Concerning Polygamy
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If the reason be investigated why polygamical marriages are absolutely condemned by the christian world, it cannot be clearly seen by any one, whatever powers of acute and ingenious investigation he may possess, unless he be previously instructed, That There is Given A Love Truly Conjugial: That This Love Cannot Possibly Be Given, Except Between Two ; Nor Between Two, Except From The Alone Lord: And That On This Love Is Inscribed Heaven With All Its Happiness. Unless these previous knowledges precede, and lay as it were the first stone, it is in vain for the mind to desire to draw forth from the understanding any reasons for the condemnation of polygamy by the christian world, which should be satisfactory, and on which it may stand firm, as a house upon its stone or foundation. It is a known thing, that the institution of monogamical marriage is founded on the word of the Lord, "That whosoever putteth away his wife, except on account of whoredom, and marrieth another, committeth adultery ; and that from the beginning, or from the first establishment of marriages, it was (ordained), that two should become onejlesh ; and that man should not separate what God hath joined together," Matt. xix. 3 to II. But although the Lord spake these words from the divine law inscribed on marriages, slill if the understanding cannot support that law by some reasons of its own, it may so warp it by turnings and windings by which it is accustomed, and by sinister interpretations, as to render its principle obscure and ambiguous, and at length affirmative negative ; affirmative, because it is also grounded in civil law, and negative because it is not grounded in a rational view of those words. Into this principle the human mind will fall, unless it be previously instructed respecting the above-mentioned knowledges, which may be serviceable to the understanding: for introduction into its reasons; which knowledges are, that there, is given a love truly conjugial; that this love cannot possibly be given, except between two ; nor between two, exeept from the alone Lord ; and that on this love is inscribed heaven with all its happiness. But these, and several other particulars respecting the condemnation of polygamy by the christian world, shall be demonstrated in order, according to the following articles: I. That love truly conjugial cannot be given except with one wife, consequently neither can friendship, confidence, ability truly conjugial be given, and such conjunction of minds that two may be one flesh, II. That thus celestial blessednesses, spiritual satisfactions, and natural delights, which from the beginning were provided for those who were in love truly conjugial, cannot be given except with one wife. III. That all these things cannot be given except from the alone Lord ; and that they are not given to any others but those, who come to. him alone, and at the same time live according to his commandments. IV. Consequently that love truly conjugial, with its happinesses, cannot be given except with those who are of the Christian church. V. That hence it is that a Christian is not allowed to marry more than one wife. V I. That a Christian, if he marries several wives, commits not only natural adultery, but also spiritual adultery. VII. That the Israelitish nation was permitted to marry several wives, because the Christian church was not with that nation, and consequently love truly conjugial could not be given. VIII. That at this day it is permitted the Mahometans 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 God of heaven and earth; and hence they cannot receive, love truly conjugial. IX. That the Mahometan heaven is out of the Christian heaven, and that it is divided into two heavens, the inferior and superior ; and that no others are elevated into their superior heaven, than such as renounce concubines, and live with one wife, and acknowledge our Lord equal to God the Father, to whom is given dominion over heaven and earth. X. That polygamy is lasciviousness. XL That conjugial chastity, purity, and sanctity, cannot be given with polygamists. XII. That polygamists, so long as they remain polygamists, cannot become spiritual. XIII. That polygamy is not sin with such as live in it from a principle of religion. XIV. That polygamy is not sin with those who are in ignorance concerning the Lord. XV. That of these latter such are saved, although polygamists, who acknowledge a God, and from a religious principle live according to the civil laws of justice. XVI. But that none. either of the latter or the former can be consociated with angels in the Christian heavens. We proceed to an explication of each article.
I. That Love Truly Conjugial Cannot BE GIVEN EXCEPT WITH ONE WIFE, CONSEQUENTLY NEITHER CAN FRIENDSHIP, CONFIDENCE, ABILITY TRULY CONJUGIAL BE GIVEN, AND SUCH A CONJUNCTION OF MINDS, THAT Two 'may Be One Flesh.
