, there has
been given to man a faculty of elevating the understanding thitherto;
but if the love of his will is not elevated at the same time, he does
not become spiritual, but remains natural: nevertheless he retains the
faculty of elevating the understanding. The reason why he retains this
faculty is, that he may be reformed; for he is reformed by the
understanding: and this is effected by the knowledges of good and truth,
and by a rational intuition grounded therein, if he views those
knowledges rationally, and lives according to them, then the love of the
will is elevated at the same time, and in that degree the human
principle is perfected, and the man becomes more and more a man. It is
otherwise if he does not live according to the knowledges of good and
truth: in this case the love of his will remains natural, and his
understanding by turns becomes spiritual: for it raises itself upwards
alternately, like an eagle, and looks down upon what is of its love
beneath; and when it sees this, it flies down to it, and conjoins itself
with it: if therefore it loves the concupiscences of the flesh, it lets
itself down to these from its height, and in conjunction with them,
derives delight to itself from their delights; and again in quest of
reputation, that it may be believed wise, it lifts itself on high, and
thus rises and sinks by turns, as was just now observed. The reason why
adulterers of the third and fourth degree, who are such as from purpose
of the will and continuation of the understanding have made themselves
adulterers, are absolutely natural, and progressively become sensual and
corporeal, is, because they have immersed the love of their will, and
together with it their understanding, in the impurities of adulterous
love, and are delighted therewith, as unclean birds and beasts are with
stinking and dunghill filth as with dainties and delicacies: for the
effluvia arising from their flesh fill the recesses of the mind with
their dregs, and cause that the will, perceives nothing more dainty and
desirable. It is these who after death become corporeal spirits, and
from whom flow the unclean things of hell and the church, spoken of
above n. 430, 431.

496. There are three degrees of the natural man; in the first degree are
those who love only the world, placing their heart on wealth; these are
properly meant by the natural: in the second degree are those who love
only the delights of the senses, placing their hea