588. * The purpose for which man has been given the ability to raise his understanding, almost into the light enjoyed by the angels of heaven, is so that he can see what he ought to will and so do, if he is to enjoy prosperity in the world for the time being and after death be blessed for ever. He becomes prosperous and blessed if he acquires wisdom, and keeps his will obedient to it. But he becomes unfortunate and wretched if he makes his understanding obedient to his will. The reason is that the will has from birth a tendency to evils, even monstrous evils. If therefore these are not held in check by the understanding, a person left to give free rein to his will would rush into villainy, and his inborn savagery would lead him to wreak havoc on and slaughter, for selfish motives, any who did not look kindly on him and indulge his longings.
[2] Moreover, if the understanding could not be perfected separately, and the will by its means, man would not be man, but an animal. But for that separation and but for the understanding's rise above the will, he could not think, and as a result of thought speak, but only make noises to express his affection. Nor could he act from reason, but only by instinct. Much less could he recognise what things belong to God and so recognise God, so as to be linked with Him and live for ever. A person's thinking and willing are as if they came from him, and this appearance is the reciprocal part of the linking. For linking is impossible without reciprocity, as is the linking of the active with the passive, if there is no accommodation or application. God alone acts, and man allows himself to be acted on, co-operating to all appearance as if of himself, though inwardly it is by God's doing. A correct perception of these facts will enable it to be seen what the love of a person's will is like, if it is raised by means of the understanding, as well as what it is like if not so raised; and so what the person is like.
* This and the following two sections are adapted from ISB 14.3-6.
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