349、⒁一夫多妻对那些不认识主的人来说，不是一种罪恶。原因在于，真正的婚姻之爱唯独来自主，只能被主赐给那些认识祂、承认祂、信靠祂，并按祂的吩咐生活之人。那些无法被赐予这爱的人没有意识到，两性情爱与婚姻之爱不是一回事，因而一夫多妻与婚姻之爱也不是一回事。另外，对主一无所知的一夫多妻者仍是属世的；因为只有主才能使人变得属灵；对属世人来说，行他的宗教和社会的法律所许可的事不算罪。此外，属世人照自己的推理行事，属世人的推理在涉及真正的婚姻之爱时，会陷入深深的黑暗，因为这爱最是一种属灵之爱。然而，他们的推理仍从经验获知：为了公众和个人的平安，淫乱的情欲应普遍加以限制，各自在自己家里实践就行了。于是，他们选择了一夫多妻。
349、（14）这是因为真正的婚姻之爱来自于主，而主只将其赋予认识主的，承认并相信主的并按主而生活的人。另外，那些认为对异性的爱和婚姻之爱没有区别的人不能得到真正的婚姻之爱。
同时，一夫多妻的不知道主的人是处于自然人的状态，因为只有主才能使人变得有精神性。对于自然人来讲，遵守其法律和宗教的行为就不是罪恶的。这样的人是按自己的理性行为的。而他的理性在真正的婚姻之爱方面是完全处于黑暗中的。
然而，经验告诉他们为了公众和自己的平和，淫蒎被限制在自己的社区并规定在自己的家中会好些。所以他们选择了一夫多妻制。
349. (xiv) Polygamy is not a sin for those who have no knowledge of the Lord.
The reason is that the Lord is the only source of truly conjugial love, and this cannot be given by the Lord except to those who know Him, acknowledge Him, believe in Him, and live as He tells us. Those who are incapable of being given that love are unaware that sexual and conjugial love are not the same, and so too polygamy. In addition, polygamists, knowing nothing of the Lord, remain natural; for it is only the Lord who makes people spiritual, and it is not counted a sin for the natural man to do what the laws of his religion and community permit. He acts as his reason dictates, and the natural man's reason is in deep darkness where conjugial love is concerned, this being above all a spiritual love. Still their reason is taught by experience that it is in the interests of public and private peace for promiscuous lust to be generally restrained, and left for each to practise within his own household. Hence polygamy.
349. 14. Polygamy is not a sin among people who are in ignorance regarding the Lord. The reason for this is that truly conjugial love comes from the Lord alone, and can be given by the Lord only to those who know Him, acknowledge Him, believe in Him, and live a life that derives from Him. Moreover, people to whom that love cannot be given know no other than that love for the opposite sex and conjugial love are the same thing; consequently that polygamy is, too.
Besides, polygamists who know nothing of the Lord remain natural; for a person is made spiritual only by the Lord. And to the natural man nothing is imputed as sin which is in accordance with the laws of his religion and at the same time of society. He acts as well in accordance with his reason; and the reason of the natural man is in complete darkness with respect to truly conjugial love - love which in its quintessence is spiritual.
Still, however, their reason learns from experience that for the sake of peace - both the public peace and their own personal peace - it is better for promiscuous lust to be restricted in the community and relegated to each one in his own home. So they settle on polygamy.
349. 14. Polygamy is not a sin for those who do not know about the Lord. The reason is that real married love is from the Lord alone, and the Lord can only give this to those who know about Him, accept Him, believe in Him, and live the life that is from Him.
And those whom He cannot give that love to do not know but what love of the other sex and the love in marriage are the same thing, so polygamy is, too. In addition, polygamists who know nothing of the Lord stay worldly, for only the Lord makes a person spiritual, and what is in line with religion and the laws of society is not charged to a worldly man as a sin. He acts according to his reason, and the worldly person's reason is in a complete fog about the real love in marriage, and this love is spiritual in its excellence.
But their reason is taught by experience to generally restrict promiscuous lust for the public and private peace, and leave it to everyone within his household.
This is what polygamy comes from.
349. XIV. THAT POLYGAMY IS NOT A SIN WITH THOSE WHO ARE IN IGNORANCE OF THE LORD. The reason is because love truly conjugial is from the Lord alone and can be given by the Lord only to those who know Him, acknowledge Him, believe in Him, and live the life which is from Him. Those to whom that love cannot be given know no other than that love of the sex and conjugial love are one and the same thing, and so also polygamy. Add to this, that polygamists who know nothing of the Lord remain natural; for man is made spiritual by the Lord alone, and to the natural man that is not imputed as sin which accords with the laws of his religion and also of the society in which he lives. Moreover, natural men act according to their reason, and the reason of the natural man is in mere darkness respecting love truly conjugial, this love being spiritual in its excellence. Yet, from experience their reason learns that it is for the public and private peace that promiscuous lust in general should be restricted and be left to the individual within his own house. Hence their polygamy.
349. (xiv) Polygamy is not a sin in those who are ignorant of the Lord. The reason is that true marital love is from the Lord alone and can be given by Him only to those who know, acknowledge and believe in Him, and live the life which is from Him. Those to whom that love cannot be given do not know but that marital love and sexual love and so, too, polygamy are one. Furthermore, polygamists who know nothing of the Lord remain natural; for the human being is made spiritual by the Lord alone; and nothing is imputed to the natural man as sin which is in accord with the laws of his religion and at the same time of society. He is also acting in accord with his reason. The reason of the natural man is entirely in the dark about true marital love, which in its excellence is spiritual; but still his reason is taught by experience that in the interests of public and private peace, promiscuous lust must be restrained at large and be relegated to a man's home; hence comes polygamy.
349. (14) That polygamy is not sin with those who are in ignorance concerning the Lord. The reason is, that love truly conjugial is from the Lord alone, and cannot be given by the Lord to others than those who know Him, acknowledge Him, believe in Him, and live the life which is from Him; and they to whom that love cannot be given do not know but that the love of sex and conjugial love are the same, consequently polygamy also. Add to this that polygamists who know nothing of the Lord remain natural, for man becomes spiritual from the Lord only, and to the natural man that is not imputed as a sin which is according to the laws of his religion and at the same time of society. He also acts according to his reason, and the reason of the natural man is in utter thick darkness respecting love truly conjugial, and this love in its excellency is spiritual. And yet their reason is taught, by experience, that it is for the public and private peace that promiscuous lust, in general, should be restricted, and relegated to everyone within his own house. Hence is polygamy.
349. XIV: Quod Polygamia non sit peccatum apud illos, qui in ignorantia sunt de Domino. Causa est, quia a Solo Domino est Amor vere conjugialis, et hic a Domino non aliis dari potest, quam qui sciunt Ipsum, agnoscunt Ipsum, credunt in Ipsum, et vivunt vitam quae ab Ipso est; et illi, quibus ille amor non dari potest, non sciunt aliter quam quod amor sexus et amor conjugialis unum sint; consequenter etiam polygamia: accedit, quod Polygami, qui nihil sciunt de Domino, maneant naturales; homo enim fit spiritualis 1unice a Domino; et homini naturali non imputatur peccatum id, quod secundum Religionis et simul Societatis leges est; is etiam secundum suam rationem agit, et ratio naturalis hominis in mera caligine est de Amore vere conjugiali, et hic amor in excellentia est spiritualis: at usque ratio illorum ab experientia docetur, quod pacis publicae et privatae sit, ut promiscua libido in communi restringatur, et cuivis intra domum suam relinquatur; inde Polygamia.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: spititualis