679.凡追果溯因者皆知，万物的一致性取决于秩序；秩序的种类有很多，既有总体的也有细微的。但有一种秩序是最为普遍的，在一条连续链里的总体和细微秩序都依赖于它；这最普遍的秩序进入所有其它秩序，如同本质进入形式，否则，它们无法构成一个整体。正是这种统一性维持整体存在，否则整体就会分崩离析，重新陷入混沌，沦为虚无。如果人体内的每一个部位没有以最精细的秩序被排列，且它们组成的共同体不依赖于一颗心脏和两个肺，那么人会怎样呢？若非这样，接下来除了混乱还能发生什么？然后胃还能发挥其功能吗？肝脏和胰腺，肠系膜和结肠系膜，以及肾脏和肠道呢？正是由于它们里面以及它们之间的秩序，才使得身体的所有部位在人看来如同一个整体。若没有一个清晰的界定秩序，若人的各部位组成的共同体不依赖于意愿和觉知，那么人的心智或灵里面除了困惑和混乱外，还能有什么呢？没有这秩序，人和他的画像，或家里的雕塑一样，还有思考和意愿的能力吗？若没有从天堂流入的最完美的排列，以及接受它的能力，人将变成什么样呢？若没有整体及其各个部分的治理所依赖的最普遍秩序，也就是说，除非万物来自神，除非万物在祂里面，并通过祂得以存在，存活和运动，否则这流入会是什么样呢？对于属世人，可通过无数事实说明这一点，如：若无秩序，帝国或王国不就成了一帮盗匪吗？若他们当中的一大群人聚集起来，就会残杀成千上万人，甚至他们当中的少数人也会残杀很多人。若无秩序，一个城市，甚或一个家庭会是什么样？若在每一个行动中没有人起到头领作用，那么一个王国、城市或家庭会是什么样呢？
679. 凡追果溯因者皆知, 万物的一致性取决于秩序; 秩序的种类有很多, 既有总体的也有细微的。 但有一种秩序是最为普遍的, 在一条连续链里的总体和细微秩序都依赖于它; 这最普遍的秩序进入所有其它秩序, 如同本质进入形式, 否则, 它们无法构成一个整体。 正是这种统一性维持整体存在, 否则整体就会分崩离析, 重新陷入混沌, 沦为虚无。 如果人体内的每一个部位没有以最精细的秩序被排列, 且它们组成的共同体不依赖于一颗心脏和两个肺, 那么人会怎样呢? 若非这样, 接下来除了混乱还能发生什么? 然后胃还能发挥其功能吗? 肝脏和胰腺, 肠系膜和结肠系膜, 以及肾脏和肠道呢? 正是由于它们里面以及它们之间的秩序, 才使得身体的所有部位在人看来如同一个整体。 若没有一个清晰的界定秩序, 若人的各部位组成的共同体不依赖于意愿和觉知, 那么人的心智或灵里面除了困惑和混乱外, 还能有什么呢? 没有这秩序, 人和他的画像, 或家里的雕塑一样, 还有思考和意愿的能力吗? 若没有从天堂流入的最完美的排列, 以及接受它的能力, 人将变成什么样呢? 若没有整体及其各个部分的治理所依赖的最普遍秩序, 也就是说, 除非万物来自神, 除非万物在祂里面, 并通过祂得以存在, 存活和运动, 否则这流入会是什么样呢? 对于属世人, 可通过无数事实说明这一点, 如: 若无秩序, 帝国或王国不就成了一帮盗匪吗? 若他们当中的一大群人聚集起来, 就会残杀成千上万人, 甚至他们当中的少数人也会残杀很多人。 若无秩序, 一个城市, 甚或一个家庭会是什么样? 若在每一个行动中没有人起到头领作用, 那么一个王国, 城市或家庭会是什么样呢?
