appearance that one's own
prudence is all and divine providence nothing--unless it is something
universal, which it cannot be without singulars to constitute it, as was
shown above. They are also in fallacies, for every appearance confirmed
as truth becomes a fallacy, and so far as they confirm themselves by
fallacies they become naturalists and to that extent believe nothing that
they cannot perceive by one of the bodily senses, particularly that of
sight, for this especially acts as one with thought. They finally become
sensuous. If they confirm themselves in favor of nature instead of God,
they close the interiors of their mind, interpose a veil as it were, and
then do their thinking below it and not at all above it. Such
sense-ridden men were called serpents of the tree of knowledge by the
ancients. It is also said of them in the spiritual world that as they
confirm themselves they at length close the interiors of their mind "to
the nose," for the nose signifies perception of truth, of which they have
none. What their nature is will be told now.

[2] They are more cunning and crafty than others and are ingenious
reasoners. They call cunning and craftiness intelligence and wisdom, nor
do they know otherwise. They look on those who are not like themselves as
simple and stupid, especially those who worship God and acknowledge
divine providence. In respect of the interior principles of their minds,
of which they know little, they are like those called Machiavellians, who
make murder, adultery, theft and false witness, viewed in themselves, of
no account; if they reason against them it is only out of prudence not to
appear to be of that nature.

[3] Of man's life in the world they think it is like that of a beast, and
of his life after death that it is like a vital vapor which, rising from
the body or the grave, sinks back again and dies. From this madness comes
the notion that spirits and angels are airy entities, and with those who
have been enjoined to believe in everlasting life that the souls of men
also are. They therefore do not see, hear or speak, but are blind, deaf
and dumb, and only cogitate in their particle of air. The sense-ridden
ask, "How can the soul be anything else? The external senses died with
the body, did they not? They cannot be resumed before the soul is
reunited with the body." Inasmuch as they could comprehend the state of
the soul after death only sensuously and not spiritually, they have fix