everything else; he who wished to possess God must desert everything else. Therefore, some who would not forsake their goods and their learning, contending that such things are helpful to heaven, remained outside and entered not. I saw also that they not only examined the garments of those that were admitted, whether somewhat of earthly vanity was not hidden therein, but they also (a thing unusual elsewhere) took asunder their heads and hearts, that nothing unclean to God might defile His dwelling. This could not, indeed, be done without pain, but by means of heavenly medicine it was done so successfully that it increased rather than diminished the vital power; for in the place of the blood that streamed forth in consequence of the pricking and cutting, a fire was kindled in their limbs which transformed a man into a different one. Then such a man wondered within his mind why he had hitherto loaded himself with such useless burdens, such as the things the world calls wisdom, glory, pleasure, riches; and verily they are but burdens. Here I beheld how the lame skipped, the stammerers spoke eloquently, dull men confounded philosophers, those who had nothing declared that they possessed everything.
(The Church is the Contrary of the World.)
5. Seeing this from the entrance, I now went farther beyond the screen and viewed all things—first those that were common to all, then those that belonged to the divers callings—with unspeakable
