3804. But that flask was made to envelope him round about, just as is usual in the other life, so that he received as it were, a new shell, with which shell, corporeal as it was, being clothed, he retired to a distance in front, and then being divested of the shell he emerged as a small snow-white something, resembling a man, and thereupon betaking himself nearer to me, but higher, he thence spoke with me, as before, [saying] among other things, that he had thus put off the old man, and put on the new, but saying, as before, that he was not thus among exterior spirits. This took place from his phantasy that he should have presented himself as such, thinking that he had in this laid off another body which he had with him, and thus emerged a new man, and so that he was the Holy Spirit from eternity, perhaps also that it was that which he supposed he had derived from the Holy Spirit, and that that corporeal was laid aside which was from the father.