3093. THAT IN THE OTHER LIFE NO ONE IS EVER PERMITTED TO BECOME WORSE. That in the other life it is never permitted [anyone] to become worse, was given to know from [the case of] the dragon: who, as often as he took up something new, that he might accustom himself to an evil, to which he was not previously habituated himself was grievously punished [mulctatus]: hence [his] horror. Wherefore he dare not [attempt it]. Therefore, also, there are bonds of such a nature as restrain them from wandering beyond [due limits] [ne extravagentur], besides indefinite other things, according to the natural evil acquired by each one. This is it with all others: as [for instance] with those who are in Gehenna. They are there sometimes kept in freedom [licentia]: but as soon as they wander beyond [limits], and endeavor to acquire evil, and affect [themselves therewith], then are they immediately in the fire of Gehenna; which is their interior torment: as it were [a torment] of fires [igneus], that cannot be described: whereby they are so deterred, and at length kept in such a horror thereof as not to dare to wander beyond [limits], but every moment that there is a tendency [tendit] [to wander] beyond, they are in fear [timent]. - 1748. September 7.