I Muse very much why Eume­nides commeth hether so sad­ly, hee was woont to be verie merie, as other worldlings as he is, are most commonlie, when (God knoweth) they haue most cause to lament and bee sorrie: but though he liue contrarie to the Rule of a Chri­stian. I will (as charitie willeth me) giue him some godlie and comfortable counsell, (if hee will vtter to me the cause of his sorrow.) Eu­menides, how chanceth it that you are so sad? What aileth you man? Is your wife sick? or any [Page] of your children dead? Or are you robbed or spoyled of any of your goods or treasure? Or haue you had any other worldly misfortune? Hide not thy griefe from me, for though you do not greatly care for my cōpany? yet I assure you, I am much desirous of yours, yea, and I do loue you better then you loue your selfe: for I loue you so wel, that I wish the endlesse life & ioyes, both of your soule and body in the kingdome of heauen: whereas you onely desire the most vaine and short pleasures of your body in earth, A Godly friende. though it tende to your endlesse destruction in the dungeon of hell.

Therefore hide not your griefe from him that loueth you so deerely, and though I am not able to recouer your losse, or amend that is a­misse, yet with my good counsel I hope to com­fort you.

I thanke you for this your vndeserued friendship. Indeede, as you say, the losse of goods, the death of children, the sicknesse of a faithfull and louing wife, and such other worldly calamities, doo make worldly men thoughtfull, and their hearts to be sorrow­ful. But, to say truely, sicknes of wife, death of children, losse of goods, and other worldly calamities should make vs mery and ioyfull in respect of other things, that we make no [Page] account of.

I perceiue now in you a greater altera­tion then euer I did: for euer since I knew you, you haue beene altogither a right worldling, and so accordingly, nothing could make you more sorrowfull then wordly mis-fortunes: and nothing more merry then earthly prosperi­tie: but now it seemeth that you are otherwise changed and minded.

You haue hit the trueth, for I assure you since you last sawe me, I am as cleane turned, as though blacke should be white, and darkenes should be light.

Of this your godly change none is more glad then I: for I haue perswaded you as much as I might to despise worldly pleasures, to be patient in trouble, not to lamēt for world­ly losses, not to mourne for the Godly death of your friends, nor to be carefull for any worldly calamitie: for I haue tolde you many a time and oft, that neither perfite felicitie, not ex­treame misery, are to bee founde in this life: Therefore this your godly alteration maketh me beleeue, that either you haue beene in some godly mans company, or at some learned mans Sermon, which is Gods appointed ordinarie meanes, to win the wicked.

Though I am changed, yet it is not [Page] by any good counsell, nor by any preaching or Sermon, as you suppose, for I neuer ca­red for that company that vsed any vertu­ous talke, or would giue any godly counsel: and as for preachings or sermons, I cared not much for them, mary sometimes (but that was verie seldome) I went to a Ser­mon, VVhy the wicked goe to sermons. rather to seeme obedient to my prince, then for any deuotion to Gods word, and for an hypocriticall shew, then for any desire to learne any goodnesse: which might wel ap­peare by my fruits that do follow. For whē I came home from the Sermon, the least thing contrary to my minde, woulde make me fret and fume, fall out with my wife, or brawle with my seruants, though the prea­cher taught me to be patient: and though I had great and dainty cheere, yet I neuer remembred my poore hungrie brother, nei­ther would I giue him one scrappe thereof: though the preacher threatned me with Di­ues, which therefore went to hell. My gar­ments made me proude, my wealth made me stout, I disdained them that were poo­rer then I, and I enuied the prosperitie of mine enimy, and (to say, the truth) I was ra­ther worse after I had heard the Sermon then I was before. Therfore say what they [Page] listed and preach what they woulde, all my whole minde was still in getting worldly wealth, pampering my bodie, and feeding my fancie, making no account of heauen nor hell, nor of God nor the diuell.

Though you in that case made no ac­count of the diuell: yet doubtlesse, the diuell made some account of you.

Bee sure of that, yet I knowe certainely hee is deceiued, but if God had made no more account of mee then I did of my selfe: the diuell had not bin so deceiued of me as he is, nor I so out of his daunger as I am: for I was in the very high way to hell, & none went faster to the diuel then I: though you & diuers other willed me to for­sake that way, but all that would not serue.

Then who caused you to turne backe again, or to forsake that euill way you walked in.

Who turned S. Paul from going to persecute the saintes.

God, who els?

Euen so it was onely God that cau­sed me to turne out of the way to hel. Ther­fore me thinketh, that they are in a very er­ronious opinion, that affirme they haue Free-will: Free-wil an erronious opinion. yea, and haue power of them­selues to do such good deedes, as may bring [Page] them to heauen: for if Saint Paul and I, had no power to do that euill we pretended, which is our natural inclination: then it is farre vnlike that any should haue Free-wil, or power to do well, which is cleane contra­rie to their naturall disposition.

That is most certaine, for who hath power to awake, when nature constraineth him to sleepe, who can remember all things that he will, and forget nothing? Who hath free will to performe to go to any place and at any time that he will appoint? who hath free will to be healthfull and not to be sicke? or to haue his wits perfitely and neuer to bee made? Or what healthfull man can fast foure or fiue daies, and will not bee hungry? None on the earth I am sure. Now, if we haue not free-will to doo the workes of men and earthly thinges, then howe is it possible that we should haue free-will to doo the woorkes of God or heauenlie things? Marke wel. Therefore I may say that they are ra­ther dolts then Doctors, lewd then well lear­ned: and wicked then wittie, that hold or be­leeue this fonde or ridiculous opinion of the power of mans free-will. But I pray you tel me, (for I am very much desirous to knowe) after, what sort, or by what other meanes hath God changed your minde.

