406. CONCERNING THE COLD OF THOSE WHO ARE OF THE DEVIL'S CREW As often as it was permitted that fewer or more of the diabolic crew, that is, of the spirits from hell, approached, just so often was I seized with a greater or lesser degree of cold, and indeed in different parts of the body, around the head, towards the ears, around the body, towards the feet. I could know of their coming from the cold: also from the blast of air for the most part cold, and this, almost as often as I have spoken with them. They are governed, as was said above [nos. 372-3] by evil or by malice which is natural, as if instinctive, and are deprived of everything rational so that they do not know what they do; but still they suppose that they are more intelligent than all in heaven, and are exercising command in the highest degree. Therefore, since malice is inherent in them, and they are impotent of understanding, I was bound from compassion to speak gently with them: at which those wondered who had not so long departed from the life of the body, and who had brought with them the idea that they should not speak with a devil, but should continually chastise them. However, they were instructed concerning this: for when God Messiah protects man, nothing harms him; nor is he harmed even if the whole hell should encompass him both without and within, as was made sufficiently evident to me by much and prodigious experience. 1747, Dec. 26.