78、记事四：
两天后，天使又来找我。他说：“今天让我们结束四个时代的访问吧。还剩最后一个时代，也就是黑铁时代。他们住在西北方，深入西方腹地，都是古亚细亚人，拥有古圣言，照古圣言敬拜神。所以，他们的年代是在主降世以前。这一点从提到四个时代的古籍显而易见。尼布甲尼撒所梦见的大像就是象征这四个时代。这像的头是精金的，胸膛和膀臂是银的，肚腹和腰是铜的，腿是铁的，脚是半铁半泥的（但以理书2:32–33）。
天使一路上告诉我这些事。根据我们灵里状态的变化，路途随着缩短了，而我们状态的变化与所经过的居民区的心性状态是相应的。因为在灵界，空间和距离不过是心灵状态的表相。我们举目观看，瞧，我们到了一片森林，林中有山毛榉、栗树、橡树。环顾四周，我们看到右边有熊出没，左边有豹出没。惊疑之际，天使告诉我：“其实它们并非真的熊或豹，而是守卫北方居民的人。他们的鼻子能嗅出过往行人的生命气息，若是属灵的，他们就冲上前去，因为这里的居民都是属血气的。只阅读圣言却不加思索的人从远处看好像熊，歪曲圣言、执着假道的人从远处看好像豹。”但是看到我们，他们却转身走开了。我们便继续前行。
森林之后是灌木丛，然后是草地，分为一块一块的，周围有黄杨木围绕。再后是一个缓坡，通往一个山谷。谷中是一座座城市。我们经过几座小城，来到一座大城。城内的街道和房舍并不整齐，显得没有规划。房子由砖头、木块、灰泥砌成。广场坐落着石灰石砌成的圣殿，其下部在地面以下，上部在地面以上。我们来到一座圣殿，走下三级台阶，看到四围墙上有各种形状的偶像，许多人正对着偶像俯伏敬拜。当中是一个唱经楼，该城的守护神就从这唱经楼中显出来，甚至能看到他的头像。离开圣殿的时候，天使告诉我，白银时代的人用这些偶像象征真理和美德。后来对应学逐渐淡出人们的记忆，不复存在了，这些偶像开始成为敬拜的对象，被当作神明来加以崇拜。这是偶像崇拜的起源。
到了圣殿外面，我们观察男人的举动和装束。他们有着蓝灰色钢铁般的脸，打扮好像小丑，穿着紧身上衣，下摆垂到腰间，头戴卷成小船状的帽子。天使说：“好了，我们还是去了解这个时代的婚姻状况吧。”我们就拜访当地的一位权贵。他头戴一顶塔状礼帽，友善地接待我们，说：“进来吧，我们聊聊。”我们进入客厅，坐下。我问城乡的婚姻情况。他说：“我们不止一个妻子，有的两三个，有的更多。因为我们喜欢有多种品味，喜欢女人对我们毕恭毕敬，俯首帖耳，如同侍奉皇上。娶多个妻子，我们就能享受这些乐趣。一个妻子就太单调，让人厌烦，而且我们显得太平等，没了女人对我们唯唯诺诺、恭恭敬敬的优越感。何为女人呢？女人生来不就是要顺服男人意志，服侍伺候男人的吗？所以这里的每一个男人在家里都好像皇帝。这是我们的喜好，也是我们生活的乐趣。”
我就问：“如此说来，使二人灵魂一体、心心相印，给人带来幸福快乐的婚姻之爱在哪里呢？这爱是不可分割的，否则必成为一种燃烧的激情，化作烟云而散。”他却回答说：“我不知道你在说什么。男人最大的快乐不在于看到女人争宠吗？”说了这话，他走进女眷的房间，开了两扇门，立时有一股淫荡的气味飘来，如同臭水沟的气味。产生这种臭味的是他们混乱的一夫多妻的婚姻。我就起身，关上了门。
然后我问：“你们既没有纯洁的婚姻之爱，又崇拜偶像，如何在此地存活呢？”他回答说：“在婚姻之爱上，我们对妻子是十分妒忌的，不许任何人越堂入室。我们既然嫉妒，自然也有爱。至于偶像，我们并不崇拜它们，只把它们当成工具。因为我们只有藉映入眼帘的形像才能对宇宙之神有所忆念。我们不能将思维提到感官之上，对神的思索也就不能高过所见之物。”我又问：“你们的偶像不是有多种形状吗？如何象征一位神的形像呢？”对此，他回答说：“这是我们的秘密。每种形状与拜神之礼皆存在某种联系。”我说：“你们不过是属血气属肉体的人，对神、对自己的配偶，都没有属灵的爱。只有这两种爱才使人成为人，使他脱离血气，成为属天的人。”
说话间，我透过大门看到一道闪电，就问怎么回事。他说：“这闪电对我们来说是一个信号，通知我们将有古人从东方来，指教我们神是唯一的，是独一无二的全能者，是首先的，也是末后的。他告诫我们不要崇拜偶像，只可视其为独一神各种美德的象征，组合起来就构成对神的敬拜。他是我们所尊敬所听从的天使，每当我们陷入妄想，误执偶像为神的时候，他就来提醒我们。”
听完这番话，我们起身告辞，离开了城市。一路上，我们从各天堂的所见所闻总结人类所走过的婚姻之爱的道路。从路线上说，它经历了从东到南，从南到西，再从西到北的循环。从质量上说，它经历了循环路上的每况愈下。在东方它是属天的，在南方它是属灵的，在西方它是属世的，在北方它是属血气的。此外，其每况愈下的程度与对神敬爱和崇拜的程度是相应的。我们由此得出结论，婚姻之爱在第一个时代好比黄金，在第二个时代好比白银，在第三个时代好比青铜，在第四个时代好比铁，直到最后荡然无存。然陪伴我的天使向导却对我说：“即便如此，我依然满怀希望，相信天上的神，我们的主，会让爱情从死里复活，因为它是可以死而复活的。”
78、第四点是：
两天以后天使对我说：“让我们完成对不同时代的考察，最后一个要去的时代是铁纪，这个时代的人生活在西部天国的北面，横向向内扩展，这的人都是来自古代亚洲。他们拥有远古时代的圣经，并且崇拜它。因而，他们生活在主来到世上之前。给这个时代命名的古时的作者们很清楚这一点。这一时代与尼布甲尼撒所见的年代是一致的。那个大雕像是金头、胸和臂是银的，肚子和大腿是铜的，腿是铁的，脚是铁和泥混合的（《但以理书》2:32、33）
天使告诉我这些，我们的路变得短了。并且走的速度快了。这是因为我们思维在不断地变化，在精神世界中，空间和距离是与大脑的思维有关。
当我们向上看时，呀，我们是在一个毛榉树，栗子树和橡树林中，环顾周围，在左边是熊，右边是豹。
我正在好奇，天使说：“他们并不是熊和豹，而是守卫这里的居民的卫士。他们的鼻子在不停地闻着，追逐路过的有灵性的人，因为这里的人都是自然的。只是读《圣经》却学不到任何东西的人，从远处看像是熊，而抽取《圣经》意思的人从远处看像是豹。
但是，看到我们后他们走开了，于是我们通过了那里。
在森林以后是灌木丛，然后是草地，草地是倾斜着的，下方是一个山谷，在山谷里有一个个的城市。我们走过几个城市，最后来到了最好的一个城市里，城里的街道和房屋都是不规则的，房子是用砖、木材和泥灰建成的。
在广场处我们见到小礼拜堂，它是用石灰石建成的。它的下方是地下的，上方在地面以上。我们下了三个台阶来到一个礼拜堂中。只见墙上有各种各样的偶像，很多人都跪在那里敬拜它们。在他们中间是一个唱诗班，唱诗班之间是头探出来的这个城市的保护神。
我们离开时，天使说银纪时候的人用这些偶像来做为一种象征手段，象征着灵性上的真理和道德。当这种象征意义逝去后，这些偶像便成了人们敬拜的对象，它们成了神，这就是偶像崇拜的来源。
在礼拜堂外面我们看到穿着裙子的人们。他们的脸像铁一样，是灰色的，他们穿得象小丑，裙子系大腿上，衬衫系在胸部，头戴着竖起来的高帽。
“看了这些足够了”天使说。“我们是到这考察这一时代人的婚姻的。”
于是我们来到一个重要人物的家。这个人头系着塔一样的头巾。他和蔼地接待了我们并且说：“请进，我们来谈一谈。”
我们走进客厅坐下了。于是我问他这城里的婚姻状况。
他说：“我们不只有一个妻子，一些人有两个或更多妻子。这是因为多样性，顺服和荣耀使我们感觉好，就好像天国一样。以上三点就是有多个妻子的好处。只有一个妻子我们体会不到多样性而会厌烦。我们会体会不到被服从而只有令人厌的平等，我们体会不到荣耀而只有互相争斗。
“总之，女人是什么？她们不是生来就要服从男人而不是来掌权的吗？所以，在这里，每个男人在家都像国王一样，因为我们喜欢这样，这也就是我们生活中的一个福份。”
我问道：“那么婚姻之爱在哪里呢？它是要两个灵魂合一，思想相结合？这种爱不能是一种被分割的爱，若能被分割，那这种爱就会像一种情感，会消失。”
听到这个他回答道：“我不明白你在说什么。有什么比妻子间互相争斗要成为丈夫的最爱更好的呢？”
说着，这个男人打开他女眷房的双层门。里面传出像污水坑一样的臭气。这是一夫多妻的结果。它是一种婚姻，但同时也淫秽的，我站起来关上了门。
后来我说：“你们怎么会生活在这里？你们没有人拥有真正的婚姻这爱，并且你们崇拜偶像？”
