67. Before creation God was Love itself and Wisdom itself, and He was these two exerting themselves to perform services. For without service love and wisdom are volatile figments of the reason, and they actually do fly away unless they devote their energy to service. Love and wisdom separated from service are also like birds flying across a mighty ocean and at length so tired by flying they fall down and drown. This proves that the universe was created by God in order that services should come into being, so that one might call the universe a theatre of services. Since man is the principal end in view in creation, it follows that everything was created on his account; so every detail of order was made applicable to him and concentrated on him, in order that by means of him God could perform primary services. Love and wisdom without their third partner, service, can be equated with the sun's heat and light, which would be empty principles unless they worked on men, animals and plants; but they become real by irradiating them and working on them.
[2] End, cause and effect are a trio with a fixed sequence. Educated people know that an end is nothing if it is not accompanied by an efficient cause, and the end and this cause are nothing, if there is no effect. One can form abstract speculations about ends and causes, but they must aim at some effect, which the end has in view and the cause brings about. It is the same with love, wisdom and service: service is the aim love has in view and brings about by means of a cause. When the service is effected, love and wisdom come into real existence, and make their residence and seat in that service, and come to rest there as if in their home. It is similar with a person, in whom are the love and wisdom of God, when he performs services; and it was so that he should perform services for God, that he was created to be an image and likeness [of God]*, that is, a form for the Divine order.
*These words are added in the margin in the author's own copy.
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