391、⑷对孩子的爱之气场是一个保护并维持那些无法自我保护并维持之人的气场。我们在前面（386节）说过，主通过从祂发出的气场实现功用就是圣治。因此，保护并维持那些无法自我保护并维持之人的气场也是指这圣治。因为自创造时就规定，受造物当得以保存、看顾、保护和维持，否则，整个宇宙就会走向毁灭。对具有自由选择权的活物来说，这一切无法由主直接成就，故只能通过将祂的爱植入父母和保姆而间接成就。他们没有意识到，他们的爱是出自主而存在于他们里面的爱，因为他们没有感觉到主的流注，更不用说祂的全在了。但是，谁看不出，这并非自然的杰作，而是圣治在自然里面并通过自然运作的杰作？这种普遍流注是不可能存在的，除非它经由居于宇宙中心的一个灵界太阳从神而来，并且这太阳的运作因在时空之外，故瞬间从最初之物存在于最末之物。
我们将在下文说明，活物如何接受神性运作，也就是主的圣治。父母之所以会保护并维持他们的孩子，是因为孩子无法自我保护并维持。然而，这一事实不是爱孩子的理由，而是由这爱降至他们的理解力所产生的一个理性理由。若单凭这理性理由，没有这爱的注入来激励人，或没有法律和惩罚来强迫他，人就和雕像一样无法照料自己的孩子。
391、（4）对小孩子的爱的氛围是一种保护支持那些不能保护自己的人的一种氛围。正如在386节中说过，来自于主的这两种氛围是神的意愿，这种意愿同时意味着一种保护那些不能保护自己的人的一种氛围。因为从创世时起，所创造的事物就要得到保护，否则整个宇宙就会被毁掉。但是因为主不能直接介入他赋予了独立判断力的生物的选择中，主是通过在父、母及护理者的爱来影响着它的。他们并不知道他们的爱是来自于主，因为他们体会不到那种流入以及主的普遍存在。但是有谁不知道这并非是自然所产生的现象呢？有谁看不到这种普遍存在的现象只有因为主并通过精神世界的太阳才能实现呢？关于生物是怎样接受主的意愿的，我们将在下面继续讲述。
尽管父母保护着他们的孩子，因为他们不能自己保护自己，但那并不是这种爱的起因。
391. (iv) The sphere of the love of children is one which protects and supports those who are unable to protect and support themselves.
We said above (386) that the working out of the Lord's purposes by means of spheres emanating from Him are Divine providence. So this too is meant by the sphere which protects and supports those who are unable to protect and support themselves. For it was established from creation that what is created is to be preserved, kept safe, protected and supported; otherwise the universe would collapse in ruins. But because this cannot be directly accomplished by the Lord in the case of living creatures, who are left with the power of choice, it is done indirectly by the love of it implanted in fathers, mothers and nurses. They are unaware that their love is a love in them coming from the Lord, because they do not feel the Lord's influence, much less His omnipresence.
Can anyone fail to see that this is not the work of nature, but of Divine providence working in and through nature; and such a universal influence could not exist, if it did not come from God through some spiritual sun, located in the centre of the universe, the working of which, being apart from space and time, is immediate and present everywhere from first to last?
[2] We shall describe in what follows, however, how that Divine working, which is the Lord's Divine providence, is received by living creatures. The fact that mothers and fathers protect and support children, because they are unable to protect and support themselves, is not the reason for that love, but is a rational reason which that love makes impinge upon the intellect. For if this were the only reason, with no love inspired into him and inspiring him, or with no law or penalty to compel him, a person would no more look after his children than a statue would.
391. 4. The atmosphere of a love for little children is an atmosphere of protecting and maintaining those who cannot protect and maintain themselves. We said above in no. 386 that effectuations of useful ends by the Lord by means of the atmospheres emanating from Him are Divine providence. This providence is also meant therefore by an atmosphere of protecting and maintaining those who cannot protect and maintain themselves. For it exists from creation that things created must be preserved, safeguarded, protected, and maintained - otherwise the universe would fall to ruin. But because this cannot be done by the Lord directly in the case of living beings to whom He has bequeathed free judgment, He does it indirectly through His love implanted in fathers, mothers and nurses. They are not aware that their love is a love from the Lord in them, because they do not perceive the influx and still less the omnipresence of the Lord. However, who does not see that this is not attributable to nature, but to Divine providence operating in and through nature? And who does not see that such a universal phenomenon could not exist except from God, through some spiritual sun which is at the center of the universe, and whose operation, being without space and time, is immediate and present from first things in last ones?
[2] But how this Divine operation, which is the Lord's Divine providence, is received by animate beings, will be told in the discussions that follow.
Although mothers and fathers protect and maintain their little children because they cannot protect and maintain themselves, that is not the cause of this love, but is a rational reason arising from the love as it enters into the intellect. For in consequence of that reason alone, without the infusion of love to inspire it, or without the law and its penalty to compel him, a person would no more provide for his children than a statue.
