332、在基督教界，一夫多妻被完全定罪，彻底逐出。谁也调查不出它的原由，无论他在敏锐洞察这类问题上多么有天赋，除非他首先接受以下教导：真正的婚姻之爱是存在的；这爱只在两个配偶之间才有可能；甚至在两个之间，也唯独被主赐下；天堂及其一切幸福都被铭刻在这爱上。除非这些事实先被了解，可以说充当奠基石，否则，心智凭理解力寻求获得令它满意的理由，并如房屋倚靠其基石或地基那样倚靠它们来解释为何一夫多妻从基督教界被逐出，是徒劳的。众所周知，一夫一妻的婚姻建立在主圣言的基础上，即：凡休妻另娶的，若不是为淫乱的缘故，就是犯奸淫了；自起初，就是自婚姻创立就规定，两个要成为一体。神配合的，人不可分开（马太福音19:3-11）。
尽管主将基于神性律法的这条规定铭刻在婚姻上，但理解力若不能凭其推理能力找到支持它的某种证据，就会以它惯用的伎俩和邪恶的错解扭曲它，使它变得晦暗不明、模棱两可，最终变成一种肯定-否定；肯定是因为一夫一妻也是世间法律所规定的，否定是因为它不是从人的理性视角推论出来的。人的心智若不事先被教导上述事实，就会绊倒在这否定上，上述事实有助于将理解力引入它的推理中。这些事实是：真正的婚姻之爱是存在的；这爱只在两个配偶之间才有可能；甚至在两个之间，也唯独被主赐下；天堂及其一切幸福都被铭刻在这爱上。不过，关于一夫多妻从基督教界被逐出的这些以及更多问题，必须按适当次序以下列条目来证明：
⑴唯有与一位妻子，真正的婚姻之爱，随之真正的婚姻友谊、信任、性能力，以及使二人成为一体的那种心智联结才能存在。
⑵唯有与一位妻子，属天的祝福，属灵的幸福和属世的快乐才能存在，它们自起初就被提供给那些享有真正婚姻之爱的人。
⑶唯有主才能赐下这一切，它们仅被赐给那些单单靠近祂，同时照祂诫命生活的人。
⑷因此，真正的婚姻之爱及其一切幸福只能被赐给那些属于基督教会的人。
⑸这就是为何基督徒不可娶数个妻子的原因。
⑹娶数个妻子的基督徒不但犯了属世的奸淫，还犯了属灵的奸淫。
⑺以色列民族可以娶数个妻子，是因为他们当中没有基督教会，故无法被赐予真正的婚姻之爱。
⑻如今的伊斯兰教徒可以娶数个妻子，是因为他们不承认主耶稣基督与耶和华父为一，因而是天地之神；故不能接受真正的婚姻之爱。
⑼伊斯兰天堂位于基督天堂的外围，被分成一个高层天堂和一个低层天堂；除了那些放弃妃嫔或妾室，只与一位妻子生活，并承认我们主等同于父神，天上地上的权柄被赋予祂的人外，没有人能被提入他们的高层天堂。
⑽一夫多妻就是淫乱。
⑾对一夫多妻者来说，婚姻的贞洁、纯粹和圣洁是不可能的。
⑿一夫多妻者只要仍是一夫多妻者，就无法变得属灵。
⒀一夫多妻对那些其宗教信仰许可它的人来说，不是一种罪恶。
⒁一夫多妻对那些不认识主的人来说，不是一种罪恶。
⒂在这些人当中，那些承认神，并出于宗教信仰按照正义的世间法律生活的人会得救。
⒃但在这两类人当中，没有人能与基督天堂的天使相联。
现逐一解读上述要点。
332、若问为什么一夫多妻制婚姻被基督教所禁止，原因是很简单的。只要你知道以下：有一种东西叫作真正的婚姻之爱。它只有在两个人之间才是可能的。因为主这才是可能的，在真正的婚姻之爱中存在着天国的一切祝福。只有知道这一点，才能对这个问题做出完美的解释。这一基础就象是房子的基础一样。
我们知道《圣经》中有的是一夫一妻的婚姻，任何不是因为淫乱为原因与妻子离婚的人都是犯了奸淫罪，婚姻在一开始就注定二者要成为一体；人不能将神所做的结合分开。（《马修福音》19；3-11）然而，尽管神对婚姻做了这种规定，若人由某种原因不去遵守或做出错误解释，就会使得这一规定变得模糊。
若没有上述一点，人的头脑就会变得模糊。
基督教禁止一夫多妻有以下原因：
（1）真正的婚姻之爱与一个以上的妻子是不可能的，真正的婚姻的友谊，信任和二者合二为一也是不可能的。
（2）有多个妻子则不会有神圣的祝福，精神上和自然上的快乐。
（3）若不是只因为主，以上状态是不可能的，只有追随主并按主的十诫而生活的人才会拥有以上祝福。
（4）因此真正的婚姻之爱及其快乐只有在基督教界中的人中才是可能的。
（5）所以基督徒有多个妻子是不合法的。
（6）若基督徒有不止一个妻子，他就犯了精神上和自然上的奸淫罪。
（7）以色列民族被准许有多个妻子是因为在他们中没有基督教会的存在，所以真正的婚姻之爱就是不可能的。
（8）穆斯林被准许有多个妻子是因为他们不承认耶稣基督是唯一的天上和地上的神。因此他们也没有真正的婚姻之爱。
（9）穆斯林的天国存在于基督天国的外面。被分为高，低两个。只有那些只有一个妻子，拒绝妾的穆斯林会进入高层天国，并且他们承认主是父是神，主宰着天地。
（10）一夫多妻就是淫荡。
（11）婚姻的圣洁，纯净在一夫多妻者身上是不可能的。
（12）一夫多妻者只要是在一夫多妻的状态中，就不可能变得有精神性。
（13）一夫多妻对于那些宗教中准许一夫多妻的人不是一种罪恶。
（14）一夫多妻对于那些主处于无知状态的人不是一种罪恶。
（15）后者，尽管是一夫多妻者，若承认神并且按宗教过着合法生活的人也能得救。
（16）但是没有任何一夫多妻者能与基督教天国中的天使相联。
332. CHAPTER XV. POLYGAMY
