Spiritual Experiences (Buss) n. 1235

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1235. WHAT THE ENDS OF A MAN'S LIFE ARE CAN BE EVIDENT IN DISEASE WHEN DEATH IS IMMINENT Whatever a man loves, that he fears to lose, and therefore in disease when death is imminent, it can especially be known what he has loved, or what have been his ends during his life. Thus if he sought after honors and placed his delight in them, he then very greatly fears death, and on his death-bed he also speaks of the things from which he had delight, so that he does not abstain from these affairs, being still devoted to himself. In like manner also he who places his delight in possessions, gains, and other mundane things has his thought fixed on them, and at the point of death he disposes of them by testament and like means. Whereas he who cares nothing about such matters and regards them as of no account, thinks only of eternal salvation, and esteems other things as utterly valueless and thus not worthy of mention, even though they be the whole world.


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