Heaven and Hell - Swedenborg Foundation

HEAVEN AND HELL 309
marriages on earth. In heaven marryings are spiritual, and
cannot properly be called marryings, but conjunctions of
minds from the conjunction of good and truth. But on earth
there are marryings, because these are not of the spirit alone
but also of the flesh. And as there are no marryings in heaven,
consorts there are not called husband and wife; but from the
angelic idea of the joining of two minds into one, each consort
designates the other by a name signifying one’s own, mutually
and reciprocally. This shows how the Lord’s words in regard to
marrying and giving in marriage (Luke 20:35, 36), are to be
understood.
383. I have also been permitted to see how marriages are
contracted in the heavens. As everywhere in heaven those who
are alike are united and those who are unlike are separated, so
every society in heaven consists of those who are alike. Like are
brought to like not by themselves but by the Lord (see above,
n. 41, 43, 44 seq.); and equally consort to consort whose
minds can be joined into one are drawn together; and
consequently at first sight they inmostly love each other, and
see themselves to be consorts, and enter into marriage. 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