361. The fact that every person possesses these two components, will and intellect, which are as distinct from each other as love and wisdom are from each other, is something that is known and not known in the world. It is known from common perception, and not known from theorizing, still less from theorizing in writing about them. Who indeed does not know from common perception that the will and intellect are two distinct entities in a person? For everyone perceives this when he is told it, and he may also say to another, "This one means well, but he is not very intelligent. On the other hand, this one is very intelligent, but he does not mean well. I like someone who is intelligent and means well, but I do not like someone who is intelligent and means ill." However, when the same person theorizes about the will and intellect, he does not make them two and distinguish them, but confuses them. The reason is that his thinking is then bound up with his physical sight. Still less does he comprehend that the will and intellect are two distinct entities when he is engaged in writing about them. That is because his thinking is then bound up with his sensual nature, which is a person's native character. (It is because of this that some people can think and speak well, but yet not write well-a characteristic common in the feminine sex.) [2] The case is the same in many other instances. Who does not know from common perception that a person who leads a good life is saved, and that a person who leads an evil life is condemned? Or that a person who leads a good life enters into the company of angels, and there sees, hears and speaks as a person? Or further, that he has a conscience who acts justly from a just motive, or uprightly from an upright motive? But if one parts with common perception and submits these matters to theorizing, he then does not know what conscience is, or that the soul can see, hear and speak as a person, or that goodness of life is anything other than giving to the poor. And if from theorizing about them you commit them to writing, you confirm your theories with appearances and misconceptions, and with words having sound but no substance. For this reason, among the learned who have theorized extensively, and still more who have committed their theories to writing, many have enfeebled and obscured the common perception in them, indeed have destroyed it. And consequently the simple see more clearly what is good and true than those who believe themselves to be wiser than they. [3] This common perception is due to influx from heaven, and it descends into thought even to the sight. But thought apart from common perception sinks into an imagination arising from the sight and from one's native character. You may discover for yourself the reality of this. Tell someone who has common perception some truth, and he will see it. Tell him that we have our being and live and move from God and in God,* and he will see it. Tell him that God dwells in the love and wisdom in a person, and he will see it. Tell him further that the will is the recipient vessel of love, and the intellect the recipient vessel of wisdom, and with a little explanation he will see it. Tell him that God is love itself and wisdom itself, and he will see it. Ask him what conscience is, and he will tell you. But tell the same things to some learned person who has not thought from common perception, but from principles or ideas seized on by his sight from the world. He will not see. Consider after that who is the wiser. * Acts 17:28.