36. THE DIVINE ESSENCE, WHICH IS DIVINE LOVE AND DIVINE WISDOM.
A distinction has been made between the Esse of God and the essence of God, because there is a distinction between the infinity of God and the love of God, infinity being applicable to the Esse of God, and love to the essence of God, since the Esse of God, as has just been said, is more universal than His essence; just as the infinity of God is more universal than His love; and for this reason the word infinite is an adjective that is applicable to the essentials and attributes of God, which are all called infinite; as we say of the Divine love that it is infinite, of the Divine wisdom that it is infinite, also of the Divine power; not because of any pre-existence of the Esse of God, but because it enters into the essence as joined to it, cohering with it, determining and forming and also exalting it. But this section of this chapter, like the previous ones, shall be presented under the following divisions:
(1) God is Love itself and Wisdom itself, and these two constitute His Essence.
(2) God is Good itself and Truth itself, because Good is of Love and Truth is of Wisdom.
(3) Love itself and wisdom itself are Life itself, which is Life in itself.
(4) Love and Wisdom in God make one.
(5) It is the essence of Love to love others outside of one-self, to desire to be one with them, and to render them blessed from oneself.
(6) These essentials of the Divine Love were the cause of the universe, and are the cause of its preservation.
But of these separately.
