178、⒆那些享有真正婚姻之爱的人觉得自己是一个联合的人，如同一体。事实的确如此，只是这一点必须从天上居民之口，而非地上的任何居民之口来证明，因为如今真正的婚姻之爱在世人当中已不复存在。另外，世人被粗糙的肉体包裹，这肉体会钝化并吞没“夫妻是一个人，可以说是一体”的感觉。再者，那些在世时只是表面上而非从内心热爱其配偶的人不愿听到这话。他们对这个问题的想法也是淫秽的，源于肉体。但天上的天使却不同，因为他们享有属天和属灵的婚姻之爱，并且不像世人那样被包裹在如此粗糙的肉体中。我曾经听那些与其配偶在天上生活了好几个世纪的天使见证说，他们觉得自己是这样被联结的：丈夫觉得自己与他的妻子联结，妻子觉得自己与她的丈夫联结，并各自都有在对方里面的感觉，仿佛他们在对方的肉体中，尽管他们是分开的两个人。
天使说，夫妻灵魂和心智的联结在肉体里面被感觉到的现象在世上极其罕见。原因在于，灵魂不仅形成头部的至内在元素，还形成整个身体的至内在元素；在灵魂和身体中间的心智也一样。心智看似在头部，但实际上也在整个身体。他们说，正因如此，灵魂和心智所策划的行为会瞬间从身体发出；也正因如此，天使在脱去之前世界的肉体后，仍是完整的人。由于灵魂和心智如此紧密地依附于肉体，以便能实施并产生它们想要的结果，故可知，对夫妻来说，灵魂和心智的联结甚至在肉体中也被感觉如同一体。就在天使说这番话的时候，我听见站在旁边的一些灵人说，这些都是玄奥的天使智慧。不过，这些灵人是属世-理性的灵人，而非属灵-理性的灵人。
178、（19）处于真正婚姻之爱中的配偶会感觉他们就像一个人一样，这一点只能由天国中的人话来证实， 因为在世间这种真正的婚姻之爱此时不存在。同时，世上的人受肉体的束缚，他们看不到夫妻双方是一个人。另外还因为世上那些只在外在上接受其配偶的人不想听到这一事实，他们只是出于肉体而考虑婚姻之爱，天国中的天使却非这样，他们所拥有的婚姻之爱是精神的，是神性的，没有受到肉体的束缚。
我有在天国中生活了许多个世纪的天使夫妇的证实，他们说他们彼此相连，即使彼此分离时也是这样。
这其中的原因是灵魂和思想的结合能够在肉体中被感觉到。天使说这是因为灵魂不但是构成头脑的最内在的因素，也是构成躯体的最内在的因素。思想也是这样，思想是灵魂和躯体之间的媒介，尽管思想好象是存在于头脑中，它实际是存在于整个躯体中。天使说这就是为什么躯体会在灵魂和思想的作用下而行动，这也是为什么人的躯体死亡以后，人仍然是完整的人。因为灵魂和思想与躯体紧密相连，所以一个人的灵魂和思想与其伴侣的结合可以在躯体上感觉到-即他们好象是一个人一样。
这时候，旁边站着的精灵们说他们自己不明白以上所述，这是因为这些精灵是自然性的而非精神性的。
178. (xix) Those who enjoy truly conjugial love feel themselves a united person and like one flesh.
This proposition needs to be proved, not from the lips of any dweller on earth, but from those who dwell in heaven, because truly conjugial love does not exist among people on earth today. In addition, these are enveloped by a gross body, which blunts and absorbs the feeling that a married couple are one person and, so to speak, one flesh. Moreover, those in the world, who love their partners only outwardly and not inwardly, are unwilling to listen to this statement. Their thoughts on this subject are lewd, deriving from the flesh. But it is different for the angels in heaven, since they enjoy celestial and spiritual forms of conjugial love, and they are not enveloped in such a gross body as people on earth. I have heard evidence from those who have lived for ages with their partners in heaven, that they feel themselves thus united, the husband with his wife, the wife with her husband, and are each present in the other, as if they were in the other's flesh, although they are separate persons.
[2] They reported as the reason for this phenomenon, so rare on earth, the fact that the uniting of their souls and minds is felt in their flesh, because the soul is not just the innermost part of the head, but of the whole body; and likewise the mind, which stands midway between the soul and the body. It seems as if the mind were in the head, but it is actually in the whole body. This, they said, is why the actions devised by the soul and mind proceed instantly from the body. It is also why the angels, after casting off their bodies in their former world, are complete persons. Now because the soul and mind are so closely attached to the flesh of the body as to be able to carry out and produce the effects they wish, it follows that the uniting of one's soul and mind with one's partner's is felt also in the body, as if it were one flesh. When these statements were made by angels, I heard spirits standing by say that these are matters of transcendent angelic wisdom; but they were natural rational spirits, not spiritual rational ones.
