By the mercy of God the Messiah, it was granted me to sense to a certain extent how permissions take place, enabling evil spirits to bring evils upon people on earth and souls, even to induce falsities of doctrine and evils of life, and so to corrupt them. For all are led in accordance with their character, which is evil rooted in by heredity and augmented by one's own deeds. And when people are being led by their character - so that it would break them and inflict spiritual harm upon them if they were turned in a different direction - then there are spirits having a similar character and passion, who want to [lead them]. Therefore, they then go to work, and this is called permission. But here so many secrets come together, that the matter cannot be explained in a few words. 1747, the 8th day of December.