145、⑹对那些通过主变得属灵之人而言，婚姻之爱会越来越纯净，变得贞洁。原因是：
①最初的爱，就是婚礼前后的爱，染上了些许两性情爱，即属于肉体、尚未被属灵之爱调节的激情。
②人从属世逐渐发展到属灵；事实上，他照其居于天堂和尘世中间的理性变得属灵，开始从天堂的流注获得理性的生命或灵魂，这一切照着他被智慧（关于这智慧，参看130节）感染并以之为乐的程度而发生。照着这一切发生的程度，其心智被提升到更高氛围；这种氛围含有天上的光和热，或也可说，含有天使所享有的智慧和爱。因为天上的光与智慧行如一体，天上的热与爱行如一体。由于智慧和对智慧的爱在夫妻里面不断增长，所以他们的婚姻之爱得以净化。由于这一切是逐步发生的，故可知，这爱会变得越来越贞洁。这种属灵的净化好比化学家们提纯天然酒精，提纯的过程依次叫澄清、蒸馏、精馏、回流蒸馏或再蒸馏、分馏、倾析和升华；净化后的智慧好比酒精，也就是高度精馏酒精。
③就其本身而言，属灵的智慧本身具有这样的性质：它会因着对变得智慧的爱而越来越温暖，并从这爱增长到永恒。这一切随着它仿佛通过澄清、蒸馏、精馏、分馏、倾析和升华的过程被完善而发生；这些过程是通过理解从感官错觉，以及意愿从身体的诱惑退出和分离实现的。由此明显可知，婚姻之爱作为智慧的孩子，同样逐渐变得越来越纯净，因而变得越来越贞洁。夫妻之间爱的最初状态是尚未被光调和的热之状态，但随着丈夫在智慧上得以完善，妻子则热爱丈夫里面的智慧，这热会逐渐被调和（参看137节的记事）。
145、（6）由于主而有精神境界的人的婚姻之爱会越来越纯，越来越贞节。
1、第一个爱——即在婚礼前及婚礼刚刚过后的爱有着对异性的爱的特征。它来自于一种属于躯体的热而没有精神的影响。
2、人会从自然人变为精神人。当人的理性开始从接受属于天国的事物及影响时人就变成了精神上的人。这发生在他被智慧所影响，因为智慧而愉悦的时候（见第130节中所讲的智慧），根据被影响的程度，他的头脑被提升到一定高度的氛围中。这种氛围就是容纳天国的光和热或者说智慧和爱的媒介。因为天国之光与智慧相连，天国之热与爱相连，当婚姻中的双方的智慧及相伴的爱增加时，他们的爱也就更纯洁，他们的爱更贞节。
这种精神上的净化可以与化学上的相比较，净化后的智慧可以被比作酒精，是被高度提纯了的。
3、精神上的智慧会由于以智慧的爱而变得越来越温暖，进而上升到永恒。这一过程也好比化学上的提纯，净化过程一样。将感官及躯体上的因素提炼出去，因此，作为智慧的产物的婚姻之爱也会渐渐变纯，渐渐变得更贞节。
关于第一种爱请参见137节。
145. (vi) In the case of those whom the Lord makes spiritual, conjugial love is more and more purified, and it becomes chaste.
The reasons are: (a) First love, which means love before marriage and immediately after marriage, is somewhat affected by sexual love, that is, by the ardour which belongs to the body and has not been modified by spiritual love.
[2] (b) A person proceeds by stages from natural to spiritual. He becomes spiritual as his rational faculty, held midway between heaven and the world, begins to draw breath from heavenly influence, which happens as he is affected and pleased by wisdom (on this 130 above). To the extent that this happens, his mind is lifted into a higher atmosphere which holds heavenly light and heat, or, what is the same, the wisdom and love enjoyed by the angels. For heavenly light acts as one with wisdom, heavenly heat with love. As the wisdom and the love of it increase in married couples, so their conjugial love is purified. Since this takes place by stages, it follows that this love becomes more and more chaste. This spiritual purification can be compared with the purification of natural spirits practised by chemists, what they call defecation, rectification, castigation, distillation, refining, decantation and sublimation. Purified wisdom can be compared with alcohol, which is the highest degree of rectified spirit.
