4488. About a certain inward profane spirit (Lejel A.) or inward hypocrite
There was a certain one about whom I did not know otherwise in the life of the body, than that he inwardly cherished respectability, because he was outwardly moral. He was able to speak clearly, to argue a case, and had other abilities, but was one who had confirmed himself in principles of falsity in his thinking, especially against the Lord, the Word, and the truths of faith; what his thoughts had been concerning goodness, I have not yet been allowed to find out. In bodily life he had been able to let himself into a kind of ecstatic state - as was also shown by experiences. He was let into that state, and he spoke about how it was, namely, as if he then saw heaven, and because he was holding his thought on a certain person, all the things that he had thought about that person presented themselves, of which he himself had been unaware.
Since there were that kind of spirits in that aura, they came to conclusions regarding him and what was in store for him. In this way he came to know several things, which he supposed to be a revelation above all others. But he was shown how this matter stands, that a person on earth can come to like conclusions, but more obscurely, because he cannot recall to mind all things in detail, as they are with inward spirits, when their thought is fixed on the mental image of some person.
4488. CONCERNING A CERTAIN INTERIOR SPIRIT WHO WAS PROFANE (:LEJEL:) OR AN INTERIOR HYPOCRITE.
There was a certain one, concerning whom I knew nothing in the life of the body, but that he cherished integrity [honestum] internally, because he was externally moral; he could speak perspicuously [distincte], refute [errors], and [had] several other [faculties]; but [he was one], who had confirmed himself in principles of the false, by thought, especially against the Lord, the Word, and the truths of faith. Of what quality his thoughts were concerning good it is not yet given me to know. He was able, in the life of the body, to throw himself into a kind of ecstatic state, as was shown also by his being several times put into similar ones, when he spoke as to how the case was, to wit, that he then, as it were, saw heaven, and that upon holding his thought fixed, as it were, in the person of another, then everything which he thought concerning that person presented itself to him [as if he himself were the person], though in fact he knew nothing of them; and as there were spirits of the same quality in that sphere, they drew certain inferences [from the course of thought] respecting him and his fortunes. Thus he obtained information on several subjects, and supposed [this knowledge] to be a revelation beyond any other. But it was shown how the case was in this matter, [and] that a man [in the usual state] can also conclude in like manner, but more obscurely, because he cannot remember everything in particular, as is the case with interior spirits when the thought is held in the idea of a particular person.
4488. De quodam interiore prophano (Lejel A.) seu hypocrita interiore
Erat quidem, de quo non aliud scivi in vita corporis, quam quod honestum haberet intus, quia extus erat moratus, potuit loqui distincte, refellere, et plura, sed qui se confirmaverat in principiis falsi, cogitatione, imprimis contra Dominum, Verbum et vera fidei; quales ejus cogitationes fuerunt de bono, nondum scire datum: in vita corporis potuit se immittere in speciem status exstatici, quod etiam ostensum est per experientias, in quem missus, et loquutus quomodo se habuit, quod nempe tunc videret quasi coelum, et quia tunc tenebat cogitationem in aliqua persona, tunc omnia quae cogitavit de persona illa obvenerunt, quae ipse nesciit, in qua sphaera cum tales spiritus erant, concludebant aliquid de eo et ejus fatis, ita cognovit aliqua, quod putabat revelationem prae aliis, sed ostensum est, quomodo hoc se haberet, quod homo similiter possit concludere, sed obscurius, quia in memoriam revocare non potest omnia, sicut illa sunt, apud spiritus etiam interiores, cum tenetur cogitatio in idea personae.