The Description of Holy Spirit ~ 'The Revelations of Saint Bridget of Sweden'; ‘The words of an angel …
[Saint Bridget of Sweden/ Heliga Birgitta; XIV Century AD: aged 69-70; Uppland, Sweden/Rome, Papal States; Widow, Mystic; Spiritual Writer; Founder; Patroness of Europe]
Chapter 54 ~ The words of an angel to the bride about whether the spirit of her thoughts is good or bad, and about how there are two spirits, one uncreated and one created, and about their characteristics.
A holy angel spoke to the bride and said: “There are two spirits, one uncreated and one created.
The uncreated Spirit has three characteristics:
First, he is hot; second, sweet; and third, pure.
First, he gives off warmth, and his warmth does not come from created things but from himself, since he, together with the Father and the Son, is Creator of all things and Almighty. He gives off warmth when the whole soul burns for the love of God.
Second, he is sweet, when nothing pleases the soul and nothing delights it but God and the recollection of his deeds.
Third, he is so pure that no sin can be found in him, nor any …More
The characteristics of the created, evil spirit of the devil ~ "The second spirit that is created also has three characteristics.
He is burning, bitter, and unclean.
First, he is burning and consuming like fire, for he completely enkindles the soul he possesses with the fire of lust and evil desire, so that the soul that is filled by him can neither think nor desire anything other than fulfilling this desire; and the consequence of this is that her temporal life is sometimes lost along with all honor and consolation.
Second, he is bitter as gall, since he so inflames the soul with his evil lust, that future joys seem like nothing to her and eternal goods but foolishness. And all the things that are of God and which she, the soul, is obligated to do for God, become as bitter and despicable to her as vomit and gall.
Third, he is unclean, since he makes the soul so vile and inclined to sin that she does not feel ashamed for any sin, and she would not abstain from any sin, if she did not fear being shamed and judged before men more than before God. This is why this spirit is like a burning fire, because he burns of desire to do evil and enkindles others along with itself. This is why he is bitter, because all good is bitter to him and he wants to make it bitter for others as well as for himself. This is why he is unclean, because he delights in impurity and wants that others shall become like himself."
"But what should the one who is full of the devil do, since the good Spirit cannot enter him who is full of evil? He should do three things:
First, he should make a pure and complete confession of his sins. Even if he cannot directly feel a complete remorse for his sins due to his hardened heart, still the confession will benefit him so much that the devil ceases with his treachery and yields to the good spirit.
Second, he should be humble and wish to amend for all the sins he has committed and do the good deeds he can, and then the devil will begin to leave.
Third, he should beseech God with humble prayer in order that he may get the good Spirit back and have contrition for the sins he has committed along with true divine love, since the love for God kills the devil. This devil is so envious and full of malice that he would rather die a hundred times than see someone do God the least little good deed out of love.”
"A holy angel spoke to the bride and said: “There are two spirits, one uncreated and one created.
The uncreated Spirit has three characteristics:
First, he is hot; second, sweet; and third, pure.
First, he gives off warmth, and his warmth does not come from created things but from himself, since he, together with the Father and the Son, is Creator of all things and Almighty. He gives off warmth when the whole soul burns for the love of God.
Second, he is sweet, when nothing pleases the soul and nothing delights it but God and the recollection of his deeds.
Third, he is so pure that no sin can be found in him, nor any deformity or corruption or mutability. He does not give off warmth like earthly fire, and he does not make things melt like the visible sun, but his warmth is the inner love and desire of the soul that fills the soul and engrosses her in God. He is sweet to the soul, not as a desirable wine or fleshly lust or any other worldly thing, but instead, the sweetness of this Spirit is incomparable to all temporal sweetness and unimaginable to those who have not tasted it. Third, this Spirit is as pure as the rays of the sun in which no blemish can be found."