115、记事二：
半夜醒来，我看见东方的高处有一位天使，右手拿着一张纸，这纸在阳光下发出璀璨的光芒。纸的中间有一行金字，我能辨认出写的是：良善与真理的婚姻。字迹绽放的光芒扩散成一个大大的光晕，笼罩在纸的周围，就像春天的黎明。后来，我见天使连同手中的纸降下来。随着他降落，这纸越来越暗淡，那行字，即“良善与真理的婚姻”，从金色变成银色，接着变成铜色，然后变成铁色，最终变成铁锈和铜绿的颜色。最后，天使似没入乌云，然后又穿过乌云落到地面。在此，那纸尽管还在他手上，却看不见了。这事发生在灵人界（the world of spirits），就是所有人死后首先聚集的地方。
这时，天使对我说：“去问问到这来的人，他们是否看见我或我手里的东西。”一大群灵人蜂涌而至，分别是来自东、南、西、北的四群灵人。我问东南方的灵人—他们在世时专注于学问，是否看见有人和我在一起，并且手里还拿着东西。他们全都说什么也没看见。我又问西北方的灵人—他们在世时信了学者告诉他们的话，他们也声称什么都没看见。然而，前面的灵人过去后，后面的灵人—他们在世时拥有简单的仁之信，也就是说，拥有某种程度的良善之真理，说他们看见一个人和一张纸。此人穿着得体，而纸上则有字迹。他们凑近看时，声称他们能认出是“良善与真理的婚姻”。他们请求天使告知其中的含义。
天使说：“遍及整个天堂和整个尘世的万物无非是良善与真理的婚姻，因为其中的每一个受造物，不管活的、有气息的，还是死的、没有气息的，皆通过良善与真理的婚姻被造，从而形成该婚姻。没有一物单单被造为真理，或单单被造为良善。孤立的良善和孤立的真理什么也不是，但它们通过该婚姻形成，并成为品质如该婚姻那样的事物。在主，创造者里面，神性良善与神性真理就存在于它们真正的本质中。神性良善是该本质的存在，神性真理是其显现。其本质也是它们真正的结合，因为在祂里面，它们是无限的一体。由于这二者在创造者自己里面是一体，所以它们在由祂所造的每一个事物中也是一体。通过这一体，创造者和祂所创造的一切结合在一个如婚姻一样的永恒契约里。”
天使继续说，直接来自主的圣经，无论总体还是细节，都是良善与真理的婚姻。教会由其教导的真理形成，宗教由符合所教导真理的良善生活形成。对基督徒来说，这二者唯独源自圣经。由此明显可知，教会也是良善与真理的婚姻，无论总体还是细节（这一点可见于《揭秘启示录》373-483节）。刚才关于良善与真理的婚姻的论述也适用于仁与信的婚姻，因为良善属于仁，真理属于信。站在跟前的一些先前没看到天使和字迹的灵人听到这里，小声说：“是的，的确是这样，我们能理解。”不过，天使对他们说：“请离我稍远点，重复刚才的话。”他们远离后，大声说：“不，不是这样的。”
之后，天使又谈到了夫妻当中良善与真理的婚姻。他说，若夫妻的心智具有这种婚姻状态，那丈夫就是真理，妻子则是这真理的良善，他们二人共享幸福纯真的喜悦，从而共享天上的天使所拥有的快乐。在这种状态下，丈夫的生育力（reproductive powers）会永远保持在生命的青春期，从而努力生育自己的真理。而妻子的爱则使她永远接受丈夫的真理。“在天上，主所赋予男人的智慧以生育真理为最大乐事。而妻子所拥有对智慧的爱，则以悦纳它们，可以说将其接入子宫，继而孕育，从而生出它们为最大乐事。对天上的天使来说，这就是属灵生育的本质。若你们愿意相信，属世的生育也来自这一源头。”天使致安后，就离开地面。随着他穿过云层升入天堂，那纸开始如先前那样逐渐明亮。这时，原先看似黎明的光晕忽然降下来，驱散了笼罩大地的乌云，天变得晴朗起来。
115、第二点：
半夜间我醒来，看到东方有个天使，手中拿着一张纸。它因为阳光而闪亮，纸上用金色写着：“善与真理的结合。”字放出的光晕笼罩在纸上，这光晕与春天早晨的阳光相似。
之后，我看到天使手拿着这张纸下来了。在天使下降的同时，纸上的金字变成银色，从银色又变成铜色，从铜色变成铁色，最后又变成了锈铜，锈铁色。最后，我看到天使进入到一片黑云中，并降到地面，纸也消失了。尽管天使手中还握着它，纸却不见了。（这是在精神世界中，人死后首先会进入到这一境界）。
天使对我说：“问朝这来的人们，看他们是否见到我及我手中的任何东西。从东方、南方、西方和北方各来了一群人。那些来自东方和南方的人是在世间时是有知识的人。我问他们是否看到有准与我在一起，并且是否看到他手中有什么东西，他们回答说他们什么也没看到。”
我又问那些来自西方和北方的人，他们在世间时相信有学识的人所说的一切，这些人也说他们什么也没看到。
这些人之后的人是在世世时有着简朴信仰的人。当在他们之前的人走了后，他们说他们看到一个人手中拿着一张纸——这个人穿着很漂亮，手中的纸上印着字，当他们更仔细地看了看后，他们说他们能看到纸上写着：“善与真理的结合。”他们问天使说这是什么意思。
天使说整个天国及整个世间 的一切事物都是善与真理的结合。它们都是由此而产生并存在其中的，凡是生物和非生物都是这样。
“没有任何事物仅仅是真理，也没有任何事物仅仅是善。仅仅是善或是真理不可能存在，而是要通过善与真理的结合，二者的结合决定了事物的特性。
“来自于创世主的神圣的善与真理是绝对的善和真理。主的实质就是神圣的善，神圣真理是主的实质的展现，在主身上，善与真理完全统一地存在，因为这二者存在于主之中，他们也存在于主创造的万物之中，这样主就与他所创造的万物相联系。”
天使又说《圣经》是来自于主的。《圣经》处处体现着善与真理的结合。因为教会是建立在真理之上，宗教是建立在遵循真理的人生之上。基督徒是遵循《圣经》的。所以，整个教会及教会的每一方面都是善与真理相结合的体现（参见The Apocalypse Revealed，373、483）
天使还说仁爱与信仰相结合与善与真理相结合是一个意思。
最初的那些没有看见天使及他手中的纸的人还没离开，听到这些后，他们低声说：“当然，我们也这样认为。”
之后天使对他们说：“离我远一点再重复你刚才所说的。”
他们走远了些，这时他们所说的却是“不，不是那样的。”
之后天使对一些夫妇们说：“若他们的婚姻中，丈夫是真理的体现，妻子是那种真理的善的体现，那么他们就会体会到纯真中的快乐及天使们所拥有的幸福。
“在这种状态中，丈夫的精力会保持其青春状态，他会不断地传播真理，妻子则不断地接受来自丈夫的影响。”
“丈夫将在传播真理中得到快乐，妻子则接受他们，孕育他们，赋予他们的生命。”
“天使们的精神上的繁衍就是这样的，你若相信它，自然的繁衍也是来自于此。”
与众人告别后，天使上升到云中，向天国中去了，在他上升的同时，他手中的纸开始像从前一样发光，最后它的光晕驱散乌云，天晴朗起来。
主与教会的结合及其象征意义
115. The second experience.