他回答道：“关于婚姻之爱，我们有嫉妒存在。我们不允许任何人靠近我们的妻子们，有嫉妒存在就有爱存在。”
“关于偶像们，我们不敬拜它们。但是我们只有通过这些形象才能想到神。因为我们的思想建立在感觉之上，除了通过可见的事物我们没法感觉到神。
我问道：“你们不是有不同种类的偶像吗？它们怎么可能代表一个神呢？”
他回答说：“这对我们来说是个迷，每个偶像都与敬拜神有关。”
我说：“你们都只是感性的人，你们不爱神，你们也没有灵性上的对配偶的爱，这些爱构成一个人。
说话时，我看到走廓里好像有一闪一闪的光，我问：“那是什么？”
他说：“那是东方的古人到来的信号。他来给我们传授神——只有一个神，他是全能的，他是起始也是最终。神教导我们不要敬拜偶像，而只可以将偶像看成是代表来自于神的美德的象征，通过这些敬拜神。这个古人是我们的天使，我尊敬他并且听从他。每当我们因为这些偶像而对敬拜神有模糊认识时他就会来帮助我们。”
听完这些后，我们离开了他家及这个城市。在路上，根据我在天堂中所见的，我得出关于婚姻之爱的结论。关于它存在的情况，我看到它是以一个圆的形式存在的。从东到南，到西，最后到北。关于它的发展情况，我们看到它在渐渐地变坏。换句话说，在东方，它是天国般的，在南边是精神的，在西边是自然的，在北边是感官上的。我们还注意到在它渐渐下降的过程中，对神的敬拜也在随之下降。
总之，婚姻之爱在第一个时代好像是金子，在第二个时代好像是银子，在第三个时代好像是铜，第四个时代好像是铁，最后它便消失了。
但后来天使说：“但是我抱着这样的望。希望神，我们的主会拯救这种爱，因为这是有可能的。”
78. The fourth experience.
Two days later the angel spoke to me again and said: 'Let us complete the cycle of the ages. All we have left is the last age, which is called after iron. The people of this age live in the north, deep inside on the west side. All of these are from the early inhabitants of Asia who had the old Word, and their worship was based on this; that is to say, before the Lord's coming into the world. This is clear from the writings of the ancients, in which this period is so named. The same periods are meant by the statue seen by Nebuchadnezzar, which had a head of gold, chest and arms of silver, belly and thighs of bronze, legs of iron, and feet of iron as well as clay (Daniel 2:32-33).'
[2] The angel told me this on the journey, which was shortened and hurried on by changes produced in our mental state to match the characters of the peoples we passed through. For spaces and distances in the spiritual world are appearances dictated by mental states. When we lifted up our eyes, we found ourselves in a wood composed of beeches and two kinds of oak; and on looking around we saw bears to our left and leopards to our right. When I showed surprise at this, the angel said, 'They are not bears or leopards, but people who act as guards for those who live in the north. They sniff out the spheres given off by the way passers-by live, and fly at all who are spiritual, because those who live here are natural. Those who only read the Word without drawing any teaching from it, look at a distance like bears, and those who confirm false ideas from the Word look like leopards.' However on seeing us these creatures turned their backs and we passed through.
[3] After passing through the wood there were thickets, and then grassy plains, divided into plots with box-wood hedges. Then the ground sloped down into a valley, in which there was one city after another. We passed some by and went into a large one. Its streets were irregular, and so were its houses. The houses were built of bricks, with half-timbering and plastered walls. In the squares there were shrines built of ashlar limestone; they had an underground basement and a storey above. We went down into one of these by three steps, and saw the walls around us covered with idols of various shapes, and a crowd on their knees adoring them. In the centre was a choir, from which the head of the city's tutelary deity stood out. As we went out, the angel told me that among the ancients who lived in the silver age, as mentioned above, there were images to represent spiritual truths and moral virtues. When the knowledge of correspondences was lost from memory and became extinct, these images first became objects of worship, and after were adored as divinities. This was the origin of idolatry.
