Today when first awakening, I was surrounded by very many spirits of differing character. Some of them wanted to deceitfully bring upon me their own heavenly joy, which is done by the transfer of one's own joy or delight to another, regardless of what produces that delight - in this case, the diabolic gang under the feet [were causing it] from a cruel fantasy that I clearly felt them breathing into me. Because of this I felt a delight that took hold of my whole body, even the inner organs, and this in a way that made me think I was in heavenly joy among the blessed; for I was totally relaxed in soothing sensations, like those from soothing warm baths. The causes of these delights were not being felt in me, nor the fact that they arose from any cruelty, nor that they [were brought on] by deception: they were delights in which such things were not felt, because they adapt to those they meet with, and to the recipient's state of mind. For example, in a state when one is peaceful, one looks at all things in peace, even things that are not peaceful; and when one is in an angry state, everything arouses anger - even the playing of little children, etc. etc. 2] Besides these bodily, outer delights, also inner ones were poured in, and indeed by different spirits, who wanted to cause me delights because of a kind of veneration. The rest of the spirits I could not recognize, nor investigate the intentions of those from whom the delights came. Still, I lingered for quite a time in the sweetness of delights converging upon me; and I spoke about that sweet feeling as I replied to those who wanted to lead me astray and persuade me that this was heavenly joy. I do not remember my replies, but because I had not sensed any deception I thought this was indeed heavenly delight, but an outer one, thus flowing forth from outer causes and therefore not able to last, and I wanted to remove myself from it and thus refuse it, because it did not originate from the innermost. It is possible for these [outer] delights as they were felt to serve innermost delights as an embodiment - which is put aside at once, and despised, as soon as the delight from the innermost is felt. But I heard that this body of delights was filthy, which I myself could not feel. 1747, the 22nd day of December. mI am now being told that this kind of delight was given to Abraham [see 381], but that as it went on, it decreased, as he says, and he doubts whether it can last any longer, now that he has learned that there is an inward or heavenly delight.n