53. 2382. For there are evil spirits now in heaven, let in for reasons spoken of above [7, WE 1852, 2119], among whom good spirits and angels are indeed mixed in. But their arrangement by God the Messiah is such that they are nevertheless separate from each other, and the evil ones are not allowed to know there are good [among them] or to do them the least harm. This is all very familiar to me, who by the Divine mercy of God the Messiah, even though densely surrounded by them for a length of time, have nevertheless been so protected that they were not able to bring the least evil upon me, although they were constantly attempting to. For if even the least leeway were given them, they would tear a person entirely apart in a few short moments. They breathe nothing but our destruction, unless we completely lowers ourselves to take their side so that they may imagine they are earthly humans. Yet toward each other they are most hostile. From this source comes the inner hatred people bear against their own companions in society if they do not strive for the same goals and serve them as instruments for their passions by indulging and favoring them. [Passion (Desire); Kill; Spirit]
[See WE 2527-30, explaining Gen. 42:27-28.] 2531. That the character itself may be called a memory [WE 2528], is evident from many considerations, for thoughts originate from feeling and take on the shape of the character, and then proceed into words that express whatever that character has prompted. The words themselves follow spontaneously, and are stored up in the memory. How these matters stand, or how the words themselves
This page is part of 
© 2000-2001 The Academy of the New Church