Seeing you are desirous to know, I will not be vnwilling to tell you: it chaun­ced that of late I & a sort of wicked world­lings (that neuer loued God, nor feared the diuell) did sup altogither, where we lacked neither fine fare, daintie dishes, plentie of wine, pleasant musike, nor any thing els that might make vs merry. If you had seene our vnreasonable quaffing, our abhomina­ble talking, and heard our detestable swea­ring, you would haue taken vs for diuels, correspendent to my name, in the likenesse of men. And when we were in the middes of our cups, one of our Minstrelles gaue vs a Song, touching Fasting, Praying, and Almes deeds, and reprooued swearing, drunkennes and other sinnes: but he might haue sunge it to the wall as well as to vs: and then one of my company saide to him that sunge the Song: Sirra, this Song is more meete for a Church then a Ta­uerne, few come to Tauernes to fast, pray, and giue Almes: I meane not, saith hee, to weaken my body with too much fasting, I will eate fast, and drinke fast, and that is the fast that I meane to fast. Then saide an o­ther, I meane not to wast my goods with giuing of Almes, I will not maintaine a [Page] sort of idle knaues & Drabs with my goods, I haue got it my selfe, and why shoulde I not spende it on my selfe? Let the sermon runners and pitifull protestantes releeue them: marry when I am at the point of death, and when I see that I can keepe my goods no longer, perhaps I wil appoint by my will, that some poore folkes shall haue halfe penny dole, or a halfe penny loafe, but surely as long as I liue, they get none. Thē said the thirde, you are not so vnwilling to giue Almes, but I am as vnapt to pray, and (to say truely) what neede a man pray for any thing that lackes nothing: I haue health, wealth, and liberty, what would one haue more? Therefore, if I pray, I should pray for nothing, for I lacke nothing: but what mad man wil pray for nothing, there­fore least I should be counted a mad man, I will not pray at all.

Then said another of our company, Sir­ra, your Song is against drinking, which you call drunkennesse, but I will not leaue driming for al your song: for drinking wel ouer night maketh me to sleepe soundly all the night after, and my sound sleeping ma­keth me haue a good memory. Sir (said the Minstrel) you are happy that such a good [Page] commodity commeth vnto you by drunken­nesse, which you count quaffing or drinking, for I haue bin drunken diuers times, which I fore repent, and thereupon I haue slept soundly: but I could neuer perceiue that it brought me any good memory: For I re­membred not my sinne committed to God through my drunkennesse, which in deed had bin a good memory: for thereby perhappes might haue growne repētance for the same, so that I cannot thinke that any such fruite as good memory is, can grow out of quaf­fing and drunkennesse. Howe like you this Minstrell (said I) hath he not made a good argument against you: I will haue no moe such minstrels in my company, (said he) at my handes therefore he shall fare the worse, and his reward shalbe the lesse. And now let both Ministers and Minstrels say what they will, I will quaffe and drinke whiles I may: mary some say it will make me blind before I am halfe old, but that is no matter: for I were as good drinke mine eyes out while I am aliue, as haue the wormes eate them out when I am deade. Thus euerie one said something in commēding or allow­ing the sinne that he liked and when we had thus wasted the time in surfeiting, too much [Page] drinking, vaine sporting, and sinfull tal­king, to the hurting of our bodies, and mis­pending of our goods, to the euill example of our neighbours, to the griefe of the god­ly, to the daungering of our soules, and to the high displeasing of God, wee euery one tooke our leaue of other. But some (I may say to you) was enforst to be lead home. And so I for my part went to bed, without either knowledging of God, or feeling my sinne, and so more like a bruite beast then the Image of God, I fell a sleepe.

O what a daungerous case were you in? What if you had dyed before you had wa­ked, as many haue doone sodenly? You knowe that no man can repent, vnlesse he knowledge his sinne, neither can any be forgiuen, vnlesse he aske mercie, neither can mercie be graunted without firme faith in Christ, without al which (by your owne saying) you fell a sleepe. I assure you the stoutest man that euer was, neuer ad­uentured himselfe in such a daunger, though he were enforced to fight alone, against ten thou­sand men, and as many monsters, neither was he in such a hazard, if he were of a perfite faith and put his whole trust in God (for he did but aduenture the losse of his short life in this worlde) but you did hazarde the losse of your [Page] euerlasting life in the ioyfull kingdome of hea­uen, therefore it standes vs all vpon, to watch & pray, both at our rising in the morning and in our trauels in the day time; yea, and at night before we fall a sleepe, and then to remember our sinnes past, to bewaile the same, and earnest­ly to aske mercie of God therefore, and firmely to beleeue the forgiuenes thereof, through the death and passion of Christ. He that sleepeth on this pillow, sleepeth safely, though he sleepe not soundly, but he that slepeth on the softest down pillow in the world, without this, he may sleepe soundly, but I am sure he doth not sleepe safely.

You say most truely, and I knowe it most certainly, but if he that sleepeth with out this your precious pillowe one night, be in such daunger, then what danger, haue I beene in, that haue slept without it, I thinke ten thousande nights at least: nay, the most part of all my life, But thankes be to God that hath preserued me from such a maruellous daunger.

Did you rise the next day in your wonted order, and did you follow your former folly?

No, I thanke God, for I had a bridle that did draw me backe: and I had a Bit to chaw on, that made me to stay.

What was that, I beseech you tell me?

Forsooth in my sleepe I fell into a wonderfull strange dreame, which was the occasion of this my sodayne change.

You knowe that for the most parte Dreames are foolish, false, & phantasticall: ther­fore it is not like that, that was the cause.

Though many dreames are so, yet all are not so. For Iosephs dreame (which was the Sonne of Iacob) was neither false or vaine, Gen. 38. neither came of foolish cogitati­ons, nor of vaine imaginations, but it was most true, comming onely of GOD and wrought a maruellous effect: for thereby Ioseph became not onely a figure of Christ: but also was a great safegard to his father and brethren, in the great dearth that did follow, which dearth was reuealed to Io­seph by that dreame.

