481、为叫人们再次认识到当今时代的粗俗何等出人意料，就连智者也看不到奸淫中的丝毫罪恶，如天使所披露的（478节），我在此补充以下记事：
有些灵人出于活在肉身时所获得的习惯，以特有的狡诈攻击我。他们通过一种很温和的流注这样做，这种流注呈波浪形，是正直灵人的标志。但我能察觉他们充满诡诈，并且这种诡诈像是为了陷害和欺骗我而设计的。最后，我与其中一个交谈，如我所被告知的，他活在世上时是一个军队的将军。我发觉他所思想的观念里有淫秽的东西，于是便以属灵的语言用代表和他说话；属灵的语言能在一瞬间充分表达我的意思，甚至更多。他说，在以前的世界，他在肉身生活中视奸淫如无物。但我蒙允许告诉他，奸淫是令人发指的严重罪行；尽管在这种人看来，他们由于所体验的快乐和由此而来的说服，觉得奸淫不是这样，似乎是合法的；此外，他从以下事实是有可能知道这一点的，即：婚姻是人类，因而是天国的苗床；所以，婚姻不可亵渎，而当视为神圣；另外，他现身在灵界，处于觉知的状态，理应知道这一事实：婚姻之爱是由主那里从天而降的，这爱是作为天堂根基的相爱的源头，可以说是它的父母；再者，奸淫者一靠近天上的社群，就会闻到自己的恶臭，因而直奔地狱。他至少能意识到，违反婚姻就是违背神性律法和所有国家的世间法律，以及纯正的理性之光和国际惯例，因为这违背神和人所定的次序等等。
他回答说，在以前的生活中，他没有考虑这种事，所以想推理这是不是真的。但他被告知，真理不允许推理，因为推理捍卫肉体的快乐，反对灵的快乐，而他并不知道后一种快乐的性质。首先，他当思想所告诉他的，因为那是真理；或出于全世界众所周知的己所不欲，勿施于人这一原则进行思考。因此，如果有人以这种方式引诱他所爱的妻子，如一切婚姻刚开始时的情形，那么当他对此大发雷霆时，在这种状态下，难道他不会说，他自己就厌恶通奸行为吗？这时，作为一个明智之人，他不是比其他人更确认反对奸淫，乃至诅咒这种行为堕入地狱吗？他既是将军，具有军人的豪爽，岂能忍受这等奇耻大辱，难道不会杀掉这个奸夫，或将这个淫乱的女人逐出家门吗？
481、为了展示一下如今的年代是多么荒诞，连那些与天使交谈的智者都不认为通奸是有罪的。我要做以下陈述：
一次我与一位在世时曾是军队的首领的人交谈。因为我感受到在他思想中有一些色欲的东西。我与他用精神性的语言交谈，即使用象征意义，它能将数个意思同时完全地表达。
他说他在世时认为通奸没有什么。但我对他说，通奸是不可言谈的，尽管对于象他这样的人来说不是这样，而是可以允许的。他能从婚姻是人类繁衍的温床，也是产生天国的温床，因此婚姻是神圣的这一事实中看到通奸是不好的。我还对他说，处于精神世界中他应该知道，婚姻之爱是通过天国而来自于主的，通过那种爱产生相互的爱，即天国的基础。他还可以知道当通奸者靠近天国时，他们会感到自己的臭气并马上将自己投入地狱中。至少他应该知道，冲击婚姻就是与神圣律法相对立，与各国的民法相对立，是与理性相对立的，进而是与普遍为人接受的道德相对立的，因为它与神和人的律法相对。
但是他说他在世间时一点也没有象上述那样认为。他希望我能给出原因。我告诉他说，真理是不需要原因的，因为人在推理时倾向于支持躯体感到快乐的事物而反对使精神感到快乐的事物。我说他应该考虑一下我所说的，因为我所读的是真的。或者他应该按世间的相似的原则去思考，即已所不欲勿施于人。比如，若一个人要去诱骗你所深爱的妻子。在愤怒的同时，人是不是也同时在反对通奸吗？作为一个有智慧的人，他会比任何人更反对通奸。因为他是军队的首领，他岂不是会要杀掉入侵他的婚姻的人。
481. To give another lesson on the insensitivity of this age, when its wise men see no sin in adultery (as revealed by angels in 478 just above), I shall add here the account of an experience. 1
There were some spirits who attacked me with especial cunning as the result of their habits while living in the body. They did this by means of a very gentle influence, a kind of undulation, which is the mark of upright spirits. But I could tell that they were full of tricks and such like designed to trap and deceive me. At length I spoke with one of them who, when he lived in the world, had been, as I was told, general of an army. 1Since I perceived that there was wantonness in the ideas he was thinking about, I spoke with him in a spiritual idiom with representations, which fully expressed my meaning and much more in an instant. He said that in his bodily life in the former world he had thought nothing of committing adultery.
