degrees of that world, and the imperfect of one of its degrees. But man
alone is a recipient of the life both of the three degrees of the natural
world and of the three degrees of the spiritual world. From this it is
that man can be elevated above nature, while the animal cannot. Man can
think analytically and rationally of the civil and moral things that are
within nature, also of the spiritual and celestial things that are above
nature, yea, he can be so elevated into wisdom as even to see God. But
the six degrees by which the uses of all created things ascend in their
order even to God the Creator, will be treated of in their proper place.
From this summary, however, it can be seen that there is an ascent of
all created things to the first, who alone is Life, and that the uses
of all things are the very recipients of life; and from this are the
forms of uses.

67. It shall also be stated briefly how man ascends, that is, is elevated,
from the lowest degree to the first. He is born into the lowest degree
of the natural world; then, by means of knowledges, he is elevated into
the second degree; and as he perfects his understanding by knowledges
he is elevated into the third degree, and then becomes rational. The
three degrees of ascent in the spiritual world are in man above the three
natural degrees, and do not appear until he has put off the earthly body.
When this takes place the first spiritual degree is open to him,
afterwards the second, and finally the third; but this only with those
who become angels of the third heaven; these are they that see God. Those
become angels of the second heaven and of the last heaven in whom the
second degree and the last degree can be opened. Each spiritual degree
in man is opened according to his reception of Divine Love and Divine
Wisdom from the Lord. Those who receive something thereof come into the
first or lowest spiritual degree those who receive more into the second
or middle spiritual degree, those who receive much into the third or