2943. WHEN EVIL SPIRITS AND OTHERS ARE HELD IN BONDS, THAT THEY SUPPOSE THEY ARE UPRIGHT FROM THEMSELVES. It is granted to know from much experience, that evil spirits are held in a spiritual bond, that is, in a sphere of probity, by the Lord, and when they are held in that sphere, then it does not appear to them, that they are thus detained from evil, and though it was granted me to perceive that they are so held, yet they did not perceive other than that they are free, and not at all in any bond: wherefore because free, and so not coerced, they suppose they are upright of themselves, and yet the sphere of probity and goodness comes from the Lord, whereof they are ignorant in that state: therefore attribute good to themselves. But they immediately perceive that [it is] not from themselves, as soon as this spiritual bond as it were, is relaxed, that is, the virtue of the sphere of goodness diminished: then so far as remitted, so far they rush into evil, and can by no means restrain themselves, as is attested by much experience. The angels are likewise held in the sphere of goodness of the Lord. - 1748, August 26.