60.神直觉、看见并知道照着秩序发生的一切，直至最细微的细节。因为秩序通过存在于最小细节而变得普遍，这些最小细节集中起来就被称作普遍，如同具体集中起来就被称作总体。包含其最小细节的普遍构成一个连贯的整体，以致每一部分在被触及或作用时都把自己的知觉传给整体。宇宙秩序的这种性质在这个世界的一切受造物内产生类似效果。不过，这一点可通过看得见的事物来对比说明。整个人体里面有总体部分和个体部分，包裹个体的总体和谐地组合起来，以致每一个都属于另一个。这种效果是通过人体每个部位所共有的覆盖物产生的，这种覆盖物伸入其中的每个部分，与其紧密联结起来，以便它们作为一体发挥功能或作用。例如，每块肌肉的覆盖物都与每根运动纤维联结，并通过自己包裹它们；所以，肝、胰、脾的覆盖物与它们里面的各个单独部位联结；肺的覆盖物，就是所谓的胸膜，也与它的内在部位联结；心包膜同样与心脏的所有部位联结；腹膜总体上凭韧带与所有脏腑的覆盖物联结。脑膜同样凭取自它们自己的凸状长丝纤维与下一层的各个腺体联结，并通过它们与所有纤维联结，再通过它们与身体的各个部位联结。这就是为何头部通过大脑两个半球支配从属于它的所有部位。在此引用这些事实只是为了让人们能通过可见事物对“神如何直觉、看见、知道照着秩序发生的一切事物，直至最小细节”形成某种概念。
60. 上帝是全知, 祂意識到,看見,知道下至最細微的一切遵循聖規而發生之事物, 因為普遍的定規包含著最小的,個體的定規。(個體的總和就是整體, 具體的總和為普遍。)
普遍的定規連同它一切的個體定規, 是完美聯合的傑作。以至於在觸及或影響一部分時,不可避免地牽涉到所有其它部分。這個世界上的任何被造之物都有類似的聖規之性質。
通過下列現象的觀察比較, 將會澄清此事。通觀整個人體, 有彼此連接的膜和個體。膜包覆住個體, 產生一種周密的連接,以至於它們成為相互部分的關係。這是通過共同的膜圍繞人體內每個單元來成就。這個膜將個體的部分包覆在裡面, 為了讓它們以統一的方式來運作——無論那個單元提供何種功能或服務。例如, 繞著每條肌肉的膜延展至各個運動纖維間,並用自己包覆住它們。繞著肝臟的膜, 繞著胰臟的膜, 還有繞著脾臟的膜, 也延伸和器官內相對更小的部分(並包住它們)。繞著肺臟的膜, 被稱為臟胸膜, 也以類似的方式延伸入到肺內更小的部分, 就像心包膜也伸入到心臟的每個和所有部分。類似的, 腹膜總體上通過各個結點來連接所有包覆個體器官的膜。腦膜也是同樣的方式。利用從這些膜伸出的凸狀長絲纖維, 這些膜延伸到下一層的各個腺體, 再通過腺體伸到纖維, 再通過纖維到身體裡的每一處。這就是頭部如何運用腦來控制全身。
提及這些例子的唯一目的, 是向你說明這個值得注意的現象, 為了讓你對上帝意識到,看見,知道下至最細微的一切遵循聖規而發生之事物這個主題有一些概念。
60. God is aware of, sees, and knows everything down to the least detail that happens in keeping with the divine design because it is a universal design that encompasses the smallest individual designs. (Individual things taken collectively are called universal, just as particular instances are collectively called something common or general.)
The universal design with [all] its individual designs is a masterwork so well connected together into one thing that you cannot touch or affect one part without something of a sensation flowing back to the others. Every created thing in this world has something comparable to this quality of the divine design in the universe.
Comparisons with observable phenomena will shed light on this. Throughout a human being, there are connective membranes and individual parts. The membranes enclose the individual parts, creating such a thorough connection that they become part of each other. This is accomplished through a common membrane around every unit in the body. This membrane wraps around the individual parts inside so that they act in a unified way to do whatever function or service that unit provides.
For example, the membrane around each muscle extends between individual motor fibers and wraps them with itself. The membrane around the liver, the membrane around the pancreas, and the membrane around the spleen also extend into the smaller parts inside these organs. The membrane around the lungs, called the pleura, extends in a similar way into the individual parts inside the lungs, as the pericardium also extends into each and every part of the heart. Likewise the peritoneum in general goes through anastomoses [points of communication] to join with all the membranes around individual organs. The same is also true of the meninges, the membranes around the brain. Using projecting filaments, these membranes extend into all the glands below, and extend through the glands into fibers, and through the fibers into every single thing in the body. This is how the head uses the brains to control everything under its power.
The sole purpose in mentioning these examples is to show you observable phenomena, so that you may have some idea of how God is aware of, sees, and knows everything down to the least detail that happens in keeping with the divine design.
60. The reason God perceives, sees and knows down to the tiniest detail everything that happens according to order is that a universal order is made up of the smallest details. The details taken together are called a universal principle, just as the particulars taken together are called a general principle. The universal principle together with its smallest details make up a single coherent unit, so that one part cannot be touched or acted upon without some sensation being transmitted to the whole. This characteristic of the order of the universe produces similar effects in all created things in the world; but this will be illustrated by comparisons taken from observable objects.
