57. There are infinite varieties of conjugial love, it being in no two
persons exactly similar. It appears indeed as if it were similar with
many; but this appearance arises from corporeal judgement, which, being
gross and dull, is little qualified to discern aright respecting it. By
corporeal judgement we mean the judgement of the mind from the evidence
of the external senses; but to those whose eyes are opened to see from
the judgment of the spirit, the differences are manifest; and more
distinctly to those who are enabled to elevate the sight arising from
such judgement to a higher degree, which is effected by withdrawing it
from the senses, and exalting it into a superior light; these can at
length confirm themselves in their understanding, and thereby see that
conjugial love is never exactly similar in any two persons. Nevertheless
no one can see the infinite varieties of this love in any light of the
understanding however elevated, unless he first know what is the nature
and quality of that love in its very essence and integrity, thus what
was its nature and quality when, together with life, it was implanted in
man from God. Unless this its state, which was most perfect, be known,
it is in vain to attempt the discovery of its differences by any
investigation; for there is no other fixed point, from which as a first
principle those differences may be deduced, and to which as the focus of
their direction they may be referred, and thus may appear truly and
without fallacy. This is the reason why we here undertake to describe
that love in its essence; and as it was in this essence when, together
with life from God, it was infused into man, we undertake to describe it
such as it was in its primeval state; and as in this state it was truly
conjugial, therefore we have entitled this section, ON LOVE TRULY
CONJUGIAL. The description of it shall be given in the following order:
I. _There exists a love truly conjugial, which at this day is so rare
that it is not known what is its quality, and scarcely that it exists._
II. _This love originates in the marriage of good and truth._ III.
_There is a correspondence of this love with the marriage of the Lord
and the church._ IV. _This love from its origin and correspondence, is
celestial, spiritual, holy, pure, and clean, above every other love
imparted by the Lord to the angels of heaven and the men of the church._
V. _It is also the foundation love of all celestial and spiritual loves,
and thence of all natural loves._ VI. _Into this love are collected all
joys and delights from first to last._ VII. _None however come into this
love, and can be in it, but those who approach the Lord, and love the
truths of the church and practise its goods._ VIII. _This love was the
love of loves with the ancients, who lived in the golden, silver, and
copper ages; but afterwards it successively departed._ We now proceed to
the explanation of each article.
58. I. THERE EXISTS A LOVE TRULY CONJUGIAL, WHICH AT THIS DAY IS SO RARE
THAT IS NOT KNOWN WHAT IS ITS QUALITY, AND SCARCELY THAT IT EXISTS. That
there exists such conjugial love as is described in the following pages,
may indeed be acknowledged from the first state of that love, when it
insinuates itself, and enters into the hearts of a youth and a virgin;
thus from its influence on those who begin to love one alone of the sex,
and to desire to be joined therewith in marriage; and still more at the
time of courtship and the interval which precedes the marriage-ceremony;
and lastly during the marriage-ceremony and some days after it. At such
times who does not acknowledge and consent to the following positions;
that this love is the foundation of all loves, and also that into it are
collected all joys and delights from first to last? And who does not
know that, after this season of pleasure, the satisfactions thereof
successively pass away and depart, till at length they are scarcely
sensible? In the latter case, if it be said as before, that this love is
the foundation of all loves, and that into it are collected all joys and
delights, the positions are neither agreed to nor acknowledged, and
possibly it is asserted that they are nonsense or incomprehensible
mysteries. From these considerations it is evident, that primitive
marriage love bears a resemblance to love truly conjugial, and presents
it to view in a certain image. The reason of which is, because then the
love of the sex, which is unchaste, is put away, and in its place the
love of one of the sex, which is truly conjugial and chaste, remains
implanted: in this case, who does not regard other women with
indifference, and the one to whom he is united with love and affection?
59. The reason why love truly conjugial is notwithstanding so rare, that
its quality is not known, and scarcely its existence, is, because the
state of pleasurable gratifications before and at the time of marriage,
is afterwards changed into a state of indifference arising from an
insensibility to such gratifications. The causes of this change of state
are too numerous to be here adduced; but they shall be adduced in a
future part of this work, when we come to explain in their order the
causes of coldnesses, separations, and divorces; from which it will be
seen, that with the generality at this day this image of conjugial love
is so far abolished, and with the image the knowledge thereof, that its
quality and even its existence are scarcely known. It is well known,
that every man by birth is merely corporeal, and that from corporeal he
becomes natural more and more interiorly, and thus rational, and at
length spiritual. The reason why this is effected progressively is,
because the corporeal principle is like ground, wherein things natural,
rational, and spiritual are implanted in their order; thus a man becomes
more and more a man. The case is nearly similar when he enters into
marriage; on this occasion a man becomes a more complete man, because he
is joined with a consort, with whom he acts as one man: but this, in the
first state spoken of above, is effected only in a sort of image: in
like manner he then commences from what is corporeal, and proceeds to
what is natural as to conjugial life, and thereby to a conjunction into
a one. Those who, in this case, love corporeal natural things, and
rational things only as grounded therein, cannot be conjoined to a
consort as into a one, except as to those externals: and when those
externals fail, cold takes possession of the internals; in consequence
whereof the delights of that love are dispersed and driven away, as from
the mind so from the body, and afterwards as from the body so from the
mind; and this until there is nothing left of the remembrance of the
primeval state of their marriage, consequently no knowledge respecting
it. Now since this is the case with the generality of persons at this
day, it is evident that love truly conjugial is not known as to its
quality, and scarcely as to its existence. It is otherwise with those
who are spiritual. With them the first state is an initiation into
lasting satisfactions, which advance in degree, in proportion as the
spiritual rational principle of the mind, and thence the natural sensual
principle of the body, in each party, conjoin and unite themselves with
the same principles in the other party; but such instances are rare.
