the world has been. The infinite has no first or final limit or
boundaries. They also reflect that there cannot be another infinite from
it, for "from it" implies a boundary or beginning, or a prior source.
They therefore think that it is meaningless to speak of an infinite and
eternal from itself, for that is like talking of an _esse_ from itself,
which is a contradiction. An infinite from itself could only be an
infinite from an infinite, and _esse_ from itself only _esse_ from
_esse._ Such an infinite or _esse_ would either be the same with the
infinite or be finite. From these and like considerations, inwardly seen
in the rational mind, it is plain that there is what is infinite in
itself and eternal in itself, and that they are the Divine whence are all
things.

49. I know that many will say to themselves, "How can anybody grasp
anything inwardly and rationally apart from space and time, and think
that it not only exists, but is also the all and the self from which are
all things?" But think deeply whether love or any affection of love, or
wisdom or any perception of wisdom, yes, whether thought is in space and
time, and you will grasp the fact that they are not. The Divine,
therefore, being love itself and wisdom itself, cannot be conceived of in
space and time; neither, then, can the infinite. To see this more clearly
ponder whether thought is in time and space. Suppose thought is sustained
for ten or twelve hours; may not the length of time seem like one or two
hours? May it not seem like one or two days? The seeming duration is
according to the state of affection from which the thought springs. If
the affection is a joyous one, in which time is not noticed, thought over
ten or twelve hours seems as though it were one or two hours. The
contrary is true if the affection is a sorrowful one, in which one
watches the passage of time. It is evident from this that time is only an
appearance according to the state of affection from which the thought