266、目睹这些既可悲又可怖的景象后，我环顾四周，发现站在不远处的两位天使在交谈。一位身穿闪耀着紫红色的羊毛外袍，里面是一件闪光的亚麻上衣。另一位同样身穿红色外袍，他头戴主教法冠，法冠右侧嵌有几颗红宝石。我上前向他们致安，恭敬地问道：“你们为何到这下面来？”他们回答说：“遵照主的吩咐，我们从天上被差到这里，是为了和你谈谈因热爱履行服务而想控制他人者蒙福的状态。我们是主的敬拜者，我是我们社群的君主，他是我们社群的大祭司。”
君主说，他是其社群的仆人，因为他通过履行服务而服务于它。另一位则说，他是那里的教会牧师，因为他给他们提供的服务是为其灵魂的服务或功用而执行神圣的仪式。他们二人享有永恒的喜乐，这喜乐是由主所赐予他们的永恒幸福产生的。他们说，在他们的社群，一切事物皆灿烂辉煌，因黄金和宝石而灿烂，因宫殿和乐园而辉煌。原因在于”，他说，“我们对控制他人的爱不是由自我之爱，而是由履行服务的爱产生的。由于这爱出自主，所以天上一切良善的功用或有益的服务皆闪闪发光。并且，由于我们社群的所有人共享这爱，所以那里的大气因从太阳的火焰所接受的光芒而金光灿灿，正是这火焰色的阳光与这爱相对应。”
当他们说这番话时，我也看到了这种大气。它围绕着他们，我能从中闻到一股馨香。我将这一切告知他们，并请求他们就刚才所说的履行服务之爱再说点什么。于是，他们继续说：“我们所享有的头衔的确是我们所追求的，但只是为了更充分地履行服务，扩大服务范围，并没有其它目的。我们也荣耀加身，但我们接受它们不是为了自己，而是为了我们社群的利益。我们的弟兄和同胞都是些普通人，几乎意识不到我们头衔的荣耀并不在我们里面，或我们所履行的服务并非出自我们。但我们能辨别出来；我们觉得头衔的荣耀在我们之外，就像我们穿的衣服。而我们所履行的服务则出自对履行服务的爱；这爱从主而来，就在我们里面；它通过所履行的服务与他人共享而获得自己的祝福。我们凭经验知道：我们越出于对服务的爱履行服务，这爱就越强烈，智慧则因着智慧的共享而与它一同增长。相反，我们越将这些服务留给自己，不与他人共享，我们的祝福就越远离。然后，履行服务就像把食物储存在胃里，而不是将其输送出去，以滋养整个身体及其各个部位。但是，它若不消化，就会引起恶心、呕吐。总之，整个天堂从初至末无非是服务的容器。什么是服务？不就是爱邻的实际行动吗？除了这爱，还有什么能将众天堂凝聚起来？”
听到这里，我问道：“人如何分辨他履行服务是出于自我之爱还是出于服务之爱？每个人，无论好坏，都会履行服务，并且都是在某种爱的促使下履行的。假如世上有一个纯由魔鬼组成的社群，又有一个纯由天使组成的社群。在我看来，魔鬼社群在自我之爱和自大光芒的驱动下，会履行和天使社群一样多的服务。那么，谁能分辨出这些服务出自哪种爱、哪种源头？”
对此，两位天使是这样回答的：“魔鬼履行服务是为了他们自己，为了获取名声，以便他们能晋升荣誉或谋取利益。而天使履行服务不是为了这些原因，而是为了服务和他们对服务的热爱。没有人能区分这些服务，但主能。凡信主并避恶如罪者，皆凭主履行服务。相反，凡不信主且不避恶如罪者，皆凭自己且为自己履行服务。这就是魔鬼所履行的服务和天使所履行的服务之间的区别。”说完这番话，两位天使离开了。从远处看，他们像以利亚那样乘上烈火战车，直到被载入他们自己的天堂。
266、看到这些可怕的场面后，我看到不远处有两个天使正在谈话，一个天使穿着耀眼的紫色毛袍，下面穿着丝绸长衣，另一个穿着红衣，戴着个右边有装饰的帽子。
我走过去礼貌地问：“你们为什么会在这里呢？”
他们回答说：“主派我们来同你讲讲那些出于有益工作的爱而爱控制权的人的情况。我们是神的敬拜者，我是一个社区的王子，他是那儿的最高牧师。”
王子说自己是自己所在社区的仆人。因为他在做有益的工作。那个牧师说自己是教会的一员，为教会成员的灵魂服务。他俩都说自己拥有无尽的快乐并且他们所在的社区无比华贵，壮观。
“这其中的原因是，我们对控制权的爱不是出于自爱，而出于对有益工作的爱，对有益工作的爱来自于主，所以天堂中一切善和有益的东西都是华美、壮观的。”
“我们社区的人都拥有这种爱。因此那里的空气看上去是金色的，它来自于那里的太阳光，这种光与那种爱相关。
此时，我感到了他们所说的那咱氛围，并且闻到了一种香气。我又请他们进一步谈一下有益的工作。
他们说：“我们所处的职位是为了能更好的服务于他人。我们同时拥有这种荣耀，我们接受这种荣耀。但却不是为了我们自己，而是为了我们所在的社区。我们的朋友、同事会看到我们的荣耀及我们所提供的服务。但是我们却视这种荣耀是身外之物，就象是我们穿的衣服。我们所做的工作是来自于主，这种爱会因为他人服务而得到祝福。我们还知道我们越是从事更多的有益工作，对有益工作的爱就会增加，同时智慧也会增加。我们若将有益工作归于自己，那种祝福就会消失。此时，有益的工作就象是积在腹中的食物，不会被消化滋养身体，而只会使人恶心。“
“整个天国就是有益的工作，有益的工作就是对他人的爱在行为上的表现，这种爱围系着天国。”
