And thence come the manifold foolish
unfaithful words which are so rife in our many mouths: "This world
we know, and the other we know not." And some say in sport (and
think in earnest), "The devil is not so black as he is painted,"
and "Let him be as black as he will, he is no blacker than a crow!"
with many such other foolish fancies of the same sort.
There are some who believe well enough but who, through lewdness of
living, fall out of good hope of salvation. And then I very little
marvel that they are loth to die. Howbeit, some who purpose to mend
and would fain have some time left them longer to bestow somewhat
better, may peradventure be loth to die also forthwith. And albeit
that a very good will gladly to die and to be with God would be, to
my mind, so thankful that it would be well able to purchase as full
remission both of sin and pain as peradventure he would be like to
purchase, if he lived, in many years' penance, yet will I not say
but what such a kind of lothness to die may be approvable before
God.
There are some also who are loth to die, who are yet very glad to
die and long for to be dead.
VINCENT: That would be, uncle, a very strange case!
ANTHONY: The case, I fear me, cousin, falleth not very often. But
yet sometimes it doth, as where there is any man of that good mind
that St.
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