166. [166] Many in the Christian world were also cast down who had an understanding of truth but not a will of good. In the beginning such spirits are accepted among the upright because they can speak about many things, even truths; moreover in the beginning, the understanding with them is enlightened but the will is laid to sleep. Such spirits were collected together on the mountains in the western quarter. They league themselves with the upright who are in the ultimate heaven, who do not inquire as to things of the will, but believe that those who speak intelligently are also good. But I saw such spirits, that they were altogether devoid of charity; and they secretly consociate with the evil and, first by reasonings and afterwards by arts, they infest the upright, until they are conjoined and devoted to themselves; for in this way they prevail against others. Many such were in heavens which they had made for themselves; and they interposed themselves between the Lord and man in the world, and so obstructed the way that the Divine operation could not have its force. Very many of this character are in the pride of self-intelligence from the love of self, and in the delight of domineering. I once saw such spirits in a somewhat high mountain in the western quarter toward the north, and everywhere round about on the sides of the mountain; and they persuaded themselves and others that one is in heaven from mere intellectual light and not at the same time from heavenly heat; they are most dangerous. I saw them cast down from the mountain and from the sides of the mountain, and a gulf underneath opened itself and swallowed them up,* and they sank deep down and were let into darkness. For they then received falsities in place of truths, and turned themselves to things contrary. Such is the understanding which is led by an evil will. The evil who had conjoined themselves with them, because they no longer had the power of resistance, were cast down into their various hells, some into hells under the mountains, others into hells under the plains.** * See SE 5698. ** See SE 5699.