237. These three degrees of height are called natural, spiritual and celestial, as stated above (n. 232). When man is born he comes first into the natural degree and this increases with him by continuity according to his knowledge and the understanding acquired thereby even to the highest point of the understanding which is called the rational. Yet the second degree which is called the spiritual is not opened by this means. It is opened by a love of uses in conformity with the things acquired by the understanding, but a spiritual love of uses which is love towards the neighbour. This degree can grow in like manner by continuous degrees even to its highest point, and it increases by cognitions* of truth and good, that is, by means of spiritual truths. Yet not even by these is the third degree, which is called celestial, opened. But it is opened by the celestial love of uses, which is love to the Lord. And love to the Lord is nothing else than committing to life the precepts of the Word, which in all, are to shun evils because they are hellish and devilish, and to do good because it is heavenly and Divine. These three degrees are thus successively opened in man. * This term is generally used by Swedenborg to indicate interior spiritual knowledge, or knowledge from understanding and reflection, as distinct from external factual knowledge.