That spirits are arranged by kinds and species into classes has, I believe, been said before [161], and, in regard to any given society in particular, so arranged that in their midst are the worst, such as those who had knowingly departed from and obscured the light of truth. Going outward, those closer to the circumference are better by degrees, and at the periphery are those who, though similar to the rest, had not known better. This arrangement is made by God the Messiah, so that the worst ones are surrounded and restrained, for they are unable to act or to speak except as a group. According to the judgment of God the Messiah, the spirits toward the outside are allowed to speak or to do - many as one, so it is the collective speech of many - things that are not too harmful, in times of temptation; and the spirits toward the inside, too, as in times of inward temptations. 1747, the 4th day of September (old calendar).