2737. About spiritual bonds in which all are held
These spiritual restraints cannot be so well described to the understanding, for they are held in such a way-as I have been enabled to observe with spirits or in the world of spirits that they are so held-that they cannot think as evilly as they incline by their own nature to think, and consequently to act. Thus by the goodness of the Lord they are kept from evil, as if they are being held away suspended from the evil. This also I have been allowed to learn from actual experience, for no sooner was the bond relaxed than the spirit was carried back into the evil, and indeed an enormous one, into both willing the evil and thinking the evil. So it is the Lord Alone Who thus withholds heaven, the world of spirits, and the human race from evil, and in fact if [the bond] should be relaxed, everyone would rush into enormous evil, and even into the destruction of all, likewise also into lies. 1748, 5 Aug.
2737. CONCERNING THE SPIRITUAL BONDS, WHEREIN ALL ARE HELD.
These spiritual bonds cannot so [easily] be described to the apprehension, for [the spirits] are held, like as was given me to observe with [apud] spirits, or in the world of spirits, that they are so held, that they cannot think as much evil as do [it]. Thus they are kept by the good of the Lord from evil, as if they were held suspended away from evil; which also was granted to learn from living experience. For as soon as the bond was relaxed, the spirit was borne away into evil, and indeed into enormous [evil], as much the willing as the thinking of evil [tam velle, malum, quam, cogitare malum]. So the Lord alone is he who thus detains [keeps] heaven, the world and spirits and the human race from evil, and indeed in such a manner, that if [the bond] were relaxed, everyone would rush into enormous evil, yea into all destruction - likewise also into falsehoods [mendacia]. - 1748, August 5.
2737. De vinculis spiritualibus in quibus tenentur omnes
Vincula haec spiritualia, non ita ad captum describi possunt, tenentur enim--sicut 1
observare mihi datum apud spiritus seu in mundo spirituum, quod teneantur ita--ut 2
non possint cogitare tam malum sicut natura sua inclinant ad cogitandum, proinde nec facere, sic per bonum Domini tenentur a malo, quasi distinentur suspensi a malo, quod ab experientia viva quoque discere datum, nam ut primum vinculum relaxabatur, ferebatur spiritus in malum et quidem enorme, tam velle malum, quam cogitare malum: ita Solus est Dominus Qui ita a malo detinet coelum, mundum spirituum, et genus humanum, et quidem ita, ut si relaxaretur, rueret quisque in malum enorme, et quidem in omnem perniciem; similiter quoque in mendacia. 1748, 5 Aug.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has enim, sicut
2. The Manuscript has ita, ut