The Delights of Wisdom Pertaining to Conjugial Love Part 3

92. V. FROM THE INFLUX OF THE MARRIAGE OF GOOD AND TRUTH FROM THE LORD, THE LOVE OF THE s.e.x AND CONJUGIAL LOVE ARE DERIVED. That good and truth are the universals of creation, and thence are in all created subjects; and that they are in created subjects according to the form of each; and that good and truth proceed from the Lord not as two but as one, was shewn above, n. 84-87: from these considerations it follows, that the UNIVERSAL CONJUGIAL SPHERE proceeds from the Lord, and pervades the universe from its primaries to its ultimates; thus from angels even to worms. The reason why such a sphere of the marriage of good and truth proceeds from the Lord, is, because it is also the sphere of propagation, that is, of prolification and fructification; and this sphere is the same with the divine providence relating to the preservation of the universe by successive generations. Now since this universal sphere, which is that of the marriage of good and truth, flows into its subjects according to the form of each, see n. 86, it follows that the male receives it according to his form, thus in the intellect, because he is in an intellectual form; and that the female receives it according to her form, thus in the will, because she is a form of the will grounded in the intellect of the man; and since that sphere is also the sphere of prolification, it follows that hence is the love of the s.e.x.

93. The reason why conjugial love also is from this same source, is, because that sphere flows into the form of wisdom with men, and also with angels; for a man may increase in wisdom to the end of his life in the world, and afterwards to eternity in heaven; and in proportion as he increases in wisdom, his form is perfected; and this form receives not the love of the s.e.x, but the love of one of the s.e.x; for with one of the s.e.x it may be united to the inmost principles in which heaven with its felicities consists, and this union is conjugial love.

94. VI. THE LOVE OF THE s.e.x BELONGS TO THE EXTERNAL OR NATURAL MAN, AND HENCE IT IS COMMON TO EVERY ANIMAL. Every man is born corporeal, and becomes more and more interiorly natural, and in proportion as he loves intelligence he becomes rational, and afterwards, if he loves wisdom, he becomes spiritual. What the wisdom is by which a man becomes spiritual, will be shewn in the following pages, n. 130. Now as a man advances from knowledge into intelligence, and from intelligence into wisdom, so also his mind changes its form; for it is opened more and more, and conjoins itself more nearly with heaven, and by heaven with the Lord; hence it becomes more enamored of truth, and more desirous of the good of life.

If therefore he halts at the threshold in the progression to wisdom, the form of his natural mind remains; and this receives the influx of the universal sphere, which is that of the marriage of good and truth, in the same manner as it is received by the inferior subjects of the animal kingdom--beasts and birds; and as these are merely natural, the man in such case becomes like them, and thereby loves the s.e.x just as they do.

This is what is meant by the a.s.sertion,--the love of the s.e.x belongs to the external or natural man, and hence it is common to every animal.

95. VII. BUT CONJUGIAL LOVE BELONGS TO THE INTERNAL OR SPIRITUAL MAN; AND HENCE THIS LOVE IS PECULIAR TO MAN. The reason why conjugial love belongs to the internal or spiritual man is, because in proportion as a man becomes more intelligent and wise, in the same proportion he becomes more internal and spiritual, and in the same proportion the form of his mind is more perfected; and this form receives conjugial love: for therein it perceives and is sensible of a spiritual delight, which is inwardly blessed, and a natural delight thence arising, which derives its soul, life, and essence from the spiritual delight.

96. The reason why conjugial love is peculiar to man, is because he only can become spiritual, he being capable of elevating his intellect above his natural loves, and from that state of elevation of seeing them beneath him, and of judging of their quality, and also of amending, correcting, and removing them. No other animal can do this; for the loves of other animals are altogether united with their inborn knowledge; on which account this knowledge cannot be elevated into intelligence, and still less into wisdom; in consequence of which every other animal is led by the love implanted in his knowledge, as a blind person is led through the streets by a dog. This is the reason which conjugial love is peculiar to man; it may also be called native and near akin to him; because man has the faculty of growing wise, with which faculty this love is united.

97. VIII. WITH MAN CONJUGIAL LOVE IS IN THE LOVE OF THE s.e.x AS A GEM IN ITS MATRIX. As this however is merely a comparison, we will explain it in the article which immediately follows: this comparison also ill.u.s.trates what was shown just above, n. 94, 95,--that the love of the s.e.x belongs to the external or natural man, and conjugial love to the internal or spiritual man.

98. IX. THE LOVE OF THE s.e.x WITH MAN IS NOT THE ORIGIN OF CONJUGIAL LOVE, BUT ITS FIRST RUDIMENT; THUS IT IS LIKE AN EXTERNAL NATURAL PRINCIPLE, IN WHICH AN INTERNAL SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLE IS IMPLANTED. The subject here treated of is love truly conjugial, and not ordinary love, which also is called conjugial, and which with some is merely the limited love of the s.e.x. Love truly conjugial exists only with those who desire wisdom, and who consequently advance more and more into wisdom.

These the Lord foresees, and provides for them conjugial love; which love indeed commences with them from the love of the s.e.x, or rather by it; but still it does not originate in it; for it originates in proportion to the advancement in wisdom and the dawning of the light thereof in man; for wisdom and that love are inseparable companions. The reason why conjugial love commences by the love of the s.e.x is, because before a suitable consort is found, the s.e.x in general is loved and regarded with a fond eye, and is treated with civility from a moral ground: for a young man has to make his choice; and while this is determining, from an innate inclination to marriage with one, which lies concealed in the interiors of his mind, his external receives a gentle warmth. A further reason is, because determinations to marriage are delayed from various causes even to riper years, and in the mean time the beginning of that love is as l.u.s.t; which with some actually goes astray into the love of the s.e.x; yet with them it is indulged no further than may be conducive to health. This, however, is to be understood as spoken of the male s.e.x, because it has enticements which actually inflame it; but not of the female s.e.x. From these considerations it is evident that the love of the s.e.x is not the origin of love truly conjugial; but that it is its first rudiment in respect to time, yet not in respect to end; for what is first in respect to end, is first in the mind and its intention, because it is regarded as primary; but to this first there is no approaching unless successively through mediums, and these are not first in themselves, but only conducive to what is first in itself.

