89. （3）祂照其神性秩序给自己取了人的样式。论述神性全能和全知的那一节已说明，神在创世的那一刻，就将秩序引入宇宙及其万物中。因此，祂的全能照其秩序的法则在整个宇宙及其万物中行进和作工。这些要点已在前面依次予以论述（49－74节）。由于神降下来，并且如那一切所证明的，祂是秩序本身，所以祂必须变成实实在在的人，要在子宫内被孕育，然后出生，接受教育，逐渐获得知识，由此被引入聪明智慧。故就其人身而言，祂在婴儿时和其他婴儿没什么两样，在男孩时也和其他男孩一样等等。唯一区别在于，比起其他人，祂的发育更迅速、更全面、更完美。这种发育符合秩序，这从路加福音中的这些话明显可知：
耶稣这孩子渐渐长大，灵里强健起来。祂的智慧和年纪，并神和人喜爱祂的心，都一起增长。（路加福音2:40，52）
比起其他人，这一成长过程更迅速、更全面、更完美。这从路加福音中有关祂的内容明显可知，祂十二岁时，就在殿里，坐在教师中间，教导他们，凡听见祂的，都希奇祂的聪明和祂的应对（路加福音2:46，47；4:16－22，32）。之所以发生这种事，是因为神性秩序要求那人要预备自己以接受神；并且随着他预备自己，神进入他里面如同进入祂的居所和家园；这种预备通过关于神和属于教会的属灵事物的知识，因而通过聪明智慧实现。秩序的法则之一是：人越接近和靠近神（他必须貌似完全凭自己这样做），神就越接近和靠近人，并在人的内部将祂自己与人结合起来。下文（97－99，105－106节）将说明，主照着这秩序发展，甚至直到祂与父合而为一。
89. (3)在祂自己成為人的過程中, 祂遵循自己的聖規。
在關於神性的全能和全知那部分內容中, 我們說明了:上帝在創造中, 將自己的聖規建入到宇宙的整體及其中萬物之中。因此在宇宙的整體及其萬物中, 上帝的全能都要遵循聖規的法則而行。這些內容在之前的第49-74節有述。
現在, 因為上帝降世, 又因為祂是聖規(49-74), 所以沒有別的辦法讓祂真實地成為人, 只能通過受孕,在子宮內育成,出生,成長,獲取越來越多的知識並變得聰明有智慧。因此, 在祂的人身顯現過程中, 祂是像其它嬰兒一樣的嬰兒, 像其它男孩一樣的男孩, 等等。唯一的分別在於祂完成這個成長的過程比其它人更快速,更全面,更完美。
在『路加福音』中, 可看出祂按照聖規而成長:"耶穌這孩子漸漸長大, 靈裡堅強。祂的智慧和身量, 並上帝和人喜愛祂的心, 一併成長"(路加福音2:40, 52)。在同一福音書的其它地方, 也說明祂比我們其它人成長的更快速,更全面,更完美:"十二歲的孩子在殿裡, 坐在教師們之列教導, 凡聽祂說的, 無不希奇祂的聰明和祂的應答"(路加福音2:46-47); 類似的還有之後的內容(路加福音4:16-22, 32)。
主的生活遵循這個軌道, 因為聖規是為了人能預備自己接收上帝。當人預備好了, 上帝進入他們, 就像回到自己的住處或回自己的家一樣。這樣的預備得以完成, 當藉著獲取並增長關於上帝和教會屬靈方面的知識, 也就是藉著增長聰明和智慧來預備自己。
聖規的法則之一:當我們越來越靠近上帝——必須主動,好像完全靠自己, 上帝就越來越向我們靠近, 於是相遇,上帝與我們聯合。主就是遵循這個定規, 以至與父聯合為一, 在以後章節會講到(第97-99, 105-106)。
89. 3. In the process of taking on a human manifestation, God followed his own divine design. In the section on divine omnipotence and omniscience we showed that in the act of creating, God introduced his design into the universe as a whole and into each and every thing in it. Therefore in the universe and in all its parts God's omnipotence follows and works according to the laws of his own design. The treatment of those laws runs from 49 to 74.
Now, because God came down, and because he is the design (as was also shown in that section), there was no other way for him to become an actual human being than to be conceived, to be carried in the womb, to be born, to be brought up, and to acquire more and more knowledge so as to become intelligent and wise. Therefore in his human manifestation he was an infant like any infant, a child like any child, and so on with just one difference: he completed the process more quickly, more fully, and more perfectly than the rest of us do.