178. 19. Partners who are in a state of truly conjugial love feel themselves to be a united person and as though one flesh. We can confirm that this is so only from the declarations of people in heaven, and not from the testimony of people on earth, since among people on earth truly conjugial love does not presently exist. In addition, people on earth are also enveloped in a coarse body, which dulls and swallows up the sensation that the two partners are a united person and virtually one flesh. And besides, people in the world who love their partners only outwardly and not inwardly do not wish to hear this. They think lasciviously concerning it, too, in terms of the flesh. Not so in the case of angels in heaven, because the conjugial love they possess is spiritual and celestial, and they are not clothed in as coarse a body as people on earth.
I have listened to angels who have lived with their partners in heaven for centuries, and I have heard it attested by them that they feel themselves to be united in this way, a husband with his wife and a wife with her husband, and to be each in the other mutually and reciprocally, seemingly, even, in respect to the flesh, even if they are apart.
[2] The reason for this phenomenon, rarely experienced on earth, that the union of their souls and minds is felt in their flesh - the reason for it, the angels said, is that the soul not only forms the inmost elements in the head, but also the inmost elements in the body. The same is true of the mind, which is intermediate between the soul and the body. Although the mind appears to be in the head, it nevertheless is actually in the whole body as well. And that, the angels said, is why actions which the soul and mind intend, instantaneously spring forth from the body. It is also because of this, they said, that after the body is cast off in the previous world, people themselves are still whole and complete human beings. Now, because the soul and mind are closely connected to the flesh of the body, in order that they may act and produce their effects, it follows that a union of the soul and mind with one's married partner is felt even in the body, as though they were one flesh.
At the time the angels said this, there were some spirits standing near, and I heard them comment that these were matters of angelic wisdom that were beyond them. But these spirits were intellectually natural, and not intellectually spiritual.
178. 19. Those who enjoy the real love in marriage can tell that they are one integrated person and therefore one flesh. The truth of this is not going to be verified by any earthly mouth, but by the mouths of angels, because the real love in marriage is not to be found among people on earth today. Besides, people on earth are densely enshrouded in a body that deadens and swallows up the sensation that two partners are a united person and just like one flesh. And furthermore, those in the world who love their partners only outwardly and not inwardly do not want to hear this. They think lasciviously about this union, on account of the flesh.
It is different with angels in heaven, because they have a spiritual and heavenly love in marriage and are not enveloped in such a dense body as people on earth. I have heard people who have lived for centuries with their partners in heaven verify that they feel themselves united that way, husband with wife and wife with husband, and they can tell they are mutually in each other, and vice versa, and just like one flesh, although separate.
They said the cause of this phenomenon, so rare on earth, is that they can sense in their flesh the union of their souls and minds, because your soul not only does things deep within your head, but also deep within your body. The same goes for the mind, which is in between soul and body. It seems to be in your head, yet it is also active in your whole body. They said, "This is why actions that the soul and mind intend spring instantly from the body. And this is why souls and minds, after leaving their bodies in the former world, are complete humans. Now, soul and mind are closely connected with the flesh of the body, so that they participate in and cause the body's actions. Consequently, the union of soul and mind with a partner is felt physically, too, as in one flesh."
When the angels said all that, I heard from some spirits who were standing there that it was angelic wisdom and too lofty. But the spirits were worldly - minded and not spiritual - minded.
178. XIX. THAT THOSE WHO ARE IN LOVE TRULY CONJUGIAL FEEL THEMSELVES TO BE A UNITED MAN AND AS ONE FLESH. That this is the case must be confirmed, not from the mouth of any inhabitant of earth but from the mouth of inhabitants of heaven; for with men on earth at this day, there is no love truly conjugial. Moreover, men are enveloped with a gross body, and this dulls and absorbs the sensation that two partners are a united man and as one flesh. Furthermore, those in the world who love their partners only outwardly and not inwardly, do not wish to hear this; they also think of this matter from the flesh, lasciviously. Such is not the case with angels of heaven, inasmuch as they are in spiritual and celestial conjugial love and are not enveloped in so gross a body as are men on earth. I have heard it attested by those who have lived for ages with their partners in heaven, that they feel themselves to be thus united, the husband feeling himself to be united with his wife, and the wife with her husband, and each having the feeling of being in the other, as though united even in the flesh, although they are separate beings.
[2] They said that on earth, the cause of this rare phenomenon was that the unition of their souls and minds is felt in their flesh, and this because the soul makes not only the inmost things of the head but also the inmost of the body. So likewise the mind, which is midway between soul and body; this appears to be in the head, yet actually it is also in the whole body. Furthermore, they said that it is because of this that actions which the soul and mind intend, flow out from the body in an instant; also that it is because of this that after the rejection of the body they had in the former world, they themselves are perfect men. Now since the soul and mind closely adjoin themselves to the flesh of the body to the end that they may operate and produce their effects, it follows that with married partners, 1the unition of soul and mind is felt as being one flesh even in the body. When the angels said this, I heard from some spirits who were standing by, "These are matters of angelic wisdom which are transcendental;" but these spirits were natural-rational and not spiritual-rational.
