ISB17.谁看不出目的不是原因，而是产生原因；原因不是结果，而是产生结果；因此，它们是按顺序接连而至的三种不同事物？对一个人来说，目的是他的意愿之爱，因为一个人所爱的，他会向自己提议并打算之；对他来说，原因就是其理解力的理性，因为目的通过理性寻求中间或有效原因；结果则是身体从目的和原因，并照着它们的运作。因此，人里面有三样事物，它们按顺序接连而至，并且是以高度层级接连而至的那种方式。当这三样事物出现在行为中或得以稳固时，目的就内在于原因中，并通过原因在结果中；于是，这三者共存于结果。因此，圣言上说，各人要照所行的受审判；因为目的或他的意愿之爱，原因或他的理解力的理性，一起存在于结果，也就是他的身体行为中；因此，整个人的品质就包含在它们里面。
那些不知道这些真理，从而没有区别理性对象的人，不可避免地将自己的思维观念终结于伊壁鸠鲁的原子论，莱布尼茨的单子论，或沃尔夫的基质论。因此，他们不可避免地如同用一个门闩那样关闭自己的理解力，以致他们甚至不能理性思考属灵流注，因为他们无法思考任何进展；事实上，沃尔夫论到他的基质说，它若被分开，就会陷入虚无。理解力就这样停留在它自己最初的光中，这光仅从身体感官发出，没有前进一步。因此，人们只知道属灵之物是一种精细的属世之物；动物和人一样拥有理性；灵魂是一阵风，就像人临死从胸中呼出的那口气；此外还有几个不属于光，而是属于幽暗的观念。
由于灵界的一切事物和自然界的一切事物都照这些层级行进，如前所示，所以显而易见，聪明实际上在于知道和区分它们，并按它们的秩序来看待它们。通过这些层级，当知道每个人的爱时，也就知道他的品质；因为如前所述，属于意愿的目的，属于理解力的原因和属于身体的结果都是从他的爱出来的，就像一棵树从它的种子出来，果实从树出来一样。
爱有三种：天堂之爱，世界之爱和自我之爱；天堂之爱是属灵的，世界之爱是物质的，自我之爱是肉体的。当爱是属灵的时，从它出来的一切事物，如同从其本质出来的形式，都会获得它们的属灵性质；类似地，如果主导爱是对世界或财富的爱，因而是物质的，那么从它出来的一切事物，如同从其最初源头出来的衍生物，都会获得物质的性质；同样，如果主导爱是自我之爱，或高人一等的爱，因而是肉体的，那么从它出来的一切事物都会获得它们的肉体性质。因为处于这种爱的人只关注自己，因而将其心智的思维沉浸于他的肉体。因此，如刚才所述，人若知道任何人的主导爱，同时知道目的到原因，原因到结果的进程，这三样事物照高度层级按顺序接连而至，就知道整个人。天堂天使便以这种方式了解与他们说话的每个人：他们从他说话的语气觉察到他的爱，从他的脸上看到他的形像，从他的身体姿势看到他的性格。
目的不是肇因，而是产生肇因；肇因不是结果，而是产生结果；因此，它们是三个依次而来的不同事物。有谁不知道这些呢？对人来说，目的是自己意志之所爱，因为人之所爱，必为自己筹谋并意图之；对他而言，肇因是他认知（理性）的理由，因为目的通过认知寻求中间或有效的肇因，结果是身体从这些肇因出发并根据些肇因产生的行为。因此，人有三样东西，它们按顺序依次相随，就像高度层级（或称为“分离层”、“离散层”）互相跟随一样。当这三样东西在行动中出现时，目的就内在于肇因中，并通过肇因在结果中，因此这三者在结果中共存。正因如此，圣经中说，各人要按着自己所行的受审判。因为目的，或说他意志之所爱，肇因，或说是他认知的理由，一起存在于结果中，这就是他身体的行为，包含着他全部的品性。
【2】人若不知道这些，就不能区分理性的对象，不可避免的将思维观念终止于伊壁鸠鲁的“原子”、莱布尼兹的“单子”或沃尔夫（Wolff）的“基质”，如此一来，他们用一个螺栓把自己的认知封闭起来，不能理性地思考涉及灵性流注的事物，他们的思维只能止步不前，正如沃尔夫谈到他的“基质”时说，如果它被分开，就会堕入空无。因此，这认知还处在它最初的光中，那仅仅是来自身体的感觉，没有前进一步。因此，认为灵性事物只不过是一种精细的自然物质、兽类和人一样有理性、灵魂是风一样的、就像人临死时从胸口呼出的气息一样，等等，诸多的谬见不是来自光明而是来自浓厚的黑暗。
【3】因为灵界和尘世的一切都是按照上文所述的层级发生的，很明显，认识和区分它们并按它们的秩序来看待它们，恰当地构成了智力。借着这些层级，知道人的爱欲，也就知道他的品性；如上所述，目的是来自于意志，肇因来自于认知，结果是身体的，来自于他的爱，就像树源于种子，果实源于树。
【4】有三种爱：天堂之爱，尘世之爱，自我之爱。天堂之爱是属灵的，尘世之爱是属物质的，自我之爱是属肉体的。当爱是属灵的，一切从它而来的事物都源自它的灵性品质——正如形式源自它们的本质；同样地，如果主导爱是尘世或财富之爱，那它是物质的，那么从它而来的一切是源自它的本质即物质的品质；如果主导爱是对自我的爱，或是爱显赫、高人一等，这是属肉体的，从中产生的一切都是属肉体的品质。因为在此种爱之中的人只关注自己，将他心智的思维沉湎于他的肉体。因此，正如刚才所说的，知道任何人的主导爱，同时了解目的到肇因和肇因到结果的发展进程，这三件事是按照高度层级依次进行的，那么就了解这个人的全部。因而，天堂的天使了解每一个同他们说话的人，他们从这个人说话的语气中感觉到他的爱，从他的脸上看到他的形象，从他的身体姿态中看到他的品格。
17. XV. Ends are in the first degree, causes in the second, and effects in the third.
Who does not see that the end is not the cause, but that it produces the cause, and that the cause is not the effect, but that it produces the effect, consequently, that these are three distinct things which follow one another in order? The end with a man is the love of his will; for what a man loves, this he proposes to himself and intends: the cause with him is the reason of his understanding; for by means of reason the end seeks for middle or efficient causes: and the effect is the operation of the body, from and according to the end and the cause. Thus there are three things in a man which follow one another in order, in the same manner as the degrees of altitude follow one another. When these three are established, the end is inwardly in the cause, and, by means of the cause, the end is in the effect: thus these three exist together in the effect. On this account it is said in the Word that every one shall be judged according to his works; for the end, or the love of his will, and the cause, or the reason of his understanding, are simultaneously present in the effects, which are the works of his body: thus in them is contained the quality of the whole man.
