That evil and good are opposites, also the falsity of evil and the truth
of good, every one acknowledges when he hears it. Still those who are in
evil do not feel, and therefore do not perceive, otherwise than that evil
is good; for evil gives enjoyment to their senses, especially sight and
hearing, and from that gives enjoyment also to their thoughts, and thus
their perceptions. While, therefore, the evil acknowledge that evil and
good are opposites, still, when they are in evil, they declare from their
enjoyment of it that evil is good, and good evil. For example:-One who
abuses his freedom to think and to do what is evil calls that freedom,
while its opposite, namely, to think the good which in itself is good,
he calls bondage; when, in fact, the latter is to be truly free, and the
former to be in bondage. He who loves adulteries calls it freedom to
commit adultery, but not to be allowed to commit adultery he calls
bondage; for in lasciviousness he has a sense of enjoyment, but of the
contrary in chastity. He who is in the love of ruling from love of self
feels in that love an enjoyment of life surpassing other enjoyments of
every kind; consequently, everything belonging to that love he calls
good, and everything contrary to it he declares to be evil; when yet
the reverse is true. It is the same with every other evil. While every
one, therefore, acknowledges that evil and good are opposites, those who
are in evils cherish a reverse conception of such opposition, and only
those who are in good have a right conception of it. No one so long as he
is in evil can see good, but he who is in good can see evil. Evil is below
as in a cave, good is above as on a mountain.

272. Now as many do not know what the nature of evil is, and that it is
entirely opposite to good, and as this knowledge is important, the subject
shall be considered in the following order:

(1) The natural mind that is in evils and in falsities therefrom is a