229、⒇主为那些渴望真正婚姻之爱的人提供相似的配偶，若在世上找不到，就在天上提供一个。这是因为，凡建立在真正婚姻之爱基础上的所有婚姻都是由主提供的。前面已说明（130，131节），它们出自主。至于它们如何在天上被提供，我听天使们这样描述：主的圣治在婚姻方面并在婚姻中是最具体、最普遍的，因为天上的一切快乐皆从婚姻之爱的快乐流出，如同甜水从源泉流出。故规定，在婚姻上彼此般配的夫妻要出生，并在主的引导下被抚养长大，不断为婚姻做好准备；无论男孩女孩，都没有意识到这一点。然后，经过一段时期后，现为适婚少女的女孩和现为预备结婚的少男的男孩仿佛在命运的安排下在某个地方相遇并发现彼此。凭着某种本能，他们立刻意识到他们是天生一对，并且似乎出于某种内在指示心里思想：少男想：她是我的；少女想：他是我的。等到这种想法在各自心里沉稳一段时间后，他们决心互相交谈，然后订婚。我们说仿佛在命运的安排下凭着本能和指示，其实意思是说凭着圣治，因为当不了解圣治时，表面上看的确是这样。事实上，主会打开他们内在的相似之处，以使他们发现彼此。
229、（20）主为渴望婚姻之爱的人提供一个有相同愿望的人。若在世间找不到则会是存在于天国中。
当人对婚姻之爱的渴望减退并消失时，他的性格就越接近动物。
因为所有真正的婚姻之爱都来自于主，关于它在天国中的情形我曾听到天使说过以下情况：
主的神圣性联系着婚姻及婚姻的运作。因为天国中所有的快乐都来自于婚姻之爱，就象是泉眼中涌出的泉水。因此，人的配偶是在主的看顾下才出生成长的。这一点男孩和女孩们丝毫不晓得。一段时间后，婚龄的男女会相遇。他们会象本能一样发现对方是自己的另一半，这样以后，双方会渐渐走向婚姻。
我们有时会说这是命运。神的安排在我们感觉上就好象是注定的，这是我们对此并不了解，主此时揭示了他们内在相似性。
229. (xx) The Lord provides a likeness for those who desire truly conjugial love, and if this is impossible on earth, He provides for it in the heavens.
This is because all marriages based upon truly conjugial love are provided by the Lord. It was shown above (130-131) that they are from Him. I have been told by angels how this happens in the heavens.
The Lord's Divine providence, they said, is at its most detailed and its most universal on the subject of and in marriages, because all the pleasures of heaven pour forth from the pleasures of conjugial love, like sweet waters from a spring. Provision is therefore made for couples to be born who are well matched in marriage for each other. Under the Lord's continual guidance they are brought up with a view to their marriage, though neither the boy nor the girl is aware of this. When in due course the young woman, as she is then, is of an age to be married, and the young man, as he is then, is ready for marriage, they meet somewhere as if by fate and see each other. Then by some instinct they at once recognise that they are well matched, and they think to themselves, as if by some inward prompting, the young man 'She is the one for me,' and the young woman, 'He is the one for me.' After allowing this to sink into their minds for a while, they resolve to speak to each other, and they become engaged. We say as if by fate, by instinct and by prompting, but we mean by Divine providence, because when it is not known, it looks like this. For the Lord opens up their inward likeness, so that they see each other.
229. 20. For people who desire truly conjugial love, the Lord provides similar partners, and if they are not found on earth, He provides them in heaven. This results from the fact that all marriages of truly conjugial love are provided by the Lord. They come from Him, as may be seen above in nos. 130, 131. But how they are provided in heaven, I once heard described by angels as follows: 1
The Lord's Divine providence is most specific and most universal in connection with marriages and in its operation in marriages, because all delights of heaven flow from the delights of conjugial love, like sweet waters from a gushing spring. It is therefore provided that conjugial pairs be born, and they are raised and continually prepared for their marriages under the Lord's guidance, neither the boy nor the girl being aware of it. Then, after a period of time, the girl - now a marriageable young woman - and the boy - now a young man ready to marry - meet somewhere, as though by fate, and notice each other. And they immediately recognize, as if by a kind of instinct, that they are a match, thinking to themselves as from a kind of inner dictate, the young man, 'she is mine,' and the young woman, 'he is mine.' Later, after this thought has for some time become settled in the minds of each, they deliberately talk about it together and pledge themselves to each other in marriage.
We say as though by fate, by instinct and as from a kind of dictate, when we mean by Divine providence, because when one is unaware that it is Divine providence, that is how it appears. For the Lord unveils their inner similarities so that they notice each other.
Footnotes:
1. See the narrative account in no. 316 below, which includes the same statement in almost the same words (316:3).
229. 20. For people who yearn for real married love the Lord provides someone similar, and if someone similar is not available on earth, He provides someone in heaven. The reason is that the Lord provides all the marriages based on real married love (nos. 130-131 above show that they are from Him). I have heard angels describe how marriages are provided in heaven, as follows.
The Lord's Divine Providence over marriages and in marriages is most detailed and most universal because all the joys of heaven well up from the joys of married love like sweet waters out of a flowing spring. This is why it is provided that the pairs for married love are born. Under the Lord's watchful eye the two are continually being educated for their marriage, both the boy and the girl unaware of it. Then, when the time comes (she is a marriageable young woman, and he is a young man ready to marry), they meet somewhere as if by fate and see each other.
Right away, as if by some instinct they know that they are partners, and as if from some inner voice the young man thinks to himself, "She's mine," and the young woman thinks to herself, "He's mine."
After this has sunk into both their minds for a few days they decide to speak to each other, and they become engaged.