In the middle of the night I was awakened from sleep and saw, fairly high up towards the east, an angel holding in his right hand a paper, which shone brilliantly in the light of the sun. There was something written at its centre in letters of gold. I could make out what was written as The Marriage of Good and Truth. The writing shone so brightly it spread in a circle far around. The circle or halo looked like the dawn when it appears in springtime.
Afterwards I saw the angel with the paper in his hand coming down. And as he came the paper shone less and less, and the writing on it, The Marriage of Good and Truth, changed from a golden to a silver colour, then to the colour of copper, and then to that of iron, finally to those of iron rust and verdigris. At the last stage the angel was seen entering a dark cloud, and passing through this to reach the ground. There the paper, although it was still held in the angel's hand, was no longer visible. This took place in the world of spirits, where all people are first gathered after death.
[2] Then the angel addressed me and said, 'Ask those who come here whether they can see me or anything in my hand.' A large crowd came, one group from the east, another from the south, another from the west and another from the north. I asked those coming from the east and the south, who were those who in the world had devoted themselves to learning, whether they could see anyone present with me and anything in his hand. They all said that they could see nothing at all.
Then I asked those who had come from the west and north, who were those who in the world had believed what learned men told them. These said that neither could they see anything. However, the last of these, who in the world had had a simple faith based on charity, that is to say, who had some degree of truth coming from good, said, when the previous group had gone away, that they could see a man with a paper. The man was smartly dressed and the paper had writing on it. When they looked closer, they said they could read, The Marriage of Good and Truth; and they addressed the angel asking him to tell them what it meant.
[3] He said that everything throughout the whole of heaven and everything throughout the whole world is nothing but a marriage of good and truth, since every one of them, both those that live and breathe, as well as those that do not, have been created from the marriage of good and truth, and so as to make this marriage. 'There is,' he said, 'nothing created to be truth alone, nor to be good alone; isolated good and isolated truth are nothing, but by that marriage they come into being and become such as is the marriage. In the Lord the Creator Divine good and Divine truth exist in their real substance; Divine good is the being of that substance, Divine truth is its coming-into-being. Its substance is also their actual union, for in Him they are infinitely one. Since the two are one in the Creator Himself, they are therefore one also in every single thing created by Him; and by this the Creator is linked in an everlasting covenant, like that of marriage, with all of His creations.'
