735. Spirits especially, stay after death in a state devoid of reflection. This is also the reason that they cannot tell but that they are earthly people, living in the world as before. So they remain in their illusions and live on as the character they had been at death. But as soon as the power of reflection is given them by the Lord, they know that they are in the other life - a belief to which they can hardly be brought until they are given something, or rather many things, to reflect on. But illusions rooted into their character still remain.
735. These, spirits especially, remain after death in a state without any reflection, and therefore know no otherwise than that they are men and that they are in the world as before. For this reason, also, they remain in their phantasies, and thus live in the disposition in which they died. But as soon as reflection is given them by the Lord, they know that they are in the other life, to which belief they can be led only with difficulty until something, or many things, are given them, upon which they may reflect. But the phantasies inrooted in their disposition still remain.
735. Spiritus imprimis, ii manent in statu post mortem absque ulla reflexione, quare etiam nihil aliud sciunt, quam quod sint homines, et in mundo ut prius, quare etiam phantasiis suis manent, et sic vivunt indole 1
, in qua mortui sunt, sed ut primum iis datur a Domino reflexio, tunc sciunt quod in altera vita sint, ad quod credendum aegre adduci queunt, priusquam iis datur aliquid, seu plura, super quae reflectant; sed phantasiae irradicatae indoli usque manent.
Footnotes:
1. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has indola vel forte indoles