laughed aloud,
jested, and bantered, saying, "Inquire of our priests, and not of us, as
to what concerns religion. We acquiesce entirely in what they declare;
because no point of religion is an object of decision in the
understanding. Have you never heard that the understanding is without
any sense or discernment in mysteries, which constitute the whole of
religion? And what have actions to do with religion? Is not the soul
made blessed by the muttering of words from a devout heart concerning
expiation, satisfaction, and imputation, and not by works?" But at this
instant there came some of the wise ones of the city, so called, and
said, "Retire hence; the crowd grows angry; a storm is gathering: let us
talk in private on this subject; there is a retired walk behind the
town-hall; come with us there." We followed them; and they asked us
whence we came, and what was our business there? And we said, "to be
instructed concerning marriages, whether they are holy with you, as they
were with the ancients who lived in the golden, silver, and copper ages;
or whether they are not holy." And they replied, "What do you mean by
holiness? Are not marriages works of the flesh and of the night?" And we
answered, "Are they not also works of the spirit? and what the flesh
does from the spirit, is not that spiritual? and all that the spirit
does, it does from the marriage of good and truth. Is not this marriage
spiritual, which enters the natural marriage of husband and wife?" To
this the wise ones, so called, made answer, "There is too much subtlety
and sublimity in what you say on this subject; you ascend far above
rational principles to spiritual: and who, beginning at such an
elevation, can descend thence, and thus form any decision?" To this they
added with a smile of ridicule, "Perhaps you have the wings of an eagle,
and can fly in the highest region of heaven, and make these discoveries:
this we cannot do." We then asked them to tell us, from the altitude or
region in which the winged ideas of their minds fly, whether they knew,
or were able to know, that the love of one man with one wife is
conjugial love, into which are collected all the beatitudes,
satisfactions, delights, pleasantnesses, and pleasures of heaven; and
that this love is from the Lord according to the reception of good and
truth from him; thus according to the state of the church? On hearing
this, they turned away, and said, "These men are out of their senses;
they