5596. When a spirit turns to another spirit, that is to say, to a person, who is speaking from mental images or affections fully, that is, with real thought, then he has an entirely similar perception and feeling if the other is speaking from truths of which he has convinced himself, this has frequently happened with me, and then they understand and perceive entirely as the other does, as long as his interiors are open, for then the communication is full. The one is as it were in the other, that is to say, in the other's spirit as to thoughts and affections, and then he knows what he never had known as if he [knew it] of himself. It is in this way that the association and communication of all in the heavens takes place.
[2] But as soon as he turns away, looks to the side or behind, he is then carried into a different thought; and if he turns to his own love, thus to his own belief, then he has an entirely opposite perception, and then thought of the other entirely perishes. Such has often happened to me. And then hellish ones themselves acknowledged heavenly truths, for heavenly truths have such force, but as soon as they turned their backs they were taken up with opposite things. As a result of this I was often attacked by spirits who wanted to control me. They believed they knew everything I knew, and so they wanted to teach me, not realizing that it [what they thought they knew] was from me or from those things that were in me, so in fact, they knew entirely nothing of themselves about the same matter, which was in fact shown to them several times.
5596. When a spirit turns himself to another spirit, or to a man who speaks from ideas or affections, fully or cogitatively, then he is wholly in the like, both in perception and in sense, if he speaks from truths confirmed in himself. This has often happened with me. And then they understand and perceive altogether like the other, if only his interiors were opened; for then the communication is full. The one is as it were in the other, or in the spirit of the other, as regards thoughts and affections, and then knows what he had not known, just as if he [knew it] of himself. Thus takes place, in the heavens, consociation and communication of all. But, as soon as one turns himself away, looks to the side, or backward, then he is brought into another thought; and, if he turns to his love, and to his faith, then he is in precisely the opposite perception, and the other's thought [with him] altogether perishes. Such a thing has frequently happened with me, and then the very infernals have acknowledged celestial truths; for celestial truths have such force; but, as soon as they turned themselves backward, they were in the contraries. I was often, by this means, harassed by spirits, who yet did not want [to admit it]. They believed that it was they who knew all the things which I knew; and so they wanted to instruct me, unaware of the fact that [their knowledge] was from my [mind], or from those things which were with me; when, nevertheless, from themselves they knew nothing at all about that identical matter, - as, also, was shown them several times.
5596. Cum spiritus vertit se ad alium spiritum seu ad hominem qui ex ideis aut affectionibus loquitur plene seu cogitative, tunc prorsus in simili perceptione et sensu est, si loquitur ex veris confirmatis apud se, hoc mecum factum est saepe, et tunc intelligunt et percipiunt prorsus sicut alter, modo aperta sint ejus interiora, nam tunc communicatio plena est, est unus quasi in altero, seu in alterius spiritu quoad cogitationes et affectiones, et tunc scit quod nusquam sciverit sicut ipse ex se, ita fit in coelis consociatio et communicatio omnium; sed ut primum se avertit, spectat ad latus seu retro, tunc in aliam cogitationem fertur, et si ad suum amorem, ita ad suam fidem, tunc prorsus in contraria perceptione est, et perit prorsus alterius cogitatio, tale factum est saepe apud me: et tunc ipsi infernales agnoverunt veritates coelestes, nam veritates coelestes talem vim habent, at ut primum se retro verterunt, in contrariis erant. Per id saepe infestatus sum a spiritibus, qui regere me volebant, credebant quod scirent omnia quae ego, et sic volebant me instruere nescientes quod ex meo seu illis quae apud me, cum tamen nihil prorsus ex se sciverunt de eadem re, quod etiam aliquoties illis ostensum est.