319. [311.] There are, therefore, as said before, six discrete degrees, two in the natural kingdom, two in the spiritual kingdom, and two in the celestial kingdom. But these are the degrees in which people and angels are in respect to their thoughts, affections, and consequent wisdom, being thus degrees of life. Below these six degrees follow similar degrees, material ones, down to the lowest; and above these six degrees ascend degrees of infinity even to the Divine itself. The reason for the last is that the Divine itself cannot flow in from itself in any angel or person except through discrete degrees, for if it were to flow in directly or through a continuous degree, the angel and the person would be totally consumed by the ardor of the Divine love and by the light of the Divine wisdom. For it would be as if the sun of the world were to flow in directly with its fire into objects of the earth, and not indirectly through atmospheres in accordance with distinct discrete degrees.