By a spiritual mental image it was granted to me and other spirits and angels who were with me to see how humanity fell, namely that the most ancient Church had been in a state of faith and consequently in company with spirits and angels, and people were just as united as if they were in heaven-like those best ones on another planet, spoken of [earlier, 539 ff.]-but that they fell away, so that the contemplation of inward things withdrew from humanity, until today they are [living] only in superficialities. 1748, 27 Aug.