[edit]That love truly conjugial is at this day so rare, as to be generally unknown, is a subject which hath been occasionally inquired into above; that nevertheless such love is actually given, was demonstrated in its proper chapter, and afterwards occasionally in the following chapters. But apart from such demonstration, who doth not know that such a love is given, which is paramount to all other loves for excellency and satisfaction, so that all other loves in respect to it are little ? That it exceeds self-love, the love of the world, yea the love of life, experience testifies in a variety of cases. Have there not been, and are there not still instances of men, who for a woman, the dear and desired object of their wishes, prostrate theni3elves on their knees, adore her as a goddess, and submit themselves as the vilest slaves to her will and pleasure? a plain proof that this love exceeds the love of self. Have there not been, and are there not still instances of men, who for a woman, the dear and desired object of their wishes, make light of wealth, yea of treasures presented in prospect, and are also prodigal of those which they possess ? a plain proof that this love exceeds the love of the world. Have there not been, and are there not still, instances of men, who for a woman, the dear and desired object of their Avishes, account life itself a vile thing, and desire to die rather than be disappointed in their wishes, as is evidenced by the many fatal combats between rival lovers on such occasions? a plain proof that this love exceeds-the love of life. Lastly, have there not been, and are there not still, instances of men, who for a woman, the dear and desired object of their wishes, have run raving mad in consequence of being denied a place in her favour? From such a commencement of this love in several cases, who cannot rationally conclude, that this love, by virtue of its essence, hath dominion as supreme over every other love, and that the soul of man in such case is in it, and promises itself eternal blessednesses with the dear and desired object of its wishes? And whox can discover, let him make what inquiry he pleases, any other cause of this, than that he hath addicted his soul and his heart to one ('woman) ? for if the lover, whilst he is in that state, had the offer made him of chusing out of the whole sex the worthiest, the richest, and the most beautiful, would he not despise the offer, and adhere to her whom he had already chosen, his heart being rivetted to her alone? These observations are made, in order that ye may acknowledge, that conjugial love of such supereminence is given, and that it is given whilst one of the sex is alone loved. What understanding,
which with quick discernment attends to a chain of connected reasonings, cannot hence conclude, that if a lover from his soul or inmost.principles constantly persisted in love to that oner he would attain those eternal blessednesses, which he promised himself before consent, and promiseth in consent ? That he also attains them if he comes to the Lord, and from him lives a life of true religion, was shewn above. Who else but the Lord enters the life of man from a superior principle, and implants therein internal celestial joys, and transfers them to the derivative principles which follow in order, and the more so, while at the same time he also bestows an enduring virtue (strength or ability) ? It is no proof that such love is not given, Hor capable of being given, to urge that it is not experienced in one's self, and in this and that person, 334. Inasmuch as love truly conjugial joins together the souls and hearts of two persons, therefore also it is united with friendship, and by friendship with confidence, and makes each conjugial, and so exalts them above other friendships and other confidences, that as that love is the love of loves, so also that friendship is the friendship of friendships, and that confidence the confidence v of confidences ; that this is the case also with potency (or ability), is plain from several reasons, some of which are discovered in the Second MemoraBle Iielation annexed to this chapter, and from this potency follows the endurance of that love.
That by love truly conjugial two consorts become one flesh, was shewn in a chapter apart from n. 156 to .183. i
II. That Thus Celestial BlessedNesses, SPIRITUAL SATISFACTIONS, AND NATURAL DELIGHTS, WHICH FROM THE BEGINNING' WERE PROVIDED FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN LOVE TRULY CONJUGIAL, CANNOT BE GIVEN EXCEPT With One Wife.
[edit]They are called celestial blessednesses, spiritual satisfactions, and natural delights, because the human mind is distinguished into three regions of which tha highest is called celestial, the second spiritual, and the third natural ; and those three regions, with such as are principled in love truly conjugial, stand open, and influx follows in order according to the openings. And whereas the pleasantnesses of that love are most eminent in the highest region, they are perceived as blessednesses, and whereas in the middle region they are less eminent, they are perceived as satisfactions, and lastly in the lowest region, as delights; that these blessednesses, satisfactions, and delights are, are perceived, and are felt, appears from the Memorable Relations in which they are described. The ground and reason why all those happinesses were from the beginning provided for those, who are principled in love truly conjugial, is, because an infinity of all blessednesses is in the Lord, and he is divine love, and it is the essence of love to will to communicate all its goods to another whom it loves: wherefore together with man he created that love, and inscribed on it the faculty of receiving and perceiving those blessednesses. Who is of so dull and doating an apprehension as not to be able to see, that there is some particular love, into which are collated by the Lord all the blessed, satisfactory, and delightful things, which jt is possible to collate? 336.
III. That All Those Things Cannot BE GIVEN EXCEPT FROM THE ALONE LORD; AND THAT THEY ARE NOT GIVEN TO ANY OTHERS BUT THOSE WHO COME TO HIM ALONE, AND LIVE ACCORDING T.O HIS COMMANDMENTS. This hath
[edit]been proved above in many places ; to which proofs it may be expedient to add, that all those blessed, satisfactory, and delightful things cannot be given but from the Lord, and that therefore no other is to be approached. What other can be approached, when by him all things were made which are made, John i. 3; when he is the God of heaven and earth, Matt, xxvjii. 18; when no appearance of God the Father was ever seen, or his voice heard, except by him. John i. 18. chap. v. 37. chap. xiv. 6 to 11. From these, and very many other passages in the Word, it is evident, that the marriage of love and wisdom, or of good and truth, from which alone all marriages derive their origin, proceeds from him alone. Hence it follows, that the above love with its happinesses is given to none else but those who come to him; -and the reason why it is given to those who live according to his commandments is, because he is conjoined with them by love, John xiv. 21 to 24.
IV. Consequently That Love Truly CONJUGIAL WITH ITS HAPPINESSES CANNOT BE GIVEN BUT WITH THOSE W«O ARE OF THE CHRISTIAN Church.
