1314. However, spirits of the middle sort wanted to say that this is not so, but they were not permitted by the heavens, except to say that they did not grasp it. For they simply do not know what life there would be if they were to lose their life that they have as spirits. I will state the reason, namely, that the outward regions are unaware of the inward ones, while the inward regions are aware of the outward ones. The angels of the inward heaven do grasp this fact, from the Lord, through their faith. So it is not surprising if people on earth do not grasp it, because those middle spirits enjoy a much better faculty of under-standing than man does, and yet when I asked them whether they would not like to become angels, they replied that they would like it, but they did not want to give up anything of their own life; but when I said that then they would receive a better life, they could not see this.