An investigation of the reason why polygamous marriages are utterly condemned and banished from the Christian world cannot be undertaken by anyone, no matter how talented in the acute perception of such matters, unless he has first been taught the following propositions. There is truly conjugial love. This is impossible except between two married partners. Even between two this can only be granted by the Lord. This love has imprinted on it heaven with all its happiness.
Without these facts being previously known and serving as it were as the first stone of the structure, the mind seeks in vain to summon up from the intellect any reasons which will satisfy it, and on which it can rest like a house on its stone base or foundation, to explain the banishment of polygamy from the Christian world. It is well known that monogamous marriage is established on the basis of the Lord's saying:
Whoever divorces his wife, except for unchaste conduct, and marries another, commits adultery. This was the rule from the beginning, from the institution of marriage, so that the two could become one flesh. Man is not to set apart what God has joined (Matthew 19:3-11).
[2] But although the Lord laid down this rule based on the Divine law imprinted on marriage, even if the intellect cannot find anything in its powers of reasoning to support it, it is still able to employ its usual tricks and misinterpretations to distort that law, reducing it to unclear ambiguity and eventually to an affirmative-negative; to an affirmative, because it is also prescribed by civil law, to a negative because it does not result from their rational view. Over this the human mind will stumble, if not previously taught about the facts mentioned above, which are to serve to introduce the intellect into its own lines of argument. These are: the existence of conjugial love; its impossibility except between two married partners, nor even then unless it comes from the Lord alone; and the imprinting on this love of heaven together with all its happiness. But these matters and more about the banishment of polygamy from the Christian world must be proved in due order in the following propositions. These are:
(i) It is only with one wife that truly conjugial love can exist, and consequently the same is true of truly conjugial friendship, trust, potency and the linking of minds that makes the two one flesh.
