4716. About the states of spirits compared to the states of people on earth
Their reflective thoughts
The state of spirits compared to that of people seems similar at first glance, but yet it is very, very different. Spirits certainly think similarly and will similarly, but they differ as regards their reflective thoughts. A person in the world reflects on things from his bodily memory, but spirits do so from their inward memory. When one person sees another, he reflects on all those things that he has heard and knows from experience about the person. And a person with whom he has associated and for various reasons developed a friendly relationship he recognizes as a friend and associate. But spirits do not do this. They recognize as friends those who are like themselves, and as acquaintances those who have at some time accepted their own views. But this happens with great variety regardless of whether they have been [previously] acquainted or not. A person reflects on the different things that he is going to wear and is wearing, and does this in various ways. Spirits do not do this. They are given clothing fitting their personal state and do not know where or when [they got them], nor do they care.
[2] A person knows what his own home is like, its rooms, its entranceways, and many other features, including the furniture. Spirits certainly do likewise, but when these things are changed, when new rooms are provided or when they are furnished, they rarely think about where these things came from or when they appeared. However, the situation is different from one spirit to another. Similarly, when they come into another place, they do not know where they had been before. Consequently they do not reflect on coming from that place to this one as a person does. In a word, the reflections both of those in the other life and of those in the world depend on the states in which they are. So many things happen in connection with reflections that they cannot possibly be described. However, it can be said that the sense of being conscious and alive arises from them. But due to the differences in [spirits' reflections, [consciousness and the sense of being alive] differ very much from that of people. With evil spirits it is utterly dim, for they know nothing other than acting from the nature of evil. But good spirits act in a different way, because they think and act from rational understanding. The angels do this more perfectly than people on earth, although they do not consequently know about the state of a person on earth so as to be able to make a comparison. The principal reason is that they do not have a memory of things in the past as regards such matters as are of an outward nature, but a memory as regards such things as are inward, thus of those which are matters of faith and of eternal life. But they cannot recall where or how they learned these things. In this regard they are like little children, who learn and do not know how.
4716. CONCERNING THE STATE OF SPIRITS RELATIVELY TO THE STATE OF MEN. THEIR REFLECTIONS.
The state of spirits relatively to the state of men, appears similar at first glance, but yet it differs greatly. They think, indeed, similarly, and will similarly, but they are different as to reflections. Man in the world reflects from his corporeal memory, but spirits from the interior memory. When a man sees another, he reflects upon all that he had heard and has experienced concerning the person; and acknowledges him as friend and companion with whom he has associated, and, for various reasons, entered into friendship. But not so spirits. They acknowledge as friend him who is like themselves; for an acquaintance, everyone who receives their ideas; but this with much variety, and whether they have been acquainted or not. Man reflects upon the various things wherewith he may array, and with which he does array himself; and this variously. Neither do spirits do this. Garments are given them according to their state; and they do not know whence and at what time, nor do they care. Man knows of what sort is his house, his rooms, his halls, and many things, also the furniture. Spirits, indeed, are similarly circumstanced; but when their surroundings are changed, when new things are given them, when they are provided with furniture, they rarely reflect from whence, and when, these things came. But it is different with one spirit to what it is with another. Likewise, when he comes into another place he does not know where he had been before, thus does not turn back from the former to the latter, as does man. In a word, reflections are circumstanced according to the states in which they are, who are in the other life, and they who are in the world. In respect to reflections, so many things occur that they cannot be described; but, still, they have a wakefulness and life, though, on account of the differences of reflections, it differs greatly [with spirits] from the wakefulness and life of man. With evil spirits, it is altogether obscure, for they know nothing save to act from the propensity of evil; but it is otherwise with the good, because these think and act from an intellectual ground. The angels think and act in a far more excellent manner than men, although they are not so well acquainted with the state of man as to be able to institute a comparison. The principal cause, is, that they have no memory of the past, as regards such things as are external, but as regards such things as are internal, thus which are of faith and eternal life; but, from whence, or how, these things are learned, they do not remember. In this they are like infants who learn and know not how.
4716. De statu Spirituum respective ad Statum hominum
Reflexiones illorum
Status spirituum respective ad statum hominum apparet primo intuitu similis, sed usque valde differt, cogitant quidem similiter, et volunt similiter, sed variantur quoad reflexiones: homo in mundo reflectit ex memoria sua corporea, at spiritus ex memoria interiori; homo cum alterum videt reflectit super omnibus illis quae audiverat, et expertus est de persona, et agnoscit pro amico et socio, [eum] cum quo conversatus est, et amicitiam ex variis causis inierat, at spiritus non ita, pro amico agnoscunt sibi similem, pro noto omnem qui usquam recipit ideas suas, sed hoc cum multa varietate, et hoc sive noti fuerint sive non: homo reflectit super varia quibus vestiet et quibus vestit se, et hoc varie, hoc non faciunt spiritus, dantur illis vestes, secundum statum suum, et non sciunt unde et quando, nec curant: homo scit qualis est domus sua, conclavia sua, atria sua, et plura, tum utensilia, spiritus quidem similiter, sed cum mutantur, cum novae dantur, cum utensilibus subministrantur, raro reflectunt unde illa, quando illa: verum unus spiritus aliter ac alter; similiter cum in alium locum venit, non scit ubinam prius fuerat, ita non reflectit ab illo ad hunc sicut homo: verbo reflexiones se habent secundum status in quibus sunt, qui in altera vita et qui in mundo. Circa reflexiones occurrunt tam multa, ut non possint describi, sed usque est illis vigilia et vita, sed propter reflexionum differentias differt valde a vigilia et vita hominis; spiritibus malis est prorsus obscura, nam nihil sciunt quam agere ex natura mali, at boni aliter, quia hi ex intellectuali cogitant et agunt; angeli multo excellentius quam homines, tametsi non ita sciunt statum hominis, ut comparationem possint instituere. Causa principalis est, quod memoria praeteritorum quoad talia quae externa sunt, non sit illis, sed quoad talia quae interna, ita quae sunt fidei, et vitae aeternae, sed unde et quomodo, illa discuntur nec reminiscuntur, in hoc sunt sicut infantes qui discunt nec sciunt quomodo.