this principle is not of nature, but of the divine
providence operating in and by nature; and that such a universal
principle cannot exist except from God, by a certain spiritual sun,
which is in the centre of the universe, and whose operation, being
without space and time, is instant and present from first principles in
last? But in what manner that divine operation, which is the Lord's
divine providence, is received by animate subjects, will be shewn in
what follows. That mothers and fathers protect and support infants,
because they cannot protect and support themselves, is not the cause of
that love, but is a rational cause derived from that love's falling into
the understanding; for a man, from this cause alone, without love
inspired and inspiring it, or without law and punishment compelling him,
would no more than a statue provide for infants.

392. V. THIS SPHERE AFFECTS BOTH THE EVIL AND THE GOOD, AND DISPOSES
EVERY ONE TO LOVE, PROTECT, AND SUPPORT HIS OFFSPRING FROM HIS OWN LOVE.
Experience testifies that the love of infants prevails equally with the
evil and the good, and in like manner with tame and wild beasts; yea,
that in some cases it is stronger and more ardent in its influence on
evil men, and also on wild beasts. The reason of this is, because all
love proceeding from the Lord and flowing into subjects, is changed in
the subject into the love of its life; for every animate subject has no
other sensation than that its love originates in itself, as it does not
perceive the influx; and while also it actually loves itself, it makes
the love of infants proper to itself; for it sees as it were itself in
them, and them in itself, and itself thus united with them. Hence also
this love is fiercer with wild beasts, as with lions and lionesses, he
and she bears, leopards and leopardesses, he and she wolves, and others
of a like nature, than with horses, deer, goats, and sheep; because
those wild beasts have dominion over the tame, and hence self-love is
predominant, and this loves itself in its offspring; therefore as we
said, the influent love is turned into self-love. Such an inversion of
the influent love into self-love, and the consequent protection and
support of the young offspring by evil parents, is of the Lord's divine
providence; for otherwise there would remain but few of the human race,
and none of the savage beasts, which, nevertheless, are of use. From
these considerations it is evident, that every o