Conjugial Love · §§ 361–400

361. The very reason shall be unfolded why man is set on fire by an attack upon his love. The human form, from creation, is in its inmosts a form of love and wisdom. In man all affections of love and thence all perceptions of wisdom are arranged in most perfect order, so that they together form a unanimity, and thus a one. These are substances, for substances are the subjects of them. Since then the human form is composed of these, it is plain that if the love be attacked, the universal form with all and the single things therein is in the instant, or at the same time, also attacked; and as from creation it is given to all living things to will to remain in their own form, the general complex wills this from its particulars, and the particulars from the general. Hence, when the love is attacked, it defends itself by its understanding, and the understanding by things of reason and of imagination, whereby it brings the event before itself, especially by those things that are as one with the love which is attacked. If this were not so the whole form would be made to totter, by privation of love. Hence now it is that, in order that it may resist attacks, love hardens the substances of its form and erects them as it were into crests-so many pricks; that is it wrinkles itself. Such is the exasperation of love which is called zeal. If therefore there is not the power to withstand, anxiety arises, and grief, because it foresees the extinction of the interior life with its delights. But on the other hand if love is favored, and caressed, that form relaxes itself, softens itself, dilates itself, and the substances of the form become soft, bland, gentle, and alluring.

362. (3) That the zeal of a man is of such kind as his love, thus of one kind with him whose love is good, and of another kind with him whose love is evil. Since zeal is of love, it follows that it is of such kind as the love is; and as in general there are two loves-the love of good and thence of truth, and the love of evil and thence of what is false-therefore, there is in general a zeal for good and thence for truth, and a zeal for evil and thence for the false. But it should be known that each love is of infinite variety. This is very manifest from the angels of heaven and from the spirits of hell. They both, in the spiritual world, are forms of their love. And yet there is not one angel of heaven absolutely like another, as to face, speech, walk, gesture, and manners; neither is any spirit of hell like to another; nay, nor can be to eternity, howsoever multiplied into myriads of myriads. It is plain, therefore, since their forms are so, that loves are of infinite variety. It is similar with zeal, because it is of love; that is to say, there cannot be the zeal of one absolutely like to or the same as the zeal of another. In general there is the zeal of good love, and the zeal of evil love.

363. (4) That the zeal of good love and the zeal of evil love are alike in externals, but in internals they are altogether unlike. With every one zeal appears in externals as anger and wrath, for it is love on fire, and inflamed for the protection of itself against a violator, and for his removal. The reason why the zeal of a good love and the zeal of an evil love appear alike in externals is that, with both, while the love is in zeal it burns, but with a good man only in externals, but with the evil both in externals and in internals, and when the internals are not seen, in the externals the zeals appear alike. But it will be seen, in the section next following, that they are entirely unlike in internals. That in externals zeal appears like anger and wrath, can be seen and heard from all who speak and act from zeal. As for example, from a priest when from zeal he exhorts, in that the sound of his voice is loud, vehement, sharp, and harsh; in that his face grows warm and perspires; in that he raises himself up, beats the pulpit, and evokes the fire of hell against evil doers. In like manner many others.

364. To get a distinct idea of zeal with the good, and of zeal with the evil, and of their unlikeness, it is necessary to form some notion respecting the internals and externals with men. That this may be formed, let the similitude of them be a common one, because it is also for the common people. It may be presented by a nut or almond, and their kernels. With the good the internals are as kernels within, which are sound and good, inclosed in their usual and native shell. But with the evil it is altogether different, their internals are as kernels either inedible for their bitterness, or putrid, or wormeaten; and their externals are as the shells or coverings of them either like the native shell, or red like testaceans, or many-hued like iris-stones. Such do their externals appear, within which are concealed the internals described above. It is similar with their zeal.

365. (5) That the zeal of good love, in its internals, conceals love and friendship; but that the zeal of evil love in its internals conceals hatred and vindictiveness. It was said that in externals zeal appears as anger and wrath, both with those who are in good love and with those who are in evil love. But as internals differ, their anger and wrath also are different; and are as follows. (1) The zeal of good love is as a heavenly flame which never breaks forth upon another, but only defends itself, and it defends itself against evil, as when one rushes into the fire and is burned up; but the zeal of an evil love is as an infernal flame which bursts forth out of itself and attacks, and would consume the other. (2) The zeal of good love instantly burns away and grows gentle, when the other withdraws from the attack; but the zeal of an evil love persists, and is not extinguished. (3) The reason is that the internal of him who is in the love of good in itself is mild, gentle, friendly, and benevolent; and therefore, while the external for the purpose of defending itself becomes rough, harsh, erect, and so acts with severity, yet it is tempered from the good in which its internal is. With the evil it is otherwise. With them the internal is hostile, fierce, hard, breathing hatred and vindictiveness, and nurtures itself from their delights. And though reconciled these still lie hidden, like fire in wood beneath the ashes. And these fires break forth, if not in this world, yet after death.

366. Since in externals zeal with the good and with the evil appears alike, and as the ultimate sense of the Word consists of correspondences and appearances, it is often said there of Jehovah, that He is angry, in wrath, that He avenges and punishes, casts into hell, and many other things which are the appearances of zeal in externals, and hence He is called Jealous, when yet there is not the least of anger, wrath, and vengeance in Him. For He is mercy, grace, and clemency itself, thus good itself, in whom nothing of such kind is possible. But of these matters see the many things in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 545-550; and in The Apocalypse Revealed, n. 494, 498, 525, 714, 806.

367. (6) That the zeal of conjugial love is called jealousy. The zeal for love truly conjugial is the zeal of zeals, because this love is the love of loves, and its delights-for which also it is zealous-are the delights of delights; for this love, as has been shown above, is the head of all loves. The reason is, that this love induces upon the wife the form of love, and upon the husband the form of wisdom, and from these forms united in one, nothing else can proceed but what savors of wisdom, and at the same time of love. As the zeal of conjugial love is the zeal of zeals, therefore it is called by a new name, zelotypia, that is, the very type of zeal.