[4] The angel went on to say that the Holy Scripture which came forth directly from the Lord is both in general and in detail a marriage of good and truth. Since the church, which is formed by the truth of its teaching, and religion, which is formed by goodness of life in accordance with the truth of teaching, are among Christians solely derived from Holy Scripture, it is evident that the church is in general and in detail a marriage of good and truth. (This may be seen in Apocalypse Revealed 373, 483.) What has just been said about the marriage of good and truth applies in the same way to what can be said about the marriage of charity and faith, since good belongs to charity and truth to faith.
Some of the earlier groups who had not seen the angel and the writing were still standing close by, and on hearing this said in a low voice, 'Yes, that is so; we understand.' But then the angel said to them, 'Turn a little away from me, and say the same.' They turned away and said out loud, 'No, that is not so.'
[5] After this the angel talked about the Marriage of Good and Truth among married couples. He said that if their minds were so married, the husband being truth and the wife the good of that truth, they would both enjoy the delights of blessed innocence, and so the happiness angels have in heaven. In this state the husband's reproductive powers would be constantly as in the springtime of life, and so striving and succeeding in propagating his own truth; and his wife's love would make her constantly receptive of his truth. 'The wisdom the Lord gives to men finds no greater pleasure than in propagating its truths. And the love of wisdom that wives have in these circumstances finds nothing more welcome than to receive them, so to speak, in their womb, and so to conceive, carry and bring them to birth. This is what having spiritual children is like for the angels of heaven; and if you are prepared to believe it, this is the source from which natural children too come.'
The angel gave a greeting of peace and left the ground; and as he was carried through the cloud and rose into heaven, then the paper began to shine as before at each stage of the ascent. Then suddenly the circle of rays, which previously looked like the dawn, came down and scattered the cloud which had darkened the earth, and it became sunny.
115. The second account:
Awakened from sleep in the middle of the night, I saw an angel at some height towards the east, holding in his right hand a piece of paper. It appeared in a shining brilliance owing to the light coming in from the sun. In the middle of the paper there was writing in gold letters, and I saw the phrase, "The marriage between good and truth." From the writing sprang a radiance that turned into a large halo around the piece of paper. The halo or ring consequently had an appearance similar to the appearance of dawn in springtime.
After this I saw the angel descending with the paper in his hand. Moreover, as he descended, the paper appeared less and less bright, and the writing - which said, "The marriage between good and truth" - turned from the color of gold to silver, then to the color of copper, next to the color of iron, and lastly to the color of rusty iron and corroded copper. Finally I saw the angel enter a dark cloud and descend through the cloud to the ground. There the piece of paper disappeared, although the angel was still holding it in his hand. (This took place in the world of spirits, the world all people go to first after they die.)
[2] The angel then spoke to me, saying, "Ask the people who are coming this way whether they see me and whether they see anything in my hand."
A host of people came - a crowd from the east, a crowd from the south, a crowd from the west, and a crowd from the north. Those coming from the east and south were people who in the world had devoted themselves to becoming learned, and I asked them whether they saw anyone with me there and whether they saw anything in his hand. They all said they saw nothing at all.
I then asked the people who came from the west and north. They were people who in the world had believed whatever the learned said. They said they did not see anything, either.
The last of these, however, were people who in the world had possessed a simple faith stemming from charity, or some truth resulting from goodness, and after the people before them went away, they said that they saw a man with a piece of paper - a man handsomely dressed, and a piece of paper with letters printed on it. Moreover, when they looked more closely, they said they could read the phrase, "The marriage between good and truth." Then they spoke to the angel, asking him to tell them what it meant.
[3] The angel said that everything which exists in the whole of heaven and everything which exists in the whole world is nothing but a form of the marriage between good and truth, since each and every thing was created out of and into a marriage of good and truth - both everything that lives and breathes and also whatever does not live and breathe.
"There is nothing," he said, "that was created solely into a form of truth, and nothing that was created solely into a form of good. Good alone or truth alone has no reality, but they take form and become real through a marriage of the two, the character of the resulting form being determined by the character of the marriage.
"Divine good and Divine truth in the Lord the Creator are good and truth in their very essence. The being of His essence is Divine good, and the expression of His essence is Divine truth. In Him, moreover, good and truth exist in their very union, for in Him they are infinitely united. Since these two are united in Him, the Creator, therefore they are also united in each and every thing created by Him. By this the Creator is also conjoined with all things created by Him in an eternal covenant like that of a marriage."
