the Lord in each other. And the more there is of the Lord in both—the more the man's understanding is enlightened by his wisdom and the more the woman's heart is warmed by his love, so much the more do they love and delight in each other, and the closer, therefore, is their union.
Moreover, conjugial love as it exists in heaven, is all from the Lord. It has its origin in the divine marriage of love and wisdom in Him; and thence it descends into angelic minds, and into minds of men who are nearest like the angels. This is clearly perceived by consorts in heaven; and they also perceive that the more faithfully they do the will of the Lord, the more are their minds opened to the reception of his love and wisdom, and the more do they experience of their heavenly delights in the love they feel for each other. And it is given them further to perceive that conjugial love corresponds to the marriage of the Lord with his church; for as husband and wife in heaven mutually love each other, so the Lord loves the church, his Bride, and forever wills that it should love and be conjoined with Himself, her Husband.
It thus appears, both from its origin and correspondence, how pure and holy conjugial love is, and what sanctity there is in marriage as it is viewed in heaven. The Lord himself being regarded as the source and centre and very essence of it, this love with the angels is not only free from terrestrial defilements, but is the fountain of all other angelic loves.
