2787. THAT PERSUASIONS CAN WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY BE ERADICATED IN THE OTHER LIFE, AND INDEED ACCORDING AS THE PERSUASION IS MORE DEEPLY AND WIDELY ROOTED. It was also granted to learn from experience, that falsities [which are] deeply imprinted whatever they are, yea dire [falsities] opposed to [contra] every Divine, human and natural law, can hardly be eradicated in the other life, because they have taken deep root and imbued the whole [man] in that respect [quoad id]. There occurred a certain dreadful thing which a certain spirit did, and whereof he was wholly persuaded that it was familiar to [common with] all. Wherefore when he came into such a thought his persuasion immediately spread so widely that there was scarcely anyone around me who did not suppose himself to be guilty of [that] great crime: the spirit was found [discovered], and he said that he supposed it familiar to [common with] all, and there was no evil therein. Wherefore he was in that persuasion. It was also related concerning the same spirit that in other respects he is modest nor brings evil on anyone, but was in the persuasion of this great crime. In the life of the body there are some, who are as it were insane, who labor under that kind of insanity that they do not suffer themselves to be persuaded in certain falsities, yea dreadful [ones]. - 1748, August 11.