知，所以有必要对感知下一个定义。既有对属天和属灵事物中的良善和真理的感知，也有对公共生活或文明生活中的公义和公平的感知，还有对私人生活或道德生活中的正直体面的感知。关于对属天和属灵事物中的良善和真理的感知，内层天使从主那里拥有这种感知，上古教会成员和处于对主之爱的属天人也拥有这种感知。这些人凭某种内在意识或内在的一瞥，立刻就知道一个事物是否良善、是否真实。主把这种知识灌输给他们，因为他们通过爱与主结合。然而，属灵人没有对属天和属灵事物中的良善和真理的这种感知，取而代之的是进行指示的良心。但如前所述，这良心是从父母和教师教导他们的良善和真理的知识或认知，后来又从他们自己对教义和圣言的研究中形成的。这些人把自己的信仰系于这些知识或认知，即便它们可能不完全是良善和真理。正因如此，人们能从任何不同教义中拥有良心；甚至连外邦人也从自己的宗教信仰中拥有某种与良心并无二致的东西。
属灵人没有对信之良善和真理的感知，却声称并相信他们所学习和理解的东西是真的，这一点从以下事实足以清楚看出来：每个人都声称自己的信条是真理，异端分子比其他人更是如此；他们不能看见真理本身，更不会承认它，即便有成千上万个论据支持它。让每个人都自我检查一下，看看自己能否从其它任何源头感知到某个事物是不是真的；当有最真实的东西向他清楚显明时，他是不是仍旧不承认它。例如，有人视信而非爱为拯救的根本途径。即便把主所说的关于爱和仁的一切话（参看2373节）都读给他听，即便他从圣言知道一切律法和先知都依赖于对主之爱和对邻之仁，他仍会坚持信的观念，并声称唯信得救。而那些拥有属天和属灵感知的人则完全不同。
至于对公共生活或文明生活中的公义和公平的感知，那些在世上有理性的人便拥有这种感知，还拥有对私人生活或道德生活中的正直体面的感知。这两种感知将人与人区分开来，但这绝不意味着这种人拥有对信之良善和真理的感知，因为这种感知是更高，或更内在的，是从主经由理性的至内在部分流入的。
属灵人没有对信之良善和真理的感知的另一个原因是，良善和真理不是像在属天人里面那样被植入他们的意愿部分，而是被植入他们的理解力部分（参看863，875，927，1023，1043，1044，2256节）。这就是为何属灵人不能抵达属天人所住之光的第一个区域或第一个层级（2718节）；相对于属天人，他们处于模糊之中（1043，2708开头，2715节）。由此可以推知，属灵人被关于信之真理的属世记忆知识或世俗知识缠住了。
至于“灌木丛”或“杂乱的灌木丛”在内义上表示属世的记忆知识或世俗知识，也就是诸如固定在外部记忆中的那类事实知识，这也可从圣言中的其它经文看出来。以西结书：
看哪，亚述曾是黎巴嫩的香柏树，枝条美丽，成荫之林，极其高大，粗树枝在缠绕的枝条之间。（以西结书31:3）
这论及埃及，也就是记忆知识或世俗知识（1164，1165，1186，1462节）；“亚述”表示理性（119，1186节）；在圣言中，这理性也是“香柏树”，以及“黎巴嫩”；“在缠绕的枝条之间”表示在记忆知识或事实当中，因为人类理性就建立在其记忆知识或事实的基础上。
同一先知书：
主耶和华如此说，因你高耸，他将他的枝子插在缠绕的粗枝中，他的心以其高大而被抬高，外邦人，就是列族中强暴的，要把他砍下丢弃。（以西结书31:10，12）
这论及埃及；“将枝子插在缠绕的粗枝中”表示粘在记忆知识或事实中，并从它们的立场来关注属灵、属天和神性事物。同一先知书：
好使水旁所有的树木不因高大而自高，也不将枝条插在缠绕的粗枝中，并且所有得水滋润的都不得高大立于它们之上，因为他们都要被交与死亡，到世人中间的低地和下坑的人那里。（以西结书31:14）
这论及那些想通过基于记忆知识或事实知识的推理进入信之秘密的人；这些人完全瞎了眼（参看215，232，233，1072，1911，2196，2203，2568，2588节）。基于记忆知识或事实的推理就是“将枝条插在缠绕的粗枝中”的含义。又：
她有强壮的幼苗，可作掌权者的杖，它的高大高举在缠绕的粗枝中。（以西结书19:11）
此处意思也一样。
同一先知书：
以色列被杀的人倒在他们偶像的中间，在他们祭坛的周围，就是在各青翠的树下和各缠绕的橡树下。（以西结书6:13）
这论及那些将信仰置于自己，因而置于他们从自己的记忆知识或事实知识中孵化出来的观念之人为自己发明的敬拜；“缠绕的橡树”表示处于这种状态的记忆知识或事实知识。“橡树”是指基于记忆知识或世俗事实的感知（参看1442，1443，2144节）。这种特征还出现在以西结书别的地方：
他们看见各高山、各缠绕的树，就在那里献祭。（以西结书20:28）
“缠绕的树”表示不是圣言，而是人自己的记忆知识或事实知识所指示的事。敬拜在小树林中举行，其意义取决于这些树的性质（可参看2722节）。
以赛亚书：
因为邪恶像火焚烧，烧灭荆棘和蒺藜，点燃林中缠绕的粗枝（或灌木丛）。（以赛亚书9:18）
“荆棘和蒺藜”表示虚假和恶欲；“林中缠绕的粗枝（或灌木丛）”表示记忆知识或事实。同一先知书：
林中缠绕的粗枝或灌木丛，万军之耶和华要用铁器砍下，黎巴嫩必因大能者倒下。（以赛亚书10:34）
“林中缠绕的粗枝（或灌木丛）”表示记忆知识或事实，“黎巴嫩”表示理性概念。耶利米书：
应当向锡安竖立大旗，因我必从北方带来灾祸和大毁灭。有狮子从他的灌木丛中上来，是毁坏列族的；他已经动身，离开他的地方，要使你的地成为荒场；你的城邑必被毁，无人居住。（耶利米书4:6-7）
“从他的灌木丛中”表示从记忆知识或事实知识中，凡从这知识中“上来”并进入或侵袭神性奥秘的，都使“地成为荒场”，也就是使教会荒凉。
在圣言中，记忆知识或事实之所以被称为“灌木丛”，是因为它们本质上就像“灌木丛”，尤其当爱自己和爱世界的欲望，以及虚假的原则或假设影响他们时。属天和属灵之爱是一种将属于外部记忆的知识或事实带入秩序的爱；而对自己的爱和对世界的爱却搅乱这种秩序，并给那里的一切带来混乱。人没有意识到这些事物，因为他将秩序变成了败坏的秩序，将良善变成邪恶，将真理变成虚假；这就是为何这些事缠在一起，也就是“缠在灌木丛中”。他没有意识到这些事物的另一个原因是，与属于理性概念所在的内部记忆的事物相比，属于这些知识或事实所在的外部记忆的事物如同在灌木丛中，或如同在幽暗的森林中。只要活在肉身，就没有人能知道相比之下，有何等阴暗、模糊和黑暗的东西在森林中，因为活在肉身期间，他以为一切智慧和聪明都来自这个源头，即来自记忆知识或事实；但等到了来世进入属于内部记忆的事物，他就会明白。到那时，他会看到，外部记忆适合活在世上的人，这种记忆最缺乏的，就是智慧和聪明之光。他将看到，外部记忆中的一切相对来说都是黑暗、无序和缠绕在一起的（参看2469-2494节）。
Potts(1905-1910) 2831
2831. Behind, caught in a thicket. That this signifies entangled in natural knowledge, is evident from the signification of being "caught," as here being entangled; and from the signification of a "thicket" or "tangle" as being memory-knowledge-explained in what follows. That the spiritual are held entangled in natural knowledge in regard to the truths of faith, is as follows. The spiritual have not perception of good and truth, as the celestial have, but instead of it conscience formed from the goods and truths of faith which they have imbibed from infancy from their parents and masters, and afterwards from the doctrine of faith into which they were born. They who have no