听到这儿我问：“一个人怎么会知道他自己是在出于自爱而做有益的工作，还是出自于对益的工作的爱而做这些工作呢？每个人是善是恶，做某种有益工作，都是受到某种爱的驱动。假设有一个社区里住满了魔鬼，另一个社区住的是天使。在对自身的爱和荣耀的驱动下，魔鬼也会象天使们一样从事很多有益的工作。那么，有谁会知道这工作是出于怎样的爱呢？”
天使答道：“魔鬼为了自己和名声而从事有益的工作，目的是为了获得财富或得到晋升。天使们却相反，天使是为了有益的工作而工作。是出于对这些工作的爱，人不能区别这二者，但是主能看到其中的不同。相信主并抗拒罪恶的人因为主而做有益的工作，不相信主并且作恶的人为了自己而从事有益的工作。
“这就是魔鬼和天使所从事的有益工作的区别是。”
此后天使坐着马车离开了。
266. After seeing these sad and horrifying sights I looked around and saw two angels standing not far from me in conversation. One was dressed in a woollen robe gleaming with flaming purple, with a tunic of glistening linen underneath. The other was similarly dressed in red with a mitre which had a few rubies mounted on the right side. I went up to them and greeted them with the word 'peace'. I asked respectfully, 'Why are you down here?'
'We have travelled down here from heaven,' they replied, 'in response to the Lord's instruction that we were to talk to you about the blessed state of those who want to control others because they love performing services. We are worshippers of the Lord; I am the prince of our community, and the other is the chief priest in it.'
[2] The prince said that he was the servant of his community, since he served it by performing services. The other one said that he was the minister of the church there, since his service to them was the administration of holy rites for the service of their souls. They both enjoyed perpetual joys arising from the everlasting happiness the Lord bestows on them. They said that everything in their community was splendid and magnificent, splendid with gold and precious stones, and magnificent in its palaces and parks. 'The reason,' he said, 'is that our love of controlling others does not arise from self-love, but from the love of performing services. Since this love comes from the Lord, all good services in heaven sparkle and gleam. And since all in our community share this love, the atmosphere there appears golden as the result of the light it receives from the sun's flame. It is this flame-coloured sunlight which corresponds to that love.'
