899. For there are two routes to the human understanding, namely the way through the senses, that is, the lower way, by which the human understanding is born, and there is the way through heaven from the Lord, which is the higher way. Whatever is born by the lower way is bodily and material, while what is born by the higher way is spiritual and heavenly. Unless the higher door is opened by the Lord, it can never be believed that such communication exists that one may see and be convinced. Yet from this source, there is conscience in many people. However, this conscience for the most part regards actions, and consists of a recognition of those things considered as matters of worship and duty; so it is not a true conscience, except faintly in some good people and spirits. But in angels it is clear, so that they know, perceive, understand that a thing is so, and that there is no life without that manifest conscience and conviction of realities, made manifest in various ways.
899. For there are two ways to the human understanding, namely, the way through the senses which is the lower way through which the human understanding is born, and the way through heaven from the Lord which is the higher way. Whatever is born through the lower way is corporeal and material, but that which is born through the higher way is spiritual and celestial. Unless the higher gate is opened by the Lord it can never be believed that there is such a communication that one may perceive and be persuaded. In many men, however, there is from this a conscience, but for the most part that conscience extends [only] to actions, and is formed from the cognition of those things in which it places worship and duty; thus it is not a true conscience except that in certain good men and spirits it is an obscure one. But in angels it is a manifest conscience, so that they know, perceive, and understand that it is so, and that no life is possible without such a conscience and a manifest, or variously manifested, persuasion of things.
899. Sunt enim binae viae in intellectum humanum, nempe via per sensus, quae est via inferior, per hanc nascitur intellectus humanus, ac est via per coelum a Domino, quae via est superior; quodcunque natum est per viam inferiorem, est corporeum et materiale, quod autem nascitur per viam superiorem, est spirituale et coeleste; nisi janua superior aperitur a Domino, nusquam credi potest, quod talis communicatio existat, ut [quis] percipiat et persuadeatur, inde tamen in multis conscientia, sed conscientia ista utplurimum se ad actiones extendit, et ex cognitione eorum, in qua 1
cultum et debitum ponit, formatur, sic non est vera conscientia, praeter in quibusdam bonis hominibus et spiritibus obscura, verum in angelis est manifesta, ut sciant, percipiant, intelligant quod ita sit, et quod nulla vita detur, absque tali rerum conscientia, et persuasione, manifesta, seu manifestata varie.
Footnotes:
1. = quae (forma antiqua)