3775. Moreover, they are denominated Christians, as I have heard them in their meeting, and possibly also spoke about the Lord, but the fact is that according to their doctrinal tenets they recognize three persons, then also they acknowledge the Word, but do not care for it, for they also claim to be moved by the holy spirit. So they do know of the Lord, and in their meeting even preach of Him from time to time, but the fact is that their spirits cannot speak otherwise than according to their doctrinals put to memory, for the spirits leading a person each suppose that they are the person, whose memory they put on, consequently the doctrinal tenets they have absorbed from others in their meeting places. So they cannot preach at variance to them.
It is a general law that a spirit may not bring forth anything contrary to their doctrinal persuasions, nor add anything of their own that is not in the person's memory - so they preach as others do. But they care not at all for the Lord, but only the holy spirit just as the Catholics acknowledge the Lord, and preach Him, but in the other life, some of them are most hostile toward Him. So also the Quakers. Therefore in the other life they know nothing about the Lord and are rebels against the Lord, now boasting themselves to be the holy spirit, about whom they had constantly thought in their lives, for they had constantly awaited the holy spirit, in their meetings and elsewhere. Since this is their character, and since spirits speaking through them assume their identity, it follows that it is they who in the other life associate with the former ones and boast themselves as the holy spirit. One who in life had continually thought himself to have spoken from the holy spirit, and that the spirit had constituted the same person with himself, cannot in the other life but suppose himself to be the holy spirit; thus they now speak through others.
3775. They are moreover denominated Christians. I heard them in their general meeting, and though they spoke perhaps concerning the Lord, yet the truth is, that according to their doctrinals they recognize three persons. They also acknowledge the Word, but they do not regard it, for they say that they likewise are actuated by the Holy Spirit, wherefore they have some knowledge of the Lord, and in their convention everywhere speak [of Him], but the fact is, that their spirit cannot speak otherwise than according to their doctrinals of memory, for spirits when they lead man think themselves to be the man and put on his memory, consequently [they assume] the doctrinals in their conventicles which they have derived from others, wherefore they cannot otherwise utter themselves; for this is a general law, that a spirit cannot bring forth anything contrary to their doctrinals and persuasions, or add anything of his own which is not in their memory, thence they speak [or preach] as others; but yet they care nothing for the Lord, but only for the Holy Spirit, just as the Catholics also acknowledge the Lord and preach Him, but in the other life are bitterly opposed [to Him]. So also the Quakers; when in the other life they know nothing of the Lord, and are rebellious against the Lord, setting themselves up for the Holy Spirit, concerning whom they have continually thought in their life-time, as they are continually expecting him in their meetings and elsewhere. Since such is their character, and the spirits speaking through them have identified themselves with them, it follows, that they are those who in the other life associate themselves with the former, and profess to be the Holy Spirit; consequently everyone who uniformly during life supposed that he spoke from the Holy Spirit, and that the Spirit made one person with him, cannot, in the other life, but fancy himself to be such as is the Holy Spirit.
3775. Praeterea nominantur Christiani, in eorum conventu audivi eos, et forte quoque de Domino loquuti, sed ita se res habet, quod secundum doctrinalia sua agnoscunt tres personas, tum quoque agnoscunt Verbum, sed non curant, nam se quoque agi a spiritu sancto dicunt, quare quoque sciunt de Domino, et in eorum conventu quoque passim praedicant, sed hoc ita se habet, spiritus eorum non aliter possunt loqui quam secundum eorum doctrinalia memoriae, nam spiritus cum ducunt hominem, [quisque] putat [se] esse hominem, et induit ejus memoriam, proinde doctrinalia, quae hauserunt ab aliis, in conventibus eorum, quare non aliter possunt praedicare; quod communis lex est, nempe quod spiritus nihil contra eorum doctrinalia et persuasiones possit proferre, nec addere quicquam ex suo quod non est in eorum memoria, inde praedicant sicut alii; sed usque nihil curant Dominum, sed solum spiritum sanctum, sicut quoque Catholici agnoscunt Dominum, et praedicant Ipsum, at in altera vita sunt quidam inimicissimi, ita etiam Quakeri, quare in altera vita nihil sciunt de Domino, et sunt rebelles contra Dominum, se tunc pro spiritu sancto venditantes, de quo jugiter cogitaverunt in vita sua, nam jugiter exspectarunt spiritum sanctum in conventibus et alioquin, cum ita sint, et spiritus per eos loquentes putant eos esse, sequitur, quod ii sint, qui in altera vita se prioribus associant, et pro spiritu sancto venditant; qui continue in vita putavit loquutum ex spiritu sancto, et spiritus eandem personam cum eo fecit, in altera vita non potest non quin etiam talis sit, ut sit spiritus sanctus; ita tunc per alios loquuntur.