a state which can be changed and varied, and thereby exist. The angels confirm this by the truth, that infinite things in God the Creator, who is the Lord from eternity, are distinctly one, and that there are infinite things in His infinites, and that in these infinitely infinite things there are degrees of both kinds, which are also in Him distinctly one; and as these things are in Him, and all things were created by Him, and the things which are created in a certain image represent those things which are in Him, it follows that there is no finite thing, however minute, in which there are not such degrees. These degrees are equally in the least and in the greatest things, because the Divine in the greatest and least things is the same. That in God-Man infinite things are distinctly one, may be seen above, n. 17 to 22; and that the Divine in the greatest and least things is the same, n. 77 to 82; which are further illustrated, n. 155, 169, 171.

224. There is not the least of love and wisdom, nor the least of affection and thought, nor of an idea of thought, in which there are not degrees of both kinds, because love and wisdom are a substance and form, as was shown above, n. 40 to 43, in like manner affection and thought; and as there is no form in which these degrees are not, it follows that similar degrees are in them; for to separate love and wisdom, or affection and thought, from substance in form, is to annihilate them, because they do not exist out of their subjects; for the states of subjects, perceived by man in their variation, are what exhibit them.

225. The greatest things in which there are degrees of both kinds, are the universe in its whole complex, the natural world in its complex, and the spiritual world in its complex, every empire and every kingdom in its complex, every thing civil, moral, and spiritual, belonging to them, in theirs; the whole animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms, each in its complex, and all the atmospheres of both worlds taken together, and their heat and light, in theirs also less general things, as a man in his complex, every animal in its, every tree and shrub in its, and every stone and metal in its. The forms of these things are so far similar, that they consist of degrees of both kinds; because the Divine, by whom they were created, is the same in the greatest and least things, as was shown above, n. 77 to 82. The particulars and singulars of all these things are similar to the generals and their generals, in being forms of both kinds of degrees.

226. Since the greatest and least things are forms of both kinds of degrees, there is a connection of them from first principles to ultimates; for similitude conjoins them. But still not any the least thing is the same as another; thus there is a distinction of all things particular and most particular. Not any the least thing in any form, or among any forms, is the same with another, because in the greatest things there are similar degrees, and the greatest things consist of the least; and since such degrees

are in the greatest things, and there are perpetual differences from highest to lowest, and from centre to circumference, according to them, it follows, that there are not any of the lesser and least of those things, in which there are similar degrees, that are the same.

227. It is also a tenet of angelic wisdom, that the perfection of the created universe consists in the similitude of generals and particulars, or of the greatest and least things, as to these degrees; for then one respects the other as its like, with which it may be conjoined for every use, fixing and exhibiting every end in the effect.

228. These things, however, may seem as paradoxes, because they are not illustrated by application to visible things; yet abstract things, being universals, are usually better comprehended than things applied; for the latter are of perpetual variety, and variety obscures.

229. It is asserted by some, that a substance so simple exists, that it is not a form from lesser forms, and that from that substance, by coacervation, substantiate or composite things exist, and at length those substances which are called matter. Nevertheless, such simple substances do not exist; for what is a substance without a form? It is a thing that nothing can be predicated of; and from an entity, of which nothing can be predicated, nothing can be compounded by coacervation. That there are innumerable things in the first of all created substances, which are the least and most simple, will be seen in what follows, when forms are treated of.

230. THAT THERE ARE THREE INFINITE AND UNCREATE DEGREES OF ALTITUDE IN THE LORD, AND THREE FINITE AND CREATED DEGREES IN MAN. There are three infinite and uncreate degrees of altitude in the Lord, because the Lord is love itself and wisdom itself (as was shown in the preceding pages); and being love itself and wisdom itself, He is also use itself, since love has use for its end, which it produces by wisdom. Without use, love and wisdom have no termination or end, or no habitation belonging to them; wherefore it cannot be said that they are and exist, unless there be use in which they are and exist. These three constitute the three degrees of altitude in subjects of life. They are as the first end, the mediate end or cause, and the ultimate end or effect. That end, cause, and effect constitute the three degrees of altitude, was shown and abundantly proved above.