99. X. DURING THE IMPLANTATION OF CONJUGIAL LOVE, THE LOVE OF THE s.e.x INVERTS ITSELF AND BECOMES THE CHASTE LOVE OF THE s.e.x. It is said that in this case the love of the s.e.x inverts itself; because while conjugial love is coming to its origin, which is in the interiors of the mind, it sees the love of the s.e.x not before itself but behind, or not above itself but beneath, and thus as somewhat which it pa.s.ses by and leaves.

The case herein is similar to that of a person climbing from one office to another through a great variety, till he reaches one which exceeds the rest in dignity; when he looks back upon the offices through which he had pa.s.sed, as behind or beneath him; or as when a person intends a journey to the palace of some king, after his arrival at his journey's end, he inverts his view in regard to the objects which he had seen in the way. That in this case the love of the s.e.x remains and becomes chaste, and yet, to those who are principled in love truly conjugial, is sweeter than it was before, may be seen from the description given of it by those in the spiritual world, in the two MEMORABLE RELATIONS, n. 44, and 55.

100. XI. THE MALE AND THE FEMALE WERE CREATED TO BE THE ESSENTIAL FORM OF THE MARRIAGE OF GOOD AND TRUTH. The reason for this is, because the male was created to be the understanding of truth, thus truth in form; and the female was created to be the will of good, thus good in form; and there is implanted in each, from their inmost principles, an inclination to conjunction into a one, as may be seen above, n. 88; thus the two make one form, which emulates the conjugial form of good and truth. It is said to emulate it, because it is not the same, but is like it; for the good which joins itself with the truth belonging to the man, is from the Lord immediately; whereas the good of the wife, which joins itself with the truth belonging to the man, is from the Lord mediately through the wife; therefore there are two goods, the one internal, the other external, which join themselves with the truth belonging to the husband, and cause him to be constantly in the understanding of truth, and thence in wisdom, by love truly conjugial: but on this subject more will be said in the following pages.

101. XII. MARRIED PARTNERS ARE THAT FORM IN THEIR INMOST PRINCIPLES, AND THENCE IN WHAT IS DERIVED FROM THOSE PRINCIPLES, IN PROPORTION AS THE INTERIORS OF THEIR MINDS ARE OPENED. There are three things of which every man consists, and which follow in an orderly connection,--the soul, the mind, and the body: his inmost is the soul, his middle is the mind, and his ultimate is the body. Every thing which flows from the Lord into a man, flows into his inmost principle, which is the soul, and descends thence into his middle principle, which is the mind, and through this into his ultimate principle, which is the body. Such is the nature of the influx of the marriage of good and truth from the Lord with man: it flows immediately into his soul, and thence proceeds to the principles next succeeding, and through these to the extreme or outermost: and thus conjointly all the principles const.i.tute conjugial love. From an idea of this influx it is manifest, that two married partners are the form of conjugial love in their inmost principles, and thence in those derived from the inmost.

102. But the reason why married partners become that form in proportion as the interiors of their minds are opened, is, because the mind is successively opened from infancy even to extreme old age: for a man is born corporeal: and in proportion as the mind is opened proximately above the body, he becomes rational; and in proportion as his rational principle is purified, and as it were drained of the fallacies which flow in from the bodily senses, and of the concupiscences which flow in from the allurements of the flesh, in the same proportion it is opened; and this is affected solely by wisdom: and when the interiors of the rational mind are open, the man becomes a form of wisdom; and this form is the receptacle of love truly conjugial. "The wisdom which const.i.tutes this form, and receives this love, is rational, and at the same time moral, wisdom: rational wisdom regards the truths and goods which appear inwardly in man, not as its own, but as flowing in from the Lord; and moral wisdom shuns evils and falses as leprosies, especially the evils of lasciviousness, which contaminate its conjugial love."

103. To the above I shall add two MEMORABLE RELATIONS: the FIRST is this. One morning before sun-rise I was looking towards the east in the spiritual world, and I saw four hors.e.m.e.n as it were issuing from a cloud refulgent with the flame of the dawning day. On their heads they had crested helmets, on their arms as it were wings, and around their bodies light orange-colored tunics; thus clad as for expedition, they rose in their seats, and gave their horses the reins, which thus ran as if they had had wings to their feet. I kept my eye fixed on their course or flight, desiring to know where they were going; and lo! three of the hors.e.m.e.n took their direction towards three different quarters, the south, the west, and the north; and the fourth in a short s.p.a.ce of time halted in the east. Wondering at all this, I looked up into heaven, and inquired where those hors.e.m.e.n were going? I received for answer, "To the wise men in the kingdoms of Europe, who with clear reasoning and acute discernment discuss the subjects of their investigation, and are distinguished above the rest for their genius, that they may a.s.semble together and explain the secret RESPECTING THE ORIGIN OF CONJUGIAL LOVE, AND RESPECTING ITS VIRTUE OR POTENCY."

It was then said from heaven, "Wait awhile, and you will see twenty-seven chariots; three, in which are Spaniards; three, in which are Frenchmen; three, in which are Italians; three, in which are Germans; three, in which are Dutchmen or Hollanders; three, in which are Englishmen; three, in which are Swedes; three, in which are Danes; and three, in which are Poles." In about two hours I saw the chariots, drawn by horses of a pale-red color, with remarkable trappings: they pa.s.sed rapidly along towards a s.p.a.cious house in the confines of the east and south, around which all alighted from their several chariots, and entered in with much confidence. Then it was said to me, "Go, and do you also enter, and you will hear." I went and entered: and on examining the house within, I saw that it was square, the sides looking to the four quarters: in each side there were three high windows of crystalline gla.s.s, the frames of which were of olive-wood; on each side of the frames were projections from the walls, like chambers vaulted above, in which there were tables. The walls of these chambers were of cedar, the roof of the n.o.ble almug wood, and the floor of poplar boards. Near the eastern wall, where no windows were seen, there was set a table overlaid with gold, on which was placed a TURBAN set with precious stones, which was to be given as a prize or reward to him who should by investigation discover the secret about to be proposed. While my attention was directed to the chamber projections like closets near the windows, I saw five men in each from every kingdom of Europe, who were prepared and waiting to know the object for the exercise of their judgements. An angel then presented himself in the middle of the palace, and said, "The object for the exercise of your judgements shall be RESPECTING THE ORIGIN OF CONJUGIAL LOVE, AND RESPECTING ITS VIRTUE OR POTENCY.