[4] The angel said further that the Holy Scripture, which came directly from the Lord, is as a whole and in every part an expression of the marriage between good and truth. And because the church, which is formed through truth of doctrine, and religion, which is formed through goodness of life in accordance with truth of doctrine, are in the case of Christians based solely on the Holy Scripture, it can be seen that the church as a whole and in every part is an expression of the marriage between good and truth. (For an explanation of this, see The Apocalypse Revealed, nos. 373, 483.)
The same thing that the angel said above regarding the marriage of good and truth he also said of the marriage between charity and faith, since good has to do with charity and truth has to do with faith.
Some of the first people, who had not seen the angel or the writing, were still standing around, and on hearing these things they mumbled, "Yes, of course. We see that."
But then the angel said to them, "Turn away from me a little and repeat what you said."
So they turned away, and they said quite plainly, "No, it isn't so."
[5] Afterwards the angel spoke with some married couples about the marriage of good and truth, saying that if their minds were in a such a state of marriage, with the husband being a form of truth and the wife a form of the good of that truth, they would both experience the blissful delights of innocence and thus the happiness that angels of heaven enjoy.
"In such a state," he said, "the husband's power of insemination would continually be in the spring of youth, and he would therefore remain in the effort and power to transmit his truth, and the wife, out of love, would be in a continual state to receive it.
"The wisdom that men have from the Lord knows no greater delight than to transmit its truths. And the love of wisdom that wives have in heaven knows no greater pleasure than to receive them as though in a womb, and thus to conceive them, carry them, and give them birth.
"That is what spiritual procreations are like among angels of heaven. And if you would believe it, natural procreations come also from the same origin."
After bidding all farewell, the angel rose from the earth, and passing through the cloud, ascended into heaven. Moreover, as he ascended, the piece of paper then began to shine as before, until the halo that had previously had the appearance of dawn suddenly descended and dispelled the cloud which had cast a shadow over the earth, and it became sunny.
115. The second story: I woke up in the middle of the night. Towards the east, at some height, I saw an angel holding a paper in his right hand. It seemed to gleam white, in sunshine. In the middle of it was writing in gold letters, and I could see what it said: "The Marriage of Good and Truth." The brilliance that glittered from the writing spread in a broad circle around the paper.
This circle - or halo - looked like a spring sunrise coming from the paper.
Then I saw the angel with the paper in his hand descending, and the more he descended, the less bright the paper seemed.
And the writing, "The Marriage of Good and Truth," changed from gold to silver, from that to copper, then to an iron color, and finally to the color of iron and copper rust.
In the end I saw the angel enter a dark cloud and go through the cloud to the ground, and there the paper, though still in the angel's hand, was invisible.
This was in the world of spirits, where all people go, at first, after death.
Then the angel spoke to me, saying, "Ask the people who come along if they see me, or anything in my hand."
A crowd came - one group from the east, one from the south, one from the west, and one from the north. I asked the arrivals from the east and south (in the world they used to pursue learning) whether they saw anyone with me there and anything in his hand.
They all said, "Nothing at all."
Then I asked the ones from the west and the north (in the world they had believed in the words of the wise), and they said, "Nothing."
But the last few of these, who had espoused a simple faith of charity in the world - in other words, had some truth from good said, when the others had left, that they saw a man with a paper - a well-dressed man and a paper with letters written on it. And when they looked closely they said that they read "The Marriage of Good and Truth."
They spoke to the angel, asking, "What does that mean?"
He said, "Everything in all heaven and everything in the whole world is nothing else but a marriage of good and truth. For each and every thing that lives and breathes, as well as what doesn't live or breathe, was created from a marriage of good and truth and in a marriage of good and truth. There is nothing at all created as just truth or as just good. Neither truth nor good by itself is anything, but whatever qualities a thing has, they are the qualities of the marriage through which it exists and comes to be.
"The very substance of divine good and divine truth is in the Lord the Creator. The essence of His substance is divine good, and the existence of His substance is divine truth. The very union of divine good and truth is also in Him, for in Him good and truth become infinitely one.
"Since the two are one in the Creator Himself, they are just as much one in each and every thing that He creates. Through this, besides, the Creator is joined in a permanent covenant like a marriage with all the things He creates."
Next the angel said that the Sacred Scripture, which came directly from the Lord, is as a whole, and in each part, a marriage of good and truth. And the church, formed by doctrinal truth, and religion, formed through the good of a life according to doctrinal truth, comes, for Christians, only from the Sacred Scripture.
Therefore it all fits together that the church as a whole and part-by-part is a marriage of good and truth. (Apocalypse Revealed 373 483, shows that this is so.)
What it says above about the marriage of good and truth applies to the marriage of charity and faith as well, since good is charity and truth is faith.
Some of those first arrivals who had not seen the angel and the writing were still standing around, and when they heard these things they mumbled, "Oh, sure. We understand that."
