" He did so; and instantly he declared
aloud that nothing of intelligence and wisdom, and consequently nothing
of prudence, can possibly exist but from God; and he proved it with his
usual eloquence full of rational arguments. It is a peculiar
circumstance in the spiritual world, that a spirit thinks himself to be
such as is denoted by the garment he wears; because in that world the
understanding clothes every one. Afterwards, a voice from heaven said to
the two priests, "Put off your own garments, and put on those of
political ministers, and believe yourselves to be such." They did so;
and in this case they at the same time thought from their interior self,
and spoke from arguments which they had inwardly cherished in favor of
man's own intelligence. At that instant there appeared a tree near the
path; and it was said to them, "It is the tree of the knowledge of good
and evil; take heed to yourselves lest ye eat of it." Nevertheless all
the three, infatuated by their own intelligence, burned with a desire to
eat of it, and said to each other, "Why should not we? Is not the fruit
good?" And they went to it and eat of it.
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