[4] When we had left the shrine, we examined the people and their dress. Their complexion was greyish, like steel, and they were dressed like clowns, with tabs around their hips hanging from a tunic which tightly fitted the chest. On their heads they had sailors' cocked hats. 'That's enough of this,' said the angel. 'Let us learn about marriage among the peoples of this age.'
We entered the house of one of the leading citizens, who wore a top hat on his head. He made us welcome and said, 'Come in and let us have a chat.' We went into the entrance-hall and sat down there. I asked him about marriage in this city and region. 'We,' he said, 'do not live with one wife. Some have two or three, some more. This is because we take pleasure in variety, obedience and being treated with the respect due to royalty. When we have several wives, we get this from them. With only one we should not have the pleasure of variety, but be bored with sameness; we should not be flattered by their obedience, but annoyed by their equal status. Nor should we have the satisfaction of controlling them and so being respected, but we should be bothered with quarrels about who was superior. And what about the woman? Surely she is by birth subject to her husband's will, intended to be a servant, not a ruler. Every husband here is treated in his house like a king. Since this is what we love, it is what makes our lives blessed.'
[5] 'But,' I asked, 'where then is conjugial love, which makes one soul out of two, linking minds and making people blessed? This love is indivisible; divided it turns into an ardour which cools off and disappears.' 'I don't understand what you mean,' he replied to this. 'What else makes a man blessed, if not the rivalry between wives to give the greatest respect to her husband?' On saying this the man went into the women's quarters and opened a double door. An odour of lewdness came out, stinking like filth; this was the result of polygamous love, which is marital and at the same time scortatory. So I got up and closed the doors.
[6] Then I said, ' How can you keep living on this land, lacking as you do any truly conjugial love and adoring idols?' 'As for marital love,' he replied, 'we are so jealous of our wives that we do not allow anyone to come further into our homes than the entrance-hall. Where there is jealousy, there is also love. As for the idols, we do not adore them; but we cannot think about the God of the universe except by having some object before our eyes. For we cannot lift our thoughts above the sense-impressions of the body, or in thinking about God rise above His visual aspect.'
Then I asked further: 'Are your idols not of different forms? How can they suggest the vision of one God?' 'This,' he replied, 'is one of our mysteries; each form contains some aspect of the worship of God.' 'You,' I said, 'are entirely sunk in the bodily senses. You have no love of God, nor love for a wife with any spirituality in it. These loves together make a person what he is, and can turn him from a creature of the senses into a heavenly one.'
[7] When I said this, there was something like a flash of lightning seen through the doorway. 'What is that?' I asked. 'Such a flash of lightning,' he said, 'is for us a sign announcing the arrival of the Ancient Man of the East, who teaches us about God, as being one, alone and omnipotent, who is the First and the Last. He also warns us not to worship idols, but only to look on them as images representing the powers which proceed from the one God; these taken together make up His worship. This ancient man is our angel, whom we revere and listen to. He comes to us and sets us straight, when we slip into a dim way of worshipping God by indulging in fancies about images.'
[8] When we had heard this speech, we left the house and the city, and as we journeyed we drew conclusions from what we had seen in the heavens about the ambit and development of conjugial love. Its ambit ran from the east to the south and from this to the west, and hence to the north. Its development was marked by a decrease as it moved around; in the east it was celestial, in the south spiritual, in the west natural, and in the north sensual. It also decreased in step with the love and worship of God. Our conclusion from this was that this love was in the first age like gold, in the second like silver, in the third like bronze, in the fourth like iron, and it finally ceased altogether. Then my angel guide and companion said: 'Yet I am still full of hope that this love will be revived by the God of heaven, who is the Lord, since it is capable of being revived.'
78. The fourth account:
Two days later the angel spoke with me again, saying, "Let us complete the course of the ages. The last age remains, which is named after iron. The people of this age live in the north, on the western side, extending inward or in a latitudinal direction towards the interior. They all come from early inhabitants of Asia who had the Ancient Word and who worshiped according to it. Consequently they lived before the advent of our Lord into the world. This is apparent from the writings of ancient authors in which those times are given these names. The same ages are meant by the statue seen by Nebuchadnezzar, whose head was of gold, its breast and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, and its feet of iron and also clay (Daniel 2:32-33)."
[2] The angel told me this on the way, which was shortened and speeded along by the changes of state produced in our minds according to the character of the inhabitants through whom we passed. For intervals of space, and therefore distances, in the spiritual world are appearances in accordance with states of mind.
When we lifted our eyes, behold, we were in a forest consisting of beech trees, horse chestnuts and oaks. And when we looked around, we caught sight of bears there to the left and leopards to the right.
When I wondered at this, the angel said, "They are not really bears or leopards, but people who guard these inhabitants of the north. With their noses they sniff the atmospheres of life emanating from passers-by, and rush upon all who are spiritual, because the inhabitants are natural. People who only read the Word and take nothing of doctrine from it, at a distance look like bears. And people who confirm falsities from it look like leopards."
But having seen us, they turned away and we passed on.
[3] After the forest we saw scrubland, and then grassy plains divided into fields and surrounded by boxwood. After this the ground sloped downward to a valley, in which there were cities, one after another. We passed by several of them and entered into one great one. Its streets were irregular. So, too, were its houses. These were built out of bricks, with timbers in between, and plastered.
In the squares we found chapels made of cut limestone, with the lower part of the buildings below ground level, and the upper part above. We went down three steps into one of these, and around on the walls we saw idols in various forms, and a lot of people on their knees worshiping them. In the middle of them was a choir, out of which the tutelary god of the city projected so that his head could be seen.
As we were leaving, the angel said to me that among the ancient peoples who lived in the silver age (spoken of above), these idols were images representative of spiritual truths and moral virtues. And that when a knowledge of correspondences faded from memory and became extinct, these images became first objects of worship and afterwards were adored as deities. This was the origin of idolatries.
[4] When we were outside the chapel, we observed the people and their dress. They had steel-like faces, gray-colored, and they were dressed like clowns, with skirts around their hips and thighs hanging down from a shirt tied at the chest. And on their heads they had the cocked hats of sailors.
"But enough of this," the angel said. "We are here to be instructed about the marriages of the people of this age."
So we entered into the house of an important person, who had on his head a turreted headdress. He received us kindly and said, "Come in, and let us have a conversation together."
We went into the entrance hall and sat down there. Then I asked him about the marriages in this city and general area.
