Page:The Other Life.djvu/201

 Nor are heaven and earth the only fields of angelic love and labor; for the angels are frequently sent into the hells, bearing the olive branch like commissioners of peace, to restrain the violence of infernal passion, and to mitigate the sufferings which evil spirits inflict upon each other.

"These occupations of the angels," says Swedenborg, "are their general ones; but to every angel is assigned his own in particular. For every general use is composed of innumerable other uses. All and each of these are co-ordinated and subordinated according to divine order, and taken together, they constitute and perfect the general use, which is the common good."

This infinitely diversified and perfect system of organization is the form of heaven, the Grand Man. Into this form the divine love and wisdom flow, communicating as they descend the blessings of goodness and truth to each angel and spirit in his degree and according to his capacity. With the divine sphere, come not only affection and thought, but innocence, peace, joy, strength and power. Every nerve and fibre of the angelic form is perpetually pervaded with a serene delight.

How can we attain this grand ideal of individual and social perfection? We, who bear the mark of