He said that
in the life of the body he had regarded adulteries as of no account.
But I was permitted to tell him that adulteries are heinous, although
to those like himself they do not appear to be such, and even appear
permissible, on account of their seductive and enticing delights.
That they are heinous he might know from the fact that marriages are
the seminaries of the human race, and thus also the seminaries of the
heavenly kingdom; consequently they must on no account be violated,
but must be esteemed holy. This he might know from the fact, which he
ought to know because of his being in the other life and in a state
of perception, that marriage love descends from the Lord through
heaven, and from that love, as from a parent, mutual love, which is
the foundation of heaven is derived; and again from this, that if
adulterers merely draw near to heavenly societies they perceive their
own stench and cast themselves down therefrom towards hell. At least
he must have known that to violate marriages is contrary to Divine
laws, and contrary to the civil laws of all kingdoms, also contrary
to the genuine light of reason, because it is contrary to both Divine
and human order; not to mention other considerations.
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