He said, "We do not live with one wife, but some people have two or three wives, and some more. That is because the variety, submissiveness, and honor entertain us, as though we were kings. These are the things we have from our wives when there is more than one. With only one wife we would not have the pleasure of variety but boredom resulting from sameness. We would not have the deference of submission but the irritation of equality. Nor would we have the bliss of ruling with its accompanying honor, but the annoyance of struggling for superiority.
"After all, what is a woman? Is she not born subject to a man's will, and born to serve and not to rule? For this reason every man here in his own house is like a royal majesty. Because this is what we like, it is also the blessing of our life."
[5] But I asked, "Where, then, is conjugial love, which forms two souls into one? And joins minds together and blesses a person? This love cannot be a divided love. If it is, it becomes a passion which evaporates and passes away."
To this he replied, "I do not understand what you are saying. What else blesses a person but the rivalry of wives for the honor of being first with her husband?"
Saying this, the man went into his harem and opened its double doors. But a libidinous odor came out of it which stank like a cesspool. This was the result of polygamous love, which is matrimonial and at the same time licentious. I got up, therefore, and closed the doors.
[6] Afterwards I said, "How can you remain in this land, when none of you have truly conjugial love, and when you also worship idols?"
He replied, "With respect to marital love, we are so violently jealous of our wives that we do not allow anyone to enter our houses past the entrance halls. And where there is jealousy there is also love.
"As for the idols, we do not worship them, but we cannot think about the God of the universe except through images presented to our eyes. For we cannot raise our thoughts above the sense impressions of the body, nor can we raise our thoughts about God above the visible things we can see."
Then again I asked, "Do your idols not have various forms? How can they present a vision of one God?"
To this he replied, "It is a mystery to us. Something having to do with the worship of God lies hidden in every form."
So I said, "You are merely sensual, carnal people. You do not have any love for God, nor any love for a married partner that derives anything from spiritual love. And it is these loves that together shape a human being, and from being sensual make him heavenly."
[7] When I said this, I saw through the doorway what seemed to be a flash of lightning. And I asked, "What is this?"
He said, "Lightning like this is a signal to us that the ancient one of the east is coming, who teaches us about God - that He is one, alone the Almighty, who is the First and the Last. He also warns us not to worship the idols, but only to look on them as images representing virtues that emanate from the one God, which together form a worship of Him. This ancient one is our angel, whom we respect and listen to. He comes to us and raises us up whenever we fall into a hazy worship of God owing to some delusion regarding the images."
[8] Having heard this, we departed from the house and from the city, and on the way, from the things we had seen in heaven, we formed conclusions regarding the course and progress of conjugial love. With respect to its course, we observed that it had moved in a circle from the east to the south, from there to the west, and from there into the north. With respect to its progress, we saw that it had declined as it went - in other words, that it had been celestial in the east, spiritual in the south, natural in the west, and sensual in the north. We also noted as well that it had declined in the same measure that the love and worship of God declined.
Consequently we formed this conclusion, that conjugial love in the first age was like gold, in the second age like silver, in the third age like bronze, and in the fourth age like iron, and that at last it ceased to exist.
But afterwards my angel guide and companion said, "Nevertheless, I am sustained by the hope that the God of heaven, who is the Lord, will revive this love, because it is possible for it to be revived."
78. The fourth story: Two days later the angel talked with me again. He said, "Let's finish up the cycle of ages. The last age is left, named for iron. The people of that age stretch into the distance, or the interior, in the northwest. They are all from among the ancient inhabitants of Asia who had the Ancient Word, and their worship comes from that, so it was before Our Lord came to earth. We know this from ancient writings, which named those times in that way. The statue Nebuchadnezzar saw can be taken as a reference to those ages. Its head was gold, its chest and arms silver, its belly and thighs brass, its calves iron, and its feet iron and clay together" (Daniel 2:32-33).
The angel told me these things on the way, which was shortened and covered more quickly by changes in our state of mind brought on by the characteristics of the settlements we passed through. For space and therefore distances in the spiritual world are appearances according to your states of mind.
When we looked up, we were in a forest of beeches, chestnuts, and oaks! And looking around, we saw bears to our left and leopards to our right - which astonished me. So the angel said, "These are neither bears nor leopards, but people who guard these northerners. They scent with their noses the atmosphere surrounding the life of a passerby, and they attack all the ones who are spiritual, because the people here are worldly. The ones who just read the Word and don't absorb any teachings from it look like bears from a distance, and the ones who use it to confirm untruths look like leopards." But when they saw us they turned away, and we passed on.
After the forest came thickets and then grassy plains divided into fields by box hedges. After these the ground sloped away toward a valley where there was city after city. We bypassed some of them and entered a big one.
Its streets were irregular. So were the houses. They were half - timber and plastered brick. In the squares were temples made of hewn limestone, with a basement below ground and the building above. We went down into one of them by three steps, and all around the walls we saw idols of different shapes, and a crowd of people on their knees adoring them. From a group in the middle protruded the head of that city's tutelary god.
As we left, the angel told me that among the men of old who lived in the Silver Age mentioned above, those idols were images representing spiritual truths and moral virtues, and that when knowledge of correspondences lapsed from memory and died out the images first became objects of worship and later were adored as gods. This is how idolatry arose.
Outside the temple we looked over the people and their clothes.
They had faces like steel - bluish gray - and they were dressed like clowns, with skirts around their waists hung from a tight shirt on their chests. And on their heads were sailors' cocked hats.
But the angel said, "Enough of this. Let's find out about the marriages of the people of this age."
We went into the house of an important person with a brimless, high - crowned hat on his head. He gave us a friendly welcome and said, "Come in and let's chat."
We walked into the entry hall and sat down there, and I asked him about the marriages of his city and country.
"We don't live with one wife," he said, "but some have two and three, and some more, because we like variety, obedience, and the deference of majesty. We get these attentions from our wives when there are several. With only one there wouldn't be the pleasure of variety but the tedium of sameness, not the flattery of obedience but the annoyance of equality, not the enjoyment of ruling and the honor of it but the disturbance of squabbles over superiority. And what is a woman? Isn't she born subject to the will of a man and to serve, not dominate? So here every husband is like the royal majesty in his own home. This is our love, so it is also the happiness of our life."
But I asked, "Then where is the love in marriage, which makes two souls one, and unites your minds, and makes people happy? You can't divide that love. If divided it becomes a heat that burns out and goes away."
His answer to this was, "I don't see what you mean. What makes a man happy but competition among wives for the honor of being a husband's favorite?"
When he said this the man went to the women's apartment and opened two doors, and something lustful escaped that smelled like filth. It was from polygamous love, which partakes of wedlock and fornication at the same time. I got up and shut the doors.