Yea, hee was a godly man, and there­fore God foreshewed the same to him by a Dreame.

King Pharaos Butler and Baker were heathen or wicked men, Gen. 40. or at the least, farre inferiour to Ioseph in goodnesse, yet they dreamed true dreames, and according to Iosephs interpretation, the Butler was restored into Pharaos fauour, and into his [Page] Office againe, but the Baker was han­ged. King Nabuchadnezer was the ene­mie of God, and hated Gods people: yet he dreamed a true Dreame, which Daniell interpreted vnto him, Dan. [...]. whereof the effect did follow accordingly: for he fed seuen yeares like a beast in the fieldes, vnder the dewe of heauen, and thus God did bring downe the hawty and prowde heart of that great and mightie king, his enemy, to know that hee himselfe was the mightie king of hea­uen and earth, whereby he did humble him­selfe to God, all which was reuealed to him through Gods diuine power & wisedome by a dreame. Also the foure Monarches were reueiled to him by a dreame, interpreted by Daniell: Daniell. 2. now if God hath vouchsafed to shewe true dreames to an heathen, a tirant, a persecutor of his people, a blasphemer of God, and one that despised God, and tooke him not for his God, then why shoulde you doubt, but that God likewise may and hath reueiled vnto me a true dreame that I am baptise a Christian, that take Christ to bee my Sauiour, and confesseth with mouth & heart, God the maker of heauen and earth, though through the instigation of the diuel, I haue denied him in my deedes.

I must needes graunt that you haue spoken wisely and truely, I am glade to heare these woordes come out of your mouth: but marke this one thing: many a one haue drea­med most woonderfull and straunge dreames and seene such things in their sleepe, as it were in visions, that had bene enough to haue made them repent, and to liue godly, but yet for all that they were neuer the beter, nor turned from their wickednesse.

I graunt no lesse, yet that maketh not, that my dreame hath not caused me to turne from my sinne, though some seedes are sowen amonge stones, brambles, high waies, and eaten of birdes wherby they are sowen in vaine, and bring foorth no frute: yet some is cast in good ground, and bring­eth foorth plenty (as this Dreame hath ta­ken roote in me, and wrought this good ef­fect.) Wherefore I would not haue you to doubt my sayings, for that same God that caused Ioseph, the husband of Mary the virgen and mother of Christ, through his Dreame to fly into Egipt, with Christ & his mother, to saue the childes life from the cru­eltie of Herod: he (I say) hath onely enflāed my heart through this dreame, to fly frome any sinne, to saue my soule from the cruelty [Page] of the Diuell and the torments of hell.

Nowe I perceiue that God of his mercifull goodnesse hath drawen you from the Diuell by this dreame. Hee calleth whom hee will, when he will, and by what meanes he wil. But tell me I praye you, were any of your com­panions that did sup with you, mooued to re­pentaunce and amendement of life, as you are? Or had they any such dreame?

Not that I know, but if they had not, I would to God they had: The one of them (as I vnderstand) died sodainely in his bed that same night following, without any token of repentaunce, or once calling vpon God for mercy, & as for y ^e other, they are the same men they were before, as farre as I know, neither are they allured through this my yalteration, nor feared with the so­daine death of the other. Oh how much am I bound to God, that hath culled mee out from among the rest, and hath reuealed to me by such a diuine dreeme, such things as haue made me of the sonne of Satan, the childe of God. He might haue made me to die sodainely as the other did, and caused him that died sodainely, to dreame as I did, if he had would.

That is most true, but it may be that [Page] he that dyed thus sodainely woulde not haue turned to God as you doo, if he had dreamed as you did: therefore God worketh all thinges for the best, according to his heauenly will, and wisedome. He seeth (like the good husband­man) what grounde is apt to bring foorth fruite.

I was as euill grounde as could be, I was more wicked then hee, and if my lo­uing God with the dew of his grace, had not moistned and softened my heart, to make y ^e dreame penetrate into the same, I should haue bin no more turned by my dreame, then the rest are changed through the feare­full and sodaine death of their drunken com­panion.

You speake most truely, what a mar­uellous change is this, A great chaunge. that I now see in you? Yesterday wicked, this day godly: yesterday the childe of the diuell: this day the sonne of God: yesterday as one dead in sinne, this day as one aliue from sinne. But nowe as you tolde mee that you are turned by your Dreame, so I beseech you to tell mee the manner of your Dreame.

Forsooth my dreame was of the di­uell and Diues, Luke 16. that is, of the rich glutton spoken of by Christ. Me thought I saw Di­ues [Page] in great burning flames of fire, making such lamentable mone, that it would haue pittied the hardest heart in the worlde to haue heard him.

Diues the rich glutton, spoken of by Christ in the gospell, is thought (by the iudge­ment of diuers learned men) to be rather a Pa­rable then an Hystorie.

Whether it be a Parable or no Pa­rable, I know not, but my dreame thereof will neuer out of my minde, which as it is very lamentable, so it is to me verie pro­fitable.

What were Diues words I pray you?

Hee saide thus, as followeth: woe worth the time that euer I was borne, woe worth all my goods and riches. I would I had beene the poorest wretch on the earth: for then I should not haue bin drowned in such worldly pleasures as I was: for it was my worldly wealth that wrought all my mischiefe, and brought me to these dole­full and intollerable torments of hell, litle wot they what harme they procure for thē ­selues, that powle so for worldly prosperitie and wealth: for wealth and riches are snares and ginnes to bring men to the Diuell, Then me thought I sawe the diuell most [Page] terrible, not farre from him, saying: Nay Diues, it was not thy wealth, but the wic­ked vsing, or euill spending of thy wealth, that hath brought thee to this.