Investigate this and decide upon it; and write your decision on a piece of paper, and put it into the silver urn which you see placed near the golden table, and subscribe the initial letter of the kingdom from which you come; as F for French, B for Batavians or Hollanders, I for Italians, E for English, P for Poles, G for German, H for Spaniards (_Hispani_), D for Danes, S for Swedes." As he said this, the angel departed, saying, "I will return." Then the five men, natives of the same country, in each closet near the windows, took into consideration the proposed subject, examined it attentively, and came to a decision according to their respective talents and powers of judgement, which they wrote on a piece of paper, and placed it in the silver urn, having first subscribed the initial letter of their kingdom. This business being accomplished in about three hours, the angel returned and drew the papers in order from the urn, and read them before the a.s.sembly.

104. From the FIRST PAPER which he happened to lay hold of, he read as follows; "We five, natives of the same country, in one closet have decreed that the origin of conjugial love is from the most ancient people in the golden age, and that it was derived to them from the creation of Adam and his wife; hence is the origin of marriages, and with marriages the origin of conjugial love. The virtue or potency of conjugial love we derive from no other source than climate or situation in regard to the sun, and the consequent heat of the country; and we are confirmed in this sentiment, not by vain conjectures of reason, but by evident proofs of experience, as by the case of the people who live under the line, or the equinoctial, where the heat of the day is intense, and by the case of those who live nearer to the line, or more distant from it; and also from the co-operation of the sun's heat with the vital heat in the living creatures of the earth and the fowls of heaven, in the time of spring during prolification. Moreover, what is conjugial love but heat, which becomes virtue or potency, if the heat supplied from the sun be added to it?" To this decision was subscribed the letter H, the initial of the kingdom from which they were.

105. After this he put his hand into the urn a SECOND TIME, and took out a paper from which he read as follows: "We, natives of the same country, in our lodge have agreed that the origin of conjugial love is the same with the origin of marriages, which were sanctioned by laws in order to restrain man's innate concupiscences prompting him to adultery, which ruins the soul, defiles the reason, pollutes the morals, and infects the body with disease: for adultery is not human but b.e.s.t.i.a.l, not rational but brutish, and thus not in any respect Christian but barbarous: with a view to the condemnation of such adultery, marriages originated, and at the same time conjugial love. The case is the same with the virtue or potency of this love; for it depends on chast.i.ty, which consists in abstaining from the rovings of wh.o.r.edom: the reason is, because virtue or potency, with him who loves his married partner alone, is confined to one, and is thus collected and as it were concentrated; and then it becomes refined like a quintessence from which all defilement is separated, which would otherwise be dispersed and cast away in every direction. One of us five, who is a priest, has also added predestination as a cause of that virtue or potency, saying, 'Are not marriages predestinated? and this being the case, are not the progeny thence issuing and the means conducive thereto, predestinated also?' He insisted on adding this cause because he had sworn to it." To this decision was subscribed the letter B. On hearing it, a certain spirit observed with a smile, "How fair an apology is predestination for weakness or impotence!"

106. Presently he drew from the urn a THIRD PAPER, from which he read as follows: "We, natives of the same country, in our department have deliberated concerning the causes of the origin of conjugial love, and have seen this to be the princ.i.p.al, that it is the same with the origin of marriage, because conjugial love had no existence before marriage; and the ground of its existence is, that when any one is desperately in love with a virgin, he desires in heart and soul to possess her as being lovely above all things; and as soon as she betroths herself to him he regards her as another self. That this is the origin of conjugial love, is clearly manifest from the fury of every man against his rivals, and from the jealousy which takes place in case of violation. We afterwards considered the origin of the virtue or potency of this love; and the sentiments of three prevailed against the other two, viz., that virtue or potency with a married partner arises from some degree of licentiousness with the s.e.x. They affirmed that they knew from experience that the potency of the love of the s.e.x is greater than the potency of conjugial love." To this decision was subscribed the letter I. On hearing it, there was a cry from the table, "Remove this paper and take another out of the urn."

107. And instantly he drew out a FOURTH, from which he read as follows: "We, natives of the same country, under our window have come to this conclusion, that the origin of conjugial love and of the love of the s.e.x is the same, the former being derived from the latter; only that the love of the s.e.x is unlimited, indeterminate, loose, promiscuous, and roving; whereas conjugial love is limited, determinate, fixed, regular, and constant; and that this love therefore has been sanctioned and established by the prudence of human wisdom as necessary to the existence of every empire, kingdom, commonwealth, and even society; for without it men would wander like droves of cattle in fields and forests, with harlots and ravished females, and would fly from one habitation to another to avoid the b.l.o.o.d.y murders, violations, and depredations, whereby the whole human race would be in danger of being extirpated.

This is our opinion concerning the origin of conjugial love. But the virtue or potency of conjugial love we deduce from an uninterrupted state of bodily health continuing from infancy to old age; for the man who always retains a sound const.i.tution and enjoys a continual freedom from sickness, feels his vigor unabated, while his fibres, nerves, muscles, and sinews, are neither torpid, relaxed, nor feeble, but retain the full strength of their powers: farewell." To this decision was subscribed the letter E.

108. FIFTHLY, he drew a paper out of the urn, from which he read as follows: "We, natives of the same country, at our table, from the rationality of our minds, have examined into the origin of conjugial love and of its virtue or potency; and from all the considerations which have presented themselves, we have seen and concluded upon no other origin of conjugial love than this: that every man, from incentives and consequent incitements which are concealed in the interiors of his mind and body, after indulging in various desires of his eyes, at length fixes his mind and inclination on one of the female s.e.x, until his pa.s.sion is determined entirely to her: from this moment his warmth is enkindled more and more, until at length it becomes a flame; in this state the inordinate love of the s.e.x is banished, and conjugial love takes its place. A youthful bridegroom under the influence of this flame, knows no other than that the virtue or potency of this love will never cease; for he wants experience and therefore knowledge respecting a state of the failure of his powers, and of the coldness of love which then succeeds to delights: conjugial love therefore has its origin in this first ardor before the nuptial ceremony, and from the same source it derives its virtue or potency; but this virtue or potency changes its aspect after the nuptial ceremony, and decreases and increases; yet still it continues with regular changes, or with decrease and increase, even to old age, by means of prudent moderation, and by restraining the libidinous desires which burst forth from the lurking places of the mind not yet thoroughly purified: for libidinous desire precedes wisdom. This is our judgement concerning the origin and continuance of conjugial virtue or potency." To this decision was subscribed the letter P.

