3014. THAT SPIRITS DO NOT HAVE LIFE UNLESS THEY ARE PERMITTED THOSE THINGS WHICH THEY DESIRE. I perceived that they were discussing [agerent] among themselves concerning this; that the life of spirits consists in their cupidities, without which they could not live, therefore could not be present among others; which was also shown them by various things which came more obscurely to my perception; and they acknowledged that if each one was not permitted such as agrees with his cupidity, that they could not subsist amongst others, thus could not live; from which it may be concluded, that the Lord bends everyone by means of his cupidities. I have previously spoken with them on other occasions [alioquin] concerning this, that their life consists in being permitted these things, and that otherwise they could not live, unless permitted to do according to phantasies. - 1748, September 2.