3564. Higher knowledge of faith is the food of spirits
That higher knowledge of faith is the food of spirits was obvious from those spoken of earlier [3550-3556] from among the lowest of the common people being like the dead, stumps or statues. Because there was hardly any life in them, life was given by their being among good spirits, for prior to this they had not known at all what heaven is, and what faith. To the extent that they acquire a higher knowledge of faith, to that extent they live, for to that extent they receive life from the Lord and are then able to be in angelic societies.
About the one who was let into the miry swamp [3559-3560], spirits also said that he could not live, because he was unwilling to receive anything concerned with faith. So they were giving up hope for his life. From this it is also clear that in the other life they live from the higher knowledge of faith, and also that higher knowledge of truth and feelings of goodness are the true foods of spirits.
3564. THAT THE KNOWLEDGES OF FAITH ARE THE FOOD OF SPIRITS.
That the knowledges of truth are the food of spirits may appear from [the case of] those spoken of above, of the lowest of the common people, who were as dead, and as sticks or statues, in whom, because there was scarcely any life, life was given by means of their consorting with good spirits; for before this they knew nothing what heaven was, or what faith was. As much as they come into the knowledges of faith, so much do they live, for so much do they receive from the life of the Lord, and so much have they of ability to be in angelic societies. So also of him that was sent into the miry lake, they said he could not live, because he was unwilling to receive anything of faith; wherefore they despaired of his life. Hence it appears that they live in the other life by the knowledges of faith; hence also that the knowledges of faith and the affections of good are the true food of spirits.
3564. Quod cognitiones fidei sint cibus spirituum
Quod cognitiones fidei sint cibus spirituum, constare potuit ab iis de quibus prius [3550-3556], qui ex infima plebe, quod sicut mortui, stipites seu statuae essent, in quibus quia vix aliqua vita, data est vita per id quod essent inter spiritus bonos, prius enim nihil sciverant quid coelum, et quid fides, quantum in fidei cognitiones veniunt, tantum vivunt, nam tantum a Domini vita accipiunt, et sic tantum in societatibus angelicis esse possunt: de eo qui missus in stagnum coenosum [3559-3560], spiritus quoque dicebant, quod non posset vivere, quia nihil quod fidei esset, vellet recipere, quare desperabant de ejus vita, inde quoque constat, quod per cognitiones fidei vivant in altera vita, inde quoque, quod cognitiones veri, et affectiones boni sint veri cibi spirituum.