3528. Peradventure my father will feel me. That this signifies the inmost degree of perception, is evident from the signification of “feeling,” and thus of being sensible, as being the inmost and the all of perception; and from the signification of “father,” as being good, here, Divine good, because the Lord is treated of. That “to feel at” signifies the inmost and the all of perception is because all sensation has relation to the sense of touch, and this is derived and comes forth from what is perceptive; for sensation is nothing else than external perception, and perception is nothing else than internal sensation. What perception is, may be seen above (n. 104, 371, 495, 503, 521, 536, 1383-1398, 1616, 1919, 2145, 2171, 2831). Moreover all sensation and all perception, which appear so various, are referable to one common and universal sense, namely, the sense of touch; the varieties, such as taste, smell, hearing, and sight, which are external sensations, being nothing but different kinds of touch that originate from internal sensation, that is, from perception. This can be confirmed by much experience, and will of the Lord’s Divine mercy be shown in its own place. From this it is evident that in the internal sense “to feel at” signifies the inmost and the all of perception. Moreover all perception, which is internal sensation, comes forth from good, but not from truth, except from good through truth; for the Lord’s Divine life flows into good, and through good into truth, and thus produces perception. From this it can be seen what is signified by “peradventure my father will feel me,” namely, the inmost and the all of perception from good, thus from the Lord’s Divine.

233. To explore the mysteries of faith by means of memory-knowledges [scientifica] is as impossible as it is for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, or for a rib to govern the finest fibrils of the chest and of the heart. So gross, yea, much more so, is that which pertains to our senses and memory-knowledge [sensale et scientificum] relatively to what is spiritual and celestial. He who would investigate the hidden things of nature, which are innumerable, discovers scarcely one, and while investigating them falls into errors, as is well known. How much more likely is this to be the case while investigating the hidden truths of spiritual and celestial life, where myriads of mysteries exist for one that is invisible in nature!

[2] As an illustration take this single example: Of himself man cannot but do what is evil, and turn away from the Lord. Yet man does not do these things, but the evil spirits who are with him. Nor do these evil spirits do them, but the evil itself which they have made their own. Nevertheless man does evil and turns himself away from the Lord, and is in fault; and yet he lives only from the Lord. So on the other hand, of himself man cannot possibly do what is good, and turn to the Lord, but this is done by the angels. Nor can the angels do it, but the Lord alone. And yet man is able as of himself to do what is good, and to turn himself to the Lord. These facts can never be apprehended by our senses, memory-knowledge, and philosophy, but if these are consulted will be denied in spite of their truth. And it is the same all through.

[3] From what has been said it is evident that those who consult sensuous things and memory-knowledges [sensualia et scientifica] in matters of belief, plunge themselves not only into doubt, but also into denial, that is, into thick darkness, and consequently into all cupidities. For as they believe what is false, they also do what is false. And as they believe that what is spiritual and celestial has no existence, so they believe that there is nothing else but what is of the body and the world. And so they love all that belongs to self and the world, and in this way do cupidities and evils spring from what is false.