4334. Evil spirits are insane, and endeavor with all their might to lead others away with them to hell, and then to torment them
I spoke with evil spirits who were constantly attacking me, and attacking people on earth, and attacking good spirits, saying that they are insane. They endeavor to make, and want everyone, to be infernal spirits, leading them away from goodness, and from mutual love, into the love of themselves, thus into hatred against all. But the more spirits they can make to be like themselves, the greater is the number of those who torment them, so they are constantly preparing a hell for themselves.
But if they would not be like this, but would want all to be upright and good, then they would procure blessedness for themselves. For the good desire nothing more than to share with others, and thus with them, all their blessedness, so they would be preparing for themselves a heaven. This they acknowledged in that state of mind, and declared to be so, but still they are the kind, and their such by nature, that each one then imagines him or herself able to take charge, but now they rush one against the other, and nothing affords them greater pleasure than tormenting others, even their closest friends. 1749, 27 July. 1
Footnotes:
1. Astrological symbol of Jupiter, meaning Thursday.
4334. THAT EVIL SPIRITS ARE INSANE, AND THAT THEY STRIVE WITH ALL THEIR MIGHT TO LEAD OTHERS TO THEIR OWN HELL, AND THUS TO TORMENT THEM.
I spoke with evil spirits who continually infested me, and who infest men and upright spirits in like manner; and because they are insane themselves they would fain strive to make all others infernal also, by leading them away from good and mutual love into the love of self, thus into hatreds towards all; and the more they are who are wrought upon in this way, the greater is the number of those who torment them; so that they are continually procuring hell to themselves. If they would refrain from this, and act from the love of the upright and the good, they would secure blessedness to themselves; for the good desire nothing more than to impart to others, and thus to them also, all their own happiness. Doing this, they would procure heaven to themselves. This they, in their then state, acknowledged, and said that the fact was so; yet they are such as they are because their nature is such; everyone thinks himself able to rule, and yet they rush upon each other, and nothing affords them greater pleasure than to torment others, even their nearest friends. - 1749, July 27.
4334. Quod mali spiritus insani sunt, et quod alios ad infernum secum abducere summo studio conentur, et sic cruciare
Loquutus cum malis spiritibus, qui continuo infestarunt me, et infestant hominem, et infestant probos spiritus, quod insani sunt, conantur et volunt ut omnes infernales sint, abducendo a bono, et amore mutuo, in amorem sui, ita in odium contra omnes, quo plures tales possunt ita facere, eo major numerus eorum qui cruciant eos; sic ut infernum sibi continue parent; at si non tales forent, sed vellent ut omnes probi et boni essent, tunc sibi conciliarent beatitudinem; nam boni nihil magis desiderant quam communicare aliis et sic illis omnem beatitudinem suam, ita pararent sibi coelum: hoc agnoverunt in eo statu, et dixerunt ita esse, sed usque tales sunt, quia natura tales, quisque putat tunc imperare posse, sed ruunt tunc unus in alterum, et nihil plus voluptatis capiunt quam in cruciando alios, etiam amicissimos. 1749, 27 Julius.