7810. At another time also a chastising spirit came to me, and applied himself to my left side below the middle of the body, as before, and also desired to punish me; but he was driven away by their angels, who likewise were present. He then showed me the kinds of punishments which they are permitted to inflict on the men of their earth if they do evil and intend to do evil. Besides a pain in the joints, there was a painful contraction around the middle of the belly, which is felt like a compression by a sharp girdle; there was alternate withdrawal of the respiration, even to distress; also a prohibition against eating anything but bread; lastly, a denunciation of death if they did not leave off doing such things; and at the same time a deprivation of the joy from consort, children, and companions, resulting in the instilling of grief.
