305、⑼订婚期间，肉体的结合是不合法的。若发生这种事，就会破坏刻在婚姻之爱上的次序。因为人的心智有三个区域：其最高区域被称为属天的，中间区域被称为属灵的，最低区域被称为属世的。人生来就在最低区域，但能通过照着宗教真理的生活而攀升到被称为属灵的较高区域，还能通过爱与智慧的婚姻攀升到最高区域。最低区域，就是所谓的属世区域，就是对邪恶和淫乱的一切情欲所居之地。但被称为属灵的较高区域则没有对邪恶或淫乱的任何情欲；人重生时，会被主引入这一区域。被称为属天的最高区域，是住在自己的爱里面的婚姻贞洁的居所。人通过对履行服务的爱被提升到这一区域，因为最优质的服务是那些由婚姻通过真正的婚姻之爱所产生的服务。
由此可以简单看出，婚姻之爱若要变得贞洁，就必须自其热的最初阶段开始，从最低区域被提升至较高区域。然后，它再从贞洁经由中间和最低区域降至身体。当这一切成就时，最低区域就被降下来的贞洁之爱净化，除去它的不贞洁。因此，这爱的最低层就变得贞洁了。若这爱的连续阶段因过早的肉体结合而仓促进行，后果就是，此人正出于天生不贞洁的最低区域行事。众所周知，这是对婚姻的冷淡和对配偶的忽视连同厌恶的开始和根源。然而，过早的结合，以及订婚时间的过长或过短所造成的后果各不相同。它们因其数量和种类众多，故很难被一一列举。
305、（9）订婚后他们在躯体上的结合是不合法的。
因为若他们没有那样做，婚姻之爱的顺序就被打乱了。
在人的头脑中有三个区域。最高层为神圣的，中间层是精神的，最低层是自然的。人生来处于最低层。若人按宗教的道理生活，他就会被提升到精神层。人若有爱和智慧的结合，他就会进入最高层。
在最低层有各种各样的罪恶和淫爱。在精神中没有任何罪恶，因为在这一层中人是被主带领而获得新生。在最高层中，人有婚姻之爱的贞节。人若热爱有益的工作就能被提升到最高层中去。因为婚姻就是通过真正的婚姻之爱而服务于最完美的终级。
因此，我们可以看到，在最开始婚姻之爱必须要从最低层提升到高层以便它能变得贞洁，进而从贞洁处通过中间层和最低层进入躯体。这种情况下，下降的贞节会使最低层的因素得到净化。这就使得那种爱在外在上也是贞洁的。
但是若这一过程在不恰当的时候被过早的躯体上的结合所打乱。人就是从最低层的非贞洁的区域而行为。这会给婚姻带来冷漠。
过早的结合会有不同的情况，正如，订婚过长或过短会产生许多不同的结果一样，在此不做过多叙述。
305. (ix) During the period of an engagement it is not allowable to become linked physically.
If this happens, it destroys the order imprinted on conjugial love. For the human mind contains three regions, the highest of which is called celestial, the middle one spiritual, and the lowest natural. A person is by birth in the lowest region, but climbs to the higher one called spiritual by living in accordance with the truths of religion, and to the highest by the marriage of love and wisdom. The lowest region, called the natural one, is where all the longings for evil and wantonness dwell. But the higher region, called spiritual, contains no longings for evil or wantonness; it is into this that the person is guided by the Lord when he is reborn. In the highest region, called the celestial, is the dwelling of conjugial chastity in its love. A person is lifted into this by the love of performing services, and since the most outstanding services are those arising from marriage, by truly conjugial love.
[2] This can offer a brief summary of how conjugial love from the earliest phase of its warmth must be lifted up from the lowest into a higher region, so as to become chaste. Then from chastity it can come down through the middle and lowest regions into the body. When this happens the lowest region is cleansed of its unchastity by the chaste love coming down. As a result the lowest level of this love becomes chaste. Now if the successive stages of this love are hurried on by premature physical union, the consequence is that the person acts from the lowest region, which is by birth unchaste. It is well known that this is the beginning and source of coldness towards marriage and neglect accompanied by distaste for a partner. Still there may be widely differing results from premature unions, as well as from too protracted engagements and too hasty ones. But they are so numerous and varied that it would be difficult to list them.
305. 9. During the time of their betrothal it is not lawful for them to be joined physically. For if they are the order engraved on conjugial love perishes.
To explain this, there are in human minds three regions, the highest of which is called celestial, the intermediate one spiritual, and the lowest one natural. A person dwells by birth in the lowest region, but he ascends into the next higher one, called spiritual, by living according to truths of religion, and into the highest one by achieving a marriage of love and wisdom.
