The Delights of Wisdom Pertaining to Conjugial Love Part 17

Love truly conjugial can only exist with one wife, consequently neither can friendship, confidence, ability truly conjugial, and such a conjunction of minds that two may be one flesh, n. 333, 334. Thus celestial blessedness, spiritual satisfactions, and natural delights, which from the beginning were provided for those who are in love truly conjugial, can only exist with one wife, n. 335. All those things can only exist from the Lord alone; and they do not exist with any but those who come to him alone, and live according to his commandments, n. 336.

Consequently love truly conjugial with its felicities can only exist with those who are of the Christian church, n. 337. Therefore a Christian is not allowed to marry more than one wife, n. 338. If a Christian marries several wives, he commits not only natural but also spiritual adultery, n. 339. The Israelitish nation was permitted to marry several wives, because they had not the Christian church, and consequently love truly conjugial could not exist with them, n. 340. At this day the Mahometans are permitted to marry several wives, because they do not acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ to be one with Jehovah the Father, and thereby to be the G.o.d of heaven and earth, and hence cannot receive love truly conjugial, n. 341. The Mahometan heaven is out of the Christian heaven, and is divided into two heavens, the inferior and the superior; and only those are elevated into their superior heaven, who renounce concubines, and live with one wife, and acknowledge our Lord as equal to G.o.d the Father, to whom is given dominion over heaven and earth, n. 342-344. Polygamy is lasciviousness, n. 345. Conjugial chast.i.ty, purity, and sanct.i.ty, cannot exist with polygamists, n. 346. A polygamist, so long as he remains such, cannot become spiritual, n. 347.

Polygamy is not sin with those who live in it from a religious notion, n. 348. Polygamy is not sin with those who are in ignorance respecting the Lord, n. 349, 350. Of these, although polygamists, such are saved as acknowledge a G.o.d, and from a religious notion live according to the civil laws of justice, n. 351. But none either of the latter or of the former can be a.s.sociated with the angels in the Christian heavens, n.

352.

ON JEALOUSY, n. 357-379.

Zeal considered in itself is like the ardent fire of love, n. 358. The burning or flame of that love, which is zeal, is a spiritual burning or flame, arising from an infestation and a.s.sault of the love, n. 356-361.

The quality of a man's zeal is according to the quality of his love; thus it differs according as the love is good or evil, n. 362. The zeal of a good love and the zeal of an evil love, are alike in externals, but altogether different in internals, n. 363, 364. The zeal of a good love in its internals contains a hidden store of love and friendship: but the zeal of an evil love in its internals contains a hidden store of hatred and revenge, n. 365, 366. The zeal of conjugial love is called jealousy, n. 367. Jealousy is like an ardent fire against those who infest love exercised towards a married partner, and like a terrible fear for the loss of that love, n. 368. There is spiritual jealousy with monogamists, and natural with polygamists, n. 369, 370. Jealousy with those married partners who tenderly love each other, is a just grief grounded in sound reason, lest conjugial love should be divided, and should thereby perish, n. 371, 372. Jealousy, with married partners who do not love each other, is grounded in several causes; arising in some instances from various mental weaknesses, n. 373-375. In some instances there is not any jealousy; and this also from various causes, n. 376. There is a jealousy also in regard to concubines, but not such as in regard to wives, n. 377. Jealousy likewise exists among beasts and birds, n. 378.

The jealousy of men and husbands is different from that of women and wives, n. 379.

ON THE CONJUNCTION OF CONJUGIAL LOVE WITH THE LOVE OF INFANTS, n.

385-414.

