3171. He afterwards said that in civil life he had been careful in speaking, and had therefore harmed no one, so that he should not have to undergo such a punishment in the other life, and because it was only thought, not breaking out in action. But he was answered by the others that in the first place, he had been careful for the sake of his own honor, and that if he had had the freedom, he would have done so. Further, that he had been rewarded for his civil prudence, being raised to dignities, but in the other life it is thoughts that are punished in this way.
When he said that he cannot help thinking, so he should not be punished on account of his thoughts, they asked him why he had condemned others so, when yet they also were careful in civil life. He said, because they had thought bad things. Thus he convicted himself, so he confessed that he had sinned. 1748, 15 Sept.
3171. He said afterwards, that in civil life he was cautious in speaking, and so that he might not injure anyone; [that] therefore he ought not to have suffered such a punishment in the other life, and inasmuch as it was only [his] thought, and it did not burst forth into act. But it was replied to him by others, that he was cautious for the sake of honors for himself and that if he had been free, he would thus have acted: further, that he was rewarded for his civil prudence, to wit, by being conveyed to dignities: but in the other life it is thoughts that are punished. Since he said that he could not have abstained from thinking, therefore that he should not be punished for his thoughts, they said to him, wherefore did he thus condemn others, when yet they were also cautious in civil life. He said because they thought evils: thus he convinced himself. Wherefore he confessed that he had sinned. - 1748, September 15.
3171. Is postea dixit, quod in vita civili cautus in loquendo fuerit, et sic quod nemini nocuerit, quare talem poenam in altera vita se non subire debuisse, et quia solum cogitatio fuit, non erumpens in actum, at responsum ei ab aliis, primum quod sui honoris causa cautus fuerit, et si liberum ei fuisset, quod sic fecisset, tum quod propter prudentiam civilem remuneratus sit, nempe ad dignitates evectus, at in altera vita sunt cogitata quae ita puniuntur; cum diceret quod non abstinere potuisset cogitare, sic quod non propter cogitata puniretur, dicebant ei, quare ita condemnavit alios, cum tamen ii quoque in vita civili cauti? dixit quia cogitarunt mala, ita semet convincebat 1
, quare fassus est se peccavisse. 1748, 15 Sept.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has convincebat