perception of good and truth have to be confirmed by knowledges. Everyone forms for himself some idea respecting the things he has learned, and also respecting the goods and truths of faith; for without an idea, nothing remains in the memory otherwise than as an empty thing. Confirmatory things are added thereto, and fill up the idea of the thing, from other knowledges, even from memory-knowledges. The confirmation of the idea itself by many things causes not only that it sticks in the memory, so that it can be called forth into the thought, but also that faith can be insinuated into it. [2] As regards perception in general, since few know what perception is, this must be declared. There is perception of what is good and true in celestial and spiritual things; there is perception of what is just and equitable in civil life; and there is perception of what is honorable in moral life. As regards the perception of what is good and true in celestial and spiritual things, the interior angels have this perception from the Lord, the men of the Most Ancient Church had it, and the celestial, who are in love to the Lord, have it. These know at once, from a kind of internal observation, whether a thing is good and whether it is true; for this is insinuated by the Lord, because they are conjoined with Him by love. Spiritual men, however, have no such perception of good and truth in celestial and spiritual things, but instead of it have conscience which dictates; but as before said, this conscience is formed from the knowledges of good and truth which they have imbibed from their parents and masters, and afterwards from their own study in doctrine and in the Word; and in these, even though not entirely good and true, they put their faith. Hence it is that men can have conscience from any doctrine whatever; even the Gentiles have something not unlike conscience from their religion. [3] That the spiritual have no perception of the good and truth of faith, but say and believe that to be true which they have learned and apprehended, is sufficiently evident from the fact that everyone says that his own dogma is true, heretics more than others; and that they are not able to see the truth itself, still less to acknowledge it, although thousands of things should declare it. Let everyone explore himself and see if he is able to perceive from any other source whether a thing is true; and if when a thing most true is made manifest to him he still does not acknowledge it. As for example, one who makes faith the essential of salvation, and not love: even if all should be read before him which the Lord spoke concerning love and charity (see n. 2373), and if he should know from the Word that all the Law and the Prophets hang upon love to the Lord and charity toward the neighbor, he will nevertheless remain in the idea of faith, and will say that this alone saves. It is otherwise with those who are in celestial and spiritual perception. [4] As regards the perception of what is just and equitable in civil life, however, those in the world who are rational have this, and also the perception of what is honorable in moral life. These two perceptions distinguish one man from another, but by no means do such men for this reason have the perception of the good and truth of faith, because this perception is higher or more internal, and flows in from the Lord through the inmost of the rational. [5] The reason also why the spiritual have no perception of the good and truth of faith, is