679# 凡从结果追溯原因而进行探究的人，都能知道：万物的持续存在皆依赖于秩序；秩序有多重，有总体的，也有个别的；并且有一个最普遍的秩序，一切总体与个别的秩序都在连续系列中依赖于它。这个最普遍的秩序进入一切之中，如同本质本身进入形式之中；如此，它们才能合而为一。正是这种合一，使整体得以保存；否则，整体便会崩解，而且不只是退回最初的混沌，而是归于虚无。
若在人身体中，一切总体与个别之物没有被极其分明地安排成秩序，并且它们的共同体不依赖于一个心脏和肺，又会如何？岂不只是一团混乱之物？胃还能执行其功能，肝与胰腺还能执行其功能，肠系膜与结肠系膜还能执行其功能，肾与肠还能执行其功能吗？正是由于这些器官之中并彼此之间的秩序，所有这些总体与个别之物在人面前才显为一个整体。
若在人心智或灵中没有分明的秩序，若其共同体不依赖于意志和理解力，又会如何？岂不成为何等混乱而未成形之物？若没有这种秩序，人还能比画在板上的画像、或屋中的雕像更多地思想和意愿什么吗？
若没有从天堂而来的极有秩序的流入，以及人对这流入的接受，人又会如何？而这流入若没有一个最普遍者，使整体及其一切部分的治理都依赖于它，又会如何？也就是说，若不是从上帝而来，若万物不在祂里面、不由祂而存在、生活并运动，又会如何？
这些事可用无数例子向自然人加以说明，例如：一个帝国或王国若无秩序，会是什么？岂不只是一群强盗，其中许多人聚集起来杀害千万人，最后少数人又杀害这许多人？一座城市若无秩序，会是什么？甚至一个家庭若无秩序，又会是什么？并且，无论是王国、城市，还是家庭，若其中没有某一位居于最高而行治理，又会是什么？
679# 凡将结果追溯其原因的人都能知道，一切事物的坚固性都取决于秩序；秩序有许多种类，无论总体还是具体；有一种秩序是最普遍的，在一个连续系列里的总体和具体秩序都依赖于它；这种最普遍的秩序进入其它一切秩序，就像本质本身进入它的形式，它们只以这种方式构成一体。正是这种统一确保了整体的保存，否则整体将分崩离析，不仅重新陷入原始混沌，甚至还化为乌有。如果人体里的每一个事物和一切事物不是以最有区别和最有序的方式来排列，如果它们的共同生命不依赖于一个心脏和两个肺，那么人会怎么样呢？只有混乱，因为那时，胃、肝脏和胰腺、肠系膜和结肠系膜、肾脏和肠道都无法发挥其功能。正是由于它们里面和它们之间的秩序，一切事物和每一个部分在人看来是一体的。
再者，如果人的心智或灵里没有清晰、有区别的秩序，如果它作为一个整体不依赖于意愿和理解力，那么除了混乱和无序的东西外，还会有什么呢？没有这样的秩序，人就像他家里的照片或雕像一样不能思考和意愿。没有来自天堂的最完美、最有序的流注和对它的接受，人会是什么样呢？没有至高无上的普遍性，整体及其各个部分的治理都依赖于它，也就是说，除非它依赖于神，除非一切事物在祂里面并从祂那里存在、生活、行动（使徒行传17:28），那么这种流注会是什么样呢？对属世人来说，这一点可通过无数例子来说明，如以下例子：没有秩序，一个帝国或王国不就成了一群强盗吗？其中一大群人会聚集在一起杀死成千上万的人；最后，其中的少数人会杀死其余的人。没有秩序，一个城市，或一个家庭会是什么样呢？除非某个人在其中行使最高权力，否则一个王国、一座城市或一个家庭会是什么样呢？
679. As anyone who traces effects back to their causes is in a position to know, the firm establishment of everything hinges on how it fits into the overall design. There are many different designs that are part of the overall design - there are designs of a general nature and there are specific designs within them; but one design is the most universal of them all. All the general designs and specific designs hang, if you will, from that overall design in an unbroken chain. The overarching design is present within all the individual designs in the same way that an essence is present in all the forms that share that essence - this is precisely how the individual elements are united within the overall design. It is this unity that allows for the preservation of the whole; otherwise it would collapse and go back not just to its primordial state of chaos but to nothingness.
