5678. * MAN AT THIS DAY DOES NOT BELIEVE HEAVENLY THINGS, IF HE THINKS ABOUT THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE THERE, OR WHEN THEY ARE DIRECTLY UNDER HIS OBSERVATION. Of what quality the man of the Church is at this day, may be manifestly known from the fact that all the things which are in the heavens can only be described and related, and also believed, if they are not placed under his thought, or his observation, in the midst. The reason is, because, then, he reflects upon them, whether the thing is so; and, at this day, in the world, especially in the learned world, the state of the human understanding is such, that they only think whether a thing is so or [not] so. At such time, also, they reflect from worldly and bodily things, in which they place everything, and believe that what is beyond them is nothing - consequently, those things in general which they do not see and hear; thus, that those which are extant to the senses of the body and are felt [are everything]. They know nothing about interior things, nor will they receive if they know; wherefore, as soon as they are not observing in themselves, they are drawn into bodily and worldly things and reflect from them; for which reason they arrive at apparent paradoxes, and, among the learned, who attribute all things to nature, at nothing. This is, perhaps, the reason why those things which are said about heaven, about the dwellings there, about their clothing and food, and about their human form, when placed in the midst under their observation, do not sink deeply into their faith, when, nevertheless, they are the veriest truth. Examples can prove this. * There is no n. 5677 in the original. -TR.