3493. THAT THE KNOWLEDGES OF FAITH MAY BE BROUGHT, BY DISPUTATIONS, EVEN TO THE POINT OF DENIAL. I spoke with spirits who supposed themselves to be in true faith, and who acknowledged with the mouth and in a scientific way, that the Lord rules the universe; that all good is from Him; and that everyone's proprium is nothing but evil; all which they affirmed. But I remarked to them that those things which are luminously clear in themselves, when they fall under discussion, come into obscurity or ignorance, and from ignorance or obscurity into doubt, and from doubt into denial, and thus man becomes an atheist. But they replied that it could not be so; and this was asserted among them because they had confirmed in themselves the knowledges of faith, and were thus able [without danger] to dispute with others and even to induce obscurity. I added from experience, that they might doubt, and even seem to themselves to deny, because the sphere of certain persuasions is such that it is able to extinguish spiritual things, as was said to me respecting the antediluvians; but that those who are in faith, and in whom the Lord has deeply rooted and confirmed the knowledges of faith, although they seem to themselves, from the sphere of persuasions, to be driven to denial, yet that is dispelled (:which is sometimes represented by removals:) negation being first driven away, then doubt, then obscurity, till finally they are established in light; that is, in knowledges. Hence it appears that nothing can injure those who are in faith, although they should be in the midst of devils, and in such spheres as seemed to threaten destruction. - 1748, October 6.