What would the human body be like if all its large and small components were not precisely distinguished and arranged and their common existence was not dependent on one set of heart and lungs? What would the body be but mass confusion? Would the stomach perform its functions? Would the liver and pancreas perform their functions? Would the mesentery and mesocolon perform their functions? Would the kidneys and intestines perform their functions? The design of each organ and the design of how they all interact with each other is what allows them all to come together and seem like one thing to us.
[2] Without a precisely defined design, would the human mind or spirit be more than a confused, chaotic mush - that is, if the mind as a whole did not depend on the will and the intellect? Without the exact design it has, our mind would have no more ability to think or will than would a framed portrait of us or a bust of us in our home.
What would we ourselves be without a precisely differentiated inflow from heaven and without our receptivity to it? And what would that inflow be without the most universal inflow, which governs the whole and all its parts - without God, in other words? All things live, and move, and have their being in him and from him [Acts of the Apostles 17:28].
Countless things could serve to illustrate these points for the benefit of our earthly selves; let me pick just a few. Without a well-defined structure, what would an empire or a monarchy be but a gang of thugs? First, many of the thugs would band together and kill people by the thousands. Then a few of the thugs would kill all the other thugs.
What would a city be without a well-defined structure? For that matter, what would a household be? And what would a monarchy, a city, or a household be if each of them did not have one leader at the top?
679. Anyone who traces effects back to their causes may know that what holds everything together depends on order; and there are many kinds of order, both general and particular. There is one order which is the most universal of all on which the general and particular depend in a continuous chain, and this most universal order enters into all others, like essence into forms, and they could not otherwise make up a single whole. It is this unity which holds the whole together, which would otherwise fall apart and slip back not merely into primeval chaos, but into annihilation. What would happen to a person, if every single part of his body were not arranged in the most detailed order, and their whole partnership did not depend upon a single heart and pair of lungs? Without this what would man be but a muddle? Would the stomach then perform its functions, the liver and pancreas theirs, the mesentery and mesocolon theirs, the kidneys and intestines theirs? It is the order which exists in them and between them which makes all the parts of the body appear to a person as a single whole.
[2] Without a clearly defined order what would go on in a person's mind or spirit but confusion and muddle, unless his partnership depended upon the will and the understanding? Without that order would a person have any more ability to think and will than his likeness in a picture, or a sculpture of himself that he has at home? What would become of man without the most highly organised inflow from heaven and the ability to receive it? What would this inflow be without the most universal upon which the control of the whole and all its parts depends? Unless, that is, everything was from God, unless it was in Him and from Him that it had its being, lived and moved? These ideas can be illustrated for the natural man to see by countless things, such as these. What would an empire or a kingdom be without order but a band of robbers, and if a large number of them got together they would kill thousands, and eventually a few of them would kill the majority. What is a city without order, what indeed is a household? And what is a kingdom, a city or a household, unless in each someone has supreme authority?
679. Everyone who traces effects back to their causes may know that the consistence of all things depends on order; and that there are many kinds of order, general and particular; and that there is one order which is the most universal of all, and on which depends the general and particular kinds in connected series; also that this most universal order enters into all the others as the essence itself into its forms, and that thus and not otherwise do they make one. It is this unity that effects the preservation of the whole, which would otherwise fall asunder, and relapse not only into primal chaos, but into nothing. How would it be with man if each thing and all things in his body were not most distinctly arranged and this community of parts made dependent on one heart and one pair of lungs? Otherwise, what would follow but confusion? Could the stomach then perform its functions, the liver and pancreas theirs, the mesentery and mesocolon theirs, the kidneys and intestines theirs? It is because of the order in them and among them, that they each and all appear to man as one. And in the mind or spirit of man if there were no distinct order, and if this community of parts did not depend on the will and understanding, what would there be but a confused and undigested something? Without such an order could a man exercise thought and will any more than his picture on a tablet, or his statue in his house? What would man be without a most perfectly arranged influx from heaven and the reception of it? And what would this influx be without a most universal one on which the government of the whole and of all its parts depends, that is to say, unless it depended on God, and unless all things had their being, and lived and moved in Him and from Him? For the natural man this may be illustrated by innumerable things, such as the following: Without order what would an empire or kingdom be but a gang of robbers, a large body of whom would slay thousands, a few at least slaying these many? What is a city without order, or even a household without order? And what is a kingdom, a city, or a household without someone in each acting the part of head?
