1. 前言:新天國與新教會的信仰

首先, 將本書中所講述的真實的基督徒信仰, 也就是新天國和新教會的信仰, 分別以總體和具體的形式概要地說明。作為接下來全書的引言, 或作為進入聖殿的大門, 又或作為詳細內容的概要。此信仰被稱為新天國和新教會的信仰, 因為天人(angel)組成的天國和世人組成的教會, 如同一個人的靈魂與肉體, 內外一致,行動如一。因此, 若教會之人活在良善與真理之中, 對於思想內在而言, 他就是天國的一名天人。在肉身死後, 他便進入天國, 照著良善與真理在他裡面聯合的狀態在那裡安享極樂。當知道, 在主現在正建立的新天國中, 這樣的信仰是新天國的引言,入門和概要。

ON MARRIAGE II

On the representation of conjugial love by the most beautiful objects.

Truly conjugial love is represented in heaven by various means. It is represented by diamond auras, glistening as if with rubies and garnets, also by the most beautiful rainbows and showers of gold, the sight of which fills by-standers with such pleasure and delight that their minds are stirred to their depths. I have heard the angels in the gardens of heaven when conjugial love was so represented, and they said that they were filled with such delight that they could not express it otherwise than by saying it was delight itself, from which all other delights sprang as from their origin. They said that this was pure mental delight, without any arousing of lust. For such is conjugial love in origin.