8. 主与教会的婚姻，就是圣经中良善与真理的婚姻。
主在圣经中被称作“新郎”和“丈夫”，教会被称作“新妇”和“妻子”。主和教会被如此称呼，是因为良善与真理的结合发生在天堂的每个人，或有教会在心里的每个教会之人里面。主流入天使和教会之人，与他们的爱之良善与慈悲相称。被爱之良善与慈悲鼓舞的天使或教会之人，依据他从圣经所理解的教义和信仰真理接受主，从而产生结合，这样的结合被称为“属天的婚姻”。这样的婚姻存在于圣经的每个细微处。正因它在每个细微处，圣经于是被称为“属天的婚姻”。
关于这样的婚姻存在于圣经的每个细微处，请参阅《天国的奥秘》和《新耶路撒冷及其属天教义》 1中论及圣经的多处相关内容。只有那些研究圣经内义或灵义之人方可看出圣经中存在这样的婚姻，因为圣经中—尤其在先知书中—处处可见对同一事物的两个表达：其一关乎良善，因而与主相关；另一关乎真理，因而与教会相关。了解对应学知识的人会明显看出这一点，因为圣经的内容当中，有的表达与词语对应于良善，有的对应于真理。因此，主通过圣经与天堂和教会结合。
[2] 因为有婚姻在圣经之中，所以圣经之中有属灵之义，还有属天之义。属灵之义给那些处于主的属灵国度中的人，他们构成了所有的低层天；而属天之义则给那些处于主的属天国度中的人，他们构成高层天；属灵国度的众天使拥有圣经的真理，而属天国度的众天使掌握圣经的良善。因此，当有人持敬畏之心读圣经时，照着对应的关系，属灵的天使感知其中的真理，而属天的天使感知良善。不过，属天的天使并非直接从人感知良善，而是间接地从属灵天使感知，这是个奥秘。这是因为当今基督教界内几乎无人在属天之爱的良善之中，仅仅有一些人在真理之中；因此，属天之爱的良善无法直接由人传递给构成第三层天的属天天使，只能通过构成第二层天的属灵天使间接传递。
主与教会的婚姻因而藉着圣经存在于诸天之中，因为圣经的属灵意义关乎教会，属天意义关乎主。因此，属灵天使将万事与教会相连，属天天使将万事与主相连；因此，主将天堂比作婚姻，并称之为婚姻 2，正是圣经实现了这样的婚姻。然而，这是个奥秘，世人只能隐约感觉如此，而天堂的天使却可以清楚地感知。
[3] 属灵天使应用于教会的一切，都被属天天使联传达于主，因为主是教会的一切。
Footnotes:
1. 附注：参看《新耶路撒冷及其属天教义》马太福音22:1-14, 25:1-13。
8. The Marriage of the Lord with the Church, which is the Marriage of Good and Truth in the Word
People know that in the Word the Lord is called Bridegroom and Husband, and the church bride and wife. The reason the Lord and the church are so designated comes from the conjunction of good and truth in everyone who is in heaven, or who. is in the church and has the church within him. For the Lord flows into angels and people of the church from the goodness of their love and charity; and angels or people of the church receive the Lord-who is in the goodness of love and charity-in the truths of doctrine and faith that they have from the Word. A conjunction is thus formed, which is called the heavenly marriage. This marriage exists in every particular of the Word, and because it is in every particular, the Word itself may be called a heavenly marriage.
The existence of such a marriage in every particular of the Word has been shown many times in Arcana Coelestia (The Secrets of Heaven), and also in The New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine where it deals with the Word. 1That there is such a marriage in the Word can be seen solely from the studies of those who look for its internal or spiritual meaning. For everywhere in the Word, and clearly in the Prophets, two expressions for the same thing occur, one of which relates to good, thus to the Lord, and the other to truth, thus to the church. One who knows correspondences sees this plainly, for he finds phrases and words which correspond to goodness, and phrases and words which correspond to truths. This, now, is the reason there is a conjunction of the Lord with heaven and the church through the Word.
[2] Because there is such a marriage in the Word, therefore the Word has within It a spiritual meaning and a celestial meaning. The spiritual meaning is for those who are in the Lord's spiritual kingdom, who make up all the lower heavens, and the celestial meaning is for those who are in the Lord's celestial kingdom, who make up all the higher heavens. Angels of the spiritual kingdom are concerned with the Word's truths, while angels of the celestial kingdom are concerned with its goodness. Consequently when a person reads the Word with reverence, spiritual angels perceive the truths in it, according to correspondences, and celestial angels perceive its goodness.
