2941. spoke through the apostles and the prophets, but I was inspired to reply [by asking,] when a spirit is speaking and does not know what he is saying, and it is not from himself, whence is his holiness? Can he claim himself holy on that account? From whom is the holiness he puts forth, is it from himself or from the Lord? He is saying that it is from the inward heaven, but since the angels confess that they are anything but holy, and that they are spirits who belong to the Lord, then from whom do those go forth who advertise themselves as holy, while those who do go forth from the Lord never call themselves holy?
I was given to add that the spirits who spoke in the Word of the Old Testament here and there even called themselves Jehovah, and also that the Lord spoke of the holy spirit, as well as of many other things, according to the way things appear to people who know nothing of inward matters-if He had not, no one would ever have believed-just as people today do not at all know either what the inner person is. 1748, 26 Aug.
They asked whether anyone of angels or spirits was from eternity. I was given to reply that no one was, but that the Lord [is] from eternity. So they said that they could not contradict the fact that all angels and spirits had been people on earth, so they are create.
2941. But it was given to reply: when a spirit speaks, and knows not what he says, and does not speak from himself, whence is his sanctity [sanctum], whether holy can hence predicate itself: from whom is the sanctity [sanctum] that he brings forth [producit] whether from himself or from the Lord - he says, that it is from the interior heaven, but yet angels confess that they are anything else than holy - further [there are] spirits, who are of the Lord: whence proceed those who boast that they are holy, when they who proceed from the Lord never call themselves holy. It was given to add, that also the spirits who spoke in the Word of the Old Testament, occasionally called themselves Jehovah: further also, that the Lord spoke concerning the Holy Spirit, as concerning many other things, according to the appearances of men, who knew nothing of interior spirits: if he had spoken differently, never would anyone have believed; just as the same do not know at all at this day, what the interior man is. - 1748, August 26.
They inquired, whether any angel or spirit was from eternity. It was given to reply, that there was no one [from eternity]: but that the Lord is from eternity. So they said that they could not contradict inasmuch as angels and spirits have all been men, therefore created.
2941. [vide 2940]