32、⑵自创造时人就具有这种性质：他能与主结合得越来越紧密。这一点从《圣爱与圣智》一书第三部分关于层级的说明，尤其从下面几点明显看出来：自创造时人里面就有三个离散或高度层级（230-235节）；每个人生来都有这三个层级；随着它们被打开，人在主里面，主在人里面（236-241节）；一切完美唯独随着层级并照着层级增加和上升（199-204节）。由此清楚可知，自创造时，人就能通过这些层级与主结合得越来越紧密。
但必须清楚知道何为层级，并且有两种层级，即：离散层级或高度层级和连续层级或广度层级，以及它们的区别。此外，还必须知道的是，自创造时，因而自出生时，每个人就拥有这三个离散层级，或高度层级。人一出生，首先进入第一个层级，被称为属世层；他能不断发展自己里面的这一层级，直到他变得理性。他若照着秩序的属灵律法，也就是神性真理生活，就会进入第二个层级，被称为属灵层。他若照着秩序的属天律法，也就是神性良善生活，还能进入第三个层级，被称为属天层。
主照着一个人的生活打开他里面的这三个层级，并在这个世界上实际打开它们，但在他离开世界之前，是觉察和感受不到的。随着它们被打开，然后被完善，人与主结合得越来越紧密。这种结合能通过不断靠近神而继续增长，直到永远，并且在天使身上的确永远增长。然而，没有一位天使能达到或触及主的爱与智慧的第一个层级，因为主是无限的，而天使是有限的，无限与有限之间不可能有任何比率关系。若不了解这些层级，就无法理解人的状态，以及他被提升并靠近主的状态；我在《圣爱与圣智》一书（173-281节）详细论述了它们，可参看一下。
32. (2) Human beings have been so formed from creation that they can be conjoined more and more closely with the Lord. This can be seen from points we demonstrated in the treatise Divine Love and Wisdom, Part Three, concerning degrees, in particular from the following points there:
That there are three discrete degrees or degrees of height in people from creation, Divine Love and Wisdom 230-235.
That these three degrees exist in every person from birth, and that as they are opened, the person is in the Lord and the Lord in him, Divine Love and Wisdom 236-241.
And that all perfections increase and ascend concomitantly with degrees and in accordance with them, Divine Love and Wisdom 199-204.
It is apparent from this that human beings have been so formed from creation that they can be conjoined by degrees more and more closely with the Lord.
[2] It should altogether be known, however, what degrees are, that they are of two kinds - discrete, or degrees of height, and continuous, or degrees of breadth - and what the difference between them is. It should also be known that from creation and so from birth every person has in him three discrete degrees or degrees of height; that a person comes into the first degree, called the natural degree, when he is born; that this degree can grow in him through a continuous progression until he becomes rational; that he comes into the second degree, called the spiritual degree, if he lives according to spiritual laws of order, which are Divine truths; and that he can also come into the third degree, called the celestial degree, if he lives according to celestial laws of order, which are Divine goods.
[3] These degrees are opened actually in a person by the Lord according to his life in the world, but not perceptibly or sensibly until after his departure from the world; and as they are opened and then perfected, the person is commensurately conjoined more and more closely with the Lord.
This conjunction can grow in its closeness to eternity, and also does so grow to eternity in angels. But still, no angel can arrive at the first degree of the Lord's love and wisdom or attain to it, because the Lord is infinite and an angel finite, and between the infinite and the finite there is no proportional relation.
Since without a knowledge of these degrees no one can understand the human condition and the manner of a person's elevation and approach to the Lord, therefore we took up these degrees in some detail in our treatise Divine Love and Wisdom 173-281 (which see).
32. 2. Our nature from creation enables us to be more and more closely united to the Lord. Support for this may be found in the material about levels in part 3 of Divine Love and Wisdom, particularly on the following points. There are three distinct or vertical levels in us from creation (Divine Love and Wisdom 230-235). These three levels exist in each of us from birth and can be opened. As they are opened, we are in the Lord and the Lord is in us (Divine Love and Wisdom 236-241). All processes of perfection increase and rise by and according to levels (Divine Love and Wisdom 199-204). We can see from this that the nature we have from creation enables us to be united to the Lord more and more closely, level by level.
