what degrees are, n. 38).  There are such differences because the things which are in the higher degree are particulars, and those in the lower degree are generals, and generals are containants of particulars.  Particulars compared with generals are as thousands or myriads to one; and such is the wisdom of the angels of a higher heaven compared with the wisdom of the angels of a lower heaven.  In like manner the wisdom of the latter surpasses the wisdom of man, for man is in a bodily state and in those things that belong to the bodily senses, and man’s bodily sense belongs to the lowest degree.  This makes clear what kind of wisdom those possess who think from things of sense, that is, who are called sensual men, namely, that they have no wisdom, but merely knowledge.{2} But it is otherwise with men whose thoughts are raised above the things of sense, and especially with those whose interiors have been opened even into the light of heaven.

{Footnote 1} So far as man is raised up from outward towards inward things he comes into light, that is, into intelligence (n. 6183, 6313).  There is an actual elevation (n. 7816, 10330).  Elevation from outward to inward things is like elevation out of a mist into light (n. 4598).  As outer things in man are farther removed from the Divine they are relatively obscure (n. 6451).  Likewise relatively confused (n. 996, 3855).  Inner things are more perfect because they are nearer to the Divine (n. 5146, 5147).  In what is internal there are thousands and thousands of things that appear in what is external as one general thing (n. 5707).  Consequently as thought and perception are more interior they are clearer (n. 5920).

{Footnote 2} The sensual is the outmost of man’s life adhering to and inhering in his bodily part (n. 5077, 5767, 9212, 9216, 9331, 9730).  He is called a sensual man who judges all things and draws all his conclusions from the bodily senses, and believes nothing except what he sees with his eyes and touches with his hands (n. 5094, 7693).  Such a man thinks in externals, and not interiorly in himself (n. 5089, 5094, 6564, 7693).  His interiors are so closed up that he sees nothing of spiritual truth in them (n. 6564, 6844, 6845).  In a word, he is in gross natural light and thus perceives nothing that is from the light of heaven (n. 6201, 6310, 6564, 6598, 6612, 6614, 6622, 6624, 6844, 6845).  Interiorly he is antagonistic to the things of heaven and the church (n. 6201, 6316, 6844, 6845, 6948, 6949).  The learned who have confirmed themselves against the truths of the church come to be such (n. 6316).  Sensual men are more cunning and malicious than others (n. 7693, 10236).  They reason keenly and cunningly, but from the bodily memory, in which they place all intelligence (n. 195, 196, 5700, 10236).  But they reason from the fallacies of the senses (n. 5084, 6948, 6949, 7693).

268.  It can be seen how great the wisdom of angels is from the fact that in the heavens there is a communication