Two universal spheres proceed from the Lord to preserve the universe in its created state; of which the one is the sphere of procreating, and the other the sphere of protecting the things procreated, n. 386. These two universal spheres make a one with the sphere of conjugial love and the sphere of the love of infants, n. 387. These two spheres universally and singularly flow into all things of heaven and all things of the world, from first to last, n. 388-390. The sphere of the love of infants is a sphere of protection and support of those who cannot protect and support themselves, n. 391. This sphere affects both the evil and the good, and disposes every one to love, protect, and support his offspring from his own love, n. 392. This sphere princ.i.p.ally affects the female s.e.x, thus mothers; and the male s.e.x, or fathers, by derivation from them, n. 393. This sphere is also a sphere of innocence and peace (from the Lord,) n. 394. The sphere of innocence flows into infants, and through them into the parents, and affects them, n. 395. It also flows into the souls of the parents, and unites with the same sphere with the infants; and it is princ.i.p.ally insinuated by means of the touch, n. 396, 397. In the degree in which innocence retires from infants, affection and conjunction also abate, and this successively, even to separation, n. 398. A state of rational innocence and peace with parents towards infants, is grounded in the circ.u.mstance, that they know nothing and can do nothing from themselves, but from others, especially from the father and mother; and this state successively retires, in proportion as they know and have ability from themselves, and not from others, n. 399. The sphere of the love of procreating advances in order from the end through causes into effects, and makes periods; whereby creation is preserved in the state foreseen and provided for, n. 400, 401. The love of infants descends, and does not ascend, n. 402. Wives have one state of love before conception, and another state after, even to the birth, n. 403.

With parents conjugial love is conjoined with the love of infants by spiritual causes, and thence by natural, n. 404. The love of infants and children is different with spiritual married partners from what it is with natural, n. 405-407. With the spiritual, that love is from what is interior or prior, but with the natural, from what is exterior or posterior, n. 408. In consequence hereof that love prevails with married partners who mutually love each other, and also with those who do not at all love each other, n. 409. The love of infants remains after death, especially with women, n. 410. Infants are educated under the Lord's auspices by such women, and grow in stature and intelligence as in the world, n. 411, 412. It is there provided by the Lord, that with those infants the innocence of infancy becomes the innocence of wisdom, (and thus they become angels) n. 413, 414.

PART THE SECOND.

PRELIMINARY NOTE BY THE EDITOR.

ON THE OPPOSITION OF ADULTEROUS LOVE AND CONJUGIAL LOVE, n. 423-443.

It is not known what adulterous love is, unless it be known what conjugial love is, n. 424. Adulterous love is opposed to conjugial love, n. 425. Adulterous love is opposed to conjugial love, as the natural man viewed in himself is opposed to the spiritual man, n. 426. Adulterous love is opposed to conjugial love, as the connubial connection of what is evil and false is opposed to the marriage of good and truth, n. 427, 428. Hence adulterous love is opposed to conjugial love as h.e.l.l is to heaven, n. 429. The impurity of h.e.l.l is from adulterous love, and the purity of heaven from conjugial love, n. 430. In the church, the impurity and the purity are similarly circ.u.mstanced, n. 431. Adulterous love more and more makes a man (_h.o.m.o_) not a man (_h.o.m.o_), and a man (_vir_) not a man (_vir_); and conjugial love makes a man (_h.o.m.o_) more and more a man (_h.o.m.o_) and a man (_vir_), n. 432, 433. There are a sphere of adulterous love and a sphere of conjugial love, n. 434. The sphere of adulterous love ascends from h.e.l.l, and the sphere of conjugial love descends from heaven, n. 435. In each world those two spheres meet, but do not unite, n. 436. Between those two spheres there is an equilibrium, and man is in it, n. 437. A man can turn himself to whichever sphere he pleases; but so far as he turns himself to the one, so far he turns himself from the other, n. 438. Each sphere brings with it delights, n. 439. The delights of adulterous love commence from the flesh, and are of the flesh even in the spirit; but the delights of conjugial love commence in the spirit, and are of the spirit even in the flesh, n. 440, 441, The delights of adulterous love are the pleasures of insanity; but the delights of conjugial love are the delights of wisdom, n. 442, 443.

ON FORNICATION, n. 444*-460.