[2] It is vital, however, that we know what these levels are. There are two kinds, distinct or vertical and gradual or horizontal, and it is vital to know how they differ. All of us have the three distinct or vertical levels within us by creation and therefore from birth. We become involved in the first level, the one called "earthly," when we are born, and we can gradually expand this level within us until we become rational. We become involved in the second level, the one called "spiritual," if we live by the spiritual laws of the divine design, laws that are divine as to their truth; and we can also become involved in the third level, the one called "heavenly," if we live by the heavenly laws of the divine design, laws that are divine as to their goodness.
[3] The Lord opens these levels within us depending on the way we live. This is really happening in this world, but not so that we can sense or feel it until after we leave this world. As the levels are then opened and perfected, we are more and more closely united to the Lord. This union can intensify to eternity as we grow closer; for angels it actually does keep intensifying to eternity. Still, no angel can enter into the first level of the Lord's love and wisdom or reach its boundary, because the Lord is infinite and angels are finite, and there is no ratio between what is infinite and what is finite.
Since a knowledge of these levels is necessary for understanding the human condition and the way it is raised and brought closer to the Lord, I dealt with this specifically in Divine Love and Wisdom 173-281, to which you may refer.
32. II. MAN BY CREATION IS SUCH THAT HE CAN BE MORE AND MORE NEARLY CONJOINED TO THE LORD. This may be evident from what has been set forth concerning Degrees in the treatise THE DIVINE LOVE AND WISDOM, especially from the following articles: There are three discrete degrees, or degrees of altitude, in man from creation (n. 230-235). These three degrees are in every man from birth; and as they are opened, the man is in the Lord and the Lord in him (n. 236-241). All perfections increase and ascend with the degrees, and according to them (n. 199-204). From this it is clear that man from creation is such that he can be more and more nearly conjoined to the Lord by these degrees.
[2] It is necessary, however, to know expressly what degrees are, and that they are of two kinds, namely, discrete degrees, or degrees of altitude, and continuous degrees, or degrees of latitude, and also how they differ. Further, it is necessary to know that every man from creation, and hence from birth, has three discrete degrees, or degrees of altitude; and that he comes into the first degree, called the natural, when he is born, and may increase this degree in himself by continuous progress until he becomes rational; that he comes into the second degree, called the spiritual, if he lives according to the spiritual laws of order, which are principles of Divine Truth; 1and also that he can come into the third degree, called the celestial, if he lives according to the celestial laws of order, which are principles of Divine Good.
[3] These degrees are actually opened in man by the Lord according to his life in this world, but not perceptibly and manifestly till after he leaves this world; and as they are opened and afterwards perfected, man is more and more nearly conjoined to the Lord. This conjunction by continued approach may go on increasing to eternity; and with the angels it does so increase; yet no angel can reach or even come close to the highest degree of the Love and Wisdom of the Lord, because the Lord is Infinite and an angel is finite, and there is no ratio between the Infinite and the finite. As no one can understand the state of man, and the state of his elevation and approach to the Lord, unless he has a knowledge of these degrees, they have been treated of in detail in THE DIVINE LOVE AND WISDOM (n. 173-281), which may be consulted.
Footnotes:
1. Both Divinum Verum and Verum Divinum are used and the difference is indicated by translating Divinum Verum by Divine Truth, and Verum Divinum by Divine truth. Similarly Divinum Bonum and Bonum Divinum.
32. (2) From creation man has an ability to be more and more nearly conjoined with the Lord. This can be seen from what has been set forth respecting degrees in the third part of the work on The Divine Love and the Divine Wisdom, and especially from the following: There are three discrete degrees or degrees of height in man from creation (Divine Love and Wisdom 230-235). These three degrees are in every man from birth; and as they are opened, man is in the Lord and the Lord in man (Divine Love and Wisdom 236-241). All perfections increase and ascend along with degrees, and according to them (Divine Love and Wisdom 199-204). From all this it is clear that from creation man has an ability to be more and more nearly conjoined with the Lord through degrees.
