3851. Evil spirits trying to attack me
While I was going to bed the evil spirits overhead attacked with a plan to destroy me, deliberating to call forth against me all of hell, and all evil and treacherous spirits whatsoever. First they drew the dragon to their side, but because he was being maltreated by them, he was enabled to disentangle himself from them. Then they tried to call forth all of hell, and then to surround and attack me en masse, and at length to destroy me, as they have attempted to do in vain so many times before. It also seemed as if I were being let down among them - for otherwise they were overhead, in fantasy lifting me up into their midst, so that I was now surrounded by them, and even the dragon and filthy Jerusalem appeared very far below me, about which the dragon complained.
[2] I noticed that they were trying to operate by means of innocent persons, whom they would cause those they called forth to impersonate. David also they called forth, who appeared before me with his own face and body, equipped with his own paraphernalia, but he was immersed in a dark cloud. When they had clung for some time to these fantasies, perpetrating whatever they were able, while I lay in safety, fearing nothing, only reflecting on the things they were up to, finally upon realizing the fruitlessness of their effort, they withdrew, admitting that it was of no use. 1748, 4 Nov.
3851. EVIL SPIRITS ATTEMPTING TO INFEST ME.
When I retired to bed the evil spirits above the head formed a design to destroy me, and for this end took measures for calling out all hell, and every evil and pernicious spirit. They first drew the dragon over to their side, but because he had been evil entreated by them it was given him to extricate himself. They then endeavored to summon all hell, and thus to surround and to attack me in a body, and at length to destroy me, which they had so often in vain attempted before. I seemed to be lifted up among them, as there were many of them above the head, who raised me up by phantasy among them, that I might thus be on all sides beset by them, wherefore the dragon an the filthy Jerusalem appeared far below me, concerning which the dragon complained. I perceived that they wished to act by means of innocent persons, under whose semblance they exhibited those whom they evoked. They evoked David also, who appeared before me in his own face and body, furnished with his implements, but he was immersed in a dense cloud. When they had persisted for some time in those phantasies, perpetrating whatever they were able, while I reposed in safety fearing nothing but reflecting on their efforts, they at length observing their attempts to be fruitless retired and confessed that the project was vain. - 1748, November 4.
3851. Mali spiritus me infestare conantes
Cum irem in lectum spiritus dolosi supra caput aggressi consilio me perdere, et ad me perdendum evocare totum infernum, et quoscunque malos, et perniciosos. Draconem primum in suas partes trahebant, sed quia ab iis male tractaretur, inde se extricare ei dabatur, tum conabantur totum infernum evocare, et sic me circumdare, et aggredi omnibus, et tandem perdere, quod toties prius incassum conati, videbar quoque inter eos sublatus, quia alias supra caput, me inter se elevantes phantasia, ut sic iis circumdatus essem, quare etiam draco et Jerusalem spurca apparebant longius infra me, de quo conquestus draco; hoc percepi quod per personas innocentes vellent agere, sub quorum personis sistebant eos quos evocabant, Davidem quoque evocabant, qui facie sua et corpore apparebat ante me instrumentis suis instructus, sed immersus est nubi obscurae; cum aliquantum phantasiis iis inhaeserunt, patrando quicquid possent, et ego tutus jacui, nullius timens, solum reflectens super ea, quae patrabant, tandem cum irritum eorum conatus animadverterent, recesserunt et fassi sunt, quod irritum. 1748, 4 Nov.