innocent folk,
who are not so able to do hurt as easy to take harm. Then the laws
that are made against malefactors shall they make, as an old
philosopher said, to be much like unto cobwebs, in which the little
gnats and flies stick still and hang fast, but the great
humble-bees break them and fly quite through. And then the laws
that are made as a buckler in the defence of innocents, those shall
they make serve for a sword to cut and sore wound them with--and
therewith wound they their own souls sorer.

And thus you see, cousin, that of all these outward goods which men
call the goods of fortune, there is never one that, unto those who
long for it not for any godly purpose but only for their worldly
welath, hath any great commodity to the body. And yet are they all,
beside that, very deadly destruction unto the soul.

XIII

VINCENT: Verily, good uncle, this thing is so plainly true that no
man can with any good reason deny it. But I think also, uncle, that
no man will do so. For I see no man who will confess, for very
shame, that he desireth riches, honour, renown, and offices of
authority only for his worldly pleasure. For every man would fain
seem as holy as a horse. And therefore will every man say--and
would it were so believed, too--that he desireth these things,
though for his worldly wealth a little so, yet principally to merit
thereby through doing some good with them.

ANTHONY: This is, cousin, very surely so, that so doth every man
say. But first he who in the desire of these things hath his
respect unto his worldly wealth, as you say, "but a little so," so
much as he himself thinketh but a little, may soon prove a great
deal too much. And many men will say so, too, who have principal
respect unto their worldly commodity, and toward God little or none
at all. And yet they pretend the contrary, and that unto their own
harm. For "God cannot be mocked."

And some peradventure know not well their own affection themselves.
But there lieth more imperfection secretly in their affection than
they themselves are well aware of, which only God beholdeth. And
therefore saith the prophet unto God, "Mine imperfection have thine
eyes beheld." And therefore the prophet prayeth, "From mine hidden
sins cleanse thou me, good Lord."

But now, cousin, this tribulation of the Turk: If he so persecute
us for the faith that those who will forsake their faith shall keep
their goods, and those shall lose their goods who