679. As anyone who traces effects back to their causes is in a position to know, the firm establishment of everything hinges on how it fits into the overall design. There are many different designs that are part of the overall design - there are designs of a general nature and there are specific designs within them; but one design is the most universal of them all. All the general designs and specific designs hang, if you will, from that overall design in an unbroken chain. The overarching design is present within all the individual designs in the same way that an essence is present in all the forms that share that essence - this is precisely how the individual elements are united within the overall design. It is this unity that allows for the preservation of the whole; otherwise it would collapse and go back not just to its primordial state of chaos but to nothingness.
What would the human body be like if all its large and small components were not precisely distinguished and arranged and their common existence was not dependent on one set of heart and lungs? What would the body be but mass confusion? Would the stomach perform its functions? Would the liver and pancreas perform their functions? Would the mesentery and mesocolon perform their functions? Would the kidneys and intestines perform their functions? The design of each organ and the design of how they all interact with each other is what allows them all to come together and seem like one thing to us.
[2] Without a precisely defined design, would the human mind or spirit be more than a confused, chaotic mush - that is, if the mind as a whole did not depend on the will and the intellect? Without the exact design it has, our mind would have no more ability to think or will than would a framed portrait of us or a bust of us in our home.
What would we ourselves be without a precisely differentiated inflow from heaven and without our receptivity to it? And what would that inflow be without the most universal inflow, which governs the whole and all its parts - without God, in other words? All things live, and move, and have their being in him and from him [Acts of the Apostles 17:28].
Countless things could serve to illustrate these points for the benefit of our earthly selves; let me pick just a few. Without a well-defined structure, what would an empire or a monarchy be but a gang of thugs? First, many of the thugs would band together and kill people by the thousands. Then a few of the thugs would kill all the other thugs.
What would a city be without a well-defined structure? For that matter, what would a household be? And what would a monarchy, a city, or a household be if each of them did not have one leader at the top?
679. Anyone who traces effects back to their causes may know that what holds everything together depends on order; and there are many kinds of order, both general and particular. There is one order which is the most universal of all on which the general and particular depend in a continuous chain, and this most universal order enters into all others, like essence into forms, and they could not otherwise make up a single whole. It is this unity which holds the whole together, which would otherwise fall apart and slip back not merely into primeval chaos, but into annihilation. What would happen to a person, if every single part of his body were not arranged in the most detailed order, and their whole partnership did not depend upon a single heart and pair of lungs? Without this what would man be but a muddle? Would the stomach then perform its functions, the liver and pancreas theirs, the mesentery and mesocolon theirs, the kidneys and intestines theirs? It is the order which exists in them and between them which makes all the parts of the body appear to a person as a single whole.
[2] Without a clearly defined order what would go on in a person's mind or spirit but confusion and muddle, unless his partnership depended upon the will and the understanding? Without that order would a person have any more ability to think and will than his likeness in a picture, or a sculpture of himself that he has at home? What would become of man without the most highly organised inflow from heaven and the ability to receive it? What would this inflow be without the most universal upon which the control of the whole and all its parts depends? Unless, that is, everything was from God, unless it was in Him and from Him that it had its being, lived and moved? These ideas can be illustrated for the natural man to see by countless things, such as these. What would an empire or a kingdom be without order but a band of robbers, and if a large number of them got together they would kill thousands, and eventually a few of them would kill the majority. What is a city without order, what indeed is a household? And what is a kingdom, a city or a household, unless in each someone has supreme authority?
679. Everyone who traces effects back to their causes may know that the consistence of all things depends on order; and that there are many kinds of order, general and particular; and that there is one order which is the most universal of all, and on which depends the general and particular kinds in connected series; also that this most universal order enters into all the others as the essence itself into its forms, and that thus and not otherwise do they make one. It is this unity that effects the preservation of the whole, which would otherwise fall asunder, and relapse not only into primal chaos, but into nothing. How would it be with man if each thing and all things in his body were not most distinctly arranged and this community of parts made dependent on one heart and one pair of lungs? Otherwise, what would follow but confusion? Could the stomach then perform its functions, the liver and pancreas theirs, the mesentery and mesocolon theirs, the kidneys and intestines theirs? It is because of the order in them and among them, that they each and all appear to man as one. And in the mind or spirit of man if there were no distinct order, and if this community of parts did not depend on the will and understanding, what would there be but a confused and undigested something? Without such an order could a man exercise thought and will any more than his picture on a tablet, or his statue in his house? What would man be without a most perfectly arranged influx from heaven and the reception of it? And what would this influx be without a most universal one on which the government of the whole and of all its parts depends, that is to say, unless it depended on God, and unless all things had their being, and lived and moved in Him and from Him? For the natural man this may be illustrated by innumerable things, such as the following: Without order what would an empire or kingdom be but a gang of robbers, a large body of whom would slay thousands, a few at least slaying these many? What is a city without order, or even a household without order? And what is a kingdom, a city, or a household without someone in each acting the part of head?
