408、⒄对属灵夫妻来说，这爱发自于内，或发自于在先之物；而对属世夫妻来说，这爱发自于外，或发自于在后之物。出于在内在或在先之物思考并得出结论，就是出于通向结果的目的和原因思考并得出结论；而出于在外或在后之物思考并得出结论就是出于通向原因和目的的结果思考并得出结论。后一个过程违背次序，而前一个过程符合次序。因为出于目的和原因思考并得出结论就是出于在心智高层区域中清楚可见并通向心智低层区域中的结果的良善与真理思考并得出结论。人类理性本身的性质自创造时就是这样。但出于结果思考并得出结论就是出于心智的低层区域，就是充斥身体感官印象及其表象和谬误的地方猜测原因和目的。这本身无非是确认虚假和贪欲，并且确认后就把它们当作智慧之真理和对其爱之良善来看待和相信。对婴儿和孩子的爱在属灵父母和属世父母身上的情形差不多也是这样。属灵父母出于在先之物，也就是以正确的次序来爱孩子；而属世父母则出于在后之物，也就是以错误的次序来爱孩子。引证这一点只是为了证明前一点。
408、（17）精神性的配偶中这种爱是发自内在并源于预先存在的原因，而在自然性的配偶中这种爱则是发自于外在并源于其结果的。
从内在或前提条件进行思考是从开始到条件到结果的发展，而从外在或结果进行思考则是从结果到条件再到开始的发展。后者是与规律相反的，而前者却符合规律，因为从开始和条件进行思考是从善和真理即头脑的高层发展到结果——这是从创世以来的人的理性发展的顺序。而从结果去思索则是从头脑的低层开始，基于躯体的感觉，表现和错误印象，而猜出条件和起始情况，这就是谬误，并将其视为真理。
在精神的父母和自然的父母中对年幼和年长的孩子的爱是相似的。精神性的父母基于前在条件，进而是遵循秩序的，而自然的父母却因为结果而爱他们，这是与秩序相反的。
408. (xvii) In the case of the spiritual that love comes from within or from what is prior, but in the case of the natural from without or what is posterior.
Thinking and coming to a conclusion from what is interior and prior is to do so from aims and causes leading to effects; but thinking and coming to a conclusion from what is exterior or posterior is to do so from effects leading to causes and aims. This is to proceed in the wrong direction, the other to do so in the right direction. For thinking and coming to a conclusion from aims and causes is to do so from the consideration of kinds of good and truth in the upper region of the mind, leading to effects in the lower region. Human rationality itself is from creation like this. But thinking and coming to a conclusion from effects is to guess causes and aims from the lower region of the mind, where bodily sense impressions with their appearances and fallacies are rife. This is essentially no different from confirming what is false and is longed for; and on seeing these confirmed believing that they are the truths of wisdom and the goodness of the love of this. It is much the same with the love of babies and children in the case of the spiritual and the natural. The spiritual love them from what is prior, that is, in the right order; but the natural love them from what is posterior, so in the wrong order. These considerations have been adduced merely to prove the previous point.
408. 17. This love in spiritual partners comes from within or from a prior cause, while in natural partners it comes from without or from the subsequent effect. To think and draw conclusions from an inner or prior cause is to proceed from ends and causes to effects, whereas to think and draw conclusions from the outward or subsequent effect is to proceed from effects to causes and ends. This latter course is contrary to order, whereas the first is in accordance with order. For to think and draw conclusions from ends and causes is to proceed from goods and truths seen in the higher region of the mind to their effects in the lower region - this being the way of human rationality from creation; whereas to think and draw conclusions from effects is to proceed from the lower region of the mind, and on the basis of the sense impressions of the body there, with their appearances and misconceptions, to guess at causes and ends, which, in itself, is nothing else than to confirm falsities and lusts, and after confirming them to see and believe them to be truths of wisdom and the goods of a love of wisdom.
It is similar with the love of little and older children in spiritual parents and that in natural ones. Spiritual parents love their children from a prior cause, thus in accordance with order; whereas natural parents love them from the subsequent effect, thus contrary to order.
This consideration has been presented simply to corroborate the preceding discussion.
408. 17. In spiritual partners that love is from inner things, or first things, but in worldly partners it is from outer or resultant things. To think and draw conclusions from innermost and first things is to work from purposes and causes to effects, but to think and draw conclusions from outward or resultant things is to work from effects to causes and purposes. This second process is against order, but the first one is in order, for thinking and reaching conclusions from purposes and causes is thinking from good and true things seen in the mind's higher level to the effects on the lower level. Human reason itself is like this by creation. But thinking and reaching conclusions from effects is surmising causes and purposes from the mind's lower level, where the body's senses are, with their apparent and fallacious qualities. This in itself is nothing but confirming falsities and selfish wants, and after confirming these, seeing and believing that they are the truths of wisdom and the good results of wisdom's love.
