Those who lacked conjugial love have no spiritual or inward bond, but only a natural or outward one. Without an inward bond to keep it in order and functioning, an outward bond is no more permanent than a sash without a fastening, which falls apart as it is tossed about or blown by the wind. The reason is that the natural is derived from the spiritual, and as it comes into being is nothing but a heap of spiritual things gathered together. If therefore the natural is separated from the corresponding spiritual, which produced and so to speak generated it, it no longer has any inward bonding, but only the outward bonding given by the spiritual. This surrounds and ties it generally, but it is neither tied down nor kept tied in detail. That is why the natural separated from the spiritual in the case of a married couple does not bring about any linking of minds, and so not of wills either, but only a linking of some outward affections, which are attached to the bodily senses.

[2] Such people encounter no obstacle or hindrance to contracting second marriages, because they lacked the essential element of marriage, and so cannot have any in them after the separation brought about by death. They are therefore at full liberty to engage the affections which come from the senses, a widower with any woman he wishes and may, a widow with any man she wishes and may. Nor do they themselves think about marriage except in a natural way, and as may be expedient for various needs and outward conveniences, which can after a partner's death again be restored by another person taking the place of the former one. If these inner thoughts were inspected, as they are in the spiritual world, it would be found that they made no distinction between married intercourse and extramarital fornication.

[3] The reason why these people can get married again and again has already been stated: merely natural links are dissolved and fall apart of their own accord after death. For outward affections accompany the body when it dies and are buried with it; only those which are attached to inward ones remain. But it ought to be known that on earth it is very difficult to contract a marriage which forms an inward link, because it is impossible for the choice of inward likenesses to be provided for by the Lord as it is in the heavens, because choice is restricted in many ways; for instance, to those of similar rank and condition, to those living in the same district, city or village. In these circumstances it is mostly outward bonds which bring them together, and so not inward ones. These only come to light after the marriage has lasted some time, and are only recognised when they obtrude on outward ones.