Oh said Diues, I wanted the grace of God and then howe could I vse my goods well: Then sayd the Deuill, thou prayedst not for the grace of God and then how coul­dest thou haue it: But if thou hadst beene, y ^e most poore & miserable wretch in y ^e world: yet if thou hadst not taken thy pouerty pa­tiently and thankfully, and therewithall de­pended vpon Gods fatherly prouidence and mercy, thou shouldest haue beene in as euill a case as thou art, for riches well vsed is no harme, and pouerty impatiently taken, doth no good.

Then said Diues to the diuell, thou speakest now to me that, whith can doo me no­good, which thou wouldest haue beene lothe I should haue heard, being aliue on the earth, when it might haue doone me good. Then said the diuell to him, it had made no great matter, if thou hadst heard it, for there are nowe on the earth, many wicked world­lings that are both wealthy, proude, and dis­daine full, as thou wast, and that haue more teaching and preching then euer thou [Page] hadst, and yet they are so bewiched with their wealth so puffed vp with their posses­sions, so proude with their gorgious attire, and so drowned in their delicate dishes, that they will not heare it, and if they heare it they quckely forget, and some perhaps prates or prattles of it a litle, but practise it neuer a whit.

Then said Diues, I was once in the case that they are in, but they were best take heede least thy come into the place that I am in, els, marke this. though they haue earthly honour for awhile as I had, they shall haue endlesse horrour in hell as I haue: for graudy geere on earth, they shall haue gnashing of teeth in hell: for vaine same on earth, they shall haue shame in hell: for curtisy and waiting, they shall haue curssednes and wailing, for shorte wealth endlesse want, for fine fare continual famishing, for pleasant perfumes most stincking smels, & for short pleasures on earth, euerlasting paines in hell. Oh if they felt that I feele, they woulde doe as I would doe on earth, if I were there: then said the diuell to him, what wouldest thou doe if thou werte liuing on the earth againe?

Then saide Diues, I woulde to God [Page] that I were there as I was to prooue: for then I would so repent my sinnes, and call to God for his mercie in Christ Iesu, that I would not doubt: nay, I am most assured I should not onely escape this doleful place where I am: but also attaine the endlesse ioyes of heauen: from whence I am nowe excluded for euer. If I were now liuing on the earth, and if I were ten thousand times richer then I was, and might liue ten times longer then I did, knowing that I know, and feeling that I feele, I would so frame my selfe to exercise the scriptures, and to followe the worde of God, that my flesh should not intice me, the world shoulde not allure me, nor all the diuels in hel should de­ceiue me. Then said the diuell, hee were a wily fellow that I could not deceiue, I de­ceiued thy first parents. Adam and Eue in paradise, and caused them to breake Gods commaundement, spoken to them there, then doost thou thinke that I coulde not de­ceiue and allure thee to neglect God and his worde, declared on the earth, if thou were there aliue againe. Many that God plagues on the earth dayly, Promises to God broken. do call and cry vppon God in their tormentes and paine, and doo promise vehemently, that if euer [Page] they recouer or be restored to their health againe, they will turne ouer a newe leafe, they will change their life, and amend their liuing, but when they haue their health as they had before, or be out of paines as they were before, then they are as euill, or worse then they were before. When God hath once serued their turne, they care no more for him, and then they are ruled by me, that could not helpe them: nay, seeke their de­struction.

Then said Diues, though they that God plagues with vehement sicknesse and other paines and torments on the earth, do forget God, and their promise when they be well: either for that they presume too much on Gods mercie, or els forget or beleeue not that there are such euerlasting paines ap­pointed for the wicked, or els assuring themselues to repent, and aske mercie at their death, which is but a very brickle staff to leaue or stay on: yet if I were aliue on the earth, no worldly felicitie should tempt me, no pleasure shuld procure me, no wealth should win me, nor no delicates should draw me, to forget that God, that made all thinges for man, that sent his onely sonne to dye for man, and hath prepared his kingdome [Page] of heauen for man, neither to doo any thing to offende God, or daunger my soule, that flesh and blood through Gods grace, were able to refuse. For it is farre vnlike that they that are aliue on the earth, shoulde bee so earnest, and warie in the way to walke to heauen, or to flie from the way to hell, as I, that haue vtterly lost these euerlasting ioyes of heauen, and that feeles the fierie flames of hell. But when they are heere where I am, then they will lament as I doe and then they woulde giue all the world, (if it were theirs to giue) to bee but one houre aliue on the earth, to repent their sinnes, and to call for Gods mercy in the death of Iesus Christ. But then alas it wil be too late for them, as it is now for me. Oh the greatest paynes on earth is pleasure and ioy, in comparison to the torments of hell. Then said the diuell, and the greatest plea­sure on the earth are extreme tormentes to the ioyes of heauen.

Then saide Diues, why didst thou lose the ioyes that thou hadest. Then the Diuell saide, why did thou lose the ioyes thou mightest haue had: to whom Diues saide, if I had knownes the ioyes of heauen as well as thou didst, and had beene in heauen [Page] as well thou wast, I woulde not haue lost heauen as thou didst: then saide the diuell, I may thanke my pride for it: for if I could haue beene content with my estate, which was too good for me I had remai­ned there still, but I presumed to be high­er, and therefore I was brought lower: for whereas I was the chiefest Angell in Heauen, nowe am I the chiefest diuell in hell. And so haue I lost heauē for hel, where I with al my fellowes that tooke my part, and fel from heauen with me, shal remaine in most extreme and endlesse torments for euer: whereat I tremble and quake. Then said Diues, euen so I by my pride, and wic­kednesse on earth, haue lost God for the di­uell, heauen for hell, and endlesse ioyes for euerlasting paines: but thou wicked Fiend was the cause why our first parent Adam was cast out of Paradise which was the ca­sting away of him and all his seede.

