Spiritual Experiences (Buss) n. 6033

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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.


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