that good and truth are not implanted in their will part, as with celestial men, but in their intellectual part (see n. 863, 875, 927, 1023, 1043, 1044, 2256). Hence it is that the spiritual cannot arrive at the first degree of the light in which the celestial are (n. 2718), but have what is obscure in comparison (n. 1043, 2708 at the beginning, 2715). That the spiritual are entangled in natural memory-knowledge in respect to the truths of faith, follows from this. [6] That a "thicket" or "tangle" in the internal sense signifies natural memory-knowledge, that is, that knowledge which sticks fast in the exterior memory, may also be seen from other passages in the Word. In Ezekiel:
Behold, Asshur was a cedar in Lebanon, with beautiful foliage, and a shady grove, and lofty in height, and his branch was among the tangled boughs (Ezek. 31:3);
where Egypt, which is memory-knowledge, is treated of (n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462); "Asshur" denotes the rational (n. 119, 1186); which is also the "cedar," and also "Lebanon," in the Word; "among the tangled boughs" means among memory-knowledges, for the human rational is founded on its memory-knowledges. [7] In the same:
Thus saith the Lord Jehovih, Because thou art exalted in stature, and he hath set his branch among the tangled boughs, and his heart is lifted up in its height, strangers, the violent of the nations, shall cut him down, and cast him out (Ezek. 31:10, 12);
concerning Egypt; to "set the branch among the tangled boughs" denotes sticking fast in memory-knowledges, and regarding spiritual, celestial, and Divine things from them. In the same:
To the end that none of all the trees by the waters exalt themselves in their stature, neither set their branch among the tangled boughs, nor that all that drink waters stand over them in their height, for they shall all be delivered unto death, to the lower earth in the midst of the sons of man, to them that go down to the pit (Ezek. 31:14);
here those are treated of who by reasonings from memory-knowledges desire to enter into the mysteries of faith (that they are made altogether blind, may be seen above, n. 215, 232, 233, 1072, 1911, 2196, 2203, 2568, 2588). To reason from memory-knowledges is to "set the branch among the tangled boughs." In the same:
She had plants of strength for the scepters of them that bare rule, and her height was exalted among the tangled boughs (Ezek. 19:11);
this has a similar meaning. [8] In the same:
The slain of Israel shall be among their idols, round about their altars, and under every green tree, and under every tangled oak (Ezek. 6:13);
this treats of the worship which those form to themselves who have faith in themselves, and thus in the things which they hatch out from their memory-knowledges; the "tangled oak" denotes the memory-knowledges in such a state. (That "oaks" are apperceptions from memory-knowledges may be seen above, n. 1442, 1443, 2144.) The like is found elsewhere in the same Prophet:
They saw every high hill, and every tangled tree, and there they sacrificed their sacrifices (Ezek. 20:28);
a "tangled tree" denotes the things which are dictated not by the Word, but by one's own memory-knowledge. (That worship was performed in groves, and was significative according to the qualities of the trees, may be seen above, n. 2722.) [9] In Isaiah:
Wickedness burneth as the fire; it devoureth the briars and thorns, and kindleth in the thickets of the forest (Isa. 9:18);