[edit]The reason why conjugial love is not given, such as was described in its proper chapter, n. 57 to 73, and in the subsequent chapters, thus such as it is in its essence, except with those who are of the Christian church, is, because that love is from the alone Lord, and the Lord is not elsewhere so known, as that he can be approached as God ; also because that love is according to the state of the church with every one, n. 130, and the genuine state of the church is from no other source than from the Lord, thus appertains to no others than such as receive it from him. That these two principles are the beginnings, introductions, and establishments of that love, hath been heretofore confirmed by such abundance of evident and concluding reasons, that it is altogether needless to say any thing more on the subject The reason why conjugial love is nevertheless rare in the christian world, n- 58, 59, is, because few in that world come to the Lord, and amongst them there are some, who indeed believe the church, but do not live according to such belief; besides other circumstances which are unfolded in the Apocalypse Revealed, where the present state of the Christian church is fully described. But nevertheless it is an established truth, that love truly conjugial cannot be given, except with those who are of the christian church ; wherefore also from this ground polygamy is in that church altogether rejected and condemned; that this also is of the divine providence of the Lord, appears very manifest to those who think justly concerning providence.
338. V. That Hence It is That A ChrisTian IS NOT ALLOWED TO MARRY MORE THAN
One Wife. This follows as a confirmed conclusion from the confirmation of the preceding articles; to which this is to be added, that the genuine conjugial principle is inscribed deeper in the minds of christians, than in the minds of the gentiles who have embraced polygamy; and that hence the minds of christians are more susceptible of that love than the minds of polygamists ; for that conjugial principle is inscribed in the interiors of the minds of christians, because they acknowledge the Lord and his divine principle, and in the exteriors of their minds by civil laws.
VI. That A Christian, In Case He MARRIES A PLURALITY OF WIVES, COMMITS NOT ONLY NATURAL ADULTERY BUT ALSO SPIRITUAL Adultery.
[edit]That a christian, who marries a plurality of wives, commits natural adultery, is agreeable to the Lord's words, "That it is not lawful to put away a wife, because from the beginning they were created to be one flesh : and that he who putteth away a wife without just cause, and marrieth another, committeth adultery," Matt. xix. 3 to 11 ; thus he committeth adultery still more, who doth not put away, but retains a wife, and super-induceth another. This law enacted by the Lord concerning marriages hath its internal ground in spiritual marriage; for whatsoever the Lotd spake was in itself spiritual, which is meant by this declaration, "The words which I speak unto you, are spirit and are life," John vi. 63. The spiritual [sense] which is contained therein is this, that by polygamical marriage in the christian world, the marriage of the Lord and the church is profaned; in like manner the marriage of good and truth; and moreover the Word, and with the Word the church; and the profanation of those things is spiritual adultery. That the profanation of good and truth of the church derived from the Word .corresponds to adultery, and that hence is spiritual adultery, and that the falsification of good and truth hath a like correspondence, but in a less degree, may be seen confirmed in the ApocaLypse Revealed, n. 134. The reason why by polygamical marriages amongst Christians the marriage of the Lord and the church is profaned, is, because there is a correspondence between that divine marriage and the marriages of christians, concerning which see above, n. 53 to 102; which correspondence altogether perishes if wife is adjoined to wife, and when it perishes, the married man (homoconjux) is no longer a Christian. The reason why by polygamicai marriages amongst christians the marriage of good and truth is profaned is, because from this spiritual marriage are derived marriages in the earths : and the marriages of Christians differ from the marriages of other nations in this, that as good loves truth, and truth good, and are one, so it is with wife and husband; wherefore if a christian should adjoin wife to wife, he would rend asunder in himself that spiritual marriage, consequently would profane the origin of his marriage, and would thereby commit spiritual adultery; that marriages in the earths are derived from the marriage of good and truth, may be seen above, n. 116 to 131. The reason why a Christian by polygamicai marriages would profane the Word and the church, is, because the Word considered in itself is a marriage of good and truth, and the church in like manner, so far as this is derived from the Word; see above, n. 128 to 131. Now whereas a Christian man is acquainted with the Lord, hath the Word, and hath also the church from the Lord by the Word, it is evident that he hath the faculty, above a man who is not a christian, of being capable of being regenerated, and thereby of becoming spiritual, and also of attaining unto love truly conjugial, for these things cohere together. Inasmuch as such amongst Christians, who marry a plurality of wives, commit not only natural adultery, but also at the same time spiritual adultery, it follows, that the condemnation of christian polygamists after death is more grievous than the condemnation of those who only commit natural adultery. Upon inquiring their state after death, I received for answer, that heaven is altogether closed in respect to them ; and that they appear in hell as lying in warm water in a recess of a bagnio, and that they thus appear at a distance, although they are standing on their feet, and walking ; and that this is in consequence of their intestine frenzy, and that some of them are cast out into whirlpools, which are in the borders of the worlds.
340. VII. That The Israelttish Nation
WAS PERMITTED TO* MARRY A PLURALITY OF WIVES, BECAUSE THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH WAS NOT WITH THAT NATION, AND CONSEQUENTLY LOVE TRULY CONJUGIAL GOULD NOT BE GIVEN.