[3] (c) Spiritual wisdom then has the essential quality of growing warmer the more wisdom is loved, so that it goes on increasing for ever. This happens by the processes of defecation, castigation, rectification, refining, decantation and sublimation; and these take place by means of the process of refining and distancing the intellect from the fallacies of the senses, and the will from the snares of the body. It is plain from this that likewise conjugial love, which is the child of wisdom, by stages becomes more and more pure and so chaste. The first state of love between a married couple is one of heat not yet moderated by light, but it is by stages moderated as the husband's wisdom becomes more perfect, and his wife loves this in her husband; see the experience in 137.
145. 6. Conjugial love is more and more purified and becomes chaste in people who become spiritual from the Lord. The reasons are these:
1. The first love - meaning the love before the wedding and just after the wedding - draws some of its character from a love for the opposite sex, thus from a heat belonging to the body not yet tempered by a love of the spirit.
[2] 2. A person from being natural only gradually becomes spiritual. For a person becomes spiritual as his rationality - which stands in between heaven and the world - begins to draw its life or soul from what flows in from heaven. This occurs as he becomes affected by and is delighted with wisdom (the wisdom spoken of above in no. 130). To the degree that this happens, to the same degree his mind is raised into a higher atmosphere, which is the containing medium of heavenly light and heat, or, to say the same thing, of the wisdom and love which angels possess. For the light of heaven is united with wisdom, and the warmth of heaven with love. And as wisdom and its accompanying love increase in married partners, so conjugial love is purified in them. Because this occurs gradually, it follows that this love becomes more and more chaste.
This spiritual purification can be likened to the purification of natural spirits which chemists perform, whose processes are called clarification, distillation, rectification, cohobation or redistillation, concentration, decantation, sublimation. And wisdom when purified may be likened to alcohol, which is a highly distilled spirit.
[3] 3. Spiritual wisdom in itself is such that it grows warmer and warmer with the love of becoming wise, and because of this, it increases to eternity. This takes place as it is perfected as though by processes of clarification, distillation, rectification, concentration, decantation, and sublimation - processes which are accomplished by purifications and separations of the intellect from the misconceptions of the senses, and of the will from the temptations of the body. Now, because of this, it is apparent that conjugial love, being the offspring of wisdom, likewise becomes gradually more and more pure, thus more and more chaste.
For testimony that the first state of love between married partners is a state of heat not yet tempered with light, but that it is gradually tempered as the husband is perfected in wisdom and as the wife grows to love that wisdom in her husband, see what was said in the narrative account in no. 137.
145. 6. For those whom the Lord makes spiritual, married love grows more and more pure and becomes chaste. Here are the reasons:
(a) First love, meaning the love before the wedding and just after the wedding, brings with it something of sexual love - something afire for the body itself that is not yet tempered by love of the spirit.
(b) A person changes from worldly to spiritual gradually.
You see, he becomes spiritual as his rationality, which is midway between heaven and earth, begins to take its life from what pours out of heaven. This happens as he turns toward wisdom and takes pleasure in it (see no. 130 above). And so far as he does this, his mind rises into a higher atmosphere that contains the light and warmth of heaven, or in other words the love and wisdom that angels enjoy. For the light of heaven acts in unison with wisdom and the warmth of heaven with love. And as wisdom and its love grow between partners, their married love becomes that much purer. This happens gradually, so it follows that their love becomes more and more chaste. You might compare this spiritual purifying to the purifying of natural spirits that chemists do, which they call purging, fractional distillation, purifying, repeated distillation, refining, decantation, and sublimation. And you could compare purified wisdom with alcohol, which is fully distilled spirits.
