6033. That a person's nature not be taken away after death, but can be broken and controlled
A person's nature is the delight of his dominant love. I saw what a certain one wanted. It was Arch[bishop] Jac[ob] Benz[elius] 1. He wanted all the principles of his doctrine about faith alone that were false to be taken away and genuine truth given in their place. This was done, but he was stupid, as if he had known nothing.
[2] In his case it also happened that societies of the spiritual world were taken away from him, and when they had been taken away, he became so stupid that he scarcely could have become more stupid, and he was unable to return to any degree of understanding until he could return to his societies into which his thoughts had an extension. From this it was clear that a person's thought, and from this his understanding, depends on communication with societies; and that he cannot be reformed by their being removed; thus sins cannot be taken away apart from means, but this rather must be accomplished by other means, namely through punishments, temptations, purgings and many others means, and that a person must of himself reject these societies.
[3] It was observed that [a person's] nature remains, however much a person is admonished in the other life, in fact even mocked. This happened with Arch[bishop] Jac[ob] Benz[elius]: he had the delight of commanding; and, for the purpose of ruling he roused others to go with him; and they occupied cities. But as often as he roused them and wanted to advance with them, he was mocked. He became black, a monster, an animal, etc., at the sight of which they pulled back. This happened hundreds of times, and as many times he confessed that he was insane. Nevertheless he immediately he went back [to his old self].
[4] In the case of the King of England it has happened that he has been misled by his followers for two years. They have adored him as a divine being, superior to other men, and he has often said that he was insane, but yet despite this, 1 1/2 years later this nature persists with him.
I have seen the punishments of evil persons; that as a result of punishments they of themselves have banished societies; and that a person should as it were from himself do this and banish evils. This has been seen often.
Footnotes:
1. See footnoted information on him in passage 5004.
6033. MAN'S NATURE CANNOT BE TAKEN AWAY AFTER DEATH, BUT IT MAY BE BROKEN AND SUBDUED.
Man's nature is the delight of his ruling love. It was seen that a certain one (it was Archbishop Jac[ob] Benz[elius]) wished that all the principles of his doctrine on faith alone, which were false, might be removed, and genuine truths be given in their stead. This was done; but he was stupid like one who had known nothing at all.
It also happened in his case, that societies of the spiritual world were removed from him. On their being taken away, he because so stupid that he could scarcely become more stupid; and he could not recover any life of the understanding until he returned to his societies, into which was the extension of his thoughts. Hence was plain that man's thought, and hence his intelligence, depend on communication with societies; and that man is not capable of being reformed by their removal, consequently, that neither are sins removed instantaneously, but that this takes place by other means, namely, by punishments, temptations, vastations, and many other things: also, that man ought to reject those societies of himself.
It was observed that the nature still remains, no matter how much man is warned in the other life; yea, is made game of. This occurred with Arch[bishop] Jac[ob] Benz[elius]. He was in the delight of ruling; and, in order to rule, called out others to go with him and seize cities. But as often as he called them out, and wished to advance with them, he was mocked. He became black, monstrous, an animal, etc. on seeing which they drew back. This happened hundreds of times, and he as often confessed that he was insane but yet he immediately returned to the same course.
It happened, with a king of England, that, for two years, he was deluded by his followers, who worshipped him as a deity higher than another man; and he often admitted that he was insane; but still, up till now, after a year and a half, his nature remains the same.
I saw the punishments of the wicked, and that, through punishments, they rejected societies of themselves; and that man ought thus to act as of himself, and reject evils. This has often been seen.
6033. Quod natura hominis post mortem non auferri possit, sed frangi et domari possit
Natura hominis est jucundum amoris ejus regnantis, visum, quod quidam , erat Jac. Benz. Arch. vellet ut omnia suae doctrinae de sola fide principia quae erant falsa, auferrentur, et darentur genuina vera loco eorum, hoc factum, sed erat stupidus sicut quid nihil scivisset.
[2] Cum illo etiam factum, ut societates mundi spiritualis ab eo auferrentur, quibus ablatis tam stupidus factus est [ut] vix potuerit stupidior fieri, et non ad vitam aliquam intellectus redire posset, antequam rediret ad suas societates, in quas extensio cogitationum ejus fuit, inde patuit, quod cogitatio hominis et inde ejus intelligentia dependeat a communicatione cum societatibus; et quod homo non possit reformari per ablationem earum, sic quod nec auferantur peccata immediate; sed quod hoc fiat aliis mediis, nempe per poenas, tentationes, vastationes et plura alia: tum quod homo a se debeat rejicere illas societates.
[3] Observatum quod natura usque remaneat, utcunque homo admonetur in altera vita, imo illuditur: hoc factum est cum Jac. Benz. Arch., ille in jucundo imperandi fuit, et ad dominandum excitavit alios ut irent cum illo, et occuparent urbes, sed quoties excitaverat, et cum illis progredi vellet, illusus est, factus niger, monstrum, animal etc. ex quo viso recesserunt; hoc factum est centies, et toties confessus quod insanus esset, sed usque statim rediit. -
[4] Factum est cum Rege Angliae, quod delusus sit a suis intra binos annos, qui illum adorabant sicut numen, superiorem alio homine, et confessus est saepius quod insaniret, sed usque adhuc post 1 1/2 annum perstat natura illi. Vidi punitiones malorum, quod per poenas a se rejecerint societates, et quod sic homo quasi a se facere debeat, et rejicere mala, hoc saepius visum est.