49. With respect to God: it is impossible for Him to love others and to
be loved reciprocally by others in whom there is anything of infinity,
that is, anything of the essence and life of love in itself, or anything
of the Divine. For if there were beings having in them anything of
infinity, that is, of the essence and life of love in itself, that is,
of the Divine, it would not be God loved by others, but God loving
Himself; since the Infinite, that is, the Divine, is one only, and if
this were in others, Itself would be in them, and would be the love of
self Itself; and of that love not the least trace can possibly be in
God, since it is wholly opposed to the Divine Essence. Consequently, for
this relation to be possible there must be others in whom there is
nothing of the Divine in itself. That it is possible in beings created
from the Divine will be seen below. But that it may be possible, there
must be Infinite Wisdom making one with Infinite Love; that is, there
must be the Divine Love of Divine Wisdom, and the Divine Wisdom of Divine
Love (concerning which see above, n. 35-39)

50. Upon a perception and knowledge of this mystery depend a perception
and knowledge of all things of existence, that is, creation; also of all
things of continued existence, that is, preservation by God; in other
words, of all the works of God in the created universe; of which the
following pages treat.

51. But do not, I entreat you, confuse your ideas with time and with
space, for so far as time and space enter into your ideas when you read
what follows, you will not understand it; for the Divine is not in time
and space. This will be seen clearly in the progress of this work, and
in particular from what is said of eternity, infinity, and omnipresence.

52. ALL THINGS IN THE UNIVERSE WERE CREATED FROM THE DIVINE LOVE AND THE