302、⑹双方通过订婚为婚姻之爱做好准备。从前一节所列出的订婚理由明显可知，订婚有助于预备双方的心智或灵联结，或也可说，预备双方的爱情联结。另外，值得一提的是，有这样一个规则被铭刻在婚姻之爱上：这爱既上升，也下降。它从其最初之热朝着他们的灵魂逐渐攀升，努力在那里联结它们；这一过程是通过越来越内在地不断打开他们的心智进行的。没有哪种爱比婚姻之爱更努力地打开心智，或更强有力、更易于打开心智的内层；因为各自的灵魂都有这种意图。就在这爱朝灵魂攀升的那一刻，它也朝身体下降，并披上身体这件衣服。
然而，要知道，婚姻之爱在下降时所具有的性质取决于它所攀升的高度。若抵达巅峰，它就贞洁地下降；否则，就不贞洁地下降。原因在于，心智的低层是不贞洁的，而它的高层是贞洁的。事实上，心智的低层附着于身体，而它的高层则与低层保持分离。关于该主题的详细内容，可见于下文（305节）。由此可见，双方的心智通过订婚为婚姻之爱做好准备，只是这一切照着他们的情感而以不同的方式发生。
302、（6）订婚使得双方都为婚姻做好准备。通过订婚，双方的头脑和精神都为婚姻做好准备。
要补充的是，真正的婚姻之爱会上升和下降。它会从最初的热情向上进入人的灵魂，以便在那里形成结合。没有什么别的爱比婚姻之爱更能强烈地开启人的头脑，因为这是灵魂在其中起作用。在爱上升的同时，它也会下降到躯体中并存在那里。
婚姻之爱在其下降或上升时的性质是相同的。若它在高处是贞洁的，在低处也是贞洁的。若它在高处是非贞洁的，那么在低处也是非贞洁的。这是因为头脑的低层因素是非贞洁的，而它的高层因素是贞洁的，低层因素附于躯体上，而高层因素会摆脱这些事物（参见305节）。
302. (vi) Engagement is a means by which either party is prepared for conjugial love.
It has been established by the points made in the preceding section that engagement serves to prepare the mind or spirit of one for union with the mind or spirit of the other, or what is the same thing, the union of the love of one with that of the other. In addition to these a further point must be borne in mind. The rule is imprinted on truly conjugial love that it spreads both up and down. It climbs from its first warmth progressively upward towards their souls, striving to link them there, and it does so by opening up their minds ever more inwardly. There is no love which works harder at opening up the mind or which is stronger or more powerful in opening up the inner regions of the mind than conjugial love; for the soul of each has this intention. But at the very same moment that this love climbs towards their souls, it also comes down towards the body, and clothes itself with the body.
[2] It needs to be known that the quality of conjugial love as it comes down is determined by the height to which it climbs. If it reaches the heights it comes down as chaste, but if it does not, it comes down as unchaste. The reason is that the lower levels of the mind are unchaste, the higher levels chaste. For the lower levels of the mind are attached to the body, but the higher levels keep separate; but more on this subject may be seen below (305). These few remarks will establish that an engagement serves to prepare the mind of each partner for conjugial love, although this happens in different ways, depending on their affections.
302. 6. By betrothal each is made ready for conjugial love. It follows from the arguments presented in the preceding discussion that by betrothal the mind or spirit of one is made ready for union with the mind or spirit of the other, or to say the same thing, the love of one with the love of the other.
To those considerations we should add also the following, that by the order engraved on it truly conjugial love ascends and descends. It ascends from its first warmth progressively upward towards people's souls in an effort to form conjunctions there, and this by continually more interior openings of their minds. There is, moreover, no love which strives for these openings more intensely, or which opens the interior recesses of minds more forcefully and adeptly, than conjugial love; for it is the soul in each which impels it. On the other hand, in the very same moments that this love ascends toward the soul, it also descends toward the body and invests itself in it.
[2] People should know, however, that conjugial love is of the same character in its descent as it is in the height to which it ascends. If it soars aloft, it descends chaste; but if it does not soar aloft, it descends unchaste. That is because the lower elements of the mind are unchaste, while its higher elements are chaste; for the lower elements of the mind cling to the body, whereas the higher elements divorce themselves from such things. (But for more on this subject, see no. 305 below.)
From these few considerations it can be seen that the mind of each is prepared for conjugial love by betrothal, although in various ways depending on their affections.
302. 6. A commitment prepares them both for married love. The reasons brought out in the last article establish that a formal commitment prepares one mind or spirit to be united with another mind or spirit, or, to say the same thing, one love with another love.
It should also be mentioned that real married love is inscribed in this order: It goes up and it goes down. From its first warmth it goes steadily upwards towards the souls in an effort toward joining together on that level, by more and more inward openings of their minds. And there is no love that more eagerly sets these openings - up in motion, or that more vigorously and nimbly opens the mind's inner dimensions, than the love in marriage does. For the soul of each urges this.
