67-172); that things
are uses so far as they have regard to the Creator (n. 307); that the
Divine must necessarily have being and form in other things created by
itself (n. 47-51); that all things of the universe are recipients
according to uses, and this according to degrees (n. 58); that the
universe, viewed from uses, is an image of God (n. 59); and many other
things. From all which this- truth is plain, that all things created by
the Lord are uses, and that they are uses in that order, degree, and
respect in which they have relation to man, and through man to the Lord
from whom [they are]. It remains now that some things should be said in
detail respecting uses.

328. By man, to whom uses have relation, is meant not alone an individual
but an assembly of men, also a society smaller or larger, as a
commonwealth, kingdom, or empire, or that largest society, the whole
world, for each of these is a man. Likewise in the heavens, the whole
angelic heaven is as one man before the Lord, and equally every society
of heaven; from this it is that every angel is a man. That this is so
may be seen in the work Heaven and Hell (n. 68-103). This makes clear
what is meant by man in what follows.

329. The end of the creation of the universe clearly shows what use is.
The end of the creation of the universe is the existence of an angelic
heaven; and as the angelic heaven is the end, man also or the human race
is the end, since heaven is from that. From which it follows that all
created things are mediate ends, and that these are uses in that order,
degree, and respect in which they have relation to man, and through man
to the Lord.

330. Inasmuch as the end of creation is an angelic heaven out of the
human race, and thus the human race itself, all other created things are
mediate ends, and these, as having relation to man, with a view to his
conjunction with the Lord, refer themselves to these three things in him,
his body, his rational, and his spiritual. For man cannot be conjoined to
the Lord unless he be spiritual, nor can he be spiritual unless he be
rational, nor can he be rational unless his body is in a sound state.
These three are like a house; the body like the foundation, the rational
like the superstructure, the spiritual like those things which are in the
house, and conjunction with the Lord like dwelling in it. From this can
be seen in what order, degree, and respect uses (which are the mediate
ends of creation) have