(ii) It is only with one wife that the celestial blessings, spiritual bliss and natural pleasures can exist, which have been provided from the beginning for those who enjoy truly conjugial love.
(iii) It is the Lord alone who can grant all these, and they are not granted except to those who approach Him only, and at the same time live in accordance with His commandments.
(iv) Consequently truly conjugial love with all its happiness cannot be granted except to those who belong to the Christian church.
(v) This is the reason why a Christian is not allowed to marry more than one wife.
(vi) A Christian who marries more than one wife commits not only natural, but also spiritual adultery.
(vii) The Israelite nation was permitted to marry more than one wife, because there was no Christian church with them, and so they could not be granted truly conjugial love.
(viii) The Mohammedans of today are permitted to marry more than one wife, because they do not acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ as one with Jehovah the Father, and so as God of heaven and earth. They are therefore unable to receive truly conjugial love.
(ix) The Mohammedan heaven lies outside the Christian heaven, and is divided into a higher and a lower heaven. None are raised to their higher heaven except those who forswear mistresses, and live with one wife, and acknowledge our Lord as the equal of God the Father, to whom dominion over heaven and earth is given.
(x) Polygamy is wantonness.
(xi) Chastity, purity and holiness in marriage are impossible for polygamists.
(xii) Polygamists cannot become spiritual, so long as they remain polygamists.
(xiii) Polygamy is not a sin for those whose religion allows it.
(xiv) Polygamy is not a sin for those who have no knowledge of the Lord.
(xv) Of these those are saved who, despite being polygamists, acknowledge God, and live for religious reasons in accordance with the civil laws of justice.
(xvi) But no one from either of these groups can associate with angels in the Christian heavens.
There now follows an explanation of these propositions.
332. POLYGAMY
If you inquire into why polygamous marriages have been completely banned from the Christian world, no one - by whatever gift he has been given for discerning matters astutely and keenly - is able to see the reason as plain, unless he has first been taught that there is such a thing as truly conjugial love; that it is not possible except between two; that neither is it possible between two except from the Lord alone; and that engraved on this love is heaven with all its blessings. Unless these concepts precede and, so to speak, lay the first stone, the mind labors in vain to draw from its intellect any reasons to satisfy it, and on which to stand as a house on its rock or foundation, as to why polygamy has been banned from the Christian world.
People know that the institution of monogamous marriage is founded on the Word of the Lord, that anyone who divorces his wife, excepting for licentiousness, and marries another, commits adultery; that from the beginning or from the first inauguration of marriage, it was ordained that the two become one flesh; and that man is not to separate what God has joined together. (Matthew 19:3-11) But although the Lord made these declarations from the Divine law engraved on marriage, still, if the intellect cannot support it by some reason of its own, by the circumvolutions customary to it and by wrong interpretations it is nevertheless possible for it to draw the Divine law around and bring it into hazy uncertainty, and finally into an affirmative-negative estimation - affirmative, because monogamy is enjoined also by civil law, and negative, because it does not accord with people's own rational sight.
The human mind falls inevitably into this state unless it is first instructed in respect to the aforementioned concepts, concepts given to serve the intellect as an introduction to its own reasonings; namely, that there is such a thing as truly conjugial love; that it is not possible except between two; that neither is it possible between two except from the Lord alone; and that engraved on this love is heaven with all its blessings.
But to explain the banishment of polygamy from the Christian world, these and more must be shown in turn in the order of the succeeding sections. The headings are as follows:
1. Truly conjugial love is not possible with more than one wife, consequently neither is truly conjugial friendship, trust, potency and such union of minds that the two become one flesh.
2. Thus with more than one wife the celestial blessings, spiritual felicities and natural delights are not possible which from the beginning have been provided for people who are in a state of truly conjugial love.
3. None of these states is possible except from the Lord alone; and they are possible only with people who go to Him alone and at the same time live according to His commandments.
4. Consequently truly conjugial love with its felicities is not possible except with people who are of the Christian Church.
