The Marriage of the Lord and the Church, and hence the Marriage of Good and Truth, is in every part of the Word

That the marriage of the Lord and the church, and hence the marriage of good and truth is in all the least parts of the Word, has not hitherto been seen; nor could be seen, because the spiritual sense of the Word was not before revealed, and it can only be seen by means of that sense. For there are two senses in the Word lying concealed within its literal sense, the spiritual and the celestial. In the spiritual sense the things that are in the Word relate chiefly to the church; and in the celestial sense they relate chiefly to the Lord. Then in the spiritual sense they relate to Divine truth, and in the celestial sense to Divine good; hence is that marriage in the literal sense of the Word. But this is not apparent to any but those who, from the spiritual and celestial senses of the Word, know the significations of its words and names; for some words and names are predicted of good and some of truth; and some include both; without this knowledge therefore that marriage in the several particulars of the Word cannot be seen. This is the reason why this arcanum has not before been revealed.

Because there is such a marriage in the least parts of the Word, there are often pairs of expressions in the Word which appear as repetitions of the same thing. They are not repeti­tions however, but one has relation to good, and the other to truth; and both taken together form a conjunction of good and truth, thus one thing. Hence also is the Divinity of the Word and its sanctity; for in every Divine work there is a conjunction of good with truth, and of truth with good. (SS n. 80, 81)

That there are pairs of expressions in the Word, which appear like repetitions of the same thing, must be seen by readers who give attention to the subject; as brother and companion; poor and needy; wilderness and desert; vacuity and emptiness; foe and enemy; sin and iniquity; anger and wrath; nation and people; joy and gladness; mourning and weeping; justice and judgment; etc. These appear as synonymous words, and yet they are not so. For the words brother, poor, wilderness, vacuity, foe, sin, anger, nation, joy, mourning, and justice, are predicated of good, and in the opposite sense of evil; but companion, needy, desert, emptiness, enemy, iniquity, wrath, people, gladness, weeping, and judgment, are predicated of truth, and in the opposite sense of falsity. And yet it appears to the reader who is not acquainted with this arcanum, that poor and needy, desert and wilderness, vacuity and emptiness, foe and enemy, etc., are one thing, whereas they are not so, but form one thing by conjunction. Many things are also coupled together in the Word; as fire and flame; gold and silver; brass and iron; wood and stone; bread and wine; purple and fine linen; etc.; because fire, gold, brass, wood, bread, and purple, signify good; and flame, silver, iron, stone, water, wine, and fine linen, signify truth. In like manner it is said, that men are to love God with all the heart and with all the soul; and that God will create in man a new heart and a new spirit; for the heart is predicated of the good of love, and the soul of truth from that good. There are also words which because they partake of both, that is of good and of truth, are used alone, not being joined with others. But these, and many other things, appear to the angels only, and to those who while in the natural sense are also in the spiritual sense.

It would be tedious to show from the Word that there are such pairs of expressions therein, which appear like repetitions of the same thing; for it would fill sheets. But that all doubt may be removed I will adduce passages where judgment and justice [or righteousness] are mentioned together; also nation and people; and joy and gladness. The following are passages where judgment and justice are mentioned together: “The city was full of judgment, justice lodged in it” (Isa. i. 21). “Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with justice” (Isa. i. 27). “Jehovah of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in justice” (Isa. v. 16). “Let him that glorieth glory in this, that … Jehovah exerciseth judgment and justice in the earth” (Jer. ix. 24). ” Execute ye judgment and justice…. Woe unto him that buildeth his house without justice, and his chambers without judgment…. Did not thy father … do judgment and justice, and then it was well with him?” (Jer. xxii. 3, 13, 15). “I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign,.. and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth” (Jer. 5; xxxiii. 15)…. The reason why judgment and justice are so often mentioned is that judgment is predicated of truths, and justice of good; and therefore also to execute judgment and justice means to act from truth and from good. The reason why judgment is predicated of truth, and justice of good, is that the government of the Lord in the spiritual kingdom is called judgment, and the government of the Lord in the celestial kingdom is called justice….

That these repetitions, as it were of the same thing, in the Word, are on account of the marriage of good and truth, may be more clearly seen in places where nations and peoples are mentioned; as in the following: “Ah I sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity” (Isa. i. 4)…. “Jehovah will destroy .. . the covering over all peoples and the nail over all nations” (Isa. xxv. 7). “Come near, ye nations, … and hearken, ye people” (Isa. xxxiv. 1). “I have called thee, … for a covenant of the people, for a light of the nations” (Isa. xlii. 6). “Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled” (Isa. xliii. 9). “Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations, and set up my standard to the people” (Isa. xlix. 22)…. The reason why nations and peoples are mentioned together is that by nations are meant those who are in good, and in the opposite sense those who are in evil, arid by people those who are in truths, and in the opposite sense those who are in falsities. For this reason they who are of the Lord’s spiritual kingdom are called peoples, and they who are of his celestial kingdom are called nations. For in the spiritual kingdom all are in truths, and thence in wisdom; and in the celestial kingdom all are in good, and thence in love.

It is the same with the other expressions, as that where joy is mentioned, gladness also is mentioned; as in these passages: “Behold joy and gladness, slay the ox” (Isa. xxii. 13). “They shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away” (Isa. xxxv. 10; li. 11)…. “Joy and gladness shall be. found in Zion, thanksgiving and the voice of melody” (Isa. li. 3). “And thou shalt have joy and gladness, and many shall rejoice at His birth” (Luke i. 14). “Then will I cause to cease, … the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride” (Jer. vii. 34; xvi. 9; xxv. 10). “Again there shall be heard in this place … the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride” (Jer. xxxiii. 10, 11). And in other places. Both joy and gladness are spoken of because joy is of good, and gladness of truth; or joy is of love, and gladness of wisdom. For joy is of the heart, and gladness of the spirit; or joy is of the will, and gladness of the understanding. It is also evident that there is a marriage of the Lord and the church in these ex­pressions, from the fact that it is said, “The voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride” (Jer. vii. 34; xvi. 9; xxv. 10; xxxiii. 10, 11) and the Lord is the Bridegroom, and the church the bride. That the Lord is the Bridegroom may be seen in Matt. ix. 15; Mark 19, 20; Luke v. 35; and that the church is the bride may be seen in Apoc. xxi. 2, 9; xxii. 17. Therefore John the Baptist said of Jesus, “He that hath the bride is the Bridegroom” (John 29). (ibid.. n. 84-87)