1043. THAT EVIL SPIRITS AND DEVILS ARE THE CAUSES OF ALL EVILS This can indeed be concluded with certainty from their continual effort to destroy man, for there is nothing they desire more eagerly. Thus when their license and cupidity are loosened, with pleasure and as if without restraint, they rush to destroy men and their companion spirits; but they are held in bonds. From this, also, it can be concluded that as the Lord is the origin and cause of all goods, it follows that evil spirits are the origin and cause of all evils. But this is still not as evident as it becomes from long continued experience. Evil spirits continually wanted to cast me into danger, even when I was not at all aware of it, for example, wishing to cast me under carriages. It became very manifest to me that they as it were wanted to compel me, but in vain. Likewise, when I was walking beside the water, a similar endeavor [to do me harm] continually persisted, but it was restrained by the Lord. It was the same in many other cases, namely, that they endeavor to obstruct all things that are good, so that when permission is given them, whatever misfortune and evil thence happens flows forth from them. This is true, both of the evils that are nearest and those that are more remote. When the evils are more remote the evil spirits deny that they are the cause of them, but still they confess it when it is demonstrated to them, as was done today by a certain experience. For such are the spheres of their activity, that is, the sphere of doing evil, that sometimes they resist good unwittingly, for their sphere is repugnant to every endeavor of good. Hence it is that unless they are told, they do not know that they are the origin of these evils. 1748, Feb. 26.