Evil spirits, or rather, the devil's gang, desire nothing more than to destroy people, both body and soul, as well as to torment them in a thousand ways. This is evident from numerous experiences involving not only those who have been within me in bands, attempting to [destroy me] in many wicked ways, but also souls in the hells, who take the greatest pleasure in barbarically tormenting each other, one after another. And if the sensation were not intercepted by the Lord, the one being tortured would undergo unspeakable suffering. Evil spirits who flit about freely are also of this nature, and yet they are joined to people in order to arouse their life, as told before [635]. However, because they do not know otherwise than that they are the very one with whom they are present, therefore they do not want to bring any harm upon that person, for this would be as if they were doing it to themselves. This is the first reason why they do not direct such attacks against the person with whom they are present, but nonetheless, if they were not restrained by the bonds of law, they would try to treat companions who do not worship them as gods and give them all of their resources, in the same way they treat each other in hell. This is quite evident from their souls after death, when their nature is not restrained by any such bonds of law. It is also plain from kings, from soldiers, and others. The second reason they do not torment and destroy the person is that at the same time good angels are also present, and the Lord controls them in accordance with the permissions and allowances spoken of elsewhere [398, 401]. 1748, the 6th day of February.