368. (7) That jealousy is as a flaming fire against those who infest the love with a married partner, and that it is as a horrible fear for the loss of that love. The jealousy here treated of is of those who are in spiritual love with a married partner. The following section will treat of the jealousy of those who are in natural love; and after that, of the jealousy of those who are in love truly conjugial. With those who are in spiritual love jealousy is various, because their love is various; for there is never a love, spiritual or natural, that is precisely alike with two, still less with many. The reason that spiritual jealousy, or jealousy with the spiritual, is as a fire flaming forth against those that infest their conjugial love is, that the beginning of love with them is in the internals of each, and from its beginning their love follows the derivations down to their ultimates, from which, and at the same time from the first beginnings, the intermediates which are of the mind and of the body are held in lovely connection. Being spiritual, in their marriage they look to union as an end, and in that to spiritual rest and its amenities. Now, as they have cast disunion out of their minds, the zeal is therefore as a fire stirred up and darting out against those who infest. It is also a horrid fear, because their spiritual love purposes that they shall be one; if then a mischance occurs, or there arises an appearance of separation, it begets a fear which is horrible, as when two united parts are to be torn asunder. This description of jealousy was given me from heaven, by those who are in spiritual conjugial love. For there is natural conjugial love, spiritual conjugial love, and celestial conjugial love. The natural and the celestial, and their jealousy, shall be spoken of in the two sections that are to follow.

369. (8) That there is spiritual jealousy with monogamists, and natural with polygamists. There is spiritual jealousy with monogamists because they can only receive spiritual conjugial love, as has been abundantly shown above. It is said there is, but the meaning is that with them there can be; that it is not, except with a very few, but yet that it can be in the Christian world where marriages are monogamic, is also confirmed above.

That with polygamists conjugial love is natural, may be seen in the chapter on Polygamy, n. 345-347. Then their jealousy likewise is natural, because this follows the love. Of what kind the jealousy of polygamists is, is learned from the relations about them of some eye-witnesses among orientals, which are, that wives and concubines are guarded like captives in work-houses, and are kept and secluded from all communication with men; that into the women’s apartments, or their guarded rooms, no man is permitted to enter unless accompanied by a eunuch; and that there is close observation whether any one of them glances with a lascivious eye or look at a passer-by, and that if this is observed the woman is punished with stripes; and if one practises lewdness with any man introduced by cunning into the entrance hall, or without, she is punished with death.

370. These facts illustrate truly of what kind the fire of jealousy is into which polygamic conjugial love breaks out, that it breaks forth into anger and vindictiveness, into anger with those that are gentle, and into vindictiveness with the ungentle; and that this is so because their love is natural, and does not partake of the spiritual. This follows from things shown in the chapter on Polygamy: From this in that chapter: That polygamy is lascivious, n. 345: And that a polygamist so long as he remains a polygamist is natural and cannot become spiritual, n. 347. But with the monogamous natural the fire of jealousy is different. Their love is enkindled not so much against the women, but against the violators; against them it becomes anger, and against the women, cold. It is otherwise with the polygamous, the fire of whose jealousy flames also with the frenzy of revenge. And this is also among the reasons why the concubines and wives of polygamists, for the most part, are set free after death and are assigned to women’s apartments not guarded, for the skilful production of various things which pertain to women’s work.

371. (9) That jealousy with those married partners who tenderly love each other is a just grief, from sound reason, lest conjugial love be divided and so perish. Fear and grief are inherent in all love, fear lest it perish, and grief if it perish. The same are inherent in conjugial love, but its fear and grief are called zeal, or jealousy. That zeal with married partners who tenderly love each other is just, and of sound reason, is because it is at the same time fear for the loss of eternal happiness, not its own only, but that of the married partner also; and because it is likewise protection against adultery. As regard the first, that it is a just fear for the loss of eternal happiness, its own and that of the married partner, it follows from all that has hitherto been advanced respecting love truly conjugial, and from these considerations: That from that love comes the blessedness of their souls, the satisfaction of their minds, the delight of their bosoms, and the pleasure of their bodies; and as these abide with them to eternity, the fear is for the eternal happiness of both. That the zeal is a just protection against adultery is plain. Hence it is as a fire flaming against violation; and defending against it. From these considerations it is evident that whoever tenderly loves his married partner is also jealous, but just and sane, according to the wisdom of the man.

372. It was said that inherent in conjugial love there is fear lest it be divided, and grief lest it perish; and that its zeal against violation is like fire. Meditating once upon this, I asked zealous angels respecting the seat of jealousy. They said it was in the understanding of the man who receives the love of his married partner and loves in return; and that its quality in the understanding is according to his wisdom. They also said that jealousy has something in common with honor, which also inheres in conjugial love; for he who loves his married partner also honors her.

“The reason why zeal with the man resides in his understanding,” they said, “is this, that conjugial love protects itself by the understanding, as good does by truth. Thus the wife protects the things that are in common with the man through her husband; and for that reason zeal is implanted in. the men, and by men and for the sake of men in women.”

To the question, “In what region of the mind does it reside with men?” they answered:-

“In their soul, because it is also the protection against adulteries; and because these principally destroy conjugial love, in perils of violation the understanding of the man hardens, and becomes as a horn smiting the adulterer.”

373. (10) That with married partners who do not love each, other. jealousy is from several causes; but with some, from a variety of infirmities of mind. The reasons, why married partners who do not mutually love each other are also jealous, are principally the honor of potency, the fear of dishonor to their name and also to that of their wives, and the dread lest their domestic affairs fall into ruin. That men have honor from potency, that is, that they desire to be magnified by it is known; for so long as they have this honor they are as of lofty mind and not of dejected visage among men and women. The name of bravery also attaches itself to that honor, and therefore it inheres in military officers more than in others. That there is fear of dishonor to their name, and to that of the wife, coheres with the former reason; add to which that cohabitation with a harlot and lewdness in the house are infamous. The reason why with some jealousy is for fear that domestic affairs should come to ruin, is that the husband is by so much disgraced, and mutual offices and mutual aid are distraught. But with some this jealousy in time ceases and becomes none; and with some it is turned into the mere simulation of love.

374. That with some jealousy is from a variety of infirmities of the mind is no secret in the world; for there are jealous men who are continually thinking of their wives that they are unfaithful, and believe them to be harlots if only they hear or see that they talk in a friendly way with men, or about men. There are various vitiated states of mind which induce this infirmity, first among which is a suspicious fantasy, which if long cherished brings the mind into societies of similar spirits, from which it is difficult to be brought out. It even settles itself in the body, by that the serum and thence the blood becomes viscous, tenacious, thick, sluggish, and acrid. Deficiency of strength also increases it, for it effects that. the mind cannot be raised above its suspicions. For the presence of strength elevates, and its absence depresses, because it brings to pass that the mind droops, collapses, and becomes relaxed, and then immerses itself into that fantasy more and more until it is delirious; and this results in the delight of reproaches, and as far as may be, of railing abuse.

