Conjugial Love (Acton) n. 433

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433. That conjugial love makes man more and more a male, is also illustrated by what was adduced in the preceding part, on Conjugial Love and its Delights, as: I. That the ability and vigor called virile accompanies wisdom according as the latter is animated from the spiritual things of the Church; that it is then present in the conjugial love; and that wisdom opens the vein of that love from its fountain in the soul, and thus invigorates the intellectual life, which is masculine life itself, and blesses it with perpetuity. 2. That it is from this that the angels of heaven are in this vigor to eternity. This is according to the utterances of their own lips as given in the Memorable Relation, nos. 355, 356. I have heard from their own mouth that the most ancient peoples in the Golden and Silver ages were in enduring efficacy because they loved the caresses of their wives and shuddered at the caresses of harlots. See the Memorable Relations, nos. 75, 76. Moreover, it was told me from heaven that with those who approach the Lord and abominate adulteries as infernal, this spiritual sufficiency will not be lacking today in the natural world* also. The contrary is the case with adulterers from purpose and adulterers from confirmation, of whom just above (no. 432 fin.). That with these, the ability and vigor which is called virile becomes enfeebled until none is left; and that then comes cold even to the sex, and after this a loathing [of the sex] verging on disgust--all this is known though little divulged. That these adulterers are such in hell this I have heard at a distance from sirens there, who are worn-out lusts of venery; and also from brothels. From the above it is clear that scortatory love makes man more and more not a man and not a male; and that conjugial love makes man more and more a man and more and more a male. * The Latin is in naturali (in the natural), but there can be no doubt that it should be in mundo naturali as in the translation.


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