482.现在解释一下灵魂是如何形成团体，又是如何分离的。灵人因最为灵巧，远比处于肉身的世人聪明得多；他们能根据各种迹象知道，一个灵魂具有这样的性质，即：他适合融入他们的圈子。他们如此测试这个灵人：把他引入交谈，以便他们能跟随他的观念，从而使他照他的观念和他们自己的观念说话。如此就能明显感觉出一致还是不一致，有时甚至连我也明显感觉出来。他们由此知道哪些事物是与他们自己相反的，哪些是一致的。他们也以同样的方式引导世人，因为他们跟随他的一系列思维，同时激发情感，从而以这种方式引导，即：世人以为他凭自己说话；然而，这无非是思维一致而已。但当一个灵人有意作恶时，这种情况会被耶稣基督折向一个人的良善。（1748年1月17日）
482. But how spirits join company, or on the other hand, how they are dissociated, [will now be explained]. Because they are most ingenious, and much cleverer than people in the body, they can tell by various indications that a soul is of the kind that may fit into their circles. They also test that spirit, by leading him into a conversation so that they may follow his mental imagery, and then cause him to speak according to his ideas and their own. Agreement or disagreement is plainly felt, sometimes plainly even by me, and from this they know what things are incompatible with themselves, and what are in agreement.
They lead man also in the same way, for they follow our chain of thoughts, and at the same time, inspire feelings, and thus lead in such a way that we believe we are speaking on our own, whereas it is nothing but a unanimity [of thought]. But when a spirit is intending evil, circumstances of this kind are bent by Jesus Christ to a person's good. 1748, the 17th day of January.
482. But how they form consociations and also how they are dissociated [shall be said]. Spirits, because they are most ingenious, and much more ingenious than men in the body, know from various things that a soul is of such a nature that he can be in harmony with their consociation. The test of it is this, that they lead the spirit into conversation, so that they may follow his ideas, and thus make him speak according to his ideas and their own: the agreement or the repugnance is manifestly felt - it was sometimes manifest even to me. Hence they know what things are contrary to, or in agreement with, themselves, and they lead man accordingly; for they follow the series of his thoughts, and at the same time inspire affections, and in this way they lead, so that the man supposes that he speaks of himself, when nevertheless it is nothing else than consent. But things of any kind which a spirit intends for evil are bent by Jesus Christ to the good of man. 1748, Jan. 17.
482. Sed quomodo ligant consortia, vel etiam dissociantur, [nunc dicetur:] spiritus, quia ingeniosissimi sunt, et multo ingeniosiores, quam homines in corpore, ex 1
variis sciunt, quod anima sit talis, ut eorum consortiis conveniat 2
; probatio quoque talis est, quod ducant spiritum in loquelam, sic ut sequantur ejus ideas, et sic eum loqui faciunt secundum 3
ejus ideas et suas, convenientia et repugnantia manifeste sentitur, etiam mihi quandoque manifeste, inde sciunt, quae sibi contraria aut convenientia sunt, similiter ac ducunt hominem, nam sequuntur ejus cogitationum seriem, ac inspirant affectiones simul, et sic ducunt, sic ut homo putet ex se loqui, cum tamen non aliud sit, quam consensus, sed ejuscemodi flectuntur a Jesu Christo ad bonum hominis, quum intendat 4
malum spiritus. 1748, die 17 Jan.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has corpore ex
2. The Manuscript has conveniant
3. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has secunde
4. in J.F.I. Tafel's edition quod intendit