But then the angel said to them, "Turn away from me a little and say the same thing."
They turned away and roared, "It's not true!"
After this the angel talked about the marriage of good and truth in married partners and said, "If their minds were in that marriage (the husband being truth and the wife its good) both would experience the delights of being blessed with innocence, so they would have the happiness that angels have. In this condition the husband would be as prolific as perpetual springtime, so he would have continual drive and energy to propagate his truth, and the wife would always be receptive to him, thanks to love.
Wisdom, which men get from the Lord, finds nothing more enjoyable than propagating its truths, and the love of wisdom that wives have in heaven finds nothing more pleasant than receiving the truths just the way they receive in their womb, and in this way they conceive, carry, and bear them. This is what having children is like among the angels. And if you will believe it, all childbirth in the natural world is from this source, too."
After bidding us "Peace," the angel took off from the ground, sailed through the cloud and rose into the sky. And the higher he rose, the more the paper gleamed as before. And then the halo!
The one that seemed like a sunrise before! It came down and scattered the cloud that had overshadowed the earth, and the sun came out!
115. The second Memorable Relation:
Awaking from sleep at midnight, I saw, on an eminence towards the east, an angel holding in his right hand a paper which, from the inflowing light of the sun, was seen in a bright radiance. On the middle of the paper was a writing in letters of gold; and I saw written there: THE MARRIAGE OF GOOD AND TRUTH. From this writing flashed a splendor which spread out in a wide circle around the paper so that the circle or ambit seemed like the dawn as seen in spring-time.
After this, I saw the angel descending with the paper in his hand. And as he descended, the paper seemed less and less bright, and the writing, which was THE MARRIAGE OF GOOD AND TRUTH, changed from the color of gold to that of silver, then to that of copper, afterwards to that of iron, and finally to that of iron and copper rust. Finally, the angel was seen to enter a dark cloud and to descend through the cloud and alight upon the earth. There the paper, though still held in his hand, was no longer visible. This was in the world of spirits where all men first come together after death.
[2] The angel then spoke to me, saying, "Ask those who come hither whether they see me or see anything in my hand." A great number of spirits was approaching, one company from the east, one from the south, one from the west, and one from the north; and I asked those who came from the east and the south, being those who in the world had been in the pursuit of learning whether they saw any one with me in this place, and anything in his hand. They all said that they saw nothing at all. I then asked those who came from the west and the north, being those who in the world had put faith in the words of the learned. They also said that they saw nothing. But after those in front had gone away, those in the rear, being those who in the world had been in simple faith from charity, or in some truth from good, said that they saw a man with a paper--a man in becoming apparel and a paper upon which, on closer view, they traced letters. Bringing their eyes still closer, they said that they read, THE MARRIAGE OF GOOD AND TRUTH. They then addressed the angel, asking him to tell them what this meant.
[3] The angel then said: "All things in the whole heaven and all things in the entire world are nothing but a marriage of good and truth; for created things, both those which live and breathe and those which do not live and breathe, are one and all created from and into the marriage of good and truth, nothing whatever being created into truth alone, and nothing whatever into good alone. Alone, the latter and the former are not anything; but by marriage they exist and become a thing of like quality as the marriage. In the Lord the Creator is Divine Good and Divine Truth in its very substance, the esse of Substance Itself being Divine Good, and the existere of Substance Itself Divine Truth. They are also in their very union; for in Him they make one infinitely. Since these two are one in the Creator, therefore they are also one in each and every thing created by Him. Moreover, by this the Creator is conjoined with all things created by Himself in an eternal covenant as of marriage."
[4] The angel said further, that the Sacred Scripture, which proceeded immediately from the Lord, is in general and in particular a marriage of good and truth. And since with Christians, the Church, which is formed by the truth of doctrine, and religion, which is formed by the good of life according to the truth of doctrine, are solely from the Sacred Scripture, it is evident that the Church in general and in particular is the marriage of good and truth.
That such is the case can be seen in THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED, nos. 373,483. What has been said above respecting the marriage of good and truth is also said of THE MARRIAGE OF CHARITY AND FAITH, since good is the good of charity and truth the truth of faith.
Certain of those in front, who had not seen the angel and the writing, were still standing by, and on hearing these words they said, with half-closed lips, "Yes, truly, we comprehend that." But then the angel said to them, "Turn away from me a little and say the same thing." And they turned away and said, with open lips, "It is not so."
