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THE FINITING OF INFINITY.

Here the finite really begins. For the derivative corpuscles or substantiate are concrete, but the com- ponent primitive points, or simples are not. There- fore the latter are not to be called finite, but only the first of Uniting, or the intermediate, or nexus, between the Infinite and the finite, as was shown above.

These finest concrete substantials. or first finites, are only less perfect than the pure simples or prim- itives themselves, of which they are the first and only direct production. For while the primitives are "immediately Divine.'' the first finites or sub- stantials are only mediately Divine through the primitives or simples.⁵⁰

The First Fixites, or simplest concrete substan- tials, are bodies of a vortex ring form; each com- posed of great numbers of primitives bound to- gether into a cohering aggregate corpuscle by their common circling motion.

These finites have an interior circulation coincid- ing with the reflective endeavor and activity of the primitives, which is actually produced by the flow of those primitives in them. From this interior circulation they have, all of them, a derivative en- deavor and potency of local motion, of the same

⁵⁰ Infinite, Chap. II. sec. I; Chap. I. last page.

SWEDENBORG'S COSMOLOGY.

general reflexive or perpetually circling type as the motion of the primitives. For with them also, "as is their interior circulation, so they do, so they move, so they act.'' But the diameter of this composite substantial is vastly larger, and its velocity of motion and momentum in collision, is greatly less than that of the primitives.

Thus originated the first substantial composites from the primitives of the Spiritual Sun, produced in a volume vast enough to fill the universe. And as it were instantly in and from their volume, by means of their own circling motions among each other, a myriad volume of second substantiate was formed, swinging on towards the production of an aura or atmosphere or volume of bullae, in which was at- tained the first equilibrated rest of creation. ⁵¹

THE SECOND FINITE. The second substantiate are related to the first, as the first to the primitives. And although they are of like generic form, interior circulation and derivative power of circling or or- bital motion, these second unites arc still larger, still more finited, move in still larger orbits, have less velocity of movement, and a weakened force of penetrative impact.

These are the second successives of accommoda-

⁵¹ Principia, part I. Chap. VI. 5.

THE FINITING OF INFINITY.

tion and finiting, produced from the primitives of the Spiritual Sun. And the volumes of the first and second finites are the two radiant belts under the Spiritual Sun, above the angelic heaven.⁵² The corresponding belts below the natural sun are the volumes of third and fourth finites, which are the primitives of the family of metals. The fifth finites are formed near the earth, and are able to exist only in the vicinage of earths.

The First Aura. Next in order after the first and second degrees of finiting, or the creation of volumes of first and second finites, follows the for- mation of the first atmosphere, or the first plane of the Divine as to Use,—the first and universal aura of the Principia, the Infinite and the Economy,— the first created volume of elastic bullular forms.

This is the third successive under the Spiritual Sun,⁵³ the third thing brought forth; the atmosphere at once of the celestial heaven, and of the whole uni- verse; the particular atmosphere by which the Lord is present, as in firsts so in lasts; as within so with- out; as in heavens immediately so also immediately in all His world.⁵⁴ It is the first proceeding of the

⁵² A. C. 7270. H. H. 120.

⁵³ A. C. 7270.

⁵⁴ A. C. 7270. 7004. 3627. T. C. R. 63. 70. E. A. K. part I. 635; part II. 312. 339.

SWEDENBORG'S COSMOLOGY.

Lord, formed as use or atmosphere, going forth and filling both worlds, the spiritual and the natural, operating the effects of the ends of creation ; for it is the supreme conjugial sphere.⁵⁵ In accordance with this we find that the human formative sub- stance, the soul, the human internal, the human spirituous fluid, which receives the influx of the life of God, is formed from and in this aura.⁵⁶ And moreover this first aura describes a vortex and uni- verse embracing and directing all other vortices or universes ; and it is that supreme aura without which the minutest forms could not be held together in connection ; nor could effects flow from their first causes, according to the order of nature. ⁵⁷

⁵⁵ C. L. 386. T. C. R. 63. 70.

⁵⁶ E. A. K. part II. 168. 221. 228. 245.

⁵⁷ E. A. K. part II. 272. 312.

CHAPTER II.

THE DERIVATION OF THE FIRST

SUBSTANCE OF CREATION.

A RESUMÉ. We have already shown that the In- finite Esse is Substance in Itself, that it does not consist of a sum of bounded particles, that it is a purely continuous substance,⁵⁸ but that creation be- gins with myriads of minimal leasts finited in the Substance of the Infinite. These primal points are afterwards massed, concreted, arranged by God into forms or individua, and held together by Him. For to create is not only to cause to be. or to bring into existence, but afterwards to hold together.

The first finiting of Infinity, then, is the produc- tion of vortico-spiral rings of motion, small as points, in the substance of the Infinite; these are the primitives of the Spiritual Sun, and the seeds of the universe from which all creation is framed by God.

The only finiting in the substance of the Infinite, possible to take place without severance or infringe- ment of the Substantial Unity of God, is a finiting by means of motion which delineates a boundary

⁵⁸ A. E. 1121.

SWEDENBORG'S COSMOLOGY.

and encloses and marks an area; and the simplest motion that can enclose and bound an area, is a circling motion. The ideal and fulness of a circling motion is the circulo-spiral, or perpetual vortical. In it are summed all possible circling motions of all degrees and types; and in it all the powers of Me- chanics, both active and passive, exist in potency.

