Although this can scarcely be comprehended by those who have not yet a knowledge of degrees of height, it must nevertheless be revealed, because it belongs to angelic wisdom which, although it cannot be thought about by the natural man in the same way as by angels, yet can be comprehended by the understanding when this is elevated into the degree of light in which the angels are. For the understanding can be elevated thus far, and be enlightened in accordance with the elevation. The enlightenment of the natural mind, however, does not ascend through discrete degrees, but increases by a continuous degree, then as it increases, so the mind is enlightened from within by the light of the two higher degrees. How this comes about can be comprehended from a perception of degrees of height, as being one above another, and the natural degree which is the lowest, being as a kind of covering for the two higher degrees. Then as the natural degree is raised towards a degree of a higher kind, so, from within, the higher acts into the outer natural, and illuminates it. The illumination is effected, indeed, from within by the light of the higher degrees, yet that illumination is received by the natural degree which envelops and surrounds them (the higher degrees), by continuity, thus more lucidly and more purely in accordance with the ascent, that is, the natural degree is enlightened from within by the light of the higher degrees discretely, but in itself is enlightened continuously. From these facts it is clear that so long as a man lives in the world, and is thereby in the natural degree, he cannot be elevated into very wisdom such as the angels have, but only into a higher light even up to the angels, and can receive enlightenment from their light which inflows from within and illuminates. But these things cannot as yet be described more clearly. They can be better comprehended from effects, for effects present causes in themselves in light and thus illustrate them provided some previous knowledge of causes is held.