60. II. THIS LOVE ORIGINATES IN THE MARRIAGE OF GOOD AND TRUTH. That all
things in the universe have relation to good and truth, is acknowledged
by every intelligent man, because it is a universal truth; that likewise
in every thing in the universe good is conjoined with truth, and truth
with good, cannot but be acknowledged, because this also is a universal
truth, which agrees with the former. The reason why all things in the
universe have relation to good and truth, and why good is conjoined with
truth, and truth with good, is, because each proceeds from the Lord, and
they proceed from him as a one. The two things which proceed from the
Lord, are love and wisdom, because these are himself, thus from himself;
and all things relating to love are called good, or goods, and all
things relating to wisdom are called true, or truths; and as these two
proceed from him as the creator, it follows that they are in the things
created. This may be illustrated by heat and light which proceed from
the sun: from them all things appertaining to the earth are derived,
which germinate according to their presence and conjunction; and natural
heat corresponds to spiritual heat, which is love, as natural light
corresponds to spiritual light, which is wisdom.
61. That conjugial love proceeds from the marriage of good and truth,
will be shewn in the following section or paragraph: It is mentioned
here only with a view of shewing that this love is celestial, spiritual,
and holy, because it is from a celestial, spiritual, and holy origin. In
order to see that the origin of conjugial love is from the marriage of
good and truth, it may be expedient in this place briefly to premise
somewhat on the subject. It was said just above, that in every created
thing there exists a conjunction of good and truth; and there is no
conjunction unless it be reciprocal; for conjunction on one part, and
not on the other in its turn, is dissolved of itself. Now as there is a
conjunction of good and truth, and this is reciprocal, it follows that
there is a truth of good, or truth grounded in good, and that there is a
good of truth, or good grounded in truth; that the truth of good, or
truth grounded in good, is in the male, and that it is the very
essential male (or masculine) principle, and that the good of truth, or
good grounded in truth, is in the female, and that it is the very
essential female (or feminine) principle; also that there is a conjugial
union between those two, will be seen in the following section: it is
here only mentioned in order to give some preliminary idea on the
subject.
62. III. THERE IS A CORRESPONDENCE OF THIS LOVE WITH THE MARRIAGE OF THE
LORD AND THE CHURCH; that is, that as the Lord loves the church, and is
desirous that the church should love him, so a husband and a wife
mutually love each other. That there is a correspondence herein, is well
known in the Christian world: but the nature of that correspondence as
yet is not known; therefore we will explain it presently in a particular
paragraph. It is here mentioned in order to shew that conjugial love is
celestial, spiritual, and holy, because it corresponds to the celestial,
spiritual, and holy marriage of the Lord and the church. This
correspondence also follows as a consequence of conjugial love's
originating in the marriage of good and truth, spoken of in the
preceding article; because the marriage of good and truth constitutes
the church with man: for the marriage of good and truth is the same as
the marriage of charity and faith; since good relates to charity, and
truth to faith. That this marriage constitutes the church must at once
be acknowledged, because it is a universal truth; and every universal
truth is acknowledged as soon as it is heard, in consequence of the
Lord's influx and at the same time of the confirmation of heaven. Now
since the church is the Lord's, because it is from him, and since
conjugial love corresponds to the marriage of the Lord and the church,
it follows that this love is from the Lord.
63. But in what manner the church from the Lord is formed with two
married partners, and how conjugial love is formed thereby, shall be
illustrated in the paragraph spoken of above: we will at present only
observe, that the church from the Lord is formed in the husband, and
through the husband in the wife; and that when it is formed in each, it
is a full church; for in this case is effected a full conjunction of
good and truth; and the conjunction of good and truth constitutes the
church. That the uniting inclination, which is conjugial love, is in a
similar degree with the conjunction of good and truth, which is the
church, will be proved by convincing arguments in what follows in the
series.
64. IV. THIS LOVE, FROM ITS ORIGIN AND CORRESPONDENCE, IS CELESTIAL,
SPIRITUAL, HOLY, PURE, AND CLEAN, ABOVE EVERY OTHER LOVE IMPARTED BY THE
LORD TO THE ANGELS OF HEAVEN AND THE MEN OF THE CHURCH. That such is the
nature and quality of conjugial love from its origin, which is the
marriage of good and truth, was briefly shewn above; but the subject was
then barely touched upon: in like manner that such is the nature and
quality of that love, from its correspondence with the marriage of the
Lord and the church. These two marriages, from which conjugial love, as
a slip or shoot, descends, are essentially holy, therefore if it be
received from its author, the Lord, holiness from him follows of
consequence, which continually cleanses and purifies it: in this case,
if there be in the man's will a desire and tendency to it, this love
becomes daily and continually cleaner and purer. Conjugial love is
called celestial and spiritual because it is with the angels of heaven;
celestial, as with the angels of the highest heaven, these being called
celestial angels; and spiritual, as with the angels beneath that heaven,
these being called spiritual angels. Those angels are so called, because
the celestial are loves, and thence wisdoms, and the spiritual are
wisdoms and thence loves; similar thereto is their conjugial principle.
Now as conjugial love is with the angels of both the superior and the
inferior heavens, as was also shewn in the first paragraph concerning
marriages in heaven, it is manifest that it is holy and pure. The reason
why this love in its essence, considered in regard to its origin, is
holy and pure above every other love with angels and men, is, because it
is as it were the head of the other loves: concerning its excellence
something shall be said in the following article.