What is a secret, however, is that celestial angels do not perceive the goodness in the Word directly from a person, but indirectly through spiritual angels. The reason is that scarcely anyone in the Christian world today is concerned with the goodness of celestial love, but only some with truths. Consequently, the goodness of love cannot be transmitted directly from people to celestial angels, who make up the third heaven, but it is transmitted indirectly through spiritual angels, who make up the second heaven. In this way a marriage of the Lord with the church takes place also by means of the Word in the heavens. For the Word in its spiritual meaning has to do with the church, while in its celestial meaning it has to do with the Lord. Spiritual angels therefore apply everything to the church, whereas celestial angels apply everything to the Lord. That is why heaven is likened by the Lord to a marriage, and is also called a marriage; 2and that is why the Word effects that marriage. However, this is a secret which can be perceived only dimly by people, but which is clearly perceived by an angel of heaven.
[3] Celestial angels are able to apply to the Lord everything that spiritual angels apply to the church, because the Lord is the all in all of the church.
Footnotes:
1. See Matthew 22:1-14; 25:1-13.
8. VIII. The Lord's marriage with the church, which is the marriage of good and truth in the Word.
It is well known that in the Word the Lord is called bridegroom and husband, and the church bride and wife. The reason these terms are applied to the Lord or the church is because of the linking of good and truth in every individual in heaven and in the church, who has the church within him. For the Lord exerts His influence on an angel or a member of the church from the good of love and charity. The angel or member of the church who is governed by the good of love and charity receives the Lord in the truths of teaching and faith he possesses from the Word. Thus a linking takes place, which is called the heavenly marriage. This marriage is present in the details of the Word, and since it has this in its details the Word may be called the heavenly marriage.
The existence of such a marriage in the details of the Word was demonstrated at length in my Arcana Caelestia and also in the Teaching of the New Jerusalem, 1where the Word is discussed. The existence of such a marriage can only be seen by 2those who are concerned for its inner or spiritual sense. For there are everywhere, and quite obviously in the prophetic books, two expressions for one thing, one of which refers to good, and so to the Lord, the other to truth and so to the church. Anyone who knows the correspondences can see this clearly; for there are expressions and words which correspond to good, and there are others 3which correspond to truths. This then is how the Lord is linked with heaven and with the church by means of the Word.
[2] Since there is a marriage in the Word, it contains a spiritual and a celestial sense. The spiritual sense is for those in the Lord's spiritual kingdom, who make up all the lower heavens; the celestial sense is for those in the Lord's celestial kingdom, who make up all the higher heavens. The angels of the spiritual kingdom possess the truths of the Word, but those of the celestial kingdom its good. When therefore a person reads the Word piously, the spiritual angels perceive by correspondences the truths in it, the celestial angels the kinds of good in it. But, what is a secret, the celestial angels do not perceive the good in it directly from the person, but indirectly through the spiritual angels. The reason is that hardly anyone in the Christian world today possesses the good of celestial love, but some possess only truths. The good of love cannot therefore pass directly from a person to the celestial angels who compose the third heaven, but it passes indirectly through the spiritual angels who compose the second heaven.
Thus the Lord's marriage with the church is also realised in the heavens by means of the Word. For the Word in its spiritual sense deals with the church, but in its celestial sense with the Lord. So the spiritual angels relate everything to the church, but the celestial angels to the Lord. That is why the Lord likens heaven to a marriage and so calls it; and it is the Word which brings about this marriage. But this is a secret which can only dimly be perceived by a person on earth, but it is clearly perceived by an angel in heaven.
[3] The reason why celestial angels can relate to the Lord everything which the spiritual angels relate to the church is that the Lord is everything to the church.
Footnotes:
1. i.e. The New Jerusalem and Heaven's Teaching for it. -Translator
2. The manuscript has 'from'. -Translator
3. The manuscript has 'correspondences'. B. Rogers proposes the same emendation -Translator
8. VIII. THE MARRIAGE OF THE LORD WITH THE CHURCH, WHICH IS THE MARRIAGE OF GOOD AND TRUTH IN THE WORD.
It is known that the Lord is called in the Word the Bridegroom and Husband, and the church the bride and wife. That the Lord and the church are so called, is because of the conjunction of good and truth with everyone who is in heaven, and who is in the church, in whom is the church; for the Lord flows in with an angel and with a man of the church from the good of love and charity. The angel and the man of the church who is in the good of love and charity, receives the Lord in the truths of doctrine and of faith which he has from the Word. Thereby conjunction is effected, which is called the heavenly marriage. This marriage is in the single things of the Word, and because it is in the single things, the Word itself may be called the heavenly marriage.
That there is such a marriage in the single things of the Word has been shown in many places in the Arcana Coelestia, and also in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, where it treats of the Word. That there is such a marriage there, can be seen only by those who study its internal or spiritual sense, for everywhere, and conspicuously in the prophets, there are two expressions for one thing, of which one refers to good, thus to the Lord, and the other to truth, thus to the church. This is clearly seen by one who has a knowledge of correspondences, for there are senses and words which correspond to good, and there are correspondences which correspond to truths. Hence now there is a conjunction of the Lord with heaven and with the church by means of the Word.
