4091. Concerning bonds
By the adulterer spoken of earlier [4082 ff.] it was said that he could never be in the aura of spirits who had been in marriage love without being choked and so to speak suffocated. He said also that he could by no means desist [from his practices], which made me realize that once people have acquired this character or become evil in some other way by actual practice, like thieves, for example, they can afterwards never desist, and there is a kind of continual committing [of the evil] in thought, arousing them to such acts. Then whenever the act recurs, something is added, until it becomes second nature and they do not even worry about any outward restraint. Frequent acts have this effect, so that finally there is not even any outer bond. I realized that such effects are never removed except through the bond of conscience, and thus through serious repentance, in order that they may receive faith from the Lord. 1748, 27 Nov.
4091. CONCERNING BONDS.
It was said by the adulterer before spoken of, that he could not possibly be in the sphere of spirits who were in conjugial love, because he was thereby pained and, as it were, constricted. He said also that he could by no means desist [from his adulterous actings]: whence I perceived that those who become such as he was or otherwise evil, by once giving way to actual evil, as thieves for instance, cannot afterwards desist, as there is henceforward a certain continual actuality in thought, by which he is excited to the commission, and as often as the act recurs, something is added [to the power of the propensity] till at last it becomes a nature, and then no external bond is scarcely at all regarded. This is the effect of the frequent repetition of the act of evil, that afterwards no external restraining bond is of any avail. It was perceived that such consequences are never removed except through the bond of conscience, and thus by a thorough repentance in order to the receiving of faith from the Lord. - 1748, November 27.
4091. De vinculis
Ab adultero, de quo prius [4082 ff.], dictum quod nequaquam esse posset in sphaera spirituum, qui in amore conjugiali fuerunt, quin angeretur, et sicut comprimeretur; dixit quoque, quod nequaquam desistere posset, exinde perceptum est, quod qui semel actualitate tales aut aliter mali facti sint, sicut fures, postea nequaquam possint desistere, et quod actualitas continua quaedam sit in cogitatione, et eum excitet ad talia facienda, et quoties actualitas recurrit, toties aliquid addit, usque ad naturam, et usque ut ne quidem curet tantopere vinculum externum, hoc secum habet frequens actualitas, quare postea nec est vinculum externum; perceptum quod talia nusquam tollantur, nisi per vinculum conscientiae, ita per seriam poenitentiam, ut fidem accipiant a Domino. 1748, 27 Nov.