375. There are also families of countries that beyond others are afflicted with the infirmity of jealousy. By them wives are imprisoned, imperiously debarred from converse with men, kept from their sight by windows with lattices extended adown them, and terrified by threatenings of death in case a cherished suspicion should find a cause; besides other severities which wives there endure from their jealous husbands. But of this jealousy there are two causes: One is the captivity and stifling of thoughts upon the spiritual things of the church; the other is an intestine lust for revenge. As to the first cause, the captivity and stifling of thought upon the spiritual matters of the church, what this effects may be concluded from things shown above. That conjugial love with every one is according to the state of the church with him; and that, as the church is from the Lord, this love is from the Lord alone (n. 130, 131). When, therefore, in place of the Lord, men, living and dead, are approached and invoked, it follows that there is no state of the church with which conjugial love can act as one; and the less when their minds are affrighted into that worship by threats of horrible imprisonment. Thence it comes to pass that the thoughts, together with the speech, are violently made captive, and suffocated, which being suffocated such things flow in as are contrary to the church, or things imaginary that favor the church. From all which there cannot but come forth a surging heat for harlots, and icy cold for the married partner, from which two together, in one subject, such an ungovernable fire of jealousy issues. As regards the second cause, which is an intestine lust for revenge, this entirely inhibits the influx of conjugial love, absorbs it and overwhelms it, and its delight, which is heavenly, is turned into the delight of revenge, which is infernal; and the nearest determination of this is towards the wife. It is also according to appearance that the malignity of the atmosphere in those countries, which is impregnated with the virulent exhalations of the surrounding region, is a secondary cause.

376. (11) That with some there is no jealousy, also from various causes. There are many causes of no jealousy, and of the cessation of jealousy. They especially have no jealousy who make no more of conjugial love than of scortatory love, and who are at once of no honor, setting no value upon a good name. They are not unlike married pimps. They also have no jealousy who have put it away, from an established notion that it infests the mind, and that a wife is watched in vain, and if watched is incited; and therefore that it is better to shut one’s eyes, and not even let them look through the key-hole in the door lest something be detected by sight. Some have put it away on account of the stigma attached to the name jealousy, -thinking that a man who is a man fears nothing. Some have been driven to put it away lest their domestic affairs be ruined, so also lest they incur public disparagement if the wife should be convicted of the lewdness whereof she is guilty. Besides, jealousy passes away to nothing with those who grant free license to their wives, on account of impotence, for the procreation of children, for the sake of inheritance, and with some for gain, and so on. There are also scortatory marriages, in which by mutual consent license in venery is given to each, and yet they meet each other with civil countenance.

377. (12) That there is also jealousy for concubines, but not of such kind as for wives. Jealousy for wives flows down from the inmosts with man, but jealousy for mistresses flows from the externals, and therefore they are of different kind. Jealousy for wives flows from the inmosts, because there conjugial love resides; and it resides there because marriage, by the promised eternity of it established by the covenant, and also by equality of right, in that what is one’s is the others,, unites the souls, and binds the minds together above. This tie and that union once effected remain unsevered, whatever be the love, hot or cold, that afterwards intervenes. Hence it is that invitation to love by a wife chills the whole man, from inmosts to outermosts; while invitation to love by a concubine does not thus chill a paramour. To jealousy for a wife is added ambition of a good name for the sake of honor; and there is not this accessory to jealousy for a mistress. But yet both these jealousies are various-according to the seat of the love received from the wife, and from the mistress; and at the same time according to the state of judgment of the man receiving it.

378. (13) That there is jealousy also among beasts and among birds. That it exists among wild beasts-such as lions, tigers, bears, and many others-while they have young, is known; and also among bulls, although there are no calves. It is most conspicuous with cocks, which fight with rivals for their hens even to the death. The reason why there is such jealousy among them is that they are vainglorious lovers and the glory of that kind of love does not endure an equal. That they are vainglorious lovers beyond all other kinds and species of birds, is apparent in their carriage, their nod, their strut, and the sound of their voice. That the glory of honor among men, whether lovers or not lovers, excites, exalts, and aggravates jealousy, has been confirmed above.

379. (14) That jealousy with men and husbands is of another kind than with women and wives. But the differences cannot be distinctly defined, because jealousy is of one kind with married partners who love each other spiritually, of another kind with partners who only love naturally; of one kind with partners who are of discordant mind, and of another with married partners of whom one has brought the other partner under the yoke of obedience to themselves. The jealousies of men and of women are different, viewed in themselves, because of different origin. The origin of virile jealousies is in the understanding, but of womanly jealousies, in the will applied to the understanding of her husband. And therefore virile jealousy is as a flame of wrath and anger; and womanly, as a fire restrained by a varying fear, a varying aspect towards her husband, a varying regard to her own love, and a varying prudence not to discover this love to her husband by jealousy. They are distinguished by the fact that wives are loves, and men are recipients; and to be prodigal of their love is prejudicial to wives with men, but is not likewise prejudicial to the recipients with wives. But it is otherwise with the spiritual. With them the jealousy of the man is transferred to the wife,-just as the wife’s love is transferred to the man; and therefore they appear each to the other alike opposed to the endeavor of a violator. But the jealousy of a wife against the endeavor of a harlot violator is breathed into the man, which is as grief weeping, and moving the conscience.

380. I will add two Relations. First, this:

Once I was in amazement at the vast multitude of men who attribute creation, and thence all things under the sun and beyond the sun, to nature, saying from an acknowledgment of the heart, when they see anything, “Is not this of nature?” And when asked why they say it is of nature and why not of God, since yet they sometimes say with the generality, that God created nature, and can therefore as easily say that the things they see are of God as that they are of nature, they replied, with an internal, almost inaudible tone, “What is God but nature?” They all from persuasion respecting the creation of the universe from nature, and from this insanity as if from wisdom, appear vainglorious; so much so that they look upon all those who acknowledge the creation of the universe from God as if they were ants that creep along the ground, and tread the beaten way, and some as if they were butterflies that fly in the air, calling their doctrines dreams, because they see what they do not see, saying, “Who has seen God, and who has not seen nature?”

While I was in amazement at the multitude of such, an angel stood by my side and said to me, “What are you meditating upon?”

I replied, “Upon the multitude of such as believe that nature created the universe.”

