Spiritual mental images are much richer than those that people have in the life of the body, and they can scan more detail. For example, while I was being held deep in spiritual thoughts, I could somewhat see how these matters that have been disclosed regarding hell and heaven may enter the belief of a given person. When it has become known what the quality of the life, or the love, of someone on earth or some soul is, then by a spiritual mental image one can find out what they will believe about those matters-whether they will reject them as fables and nonsense, whether they will call them fanaticism, or whether they will call them visions, and what kind of visions; whether they will completely revile them, or will receive them, and like questions. For when the Lord fills in a mental image, and thus gives sight, these circumstances are quite clearly seen. What then must heaven not see! But He Who Alone sees, is the Lord. So everything that is rightly seen is of the Lord-otherwise people see falsities as truths, and believe truths to be false. The ability to see in this way the Lord diminishes and increases. But these are only the outward, and nearest inward circumstances. The inward ones pertaining to the rational mind, no one sees but the Lord Alone-such as what is to come, what effect this or that activity permitted to spirits will have, etc. etc. 1748, 18 March.