There are some at this day whose thoughts are fluctuating respecting the institution relative to monogainical marriages, or those of one man with one wife, and who are'distracted by opposite reasonings on the subject, being led to suppose, that because polygamical marriages were openly permitted in the case of the Israelitish nation, and the kings thereof, and in the case of David and Solomon, they are also in themselves permissible to christians; but such persons have no distinct knowledge concerning the Israelitish nation and the christian, nor concerning the externals and internals of the church, nor concerning the change of the church from external to internal by the Lord; consequently they know nothing from interior judgment concerning marriages. In general it is to be observed, that man is born natural that he may be made spiritual, and that so long as he remains natural, he is in the night, and as it were in sleep concerning things spiritual, and that in this case he doth not even know the difference between the external natural man and the internal spiritual. That the christian church was not with the Israelitish nation, is known from the Word ; for they expected the Messiah, as.they still expect him, who was to exalt them above all nations and people in the world ; wherefore if they had been told, and were still to be told, that the Messiah's kingdom is over the heavens, and thence over all nations, they would have accounted it an idle tale; hence it was, that they not only did not acknowledge Christ or the Messiah, our Lord, when he came into the world, but also barbarously took him away out of the world, (ggg)- From these considerations it is evident, that the Christian church
(ggg) The attentive reader will not fail to remark a peculiar delicacy in the expression here used by the author, to denote the barbarity which the Jews exercised towards the Lord. He doth not say that they put him to death, or that they took away his life, but that they took him away out of the world. •
was not with that nation, as neither is it at this day; and they, with whom the christian church is not, are natural men both externally and internally, and to such polygamy is not hurtful, inasmuch as it is inscribed on the natural man ; for in regard to love in marriages, the natural man perceives nothing but what appertains to lust; this is meant by these words of the Lord, " That Moses by reason of the Hardness Of Their Heart permitted them to put away their wives; but that from the beginning it was not so," Matt. xix. 8. ; he saith that Moses permitted, in order that it may be known that it was not the Lord who permitted.. But that the Lord taught the internal spiritual man, is known from his precepts, and from the abrogation of rituals, which served only for the use of the natural man; from his precepts concerning washing, as denoting the purification of the internal man, Matt. xv. 1, 17 to 20. chap. xxiii. 25, 26\ Mark vii. 14 to 23 ; concerning adultery, as denoting cupidity of the will, Matt. v. 28; concerning the putting away of wives, as being unlawful ; and concerning polygamy, as not being agreeable to the divine law, Matt. xix. 3 to 9. These and several other things, which relate to the internal principle and the spiritual man, the Lord taught, because he alone opens the internals of human minds, and makes them spiritual, and implants these spiritual principles in natural, that these latter also may partake of a spiritual essence;
and this effect is wrought if he be approached, and the life be formed according to his commandments, which in sum are, to believe on him, and to shun evils, because they are of the devil and from the devil, also to do good works, because they are of the Lord and from the Lord, and in each case for man to act as from himself, and at the same time to believe that all is done of the Lord by him. The essential reason why the Lord opens the internal spiritual man, and implants this in the external natural man, is, because every man thinks naturally, and acts naturally, and therefore cannot perceive any thing spiritual, and receive it in his natural principle, unless the Lord had assumed the human natural, and had made this also divine. From these considerations now it appears a truth, that it was permitted the Israelitish nation to marry a plurality of wives, because the christian church was not with that nation;
341. VIII. That At This Day It is PermitTed The Mahometans To Marry A Plurality Of Wives, Because They.Do Not Acknowledge The Lord Jesus Christ To Be One With The Father, And Thereby To Be The God Of Heaven And Earth, And Hence Cannot ReCEIVE Love Truly Conjugal. The Mahometan's, in. conformity -to ,the religion delivered by Mahomet, acknowledge Jesus Christ to be the Son of God, and a grand prophet, and that he was sent into the world l.»y God the Father to teach mankind, but not that God th« Father and he are one, and that his divine and human [principle] are one person, united as soul and body, agreeable to the faith of all Christians as grounded in the Athanasian confession ; therefore the followers of Mahomet could not acknowledge our Lord to be any God from eternity, but only to be a perfect natural man; and this being the conceit entertained by Mahomet, and thence by his disciples, and they knowing that God is one, and that that God is he who created the universe, therefore they could do no other than pass by our Lord in their worship, and the more so, because they declare Mahomet also to be a grand prophet; neither do they know what the Lord taught. It is owing to this cause, that the interiors of their minds, which in themselves are spiritual, could not be opened; that the interiors of the mind are opened by the Lord alone, may be seen above, n. 340. The genuine cause why they are opened by the Lord, when he is acknowledged to be the God of heaven and earth, and is approached, and with those who live according to his commandments, is, because otherwise there is no conjunction, and without conjunction there is no reception. Man is receptible of the Lord's presence and of conjunction with him ; to come to him causeth presence, and to live according to his commandments causeth conjunction ; and his presence alone is without reception, but presence and conjunction together are with reception. On this subject I shall relate what is new from the spiritual world, which is this ; every one in that world is brought into view as present by virtue of thought concerning him, but no one is conjoined to another except from affection of love, and affection of love is insinuated by doing what he requires, and what is pleasing to him; this circumstance, which is common in the spiritual world, derives its origin from the Lord, in that he is present in this same manner, and in this same manner is conjoined. The above observations are made in order to shew, why it is permitted the Mahometans to marry a plurality of wives, and that the reason is, because love truly conjugial, which subsists only between one man and one wife, was not communicable, inasmuch as from a religious principle they did not acknowledge the Lord to be equal to God the Father, and thereby to be the God of heaven and earth. That conjugial love with every one is according to the state of the church, may be seen above, n. 130, and in several other places in the foregoing pages.
