6198. There were spirits with me who supposed that it was they themselves who live, and that I had life from no other source than they, thus that they were I. But when they were told that they were separate spirits, and that I also was a spirit as to my interiors: this they could not believe. That they might know it, they were separated, and in this way it was shown that they were spirits by themselves. But still they were unwilling to believe, and were obstinately insistent. They went away for a time, and when they returned they were in the same persuasion. From this also it is evident that spirits know no otherwise than that the things appertaining to man are their own. But such as obstinately believe so are not readily admitted to men, because they cannot be separated without difficulty. A like persuasion is indeed impressed on all other spirits, to the intent that they may be of service to man, but with a difference.
