4324. About purpose, and the resulting life of spirits
Memory
Spirits are not allowed to behave among themselves as they had in the body in society, namely in their outer qualities, that is, such as are simulated from outward decorum. All outer qualities in the other life are abolished, as well as all deeds, both good and evil. So one does nothing merely from outer qualities, as in the world, but from inner ones, such as those of one's thought and feeling had been, thus from the purpose, and the love; thus do they now associate and speak with one another. They are sometimes let back into their outer qualities, but only very shortly, and then they speak and think differently than their will [urges], as do many preachers, but the moment that outer qualities are taken away, one would no longer recognize them, they are different people, and their motives and loves become apparent, thus all their deeds are abolished. Some claim when in their outer qualities that they have harmed no one, they had been honest, they had preached, they had done many good works to the Church, but when those qualities are abolished, it becomes apparent from what kind of motive, and what kind of love. There are even those who had done evils out of ignorance with a good motive. They are better off, and so on - another reason why the use of a memory of personal affairs is not granted. 1749, 14 July. 1
Footnotes:
1. Astrological symbol of Venus, meaning Friday.
4324. CONCERNING THE END AND THE LIFE OF SPIRITS THENCE [AND CONCERNING] MEMORY.
It is not permitted to spirits to be such towards each other as they were in their social relations in the body, namely in externals, as, for instance, in well-seeming but fictitious externals, for all externals are abolished in the other life, as also actions merely external, whether good or evil, so that nothing there acts from externals, as in the world, but the quality of each one's thought and affection [is then discovered] from internals, thus from the end and the love, and by this is their conversation and interaction with each other governed. They are sometimes remitted into externals, but only for a short time, and then they speak otherwise than as they think, and act otherwise than as they will, as is the case with many preachers; but as soon as their externals are taken away they are no more known; they become different persons; and their ends and loves are laid open. Thus all their [external] acts are abolished. Some say, while in externals, that they have never injured anyone, that they have been upright, that they have preached, that they have done many good things for the Church; but when these external semblances are removed, the quality of their ends and the quality of their loves is laid open, and some are found to be such as to have done evil from ignorance with a good end; these are of the better sort. For the same reason, neither is the memory of material things granted. - 1749, July 14.
4324. De fine, et inde vita spirituum, memoria
Non permittitur spiritibus tales esse inter se quales fuerunt in corpore in societate, nempe in externis, ut nempe ex decoris externis simulata sint, omnia externa in altera vita abolentur, tum ipsa facta tam bona quam mala, sic ut nihil agat ab externis, ut in mundo, sed ab internis qualis ejus cogitationis et affectionis fuit, ita a fine, et amore, ita inter se conversantur et loquuntur; aliquoties remittuntur in externa, sed pauculum, tunc aliter loquantur ac cogitant, agant quam volunt, sicut praedicatores multi, at statim cum externa adimuntur, non amplius agnoscuntur, tunc alii sunt, et patent fines et amores; ita omnia facta abolentur, quidam dicunt in externis quod nullum laeserint, honesti fuerint, praedicaverint, multa bona fecerint Ecclesiae, at cum externa haec abolentur, patent quali fine et quali amore, etiam dantur qui mala egerunt ex ignorantia bono fine, illi meliores sunt, et sic porro, inde nec memoria conceditur particularium. 1749, 14 Julius.