4038. However, in the other life, bodily memories are not rooted out - for in the other life they are not permitted to use the bodily memory, for which reason they are not reformed there, but remain in the state in which they had been - but filthy and false elements of the bodily memory and of inward mental imagery are only subdued by means of purgings and punishments, so as to become as if dead, and to perform obedient services, spoken of earlier [3962]. This is what is meant when it is said that we remain after death such as we have formed ourselves in the life of the body.
Therefore in the other life they are not reformed, but purged, so that they may still serve various uses. This is also quite clear from the fact that those who had had no conscience in the life of the body, like adulterers, and cruel people, become dung, and sit like dead stumps, and afterwards serve as the kind of mediums that have scarcely any life in them. A conscience is afterwards not imparted to them. But only those elements are taken from them by purgings that impede their ability to perform uses.
4038. But in the other life this implanting or inrooting in the corporeal memory does not take place, for in that life it is not permitted to use the corporeal memory, therefore spirits are not then reformed, but remain in the state in which they were [in the world]; only the defilements and the falsities of the corporeal memory, and of interior ideas are subdued by vastations and punishments, so that they become as dead and are made obsequious, concerning which I have spoken before; and this is what is meant when it is said, that man remains after death such as he had formed himself in the life of the body; wherefore in that life they are not reformed, but vastated, that they may subserve some kind of uses, which also appears sufficiently clear from the case of those who in the life of the body were devoid of conscience, as adulterers and the cruel. These become excrements, and sit like dead stocks, and afterwards serve as a class of subjects that have scarcely anything of life. Conscience is not subsequently given to them, but those things are taken away by vastations which hinder their being adapted to uses.
4038. At vero in altera vita, non irradicantur memoriae corporeae, nam in altera vita non licet uti memoria corporea, quare ibi non reformantur, sed manent in statu, in quo fuerunt, modo spurca, et falsa memoriae corporeae, et idearum interiorum, domantur per vastationes et punitiones, ut quasi mortua fiant, et obsequia praestent, de quibus prius [3962] ; quod est, id quod dicitur, quod homo maneat post vitam sicut se in vita corporis formavit; quare in altera vita non reformantur, sed vastantur, ut possint usque usibus inservire, quod quoque constare satis manifeste potest ab iis, qui in vita corporis nullam conscientiam habuerint, ut adulteri crudeles, fiunt excrementa sicut stipites mortui sedent postea pro talibus subjectis inserviunt, quibus parum vitae inest, conscientia iis postea non datur, sed solum tolluntur per vastationes ea, quae impediunt, quin usibus esse possint.