And the angel said to me, “All hell is of such, and they are called satans and devils-satans those who have confirmed themselves in favor of nature, and thence have denied God, and devils, those who have lived viciously and so have rejected from the heart all acknowledgment of God. But I will lead you to gymnasia, which are in the southwestern quarter, where such abide who are not yet in hell.”

And he took me by the hand and led me. And I saw small houses in which there were gymnasia, and in the midst of them one that appeared to be the official residence of the others. It was built of stone, black as pitch, overlaid with thin plates, as of glass, sparkling as if from gold and silver, like what are called Glacies Marioe (mica) and interspersed here and there with shells, likewise glittering. We approached this building and knocked, and presently one opened the door and said, “Welcome.” And he ran to a table and brought four books, and said, “These books are wisdom which a multitude in the kingdoms of the present day applaud; this book or wisdom many in France applaud; this, many in Germany; this, some in Batavia; and this, some in England.” He said further, “If you would like to see it I will make these four books shine before your eyes;” and then the glory of his reputation shot forth and poured around, and thereupon the books flashed as with light; but this light to our eyes vanished instantly.

And then we asked, “What are you now writing?” He replied that what he was now drawing forth from his treasures and expounding were matters of inmost wisdom, which in brief are these: (1) Whether nature is of life, or life is of nature? (2) Whether the center is of the expanse, or the expanse is of the center? (3) Concerning the center and the expanse of nature and of life.

This said he seated himself again at the table, but we walked about in his gymnasium, which was spacious. He had a candle on the table, because the diurnal light of the sun was not there, but the nocturnal light of the moon; and what surprised me, the candle appeared to be carried and to give light all about the room, but as it had not been snuffed it gave but little light. And while he was writing we saw images of various forms flitting from the table to the walls, which in that nocturnal, lunar light appeared like beautiful Indian birds; but when we opened the door, lo! in the diurnal light of the sun they appeared like birds of evening whose wings are webbed. For they were semblances of truth, which by confirmations become fallacies and which were ingeniously connected by him into a series.

After we had seen these things we went to the table, and asked him what he was writing now. He said, “On the first problem, Whether nature is of life, or life is of nature?” And respecting this he said that he could confirm either and make it true; but as something lay hidden within which he feared, he ventured to confirm but this, “That nature is of life, that is from life, and not that life is of nature, that is from nature.” We courteously asked him what it was that he feared which lay hidden within? He said it was that he might be called by the clergy a naturalist, and thus an atheist, and by the laity a man of unsound reason, “since they both are either believers from a blind faith or see from the sight of those that confirm it.”

But then, with some indignation of zeal for the truth, we admonished him, saying, “Friend, you very greatly err. Your wisdom, which is ability in writing, has led you astray, and the glory of reputation has impelled you to confirm what you do not believe. Do you not know that the human mind is capable of being elevated above things sensual, which are such as are in the thoughts from the bodily senses; and that when it is elevated it sees the things which are of life above, and the things that are of nature beneath? What is life but love and wisdom? And what is nature but the receptacle of these, whereby they work out their effects or uses? Can these be one except as principal and instrumental? Can light be one with the eye? Can sound be one with the ear? Whence come their sensations but from life, and their forms but from nature? What is the human body but an organ of life? Are not all things and every single thing therein organically formed to do whatever the love wills and the understanding thinks? Are not the organs of the body from nature, and love and thought from life? Are they not quite distinct from each other? Lift the keenness of your genius a little higher, and you will see that it is of life to be affected and to think, and that to be affected is from love and to think is from wisdom, and both are from life; for, as was said, love and wisdom are life. If you elevate your faculty of understanding yet a little higher, you will see that there is no love and wisdom unless there is somewhere an origin of it, and that the origin of it is [love itself and]* wisdom itself, and thence life itself, and these are God, from whom is nature.”

After this we talked with him about the second problem, Whether the center is of the expanse, or the expanse is of the center? and asked him why he was discussing this. He replied, to the end that he might come to a conclusion respecting the center and the expanse of nature and of life, thus respecting the origin of the one and the other. And when we asked what his opinion was, he made similar answer as before, that he could confirm either, but that for fear of loss of reputation he should confirm that the expanse is of the center, that is, from the center, “although I know,” he said, “that there was something before the sun, and this everywhere in the universe, and that these things flowed together into order, thus into centers of themselves.”

But then again we addressed him from indignant zeal, and said, “Friend, you are insane.” When he heard this he drew back his seat from the table, and looked at us timidly. And then he turned his ear, but smiling, and we continued, saying, “What is more insane than to say the center is from the expanse? By your miter we understand the sun, and by your expanse we understand the universe, and thus that the universe came into existence without the sun? Does not the sun make nature and all things belonging to it? which are dependent solely on the heat and light proceeding from the sun by its atmospheres. Where were these before? But from whence they are we will tell in the following discussion. Are not the atmospheres and all things that are on the earth as surfaces, and the sun the center of them? What are all these without the sun? Could they subsist for one moment? What were they all then before the sun? Could they have subsisted? Is not subsistence a perpetual coming into existence? Since, therefore, the subsistence of all things of nature is from the sun, it follows that the coming into existence of them all is also from the sun. This every one sees and acknowledges of his own observation. As the posterior exists from the prior, does it not also subsist from the prior? If the surfaces were prior and the center posterior would not the prior subsist from the posterior? But this is contrary to the laws of order. How can things posterior produce things prior? Or exteriors, interiors? Or things grosser, things purer? How then can superficies, which constitute the expanse, produce centers? Who does not see that this is against the laws of nature? We have brought forward these arguments from rational analysis to establish that the expanse exists from the center, and not the contrary, although every one who thinks rightly sees it without these arguments. You said that the expanse flows together into the center of itself. Is it thus of chance that it flowed into so wonderful and stupendous an order so that one thing is for another, and all things and every single thing for man and his eternal life? Can nature, from any love by any wisdom, provide such things? And of men make angels? And from angels, heaven? Suppose this, and meditate on these things, and your idea of the existence of nature from nature will fall.”

After this we asked him what he had thought and what he now thought, about the third problem, Concerning the center and the expanse of nature and of life; whether he believed the center and the expanse of life to be the same as the center and expanse of nature? He said he hesitated, and that he had thought before that the interior activity of nature was life, and that from this are the love and wisdom which essentially make the life of man; and that the fire of the sun by its heat and light produces them, the atmospheres being means. But now from what he had heard about the eternal life of man he was in doubt; and this doubt swayed his mind now up and now down; when up he acknowledged a center of which he knew nothing before, and when down he saw a center which he had believed the only one; and that life is from the center of which he had not known before, and nature from the center which he had before believed to be the only one, and that each center has an expanse about itself.

