990. And they gnawed their tongues for anguish. That this signifies, that by reason of loathing they are not willing to perceive and to know genuine goods and truths, is evident from the signification of gnawing their tongues, as denoting not to be willing to perceive and know genuine goods and truths (of which we shall speak presently), and from the signification of anguish, as denoting loathing. The reason why by gnawing their tongues is signified not to be willing to perceive and know genuine goods and truths is that by the tongue is signified the perception of truth, and by gnawing the tongue its retention. For the tongue signifies various things, because it is the organ both of speech and taste; and, as the organ of speech, it signifies confession, thought, doctrine, and religion; and, as the organ of taste, it signifies the natural perception of good and truth; whereas the smell corresponds to the spiritual perception of good and truth. For the tongue tastes and relishes meat and drink; and by meat and drink are signified goods and truths, which nourish the natural mind. Not to be willing to have that perception, or not to be willing to perceive genuine goods and truths, is signified by gnawing their tongues. These things are said concerning those who separate faith from the goods of life, for they comprise everything of the church, or of religion, in one article of faith, by which they say that a man is justified. And because a man is justified and saved by this one article only, it follows that all other things of faith, which are the truths of the church, are loathed by them, so that they do not wish to perceive or to know them. For they say in their heart, "To what will these conduce, when this alone saves, that God the Father sent the Son, who has redeemed me from hell by the passion of the cross? Therefore the works of the law neither condemn nor save me, but to think and believe this with confidence." This, now, is why they are not willing to perceive or to know genuine truths and goods because of loathing. The reason why they also nauseate them is, that those who are in faith alone are inwardly opposed to the goods and truths of heaven and the church; also, because they must be inwardly thought of, for they transcend their material ideas. This nausea and this loathing are here signified by anguish.
Continuation concerning the Sixth Precept:-
[2] It was said above, that the difference between the love of marriage and the love of adultery is like that between heaven and hell. There is a similar difference between the respective delights, for delights derive all their quality from the loves in which they are. The delights of the love of adultery derive their qualities from the delights of doing evil uses, thus of doing evil; and the delights of the love of marriage from the delights of doing good uses, thus of well-doing. According, therefore, to the delight that the evil have in doing evil, such is the delight of their love of adultery, because the love of adultery descends therefrom. That such is the case can scarcely be believed, but nevertheless it is so. It is therefore evident that the delight of adultery ascends from the lowest hell. But, on the contrary, the delight of the love of marriage, because it is from the love of the conjunction of good and truth, and from the love of doing good, is a heavenly delight. It descends also from the inmost or third heaven, where love to the Lord from the Lord reigns.
[3] Hence it is evident that the difference between these two delights is like that between heaven and hell. Yet, what is wonderful, it is believed that the delight of marriage and the delight of adultery are similar, when nevertheless the difference between them is such as above stated. But the difference can be discerned and perceived by none but those who are in the delight of conjugial love. He who is in this delight plainly feels that in the delight of marriage there is nothing impure and unchaste, thus nothing lascivious; and that in the delight of adultery there is nothing but what is impure, unchaste, and lascivious. He feels that unchastity ascends from beneath, and that chastity descends from above. But he who is in the delight of adultery cannot feel these things, because what is infernal he feels as heavenly. From these things it follows, that the love of marriage, even in its ultimate act, is purity itself and chastity itself; and that the love of adultery, in its acts, is impurity itself and unchastity itself. Because the delights of both loves appear to be outwardly alike, although inwardly they are altogether unlike, since they are opposites, it is therefore provided by the Lord that the delights of adultery shall not ascend into heaven; also, that the delights of marriage shall not descend into hell. Still, there is some correspondence of heaven with prolification in adulteries, though none with delight in them.
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