379、在一夫多妻之间不可能有真正的婚姻之爱；因为一夫多妻摧毁了婚姻之爱的属灵源头（它使二个心智成形为一个心智），因此，内层的结合（它是良善与真理的结合，婚姻之爱的真正本质出于此）也会被摧毁。与多人结婚，像一个理智被分散到数个意志当中；或像一个人依附于数个教会，而不是一个教会，他的信仰会被如此地分心，以至于化为乌有。｛注1｝天使宣称，娶几个妻子是完全违背神性秩序的，他们知道这一点有多个原因，其中一个原因是：一想到与多个妻子的婚姻，他们就疏离内在的祝福和属天的幸福，变得像醉汉一样，因为良善和它的真理在他们里面分离了。只是怀着一些意图思考这些，他们心智的内层就被带入这种状态，所以他们清楚地感知到，娶多个妻子的婚姻会关闭他们的内在心智，使得婚姻之爱被情欲之爱取代，情欲之爱远离天堂。｛注2｝
[2]天使进一步声称，世人不容易理解这一点，因为很少有人在真正的婚姻之爱中。不在婚姻之爱中的人，完全不知道这爱里面蕴含的内在的快乐，他们只知道情欲的快乐，而这快乐在短暂的共同生活之后，就会变成不快乐；而真正的婚姻之爱的快乐，不仅在世上持续到老，而且在死后会变成天堂的快乐，它里面被内在的快乐充满，而且会变得越来越完美，直到永远。天使还说，真正的婚姻之爱的各种各样的祝福甚至数不胜数，其中心甚至没有一种为人类所知，那些没有处在由主而来的良善和真理的婚姻中的人也无法理解。
｛注1｝：【英235】在《婚姻之爱》一书中，对一夫多妻制有更广泛地论述。史威登堡指出，对于宗教允许的人来说，这不是罪（348），甚至还提到实行一夫多妻制的“低级穆斯林天堂”（343）。然而，他坚持认为，这种做法会妨碍人们变得真正有灵性（347）。
｛注2｝：由于丈夫与妻子要成为一体、共同生活在生命的至内层，并且在天堂一起成为一位天使，所以，真正的婚姻之爱不可能在一夫多妻之间（1907，2740）。同时，娶数个妻子违反神性秩序（10837）。除了一夫一妻外，没有婚姻。在主的属天国度的天使对此有清晰的感知（865，3246，9002，10172）。因为属天国度的天使在良善和真理的婚姻中（3246）。以色列民族被允许娶数个妻子，并在妻子之外纳妾，但基督徒不可以，因为这个民族在脱离内在的外在中，而基督徒能进入内在，因而能进入良善和真理的婚姻中（3246，4837，8809）。
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379. 一个丈夫与数个妻子之间不可能有真正的婚姻之爱. 事实上, 一夫多妻会摧毁婚姻之爱的属灵源头, 而婚姻之爱的目的是使二者合为一个心智, 所以它也会摧毁作为婚姻之爱本质的良善与真理的内在结合. 娶数个妻子的婚姻就像一个理解力被分散到数个意愿当中; 或一个人效忠于数个教会, 而不是一个教会, 因为他的信仰会由此被生生拆毁以至于化为泡影. 天使声称, 他们从许多原因知道这一点, 其中一个原因是: 一想到娶数个妻子的婚姻, 他们就远离内在的祝福和属天的幸福, 变得像醉汉, 因为良善与真理在他们里面分离了. 由于只是怀着某种轻微的意图思想这一点, 他们心智的内层就被带入这种状态, 所以他们清楚看到, 娶数个妻子的婚姻会关闭他们的内在心智, 使得婚姻被情欲之爱取代; 而这爱将人引离天堂.
他们还声称, 这一点不容易理解, 因为很少有人体验过真正的婚姻之爱; 人若没有体验, 完全不知道居于这爱里面的内在快乐. 他们只知道欲望的快乐, 而这快乐在短暂的共同生活之后, 就会变得不快乐. 真正婚姻之爱的快乐不仅在世上持续到老, 而且死后会变成天堂的快乐, 在那里充满内在快乐; 内在快乐会变得越来越完美, 直到永远. 天使甚至说, 真正婚姻之爱的祝福若要列举出来, 可多达成千上万; 其中没有一个为人所知, 或能进入凡未从主处于良善与真理的婚姻之人的理解范畴.
注: 由于丈夫与妻子要成为一, 共同生活在生命的至内层, 并在天堂一起成为一位天使, 所以真正的婚姻之爱不可能存在于一个丈夫与数个妻子之间(天国的奥秘 1907, 2740节). 同时, 娶数个妻子违反神性秩序(天国的奥秘 10837节). 婚姻只存在于一夫一妻之间, 那些处于主的属天国度的天使对此有清晰的觉知(天国的奥秘 865, 3246, 9002, 10172节). 因为属天国度的天使处于良善与真理的婚姻(天国的奥秘 3246节). 以色列民族可以娶数个妻子, 并在妻子之外纳妾, 但基督徒不可以, 因为这个民族处于脱离内在的外在, 而基督徒能进入内在, 因而能进入良善与真理的婚姻(天国的奥秘 3246, 4837, 8809节).