109. SIXTHLY, he drew out a paper, from which he read as follows: "We, natives of the same country, from the fellowship subsisting among us, have attentively considered the causes of the origin of conjugial love, and have agreed in a.s.signing two; one of which is the right education of children, and the other the distinct possession of inheritances. We have a.s.signed these two, because they aim at and regard the same end, which is the public good: and this end is obtained, because infants conceived and born from conjugial love become proper and true children; and these in consequence of the natural love of the parents, exalted by the consideration of their offspring being legitimate, are educated to be heirs of all their parents' possessions both spiritual and natural. That the public good is founded on a right education of children and on a distinct possession of inheritances, is obvious to reason. Of the love of the s.e.x and conjugial love, the latter appears as if it were one with the former, but it is distinctly different; neither is the one love near to the other, but within it; and what is within is more excellent than what is without: and we have seen that conjugial love from creation is within, and lies hid in the love of the s.e.x, just as an almond does in its sh.e.l.l; therefore when conjugial love comes out of its sh.e.l.l, which is the love of the s.e.x, it glitters before the angels like a gem, a beryl, and astroites. The reason of this is, because on conjugial love is inscribed the safety of the whole human race, which we conceive to be understood by the public good. This is our judgement respecting the origin of this love. With respect to the origin of its virtue or potency, from a consideration of its causes, we have concluded it to be the development and separation of conjugial love from the love of the s.e.x, which is effected by wisdom on the man's part, and by the love of the man's wisdom on the part of the wife: for the love of the s.e.x is common to man and beast; whereas conjugial love is peculiar to men: therefore so far as conjugial love is developed and separated from the love of the s.e.x, so far a man is a man and not a beast; and a man acquires virtue or potency from his love, as a beast does from his." To this decision was subscribed the letter G.

110. SEVENTHLY, he drew out a paper from which he read as follows: "We, natives of the same country, in the chamber under the light of our window, have found our thoughts and thence our judgements exhilarated by meditating on conjugial love; for who is not exhilarated by this love, which, while it prevails in the mind, prevails also through the whole body? We judge of the origin of this love from its delights; for who in any case knows or has known the trace of any love except from its delight and pleasurableness? The delights of conjugial love in their origins are felt as beat.i.tudes, satisfactions, and happinesses, in their derivations as pleasantnesses and pleasures, and in their ultimates as superlative delights. The love of the s.e.x therefore originates when the interiors of the mind, and thence the interiors of the body, are opened for the influx of those delights; but conjugial love originated at the time when, from entering into marriage engagements, the primitive sphere of that love ideally promoted those delights. The virtue or potency of this love arises from its pa.s.sing, with its inmost principles, from the mind into the body; for the mind, by derivation from the head, is in the body, while it feels and acts, especially when it is delighted from this love: hence we judge of the degrees of its potency and the regularity of its alterations. Moreover we also deduce the virtue of potency from the stock whence a man is descended: if this be n.o.ble on the father's side, it becomes also by transmission n.o.ble with his offspring. That such n.o.bility is generated, inherited and descends by transmission, is agreeable to the dictates of reason supported by experience." To this decision was subscribed the letter F.

111. From the paper which came forth the EIGHTH in order, he read as follows: "We, natives of the same country, in our place of a.s.sembly have not discovered the real origin of conjugial love, because it lies deeply concealed in the sacred repositories of the mind. The most consummate vision cannot, by any intellectual effort, reach that love in its origin. We have made many conjectures; but after the vain exertion of subtle inquiry, we have been in doubt whether our conjectures might not be called rather trifling than judicious; therefore whoever is desirous to extract the origin of that love from the sacred repositories of his mind, and to exhibit it clearly before his eyes, let him go to _Delphos_. We have contemplated that love beneath its origin, and have seen that in the mind it is spiritual, and as a fountain from which a sweet stream flows, whence it descends into the breast, where it becomes delightful, and is called bosom love, which in itself is full of friendship and confidence, from a full inclination to reciprocality; and that when it has pa.s.sed the breast, it becomes genial love. These and similar considerations, which a young man revolves in his mind while he is determining his choice to one of the s.e.x, kindle in his heart the fire of conjugial love; which fire, as it is the primitive of that love is its origin. In respect to the origin of its virtue or potency, we acknowledge no other than that love itself, they being inseparable companions, yet still they are such that sometimes the one precedes and sometimes the other. When the love precedes and the virtue or potency follows it, each is n.o.ble because in this case potency is the virtue of conjugial love; but if the potency precedes and the love follows, each is then ign.o.ble; because in this case the love is subordinate to carnal potency; we therefore judge of the quality of each from the order in which the love descends or ascends, and thus proceeds from its origin to its proposed end." To this decision was subscribed the letter D.

112. Lastly, or NINTHLY, he took up a paper, from which he read as follows: "We, natives of the same country, in our council-chamber have exercised our judgement on the two points proposed, viz., the origin of conjugial love, and the origin of its virtue or potency. In the subtleties of inquiry respecting the origin of conjugial love, in order to avoid obscurity in our reasonings, we have distinguished between the love of the s.e.x as being spiritual, natural, and carnal; and by the spiritual love of the s.e.x we have understood love truly conjugial, because this is spiritual; and by the natural love of the s.e.x we have understood polygamical love, because this is natural; and by the merely carnal love of the s.e.x we have understood adulterous love because this is merely carnal. In exercising our judgements to examine into love truly conjugial, we have clearly seen that this love exists only between one male and one female, and that from creation it is celestial and inmost, the soul and father of all good loves, being inspired into the first parents, and capable of being inspired into Christians; it is also of such a conjunctive nature that by it two minds may become one mind, and two men (_homines_) as it were one man (_h.o.m.o_); which is meant by becoming one flesh. That this love was inspired at creation, is plain from these words in the book of creation, '_And a man shall leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall be one flesh_,'

Gen. ii. 24. That it can be inspired into Christians, is evident from these words, '_Jesus said, Have ye not read, that he who made them from the beginning, made them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they two shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no longer two but one flesh_,' Matt. xix. 4-6. So far in regard to the origin of conjugial love: but as to the origin of the virtue or potency of love truly conjugial, we conceive it to proceed from a similitude of minds and unanimity; for when two minds are conjugially united, their thoughts spiritually kiss each other, and these inspire into the body their virtue or potency." To this decision was subscribed the letter S.