the "briars and thorns" denote falsity and cupidity; the "thickets of the forest," memory-knowledges. In the same:
Jehovah Zebaoth shall cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one (Isa. 10:34);
the "thickets of the forest" denote memory-knowledges and "Lebanon," things rational. In Jeremiah:
Set up a standard toward Zion, for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction; a lion is gone up from his thicket, and a destroyer of nations; he is on his way, he is gone forth from his place, to make thy land a waste; thy cities shall be destroyed, without inhabitant (Jer. 4:6-7);
"from his thicket" denotes from memory-knowledge; and that which ascends into Divine arcana from this makes the "land a waste," that is, lays waste the church. [10] The reason why in the Word memory-knowledges are called "thickets," is that they are comparatively of such a character, especially when the cupidities of the love of self and of the world, and the principles of falsity, seek for them. Celestial and spiritual love is that which disposes into order the knowledges which are of the exterior memory; and the love of self and of the world is that which perverts the order, and disturbs all things in it. These things the man does not take notice of, because he places order in perverted order, good in evil, and truth in falsity. On this account these things are in entanglement; and also on this, that the things of the exterior memory, where these knowledges are, compared with those in the interior memory, where rational things are, are as in a thicket, or as in a dark forest. How shady, opaque, and dark it is there in comparison, a man cannot know so long as he is living in the body; for he then supposes that all wisdom and intelligence are from this source; but he will know in the other life, when he comes into the things of his interior memory. That in the exterior memory, which is proper to man while he is living in the world, nothing is less to be found than the light of intelligence and wisdom; but that all is relatively dark, disorderly, and entangled there, may be seen above (n. 2469-2494).
Elliott(1983-1999) 2831
2831. 'Behind [him] caught in a thicket' means entangled in natural knowledge. This is clear from the meaning here of 'caught in' as being entangled in, and from the meaning of 'a thicket' or fan entanglement' as factual knowledge, to be dealt with in what follows. Those who are spiritual are caught and entangled in natural knowledge as regards truths of faith for the following reasons: Those who are spiritual do not possess the perception of good and truth as those who are celestial do. Instead of perception they have conscience, which is formed from the goods and truths of faith which from early childhood they have taken in from parents and teachers, and after that from the doctrine of the faith into which they were born. The only way that those who do not possess the perception of good and truth can receive confirmation is from facts. Everyone forms some concept for himself regarding the things he has learned, and also regarding the goods and truths of faith. Without that nothing remains in the memory except as an empty vessel. Details that serve to confirm - derived from other cognitions, and even from factual knowledge - are added to and fill in the concept. The concept itself confirmed by many details not only causes itself to be fixed in the memory, from which it may be called forth into thought, but also enables faith to be instilled into it.
