Swedenborg's Cosmology. Lillian G. Beekman
God Man, and the origin of the finites of the uni- verse.45 They are the seeds of the universe, the sole substance of which all substances are made. 10 They involve supremely all the human end of creation, sustainment, providence, redemption.47 For ends are in the Spiritual Sun, causes in the spiritual world, and effects in the natural world;48 en is are then Infinite. Hence in the finiting conatus of the points or simples, all the human ends of the created universe have their in-being, and arc supremely in- volved and embodied in them; while their derivative activity or motion presents as in a figure the uni- versal endeavor of love to return as by a circle to its source.
Moreover, as has already been indicated, the cir- cling figure of the motion of the primitives is the sole instrumentality needed, to enable them to conflow together by myriads, and impel them to coalesce into compound vortex ring corpuscles. These are the substantial, substantiates, or finites.49
45 D. L. W. 17, 155, 169. Principia, part III, Chap. I. 1.
46 Infinite, Chap. I. sec. IV. 2. 4. 5; Principia, part I. Chap. II. 20; Chap. III. 2. 6. 7- D. L. W. 300.
47 Infinite, Chap. I. sec. IV. 4. 5. sec. V. 17. compared with sec. XI. 2. 3. and sec. XIV. 5.
48 D. L. W. 154-
49 Principia, part [. Chap. III. D. P. 6.
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,