5. That is why it is not lawful for a Christian to have more than one wife.
6. If a Christian takes more than one wife, he commits not only natural adultery but spiritual adultery as well.
7. The Israelite nation was permitted to take more than one wife because in it the Christian Church did not exist, and so neither was truly conjugial love possible.
8. Muslims today are permitted to take more than one wife because they do not acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ as being one with Jehovah the Father and thus God of heaven and earth; and they cannot for that reason receive truly conjugial love.
9. The Muslim heaven exists outside the Christian heaven and is divided into two heavens, a lower and a higher; and only those Muslims are raised up into their higher heaven who renounce concubines, live with one wife, and acknowledge our Lord as equal to God the Father, who has given Him dominion over heaven and earth.
10. Polygamy is lechery.
11. Conjugial chastity, purity and sanctity are not possible with polygamists.
12. Polygamists cannot become spiritual as long as they remain polygamists.
13. Polygamy is not a sin among people for whom it is in accordance with their religion.
14. Polygamy is not a sin among people who are in ignorance regarding the Lord.
15. Of the latter, even though polygamous, those are saved who acknowledge God and from religion live according to civil laws of justice.
16. But no polygamists of any kind can be affiliated with angels in the Christian heavens.
Explanation of these statements now follows.
332. Chapter 15. Polygamy
If the reason why the Christian world has thoroughly condemned polygamous marriages is traced, no one can see it dearly, however endowed he is with a gift for seeing into things with his keen abilities, unless he is first taught that there really is married love, that it is not to be had except between two, and not between two unless it is from the Lord alone, and that heaven with all its happiness is inscribed on this love. Unless these ideas come first and lay the first stone, so to speak, your mind labors in vain to draw from your intellect any reasons to base and build on - like a house on its stone or its foundation - any reasons why the Christian world condemns polygamy.
It is well known that the institution of monogamous marriage is based on the Word of the Lord that whoever divorces his wife
(except for fornication) and takes another, commits adultery, and that from the beginning, or the first establishment of marriages, it was for two to become one flesh, and that people are not to separate what God has joined together(Matthew 19:3-11). But although the Lord dictated these words from the Divine law inscribed on marriage, if intellect cannot altogether support it in some way with its reason, it certainly can circumvent that Divine law by its usual twists and by perverse interpretations and carry the law away into dim uncertainty, and from there into a negative affirmation - affirmation because it also comes from civil law, and negative because it does not come from people's rational insight. The human mind becomes involved in this trouble unless it has first been instructed about the ideas mentioned above. It is important for the intellect to begin its calculations with these ideas. These ideas are that there really is married love, that it is not to be had except between two, and not between two unless it is from the Lord alone, and that heaven with all its happiness is inscribed on this love.
But these things and more about the condemnation of polygamy by the Christian world will be demonstrated one at a time according to the following topics.
The topics are:
1. Real married love cannot be had except with one wife, so neither can real married friendship, confidence, potency, and a union of minds such that the two are one flesh.
2. By the same token, the heavenly blessings, spiritual happiness and earthly joys that are provided from the outset for those who have real married love cannot be had except with one wife.
3. All these can be had from the Lord alone, and they are given to no one but those who approach Him only and at the same time live according to His teachings.
4. Consequently real married love with its happiness cannot be had except among those who are from the Christian church.
5. This is why a Christian is allowed to take only one wife.
6. If a Christian takes more wives, he commits not just worldly adultery but spiritual adultery, too.
7. The Israelite nation was allowed to have more wives because they did not have the Christian religion, and therefore real married love was not possible for them.
8. Mohammedans today are allowed to have more wives because they do not recognize the Lord Jesus Christ as one with Jehovah the Father and thus as God of heaven and earth, and so they cannot receive real married love.
9. The Mohammedan heaven is outside the Christian heaven, and it is divided into two heavens, a lower one and a higher one, and only the ones who give up concubines and live with one wife and acknowledge our Lord as equal with God the Father, who has power over heaven and earth, are raised into the higher heaven.