All kinds of evil and lascivious lusts reside in the lowest region, which is called natural. In the next higher region, however, which is called spiritual, there are no evil and lascivious lusts, for this is the region into which a person is led by the Lord when he is born anew. And in the highest region, which is called celestial, one finds conjugial chastity surrounded by its love. A person is raised into this last region by a love of serving useful ends, and because marriage serves the most excellent ends of all, by truly conjugial love.
[2] One can see in summary from this that, from the first beginnings of its warmth, conjugial love has to be raised from the lowest region into a higher one in order to become chaste and to thus descend from a chaste origin through the intermediate and lowest regions into the body. When this is the case, its descending chastity purifies the lowest region of its unchaste elements. This in turn causes the outmost expression of that love to become also chaste.
Now, if the sequential and orderly development of this love is hastened prematurely by physical conjunctions before the proper time, it follows that the person is acting from the lowest region which by birth is unchaste. It is a familiar experience that this occasions and gives rise to coldness toward the marriage and indifference combined with loathing toward the other partner.
But still, various differences occur in the outcomes of premature conjunctions, likewise in the outcomes of an excessive prolongation as well as of an excessive shortening of the time of betrothal. However, because of their number and diversities, these differences cannot easily be enumerated.
305. 9. During the time of engagement, physical union is not allowed, because this destroys the sequence ascribed to the love in marriage.
For there are three regions in human minds. The highest is called heavenly, the middle spiritual, and the lowest worldly. A person is born in this lowest but rises into the higher, called spiritual, through a life in keeping with the truths of religion, and into the highest through marriage of love and wisdom. All bad lusts and wantonness reside in the lowest region, called worldly, but there are no bad lusts or wantonness in the higher region called spiritual, for the Lord leads a person into this region as he is reborn. In the highest region, though, called heavenly, is the chastity of marriage in married love. A person is raised into this region by a love of usefulness - and by the real love of marriage, because the foremost forms of usefulness come out of marriage.
These observations show in brief that the love in marriage should be raised from the lowest region into the highest from the time it first kindles, in order to be chaste and so it can be sent from chasteness through the middle region and the lowest, into the body. When this happens, this lowest region is purified of its unchastities by the love's coming down from chasteness. In this way the lowest level of the love becomes chaste.
Now, if bodily unions coming before their time topple the regular order of this love, the result is that the person acts from the lowest region, which is unchaste from birth. It is well known that coldness toward marriage and scornful neglect of the married partner begin there and arise from it.
But still the results of premature unions can differ in various ways. Likewise the results of the time of betrothal dragging on too long, or of too much haste. But these results are hard to describe because they are so many and so varied.
305. IX. THAT DURING THE TIME OF BETROTHAL IT IS NOT LAWFUL TO BE CONJOINED CORPOREALLY, for thus the order which is inscribed on conjugial love perishes. In human minds there are three regions, the highest of which is called celestial, the middle spiritual, and the lowest natural. It is into this lowest region that man is born. He ascends into his higher region, which is called spiritual, by a life according to the truths of religion; and into the highest, by the marriage of love and wisdom. In the lowest region, which is called natural, reside all the concupiscences of evil and lasciviousness, but in the higher region which is called spiritual, are no concupiscences of evil and lasciviousness, for man is led into this region by the Lord when he is born again; and in the highest region called celestial, is conjugial chastity residing in its own love. Man is elevated into this region by the love of uses, and since the most excellent uses are from marriages, by love truly conjugial.
[2] From this it can be seen in brief, that from the first periods of its heat, conjugial love, if it is to become chaste, must be elevated from the lowest region into the highest, 1that from what is chaste it may then be let down through the middle and lowest region into the body. When this is done, this lowest region is purified of its unchastities by the descent of what is chaste, and then the ultimate of that love also becomes chaste. If then the successive order of this love be precipitated by corporeal conjunctions before their due time, it follows that the man acts from the lowest region which is unchaste from birth. That from this region, cold in respect to marriage and neglect of the married partner together with loathing, has its beginning and origin, is well known. Yet there are various differences in the results of premature conjunction, as also of an over-prolonging and likewise of an over-hastening of the time of betrothal; but on account of their number and varieties, these can hardly be adduced.
Footnotes:
1. The Latin is superiorem (higher), but the context indicates that this is an error for supremam, as in the translation.