This statement in Luke shows that he followed the divine design in his progress: "The child Jesus grew and became strong in spirit, and he advanced in wisdom, age, and grace with God and with humankind" (Luke 2:40, 52). Other statements about the Lord in the same Gospel make it clear that he grew up more quickly, more fully, and more perfectly than the rest of us; for example, when "he was a child of twelve, he sat and taught in the Temple in the midst of the scholars, and all who heard him were astounded at his insightful answers" (Luke 2:46-47). Likewise later on; see Luke 4:16-22, 32.
The Lord's life followed this path because the divine design is for people to prepare themselves to accept God; and as they prepare themselves, God enters them as if he were coming into his own dwelling and his own home. The preparation entails developing a concept of God and of the spiritual things related to the church - that is, developing intelligence and wisdom.
It is a law of the divine design that the closer and closer we come to God, which is something we have to do as if we were completely on our own, the closer and closer God comes to us. When we meet, God forms a partnership with us. The Lord followed this design even to the point of union with his Father, as we will show later on [97-99, 105-106].
89. (iii) HE TOOK UPON HIMSELF HUMAN FORM IN ACCORDANCE WITH HIS DIVINE ORDER.
It was shown in the section on the Divine omnipotence and omniscience that together with creation God introduced order both into the universe and into all its parts, and that God's omnipotence therefore functions and works in the universe and all its parts in accordance with the laws of its order; these points were discussed in their proper sequence above (49-74). Now since God came down, and He is order, as was proved in that section, He had, so as to become really man, to be conceived, be carried in the womb, be born, be brought up and learn items of knowledge one by one, and by their means be brought into a state of intelligence and wisdom. Therefore in His Human He was a child like any other child, a boy like any other boy, and so on, the only difference being that He achieved that progress more quickly, fully and perfectly than others. It is evident from this passage in Luke that He advanced thus in accordance with order:
The boy Jesus grew and was strengthened in spirit; and He advanced in wisdom, years and favour with God and men, Luke 2:40, 52.
It is plain that He did this more quickly, fully and perfectly than others from the description the same Evangelist gives of Him, as for instance that, when He was a boy of twelve, He sat and taught in the Temple in the midst of the teachers, and all who heard Him were astonished at His intelligence and His answers (Luke 2:46-47 and later Luke 4:16-22, 32). This was done because Divine order prescribes that a person should prepare himself to receive God; and as he prepares himself, so God enters into him as into His dwelling and home. That preparation is accomplished by acquiring knowledge about God and the spiritual matters which concern the church, thus by means of intelligence and wisdom. For it is a law of order that in so far as a person approaches and comes near to God, which he should do entirely as if of himself, so far does God approach and come near to him, and link Himself to the person in his midst. It will be shown in the following pages that the Lord advanced in accordance with this order until He reached union with His Father.
89. (3) God assumed the Human in accordance with His Divine Order. In the section that treats of the Divine omnipotence and omniscience it has been shown that God introduced order into the universe and into each and all things of it at the time of their creation, and therefore His omnipotence in the universe and in each and all things of it, proceeds and operates in accordance with the laws of His order. (This has already been treated of consecutively,49-74.) Since, then, it was God who descended, and since (as is there shown) He is Order itself, it was necessary, if He was to become man actually, that He should be conceived, carried in the womb, born, educated, acquire knowledges gradually, and thereby be introduced into intelligence and wisdom. In respect to His Human He was, for this reason, an infant like other infants, a boy like other boys, and so on; with the sole difference that this development was accomplished in Him more quickly, more fully, and more perfectly than in others. That this development was in accordance with order is evident from these words in Luke:
And the child Jesus grew and waxed strong in spirit. And Jesus advanced in wisdom, and in the stages of life, and in favor with God and man (Luke 2:40, 52).
That this was done more quickly, more fully, and more perfectly than with others is evident from what is said of Him in the same Gospel, that
When He was twelve years old He sat in the temple in the midst of the doctors and taught them and that all that heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers (Luke 2:46, 47; and afterwards, 4:16-22, 32).