[2] As regards perception in general, since few know what perception is, this must be stated here. There is the perception of what is good and true in things that are celestial and spiritual; there is the perception of what is just and fair in public life; and there is the perception of what is honourable in private life. As regards the perception of what is good and true in celestial and spiritual things, this is the perception which the more interior angels possess from the Lord. It was also the perception which members of the Most Ancient Church possessed, and it is the perception which celestial people possess, who are moved by love to the Lord. These people know in an instant from a certain inner awareness whether a thing is good and whether it is true, for the Lord instills it into them because they are joined by love to Him. But spiritual people do not possess such perception of what is good and true in celestial and spiritual things. Instead of perception they have conscience which dictates. Conscience however, as has been stated, is formed from cognitions of good and truth which they have taken in from parents and teachers and later on from their own devotion to doctrine and the Word. And on these cognitions they pin their faith, even though these may not be goods and truths to any great extent. This being so, people can have a conscience that is derived from any variety of doctrine; even gentiles possess something not unlike conscience, derived from their own form of religion.
[3] The fact that those who are spiritual have no perception of the good and truth of faith but say and believe to be true that which they have learned and grasped becomes quite clear from the consideration that everyone calls his own tenets the truth - heretics more than others - and from the consideration that they are unable to see, let alone acknowledge, the truth itself, even though thousands of things might declare it. Let everyone search within himself to see whether he is able to perceive from any other source whether a thing is true, and whether when that which is absolutely true is made plain to him he still does not acknowledge it. Take for example someone who makes faith and not love the essential of salvation. Even if all the things were read out to him which the Lord spoke regarding love and charity, see 2373, and even if he knew from the Word that all the Law and all the Prophets hung on love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbour, he would still persist in the idea of faith and would say that this alone was what saved. It is altogether different in the case of those who possess celestial and spiritual perception.
[4] But as regards the perception of what is just and fair in public life, those in the world who are rational possess this, together with the perception of what is honourable in private life. So far as these two types of perception are concerned, one person differs from the next; but this in no sense implies that such persons possess the perception of the good and truth of faith, since this kind of perception is higher or more interior and flows in from the Lord by way of the inmost part of the rational.
[5] A further reason why spiritual people do not possess a perception of the good and truth of faith is that good and truth are not implanted in the will part of their minds, as in the case of celestial people, but in the understanding part; see 863, 875, 927, 1023, 1043, 1044, 2256. This is why spiritual people are not able to enter the first region of the light that celestial people dwell in, 2718, but in comparison with them are in obscurity, 1043, 2708, 2715. The fact that those who are spiritual are entangled in natural knowledge as regards truths of faith follows from this.
[6] As regards 'a thicket' or 'an entanglement' in the internal sense meaning natural knowledge, that is, factual knowledge such as becomes fixed in the exterior memory, this may also be seen from other places in the Word: in Ezekiel,
Behold, Asshur was a cedar in Lebanon, beautiful in its boughs, and a forest shade, and lofty in height, and its trunk among entangled boughs. Ezek 31: 3.
This refers to 'Egypt', which is knowledge, 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462. 'Asshur' stands for the rational, 119, 1186, which in the Word is also 'a cedar', and 'Lebanon' as well. 'Among entangled boughs' stands for among facts, for the human rational is based on the facts known to it which it commands.
[7] In the same prophet,
Thus said the Lord Jehovih, Because you are exalted in height, and he has set his trunk up among entangled boughs, and his heart has become lifted up in his height, foreigners, the violent of the nations, will cut him down and cast him out. Ezek 31: 10, 12.
This refers to Egypt. 'Setting his trunk among entangled boughs' stands for sticking to facts and looking at spiritual, celestial, and Divine things, from them as the standpoint. In the same prophet,
This is in order that none of all the trees by the waters may exalt themselves in their height, and set their trunk up among entangled boughs, and that none of all that drink water may reach above them in their height, for they will all be given over to death, to the lower earth in the midst of the sons of men, to those going down to the pit. Ezek 31: 14.
