4037. About correction in the other life
While people are in the life of the body, they can be reformed, for then they have the use of a bodily memory, in the vessels or mental imagery of which inward mental imagery resides, so that a plane of imagery is made ready in which order is completed. This imagery, or these vessels, are prepared by the Lord by a variety of methods, as by connecting elements that are suited to other images of the bodily memory, so that when one is aroused, another related one close by can be brought forth, and then be bent into goodness - or by a disconnection of many images, so that there are many. For general principles have first to be introduced, then particulars, and then particulars of particulars, which are connected by the arrangement of the Lord; for there are connections just like blood relations and relations by marriage in every simple mental image, and even more so in a composite one. It is the same with everything to do with higher knowledge of faith, to which they are looking - the mental imagery is thus bent by the Lord, then confirmations are added, all of which are in the bodily memory, where higher knowledge of faith also resides. Thus it is done according to a connection arranged by the Lord; besides many other methods.
4037. CONCERNING AMENDMENT IN THE OTHER LIFE.
While man is in the life of the body he can be reformed, for he is then in the enjoyment of a corporeal memory, in the vessels or ideas of which interior ideas are based, so that a plane of ideas is prepared in which order is terminated. These ideas or vessels are prepared by the Lord in various ways, especially by the connection of such things as agree with other ideas of the corporeal memory, so that when one is excited another next to it and akin to it may be produced, and thus be bent to good; then also by the disposition 1of many ideas, that there may be more; for certain general ideas are first introduced and then particular ideas, and afterwards particulars of particulars, which are connected together by the disposition or arrangement of the Lord, for there are connections [of ideas] as of consanguinities and affinities in every simple idea, and more so in every compound idea. It is the same with those things that pertain to the knowledges of faith, to which knowledges they have respect; ideas are in this manner bent or inclined by the Lord; confirmations are then added, which are all in the corporeal memory; where are also the knowledges of faith thus everything is disposed in a connected chain by the Lord; concerning which much more might be said.
Footnotes:
1. The word in the original is "dissipationem," but the context seems plainly to indicate that it should be "dispositionem".
4037. De emendatione in altera vita
Cum homo in vita corporis est, reformari potest, nam tunc gaudet memoria corporea, in cujus vasis seu ideis fundantur ideae interiores, sic ut planum idearum, in quibus terminatur ordo, praeparatur; quae ideae seu quae vasa, a Domino praeparantur vario modo, per connexionem talium, quae cum aliis ideis memoriae corporeae conveniunt, sic ut dum una excitatur, alia propinqua et affinis possit produci, et sic in bonum flecti, tum per dissipationem plurium idearum, ut plures sint, nam communia primum introducuntur, tunc particularia, et sic particularium particularia, quae nexum habent secundum dispositionem Domini, nam dantur nexus sicut consanguinitates, et affinitates in quacunque idea simplici et magis in composita; ita cum iis, quae sunt cognitionum fidei, ad quas spectent, ita flectuntur ideae a Domino; accedunt tunc confirmantia, quae omnia in memoria corporea, ubi etiam cognitiones fidei; ita secundum nexum a Domino dispositum; praeter alia perplura.