209. It is a remarkable thing that when heaven is opened to spirits of this nature, and they are told that they are spiritually insane, and when this is also made evident to their perception by influx and enlightenment, they still, out of indignation, shut heaven against themselves and look to the earth, under which is hell. This happens with such spirits in the spiritual world who are still outside of hell. From this it is clear how mistaken they are who think, "When I have seen heaven and heard angels talking with me, then I shall acknowledge." Their understanding acknowledges; but if the will does not at the same time do so, they themselves do not acknowledge; for the will's love inspires whatever it desires into the understanding, and not the reverse; it even destroys in the understanding everything that is not from itself.