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Memorable Occurrences in Swedenborg's Writings

This list of Memorable Occurrences in Swedenborg's Writings was originally compiled by W. C. Henderson in 1960 but has since been updated.

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Conjugial Love #462

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462. TAKING A MISTRESS

In the preceding chapter where we took up fornication, we discussed also resorting to a courtesan, and by that we meant the arranged liaison of an unmarried man with a woman. In contrast, by taking a mistress here we mean the similarly arranged liaison of a married man with a woman. People who do not distinguish between classes of things use these two expressions indiscriminately, as though they had the same meaning and so the same implication. But since the circumstances are of two kinds, and the expression, resorting to a courtesan, fits the first, because a courtesan is a fallen woman, and the expression, taking a mistress, fits the second, because a mistress is a substitute partner of the bed, therefore, for the sake of distinction, we designate an arranged liaison with a woman prior to marriage by the expression, resorting to a courtesan, and an arranged liaison subsequent to marriage by taking a mistress.

[2] We discuss the taking of a mistress here for the sake of an ordered consideration; for from an ordered consideration the nature of marriage is discovered on the one hand, and the nature of adultery on the other. We showed to begin with that marriage and adultery are opposed, in the chapter on the opposition of the two. 1 But the extent to which they are opposed, and in what way, cannot be assimilated except in the light of intermediate courses which lie in between, which include also the taking of a mistress.

However, because this relationship is of two kinds, and kinds which must be altogether differentiated, therefore the present consideration, like previous ones, must be divided into its component parts. This we will do as follows:

1. The taking of a mistress is of two kinds, which differ greatly from each other, one being in conjunction with the wife, the other in separation from the wife.

2. Taking a mistress in conjunction with the wife is altogether forbidden to Christians and abhorrent.

3. It is polygamy, which has been banned from the Christian world, and ought to be banned.

4. It is licentiousness, by which the conjugial inclination, the precious treasure of Christian life, is lost.

5. Taking a mistress in separation from the wife, when done for legitimate, just and truly weighty reasons, is not forbidden.

6. Legitimate reasons for taking a mistress in such a circumstance are the same as those for legitimate divorce, when the wife is nevertheless retained in the home.

7. Just reasons for taking a mistress in such a circumstance are the same as those for separation from the bed.

8. Weighty reasons for taking a mistress in such a circumstance are real and unreal.

9. Weighty reasons that are real are ones which are founded on justice.

10. But weighty reasons that are not real are ones which are not founded on justice, even though on an appearance of justice.

11. Men who take a mistress for legitimate, just and real weighty reasons may be at the same time in a state of conjugial love.

12. As long as this relationship with a mistress continues, physical conjunction with the wife is prohibited.

Explanation of these statements now follows.

Footnotes:

1. See "The Opposition of Licentious Love to Conjugial Love," nos. 423 ff.

  
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Many thanks to the General Church of the New Jerusalem, and to Rev. N.B. Rogers, translator, for the permission to use this translation.

From Swedenborg's Works

 

True Christian Religion #278

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278. The second experience.

Once a paper was sent down to me from heaven written in Hebrew letters, but in the script used in ancient times; the letters which nowadays have in places straight lines were curved, with flourishes pointing upwards. The angels who were then present with me said that they gathered complete ideas from the letters themselves, knowing them especially from the curves of the lines and the serifs of the letters. They explained what these meant separately and what when combined. They said that H, which was added to the names of Abram and Sarai, meant what is infinite and eternal. They also explained in my presence the meaning of a verse of the Word, Psalm 32:2, simply from the letters or characters; their meaning was in short that the Lord is merciful to those who do wrong.

They told me that writing in the third heaven consists of letters bent into various curves, each of which conveys some meaning. Vowels there stood for the sound which corresponds to an affection. In that heaven they cannot pronounce the vowels i and e, but substitute for them y and eu 1 , They used the vowels a, o and u, because they give a full sound. They also said that they did not pronounce any consonants harshly, but softly; and this was why certain Hebrew letters have a point inside, as a sign they are pronounced softly. They said that harshness in letters was used in the spiritual heaven, because there they possess truths, and the truth admits harshness, but good does not, and the angels of the Lord's celestial kingdom, that is, the third heaven, possess good.

They also said that they had among themselves the Word written in curved letters with flourishes and serifs which conveyed a meaning. This made it plain what these words of the Lord mean:

Not a jot nor a stroke shall pass away from the Law, until all things are done, Matthew 5:18.

Also:

It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to fall out, Luke 16:17.

Footnotes:

1. These letters must be understood as having values as in modern Italian, but y means the sound of French u or German u.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.

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