391. 4. The aura of love for children is an aura of protecting and nourishing those who cannot protect and nourish themselves. It said above (no. 386) that accomplishment of useful things by the Lord through the auras radiating from Him is the Divine Providence, and so this is what the aura of protecting and nourishing those who cannot protect and nourish themselves means. For it is part of creation that the things created are to be kept intact, guarded, protected, and sustained. Otherwise the universe would fail. But the Lord could not do this directly in living creatures left in freedom of choice, so He does it indirectly through His love implanted in fathers, mothers, and nurses. They do not know that their love is love from the Lord in them, because they do not notice the Lord’s influence, much less His universal presence. But who does not see that this is not nature's doing, but Divine Providence working in nature, through nature, and that there could not be a universal thing like that except from God through some spiritual sun that is in the center of the universe? And who does not see that its work is instantaneous and present from beginning to end, because it is apart from space and time? But what follows later will tell how living creatures receive that Divine work, which is the Lord's Divine Providence.
Mothers and fathers protect and nourish children because children cannot protect and nourish themselves. This is not the reason for the love but the rational motivation resulting from the love's coming into intellectual perception. For on that motivation alone, without an inspired love to excite it or a law and penalties to compel him, a person would not look after children any more than a statue does.
391. IV. THAT THE SPHERE OF THE LOVE OF INFANTS IS A SPHERE OF PROTECTION AND SUPPORT OF THOSE WHO CANNOT PROTECT AND SUPPORT THEMSELVES. It was said above (no. 386), that the bringing into operation of uses by the Lord through the spheres proceeding from Him is Divine Providence. It is this Providence, therefore, that is meant by the sphere of protection and support of those who cannot protect and support themselves; for it is provided from creation that things created shall be preserved, guarded, protected, and supported, otherwise the universe would go to ruin. With living creatures to whom is left freedom of choice, this cannot be done by the Lord immediately; therefore it is done mediately through His love implanted in fathers, mothers, and nurses. That the love is a love that is in them from the Lord, this they do not know, for they do not perceive the influx and still less the omnipresence of the Lord. But who does not see that this is not a thing of nature but of Divine providence operating in nature by nature? and that a universal of this kind is not possible except from God by a spiritual sun which is in the center of the universe, and whose operation, being without space and time, is instant and present in things last from things first?
[2] As to how that Divine operation, which is the Lord's Divine Providence, is received by animate beings, this shall be told in what follows. Mothers and fathers protect and support their infants because these are not able to protect and support themselves. This, however, is not the cause of the love of infants but is a rational cause due to the coming down of that love into their understanding. From the rational cause alone, in the absence of a love breathed in and inspiring it, or without the compulsion of law and punishment, man would no more provide for his infants than a statue.
391. (iv) The sphere of love for children is a sphere of tutelage and support of those who cannot protect and support themselves. We said above (386) that the prosecution of uses by the Lord through spheres proceeding from Him is Divine Providence. Providence, therefore, is meant by the sphere of protection and support of those unable to protect and support themselves: For in creation the purpose is that what has been created should be conserved, guarded, protected and maintained, else the universe would fall to pieces. But as this cannot be done directly by the Lord in the case of beings entrusted with a power of choice, it is done mediately through His love implanted in fathers, mothers and nurses. These do not know that their love is love from the Lord with them, not perceiving His influx and still less His omnipresence. But who does not see that such things are not from nature, but by Divine Providence operating in and through nature? Who does not see that anything so universal can exist only from the Lord through a spiritual sun which is at the center of the universe, and the activity of which, being apart from space and time, is instant and present from first things in last? We shall say later how this Divine operation, which is the Lord's Divine Providence, is received by animate subjects. While mothers and fathers protect and support their children because the latter are unable to protect and support themselves, this necessity is not the cause of that love, but is a rational realization from that love as it falls into the understanding. Out of mere necessity for such care, apart from the love inspired in and inspiring the parent, or apart from law and penalty constraining him, a man would no more provide for his children than a statue.
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.
391. IV. Quod Sphaera amoris infantum, sit sphaera tutelae et sustentationis illorum, qui semetipsos tutari et sustentare nequeunt. Quod operationes usuum a Domino per sphaeras procedentes ab Ipso, sint Divina Providentia, supra386, dictum est; Haec itaque intelligitur per sphaeram tutelae et sustentationis illorum, qui semetipsos tutari et sustentare nequeunt: a Creatione enim est, quod Creata conservanda, custodienda, tutanda, et sustentanda sint, alioquin universum rueret; sed quia id immediate a Domino apud viventia, quibus arbitratus relictus est, fieri non potest, fit id mediate per amorem suum implantatum patribus, matribus, alumnis; quod amor illorum sit amor a Domino apud illos, non sciunt, quia non percipiunt influxum, et minus omnipraesentiam Domini: at quis non videt, quod hoc non naturae sit, sed Divinae Providentiae operantis in natura per naturam; et quod tale Universale non dari possit, nisi a Deo per Spiritualem quendam Solem, qui in Centro Universi est, et cujus operatio, quia absque spatio et tempore, instans et praesens est a primis in ultimis.
[2] Quomodo autem Divina illa operatio, quae est Divina Domini Providentia, ab animatis recipitur, in sequentibus dicetur. Quod matres et patres tutentur et sustentent infantes, quia hi semetipsos tutari et sustentare nequeunt, non est causa illius amoris, sed est causa rationalis ex amore illo incidente in intellectum; homo enim ex sola hac causa, absque amore inspirato et inspirante illam, aut absque lege et poena cogente illum, non plus infantibus prospiceret quam statua.