113. There were standing behind an oblong stage in the palace, erected before the doors, some strangers from Africa, who cried out to the natives of Europe, "Permit one of us to deliver his sentiments respecting the origin of conjugial love, and respecting its virtue or potency." And immediately all the tables gave signs of a.s.sent with their hands. Then one of them entered and stood at the table on which the turban was placed, and said, "You Christians deduce the origin of conjugial love from love itself; but we Africans deduce it from the G.o.d of heaven and earth. Is not conjugial love a chaste, pure, and holy love? Are not the angels of heaven principled therein? Is not the whole human race, and thence the whole angelic heaven, the seed of that love?

And can such super-eminent principle derive its existence from any other source than from G.o.d himself, the Creator and Preserver of the universe?

You Christians deduce conjugial virtue or potency from various causes rational and natural; but we Africans deduce it from the state of man's conjunction with the G.o.d of the universe. This state we call a state of religion; but you call it a state of the church: for when the love is derived from that state, and is fixed and permanent, it must needs produce its own virtue, which resembles it, and thus also is fixed and permanent. Love truly conjugial is known only to those few who live near to G.o.d; consequently the potency of that love is known to none else.

This potency is described by the angels in the heavens as the delight of a perpetual spring."

114. As he said these word, the whole a.s.sembly arose, and lo! behind the golden table on which lay the turban, there appeared a window that had not before been seen; and through it was heard a voice, saying, "THE AFRICAN IS TO HAVE THE TURBAN." The angel then gave it into his hand, but did not place it upon his head; and he went home with it. The inhabitants of the kingdoms of Europe then left the a.s.sembly and entered their chariots, in which they returned to their respective societies.

115. THE SECOND MEMORABLE RELATION. Awaking from sleep at midnight, I saw at some elevation towards the east an angel holding in his right hand a paper, which appeared extremely bright, being illuminated by the light flowing from the sun. In the middle of the paper there was written in golden letters, THE MARRIAGE OF GOOD AND TRUTH. From the writing there darted forth a splendor which formed a wide circle about the paper. This circle or encompa.s.sing splendor appeared like the early dawn in spring. After this I saw the angel descending with the paper in his hand; and as he descended the paper became less and less lucid, and the writing, which was THE MARRIAGE OF GOOD AND TRUTH, changed from a golden into a silver color, afterwards into a copper color, next into an iron color, and at length into the color of iron and copper rust: finally, I saw the angel enter an obscure mist, and through the mist descend upon the ground; and here I did not see the paper, although he still held it in his hand. This happened in the world of spirits, in which all men first a.s.semble after their decease. The angel then said to me, "Ask those who come hither whether they see me, or anything in my hand."

There came a great number; one company from the east, another from the south, another from the west, and another from the north; and I asked those who came from the east and from the south, who in the world had applied themselves to literary pursuits, "Do you see any one here with me, and anything in his hand?" They all said, "No." I then put the same question to those who came from the west and from the north, who in the world had believed in the words of the learned; and these gave the same answer: nevertheless the last of them, who in the world had been principled in simple faith grounded in charity, or in some degree of truth grounded in good, when the rest were gone away, said, that they saw a man with a paper, the man in a graceful dress, and the paper with letters written upon it: and when they applied their eyes nearer to it, they said that they could read these words, _The marriage of good and truth_; and they addressed the angel, intreating him to explain to them the meaning of the writing. He said, "All things in the whole heaven and in the whole world, are a marriage of good and truth; for all things whatever, both those which live and communicate life and those which do not live and do not communicate life, were created from and into the marriage of good and truth. There does not exist anything which was created into truth alone, or any thing which was created into good alone: solitary good or solitary truth is not any thing; but by marriage they exist and become something which derives its nature and quality from that of the marriage. In the Lord the Creator are divine good and divine truth in their very substance: the _esse_ of his substance is divine good, and its _existere_ is divine truth: in him also they are in their very essential union; for in him they infinitely make a one: and since these two in the Creator himself are a one, therefore also they are a one in all things created from him; hereby also the Creator is conjoined in an eternal covenant as of marriage with all things created from himself." The angel further said, that the Sacred Scripture, which proceeded immediately from the Lord, is in general and in particular a marriage of good and truth; and since the church, which is formed by the truth of doctrine, and religion, which is formed by the good of life agreeable to the truth of doctrine, are with Christians derived solely from the Sacred Scripture, therefore it may manifestly appear, that the church in general and in particular is a marriage of good and truth; (that this is the case, may be seen in the APOCALYPSE REVEALED, n. 373, 483.) What has just been said concerning the marriage of good and truth, is applicable also to the MARRIAGE OF CHARITY AND FAITH; for good relates to charity, and truth to faith. Some of the spirits above-mentioned who did not see the angel and the writing, being still near, and hearing these things, said in an under tone, "_Yes, we also comprehend what has been spoken_;" but the angel then said to them, "Turn aside a little from me and speak in like manner." They turned aside, and then said aloud, "_It is not so_." After this the angel spoke concerning the MARRIAGE OF GOOD AND TRUTH with married pairs, saying, that if their minds were in that marriage, the husband being truth, and the wife the good thereof, they would both be in the delights of the blessedness and innocence, and thence in the happiness which the angels of heaven enjoy; and in this state the prolific principle of the husband would be in a continual spring, and thereby in the endeavour and vigor of propagating its truth, and the wife would be in a continual reception thereof from a principle of love. The wisdom which husbands derive from the Lord, is sensible of no greater delight than to propagate its truths; and the love of wisdom which wives have from the Lord is sensible of no higher gratification than to receive those truths as it were in the womb, and thus to conceive them, to carry them in the womb, and to bring them forth. Spiritual prolifications with the angels of heaven are of this sort; and if you are disposed to believe it, natural prolifications are also from the same origin. The angel, after a salutation of peace, raised himself from the ground, and pa.s.sing through the mist ascended into heaven; and then the paper shone as before according to the degrees of ascent; and behold! the circle, which before appeared as the dawn of day, descended and dispelled the mist which caused darkness on the ground, and a bright sunshine succeeded.

ON THE MARRIAGE OF THE LORD AND THE CHURCH, AND ITS CORRESPONDENCE.