231. That there are these three degrees in a man, may be seen from the elevation of his mind to the degrees of love and wisdom in which the angels of the second and third heaven are principled; for all angels were born men, and a man, as to the interiors of his mind, is a heaven in its least form; therefore there are as many degrees of altitude in a man by creation as there are heavens a man also is an image and likeness of God, wherefore these three degrees are inscribed in him, because they are in GodMan, that is, in the Lord. That these degrees in the Lord are

infinite and uncreate, and that in a man they are finite and created, may appear from what was shown in Part I., and also from considering that the Lord is love and wisdom in Himself, and that a man is a recipient of love and wisdom from the Lord; and that nothing but infinite can be predicated of the Lord, and nothing but finite of a man.

232. These three degrees with the angels are named celestial, spiritual, and natural; and their celestial degree is their degree of love, their spiritual degree is their degree of wisdom, and their natural degree is their degree of uses. These degrees are so named, because the heavens are distinguished into two kingdoms, and one kingdom is named celestial, and the other spiritual, to which is added a third kingdom, in which men are in this world, which is the natural kingdom. The angels of which the celestial kingdom consists, are principled in love; and the angels of which the spiritual kingdom consists, are principled in wisdom; but men in the world are in uses: and therefore these kingdoms are joined together. How it is to be understood that men are in uses, will be shown in the next Part.

233. It has been told me from heaven, that in the Lord from eternity, who is Jehovah, before the assumption of the Human in the world, there were the two prior degrees actually, and the third degree in potency, such as they are with the angels; but that after His assumption of the Human in the world, He put on also the third or natural degree, and thereby became a man like a man in the world, except that in Him this degree, like the prior, is infinite and uncreate, while in angels and men these degrees are finite and created. For the Divine, which filled all space without space, (n. 69 to 72,) penetrated also to the ultimates of nature; but, before the assumption of the Human, the divine influx into the natural degree was mediate through the angelic heavens; but after the assumption, immediate from Himself: which is the reason why all the churches in the world before His coming were representative of spiritual and celestial things, but after His coming became spiritual and celestial-natural, and representative worship was abolished: also why the sun of the angelic heaven, which, as was said above, is the proximate proceeding of His divine love and divine wisdom, after His assumption of the Human, shone with more eminent effulgence and splendor than before the assumption. This is meant by the words of Isaiah: "In that day the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be seven-fold, as the light of seven days," xxx. 26; which is spoken of the state of heaven and the church after the Lord's coming into the world. And in the Apocalypse; "The countenance of the Son of Man was as the sun shineth in his strength," i. 16; and elsewhere, as in Isaiah lx. 20; 2 Sam. xxiii. 3, 4; Matt. xvii. 1, 2. The mediate illustration of men through the angelic heaven, which existed before the Lord's

coming, may be compared to the light of the moon, which is the mediate light of the sun; and as this was made immediate after His coming, it is said in Isaiah, "That the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun;" and in the Psalms, "In His days shall the righteous flourish, and abundance of peace until there is no longer any moon," lxxii. 7; this also is spoken of the Lord.

234. The Lord from eternity, or Jehovah, put on this third degree by the assumption of the Human in the world, because He could not enter into this degree but by a nature similar to the human nature; therefore only by conception from His Divine, and by nativity from a virgin; for thus He could put off nature, which in itself is dead, and yet a receptacle of the Divine, and put on the Divine. This is meant by the Lord's two states in the world, of exinanition and of glorification, which are treated of in THE DOCTRINE OF THE NEW JERUSALEM CONCERNING THE LORD.