(c) Now, spiritual wisdom in its own right warms more and more to love of wisdom, which makes it grow forever. This happens as it becomes more perfect, so to speak, through purging, purifying, distillation, refining, decantation, and sublimation. This happens by polishing the intellect and drawing it away from the misconceptions that the senses create and getting your will away from bodily lusts. So obviously married love, whose parent is wisdom, gradually becomes more and more pure, or chaste, in the same way.
(The story in no. 137 shows that the first state of love between partners is a state of heat untempered with light, but that it is gradually tempered as the husband matures in wisdom and the wife loves the wisdom in him.)
145. VI. THAT WITH THOSE WHO ARE MADE SPIRITUAL BY THE LORD, CONJUGIAL LOVE IS MORE AND MORE PURIFIED AND MADE CHASTE. The reasons are: 1. Because the first love, by which is meant the love before the nuptials and just after them, partakes somewhat of love of the sex, thus of an ardor belonging to the body, not yet moderated by the love of the spirit. [2] 2. Because man from being natural becomes spiritual successively; for he becomes spiritual according as his rational, which is midway between heaven and the world, begins to draw its soul from influx out of heaven. It does this in the degree that it is affected and gladdened by reason of wisdom (of which above, no. 130). So far as this takes place, man's mind is elevated into a superior aura which is the containant of heavenly light and heat, or, what is the same thing, of the wisdom and love wherein are the angels; for heavenly light acts as one with wisdom, and heavenly heat with love. As wisdom and its love increase with the partners, so conjugial love with them is purified; and since this takes place successively, it follows that the love becomes more and more chaste. This spiritual purification can be compared with the purification of natural spirits which is effected by chemists and is called defecation, rectification, castigation, cohobation, fractionation, decantation, sublimation; and the wisdom purified can be compared with alcohol, which is a spirit most highly rectified. [3] 3. Now because, regarded in itself, spiritual wisdom is such that it grows more and more warm with the love of becoming wise, and from this love takes increase to eternity, this being done as it is perfected as though by defecations, castigations, rectifications, fractionations, decantations, and sublimations; and because these operations are effected by withdrawals and abstractions of the understanding from the fallacies of the senses, and of the will from the allurements of the body; it is evident that conjugial love, whose parent is wisdom, is successively made more and more pure, thus chaste, in a like way. That the first state of love between married partners is a state of heat not yet tempered by light, but that it is successively tempered as the husband is perfected in wisdom and the wife loves that wisdom in her husband, may be seen in the Memorable Relation no. 137.
145. (vi) With those who from the Lord become spiritual, marital love is purified more and more and rendered chaste. The reasons Apocalypse Explained 1. The first love, by which is meant love before and soon after the nuptials, derives something from sexual love, thus from ardor proper to the body not yet qualified by the love of the spirit. 2. Man, from being natural becomes spiritual only gradually. For he does so as the rational, which is intermediate between heaven and the world, begins to draw its breath from influx out of heaven, which takes place as it is affected by and rejoices in wisdom (of which above,130). Furthermore, the mind is then raised into the higher air which is the containant of heavenly light and heat, or (what is the same) of the wisdom and love in which the angels are; for heavenly light makes one with wisdom, and heavenly heat one with love. Finally, as wisdom with its love increases with partners, marital love is purified with them. All this is gradual, and it follows that the love becomes more and more chaste. We may liken this spiritual purification to the purification of natural spirits, performed by chemists, and called defecation, rectification, castigation, cohobation, sharpening, decantation, and sublimation; and we may liken wisdom purified to alcohol, which is highly rectified spirits. 3. Spiritual wisdom in itself is such that it warms more and more with the love of growing wise, and as a result increases to eternity, and in doing so is, as it were, perfected by defecations, castigations, rectifications, sharpenings, decantations and sublimations, all accomplished by withdrawals and abstractions of the understanding from fallacies of the senses, and of the will from enticements of the body. It ought to be plain then that marital love, being born of wisdom, likewise becomes more and more pure and thus chaste. See in the Memorabilia at137 that the first state of love between partners is a state of heat not yet qualified by light, but that it is tempered gradually as the husband is perfected in wisdom and the wife loves that wisdom in the husband.
