2453. All people incline to every evil, but by bringing them into act they are carried more into one evil than another
As said before, human beings are born into every evil, and they incline toward every evil through the acquisition of evils by the parents one after another from the first, so there is nothing but evil in them. But by bringing them into act they incline more toward one than another. This was shown to me when spirits said to me that I would be feeling the same as they were if I were kept in the same state, which I admitted. But I realized that there had to be an act, consummated in life, in order for someone to be carried more into one evil than another, even if the inclination to the same evil lies hidden in a hereditary root. So if I had acquired the same one by bringing it into act, I would also be the same. To certain evils I was more inclined than to others. 1748, 30 June.
2453. THAT ALL MEN INCLINE TO EVERY EVIL, BUT BY ACTUALITY ARE BORNE TO ONE EVIL RATHER THAN TO ANOTHER.
It has already been said, that man is born into every evil, thus inclines to every evil by acquisition of evils from parents in succession from the first [man], so that there is nothing in him but evil; but by acquisition he inclines to one [evil] more than to another. This was represented to me when spirits told me that I felt just like they did, if I was held in a similar state, which I admitted, but perceived that actuality must needs be present during life in sins, so that [one] is borne to one evil more than to another, although the inclination to the same evil lies concealed in the hereditary root, so that if I had acquired a similar [evil] through actuality I would also be like [them] that I was inclined to some evils more than to others. - 1748, June 30.
2453. Quod omnis homo 1
ad omne malum inclinet, sed per actualitatem feratur magis in unum quam in alterum
Dictum prius [2424-2427], quod homo nascatur in omne malum, sic ut in omne malum inclinet, per acquisitionem malorum a parentibus, successive a primo, sic ut nihil in eo nisi malum, sed per actualitatem 2
magis in unum quam in alterum inclinat: hoc mihi repraesentatum, cum dicerent spiritus ad me, quod ego similiter ita sentirem ac ii, si tenerer in simili statu, quod confessus, sed percepi, quod actualitas adesse debeat in vita perlata 3
, ut magis feratur in unum malum, quam in alterum, tametsi inclinatio ad idem malum in radice, haereditario, recondita jacet, sic ut si acquisivissem simile per actualitatem, quoque similis essem: in alia mala inclinatior essem aliis. 1748, 30 Junius.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has omnes homines
2. The Manuscript has acquisitionem sed vide indicem ad Haereditarium et Malum
3. imperfectum in the Manuscript; in J.F.I. Tafel's edition peccatis