2943. When evil spirits and others are kept in restraint, they imagine they are upright of themselves
From much experience I have been given the knowledge that evil spirits are kept in a spiritual bond, that is, in an aura of uprightness by the Lord, and while they are kept in that aura, it does not appear to them that they are thus being restrained from evil. And even though I was allowed to see that they were being held in this way, they did not perceive otherwise than that they were free, and by no means in any bond. And because this happens freely and not by force, they imagine they are upright of themselves, when yet the aura of uprightness and goodness comes from the Lord, which they do not realize in that state, so they ascribe goodness to themselves.
But they see at once that it is not from themselves the moment that spiritual bond, so to speak, is loosed, that is, the moment the strength of the aura of goodness is diminished. Then as far as it is let loose, so far they rush into evils, nor can they restrain themselves at all, as has been proven by much experience. The an-gels likewise are kept in the Lord's aura of goodness. 1748, 26 Aug.
2943. WHEN EVIL SPIRITS AND OTHERS ARE HELD IN BONDS, THAT THEY SUPPOSE THEY ARE UPRIGHT FROM THEMSELVES.
It is granted to know from much experience, that evil spirits are held in a spiritual bond, that is, in a sphere of probity, by the Lord, and when they are held in that sphere, then it does not appear to them, that they are thus detained from evil, and though it was granted me to perceive that they are so held, yet they did not perceive other than that they are free, and not at all in any bond: wherefore because free, and so not coerced, they suppose they are upright of themselves, and yet the sphere of probity and goodness comes from the Lord, whereof they are ignorant in that state: therefore attribute good to themselves. But they immediately perceive that [it is] not from themselves, as soon as this spiritual bond as it were, is relaxed, that is, the virtue of the sphere of goodness diminished: then so far as remitted, so far they rush into evil, and can by no means restrain themselves, as is attested by much experience. The angels are likewise held in the sphere of goodness of the Lord. - 1748, August 26.
2943. Cum tenentur spiritus mali aliique in vinculo quod putent ex se probi esse 1
Ex multa experientia scire datum est, quod teneantur spiritus mali in vinculo spirituali, hoc est in sphaera probitatis, a Domino, et cum in sphaera illa tenentur, tunc non apparet iis, quod sic detineantur a malo, et tametsi mihi percipere datum, quod iia tenerentur 2
, usque tamen ii non percipiunt aliter, quam quod liberi sint, et nullatenus in aliquo vinculo, quare quia libere et sic non coacte, putant probi esse ex se; cum tamen sphaera probitatis et bonitatis a Domino venit, quod in statu isto nesciunt, quare sibi tribuunt bonum; at percipiunt illico quod non ex se, utprimum relaxatur hoc quasi vinculum spirituale, hoc est diminuitur virtus sphaerae bonitatis, tunc quantum remittitur, tantum ruunt in mala, nec se ullatenus inhibere possunt, quod multa experientia testatum est: angeli similiter in sphaera bonitatis Domini tenentur. 1748, 26 Aug.
Footnotes:
1. sic manuscript; vide praefationem hujus editionis sub capite "Idiosyncrasies"
2. The Manuscript has teneantur sed supra -a- apparet re