3888. Those who have higher knowledge, drawing away from feelings in such a way that they lead themselves, whom I perceived to be devoid of inner sight that would let them know whether something is of the Lord, have relation to the inner membrane of the cranium, to which the pericranium is adjoined from without. But when they begin to use that kind of speech, and to delight in it, they begin to relate to the other side of that membrane toward the bones of the cranium into which it hardens, the very origin of bones, for thus they lose even the life of higher knowledge that constitutes the outermost surfaces. For when they delight in such artificial imagery, then they begin to speak ill of others, and well of themselves, thus despising others and exalting themselves - which life begins to be cartilaginous, and then bony. Then when they think no one else is able to understand their speech, finally they are even drawn so far as to speak ill of heaven, and perhaps
3888. They who are in knowledges, and thus withdrawn from affections, so that they lead as from themselves, as was perceived through me, without a perception that should enable them to know whether it is of the Lord, have reference to the interior membrane of the cranium, to which is adjoined the outer pericranium. But when they begin to use such a speech and are delighted with it, they begin to have relation to that membrane of [the same organ] which is turned towards the bones of the cranium, into which [bones] it hardens, for the bones thence derive their existence. The reason of this is, that they thus lose also the life of knowledges, which constitutes the outermost surfaces, for when they are delighted with such ideas formed from themselves, they then begin to speak evil of others, and well of themselves, thus despising others and exalting themselves, which life begins to be cartilaginous, and afterwards bony. When they suppose that no other one can understand their speech, they are at length drawn onwards even to speaking ill of heaven and perhaps of the Lord; thus their celestial life is successively turned into no life.
3888. Qui in cognitionibus sunt, ita secedentes ab affectionibus, sic ut se ducant, sicut perceptum per me, absque perceptione, qua norint, num sit Domini, ii referunt membranam interiorem cranii, cui adjungitur pericranium extus; at cum tali loquela, incipiunt uti, et ea delectari, referre incipiunt membranae istius obversa versus cranii ossa, in quae durescit, nam ossa inde existunt, nam sic perdunt quoque vitam cognitionum, quae extima constituit, nam cum talibus a se formatis ideis delectantur, tunc incipiunt loqui male de aliis, et bene de se, sic contemnentes alios, et semet elevantes, quae vita incipit esse cartilaginea, dein ossea; tunc cum putant nullum alium intelligere posse loquelam suam, tandem quoque trahuntur illuc, ut male loquantur de coelo, et forte