4748. 1A clear example of those who inwardly had a love of self and outwardly were polite and modest was (Charles XII 2). Inwardly he was the proudest of all people in the whole world. Not only did he aspire to be the greatest name in his kingdom, but also in the kingdoms of whole world, which he also wanted to rule, and in a way thought he was inwardly a god. He could think inwardly better than other men. In every circumstance and dangerous situation, his inner thoughts were extremely clear-sighted. He saw each of the details around him in a single glance. He brought these together in his mind and came to the right conclusion. And he did not want anyone to know this. Outwardly he pretended not to be thinking inwardly and was indignant if someone said that inwardly he was very clear-sighted. He thought that it was the part of a king to act this way and made it his habit always to do so. This was his inner life, and in it he thought about his rule over all things in each and every detail and thought that he was Divine. In fact, when in this life, he did not inwardly believe there is a God, but that God is in human beings, especially in himself, and consequently he was not concerned about religion. He praised the Mohammedan religion in comparison with the Christian religion and said the Christian religion was only for the simple and that if it had been possible, he would have been willing to introduce a natural religion suited to the comprehension of all naturalistically-minded persons. And he placed kingliness in being stubborn to the point of death; even ferocity and cruelty went into it. Caring nothing for human life, he was able to find excuses that could not be contradicted. He was then under the persuasion that the case was such and in itself morally right because it came from his own inner thought. No one knew this in the world, except as a conjecture. He made a pretense of being just and honest more perfectly than any other human being.
[2] But all these things were opened in the other life. There he was taken out of a dreadful hell and let into the state of his outward person. And then he behaved himself modestly, justly, and honestly. But as soon as he came into the state of his inner life, dreadful, diabolical things came out. In an instant he was able to see more things around him than any others could. And he could arrange these things to aid him so that he could be in control not only in the hells, but also in the first and second heaven, which he drew to himself using his outward person and his righteous and true [words], doing so then persuasively. In a word, he looked for hells that would obey him and looked into heaven for those things to that would be of help to him. [He did this] having in mind the subjugation of all and making himself the greatest God, whom he had not believed existed apart from there being such people [as God was in]. To recount the details would fill pages. He raved in this way for week so that his nature might be shown to the angels, and what the nature is of those who have acquired such an inward life for themselves in the world. He was more present in his diabolical inward life when punishing and judging than when outside punishing and judging. He was told that if there were thousands of thousands of such as himself, they would be not even as strong as a feather to the Lord. But he was not at all concerned about this. He wanted to become the devil himself and the ruler of hell, and to enter into an agreement regarding power with those in heaven and with the Divine there, but with the intention that he would rule everything in hell, and in heaven they would obey. Otherwise he would put them under his control. Such was his nature. From this the nature of the inner life that he had, which was ruling [him], was evident, and that he became more of the devil than others, and then became more foolish than others.
Footnotes:
1. Paragraph 4747 is missing in the original manuscript.
2. For information on this person see footnote to passage 4704.
4748. A manifest example of those who have been interiorly in self-love, and externally affable and virtuous, was (Charles XII). He was interiorly the proudest of all in the universal world: nor did he aspire to the greatest name in his kingdom only, but in the universal globe, which also he wished to govern; and, in some manner, he supposed himself to be interiorly a God. He could think interiorly, better than other men; even in every accident and in danger, his interior thoughts were most sagacious. He saw every single circumstance about him at one glance; he inwardly collated them and concluded rightly; nor was he willing that anyone should know this: he pretended, exteriorly, that he could not think interiorly. He was indignant if anyone said he possessed sagacious thought inwardly. To act thus he considered kingly; and he accustomed himself to do so continually. This was his interior life; and, in it, he thought concerning his dominion over all, in all things and in every detail; also that this was divine; and he believed, not that God is interiorly within that life, but that God is in men, especially in himself; and so he had no regard for religion. He praised the Mohammedan religion above the Christian, and said the latter religion was only for the simple; and, if he had been able, he would also have been willing to introduce natural religion, suited to the apprehension of all naturalistic persons. He also placed the kingly quality in stubbornness, even to the death; and, in that matter, he was fierce and cruel, having no regard for man's life. He could invent excuses which could not be again said; and then he was in the persuasion that the thing was in such wise, and in itself right, because it was from his internal thought. Nobody knew these things in the world, unless something of it by conjecture. He counterfeited justice and truth more perfectly than any other man; but all these things were laid open in the other life. He was there taken out of a dreadful hell and let into the state of his external man; and then he behaved himself virtuously, justly and truly; but, as soon as he came into his internal state of life, such things showed themselves as were dreadfully diabolical. He could see, in a moment, more things around him than others, no matter who they were; he could dispose these to assist him, so that he might rule; and this not only in the hells, but also in the first and second heaven, which [latter] he attracted to himself by means of the external man, and its just and true features, and likewise, at the same time, its persuasiveness. In a word, he sought hells which should obey him, and in heaven such things as might also assist him in his purpose of reducing all to subjection and of making himself the supreme God - whom he had believed not to exist, unless [He were] such men [as himself]. To relate the details would fill pages. He raved in this way for a week, that it might be shown to the angels of what quality he was, and of what quality they are who have acquired to themselves such an internal life in the world. He was present in his internal, diabolical life, more when in punishments and judgments than when out of punishments and judgment. He was told that were there myriads of myriads of such as he, they would not weigh, even as a feather, with the Lord; but he cared nothing about this. He wished to become the devil himself, and ruler of hell, and then to enter into a compact with those in heaven and with the Divine there as to power; but with the end in view that he might rule all things in hell, and that those in heaven might obey him: if otherwise, that he would reduce them to subjection. Such was his quality. Hence it was evident of what nature was the internal life, which was his ruling life; and that he is become a devil above the rest, and is then a fool above the rest.
