5678. 1People today do not believe in heavenly things, if they think about the things that are there, or when their attention is centered on them
The nature of the people of the church today can be clearly seen from this: everything in the heavens can be described and related, and also believed, as long as these are not made a subject of their thinking, or their attention is not focused on them. The reason is that then they reflect on these things, whether a thing is so; and today in the world the state of the human intellect is such, chiefly in the learned world, that they only think about whether it is so or not so, and that they then reflect on the basis of worldly and bodily considerations, in which they place everything and believe that things beyond these, so in general those things they do not see and touch, are nothing; thus the things which are before the senses of the body and are felt [are what they believe]. They do not know about inward things, nor do they accept them if they do know them. On this account as soon as they consider a matter in itself, they are drawn into bodily and worldly matters, and they reflect from these considerations, on which account they come up against seeming paradoxes, and in the case of the learned who ascribe all things to nature, into nothing. This is perhaps the reason that the things which are said about heaven, about the dwellings there, about their clothing and food, and about their human form, when their attention is focused on them, do not fall into their belief in this way, which nevertheless are absolutely true. Examples can demonstrate this.
Footnotes:
1. Paragraph 5677 is missing in the manuscript.
5678. 1MAN AT THIS DAY DOES NOT BELIEVE HEAVENLY THINGS, IF HE THINKS ABOUT THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE THERE, OR WHEN THEY ARE DIRECTLY UNDER HIS OBSERVATION.
Of what quality the man of the Church is at this day, may be manifestly known from the fact that all the things which are in the heavens can only be described and related, and also believed, if they are not placed under his thought, or his observation, in the midst. The reason is, because, then, he reflects upon them, whether the thing is so; and, at this day, in the world, especially in the learned world, the state of the human understanding is such, that they only think whether a thing is so or [not] so. At such time, also, they reflect from worldly and bodily things, in which they place everything, and believe that what is beyond them is nothing - consequently, those things in general which they do not see and hear; thus, that those which are extant to the senses of the body and are felt [are everything]. They know nothing about interior things, nor will they receive if they know; wherefore, as soon as they are not observing in themselves, they are drawn into bodily and worldly things and reflect from them; for which reason they arrive at apparent paradoxes, and, among the learned, who attribute all things to nature, at nothing. This is, perhaps, the reason why those things which are said about heaven, about the dwellings there, about their clothing and food, and about their human form, when placed in the midst under their observation, do not sink deeply into their faith, when, nevertheless, they are the veriest truth. Examples can prove this.
Footnotes:
1. There is no n. 5677 in the original. -TR.
5678. 1
Quod homo hodie non credat coelestia, si cogitat de illis quae ibi, aut cum sub intuitione ejus in medio
Qualis homo Ecclesiae hodie est, manifeste sciri potest ex eo, quod omnia quae in coelis sunt, possint describi et narrari, et quoque credi, modo non ponantur sub cogitatione ejus seu intuitione ejus in medio; causa est quia tunc reflectit super illa, num ita sit, et hodie in orbe talis status intellectus humani est, praecipue in orbe erudito, quod modo cogitent num ita sit vel ita sit, et quod tunc reflectant ex mundanis et corporeis, in quibus omne ponunt, et credunt quod ultra ea nihil sint, ita in genere quae non vident et tangunt, ita quae ante sensus corporis et sentiuntur, non sciunt de interioribus, nec recipiunt si sciant, quapropter ut primum rem intuentur in se, in corporea et mundana trahuntur, et inde reflectunt, quapropter obveniunt sicut paradoxa, et apud eruditos qui naturae adscribunt omnia, in nihil, haec causa est quod forte quae dicuntur de coelo, de habitationibus ibi, de eorum amictu et victu, et de forma humana illorum, cum ponuntur in medio sub intuitione, non cadant ita in fidem, cum tamen verissima sunt, exempla possunt docere.
Footnotes:
1. 5677 deest in ms.