679. Every one who traces effects to their causes can understand that the continuance of all things depends upon order, and that there are manifold orders, both general and particular; and that there is one which is the most universal of all, on which the general and particular in a connected series depend. This universal enters into all as essence itself enters into its forms, and in this way they constitute one. It is this unity that ensures the preservation of the whole, which would otherwise fall asunder, and would not only relapse into primal chaos, but would even be annihilated. What would be the case with man if all things, and every single part, in his body were not arranged in a most distinct and orderly manner, and if their common life were not dependent on the one heart and lungs? There would be nothing but confusion, for then the stomach, the liver and the pancreas, the mesentery and the mesocolon, the kidneys and the intestines, would not perform their functions. It is from the order in them and among them that all things and every single part appear to man as one.
Again, if there were no distinct order in the mind or spirit of man, and if it as a whole were not dependent on the will and the understanding, it would be nothing but confusion and disorder. Without such order a man could no more think and will than a portrait of him or a statue in his house. What would a man be without the most orderly influx from heaven and his reception of it? And what would this influx be without that supreme universal on which depends the government of the whole and all its parts; thus unless it were dependent on God, and unless all things had their being, lived and moved in Him and from Him?
This may be illustrated to the natural man by many instances, such as the following. An empire or kingdom without order would be nothing but a gang of robbers, many of whom would gather together and slay thousands; and finally a few of these would slay the rest. What would a city, or even a house, be without order? and what would a kingdom, a city, or a house become unless someone in each exercised supreme authority?
679. Quisque qui indagat effectus usque ad causas, scire potest, quod omnium consistentia pendeat ab ordine, et quod Ordines sint multiplices, communes et particulares, et quod sit unus qui est Universalissimus omnium, ex 1 quo pendent communes et particulares in continua serie, et quod Universalissimus intret in omnes sicut ipsa essentia in formas, et quod sic non aliter unum faciant; haec unitas est, quae facit conservationem totius, quod alioquin dilaberetur, et non modo recideret in primum chaos, sed in nihilum. Quid foret cum homine, nisi in ejus corpore omnia et singula distinctissime ordinata essent, et non penderet communitas eorum ab uno Corde et Pulmone; quid alioquin nisi confusum quid; num tunc Ventriculus ageret suas functiones, Hepar et Pancreas suas, 2 Mesenterium et Mesocolon suas, Renes et Intestina suas; ex ordine in illis et inter illa est, quod omnia et singula illa coram homine appareant ut unum.
[2] Quid absque distincto ordine in Mente seu Spiritu hominis foret, nisi communitas ejus penderet a Voluntate et Intellectu, quam confusum et indigestum 3 quid; num absque illo ordine homo potuisset plus cogitare et velle, quam pictura ejus super tabula, aut sculptura ejus in domo. Quid homo absque ordinatissimo influxu e Coelo, et ejus receptione: et quid hic influxus absque Universalissimo, a quo totius et omnium ejus partium regimen pendet, ita nisi a Deo, et nisi in Ipso et ab Ipso omnia sint, vivant et moveantur. Haec coram homine naturali illustrari possunt per innumera, ut per haec; quid Imperium aut Regnum absque Ordine, nisi Caterva praedonum, quorum plures congregati interficerent millia, et tandem pauci hos plures: quid Civitas absque ordine, imo quid Domus absque ordine; et quid regnum, civitas, domus, nisi in unoquovis aliquis supremum agat.
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