2837. Everyone develops for themselves their own soul in the life of the body
I spoke with spirits, and indeed by a spiritual mental image, saying that everyone develops for themselves their own natural soul, thus something like a certain natural instinct. For souls and spirits after the life of the body are driven by a certain instinct to doing evil. In their soul there is a natural quality due to what they have acquired by actual deeds, that is just like instinct in animals, with the difference that spirits are able to reason, even about spiritual and heavenly matters.
The soul that they develop for themselves pertains to their earthly mind, which has gained dominion over their spiritual mind, so that their spiritual mind is as it were subordinated
2837. THAT EVERYONE FORMS HIS SOUL FOR HIMSELF DURING THE LIFE OF THE BODY.
I spoke with spirits yea, in a spiritual idea, that everyone forms for himself his natural soul, consequently a certain natural instinct as it were; for souls and spirits after the life of the body are borne away [along] by a certain instinct to the commission of evil; for in their soul, from [things] acquired by actualities, is a natural [principle] which is not otherwise circumstanced than instinct with [in] the animals, with [this] difference that spirits can reason, yea, concerning spiritual and celestial things. The soul which he forms for himself is the natural mind, which has obtained dominion over their spiritual mind, so that their spiritual is, as it were, subordinate to the natural mind
2837. Quod quisque suam animam sibi formet in vita corporis
Loquutus sum cum spiritibus, et quidem in idea spirituali, quod quisque sibi formet suam animam naturalem, proinde quendam quasi instinctum naturalem, animae enim et spiritus post vitam corporis quodam instinctu feruntur, ad faciendum malum, nam inest animae eorum, ex acquisitis per actualitates, naturale quod non aliter se habet ac instinctus apud animalia, cum discrimine, quod spiritus ratiocinari queant, et quidem de spiritualibus et coelestibus; anima quam sibi format, est mentis naturalis, quae dominium obtinuit super mentem eorum spiritualem, sic ut mens
(2838.) eorum spiritualis quasi subordinata est menti naturali, apud eos, qui sibi omnia tribuerant in vita corporis, et semet duxisse putarunt, aliter qui ducti sunt a Domino. Loquutus sum cum spiritibus de hoc, nam ita callidi et astuti quidam sunt, ut multo astutiores quam in vita corporis, sed astutia ista est naturale quod acquisiverant, sic instinctus quidam, quod admittere nolunt, quia putant se in corpore suo adhuc esse, nec sciunt aliter, quam [quod] 1
res se similiter habeat; quia cum in aliqua facultate naturali sunt, non reflectunt amplius unde hoc, vel quid hoc, putant ita fuisse. 1748, 16 Aug.
Footnotes:
1. sic in J.F.I. Tafel's edition