65. V. IT IS ALSO THE FOUNDATION LOVE OF ALL CELESTIAL AND SPIRITUAL
LOVES, AND THENCE OF ALL NATURAL LOVES. The reason why conjugial love
considered in its essence is the foundation love of all the loves of
heaven and the church, is, because it originates in the marriage of good
and truth, and from this marriage proceed all the loves which constitute
heaven and the church with man: the good of this marriage constitutes
love, and its truth constitutes wisdom; and when love draws near to
wisdom, or joins itself therewith, then love becomes love; and when
wisdom in its turn draws near to love, and joins itself therewith, then
wisdom becomes wisdom. Love truly conjugial is the conjunction of love
and wisdom. Two married partners, between or in whom this love subsists,
are an image and form of it: all likewise in the heavens, where faces
are the genuine types of the affections of every one's love, are
likenesses of it; for, as was shewn above, it pervades them in the whole
and in every part. Now as two married partners are an image and form of
this love, it follows that every love which proceeds from the form of
essential love itself, is a resemblance thereof; therefore if conjugial
love be celestial and spiritual, the loves proceeding from it are also
celestial and spiritual. Conjugial love therefore is as a parent, and
all other loves are as the offspring. Hence it is, that from the
marriages of the angels in the heavens are produced spiritual offspring,
which are those of love and wisdom, or of good and truth; concerning
which production, see above, n. 51, 52.
66. The same is evident from man's having been created for this love,
and from his formation afterwards by means of it. The male was created
to become wisdom grounded in the love of growing wise, and the female
was created to become the love of the male grounded in his wisdom, and
consequently was formed according thereto; from which consideration it
is manifest, that two married partners are the very forms and images of
the marriage of love and wisdom, or of good and truth. It is well to be
observed, that there is not any good or truth which is not in a
substance as in its subject: there are no abstract goods and truths;
for, having no abode or habitation, they no where exist, neither can
they appear as airy unfixed principles; therefore in such case they are
mere entities, concerning which reason seems to itself to think
abstractedly; but still it cannot conceive of them except as annexed to
subjects: for every human idea, however elevated, is substantial, that
is, affixed to substances. It is moreover to be observed, that there is
no substance without a form; an unformed substance not being any thing,
because nothing can be predicated of it; and a subject without
predicates is also an entity which has no existence in reason. These
philosophical considerations are adduced in order to shew still more
clearly, that two married partners who are principled in love truly
conjugial, are actually forms of the marriage of good and truth, or of
love and wisdom.
67. Since natural loves flow from spiritual, and spiritual from
celestial, therefore it is said that conjugial love is the foundation
love of all celestial and spiritual loves, and thence of all natural
loves. Natural loves relate to the loves of self and of the world;
spiritual loves to love towards the neighbour; and celestial loves to
love to the Lord; and such as are the relations of the loves, it is
evident in what order they follow and are present with man. When they
are in this order, then the natural loves live from the spiritual, and
the spiritual from the celestial, and all in this order from the Lord,
in whom they originate.
68. VI. INTO THIS LOVE ARE COLLECTED ALL JOYS AND DELIGHTS FROM FIRST TO
LAST. All delights whatever, of which a man (_homo_) has any perception,
are delights of his love; the love manifesting itself, yea, existing and
living thereby. It is well known that the delights are exalted in
proportion as the love is exalted, and also in proportion as the
incident affections touch the ruling love more nearly. Now as conjugial
love is the foundation love of all good loves, and as it is inscribed on
all the parts and principles of man, even the most particular, as was
shewn above, it follows that its delights exceed the delights of all
other loves, and also that it gives delight to the other loves,
according to its presence and conjunction with them; for it expands the
inmost principles of the mind, and at the same time the inmost
principles of the body, as the delicious current of its fountain flows
through and opens them. The reason why all delights from first to last
are collected into this love, is on account of the superior excellence
of its use, which is the propagation of the human race, and thence of
the angelic heaven; and as this use was the chief end of creation, it
follows that all the beatitudes, satisfactions, delights,
pleasantnesses, and pleasures, which the Lord the Creator could possibly
confer upon man, are collected into this his love. That delights follow
use, and are also communicated to man according to the love thereof, is
manifest from the delights of the five senses, seeing, hearing,
smelling, taste, and touch: each of these has its delights with
variations according to the specific uses of each; what then must be the
delight annexed to the sense of conjugial love, the use of which
comprehends all other uses?
69. I am aware that few will acknowledge that all joys and delights from
first to last are collected into conjugial love; because love truly
conjugial, into which they are collected, is at this day so rare that
its quality is not known, and scarcely its existence, agreeably to what
was explained and confirmed above, n. 58, 59; for such joys and delights
exist only in genuine conjugial love; and as this is so rare on earth,
it is impossible to describe its super-eminent felicities any otherwise
than from the mouth of angels, because they are principled in it. They
have declared, that the inmost delights of this love, which are delights
of the soul, into which the conjugial principle of love and wisdom, or
of good and truth from the Lord, first flows, are imperceptible and
thence ineffable, because they are the delights of peace and innocence
conjointly; but that in their descent they become more and more
perceptible; in the superior principles of the mind as beatitudes, in
the inferior as satisfactions, in the breast as delights thence derived;
and that from the breast they diffuse themselves into every part of the
body, and at length unite themselves in ultimates and become the delight
of delights. Moreover the angels have related wonderful things
respecting these delights; adding further, that their varieties in the
souls of conjugial pairs, and from their souls in their minds, and from
their minds in their breasts, are infinite and also eternal; that they
are exalted according to the prevalence of wisdom with the husband; and
this, because they live to eternity in the bloom of their age, and
because they know no greater blessedness than to grow wiser and wiser.
But a fuller account of these delights, as given by the angels, may be
seen in the MEMORABLE RELATIONS, especially in those added to some of
the following chapters.
70. VII. NONE HOWEVER COME INTO THIS LOVE, AND CAN REMAIN IN IT, BUT
THOSE WHO APPROACH THE LORD, AND LOVE THE TRUTHS OF THE CHURCH AND
PRACTISE ITS GOODS. The reason why none come into that love but those
who approach the Lord, is, because monogamical marriages, which are of
one husband with one wife, correspond to the marriage of the Lord and
the church, and because such marriages originate in the marriage of good
and truth; on which subject, see above, n. 60 and 62. That from this
origin and correspondence it follows, that love truly conjugial is from
the Lord, and exists only with those who come directly to him, cannot be
fully confirmed unless these two arcana be specifically treated of, as
shall be done in the chapters which immediately follow; one of which
will treat on the origin of conjugial love as derived from the marriage
of good and truth, and the other on the marriage of the Lord and the
church, and on its correspondence. That it hence follows, that,
conjugial love with man (_homo_) is according to the state of the church
with him, will also be seen in those chapters.