[3] When they said this, an atmosphere of this kind became visible to me around them; and I smelt an aroma from it, as I also told them. I begged them to add a little more to what they had said about the love of performing services. So they went on to say, 'The ranks we enjoy are something we sought, but for no other purpose than to perform services more fully and to spread them over a wider range. We also have honours heaped on us, and we accept them, not for ourselves, but for the good of our community. Our brethren and colleagues who belong to the common people there are hardly aware that the honours of our rank are not in us or that the services we perform do not come from us. But we can tell the difference; we feel that the honours of rank lie outside us, being like clothes in which we dress. But the services we perform come from the love of performing them, which is within us coming from the Lord, and this love derives its blessedness by being shared with others by means of the services performed. We know by experience that in so far as we perform services as a result of our love for them, so far does that love increase, and wisdom increases with it, as a result of which it is shared. But to the extent that we keep these services to ourselves and do not share them, to that extent our blessedness departs. Then the performing of services becomes like food stored in the stomach instead of being carried around to nourish the body and its parts; but if it remains undigested it causes nausea. In short, the whole of heaven is nothing but a container of services, from first to last. What is a service, but the realisation in action of love for the neighbour? And what holds the heavens together but this love?'
[4] On hearing this I asked, 'How can anyone tell whether he is performing services out of self-love or out of a love of service? Everyone, good as well as wicked, performs services and does so at the bidding of some love. Suppose that in the world there were a community composed of none but devils, and another composed of none but angels. It is my opinion that the devils in their community, fired by self-love and resplendent in their self-importance, would perform just as many services as the angels in their community. Who then can tell what is the love and the origin from which these services come?'
[5] The two angels replied to this speech thus: 'Devils perform services for their own sakes and to get a reputation, so as to be promoted to honours, or to make a profit. But angels do not perform services for these reasons, but for the sake of the services and their love of being of service. No person can distinguish between those services, but the Lord can. Everyone who believes in the Lord and shuns evils as sins, performs services at the Lord's bidding. But anyone who does not believe in the Lord, and does not shun evils as sins, performs services for himself and his own sake. This is the difference between services performed by devils and those performed by angels.'
After saying this the two angels went away; and from a distance they appeared to be travelling in a chariot of fire like Elijah, until they were taken up into their own heaven.
266. After witnessing these sad and terrible scenes, I looked around and saw two angels standing and talking not far from me. One was dressed in a dazzling woolen gown of blazing purple, with a tunic of glistening silk underneath. The other was similarly dressed, in clothing of scarlet, with a miter in which some garnets had been set on the right side.
Going over to them, I welcomed them and respectfully asked, "Why are you here below?"
Answering they replied, "We have been sent here from heaven by the Lord's command, to speak with you about the blessed lot of people who want to govern from a love of accomplishing useful ends. We are worshipers of the Lord. I am the prince of a society; this other is the high priest there."
The prince then said that he was a servant of his society, because he served it by rendering useful services. And the other said he was an attendant of the church there, because to serve the people he attended to its sanctities for the service of their souls.
[2] Moreover, they said they both experienced continual joys from an eternal happiness which they had in them from the Lord; and that everything in their society was splendid and magnificent - splendid on account of its gold and precious stones, and magnificent on account of its palaces and paradise-like parks.
"The reason for this," they said, "is that our love of governing does not arise from a love of self, but from a love of accomplishing useful ends; and because a love of accomplishing useful ends comes from the Lord, therefore all good and useful things in heaven are splendid and radiant.
"In our society we are all possessed of this love, and therefore its atmosphere appears golden, from the light which it draws there from the blaze of the sun - for the blaze of the sun corresponds to that love."
[3] When they said this, I saw as well a similar atmosphere appearing about them, and I sensed a fragrance emanating from it, which I also mentioned to them. And I asked them to add something further to what they had said about a love of being useful.
