248、前面已经说明，人类心智有三个层级，被称为属世层、属灵层和属天层。这些层级可在人里面依次被打开。然后还说明，属世层是最先被打开的；之后，如果人避恶如罪，并仰望主，属灵层就被打开，最后打开的是属天层。既然这些层级照着人的生活依次被打开，那么可知，这两个更高层级甚至有可能没有被打开，人依然留在属世层级，也就是最低层或最外层。此外，世人知道属世人和属灵人，或外在人和内在人的存在，却不知道属世人是通过打开他里面的某个更高层级变成属灵人的，并且这种打开是通过一种属灵的生活，也就是遵行神性诫命的生活实现的；没有遵行这些诫命的生活，人仍是属世人。
248. If that higher level, the spiritual level, is not opened in us, we become focused on the physical world and our sense impressions. I have just explained that there are three levels of the human mind called earthly, spiritual, and heavenly; that these levels can be opened in us in sequence; that the earthly level is opened first; and that afterward, if we abstain from evils as sins and turn to the Lord, the spiritual level is opened, and ultimately the heavenly level. Since the sequential opening of these levels depends on how we live, it follows that the two higher levels may also not be opened, in which case we stay on the earthly level, which is the most remote.
It is recognized in the world that we have an earthly self and a spiritual self, or an outer and an inner self. It is not recognized that the earthly self becomes spiritual by the opening of a higher level within, and that this opening is accomplished by a spiritual life, a life in accord with divine precepts, and that unless we live by these precepts, we remain centered on the physical world.
248. If the higher or spiritual degree is not opened in a person, he becomes natural and sensual. We showed above that there are three degrees of the human mind, which we call natural, spiritual and celestial, and that these degrees can be progressively opened. We also showed that the natural degree is opened first, and afterward, if the person refrains from evils as being sins and looks to the Lord, the spiritual degree, and finally the celestial degree.
Since these degrees are progressively opened in accordance with a person's life, it follows that the two higher degrees may also not be opened, and that the person in that case remains in the natural degree, which is the lowest or outmost one.
People know, moreover, in the world that some people are natural and some spiritual, or some external and some internal. But they have not known that the natural person becomes spiritual by the opening of some higher degree in him; that the opening is occasioned by his living a spiritual life, which is a life in accordance with Divine precepts; and that apart from a life in accordance with these, the person remains natural.
248. IF THE HIGHER DEGREE, WHICH IS THE SPIRITUAL, IS NOT OPENED IN MAN, HE BECOMES NATURAL AND SENSUAL
It was shown above that there are three degrees of the human mind which are called natural, spiritual and celestial, and that these degrees may be successively opened in man. It was then shown that the natural degree is first opened, and afterwards, if a man shuns evils as sins and looks to the Lord, the spiritual degree is opened, and lastly the celestial degree. Since these degrees are successively opened according to a man's life, it follows that the two higher degrees may not even be opened, and that then the man remains in the natural degree which is the lowest. It is also known in the world that there is a natural and a spiritual man, or an external and an internal man. But it is not known that a natural man becomes spiritual by the opening of any higher degree in him, and that the opening comes about by a spiritual life, which is a life in conformity with the Divine precepts, and that without a life in conformity with these man remains natural.
248. UNLESS THE HIGHER DEGREE WHICH IS THE SPIRITUAL IS OPENED IN MAN, HE BECOMES NATURAL AND SENSUAL.
It was shown above that there are three degrees of the human mind, called natural, spiritual, and celestial, and that these degrees may be opened successively in man; also, that the natural degree is first opened; afterwards, if man flees from evil as sins and looks to the Lord, the spiritual degree is opened; and lastly, the celestial. Since these degrees are opened successively according to man's life, it follows that the two higher degrees may remain unopened, and man then continues in the natural degree, which is the outmost. Moreover, it is known in the world that there is a natural and a spiritual man, or an external and an internal man; but it is not known that a natural man becomes spiritual by the opening of some higher degree in him, and that such opening is effected by a spiritual life, which is a life conformed to the Divine precepts; and that without a life conformed to these man remains natural.
248. QUOD HOMO, SI NON APUD ILLUM SUPERIOR GRADUS, QUI EST SPIRITUALIS, APERITUR, FIAT NATURALIS ET SENSUALIS. Supra ostensum est, quod tres Gradus mentis humanae sint, qui vocantur naturalis, spiritualis et coelestis, et quod illi Gradus apud illum successive possint aperiri: tum ostensum est, quod primum aperiatur gradus naturalis, ac postea, si fugit mala ut peccata, et spectat ad Dominum, aperiatur Gradus spiritualis, et demum coelestis. Quoniam illi Gradus successive aperiuntur secundum vitam hominis, sequitur quod bini superiores Gradus etiam non aperiri possint, et quod homo tunc in gradu naturali, qui est ultimus, maneat. Notum etiam est in Mundo, quod homo naturalis et homo spiritualis sit, seu homo externus et homo internus; sed non notum est, quod homo naturalis fiat spiritualis per aperitionem alicujus Gradus superioris apud illum, et quod aperitio fiat per vitam spiritualem, quae est vita secundum praecepta Divina; et quod absque vita secundum illa, homo maneat naturalis.