[2] Those who do not know these truths, and thus do not distinguish the objects of reason, cannot avoid terminating the ideas of their thought either in the atoms of Epicurus, the monads of Leibnitz, or the simple substances of Wolff. Inevitably, therefore, they shut up the understanding as with a bolt, so that it cannot even think from reason concerning spiritual influx, because it cannot think of any progression; for, says the author concerning his simple substance, if it is divided it falls to nothing. Thus the understanding remains in its own first light [lumen], which merely proceeds from the senses of the body, and does not advance a step further. Hence it is not known but that the spiritual is the natural attenuated; that beasts have rationality as well as men; and that the soul is a puff of wind, like that breathed forth from the chest when a person dies; besides several ideas which are not of the light, but of thick darkness.
[3] As all things in the spiritual world, and all things in the natural world, proceed according to these degrees, as was shown in the preceding article, it is evident that intelligence properly consists in knowing and distinguishing them, and seeing them in their order. By means of these degrees, also, every man is known as to his quality, when his love is known; for, as observed above, the end which is of the will, the causes which are of the understanding, and the effects which are of the body follow from his love, as a tree from its seed, and as fruit from a tree.
[4] There are three kinds of loves: the love of heaven, the love of the world, and the love of self; the love of heaven is spiritual, the love of the world material, and the love of self corporeal. When the love is spiritual, all the things which follow from it, as forms from their essence, derive a spiritual quality: so, also, if the principal love is the love of the world or of wealth, and, thus material, all the things which follow from it, as derivatives from their first origin, derive a material quality: so, again, if the principal love is the love of self, or of eminence above all others, and thus corporeal, all the things which follow from it derive a corporeal quality; because the man who cherishes this love regards himself alone, and thus immerses the thoughts of his mind in the body. Therefore, as just remarked, he who knows the reigning love of any one, and is at the same time acquainted with the progression of ends to causes and of causes to effects, which three things follow one another in order according to the degrees of altitude, knows the whole man. In this way the angels of heaven know every one with whom they speak: they perceive his love from the sound of his voice; from his face they see an image of him; and from the gestures of his body his character.