342. IX. That The Mahometan Heaven is Out Of Th£ Christian Heaven, And That It Is Divided Into Two Heavens, The Inferior And Superior; And That No Others Are EleVated INTO THEIR SUPERIOR HEAVEN BUT SUCH AS RENOUNCE CONCUBINES, AN D tlVE WI TH ON E WIFE, AND ACKNOWLEDGE OUR LORD EQUAL TO
God The Father, To Whom is Givkn Dominion
OVER HEAVEN AND EARTH. Before WC Speak par*
ticularly to each of these points, it may be expedient to premise somewhat concerning the divine providence of the Lord in regard to the rise of Mahometanism. That this religion is received by more kingdoms than the .christian religion, may possibly be a stumbling-block to those who think of the divine providence, and at the same time believe, that no one can be saved who is not boru a christian ; whereas the Mahometan religion is no stumbling-block to those, who believe that all things are of the divine providence ; these inquire in what instance the divine providence is manifested in the Mahometan religion, and they also discover it. It is in this instance, that the Mahometan religion acknowledges our Lord to be the Son of God, the wisest of men, and a grand prophet, who came into the world to instruct mankind ; but whereas the Mahometans have made the alcoran the book of their religion, (hhh) and in consequence thereof their thoughts were intent on
(khh) The original is, at quia alcoranum modo librum religiotiis succ fectrunl, &c. As the word modo in this passage appears to be of doubtful signification, the translator has omitted it, not being able fully to satisfy his own mind concerning its right interpretation, and conceiving the sense of the passage to be complete without it. Modo may be rendered now or lung since, or in a manner or only, and the reader is left to decide for himself what is the best reading, or to reject the term entirely as redundant.
Mahomet who wrote it, and they pay him a degree of worship, therefore they think little concerning our Lord. In order to shew more fully, that the Mahometan religion was raised up of the Lord's divine providence, to destroy the idolatries of several nations, we shall give a detail of the subject, beginning with the origin of idolatries. Previous to the Mahometan religion idolatrous worship prevailed throughout the earth; the reason was, because the churches before the Lord's coming were all representative churches; such also was the Israelitish church, in which church the tabernacle, the garments of Aaron, the sacrifices, all things appertaining to the temple at Jerusalem, and also the statutes, were representative. The ancients likewise had the science of correspondences, which is also the science of representations, the very essential science of the wise, principally cultivated by the Egyptians, whence their hieroglyphics were derived. By virtue of that science they knew what was signified by animals of every kind, also what by trees of every kind, and likewise what by mo'untains, hills, rivers, fountains, and what too by the sun, the moon, and the stars; by means of this science also they had a knowledge of things spiritual, inasmuch as those things which were represented, which were such as relate to spiritual wisdom appertaining to the angels, were the origins (of those which represent). Now whereas all their worship was representative, consisting of mere correspondences, therefore they celebrated it on mountains and hills, and also in groves and gardens; and on this account they sanctified fountains, and in their adorations turned their faces to the rising sun ; and moreover made graven horses, oxen, calves, lambs, yea, birds, fishes, and serpents ; and these they set in their houses, and in other places, in order according to the spiritual things of the church to which they correspo'nded, or which they represented. They set also like images in their temples, as a means of recalling to their remembrance the holy things of worship whitfh they signified. In process of time, when the science of correspondences was obliterated, posterity began to worship the graven images themselves as in themselves holy, not knowing that the ancients their fathers did not see any thing holy in them, but only that according to correspondences they represented, and thence signified holy things. Hence arose the idolatries which over~ spread the whole globe, both Asia with the circumjacent islands, and Africa and Europe. To the intent that all those idolatries might be extirpated, it came to pass of the Lord's divine providence, that a religion accommodated to the genius of the orientals took its rise, in which somewhat from each testament of the Word was retained, and which taught that the Lord was come into the world, and that he was a grand prophet, the wisest of all, and the Son of God. This was effected by means of Mahomet, from whom that religion took its name. From these considerations it is manifest, that this religion was raised up of the Lord's divine providence, and accommodated, as was observed, to the genius of the orientals, to the end that it might destroy the idolatries of so many nations, and might give to its professors some knowledge concerning the Lord, before they came into the spiritual world, as is the case with every one after death; which religion would not have been received by so many nations, neither could it have extirpated their idolatries, unless it had been made agreeable to their ideas; especially unless polygamy had been permitted, inasmuch as the orientals, without such permission, would have burned with the fire of filthy adultery more than the Europeans, and have perished.
