4561. About those who have earthly good, but no spiritual good
There was a certain one whom I used to think of as a good Christian because he had an earthly good goodness, he did his work earnestly, was skilled and, together with this, quite clever at what he produced. But I noticed that had he been able, he would not have been such. Consequently, it made me realize that he was good not from any inward sense of duty but only due to his nature and a worldly sense of satisfaction.
I was also told and shown what the nature of these people is in the other life, namely, that they live in the greatest filth and dirt and are strictly kept away from the good, for they did not act from anything of religious conviction and so not from any inward restraint, still less from anything of conscience. Therefore in the other life they are misled by those who are evil and associate themselves with them, for the evil are persuasive and through them get hold of simple good spirits and acquire an aura so that they may be in a position to exercise control. For evil [spirits] twist control to themselves with every trick, and the simple good are the ones to whom they attach themselves and in this way do many evil things. The good, however, use no tricks but simply say that it isn't good, without the addition of tricks. That is to say, they do not arouse passions and pleasures as do the evil. And because the evil have no inner restraint, what is good flows in and through and ultimately is taken into possession by evil, and from this the passions and pleasures become filth. They are also held back from the company of the good because an outward aura of apparent goodness is active that is secretly inspired by evils.
4561. CONCERNING THOSE WHO ARE IN NATURAL GOOD AND IN NO SPIRITUAL GOOD.
There was a certain one whom I supposed to be a good Christian, because he was in natural good. He likewise performed his work diligently, and was also accomplished, and at the same time exceedingly ingenious, in his craft; but I observed that if he had been able [to determine the matter], he would not be such a one. Thence I was led into the thought that his good was from no internal obligation, but only from nature and external pleasure. The quality of such people in the other life was also told and shown to me, that, [namely], they are in the greatest pollution and uncleanness, and are expressly kept away from the good; for they have done good from no religious motive, thus from no internal bond, still less from any conscience. Wherefore, in the other life, they are seduced by the evil, and adhere to them; for the evil obtain ascendancy over them, and, through them, catch the simple good, and acquire to themselves a sphere, so that they may exercise rule. The evil direct that sphere to themselves by every artifice of domineering, and those [in natural good] are the ones to whom they apply themselves, and thus work many evils. The good, however, employ no craft, but simply say that it is not good; and they do not add artifice or inspire desires and pleasures, like the evil: and, because those [first mentioned] have no internal bond, therefore the good which flows in, flows through, and, in the ultimate, is taken possession of by the evil. Hence arise pollutions. They are, also, withheld from the company of the good, because an external sphere of apparent good, inspired by the evil, operates.
4561. De illis qui in bono naturali sunt, et in nullo spirituali
Fuit quidam, quem putabam esse bonum Christianum, quia in bono naturali fuit, opus etiam avide faciebat, et quoque erat facilis, et simul in suo artificio admodum ingeniosus, sed observabam, quod si potuisset, quod talis non esset, inde in illam cogitationem actus sum, quod ex nullo debito interno bonus esset, sed solum ex natura, et voluptate externa; dictum etiam mihi, et ostensum, quales illi in altera vita, quod in maxima spurcitie et immunditie, et quod a bonis maxime arceantur, nam ex nulla religione id fecerunt, ita ex nullo vinculo interno, minus ex aliqua conscientia, quapropter in altera vita a malis seducuntur et illis adhaerent, nam mali persuadent, et per illos obtinent simplices bonos, et sibi sphaeram acquirunt ut dominari possint, mali enim vertunt ad se omni artificio dominium, et illi sunt quibus se applicant, et sic multa mala faciunt, boni autem nullo artificio utuntur, sed simpliciter dicunt, quod id non bonum sit, sed non addunt artificia seu inspirant cupidines, et voluptates sicut mali; et quia nullum vinculum internum illis est, ideo bonum quod influit, perfluit, et in ultimo occupatur a malo; inde fiunt spurcities; nam detinendi sunt a bonorum consortio quia sphaera externa apparentis bonitatis inspiratae a malis, operatur.