Spiritual marriage

“ And here the bride therefore says, that after she has entered in within the divine wisdom — that is, the spiritual marriage, which is now and will be in glory, seeing God face to face — her soul united with the divine wisdom, the Son of God, she will then understand the deep mysteries of God and Man, which are the highest wisdom hidden in God. ”

“ We see that marriages in heaven result necessarily from the nature, constitution and wants of the soul, and from the obvious fact that each one preserves his own identity in the Hereafter, and takes with him into the other world all that appertains to his immortal part—all his dominant thoughts, inclinations, dispositions and feelings. For marriage is a necessity of our human nature in its highest and most perfect state. It is one of the deepest wants both of man and woman—one that is woven, as it were, into the very fibres of our spiritual as well as natural being. ”

“ By proclaiming a union of souls, and the spiritual uses of marriage as well as the spiritual nature of love truly conjugial, it teaches every woman who desires a true marriage, the necessity of elevating her thoughts and affections to things spiritual and divine, and of looking for some measure, at least, of heavenly wisdom in the man whom she is to call her husband. It teaches her that the supreme delights of marriage can never be known except to the spiritually minded and regenerate ”

“ The reason is involved in the answer to the question, "Of what is marriage a symbol?" The most obvious answer, and doubtless the best one, is found in the well known and much abused doctrine, common to every religion, of the spiritual marriage between God and the soul. What Christians call the Mystic Way, and Buddhists the Path comprises those changes in consciousness through which every soul passes on its way to perfection. When the personal life is conceived of as an allegory of this inner, intense, super-mundane life, it assumes a sacramental character. ”

“ That marriage exists in heaven follows as a conclusion from what has already been advanced on the subject. If, as we have seen, sex is grounded in the very constitution of the human soul, and is thus essentially spiritual, it cannot but exist in the spiritual world. If marriage is essentially a union of souls, death cannot dissolve it: if it is chaste, pure, and holy, it cannot be unworthy of a place in that kingdom inhabited by the pure in heart. Indeed, if marriage exists in its purity only with the heavenly-minded, where can it exist in its perfection but in heaven itself? ”

“ From the words which immediately follow,—that they cannot die any more, because they are like the angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection,—it is very evident that no other marriage is here meant than spiritual marriage. By spiritual marriage conjunction with the Lord is meant, and this is effected on earth; and when it is effected on earth it is effected also in the heavens. The marriage therefore is not performed again in the heavens, and they are not given in marriage. ”

“ CXVIII. The second purpose of marriage is the peopling of the Spaces; its essence is spiritual. In true marriage there is a mutual infiltration of soul, whence it happens that nature, in slowly moulding each to resemble the other, proclaims that marriage real and true ”

“ Let married partners here on earth accept and adopt these heavenly views of marriage, let them be ever mindful of its spiritual design and uses, and never forget or turn away from Him who is the source of all love truly conjugial, and they will experience, in the internal wedding of their souls, a bliss which the world can neither give nor take away. And the pains, disappointments, bereavements, and manifold ills of life, instead of weakening their attachment, will serve to bind their hearts more closely together, and to augment instead of lessening the sweet comfort of love. ”

“ In her chapter on marriage she says: "The scientific morale of marriage is spiritual unity.... Proportionately as human generation ceases, the unbroken links of eternal harmonious being will be spiritually discerned." ”

“ The married who is truly Christian knows that, even though sometimes things are badly matched, still his marriage relation is well pleasing to God as His creation and ordinance, and what he therein does or endures, passes as done or suffered for God.—Luther.
There is a secular and a spiritual in every proverb. These two are not apart, but flow easily into each other. Secularly, a wife is the highest treasure. ”

“ Marriage should be the school of virtue, and man's The wine and water. offspring should be the germ of his highest nature. May Christ, Truth, be present at every bridal altar, to turn the water into wine, and give to human life an inspiration whereby man's spiritual origin and existence may be discerned.
If the foundations of human affection are consistent with progress, they will be strong and enduring. Foundations. Divorces should warn the age of some fundamental error in the marriage state. ”

“ But while acknowledging the sensuous element in marriage, He lifts it up into the spiritual realm and transmutes it into a symbol of soul-communion. Our Lord does not derive the sanction of wedded life from Mosaic legislation. Still less does He permit it as a concession to human frailty. It has its ground in creation itself, and while therefore it is the most natural of earthly relationships it is of God's making. To the true ideal of marriage there are several features which our Lord regards as indispensable. ”

“ Marriage is the legal and moral provision for generation among human kind. Until the spiritual creation Marriage temporal is discerned intact, is apprehended and understood, and His kingdom is come as in the vision of the Apocalypse, — where the corporeal sense of creation was cast out, and its spiritual sense was revealed from heaven, — marriage will continue, subject to such moral regulations as will secure increasing virtue. ”

“ The moment a spiritual idea is admitted into the thought respecting marriage, and anything like a union of souls is conceded to be possible, that moment it is seen that the marriage relation must exist in the world beyond, or wherever souls exist. ”

“ Thus marriage in its true state is eminently spiritual, holy, and pure. True marriage then, while it has its first and highest origin in the union of love and wisdom in the Lord, has its immediate origin in the conjunction of love and wisdom in the minds of the parties themselves, who enter into the marriage covenant; and no real, because no spiritual union, can exist between two, unless each is a subject of this heavenly marriage. A pair may be said to be united in true marriage, when they love the image of God in each other, and the image of each other in themselves. ”

