For this reason all marriages in heaven are from the Lord
alone. They have also marriage feasts; and these are attended by
many; but the festivities differ in different societies.
384. Marriages on the earth are most holy in the sight of the angels
of heaven because they are seminaries of the human race, and also of
the angels of heaven (heaven being from the human race, as already
shown under that head), also because these marriages are from a
spiritual origin, namely, from the marriage of good and truth, and
because the Lord's Divine flows especially into marriage love.
Adulteries on the other hand are regarded by the angels as profane
because they are contrary to marriage love; for as in marriages the
angels behold the marriage of good and truth, which is heaven, so in
adulteries they behold the marriage of falsity and evil, which is
hell. If, then, they but hear adulteries mentioned they turn away.
And this is why heaven is closed up to man when he commits adultery
from delight; and when heaven is closed man no longer acknowledges
the Divine nor any thing of the faith of church.{1} That all who are
in hell are antagonistic to marriage love I have been permitted to
perceive from the sphere exhaling from hell, which was like an
unceasing endeavor to dissolve and violate marriages; which shows
that the reigning delight in hell is the delight of adultery, and the
delight of adultery is a delight in destroying the conjunction of
good and truth, which conjunction makes heaven.
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