I was allowed to tell him that adultery is a grave crime, even though it may seem to people of his sort that it is nothing of the kind and in fact allowable, as the result of the pleasure they sought from it and the false belief this induces. I said that this could also be known from the fact that marriages are the seed-bed of the human race, and consequently of the heavenly kingdom, and they are therefore not to be violated, but regarded as sacred; as also from the fact that he ought to be aware, being in the spiritual world and in a condition to perceive it, that conjugial loves comes down from the Lord through heaven, and this love is the source, or so to speak parent, of the mutual love which is the foundation of heaven. And again from the fact that as soon as adulterers come close to heavenly communities they notice that they have a bad smell and consequently throw themselves from there towards hell. At the very least he could be aware that violating marriages is contrary to Divine laws, the civil law of all kingdoms, as well as the true light of reason, and so contrary to international usage, since it is contrary to the order ordained by God and men; and much more besides.
[2] He replied that he had not given such considerations any thought in his earlier life, so he wanted to reason whether this was true. But he was told that truth does not admit of reasoning, since this favours the pleasures of the flesh against those of the spirit, and he did not know what those were like. He ought first to think about what he had been told, since this was true. Or he could apply the principle, well known in the world, that no one ought to do to another what he did not want another to do to him. So if someone had led astray like this his own wife, whom he had loved (as happens at the beginning of every marriage), then when he was furiously angry about it, would he not, speaking in that condition, himself have detested acts of adultery? And then, being an intelligent man, would he not more than others have convinced himself of this, even to the point of condemning such acts to hell? And since he was a general and associated with forthright men in the army, would he not, to avoid the shame of it, have either killed the adulterer or banished the promiscuous woman from his house?
Heaven and Hell 385. The original note of this experience in Spiritual Experiences 4405 identifies the general as Prince Eugene of Savoy, 1663-1736.
481. In order that it may be known again how extraordinary the grossness of this age is, that its wise counselors do not see anything sinful in adultery - as discovered by angels in the incident reported just above (no. 478) - I will add the following account: 1
I encountered certain spirits who, from practice in the life of the body, infested me with a peculiar skill, and this by a delicate and kind of undulating influx, such as is characteristic usually of upright spirits. But I perceived that they had in them a cunning and guile and the like, in order to captivate and deceive.
At length I spoke with one of them, who I was told had been the commander of an army when he lived in the world. 2And because I perceived that there was something lascivious in the ideas of his thought, I spoke with him in spiritual speech using representations, which expresses the meanings of things fully and more in an instant.
He said that in the life of his body in the previous world he had regarded adulteries as nothing. But I was able to say to him that adulteries are unspeakable, even though they appear to people like him, from the delight that seizes them and from their consequent persuasion, that they are delightful, indeed, permissible. Moreover he could know this from the fact that marriages are the seedbed of the human race, and so also the seedbed of the kingdom of heaven, and therefore are not to be violated, but held sacred. He could know this also, I said - which he ought to know, being in the spiritual world and in a state of perception - from the fact that conjugial love descends from the Lord through heaven, and that from that love, as from a parent, stems mutual love, which is what heaven is founded on. So, too, he could know this from the fact that when adulterers simply come anywhere near heavenly societies, they perceive their own stench and therefore cast themselves down in the direction of hell. At least he might have known, I said, that to violate marriages is contrary to Divine laws, contrary to the civil laws of all countries, and contrary to the light of reason, and thus contrary to commonly accepted morality, because it violates both Divine and human order. And so on.
[2] But he replied that he had thought nothing like that in his former life. He wished to reason out whether it were so, but I told him that truth is not subject to lines of reasoning; for reasonings incline to delights of the flesh which oppose delights of the spirit, because the flesh does not know what the latter delights are like. Rather he ought first to consider the things I had said, because they were true. Or he should think in accordance with that familiar principle, which is very well known in the world, that no one ought to do to another what he would not want another to do to him. Consider, for example, if someone were to have seduced his wife in this way, a wife he loved (as is the case in the beginning of every marriage). If, while in a state of fury over it, he were to have spoken in accordance with that state, would he, too, not have then denounced adulteries? And being a man of intelligence, would he not more than others have then confirmed himself against them, even so as to condemn them to hell? Indeed, because he was the commander of an army and associated in it with men of action, in order not to be the subject of reproach, would he not have either killed the adulterer or cast the harlot out of his house?