“ We have only to look into the gospels and the teachings of the Apostle of the Gentiles to see by what means we may in the married state so sanctify our lives as to deserve this heavenly transformation; we have only to read the marriage-service to learn the plain, straightforward, but most solemn duties, the performance of which will secure us spiritual peace and joy in this life or the next. ”

“ Marriage provides most effectually for these and all kindred uses, because it is that state of life most favourable to the growth both of natural and spiritual virtue, and thence to the formation of the heavenly life. That state of life has the greatest tendency to spiritualise the mind, which tends most to weaken self-love, and to strengthen mutual affection. And one of the principal uses of the married life is its constant tendency to draw out the affections, and place them on other objects than self. ”

“ And before the evils resulting from a low and false view of marriage can be avoided, people must obtain a higher and truer view of it. The men and women of Christendom need to have their ideas on this subject elevated and spiritualized. They need to have the institution lifted up from the earth, to be shown the spiritual nature of the marriage relation, the spiritual uses it was meant to subserve, and the spiritual considerations from which it should be entered into, if they would realize the blessings it was meant to confer. ”

“ I believe in you, and you in me—I find in you all that you find in me—every possible human security for our future happiness. But this love must yet be consecrated; and in the eyes of the world, in which we are called upon to live, marriage is the only consecration, and marriage enchains one’s whole life. ”

“ Being the first wife, while in the heyday of life and youth having her husband to herself, in obedience to the law of God she sacrificed her own feelings at the shrine of duty, and in compliance with the laws of celestial marriage was willing that others should also share the affections of her husband. ”

“ So far, then, as the truths pertaining to man are conjoined to good, so far man is conjoined to the Lord and to heaven. Hence is the origin of conjugial love; wherefore it is the very plane of the Divine influx. And hence it is, that the conjunction of good and truth in the heavens is called the heavenly marriage; and that heaven, in the Word, is compared to a marriage, and is also called a marriage, and that the Lord is called the Bridegroom and Husband, and heaven, with the church, is called the bride and wife. ”

“ How, let me ask, in God's Holy Name, can you expect home, happiness or heaven in a family where the wife never, from the altar, where she swore her life away, to the grave that closes over her fretted corpse, never realizes the slightest marriage joy, or anything else than utter and profound disgust? How can a man be constant, faithful, good or great, who is in a sense, compelled to run after harlots because his wife is concentrated ice? You can't expect perfection from conditions themselves imperfect! But there is a clear passage and open water out of this Polar sea of marriage land. ”

“ Such is the important practical lesson which the new doctrine concerning marriages in heaven inculcates. It teaches consorts on earth to begin their wedded life with the Lord. It reveals to them the necessity (if they would know the supreme delights of marriage) , of living and acting continually from religious principle ”

“ To bring about this great consummation, the Gospel was instituted, the Savior chosen, Earth created, and the human race placed upon this planet. Nothing imperfect can inherit the Divine Presence—the fulness of God's glory. This important lesson is taught by the principle of marriage—celestial marriage—the sealing of the sexes, not for time only, but for all eternity. "The man is not without the woman, nor the woman without the man, in the Lord." ”

“ Why is it that the hearts of married partners often grow cold and colder towards each other as the years roll by? Why does married life with many, at first so sweet and joyous, after a while prove to be so dull, insipid, almost wearisome? The reason is obvious. They do not understand or do not accept the heavenly doctrine concerning marriage, nor do they know the heavenly nature of conjugial love. ”

“ She was inspired of God to teach that it is not good​—​for others​—​to marry and she has inspired into the minds of her faithful followers the belief that marriage is of the earth very earthy indeed, and that life in the realm of spirit is impossible to those in the holy estate of matrimony. ”

“ If we make our marriages for worldly advantage, vanity, blind desire, or personal convenience, our children will be moulded on those passions, and grow up to be curses to the world they live in. Love, and love only of the purest, truest, and highest kind, must be the foundation of the marriage Sacrament,—love that is prepared to endure all the changes of fate and fortune—love that is happy in working and suffering for the thing beloved—love that counts nothing a hardship,—neither sickness, nor sorrow, nor poverty, provided it can keep its faith unbroken! ”

“ After divers washings and anointings and rubbings, the acting of an historic drama, the taking of oaths and grips, and the giving of a new name, celestial wisdom and joy are supposed to descend and forever rest upon the favored soul. Secret marriage rites, which seal husband and wife for time and eternity, form part of the ceremony. ”

“ That is true of the main body of it; but no deeper, terser expression of the inmost blessedness of happy marriage was ever spoken than in the quiet words, 'The heart of her husband trusteth in her,' with the repose of satisfaction, with the tranquillity of perfect assurance. The bond uniting husband and wife in a true marriage is not unlike that uniting us with God. ”

“ Then, provided this other soul sees a like worth in you, and cherishes a like devotion for what you are and aim to be, marriage is not merely a duty: it is the open door into the purest and noblest life possible to man and woman. Complete identification and devotion, entire surrender of each to each in mutual affection is the condition of true marriage. ”

“ I have said enough before, I hope, to make you realize that I do not think that when passion has gone marriage is dead. I have seen marriages which seemed unequal, difficult, unblest, made into something lovely and sacred by the deep patience and loyalty of human nature, and believe it is the knowledge of such possibilities which makes Christian people, and even those who would not call themselves Christians, generally desire some religious ceremony when they are married. They know that for such love human nature itself is hardly great enough. ”

“ But to the delicate Marthe, marriage is a sacrament, and only in marriage may she love entirely anything less than God. Unconsecrated love is but an ‘abjuration passionnée’—‘la seule vie qu’on puisse partager—le seul échange possible—c’est le marriage,’ as we have learned already in Partage de Midi. ”