[5] After this the angel spoke of THE MARRIAGE OF GOOD AND TRUTH as it is with married partners, 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 of innocence, and thence in the happiness in which are the angels of heaven. In that state, the prolific principle of the husband would be in continual Spring and thence in the effort and strength to propagate his truth; and the wife, from love, would be in a continual reception of it: "[In heaven], the wisdom which is with men from the Lord feels nothing more delightful than to propagate its own truths; and the love of wisdom which is with wives there, feels nothing more pleasing than to receive them as though in a womb, and thus to conceive, carry in the womb, and bring forth. Such is the nature of spiritual prolification with the angels of heaven; and if you will believe it, from this origin are also natural prolifications."
After a salutation of peace, the angel then raised himself from the earth, and passing through the cloud, ascended into heaven; and then, according to the degrees of ascent, the paper shone as before. And lo, the circle of light which had previously appeared as the dawn, then descended and dispelled the cloud which had brought darkness upon the earth, and it became sunny.
115. II
Aroused 1from sleep in the middle of the night, I saw at a height toward the east an angel holding in his right hand a paper, which was glistening white under the inflowing light of the sun; and in the middle of it was some writing in letters of gold. I saw written: The Marriage of Good and Truth. From the writing flashed a radiance which spread in a wide circle around the paper. The widening circle looked like a dawn in springtime.
After this I saw the angel descending with the paper in his hand. As he descended, it glistened less and less, and the inscription, "The Marriage of Good and Truth," changed in color from gold to silver, then to copper, afterwards to iron, and finally to the color of iron rust and copper rust. At last the angel seemed to pass into a bedimming mist and through it to the ground, and there the paper, although still in the angel's hand, was not to be seen. This happened in the world of spirits where all men first meet after death.
[2] Then the angel spoke to me, saying, "Ask those who come this way whether they see me, or anything in my hand."
There came a multitude, a company from the east, one from the south, another from the west, and a company from the north. I asked those who came from the east and the south (in the world they had devoted themselves to learning) whether they saw anybody with me, and saw anything in his hand. All replied they saw nothing at all. I then put my question to those who came from the west and the north (men who in the world had rested their belief on words of the learned). They said they saw nothing. But some in the background (who in the world had lived in simple faith from charity or in some truth from good), when the rest had left, said that they saw a man with a paper - a man in seemly apparel, and a paper with letters on it. When they looked more closely, they said that they read, "The Marriage of Good and Truth." They addressed the angel, and asked him to tell what this meant.
[3] And he said, "All things which exist anywhere in either heaven or the world are nothing but a marriage of good and truth. Each and all things, both those which live and breathe and those which do not live and breathe, were created by and into the marriage of good and truth. Nothing whatever is created in truth alone and nothing whatever in good alone. Neither good solitary nor truth solitary is anything; they exist and become something by marriage, and something of a similar kind with the marriage. Divine Good and Divine Truth are to be found in their very substance in the Lord the Creator. The esse of His substance is Divine Good, and the existere of His substance is Divine Truth. Good and truth are also in their very union in Him; for they make one infinitely in Him. Being one in the Creator Himself, these two are also one in each and all things created by Him. Thereby the Creator and all things created by Him are united in an eternal covenant as it were of marriage."
[4] The angel said further that Sacred Scripture, which proceeded directly from the Lord, is in general and in particular a marriage of good and truth. Moreover, as the Church, which is formed by truth of doctrine, and religion, which is formed by good of life according to truth of doctrine, are derived with Christians solely from Sacred Scripture, it is evident that the Church, too, in general and in particular, is a marriage of good and truth. (That it is, see Apocalypse Revealed 373, 483.) What we have said about the marriage of good and truth may be said as well of the marriage of charity and faith, for good is of charity and truth is of faith.
Some of those who had failed to see the angel or the writing, but were still standing near, hearing these things, said under their breath, "Why, of course, that is plain." Whereupon the angel said to them, "Turn away a little from me and repeat what you said." They turned away and said in a loud voice, "It is not so."
[5] After this the angel spoke about the marriage of good and truth with married partners, saying that if their minds were in that marriage, or if the husband was truth and the wife the good of this truth, they would both be in the delights of the blessedness of innocence, and thence in the happiness in which the angels of heaven are. In that state the generative power of the husband would be at a perpetual springtime, and so in the effort and ability to propagate his truth; and the wife would be in perpetual reception of it from love: "Wisdom from the Lord with men knows nothing more agreeable than to propagate its truths. Love of wisdom with wives knows nothing more delightful than to receive these truths as in the womb and so to conceive them, carry them in the womb and give them birth. Of this sort are the spiritual prolifications among the angels of heaven. And if you will believe it, natural prolifications have the very same origin."
After a salutation of peace the angel rose from the earth, and passing through the mist ascended into heaven. Then the paper in his hand glistened as before, ever more brightly as he ascended. The circle of light about it which had looked like the dawn, crept down and dispelled the mist which had thrown a shadow over the earth; and the sun came out.
