496.人自由接受的东西会存留，因为人的意愿承认它并使之成为自己的，还因为它进入人的爱，这爱视其为自己的，并藉它而成形。可通过对比来说明这一点，由于这些实例取自自然界的事物，故以热来代替爱。众所周知，每一植物中的通道皆借助热并根据受热多少被打开，并且由于这些通道被打开，植物就从内返回其本质形式中，自发摄取适合的营养，保存适宜成分，从而生长。这也和动物的情形一样，动物出于热爱食物的所谓食欲挑选所吃的一切，皆被加到它的身体中，因而存留。适宜的东西会不停地被添加到身体中，因为身体的一切成分不断被更新。这是众所周知的事实，只是很少人留意。
对于动物来说，同样是热打开身体的各个部分，使它们的属世之爱可以自由行动，结果，它们在春夏季节进入和返回繁殖期，并抚育幼崽。它们凭借极度的自由做这些事，因为这是其主导欲所产生的果效，这主导欲通过创造被植入到它们里面，以便将宇宙维持在它受造的状态。
爱的自由可用热引发的自由来说明，因为爱产生热，这从爱的果效明显看出来，因为随着爱升级到狂热或盛怒，人会激动、发热、面红耳赤。血液的热，或人体的热，以及一般动物机体的热，皆没有其它来源。这是由于对应，正是通过热来调节身体的各个部位，以自由接受爱所渴求的一切。
人体的所有内在部位都处于这样的平衡，以及随之的自由。在这自由中，心脏上下泵血，肠系膜分配乳糜，肝脏造血，肾脏分泌，腺体过滤等等。如果该平衡出现问题，器官就会患病，导致瘫痪或失调，此中的平衡与自由是一体。整个受造宇宙没有一样东西不趋于平衡，以便它处于自由。
496. 人自由接受的东西会存留, 因为人的意愿承认它并使之成为自己的, 还因为它进入人的爱, 这爱视其为自己的, 并藉它而成形。 可通过对比来说明这一点, 由于这些实例取自自然界的事物, 故以热来代替爱。 众所周知, 每一植物中的通道皆借助热并根据受热多少被打开, 并且由于这些通道被打开, 植物就从内返回其本质形式中, 自发摄取适合的营养, 保存适宜成分, 从而生长。 这也和动物的情形一样, 动物出于热爱食物的所谓食欲挑选所吃的一切, 皆被加到它的身体中, 因而存留。 适宜的东西会不停地被添加到身体中, 因为身体的一切成分不断被更新。 这是众所周知的事实, 只是很少人留意。
对于动物来说, 同样是热打开身体的各个部分, 使它们的属世之爱可以自由行动, 结果, 它们在春夏季节进入和返回繁殖期, 并抚育幼崽。 它们凭借极度的自由做这些事, 因为这是其主导欲所产生的果效, 这主导欲通过创造被植入到它们里面, 以便将宇宙维持在它受造的状态。
爱的自由可用热引发的自由来说明, 因为爱产生热, 这从爱的果效明显看出来, 因为随着爱升级到狂热或盛怒, 人会激动, 发热, 面红耳赤。 血液的热, 或人体的热, 以及一般动物机体的热, 皆没有其它来源。 这是由于对应, 正是通过热来调节身体的各个部位, 以自由接受爱所渴求的一切。
人体的所有内在部位都处于这样的平衡, 以及随之的自由。 在这自由中, 心脏上下泵血, 肠系膜分配乳糜, 肝脏造血, 肾脏分泌, 腺体过滤等等。 如果该平衡出现问题, 器官就会患病, 导致瘫痪或失调, 此中的平衡与自由是一体。 整个受造宇宙没有一样东西不趋于平衡, 以便它处于自由。
496. What we accept in freedom stays with us because our will takes it in and makes it our own; it becomes part of our love, and our love recognizes it as its own and uses it to form itself.
This will be illustrated by comparisons. Because they are based on earthly phenomena, heat will take the place of love.
We know that as a consequence of the presence of heat, and in proportion to its intensity, the pores that exist in every plant open up, and as they open, the plant is inwardly restored to a form that reflects its own nature. It willingly takes in elements that nourish it, it retains the elements that best suit it, and it grows.
A similar thing happens with an animal. Whatever an animal chooses to eat (driven by its love for being nourished - its "appetite") is incorporated into its body and remains a part of it. The animal is continually adding elements to its body that are well suited to it, because all its component parts are perpetually being rebuilt. Some [scholars], but not many, recognize that this is the case.
