2765. Therefore when I awoke, [the other spirits] were growing so angry at being deceived once again that when they wanted to throw out and punish those malignant spirits, then those spirits resorted to that art they had brought with them from the life of the body, of persuading those round about that I was insane. And so that I might observe the power and effectiveness of that aura, my bodily elements were withdrawn by the Lord to be as if they were theirs, but through the depths of my mind I could feel how effective that aura was and how it compelled anyone at all, however much they resisted, to be convinced.
Spirits of that kind, either from fear of death, or fear of punishment, or a state of anger, let themselves into that state of persuading, so that even if they know that the matter is not so, yet they force their inward parts into a like state, so that the inward conspire with the outward parts toward such goals. Consequently, spirits who are around, whoever they are, whom the Lord does not protect by direct help, so to speak, cannot help being persuaded, or being brought forcefully to believing. Some have also lamented about this, saying that they cannot resist, scarcely knowing otherwise than that the matter was as presented. There was no rationale out in the open, because it was not a persuasion through speech, but it was more like a cohering mass of arguments closely linked to their dispositions that was causing this, so it cannot be described in a few words. 1748, 8 Aug.
2765. Therefore they were [angry] that were again deceived, and when spirits wished to expel these wicked [ones] and punish [them], then those [wicked] spirits fled [had recourse] to that art, which they had derived from the life of the body, in order to persuade them who were around that I was insane; and in order that I might observe the force [vim] and efficacy of that sphere, my corporeals were reduced by the Lord, so as to be as it were theirs, but I could perceive by interiors, how efficacious was that sphere, and how also it compelled anyone whomsoever, no matter how he resisted, to be persuaded. Those spirits who are of such a character, either from fear or death, or fear of punishment, or from a state of anger, put themselves into such a state of being persuaded, so that although they know that the matter is not so, still reduce their interiors into a similar state, so that their interiors may conspire into such [things] with [their] exteriors: hence spirits who are around, no matter who they are, whom the Lord does not protect as it were by direct [immediate] help, cannot be otherwise than persuaded, or forcibly led to believe: likewise certain also lamented that they cannot resist, scarce knowing other than that the matter was so; no ratiocinations were displayed [patent], inasmuch as there was no persuasion though speech; but there was a conglomeration as it were of ratiocinations [ratiocania] with an application to their genius [genios], which affected the result [id]. Wherefore it cannot be described in a few words. - 1748, August 8.)
2765. [vide 2764]