56、圣治在它所做的一切事上都关注来自它自身的无限和永恒之物，这一点从以下事实明显可知：由作为无限和永恒的最初源头所创造的一切事物都行进到它的最后事物，从最后事物再到最初源头，如《圣爱与圣智》一书所说明的，那里论述了宇宙的创造。由于最初源头存在于一切进程的至内在，故可知，神性发出，也就是神性真理，在它所做的一切事上都关注一个无限和永恒的形像。它在一切情况下都关注这个形像，在有些情况下能明显感知到，但在有些情况下则不明显。神性在一切事物的多样性，它们的结实和繁殖中清楚呈现出这种形像。
在一切事物的多样性中，一个无限和永恒的形像体现在这方面：没有完全相同的两样事物，并且永远不可能有。我们可以从自创世之初以来所有人的脸看出来，也可以从反映在他们脸上的秉性看出来，同样从他们的情感、感知和思维看出来，因为他们的心智就是由这些构成的。这就是为何整个天堂没有两个完全一样的天使或灵人，事实上永远不可能有。两个世界，即自然界和灵界中的一切可见物体都是如此。由此明显可知，多样性是无限和永恒的。
在一切事物的结实和繁殖中，一个无限和永恒的形像，从植物界中种子的繁殖能力和动物界，尤其鱼类中的生殖过程明显看出来。它们若真的竭尽全力地结实和繁殖，就会在一个世纪内充满整个世界的空间，甚至充满宇宙空间。由此清楚可知，无限自我繁殖的努力就潜伏在这种能力中。由于自创世之初以来，这种结实和繁殖就没有衰退过，也永远不会衰退，故可知，这种能力里面还有一种自我繁殖直到永恒的努力。
56. We say that in everything that it does, Divine providence regards something infinite and eternal from itself, and this can be seen from the fact that every created thing proceeds from its first cause, which is the infinite and eternal, to its last elements, and returns from its last elements to its first cause from which it originated, as we showed in the treatise Divine Love and Wisdom, Part Four, where we discussed the creation of the universe. And because the first cause from which every created thing originates is inmostly present throughout its progression, it follows that in everything that it does, the emanating Divinity or Divine providence regards some image of the infinite and eternal. This it regards in all created things, but in some cases evidently to the perception, and in some cases not. It presents that image evidently to the perception in the variety of all things, and in the propagation and multiplication of all things.
[2] An image of the infinite and eternal in the variety of all things is apparent in the fact that no one thing is the same as another, and cannot be, either, to eternity.
This is apparent to the eye in the case of people's facial features from the beginning of creation. It is consequently apparent as well from their temperaments, which are reflected in their faces, and also from their affections, perceptions and thoughts, for these produce their temperaments.
So it is that throughout the whole of heaven no two angels or no two spirits are ever the same, and indeed cannot be, either, to eternity.
It is the same in the case of every visible object in both the natural world and the spiritual world.
From this it can be seen that variety is infinite and eternal.
[3] An image of the infinite and eternal in the propagation and multiplication of all things is evident from the power inherent in seeds in the plant kingdom, and in the production of offspring in the animal kingdom, especially in the case of the progeny of fish, which, if they were to propagate and multiply in accordance with their ability to do so, would within a century fill every bit of space in the whole world, indeed in the universe.
It is apparent from this that innate in that power is an effort to reproduce to infinity. And because propagations and multiplications have not ceased from the beginning of creation, and will not cease, either, to eternity, it follows that present in that power is also an endeavor to reproduce to eternity.
56. We may be assured that divine providence focuses on what is infinite and eternal in everything it does by the fact that everything that has been created by a First Being who is infinite and eternal goes to its limits, and then from those limits goes back to the First Being who is its source (see the section of Divine Love and Wisdom that deals with the creation of the universe). Further, since the First, the source, is present at the heart of every sequence, it follows that the emanating divinity or divine providence focuses on some image of what is infinite and eternal in everything it does. It does so in all cases, though in some instances it is clearly noticeable and in others it is not.
Divinity shows us this image clearly in the variety of everything and in the way everything bears fruit and multiplies.
[2] We can see an image of what is infinite and eternal in the variety of everything in the fact that nothing is exactly like anything else and nothing can be to eternity. We can see this in the faces of all the people there have been since the beginning of creation, and from their characters as well, which are reflected in their faces. We can see it from their feelings, perceptions, and thoughts, too, since these are elements of their character. This is why there are no two identical angels or spirits in all of heaven and never will be to eternity. It is the same for everything we can see in both worlds, the physical and the spiritual. This shows that the variety is infinite and eternal.
[3] There is evidence of an image of what is infinite and eternal in the way everything bears fruit and multiplies in the [reproductive] ability of seeds in the plant kingdom and in the process of reproduction in the animal kingdom, especially in the genus of fish. If they were to be fruitful and multiply to the full extent of their ability, they would fill all the space in the world, even in the universe, within a century. We can see from this that within this ability there lies an impulse to reproduce to infinity. Then too, since this fruitfulness and multiplication have not failed since the beginning of creation and will never fail, not to eternity, it follows that there is also within this ability an impulse to reproduce to eternity.