[2] In animals also, heat opens up all parts of their body and allows their earthly love to run free. This is why in spring and summer animals come into (or return to) their reproductive instinct and an instinctive desire to raise their offspring. All this takes place in the context of the greatest freedom, because it is part of the dominant love that was instilled in them from creation, for the sake of preserving the universe in the state in which it was created.
[3] I use the freedom that heat brings about to illustrate the freedom that love brings about because love produces heat, as we can see from its effects. For example, as people's love is rising up into an intense state or as it goes into a rage, they are sparked, they heat up, and they become inflamed. The heat in our blood - our vital heat - and generally speaking, the heat in animals, comes from no other source. As a result of this correspondence, heat modifies the systems of the body so that they are readily receptive to the things for which love yearns.
[4] All the systems within a human being are in an equilibrium and therefore a freedom like this. In a state of freedom, the heart pumps blood both upward and downward, the mesentery moves chyle, the liver produces blood, the kidneys separate it, the glands filter it, and so on. If the equilibrium was compromised, that body part would become diseased and would fall into paralysis or loss of control. Equilibrium and freedom are one. In the entire created universe no substance exists that does not seek its own equilibrium in order to be free.
496. The reason why what is freely accepted lasts is that a person's will takes it to itself and makes it its own; and because it enters into his love, and this love acknowledges it as its own and uses it to develop its form. This can be illustrated by comparisons, but because these are drawn from events in nature, heat takes the place of love. It is well known that the effect of heat, depending on its degree, is to open passages in all plants; and that as they are opened up, so the plant returns inwardly to the form dictated by its nature, spontaneously taking in its food, retaining what suits it, and so growing. It is much the same with an animal; everything its desire for food, its appetite, leads it to choose and eat is added to its body and so lasts. The reason why what is suitable is constantly added to the body is that all the body's constituent parts are continually being renewed. This is a known fact, though few are aware of it.
[2] With animals too heat opens up every part of their bodies and gives free play to their natural love. As a result in spring and summertime they develop or return to their instinctive desire to produce and bring up offspring. They do so in the greatest freedom, because it is the effect of the dominant love implanted in them from creation, in order to maintain the universe in the state in which it was created.
[3] The reason why the freedom of loving can be illustrated by the freedom induced by heat is that love produces heat; this is obvious from its effects, as when a person is fired, grows heated and bursts into flame as his love develops into enthusiasm or into a blaze of anger. This and no other is the source of people's blood heat or vital heat and that of animals in general. This correspondence is the reason why parts of the body are made suitable through heat to receive freely what love seeks.
[4] All the inward parts of the human body are in this sort of equilibrium and so freedom. In such freedom the heart pumps its blood equally up and down, the mesentery its chyle, the liver produces blood, the kidneys secrete, the glands filter, and so on. If anything should happen to the equilibrium, the organ would become sick and suffer from paralysis or ataxia. In this case equilibrium and freedom are one. There is no substance throughout the created universe that does not tend towards equilibrium to maintain its freedom.
496. That which a man receives with freedom remains, because his will accepts it and appropriates it, and because it enters his love, and the love acknowledges it as its own, and by means of it is formed. This shall be illustrated by comparisons, in which, because they are taken from natural things, heat will be substituted for love. It is well known that by means of heat, and according to the amount of it, the doors are opened in every plant, and as these are opened the plant inwardly returns into the form of its nature, spontaneously partakes of its proper nutriment, retains what is suitable, and grows. It is the same with a beast; all that it selects and eats from the love of nutrition which is called appetite, is added to its body, and thus remains. That which is suitable is continually added to the body, because all its components are perpetually renewed. This is known to be so, although by few.
[2] Also with beasts heat opens all parts of the body, and causes their natural love to act freely. This is why in spring and summer they enter and return into the instinct of propagating and rearing their young, which they do from the utmost freedom, because to do so belongs to the ruling love implanted in them by creation for the sake of preserving the universe in the state in which it was created.
[3] The freedom of love may be illustrated by this freedom induced by heat, because love produces heat, as is evident from its effects, for man is enkindled, heated, and inflamed as love is exalted to zeal, or to a blaze of anger. The heat of the blood or the vital heat of men, and of animals in general, is from no other source. It is because of this correspondence that it is by heat that the bodily parts are adapted to receive freely those things to which the love aspires.
