229. CONCERNING THE FEAR OF SPIRITS WHO ARE AS YET FREE Very many things might be said about the spirits who are as yet free and who produce all the evils and falsities with the human race. These spirits sometimes appear as if insane, for so far as they are permitted they act and speak without any reason. But when it was put to them that since they were once men and thus could have been rational, did they not see that they were wild beasts, not men; then the power of viewing themselves interiorly was given them by God Messiah, and they acknowledged themselves to be like wild beasts of the forest, and worse. But still they soon returned to their insanities, until it was again shown them that they could never accomplish anything, and that they would be more unhappy than others. When this was shown them in a spiritual manner, such fear then seized them that they fell upon their knees. But it was quite evident, that as soon as ever the fear was removed, they would return to their own nature. 1747, Oct. 28, o.s.