And yet are peradventure sometimes such things and many
more to be essayed. For as the devil may hap to make him suffer,
so may he hap to miss, namely if his friends fall to prayer for
him against his temptation. For that can he himself never do, while
he taketh it for none.
But, for conclusion: If the man be surely proved so inflexibly set
upon the purpose to destroy himself, as being commanded by God to
do so, that no good counsel that men can give him nor any other
thing that men may do to him can refrain him, but that he would
surely shortly kill himself; then except only good prayer made by
his friends for him, I can find no further shift but either to
have him ever in sight or to bind him fast in his bed.
And so must he needs of reason be content to be ordered. For
though he himself may take his fancy for a true revelation, yet
since he cannot make us perceive it for such, likewise as he
thinketh himself by his secret commandment bound to follow it, so
must he needs agree that, since it is against the plain open
prohibition of God, we are bound by the plain open precept to keep
him from it.
VINCENT: In this point, uncle, I can go no further. But now, if
he were, on the other hand, perceived to intend his destruction
and go about it with heaviness of heart and thought and
dullness--what way would there be to be used to him then?
ANTHONY: Then would his temptation, as I told you before, be
properly pertaining to our matter, for then would he be in a sore
tribulation and a very perilous.
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