1168. THAT THERE ARE SPIRITS WHO CAN SPEAK BOTH AS VOLUBLY AND AS RAPIDLY AS THE CELESTIAL SPIRITS, AND NEVERTHELESS THEY ARE EVIL Today there was a spirit with me, who spoke with me for some time. In the life of the body he had been imbued with no faith, nor had he believed in a life after death; and he was, as they supposed, one of the assiduous [robbers - see n. 1155]. He could speak like one of the celestial spirits, that is as volubly, like a stream, but still he was evil; wherefore it cannot be concluded from anyone's speech and its flow that he is celestial. But that a spirit is celestial is known from this that he loves to speak concerning matters of faith, thus that he perceives those things which are of faith. When, however, something was said about the Kingdom of the Lord, this spirit was unable to follow in conversation, but, as it were, withdrew himself; it was then at once learned of what quality he was. 1748, Mar. 4.