5090. The reason why they are dangerous, is, because they are able to persuade almost any of the simple and the upright, that this or that is to be believed, merely from the external sense of the Word, and without explanation; and the simple have not exerted themselves, and learned, in the world, that the external sense of the Word is according to the apprehension of the sensual man - for the first apprehension of man is sensual; and that this must be the lowest level in the Word, because in the position of a foundation, or in the position of the soles of the feet, whereon the body stands. For the Word is, in the sight of the Lord, like one man; for it is Divine Truth. Hence, the sense of the letter is its sole; but, still, there are interiors corresponding to it, in accordance with the connection of such things as are in man.
5090. The reason why they are dangerous, is, because they are able to persuade almost any of the simple and the upright, that this or that is to be believed, merely from the external sense of the Word, and without explanation; and the simple have not exerted themselves, and learned, in the world, that the external sense of the Word is according to the apprehension of the sensual man - for the first apprehension of man is sensual; and that this must be the lowest level in the Word, because in the position of a foundation, or in the position of the soles of the feet, whereon the body stands. For the Word is, in the sight of the Lord, like one man; for it is Divine Truth. Hence, the sense of the letter is its sole; but, still, there are interiors corresponding to it, in accordance with the connection of such things as are in man.
5090. Causa quod periculosi sint, est, quia persuadere possunt simplicibus et probis paene quibuscunque, quod hoc vel illud credendum, solum ex sensu Verbi externo absque explicatione, et simplices in mundo non ventilarunt et didicerunt, quod sensus Verbi externus sit secundum captum hominis sensualis, nam primus captus hominis est sensualis, et quod hoc ultimum erit in Verbo, quia loco fundamenti, seu loco plantarum pedum quibus corpus insistit, Verbum enim est coram Domino sicut unus homo, nam est Divinum Verum, inde ei sensus literae est planta, sed usque sunt interiora ei correspondentia secundum talium nexus, qualia in homine.