3093. In the other life it is never permitted anyone to become worse
That it is never permitted anyone in the other life to become worse it was granted to me to find out from the case of the dragon. Whenever he would add something new and accustom himself to an evil he had not previously made a habit, he was heavily punished, to his horror. Therefore he dares not to do it.
So there are also such restraints as keep them from wandering outside [the limit], besides countless other bonds depending on each one's acquired evil nature. This is so in the case of all others, as with those who are in Gehenna, who are sometimes kept there in a free state, but as soon as they wander outside and attempt to acquire an evil, and obtain it, then they are at once in the fire of Gehenna, which is their inward, as it were fiery torment, that is indescribable, by which they are then deterred and finally, by the horror of it, are kept from daring to wander beyond, but at every moment when there is a reaching out beyond [the limit], they become afraid. 1748, 7 Sept.
3093. THAT IN THE OTHER LIFE NO ONE IS EVER PERMITTED TO BECOME WORSE.
That in the other life it is never permitted [anyone] to become worse, was given to know from [the case of] the dragon: who, as often as he took up something new, that he might accustom himself to an evil, to which he was not previously habituated himself was grievously punished [mulctatus]: hence [his] horror. Wherefore he dare not [attempt it]. Therefore, also, there are bonds of such a nature as restrain them from wandering beyond [due limits] [ne extravagentur], besides indefinite other things, according to the natural evil acquired by each one. This is it with all others: as [for instance] with those who are in Gehenna. They are there sometimes kept in freedom [licentia]: but as soon as they wander beyond [limits], and endeavor to acquire evil, and affect [themselves therewith], then are they immediately in the fire of Gehenna; which is their interior torment: as it were [a torment] of fires [igneus], that cannot be described: whereby they are so deterred, and at length kept in such a horror thereof as not to dare to wander beyond [limits], but every moment that there is a tendency [tendit] [to wander] beyond, they are in fear [timent]. - 1748. September 7.
3093. Quod in altera vita nusquam alicui pejor fieri permittitur
Quod in altera vita nusquam permittatur pejor fieri, scire datum ex dracone, qui quoties 1
addere [vellet] quid novum, et se malo, cui non prius assuetus fuit, adsuesceret, quod [toties] graviter mulctatus [cf. 253], inde horror, quare non audet, quare etiam talia sunt vincula, quae tenent eos, ne extravagentur, praeter indefinita alia, secundum cujusvis naturale acquisitum malum; ita se habet cum omnibus aliis, ut cum iis qui in Gehenna sunt, ibi tenentur quandoque in licentia, sed utprimum extravagantur, et malum acquirere conantur, et afficiunt, tunc illico in igne Gehennae sunt, qui est eorum interior cruciatus, quasi igneus, qui describi nequit, quo sic deterrentur, et tenentur tandem horrore ejus in eo, ut non ausint vagari ultra, sed in omni momento, cum ultra tendit, timent. 1748, 7 Sept.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has quotius