[4] In such equilibrium and consequent freedom are all things that are within man. In such freedom the heart propels its blood upward and downward alike, the mesentery distributes its chyle, the liver does its work for the blood, the kidneys secrete, the glands filter and so on. If this equilibrium were to suffer the member would sicken, and would labor under a paralysis or loss of strength; and herein equilibrium and freedom are one. There is not a substance in the created universe that does not tend to equilibrium, in order that it may be in freedom.
496. That which is received in freedom remains with a man, because his will adopts and appropriates it; and because it enters into his love, which acknowledges it as its own and forms itself by means of it. This will now be illustrated by comparisons, and as these are taken from nature, heat will symbolize love. It is well known that by heat, and according to its degree, the pores of every plant are opened; and as this is effected, the plant inwardly turns to developing the form of its own nature, and, spontaneously taking in nourishment, it retains what is suitable, and so furthers its growth. The case is the same with the beast. Whatever food it selects and consumes from the love of nutrition or appetite, becomes part of its body and remains in it; and it is constantly assimilating whatever is suitable, for everything that enters into its composition is being continually renewed, a circumstance which is not generally known.
[2] Heat also, in the case of animals, opens up all parts of their body, and causes their natural love to act freely; and consequently in spring and summer they turn to the propagation and rearing of their young. This function they perform in the utmost freedom, because it springs from the ruling love implanted in them by creation, in order that the universe may be preserved in the state in which it was created.
[3] The freedom arising from love may be illustrated by the freedom induced by heat, because love produces heat, as is evident from its effects. Thus a man burns, grows warm and is inflamed as his love is exalted to zeal or turned into the flaming fire of anger. This is the source of the heat of the blood or vital heat of men, and in general, of animals. It is from this correspondence that the bodily organs are, by means of heat, adapted to receive freely those things for which their love yearns. All the internal parts of the human body are in the same kind of equilibrium and consequent freedom. In this state of freedom the heart drives the blood equally upwards and downwards, the mesentery gives forth its chyle, and the liver, the kidneys and the glands perform their several functions of separating, secreting and purifying the blood, and so on. If the equilibrium were impaired the organ would become disordered, and suffer paralysis or ataxy. Equilibrium and freedom are in this case one; and there is no substance in the created universe which does not tend to equilibrium that it may be in a state of freedom.
496. Quod id maneat, quod ex libero recipitur, est quia voluntas hominis id sibi adsciscit et appropriat, et quia intrat in amorem ejus, et amor agnoscit id ut suum, et se per id format; sed hoc per comparationes illustrabitur; verum quia hae assumuntur ex naturalibus, erit Calor loco Amoris; notum est, quod per calorem et secundum ejus gradum aperiantur fores in omni vegetabili, et quod sicut illae apertae sunt, redeat vegetabile intrinsecus in suae naturae formam, ac spontanee recipiat sua nutrimenta, ac retineat convenientia, et crescat. Simile fit cum bestia; haec omne id quod ex amore nutritionis, qui vocatur appetitus, eligit et comedit, hoc addit se corpori ejus, et sic manet; quod id quod convenit se jugiter addat corpori, est quia cuncta quae componunt illud, perpetuo renovantur; quod ita sit, notum est, sed paucis.
[2] Calor etiam apud bestias, aperit etiam omnia corporis illarum, et facit ut amor illarum naturalis libere agat; inde est, quod tempore veris et aestatis in instinctum prolificationis et quoque educationis prolum suarum veniant et redeant, quod fit ex liberrimo, quia est regnantis amoris a creatione illis inditi, propter conservationem universi in statu creato.
[3] Quod liberum amoris illustretur per liberum, quod calor inducit, est quia amor producit calorem, quod evidens est ex effectibus ejus, ut quod homo incendatur, incalescat et inflammetur, sicut amor exaltatur in zelum, aut in excandescentiam irae; calor sanguinis seu calor vitalis hominum, et in genere animalium non aliunde est; ex hac correspondentia est, quod corporea per calorem adaptentur ad libere recipiendum illa, ad quae amor spirat.
[4] In tali aequilibrio et inde libero sunt omnia quae intus in homine sunt; in tali libero agit cor sanguinem suum aeque sursum ac deorsum, mesenterium chylum suum, hepar sanguificat, 1 renes secernunt, glandulae percolant, et sic porro; si aequilibrium pateretur, aegrotaret membrum, et paralysi vel ataxia laboraret; aequilibrium et liberum hic unum sunt. In universo creato non datur substantia, quae non ad aequilibrium tendit, ut sit in libero.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: sangvificat.