679. Every one who traces effects to their causes can understand that the continuance of all things depends upon order, and that there are manifold orders, both general and particular; and that there is one which is the most universal of all, on which the general and particular in a connected series depend. This universal enters into all as essence itself enters into its forms, and in this way they constitute one. It is this unity that ensures the preservation of the whole, which would otherwise fall asunder, and would not only relapse into primal chaos, but would even be annihilated. What would be the case with man if all things, and every single part, in his body were not arranged in a most distinct and orderly manner, and if their common life were not dependent on the one heart and lungs? There would be nothing but confusion, for then the stomach, the liver and the pancreas, the mesentery and the mesocolon, the kidneys and the intestines, would not perform their functions. It is from the order in them and among them that all things and every single part appear to man as one.
Again, if there were no distinct order in the mind or spirit of man, and if it as a whole were not dependent on the will and the understanding, it would be nothing but confusion and disorder. Without such order a man could no more think and will than a portrait of him or a statue in his house. What would a man be without the most orderly influx from heaven and his reception of it? And what would this influx be without that supreme universal on which depends the government of the whole and all its parts; thus unless it were dependent on God, and unless all things had their being, lived and moved in Him and from Him?
This may be illustrated to the natural man by many instances, such as the following. An empire or kingdom without order would be nothing but a gang of robbers, many of whom would gather together and slay thousands; and finally a few of these would slay the rest. What would a city, or even a house, be without order? and what would a kingdom, a city, or a house become unless someone in each exercised supreme authority?
679. Quisque qui indagat effectus usque ad causas, scire potest, quod omnium consistentia pendeat ab ordine, et quod Ordines sint multiplices, communes et particulares, et quod sit unus qui est Universalissimus omnium, ex 1 quo pendent communes et particulares in continua serie, et quod Universalissimus intret in omnes sicut ipsa essentia in formas, et quod sic non aliter unum faciant; haec unitas est, quae facit conservationem totius, quod alioquin dilaberetur, et non modo recideret in primum chaos, sed in nihilum. Quid foret cum homine, nisi in ejus corpore omnia et singula distinctissime ordinata essent, et non penderet communitas eorum ab uno Corde et Pulmone; quid alioquin nisi confusum quid; num tunc Ventriculus ageret suas functiones, Hepar et Pancreas suas, 2 Mesenterium et Mesocolon suas, Renes et Intestina suas; ex ordine in illis et inter illa est, quod omnia et singula illa coram homine appareant ut unum.
[2] Quid absque distincto ordine in Mente seu Spiritu hominis foret, nisi communitas ejus penderet a Voluntate et Intellectu, quam confusum et indigestum 3 quid; num absque illo ordine homo potuisset plus cogitare et velle, quam pictura ejus super tabula, aut sculptura ejus in domo. Quid homo absque ordinatissimo influxu e Coelo, et ejus receptione: et quid hic influxus absque Universalissimo, a quo totius et omnium ejus partium regimen pendet, ita nisi a Deo, et nisi in Ipso et ab Ipso omnia sint, vivant et moveantur. Haec coram homine naturali illustrari possunt per innumera, ut per haec; quid Imperium aut Regnum absque Ordine, nisi Caterva praedonum, quorum plures congregati interficerent millia, et tandem pauci hos plures: quid Civitas absque ordine, imo quid Domus absque ordine; et quid regnum, civitas, domus, nisi in unoquovis aliquis supremum agat.
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