2764. About the aura of persuasions of evil with certain spirits
Some spirits bring with them from the life of the body, and had exercised during their bodily life, the ability to lead others to believe whatever they have in mind, and had thereby acquired that nature by practice. And they do so by inward arts and cunning tricks, looking out for the opportune moment and speaking to suit the others' taste, and so causing them to trust them, and of course with an evil motive, for the sake of gaining distinction, and the like. The nature derived in this way, the inward one, to be sure, has in the other life such an aura when such spirits are let loose, that they can convince anyone who does not have faith, and in fact compel them to believe with such a force that they cannot help it-as it was granted me to learn from actual experience last night when I awoke, and then while awake, when those spirits were still speaking from what was mine and convincing others that they were I [2744].
2764. CONCERNING THE SPHERE OF PERSUASIONS OF EVIL BELONGING TO [penes] CERTAIN SPIRITS.
(Certain spirits who trust in themselves and in the life of the body, had exercised and so acquired by actuality that nature to themselves; derive from the life of the body this [characteristic] that they can induce others to believe whatever they propose, yea by interior arts and craftiness by observing opportune times, and by speaking [to suit] another's taste [genium], and so causing these to believe them; and [they do this] indeed for an evil end, on account of their seeking after honor and the like. Hence their nature is derived, yea the interior [nature] in the other life [produces] such a sphere, when spirits of this sort are remitted, that they can persuade anyone whatever, who is not in faith, yea by such force [can] compel me to know from living experience this night when I awaked, thus in wakefulness. When such spirits still spoke from my [things] and persuaded others that it was I, therefore I awoke.
2764. De sphaera persuasionum mali, penes quosdam spiritus
Quidam spiritus hoc secum trahunt a vita corporis, qui sibi fidunt, et in vita corporis exercuerant, et sic actualitate acquisiverant sibi naturam istam, quod alios inducere possint credere quicquid sibi proponunt, et quidem per interiores artes et astutias, opportuna tempora observando, et loquendo ad genium alterius, et sic faciendo ut sibi credant; et quidem ob finem malum, honoris captandi causa, et similium; natura inde tracta, et quidem interior in altera vita talem sphaeram [habet], cum tales spiritus remittuntur, ut unumquemvis persuadere possint, qui non in fide est, et quidem vi tali adigere ad credendum, ut non possint aliter, ut datum mihi scire ab experientia viva hac nocte cum evigilatus, sic in vigilia, cum spiritus tales adhuc loquerentur ex meis, et [essent] persuadentes aliis, quod ego essem {a},
(2765.) quare evigilatus [ego], ita irascebantur quod iterum deciperentur, ut 1
cum spiritus eos malignos vellent expellere, et punire, tunc fugiebant spiritus isti ad artem eam, quam traxerant secum a vita corporis, ut persuaderent iis, qui circum circa erant, quod ego essem insanus; utque observarem vim et efficaciam sphaerae, a Domino redacta sunt corporea mea, ut quasi eorum essent, sed per interiora potui percipere, quam efficax sphaera ista esset, et quomodo adigebat etiam quoscunque, quamvis resisterent, ut persuaderentur; spiritus ii, qui tales sunt, vel ex metu mortis, vel ex metu poenae, vel ex statu irae, se mittunt in talem statum persuadendi, sic ut, tametsi sciant, quod res ita se non habet, usque interiora sua in similem statum redigunt, ut in talia conspirent interiora eorum cum exterioribus, inde spiritus, qui circum sunt, quicunque sunt, quos Dominus non tutatur quasi immediato auxilio, non possunt aliter quam persuaderi, seu ad credendum violenter adduci, sicut etiam lamentati sunt quidam, quod resistere non possint, vix scientes aliter ac res se ita haberet, ratiocinia nulla patebant, quia nulla persuasio per loquelam, sed erat conglomeratio quasi ratiociniorum, cum applicatione ad eorum genios, quae id efficiebat, quare paucis non describi potest. 1748, 8 Aug.
Footnotes:
1. partim oblitum in the Manuscript