Then I said, "How can you people in this land survive when you have nothing of real married love, and when you worship idols?"
"As to the love of wedlock," he answered, "we are so vehemently jealous for our wives that we let no one farther into our houses than the entry hall. And since there is jealousy, there is love, too. As to the idols, we don't worship them, but we can't think about the God of the Universe except in images present before our eyes, because we can't lift our thoughts above our body's senses or our thoughts about God above things that we can see."
Then, once more, I asked, "Don't your idols have different shapes? How can they present a vision of one God?"
His answer to this was, "It's a mystery to us. Each shape has some hidden thing related to worship of God."
"You are limited to the bodily senses," I said, "without a love of God, or of a partner, which draws on the spiritual plane at all. And it is these spiritual loves that shape a person and make a heavenly person out of a sense - oriented one."
When I said that, something like lightning flashed through the door, and I asked, "What's that?"
"A light like that," he said, "is a sign to us that an ancient person from the east will come. He'll teach us about God - that He is One, the only omnipotent one, who is the first and the last.
He warns us not to worship idols, too, but just to regard them as images that represent virtues that radiate from the one God, and together give worship of Him a form.
"This ancient person is our angel, whom we revere and listen to. He comes and raises us up when we lapse into a vague worship of God due to fantasies about the images."
After we heard these things we left the house and the town, and on the way we drew some conclusions from the things we saw in heaven - conclusions about the cycle of married love and how it progressed. The cycle worked around from east to south, from there to west, and from there to north. As to its progress, it diminished in the cycle. In other words, it was heavenly in the east, spiritual in the south, worldly in the west, and sense - oriented in the north. And it also declined to the same degree that the worship of God did.
It led us to this conclusion - that in the first age the love in marriage was like gold, in the second like silver, in the third like brass, and in the fourth like iron, and that it finally ceased to exist.
Then my angel guide and companion said, "Still I take hope that the God of heaven, who is the Lord, will revive that love - - because it can be revived."
78. The Fourth Memorable Relation:
Two days later, the angel again spoke to me, saying: "Let us complete the period of the Ages; there still remains the last Age which is named from IRON. The people of that Age live in the north, at the side of the west, inwards, that is to say, breadth-wise. They are all from the ancient inhabitants of Asia, with whom was the Ancient Word and worship therefrom; consequently, they lived before the time of the advent of our Lord into the world. This is evident from the writings of the ancients in which those times are so named. The same Ages are meant by the statue seen by Nebuchadnezzar, the head of which was of gold, the breast and arms of silver, the belly and thighs of brass, the legs of iron, and the feet of iron and also of clay" (Daniel 2:32-33).
[2] All this the angel told me on the way, which was shortened and hastened by changes of state induced upon our minds according to the genius of the inhabitants whom we passed; for in the spiritual world, spaces and hence distances are appearances according to the states of minds. When we raised our eyes, behold, we were in a forest consisting of beeches, chestnuts, and oaks; and there, when we looked about, on the left were seen bears, and on the right leopards. I was wondering at this, when the angel said: "These are neither bears nor leopards. They are men who guard these inhabitants of the north. With their nostrils, they catch the life-spheres of passers-by and rush upon all who are spiritual, for these inhabitants are natural. Those who merely read the Word and draw nothing of doctrine therefrom, appear at a distance like bears, and those who confirm falsities therefrom, appear like leopards." On seeing us, however, they turned away and we passed on.
[3] After the forest, appeared thickets, and then grassy plains divided into plots and surrounded by box trees. Behind these, the country descended gently into a valley wherein were cities upon cities. Passing by some of these, we entered into a city of large size. Its streets were irregular, as likewise were its houses. The latter were built of brick with intersecting timbers and were plastered over. In the public places were fanes of hewn limestone, the substructure of which was below the ground, and the super-structure above. Into one of these we descended by three steps. Around the walls we saw idols in various forms and a crowd upon their knees adoring them. In the center was a choir, from which the tutelary god of that city emerged as far as his head. As we were going out, the angel told me, that among the ancients who lived in the Silver Age, spoken of above, idols were representative images of spiritual truths and moral virtues; and that when the knowledge of correspondences fell from memory and became extinct, these images first became objects of worship and then were adored as gods, whence arose idolatry.
[4] Outside the fane, we examined the men and their dress. They had a steel-like face of a bluish gray color, and were dressed like clowns, with cloths about their loins hanging from a close-fitting tunic on the chest; and on their heads were caps crimped into the shape of boats. "But enough of this," said the angel. "Let us get information respecting the marriages of the peoples of this age."
We then entered the house of one of the magnates, on whose head was a cap in the shape of a turret. He received us courteously and said, "Walk in and let us engage in conversation." We walked into the vestibule and there sat down. I then asked him about the marriages of that city and country. He said: "We do not live with one wife, but some with two, some with three, and some with more, and this because variety and obedience and honor as of majesty are pleasing to us. These we receive from our wives when there are several. With only one, there would be, not delight from variety but wearisomeness from sameness; not soothing calm from obedience but trouble from equality; not happiness from domination and the honor resulting therefrom but annoyance from contention respecting superiority. And what is a woman? Was she not born subject to the will of man? to serve and not to rule? Therefore, in his own house every husband here has royal majesty, as it were. This, as belonging to our love, is also the blessedness of our life."
[5] "But," I asked, "where then is conjugial love which of two souls makes one and which conjoins minds and blesses man? That love cannot be divided; if divided, it becomes a burning heat which effervesces and passes away."
To this he replied: "I do not understand what you are saying. What else blesses a man but the rivalry of his wives for the honor of supereminence with their husbands?" Saying this, the man went into his harem and opened two doors. But from the harem came a libidinous effluvium which stank like filth; it was from polygamous love, a love which is connubial and at the same time scortatory. I therefore rose up and shut the doors.
[6] I then said, "How can you continue to live on this land when you have nothing of love truly conjugial, and when, moreover, you worship idols?" To this he answered, "As to connubial love, we are so fiercely jealous of our wives that we do not permit any one to enter our houses farther than the vestibule; and because there is jealousy, there is also love. As to the idols, we do not worship them; but we are not able to think of the God of the universe except by means of images set before our eyes; for we cannot raise our thoughts above things sensible to the body, and our thoughts concerning God above things visible thereto."
I then further asked him, "Are not your idols of different forms? how can these bring the vision of one God?" to which he answered, "That is a mystery to us; something of the worship of God lies hidden in each form."
I then said: "You are merely sensual corporeal. You have no love of God, nor any love of a married partner which derives anything from what is spiritual, and it is these loves together, that form man and from being sensual make him heavenly."
[7] When I had said this, there was seen through the outer door something like lightning; and I asked, "What is that?" He said: "To us such lightning is a sign that the Ancient One is about to come from the East who teaches us about God, that He is One, the only Omnipotent, who is the First and the Last. He also admonishes us not to worship idols but to look upon them merely as images representative of the virtues proceeding from the one God, which together form the worship of Him. This Ancient One is our Angel whom we revere and to whom we hearken; and when, by reason of some fantasy respecting the images, We fall into an obscure worship of God, he comes to us and raises us up."
[8] On hearing this, we left the house and the city; and on our way, we drew conclusions from what we had seen in the heavens, as to the circle and progression of conjugial love--as to its circle, that it passed from the east to the south, thence to the west, and from there to the north; and as to its progression, that it decreased according to its circling, that is to say, that in the east it was celestial, in the south spiritual, in the west natural, and in the north sensual. We also concluded that it decreased in even step with the love and worship of God. From this comes the following conclusion: In the first Age, that love was like gold, in the second like silver, in the third like brass, and in the fourth like iron; and finally it was lacking.
My angel guide and companion then said, "Yet I am nourished by the hope that this love will be resuscitated by the God of heaven, who is the Lord; for its resuscitation is possible."
78. 1IV
Three days later the angel spoke to me again, saying, "Let us finish the cycle of the ages. There still remains the last age, named from iron. The people of the Iron Age live in the north, on the westward side, and far westward. They are all from ancient inhabitants of Asia who had the Ancient Word and worshiped according to it; of a time, therefore, prior to the advent of our Lord into the world. This is evident from writings of the ancients in which those epochs are so named. The same ages are meant by the statue seen by Nebuchadnezzar, the head of which was gold, the breast and arms silver, the belly and thighs brass, the legs iron, and the feet iron and clay (Daniel 2:32-33).
[2] The angel told me these things along the way, which was shortened and speeded by changes of state induced on our minds according to the genius of the inhabitants through the midst of whom we passed; for spaces and therefore distances in the spiritual world are appearances according to states of mind. When we raised our eyes, behold, we were in a forest of beeches, chestnut trees and oaks; and looking about we saw bears to the left and leopards to the right.
When I wondered at this the angel said, "They are not bears or leopards, but men, who guard these dwellers in the north. With their nostrils they scent the spheres of life of such as go by, and rush upon all who are spiritual; for the inhabitants are natural. Those who read the Word but draw nothing of doctrine from it appear in the distance like bears, and those who confirm falsities from it appear like leopards." But seeing us, they turned away and we passed on.
[3] After the forest there appeared thickets; and then grassy fields divided into plots hedged by box. Then the country descended gently into a valley in which were any number of cities. We went by some, but entered a large one. Its streets were irregular; the houses likewise. They were built of brick with timbers between and plastered. In the squares were shrines of hewn limestone, the substructure of which was below the ground and the superstructure above. We went down into one of these by three steps; round about against the walls we saw idols in various forms and a crowd on their knees adoring them. In the center was a group over whom projected the head of the tutelary god of the city. As we were leaving, the angel told me that among the ancients who lived in the silver age (of whom we spoke above), idols were images representing spiritual truths and moral virtues; but that when the knowledge of correspondences was lost to memory and became extinct, those images first became objects of worship, and later were adored as gods. Hence arose idolatry.
[4] When we were outside the temple, we observed the people and their dress. They had faces like steel, of a bluish gray color; and were dressed like comedians, with skirts about the thighs hanging from a vest fitted tightly to the chest; on their heads were the curled hats of mariners.
"But enough of this," said the angel. - Let us learn about the marriages of the peoples of this age. -
We entered the house of an important man, on whose head was a turret-like hat. He received us kindly, and said, "Walk in. Let us talk.
We entered the vestibule and sat down. I asked him about the marriages of this city and country. He said, "We do not live with one wife, but some of us with two or three, and some with more; for we delight in variety and in the obedience and honor accorded to majesty. These we receive from our wives when there are several. With only one there would not be enjoyment in variety but tedium from sameness; nor the flattery that comes from obedience but irritation from equality; nor would there be the satisfaction of ruling and so of honor, but disquiet from bickering about superiority. And what is woman? Is she not born subject to man's will? To serve and not to rule? Therefore every husband here has royal majesty as it were in his own house. As this is what we love, it is also the blessedness of our life."
[5] "But," I asked, "where then is marital love, which makes two souls one, conjoins the minds, and blesses man? That love cannot be divided; divided, it becomes a burning heat which cools and passes away."
To this he replied, "I do not understand what you say. What else blesses man but the rivalry of wives for the honor of first place with their husband?"
Saying this the man went to the seraglio, opening both doors. A lustful effluvium issued which stank like mire; it was from a polygamous love, which is at the same time connubial and scortatory. I got up and shut the doors.
[6] Afterwards I said, "How can you subsist on this earth when you have no true marital love and when you also worship idols?"
"As for connubial love," he responded, "we are so violently jealous of our wives that we permit no one to enter our houses farther than the vestibule; where there is jealousy, there is love. As for the idols, we do not worship them, but we cannot think of the God of the universe except with the help of images before our eyes. For we cannot raise our thoughts above the senses of the body, or our thought of God higher than things visible."
Again I asked, "Are not your idols highly diverse? How can they give a vision of the one God?"
"That is a mystery to us," he answered. "Something of the worship of God lies hid in each form."
I said, "You are merely sensuous and corporeal. You have neither a love of God nor a love of the married partner which derives anything from the spiritual. Yet these loves together make man, and from sensuous make him heavenly."
[7] As I was saying this there appeared as it were lightning through the portal; and I asked, "What is that?"
He said, "Such lightning is a sign to us that the Ancient One from the East will come who teaches us about God, that He is one, and the only Omnipotent, who is the First and the Last. He also admonishes us not to worship idols, but to look on them only as images representative of those forces, proceeding from the one God, which together fashion the worship of Him. This Ancient One is our Angel whom we revere and to whom we hearken. He visits us and raises us up when we slip into obscure worship of God from phantasy about our images."
[8] Having heard these things we left the house and the city. On the way we drew conclusions from what we had seen in the heavens, respecting the circuit and the progress of marital love. As for its circuit, marital love had passed from the east into the south, on into the west, and thence into the north. As for its progress, it had declined as it followed this circular course; that is to say, in the east it was celestial, in the south spiritual, in the west natural, and in the north sensuous; furthermore it declined in the same degree as did the love and worship of God. From which comes the conclusion that in the first age this love was like gold, in the second like silver, in the third like copper, in the fourth like iron, and that finally it ceased.
Then my angel guide and companion said, "Nevertheless, the hope upholds me that this love will be revived again by the God of heaven, who is the Lord; for it can be revived."
Footnotes:
1. These Memorabilia are repeated with some variations in Coronis,37.
78. The Fourth Relation:
After two days the angel spoke to me again, saying, 'Let us complete the period of the ages. There still remains the last stage which is named from iron. The people of that age dwell in the north, on the westward side towards the interior, or to the side. These are all from the ancient inhabitants of Asia who had the Ancient Word, and whose worship was from that; of a time, therefore, prior to the advent of our Lord into the world. This is evident from the writings of the ancients wherein those times were so named. The same ages are meant by the statue seen by Nebuchadnezzar, the head of which was of gold, the breast and arms of silver, the belly and the thighs of brass, the legs of iron, and the feet of iron and also of clay (Daniel 2:32-33).
These things the angel told me on the way, which was shortened and speeded by changes of state induced upon our minds according to the genius of the inhabitants of the countries through which we passed; for spaces and therefore, distances in the spiritual world are appearances, according to the states of minds. When we lifted up our eyes, behold, we were in a. forest consisting of beeches, chestnut trees, and oaks; and as we looked about there we saw bears on the right hand and leopards on the left.
As I was wondering at this the angel said, 'These are not bears and leopards but men, who guard the inhabitants of the north. With their nostrils they scent the spheres of life of them that pass by, and rush upon those that are spiritual; for the inhabitants are natural. They that only read the Word and draw nothing of doctrine from it appear at a distance like bears, and those who confirm falsities from it appear as leopards.' But seeing us they turned away and we passed on.
After the forest there appeared thickets; and beyond that grassy plains divided into beds surrounded by box. Then the country descended gently into a valley wherein were cities and cities. Some of these we passed; but into one great city we entered. Its streets were irregular; the houses likewise. They were built of brick with interlacing timbers and plastered. In the public places were temples of hewn lime-stone, the substructure of which was below the ground and the superstructure above. Into one of these we descended by three steps; and round about against the walls we saw idols in various forms and a crowd upon their knees adoring them. In the midst was an assemblage out of which rose the head of the tutelary god of the city. As we were going out the angel told me that among the ancients who lived in the silver age, spoken of above, idols were representative images of spiritual truths and moral virtues; and that when the knowledge of correspondences faded from memory, and became extinct, these images became first objects of worship, and afterwards were adored as gods. Hence idolatry arose.
When we were outside the temple we observed the people and their dress. They had a face as of steel, of a bluish gray color; and were dressed like comedians, with skirts about the loins hanging from a tunic fitting tightly to the chest, and on their heads were caps crimped into the form of boats.
But the angel said, 'Enough of this. Let us be informed respecting the marriages of the peoples of this age.'
And we entered the house of one of the magnates, on whose head was a cap of turret shape. He received us benignantly, and said, 'Walk in, and let us converse together.'
We passed into the vestibule, and sat there. And I asked him about the marriages of this city and country. He said, 'We do not live with one wife, but some with two and three, and some with more; for the reason that we delight in variety, and in obedience and honor as of majesty. These we receive from our wives when there are several. With only one there would not be the pleasure from variety but tedium from sameness; nor the flattery that comes from obedience but annoyance from equality; nor would there be the enjoyment of ruling, and thence of honor, but disquiet from the contention about superiority. And what is woman? Was she not born subject to the will of man? And to serve and not to rule? Therefore every husband here has as it were royal majesty in his own house. And as this is of our love it is also the blessedness of our life.'
'But,' I asked, 'where then is conjugial love, which of two souls makes one, and conjoins minds, and blesses man? That love cannot be divided; if divided it becomes a burning heat which effervesces and passes away.'
He replied to this, ‘I do not understand what you say. What else blesses man but the emulation of wives for the honor of precedence with their husband?'
Saying this the man went into the women's apartment, opening two doors; but there came out from it a lustful effluvium which stank like mire. It was from polygamous love which is connubial and at the same time scortatory. I therefore, got up and shut the doors.
Afterwards I said, 'How can you on this earth subsist when you have nothing of love truly conjugial and when you also worship idols?'
He responded, 'As to connubial love we are so ardently jealous for our wives that we permit no one to enter our houses farther than the vestibule; and as we have jealousy we also have love. As to idols we do not worship them; but we cannot think of the God of the universe except by means of images presented to our eyes. For we cannot raise our thoughts above the sensuals of the body, and can have no thought of God higher than the visible things thereof.'
Then again I asked, 'Are not your idols of different forms? How can these present the vision of one God?'
To this he answered, 'That is a mystery to us. Something of the worship of God is latent in each form.' I said, 'You are merely sensual corporeal men. You have not a love of God nor a love of a married partner that derives anything from the spiritual, and these loves together make man, and from sensual make him heavenly.'
As I was saying this there appeared as it were lightning through the portal; and I asked 'What is this?'
He said, 'Such lightning is a sign to us that there will come an Ancient One from the East who will teach us about God, and that He is one, the only Omnipotent, who is the First and the Last. And he admonishes us not to worship idols, but to look to them only as images representative of the powers going forth from the one God, which together form the worship of Him. This Ancient One is our Angel whom we revere and to whom we hearken. He comes to us and raises us up when we fall into obscure worship of God from phantasy respecting the images.'
Having heard these things we left the house and the city. And on our way we drew conclusions from what we had seen in the heavens, respecting the circuit and the progression of conjugial love. Of the circuit, that it passed from the east into the south, thence into the west, and from thence into the north. Of its progression, that it decreased according to its circular course; that is to say, that in the east it was celestial, in the south it was spiritual, in the west natural, and in the north sensual; and also that it declined in like degree with the love and the worship of God. From which comes the conclusion that in the first age this love was as gold, in the second as silver, and in the third as brass, in the fourth as iron, and that finally it ceased.
Then my angel guide and companion said, 'And yet I am fed with the hope that this love will be revived again by the God of heaven, who is the Lord; for it can be revived.'
78. Quartum Memorabile. Post biduum iterum mecum loquutus est Angelus, dicens, "absolvamus Periodum Aetatum; superest Aetas ultima, quae a Ferro nuncupatur: Populus hujus Aevi degit in Septentrione a latere Occidentis introrsum seu in latum; sunt omnes illi ex priscis Asiae incolis, apud quos fuerat Verbum Vetustum, et ex illo Cultus; proinde ante adventum Domini nostri in Mundum: hoc constat ex Antiquorum Scriptis, in quibus Tempora illa ita nominantur: eadem haec Aeva intelliguntur per Statuam Nebuchadnezari visam, cujus Caput ex Auro, Pectus et Brachia ex Argento, Venter et Femora ex Aere, Crura ex Ferro, ac Pedes ex Ferro et quoque Argilla, Dan. 2:32-33.
[2] Haec dixit mihi Angelus in via, quae contracta et anticipata erat per inductas mutationes status mentibus nostris secundum genios habitatorum, quos transivimus; nam spatia et inde distantiae in Mundo Spirituali sunt apparentiae secundum status mentium. Cum elevavimus oculos, ecce eramus in Sylva ex fagis, aesculis et quercubus constante; et cum circumspeximus, visi sunt ibi Ursi ad sinistrum, et Leopardi ad dextrum; quod cum miratus sum, dixit Angelus, "non sunt ursi nec leopardi, sed sunt homines, qui custodiunt hos Incolas Septentrionis; captant naribus sphaeras vitae transeuntium, ac irruunt in omnes qui Spirituales sunt, quia Incolae sunt Naturales; illi qui Verbum modo legunt, et nihil doctrinae inde hauriunt, apparent e longinquo sicut Ursi; et qui falsa inde confirmant, apparent sicut Leopardi:" sed illi, nobis visis, averterunt se, et transivimus.
[3] Post Sylvam apparuerunt Dumeta, et postea Campi graminei in areas divisi, circumcincti buxo: post hos terra declinabat oblique in vallem, super qua erant urbes et urbes; nos praeterivimus aliquas, et in unam magnam ingressi sumus: erant ejus plateae irregulares; domus similiter; hae constructae ex lateribus, interjectis tignis, et incrustatae; in Foris erant Fana ex lapide calcario caeso, quorum substructio erat sub terra, et superinstructio supra; in unum ex illis per tres gradus descendimus, et vidimus circumcirca ad parietes Idola in variis formis, ac turbam super genubus adorantem illa; in medio erat Chorus, e quo Deus tutelaris illius urbis quoad caput eminuit: in egrediendo dixit mihi Angelus, quod Idola illa apud Antiquos, qui in Saeculo argenteo, de quibus supra, vixerant, fuerint imagines repraesentativae Veritatum spiritualium, et Virtutum moralium; et quod dum Scientia correspondentiarum e memoria elapsa est et exstincta, imagines illae primum factae sint objecta cultus, et postea adoratae sicut Numina; inde Idololatriae.
[4] Cum extra Fanum eramus, lustravimus homines et amictus illorum; erant facie sicut chalybea, coloris caesii; et amicti sicut comoedi, cum manteliis circum circa lumbos ex tunica stricta ad thoracem pendentibus; et super capitibus erant pilei naviculares crispati. Sed dixit Angelus, "satis hoc; instruamur de Populorum hujus Aevi Conjugiis;" et intravimus in domum unius Magnatis, cujus super capite erat pileus turritus; hic nos benigne excepit, et dixit, "intrate, et confabulemur:" intravimus in Vestibulum, et ibi consedimus; et quaesivi illum de Conjugiis hujus urbis et regionis; et dixit, "nos non vivimus cum una uxore, sed quidam cum duabus et tribus, et quidam cum pluribus; ex causa, quia varietas, obedientia et honor sicut Majestatis, nos oblectant; haec nobis sunt ab uxoribus, dum plures sunt; cum una non foret jucundum ex varietate, sed taedium ex identitate; non blandum ex obedientia, sed molestum ex paritate; nec faustum ex dominatione et inde honore, sed infestum ex velitatione de superioritate; et quid foemina; nasciturne illa subdita voluntati viri, ac ut serviat, et non dominetur; quare hic cuivis Marito in domo sua est sicut regia majestas; hoc quia amoris nostri est, est quoque beatum vitae nostrae:"
[5] sed quaesivi, "ubi tunc amor conjugialis, qui ex duabus animabus facit unam, ac conjungit mentes, et beatificat hominem; ille Amor non potest dividi; si dividitur, fit ardor qui defervescit et transit;" ad haec respondit, "non intelligo quae dicis; quid aliud beatificat hominem, quam aemulatio uxorum pro honore supereminentiae sui Mariti." His dictis, vir intravit in Gynaeceum, et aperuit binas januas; at inde effluxit libidinosum, quod oluit sicut coenum; hoc erat ex Amore polygamico, qui est connubialis et simul scortatorius; quare surrexi, et occlusi januas.
[6] Postea dixi, "quomodo potestis super hac terra subsistere, cum vobis non aliquis amor vere conjugialis est, et quoque cum adoratis idola;" respondit, "quoad Amorem connubialem, zelamus pro uxoribus nostris tam vehementer, ut non sinamus alicui intrare domos nostras interius, quam in vestibula, et quia est zelus, etiam est amor: quoad Idola, non adoramus illa, sed non quimus cogitare de Deo Universi, nisi per species oblatas oculis nostris, non enim possumus elevare cogitationes supra sensualia corporis, et de Deo supra visualia ejus." Tunc iterum quaesivi, "suntne idola vestra diversiformia; quomodo possunt illa inferre visionem unius Dei;" ad haec respondit, "hoc mysticum nobis est; latet aliquid cultus Dei in quavis forma." Et dixi, "vos estis mere sensuales corporei; non vobis est amor Dei, nec amor conjugis trahens aliquid ex spirituali; et hi amores simul formant hominem, et illum a sensuali faciunt coelestem."
[7] Cum hoc dixi, trans portam apparuit sicut fulgur; et quaesivi, "quid hoc;" dixit, "tale fulgur est nobis signum quod venturus sit Antiquus ex Oriente, qui nos docet de Deo, quod sit Unus, Solus Omnipotens, qui est Primus et Ultimus; ille etiam monet, ne colamus idola, sed modo intueamur illa, ut imagines repraesentativas virtutum procedentium ex uno Deo, quae simul conformant cultum Ipsius; hic Antiquus est Angelus noster, quem reveremur, et cui auscultamus; venit ad nos, ac erigit nos, dum labimur in obscurum cultum Dei ex phantasia de simulachris."
[8] His auditis, exivimus domo et urbe, et in via ex visis in Coelis conclusimus de Circulo et de Progressione Amoris Conjugialis; de Circulo, quod transiverit ab Oriente in Meridiem, ab hac in Occidentem, et abhinc in Septentrionem; de Progressione, quod decreverit secundum Circulationem, scilicet quod in Oriente fuerit coelestis, in Meridie spiritualis, 1in Occidente naturalis, et in Septentrione sensualis; et quoque quod decreverit in simili gradu cum amore et cultu Dei: ex quibus fit hoc conclusum, quod ille Amor in Primo Aevo fuerit sicut Aurum, in Secundo sicut Argentum, in Tertio sicut Aes, et in Quarto sicut Ferrum, et quod tandem desierit: et tunc dixit Angelus ductor et comes meus, "attamen lactor spe, quod ille Amor a Deo Coeli, qui est Dominus, resuscitetur, quia resuscitabilis est."
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: spititualis,