It was heard and found out by others that they were making plans to kill me, or utterly destroy my inward qualities, killing me by means of those who had knives, and destroying me by breathing cruelty into my mental imagery, which was being called forth. This was the premeditated plan of inward deceitful spirits, who are forward in front of the forehead, above, a little to the right. It was heard and found out by others, but not by me. And they adopted Abram to be their medium. It was said of him that he had formerly not dared such an abominable thing. The plan was first uncovered by this, that they were portraying cutting the throat of an innocent woman, cruelly with a knife. This showed that Abram took part in the planning. Therefore, those cutthroat robbers were let loose upon him and treated him miserably, so that he would not accustom himself to such practices. This was the reason for his flight, for they had treated him miserably. After that the plan was discovered. Other spirits found out about it, and the knives showed up with the robbers, which were taken up, and afterwards the knives of those who were devising this cunning plan. They said at the time that they were unable to get rid of them, even though they imagined formerly that they could do anything, and no harm could possibly be brought upon them-so much do they trust in their own skill, prudence, and cunning.

2921[a]. They had in fact been told before that their power is such that all of them, even if they were myriads, would flee before a single fly as though it would kill all of them by itself. This was grasped by means of a spiritual mental image and thus corroborated, also with them, as I was able to discern. 1748, 25 Aug.

No one [exists] except for a use, including evil spirits, and even for performing a use to enemies, whom they hate

2922[a]. I said to one spirit who hates all those he calls enemies, namely the faithful-I said, since I knew that he intended something evil, and had inflicted harm-that he must perform a use, and that there is this law of order, that even the evil must perform a use to enemies, namely, as was seen by a spiritual mental image, that through persecutions and punishments, good things result, and his enemies become better. He was very indignant when he heard that he was of use even to his enemies. 1748, 25 Aug.