2383. CONCERNING INTELLECTUAL FAITH, AND THE PERSUASION OF THOSE THINGS THAT BELONG TO FAITH. I have been discoursing with souls, who supposed they had learned, acknowledged, and taught the true doctrine of faith, and [to the effect] that many persuade themselves they have faith, when they do not have it. Knowledge only is given which is a matter of the memory, and during the life of the body, [and] especially in the other life, they are confirmed by many things, that it is the case that the Lord rules the universe, and the single things of the universe, that they are nothing, that they can do and contribute nothing to faith and regeneration; that in them is nothing but what is filthy, loathsome, and obscure, and mists. When such things are confirmed from various persuasions as well as experiences, then are they distressed; they resist, they grieve, fall into perplexities and pains, and in themselves contradict and are unwilling to admit confirmations, - even those who were strenuous defenders of the faith, with whom I spoke in the other life, which same thing they also confessed and wondered at. Hence it was given to know that they could not have had faith, except only orally, and had defended it with the lips, when yet they had not believed it: wherefore, they were no farther persuaded.