1255. Even the evil and unbelievers, when in company with good spirits, speak truths, and even believe them
I heard two spirits who were from hell and yet spoke truths as if from knowledge and faith, even though they were infernals and normally could not know, much less believe, what they were saying.
I was shown by an actual experience that this happens when they are in the company of good spirits, so that they are speaking from them, as if from themselves. For the evil do not know or like to find out that they do not have anything on their own.
1255. THAT EVEN THE EVIL AND UNBELIEVING, WHEN IN COMPANY WITH GOOD SPIRITS, SPEAK TRUTHS, AND INDEED BELIEVE THEM
I heard two spirits who were infernal, but who nevertheless spoke truths as if from knowledge, thus from faith, although they are infernal and in other respects they could not know, still less believe them. And by living experience it was shown me that they are then in the company of good spirits, so that they speak from them as if from themselves, for the evil know, and wish to know, no otherwise than that they have all things from themselves.
1255. Quod etiam mali et increduli, in consortio cum bonis spiritibus vera loquantur, imo credant
Audivi binos qui infernales erant, et usque tamen vera loquuti, sicut a scientia, sic ex fide, tametsi infernales essent, et alioquin id nec scire minus credere possent, et per experientiam vivam mihi ostensum est, quod tunc in consortio bonorum spirituum sint, ita ut loquantur ab iis, tanquam a se, nam mali non aliter sciunt ac scire volunt, quam quod ex se omnia habeant.