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.
1314. The spirits of a middle kind, however, wanted to say that it was not so, but this was not permitted them by the heavens, except to say that they did not comprehend it, for if they were to lose the life which they have as spirits they do not know what life would be. The reason of this, I say, is that exteriors can by no means perceive interiors, but interiors do perceive exteriors. The angels of the interior heaven perceive this from the Lord through faith. Thus it is not surprising if men do not comprehend this, for these spirits far excel men in the faculty of understanding. When I asked them whether they did not want to become angels, they replied that they did, but that they wanted to lose nothing of their own life; and when I further said that they would then receive a better life, they could not perceive it.
1314. Spiritus autem mediae sortis volebant dicere, quod ita non esset, sed a coelis non permissum iis erat, praeter quam quod non comprehenderent, nam si amitterent vitam suam quam habent ut spiritus, non sciunt quae vita foret, causam dico, quod exteriora interiora percipere nequeant, sed interiora percipiunt exteriora; angeli interioris coeli percipiunt id ex Domino, per fidem. Ita non mirum est, si homines id non capiant, quia spiritus isti multo meliore facultate intelligendi pollent, quam homines, cumque iis dicerem, annon angeli velint fieri, respondent, quod id velint, sed quod nihil amittere vellent de vita sua, at quum dixi, quod tunc meliorem vitam accipiant, id non potuere percipere.