Swedenborg's Cosmology. Lillian G. Beekman
WORKS BY SWEDENBORG
Post. Tracts—POSTHUMOUS TRACTS.
Principia—Vol. I. of OPERA PHILOSOPHICA ET MINERALIA.
S. D.—The SPIRITUAL DIARY.
The Infinite—ON THE INFINITE.
The Soul—RATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY.
T. C. R.—The TRUE CHRISTIAN RELIGION.
Worsh. and Love of God—WORSHIP AND LOVE OF GOD.
CHAPTER I.
THE FINITING OF INFINITY.
THE FIRST FINITING OF INFINITY is in the nature of vortex rings small as points, produced in the substance of the Infinite. These are the "natural points" of Swedenborg's Principia, and the "sim- ples" and "primitives" of his work On the Infinite. They are the primitives of the Spiritual Sun. They are "the Only Begotten." "the nexus," the Logos, the seed of creation.
Around the Spiritual Sun are two successive radi- ant belts; these are the volumes of the first and sec- ond finites. The third thing in succession is an atmosphere, which is the atmosphere of the celestial heaven and of the universe. By this atmosphere the Lord is immediately and universally operative and active in the spiritual world and in the natural.
God, who is Infinite, the Divine Esse, the I Am, is substance in Itself, and as the Infinite and the only substance, He is everywhere. There is no place where He is not. Therefore the universe and all the finite or bounded things thereof are brought
SWEDENBORG'S COSMOLOGY.
forth in Him. The universe is finited only in the Infinite.1 Hence there exists an apparent vacuum which still is not a vacuum ; for an interstitial noth- ing is not possible. What appears empty is filled by the living Substance in Itself, the Divine which Is.2 Thus in God we live, and move and have our being.3
God wills to create finite, bounded, recipient forms, individuals, which He can both infill, and act upon.4 God, by the predicates of His living Esse, could not bring those recipient individuals into existence by fiat. But He could form them from small discrete particles of substance, or sub- stantial, previously produced. 5
God, the Origin of created Substances. What is the source of these substantial, these minimal, first finited particles of substances, these primordial substantials from which God creates His universe? Since their creation by fiat, or from nothing, is pre- cluded,6 therefore the Infinite, the living expanse
1 Principia, part. III. chap. I. II.
2 J. Post. 265. D. L. W. 82.
3 D. L. W. 30. E. A. K. part II. 238. A. E. 1121.
4 D. L. W. 53. T. C. R. 30.
5 D. Love. II. Principia part. I. chap. III. 7. D. P. 6.
A. E. 1 121
6 D. L. W. 55, 282, 283.
THE FINITING OF INFINITY.
Substance in Itself, must be the Source and Origin of these minima of substance, of these primordial leasts, which are to act as the seeds and primitives of creation. There is no other substance from which recipient forms may be created. 7
God, the Infinite Esse, must needs give of His own substance to frame creation. This is the sac- ramental gift, as of His flesh, to be the bread and the flesh of His creatures. 8
The primitive substantial of creation must be formed from the substance of the Infinite Esse. God must give portions of His own substance to be the substantia prima from which He creates all things. God, therefore, must first finite His In- finity as a preparation for a universe.
THE MODE OF THE FIRST FINITING. The concept of the accommodation of Infinity to finiteness, in order that the finite may exist, arises here. How can the Infinite God, who is Substance Itself, finite His Infinity, without destroying His own non-finite- ness? In what manner can the accommodation of the Infinite to finiteness be given, without the es-
7 D. P. 46. Principia. part I. chap. II. f. D. L. W. 282.
8Principia, part I. chap. II. 1. The Infinite, chap. I. sec. III. 5. sec. IV. 2. D. Wis. I. A. E. 617. Ath. Cr. pages 8. 17. 19. 32. 41.
SWEDENBORG'S COSMOLOGY.
sential infringement of the Infinity of God, and of His Infinite Oneness?
This problem is perhaps the most central among the problems of creation; and the answer will qualify all our thoughts of God the Creator, and of the re- lation of the universe to Him.
Swedenborg approaches this problem directly; and the answer he gives impresses its stamp and feature on his whole system of the universe. It un- derlies as a very foothold the Theology of the New Church, and is regnant in it from first to last. It conditions alike the heavens and the earths, the or- ganic and the inorganic kingdoms.
SWEDENBORG'S DEFINITIONS. In following Swe- denborg we approach this subject in a series of comparative definitions of what is meant by Infinite and finite: a series covering expanse, origin, dura- tion, characteristics 'of substance, and activity or motion.
These definitions are as follows:
Expanse, in relation to the Infinite signifies that which is without bound, term, or limit ; when predicated of the finite, it signifies that which is comprised within definite terminations, that which is of limited extense, bounded.
Origin cannot be predicated of the Infinite, since as to substance the Infinite is self-existent; is not
THE FINITING OF INFINITY.
framed or put together of something in prior ex- istence; is not concreted from prior entities. But origin is predicated of all finite entities: for a finite is always framed or put together of parts already existent; always owes its substance to something else, to something prior to itself.
Neither can duration be predicated of the Infinite, since it is without bound or term, without beginning or end, always was, and is, and will be. But for all finite entities there are distinct ages, epochs, periods of time, prior to which they did not exist; and an hour in which they began to be formed. There is also an hour in which they are broken up or come to an end, their substance being scattered to enter into combination with other particles, in other forms of some other period of duration. For all created entities or individuals,—save the universe as a whole, solar systems, and man,—have such an end. Animals have it. and almost all inorganic individua, although the latter have the longest duration.
In respect to characteristic of substance, the In- finite is one and indivisible. It does not consist of parts, or is not compounded of smaller particles. It is one purely continuous substance.9 In it, infinite things are distinctly One.
9Principia, part I. chap. II. I; A. E. 1121; and in the Writings passim.
SWEDENBORG'S COSMOLOGY.
The characteristic of finite substance is that it is framed of myriads of distinct particles. It there- fore consists of parts, or is compounded of smaller discrete particles contiguous to each other. It is not a continuous substance. 10
And finally in respect to activity or motion, the Infinite is infinitely active. It is without any pass- ivity or inertia. It is therefore frictionless. The current of its motion, as it is in itself, never bounds, never encloses, nor finites, that is, never describes a circle ; for to describe a circle of any diameter is to describe and bound an area of that diameter. In- finite motion cannot describe an area, or make an enclosed field.
On the other hand a finiting motion is a motion the current of which defines or bounds, and dis- covers lines of least resistance,