To this we said, “Well, if only he would also view the center and the expanse of nature from the center and expanse of life, and not contrariwise.” And we informed him that above the angelic heaven there is a sun which is pure love, to appearance fiery, like the sun of the world; and that from the heat which proceeds from that sun angels and men have will and love, and from the light from it they have understanding and wisdom. And that the things which are of life are called spiritual; and that those which proceed from the sun of the world are containants of life, and are called natural. Then, that the expanse of the center of life is called the spiritual world which subsists from its own sun; and that the expanse of nature is called the natural world, which subsists from its sun. Now, as spaces and times cannot be predicated of love and wisdom, but states instead, the expanse about the sun of the angelic heaven is not an extense, but is yet within the extense of the natural sun, and is with the living subjects there according to reception, and reception is according to forms.

“But then” he asked, “from whence is the fire of the sun of the world or of nature?”

We answered, “It is from the sun of the angelic heaven, which is not fire but Divine love, proximately proceeding from God who is Love itself.”

This, because it is marvellous, we explained in this way: “Love in its essence is spiritual fire. Hence it is that in the Word, in its spiritual sense, fire signifies love; for which reason it is that priests in temples pray that heavenly fire may fill the hearts, by which they mean love. The fire of the altar, and the fire of the candlestick in the tabernacle with the Israelites, represented nothing else than Divine love. The heat of the blood, or vital heat of men and of animals, in general, is from no other source than from the love which makes their life. Hence it is that man is enkindled, waxes warm, and is inflamed when his love is exalted into zeal, anger, and wrath. From this fact, therefore, that spiritual heat, which is love, produces natural heat with men, even so that it kindles and inflames their faces and their limbs, one may be assured that the fire of the natural sun existed from no other source than from the fire of the spiritual sun, which is Divine love. Now, as the expanse springs from the center and not the reverse, as we have said before; and as the center of life, which is the sun of the angelic heaven, is Divine love proximately proceeding from God, who is in the midst of that sun; and as from this is the expanse of that center, which is called the spiritual world; and as from that sun came into existence the sun of the world, and from this its expanse, which is called the natural world, it is clear that the universe is created from the one God.”

After these words we departed, and he attended us beyond the area of his gymnasium, and talked with us about heaven and hell, and about the Divine auspices, from a new sagacity of his genius.

* In this Relation as found in True Christian Religion, n. 35 are found the additional words Ipse Amor et which in the translation above have been added in brackets.

381. The Second Relation;-

Once when I was looking around in the world of spirits, I saw in the distance a palace, surrounded, and as it were besieged by a multitude; and I also saw many running towards it. Astonished at this I hastily left the house and asked one who was running what was the matter there. He replied that three new-comers from the world had been taken up into heaven, and had seen magnificent things there, and also maidens and wives of wondrous beauty; and having been let down from that heaven they went into this palace, and were relating what they had seen, especially that they had seen beauties such as their eyes had never seen, nor could see unless illumined with the light of the aura of heaven. As to themselves, they said that in the world they had been orators from the kingdom of France, and that they had given attention to the cultivation of eloquence, and now there had come upon them a desire to speak on the origin of beauty. This having become known in the vicinity was the cause of the multitude flocking together to hear.

Hearing this I also hastened thither and entered. And I saw those three men standing in the midst, clad in togas of the color of sapphire, which as they turned glistened as with gold, from threads of gold interwoven. They were standing behind a sort of rostrum ready to speak. And presently one arose upon a step behind the rostrum, to declaim respecting the origin of the beauty of the female sex, and advanced this:

382. “What origin is there of beauty other than love, which as it flows into the eyes of young men and kindles them becomes beauty. Love and beauty are therefore the same thing; for love, from the inmost, suffuses the face of a marriageable virgin with a kind of flame, from the transparency of which is the dawn and bloom of her life. Who does not know that that flame emits rays into her eyes, and from them as centers overspreads the orb of her face, and thence descends also into the breast and kindles the heart and thus affects, much as the heat and light of a fire affect one standing near? That heat is love, and that light is the beauty of love. The whole world, by common consent, affirms that every one is lovely and beautiful according to his or her love. But yet the love of the male sex is one, and the love of the female sex is another. Masculine love is the love of becoming wise, and feminine love is the love of loving the love of becoming wise in the male. In so far then as a young man is the love of becoming wise, he is lovely and beautiful to a maiden; and in so far as a maiden is the love of the wisdom of a young man, she is lovely and beautiful to the young man. And therefore as the love of the one meets and kisses the love of the other, so do the beauties also. I conclude then that love forms beauty in the likeness of itself,”

383. After him another rose to disclose the origin of beauty by elegance of speech. He said, “I have heard that love is the origin of beauty, but I do not favor it with consent. Who among men knows what love is? Who with any idea of thought has contemplated it? Who has seen it with the eye? Tell where it is. But I assert that wisdom is the origin of beauty, in women, wisdom inmostly latent and concealed; in men, wisdom open and manifest. Whence is a man a man but from wisdom? If not from this a man would be a statue or a picture. What does a maiden attend to in a young man but what his wisdom is? And what does a young man regard in a maiden but what her affection is for his wisdom? By wisdom I mean genuine morality, for this is the wisdom of life. Hence it is that, when latent wisdom comes to and embraces open wisdom, which is done inwardly in the spirit of each, they mutually kiss each other and are conjoined; and this is called love; and then they appear to each other as beauties. In a word, wisdom is as the light or splendor of fire, which lightly touches the eyes, and as it touches, forms beauty.”

384. After him the third arose and delivered these words: “It is not love alone, nor is it wisdom alone, which is the origin of beauty, but the union of love and wisdom in the young man, and the union of wisdom with its love in the maiden. For a maid does not love wisdom in herself, but in a young man, and hence sees him as beauty; and when the young man sees this in a maiden he sees her as beauty, and therefore love by wisdom forms beauty, and wisdom from love receives it. That this is so manifestly appears in heaven. I saw maidens and wives there and considered their beauty, and I observed that it was of one kind with virgins and altogether of another kind with wives. With virgins it was only the sheen of beauty but with wives its effulgence. The difference I saw was as a diamond sparkling with light, and a ruby glowing at the same time from fire. What is beauty but delight of seeing? Whence the origin of this delight but from the play of love and wisdom? From this play the sight glows, and this glowing vibrates from eye to eye and displays beauty. What makes the beauty of a face but red and bright white, and their lovely blending into each other? Is not the red from love and the bright white from wisdom? For love blushes from its own fire, and wisdom is bright white from its own light. These two I have plainly seen in the faces of two married partners in heaven, the rosiness of bright white in the wife, and the bright whiteness of red in the husband; and I observed that they beamed from looking at each other.”