Then saide the diuell, it spighted mee so much that man should haue my roome y ^t I lost, that, wilily and subtily, The enuie and spight of the diuel to man. I entised him to fall, whereby he did not only loose the fa­uour of God, and the ioyes that he prepared for him: but also he & all his seede became the children of wrath and damnation: and so [Page] they shoulde become my companinons in hell. Then said Diues, but God of his mer­cifull goodnesse preuented thy wicked and most enuious drift, in making his onely sonne being God, to become man, who hum­bled him selfe to the death of the Crosse for y ^e redemption of mankind which is a sufficient satisfaction for mans transgression, whereby the godly repentant sinners that beleeue in him shall be saued and clensed from their sinnes, and be counted the Sonnes of God, as though they had neuer sinned, I knowe that too well, saide the Diuell, which is almost as great a griefe vnto me as mine owne fall out of heauen. For, whereas before I thought to haue all mankinde to beare me company in hel: now I shal lacke a great sort of them: but I am glad of one thing, the greater number will bee mine, saide the Diuell: for all the heathen, and worshippers of Idolles, are the children of damnation, liue they neuer so honestly and vertuously in the sight of the world, where­of the most parte of the worlde doth con­sist.

Then saide Diues, that is true, and onely the true and repentaunt Christi­ans, that fauour and loue the Gospell, and [Page] haue all their Faith and hope in Christe, touching their saluation shall be saued, and none els, brag they neuer so much? yea, said the diuell, that is it that maketh mee glad, for a great sort of them that are named Christians, doo liue worse then the heathen, and dye worse then dogs, so that they shall be damned as well as the heathen, whome Christes death can not profite, and there­fore for all Christs-death. Hell will not be emptie, nor heauen will not bee full: nay, Moe shall be damned then saued. hell shall possesse the greater part. That is too true saide Diues (the more to be la­mented) for Christ saith (which is the very truth it selfe, and cannot lie. Matth. 7.) Wide is the gate, and broade is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and manie there be that goe in thereat: but straight is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth vnto life, and fewe there be that finde it. And also be saith: Ma­nie are called, and few be chosen. Whereby it appeareth that there shalbe a far greater number that shalbe damned then saued, of which greater and damned number I am one: woe, woe, to mee therefore: but if I were aliue on the earth againe, but one halfe houre, as I was before (which can not be) I would not doubt, but to be one of [Page] that litle small number, that shoulde enter into heauen: Nay, so that I were aliue a­gaine as I was, A lamenta­ble saying of Diues. I would not care to be all my life, though I liued fiue thousand years, in continuall paynes and tormentes: yea, and if it were possible, to bee all that while as a Log at a fire backe, continually bur­ning without any ease or refreshing one minute of an houre, for that cruell bodilie burning would once haue an end, but this extreme spirituall torment in hell will ne­uer ende. Then the diuell answered him againe: yea, but when thou was on the earth, thou wouldest suffer no paine for Gods sake, thou preparedst so for thy vile and earthly carkasse, that no colde shoulde hurt thee, neither any heate might annoy thee, but thou couldest suffer Lazarus one of thy poore brethren, and mēbers of Christ (without all pittie and compassion) to lie in the streetes, most miserably in the cold, and to perish through hunger. But thou hast gained nothing by it: and he hath lost nothing by it. For hee shall haue euerla­sting ioyes, and thou shalt haue endlesse sorrowes. Therefore now he may be called rich Lazarus, and thou poore Diues. Wo is me, said Diues, therefore, I disdained [Page] him so much, that I thought scorne to looke on him, I esteemed my Dogges bet­ter then him: they were in my fine house, and were fedde from my table, but I suf­fered Lazarus to lye without my gates, and would giue him neuer a whit, O howe pittiles was I, I muse how I could bee so hard hearted, Fie on me wretch, fie on me caitife, would I haue bin contented to haue bin so vsed, if I had bin in his case? No no, I am sure.

Therefore let all earthly persons take heede by me, and do as they would be done vnto, and then they cannot doo amisse, and not to pamper their paunches, but to pittie the poore, nay, to spare from themselues, and to giue it to the poore. O howe many poore might I haue releeued, with that which I haue spent in vaine, and what am I the better nowe for any thing that I did spend on my selfe: Therefore I would to God that I had bestowed al my riches, treasure, and landes, in releeuing the poore, for then I should haue beene repayed at Gods hand hereafter: whatsoeuer is giuen to the poore is lent to the Lorde, What soe­uer is gi­uen to the poore is lēt to God. and hee will repay that truely in the kingdome of heauen, with no small aduauntage. But whatsoeuer [Page] we spend in vayne on our selues, and on the ritch it is lent to the Deuill, and hee will repay vs again in hell with endlesse paines and torments, And for that I haue lent my money to the Deuill, What is lent to the Deuill. I looke to be payd the same at his handes in the euerlasting flames of hell fire.

Oh what a lamentable talke was this of Diues, his wordes doe pearce my heart, his remedelesse case maketh my heart to bleede. Howe happie are we that may be warned by him, but how vnhappie is he that is such a war­ning to vs. He could be content now to be as a fire log to burn a thousand yeeres on the earth, for the loue of Christ, that he might escape the endlesse fire of hell: but now it will not be.

Yea, but I thinke there is not now one among ten thousand, that willing­ly will suffer the paynes of burning one halfe houre for Christs sake to shunne Hel, and thereby to enioy, the endlesse ioyes of heauen. Marke this well.

Well, as there haue bene many that haue bene content to doe so, euen so no doubt there are, and will be many that will doe so, if they be vrg [...] vnto it, but not without the great comfort and [...]ssistance of God. But what fooles are they that [...]use to doe it? These short earth­lye [Page] paynes bring euerlasting ioyes, and these vaine and shorte earthly pleasures bring endles torment and paine. But now goe forward with your dreame I beseech you? For I thinke your dreame did not ende, where I caused you to stay your tale.