This refers to those who wish by means of reasonings based on factual knowledge to penetrate the mysteries of faith; these become totally blind, see 215, 232, 233, 1072, 1911, 2196, 2203, 2568, 2588. Reasoning based on facts is the meaning of 'setting their trunk up among entangled boughs'. In the same prophet,
It had strong shoots as sceptres for those who have dominion, and its height rose up above among entangled boughs. Ezek 19: 11.
Here the meaning is similar.
[8] In the same prophet,
The slain of Israel in the midst of their idols, around their altars, and under every green tree, and under every entangled oak. Ezek 6: 13.
This refers to the kind of worship which people invent for themselves who have faith in themselves, and so in those things which they hatch out from their factual knowledge. 'An entangled oak' stands for facts as they exist in that particular state, 'oaks' meaning perceptions arising out of facts, see 1442, 1443, 2144. The same feature occurs elsewhere in the same prophet,
They looked at every high hill and every entangled tree, and there they offered their sacrifices. Ezek 20: 28.
'Entangled tree' stands for things which are not dictated by the Word but by a person's own factual knowledge. The fact that worship used to take place in groves and depended for its meaning on the nature of the trees, see 2722.
[9] In Isaiah,
For wickedness will burn like a fire, it will consume brier and thorn, and will kindle the entangled boughs of the wood. Isa 9: 18.
'Brier and thorn' stands for falsity and evil desire, 'the entangled boughs of the wood' for facts. In the same prophet,
Jehovah Zebaoth will hew down the entangled boughs of the wood with an axe, and Lebanon will fall by a majestic one. Isa 10: 34.
'The entangled boughs of the wood' stands for facts, 'Lebanon' for rational concepts. In Jeremiah,
Raise a standard towards Zion, for I am bringing evil from the north, and a great destruction. A lion has risen up from his thicket, and a destroyer of nations has set out and come from his place to make your land a waste. Your cities will be destroyed, and left without inhabitants. Jer 4: 6, 7.
'From his thicket' stands for from factual knowledge, and that which 'rises up' from this and enters into Divine arcana 'makes the land a waste', that is, lays waste the Church.
[10] The reason why in the Word facts are called 'thickets' is that facts are by nature like thickets, especially when the desires of self-love and love of the world, and false assumptions, exert an influence on them. Celestial and spiritual love is a love which arranges into order the facts that belong to the external memory, whereas self-love and love of the world disrupt that order and bring confusion to everything there. These are matters of which man is not aware because he takes that to be order which in fact is perverted order, that to be good which in fact is evil, and that to be truth which in fact is falsity; therefore those things are 'in a thicket'. He is also unaware of these matters because the things that belong to the external memory where facts reside are - in comparison with those that belong to the internal memory, where rational concepts reside - in a thicket, or in some gloomy woodland. How shadowy, gloomy, and darkened it is there in comparison, nobody can know as long as he lives in the body, for during that time he imagines that all wisdom and intelligence arise from facts; but he will know it in the next life when he has entered the things that belong to the internal memory. In the external memory which is proper to man during his life in the world nothing is more lacking than the light of wisdom and intelligence. But that everything there is by comparison dark, disordered, and entangled, see 2469-2494.