We have also observed that Love in God is a sub- stance, and that the nature of all love is perpetually to return as in a circle to its source. Hence the activity of love as a substance flows into recircling lines ; supremely so in the primitives and firsts of finiting, which embody, and are, the creative love of God in immediate outgo, activity, and gift. And all things framed and concreted thereof show feature of a like reflexing potency and activity.

It is from this ground, and no other, that all the atmospheres, which are four, successively formed, move by circling and recircling lines. At every touch they flow into such lines; nor can they move, act, or react, in any other way or path. The celes- tial atmosphere, or first aura, has this character es- sentially; and the others, though grosser in consti- tution, are not much behind it in their aptitude to run into vortices and circuits at every touch, stimulus, or strain acting upon them. It is their

form of reaction.

FIRST SUBSTANCE.

In the organic world it is the same. It is from the same deep cause in the perpetually reflexing or cir- cling motion in these seeds of creation, (supremely involving as they do the living ends of the created universe), that bloods arise and are established, and circulations run their rounds. The vegetative world also partakes in this gyre and power. And the min- eral world has its emulation thereof. Even the dust of the ground is framed and compacted of the prim- itives of the Spiritual Sun. For there is no other substance given of which creation is formed. And the striving and tendency of these primitives of the Spiritual Sun, from which they are made, is in them, even in their far off concreteness.

We have also seen that the points or primitives of the Spiritual Sun are not inert, nor quiescent. And what they are in conatus, the like they are in act. They gyre about among themselves perpetually, in reflexing, recircling orbits, patterned after their inner endeavor. This circling and reflexing mo- tion, pattern of their own interior conatus and flow, is the very thing, the very power and action, which carries the endeavor of creative love to farther ulti- mation, governs the form of that ultimation, acts in it as the spring of new and emulous endeavor, and serves as the efficient instrument of the orderly con- fluence and composition of the primitives into a

SWEDENBORG'S COSMOLOGY.

series of derivative finites or substantiate of five grades or degrees.⁵⁹ But as they are produced in a series, they ever increase in size, with lessening velocity and penetrative force of impact; although the larger they arc. the larger is the diameter of the vortical orbit they circle. By this series of derivative substantiate the universe is successively finited more and more.

THE FIRST ATMOSPHERE AND ITS USES IN THE MACROCOSM AND MICROCOSM. The third thing brought forth from the Spiritual Sun, is an atmo- sphere. This is the first atmosphere or aura, the third successive, received into the celestial heaven, and extended throughout the universe to the ulti- mates thereof.⁶⁰ For that which proceeds from the inmost extends everywhere.⁶¹ This is the Divine proceeding from the Lord, which is called the sphere or atmosphere,⁶² which fills both worlds, the spiritual and the natural, which operates the effects of those ends which the Lord predestined at crea- tion, and for which He provides ever since the crea- tion,—the very conjugial itself. For from this aura

⁵⁹ B Principia, part T. Chap. IV. 18. par. 2. 3. 4.

⁶⁰ A. C. 7270.

⁶¹ A. C. 10188.

⁶² C. L. 386.

FIRST SUBSTANCE.

and in it is generated the human soul, by which the Lord weaves the organic man.⁶³

This first atmosphere, proximate to the Spiritual Sun, is of the very essence of that Sun.⁶⁴ It is the first aura of the Principia and the Economy, with- out which no effects could flow from their first causes according to order.⁶⁵ Generated from this first or universal aura, the human soul receives the life of God immediately; and in this is the ground of hu- man immortality.⁶⁶ For the Lord enters with it, frames, sustains, and dwells within the human or- ganism or individual forever.

This aura, then, is the plane and determinant of the soul, or human spirituous fluid, or human forma- tive substance, which therefore derives from this aura, or first atmosphere of the universe, its own power of forming, by descent and derivation, all the degrees of the human form in mind and body. ⁶⁷

Moreover, as is the rank, use, and office of the formative substance in the microcosm, so is the rank, use, and office of the first aura in the macro- cosm.⁶⁸

⁶³ Compare C. L. 204 and 183.

⁶⁴ D. L. W. 300.

⁶⁵ E. A. K. Part II. 272.

⁶⁶ E. A. K. part II. 245. 352. 168. 300. 350.

⁶⁷ E. A. K. part I. 635. 636.

⁶⁸ S E. A. K. part II. 228. 221. 274. 276

SWEDENBORG'S COSMOLOGY.

This first aura, third from the primitives of fini- tion, from the Spiritual Sun, in one sole unique volume fills the extense of the universe.⁶⁹ It is the universal atmosphere by which the Lord is imme- diately present and immanent alike in the universe as He is in heaven; and acts alike upon and in the lasts of order, as upon and in the firsts; without which indeed there would be no sustentative ground in the universe for the Lord's immediate presence and operation in all things from first to last.⁷⁰

As belonging to the human conjugial sphere, or being that sphere,⁷¹ it is the very sphere of religion itself, and of the Church; and it is that universal sphere or atmosphere of the Divine as to use or operation, which fills all the natural world and all the spiritual world, and elevates all to heaven.⁷² Being the most universal and most elevated of all, it is that by which all things are created, sustained, and held together, and which effects all arrange- ments into order. It is both creation and provi- dence.⁷³ It is that primal plane of the Divine pro-

⁶⁹ E. A. K. part II. 312. 339; Principia, part I. Chap. VI. 39. 50.

⁷⁰ A C. 7270.

⁷¹ C. L. 222-225, 386-397, 434 ct seq.

⁷² T. C. R. 652.

⁷³ A. C. 6483. 6482. 6338.