260. CONCERNING ONE WHO WAS NOT INVITED TO THE FEAST, AND NOT BEING CLOTHED WITH FESTIVE GARMENTS, WAS CAST OUT Today there appeared to me a certain evil spirit who supposed he had ascended into the more interior heaven, by having raised himself higher above the head; and there he wanted to excite disturbances by taking away faith in God Messiah, which he wanted to transfer to himself, and so to raise himself even to God Messiah and claim to himself His power, not knowing that he was only in the ultimate heaven where evil spirits as yet dwell. This was shown of him by means of representations, but in vain: he persisted in his malice. But because he was an evil spirit he had to be dealt with by representations, or by imaginary appearances. Wherefore truth was wrapped around him representatively; he was expelled therefrom, and he shouted out that he was being greatly afflicted, begging to be released. In this way ought one to feel concerning those who think they can assume to themselves the power to implant [faith], especially when this does not come from pure ignorance. 1747, Nov. 20, o.s. He said in his affliction that he had been instigated to do this by the diabolical crew.