So they continued, saying, "The positions we hold are positions we admittedly sought, but for no other purpose than to be able to perform useful services more fully and to extend them more widely. We are also surrounded with honor, and we accept it, yet not for our own sake, but for the good of the society. For our comrades and friends among the common people there scarcely know otherwise than that the honors of our positions are lodged in us, and consequently that the services we render come from ourselves. We, however, feel differently. We feel that the honors of our positions are outside us, and are like garments with which we are clothed, while the services we render come from a love of them within us from the Lord. This love, moreover, gains its bliss from its communication through useful service with others. We know, too, from experience, that the more we perform useful services from a love of them, the more this love increases, and with it the wisdom on which the communication depends. But the more we keep these services to ourselves and do not communicate them, the more the bliss dies away; and when this happens, useful service becomes like food retained in the belly, which is not distributed so as to nourish the body and its parts, but remains undigested and so produces nausea.
"The whole of heaven, in short, is nothing but a world of useful service, from the firsts to the lasts of it. What is useful service but love of the neighbor in act? And what holds the heavens together except this love?"
[4] Having listened to this, I inquired, "How can anyone know whether he performs useful services from a love of self or whether he does so from a love of accomplishing useful ends? Everyone, be he good or evil, performs some useful services, and he is prompted to do them because of some love. Suppose that there were in the world a society composed only of devils, and another society composed only of angels. Moved by the fire of their love of self and the splendor of their own glory, the devils would perform, I think, as many useful services in their society as the angels would in theirs. Who can know, therefore, from what love and from what origin these services flow?"
[5] To this the two angels replied, "Devils perform useful services for the sake of themselves and their reputation, in order to be promoted to positions of honor or gain wealth. Angels, on the other hand, do not perform useful services on that account, but for the sake of the services, from a love of them. A person cannot distinguish the one and the other kinds of service, but the Lord sees the difference. Everyone who believes in the Lord and refrains from evils as sins performs useful services from the Lord. But everyone who does not believe in the Lord and does not refrain from evils as sins performs the services he does from himself and for the sake of himself.
"That is the difference between services performed by devils and services performed by angels."
Having said this, the two angels departed. And watching from a distance, I saw them apparently carried off in a chariot of fire like Elijah and so taken up to their heaven.
266. After I had seen these sad and dreadful things, I looked around and saw two angels standing not far from me and chatting.
One had a woolen toga of bright, glowing purple, with a tunic of shining linen under it. The other had similar clothing of scarlet, and a tiara set with a number of rubies on the right side of it.
I approached them, said, "Peace," and asked respectfully, "What are you doing down here?"
"The Lord sent us here from heaven by command, to speak with you about the good life people have who want to rule because they love to do useful things," they answered. "We're worshipers of the Lord. I'm the prince of a community. This is the high priest there."
The prince said he was a servant of his community because he served it by being of use to it. The other said he was the minister of the church there, because in their services he administered the holy services for the use of their souls. Both said they have perpetual joy. Eternal happiness is in them from the Lord.
And they said that everything in that community is bright with gold and precious stones and magnificent with palaces and gardens. "This is because our love of ruling isn't from self - love, but from loving to be useful. Loving to be useful is from the Lord, so all useful activities in the heavens are bright and shining.
Everyone in our community has this love, so the light there, coming from the fiery glow of the sun, gives the atmosphere a golden appearance. The fiery glow of the sun corresponds to that love."
At these words I saw an aura like that light around them and noticed an aroma from it. I told them so and asked them to add something more to what they had said about the love of being useful.
They went on to say, "We certainly did seek the status that we have, but only to perform useful functions more fully and spread them more widely. Also, we are surrounded with honor and accept it - but for the good of the society and not on our own account. For our brothers and associates among the common people there hardly know that the honors due to our status are not in us and that the usefulness of what we do is not from ourselves. But we don't feel that way. We feel that the honors of our status are outside us and in fact are like clothing that covers us. But we think the useful things we do are from the love for them that is in us from the Lord, and the blessedness of this love comes from communication with others through useful occupations.
