180. It is even clearer that there are levels of love and wisdom if we compare angels' love and wisdom with our love and wisdom. It is generally acknowledged that the wisdom of angels is unutterable, relatively speaking. You will see later [267, 416] that it is also incomprehensible to us when we are wrapped up in our earthly love. The reason it seems unutterable and incomprehensible is that it is on a higher level.
Heaven and Hell #267
267. Angels are capable of receiving such wisdom because their interiors have been opened; and wisdom, like every perfection, increases towards the interiors, thus to the extent that interiors are opened. 1 In every angel there are three degrees of life, corresponding to the three heavens (see 29-40). Those in whom the first degree has been opened are in the first or outermost heaven; those in whom the second degree has been opened are in the second or middle heaven, while those in whom the third degree has been opened are in the third or inmost heaven. The wisdom of the angels in the heavens is in accordance with these degrees. Therefore, the wisdom of the angels of the inmost heaven immeasurably surpasses the wisdom of the angels of the middle heaven, and the wisdom of these immeasurably surpasses the wisdom of the angels of the outermost heaven (see above, 209-210; and on the nature of degrees, 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 in relation to generals are as thousands or myriads to one; and such is the wisdom of the angels of a higher heaven in relation to 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 are not in any wisdom, but only in knowledge. 2 But it is otherwise with the 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.
Footnotes:
1. [Swedenborg's footnote] So far as man is raised up from things external towards interior things he comes into light, that is, into intelligence (Arcana Coelestia 6183, 6313).
There is an actual elevation (Arcana Coelestia 7816, 10330).
Elevation from external to interior things is like elevation Out of a mist into light (Arcana Coelestia 4598).
The exterior things with man are farther removed from the Divine and therefore are relatively obscure (Arcana Coelestia 6451).
Likewise relatively confused (Arcana Coelestia 996, 3855).
Interior things are more perfect because they are nearer to the Divine (Arcana Coelestia 5146-5147).
In what is internal there are thousands and thousands of things that appear in what is exterior as one general thing (Arcana Coelestia 5707).
Consequently, as thought and perception are more interior they are clearer (Arcana Coelestia 5920).
2. [Swedenborg's footnote] The sensual is the ultimate of man's life adhering to and inhering in his bodily part (Arcana Coelestia 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 (Arcana Coelestia 5094, 7693).
Such a man thinks in externals, and not interiorly in himself (Arcana Coelestia 5089, 5094, 6564, 7693).
His interiors are so closed up that he sees nothing of spiritual truth in them (Arcana Coelestia 6564, 6844-6845).
In a word, he is in gross natural light and thus perceives nothing that is from the light of heaven (Arcana Coelestia 6201, 6310, 6564, 6598, 6612, 6614, 6622, 6624, 6844-6845).
Interiorly he is antagonistic to the things of heaven and the Church (Arcana Coelestia 6201, 6316, 6844-6845, 6948-6949).
The learned who have confirmed themselves against the truths of the Church come to be such (Arcana Coelestia 6316).
Sensual men are more cunning and malicious than others (Arcana Coelestia 7693, 10236).
They reason keenly and cunningly, but from the bodily memory, in which they place all intelligence (Arcana Coelestia 195-196, 5700, 10236).
But they reason from the fallacies of the senses (Arcana Coelestia 5084, 6948-6949, 7693).