[2] Since there is a marriage in the Word, therefore there is in it a spiritual sense and there is a celestial sense: the spiritual sense for those who are in the Lord's spiritual kingdom, who constitute all the lower heavens; and the celestial sense for those who are in the Lord's celestial kingdom, who constitute all the higher heavens. The angels of the spiritual kingdom are in the truths of the Word, but the angels of the celestial kingdom are in the goods of the Word.
When therefore a man reads the Word with reverence, spiritual angels according to correspondences perceive truths therein, and celestial angels perceive goods; but, and this is an arcanum, the celestial angels do not perceive the goods therein immediately from man, but mediately through the spiritual angels.
The reason is, that scarcely any one in the Christian world at this day is in the good of celestial love, but only some are in truths; wherefore the good of love cannot pass immediately from man to the celestial angels, of whom the third heaven consists, but passes mediately through the spiritual angels, of whom the second heaven is composed. The marriage of the Lord with the church thus exists also in the heavens by means of the Word, for the Word in its spiritual sense treats of the church, but in the celestial sense, of the Lord. Therefore the spiritual angels apply all things to the church, but the celestial angels all things to the Lord. Hence heaven is compared by the Lord to a marriage, and is also called a marriage, and hence the Word effects that marriage. But this is an arcanum, which can be perceived only obscurely by man, while it is clearly perceived by an angel of heaven.
[3] The celestial angels can apply to the Lord all things which spiritual angels apply to the church, because the Lord is the all of the church.
8. De Conjugio Domini cum Ecclesia, quod est Conjugium boni et veri in Verbo
[1] Notum est, quod Dominus in Verbo dicatur Sponsus et maritus, et Ecclesia sponsa et uxor; causa quod Dominus et Ecclesia ita dicantur, est propter conjunctionem boni et veri apud unumquemvis qui est in coelo, et qui est in Ecclesia, in quo est Ecclesia; Dominus enim influit apud Angelum et apud hominem Ecclesiae ex bono amoris et charitatis, et Angelus et homo Ecclesiae recipit Dominum, qui est in bono amoris et charitatis, in veris doctrinae et fidei apud se, ex Verbo; inde fit conjunctio, quae vocatur conjugium coeleste; hoc conjugium est in singulis Verbi, et quia est in singulis ejus, ipsum Verbum vocari potest conjugium coeleste. Quod tale conjugium sit in singulis Verbi, multis ostensum est in Arcanis coelestibus, et quoque in Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae, ubi agitur de Verbo; quod tale conjugium ibi sit, solum videri potest ex illis qui student sensui interno seu spirituali ejus; sunt enim ubivis, et in propheticis manifeste, binae expressiones unius rei, quarum una se refert ad bonum, ita ad Dominum, altera ad verum, ita ad Ecclesiam; hoc videt clare qui scit correspondentias, sunt enim sensus et voces, quae correspondent bono, et sunt sensus et voces, quae correspondent veris. Inde nunc est conjunctio Domini cum Coelo et cum Ecclesia per Verbum.
[2] Quoniam in Verbo est conjugium, ideo in illo est sensus spiritualis et est sensus coelestis, sensus spiritualis pro illis qui in spirituali Regno Domini sunt, qui omnes coelos inferiores constituunt, et sensus coelestis pro illis qui in Regno coelesti Domini sunt, qui omnes coelos superiores constituunt; angeli Regni spiritualis sunt in veris Verbi, angeli autem Regni coelestis sunt in bonis Verbi, quare cum homo sancte legit Verbum, angeli spirituales secundum correspondentias percipiunt vera ibi, et angeli coelestes percipiunt bona ibi; sed quod arcanum est, Angeli coelestes non immediate ab homine percipiunt bona ibi, sed mediate per Angelos spirituales; causa est, quia vix aliquis hodie in Christiano orbe est in bono amoris coelestis, sed modo sunt quidam in veris, quare bonum amoris immediate ab homine ad angelos coelestes, ex quibus est coelum tertium, transire nequit, sed transit mediate per angelos spirituales, ex quibus est coelum secundum. Conjugium Domini cum Ecclesia ita quoque per Verbum existit in coelis, agit enim Verbum in sensu spirituali de Ecclesia, in sensu autem coelesti de Domino, quare angeli spirituales applicant omnia ad Ecclesiam, at angeli coelestes omnia ad Dominum; inde coelum comparatur conjugio a Domino, et quoque vocatur conjugium, et inde Verbum facit illud conjugium. Sed hoc est arcanum, quod non nisi quam obscure ab homine potest percipi, sed clare percipitur ab angelo coeli.
[3] Quod angeli coelestes possint omnia applicare ad Dominum, quae angeli spirituales applicant ad Ecclesiam, est quia Dominus est omne Ecclesiae.