No, that it did not, therefore now I will proceede with my dolefull dreame, Diues furthermore sayde, O how hapy are they that are on the earth, for that they haue time to repent, and to liue, godly, to whom the Deuill answered: yea, but how vnhappy are they that will not repent, but liues most abhomiably and wickedly. Then saide Diues, if their hearts were not hardned and their mindes bewitched, they woulde not doe so, they I perceiue make little account of that precious Iewell the Gospell, which teacheth them the high way to Heauen, and so to shune the fiery flames of hell. Oh, if I were a liue againe, it should neuer goe out of my hand. Then said the deuill many cary it in their hands but very fewe in their hearts. Then said Diues, yf they that haue the gospell walke in the way to Hell: then it is impossible for them that know it not, to walke in the way to heauen. But I damned wretch y ^t I am, (if I were [Page] aliue againe as they are) would not onelye dayly read it, Note this. but also in my liuing practise it. Al worldly affaires are vaine in compa­rison to it: for the best that one can bring, is but shorte worldly pleasure: but the other doth bring most heauenly and endlesse ioys. Then sayd y ^e Deuil to Diues, if thou werte on the earth againe aliue as thou wast, yet I doe not beleeue thou wouldst doe as thou saist, thou wouldest play rather as many theeues do that are condemmned to death, which wil promise with vehement othes that if they might haue ther pardons, would liue honestly, ciuilly, and obserue their prin­ces lawes, but when they haue got their pardon, they forget either oth or promise, Theeues forget their promise. and doo fal to theeuing as fast as euer they did. O no, no saide Diues though they are carelesse, when they haue their pardon. yet I would be kareful: for they haue not tasted of y ^e death of their body due for their faulte, as I haue tasted of the death of my soule, due for my sinnes: yea, and if these worldly theeues were as sure to bee cast into prison, and to be hanged for their theift, as I am sure to be cast into the prison of hel, and to hange their in cruel tormen­tes for euer and euer for my offences to God, they I think, would leaue off their [Page] stealing, and would liue honestly and or­derly, as I would cease from vice and wic­keddesse, and liue vertuously and godly.

Truely, this your talke maketh my heart to morne for the case of Diues that is without all hope of remedy, therefore it stan­deth vs greatly vpon to liue warily and vertu­ously in this life, where the time and place is of the amendement of our liues, and the hope of our saluation.

You say true, But howe much am I bound vnto God, that of his meere mercy hath called me to repentaunce and amende­ment of lyfe, by this doleful Dreame of Diues whereby I shal not onely auoyde (through Christ my sauiour) the Dungeon of hell, but also enioy the endlesse and vn­speakable ioyes of heauen. And now mark me wel for I will goe forwarde with my dreame where I left, Oh sayd Diues, if I might liue on the earth agayne, as I can­not, I would be humble of body, and meeke of minde, as I was not, I woulde speake gentle and mildly, and then as Christ saith, I should be happie and blessed.

Yea, saide the Deuil, but because thou wast proude in thy apparell, Good to be humble. and hawtie of minde, and disdayned thy poore brother La­zarus, [Page] now thou accurst and vnhappy, and shalt dwell with mee for euer in the fierie flames of Hell. Then said Diues there is no remedy, I must needes doe so, woe bee to me therefore.

Oh, if I were aliue on the earth againe, sayd Diues as I was, I would be merci­full, Good to be merciful. and then I should obtaine mercy, and so I should be happye and blessed. Then sayde the Diuill, but because thou wast a mercilesse wretch, thinking all to little for thine owne backe and bellye, and fared dili­ciously, and was clothed sumtuously, suffe­ring poore Lazarus the member of thy christ to dye at thy Gate for wante of foode, (who had to little, thou to much of which thy too much, if he had had but a little, his life might haue beene saued, and thou the more healthfull,) therefore thou accurssed and exempt from the prescence of GOD, and shalt dwell in my companie and my fel­low deuiles for euer. How saist thou diues? hath not thy mercilesse minde, thy aboun­daunce of fine fare, thy proud apparell, and thy greate riches and welth, brought thee into a good case? Then sayd Diues, if these greedy, pittiles, and mercilesse rich men now on the earth knew my case, vnlesse the [Page] Deuill were on them, they woulde auoide my case. Then sayd the Diuell, I am not onely on them, but with them, and in them, nay, they are as thou thoughtst thy brethren were, they must haue one come from hel, to tell them newes that thou art heere, or els they will not beleeue. For I haue so harde­ned their hearts, that they will not beleeue it, though one should come out of Hel to tel them thereof. For though Christ had come downe from the crosse, at the wicked Iewes commandement, yet they would haue be­leeued in him neuer the more. Thy case is preached vnto them dayly out of the Gospel, but they are no more sterred thereat, then a milstone is mooued with a blaste of ones mouth. For when these rich gluttons come from the Sermon, wherein the preacher dooth threate them with thy being in hel, for thy vnmercifulnesse to poore Lazarus, and thundring out vnto them, that if they bee not mercifull to their poore Brethren, and releeue theire needy necessity, they shal with out all doubt bee companions with thee in hell: they for all that, doe goe shrinking a­way, or looking disdainfully on their poore, naked, and hungry brethren, without giuing them one penne or any mercifull or com­fortable [Page] wordes, or causing any reliefe at al to be prepared for them: Which makes me hope verely, that I shal haue them here in hel with thee ere it be long.

