1307. Evil spirits are able to think in such a way that their thoughts hardly reach man's consciousness
People cannot help thinking that they are aware of their own thoughts, because our inward organs are joined with the outward ones so as to give that effect. In fact, they are joined through continuous connections. Nevertheless, they have a thinking still more subtle than they are normally aware of, and in fact, when one is an inward person, one knows there is something deeper, but knows no more than that.
However, there are inwardly very many things that are understood by angels. But this thinking cannot be described easily, and I would assert that it hardly exists except in those who are led by the Lord. From it, they also know and understand within themselves what must be done, such a sense being given in many matters in different ways. They know at the time that the Lord is doing this.
1307. EVIL SPIRITS CAN ALSO THINK IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEIR THOUGHTS SCARCELY COME TO MAN'S PERCEPTION
Man cannot think in any other manner than as he perceives his thoughts, for his interior organs are so conjoined with the exterior, and this by continuity and connection. There is, however, a still more subtle thought which he perceives in another way, and since it is interior he perceives it in such a manner that he knows that it is something interior, but does not know more than that. Nevertheless, there are very many things therein which are understood by the angels. But this thought cannot be easily described, and I suppose it is scarcely granted except in those who are led by the Lord, whence they know and perceive in themselves what is to be done, such a perception 1of many things with variety then being given, and they know that it is the Lord who does this.
Footnotes:
1. It is said in the Index (s.v. Cogitatio): "This perception is the affection of interior thought."
1307. Quod spiritus mali, etiam cogitare possint, ita ut vix ad perceptionem hominis perveniant
1307. Homo non potest aliter cogitare, quam ut percipiat suas cogitationes, quia, ita organa ejus interiora, cum exterioribus sunt conjuncta, et quidem per continuum, et nexus, usque tamen datur ejus cogitatio adhuc subtilior, quam aliter percipit, et quidem dum interior est, ita, ut sciat quid interius esse, nec sciat praeter id, in quo tamen permulta sunt, quae intelliguntur ab angelis. Sed haec cogitatio non describi facile potest, et autumo, quod vix detur nisi in illis, qui a Domino ducuntur, unde quoque sciunt, et in se percipiunt, quid agendum, talis perceptio datur plurium, cum varietate; sciunt tunc, quod Dominus id agat.