602. Finally, something should be noted respecting man's inherent conviction in regard to his life after death which is derived from the influx of heaven into man. There were some of the simple, common people who had lived in the world in the good of faith who were brought back into a state like that in which they had been in the world, which can be done with anyone when the Lord grants it; and it was then shown what opinion they had held about the state of man after death. They said that some intelligent persons had asked them in the world what they thought about their soul after the life on earth; and they replied that they did not know what the soul is. They were then asked what they believed about their state after death; and they said that they believed that they would live as spirits. Again they were asked what belief they had respecting a spirit; and they said that he is a man. They were asked how they knew this; and they said that they knew it because it is so. Those intelligent men were surprised that the simple had such a faith, which they themselves did not have. From this it was evident that with every man who is in conjunction with heaven there is an inherent conviction respecting his life after death. This conviction is from no other source than an influx out of heaven, that is, through heaven from the Lord by means of spirits from the world of spirits who are adjoined to man. It inheres with those who have not extinguished their freedom of thinking by principles adopted and confirmed by various arguments respecting the soul of man, which is held to be either pure thought, or some vital principle the seat of which is sought for in the body; and yet the soul is nothing but the life of man, while the spirit is the man himself; and the earthly body which he carries about with him in the world is merely an agent whereby the spirit, which is the man himself is enabled to act fitly in the natural world.