343. The reason why the Mahometans also have their heaven, is, because all in the universe, who acknowledge a God, and from a religious principle shun evils as sins against him, are saved. That the Mahometan heaven is distinguished into two, the inferior and superior, I have heard from themselves ; and that in the inferior heaven they live with a plurality both of wives and concubines as in the world, but that they who renounce concubines, and live with one wife, are elevated into the superior heaven. I have heard also that it is impossible for them to think our Lord to be one with the Father, but that it is possible for them to think him equal, also that dominion is given him over heaven and earth, because he is his Son ; wherefore this faith appertains to those, to whom ascent is given of the Lord into the superior heaven.
344. On a time it was given me to perceive what is the quality of the heat of conjugial love with polygamists; I was discoursing with one who officiated instead of Mahomet; Mahomet himself is in no case present, but a vicar is substituted in his place, to the end that they who are lately deceased may as it were see him ; this vicar, after some discourse held with him at a distance, transmitted to me an ebony spoon, and other things, which were proofs that they came from him ; and at the same time communication was opened on the occasion for the heat of their conjugial love in that place; and it was perceived by me as the warm stench of a bagnio, whereupon I turned myself away, and the passage of communication was closed.
345. X. That Polygamy is Lasciviousnkss. The reason is, because the love thereof is divided amongst several, and is the love of the sex, and the love of the external or natural man, and thus is not conjugial love, which is the alone chaste love. That polygamical love is a love divided amongst several, is a known thing, and divided love is not conjugial love, for this latter love is not to be divided from one of the sex, hence the former love is lascivious, and polygamy is lasciviousness. The reason why polygamical love is the love of the sex is, because it differs from it only in this respect, that it is limited to a number, which number the polygamist may determine; and that it is bound to the observance of certain laws enacted for the public good; also that it is allowed to superinduce concubines to wives; and thus, inasmuch as it is the love of the sex, it is the love of lasciviousness. The reason why polygamical love is the love of the external or natural man is, because it is inscribed on that man; and whatsoever the natural man acts from himself is evil, from which evil he cannot be brought forth except by elevation into the internal spiritual man, which is effected solely of the Lord; and evil respecting the sex, by which the natural man is influenced, is whoredom ; but whereas whoredom is the destruction of society, instead of whoredom was induced its likeness, which is called polygamy. Every evil, into which man is born of his parents, is implanted in his natural man, but not any in his spiritual man, because into the spiritual man he is born of the Lord. From what has been adduced, and also from several other reasons, it may evidently be seen, that polygamy is lasciviousness.
346. XI. That With Polygamists ConjuGial CHASTITY, PURITY, AND SANCTITY CAN"
Not Be Given. This follows from what hath been just now proved above, and evidently from what was demonstrated in the chapter concerning the Chaste [principle] And The Non-chaste; especially from these articles of that chapter, viz. that a chaste, pure, and holy principle is predicated only of monogamical marriages, or of the marriage of one man with one wife, n. 141; also that love truly conjugial is chastity itself, and that hence all the delights of that love, even the ultimate, are chaste, n. 143, 144; and moreover from what was adduced in the chapter concerning Love Truly Conjugial, viz, that love truly conjugial, which is that of one man with one wife, by virtue of its origin, and by virtue of its correspondence, is celestial, spiritual, holy and clean above every love, n. 64. Now whereas chastity, purity, and sanctity is given only in love truly conjugial, it follows, that it is not given nor can be given in polygamical love.
XII. That A Polygamist so Long As HE REMAINS A POLYGAMIST, CANNOT BE MADE
[edit]Spiritual. To become spiritual is to be elevated out of the natural principle, that is, out of the light and heat of the world, into the light and heat of heaven ; concerning which elevation no one knoweth any thing but he who is elevated ; nevertheless the natural man, though not elevated, perceives no other than that he is elevated ; the reason is, because he can elevate his understanding into the light of heaven, -and think and discourse spiritually, alike as the spiritual man ; but if the will at the same time doth not follow the understanding to its altitude, he is still not elevated ; for he doth not stand in that elevation, but in a short time lets himself down to his will, and there fixes his station. It is said the will, but the love is meant at the same time, because the will is the receptacle of the love, for what a man loves that he wills. From these few considerations it may appear, that a polygamist, so long as he remains a polygamist, or, what is the same thing, a natural man, so long as he remains natural, cannot be made spiritual.
348. XIII. That Polygamy is Not Sin
WITH THOSE WHO LIVE IN IT FROM A RELIGIOUS
Principle. All that which is contrary to religion is believed to be sin, because it is contrary to God; and on the other hand, all that which is with religion, is believed not to be sin, because it is with God ; and whereas polygamy had place with the sons of Israel from a principle of religion, and in like manner at this day with the Mahometans, it could not, nor can it be imputed to them as sin. Moreover to prevent its being sin to them, they remain natural, and do not become spiritual; and the natural man cannot see, that there is any thing of sin in such things as appertain to received religion; this is seen only by the spiritual man. It is on this account, that although the Mahometans are taught by the alcoran to acknowledge our Lord as the Son of God still they do not come to him, but to Mahomet; and so long they remain natural, and consequently do not know that there is in polygamy any thing of evil, nor indeed any thing of lasciviousness ; the Lord also saith, " If ye were blind, ye would not have sin; but now ye say we see, therefore your sin remaineth," John ix. 41. Inasmuch as polygamy cannot convict them of sin, therefore after death they have their heavens, n. 342 ; and therein have joys according to the life.