4748. 1
Exemplum manifestum illorum qui interius in amore sui fuerunt, et exterius civiles et modesti, fuit (Car. XII), ille prae omnibus in universo mundo superbissimus interius fuit, nec solum aspirabat ad maximum nomen in regno suo, sed in universo orbe, quibus etiam voluit imperare, et quodammodo putabat se deum esse interius; potuit cogitare interius plus quam alius homo, etiam in omni casu, et periculo, cogitationes interiores erant perspicacissimae, videbat singula circum se uno intuitu, colligebat illa intus et concludebat rite; nec voluit ut quisquam hoc sciret, mentiebatur exterius quod non interius cogitaret, indignabatur si quis diceret quod intus cogitationem perspicacem haberet, ita facere putabat regium esse, et assuefecit se ita jugiter facere, hoc erat vita ejus interior, et ibi cogitabat de suo dominio super omnes in omnibus et singulis, tum quod id Divinum esset, etiam interius in illa vita non credebat esse Deum, sed Deum in hominibus, in se imprimis, nec curabat sic religionem, Mahumedanam laudabat prae Christiana, et quod esset modo pro simplicibus, et si potuisset, voluisset etiam religionem naturalem inducere, aptam captui omnium naturalistarum, et in contumacia usque ad mortem posuit regium, etiam saevus et crudelis fuit inibi, nihil curans vitam hominis, potuit invenire exculpationes, quae contradici non possent, tunc in persuasivo erat quod tale esset et in se rectum, quia ex sua interna cogitatione, haec nemo scivit, in mundo, nisi aliquid conjecturaliter, mentiebatur justum et verum perfectius quam ullus alius homo; sed omnia illa aperiebantur in altera vita, exemtus ibi ex inferno diro, et missus in statum externi hominis, et tunc gerebat se modeste, juste et vere, sed ut primum venit in statum vitae internum, talia quae dire diabolica, prodibant, potuit videre momento plura circum se quam alii quicunque, potuit disponere illa ad sui opem, ut dominaretur, et non solum in infernis, sed etiam in primo et altero coelo, quos ad se attrahebat per externum hominem et ejus justa et vera, et unc simul persuasivum, verbo quaerebat inferna, quae obedirent, in coelo quae quoque opitularentur, animo subjugandi omnes, et se faciendi Deum maximum, quem crediderat non dari nisi homines tales [darentur], singularia referre, foret membranas implere, furebat ita per septimanam, ut ostenderetur angelis qualis esset, et quales illi sunt, qui talem internam vitam sibi in mundo acquisiverunt; in punitionibus et discriminibus praesentior erat in vita interna diabolica sua, quam extra punitiones et discrimina; dictum illi quod si myriades myriadum talium essent, ne quidem valerent ut pluma ad Dominum, sed hoc nihil curabat, voluit fieri ipse diabolus, ac dominator inferni, et tunc pactum inire cum illis in coelo, et cum Divino ibi de potestate, sed eo animo ut ille in inferno regeret omnia, et obedirent in coelo, sin aliter quod subjugaret, talis fuit: inde patuit qualis vita interna, quae regnans, illi fuit, et quod diabolus fiat prae reliquis, et tunc fatuus prae reliquis.
Footnotes:
1. 474 deest