1190. Because thy merchants were the great ones of the earth.- That this signifies those who exercise domination, in the world, and are in its love and delight, and who attained the highest honours and also the riches of the world, is evident from the signification of merchants, who denote those who procure for themselves the knowledges of good and truth, and impart them to others; and in the opposite sense, as in this case, those who procure for themselves those things that may be serviceable for the exercise of domination, from which they not only acquire the honours, but also the riches of the world, concerning which see above (n. 840, 1104); and from the signification of the great ones of the earth as denoting those who both arrogate to themselves, and exercise, domination over the church, and also over heaven, in fact, over the Lord Himself. These are they who are meant in this chapter, but not those who are subjected to their domination. These indeed venerate and adore them, but they do this from belief enforced by authority, and consequently from a spirit of obedience, such faith and obedience resulting from ignorance. These have no part in their domination. The things related in this chapter concerning Babylon, as the harlot, have therefore no reference to these.
[2] Continuation.- We shall now make some observations on the fact that man is led of the Divine Providence to such things as do not lead astray, but are serviceable to him, with reference to eternal life; for these things also refer to eminence and opulence. That this is the case is evident from what has been seen by me in the heavens. The heavens are divided into societies, in each of which there are the eminent and the opulent, the eminent being there in such glory, and the opulent in such abundance of possessions, that the glory and abundance of this world are almost nothing with respect to them. All the eminent there are wise, and all the opulent are rich in knowledge; wherefore eminence there is that of their wisdom, and opulence there is that of their knowledge (scientia). This eminence and opulence may be acquired in the world, both by those who are eminent and opulent there, and by those who are not; for they are acquired by all those in the world who love wisdom and knowledge (scientia). To love wisdom is to love true uses, and to love knowledge (scientia) is to love the knowledges (cognitiones) of good and truth for the sake of those uses. When uses are loved in preference to self and the world, and the knowledges of good and truth for the sake of those uses, then uses are in the first place, and eminence and opulence in the second. This is the case with all who are eminent and opulent in the heavens; from wisdom they regard the eminence, from knowledge the opulence which they possess, precisely as a man regards his garments.
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