279. This is confirmed by the following. The angels who are with man perceive separately those things which are from the mind in an act, the spiritual angels perceiving those things therein which are from the will. This appears as a paradox but yet it is true. It is to be known, however, that the things of the mind pertaining to any proposition under consideration or present in the mind, are in the middle, other things being around them according to affinities. The angels say that a man character is perceived from each single act, but in a likeness of his love, various according to its determinations into affections and into thoughts therefrom. In a word, every act or deed of a spiritual man is, before the angels, like a palatable fruit, useful and beautiful, which when opened and eaten yields flavour, use and delights. It may also be seen above (n. 220) that the angels have such a perception of the acts and deeds of a man.