Page:CONJUGIAL LOVE.djvu/46

41, 42 living; for all live unto him, Luke xx. 27 — 38, Matt. xxii. 22 — 32 ; Mark xii. 18 — 27. By these words the Lord taught two things; first, that a man (homo) rises again after death ; and secondly, that in heaven they are not given in marriage. That a man rises again after death, he taught by these words, God is not the God of the dead, but of the living, and when he said that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, are alive : he taught the same also in the parable concerning the rich man in hell, and Lazarus in heaven, Luke xvi. 22 — 31. Secondly, that in heaven they are not given in marriage, he taught by these words, " Those who shall he accounted worthy to attain to another generation, neither marry nor are given in marriage." That none other than spiritual nuptials are here meant, is very evident from the words which immediately follow — "neither can they die any more because they are like unto the angels, and are the sons of God, being sons of the resurrection." Spiritual nuptials mean conjunction with the Lord, which is effected on earth ; and when it is effected on earth, it is also effected in the heavens; therefore in the heavens there is no repetition of nuptials, nor are they again given in marriage: this is also meant by these words, "The sons of this generation marry and are given in marriage; but those who are accounted worthy to attain to another generation, neither marry nor are given in marriage." The latter are also called by the Lord "sons of nuptials" Matt. ix. 15; Mark ii. 19; and in this place, angels, sons of God, and sons of the resurrection. That to celebrate nuptials, signifies to be joined with the Lord, and that to enter into nuptials is to be received into heaven by the Lord, is manifest from the following passages: The kingdom of heaven is like unto a man, a king, who made a marriage (nuptials) for his son, and sent out servants and invited to the marriage, Matt. xxii. 2 —14. The kingdom of heaven is like unto ten virgins, who went forth to meet the bridegroom: of whom five being prepared entered into the marriage (nuptials). Matt. XXV, 1, and the following verses. That the Lord here meant himself, is evident from verse 13, where it is said. Watch ye I because ye know not the day and hour in which the Son of Man will come : also from the Revelation, The time of the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready : blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb, xix. 7, 9. That there is a spiritual meaning in everything which the Lord spake, has been fully shewn in the, published at Amsterdam in the year 1763.

42. To the above I shall add two memorable relations respecting the spiritual world. The first is as follows : One morning I was looking upwards into heaven and saw over me three expanses one above another; I saw that the first expanse, 42