1829. The bodily-minded, spirits as well as people on earth, or those in whom the fantasies and desires of the earthly mind cling as bodily elements, do not want to know that there is an inward life, because they do not perceive it. Lower elements cannot discern anything deeper or higher than themselves. Then again, neither do some of those in the inward heaven want to know that there are very inward qualities, or some want to know and do know, but do not understand them; and so on. A lower spirit cannot of his own ability ascend to a higher one, because the higher one is invisible to lower ones, who therefore think they do not exist. So inward qualities cannot be discerned by outward spirits, who therefore, unless gifted with faith, cannot believe things that ought to be believed, because they are beyond their grasp. 1748, 3 April.