and in His infinites, are
one distinctly. From this it is that the universe which was created from
His Esse, and which, regarded as to uses, is His image, possesses these
three in each and all of its parts.

170. The universal end, that is, the end of all things of creation, is
that there may be an eternal conjunction of the Creator with the created
universe; and this is not possible unless there are subjects wherein His
Divine can be as in Itself, thus in which it can dwell and abide. In
order that these subjects may be dwelling-places and mansions of Him,
they must be recipients of His love and wisdom as of themselves; such,
therefore, as will elevate themselves to the Creator as of themselves,
and conjoin themselves with Him. Without this ability to reciprocate no
conjunction is possible. These subjects are men, who are able as of
themselves to elevate and conjoin themselves. That men are such subjects,
and that they are recipients of the Divine as of themselves, has been
pointed out above many times. By means of this conjunction, the Lord is
present in every work created by Him; for everything has been created
for man as its end; consequently the uses of all created things ascend
by degrees from outmosts to man, and through man to God the Creator from
whom [are all things] (as was shown above, n. 65-68).

171. To this last end creation progresses continually, through these
three, namely, end, cause, and effect, because these three are in the
Lord the Creator (as was said just above); and the Divine apart from
space is in all space (n. 69-72); and is the same in things greatest
and least (77 - 82); from which it is evident that the created universe,
in its general progression to its last end, is relatively the middle end.
For out of the earth forms of uses are continually raised by the Lord the
Creator, in their order up to man, who as to his body is also from the
earth. Thereafter, man is elevated by the reception of love and wisdom
from the Lord; and for this reception of love and wisdom, all means are
provided; and he has been so made as to be able to receive, if he will.
From what has now been said it can be seen, though as yet only in a
general manner, that the end of creation takes form [existat] in outmost
things; which end is, that all things may return to the Creator, and that
there may be conjunction.

172. That these three, end, cause, and effect, are in each and every
thing created, can also be seen fro