"And we know by experience that so far as we are useful for the love of it, the love increases, and as it does, so does the wisdom that brings the communication about. But the blessedness dies away to the extent that we keep our functions to ourselves and do not communicate them. Then the things we do become like food hidden away in your stomach, which does not spread out to nourish your body and its parts, but goes undigested and causes nausea.
"In a word, all heaven is nothing but a vessel for useful activities, from beginning to end. And what are useful activities but love of your neighbor put into action? And what holds the heavens together except this love?"
I listened to this and asked, "How can anyone know whether he does useful things out of self - love or for the love of the useful things? Every man - good or evil - does useful things, and does them from some love. Suppose that there were a community all of devils in the world and another community only of angels. I think the devils in their community, from the fire of self - love and the glow of their own glory, would do as many useful things as the angels in theirs. So who can know where the useful acts originate, and what love they come from?"
The two angels answered, "Devils do useful things for the sake of themselves and for the sake of fame - to be promoted to honors or became rich. Angels do not do useful things for these reasons, but for the sake of being useful and for the love of it. A person cannot tell the difference, but the Lord can. Everyone who believes in the Lord and avoids evils because they are sins does useful acts from the Lord. But everyone who does not believe in the Lord and does not avoid evils for the reason that they are sins does useful things from himself and for the sake of himself. This is the difference between the useful things that devils do and the ones that angels do."
After the two angels said this, they went away, and in the distance it looked as if a chariot of fire carried them up into their heaven, like Elijah.
266. After witnessing these sad and frightful scenes, I looked around and saw two angels standing not far from me and talking together. One was clothed in a woolen toga, bright with flamy purple, and under it a tunic of shining linen; and the other in similar raiment of scarlet, with a miter, the right side of which was studded with a number of rubies. Approaching them, I gave the salutation of peace and respectfully asked, "Why are you here below?" They replied, "We have been sent here from heaven by command of the Lord, to speak with you about the blessed lot of those who desire to rule from the love of uses. We are worshippers of the Lord. I am the prince of a society, and this other is the high priest there."
[2] The prince then said that he was the servant of his society because he served it by performing uses; and the other, that he was the minister of the Church there because it was in the service of his brethren that he administered holy things for the uses of their souls; and that both of them were in perpetual joys from the eternal happiness which was in them from the Lord. "In that society everything is resplendent and magnificent, being resplendent from the gold and precious stones there, and magnificent from the palaces and paradises. The reason is because our love of ruling is not from the love of self but from the love of uses; and since the love of uses is from the Lord, all good uses in the heavens are resplendent and refulgent. In our society we are all in this love and, therefore, from the light there which is derived from the flamy red of the sun, the atmosphere appears golden, for the flamy red of the sun corresponds to that love."
[3] When they had thus spoken, a like sphere was seen by me also. It surrounded them, and from it I sensed something aromatic. I told them of this and asked if they would not add something more to what they had said about the love of use. They then continued, saying: "We did indeed seek after the dignities in which we are, but we did this for no other purpose than that we might be able to perform uses more fully, and extend them more widely. We are also surrounded with honor, and this we receive, not on our own account but for the good of the society. Our brothers and fellow-men who are of the common people know scarcely other than that the honors pertaining to our dignities are in us, and thus that the uses we perform are from ourselves; but we feel otherwise. We feel that the honors of the dignities are outside us, being like garments with which we are clothed; while the uses which we perform are from the love of those uses within us from the Lord. This love receives its blessedness from being communicated with others by means of uses. We know from experience that so far as we perform uses from the love of them, the love increases, and with the love, the wisdom whereby the communication is effected; but so far as we retain the uses within ourselves and do not communicate them, the blessedness perishes and the uses then become as food stored up in the stomach which is not distributed for the nourishment of the body and its parts, but remains an undigested mass from which comes nausea. In a word, the whole of heaven, from the first things thereof to the last, is nothing but a containant of uses; and what are uses but actual love of the neighbor? and what but this love holds the heavens together?"