Fornication is of the love of the s.e.x, n. 445. The love of the s.e.x, from which fornication is derived, commences when a youth begins to think and act from his own understanding, and his voice to be masculine, n. 446.

Fornication is of the natural man, n. 447. Fornication is l.u.s.t, but not the l.u.s.t of adultery, n. 448, 449. With some men, the love of the s.e.x cannot without hurt be totally checked from going forth into fornication, n. 450. Therefore in populous cities public stews are tolerated, n. 451. Fornication is light, so far as it looks to conjugial love, and gives this love the preference, n. 452. The l.u.s.t of fornication is grievous, so far as it looks to adultery, n. 453. The l.u.s.t of fornication is more grievous as it verges to the desire of varieties and of defloration, n. 454. The sphere of the l.u.s.t of fornication, such as it is in the beginning, is a middle sphere between the sphere of adulterous love and the sphere of conjugial love, and makes an equilibrium, n. 455. Care is to be taken, lest by immoderate and inordinate fornications conjugial love be destroyed, n. 456.

Inasmuch as the conjugial principle of one man with one wife is the jewel of human life, and the reservoir of the Christian religion, n.

457, 458. With those who, from various reasons, cannot as yet enter into marriage, and from their pa.s.sion for the s.e.x, cannot moderate their l.u.s.ts, this conjugial principle may be preserved, if the vague love of the s.e.x be confined to one mistress, n. 459. Keeping a mistress is preferable to vague amours, provided only one be kept, and she be neither a maiden nor a married woman, and the love of the mistress be kept separate from conjugial love, n. 460.

ON CONCUBINAGE, n. 462-476.

There are two kinds of concubinage, which differ exceedingly from each other, the one conjointly with a wife, the other apart from a wife, n.

463. Concubinage conjointly with a wife, is altogether unlawful for Christians, and detestable, n. 464. It is polygamy, which has been condemned, and is to be condemned by the Christian world, n. 465. It is an adultery whereby the conjugial principle, which is the most precious jewel of the Christian life, is destroyed, n. 466. Concubinage apart from a wife, when it is engaged in from causes legitimate, just, and truly excusatory, is not unlawful, n. 467. The legitimate causes of this concubinage are the legitimate causes of divorce, while the wife is nevertheless retained at home, n. 468, 469. The just causes of this concubinage are the just causes of separation from the bed, n. 470. Of the excusatory causes of this concubinage some are real and some not, n.

471. The really excusatory causes are such as are grounded in what is just, n. 472, 473. The excusatory causes which are not real are such as are not grounded in what is just, although in the appearance of what is just, n. 474. Those who, from causes legitimate, just, and really excusatory, are engaged in this concubinage, may at the same time be principled in conjugial love, n. 475. While this concubinage continues, actual connection with a wife is not allowable, n. 476.

ON ADULTERIES AND THEIR GENERA AND DEGREES, n. 478-499.

There are three genera of adulteries,--simple, duplicate, and triplicate, n. 479. Simple adultery is that of an unmarried man with another's wife, or of an unmarried woman with another's husband, n. 480, 481. Duplicate adultery is that of a husband with another's wife, or of a wife with another's husband, n. 482, 483. Triplicate adultery is with relations by blood, n. 484. There are four degrees of adulteries, according to which they have their predications, their charges of blame, and after death their imputation, n. 485. Adulteries of the first degree are adulteries of ignorance, which are committed by those who cannot as yet, or cannot at all, consult the understanding, and thence check them, n. 486. In such cases adulteries are mild, n. 487. Adulteries of the second degree are adulteries of l.u.s.t, which are committed by those who indeed are able to consult the understanding, but from accidental causes at the moment are not able, n. 488. Adulteries committed by such persons are imputatory, according as the understanding afterwards favors them or not, n. 489. Adulteries of the third degree are adulteries of the reason, which are committed by those who with the understanding confirm themselves in the persuasion that they are not evils of sin, n. 490. The adulteries committed by such persons are grievous, and are imputed to them according to confirmations, n. 491. Adulteries of the fourth degree are adulteries of the will, which are committed by those who make them lawful and pleasing, and who do not think them of importance enough to consult the understanding respecting them, n. 492. The adulteries committed by these persons are exceedingly grievous, and are imputed to them as evils of purpose, and remain in them as guilt, n. 493.