235. The above are general propositions concerning the triple ascent of the degrees of altitude; but as these degrees exist in the greatest and least things, as was said in the preceding article, therefore nothing more can here be said of them in particular, than that there are such degrees in all and every thing of love, and thence in all and every thing of wisdom, and derivatively in all and every thing of uses; but that all these in the Lord are infinite, whereas in an angel and a man they are finite. But how these degrees have place in love, in wisdom, and in uses, cannot be described and unfolded except in a series.

236. THAT THESE THREE DEGREES OF ALTITUDE ARE IN EVERY MAN FROM HIS BIRTH, AND MAY BE OPENED SUCCESSIVELY, AND THAT, AS THEY ARE OPENED, A MAN IS IN THE LORD, AND THE LORD IN HIM. That there are three degrees of altitude in every man, has been hitherto unknown, because these degrees were unknown; and so long as this is the case, none but continuous degrees could be known; and when these only are known, it may be supposed that love and wisdom in a man increase simply by continuity. But be it known, that in every man from his birth there are three degrees of altitude, or discrete degrees, one above or within another; and that each degree of altitude, or discrete degree, has also degrees of latitude, or continuous degrees, according to which it increases by continuity; there are degrees of both kinds in the greatest and least of all things, as was shown above, n. 222 to 229; for a degree of one kind cannot exist without the other.

237. These three degrees of altitude are named natural, spiritual, and celestial, as was said above, n. 232. When a man is born, he first comes into the natural degree, and this increases in him by continuity, according to his knowledge and the understanding he acquires by it, to the highest point of understanding called rationality. Nevertheless the second, or spiritual degree,

is not hereby opened. This degree is opened by the love of uses derived from intellectual things, that is, by the spiritual love of uses, which is love towards the neighbour. This degree likewise may increase by degrees of continuity to its summit, and it increases by the knowledges of truth and good, or by spiritual truths. Nevertheless the third or celestial degree, is not opened by these, but by the celestial love of use, which is love towards the Lord; and love towards the Lord is nothing else than committing to life the commandments of the Word; of which the sum is, to flee from evils because they are infernal and diabolical, and to do goods because they are heavenly and divine. These three degrees are thus successively opened in a man.

238. So long as a man is living in the world, he knows nothing of the opening of these degrees in him, because he is then in the natural or ultimate degree, and thinks, wills, speaks, and acts from it; and the spiritual degree, which is interior, does not communicate with the natural degree by continuity, but by correspondences, and communication by correspondence is not felt. Nevertheless, when he puts off the natural degree, which is the case when he dies, he comes into the degree which was opened in him in the world; if the spiritual degree was opened, into the spiritual degree, and if the celestial degree was opened, into the celestial degree; if he comes into the spiritual degree after death, he no longer thinks, wills, speaks, and acts naturally, but spiritually; and if he comes into the celestial degree, he thinks, wills, speaks, and acts according to that degree. And as the communication of the three degrees with each other is effected only by correspondences, therefore the differences of love, wisdom, and use, are such, that they have nothing in common by any thing of continuity. Hence it is evident, that there are in a man three degrees of altitude, and that they may be opened successively.

239. Since there are three degrees of love and wisdom, and thence of use, in a man, it follows that there are likewise in him three degrees of will and understanding, and thence of conclusions, and thus of determination to use; for the will is the receptacle of love, and the understanding is the receptacle of wisdom, and conclusions are the use derived from them; whence it is evident, that in every man there are a natural, a spiritual, and a celestial will and understanding, in potency from his birth, and in act when they are opened. In a word, the human mind, which consists of will and understanding, by creation, and thence by birth, is of three degrees, so that a man has a natural mind, a spiritual mind, and a celestial mind, and may thereby be elevated to angelic wisdom, and possess it while he lives in the world; but still he does not come into it till after death, when, if he becomes an angel, he speaks things ineffable and incomprehensible to the natural man. I knew a man of moderate learning in the world, and after death I saw him and conversed with him in heaven, and I clearly