71. The reason why none can be principled in love truly conjugial but
those who receive it from the Lord, that is, who come directly to him,
and by derivation from him live the life of the church, is, because this
love, considered in its origin and correspondence, is celestial,
spiritual, holy, pure, and clean, above every love implanted in the
angels of heaven and the men of the church; as was shewn above, n. 64;
and these its distinguishing characters and qualities cannot possibly
exist, except with those who are conjoined to the Lord, and by him are
consociated with the angels of heaven; for these shun extra-conjugial
loves, which are conjunctions with others than their own conjugial
partner, as they would shun the loss of the soul and the lakes of hell;
and in proportion as married partners shun such conjunctions, even as to
the libidinous desires of the will and the intentions thence derived, so
far love truly conjugial is purified with them, and becomes successively
spiritual, first during their abode on earth, and afterwards in heaven.
It is not however possible that any love should become perfectly pure
either with men or with angels; consequently neither can this love:
nevertheless, since the intention of the will is what the Lord
principally regards, therefore so far as any one is in this intention,
and perseveres in it, so far he is initiated into its purity and
sanctity, and successively advances therein. The reason why none can be
principled in spiritual conjugial love, but those who are of the above
description by virtue of conjunction with the Lord, is, because heaven
is in this love; and the natural man, whose conjugial love derives its
pleasure only from the flesh, cannot approach to heaven nor to any
angel, no, nor to any man principled in this love, it being the
foundation of all celestial and spiritual loves; which may be seen
above, n. 65-67. That this is the case, has been confirmed to me by
experience. I have seen genii in the spiritual world, who were in a
state of preparation for hell, approaching to an angel while he was
being entertained by his consort; and at a distance, as they approached,
they became like furies, and sought out caverns and ditches as asylums,
into which they cast themselves. That wicked spirits love what is
similar to their affection, however unclean it is, and hold in aversion
the spirits of heaven, as what is dissimilar, because it is pure, may be
concluded from what was said in the PRELIMINARY MEMORABLE RELATION, n.
10.
72. The reason why those who love the truths of the church and practise
its goods, come into this love and are capable of remaining in it, is,
because no others are received by the Lord; for these are in conjunction
with him, and thereby are capable of being kept in that love by
influence from him. The two constituents of the church and heaven in man
(_homo_) are the truth of faith and the good of life; the truth of faith
constitutes the Lord's presence, and the good of life according to the
truths of faith constitutes conjunction with him, and thereby the church
and heaven. The reason why the truth of faith constitutes the Lord's
presence, is, because it relates to light, spiritual light being nothing
else; and the reason why the good of life constitutes conjunction, is,
because it relates to heat; and spiritual heat is nothing but the good
of life, for it is love; and the good of life originates in love; and it
is well known, that all light, even that of winter, causes presence, and
that heat united to light causes conjunction; for gardens and
shrubberies appear in all degrees of light, but they do not bear flowers
and fruits unless when heat joins itself to light. From these
considerations the conclusion is obvious, that those are not gifted by
the Lord with love truly conjugial, who merely know the truths of the
church, but those who know them and practise their good.
73. VIII. THIS LOVE WAS THE LOVE OF LOVES WITH THE ANCIENTS, WHO LIVED
IN THE GOLDEN, SILVER, AND COPPER AGES. That conjugial love was the love
of loves with the most ancient and the ancient people, who lived in the
ages thus named, cannot be known from historical records, because their
writings are not extant; and there is no account given of them except by
writers in succeeding ages, who mention them, and describe the purity
and integrity of their lives, and also the successive decrease of such
purity and integrity, resembling the debasement of gold to iron: but an
account of the last or iron age, which commenced from the time of those
writers, may in some measure be gathered from the historical records of
the lives of some of their kings, judges, and wise men, who were called
_sophi_ in Greece and other countries. That this age however should not
endure, as iron endures in itself, but that it should be like iron mixed
with clay, which do not cohere, is foretold by Daniel, chap. ii. 43. Now
as the golden, silver, and copper ages passed away before the time when
writing came into use, and thus it is impossible on earth to acquire any
knowledge concerning their marriages, it has pleased the Lord to unfold
to me such knowledge by a spiritual way, by conducting me to the heavens
inhabited by those most ancient people, that I might learn from their
own mouths the nature and quality of their marriages during their abode
here on earth in their several ages: for all, who from the beginning of
creation have departed by death out of the natural world, are in the
spiritual world, and as to their loves resemble what they were when
alive in the natural world, and continue such to eternity. As the
particulars of this knowledge are worthy to be known and related, and
tend to confirm the sanctity of marriages, I am desirous to make them
public as they were shown me in the spirit when awake, and were
afterwards recalled to my remembrance by an angel, and thus described.
And as they are from the spiritual world, like the other accounts
annexed to each chapter, I am desirous to arrange them so as to form six
MEMORABLE RELATIONS according to the progressions of the several periods
of time.
* * * * *
74. THESE SIX MEMORABLE RELATIONS from the spiritual world, concerning
conjugial love, discover the nature and quality of that love in the
earliest times and afterwards, and also at the present day; whence it
appears that that love has successively fallen away from its sanctity
and purity, until it became adulterous; but that nevertheless there is a
hope of its being brought back again to its primeval or ancient
sanctity.