Then sayde Diues, Oh, but if I were in their place and case, I woulde make no ac­count of any thing that I shoulde haue: al my minde shoulde be in shewing mercy and pittie, to the needie. For Christ at the last day, Mercy and pitty most necessary. when hee shal come to iudge them and vs al, wil say: Come my blessed to the king­dome prepared for you from the beginning: for when I was hungry yee gaue me meate, Mart. 25. when I was thirstie ye gaue me drinke, when I was naked, you clothed me, &c. Hee wil not say, you had ritche furred gownes vpon your backes, you had goodly gold Chaines about your neckes, and you had riche hou­ses, and costly buildings, and so because you were riche on earch, I wil make you richer in heauen. No, no, it is not money, but mer­cy, not pride, but pittie, not lofttnesse, but loue, nor gay clothes, but charitie, that then wil serue their turne. For if honour, wealthe, costly building, riche attire, and dainty feeding, would haue brought men to heauen, I should not haue gone to hel, for I lackt none of all that. Nay patient pouertie [Page] is the thing rather through Christ wyl doe it, as may appeare by poore Lazarus, which hath the most greatest pleasure, and ritchest treasurs that can be wished or desired.

Diues said most truely herein which he knoweth too well by proofe, as as these riche, greedy, and wicked worldlings shall feele themselues in hell hereafter, if they bee not more mercyfull to the poore then they bee, and haue a greater care for them, then they haue. But they are so drowned in wealth, that they had rather die, then to giue any parte thereof to any good or godly vse.

Yea, but when their abusing mispen­ding, or hourding of their riches shal drown them in hel with Diues, and when they shal be tormented with the deuils in y ^e fire flams of hel for euer: then they wil crie out of their ritches, then they wil lament the mispen­ding of their goodes, and then they will re­pent that they hourded their goods, and that they kept it from the poore, as Diues did. But now I wil goe on with my doleful dreame: then said the Deuil to Diues, La­zarus hath gotte for shorte paines, endles pleasure: but thou (for thy short plesure) hast got endles paine, they that are on the earth, may auoide these thy paines [Page] if they will, for they are yet in the place of repentaunce and mercie: but thou canst not if thou wouldest, for thou art out of the place of repentaunce and mercy.

To whom Diues aunswered, the more doulful is my case. Oh, what bewiched fools are these wicked rich men, VVicked rich men bewiched fooles. that so little re­gard their vtter distruction of both body and soule. If I were on the earth againe as they are, I wold goe from house to house to releeue the poore, I would feede the hungrie prisoners, and would releue them that are in misery, according to my power. I would not banquet the rich nor feede the flatterers, but the most poore and miserable. wretches. The poore are the best guestes. Yea, the lame, the blinde, and the sore, that lye in the streets, I woulde sende for, and they should be my guests, and they should fedde on my foode, and if my rich neighbours disdained me for it, yet Christe that is richer then they, would not mislike me for it. My purse should neuer be shutte from the poore, and I would alwayes bee ready to lende to the needy, and I woulde be most glad, that I had it to serue theyre turne, when they lacked, for that would bee the next way to make God to serue my turn when I lake: if one were promised to bee [...] [Page] a duke and to haue a Dukes honour and li­uing, at y ^e end of two yeeres, would he think much to giue Cockleshelles, Oystershelles, or stones, to them that did aske him, during that time (especially if the not giuing thereof would make him loose his duke­dome,) I thinke not, nay, hee would haue such a reioysing in y ^e Dukedome, y ^t he should haue at y ^e two yeers end y ^t he would little re­gard Cockleshelles, Oistershelles or stones.

Then what fooles and noddies are they, The fond­nes or folly of world­lings. that will refuse to giue in this short life to them that lacke. Syluer Gold, Iewels, or other their worldly goods, seeing they are promised the endlesse ioyes, and king­dome of heauen: the not giuing whereof may make them loose that worthy king­dome, which Siluer and Gold of theirs, is more vile without comparison to the endles kingdome of heauen, then Cockle-shelles, or stones, are to an earthly dukedome.

Therefore I should, (and so would they if they were wise) haue such a ioy and plea­sure, that I should haue such an endlesse and ioyfull kingdome, that I should regard the giuing of my siluer and golde, no more to euery one that should aske me: then these rich earthly worldlings do now regard or [Page] esteeme cockle-shels, oistershels, or little peeble stones, in respect of a dukedome.

A small re­gard of the rich to the poore.Then saide the diuell, I must needes grant that many haue proud hearts, stately countenances, and mercilesse mindes: for if a cockleshel, or little stone would doo a poore blind or lame man pleasure, that sits by the way as they go, they would not once stoope to giue them one of them, nor yet stay one step therefore.

Then said Diues, yea, but (perhappes) they will stay and stoope to a gawdie and vaine woman, whome God doth detest for her pride, and giue her some Iewel or o­ther thing, worth no small peece of money, yea, and that vnrequested, and though they disdaine to stoope for a cockleshell, to giue the poore, yet (perhaps) they wil not thinke much, friendly to imbrace a flatte­ring varlet, yea, and to giue them three or foure peeces of Gold, that shall priuily vn­dermine them, and seeke their spoile and ouerthrow, and though they thinke scorne to stay and stoope for a little stone, to deli­uer to the poore, if it would doo them good: yet (perhappes) they will not onely stoope and stay to some noble man or other, but al­so giue them, if they wil take it, an hundreth [Page] or two hundreth pounds, to put a poore man out of his Farme, thereby to vndoo him, his, wi [...]e and children. And if these wic­ked and stately worldlings will not stay or stoupe to take vp an oistershel for the poore (if it would do them good) yet perhaps they wil both stoupe and stay to Lawiers, and fee them largely, to plead against the truth, to hinder the poore mans cause, yea, and to bribe the Iudges (if they wil be bribed) to stande against a true matter, or to de­lay Iudgement of the same, when it is plainly proued on the poore mans side.

