472. From what has been said we can reach the perception and conclusion that the following are not capable of being created, viz: (1) the Infinite, (2) love and wisdom, (3) and so life, (4) and light and heat, (5) in fact activity regarded in itself. Organs, however, for receiving these can be and have been created. These matters can be illustrated by the following comparisons. Light cannot be created, but the appropriate organ, the eye, can. Sound which is an activity of the atmosphere cannot be created, but the appropriate organ, the ear, can. Neither can heat be created, and heat is the prime source of activity, but everything in the three realms of nature has been created so as to receive heat, and in proportion to its reception everything is acted upon rather than acts.
[2] A law of creation ensures that active elements are accompanied by passive ones, and that the two are linked to form a single whole. If the active elements could be created, as the passive ones are, would there be any need of the sun and the heat and light it emits? All created things would continue in existence without them, would they not? Yet if heat and light were taken away, the created universe would collapse into chaos.
[3] The very sun of this world consists of created substances, and their activity produces fire. These examples are given as illustrations. It would be much the same with man, if spiritual light, which is in essence wisdom, and spiritual heat, which is in essence love, were not flowing into man and being received by him. The whole man is nothing but a form so organised as to be capable of receiving both of these, emanating from the natural as well as the spiritual world, since they correspond one to the other. A denial that man is a form for the reception of love and wisdom from God would involve denying also that anything flows in, including all good from God, as well as the possibility of being linked with God. So to say that man can be a dwelling-place and temple of God would be utterly meaningless.
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