148 1/2. Evil spirits inspire feelings together with conviction, especially [in people] who trust in themselves and ascribe everything to their own judgment; for these credit themselves for everything and think themselves most wise, when yet their wisdom is insanity. For wisdom should be judged by the end [in view], but these are guiding themselves toward an end which is hell. See also Knowledge, Philosophy, Learned, Preach. [Wisdom; Conviction; End; Hell] Sometimes those who think themselves the wisest are the most insane. See Wisdom. [Insanity]

148 1/3. Evil spirits believe especially that they are the holy spirit and that the Lord can do nothing without them. But they were asked from whom they go forth, whether it was not from some god of the heathens, baal or some other. [Holy; Spirit; Gods]

[This third section of threshold materials consists of three annotations found in front of the Bible Index of Isaiah and Jeremiah and apparently belonging to Spiritual Experiences.]

[148 1/4.] The speech of the ancient Church was like an earthly paradise from which they discerned the heavenly one. The speech of the Prophets is like this, for by what one reads there, spiritual and heavenly matters are to be understood. But in the course of time, that heavenly paradise was changed into a merely worldly and earthly one. At the coming of God the Messiah, the gate from the earthly paradise to the heavenly one was opened; and at His Coming into glory, it is to be opened again. [1747]*

[148 1/5.] For one who is being regenerated, matters of understanding come first; for one who has been regenerated, matters of the will come first. A person is formed by the world through ambitions, and the resulting education, but is [then] formed anew through the understanding, so that the will may be reformed. This takes place by means of matters of understanding and, at the same time, things heavenly entering into them, bringing Charity, and thus a [new] character.

[148 1/6.] 1747, the 7th day of August (old calendar): a change of state in me, [introducing me] into the heavenly Kingdom, in figure.** * The year 1747 is deleted in the manuscript. ** In this passage the translator takes "in Imagine" to refer to Swedenborg's projected image in that Kingdom as a man, while actually still living in the world.