ON THE CONJUNCTION OF CONJUGIAL LOVE WITH THE LOVE OF INFANTS, n. 385-414.

Two universal spheres proceed from the Lord to preserve the universe in its created state; of which the one is the sphere of procreating, and the other the sphere of protecting the things procreated, n. 386.  These two universal spheres make a one with the sphere of conjugial love and the sphere of the love of infants, n. 387.  These two spheres universally and singularly flow into all things of heaven and all things of the world, from first to last, n. 388-390.  The sphere of the love of infants is a sphere of protection and support of those who cannot protect and support themselves, n. 391.  This sphere affects both the evil and the good, and disposes every one to love, protect, and support his offspring from his own love, n. 392.  This sphere principally affects the female sex, thus mothers; and the male sex, or fathers, by derivation from them, n. 393.  This sphere is also a sphere of innocence and peace (from the Lord,) n. 394.  The sphere of innocence flows into infants, and through them into the parents, and affects them, n. 395.  It also flows into the souls of the parents, and unites with the same sphere with the infants; and it is principally insinuated by means of the touch, n. 396, 397.  In the degree in which innocence retires from infants, affection and conjunction also abate, and this successively, even to separation, n. 398.  A state of rational innocence and peace with parents towards infants, is grounded in the circumstance, that they know nothing and can do nothing from themselves, but from others, especially from the father and mother; and this state successively retires, in proportion as they know and have ability from themselves, and not from others, n. 399.  The sphere of the love of procreating advances in order from the end through causes into effects, and makes periods; whereby creation is preserved in the state foreseen and provided for, n. 400, 401.  The love of infants descends, and does not ascend, n. 402.  Wives have one state of love before conception, and another state after, even to the birth, n. 403.  With parents conjugial love is conjoined with the love of infants by spiritual causes, and thence by natural, n. 404.  The love of infants and children is different with spiritual married partners from what it is with natural, n. 405-407.  With the spiritual, that love is from what is interior or prior, but with the natural, from what is exterior or posterior, n. 408.  In consequence hereof that love prevails with married partners who mutually love each other, and also with those who do not at all love each other, n. 409.  The love of infants remains after death, especially with women, n. 410.  Infants are educated under the Lord’s auspices by such women, and grow in stature and intelligence as in the world, n. 411, 412.  It is there provided by the Lord, that with those infants the innocence of infancy becomes the innocence of wisdom, (and thus they become angels) n. 413, 414.