3755. THAT THERE ARE CONTRARY SUBJECTS THROUGH WHICH GOOD IS YET INSINUATED BY THE LORD. There was a certain subject within me for nearly the whole night, by means of which I experienced a sensation of the highest pleasure and happiness, continued through the night, although the evil spirits incessantly strove to rob me of that extreme delight. Afterwards the spirit that was within me towards the lower parts [of my person] went away and said, that he had infused the pleasant sensation. I also perceived that the external pleasure receded. But he yet said that he was contrary, and would have prevented the agreeable feeling. It thence appeared that the Lord makes use of opposed subjects, and also of evil ones, through which to insinuate delight, for the reason, as was said to me, that such an one has not the perception of delight, which if he had, he would then appropriate it to himself and thus take it away. From which it appears that evil spirits are also employed to confirm delights and to appropriate them to man. - 1748, October 28.