116. The reason why the marriage of the Lord and the church, together with its correspondence, is here also treated of, is, because without knowledge and intelligence on this subject, scarcely any one can know, that conjugial love in its origin is holy, spiritual, and celestial, and that it is from the Lord. It is said indeed by some in the church, that marriages have relation to the marriage of the Lord with the church; but the nature and quality of this relationship is unknown, in order therefore that this relationship may be exhibited to the understanding so as to be seen in some degree of light, it is necessary to treat particularly of that holy marriage which has place with and in those who are the Lord's church. These also, and no others, are principled in love truly conjugial. But for the better elucidation of this arcanum, it may be expedient to consider the subject distinctly, as arranged under the following articles: I. _The Lord in the Word is called the Bridegroom and Husband, and the church the bride and wife; and the conjunction of the Lord with the church, and the reciprocal conjunction of the church with the Lord, is called a marriage._ II. _The Lord is also called a Father, and the church, a mother._ III. _The offspring derived from the Lord as a husband and father, and from the church as a wife and mother, are all spiritual; and in the spiritual sense of the Word are understood by sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, sons-in-law and daughters-in-law, and by other names of relations._ IV. _The spiritual offspring, which are born from the Lord's marriage with the church are truths and goods; truths, from which are derived understanding, perception, and all thought; and goods, from which are derived love, charity, and all affection._ V. _From the marriage of good and truth, which proceeds from the Lord in the way of influx, man (h.o.m.o) receives truth, and the Lord conjoins good thereto; and thus the church is formed by the Lord with man._ VI. _The husband does not represent the Lord and the wife the church; because both together, the husband and the wife, const.i.tute the church._ VII. _Therefore there is not a correspondence of the husband with the Lord and of the wife with the church, in the marriages of the angels in the heavens and of men on earth._ VIII. _But there is a correspondence with conjugial love, semination, prolification, the love of infants, and similar things which exist in marriages, and are derived from them._ IX. _The Word is the medium of conjunction, because it is from the Lord, and therefore is the Lord._ X.

_The church is from the Lord, and exists with those who come to him, and live according to his precepts._ XI. _Conjugial love is according to the state of the church, because it is according to the state of wisdom with man (h.o.m.o)._ XII. _And as the church is from the Lord, conjugial love is also from him._ We proceed to the explanation of each article.

117. I. THE LORD IN THE WORD IS CALLED THE BRIDEGROOM AND HUSBAND, AND THE CHURCH THE BRIDE AND WIFE; AND THE CONJUNCTION OF THE LORD WITH THE CHURCH, AND THE RECIPROCAL CONJUNCTION OF THE CHURCH WITH THE LORD, IS CALLED A MARRIAGE. That the Lord in the Word is called the Bridegroom and Husband, and the church the bride and wife, may appear from the following pa.s.sages: "_He that hath the BRIDE is the BRIDEGROOM; but the friend of the BRIDEGROOM, who standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth with joy because of the BRIDEGROOM'S voice_," John iii. 29: this was spoken by John the Baptist concerning the Lord. "_Jesus said, so long as the BRIDEGROOM is with them, the SONS OF THE NUPTIALS cannot fast: the days will come when the BRIDEGROOM will be taken away from them, and then will they fast_," Matt ix. 15; Mark ii. 19, 20; Luke v. 34, 35. "_I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, prepared as a BRIDE adorned for HER HUSBAND_," Rev. xxi. 2. The New Jerusalem signifies the New Church of the Lord, as may be seen in the APOCALYPSE REVEALED, n. 880, 881. "_The angel said to John, Come, and I will shew thee the BRIDE, THE LAMB'S WIFE: and he shewed him the holy city, New Jerusalem_," Rev. xxi. 9, 10.

"_The time of the MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB is come, and HIS WIFE hath made herself ready. Blessed are those who are called to the supper of the MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB_," Rev. xix. 7, 9. The BRIDEGROOM, whom the five prepared virgins went forth to meet, and with WHOM they entered in to the MARRIAGE, Matt. xxv. 1-10, denotes the Lord; as is evident from verse 13, where it is said, "Watch, therefore; because ye know neither the day nor the hour in which the SON OF MAN will come:" not to mention many pa.s.sages in the prophets.

118. II. THE LORD IS ALSO CALLED A FATHER, AND THE CHURCH, A MOTHER. The Lord is called a Father, as appears from the following pa.s.sages: "_Unto us a child is born; unto us a son is given; and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counsellor, G.o.d, THE FATHER OF ETERNITY, the Prince of Peace_," Isaiah ix. 6. "_Thou, JEHOVAH, art OUR FATHER, our REDEEMER; thy name is from an age_," Isaiah lxiii. 16. Again, "_Jesus said, He that seeth ME, seeth the FATHER that sent ME_," John xii. 45. "_If ye have known ME, ye have known my FATHER also; and henceforth ye have known him, and have seen him_," John xiv. 7. "_Philip said, Shew us the FATHER: Jesus said unto him, He that seeth me, seeth the FATHER; how sayest them then, Shew us the FATHER_?" John xiv. 8, 9. "_Jesus said, The FATHER and I are one_," John x. 30. "_All things that the FATHER hath are MINE_," John xvi. 15; chap. xvii. 10. "_The FATHER is in ME, and I IN THE FATHER_," John x. 38; chap, xiv 10, 11, 20. That the Lord and his Father are one, as the soul and the body are one, and that G.o.d the Father descended from heaven, and a.s.sumed the human (nature or principle), to redeem and save men, and that his human nature is what is called the Son, and is said to be sent into the world, has been fully shewn in the APOCALYPSE REVEALED.

119. The church is called a mother, as appears from the following pa.s.sages: "_Jehovah said, Contend with YOUR MOTHER: she is not MY WIFE, and I am not her HUSBAND_." Hosea ii. 2, 5. "_Thou art thy MOTHER'S daughter, that loatheth her HUSBAND_," Ezek. xvi. 45. "_Where is the hill of thy MOTHER'S divorcement, whom I have put away_?" Isaiah l. 1.

"_Thy MOTHER was like a vine planted by the waters, bearing fruit_,"

Ezek. xix. 10; speaking of the Jewish church. "_Jesus stretching out his hand to the disciples, said, MY MOTHER and my brethren are those who hear the Word of G.o.d, and do it_," Luke viii. 21; Matt. xii. 49, 50; Mark iii. 33-35: the Lord's disciples means the church. "_There was standing at the cross of Jesus his mother: and Jesus seeing his mother and the disciple whom he loved, standing by, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son; and he saith to the disciple, Behold thy mother: wherefore from that hour the disciple took her unto his own_," John xix.

