885. About the determination of souls toward definite goals, as well as their development in the other life, and about the inward memory
Such as people have developed in their bodily life, and such as they therefore are at the point of death, so they remain. They first of all encounter the circumstances that had existed at the point of death, and during the terminal illness, or final period of life. Next they are introduced into different groups made up of good spirits, whose place it is to discover what their natural inclinations are like. This duty they perform as if it were their own [judgment], scarcely knowing otherwise [628]. So, depending on how they are found to be, they are either received into better circles, or they are received into worse circles, as befits their natural character. So this is done by a method of consent, or of love and aversion, all and the least details of which are arranged by the Lord.
These things I have learned through manifold experience, and I have seen, heard and sensed them. They have told what [the souls being examined] are like in this state, what they are like in that. For of course, they are at first carried along largely by opinions and convictions they had adopted [in the world]; but experience teaches [the examiners] whether they are of this nature, or that. Meanwhile they are in their element, and almost their very life, when they can test the spirits coming up to them by their own and diverse methods. The reasons for this are many, in addition to the dominating one among spirits, namely, that they are curious, and eager to know what others are like, and what is what. Enlightened knowledge in general is spiritual food, wherefore these longings and desires [to know] correspond to the bodily appetites for eating and drinking. For this reason, higher knowledge is also called spiritual food, and hence come the deeper meanings of bread, grain, wheat, milk, water, and so on.
885. CONCERNING THE DETERMINATION OF SOULS TO DEFINITE ENDS; ALSO CONCERNING THEIR FORMATION IN THE OTHER LIFE: AND CONCERNING THE INTERIOR MEMORY
Such as men have been formed during their life in the body, and indeed such as they have thence been at the point of death, such do they remain. First of all they are met with those things which took place at the point of death, also during disease, or at the end of life. Next they are introduced into various companies, and indeed into the company of good spirits, whose function is to explore of what quality they are in respect to their natural inclinations, which office they perform as though it were their own, scarcely knowing otherwise. Accordingly, as they are examined they are either received into better companies or are remitted to worse, in every case in agreement with the natural disposition of the spirits, thus by a mode of consent, that is, of love and of aversion, each and all things of which are disposed by the Lord. I have been taught these things by manifold experience, and I have seen, heard, and perceived. Spirits have told me what they are like in the one state, and what in the other. They are also at first largely actuated by the opinions and persuasions they have adopted, but experience teaches them whether they are of such a nature or otherwise. In the meanwhile, they are in their own function, and, as it were, in their own life, and they can thus prove the spirits flowing to them in their own ways and by various means. The reasons why they do this are very many. In addition to the desire which prevails among spirits, namely, that they are curious and desirous of knowing the quality of others and what it is, there is the reason that cognitions in general are spiritual foods. Thus these desires and cupidities correspond to the bodily appetites of eating and drinking; for this reason cognitions are also called spiritual foods, and hence is the interior signification of bread, grain, wheat, milk, water, and of many other things.
885. De animarum determinatione ad certos fines tum de earum formatione in altera vita, et de memoria interiori
Quales homines sunt in vita corporis formati, et quidem quales inde in puncto mortis, tales manent; omnium primo ea quae in puncto mortis, tum quae in morbo, seu in vitae ultimis fuerunt obveniunt, dein inseruntur consortiis variis, et quidem spirituum bonorum, quorum est explorare quales sunt, quoad eorum naturales inclinationes--quo 1
munere funguntur tanquam suo, vix aliud sciunt--sic 2
prout explorantur, vel in consortia meliora recipiuntur, vel in consortia pejora remittuntur, omne convenienter spirituum naturali indoli, sic per modum consensus, seu amoris, et aversationis, quae 3
omnia et singula disponuntur a Domino, haec per experientiam multiplicem edoctus, ut vidi, audivi et percepi, narrarunt quales sunt in hoc statu, quales in alio, multum etenim 4
a captis opinionibus et persuasionibus primum aguntur, sed experientia eos instruit, num sint tales vel alii, interea in sua functione, et quasi vita sunt, quando ita spiritus ad eos 5
alluentes probare suis modis, et variis 6
possunt; causa quod id faciant, est plurima, praeter eam quae regnat inter spiritus, quod curiosi sint et cupidi sciendi quales sint, et quid sit, cognitiones in genere sunt cibi spirituales: sic correspondent haec desideria, et hae cupiditates, appetitibus corporis edendi bibendique, inde etiam cognitiones vocantur cibus spiritualis, inde significationes 7
interiores, panis, frumenti, tritici, lactis, aquae, et plurium 8
.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has inclinationes, quo
2. The Manuscript has sciunt, sic
3. The Manuscript has aversationis quae
4. in J.F.I. Tafel's edition etiam
5. The Manuscript has se
6. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has varii
7. exitus inclarus in the Manuscript
8. The Manuscript has plura