10. Polygamy is lascivious.
11. For polygamists the chastity, purity, and holiness of marriage are not possible.
12. Polygamists cannot become spiritual so long as they remain polygamists.
13. Polygamy is not a sin for those who do it from religion.
14. Polygamy is not a sin for those who do not know about the Lord.
15. Even the polygamists among Mohammedans are saved if they acknowledge God and from religion live according to the laws of civil justice.
16. But none of them can be together with angels in the Christian heavens.
Now comes the explanation of these topics.
332. POLYGAMY
If investigation is made into the reason why polygamous marriages are wholly banned from the Christian world [it will be found that], by no one, howsoever endowed with the gift of genius in acutely searching into matters, can that reason be seen as in clear day, unless he has first been instructed THAT THERE IS A LOVE TRULY CONJUGIAL; THAT THIS LOVE IS NOT POSSIBLE EXCEPT BETWEEN TWO; THAT NEITHER IS IT POSSIBLE BETWEEN TWO EXCEPT FROM THE LORD ALONE; and THAT ON THIS LOVE IS INSCRIBED HEAVEN WITH ALL ITS FELICITIES. Unless these knowledges precede and lay the first stone, as it were, the mind can never be sufficiently equipped to draw from the understanding any reasons to which it can assent and on which it can stand, as a house on its stone or foundation, why polygamy is banned from the Christian world. It is known that the institution of monogamous marriage is founded upon the Lord's Word, that whoever shall put away his wife except for whoredom, and shall marry another, commits adultery; that it had been ordained from the beginning, that is, at the first institution of marriages, that two should become one flesh; and that man should not put asunder what God has joined together (Matthew 19:3-11).
[2] But although the Lord dictated these words from the Divine law inscribed on marriage, yet, if it cannot support that law from some reason of its own, the understanding, by twistings to which it is accustomed, and by sinister interpretation, can get around it and reduce it to obscure ambiguity and finally to what is affirmative-negative--to what is affirmative because it is also taken from the civil law, and to what is negative, because it is not deduced from the man's own rational sight. It is into this negative that the human mind will fall unless previously instructed respecting the knowledges mentioned above which shall serve the understanding as an introduction to its reasonings. These knowledges are: That there is a love truly conjugial; that this love is not possible except between two; that neither is it possible between two except from the Lord alone; and that on this love is inscribed heaven with all its felicities. This and more also respecting the banning of polygamy from the Christian world is now to be demonstrated in the order of the following articles:
I. That except with one wife there can be no love truly conjugial, consequently, no truly conjugial friendship, confidence, potency, and no such conjunction of minds that the two may be one flesh.
II. Thus, that except with one wife, there can be no celestial blessings, spiritual happiness, and natural delights such as have been provided from the beginning for those who are in love truly conjugial.
III. That none of these can be given except by the Lord alone; and that they are given to no others save those who approach Him alone and at the same time live according to His precepts.
IV. Consequently, that love truly conjugial with its felicities is not possible except with those who are of the Christian Church.
V. That hence it is, that for a Christian it is not lawful to marry more than one wife.
VI. That a Christian, if he marries more wives than one, commits not only natural adultery but also spiritual adultery.
VII. That for the Israelitish nation it was permitted to marry more wives than one because with that nation there was no Christian Church, and hence no possibility of love truly conjugial.
VIII. That it is permitted Mohammedans at this day to marry many wives because they do not acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ to be one with Jehovah the Father, and thus as the God of heaven and earth, and hence cannot receive love truly conjugial.
IX. That the Mohammedan heaven is outside the Christian heaven, and is divided into two heavens, a lower and a higher; and that no others are elevated into their higher heaven save those who renounce concubines, live with one wife, and acknowledge our Lord, to whom is given dominion over heaven and earth, as equal with God the Father.