When the third had said this the assemblage applauded and exclaimed, “He has won.” And immediately a flamy light, which is also the light of conjugial love, filled the house with splendor and their hearts, at the same time with pleasantness.

385. ON THE CONJUNCTION OF CONJUGIAL LOVE WITH THE LOVE OF INFANTS.

There are indications which show clearly that conjugial love, and the love of infants which is called storge are conjoined; and there are indications also which may induce the belief that they are not conjoined. For there is a love of infants with married partners who from the heart love each other, and with married partners who are discordant; and also with those that are separated, and sometimes it is more tender and stronger with them than with others. But nevertheless, that the love of infants is conjoined perpetually with conjugial love is evident from the origin from whence it flows in. Although varied in those that receive, the loves yet remain unseparated, just as the first end is in the final end which is the effect. The first end of conjugial love is the procreation of offspring, and the last end, which is the effect, is the offspring procreated. That the first end carries itself into the effect, and is therein as in its beginning, and does not withdraw from it, may be seen from rational intuition of the progression of the ends and causes, in their order, to effects. But, as the reasonings of very many only begin from effects, and proceed to some conclusions from them, and not from causes and thence analytically to effects, and so on, therefore the rational things of light cannot but become the obscurities of a cloud, whence spring deviations from truths arising from appearances and fallacies. But that it may be seen that conjugial love and the love of infants are interiorly conjoined, even though outwardly disjoined, it shall be shown in this order:-

(1) That two universal spheres proceed from the Lord for the conservation of the universe in the state created; one of which is the sphere of procreating, and the other the sphere of protecting the things procreated.

(2) That these two universal spheres make one with the sphere of conjugial love and with the sphere of the love of infants.

(3) That these two spheres inflow into all things of heaven and into all things of the world, universally and singly, from first things to last.

(4) That the sphere of the love of infants is a sphere of protection and support of those who cannot protect and sustain themselves.

(5) That this sphere affects the evil as well as the good, and disposes every one to love, protect, and sustain his offspring, from his own love.

(6) That this sphere principally affects the female sex, thus mothers, and the male sex, or fathers, from them.

(7) That this sphere is also a sphere of innocence and peace from the Lord.

(8) That the sphere of innocence inflows into infants, and through them into parents and affects them.

(9) That it flows in also into the souls of parents, and conjoins itself with the same sphere with infants; and that it is insinuated especially by the touch.

(10) That in the degree in which the innocence with infants recedes, affection also is remitted and conjunction, and this successively even to separation.

(11) That the rational state of innocence and peace with parents towards infants is, that they know and can do nothing of themselves but from others, especially from the father and mother; and that this state also successively passes away, as they know and are able to act of themselves and not from them.

(12) That this sphere progresses in order, from the end through causes into effects, and forms periods, through which creation is preserved in the state foreseen and provided.

(13) That the love of infants descends, and does not ascend.

(14) That wives have one state of love before conception, and another after it even to the bringing forth.

(15) That conjugial love is conjoined with the love of infants with parents, by causes spiritual and hence natural.

(16) That the love of infants and children is of one kind with spiritual married partners, and of another with natural.

(17) That with the spiritual this love is from the interior or prior, but with the natural is from the exterior or posterior.

(18) That it is owing to this, that the love is with married partners who mutually love each other, and also with married partners who do not love each other at all.

(19) That the love of infants continues after death, especially with women.

(20) That infants are educated by them under the auspices of the Lord, and increase in stature and in intelligence as in the world.

(21) That it is there provided by the Lord that the innocence of infancy with them becomes the innocence of wisdom, and that thus infants become angels.

Now follows the exposition of these.

386. (1) That two universal spheres proceed from the Lord for the conservation of the universe in the state created; one of which is the sphere of procreating, and the other the sphere of protecting what is procreated. The Divine, proceeding from the Lord, is called a sphere because it proceeds from Him, surrounds Him, fills each world, the spiritual and the natural, and works out the effects of the ends which the Lord predestined. in the creation, and since that provides. All that which flows out from a subject, surrounds and environs it, is called a sphere; for example, the sphere of light and heat from the’ sun surrounding it, the sphere of life from a man round about him, the sphere of the fragrance of a plant surrounding it, the sphere of the attraction of a magnet around it, and so on. But the universal spheres here treated of are from the Lord, around Him, and they proceed from the sun of the spiritual world in the midst of which He is. From the Lord through that sun proceeds the sphere of heat and light, or what is the same the sphere of love and wisdom, for the working out of ends, which are uses. But that sphere is designated by different names, according to the uses; the Divine sphere looking to the preservation of the universe through successive generations, in the state created, is called the sphere of procreating; and the Divine sphere looking to the preservation of the generations in their beginnings, and afterwards in their progressions, is called the sphere of protecting what is procreated. Besides these two there are many other Divine spheres, which are named according to their uses, thus differently. See above at n. 222. The operations of uses through these spheres are the Divine Providence.

387. (2) That these two universal spheres make one with the sphere of conjugial love and with the sphere of the love of infants. That the sphere of conjugial love makes one with the sphere of procreating is plain; for procreation is the end, and conjugial love is the mediate cause, by which it is effected; and the end and cause in the processes of effecting and in the effects, act as one, because together. That the sphere of the love of infants makes one with the sphere of protecting what is procreated is also plain, because it is an end proceeding from the prior end, which was procreation, and the love of infants is the mediate cause whereby it is effected. For ends go forth in series, one after another, and in going forth the last end becomes first, and so on, even to the limit where they subsist or cease. But of these things more may be seen in the exposition of article 12.

388. (3) That these two spheres inflow into all things of heaven and into all things of the world, universally and singularly, from first things to last. It is said universally and singularly, because when a thing universal is spoken of, all the single things from which it is are at the same time meant; for it exists from them, and consists of them, and so from them it is named, as the general from its parts. If then you take away the single things the universal is but a name, and is as a surface within which there is nothing. Therefore, to attribute to God universal government and take away the single things of His government, makes it an empty word and like an ascription of inanity. Comparison with the universal government of kings on earth is of no application. Hence then it is said that these two spheres flow in universally and singularly.