17. XV. ENDS ARE IN THE FIRST DEGREE, CAUSES IN THE SECOND, AND EFFECTS IN THE THIRD.
Who does not see that the end is not the cause, but that it produces the cause, and that the cause is not the effect, but that it produces the effect, consequently, that these are three distinct things which follow one another in order? The end with a man is the love of his will; for what a man loves, this he proposes to himself and intends: the cause with him is the reason of his understanding; for by means of reason the end seeks for middle or efficient causes: and the effect is the operation of the body, from and according to the end and the cause. Thus there are three things in a man which follow one another in order, in the same manner as the degrees of altitude follow one another. When these three are established, the end is inwardly in the cause, and, by means of the cause, the end is in the effect: thus these three exist together in the effect. On this account it is said in the Word that every one shall be judged according to his works; for the end, or the love of his will, and the cause, or the reason of his understanding, are simultaneously present in the effects, which are the works of his body: thus in them is contained the quality of the whole man.
[2] Those who do not know these truths, and thus do not distinguish the objects of reason, cannot avoid terminating the ideas of their thought either in the atoms of Epicurus, the monads of Leibnitz, or the simple substances of Wolff. Inevitably, therefore, they shut up the understanding as with a bolt, so that it cannot even think from reason concerning spiritual influx, because it cannot think of any progression; for, says the author concerning his simple substance, if it is divided it falls to nothing. Thus the understanding remains in its own first light [lumen], which merely proceeds from the senses of the body, and does not advance a step further. Hence it is not known but that the spiritual is the natural attenuated; that beasts have rationality as well as men; and that the soul is a puff of wind, like that breathed forth from the chest when a person dies; besides several ideas which are not of the light, but of thick darkness.
[3] As all things in the spiritual world, and all things in the natural world, proceed according to these degrees, as was shown in the preceding article, it is evident that intelligence properly consists in knowing and distinguishing them, and seeing them in their order. By means of these degrees, also, every man is known as to his quality, when his love is known; for, as observed above, the end which is of the will, the causes which are of the understanding, and the effects which are of the body follow from his love, as a tree from its seed, and as fruit from a tree.
[4] There are three kinds of loves: the love of heaven, the love of the world, and the love of self; the love of heaven is spiritual, the love of the world material, and the love of self corporeal. When the love is spiritual, all the things which follow from it, as forms from their essence, derive a spiritual quality: so, also, if the principal love is the love of the world or of wealth, and thus material, all the things which follow from it, as derivatives from their first origin, derive a material quality: so, again, if the principal love is the love of self, or of eminence above all others, and thus corporeal, all the things which follow from it derive a corporeal quality; because the man who cherishes this love regards himself alone, and thus immerses the thoughts of his mind in the body. Therefore, as just remarked, he who knows the reigning love of any one, and is at the same time acquainted with the progression of ends to causes and of causes to effects, which three things follow one another in order according to the degrees of altitude, knows the whole man. In this way the angels of heaven know every one with whom they speak: they perceive his love from the sound of his voice; from his face they see an image of him; and from the gestures of his body his character.
17. XV. Ends are in the first degree, causes in the second, and effects in the third.
Who does not see that the end is not the cause, but that it produces the cause, and that the cause is not the effect, but that it produces the effect; consequently that they are three distinct things which follow in order? The end with man is the love of his will, for what a man loves, this he proposes to himself and intends; the cause with him is the reason of his understanding, for by means of it the end seeks for mediate or efficient causes; and the effect is the operation of the body from them and according to them. Thus there are three things in man, which follow each other in order, in like manner as the degrees of altitude follow each other. When these three things appear in act, then the end is inwardly in the cause, and the end through the cause is in the effect, wherefore the three coexist in the effect. On this account it is said in the Word, that everyone shall be judged according to his works; for the end, or the love of his will, and the cause, or the reason of his understanding, are together in the effects, which are the works of his body; thus the quality of the whole man is in them.
[2] They who do not know these things, and do not thus distinguish the objects of reason, cannot avoid terminating the ideas of their thought in the atoms of Epicurus, the monads of Leibniz, or in the simple substances of Wolff, and thus they close up their understandings as with a bolt, so that they cannot even think from reason concerning spiritual influx, because they cannot think concerning any progression; for the author says concerning his simple substance, that if it is divided it falls into nothing. Thus the understanding stands still in its first light, which is merely from the senses of the body, and does not advance a step further. Hence it is not known but that the spiritual is a subtle natural, and that beasts have a rational as well as men, and that the soul is a breath of wind such as is breathed forth from the breast when a person dies; besides many things which are not of light but of thick darkness.
[3] Since all things in the spiritual world and all things in the natural world proceed according to these degrees, as was shown in the preceding article, it is evident that intelligence properly consists in knowing and distinguishing them, and seeing them in their order. By means of these degrees, also, every man is known as to his quality, when his love is known; for, as was said above, the end which is of the will, and the causes which are of the understanding, and the effects which are of the body, follow from his love, as a tree from its seed, and as fruit from the tree.
