4730. [4732] CONCERNING CONSOCIATION ACCORDING TO AFFECTION IN THE OTHER LIFE, AND CONCERNING THE FREEDOM OF CHOOSING A SOCIETY. (A certain one (Jacob Benzelius), who, in the world, was among the more honored and who was esteemed, when alive in the world, on account of his learning, and whose character was not known to any - but, in the other life, it was for some time shown that he was deceitful - he, when he had been a long time among them, and had frequently suffered hard things, and also endured grievous punishments, began, from that state, to desire, and then said that he wished, to enter heaven. But it was said to him, that, if he desired this it should be conceded; for, whatever anyone desires, this is granted, and that all consociation is according to the affections, thus according to the desires, for these are affections. But it was also said, that if he came thither, he would not be able to remain there, and would precipitate himself from thence, since he would possess nothing of life, because nothing of such affection or love. He stated that he desired to be released from the society in which he was. He was among the deceitful. He was then released according to his desire, and came into another society; but, he said that he was unable to remain there. And it was the same way when he desired to go elsewhere, and came thither; neither was he satisfied there: he wished to be released from the. He said that he desires to go to a good society, and that he would be able to remain there, with them, to be led by them, and to live with the. This also was allowed: he came to a society a little above the head, forwards, where were the simple good; but, when he was there, he began to desire to govern there, saying for himself, that he would instruct the. And they, because they were good, listened to him, neither did they wish to reject him; but, after he had been there about an hour, they who were there began to bewail that he quite took away from them all perception, and that he destroyed their good faculties, since he wished to enter, like the deceitful into their perception - the upper part of his nose seemed to be horribly furrowed with an ugly wound - wherefore, neither could he tarry there, projecting himself hither and thither. Hence it can be manifest, as was also said to him, that he receives a society according to the desires of his life which he acquired to himself in the world, and that he cannot be satisfied elsewhere; thus, that it is necessary for him to be with those who are of such a character [animus] that he may be able to practice his deceits; for in them he had had his life's delight. Hence it is clear that every one in the other life is associated according to the affections of his life.