XIV. That Polygamy is Not Sin With THOSE WHO ARE IN IGNORANCE CONCERNING THE Lord.
[edit]The reason is, because love truly conjugial is from the alone Lord, and cannot be given of the Lord to any others but to those who know him, acknowledge him, believe on him, and live the life which is from him ; and they, to whom that love cannot be given, know no other than that the love of the sex and conjugial love are one thing ; consequently also polygamy. Add to this, that polygamists, who know nothing of the Lord, remain natural; for man (homo) is made spiritual only from the Lord, and that is not imputed to the natural man as sin, which is according to the laws of religion and at the same time of society; he also acts according to his reason, and the reason of the natural man is in mere darkness respecting love truly conjugial, and this love in excellence is spiritual. Nevertheless the reason of polygamists is taught from experience, that both public and private peace require, that promiscuous lust iii general should be restrained, and be left to every one within his own house; hence comes polygamy.
350. It is a known thing, that man (homo) by birth is viler than the beasts; all the beasts are born into the sciences corresponding to the love of their life; for as soon as they drop from the womb, or are excluded from the egg, they see, hear, walk, know their food, their dam, their friends and foes, and in no long time after this, they discover attention to the sex, and to the science of love, and also to the education of their offspring. Man alone, at his birth, knoweth nothing of this sort, for nothing of science is connate to him, only he hath the faculty and inclination of receiving those things which relate to science and.lo.ve; and if he doth not receive these things from others, he remains viler than a beast. That man is born in this condition, to the end that he may attribute nothing to himself, but to others, and at length the all of wisdom and of the love thereof to the alone God, and may hence become an image of God, s^e the Memorable Relation, n. 132 to 136. From these considerations it follows, that man, who is not made acquainted by others that the Lord hath come into the world, and that he is God, and hath,only imbibed some knowledges concerning religion, and concerning the laws of his country, is not in fault if he doth not think of conjugial love in any further view than as the love of the sex, and if he believes polygamical love to be the alone conjugial love. The Lord leads such persons in their ignorance, and by his divine auspices providently withdraws from the imputation of guilt those who, from a religious principle, shun evils as sins, to the end that they may be saved; for every man is born for heaven, and none for hell; and every one comes into heaven (by influence) from the Lord, and into hell (by influence) from self.
XV. That Of These Latter Such Are SAVED, ALTHOUGH POLYGAMJSTS, WHO ACKNOWLEDGE A GOD, AND FROM A RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLE LIVE ACCORDING TO THE CIVIL LAWS OF JUSTICE.
[edit]All throughout the earth, who acknowledge a God, and live according to the civil laws of justice from a religious principle, are saved. By the civil laws of justice are meant precepts, such as are contained in the decalogue, forbidding to commit murder, to commit adultery, to steal, to bear false witness ; these precepts are civil laws of justice in all the kingdoms of the earth, for without them no kingdom can subsist. But some are influenced in the practice of them by fear of the penalties of the law, some by a principle of civil obedience, and some also by a principle of religion, and these last are saved ; the reason is, because in such case God is in them, and the man, in whom God is, is saved. Who doth not see, that amongst the laws given to the sons of Israel, after they had departed out of Egypt, were those which forbid murder, adultery, theft, and false witness, inasmuch as their communion or society without those laws could not subsist? and yet these same laws were promulgated by Jehovah God upon Mount Sinai with a stupendous miracle; but the cause of their promulgation was, that the same laws might be also laws of religion, and thus that the people might practise them not only for the sake of the good of society, but also for the sake of God, and that when they practised them from a religious principle for the sake of God, they might be saved. From these considerations it may appear, that the pagans, who acknowledge a God, and live according to the civil laws of justice, are saved; inasmuch as it is not their fault that they know nothing of the Lord, consequently nothing concerning the chastity of marriage with one wife. For it is contrary to the divine justice, that they who acknowledge a God, and from a principle of religion practise the laws of justice, which consists in shunning evils because they are contrary to God, and in doing what is good because it-is agreeable to God, should be condemned.
