In "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mary Baker Eddy gives seven synonyms for God. One of these is Principle; the others are Mind, Spirit, Soul, Life, Truth, and Love. Being synonymous, they refer to God and to each other. Therefore it is scientific to say that God is Principle, or that God is divine Principle, Love. Some of the attributes of Principle are wisdom, truth, security, stability, and consistency; and the individual who expresses any or all of these attributes is partially or wholly abiding in and working with Principle.
Although divine Principle is the basis of law and order, it is merciful, loving, and just. It has many characteristics in common with the principle of mathematics. Both are exact and undeviating. Both have definite rules to which one must adhere strictly if he would obtain right results. Wherever one correctly multiplies three times three, he arrives at the same answer, because there is one multiplication table and its application is invariable and universal. Similarly, the divine Principle is eternal, unchangeable, and precise; and its laws are unfailing, universal, and supreme.
Divine Principle is the only creator, the Father and Mother of the universe, including man. Being a perfect cause, it creates only perfect effects. Being Spirit and good, it made everything spiritual and good; and Spirit's complete, infinite creation has never departed from or returned to this primitive perfection. This revelation agrees with John's statement (John 1:3), "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." Those things that seem to have been made without Him are not realities, but illusions. They are no part of spiritual creation. Their supposititious existence lies beyond the infinitude of God in the realm of ignorance. Hence, matter and evil have no Principle and no kingdom. They are delusions of nothingness.
