And yet the man
withdraweth no part of his foolish fancies, but falleth more
fervently to them than before, and setteth his whole heart, like a
fool, more upon them. And then he betaketh him all to the devices
of his worldly counsellors, and without any counsel of God or any
trust put in him, maketh many wise ways--or so he thinks, but all
turn at length to folly, and one subtle drift driveth another to
naught.
Some have I see even in their last sickness, set up in their
deathbed, underpropped with pillows, take their playfellows to them
and comfort themselves with cards. And this, they said, did ease
them well, to put fancies out of their heads. And what fancies,
think you? Such as I told you right now, of their own lewd life and
peril of their soul, of heaven and of hell, that irked them to
think of. And therefore they cast it out with cards, playing as
long as ever they might, till the pure pangs of death pulled their
heart from their play, and put them in such a case that they could
not reckon their game. And then their gamesters left them and slyly
slunk away, and it was not long ere they galped up the ghost. And
what game they came then to, that God knoweth and not I. I pray God
it were good, but I fear it very sore.
Some men are there also that do as did King Saul, and in their
tribulation go seek unto the devil.
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