Footnotes:
1. Repeated, with minor changes, from Arcana Coelestia (The Secrets of Heaven), no. 2733, and Heaven and Hell, no. 385. The incident was first recorded in Spiritual Experiences, no. 4405.
2. This commander is identified in Spiritual Experiences, no. 4405, as Prince Eugene. In a note to his 1953 translation of this account, Alfred Acton I says that he was "Francois Eugene, Prince of Savoy (1663-1736), one of the most famous generals in the Austrian army," and adds, "The conversation here recorded was held in the summer of 1750, when Swedenborg was in Aix-la-Chapelle."
481. To make known, once again, how dull this age is in that its wise people do not see anything sinful in adultery (as angels disclosed already in no. 478 above), I am adding this account.
There were certain spirits who used to infest me with unusual skill due to practice in their bodily life, and they did it with quite a gentle, almost wave - like influence, like the usual influence of good spirits. But I noticed cunning and things like that in them, to entice and deceive.
I finally talked with one of them who, I was told, had been the leader of an army when he lived in the world. I could tell that there were dirty ideas in his thinking, so I spoke with him in spiritual language with symbols. It expresses ideas fully, and many at a time.
He said he thought nothing of adultery in his bodily life in the former world.
But I was able to tell him that adulteries are against divine law, even if they do not seem that way - in fact, seem lawful - to people like that, on account of the pleasure they take and their conviction due to the pleasure. Also that you can know it from this - that marriage is the nursery of the human race and thus also the kingdom of heaven's nursery and is therefore not to be violated, but held sacred. And also from this - that the love in marriage comes down from the Lord through heaven, and that love for each other, which is the mainstay of heaven, derives from that love as a parent (which he should have known, being in the spiritual world and in a position to notice). And you can tell from this - that when adulterers merely approach heavenly communities they notice their own heavy odor and fling themselves away from there toward hell. At the least he might know that violating marriages is against divine laws, against the civil laws of all countries, also against the genuine light of reason, and thus against the law of nations, because it is against both divine and human order, besides many other things.
But he answered that he had not thought about things like that in his former life. He wanted to argue about whether it was so.
But he was told that there is no room for arguments about the truth, because arguments defend the pleasures of flesh against the pleasures of spirit, and he knew nothing about what spiritual pleasures are like. And he was told that he should think about the things that he had been told, first, because they were true. Or think from the principle, which is well known in the world, that no one should do to someone else what he doesn't want someone else to do to him. And if someone deceived in this way his own wife whom he loved (as you do in the beginning of every marriage), then, while in a state of rage about it, would not he himself also have denounced adulteries if he spoke his mind? And besides, because he has an aggressive nature, he would protest against it more than others, would he not, to the point of damning it to hell? And, because he was the leader of an army with active troops available, he would either have done away with the adulterer or thrown the adulteress out of his house to keep it from being a reproach to him.
481. That more may be learned as to the nature of the grossness of the present age where wise men see nothing of sin in adultery, as disclosed above (no. 478) by angels, I will add the following Memorable Relation:
There were certain spirits who, from habit acquired in the life of the body, infested me with peculiar skill. They did this by an influx somewhat gentle like a kind of undulation such as is usual with the influx of upright spirits; but it was perceived that in the spirits now present were cunning designs and the like to entrap and deceive. At last I spoke with one of them who, it was told me, when he lived in the world had been the general of an army. Perceiving that there was something lascivious in the ideas of his thought, I spoke with him in spiritual speech with representatives--a speech which fully expresses many meanings and indeed in a single moment. He said that in the life of the body in the former world, he had accounted adulteries as nothing. But it was given me to tell him that adulteries are heinous, even though, before the eyes of such men, because of the delight which they experience and of the persuasion therefrom, they do not seem to be such, nay, and seem to be lawful; and, moreover, that he might have known this from the fact that marriages are the seminaries of the human race and hence also of the heavenly kingdom, and for that reason are not to be violated but are to be held holy; also from the fact--which he ought to know, being now in the spiritual world and in a state of perception--that conjugial love descends from the Lord through heaven, and that from this love as a parent is derived mutual love, which is the support of heaven; and further, from the fact that adulterers, when they merely come near heavenly societies, smell their own stench and therefore rush headlong towards hell. He might at least have known that to violate marriages is against Divine laws, against the civil laws of all kingdoms, and also against the genuine lumen of reason, and so against the law of nations because against order, both Divine and human, besides much else. He answered that in the former life he had not thought of such things, and he wished to reason whether they were so. But it was told him that truth does not admit of reasonings, for reasonings defend the delights of the flesh against the delights of the spirit, of the nature of which last, he had no knowledge; that he ought first to think over what had been said because it was the truth; or to think from the principle well known in the world, that no one should do to another what he does not wish the other to do to him. Thus, if any one had in this way ensnared his wife whom he had loved, as is the case in the beginning of every marriage, then, when in a state of anger thereat, had he spoken from that state, would he not himself have detested adulteries? and being a man of ability, would he not then have confirmed himself against them more than other men, even so far as to damn them to hell? and, that the matter might not be a reproach to him, being the general of an army and with men of prompt action, would he not either have slain the adulterer or cast the adulteress out of his house? 1
Footnotes:
1. In the original edition, this Memorable Relation is enclosed in inverted commas, being quoted from HEAVEN AND HELL, no. 385. The last sentence, however, is an addition. In SPIRITUAL DIARY [now called Spiritual Experiences], no. 4405, it is said that the general here referred to was Prince Eugene, that is, Francois Eugene, Prince of Savoy (1663-1736), one of the most famous generals in the Austrian army. The conversation here recorded was held in the summer of 1750, when Swedenborg was in Aix-la-Chapelle.
