1190. For thy merchants were the great men of the earth signifies those who are in dominion and in its love and delight, and who have gained the chief honors of the world and the riches of the world. This is evident from the signification of "merchants," as being those who acquire the knowledges of good and truth and communicate them; and in the contrary sense, as here, those who acquire such things as are serviceable for dominion, from which they gain both the honors and the riches of the world (see n. 840, 1104); also from the signification of "the great men of the earth," as being those who transfer to themselves and exercise that dominion, which is dominion over the church and over heaven, and even over the Lord Himself. Such are meant in this chapter, but not those who are under their dominion. These indeed venerate and adore them, but they do this from a faith induced by authority, and thus from obedience, and this faith and obedience are from ignorance. These have no share in dominion, therefore the things said in this chapter of Babylon as the harlot are not said of these.
(Continuation)
[2] Something shall now be said about man's being led by the Divine providence to such things as do not lead astray, but are serviceable to eternal life. These things also have reference to eminence and wealth. It is made clear that this is so by what I have seen in the heavens. The heavens are divided into societies, and those who are eminent and rich are to be found in every society. The eminent there are in such glory, and the rich in such abundance, that the glory and abundance of the world are almost nothing in comparison. But all the eminent there are wise, and all the rich abound in knowledge; thus eminence there is wisdom and wealth there is knowledge. Such eminence and wealth can be acquired in this world, both by those who are eminent and rich and by those who are not, for they are acquired here by all who love wisdom and knowledge. To love wisdom is to love uses that are true uses, and to love knowledge is to love the cognitions of good and truth for the sake of such uses. When uses are loved more than self and the world, and the cognitions of good and truth are loved for the sake of uses, uses have the first place and eminence and wealth the second place; and this is the case with all who are eminent and rich in the heavens. They look upon the eminence they have from wisdom, and the wealth they have from knowledge, just as a man looks upon his garments.
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