274. (2) The natural mind which is a form of or image of hell descends through three degrees. It may be seen above in nos. 222-229 that there are in the greatest and least of all things degrees of two kinds, called degrees of height and degrees of breadth. So also in the natural mind in its greatest and least elements. Here by degrees we mean degrees of height. Because of its two faculties called rationality and freedom, the state of the natural mind is such that it can ascend through three degrees and descend through three degrees. It ascends when prompted by goods and truths, and descends when prompted by evils and falsities. Moreover, when it ascends, the lower degrees which extend downward to hell are closed, and when it descends, the higher degrees which extend upward to heaven are closed. The reason is that they react in opposition to each other. [2] These three degrees, both the higher ones and the lower ones, are neither opened nor closed in a person newly born. For the person is then in a state of ignorance, incognizant of good and truth and of evil and falsity. But in the measure that he introduces himself into these, the degrees are either opened on the one side and closed on the other, or closed on the one side and opened on the other. When the degrees are opened in the direction of hell, then the dominant love belonging to the will is accorded the highest or inmost place, the thought of falsity belonging to the intellect in consequence of that love is accorded the second or intermediate place, and the resolve of the love acting through the thought, or of the will acting through the intellect, is allotted the lowest place. Moreover, the case here is the same as with the degrees of height discussed previously, that they follow in order like end, cause and effect, or like the first end, intermediate end, and last end. The descent of these degrees is toward the body. Thus they grow cruder as they descend and become material and carnal. [3] If truths from the Word are acquired in the second degree so as to form that degree, then those truths are falsified in consequence of the first degree, which is a love of evil, and they become menial hirelings and indentured servants. It can be seen from this what becomes of truths that the church has from the Word in people who are caught up in a love of evil, or whose natural mind is in its form a hell, namely, that because those truths are used as means to serve the devil, they are profaned. For as said above, the love of evil dominant in the natural mind which is a hell is the devil.