25-27. This implies, that the Lord did not acknowledge Mary as a mother, but the church; therefore he calls her Woman, and the disciple's mother.

The reason why the Lord called her the mother of this disciple, or of John, was, because John represented the church as to the goods of charity, which are the church in real effect; therefore it is said, He took her unto his own. Peter represented truth and faith, James charity, and John the works of charity, as may be seen in the APOCALYPSE REVEALED, n. 5, 6, 790, 798, 879; and the twelve disciples together represented the church as to all its const.i.tuent principles, as may be seen, Ibid, n. 233, 790, 903, 915.

120. III. THE OFFSPRING DERIVED FROM THE LORD AS A HUSBAND AND FATHER, AND FROM THE CHURCH AS A WIFE AND MOTHER, ARE ALL SPIRITUAL; AND IN THE SPIRITUAL SENSE OF THE WORD ARE UNDERSTOOD BY SONS AND DAUGHTERS, BROTHERS AND SISTERS, SONS-IN-LAW, AND DAUGHTERS-IN-LAW, AND BY OTHER NAMES OF RELATIONS. That no other than spiritual offspring are born of the Lord by the church, is a proposition which wants no demonstration, because reason sees it to be self-evident; for it is the Lord from whom every good and truth proceeds, and it is the church which receives them and brings them into effect; and all the spiritual things of heaven and the church relate to good and truth. Hence it is that sons and daughters in the Word, in its spiritual sense, signify truths and goods: sons, truths conceived in the spiritual man, and born in, the natural; and daughters, goods in like manner: therefore those who are regenerated by the Lord, are called in the Word sons of G.o.d, sons of the kingdom, born of him; and the Lord called the disciples sons: the male child, that the woman brought forth, and that was caught up to G.o.d, Rev. xii. 5, has a similar signification; see APOCALYPSE REVEALED, n. 543. Since daughters signify goods of the church, therefore in the Word mention is so frequently made of the daughter of Zion, the daughter of Jerusalem, the daughter of Israel, and the daughter of Judah; by whom is signified not any daughter, but the affection of good, which is an affection of the church; see also APOCALYPSE REVEALED, n. 612. The Lord also calls those who are of his church, brethren and sisters; see Matt. xii. 49, 50; chap. xxv. 40; chap, xxviii. 10; Mark iii. 35; Luke viii. 21.

121. IV. THE SPIRITUAL OFFSPRING, WHICH ARE BORN FROM THE LORD'S MARRIAGE WITH THE CHURCH, ARE TRUTHS AND GOODS; TRUTHS, FROM WHICH ARE DERIVED UNDERSTANDING, PERCEPTION, AND ALL THOUGHT; AND GOODS, FROM WHICH ARE DERIVED LOVE, CHARITY, AND ALL AFFECTION. The reason why truths and goods are the spiritual offspring, which are born of the Lord by the church, is, because the Lord is essential good and essential truth, and these in him are not two but one; also, because nothing can proceed from the Lord but what is in him, and what he is. That the marriage of truth and good proceeds from the Lord, and flows in with men, and is received according to the state of the mind and life of those who are of the church, was shewn in the foregoing section on the MARRIAGE OF GOOD AND TRUTH. The reason why by means of truths a man has understanding, perception, and all thought, and by means of goods has love, charity, and all affection, is, because all things of man relate to truth and good; and there are two const.i.tuents of man--the will and the understanding; the will being the receptacle of good, and the understanding of truth. That love, charity and affection, belong to the will, and that perception and thought belong to the understanding, may appear without the aid of light arising from demonstration; for there is a light derived from the understanding itself by which these propositions are seen to be self-evident.

122. V. FROM THE MARRIAGE OF GOOD AND TRUTH, WHICH PROCEEDS FROM THE LORD IN THE WAY OF INFLUX, MAN (_h.o.m.o_) RECEIVES TRUTH, AND THE LORD CONJOINS GOOD THERETO; AND THUS THE CHURCH IS FORMED BY THE LORD WITH MAN. The reason why a man receives truth by virtue of the good and truth which proceed as a one from the Lord, is, because he receives this as his own, and appropriates it to himself as his own; for he thinks what is true as from himself, and in like manner speaks from what is true; and this takes place because truth is in the light of the understanding, and hence he sees it: and whatever he sees in himself, or in his mind, he knows not whence it is; for he does not see the influx, as he sees those objects which strike upon the bodily vision; hence he supposes that it is himself. That it should appear thus, is granted by the Lord to him, in order that he may be a man (_h.o.m.o_), and that he may have a reciprocal principle of conjunction: add to this, that every man is born a faculty of knowing, understanding, and growing wise; and this faculty receives truths, whereby it has knowledges, intelligence, and wisdom.

And since the female was created through the truth of the male, and is formed into the love thereof more and more after marriage, it follows, that she also receives the husband's truth in herself, and conjoins it with her own good.

123. The Lord adjoins and conjoins good to the truths which a man receives, because he cannot take good as of himself, it being no object of his sight, as it does not relate to light, but to heat, which is felt and not seen; therefore when a man sees truth in his thought, he seldom reflects upon the good which flows into it from the love of the will, and which gives it life: neither does a wife reflect upon the good belonging to her, but upon the husband's inclination towards her, which is according to the a.s.sent of his understanding to wisdom: the good which belongs to her from the Lord, she applies, without the husband's knowing any thing respecting such application. From these considerations then it plainly appears, that a man receives truth from the Lord, and that the Lord adjoins good to that truth, according to the application of truth to use; consequently as the man is desirous to think, and thence to live, wisely.

124. The church is thus formed with a man by the Lord, because in such case he is in conjunction with the Lord, in good from Him, and in truth as from himself; thus he is in the Lord, and the Lord in him, according to the Lord's words in John xv. 4:, 5. The case is the same, if instead of good we say charity, and instead of truth faith; because good is of charity, and truth is of faith.

