171. Towards this ultimate end creation progresses continually through those three, which are end, cause and effect, because those three are in the Lord the Creator, as was said just above; and the Divine is in all space apart from space, n. 69-72; and is the same in things greatest and least n. 77-82; from which it is clear that the created universe in its general progression towards its ultimate end, is relatively the middle end. For out of the earth, forms of uses are continually raised by the Lord the Creator, in their order up to man, who as to his body, is also from the earth. Thereafter man is raised by the reception of love and wisdom from the Lord, and that he may receive love and wisdom, all the means have been provided, and he has been so made as to be able to receive, provided that he so wills. From what has now been said it can be seen, although so far in only a general way, that the end of creation exists in ultimates, and this end is that all things may return to the Creator and there may be conjunction.