THE IMPUTATION OF THE
TWO LOVES:
SCORTATORY AND CONJUGIAL
Selection from Conjugial Love #523 - 535 ~ Emanuel Swedenborg
VI. THAT IN THE SAME WAY CONJUGIAL LOVE IS
IMPUTED TO EACH MAN.
There are marriages in which
there is no appearance of conjugial love, and yet it is there, and
there are marriages in which there is an appearance of conjugial
love, and yet it is not there. The reasons in both cases are many
and can be learned in part from what has been treated of in the
chapters on Love truly Conjugial (nos. 57-73), the Causes of Colds
and Separations (nos. 234-60), and the causes Of apparent Love and
Friendship in Marriages (nos. 271-92). External appearances,
however, afford no conclusion as to imputation. The sole thing which
affords a conclusion is the conjugial which is inseated and guarded
in the will of every man in whatsoever state of marriage he be, this
conjugial being as a balance wherein that love is weighed; for, as
shown above (nos. 457-58), the conjugial of one man with one wife is
the precious jewel of human life and the repository of the Christian
religion. This being the case, that love may have place with one
married partner and not at the same time with the other; and it may
lie so deeply concealed that the man himself does not notice it; it
may also be inscribed during the course of his life [on earth]. The
reason is, because in its steps, that love accompanies religion, and
religion, being the marriage of the Lord and the Church, is the initiament and engrafting of the love. Therefore, after death, conjugial love is imputed to every one according to his spiritual
rational life; and for him to whom it is imputed, after his decease,
marriage in heaven is provided, whatsoever may have been the nature
of his marriage in the world.
And now, from the above comes the
final clause: Conclusion as to whether a man has or has not conjugial love must not be made from the appearance of marriage or
of scortation. Therefore, Judge not, that ye be not condemned
(Matt. 7:1).
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