75. THE FIRST MEMORABLE RELATION. On a time, while I was meditating on
conjugial love, my mind was seized with a desire of knowing what had
been the nature and quality of that love among those who lived in the
GOLDEN AGE, and afterwards among those who lived in the following ages,
which have their names from silver, copper, and iron: and as I knew that
all who lived well in those ages are in the heavens, I prayed to the
Lord that I might be allowed to converse with them and be informed: and
lo! an angel presented himself and said, "I am sent by the Lord to be
your guide and companion: I will first lead and attend you to those who
lived in the first age or period of time, which is called golden:" and
he said, "The way to them is difficult; it lies through a shady forest,
which none can pass unless he receive a guide from the Lord." I was in
the spirit, and prepared myself for the journey; and we turned our faces
towards the east; and as we advanced I saw a mountain, whose height
extended beyond the region of the clouds. We passed a great wilderness,
and came to the forest planted with various kinds of trees and rendered
shady by their thickness, of which the angel had advertised me. The
forest was divided by several narrow paths; and the angel said, that
according to the number of those paths are the windings and intricacies
of error: and that unless his eyes were opened by the Lord, so as to see
olives entwined with vine tendrils, and his steps were directed from
olive to olive, the traveller would miss his way, and fall into the
abodes of Tartarus, which are round about at the sides. This forest is
of such a nature, to the end that the passage may be guarded; for none
but a primeval nation dwells upon that mountain. After we had entered
the forest, our eyes were opened, and we saw here and there olives
entwined with vines, from which hung bunches of grapes of a blue or
azure color, and the olives were ranged in continual wreaths; we
therefore made various circuits as they presented themselves to our
view; and at length we saw a grove of tall cedars and some eagles
perched on their branches; on seeing which the angel said, "We are now
on the mountain not far from its summit:" so we went forward, and lo!
behind the grove was a circular plain, where there were feeding he and
she-lambs, which were representative forms of the state of innocence and
peace of the inhabitants of the mountain. We passed over this plain, and
lo! we saw tabernacles, to the number of several thousands in front on
each side in every direction as far as the eye could reach. And the
angel said, "We are now in the camp, where are the armies of the Lord
Jehovah; for so they call themselves and their habitations. These most
ancient people, while they were in the world, dwelt in tabernacles;
therefore now also they dwell in the same. But let us bend our way to
the south, where the wiser of them live, that we may meet some one to
converse with." In going along I saw at a distance three boys and three
girls sitting at a door of a certain tent; but as we approached, the
boys and girls appeared like men and women of a middle stature. The
angel then said, "All the inhabitants of this mountain appear at a
distance like infants, because they are in a state of innocence; and
infancy is the appearance of innocence." The men on seeing us hastened
towards us and said, "Whence are you; and how came you here? Your faces
are not like those of our mountain." But the angel in reply told them
how, by permission, we had had access through the forest, and what was
the cause of our coming. On hearing this, one of the three men invited
and introduced us into his tabernacle. The man was dressed in a blue
robe and a tunic of white wool: and his wife had on a purple gown, with
a stomacher under it of fine linen wrought in needle-work. And as my
thought was influenced by a desire of knowing the state of marriages
among the most ancient people, I looked by turns on the husband and the
wife, and observed as it were a unity of their souls in their faces; and
I said, "You are one:" and the man answered, "We are one; her life is in
me, and mine in her; we are two bodies, but one soul: the union between
us is like that of the two viscera in the breast, which are called the
heart and the lungs; she is my heart and I am her lungs; but as by the
heart we here mean love, and by the lungs wisdom, she is the love of my
wisdom, and I am the wisdom of her love; therefore her love from without
veils my wisdom, and my wisdom from within enters into her love: hence,
as you said, there is an appearance of the unity of our souls in our
faces." I then asked, "If such a union exists, is it possible for you to
look at any other woman than your own?" He replied, "It is possible but
as my wife is united to my soul, we both look together, and in this case
nothing of lust can enter; for while I behold the wives of others, I
behold them by my own wife, whom alone I love: and as my own wife has a
perception of all my inclinations, she, as an intermediate, directs my
thoughts and removes every thing discordant, and therewith impresses
cold and horror at every thing unchaste; therefore it is as impossible
for us to look unchastely at the wife of any other of our society, as it
is to look from the shades of Tartarus to the light of our heaven
therefore neither have we any idea of thought, and still less any
expression of speech, to denote the allurements of libidinous love." He
could not pronounce the word whoredom, because the chastity of their
heaven forbade it. Hereupon my conducting angel said to me, "You hear
now that the speech of the angels of this heaven is the speech of
wisdom, because they speak from causes." After this, as I looked around,
I saw their tabernacle as it were overlaid with gold; and I asked,
"Whence is this?" He replied, "It is in consequence of a flaming light,
which, like gold, glitters, irradiates, and glances on the curtains of
our tabernacle while we are conversing about conjugial love; for the
heat from our sun, which in its essence is love, on such occasions bares
itself, and tinges the light, which in its essence is wisdom, with its
golden color; and this happens because conjugial love in its origin is
the sport of wisdom and love; for the man was born to be wisdom, and the
woman to be the love of the man's wisdom: hence spring the delights of
that sport, in and derived from conjugial love between us and our wives.
We have seen clearly for thousands of years in our heaven, that those
delights, as to quantity, degree, and intensity, are excellent and
eminent according to our worship of the Lord Jehovah, from whom flows
that heavenly union or marriage, which is the union and marriage of love
and wisdom." As he said this, I saw a great light upon the hill in the
middle of the tabernacles; and I inquired, "Whence is that light?" And
he said, "It is from the sanctuary of the tabernacle of our worship." I
asked whether I might approach it; to which he assented. I approached
therefore, and saw the tabernacle without and within, answering exactly
to the description of the tabernacle which was built for the sons of
Israel in the wilderness; the form of which was shewed to Moses on Mount
Sinai, Exod. xxv. 40; chap. xxvi. 30. I then asked, "What is within in
that sanctuary, from which so great a light proceeds?" He replied, "It
is a tablet with this inscription, THE COVENANT BETWEEN JEHOVAH AND THE
HEAVENS:" he said no more. And as by this time we were ready to depart,
I asked, "Did any of you, during your abode in the natural world, live
with more than one wife?" He replied, "I know not one; for we could not
think of more. We have been told by those who had thought of more, that
instantly the heavenly blessedness of their souls withdrew from their
inmost principles to the extreme parts of their bodies, even to the
nails, and together therewith the honorable badges of manhood; when this
was perceived they were banished the land." On saying this, the man ran
to his tabernacle, and returned with a pomegranate, in which there was
abundance of seeds of gold: and he gave it me, and I brought it away
with me, as a sign that we had been with those who had lived in the
golden age. And then, after a salutation of peace, we took our leave,
and returned home.