389. That the spheres of procreating and of protecting what is procreated, or the spheres of conjugial love and the love of infants, inflow into all things of heaven and into all things of the world, from the first to the last, is because all things that proceed from the Lord, or from the sun which is from Him and in which He is, pass together through the created universe even to the very ultimates of all things thereof. The reason is that things Divine, which in their progression are called celestial and spiritual, are without space and time. It is known that no extent is predicated of things spiritual, because no space and time. Hence it is that what proceeds from the Lord is in an instant from first things in the last. That the sphere of conjugial love is thus universal may be seen above at n. 222-225. That in like manner the sphere of the love of infants is so, is manifest from that love in heaven where there are infants from the earth; and from that love in the world with men, with beasts and birds, serpents and insects.

There are also analogies of that love in the vegetable and mineral kingdoms. In the vegetable kingdom, in that seeds are protected by shells, like swaddlings, and besides in fruit as in a house, and are nourished with the sap as with milk That there is something like this among minerals appears from the matrices and coverings, wherein the noble gems and noble metals are concealed and guarded.

390. The sphere of procreating, and the sphere of protecting what is procreated make one in a continuous series, because the love of procreating is continued into the love of the thing procreated. What is the nature of the love of procreating is known from its delight, that it is super-eminent and transcendent. In this is the state of procreation with men, and notably the state of reception with women. This highest delight, with its love, follows into the bringing forth and there fills itself.

391. (4) That the sphere of the love of infants is a sphere of protection and support of those who cannot protect and sustain themselves. It was said above (n. 386), that the operations of uses by the Lord, through the spheres going forth from Him, are the Divine Providence. This therefore is meant by the sphere of protection and support of those who cannot protect and sustain themselves; for it is of creation that the things created must be preserved, guarded, protected, and sustained. Otherwise the universe would go to destruction. But because with the living, to whom freedom of choice is left this cannot be done immediately by the Lord, it is done mediately, through His love implanted in fathers, mothers, and nurses. That their love is love from the Lord with them they do not know, because they do not perceive the influx, still less do they perceive the omnipresence of the Lord. But who does not see that it is not of nature, but of the Divine Providence operating within nature, by nature? And that there could be no such universal except from God, through some spiritual sun which is in the center of the universe, and whose operation, because without space and time, is instant and present from things first in the last? But it shall be told in what follows how this Divine operation, which is the Lord’s Divine Providence, is received by animate beings. That they are not able to protect and sustain themselves is not the cause of the love which moves mothers and fathers to protect and sustain infants, but is a rational cause from that love falling into the understanding. For from this cause alone, without the love that inspired and inspires it, or without a law and a penalty enforcing it, man would no more provide for infants than a statue.

392. (5) That this sphere affects the evil as well as the good, and disposes every one to love, protect, and sustain his offspring, from his own love. It is testified by experience that the love of infants, or storge, is equally with the evil as with the good; likewise with gentle and ungentle beasts; yea, that with evil men and with ungentle beasts it is sometimes stronger and more ardent. The reason is that every love proceeding and flowing in from the Lord is turned, in the subject, into the love of its life. For no animate subject feels otherwise than that he loves of himself, since he does not perceive the influx; and while in fact he is really loving himself, he makes the love of infants the love of his own, for he as it were sees himself in them and them in himself, and thus himself as united with them. And hence it is that this love is fiercer among the ungentle beasts, as among lions and lionesses, he- and she-bears, he- and she-leopards, he and she-wolves, and other such, than among horses, deer, goats, and sheep. The reason is that the ungentle beasts have dominion over the gentle, and hence a predominating love of self, and this love loves itself in its progeny; and thus, as was said, the inflowing love is turned into its own. Such inversion of the inflowing love into its own, and thence protection and support of their offspring and young by evil parents, is of the Lord’s Divine Providence; for otherwise but few of the human race would be left and of ferocious beasts, which yet are of use, not any. From these considerations it is plain that every one is disposed to love, protect, and sustain his offspring from his own love.

393. (6) That this sphere principally affects the female sex, thus mothers, and the male sex, or fathers, from them. This comes from the same origin spoken of before, that the sphere of conjugial love is received by women, and through women is transferred into men, because women are born loves of the understanding of men and the understanding is the recipient. It is similar with the love of infants, because this by origin is from conjugial love. That mothers have a more tender and fathers a less tender love is known. That the love of infants is inscribed upon conjugial love into which women are born, is manifest from the lovely and winning affection of little girls for infants, and for the images of them which they carry about, dress, kiss, and press to their bosoms. Boys have no such affection. It appears as if mothers have the love of infants from the nourishing of them in the womb out of their own blood, and thence the appropriation to them of their own life, and thus from sympathetic union; but yet this is not the origin of that love, for if, unknown to the mother, another infant were substituted for the true one after birth, it would be loved with equal tenderness as if it were her own. Besides, infants are sometimes loved by nurses more than by their mothers. It flows from these considerations, that this love is from no other source than the conjugial love inherent in every woman, to which is adjoined the love of conceiving, from the delight of which the wife is prepared for reception; this is the first of that love, which after the birth with its delight, passes over fully to the offspring.

394. (7) That this sphere is also a sphere of innocence and peace. Innocence and peace are the two inmost things of heaven. They are called inmost because they proceed immediately from the Lord; for the Lord is Innocence itself, and Peace itself. From innocence the Lord is called the Lamb, and from peace He said:-

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you (John xiv. 27).

And this is meant also by the peace with which they were to salute a city, or a house, when they entered it.

Which, if worthy, peace should come upon it, and if unworthy the peace should return (Matt. x. 11-15).

Hence also the Lord is called the “Prince of Peace” (Is. ix. 5). Innocence and peace are the inmost things of heaven, for the reason too that innocence is the esse of every good and peace is the blessedness of every delight that is of good. See the work on Heaven and Hell, Concerning the State of Innocence of the Angels of Heaven, n. 276-283; and Concerning the State of Peace in Heaven, n. 284-290.