Footnotes:
1. The Latin is cum conjuge (with a consort), but this is clearly an error for cum conjugibus as in the translation.
178. (xix) Those in true marital love. feel they are a united human being and, as it were, one flesh. The truth of this is to be established not on the word of any earth-dweller, but from the mouth of angels, citizens of heaven, for true marital love is not to be found today with men on earth. Men on earth are also encompassed with a gross body, which dulls and absorbs the sensation that two partners are one man and, as it were, one flesh. In the world, moreover, those who love their partners only outwardly and not inwardly, do not wish to hear this truth. For they think of the union lasciviously from the flesh. It is otherwise with angels of heaven; for they are in spiritual and celestial marital love and are also not encompassed with a gross body as are men on earth. I have heard some who have lived for ages with their partners in heaven, testify that they feel themselves so united, husband with wife and wife with husband, and each in the other mutually, seemingly in the flesh, even when separated.
[2] They said the reason for this (which is such a rare phenomenon on earth) is that the unition of their souls and minds is felt in their flesh, for the soul makes the inmosts not only of the head, but of the body, too. Likewise, the mind, mediate between soul and body, though it appears to be in the head, is actually in the whole body, too. They said that this is the reason why acts which soul and mind intend, issue instantly from the body. Thence, too, it is, they said, that after the discarding of the body in the former world they themselves are still complete human beings. Now, as soul and mind are so closely adjoined to the flesh of the body in order to operate and bring about their effects, it follows that the unition of partners in soul and mind is felt in the very body as if they were one flesh. When the angels said this, I heard spirits who were present remark that these were transcendent matters of angelic wisdom; but those spirits were natural rational, not spiritual rational.
178. (19) That they who are in love truly conjugial feel themselves to be a united man, and as one flesh. That this is so is to be confirmed, not from the mouth of any inhabitant of the earth, but from the mouths of the inhabitants of heaven; for with men on earth at this day there is no love truly conjugial. And besides, they are enveloped with a gross body, which dulls and absorbs the sense that two married partners are a united man and as one flesh. Moreover, they who in the world love their married partners only outwardly and not inwardly are not willing to hear of this; they also think of the subject from the flesh, lasciviously. It is otherwise with the angels of heaven, because they are in spiritual and celestial conjugial love, and are not enveloped in a gross body as men are on earth. I have heard it attested by those who have lived for ages with their married partners in heaven, that they feel themselves to be thus united, the husband with his wife and the wife with her husband, and feel each to be mutually and reciprocally in the other, also as if one flesh, although distinct.
The reason of this phenomenon, rare on earth, that the unition of their souls and minds is felt in their flesh, they said, is this, that, 'The soul constitutes the inmosts, not only of the head but also the inmosts of the body; likewise, the mind, which is intermediate between the soul and the body, though it appears in the head, yet actually is in the whole body also. And hence it is,' they said, 'that the actions which the soul and mind intend flow out from the body in an instant. Hence also it is that they themselves, after rejection of the body in the former world, are yet perfect men. Now, as the soul and mind adjoin themselves closely to the flesh of the body, in order that they may operate and produce their effects, it follows that the unition of soul and mind with a married partner is felt in the body also as one flesh.'
When these things were said by the angels, I heard from spirits who were standing by that these are matters of angelic wisdom, which are transcendent. But these spirits were natural-rational and not spiritual-rational.
178. XIX. Quod illi, qui in Amore vere conjugiali sunt, sentiant se unitum hominem, et sicut unam carnem. Quod ita sit, non ex ore alicujus terricolae, sed ex oribus coelicolarum, confirmandum est, quoniam apud homines in terris hodie non datur Amor vere conjugialis; et insuper circumvelati sunt crasso corpore, quod hebetat et absorbet sensationem, quod duo conjuges sint unitus homo, et sicut una caro; et praeterea illi in Mundo, qui modo exterius et non interius amant conjuges, non volunt hoc audire; cogitant etiam de hoc ex carne lascive: aliter apud Angelos Coeli, hi quia in spirituali et coelesti amore conjugiali sunt, et non circumvelati tam crasso corpore sicut homines telluris: ex illis, qui per saecula cum conjugibus suis in Coelo vixerant, testatum audivi, quod sentiant se ita unitos, maritus se cum uxore et uxor se cum marito, et se in altero seu in altera mutuo et vicissim, sicut etiam in carne, tametsi separati.
[2] Causam hujus rari phaenomeni in terris dixerunt hanc, quod unitio animarum et mentium illorum sentiatur in carne illorum, quia Anima non solum facit intima capitis, sed etiam intima corporis; similiter Mens, quae est media inter animam et corpus; quae tametsi apparet in capite, usque est etiam actualiter in toto corpore; et dixerunt, quod inde sit, quod actus fluant in instanti e corpore, quos anima et mens intendunt; tum quod inde sit, quod ipsi post rejectionem corporis in priori Mundo, sint perfecti homines: nunc quia Anima et Mens se arcte adjungunt Carni corporis, ut operentur et efficiant effectus suos, sequitur quod unitio animae et mentis cum conjuge sentiatur etiam in corpore sicut una caro. Cum haec dicta sunt ab Angelis, audivi ex spiritibus qui adstabant, quod illa sint sapientiae angelicae, quae transcendunt; sed spiritus illi rationales naturales, et non rationales spirituales, erant.