381. THAT SOME WHO ARE ENEMIES OF THE FAITH, AS YET ENJOY A CERTAIN EXTERNAL DELIGHT WHICH THEY CALL HEAVENLY As was said before [n. 379], there are some enemies of the true faith, who as yet continually contend against the faith and excite others to infidelity, even alluring them by this that they count themselves among the blessed. But their delight is only external, like that of the unfaithful in the world, and indeed still more exalted: but because it is only external, and fights against internal or the delight, like the delights of the unfaithful in the world, it comes to an end, and is turned into things undelightful and into pains. There are reasons why they are as yet tolerated and sustained in that external blessedness, or apparent joy. In the meanwhile their remaining truths and goods are diminished, so that at length they retain so little residue of truth and good that they can scarcely be rendered happy, unless they repent whilst there is yet time. This was said to Abraham and his crew mentioned before [n. 379]. It is similar with those spirits and furies who still wander about in the ultimate heaven. Therefore those who want to enter into truly heavenly joy must undergo the temptations, punishments, vastations which they cannot avoid, unless they are willing to remain in externals, and thus in course of time have their things that remain consumed. 1747, Dec. 23.* * The entry in the Index (s.v. Jucunditas) is: "Evil spirits boast of their external delights, and so try to seduce others by means of externals, as they do in the world by various delights of life; but they undergo severe vastations which last a long time in the other life; as the dragon and certain of his crew [have experienced]."