1466. Those who represent the learned or wise of the world admitted that they cannot stop themselves, but really want my tongue to perish in this way-a sign that the wise of the world can hardly be taught the inward and very inward matters of belief. Even if they could understand, still they do not try to, because they want to find out and expound those matters on their own power, based on their own sciences. But because they admitted that they can hardly stop themselves, it is just as the Lord said, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of the heavens [Matt. 19:24]. By riches in this passage are meant those fields of knowledge from which human doctrine and wisdom spring. 1748, 17 March.
1466. Those who represent the learned and wise of the world confessed that they cannot desist, and indeed that they want my tongue thus to perish - an indication that the wise of the world can with difficulty be instructed in those matters which are the interior and more interior things of faith. Although they could have understood, still they were unwilling, because they want to know and expound them from themselves and their own knowledges. But since they confessed that they can hardly desist, it is as the Lord said that, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of the heavens." [Math. xix 24. By "riches" are here meant such knowledges as those from which human doctrine and wisdom are derived. 1748, Mar. 17.
1466. Ii qui repraesentant doctos seu sapientes mundi, fassi sunt quod non desistere possint, et quidem quod vellent ut lingua sic periret-indicium 1
, quod sapientes mundi aegre queant instrui in his, quae fidei interiora et intimiora sint, et tametsi potuissent intelligere, usque non vellent, quia ii volunt, ex semet, et ex suis scientiis ea scire, et exponere; ssd quia fassi sunt, quod vix desistere possint, est sicut Dominus dixit, quod facilius sit camelum intrare per foramen acus, quam dives in Regnum coelorum [Matth. XIX: 24], per divitias ibi intelliguntur scientiae tales, ex quibus doctrina et sapientia humana. 1748, 17 Martius.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has periret, indicium