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379. 真正的婚愛不可能存于一個丈夫與多個妻子之間。事實上, 一夫多妻毀壞了婚愛的靈性泉源, 因為婚愛的目的本是使兩顆心合而為一。所以, 它毀壞了作為婚愛本質的良善與真理的內在結合。一夫與多妻結合, 好比一個認知在多個意志間分裂, 或如一人皈依多個宗教信仰, 以致信仰分裂, 成為烏有。
天人說, 娶多個妻子完全違背神性的規則, 這從許多理由可知。其中一個事實是, 他們一旦有多個妻子的念頭, 便與內在的幸福和天國的快樂脫離, 仿佛成了醉漢, 因為良善與真理在心裡分離了。既然稍有念頭就使心靈陷入如斯境地, 他們就清楚意識到與多個女人結合必封閉其心, 使欲望侵入婚愛的領地, 將人引離天國。他們還說, 世人不理解這一點, 在於體驗真正婚愛之滋味的人太少, 不在其中, 自然就不知其中的快樂。他們只知欲望之樂, 在短暫的婚姻生活之後, 很快變得乏味。相反, 真正的婚愛, 其快樂不僅持續到老, 死後更成為天國之樂, 充滿心靈, 不斷完滿, 直到永遠。
他們還說, 真正的婚愛, 其福分數以萬計, 世人不知其一, 未從主獲得良善與真理之結合者, 也無法領悟。
379. Genuine marriage love is not possible between one husband and more than one wife. Polygamy in fact destroys the spiritual source of marriage love, whose purpose is to form one mind out of two. It therefore destroys the deeper union of the good and the true that is the very essence of that love. Marriage with more than one is like an intellect divided among more than one will or like a person pledged to more than one church. This actually pulls faith apart so that it becomes no faith at all.
Angels say that taking more than one wife is absolutely contrary to the divine design and that they know this for many reasons, including the fact that the moment they think about marriage with more than one, they are estranged from their inner blessedness and heavenly happiness. They become virtually drunk because the good is severed from the true within them; and since the deeper levels of their minds come into this kind of state when they simply think about this with some slight intent, they perceive clearly that marriage with more than one woman closes their own inner nature and makes lust invade where there should be marriage love. Lust leads away from heaven. 1
They added that people on earth have a hard time understanding this because so few do experience true marriage love, and if people are not intent on this, they have absolutely no knowledge of the inner delight that dwells within that love. They are aware only of the delight of lust, a delight that turns disagreeable after people have lived together for a little while. The delight of real marriage love, though, not only lasts into old age on earth but even becomes heavenly delight after death, when it is filled with a deeper delight that becomes better and better to eternity.
The angels even said that the blessings of real marriage love could be listed in the thousands, with not a single one known to people here or comprehensible to the understanding of anyone who is not in a marriage of the good and the true from the Lord.
Footnotes:
1. Since husband and wife are to be one and are to live together at the very deepest level of life, and since the two together make one angel in heaven, genuine marriage love cannot exist between one husband and more than one wife: 1907, 2740. Taking more than one wife at the same time is contrary to the divine design: 10835 [10837?]. It is clearly perceived by people in the Lord's heavenly kingdom that there is no marriage except between one husband and one wife: 865, 3246, 9902 [9002?], 10172; because angels there are in a marriage of what is good and what is true: 3246. The Israelites were allowed to take more than one wife and to take concubines in addition to their wives, but this is not allowable for Christians. This is because the former nation was focused on outward things apart from deeper ones, while Christians can be intent on deeper ones and therefore on the marriage of what is good and what is true: 3246, 4837, 8809.
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379. Nor is truly conjugial love possible between one husband and several wives; for its spiritual origin, which is the formation of one mind out of two, is thus destroyed; and in consequence, interior conjunction, which is the conjunction of good and truth, from which is the very essence of that love, is also destroyed. Marriage with more than one is like an understanding divided among several wills; or it is like a man attached not to one but to several churches, since his faith is so distracted thereby as to come to naught. The angels declare that marrying several wives is wholly contrary to Divine order, and that they know this from several reasons, one of which is that, as soon as they think of marriage with more than one, they are alienated from internal blessedness and heavenly happiness, and become like drunken men, because good is separated from its truth with them. And as the interiors of their mind are brought into such a state merely by thinking about it with some intention, they perceive clearly that marriage with more than one would close up their internal mind, and cause conjugial love to be displaced by lustful love, which love withdraws from heaven. 1
[2] They declare further that this is not easily comprehended by men because there are few who are in genuine conjugial love, and those who are not in it know nothing whatever of the interior delight that is in that love, knowing only the delight of lust, and this delight is changed into what is undelightful after living together a short time; while the delight of truly conjugial love not only endures to old age in the world, but after death becomes the delight of heaven and is there filled with an interior delight that grows more and more perfect to eternity. They said also that the varieties of blessedness of truly conjugial love could be enumerated even to many thousands, not even one of which is known to man, or can enter into the comprehension of anyone who is not in the marriage of good and truth from the Lord.
