adultery," says the New Church Doctrine, "heaven is closed to him."[1] "It has been shown me," continues our author, "in what manner the delights of conjugial love advance towards heaven, and the delights of adultery towards hell. The advance of the delights of conjugial love towards heaven was into blessednesses continually increasing in number, till they became innumerable and ineffable; and as they advanced more interiorly into what were more innumerable and ineffable, they reached even to the very blessednesses and happinesses of the inmost heaven, or the heaven of innocence; and this by a principle of the most perfect freedom; for all freedom is from love, and thus the most perfect freedom is from conjugial love, which is heavenly love itself. But, on the other hand, the advance of adultery was towards hell, and by degrees to the lowest hell, where there is nothing but what is direful and horrible: such a lot awaits adulterers after their life in the world." It is added, "By adulterers are meant such as perceive delight in adulteries and no delight in marriage."[2]
From this representation of the infernal nature of adultery, may be seen the sinfulness of every thought or feeling that tends towards it, as the indulgence of any disorderly passions or inclinations, which may by possibility lead to such a criminal result. It is not merely in the act, as before shown, that the essence of the sin consists, but in the indulgence of evil thoughts and inclinations. "By committing adultery," says the Doctrine of the New Church, "is meant to be