X. That polygamy is lasciviousness.
XI. That with polygamists conjugial chastity, purity, and holiness are not possible.
XII. That polygamists, so long as they remain polygamists, cannot become spiritual.
XIII. That polygamy is not a sin with those with whom it exists from religion.
XIV. That polygamy is not a sin with those who are in ignorance of the Lord.
XV. That of these, those are saved, although polygamists, who acknowledge God and from religion live according to the civil laws of justice.
XVI. But that none of the latter and the former can be consociated with angels in the Christian heavens.
Now follows the exposition of these articles.
332. XIV. POLYGAMY
No one who seeks the reason for the utter condemnation of polygamy in the Christian world can see the cause plainly, no matter with what gift of insight into a subject he may be endowed by nature, if he has not first learned that there is a true marital love; that this love is possible only between two; that between two it is possible only from the Lord; and that on this love heaven is inscribed with all its felicities. Unless such information precedes and is, as it were, the foundation stone, the mind will exert itself in vain to elicit from the understanding any reasons for that condemnation, with which it can feel satisfied, and on which it can rest like a house on its foundation stones. It is common knowledge that the institution of monogamy is founded on the Lord's Word, that
Whoever puts away his wife except for whoredom and marries another, commits adultery, and that from the beginning or from the first establishment of marriage it was intended that
The two should become one flesh: and that man should not put asunder what God has joined together (Matthew 19:3-11).
[2] These words the Lord indeed dictated from the Divine law inscribed on marriage. Nevertheless, if the understanding cannot support the Divine law with a reason of its own, it will circumvent it by customary twists and sinister interpretations, and render it obscure and ambiguous and at length affirmative-negative-affirmative in that the law is taken to be the civil law, indeed, but negative in that it is not according to their own rational sight. To this the human mind will come if it has not first been instructed in the knowledges just mentioned, which would serve the understanding to reach reasons of its own, the knowledge, namely: that there is a true marital love; that it is possible only between two, and possible between two only from the Lord; and that heaven with all its felicities is inscribed on this love. But we shall demonstrate this and much else about the condemnation of polygamy in Christendom by the following propositions in turn:
I. Except with one wife there can be no true marital love, nor, consequently, any true marital friendship, trust or potency, nor such a conjunction of minds that the two are one flesh.
II. Except with one wife, therefore, the celestial blessedness, spiritual joy and natural pleasures are impossible which from the beginning have been provided for those who are in true marital love.
III. None of these joys can exist save from the Lord alone, and they are bestowed only on those who approach the Lord alone and live according to His precepts.
IV. True marital love with its felicities can therefore exist only with those who are of the Christian Church.
V. Hence a Christian may not marry more than one wife.
VI. If a Christian marries more than one wife, he commits not only natural adultery, but spiritual adultery, too.
VII. The people of Israel were permitted to marry several wives, inasmuch as there was no Christian Church with them, and true marital love was not possible.
VIII. Mohammedans are permitted today to marry several wives because they do not acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ to be one with Jehovah the Father and thus the God of heaven and earth, and hence cannot receive true marital love.
Ix. The Mohammedan heaven is outside the Christian heaven and is divided into two heavens, a lower and a higher. Only those are raised into their higher heaven who give up concubines and live with one wife and acknowledge our Lord, to whom the dominion over heaven and earth is given, as equal with God the Father.
X. Polygamy is lasciviousness.
XI. Marital chastity, purity and holiness are not possible in polygamists.
XII. The polygamist, while he remains a polygamist, cannot become spiritual.
XIII. Polygamy is not a sin in those with whom it is of religion.
XIV. Polygamy is not a sin in those who are ignorant of the Lord.
Among these those are saved, though they are polygamists, who acknowledge God and for religion's sake live according to the civil laws of justice.
XVI. But none of the latter or of the former can be associated with angels in the Christian heavens.
Explanation of these propositions follows.