The angels said "as if by fate," "instinct," and "inner voice" even though that means by Divine Providence - because it seems that way while they are unaware. It is actually the Lord who opens their inner similarities for them to see.
229. XX. THAT FOR THOSE WHO DESIRE LOVE TRULY CONJUGIAL, THE LORD PROVIDES SIMILITUDES; AND IF NOT GIVEN ON EARTH, HE PROVIDES THEM IN THE HEAVENS. The reason is because all marriages of love truly conjugial are provided by the Lord. That they are from Him may be seen above (nos. 130, 131). As to how they are provided in the heavens, this I have heard described by angels as follows: "The Lord's Divine Providence is most singular and most universal 1in regard to marriages and in marriages, because all the delights of heaven stream from the delights of conjugial love, as sweet waters from the vein of a fountain. Therefore it is provided that conjugial pairs be born and that, under the Lord's auspices, they be continually educated for their marriage, neither the boy nor the girl knowing it. Then when the due time has passed, she, now a marriageable maid, and he, now a young man ripe for marriage, meet somewhere as if by fate, see each other, and at once know as by a kind of instinct that they are mates; and within themselves as though from some dictate, they think, the young man, She is mine, and the maid, He is mine. Then, after this thought has been seated for some time in the mind of each, they deliberately speak to each other and betroth themselves. It is said, as if by fate, instinct, and dictate, though what is meant is by Divine Providence, because when this is unknown, it so appears; for the Lord opens their internal similitudes that they may see themselves."
Footnotes:
1. Swedenborg distinguishes between universal and singular on the one hand, and general and particular on the other. The universal is wholly present in every singular thereof, e.g., the soul is universally present in the blood and in every globule thereof. But a general has no existence apart from particulars, e.g., a general body has no existence apart from its particular members. To illustrate both usages: A heavenly society as a society exists only from its members, but the love of God is universally present in the whole society and in each single member thereof. See no. 388.
229. (xx) The Lord provides likenesses for those who desire true marital love, and if they are not given on earth, He provides them in heaven. For all marriages of true marital love are the Lord's provision. See above (n. 130-131) that such marriages come from Him. I have heard the angels describe how such marriages are provided in the heavens. The Lord's Divine Providence 1over marriages and in marriages is most detailed and most universal, for all heaven's joys spring from the joys of marital love, as sweet waters from a fountain-head. It is therefore provided that marital pairs be born. These are educated steadily under the Lord's auspices for their marriage, neither the boy nor the girl knowing it. After the necessary time the marriageable maiden and the youth ready for marriage meet somewhere as by fate and see each other. At once they know, as by a certain instinct, that they are mates, and by a kind of dictate in them they think, the youth, "She is mine," and the maiden, "He is mine." When the thought has made itself at home in their minds, they deliberately address each other and betroth themselves. It is said, "as by fate," "instinct" and "dictate," but the Divine Providence is meant, for when this is not known it appears in these guises. For the Lord opens internal likenesses that they may behold each other.
Footnotes:
1. Cf.316.
229. (20) That for those who desire love truly conjugial the Lord provides similitudes; and if they are not given on earth, He provides them in the heavens. The reason is that all marriages of love truly conjugial are provided by the Lord. That they are from Him may be seen above, n. 130, 131. But how they are provided in the heavens I have heard described by the angels, thus: That the Divine Providence of the Lord concerning marriages and in marriages is most particular and most universal; because all the delights of heaven stream forth from the delights of conjugial love, as sweet waters from the flow of a fountain. And therefore, it is provided that conjugial pairs be born, and that they be continually educated for their marriage under the Lord's auspices, the boy and the girl not knowing it. And after the time is completed, she, the virgin then marriageable, and he, the youth then ripe for marriage, somewhere meet as if by fate, see each other, and then instantly, as from a certain instinct, they know that they are mates, and as if from a kind of dictate they think inwardly within them, the youth, 'She is mine,' and the virgin, 'He is mine.' And after this thought has been seated for some time in the mind of each they deliberately speak to each other, and betroth themselves. It is said, as if by fate, instinct, and dictate, though the meaning is by the Divine Providence, because so long as this is unknown it thus appears; for the Lord opens their internal similitudes so that they may see each other.
229. XX: Quod Dominus illis, qui desiderant amorem vere conjugialem, provideat similitudines, et quod si non dantur in terris, provideat illas in coelis, est causa, quia omnia conjugia amoris vere conjugialis providentur a Domino; quod sint ab Ipso, videatur supra 130, 131; at quomodo providentur in Coelis, audivi descriptum ab Angelis, ita. Quod Divina Domini Providentia singularissima et universalissima sit de Conjugiis et in Conjugiis, quia omnia jucunda Coeli ex jucundis amoris conjugialis scaturiunt, sicut aquae dulces ex vena fontis; et quod ideo provideatur ut nascantur Paria conjugialia; et quod haec sub auspicio Domini jugiter educentur ad sua conjugia, nesciente id et puero et puella; et post exactum tempus, illa tunc Virgo nubilis, et ille tunc Juvenis ad nuptias aptus, sicut ex fato alicubi conveniant, et se mutuo videant; et quod illico tunc sicut ex quodam instinctu cognoscant, quod sint compares, et ex quodam sicut dictamine intus in se cogitent, juvenis, quod haec mea sit, et virgo, quod hic meus sit; et postquam hoc aliquamdiu insedit 1mentibus utriusque, ex deliberato se alloquantur, et se desponsent: dicitur sicut ex fato, instinctu, et dictamine, ac intelligitur ex Divina Providentia, quia haec dum nescitur, apparet ita; Dominus enim aperit internas similitudines, ut se videant.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: insiderat (sed cf. hoc idem in 316:3)