216. THAT THE UNDERSTANDING OF THINGS, ESPECIALLY OF MORE INTERIOR THINGS, HAS BEEN TAKEN AWAY This also I can solemnly testify: that the understanding of things, especially of more interior things, has been taken away from me and turned into something else, and this changed, frequently and so manifestly that I cannot know how often. From so many such experiences it can be amply concluded, that man - especially he who looks to the more interior things of faith - is unable to understand anything else than those things which God Messiah permits, concedes and from mercy, grants. Sometimes, such was the contention and wrangling with spirits, who manifestly took away the understanding of the more interior things and changed it into something else, that I am not allowed to describe it. Written, 1747, Oct. 22, o.s.