5967. I have often spoken with those who were like this. For the most part their nature is to want to dominate others. For this reason they look down from the lofty place where they are bustling around, and they control whomever meets their eye, certain in this way and certain in another. I have spoken with those who are like this. They said they examine others' mental ability, that is, their faculty of understanding, judging, and perceiving. They then gave them documents, or, as it were fullmagter 1stating that they are like this. When seen, the documents looked as if they came from heaven. And thereby the jus exercendi 2, many offices was conferred on them by others. They were Cederstedt, 3Jacob Gyllenborg 4. They had judicial ability, but, as to will, they had desires for self and the world. They were led to what is true, just, and right by no affection other than one stemming from their personal desire, which desire not only motivated but also enlightened them. For desires like this can give enlightenment in civil matters and somewhat also in moral ones, but they blind in spiritual ones, for which reason they are still devils. Certain ones wanted nothing other than to bring evil on others on the pretext that they were examining their nature; others on other grounds. But they were all thrown down, and those of a similar nature who were left were forced to go on ways leading to their hells.
Footnotes:
1. Swedish for "certificate"
2. Legal term for "the right to perform"
3. See footnoted information on him in passage 4701.
4. Jacob Gyllenborg (1648-1701), governor of Uppland from 1689-1695 and father of Carl and Frederick Gyllenborg.
5967. I have often conversed with those who were such. They mostly possess such a nature that they wish to lord it over others: wherefore, from the more lofty place where they walk, they look down and rule those whom their eyes encounter, some in this way, some in that. I spoke with such ones, and they said that they explore other people's intellect, or faculty of understanding, judging and perceiving. They gave them documents, or, as it were, diplomas, 1that they were of such a quality; which [documents], when seen, appeared as if they were from heaven. Owing to this, the right was granted them, by certain others, of filling many offices. These others were Cederstedt and Jacob Gyllenborg, who possessed the judicial faculty, but, as to will, were cupidities of self and the world, influenced by no affection for truth, justice and right, save from the desire of those things originating in proprium, which desire not only animated, but also enlightened them; for, such ones are able to enlighten cupidity with regard to civil matters, and also a little in moral matters, but they blind it in spiritual matters, on which account they are still devils. Some desired nothing else than to inflict hurt upon others, under the pretext of exploring their quality; others do it in other ways but these were all cast down, and the remainder of a like nature were compelled to go along ways that lead to their hells.
Footnotes:
1. Swedish, fullmagter.
5967. Cum illis qui tales fuerunt saepe loquutus sum, plerique illam naturam habent, ut velint dominari aliis, quare ex loco editiori ubi vadunt despiciunt, et obvios oculis regunt, quidam hoc modo quidam alio, loquutus sum cum talibus, qui dicebant se explorare aliorum intellectum seu facultatem intelligendi, judicandi, percipiendi, illis dederunt chartas seu tanquam fullmagter 1
quod tales essent, quae visae apparebant sicut e coelo, inde illis ab aliis dabatur jus exercendi plura officia, erant Cederstedt, Jacob Gyllenborg, qui facultatem dijudicandi habebant, sed quoad voluntatem cupiditates sui et mundi, nulla affectione ad verum, justum et rectum ferebantur nisi quam ex cupidine illorum propria, quae cupido illos non modo excitabat, sed quoque illustrabat, nam tales cupiditates illustrare possunt in civilibus, et parum etiam in moralibus, sed occoecant in spiritualibus, unde usque diaboli sunt. - Quidam nihil aliud volebant quam malum afferre aliis sub praetextu ut explorentur quales sunt, alii aliter, sed omnes illi dejecti sunt, et reliqui ex simili natura adacti ire vias quae ducunt ad eorum inferna.
Footnotes:
1. = mandata, diplomas (vox suecica)