2041. The result is that they not only understand spiritual matters less, because they dwell on material ideas or words, but some can also be misled in regard to the Word of the Lord, when from words by themselves they seize upon a different meaning, and from self-love defend it, distorting the sense. For once they have set the meaning of the word, they thereby twist the sense, which can be done in a thousand ways. From this arise false spiritual mental images mixed with material ones, which form a harmful impediment to them in the other life, because falsities clinging to material ideas have to be dispelled. 1748, 22 May.
2041. It hence results that not only are they less intelligent in regard to spiritual things from their inhering in material ideas or words, but some may even be led astray in dealing with the Word of the Lord, which from the bare words alone they gather some other than the true sense, and defend and distort it from the love of self; for when the signification of a word is assumed, they then torture the sense into accordance with it, which can be done [as before remarked] in a thousand ways. Hence the spiritual ideas that are falsified by being mixed with material ideas, and which in the other life occasion them impediment and detriment, inasmuch as falsities inhere in material ideas, are to be dispersed. - 1748, May 22.
2041. Exinde fluit, quod non solum minus intelligant spiritualia, quia materialibus ideis seu vocibus inhaerent, sed etiam quidam in Verbo Domini, seduci queant, dum ex solis vocibus alium sensum arripiunt, et eum ex amore sui defendunt, et torquent, nam posita significatione vocis, torquent inde sensum, quod mille modis fieri potest, inde ideae spirituales mixtae materialibus, falsae, quae in altera vita iis sunt impedimento, et damno, quia falsitates inhaerentes 1
ideis materialibus, discutiendae. 1748, 22 Maj.
Footnotes:
1. in J.F.I. Tafel's edition inhaerent