Latin(1748-1756) 2831
2831. `Post detentus in perplexo': quod significet implicatos in scientifico naturali, constat a significatione `detineri' hic quod implicari; et ex significatione `perplexi' aut implexi, quod sit scienti cum, de qua sequitur. Quod spirituales detineantur {1}implicati scientifico naturali quoad vera fidei, ita se habet: spirituales non habent perceptionem boni et veri sicut caelestes, sed loco ejus conscientia quae formata est a bonis et veris fidei quae ab infantia a parenti: et magistris, et dein a doctrina fidei in quam nati sunt, hauserunt; qui non perceptionem boni et veri habent, ii non possunt aliter quam confirmari a scientificis, quisque aliquam ideam sibi facit de illis quae didicit, etiam de bonis et veris fidei; absque idea non manet quicquam in memoria aliter quam ut res vacua; confirmantia accedunt et implent ideam rei, ex cognitionibus aliis, etiam a scientificis; ipsa idea confirmata a pluribus facit ut non modo haereat in memoria, et evocari inde possit in cogitationem, sed etiam ut fides ei insinuari possit. [2] Quod perceptionem in genere attinet, quia pauci norunt quid perceptio, dicendum; est perceptio boni et veri in caelestibus spiritualibus, est perceptio justi et aequi in vita civili, et est perceptio honesti in vita morali; quod perceptionem boni et veri in caelestibus et spiritualibus concernit, hanc habent angeli interiores a Domino et hanc habuerunt homines Ecclesiae Antiquissimae, et hanc habent caelestes qui in amore in Dominum sunt; sciunt ilico ex interna quadam animadvertentia num bonum sit et num verum, Dominus enim insinuat hoc quia Domino sunt amore conjuncti; at spirituales homines non habent talem perceptionem boni et veri in rebus caelestibus spiritualibus, sed loco ejus habent conscientiam quae dictat; conscientia formata est ex cognitionibus boni et veri quas hauserunt a parentibus et magistris, ut dictum, et dein ex proprio studio doctrina et in Verbo; illis fidem adjungunt tametsi non {2}forent bona et vera; inde est quod conscientiam habere possint homines ex quacumque doctrina, etiam conscientiae non {3}absimile gentiles ex suo religioso; [3] quod spirituales non habeant perceptionem boni et veri fidei, sed dicant et credant verum esse quod didicerunt et captarunt, constare satis potest ex eo quod unusquisque dicat suum dogma esse verum, magis haeretici quam alii, et quod ipsum verum non videre, minus agnoscere possint, tametsi millia dictarent; exploret quisque se, an percipere aliunde possit num verum, et annon cum verissimum ei manifestatur, usque non agnoscat; ut pro exemplo, qui fidem essentialem salutis facit, non amorem, tametsi coram {4}illo omnia illa legerentur quae Dominus de amore et charitate locutus, videantur n. 2371, et sciat ex Verbo quod omnis Lex et omnes Prophetae ab amore in Dominum et charitate erga proximum, pendeant, usque tamen manebit in idea fidei, et dicet illam solam salvare; aliter illi qui in perceptione caelesti et spirituali sunt. [4] Quod autem perceptionem justi et aequi in vita civili attinet, hanc habent illi in mundo {5} qui rationales sunt, et quoque perceptionem honesti in vita morali; quoad illam et hanc distinguit se unus homo ab altero; sed iidem {6}nusquam ideo habent perceptionem boni et veri fidei, quia haec perceptio est superior seu interior et influit per intimum rationalis a Domino. [5] Causa quoque cur spirituales non habent perceptionem boni et veri fidei; est quia bonum et verum non implantatum est in parte eorum voluntaria ut apud homines caelestes, sed in parte intellectuali, videatur n. 863, 875, 927, 1023, 1043, 1044, 2256; inde est quod spirituales non possint ad primum lucis in qua sunt caelestes, venire, n. 2718, sed quod illis obscurum sit respective, n. 1043, 2708 pr, 2715; quod spirituales implicati sint scientifico naturali quoad vera fidei, inde sequitur. [6] Quod `perplexum' seu `implexum' in sensu interno significet scientificum naturale, hoc est, illud scientificum quod in memoria exteriore haeret, constare etiam potest ab aliis locis in Verbo; apud Ezechielem, Ecce Asshur cedrus in Libano, pulchra fronde, et nemus umbrosum, et excelsa altitudine, et inter implexa fuit ramus ejus, xxxi 3;ubi de `Aegypto,' quae est scientia, n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462; `Asshur' pro rationali, n. 119, 1186, quod etiam est `cedrus,' tum `Libanus,' in Verbo; `inter implexa' pro inter scientifica, rationale enim humanum fundatur in scientificis ejus: [7] apud eundem, Sic dixit Dominus Jehovih, Quoniam elatus es altitudine, et dedit ramum suum ad inter implexa, et elatum factum est cor ejus in elatione sua, exscindent eum alieni, violenti gentium, et dejicient eum, xxxi 10, 12;
