4370. About deceitful and evil spirits, who desire to torment innocent spirits so as to take revenge on behalf of others
There were extremely malignant spirits, while I was asleep and in a state midway between wakefulness and sleep, who had been thinking of nothing else than tormenting guiltless and innocent spirits, against whom they had no cause, under the pretext that it was on my account. So assuming this pretext they stubbornly persisted, thinking of nothing else, which shows with what delight the most malignant spirits are seized, and how stubborn they are, for they breathe nothing but [cruelty].
They were punished, and when they wanted to intrude themselves upon an innocent state, other more subtle punishers came, who tormented them in turn, until they desisted. 1749, 23 Aug. 1
Footnotes:
1. Astrological symbol of Venus, meaning Friday.
4370. CONCERNING DECEITFUL AND WICKED SPIRITS WHO DESIRE TO TORMENT INNOCENT INFANTS, VINDICTIVELY SUBSTITUTING THEM IN PLACE OF OTHERS.
While reposing in sleep and in a state intermediate between sleeping and waking, there were present certain most malignant spirits who thought of nothing else than of torturing infants and innocents against whom they had no cause of enmity whatever, but pretending that it was on my account. Acting thus under this assumed pretext they contumaciously persisted [in their cruelty], in which their thoughts were wholly absorbed. From hence it may appear with what infernal delight the most malignant spirits are possessed and by what contumacy they are actuated, for they breathe nothing else [than such cruelty]. They were punished however, and when they would fain intrude into an innocent state, other still more subtle punishers came, and put them to torture till they desisted. - 1749, August 23.
4370. De dolosis et malis spiritibus, qui innocentes cruciare cupiunt ut vindicent sibi pro aliis
Fuerunt malignissimi spiritus, dum in somno et in statu inter vigiliam et somnum medio, qui nihil aliud cogitarunt, quam ut cruciarent insontes et innocentes, contra quos nihil causae habuerunt, praetexentes quod propter me, ita sibi assumendo praetextum, contumaciter inhaerebant, et nihil aliud cogitabant, inde constare potest qua delectatione malignissimi spiritus capiuntur, et qua contumacia sunt, nam nihil aliud spirant; puniti sunt, et cum in statum innocentem se vellent intrudere, venerunt alii punitores, qui subtiliores, qui tunc eos cruciabant, usque dum desisterent. 1749, 23 Aug.