[2] But it is necessary to know fully what degrees are, and that there are two kinds, discrete degrees, that is, degrees of height; and continuous degrees, that is, degrees of breadth, also how they differ; and to know that every man by his creation and consequently by birth has three discrete degrees or degrees of height; also that man comes into the first degree, which is called the natural, when he is born, and may develop this degree in himself continuously until he becomes rational; also that he comes into the second degree, which is called the spiritual degree, if he lives according to the spiritual laws of order, which are Divine truths; and finally that he can come into the third degree, which is called the celestial, if he lives according to celestial laws of order, which are Divine goods.
[3] These degrees the Lord opens in man according to his life, actually in this world, but not perceptibly and sensibly till after he leaves this world; and as they are opened and afterwards perfected man is more and more nearly conjoined with the Lord. This conjunction by continued approach may go on increasing to eternity, and with the angels it does increase to eternity. And yet no angel is able to attain to or to touch upon the first degree of the Lord's love and wisdom, because the Lord is infinite and an angel is finite, and there can be no relation between what is infinite and what is finite. As no one is able without a knowledge of these degrees to understand the state of man, and the state of his elevation and approach to the Lord, they have been treated of in detail in Divine Love and Wisdom 173-281), which may be referred to.
32. II. Quod homo ex creatione talis sit, 1ut propius et propius conjungi possit Domino, constare potest ex illis quae in Transactione de DIVINO AMORE ET DIVINA SAPIENTIA, in Parte Tertia, de Gradibus ostensa sunt, in specie ex his ibi; Quod tres Gradus discreti seu altitudinis in homine ex creatione sint, de DIVINO AMORE ET DIVINA SAPIENTIA 230-235.
Quod tres illi gradus in quovis homine a nativitate sint, et quod sicut aperiuntur, homo in Domino sit, et Dominus in illo, 236-241. Et quod omnes perfectiones crescant et ascendant cum gradibus, et secundum illos, 199-204: ex quibus patet, quod homo talis a creatione sit, ut per gradus propius et propius conjungi possit Domino.
[2] Sed omnino sciendum est, quid sunt gradus, et quod sint duplicis generis, gradus discreti seu altitudinis, et gradus continui seu latitudinis, et quae illorum differentia est; tum quod cuivis homini a creatione et inde nativitate sint tres gradus discreti seu altitudinis, et quod homo in primum gradum, qui vocatur naturalis, dum nascitur, veniat, et quod hunc gradum apud se possit per continuum augere, usque dum fit rationalis; et quod in alterum gradum, qui vocatur spiritualis, veniat, si vivit secundum leges ordinis spirituales, quae sunt Divina vera; et quod etiam possit in tertium gradum, qui vocatur coelestis, venire, si vivit secundum leges ordinis coelestes, quae sunt Divina bona.
[3] Hi gradus aperiuntur apud hominem a Domino secundum vitam ejus in Mundo actualiter, sed non perceptibiliter et sensibiliter quam post ejus excessum e mundo; et sicut aperiuntur et dein perficiuntur, ita homo propius et propius conjungitur Domino. Potest conjunctio haec per appropinquationem augeri in aeternum, et quoque apud angelos in aeternum augetur; sed usque non potest angelus ad primum gradum Amoris et Sapientiae Domini pervenire, aut illum attingere, quia Dominus est Infinitus, et angelus est finitus, ac ratio Infiniti et finiti nulla datur. Quoniam nemo potest intelligere statum hominis, et statum elevationis ejus et approximationis ad Dominum, nisi sciat illos gradus, ideo de illis in Transactione de DIVINO AMORE ET DIVINA SAPIENTIA a 173-281, in specie actum est; quae videantur.
Footnotes:
1 Prima editio: sis,