[4] Hearing this, I asked: "How can one know whether he performs uses from the love of self or from the love of uses? Every man, both good and evil, performs uses, and he performs them from some love. Suppose that in the world there were a society composed only of devils, and a society composed only of angels, I opine that from the fire of the love of self and the splendor of their own glory, the devils in their society would perform as many uses as the angels in theirs. Who then can know from what love and from what origin the uses are?"
[5] To this the two angels responded: "Devils perform uses for the sake of themselves and their reputation, that they may be advanced to honors or may acquire wealth. It is not for these that angels perform uses but for the sake of the uses themselves and from love of them. Man cannot discern between these uses; but they are discerned by the Lord. Every one who believes in the Lord and shuns evils as sins performs uses from the Lord; but every one who does not believe in the Lord, and does not shun evils as sins, performs uses from himself and for the sake of himself. This is the distinction between uses performed by devils and uses performed by angels."
Saying this, the two angels departed, and at a distance they appeared to be carried like Elijah in a chariot of fire and taken up into their heaven.
266. After I had seen these sad and hideous sights, I looked around and saw two angels standing and talking not far from me, one clad in a woolen toga bright with flamy purple and under it a tunic of shining linen, the other in similar raiment of scarlet, with a tiara studded at the right side with a number of rubies. Approaching them, I saluted them and asked reverently, "Why are you here below?"
They replied, "We were sent here from heaven at the Lord's command, to speak with you about the blessed lot of those who desire to rule from the love of uses. We are worshipers of the Lord. I am the prince of a society. My companion is the high priest there."
[2] The prince said he was the servant of his society, serving it by performing uses. The other said he was the minister of the Church there, and that in serving the people, he administered holy things for the uses of their souls. Both of them, they said, are in perpetual joys from the eternal happiness which is theirs from the Lord.
They remarked that all things in their society are splendid and magnificent, splendid for gold and precious stones, and magnificent for palaces and paradises. "The reason is that our love of ruling is not from love of self but from the love of uses, and as the love of uses is from the Lord, all good uses in the heavens are resplendent and refulgent. All of us in our society are in this love, and therefore the atmosphere appears golden from the light which partakes of the flamy quality of the sun. The flamy quality of the sun corresponds to that love."
[3] At these words I saw such a sphere about them, and perceived an aromatic odor therefrom, as I also told them. I begged them to add something more to what they had said about the love of uses.
They continued: "We did strive to attain the dignities in which we are, but for no other end than that we might fulfil our uses better and extend them farther. We are also surrounded with honor, and we accept it not on our own account but for the good of the society. Our brethren and associates among the masses of the people scarcely know but that the honors attaching to our dignities are in us, and hence that the uses we perform are from ourselves. We, however, feel otherwise. We feel that the honors of high place are outside us and are like garments with which we are clothed; but the uses we render are from a love for them which we have from the Lord, and this love has its blessedness from sharing with others through uses. We know by experience that as far as we perform uses from a love for them the love increases, and with the love the wisdom by which the sharing is accomplished; but that so far as we keep the uses to ourselves, and do not share them, the blessedness perishes. Thereupon the uses become like food clogging the stomach, which does not, by being distributed, nourish the body and its parts, but remains undigested and produces nausea. In a word the whole of heaven is nothing but a containant of uses, from first to last. What is use but love of the neighbor fulfilled? And what holds heaven together except this love?"
[4] Hearing this I asked, "How can one know whether he is performing uses from the love of self or from the love of uses? Every man, good or evil, does uses and does them from some love. Suppose there were in the world a society composed entirely of devils, and a society composed entirely of angels, I am of the opinion that the devils in their society, from the fire of self-love and the glamour of their own glory, would perform as many uses as the angels in theirs. Who then can know from which love or from which source the uses are?"
[5] To this the two angels replied, "Devils do uses for the sake of themselves and for the sake of fame in order to achieve honors or to amass wealth. But not for these ends do angels perform uses, but for the sake of the uses from love of them. Man cannot distinguish between these uses, but the Lord does. Every one who believes in the Lord and shuns evils as sins does uses from the Lord; but every one who does not believe in the Lord and does not shun evils as sins, performs uses from himself and for the sake of himself. This is the distinction between uses done by devils and uses done by angels."
