m these substances, but are
all actually and really subjects emitting nothing from themselves, but
merely undergoing changes according to whatever flows against and affects
them. This may be seen from what has been said above about the external
senses. Of what thus flows against and affects more will be said below.

43. From all this it may now first be seen that Divine Love and Divine
Wisdom in themselves are substance and form; for they are very Esse and
Existere; and unless they were such Esse and Existere as they are substance
and form, they would be a mere thing of reasoning, which in itself is nothing.

44. DIVINE LOVE AND DIVINE WISDOM ARE SUBSTANCE AND FORM IN ITSELF, THUS
THE VERY AND THE ONLY.

That Divine Love and Divine Wisdom are substance and form has been proved
just above; and that Divine Esse [Being] and Existere [Taking Form] are
Esse and Existere in itself, has also been said above. It cannot be said
to be Esse and Existere from itself, because this involves a beginning,
and a beginning from something within in which would be Esse and Existere
in itself. But Very Esse and Existere in itself is from eternity. Very
Esse and Existere in itself is also uncreated, and everything created
must needs be from an Uncreate. What is created is also finite, and the
finite can exist only from the Infinite.

45. He who by exercise of thought is able to grasp the idea of and to
comprehend, Esse and Existere in itself, can certainly perceive and
comprehend that it is the Very and the Only. That is called the Very
which alone is; and that is called the Only from which every thing else
proceeds. Now because the Very and the Only is substance and form, it
follows that it is the very and only substance and form. Because this
very substance and form is Divine Love and Divine Wisdom, it follows
that it is the very and only Love, and the very and only Wisdom;
consequently, that it is the very and only Essence, as well as the
very and only Life: for Life is Love and Wisdom.

46. From all this it can be seen how sensually (that is, how much from
the bodily senses and their blindness in spiritual matters) do those
think who maintain that nature is from herself. They think from the
eye, and are not able to think from the understanding. Thought from the
eye closes the understanding, but thought from the understanding opens
the eye. Such persons cannot think at all of Esse and Existere in itself,
and that it is Eternal, Uncrea