2566. When it was asked why such a multitude of insane spirits is there, I saw the answer to be that the human race today does not look toward any other use, thus no other purpose than acquiring and raking together money, silver and gold, merely to grow rich, and doing this for the sake of each one's personal life, never for the sake of friends and companions, still less for the sake of use to the community. People also seek honors, but never for another use than becoming great and for their own glory, not for the sake of a use to others, much less for the common good. Likewise there are those who strive to become wise from the sciences, never for any other use than for themselves,
2566. When it was inquired why there is there such a multitude of insane spirits, I perceived the answer that the human race at the present day does not regard any other use, hence no other end, than self; they only acquire and scrape together moneys, silver and gold, merely to grow rich, and indeed for the sake of their own life, never on account of friends and associates, still less on account of use to the commonwealth; further, that they never seek honors for any other use than to become great, and for the sake of self-honor, [and] not on account of use to others, still less on account of the general good.
2566. Cum inquisitum, cur tanta multitudo insanorum spirituum ibi sit, responsum percepi, quod humanum genus hodie non spectet alium usum, proinde non alium finem, quam semet, modo acquirit et corradit pecunias, argentum et aurum, solum ut ditescat, et quidem suae vitae causa, nusquam propter amicos et socios, minus propter usum rei communis; tum quod honores quaerant, nusquam propter alium usum, quam ut magni fiant, et sui honoris causa, non propter usum aliorum, minus propter bonum commune: similiter qui ex scientiis sapere student, nusquam ob alium
(2567.) usum, quam propter semet, ut magni fiant, et appareant mundo, et ditescant; quare in ea sphaera, quae vocari potest sphaera intentionum, estque interior mundi spirituum, tanta insania, ut paene insaniis plenus sit, sic iniquitas eorum, qui vocantur Christiani, consummata 1
[cf. Matth. XXIV: 12], quare nunc ad alios regnum Domini vertitur, sicut praedictum est [Matth. XXI: 43], alioquin periret mundus: nam ex isto mundo spirituum noscitur, quale humanum genus est, et quam perversum, non ita ex mundo spirituum exteriori, et animabus.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has consumata