[4] There are three kinds of loves, the love of heaven, the love of the world, and the love of self; the love of heaven is spiritual, the love of the world is material, and the love of self is corporeal. When the love is spiritual, all the things which follow from it, as forms from their essence, derive their spiritual nature; similarly if the principal love is the love of the world or of wealth, and thus is material, all the things which follow from it, as derivatives from their principle derive their material nature; likewise if the principal love is the love of self, or of eminence above all others, and thus is corporeal, all the things which follow from it derive their corporeal nature. The reason is, because the man who is in this love regards himself alone, and thus immerses the thoughts of his mind in his body. Wherefore, as was just now said, he who knows the ruling love of anyone, and at the same time the progression of ends to causes and of causes to effects, which three things follow in order according to the degrees of altitude, knows the whole man. Thus the angels of heaven know everyone with whom they speak; they perceive his love from the tone of his speech; and they see his image from his face, and his character from the gestures of his body.
17. XV. Quod Fines sint in primo gradu, Causae in secundo, et Effectus in tertio.
Quis non videt, quod finis non sit causa, sed producat causam, et quod causa non sit effectus, sed quod producat effectum, consequenter quod sint distincte tria quae sequuntur ordine. Finis apud hominem est amor ejus voluntatis, nam quod homo amat, hoc proponit sibi et intendit; causa apud illum est ratio ejus intellectus, nam finis per illam inquirit causas medias, seu efficientes; ac Effectus est operatio corporis ex illis et secundum illa; ita sunt Tria in homine, quae sequuntur ordine similiter ut sequuntur Gradus altitudinis: cum tria illa sistuntur, tunc finis est intus in causa, ac finis per causam in effectu, quare tria illa in effectu coexistunt: inde est, quod dicatur in Verbo, quod unusquisque secundum opera ejus judicandus sit, finis enim seu amor voluntatis ejus, ac causa seu ratio intellectus ejus, effectibus qui sunt opera corporis ejus, simul insunt; ita quale totius hominis. Illi, qui non sciunt haec, et distinguunt objecta rationis ita, non possunt aliter quam terminare ideas cogitationis suae in Epicuri atomis, aut in Leibnitzii monadibus, aut in Wolfii substantiis simplicibus, et sic occludere intellectum suum sicut obice, ut ne quidem ex ratione possit Cogitare de Influxu spirituali, quia non de aliqua progressione, nam dicit Auctor de Substantia sua simplici, quod illa divisa cadat in nihilum; sic etenim Intellectus in suo primo lumine, quod est mere ex sensibus corporis, subsistit, nec promovet gradum ultra; unde est quod non aliter sciatur, quam quod Spirituale sit tenue naturale, tum quod Rationale sit bestiis sicut homini, et quod Anima sit halitus venti, qualis est qui exspiratur ex pectore dum moritur; praeter plura, quae non lucis sunt, sed caliginis. Quoniam secundum illos Gradus progrediuntur omnia in Mundo spirituali, et omnia in Mundo naturali, ut in superiori Articulo dictum est, patet quod illos cognoscere ac dispescere, ac videre in ordine, sit proprie intelligentia; omnis homo etiam per illos cognoscitur qualis est, cum scitur ejus amor, nam, ut dictum est, finis qui est voluntatis, et causae quae sunt intellectus, et effectus qui sunt corporis, sequuntur ex Amore ejus, sicut ex semine arbor, et ex arbore fructus. Sunt triplicis generis Amores, Amor caeli, Amor mundi, et Amor sui; amor caeli est spiritualis, amor mundi est materialis, et amor sui est corporalis; dum amor est spiritualis, trahunt omnia quae ex illo sequuntur, sicut formae a sua essentia, quod sint spiritualia, similiter si principalis amor est mundi seu opum, et sic materialis, trahunt etiam omnia quae ex illo sequuntur, ut principiata a suo principio, quod sint materialia; pariter si principalis amor est amor sui seu eminentiae super omnes alios, et sic corporalis, trahunt omnia quae ex illo sequuntur, quod sint corporalia, causa est, quia homo hujus amoris se solum intuetur, et sic cogitationes mentis suae immergit corpori; quapropter ut mox supra dictum est, qui cognoscit regnantem alicujus amorem, et simul progressiones finium ad causas, et causarum ad effectus, quae tria sequuntur in ordine secundum gradus altitudinis, ille cognoscit totum hominem: ita Angeli caeli cognoscunt unumquemvis cum quo loquuntur; amorem ejus percipiunt ex sono loquelae ejus, ex facie vident imaginem ejus, et ex gestu corporis figuram ejus.