onsequently prevailed with those who are in the deepest
hell; and that the love of dominion grounded in the love of uses was in
the highest degree heavenly, and consequently prevailed with those who
are in the highest heaven. The love of dominion grounded in self-love is
in the highest degree infernal, because to exercise dominion from
self-love, is to exercise it from _proprium_, and a man's _proprium_
from his birth is essential evil, which is diametrically opposite to the
Lord; wherefore the more persons who are under the influence of such
evil, advance therein, the more they deny God and the holy things of the
church, and worship themselves and nature. Let such persons, I entreat
them, examine that evil in themselves, and they will see this to be the
case. This love also is of such a nature, that in proportion as it is
left unrestrained, which is the case so long as it is not checked by
impossibilities, in the same proportion it rushes impetuously from step
to step, even to the highest, and there also finds no bounds, but is sad
and sorrowful because there is no higher step for it to ascend. This
love with statesmen is so intense that they wish to be kings and
emperors, and if it were possible, to have dominion over all things of
the world, and to be called kings of kings and emperors of emperors;
while the same love with the clergy is so intense that they wish to be
gods and, as far as is possible, to have dominion over all things of
heaven, and to be called gods of gods. That neither of these acknowledge
any God, will be seen in what follows. On the other hand, those who
desire to exercise dominion from the love of uses, do not desire it from
themselves, but from the Lord; since the love of uses is from the Lord,
and is the Lord himself: these regard dignities only as means to the
performance of uses, setting uses far above dignities; whereas the
former set dignities far above uses.

263. While I was meditating on these things, an angel from the Lord said
to me, "You shall presently see, and be convinced by ocular
demonstration, what is the nature and quality of that infernal love."
Then suddenly the earth opened on the left, and I saw a devil ascending
from hell, with a square cap on his head let down over his forehead even
to his eyes: his face was full of pimples as of a burning fever, his
eyes fierce and firy, his breast swelling immensely; from his mouth he
belched smoke like a furnace, his loins seemed all in