Heaven and Hell - Swedenborg Foundation

HEAVEN AND HELL 305
that marrying several wives is wholly contrary to Divine order,
and that they know this from several reasons, one of which is
that as soon as they think of marriage with more than one they
are alienated from internal blessedness and heavenly happiness,
and become like drunken men, because good is separated from
its truth in them. And as the interiors of their mind are
brought into such a state merely by thinking about it with
some intention, they see clearly that marriage with more than
one would close up their internal mind, and cause marriage to
be displaced by lustful love, which love withdraws from
heaven. 246
[2] They declare further that this is not easily comprehended
by men because there are few who are in genuine marriage
love, and those who are not in it know nothing whatever of the
interior delight that is in that love, knowing only the delight of
lust, and this delight is changed into what is undelightful after
living together a short time; while the delight of true marriage
love not only endures to old age in the world, but after death
becomes the delight of heaven and is there filled with an
interior delight that grows more and more perfect to eternity.
They said also that the varieties of blessedness of true marriage
246. As husband and wife should be one, and should live together in the
inmost of life, and as they together make one angel in heaven, so true
marriage love is impossible between one husband and several wives (n. 1907,
2740).
To marry several wives at the same time is contrary to Divine order (n.
10837).
That there is no marriage except between one husband and one wife is
clearly perceived by those who are in the Lord’s celestial kingdom (n. 865,
3246, 9002, 10172).
For the reason that the angels there are in the marriage of good and
truth (n. 3246).
The Israelitish nation were permitted to marry several wives, and to add
concubines to wives, but not Christians, for the reason that that nation was
in externals separate from internals, while Christians are able to enter into
internals, thus into the marriage of good and truth (n. 3246, 4837, 8809).