de Aegypto, `dare ramum inter implexa' pro haerere in scientificis, et inde spectare spiritualia, caelestia, et Divina: apud eundem, Propterea ut non extollant se in altitudine sua omnes arbores aquarum, et non dent ramum suum ad inter implexa, et non stent super illis in altitudine sua omnes bibentes aquas, quia omnes illi dabuntur morti, ad terram inferiorem in medio filiorum hominis ad descendentes foveam, xxxi 14;
ubi de illis qui per ratiocinia ex scientificis, intrare volunt in mysteria fidei, qui quod prorsus occaecentur, videatur n. 215, 232, 233, 1072, 1911, 2196, 2203, 2568, 2588; ratiocinari ex scientificis, est `dare ramum ad inter implexa': apud eundem, Fuerunt illi plantae roboris ad sceptra dominantium, et extulit se altitudo ejus super inter implexa, xix 11;
similiter: [8] apud eundem, Confossi Israelis in medio idolorum eorum, circum altaria eorum,...et sub omni arbore viridi, et sub omni quercu implexa, vi 13;
agitur de cultu quem sibi fingunt, fidem habentes sibi, ita illis quae ex scientificis suis excludunt; `quercus implexa' pro scientificis in tali statu; quod `quercus' sint apperceptiones ex scientificis, videatur n. 1442, 1443, 2144; similiter alibi apud eundem, Viderunt omnem collem altum, et omnem arborem implexam, et sacrificabant ibi sacrificia sua, xx 28;
{7}`arbor implexa' pro illis quae non dictat Verbum, sed scientificum proprium; quod cultus fieret in lucis, et significativus esset secundum arborum qualitates, videatur n. 2722: [9] apud Esaiam, Ardet sicut ignis malitia, senticetum et vepretum comedet, et incendet implexa silvae, ix 17 [A.V. 18];
`senticetum et vepretum' pro falsitate et cupiditate, `implexa silvae' pro scientificis: apud eundem, Jehovah Zebaoth excidet implexa silvae ferro, et Libanus per magnificum cadet, x 34;
`implexa silvae' pro scientificis, `Libanus' pro rationalibus: apud Jeremiam, Tollite signum versus Zionem,...quia malum Ego adducens e septentrione, et confractionem magnam; ascendit leo ex perplexo suo, et perditor gentium profectus exivit e loco suo, ad ponendum terram tuam in vastitatem, urbes tuae destruentur, ut nullus habitator, iv 6, 7;
ex perplexo' pro ex scientifico, ex quo quod `ascendit' in arcana Divina, `ponit terram in vastitatem,' hoc est, Ecclesiam vastat. [10] Quod scientifica in Verbo dicantur `perplexa,' est causa quia respective talia sunt, imprimis cum cupiditates amoris sui et mundi et principia falsi {8}adspirant; amor caelestis et spiritualis est qui scientifica quae sunt memoriae exterioris, disponit in ordinem, at amor sui et mundi pervertit ordinem, et perturbat omnia quae ibi; haec non animadvertit homo, quia in perverso ordine ponit ordinem, in malo bonum, et in falso verum, inde sunt illa in perplexo; etiam ex eo quod illa quae sunt memoriae exterioris ubi scientifica, ad illa quae in memoria interiore, ubi sunt rationalia, sint respective in perplexo, aut sicut in opaca silva; quam umbrosum, opacum et tenebricosum sit ibi respective, non scire potest homo, quamdiu in corpore vivit; putat enim tunc quod omnis sapientia et intelligentia sit inde, sed sciet in altera vita, quando in illa quae sunt memoriae interioris, venit, quod in memoria exteriore, quae propria est homini cum vivit in mundo, nihil minus sit quam lux sapientiae et intelligentiae, sed quod respective ibi tenebrosum, inordinatum et perplexum, videatur n. 2469-2494. @1 after fidei$ @2 A d forent i essent$ @3 dissimile$ @4 illis$ @5 i etiam hodie$ @6 usque non$ @7 sacrificare sacrificia pro cultum habere, qui quod fieret in lucis et significativus esset secundum arbores ibi, videatur 1722, hic arbor implexa pro illis quae non dictat Verbum, sed scientificum proprium.$ @8 aspirant$