Throughout the human body there are general and particular parts, the general serving to wrap up the particular, and fitting together so snugly that each belongs to the other. This effect is the result of each member in the body having a general sheath, which is so intimately connected with each part that for the purpose of any function or use they act as one.
[2] For example, the sheath of any muscle is connected to each of the motor fibres, and forms itself into a coating for them. Similarly the sheath of the liver, pancreas and spleen is connected to the separate parts within them, and the sheath of the lungs, called the pleura, is connected to its inner parts. So too the pericardium is connected to all parts of the heart, and on the general level the peritoneum by means of ligaments is linked with the sheaths of all the viscera. Likewise the membranes of the brain by means of processes drawn out from themselves are connected to all the underlying nodes, and by them to all the fibres, and by them to every part of the body' That is why the head by the action of the two parts of the brain controls all the parts subject to it. These facts are only presented so that from observable objects some idea can be formed how God perceives, sees and knows everything which happens in accordance with order down to the tiniest detail.
60. God perceives, sees, and knows all things, even to the most minute, that take place according to order, because order, from being in the smallest particulars, is universal, for these smallest particulars taken together are called the universal, as the particulars taken together are called the general. The universal, including its smallest particulars, is a work coherent as a unit, to the extent that no one part can be touched and affected without some sense of it overflowing to all the rest. Such being the nature of the order of the universe there is a likeness of it in all created things in the world. But this shall be illustrated by comparisons taken from things visible. In man as a whole there are generals and particulars, the generals including the particulars, with all harmoniously arranged in such connection that each belongs to the other. This is effected by means of a common covering surrounding every member of the body, and insinuating itself into every particular therein, so that they act as one in every function and use. For example, the covering of each muscle enters into the particular motor fibers and clothes them from itself. So the coverings of the liver, the pancreas, and the spleen enter into the interior parts of these organs; and the covering of the lungs, which is called the pleura, enters into their interiors; in like manner the pericardium enters into each and all parts of the heart; and in general the peritoneum enters all parts by anastomoses with the coverings of all the viscera. So again, the meninges of the brain, by threads drawn from them, enter into all the underlying glands, and through these into all the fibers, and through these again into all parts of the body. And it is in this way that the head by means of the brain rules each and all things subject to it. These facts are cited simply that by means of visible things some idea may be formed of how God perceives, sees, and knows all things, even to the most minute, which take place according to order.
60. God perceives, sees, and knows all things, even to the most minute, that are done according to order, because order is universal when it is in every most minute part regarded individually, for individual parts taken together are called a universal, just as particulars taken together are called a general. A universal, comprising all its minutest individual parts is a work cohering as a unity, so that one part cannot be touched and affected without producing some effect upon the rest. From this quality of order which exists in the universe, there is something similar in all created things in the world; but this will be illustrated by instances taken from visible things. Throughout the whole human body there are general and particular parts, and the general include the particular, and are arranged in such a connection that they are mutually dependent one upon the other. This arises from the fact that every member in the body is enclosed in a common covering which enters into all its individual parts so that they act together in every function and use. For example, the sheath of every muscle enters into the individual motor fibres and invests them with a covering: similarly the coverings of the liver, the pancreas, and the spleen enter into all the individual parts of these organs. So also the covering of the lungs, called the pleura, enters into the interior parts of the lungs; the pericardium enters into every part of the heart, and in general the peritoneum by anastomosis unites with all the coverings of all the viscera. In like manner the meninges of the brain, by means of threads emitted from them, enter into all the minute glands lying beneath them, and through these into all the fibres, and through these fibres into all parts of the body. Thus it is that the head from the brain rules every part beneath it. These facts are adduced merely that some idea might be formed from visible examples how God perceives, sees, and knows all things, even to the most minute, that are done according to order.
60. Quod Deus percipiat, videat, et sciat omnia usque ad minutissima, quae secundum ordinem fiunt, est quia Ordo est Universalis ex singularissimis, nam singularia simul sumta nuncupantur Universale, sicut particularia simul sumta Commune: Universale una cum singularissimis suis est Opus cohaerens ut unum, adeo ut non queat unum tangi et affici, nisi aliquid sensus inde ad reliqua redundet. Ex hac qualitate ordinis in Universo est quod simile sit in omnibus in Mundo creatis; sed illustrabitur hoc per comparationes ex visibilibus desumendas; in toto homine sunt communia et particularia, ac communia involvunt particularia ibi, et se concinnant per talem connexum, ut unum sit alterius; hoc fit per quod commune involucrum sit circum omne membrum ibi, et quod hoc insinuet se in singulas partes inibi, ut unum in quolibet officio et usu agant;
[2] pro exemplo, involucrum cujusvis musculi intrat in singulas fibras motrices, et ex se amicit illas; similiter involucrum hepatis, pancreatis et lienis in singula sua quae intus sunt: similiter involucrum 1 pulmonis, quod pleura vocatur, in interiora ejus; et similiter pericardium in omnia et singula cordis; et communiter peritonaeum per anastomoses cum involucris omnium viscerum; similiter Meninges Cerebri, hae per fila a se excerpta in omnes substratas glandulas intrant, et per has in omnes fibras, et per has in omnia corporis; inde est, quod Caput ex Cerebris regat omnia et singula sibi subdita. Haec allata sunt modo propter causam, ut ex visibilibus formetur aliqua idea, quomodo Deus percipit, videt et scit omnia usque ad minutissima quae secundum ordinem fiunt.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: inveluerum.