641. About hiding spirits
There are also spirits who hide, and do not show themselves, and do not act in the open so that their fantasies, cunning arts, and deceptions become apparent, as do those of other spirits. These are in the zenith, that is, overhead, higher up than the dragon, who does not operate so secretly. Such spirits imagine that no one can discover their destructive tricks. Therefore they also think they are safe, and cannot be harmed or punished by anyone, because, as they suppose, they have withdrawn into the more subtle [parts of] nature. On this account, as they say, they do not fear anything.
Nevertheless, their deceptions appear openly whenever this is granted by the Lord, and are exposed as destructive tricks (truldoms konster 1), by which they imitate the character of good spirits by streaming in softly and gently, so that their poisons are not noticed. In this way they could lead even the good astray, if the Lord were not protecting them. They slip secretly into the obvious deceptions of other spirits.
Footnotes:
1. The original has the Swedish for "witchcraft," "truldoms konster."
641. CONCERNING HIDDEN SPIRITS
There are also spirits who lie hidden and do not manifest themselves or act openly, in order that their phantasies and deceitful arts and wiles may not thus become apparent, like those of other spirits. They are in the zenith or above the head, higher than the dragon who does not act so secretly. These spirits suppose that no one can know their pernicious artifices, for which reason they think that they are secure, and that they cannot be injured or punished by anyone, for, as they suppose, they would then betake themselves into a more subtle nature; wherefore, as they say, they do not fear anything whatever. But still their deceits manifestly appear whenever it is so granted by the Lord, and they are discovered to be most pernicious artifices, (magic arts), 1by which they imitate the nature of good spirits, so that they inflow softly or gently, in order that their poisons may not be observed. In this way they could seduce even the good, unless the Lord protected them. They, in secret, insert themselves in the manifest deceits of other spirits.
Footnotes:
1. In the MS. the Swedish words truldoms konster meaning "magic arts" are in parenthesis.
641. De spiritibus latentibus
Sunt etiam spiritus, qui latent, nec se manifestant, aguntque non aperte sic 1
ut phantasiae, ac artes eorum dolosae, dolique ita manifesta fiant, sicut spirituum aliorum, ii sunt in zenith, seu supra caput, altius dracone, qui non ita latenter agit, putant tales spiritus, quod nemo scire posset artificia eorum perniciosa, quare etiam se putant securos esse, nec ab ullo posse noceri seu puniri, quia, ut putant, in subtiliorem naturam se recepissent, quare, ut ajunt, nec timent quicquam, sed usque eorum doli apparent manifeste, quandocunque ita a Domino, conceditur, et detecti 2
sunt, quod sint artificia perniciosa, (truldoms konster 3) quibus imitantur spirituum bonorum indolem, quod molliter seu leniter influant, sic ut venena eorum non animadvertantur, ita seducere possent 4
etiam bonos, nisi tutaretur eos Dominus, inserunt se aliorum manifestis dolis, in abdito.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has aperte, sic
2. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has detectae