Footnotes:
1. These Memorabilia, abbreviated, occur again in True Christian Religion 624.
115. The Second Relation:
Awaking from sleep in the middle of the night, I beheld at some height towards the east, an angel holding in his right hand a paper, which by the inflowing light of the sun appeared in shining white; and on the middle of it was a writing in letters of gold. And I saw written: The Marriage of Good and Truth. There flashed forth from the writing a splendor which diffused itself in a wide circle around the paper. The circle or halo from it appeared as the dawn in springtime.
After this I saw the angel descending with the paper in his hand. And as he descended the paper appeared less and less bright, and the writing, which was The Marriage of Good and Truth, changed from the color of gold to silver, then to copper, afterwards to iron, and finally to that of the rust of iron, and the rust of copper. At last the angel was seen to enter an obscure cloud, and to descend through the cloud upon the earth; and there the paper, although still held in the angel's hand, was not seen. This was in the world of spirits where all men first come together after death.
And then the angel spoke to me, saying, 'Ask those that come hither whether they see me or anything in my hand.'
There came a multitude, a company from the east, a company from the south, a company from the west, and a company from the north. And asked those that came from the east and the south who had been in the pursuit of learning in the world, whether they saw anyone here with me, and saw anything it his hand. They all said they saw nothing at all. I then asked those that came from the west and the north, who were such as had believed in the words of the learned in the world. They said they did not see anything. But the last of them, who in the world were in simple faith from charity, or in some truth from good, after the others had gone away, said that they saw a man with a paper, a man in becoming apparel, and the paper had letters traced upon it; and when they brought their eyes nearer they said that they read, The Marriage of Good and Truth. And they spoke to the angel, asking him to tell them what it meant.
And he said, 'All things that exist in the universal heaven and all that exist in the universal world are nothing but a marriage of good and truth; for each and all things, both those that live and breathe, and those that do not live and breathe, were created from and into the marriage of good and truth. Nothing whatever is created into truth alone and nothing whatever into good alone. Either one of them alone is not anything; but by marriage they exist and become something, of such kind as the marriage is. In the Lord the Creator are Divine Good and Divine Truth in their very substance. The being of His substance is Divine Good, and the Existing (existere) of His substance is Divine Truth. And in Him they also are in their very union; for they infinitely make one in Him. As these two are one in the Creator Himself, they therefore, are one also in each and all things created from Him; and thereby also the Creator is conjoined with all things created from Himself in an eternal covenant as it were of marriage.'
The angel said further, that the Sacred Scripture, which proceeded immediately from the Lord, in general and in particular is a marriage of good and truth. And as the church, which is formed by truth of doctrine, and religion, which is formed by the good of life according to the truth of doctrine, are, with Christians, solely from the Sacred Scripture, it is evident that the church is a marriage of good and truth in general and in particular. That it is so may be seen in The Apocalypse Revealed, n. 373, 483. What has been said above respecting the marriage of good and truth, is said also of the Marriage of Charity and Faith, since good is of charity and truth is of faith.
Some of the former, who did not see the angel and the writing, still standing by and hearing these things said in a low tone, 'Yes, truly, we comprehend that.' But then the angel said to them, 'Turn away a little from me and say the same.' And they turned away and said in a full voice, 'It is not so.'
After this the angel spoke of The Marriage of Good and Truth with married partners, saying, that if their minds were in that marriage, the husband truth and the wife its good, they would both be in the delights of the blessedness of innocence, and thence in the happiness in which the angels of heaven are. In that state the generative power of the husband would be in perpetual spring, and thence in the effort and ability to propagate his truth; and the wife would be in perpetual reception of it from love: 'The wisdom that is with men from the Lord feels nothing more delightful than to propagate its truths; and the love of wisdom which is in wives feels nothing more pleasing than to receive them, as in the womb, and so to conceive, carry in the womb, and bring them forth. Of such kind are spiritual prolifications among the angels of heaven. And if you will believe it, natural prolifications also are from this origin.'
After a salutation of peace, the angel raised himself up from the earth, and passing through the cloud ascended into heaven. And then, according to the degrees of ascent, the paper shone as before; and lo! the circle of light which appeared before, as the dawn, then descended and dispelled the cloud that shed darkness upon the earth, and it became sunny.
