2418. CONCERNING THE UNDERSTANDING [intellectu] AND PERCEPTION OF EVIL SPIRITS, AND THOSE OF THE GROSSER SORT, TOUCHING THE FACT THAT THEY ARE NOTHING. It has been said several times to spirits that they are nothing, and that the Lord is all in all; yea, it was also said and shown them what is meant by their being nothing; but still some do not wish to understand it, others do not understand it because their ideas are of too gross a character to apprehend it. Therefore they babbled [dictabant] many times that the doctrine of faith is absurd, because it was said that they are nothing; and yet they suppose they are everything, as also that they possess all their life and power as their own, and in themselves. Wherefore, being indignant, they retorted that the doctrine was an absurdity, but is said as to their being nothing, they tolerate less than other things of the doctrine of faith, and, Indeed, out of self-love; others [do so] partly from ignorance. - 1748, June 27.