e of our
further merit in our tribulation.

If we saw that we should be within a while driven out of this land,
and fain to fly into another, we would think that a man were mad
who would not be content to forbear his goods here for the while
and send them before him into that land where he saw he should live
all the rest of his life. So may we verily think yet ourselves much
more mad--seeing that we are sure it cannot be long ere we shall be
sent, spite of our teeth, out of this world--if the fear of a
little lack or the love to see our goods here about us and the
lothness to part from them for this little while that we may keep
them here, shall be able to keep us from the sure sending them
before us into the other world. For we may be sure to live there
wealthily with them if we send them thither, or else shortly leave
them here behind us and then stand in great jeopardy there to live
wretches for ever.

VINCENT: In good faith, good uncle, methinketh that concerning the
loss of these outward things, these considerations are so
sufficient comforts, that for mine own part I would methinketh
desire no more, save only grace well to remember them.

XVI

ANTHONY: Much less than this may serve, cousin, with calling and
trusting upon God's help, without which much more than this cannot
serve. But the fervour of the Christian faith so sore fainteth
nowadays and decayeth, coming from hot unto luke-warm and from
luke-warm almost to key-cold, that men must now be fain to lay many
dry sticks to it, as to a fire that is almost out, and use much
blowing at it.

But else I think, by my troth, that unto a warm faithful man one
thing alone, of which we have spoken yet no word, would be comfort
enough in this kind of persecution, against the loss of all his
goods.

VINCENT: What thing may that be, uncle?

ANTHONY: In good faith, cousin, even the bare remembrance of the
poverty that our Saviour willingly suffered for us. For I verily
suppose that if there were a great king who had so tender love for
a servant of his that he had, to help him out of danger, forsaken
and lost all his worldly wealth and royalty and become poor and
needy for his sake, that servant could scantly be found who would
be of such a base unnatural heart that if he himself came afterward
to some substance he would not with better will lose it all again
than shamefully to forsake such a master.

And therefore, as I say, I surely suppose that if we wo