145. (6) That with those who become spiritual from the Lord conjugial love is purified more and more and becomes chaste. (1) Because the first love, by which is meant the love before the nuptials and just after the nuptials, partakes somewhat of the love of the sex, thus of the ardor peculiar to the body, not yet moderated by the love of the spirit. (2) Because a man from natural becomes spiritual successively; for he becomes spiritual in the degree that the rational, which is in the middle between heaven and the world, begins to draw its breath from the influx out of heaven; which it does in proportion as it is affected and gladdened with wisdom (of which above, at n. 130); and in so far as this takes place, his mind is elevated into a superior aura, which is the containant of heavenly light and heat, or what is the same, of the wisdom and love in which angels are. For heavenly light acts as one with wisdom, and heavenly heat with love. And as wisdom and its love increase with married partners conjugial love with them is purified. As this takes place successively, it follows that the love becomes more and more chaste. This spiritual purification may be compared with the purification of natural spirits which is done by chemists, and is called defecation, rectification, castigation, cohobation, acuition, decantation, sublimation; and the purified wisdom may be compared with alcohol, which is spirit most highly rectified.
(3) Now, spiritual wisdom being in itself such that it grows more and more warm from the love of becoming wise, and from this increases to eternity, which goes on in proportion as it is purified, as if by defecations, castigations, rectifications, acuitions, decantations, and sublimations; and these are effected by removing and drawing off the understanding from the fallacies of the senses, and the will from the allurements of the body, it is plain that conjugial love likewise, whose parent is wisdom, successively becomes more and more pure, thus chaste.
That the first state of love between married partners is a state of heat not yet tempered with light; but that it is successively tempered, as the husband is perfected in wisdom and the wife loves that wisdom in the husband, may be seen in the Relation, n. 137.
145. VI: Quod Amor conjugialis apud illos, qui a Domino fiunt Spirituales, plus et plus purificetur, et fiat castus, causae sunt, 1. Quia primus amor, per quem intelligitur amor ante nuptias, et recens post nuptias, trahit aliquid ex amore sexus, ita ex ardore proprio corporis nondum per amorem spiritus mitigato. [2] 2. Quia homo successive a naturali fit spiritualis; fit enim spiritualis, sicut Rationale, quod est medium inter Coelum et Mundum, incipit trahere animam ex influxu e Coelo, quod fit sicut afficitur et laetificatur ex sapientia, de qua supra n. 1130; et quantum hoc fit, tantum elevatur Mens ejus in auram superiorem, quae est continens lucis et caloris coelestis, seu quod idem est, sapientiae et amoris, in quibus sunt Angeli; Lux enim coelestis unum agit cum sapientia, et Calor coelestis cum amore; et sicut sapientia et ejus amor crescunt apud conjuges, ita purificatur Amor conjugialis apud illos; quod quia fit successive, sequitur quod ille plus et plus fiat castus. Purificatio illa spiritualis comparari potest cum purificatione naturalium spirituum, quae fiunt a Chymicis, et vocantur Defaecatio, Rectificatio, Castigatio, Cohobatio, Acutio, Decantatio, Sublimatio; et Sapientia purificata cum Alcohole, quod est spiritus summe rectificatus. [3] 3. Nunc quia Sapientia spiritualis in se talis est, ut calescat plus et plus amore sapiendi, et ex hoc crescat in aeternum, quod fit ut perficitur sicut per defaecationes, castigationes, rectificationes, acutiones, decantationes, et sublimationes, et hae per elimationes et abstractiones Intellectus a fallaciis sensuum, et Voluntatis ab illecebris corporis, patet quod similiter Amor conjugialis, cujus parens est sapientia, successive plus et plus fiat purus, ita castus. Quod Primus status amoris inter conjuges sit status caloris per lucem nondum temperati, sed quod successive temperetur, sicut Maritus perficitur sapientia, et Uxor amat illam in marito, videatur in memorabili 137.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: n,