76. THE SECOND MEMORABLE RELATION. The next day the same angel came to
me, and said, "Do you wish me to lead and attend you to the people who
lived in the SILVER AGE OR PERIOD, that we may hear from them concerning
the marriages of their time?" And he added, "Access to these also can
only be obtained by the Lord's favor and protection." I was in the
spirit as before, and accompanied my conductor. We first came to a hill
on the confines between the east and the south; and while we were
ascending it, he shewed me a great extent of country: we saw at a
distance an eminence like a mountain, between which and the hill on
which we stood was a valley, and behind the valley a plain, and from the
plain a rising ground of easy ascent. We descended the hill intending to
pass through the valley, and we saw here and there on each side pieces
of wood and stone, carved into the figures of men, and of various
beasts, birds, and fishes; and I asked the angel what they meant, and
whether they were idols? He replied, "By no means: they are
representative forms of various moral virtues and spiritual truths. The
people of that age were acquainted with the science of correspondences;
and as every man, beast, bird, and fish, corresponds to some quality,
therefore each particular carved figure represents partially some virtue
or truth, and several together represent virtue itself, or truth, in a
common extended form. These are what in Egypt were called
hieroglyphics." We proceeded through the valley, and as we entered the
plain, lo! we saw horses and chariots; horses variously harnessed and
caparisoned, and chariots of different forms; some carved in the shape
of eagles, some like whales, and some like stags with horns, and like
unicorns; and likewise beyond them some carts, and stables round about
at the sides; and as we approached, both horses and chariots
disappeared, and instead thereof we saw men (_homines_), in pairs,
walking, talking, and reasoning. And the angel said to me, "The
different species of horses, chariots, and stables, seen at a distance,
are appearances of the rational intelligence of the men of that period;
for a horse, by correspondence, signifies the understanding of truth, a
chariot, its doctrine, and stables, instructions: you know that in this
world all things appear according to correspondences." But we passed by
these things, and ascended by a long acclivity, and at length saw a
city, which we entered; and in walking through the streets and places of
public resort, we viewed the houses: they were so many palaces built of
marble, having steps of alabaster in front, and at the sides of the
steps pillars of jasper: we saw also temples of precious stone of a
sapphire and lazure color. And the angel said to me, "Their houses are
of stone, because stones signify natural truths, and precious stones
spiritual truths; and all those who lived in the silver age had
intelligence grounded in spiritual truths, and thence in natural truths:
silver also has a similar signification." In taking a view of the city,
we saw here and there consorts in pairs: and as they were husbands and
wives, we expected that some of them would invite us to their houses;
and while we were in this expectation, as we were passing by, we were
invited by two into their house, and we ascended the steps and entered;
and the angel, taking upon him the part of speaker, explained to them
the occasion of our coming to this heaven; informing them that it was
for the sake of instruction concerning marriages among the ancients, "of
whom," says he, "you in this heaven are a part." They said, "We were
from a people in Asia; and the chief pursuit of our age was the truths
whereby we had intelligence. This was the occupation of our souls and
minds; but our bodily senses were engaged in representations of truths
in form; and the science of correspondences conjoined the sensual things
of our bodies with the perceptions of our minds, and procured us
intelligence." On hearing this, the angel asked them to give some
account of their marriages: and the husband said, "There is a
correspondence between spiritual marriage, which is that of truth with
good, and natural marriage, which is that of a man with one wife; and as
we have studied correspondences, we have seen that the church, with its
truths and goods, cannot at all exist but with those who live in love
truly conjugial with one wife: for the marriage of good and truth
constitutes the church with man: therefore all we in this heaven say,
that the husband is truth, and the wife the good thereof; and that good
cannot love any truth but its own, neither can truth in return love any
good but its own: if any other were loved, internal marriage, which
constitutes the church, would perish, and there would remain only
external marriage, to which idolatry, and not the church, corresponds;
therefore marriage with one wife we call sacrimony; but if it should
have place with more than one among us, we should call it sacrilege." As
he said this, we were introduced into an ante-chamber, where there were
several devices on the walls, and little images as it were of molten
silver; and I inquired, "What are these?" They said, "They are pictures
and forms representative of several qualities, characters, and delights,
relating to conjugial love. These represent unity of souls, these
conjunction of minds, these harmony of bosoms, these the delights thence
arising." While we were viewing these things, we saw as it were a
rainbow on the wall, consisting of three colors, purple (or red), blue
and white; and we observed how the purple passed the blue, and tinged
the white with an azure color, and that the latter color flowed back
through the blue into the purple, and elevated the purple into a kind of
flaming lustre: and the husband said to me, "Do you understand all
this?" I replied, "Instruct me:" and he said, "The purple color, from
its correspondence, signifies the conjugial love of the wife, the white
the intelligence of the husband, the blue the beginning of conjugial
love in the husband's perception from the wife, and the azure, with
which the white was tinged, signifies conjugial love in this case in the
husband; and this latter color flowing back through the blue into the
purple, and elevating the purple into a kind of flaming lustre,
signifies the conjugial love of the husband flowing back to the wife.
Such things are represented on these walls, while from meditating on
conjugial love, its mutual, successive, and simultaneous union, we view
with eager attention the rainbows which are there painted." Hereupon I
observed, "These things are more than mystical at this day; for they are
appearances representative of the arcana of the conjugial love of one
man with one wife." He replied, "They are so; yet to us in our heaven
they are not arcana, and consequently neither are they mystical." As he
said this, there appeared at a distance a chariot drawn by small white
horses; on seeing which the angel said, "That chariot is a sign for us
to take our leave;" and then, as we were descending the steps, our host
gave us a bunch of white grapes hanging to the vine leaves: and lo! the
leaves became silver; and we brought them down with us for a sign that
we had conversed with the people of the silver age.
