Page:A Compendium of the Theological Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg.djvu/560

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464
MARRIAGE.

ever become pure with man; nor with the angels. Nor therefore can this love. But as the Lord primarily regards the intention, which is of the will, in the degree that a man is in this intention, and perseveres in it, he is introduced into and gradually progresses in its purity and holiness. (C. L. n. 71.)

They that love the truths of the church and do its goods come into this love, and can abide in it, because [they and] no others are received by the Lord; for they are in conjunction with Him, and on this account can be kept by Him in this love. There are two things which constitute the church and therefore heaven in man; namely, truth of faith, and good of life. Truth of faith constitutes the presence of the Lord, and good of life according to truths of faith effects conjunction with Him; and thus these produce heaven and the church. Truth of faith constitutes the presence of the Lord because it is [of the nature] of light. Spiritual light is nothing else. Good of life effects conjunction because it is [of the nature] of heat. Spiritual heat is nothing else; for it is love, and good of life is of love. And it is known that all light, even of winter, produces presence, and that heat united with light effects conjunction; for fruit and flower gardens appear in all light, but do not blossom and bear fruit except when heat conjoins itself with the light. From all this the conclusion is plain, that they who only know the truths of the church cannot be gifted by the Lord with love that is truly conjugial, but they that know them and do its goods. (ib. n. 72.)

Love that is truly conjugial in its first essence is love to the Lord. Hence it is that no one can be in truly conjugial love, and in its states of pleasantness, delight, blessedness, and joy, but who acknowledges the Lord alone, that is the Three in Him. They who go to the Father as a person by Himself, or to the Holy Spirit as a person by Itself, and not to them in the Lord, have not conjugial love. The genuine conjugial principle is given especially in the third heaven; because the angels there are in love to the Lord, acknowledge Him to be the only God, and do His commandments. To do His commandments, with them, is to love Him. The commandments of the Lord, to them, are the truths in which they receive Him. There is a conjunction of the Lord with them, and of them with the Lord; for they are in the Lord because in good, and the Lord is in them because in truths. This is the heavenly marriage from which love that is truly conjugial descends. (A. E. n. 995.)

Obstacles to Conjugial Love.

From what has been said respecting the origin of conjugial love it may be concluded who are in that love, and who are