Having spoken so the two angels departed, and were taken up into their heaven. At a distance they seemed to be conveyed like Elijah in a chariot of fire.
266. After I had seen these sad and dreadful things, I looked around and saw two angels standing and conversing not far from me, one clad in a woolen toga bright with flamy purple 1and under it a tunic of shining linen, the other in similar raiment of scarlet, with a tiara, set, on the right side of it, with a number of rubies. I approached them, gave the salutation of peace, and reverently asked, 'Why are you here below?'
They replied, 'We were sent here from heaven by the Lord's command, to speak with you about the blessed lot of those who desire to rule from the love of uses. We are worshipers of the Lord. I am the prince of a society. The other is the high priest there.'
The prince said he was a servant of his society, for that he served it by performing uses; and the other said he was the minister of the church there, because in their service he administered holy things for the uses of their souls; and that they both are in perpetual joys, from the eternal happiness that is in them from the Lord.
And they said that all things in that society are resplendent and magnificent, resplendent with gold and precious stones, and magnificent from palaces and paradises: 'The reason is that our love of ruling is not from the love of self, but from the love of uses, and as the love of uses is from the Lord, all good uses in the heavens are therefore, resplendent and refulgent. And as in our society we all are in this love, the atmosphere there appears golden from the light there which is derived from the flamy quality of the sun. The flamy quality of the sun corresponds to that love.'
At these words there appeared also to me a like sphere about them, and an aroma was perceived therefrom, as I also told them; and I asked that they would add something more to what they had said about the love of uses.
And they continued, saying, 'The dignities in which we are we indeed sought to attain; but for no other end than that we might the more fully perform uses, and more widely extend them. And we are also surrounded with honor, and accept it, yet not on our own account, but for the good of the society. For our brethren and consociates, who are of the common people there, scarcely know but that the honors pertaining to our dignities are in us, and hence that the uses we perform are from ourselves. But we feel otherwise. We feel that the honors of the dignities are outside of us and that they are in fact as garments with which we are clothed; but that the uses we perform are from the love of them within us from the Lord, and that this love receives its blessedness from communication with others through uses. And we know by experience that so far as we perform uses from the love of them the love increases, and with the love the wisdom by which the communication is effected; but that so far as we retain the uses within us, and do not communicate them, the blessedness perishes, and the uses then become as food hidden away in the stomach, which does not, by being distributed, nourish the body and its parts, but remains undigested and produces nausea. In a word the whole heaven is nothing but a containant of uses, from things first to last. And what are uses but love of the neighbor in act? And what but this love holds the heavens together?'
Hearing this I asked, 'How can anyone know whether he performs uses from the love of self or from the love of uses? Every man good as well as evil performs uses, and performs the uses from some love. Suppose that in the world there were a society of mere devils, and a society composed only of angels, I think the devils in their society, from the fire of the love of self, and the brightness of their own glory, would per. form as many uses as the angels in theirs. Who then can know from which love and from what origin the uses are?'
To this the two angels responded, 'Devils perform uses for the sake of themselves, and for the sake of fame, that they may be advanced to honors or acquire wealth. But not for these do the angels perform uses, but for the sake of the uses, from the love of them. Man cannot distinguish these uses; but the Lord distinguishes them. everyone who believes in the Lord and shuns evils as sins performs uses from the Lord; but everyone who does not believe in the Lord, and does not shun evils as sins, performs uses from himself and for the sake of himself. This is the distinction between uses performed by devils and uses performed by angels.'
Having said this the two angels went away, and from afar they appeared to be carried like Elijah in a chariot of fire and taken up into their heaven.
Footnotes:
1. royal purple or crimson.
