By an experience of several days, I learned that those in the world who want to stand out above others after the life of the body, and are therefore moved by envy against those who are better than themselves, become devils, and engage in the same kind of scheming. For they want to learn spiritual matters with nothing else in mind than the hope to rise up by means of them, on their own power, above others whom they envy; whereas the heavenly affection is to long to lift others up into heaven, even if one should turn out to be the least. They who are such as to envy others, and who hope to stand out in heaven above others, are able to be the subjects of many spirits, a fact that has also been observed. 1747, the 20th day of December.