53.神就是秩序，因为祂是实质本身和形式本身。祂是实质，因为一切存在物皆从祂而出，并不断从祂而出。祂是形式，因为实质的一切属性皆由祂产生，并不断产生，属性只出自形式，没有其它源头。既然神是绝对的、独一的，是最初的实质和形式，同时也是绝对独一的爱和绝对独一的智慧，既然出于爱的智慧构成形式，该形式的状态和品质取决于它里面的秩序，那么可知，神就是秩序本身；因此，神通过祂自己将秩序引入整个宇宙及其万物；还可知，祂引入的秩序是最为完美的，因为祂所造的一切都是好的，如我们在创世记所读到的。我会在适当地方说明，创世后各种邪恶连同地狱是如何产生的。不过，我们首先考虑那些更容易理解、启示得更清楚，并且情绪反应温和的问题。
53. 上帝就是聖規, 因為祂是實質自身和形式自身。祂是實質自身, 在於存在的事物都從祂而來:過去因祂產生, 現在因祂存在。祂是形式自身, 在於這些實質的所有性質都因祂產生。
現在, 因為上帝是絕對的,首先的和唯一的實質和形式, 也是絕對的和唯一的仁愛,絕對的和唯一的智慧。又因為智慧產生形式, 形式的狀態和性質取決於它的定規。理所當然, 上帝就是定規本身。也能得出, 上帝已將這定規放置於宇宙及其萬物之中, 並且這定規是絕對的完全。正如我們在『創世記』讀到的:所有祂所造的, 是好的。(在適當的地方, 我會說明, 在創世之後, 各樣的惡以及地獄如何產生。)
53. God is the divine design because he is substance itself and form itself. He is substance because from him come all things that subsist, that came into existence in the past, and that are coming into existence now. He is form because every quality of [these] substances arose and arises from him. Quality comes from no other source than form.
Now, because God is the absolute, the first, and the only substance and form and is also the absolute and only love and the absolute and only wisdom, and because wisdom produces form on the basis of love, and the state and quality of the form depend on its design, it follows that God is the design itself. It also follows that from himself God imposed a design on the universe and on every single thing in it, and the design imposed was absolutely perfect because all that he created was good, as we read in Genesis, the Book of Creation.
(In its own place we will show that evil of every kind and hell itself came into existence after creation.)
Now we turn to thoughts that are more accessible to, clearer for, and gentler on the mind.
53. God is order, because He is substance itself and form itself. He is substance, because it is from Him that everything comes which is in existence, has come into and is coming into being. He is form, because every attribute of substances has arisen and still arises from Him, and attributes cannot come from any other source than form. Now since God is the very, sole and prime substance and form and at the same time is the very and sole Love and the very and sole Wisdom, and since wisdom from love produces form, and the state and quality of this is dependent on the order in it, it follows that God is order itself and therefore that He of Himself introduced order both into the universe and every one of its parts. It was a most perfect order that He introduced, because all that He created was good, as we read in the Book of Creation. I shall show in the appropriate place that evils came into existence together with hell, and therefore after creation. But first we shall deal with matters which come more nearly within the purview of the understanding, more clearly enlighten it and arouse milder emotions.
53. God is order because He is substance itself and form itself. He is substance because all things that subsist have come forth and continue to come forth from Him. He is form because every quality of substances has sprung and continues to spring from Him, quality having no other source than form. As God, then, is the very, the only, and the first substance and form, and at the same time the very and only love and the very and only wisdom, and as wisdom from love is what constitutes form, and its state and quality are in accordance with the order that is in it, it follows that God is order itself; consequently that God from Himself introduced order both into the whole universe and into all things and each thing in it; also that He introduced a most perfect order, because every thing that He created was good, as we read in the Book of Creation. In its proper place it will be shown that evil things sprang up together with hell, thus after creation. But now let us consider things that more readily enter the understanding, more clearly enlighten it, and more gently affect it.
53. God is order because He is substance itself and form itself: substance, because all things which subsist came into existence and continue to exist from Him; and form, because every quality possessed by substances came, and continues to come, from Him; and quality results only from form. Now, because God is substance and form itself, the only and the first, and at the same time the only Love itself and the only Wisdom itself; and because wisdom from love constitutes form, and the quality of its state is according to the order in it, it follows that God is order itself; and consequently that God from Himself introduced order into the universe and into all its parts; and that He introduced the most perfect order, because all things He created were good, as it is written in the Book of Creation. It will be shown in due course that evil came into existence together with hell after Creation. Meanwhile attention will be directed towards such matters as more deeply enter, more clearly illumine and more gently impress the mind.
53. Quod Deus sit Ordo, est quia est ipsa Substantia et ipsa Forma; Substantia, quia ex Ipso omnia quae subsistunt, exstiterunt et existunt; Forma, quia omnis qualitas substantiarum, ab Ipso exorta est et oritur, non aliunde quam ex forma datur qualitas. Nunc quia Deus est ipsa, unica et prima Substantia et Forma, et simul ipse et unicus Amor, ac ipsa et unica Sapientia, et quia sapientia ex amore facit formam, et hujus status et qualitas est secundum ordinem inibi, sequitur quod Deus sit ipse Ordo; consequenter quod Deus ex Se introduxerit Ordinem tam in Universum, quam in omnia et singula ejus; et quod introduxerit Ordinem perfectissimum, quia cuncta quae creavit bona fuerunt, ut in Libro creationis legitur: quod mala una cum Inferno, ita post creationem exstiterint, suo loco demonstrabitur. Sed ad talia, quae Intellectum propius intrant, clarius illustrant, et mitius afficiunt.