266. Postquam haec tristia et atrocia mihi visa sunt, circumspexi, et vidi duos Angelos non procul a me stantes et colloquentes; unus amictus erat toga lanea fulgente ex flammea purpura, et tunica ex splendente bysso sub illa; alter similibus ex coccino cum cidari, cui aliqui pyropi a dextro latere inserti erant; ad hos accessi, et ex pace salutavi; et reverenter quaesivi, "cur vos hic infra estis;" et respondebant, "demisimus nos huc e Coelo ex mandato Domini ad loquendum tecum de beata sorte illorum, qui volunt dominari ex amore usuum; nos sumus cultores Domini, ego Princeps societatis, alter summus Sacerdos ibi;" et dixit Princeps, quod esset servus suae societatis, quia inserviret illi faciendo usus; et alter dixit, quod esset minister Ecclesiae ibi, quia inserviendo illis ministraret sancta ad usus animarum illorum;
[2] et quod ambo in perpetuis gaudiis sint ex felicitate aeterna, quae a Domino in illis est; et quod omnia in Societate illa sint splendida et magnifica, splendida ex auro et lapidibus pretiosis, et magnifica ex palatiis et paradisis; "causa est, quia amor noster dominandi non est ex amore sui, sed ex amore usuum, et quia amor usuum est a Domino, ideo omnes usus boni in Coelis splendent et fulgent; et quia omnes in nostra Societate in hoc amore sumus, ideo athmosphaera ibi apparet aurea, ex luce ibi quae trahit ex flammeo Solis, ac flammeum Solis correspondet isti amori:"
[3] his dictis apparuit etiam mihi similis sphaera circum illos, et sentitum est aromaticum ex illa, quod etiam dixi illis, et petii, ut aliquid plus adjiciant dictis de amore usus; et continuabant dicendo, 1"dignitates, in quibus sumus, quidem ambivimus, sed propter nullum alium finem, quam ut possemus plenius facere usus, et latius extendere illos; et quoque circumfundimur honore, et acceptamus illum, non propter nos, sed propter bonum societatis; confratres enim et consocii, qui ex vulgo ibi sunt, vix sciunt aliter quam quod honores dignitatum nostrarum sint in nobis, et inde quod usus quos facimus, sint e nobis; sed nos aliter sentimus; sentimus quod honores dignitatum sint extra nos, et quod sint sicut amictus quibus investimur, sed quod usus, quos praestamus, sint ex amore illorum intra nos a Domino, et hic amor beatitudinem suam accipit ex communicatione per usus cum aliis; et ab experientia scimus, quod quantum facimus usus ex amore illorum, tantum increscat amor ille, et cum amore sapientia, ex qua fit communicatio; at quod quantum retinemus usus in nobis, et non communicamus, tantum pereat beatitudo; et tunc usus fit sicut cibus reconditus in ventriculo, et non circumsparsus nutrit corpus et ejus partes, sed manet indigestus, ex quo fit nausea: verbo, totum Coelum non est nisi quam continens usus a primis ad ultima: quid usus nisi actualis amor proximi, et quid continet coelos nisi hic amor."
[4] His auditis interrogavi, "quomodo potest aliquis scire, num usus faciat ex amore sui, vel num ex amore usuum; omnis homo tam bonus quam malus facit usus, et facit usus ex quodam amore; ponatur quod in Mundo sit Societas composita ex meris diabolis, et societas composita ex meris Angelis; et opinor quod diaboli in sua societate ex igne amoris sui, et ex splendore gloriae suae, facturi sint tot usus, quot Angeli in sua; quis ergo potest scire ex quo Amore, et ex qua origine sunt usus:"
[5] duo angeli ad haec responderunt, "diaboli faciunt usus propter se et propter famam, ut evehantur ad honores, aut lucrentur opes; at Angeli non faciunt usus propterea, sed propter usus ex amore illorum; homo non potest discernere illos usus, sed Dominus discernit illos; omnis qui credit in Dominum, et fugit mala ut peccata, ille facit usus ex Domino; at omnis qui non credit in Dominum, nec fugit mala ut peccata, facit usus ex se et propter se: hoc discrimen est inter usus a diabolis, et inter usus ab Angelis." Duo Angeli his dictis abiverunt, et e longinquo visi sunt vecti in curru igneo sicut Elias, et in coelum suum sublati.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: dicendo;