3569. In the other life they are prepared so that they may be held in a state of faith
I saw that certain spirits were thinking and wondering why in the other life they do not at once come into a state of faith in the Lord, since they there find out and see that the Lord rules the universe; an opinion that some in the world also are able to form. But I was prompted to say to them that this view conflicts with their nature, and even if they hear, see, and find out a thousand times, they nevertheless return to their own nature. Therefore, because their nature conflicts, it must first be chastised, whereby they are gradually converted to faith, and can actually be held by the Lord in a state of conviction - which can only take place slowly.
It was further said that if unbelievers - because they had not believed there is a heaven - were carried up into heaven, and acknowledged and confessed it was so, when they were sent back, they would at once thereafter deny that there is a heaven as they did before, as I know from experience - such persuasions and fantasies stick with them. So it is necessary that faith should be implanted in a different way than by mere knowledge and experiments.
3569. THAT IN THE OTHER LIFE SPIRITS ARE PREPARED, THAT THEY MAY BE KEPT IN A STATE OF PERSUASION.
I perceived that certain spirits thought - which is a remarkable thing - why, in the other life, they should not immediately come into a state of faith in the Lord, inasmuch as they there knew and believed that the Lord governs the universe; as also some in the world may possibly believe. But they were informed that the reason why they could not believe in the Lord, although they knew all this, was because their nature was repugnant to such belief, and although they should hear, see, and know a thousand times that it is so, they would, nevertheless, return to their own nature. Wherefore, their nature, because it is repugnant, must first be castigated or corrected; and thus by degrees be led into faith, so that they can be kept by the Lord in a state of persuasion, 1which can only be done by slow degrees. It was, moreover, said that if they, who do not believe that there is a heaven, because they did not believe it [in the world], were carried up into heaven, and were compelled to acknowledge and confess that there is a heaven; nevertheless, when remitted into their own state and nature, they would immediately deny, as before, that there is a heaven. Which fact has been proved by experience, from which it was seen, that such persuasions and phantasies cling to such persons as have confirmed themselves in unbelief; wherefore it is necessary that faith be implanted in some other way than by mere science, or knowledge, and experience.
Footnotes:
1. Here the term "persuasion" would appear to be employed in a good sense, namely, that of faith, or belief, in which sense it is also used in the title of this article. -Tr.
3569. Quod in altera vita praeparentur, ut teneri possint in statu persuasionis
Percepi quod quidam spiritus cogitarent, quod mirum sit, cur in altera vita illico non veniant in statum fidei in Dominum, cum ibi sciant et videant quod Dominus regat universum, sicut etiam quidam in mundo possunt opinari; sed iis dicere datum, quod repugnet eorum natura, et licet millies audiant, videant, sciant, usque redeunt ad suam naturam; ideo quia natura repugnat, ea prius castiganda, et sic sensim perducuntur ad fidem, et quidem ut teneri queant a Domino in statu persuasionis, quod non nisi quam sero fit. 1748, 14 Oct. Dictum porro, si ii qui non credunt, quia non crediderunt coelum dari, si auferrentur in coelum, et agnoscerent, et confiterentur, cum remissi sunt, illico post negant, ut prius, coelum dari, quod ab experientia, tales iis inhaerent persuasiones et phantasiae, quare necessum est, ut aliter fides implantetur, quam mere per scientiam et experientias.