XVI. BUT THAT NONE EITHER OF THE LATTER OR THE FORMER CAN BE CONSOCIATED WITH THE ANGELS OF THE CHRISTIAN HEAVENS.
[edit]The reason is, because in the Christian heavens, there is celestial light, which is divine truth, and there is celestial heat, which is divine love; and these two principles discover of what quality goods and truths are, and also of what quality evils and falses are; hence it is that all communication is taken away between the Christian heavens and the Mahometan heavens, and in like manner between the heavens of the gentiles ; if communication was opened, no others could have been saved, but such as were in celestial light and in celestial heat from the Lord; yea, neither would these be saved, if conjunction of the heavens had place; for in consequence of conjunction all the heavens would so far fall to decay, that the angels would not be able to subsist; for an unchaste and lascivious principle would flow from the Mahometans into the Christian heaven, which in that heaven could not be endured; and a chaste and pure principle would flow from the Christians into the Mahometan heaven, which again could not be there endured; and in such case by virtue of communication and consequent conjunction, the christian angels would become natural and thereby adulterers, or if they remained spiritual, they would be continually sensible of a lascivious principle about them, which would intercept all the blessedness of their life: the case would be somewhat similar with the Mahometan heaven, for the spiritual principles of the Christian heaven would continually encompass and torment them, and would take away all the delight of their life, and would moreover insinuate that polygamy is a sin, whereby they would be continually chided. This is the reason why all the heavens are altogether distinct from each ether, so that no conjunction hath place between them, except by influx of light and heat from the Lord out of the sun, in the midst of which he is; and this influx illustrates and vivifies every one according to reception, and reception is according to religion ; this communication is granted, but not a communication of the heavens with each other.
353. To the above I shall add Two Memorable Relations. First. On a time I was in the midst of the angels, and I heard their discourse; it was concerning intelligence and wisdom, in that man perceives no other than that each is in himself, and thus that whatever he thinks from understanding, and intends from will, is from himself; when nevertheless there is not the smallest portion thereof from man, except the faculty of receiving the things appertaining to understanding and will from God; and whereas every man (homo) by birth inclines to love himself, it was provided from creation, to prevent man's perishing by self-love, and by conceit of his own proper intelligence, that that love of the man (vir) should be transcribed into the wife, and that in her should be implanted from her birth a love for the intelligence and wisdom of her husband, and thereby a love for her
husband ; wherefore the wife continually attracts to herself her husband's conceit of his own proper intelligence, and extinguishes it in him, and vivifies it in herself, and thus changes it into conjugial love, and fills it with pleasantnesses above measure; this is provided of the Lord, lest the conceit of his own proper intelligence should so far infatuate the man, as to lead him to believe that he has understanding and wisdom from himself, and not from the Lord, and thereby make him willing to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and thence believe himself like unto God, and also a god, as the serpent, which was the love of his own proper intelligence, said and persuaded; wherefore man (homo) after eating •was cast out of paradise, and the way to the tree of life was guarded by a cherub. Paradise spiritually understood is intelligence; to eat of the tree of life in a spiritual sense is to be intelligent and wise from the Lord; and to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in a spiritual sense is to be intelligent and wise from self.
354. The angels having finished this discourse departed, and there came two priests, together with a man, who in the world had been an ambassador of a kingdom, and I related to them what I had heard from the angels ; on hearing which they began to dispute with each other about intelligence and wisdom, and the prudence thence derived, whether they are from God, or from man (homo) ; the dispute was warm ; all three in heart believed alike, that they are from man because in man, and that the perception and sensation of its being so , confirm it; but the priests, who on this occasion were influenced by theological zeal, said, that nothing of intelligence and wisdom, and thus nothing of prudence, is from man ; but when the ambassador retorted, that in such case nothing of thought is from man, they said that nothing of thought is. But whereas it was perceived in heaven, that all the three were in a like belief, it was said to the ambassador, Put on the garments of a priest, and believe that thou art a priest, and then speak; and he did so; and instantly he declared aloud that nothing of intelligence and wisdom, and consequently nothing of prudence, can possibly be given except from God, and he proved it with his wonted eloquence full of rational arguments. It is a peculiar circumstance in the spiritual world, that a spirit thinks himself to be such as the garment is which he wears; the reason is, because in that world the understanding clothes every one. Afterwards, it was said also to the two priests in a voice from heaven, Put off your own garments, and put on the garments of political ministers, and believe yourselves to be such ministers; and they did so, and in this case they at the same time thought from their interior self, and spake from arguments which they had inwardly cherished in favour of man's own proper intelliwherefore if ye are able to invert the state, ye may be able to comprehend this; doth not he, who perpetually loves a conjugial partner, love her with the whole mind and with the whole body r for love. turns all things of the mind and all things of the body to that which it loves, and whereas this is done reciprocally, it conjoins the objects so that they become as one. He further said, I will not speak to you of the conjugial love implanted from creation in males and females, and of their inclination to legitimate conjunction, nor of the faculty of prolification in the males, which makes one with the faculty of multiplying wisdom from the love of truth ; and that so far as man loves wisdom from the love thereof, or truth from good, so far he is in love truly conjugial and in its attendant virtue.
356. When he had spoken these words, the angel was silent, and from the spirit of his discourse the novitiates comprehended, that a perpetual faculty of enjoyment is communicable; and whereas this consideration made glad their minds, they exclaimed, Oh, how happy is the state of angels ? we perceive that ye in the heavens remain for ever in a state of youth, and thence in the virtue of that age; but tell us how we also may enjoy that virtue: and the angel replied, Shun adulteries as infernal, and come to the Lord, and ye will have it: and they said, We will shun adulteries a.s infernal, and we will come to the Lord. But the angel replied, Ye cannot shun adulteries as in fernal evils, unless ye shun all other evils in like manner, because adulteries are the complex of all, and unless -ye shun them, ye cannot come to the Lord, for the Lord receiveth no others. After this the angel took his leave, and those novitiate spirits departed sorrowful.