love of adultery is like that between heaven and hell. There is a like
difference between the delights of these loves; for delights derive
their all from the loves from which they spring. The delights of the
love of adultery derive what they are from the delights of doing evil
uses, thus of evil-doing; and the delights of the love of marriage from
the delights of doing good uses, thus of well-doing. Therefore such as
the delight of the evil is in doing evil such is the delight of their
love of adultery; because a love of adultery descends therefrom. That
it descends from that scarcely anyone can believe; and yet such is its
origin. From this it is evident that the delight of adultery ascends
from the lowest hell. But the delight of the love of marriage, since it
is from the love of the conjunction of good and truth and from the love
of doing good, is a heavenly delight; and it comes down from the inmost
or third heaven, where love to the Lord from the Lord reigns.

From this it can be seen that the difference between these two delights
is like that between heaven and hell. And yet, for a wonder, it is
believed that the delight of marriage and the delight of adultery are
similar; nevertheless the difference between them is such as has now
been described. But the difference can be discerned and felt only by one
who is in the delight of marriage love. One who is in that delight
plainly feels that in the delight of marriage there is nothing impure or
unchaste, thus nothing lascivious; and that in the delight of adultery
there is nothing but what is impure, unchaste, and lascivious. He feels
that unchastity comes up from beneath, and that chastity comes down from
above. But one who is in the delight of adultery is incapable of
feeling this, because he feels what is infernal as his heavenly.

From all this it follows that the love of marriage, even in its outmost
act, is purity itself and chastity itself; and that the love of adultery