481. I shall add the following Memorabilia 1here, so that it may be recognized again how gross the age is, in that its wise ones see nothing sinful in adultery (as was disclosed by angels, just above,478).
Certain spirits, from practice in the bodily life, infested me with peculiar skill, doing so by a very soft and wave-like influx, such as the influx of upright spirits is wont to be. But I perceived that there was cunning and the like in these spirits, to entrap and deceive.
I finally spoke with one of them, who, I was told, had been an army general on earth. Perceiving that there was something lascivious in the ideas of his thought, I talked with him in the spiritual language of representatives, which conveys one's meaning fully and many things in a moment.
He said that in the life of the body in the former world he had considered adulteries nothing.
But I was able to tell him that adulteries are iniquitous although, to men like himself, on account of the delight which they have taken in them and their persuasion thence, they do not seem so, but even seem allowable. He might know that adulteries are iniquitous from the fact that marriages are the seminaries of the human race and hence also of the heavenly kingdom, and are therefore not to be violated but to be held holy. From this fact, too (which he ought to know, being in the spiritual world and in a state of perception), that marital love descends from the Lord through heaven, and from that love as from a parent mutual love is derived, which is heaven's foundation. And from the further fact, that adulterers, only drawing near to heavenly societies, become aware of their own stench and cast themselves headlong toward hell. At least he might know that to violate marriages is against Divine laws, against the civil laws of all kingdoms, likewise against the genuine light of reason and hence contrary to the laws of nations, being against both Divine and human order; besides much else. But he answered that he had not thought so in the former life. He wanted to reason whether it was so.
He was told that the truth admits of no reasonings; reasonings only defend the delights of the flesh against the delights of the spirit, of the nature of which he knew nothing. First he should think of what had just been told him, because it is truth; or should think from the principle well known in the world that no one should do to another what he would not be willing that another should do to him. Suppose a man had beguiled his wife in like manner, whom he had loved in the world (every one does love his wife at the outset of marriage), and suppose he, the general, had given vent to the anger which he would have felt, would not he, too, have detested adulteries? And having a resourceful mind, would he not have confirmed himself more than others in opposition to adulteries to the point of damning them to hell? As the general of an army with able men available, would he not, to ward off disgrace, either have slain the adulterer or have cast the adulteress out of his house?
Footnotes:
