and lastly the third which was highest; and
by virtue of illustration thence, I perceived, that above the first
expanse were the angels who compose the first or lowest heaven; above
the second expanse were the angels who compose the second or middle
heaven; and above the third expanse were the angels who compose the
third or highest heaven. I wondered at first what all this meant: and
presently I heard from heaven a voice as of a trumpet, saying, "We have
perceived, and now see, that you are meditating on CONJUGIAL LOVE; and
we are aware that no one on earth as yet knows what true conjugial love
is in its origin and in its essence; and yet it is of importance that it
should be known: therefore it has pleased the Lord to open the heavens
to you in order that illustrating light and consequent perception may
flow into the interiors of your mind. With us in the heavens, especially
in the third heaven, our heavenly delights are principally derived from
conjugial love; therefore, in consequence of leave granted us, we will
send down to you a conjugial pair for your inspection and observation;"
and lo! instantly there appeared a chariot descending from the highest
or third heaven, in which I saw one angel; but as it approached I saw
therein two. The chariot at a distance glittered before my eyes like a
diamond, and to it were harnessed young horses white as snow; and those
who sat in the chariot held in their hands two turtle-doves, and called
to me, saying, "Do you wish us to come nearer to you? but in this case
take heed, lest the radiance, which is from the heaven whence we have
descended, and is of a flaming quality, penetrate too interiorly; by its
influence the superior ideas of your understanding, which are in
themselves heavenly, may indeed be illustrated; but these ideas are
ineffable in the world in which you dwell: therefore what you are about
to hear, receive rationally, that you may explain it so that it may be
understood." I replied, "I will observe your caution; come nearer:" so
they came nearer; and lo! it was a husband and his wife; who said, "We
are a conjugial pair: we have lived happy in heaven from the earliest
period, which you call the golden age, and have continued during that
time in the same bloom of youth in which you now see us." I viewed each
of them attentively, because I perceived they represented conjugial love
in its life and in its decoration; in its life in their faces, and in
its decoration i