77. THE THIRD MEMORABLE RELATION. The next day, my conducting and
attendant angel came to me and said, "Make ready, and let us go to the
heavenly inhabitants in the west, who are from the men that lived in the
third period, or in the copper age. Their dwellings are from the south
by the west towards the north; but they do not reach into the north."
Having made myself ready, I attended him, and we entered their heaven on
the southern quarter. There was a magnificent grove of palm trees and
laurels. We passed through this, and immediately on the confines of the
west we saw giants, double the size of ordinary men. They asked us, "Who
let you in through the grove?" The angel said, "The God of heaven." They
replied, "We are guards to the ancient western heaven; but pass on." We
passed on, and from a rising ground we saw a mountain rising to the
clouds, and between us and the mountain a number of villages, with
gardens, groves, and plains intermixed. We passed through the villages
and came to the mountain, which we ascended; and lo! its summit was not
a point but a plain, on which was a spacious and extensive city. All the
houses of the city were built of the wood of the pine-tree, and their
roofs consisted of joists or rafters; and I asked, "Why are the houses
here built of wood?" The angel replied, "Because wood signifies natural
good; and the men of the third age of the earth were principled in this
good; and as copper also signifies natural good, therefore the age in
which they lived the ancients named from copper. Here are also sacred
buildings constructed of the wood of the olive, and in the middle of
them is the sanctuary, where is deposited in an ark the Word that was
given to the inhabitants of Asia before the Israelitish Word; the
historical books of which are called the WARS OF JEHOVAH, and the
prophetic books, ENUNCIATIONS; both mentioned by Moses, Numb. xxi.
verses 14, 15, and 27-30. This Word at this day is lost in the kingdoms
of Asia, and is only preserved in Great Tartary." Then the angel led me
to one of the sacred buildings, which we looked into, and saw in the
middle of it the sanctuary, the whole in the brightest light; and the
angel said, "This light is from that ancient Asiatic Word: for all
divine truth in the heavens gives forth light." As we were leaving the
sacred building, we were informed that it had been reported in the city
that two strangers had arrived there; and that they were to be examined
as to whence they came, and what was their business; and immediately one
of the public officers came running towards us, and took us for
examination before the judges: and on being asked whence we came, and
what was our business, we replied, "We have passed the grove of
palm-trees, and also the abodes of the giants, the guards of your
heaven, and afterwards the region of villages; from which circumstances
you may conclude, that we have not come here of ourselves, but by
direction of the God of heaven. The business on which we are come is, to
be instructed concerning your marriages, whether they are monogamical or
polygamical." and they said, "What are polygamical marriages? Are not
they adulterous?" And immediately the bench of judges deputed an
intelligent person to instruct us in his own house on this point: and
when we were come to his house, he set his wife by his side, and spoke
as follows: "We are in possession of precepts concerning marriages,
which have been handed down to us from the primeval or most ancient
people, who were principled in love truly conjugial, and thereby
excelled all others in the virtue and potency of that love while they
were in the world, and who are now in a most blessed state in their
heaven, which is in the east. We are their posterity, and they, as
fathers, have given us, their sons, rules of life, among which is the
following concerning marriages: 'Sons, if you are desirous to love God
and your neighbour, and to become wise and happy to eternity, we counsel
you to live married to one wife; if you depart from this precept, all
heavenly love will depart from you, and therewith internal wisdom; and
you will be banished.' This precept of our Fathers we have obeyed as
sons, and have perceived its truth, which is, that so far as any one
loves his conjugial partner alone, so far he becomes celestial and
internal, and that so far as any one does not love his married partner
alone, so far he becomes natural and external; and in this case he loves
only himself and the images of his own mind, and is doating and foolish.
From these considerations, all of us in this heaven live married to one
wife; and this being the case, all the borders of our heaven are guarded
against polygamists, adulterers, and whoremongers; if polygamists invade
us, they are cast out into the darkness of the north; if adulterers,
they are cast out into fires of the west; and if whoremongers, they are
cast out into the delusive lights of the south." On hearing this, I
asked, "What he meant by the darkness of the north, the fires of the
west, and the delusive lights of the south?" He answered, "The darkness
of the north is dulness of mind and ignorance of truths; the fires of
the west are the loves of evil; and the delusive lights of the south are
the falsifications of truth, which are spiritual whoredoms." After this,
he said, "Follow me to our repository of curiosities:" so we followed
him, and he shewed us the writings of the most ancient people, which
were on the tables of wood and stone, and afterwards on smooth blocks of
wood; the writings of the second age were on sheets of parchment; of
these he brought me a sheet, on which were copied the rules of the
people of the first age from their tables of stone, among which also was
the precept concerning marriages. Having seen these and other ancient
curiosities, the angel said, "It is now time for us to take our leave;"
and immediately our host went into the garden, and plucked some twigs
off a tree, and bound them into a little bunch, and gave them to us,
saying, "These twigs are from a tree, which is native of or peculiar to
our heaven, and whose juice has a balsamic fragrance." We brought the
bunch down with us, and descended by the eastern way, which was not
guarded; and lo! the twigs were changed into shining brass, and the
upper ends of them into gold, as a sign that we had been with the people
of the third age, which is named from copper or brass.