332. CONCERNING POLYGAMY.
If the reason be sought why polygamous marriages have been utterly condemned by the Christian world, no one, endowed with whatever gift of acutely penetrating a subject by his genius, can clearly see the cause unless he is first instructed, That there is love truly conjugial: That this cannot exist otherwise than between two: Nor between two except from the Lord alone: And that on this love heaven is inscribed with all its felicities. Unless these knowledges precede, and lay as it were the first stone, to no effect does the mind busy itself to draw out from the understanding any reasons, in which it may rest, and on which it may stand, as a house upon its stone or foundation, why polygamy is condemned by the Christian world.
It is known that the institution of monogamous marriage is founded on the Lord's Word, that:
Whosoever shall put away his wife except for scortation, and shall marry another, committeth adultery; and that from the beginning, or from the first institution of marriages, it was ordained that two should become one flesh; and that man should not put asunder what God hath joined together (Matthew 19:3-11).
But although the Lord dictated these words out of the Divine law inscribed on marriage, yet, if the understanding cannot support it with some reason of its own, it may even, by turns to which it is wont, and by sinister interpretations, get around that Divine law and bring it into obscure ambiguity, and finally into an affirmative-negative, affirmative because it is according to the civil law also, and negative because it is not according to their own rational sight. Into this state will the human mind fall if it be not first instructed respecting the knowledges mentioned above, which shall serve the understanding as an introduction to its reasonings, which knowledges are, that there is a love truly conjugial; that it can exist only between two; that it cannot exist between two except from the Lord alone; and that upon that love heaven is inscribed with all its felicities. But these and many other things that relate to the condemnation of polygamy by the Christian world are to be shown in order according to the following articles:
(1) That there cannot be any love truly conjugial except with one wife; consequently, there cannot be true conjugial friendship, confidence, and potency, nor such a conjunction of minds that the two may be one flesh.
(2) That thus it is only with one wife that there can be the celestial beatitudes, the spiritual satisfactions, and the natural delights which, from the beginning, have been provided for those who are in love truly conjugial.
(3) That all these cannot be given except by the Lord only; and that they are not given to others than those who come to Him alone, and at the same time, live according to His commandments.
(4) Consequently, that there cannot be love truly conjugial with its felicities, except with those who are of the Christian church.
(5) That this is the reason why it is not permitted a Christian to marry more than one wife.
(6) That if a Christian marries more than one wife he commits not only natural adultery but also spiritual adultery.
(7) That the Israelitish nation were permitted to marry more wives than one, because with them there was not a Christian church and therefore, they could not have love truly conjugial.
(8) That the Mahometans at this day are permitted to marry more wives than one, because they do not acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ to be one with Jehovah the Father, and thus as the God of heaven and earth, and therefore, cannot receive love truly conjugial.
(9) That the Mahometan heaven is outside the Christian heaven; and that it is divided into two heavens, a lower and a higher; and that none are elevated into their higher heaven but those who renounce concubines and live with one wife, and acknowledge our Lord as equal to God the Father, to whom dominion is given over heaven and earth.
(10) That polygamy is lasciviousness.
(11) That with polygamists there cannot be conjugial chastity, purity, and holiness
(12) That polygamists, so long as they remain polygamists, cannot become spiritual.
(13) That polygamy is not a sin with those with whom it is a matter of religion.
(14) That polygamy is not sin with those who are in ignorance concerning the Lord.
(15) That of these, they are saved although polygamists, who acknowledge a God, and from religion live according to the civil laws of justice.
(16) But that none from either of these heavens can be consociated with the angels in the Christian heavens.
332. DE POLYGAMIA
Si indagatur causa, cur Conjugia Polygamica e Christiano Orbe plane damnata sunt, illa a nemine, quacunque dote res acute ingenio perspiciendi praeditus est, ut aperta videri potest, nisi prius instructus fuerit, Quod detur amor vere conjugialis: Quod hic non dabilis sit, nisi quam inter duos: Quod nec inter duos nisi a Solo Domino: Et quod huic Amori inscriptum sit Coelum cum omnibus ejus felicitatibus: hae cognitiones nisi praecedant, et quasi primum lapidem ponant, nequicquam satagit mens educere ex intellectu aliquas rationes, quibus acquiescat, et super quibus subsistat, quemadmodum domus super suo lapide seu fundamento, cur Polygamia e Christiano Orbe damnata est. Notum est, quod institutio Conjugii monogamici fundata sit super Verbo Domini, "Quod qui dimiserit uxorem, nisi propter scortationem, et aliam duxerit, adulterium committat; et quod ab initio seu a prima instauratione conjugiorum fuerit, ut duo fiant una caro; et quod homo non separaturus sit, quod Deus copulavit," Matth. 19:3-11).
