326.  From all this it can be seen that all things in the universe, viewed from uses, have relation in an image to man, and that this testifies that God is a man.  For such things as have been mentioned above take form about the angelic man, not from the angels, but from the Lord through the angels.  For they take their form from the influx of the Lord’s Divine Love and Divine Wisdom into the angel, who is a recipient, and before whose eyes all this is brought forth like the creation of a universe.  From this they know there that God is a Man, and that the created universe, viewed in its uses, is an image of God.

327.  All things created by the lord are use; they are uses in the order, degree, and respect in which they have relation to man, and through man to the lord, from whom [they are].

In respect to this it has been shown above:  That from God the Creator nothing can take form except uses (n. 308); that the uses of all created things ascend by degrees from outmost things to man, and through man to God the Creator, from whom they are (n. 65-68); that the end of creation takes form in outmosts, which end is, that all things may return to God the Creator, and that there may be conjunction (n. 167-172); 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.