125. VI. THE HUSBAND DOES NOT REPRESENT THE LORD, AND THE WIFE THE CHURCH; BECAUSE BOTH TOGETHER, THE HUSBAND AND THE WIFE, CONSt.i.tUTE THE CHURCH. It is a Common saying in the church, that as the Lord is the Head of the church, so the husband is the head of the wife; whence it should follow, that the husband represents the Lord, and the wife the church: but the Lord is the Head of the church; and man (_h.o.m.o_), the man (_vir_) and the woman, are the church; and still more the husband and wife together. With these the church is first implanted in the man, and through him in the wife; because the man with his understanding receives the truth of the church, and the wife from the man; but if it be _vice versa_, it is not according to order: sometimes, however, this is the case; but then it is with men, who either are not lovers of wisdom, and consequently are not of the church, or who are in a servile dependence on the will of their wives. Something on this subject may be seen in the preliminary RELATIONS, n. 21.

126. VII. THEREFORE THERE IS NOT A CORRESPONDENCE OF THE HUSBAND WITH THE LORD AND OF THE WIFE WITH THE CHURCH, IN THE MARRIAGES OF THE ANGELS IN THE HEAVENS AND OF MEN ON EARTH. This follows as a consequence from what has just been said; to which, nevertheless, it may be expedient to add, that it appears as if truth was the primary const.i.tuent of the church, because it is first in respect to time: from this appearance, the prelates of the church have exalted faith, which is of truth, above charity, which is of good; in like manner the learned have exalted thought, which is of the understanding, above affection, which is of the will; therefore the knowledge of what the good of charity and the affection of the will are, lies deeply buried as in a tomb, while some even cast earth upon them, as upon the dead, to prevent their rising again. That the good of charity, notwithstanding, is the primary const.i.tuent of the church, may be plainly seen by those who have not closed the way from heaven to their understandings, by confirmations in favor of faith, as the sole const.i.tuent of the church, and in favor of thought, as the sole const.i.tuent of man. Now as the good of charity is from the Lord, and the truth of faith is with a man as from himself, and these two principles cause conjunction of the Lord with man, and of man with the Lord, such as is understood by the Lord's words, that He is in them, and they in Him, John xv. 4, 5, it is evident that this conjunction const.i.tutes the church.

127. VIII. BUT THERE IS A CORRESPONDENCE WITH CONJUGIAL LOVE, SEMINATION, PROLIFICATION, THE LOVE OF INFANTS, AND SIMILAR THINGS WHICH EXIST IN MARRIAGES AND ARE DERIVED FROM THEM. These, however, are arcana of too deep a nature to enter the understanding with any degree of light, unless preceded by knowledge concerning correspondence; nor is it possible, if this knowledge be wanting, so to explain them as to make them comprehensible. But what correspondence is, and that it exists between natural things and spiritual, is abundantly shown in the APOCALYPSE REVEALED, also in the ARCANA COELESTIA, and specifically in the DOCTRINE OF THE NEW JERUSALEM CONCERNING THE SACRED SCRIPTURE, and particularly in a MEMORABLE RELATION respecting it in the following pages. Before some knowledge on this subject is acquired, we will only present to the intellectual view, as in a shade, these few particulars: conjugial love corresponds to the affection of genuine truth, its chast.i.ty, purity, and sanct.i.ty; semination corresponds to the potency of truth; prolification corresponds to the propagation of truth; and the love of infants corresponds to the defence of truth and good. Now as truth with a man (_h.o.m.o_) appears as his own, and good is adjoined thereto from the Lord, it is evident that these correspondences are those of the natural or external man with the spiritual or internal man: but some degree of light will be reflected on this subject from the MEMORABLE RELATIONS which follow.

128. IX. THE WORD IS THE MEDIUM OF CONJUNCTION, BECAUSE IT IS FROM THE LORD, AND THEREFORE IS THE LORD. The Word is the medium of conjunction of the Lord with man (_h.o.m.o_), and of man with the Lord, because in its essence it is divine truth united to divine good, and divine good united to divine truth: that this union exists in every part of the Word in its celestial and spiritual sense, may be seen in the APOCALYPSE REVEALED, n. 373, 483, 689, 881; whence it follows, that the Word is the perfect marriage of good and truth; and as it is from the Lord, and what is from him is also himself, it follows, that while a man reads the Word, and collects truths out of it, the Lord adjoins good. For a man does not see the goods which affect him in reading; because he reads the Word from the understanding, and the understanding acquires thence only such things as are of its own nature, that is, truths. That good is adjoined thereto from the Lord, is made sensible to the understanding from the delight which flows in during a state of ill.u.s.tration; but this takes place interiorly with those only who read the Word to the end that they may become wise; and such persons are desirous of learning the genuine truths contained in the Word, and thereby of forming the church in themselves; whereas those who read the Word only with a view to gain the reputation of learning, and those also who read it from an opinion that the mere reading or hearing it inspires faith and conduces to salvation, do not receive any good from the Lord; for the end proposed by the latter is to save themselves by the mere expressions contained in the Word, in which there is nothing of truth; and the end proposed by the former is to be distinguished for their learning; which end has no conjunction with any spiritual good, but only with the natural delight arising from worldly glory. As the Word is the medium of conjunction, it is therefore called the old and the new Covenant: a covenant signifies conjunction.

129. X. THE CHURCH IS FROM THE LORD, AND EXISTS WITH THOSE WHO COME TO HIM AND LIVE ACCORDING TO HIS PRECEPTS. It is not denied at this day that the church is the Lord's, and consequently that it is from the Lord. The reason why it exists with those who come to him, is, because his church in that part of the globe which is called Christian, is derived from the Word; and the Word is from him, and in such a manner from him, that it is himself, the divine truth being therein united to the divine good, and this also is the Lord. This is meant by the Word, "_which was with G.o.d, and which was G.o.d, from which men have life and light, and which was made flesh_," John i. 1-14. Moreover, the reason why the church exists with those who come to him, is, because it exists with those who believe in him; and to believe that he is G.o.d the Saviour and Redeemer, that he is Jehovah our justice, that he is the door by which we are to enter into the sheepfold, that is, into the church, that he is the way, the truth, and the life, and that no one comes to the Father but by him, that the Father and he are one, besides many other particulars which he himself teaches; to believe these things, I say, is impossible for any one, except by influence from him; and the reason why this is impossible unless he be approached, is, because he is the G.o.d of heaven and earth, as he also teaches. Who else is to be approached, and who else can be? The reason why the church exists with those who live according to his precepts, is, because there is conjunction with none else; for he says, "_He that hath my precepts, and doeth them, he it is that loveth me; and I will love him, and will make my abode with him: but he that doth not love me, doth not keep my precepts_," John XIV.

21-24. Love is conjunction; and conjunction with the Lord is the church.