395. (8) That the sphere of innocence inflows into infants, and through them into parents and affects them. That infants are innocences is known, but that their innocence flows in from the Lord is not known. It flows in from the Lord because He is Innocence itself, as has been said just above; and nothing can flow in-because it cannot be-except from its beginning which is the thing itself. But it shall be briefly told of what kind the innocence of infancy is which affects parents. It shines forth from their face, from some of their gestures, and from their earliest speech, and affects. They have innocence because they do not think from the interior; for they do not yet know what is good and evil, and true and false, from which they may think; hence they have not prudence from their own, nor deliberate purpose, and thus have no intention of evil. They have no proprium, acquired from the love of self and of the world. They do not attribute anything to themselves. Every thing that they receive they ascribe to their parents. They are content with the little things given them as presents; they have no solicitude for food and raiment, and none for the future; nor have they any regard for the world, and do not therefore covet many things; they love their parents, their nurses, and their infant companions, with whom in innocence they play; they suffer themselves to be led; they hearken and obey. This is the innocence of infancy which is the cause of the love called storge.

396. (9) That it flows in also into the souls of parents, and conjoins itself with the same sphere with the infants, and that it is insinuated especially by the touch. The Lord’s innocence inflows into the angels of the third heaven, where all are in the innocence of wisdom, and passes through the lower heavens, but only through the innocences of the angels there, and so into infants, immediately and mediately. They are scarcely otherwise than as sculptured forms, yet still they are receptive of life from the Lord through the heavens. But unless the parents also receive that influx in their souls, and in the inmosts of their minds, they would be affected in vain by the innocence of infants. There must be in another something adequate and homogeneous, through which communication may be effected, and which shall cause reception, affection, and thence conjunction. Otherwise it would be as tender seed falling upon flint, or as a lamb thrown to a wolf. Thence now it is that the innocence flowing into the souls of parents conjoins itself with the innocence of infants. That this conjunction is effected by means of the bodily senses, but especially with parents, through the touch, experience may teach; as for example, that the sight is inmostly charmed by observing them, the hearing by their speech, the smell by their odor. That the communication and thence the conjunction of innocences takes place especially through the touch, is manifestly perceived from the pleasantness of carrying them in the arms, from embracing and kissing them, above all with mothers, who are delighted with their pressing the mouth and face against their bosoms, and then at the same time by the touch of their palms there, and in general from the sucking of the breasts and lactation, and also from stroking their naked body, and from the unwearied labor of swathing and cleansing them upon their knees. That communications of love and its delights between married partners are made through the sense of touch, has been shown several times above. Communications of the mind also are thereby effected, because the hands are the ultimates of man and his firsts are together in the ultimates. By this sense, moreover, all things of the body and all things of the mind that are intermediate are held together in unbroken connection. Hence it is that Jesus touched infants (Matt. xix. 13, 15; Mark. x. 13, 16); and that He healed the sick by the touch; and that they were healed who touched Him. Hence it is also that to this day inaugurations into the priesthood are performed by the laying on of hands. From this it is clear that the innocence of parents and the innocence of infants meet each other through the touch, especially of the hands, and so conjoin themselves as if by kisses.

397. It is known that by contact, innocence also operates among beasts and birds effects similar to those with men. The reason why it operates similar effects is because all that proceeds from the Lord instantly pervades the universe (see above, n. 388-390), and as it goes forth through degrees, and by continual mediations, it therefore passes on not only to animals but also beyond, to vegetables and minerals (n. 389). It even passes into the earth itself, which is the mother of all vegetables and minerals; for in the time of spring she is in a state prepared for the reception of seeds, as it were into her womb, and when she has received them she as it were conceives, cherishes them, bears them, brings them forth, gives them suck, nourishes, clothes, rears, guards them, and as it were loves the offspring from them, and so on. As the sphere of procreation goes forth so far, why not then to animals of every kind even to worms. Just as the earth is the common mother of plants, so it is an established fact that there is also a common mother of the bees in every hive.

398. (10) That in the degree in which the innocence with infants recedes, affection also is remitted, and conjunction, and this successively even to separation. It is known that the love of infants or storge, recedes from parents according to the recession of innocence from them, and that it recedes with men even to the separation of the children from the home; and among beasts and birds even to the rejection of them from their presence, and forgetfulness that they are of their stock. From this, as from an established proof, it is also evident that the innocence flowing in on both sides produces the love called storge.

399. (11) That the rational state of innocence and peace with parents towards infants is, that they know and can do nothing of themselves, but from others, especially from the father and mother; and that this state successively passes away, as they know and are able to act of themselves and not from them. It has been shown above in its own section (n. 391) that the sphere of love of infants is a sphere of protection and support of those that cannot protect and sustain themselves. It was also stated there that this is only the rational cause with man, but not the very cause of the love with them. The very originating cause of that love is innocence from the Lord, which inflows into man while he is ignorant of it, and brings forth that rational cause. And therefore, as the first cause makes a recession from that love, so does this second cause at the same time; or what is the same, just as the communication of innocence recedes so also the persuading reason accompanies it. But this occurs only with man, in order that he may do what he does from freedom according to reason, and may from this, as from a rational and at the same time a moral law, support his grown-up offspring according to necessity and use. This second cause animals destitute of reason have not. They have only the prior cause which with them is instinct.

400. (12) That the sphere of the love of procreating progresses in order, from the end through causes into effects, and forms periods, through which creation is preserved in the state foreseen and provided. All operations in the universe progress from ends through causes into effects. These three are in themselves inseparable, although in idea they appear as if separate; and yet the end there is nothing unless seen together with the effect that is intended. Nor does either become anything unless the cause sustains, foresees, and conjoins. Such a progression is inscribed on every man, in general and in every particular, exactly as will, understanding, and action. Every end there is of the will, every cause is of the understanding, and every effect is of action; in like manner every end is of love, every efficient cause is of wisdom, and every effect thence is of use. The reason is that the will is the receptacle of love, the understanding is the receptacle of wisdom, and action is the receptacle of use. Therefore, since operations in man, in general and in particular, progress by the will through the understanding into act, so also do they progress from love through wisdom into use; but by wisdom here is meant all that is of judgment and thought. That these three are one in the effect is plain. They also make one in idea before the effect, which is perceived from the fact that only determination intervenes; for in the mind the end goes forth from the will and produces for itself a cause in the understanding, and there presents to itself an intention, and intention is as the act before determination. Hence it is that an intention is accepted by a wise man and also by the Lord, as an act. What rational man is not able to see, or to acknowledge when he hears, that these three flow forth from some first cause? and that this cause is, that from the Lord the Creator and Conservator of the universe go forth continually love, wisdom, and use, and these three as one? Say if you can from what other source they are.