1. See Arcana Coelestia 2733, Heaven and Hell 385, and see Arcana Coelestia 4405.
481. Again, that it may be known how gross is this age, that it cannot see any sin in adultery, as was brought to light by the angels, related just above at n. 478, I will add the following Relation:
'There were certain spirits who, from practice in the life of the body, infested me with peculiar skill, and this by an influx rather soft, as it were undulating, such as that of upright spirits is wont to be. But it was perceived that there was cunning and like qualities in them, that they might captivate and deceive. At length I spoke with one of them, who it was told me was general of an army when he lived in the world. And as I perceived there was lasciviousness in the ideas of his thought, I conversed with him in spiritual language with representatives, which fully express the meaning, and many things in a moment. He said that in the life of the body, in the former world, he had accounted adulteries as nothing. But it was given me to tell him that adulteries are heinous, (notwithstanding that they do not appear so before those who are adulterers, from the delight that they take in them and thence a persuasion that they are not so, yea, that they are allowable), which indeed he might know from the fact that marriages are the seminaries of the human race, and thence the seminaries also of the heavenly kingdom, and for that reason are not to be violated, but to be held sacred; and from this also, which he ought to know, because he was now in the spiritual world, and in a state of perception, that conjugial love comes down from the Lord through heaven; and that from this love as from a parent is derived mutual love, which is the foundation of heaven; and from the fact that adulterers when they only come near to the heavenly societies perceive their own offensive smell and precipitate themselves thence towards hell. At the least he might know that to violate marriages is contrary to the Divine laws; contrary to the civil laws of all kingdoms; and against the genuine light of reason; and so against the law of nations, because contrary to order, both Divine and human, besides other considerations. He answered that he had not thought of such things in the former life. And he wished to reason whether they were so. But it was told him, the truth did not admit of reasonings; for they defend the delights of the flesh against the delights of the spirit, of the nature of which he had no knowledge; and that he ought first to reflect upon the things that had been said to him, because they are true; or to think from the principle, well-known in the world, that no one should do to another what he would not be willing that another should do to him; and thus if anyone had so beguiled his wife whom he loved, as is the case in the beginning of every marriage, if he then spoke his mind, while in a state of wrath about it, would he not himself also have denounced adulteries? And being a man of ability, would not he beyond others have confirmed himself against them? Would he not have condemned them even to hell? And being the general of an army, and with valiant men about him, would he not either have slain the adulterer, that he might not bring disgrace upon him, or cast the adulteress out of his house?
481. Ut iterum noscatur, qualis obesitas hujus Saeculi est, quod a sapientibus ejus non videatur aliquid peccati in Adulterio, ut mox supra 478, ab Angelis detectum est, hoc Memorabile hic adjungam. Erant 1quidam spiritus, qui ex usu in vita corporis, me solertia peculiari infestabant, et hoc per influxum molliusculum quasi undantem, qualis solet esse proborum spirituum; sed perceptum, quod in illis essent astutiae et similia, ut captarent et fallerent: tandem loquutus sum cum uno ex illis, qui quod fuerit Dux exercitus, cum vixit in Mundo, mihi dictum est: et quia percepi, quod in ideis cogitationis ejus esset lascivum, loquutus sum cum illo loquela spirituali cum repraesentativis, quae plene exprimit sensa, et momento plura: dixit, quod in vita corporis in Mundo priori Adulteria pro nihilo reputaverit: sed ei dicere datum est, quod Adulteria sint nefanda, tametsi apparent coram illis, qui tales, ex jucundo quod captarunt, et ex persuasione inde, quod non talia, imo licita; quod etiam scire posset ex eo, quod Conjugia sint Seminaria Generis humani, et inde etiam Seminaria Regni coelestis, et idcirco quod non violanda, sed sancta habenda; tum ex eo, quod scire debet quia in Mundo spirituali est, ac in statu perceptionis, quod Amor conjugialis a Domino per Coelum descendat, et quod ab illo amore, ut parente, derivetur amor mutuus, qui est firmamentum Coeli; et ex eo, quod Adulteri, dum modo approximant ad Societates coelestes sentiant graveolentiam suam, et se inde praecipitent versus Infernum; ad minimum potuisset scire, quod violare conjugia, sit contra leges Divinas, contra omnium Regnorum leges civiles, tum contra genuinum lumen rationis, et sic contra jus gentium, quia contra Ordinem et Divinum et Humanum, praeter plura.
[2] Sed respondebat, quod talia non cogitaverit in vita priore: voluit ratiocinari, num ita esset, sed dictum est ei, quod veritas non admittat ratiocinia, patrocinantur enim jucundis carnis contra jucunda spiritus, quae nescit qualia sunt; et quod primum cogitare debeat de illis quae dicta sunt, quia vera; aut ex illo principio, quod notissimum est in Mundo, quod nemo alteri facere debeat, quod non velit ut alter faciat sibi; et sic si quis ipsius uxorem, quam amavisset, quod fit in principio omnis conjugii, tali modo decepisset, tunc cum in statu excandescentiae super id esset, si ex illo statu loqueretur, annon etiam ipse adulteria detestaturus fuisset, et tunc, quia ingenio pollet, se confirmavisset plus quam alii contra illa, usque ut damnavisset illa ad infernum; et quia Dux exercitus fuit, et cum strenuis ibi, ne id opprobrium illi fuisset, adulterum vel interemisset, vel meretricem e domo sua ejecisset.
Footnotes:
1. Haec paragraphus abhinc in prima editione signis citationis inclusa est. Repetita est ab Arcanis Coelestibus, 2733, et ab opere De Coelo et Inferno 385. Videatur quoque, Experientiae Spirituales 4405.