78. THE FOURTH MEMORABLE RELATIONS. After two days the angel again
addressed me, saying, "Let us complete the period of the ages; the last
still remains, which is named from IRON. The people of this age dwell in
the north on the side of the west, in the inner parts or breadth-ways:
they are all from the old inhabitants of Asia, who were in possession of
the ancient Word, and thence derived their worship; consequently they
were before the time of our Lord's coming into the world. This is
evident from the writings of the ancients, in which those times are so
named. These same periods are meant by the statue seen by
Nebuchadnezzar, whose head was of gold, the breast and arms of silver,
the belly and thighs of brass, the legs of iron, and the feet of iron
and of clay, Dan. ii. 32, 33." These particulars the angel related to me
in the way, which was contracted and anticipated by changes of state
induced in our minds according to the genius or disposition of the
inhabitants whom we passed; for spaces and consequent distances in the
spiritual world are appearances according to the state of their minds.
When we raised our eyes, lo! we were in a forest consisting of beeches,
chestnut-trees and oaks: and on looking around us, there appeared bears
to the left, and leopards to the right: and when I wondered at this, the
angel said, "They are neither bears nor leopards, but men, who guard
these inhabitants of the north; by their nostrils they have a scent of
the sphere of life of those who pass by, and they rush violently on all
who are spiritual, because the inhabitants are natural. Those who only
read the Word, and imbibe thence nothing of doctrine, appear at a
distance like bears; and those who confirm false principles thence
derived, appear like leopards." On seeing us, they turned away, and we
proceeded. Beyond the forest there appeared thickets, and afterwards
fields of grass divided into areas, bordered with box: this was
succeeded by a declivity which led to a valley, wherein were several
cities. We passed some of them, and entered into one of a considerable
size: its streets were irregular, and so were the houses, which were
built of brick, with beams between, and plastered. In the places of
public resort were consecrated buildings of hewn lime-stone; the
under-structure of which was below the ground, and the super-structure
above. We went down into one of them by three steps, and saw on the
walls idols of various forms, and a crowd on their knees paying
adoration to them: in the middle of the building was a company, above
whom might be seen the head of the tutelary god of that city. As we went
out, the angel said to me, "Those idols, with the ancients who lived in
the silver age, as above described, were images representative of
spiritual truths and moral virtues; and when the science of
correspondence was forgotten and extinct, they first became objects of
worship, and afterwards were adored as deities: hence came idolatry."
When we were come out of the consecrated building, we made our
observations on the men and their dress. Their faces were like steel, of
a grayish color, and they were dressed like comedians, with napkins
about their loins hanging from a tunic buttoned close at the breast; and
on their heads they wore curled caps like sailors. But the angel said,
"Enough of this; let us seek some instruction concerning the marriages
of the people of this age." We then entered into the house of one of the
grandees, who wore on his head a high cap. He received us kindly, and
said, "Come in and let us converse together." We entered into the
vestibule, and there seated ourselves; and I asked him about the
marriages of his city and country. He said, "We do not here live with
one wife, but some with two or three, and some with more, because we are
delighted with variety, obedience, and honor, as marks of dignity; and
these we receive from our wives according to their number. With one wife
there would be no delight arising from variety; but disgust from
sameness: neither would there be any flattering courteousness arising
from obedience, but a troublesome disquietude from equality; neither
would there be any satisfaction arising from dominion and the honor
thence derived, but vexation from wrangling about superiority. And what
is a woman? Is she not born subject to man's will; to serve, and not to
domineer? Wherefore in this place every husband in his own house enjoys
as it were royal dignity; and as this is suited to our love, it
constitutes also the blessedness of our life." But I asked, "In such
case, what becomes of conjugial love, which from two souls makes one,
and joins minds together, and renders a man (_homo_) blessed? This love
cannot be divided; for if it be it becomes a heat which effervesces and
passes away." To this he replied, "I do not understand what you say;
what else renders a man (_homo_) blessed, but the emulation of wives
contending for the honor of the first place in the husband's favor?" As
he said this, a man entered into the women's apartment and opened the
two doors; whence there issued a libidinous effluvium, which had a
stench like mire; this arose from polygamical love, which is connubial,
and at the same time adulterous; so I rose and shut the doors.
Afterwards I said, "How can you subsist upon this earth, when you are
void of any love truly conjugial, and also when you worship idols?" He
replied, "As to connubial love, we are so jealous of our wives, that we
do not suffer any one to enter further within our houses than the
vestibule; and where there is jealousy, there must also be love. In
respect to idols, we do not worship them; but we are not able to think
of the God of the universe, except by means of such forms presented to
our eyes; for we cannot elevate our thoughts above the sensual things of
the body, nor think of God above the objects of bodily vision." I then
asked him again, "Are not your idols of different forms? How then can
they excite the idea of one God?" He replied, "This is a mystery to us;
somewhat of the worship of God lies concealed in each form." I then
said, "You are merely sensual corporeal spirits; you have neither the
love of God nor the love of a married partner grounded in any spiritual
principle; and these loves together form a man (_homo_) and from sensual
make him celestial." As I said this, there appeared through the gate as
it were lightning: and on my asking what it meant, he said, "Such
lightning is a sign to us that there will come the ancient one from the
east, who teaches us concerning God, that He is one, the alone
omnipotent, who is the first and the last; he also admonishes us not to
worship idols, but only to look at them as images representative of the
virtues proceeding from the one God, which also together form his
worship. This ancient one is our angel, whom we revere and obey. He
comes to us, and raises us, when we are falling into obscure worship of
God from mere fancies respecting images." On hearing this, we left the
house and went out of the city; and in the way, from what we had seen in
the heavens, we drew some conclusions respecting the circuit and the
progression of conjugial love; of the circuit that it had passed from
the east to the south, from the south to the west, and from the west to
the north; and of the progression, that it had decreased according to
its circulation, namely, that in the east it was celestial, in the south
spiritual, in the west natural, and in the north sensual; and also that
it had decreased in a similar degree with the love and the worship of
God: from which considerations we further concluded, that this love in
the first age was like gold, in the second like silver, in the third
like brass, and in the fourth like iron, and that at length it ceased.
On this occasion the angel, my guide and companion, said, "Nevertheless
I entertain a hope that this love will be revived by the God of heaven,
who is the Lord, because it is capable of being so revived."