But in the same moment that this love is going up toward the souls it also goes down toward the bodies and clothes itself by the agency of the body. But note that married love in its descent is like what it is in the height that it ascends to. If it exists in the heights, it comes down chaste, but if it does not exist in the heights it comes down unchaste. The reason is that the lower parts of the mind are unchaste, but its higher parts are chaste, for the mind's lower parts cling to the body, but the higher ones separate themselves from the lower parts. But more about these things appears below (no. 305).
These few remarks will establish that a commitment prepares each partner's mind for married love, yet each in a different way, according to what they love.
302. VI. THAT BY BETROTHAL EACH IS PREPARED FOR CONJUGIAL LOVE. That by betrothal, the mind or spirit of the one is prepared for union with the mind or spirit of the other, or, what is the same thing, the love of the one with the love of the other, is evident from the arguments presented in the preceding article. It should be mentioned in addition, that on conjugial love is inscribed the following order: It ascends and descends. From its first heat it ascends progressively upwards towards their souls with an effort to conjunction there, and this by continually more interior openings of their minds--and there is no love which labors for these openings more intensely, or which opens the interiors of their minds more powerfully and easily, than conjugial love, inasmuch as the soul of each intends it; but by the same movements that this love ascends towards the soul, it also descends towards the body and thereby clothes itself.
[2] It should be known, however, that conjugial love is of the same nature in its descent as it is in the height to which it has ascended; if it is in its height, it descends chaste, and if not in its height it descends unchaste. The reason is because the lower parts of the mind are unchaste, but its higher parts chaste; for the lower parts of the mind cleave to the body, while its higher parts separate themselves from the lower. But on this subject more may be seen below (no. 305). From these few considerations, it can be seen that by betrothal the minds of the two are prepared for conjugial love, though in different ways according to their affections.
302. (vi) By betrothal each is prepared for marital love. The arguments advanced under the preceding proposition make it evident that by betrothal the mind or spirit of the one is prepared for union with the other's mind or spirit, or what is the same, the love of the one for union with the love of the other. In addition to those arguments this is to be related: there is impressed on true marital love an order by which it ascends and descends. From its first warmth it ascends progressively up toward the soul in the effort to effect conjunction of soul, and this by more and more interior openings of the mind. No love strives for these openings more intently, or opens the interiors of the mind more powerfully and easily, than marital love, for the soul of each intends it. But at the same time that this love ascends toward the soul, it also descends toward the body, and clothes itself with it. But marital love, be it known, is such in its descent as it is in the height to which it ascends. If it attains some elevation, it descends chaste, but if not, it descends unchaste. The reason is that the lower parts of the mind are unchaste, but its higher parts chaste, the lower adhering to the body, but the higher being separate from these (on this subject see more below,305). From these few things it may be evident that the mind of each is prepared by betrothal for marital love, although diversely according to the affections.
302. (6) That by the betrothal each is prepared for conjugial love. It is evident from the considerations presented in the preceding section, that the mind or spirit of the one is prepared by betrothal for union with the mind or spirit of the other, or what is the same, the love of the one with the love of the other. Besides this, it ought to be mentioned that upon love truly conjugial this order is inscribed: That it ascends and descends; it ascends progressively upwards from its first heat towards the souls, with an effort to conjunction there, and this by openings of the minds, continually more interior; and there is no love that more intensely labors for these openings, or which more powerfully and easily opens the interiors of minds than conjugial love, for the soul of each intends it. But at the same moments when that love is ascending towards the soul it is descending also towards the body, and is thereby clothing itself. But it should be known that conjugial love is of such quality in its descent as it is in the altitude to which it ascends; if it is in the height it descends chaste, and if not in the height, it descends unchaste. The reason is that the lower parts of the mind are unchaste, but its higher parts chaste; for the lower parts of the mind cleave to the body, but its higher separate themselves from them. But more may be seen on these subjects below at n. 305. From these few considerations it may be seen how that, by betrothal, the mind of each is prepared for conjugial love, though each in a different way according to the affections.
302. VI. Quod per desponsationem praeparetur uterque ad amorem conjugialem. Quod unius mens seu spiritus per desponsationem praeparetur ad unionem cum alterius mente seu spiritu, aut quod idem est, quod unius amor cum alterius amore, constat ex argumentis in antecedente Articulo allatis. Praeter illa memorandum est hoc; quod amori vere conjugiali inscriptus sit hic ordo, quod ascendat et descendat; ascendit a primo suo calore progressive sursum versus animas nisu ad conjunctiones ibi, et quod per aperitiones mentium jugi interiores; et non datur amor, qui aperitiones illas intensius molitur, seu qui interiora mentium fortius et habilius aperit, quam amor conjugialis, anima enim utriusque id intendit; at iisdem momentis quibus amor ille versus animas ascendit, etiam versus corpus descendit, et per id se investit.
[2] At sciendum est, quod amor conjugialis in descensu talis sit, qualis est in altitudine, ad quam ascendit; si in altitudine est, descendit ille castus, at si non in altitudine est, descendit ille incastus; causa est, quia inferiora mentis sunt incasta, at superiora ejus sunt casta; inferiora enim mentis adhaerent corpori, sed superiora se separant ab illis; verum plus de his videatur infra 305. Ex his paucis constare potest, quod utriusque mens per desponsationem praeparetur ad amorem conjugialem, tametsi diversimode secundum affectiones.