Adulteries of the third and fourth degree are evils of sin, according to the quant.i.ty and quality of understanding and will in them, whether they are actually committed or not, n. 494. Adulteries grounded in purpose of the will, and adulteries grounded in confirmation of the understanding, render men natural, sensual, and corporeal, n. 495, 496. And this to such a degree, that at length they reject from themselves all things of the church and of religion, n. 497. Nevertheless they have the powers of human rationality like other men, n. 498. But they use that rationality while they are in externals, but abuse it while they are in externals, n. 499.

ON THE l.u.s.t OF DEFLORATION, n. 501-505.

The state of a virgin or undeflowered woman before and after marriage, n. 502. Virginity is the crown of chast.i.ty and the certificate of conjugial love, n. 503. Defloration, without a view to marriage as an end, is the villany of a robber, n. 504. The lot of those who have confirmed themselves in the persuasion that the l.u.s.t of defloration is not an evil of sin, after death is grievous, n. 505.

ON THE l.u.s.t OF VARIETIES, n. 506-510.

By the l.u.s.t of varieties is meant the entirely dissolute l.u.s.t of adultery, n. 507. That l.u.s.t is love, and at the same time loathing, in regard to the s.e.x, n. 508. The lot of those (who have been addicted to that l.u.s.t) after death is miserable, since they have not the inmost principle of life, n. 510.

ON THE l.u.s.t OF VIOLATION, n. 511, 512.

ON THE l.u.s.t OF SEDUCING INNOCENCIES, n. 513, 514.

ON THE CORRESPONDENCE OF ADULTERIES WITH THE VIOLATION OF SPIRITUAL MARRIAGE, n. 515-520.

ON THE IMPUTATION OF EACH LOVE, ADULTEROUS AND CONJUGIAL, n. 523-531.

The evil in which every one is principled, is imputed to him after death; and so also the good, n. 524. The transference of the good of one person into another is impossible, n. 525. Imputation, if by it is meant such transference, is a frivolous term, n. 526. Evil or good is imputed to every one according to the quality of his will and of his understanding, n. 527-529. Thus adulterous love is imputed to every one, n. 530. Thus also conjugial love is imputed to every one, n. 531.

INDEX TO THE MEMORABLE RELATIONS.

Conjugial love seen in its form with two conjugial partners, who were conveyed down from heaven in a chariot, n. 42, 43.

Three novitiates from the world receive information respecting marriages in heaven, n. 44.

On the chaste love of the s.e.x, n. 55.

On the temple of wisdom, where the causes of beauty in the female s.e.x are discussed by wise ones, n. 56.

On conjugial love with those who lived in the golden age, n. 75.

On conjugial love with those who lived in the silver age, n. 76.

On conjugial love with those who lived in the copper age, n. 77.

On conjugial love with those who lived in the iron age, n. 78.

On conjugial love with those who lived after those ages, n. 79, 80.

On the glorification of the Lord by the angels in the heavens, on account of his advent, and of conjugial love, which is to be restored at that time, n. 81.

On the precepts of the New Church, n. 82.

On the origin of conjugial love, and of its virtue or potency, discussed by an a.s.sembly of the wise from Europe, n. 103, 104.

On a paper let down from heaven to the earth, on which was written, The marriage of good and truth, n. 115.

What the image and likeness of G.o.d is, and what the tree of life, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, n. 132-136.

Two angels out of the third heaven give information respecting conjugial love there, n. 137.

On the ancients in Greece, who inquired of strangers, What news from the earth? Also, on men found in the woods, n. 151*-154*.

On the golden shower and hall, where the wives said various things respecting conjugial love, n. 155*.