2840. (THAT EVIL SPIRITS SUPPOSE THAT THEY ARE ABLE [TO DO] MUCH. Evil spirits have often said, that they can [effect] much, and are of considerable power; thus do they boast of themselves everywhere, for so they suppose. It is quite different with good spirits and angels, who believe that they can [effect] nothing, and that the Lord can [effect] each and all things. It was also granted to reply to evil spirits, that they can never [effect] anything; at which they wondered, and thereby were made indignant and angry; and inasmuch as they cannot know otherwise, because they are not in faith, it was given to tell them, not only that of themselves they are only organs, and have no life, thus are of themselves dead; [but] also, today [they were told] that were it not granted them so to think, they would be deprived of all their life, and that they are permitted so to think, in order that they may be kept in life, and so be capable of being reformed [emendari]: yea, affirmatives [affirmations] are given them, through effects which are produced, through them, therefore wonder that if they lived, they may be held in such an opinion. If they are held in such an opinion [it is] that they might live. - 1748, August 17.)