A spiritual mental image is one that a person thinks when living as a spirit and thus acting as if separately from the body. These are, as already mentioned [1498], richer mental images, more perceptible of the matters [being thought about]. This can be made clear, for example, from the fact that in a spiritual mental image, one can vividly realize and understand how it is that we cannot ever think or do anything at all on our own power, that is not a sin. Even when we intend goodness on our own, thus our own conversion, and repentance, from self, it is still sin, and in fact, not only in general, but in every least detail. All this can be presented in a spiritual mental image, and actually shown; and it has been shown to me at times when I have considered, I should think in this way, because it is not allowed to think in that. Thus I was thinking what I considered the good thing, in fact, the best thing. Nevertheless, I realized that it was sin, because it was from myself. For example, even when I was trying to turn myself to the Lord, and thus attach something good to myself, such as the goodness of belief, the goodness of obedience, the goodness of doing what is commanded in the Word, I still understood that it was sin, down to the least, even the very least details. So there is nothing in man but what is filthy and contaminated. Being thus upset, even to a point of indignation, that I had therefore been unable to do anything whatever of good, the spirits also were upset even to a point of indignation, saying that now they do not know what good they can do-because it is commanded to do good.