Page:Heaven Revealed.djvu/346

 of the angels are functions performed by the Lord through them; for they perform them not from themselves, but from the Lord.

"These employments of the angels are their general employments. But to each one is assigned his particular use; for every general use is composed of innumerable others which are called mediate, ministering and subservient uses." —H. H. n. 391.

In heaven as on earth some employments are superior to others in point of dignity and importance; but no one there arrogates to himself the dignity, or thinks himself superior to others because of the superiority of his use. Personally the angels are all on a level; and they never think of the honor and dignity of any use as belonging to themselves, but to the Lord alone, from whom comes all their love of use, and their ability and skill in its performance.

"The wiser angels take charge of those things belonging to the general good or use; and the less wise, of such as relate to particular goods or uses; and so on. They are subordinated just as in divine order uses are subordinated. Hence also dignity is attached to every employment according to the dignity of the use. No angel, however, arrogates the dignity to himself, but ascribes it all to the use. And because use is the good which he performs, and all good is from the Lord, therefore he ascribes it all to the Lord. Wherefore he who thinks of honor for himself and thence for use, and not for use and thence for himself, cannot perform any office in heaven; for he looks backward from the Lord, regarding himself in the first place and use in the second. When use is spoken of, the Lord also is meant; because use is good, and good is from the Lord.

"From these considerations it may be inferred what