It is the same with love of babies and children in spiritual and worldly people. The spiritual love them for the things that come first, thus according to order, but the worldly love them for resultant things, thus against order.
These remarks are brought in just to confirm the last article.
408. XVII. THAT WITH THE SPIRITUAL, THIS LOVE IS FROM WITHIN OR a priori, BUT WITH THE NATURAL, FROM WITHOUT OR a posteriori. To think and conclude from within or a priori is to think from ends and causes to effects, but to think and conclude from without or a posteriori is to think from effects to causes and ends. The latter progression is against order, but the former is according to order; for to think and conclude from ends and causes is to think and conclude from goods and truths clearly seen in the higher region of the mind, to effects in the lower region. Such from creation is the nature of human rationality itself. But to think and conclude from effects is to conjecture causes and ends from the lower region of the mind where are the sensual things of the body with their appearances and fallacies. In itself, this is nothing else than to confirm falsities and concupiscences and, after confirmation, to see and believe them to be the verities of wisdom and the goodness of the love thereof. It is the same with the love of infants and children in spiritual men and in natural. The spiritual love them ex priori, thus according to order, while the natural love them ex posteriori, thus contrary to order. This is adduced simply to confirm the preceding article.
408. (xvii) With the spiritual this love is from what is interior or prior, but with the natural from what is exterior or subsequent. To think and conclude from what is interior or prior is to do so from ends and causes to effects; but to think and conclude from what is exterior or subsequent is to do so from effects to causes and ends. The latter procedure is contrary to order, the former according to order. For to think and conclude from ends and causes is to do so from goods and truths, seen clearly in the higher region of the mind, to effects in the lower. Such is human rationality by creation. But to think and conclude from effects is to conjecture causes and ends from the lower region of the mind, where are the sensuous things of the body with their appearances and fallacies. This in itself is nothing else than to confirm falsities and lusts, and after their confirmation to see and believe them to be verities of wisdom and goodnesses of the love of wisdom. It is similar with love of infants and children in spiritual and natural parents respectively. The spiritual love them from what is prior, thus in accord with order; but the natural love them from what is subsequent, thus contrary to order. We have included these considerations merely to confirm the preceding proposition.
408. (17) That this love with the spiritual is from the interior or prior; but with the natural is from the exterior or posterior. To think and conclude from the interior and prior is to think from ends and causes to effects; but to think and conclude from the exterior or posterior, is from effects to causes and ends. This progression is against order, but the other is according to order. For to think and conclude from ends and causes is from goods and truths seen in the higher region of the mind; but to think and conclude from effects is to conjecture causes and ends from the lower region of the mind, where the sensual things of the body are with their appearances and fallacies, which in itself is nothing but to confirm falsities and lusts, and after confirmation to see and believe them to be the verities of wisdom and goodnesses of its love. So is it with the love of infants and children with the spiritual and the natural; the spiritual love them from the prior, thus according to order; but the natural love them from the posterior, thus against order. These things are adduced simply to confirm the preceding section.
408. XVII. Quod ille Amor apud Spirituales sit ab interiori seu priori, apud Naturales autem ab exteriori seu posteriori. Cogitare et concludere ex interiori et priori, est ex finibus et causis ad effectus, at cogitare et concludere ab exteriori seu posteriori, est ex effectibus ad causas et fines; haec progressio est contra ordinem, illa autem est secundum ordinem; nam cogitare et concludere a finibus et causis, est a bonis et veris in superiore regione mentis perspectis, ad effectus in inferiore; ipsa rationalitas humana a creatione talis est: at cogitare et concludere ab effectibus, est ab inferiore regione mentis, ubi sensualia corporis cum suis apparentiis et fallaciis sunt, augurari causas et fines, quod in se non aliud est, quam confirmare falsitates et concupiscentias, et has post confirmationem videre et credere esse sapientiae veritates, et hujus amoris bonitates. Simile est cum Amore infantum et liberorum apud spirituales et naturales; Spirituales amant illos ex priori, ita secundum ordinem; Naturales autem amant illos ex posteriori, ita contra ordinem. Haec adducta sunt duntaxat ad confirmationem Articuli praecedentis.