6055. Continuation about marriage love
Those who have marriage love are in such a state of being that they are able to have intercourse with their wife as often as they desire, the ability is never lacking, because all the parts of their body are filled with that love, and after intercourse they feel a sense of joy and never sadness, and so are enlivened by it, but the contrary happens to those engaged in adulteries.
[2] 2) The husband's love depends on the wife's love; as much as the wife loves such things, so much does the husband, but the contrary is the case with love that is not marriage love, the reason is that they are one and are joined together as to their inward aspects. This is what is meant by their not being two but one flesh [Gen. 2:24, Matt. 19:5-6, Mark 10:8].
[3] 3) Those who have marriage love have a perfect feeling of whether it is lascivious or not, for all lasciviousness belongs to adultery: but with those who have marriage love, there is nothing of lasciviousness. This is sensed by them absolutely perfectly. This feeling is from within; the outward act is the same. With adulterers nothing is felt except what is outward, and not what is inward, when nevertheless all spiritual delights are in the inward elements. This is incomprehensible to those who are not spiritual.
[4] 4) People cannot have marriage love unless they are spiritual, and unless they acknowledge the Lord, for its highest cause is from the marriage of the Lord with heaven and with the Church; this is the spiritual Divine origin.
[5] 5) Because woman is born an affection for truth and good and man the understanding of truth and good, it follows that they are joined as a one and that marriage love continually unites them, and thus that they are loves and images of the Lord.
[6] 6) The effect of marriage love is wonderful. Describe its power.
[7] 7) There is absolutely nothing lascivious in marriage love, although outwardly they are similar, but in marriage love there is what is similar within.
[8] 8) About how atrocious many adulteries are.
[9] 9) Cerberus symbolizes a guard to prevent the delight of marriage love from flowing down into hell.
[10] 10) After this various things about adulteries. [Marriage love] produces the delights of heaven, by communication.
[11] 11) The child takes on the affections of the father and mother, consequently the heredity is not so harmful.
Marriage love opens heaven, and the love of adultery closes heaven.
6055. CONJUGIAL LOVE - (continued).
Those men who are in conjugial love, are in such a state that they can enjoy intercourse with their wife as often as they please: the ability never fails, inasmuch as all parts of their body are in that love and, after intercourse, they are affected with joyfulness, and never with dejection, so that they are invigorated by it; but the contrary happens with those who are in adulteries.
(2) The husband's love depends on the wife's love; so far as she loves such things, so far does the husband. It is the reverse in love which is not conjugial. The reason is because the former are one, and are conjoined as to interiors: this is meant by their being not twain, but one flesh.
(3) Those who are in conjugial love, feel with certainty whether there is lasciviousness or not, for all lasciviousness is of adultery; but there is nothing of lasciviousness with those who are in conjugial love. This they perceive most perfectly. That sensation is from the interior. The outward act is similar to that. Adulterers feel nothing save that which is exterior, and not anything interior; when yet all spiritual delight is in interiors, and is incomprehensible to those who are not spiritual.
(4) Nobody can be in conjugial love except he be spiritual, and except he acknowledge the Lord; for the ultimate cause thereof is from the Lord's marriage with heaven, and with the Church. This is its Divine-spiritual origin.
(5) Since woman is born the affection of truth and good, and man the understanding of truth and good, it is hence manifest that they are conjoined as one, and that conjugial love constantly makes them one, and thus that they are loves, and images, of the Lord.
(6) The effect of conjugial love is wonderful: its power may be described.
(7) There is nothing at all of lasciviousness in conjugial love; although it is outwardly similar, yet it is dissimilar inwardly.
(8) [I might mention] many exceedingly execrable things concerning adulteries.
(9) Cerberus signifies a guard to prevent the delight of conjugial love from flowing down into hell.
(10) Afterwards, [I might relate] various other things concerning adulteries. [Conjugial love] produces the delights of heaven, by communication.
(11) The offspring puts on the affections of the father and mother: hence, the hereditary nature is not so malignant.
The love of marriage opens heaven. The love of adultery closes heaven.
6055. Continuatio de amore conjugiali
Illi qui in amore conjugiali sunt in tali statu sunt, ut cum uxore sua possint congredi, quoties volunt, nusquam deest, quia omnia corporis eorum in illo amore sunt, et post congressum hilaritate afficiuntur, et nusquam moestitia, sic ut vivificentur per id, at contrarium evenit illis qui in adulteriis.
2) Amor mariti dependet ex amore uxoris, quantum haec amat talia, tantum maritus, contrarium est in amore non conjugiali: causa est, quia illi unum sunt, et conjuncti quoad interiora, hoc intelligitur per quod non duo sed una caro sint [Gen. II: 24, Matth. XIX: 5-6, Marc. X: 8].
3) Quod illi qui in amore conjugiali sunt, exacte sentiant num sit lascivum vel non, omne enim lascivum est adulterii, at apud illos qui in amore conjugiali sunt, nihil lascivi, hoc exactissime ab illis sentitur. Est ex interiori illa sensatio, exterior actus est similis, apud adulteros non sentitur nisi id quod exterius, et non interius, cum tamen in interioribus est omnis jucunditas spiritualis, incomprehensibilis illis qui non spirituales sunt.
4) Nemo in amore conjugiali potest esse nisi spiritualis sit, et nisi agnoscat Dominum, nam causa ejus suprema est a conjugio Domini cum coelo et cum Ecclesia, hoc est origo ejus Divina spiritualis.
5) Quia mulier nata est affectio veri et boni ac vir intellectus veri et boni, inde patet quod conjuncti sint sicut unum, et quod amor conjugialis continuo uniat, et quod sic sint amores, ac imagines Domini.
6) Quod effectus amoris conjugialis sit mirabilis, describatur potentia.
7) Quod in amore conjugiali prorsus nihil lascivi sit, tametsi simile extra, sed similis intra.
8) De adulteriis quam nefanda plura.
9) Quod Cerberus significet custodiam ut jucundum amoris conjugialis in infernum non defluat. 10) Postea varia de adulteriis, facit delitias coeli per communicationem.
11) 1
Proles induit affectiones patris et matris, inde haereditarium non tam malignum. Amor conjugii aperit coelum, et amor adulterii claudit coelum.
Footnotes:
1. sic ms. sed sensum explicare vel interpretare non ausus sum; cf. autem 231 et indicem ad Insania, n. 230, 231; ut et n. 29