Footnotes:
1. As husband and wife should be one, and should live together in the inmost of life, and as they together make one angel in heaven, so truly conjugial love is impossible between one husband and several wives (Arcana Coelestia 1907, 2740).
To marry several wives at the same time is contrary to Divine order (Arcana Coelestia 10837).
That there is no marriage except between one husband and one wife is clearly perceived by those who are in the Lord's celestial kingdom (Arcana Coelestia 865, 3246, 9002, 10172).
For the reason that the angels there are in the marriage of good and truth (Arcana Coelestia 3246).
The Israelitish nation were permitted to marry several wives, and to add concubines to wives, but not Christians, for the reason that that nation was in externals separate from internals, while Christians are able to enter into internals, thus into the marriage of good and truth (Arcana Coelestia 3246, 4837, 8809).
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379. Nor is true marriage love possible between one husband and several wives; for its spiritual origin, which is the formation of one mind out of two, is thus destroyed; and in consequence interior conjunction, which is the conjunction of good and truth, from which is the very essence of that love, is also destroyed. Marriage with more than one is like an understanding divided among several wills; or it is like a man attached not to one but to several churches, since his faith is so distracted thereby as to come to naught. The angels declare that marrying several wives is wholly contrary to Divine order, and that they know this from several reasons, one of which is that as soon as they think of marriage with more than one they are alienated from internal blessedness and heavenly happiness, and become like drunken men, because good is separated from its truth in them. And as the interiors of their mind are brought into such a state merely by thinking about it with some intention, they see clearly that marriage with more than one would close up their internal mind, and cause marriage to be displaced by lustful love, which love withdraws from heaven. 1
[2] They declare further that this is not easily comprehended by men because there are few who are in genuine marriage love, and those who are not in it know nothing whatever of the interior delight that is in that love, knowing only the delight of lust, and this delight is changed into what is undelightful after living together a short time; while the delight of true marriage love not only endures to old age in the world, but after death becomes the delight of heaven and is there filled with an interior delight that grows more and more perfect to eternity. They said also that the varieties of blessedness of true marriage love could be enumerated even to many thousands, not even one of which is known to man, or could enter into the comprehension of any one who is not in the marriage of good and truth from the Lord.
Footnotes:
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379. Amor vere conjugialis nec dabilis est inter unum maritum et plures uxores id enim destruit originem ejus spiritualem, quae est ut ex binis formetur una mens pro inde destruit conjunctionem interiorem, quae est boni et veri, quae est ex qua ipsa essentia illius amoris. Conjugium cum pluribus quam cum una est sicut intellectus divisus in plures voluntates ac sicut homo non uni sed pluribus addicatus ecclesiis, sic enim destrahitur fides ejus usque ut nulla fiat. Angeli dicunt, quod plures uxores ducere sit prorsus contra Divinum ordinem et quod id ex pluribus causis sciant, et quoque ex eo, quod ut primum cogitant de conjugio cum pluribus, abalienentur ab interna beatitudine et caelesti felicitate, et quod tunc fiant sicut ebrii, quia disjungitur bonum a suo vero apud illos et quia interiora quae mentis eorum ex sola cogitatione cum aliqua intentione in talem statum veniunt, percipiunt clare quod conjugium cum pluribus quam cum una inter num eorum claudat, et faciat ut loco amoris conjugialis se inferat amor lasciviae, qui amor abducit a caelo. 1
[2] Dicunt porro quod homo aegre hoc comprehendat, quia pauci sunt qui in genuino amore conjugiali sunt, et qui in illo non sunt, prorsus nihil sciunt de interiori jucundo, quod in illo amore est, sed solum de jucundo lasciviae, quod jucundum vertitur in injucundum post brevem cohabitationem; at jucundum amoris vere conjugialis non solum perstat ad senectam in mundo, sed etiam fit jucundum caeli post obitum, et tunc interiori jucundo impletur, quod perficitur in aeternum. Dixerunt etiam, quod beatitudines amoris vere conjugialis possint enumerari ad plura millia, quarum ne quidem una homini nota est, nec intellectu comprehendi potest ab aliquo, qui non in conjugio boni et veri est a Domino.
Footnotes: