2659. CONCERNING THE OBSESSED. Evil spirits crave nothing more fondly than to wholly rule man, as to his interiors and especially as to his body: they thus seem to themselves to return to the life of the body, for they then suppose they have wholly returned. But what the difference is, when it is not so manifest as in my case, and when [it occurs] with another who is not of such a nature, I do not yet know. Meanwhile when they thus enter a man so as to quite know that they are therein [ibi], and so rule the body and members of man, then this is called obsessing man: for no spirit is granted to rule [a man's] body as they do mine, unless [that man] had been obsessed: for there are those who are devoted to that office, who know nothing concerning their ruling the body, because their endeavors [conatus] only, there come into act: but with the obsessed, not only the endeavor, but also the act is present [to the spirit]. Wherefore there are spirits, who are not devoted to that office, who when they thus obsess the body, it is obsession: but when they are devoted, it is not obsession: for all things thus happen in order, and man is ignorant thereof. When any are obsessed, it occurs not in order but against order; wherefore is produced by evil spirits. But it is wonderful that I have been obsessed, and yet nothing has ever injured me - further I could enjoy my rational mind, just as if they were not present. - 1748, July 20.