115. Alterum Memorabile. In media nocte experrectus e somno, vidi in aliqua altitudine versus Orientem Angelum tenentem in manu dextra Chartam, quae ex luce e Sole influente apparuit in illustri candore, in cujus medio erat scriptura ex literis aureis, et vidi scriptum, Conjugium boni et veri; ex scriptura emicuit splendor, qui abiit in latum circulum circum chartam; circulus ille seu ambitus apparuit inde sicut apparet aurora verno tempore. Post haec vidi Angelum cum charta in manu descendentem, et sicut descendit, apparuit charta minus et minus lucida, et scriptura illa, quae erat Conjugium boni et veri, conversa a colore aureo in argenteum, dein in cupreum, postea in ferreum, et demum in ferruginosum et aeruginosum; ac ultimo visus est Angelus intrare in Nimbum obscurum, et per nimbum super terram; et ibi charta illa, tametsi in manu Angeli adhuc tenebatur, non visa est; fuit hoc in Mundo spirituum, in quem omnes homines post obitum primum conveniunt;
[2] et tunc Angelus loquutus est ad me dicens; "quaere illos qui huc veniunt, num videant me, vel aliquid in manu 1mea:" venit multitudo, caetus ab Oriente, caetus a Meridie, caetus ab Occidente, et caetus a Septentrione, et quaesivi advenientes ex Oriente et Meridie, qui erant qui in Mundo studuerant eruditioni, num videant hic apud me aliquem et aliquid in manu ejus; dixerunt omnes, quod prorsus nihil; quaesivi dein illos, qui advenerunt ex Occidente et Septentrione, qui erant qui in verba Eruditorum in Mundo crediderant; hi dixerunt quod nec aliquid; attamen ultimi ex his, qui in Mundo fuerant in simplici fide ex charitate, seu in aliquo vero ex bono, postquam abiverunt priores, dixerunt, quod videant Virum cum charta, Virum in habitu decoro, et Chartam super qua literae exaratae; et cum admoverunt oculos, dicebant, quod legerent Conjugium boni et veri; et hi alloquebantur Angelum, rogantes ut diceret quid hoc,
[3] et dixit, quod omnia quae in universo Coelo sunt, et omnia quae in universo Mundo, non sint nisi quam Conjugium boni et veri, quoniam omnia et singula, tam quae vivunt et animant, quam quae non vivunt et non animant, ex Conjugio boni et veri, et in illud creata sunt; "non datur quicquam creatum in solum Verum, nec quicquam in solum Bonum; hoc et illud solitarium non est aliquid, sed existunt et fiunt per conjugium tale aliquid, quale est conjugium: in Domino Creatore est Divinum Bonum et Divinum Verum in ipsa sua Substantia; Substantiae Ipsius Esse est Divinum Bonum, et Substantiae Ipsius Existere est Divinum Verum, et quoque est in Ipsa sua Unione, nam in Ipso infinite unum faciunt; quoniam illa duo in Ipso Creatore unum sunt, ideo etiam in omnibus et singulis creatis ab Ipso unum sunt; per id quoque Creator cum omnibus a Se 2creatis aeterno foedere sicut Conjugii conjunctus est."
[4] Porro dixit Angelus, quod Scriptura Sacra, quae immediate a Domino processit, sit in communi et in parte Conjugium Boni et Veri: et quia Ecclesia, quae formatur per Verum Doctrinae, et Religio, quae formatur per Bonum vitae secundum Verum Doctrinae, apud Christianos est unice ex Scriptura Sacra, constare potest, quod Ecclesia in communi et in parte sit Conjugium boni et veri: (quod ita sit, videatur in Apocalypsis Revelata 373, 483.) Idem hoc quod supra dictum est de Conjugio Boni et Veri, dictum etiam est de Conjugio Charitatis et Fidei, quoniam Bonum est Charitatis, et Verum est Fidei. Quidam ex prioribus, qui non viderunt Angelum et Scripturam, adhuc adstantes, et audientes illa, dicebant ore semipleno, "imo etiam, capimus illa;" sed tunc Angelus dixit illis, "avertite vos paulum a me, et dicite similiter," et averterunt se, et dixerunt ore pleno, "non ita."
[5] Post haec Angelus loquutus est de Conjugio Boni et Veri apud Conjuges, dicens, quod si Mentes illorum in illo Conjugio forent, Maritus Verum et Uxor hujus Bonum, forent ambo in delitiis beatitudinis innocentiae, et inde in felicitate, in qua sunt Angeli Coeli; in quo statu prolificum mariti foret in continuo Vere, et inde in nisu et virtute propagandi suum verum, et uxor in continua receptione ejus ex amore; "sapientia, quae apud viros a Domino est, nihil jucundius sentit, quam propagare sua vera, et amor sapientiae qui apud uxores ibi est, nihil amaenius sentit, quam illa recipere quasi utero, et sic concipere, gestare et parere; prolificationes spirituales apud Angelos Coeli tales sunt: et si credere velitis, ex illa origine sunt etiam prolificationes naturales." Angelus post salutationem pacis extulit se e terra, et vectus trans nimbum ascendit in Coelum, et tunc Charta secundum gradus ascensus fulgebat sicut prius; et ecce tunc Circulus, qui prius apparuit sicut aurora, se demisit, et dispulit Nimbum, qui tenebras induxit terrae, et factum est apricum.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: maxu (ut videtur)
2. Prima editio: se