[2] Sed tametsi Dominus illa ex Divina Conjugiis inscripta Lege dictavit, usque si non Intellectus potest suffulcire illam ex quadam sua ratione, potest usque ille per versationes sibi suetas, et per sinistras interpretationes, Divinam illam Legem circumducere, et deducere in obscurum ambiguum, et demum in affirmativum negativum; in affirmativum, quia ex Lege civili etiam est, et in negativum, quia non ex visu illorum rationali est: in hoc cadet Mens humana, nisi instructa prius fuerit de supra memoratis cognitionibus, intellectui pro introductione in suas rationes inserviendis; quae sunt, quod detur Amor vere conjugialis; quod hic non dabilis sit, quam inter duos; quod nec inter duos nisi a Solo Domino; et quod huic amori inscriptum sit Coelum cum omnibus ejus felicitatibus. Sed haec, et plura de damnatione Polygamiae e Christiano Orbe, secundum sequentes Articulos in ordine demonstranda sunt: Articuli sunt hi, I. Quod nisi cum una uxore non dari queat Amor vere conjugialis, consequenter nec vere conjugialis amicitia, confidentia, potentia, ac talis mentium conjunctio, ut duo sint una caro.
II. Quod sic nisi cum una uxore non dari queant beatitudines coelestes, faustitates spirituales, ac jucunditates naturales, quae ab initio provisae sunt illis, qui in amore vere conjugiali sunt.
III. Quod illa omnia non dari queant nisi a Solo Domino; et quod non dentur aliis, quam qui Ipsum Solum adeunt, et simul vivunt secundum praecepta Ipsius.
IV. Consequenter, quod non dari queat amor vere conjugialis cum ejus felicitatibus, nisi quam apud illos qui ab Ecclesia Christiana sunt.
V. Quod inde sit, quod Christiano non liceat nisi quam unam uxorem ducere.
VI. Quod Christianus, si plures uxores ducit, non modo adulterium naturale, sed etiam adulterium spirituale, committat.
VII. Quod Genti Israeliticae permissum fuerit plures uxores ducere, quia apud illam non Ecclesia Christiana fuit, et inde nec dabilis amor vere conjugialis.
VIII. Quod hodie Mahumedanis permissum sit plures uxores ducere, quia non agnoscunt Dominum Jesum Christum unum cum Jehovah Patre, et sic pro Deo Coeli et Terrae; et inde non possunt amorem vere conjugialem recipere.
IX. Quod Coelum Mahumedanum sit extra Coelum Christianum, et quod illud in duos Coelos, inferius et superius, sit divisum; et quod non alii in Coelum illorum superius eleventur, quam qui abdicant pellices, et vivunt cum una uxore, et agnoscunt Dominum nostrum aequalem Deo Patri, Cui dominium super Coelum et Terram datum est.
X. Quod Polygamia sit lascivia.
XI. Quod apud Polygamos non dabilis sit conjugialis castitas, puritas et sanctitas.
XII. Quod Polygami, quamdiu manent polygami, non fieri possint spirituales.
XIII. Quod Polygamia non sit peccatum, apud quos illa est ex religione.
XIV. Quod Polygamia non sit peccatum apud illos, qui in ignorantia sunt de Domino.
XV. Quod ex his illi, tametsi polygami, salventur, qui agnoscunt Deum, et ex religione vivunt secundum leges justitiae civiles.
XVI. Sed quod nulli ex his et illis consociari possint cum Angelis in Christianis Coelis. Sequitur nunc horum Explicatio.