This took place because Divine order requires that man should prepare himself for the reception of God; and in proportion as he prepares himself, God enters into him as into His dwelling-place and home; and this preparation is effected by means of knowledges respecting God and the spiritual things pertaining to the church, and thus by means of intelligence and wisdom. For it is a law of order that in proportion as man approaches and gets near to God (which he must do wholly as if of himself) does God approach and get near to man, and conjoin Himself with man in man's interiors. It was in accordance with this order that the Lord progressed even to a oneness with His Father, as will be further shown in what follows.
89. (3) GOD ASSUMED THE HUMAN ACCORDING TO HIS OWN DIVINE ORDER.
In the section concerning the Divine omnipotence and omniscience it was shown that God at the creation introduced order into the universe and all its parts; and accordingly that the omnipotence of God proceeds and operates in the universe and all its parts according to the laws of His order. This has been treated above in numbers 49-74. Now since God came down, and since He is Order itself, as is there shown, it was necessary, in order for Him actually to become Man, that He should be conceived, carried in the womb, and be born; and that He should be educated, acquiring in due course the knowledge by which He might attain to intelligence and wisdom. Therefore as to His Humanity He was an infant like any other infant, a boy like any other boy, and so on; but with this sole difference, that He passed through those progressive states sooner, more fully and more perfectly than others. That He advanced in this way according to order is manifest from these words in Luke:
"The child Jesus grew, and waxed strong in spirit; and increased in wisdom and age (A.V., stature), and in favor with God and man" 2:40, 52.
That He did so sooner, more fully and more perfectly than others appears from the account recorded of Him in the same Evangelist, that as a boy, twelve years old, He sat in the Temple in the midst of the doctors and taught; and that all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers 2:46-47; and also 4:16-22, 32.
This was done because the Divine order is that a man should prepare himself for the reception of God; and as he prepares himself so God enters into him, as into His own dwelling-place and home. Such preparation is effected by means of the knowledge of God and of the spiritual things belonging to the Church, and thus by intelligence and wisdom. For it is a law of order that so far as a man approaches and draws near to God, which he must do entirely as of himself, so far God approaches and draws near to him, and interiorly conjoins Himself to him. It will be shown further in the following numbers that the Lord advanced to complete union with His Father according to this order.
89. III. QUOD DEUS ASSUMSERIT HUMANUM SECUNDUM DIVINUM SUUM ORDINEM. In Paragrapho de Divina Omnipotentia et Omniscientia, ostensum est, quod Deus una cum Creatione introduxerit Ordinem tam in Universum quam in omnia et singula ejus; et quod ideo Dei Omnipotentia in Universo et in omnibus et singulis ejus secundum leges sui Ordinis procedat, et operetur, de quibus in serie a 49-74, supra actum est. Nunc quia Deus descendit, et quia Ipse est Ordo, ut quoque ibi demonstratum est, non potuit aliter, ut actualiter etiam homo fieret, quam concipi, gestari in utero, nasci, educari, et successive scientias addiscere, per illas in intelligentiam et sapientiam introduci; quapropter quoad Humanum fuit infans sicut infans, puer sicut puer, et sic porro; cum sola differentia, quod citius, plenius et perfectius quam alii, progressionem illam perfecerit: quod ita secundum Ordinem progressus sit, constat ex his apud Lucam, "Jesus puer crevit et corroboratus est spiritu, ac profecit sapientia, aetate, et gratia apud Deum et homines," Luca 2:40, 52; quod citius, plenius et perfectius quam alii, patet ex illis quae de Ipso apud eundem Evangelistam dicuntur, ut quod dum Puer 12 annorum erat, in Templo in medio Doctorum sederit et docuerit, et quod obstupuerint omnes audientes Ipsum super Intelligentia et Responsionibus Ipsius, 2:46-47; et postea, 4:16-22, 32. Hoc factum est, quia Divinus Ordo est, ut homo seipsum praeparet ad receptionem Dei, et sicut se praeparat, ita Deus in illum, ut in suum habitaculum et domum intret, et praeparatio illa fit per cognitiones de Deo et de spiritualibus quae Ecclesiae sunt, et sic per intelligentiam et sapientiam; nam Lex Ordinis est, quod quantum homo accedit et appropinquat ad Deum, quod faciet prorsus sicut a se, tantum Deus accedat et appropinquet ad hominem, et in medio ejus se conjungat cum illo: quod Dominus secundum hunc Ordinem usque ad Unionem cum suo Patre progressus sit, in sequentibus ulterius demonstrabitur.