305. (ix) During betrothal it is not allowable to be united bodily. For thus the order inscribed upon marital love perishes. There are three regions in human minds, the highest of which is called celestial, the middle spiritual, and the lowest natural. Into this lowest the human being is born, but into the higher, which is called spiritual, he ascends by a life according to the truths of religion, and into the highest by the marriage of love and wisdom. In the lowest region, called natural, reside all evil lusts and lasciviousness; but of these there are none in the higher region, called spiritual, for into this region a man is led by the Lord on re-birth. And in the highest region, called celestial, marital chastity is in its proper love; a man is raised into this region by the love of uses, and as the most eminent uses attach to marriage, by true marital love. It can be seen from this summary view that marital love must be raised from the first beginnings of its warmth out of the lowest region into the higher in order to become chaste, whereupon it may be let down chaste through the middle and lowest region into the body. When this is done, the lowest region is purified of its unchastities by the descending chaste. Hence the final expression of that love becomes chaste, too. Now, if the gradual order of this love is precipitated by bodily union before the time, it follows that the man acts from the lowest region which by birth is unchaste. It is common knowledge that cold toward marriage begins and arises so, as do neglect and disdain of the partner. Still there are various differences in the results of premature unions; as also in the results of prolonging the time of betrothal or hastening it overmuch; but on account of their number and variety these can scarcely be set forth.
305. (9) That during the time of betrothal it is not permissible to be bodily conjoined. For thus the order which is inscribed upon conjugial love perishes. For in human minds there are three regions, the highest of which is called celestial, the middle region spiritual, and the lowest natural. Into this lowest man is born; but into its higher, which is called spiritual, he ascends by a life according to the truths of religion; and into the highest by the marriage of love and wisdom. In the lowest region, called natural, reside all the lusts of evil and lasciviousness; but in the higher regions, called spiritual, there are no lusts of evil and lasciviousness, for into this man is led by the Lord when he is born again; and in the highest region, called celestial, is conjugial chastity in its love; into this man is raised by the love of uses, and, as the most excellent uses are from marriages, by love truly conjugial. From these truths it may be seen in brief that conjugial love, from the first beginnings of its heat, ought to be raised out of the lowest region into the higher region, that it may become chaste, and that thus out of the chaste it may be let down, through the middle region, and the lowest, into the body. When this is done, this lowest region is purified of its unchastities by the descending chaste, and so the ultimate of that love also becomes chaste. Now, if the successive order of this love is precipitated by conjunctions of the body before their time, it follows that man (Latin: homo) acts from the lowest region which by nativity is unchaste. That thence begins and rises coldness towards marriage, and neglect with disdain towards the married partner is known. But yet there are various differences of results from too early conjunctions, as also from excessive protraction, and likewise from excessive hastening of the time of betrothal. But these, on account of their number and varieties, can not easily be adduced.
305. IX: Quod intra tempus desponsationis non liceat corporaliter conjungi; ita enim ordo, qui inscriptus est amori conjugiali, perit. Sunt enim in Mentibus humanis tres regiones, quarum suprema vocatur coelestis, media spiritualis, et infima naturalis; in infima hac nascitur homo, at in superiorem ejus, quae vocatur spiritualis, ascendit per vitam secundum vera religionis, et in supremam per conjugium amoris et sapientiae: in regione infima, quae vocata est naturalis, resident omnes concupiscentiae mali, et lasciviae; in regione autem superiore, quae vocata est spiritualis, non sunt aliquae concupiscentiae mali et lasciviae, in hanc enim homo inducitur a Domino, cum renascitur; in suprema autem 1regione, quae vocata est coelestis, est castitas conjugialis in suo amore; in hanc elevatur homo per amorem usuum, et quia ex conjugiis sunt praestantissimi usus, per amorem vere conjugialem:
[2] ex his in compendio videri potest, quod amor conjugialis a primitiis sui caloris e regione infima elevandus sit in regionem superiorem, ut fiat castus, ac ut sic ex casto demittatur per regionem mediam et infimam in corpus; quod cum fit, a casto descendente purificatur infima haec regio a suis incastis; inde fit ultimum illius amoris etiam castum: nunc si successivus hujus amoris ordo praecipitatur per conjunctiones corporis ante suum tempus, sequitur, quod homo ex regione infima, quae ex nativitate est incasta, agat; quod inde inceptet et oriatur frigus pro conjugio, ac neglectus cum fastidio pro conjuge, notum est. Sed usque dantur varia discrimina eventuum ex conjunctionibus praecocibus; tum etiam ex nimia protractione, et quoque ex nimia festinatione temporis desponsationum; sed illa propter pluralitatem et varietates aegre produci possunt.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: autem,