2882. EXTERNAL SPIRITS ARE IGNORANT, THAT PERSUASION PUTS ON NATURE, AND HENCE (THOSE WHO HAVE A PERSUASION) CANNOT BE TAKEN THEREFROM. Evil spirits continually wish to persuade the good of their falsities, but still are ignorant that this is to fight against nature, and change it, which is impossible. He who is once [semel, I think] imbued with the persuasion of the true and good, and it is confirmed by the Lord, so that he can be held in the persuasion, can never be plucked away from thence. Evil spirits are ignorant thereof. They suppose that man can be perverted by the least ratiocination, thus that the good Jews [can be]. This nevertheless is impossible [incassum.] - 1748, August 22.