56. That the Divine Providence in everything it does regards what is infinite and eternal from itself, may be evident from this, that every created thing proceeds from the First, who is the Infinite and Eternal, to ultimates, and from ultimates to the First Source (a quo), as was shown in the treatise THE Divine LOVE AND WISDOM, where the creation of the universe is treated of. As the First Source is present most interiorly in all progression, it follows that the Divine Proceeding, that is, the Divine Providence, in everything it does regards an image of the Infinite and Eternal. This it regards in all things, in some things obviously to perception, but in others not. It presents this image obviously to perception in the variety of all things, in their fructification, and in their multiplication.
[2] An image of the Infinite and Eternal in the variety of all things is apparent in this, that there is not one thing the same as another, nor can there be to eternity. This is manifest to the eye in the faces of men from the beginning of creation; and equally so from their minds (animus) of which their faces are images; and also from their affections, perceptions and thoughts, for the mind consists of these. Hence it is that in the universal heaven there are not two angels or two spirits who are the same, nor indeed can there be to eternity; and so it is with every object of sight in the two worlds, the natural and the spiritual. From this it may be evident that variety is infinite and eternal.
[3] An image of the Infinite and Eternal in the fructification and multiplication of all things is evident in the vegetable kingdom from the power implanted in seeds, and in the animal kingdom from prolification, especially in the family of fishes; for if they were to fructify and multiply to the extent of their power, they would within a century fill the spaces of the whole world, and even of the universe. From this it is clear that in this power is latent the endeavour of self-propagation to infinity. As fructification and multiplication have not failed from the beginning of creation, nor will ever fail to eternity, it follows that in this power there is also the endeavour of self-propagation to eternity.
56. That the Divine providence in every thing that it does looks to what is infinite and eternal from itself, can be seen from this, that every created thing goes forth from a First, which is the Infinite and Eternal, to things last, and from things last to the First from which (a quo), as has been shown in the work on The Divine Love and the Divine Wisdom, where the creation of the universe is treated of. And as the First from which (a quo) is inmostly in all progression, it follows that the Divine that goes forth, that is, the Divine providence, in all that it does, looks to some image of the Infinite and Eternal. This it looks to in all things, but in some things obviously to perception, in others not. It presents that image obviously to perception in the variety of all things, and in the fructification and multiplication of all things.
[2] An image of the Infinite and Eternal in the variety of all things, is apparent in this, that there is no one thing that is the same as another, nor can there be to eternity. In the faces of men this is evident to the eye from the beginning of their creation; consequently it is evident from their minds, of which their faces are types; also from their affections, perceptions, and thoughts, for these constitute the mind. For this reason in the entire heaven there are no two angels or no two spirits that are the same; nor can there be to eternity. The same is true of every visible object in the two worlds, the natural and the spiritual. From all this it can be seen that variety is infinite and eternal.
[3] An image of the Infinite and Eternal in the fructification and multiplication of all things, is evident in the vegetable kingdom from the ability implanted in seeds, and in the animal kingdom from prolification, especially the propagation of fishes, which, if fructified and multiplied to the extent of their ability, would within a century fill the entire space of the world and even of the universe. From this it is clear that in that ability an endeavor to an infinite self-propagation lies hidden. And as fructifications and multiplications have not failed from the beginning of creation, nor will ever fail to eternity, it follows that in that ability there is also an endeavor to an eternal self-propagation.
56. Quod Divina Providentia spectet in omni quod facit infinitum ac aeternum a se, constare potest ex eo, quod omne creatum a Primo, qui est Infinitus ac Aeternus, procedat ad ultima, et ab ultimis ad Primum a quo, ut in Transactione de DIVINO AMORE ET DIVINA SAPIENTIA, in Parte [IV], ubi actum est de Creatione Universi, ostensum est; et quia in omni progressione est Primum a quo intime, sequitur quod Divinum Procedens seu Divina Providentia spectet in omni quod facit aliquam imaginem infiniti ac aeterni; hoc spectat in omnibus, sed in quibusdam ad evidentiam perceptionis, et in quibusdam non ad illam; ad evidentiam perceptionis sistit illam imaginem in omnium varietate, et in omnium fructificatione et multiplicatione.
[2] Imago infiniti ac aeterni in omnium varietate 1apparet in eo, quod non detur aliquod idem cum altero, et quod nec dari possit in aeternum: hoc ad oculum patet in faciebus hominum a prima creatione, proinde etiam ab animis eorum, quorum typi sunt facies, et quoque ab affectionibus, perceptionibus et cogitationibus, nam ex his sunt animi. Inde est, quod nec dentur in universo Coelo duo angeli aut duo spiritus iidem, imo quod nec dari queant in aeternum: simile est in omni objecto visus in utroque Mundo tam naturali quam spirituali: ex his constare potest, quod Varietas sit infinita ac aeterna.
[3] Imago infiniti ac aeterni in omnium fructificatione et multiplicatione, constat ex facultate insita seminibus in Regno vegetabili, et prolificationi in Regno animali, imprimis prosapiae piscium, quod si fructificarentur et multiplicarentur secundum facultatem, intra saeculum implerent spatia totius orbis, imo universi: ex quo patet, quod in facultate illa lateat nisus propagationis sui in infinitum: et quia fructificationes et multiplicationes non defuerunt a principio creationis, nec deerunt in aeternum, sequitur quod in facultate illa, etiam sit 2nisus propagationis sui in aeternum.
Footnotes:
1 Prima editio: verietate
2 Prima editio: fit