De Conjugio (Whitehead) n. 68

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68. I was carried by the Lord through changes of state towards the left to a certain mountain, where all were naked, wives and husbands, at a distance I spoke with them, and they said that all are naked there, and nevertheless no lascivious appetite or desire was caused to anyone from seeing nakedness, and that each consort loved the consort tenderly; also that they could not be united with them clothed; they told the reason, that all were chaste in mind, because they were such in the world. When any newcomer of such a nature arrives from the world, they explore him, which is done by his putting old his garments and stripping himself; then they perceive immediately whether he has a genuine conjugial; if not, he is driven away with punishment; they drive him with blows until he appears no more, and this to the depth. There was a certain one who thought he was in like conjugial love, because in the world he had lived chastely with his wife, nor had he ever had anything in common with harlots; he at first could look upon naked women without any emotion of mind, but when his sight had been fixed for some time he was deprived of his senses at the sight, and finally at the touch of nakedness, and stood without speech as if half dead, wherefore, he was driven away; the reason was that he was not in love to the Lord nor in the marriage of good and truth. They said that few could approach, because the sphere of conjugial love is such, that others cannot bear it; - they said that they live in houses with menservants and maidservants who are all in marriage.


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