minute as not to have in it degrees of both kinds. Angels also declare
that the minutest thing of an affection and the minutest thing of a
thought, nay, the minutest thing of an idea of thought, consists of
degrees of both kinds, and that a minute thing not consisting of these
degrees would be nothing; for it would have no form, thus no quality,
nor any state which could be changed and varied, and by this means have
existence. Angels confirm this by the truth, that infinite things in God
the Creator, who is the Lord from eternity, are one distinctly; and that
there are infinite things in His infinites; and that in things infinitely
infinite there are degrees of both kinds, which also in Him are one
distinctly; and because these things are in Him, and all things were
created by Him, and things created repeat in an image the things which
are in Him, it follows that there cannot be the least finite in which
there are not such degrees. These degrees are equally in things least
and greatest, because the Divine is the same in things greatest and in
things least. That in God-Man infinite things are one distinctly, see
above (n. 17-22); and that the Divine is the same in things greatest
and in things least (n. 77-82); which positions are further illustrated
(n. 155, 169, 171).

224. There cannot be the least thing of love and wisdom, or the least
thing of affection and thought, or even the least thing of an idea of
thought, in which there are not degrees of both kinds, for the reason
that love and wisdom are substance and form (as shown above, n. 50-53),
and the same is true of affection and thought; and because there can be
no form in which these degrees are not (as was said above), it follows
that in these there are like degrees; for to separate love and wisdom,
or affection and thought, from substance in form, is to annihilate them,
since they are not possible outside of their subjects; for they are states
of their subjects perceived by man varyingly, which states present them