from themselves, thus seemingly their own, and this gives reciprocal
conjunction.

45. As the Lord's divine providence has for its object a heaven from
mankind, it has for its object the conjunction of the human race with Him
(see nn. 28-31). It also has for its object that man should be more and
more closely conjoined to Him (nn. 32, 33); for thus man possesses a more
interior heaven. Further, it has for its object that by the conjunction
man should become wiser (nn. 34-36) and happier (nn. 37-41), for he has
heaven by and according to wisdom, and happiness by wisdom, too. Finally,
providence has for its object that man shall seem more distinctly his
own, yet recognize the more clearly that he is the Lord's (nn. 42-44).
All these are of the Lord's divine providence, for all are heaven and
heaven is its object.

III. IN ALL THAT IT DOES THE LORD'S DIVINE PROVIDENCE LOOKS TO WHAT IS
INFINITE AND ETERNAL

46. Christendom knows that God is infinite and eternal. The doctrine of
the Trinity which is named for Athanasius says that God the Father is
infinite, eternal and omnipotent, so also God the Son, and God the Holy
Spirit, and that nevertheless there are not three who are infinite,
eternal and omnipotent, but One. As God is infinite and eternal, only
what is infinite and eternal can be predicated of Him. What infinite and
eternal are, finite man cannot comprehend and yet can comprehend. He
cannot comprehend them because the finite is incapable of what is
infinite; he can comprehend them because there are abstract ideas by
which one can see _that_ things are, though not _what_ they are. Of the
infinite such ideas are possible as that God or the Divine, being
infinite, is _esse_ itself, is essence and substance itself, wisdom and