Then saide the diuel, I like both such giuers and takers, I hope verely to haue them in my kingdome of hell, and then the one wil wish they had bestowed their gifts better, and the other wil wish to haue refu­sed the giftes.

Then saide Diues, they wil so, I war­rant them, if they once come where I am: If I were nowe a Land-lord on the earth (said Diues) as I haue bin, I would not racke my rents, or take such fines, as some Land-lords do, that now dwel on the earth, for all the good in the world.

I thinke when Diues liued, there was no such racking of rentes, nor taking of [Page] fines as bee nowe, if there were any at all: for some so racke their rentes nowe, The pitiful case of te­nants tho­row fines & racking of rents. that the te­nants are not able to keepe hospitallitie, nor re­leeue the poore as they were wont, and their fines are so great, that they are constrained to sell their stocke, which should be the mainte­nance of their Farme, that during their whole lease, they are not able to recouer the same, and so at the last, when their lease is expired, they are thrust out of their Farme, for that they are not able to paye a newe fine for their Farme, and so diuers of them, their wiues, and their children, liue very poorely, or are driuen to begge.

Yea, and what doo these proud and greedie cormorantes with their racked rentes, and their vnmercifull fines, where­by they impourish their tenants? They consume it in excessiue fare, in proud and sumptuous apparell, in playing at Cardes, Dice or other games, and in other worldly vanities: and whether will all this vaine spending thereof leade them? Forsooth to the dolefull dungeon of hell, where Diues is, out of which they can neuer get out, (if they be once in) and then they will cry out, that euer they tooke such rentes or fines. For if they liue as wickedly as Diues did, [Page] and vndoo their tenants, by racking their rentes and excessiue fines, more then euer Diues did: then vnlesse they speedily re­pent, how can they auoid the endlesse fierie flames of hell, where Diues is?

I pray you tell mee what the diuell said to Diues, when he had said, that he would not racke his rents, nor take such fines of his te­nants, for all the good in the worlde, as some Land-lords doo.

Forsooth the diuel then said, no more would they, if they knewe the gaines they should haue thereby, and the place that it will bring them vnto: but I will say this one thing to them, said the diuell, I will be better to them then they are to their te­nants, for where as they will not let a litle Farme to their tenants, for xxi. yeeres, without a great rent, and an vnreasonable sine: The libera­litie of the diuell. I will giue them a whole kingdome (my kingdome of hell) to be their owne in­heritance for euer, without paying any rent or fine at all.

Then saide Diues, woe woorth these rackt rentes, and vnreasonable fines, that shall purchase such a kingdome, I would to God I might change my estate of that kingdome, with the most vilest and basest [Page] Cotage on the earth. When they come hi­ther, they will crie out and say, woe worth the time that euer we had lands or liuing, woe worth the time that euer we rackt our Tenants or tooke such fines to impoue­rish them, Marke well. woe worth the time that euer we were so greedy of money, and wo worth the time that euer wee consumed the same in gluttonous and excessiue fare, in proud and sumptuous apparell, in playing at Dice, Cardes, or other games, and other world­ly vanities: wo be to the time that we made our sonnes rich, by making tenants poore. But cursed be the time, that we haue made our sonnes Lordes and Gentlemen on the earth, with the euerlasting damnation of our owne bodies and soules in hell. That Prouerbe may bee truely verified in vs, which is, Happie is that childe, whose father goeth to the diuell. This will be their song, when they do come hither, but thē they shal be without remedy as I am.

Then saide the diuell to Diues, I will make so much on them, when they be here in hell with mee, that I will not let them go from hence. And those fine fellowes that are in their furs, and these minsing myni­ons, that swim in their silkes, and these lofty [Page] lookes that cannot see the poore as they go, and that will not once stoupe for a litle stone to giue to the poore, if it might doo them any good, much lesse wil stoupe to put their hands into their purse, and to giue thē a piece of Golde, (such small account they make of heauen, and such haste they make to hell) and yet they will not sticke both to stoope and stay to Lawiers, and to fee them largely with golde, to pleade against the truth, or to hinder the poore mans cause: yea, and to bribe the Iudges (if they wil be bribed) to stande against a true matter, or to delay iudgement of the same, when it is prooued: they, I say, thereby shall pur­chase a hote kingdome for euer, with me in hell, where they shall burne continually in fierie flames, and whereas, they were loth to stay a minute of an houre to giue one penny to releeue their poore brother: they shall then for al their Iolytie, A sore say­ing. stay with mee in hell for euer and euer world without end, and shall not haue one droppe of water to quench their thirst, though they cry and cal for it neuer so much. This wilbe their gain for their ouer-looking and disdaining of the poore, and for their haste-making, and their vnmerciful dealing with the poore. I think [Page] they shall not get so much good by the one, as they shall get harme by the other. And as for these Lawiers that take such fees, for defending of wrong, Lawiers that take fees to de­fend wrong and the hinderance of right, they shall get neuer a Lawier for any thing at the last day, that shall pleade on their side. But their Gold and their Sil­uer, wherewith they were so fedde, shall pleade truely against them, whereby they shall iustly be condemned to my dungeon of hell, there to remaine with me in vnquench­able fire for euer, (except they repent and amende) and then may they not thinke, that, that was good Gold, and sweete fees, that hath brought them to such a place. And these Iudges that will bee bribed, A sore say­ing against bribed Iudges. or defende a false matter, shall be sure at the last day, to haue such a true and vpright Iudge, that will not be bribed by any meanes, and that will iudge them so vprightly, against whome their owne oath shall rise, and bee a witnesse, that they shall be condemned to remaine with me in hell fire for euer: and whereas they delay iudgement of true cau­ses founde before them, whereby the par­ties are deferred of their right, or thereby for want of execution, obtaine not their right: yet Christ will bee such a Iudge at [Page] the last day, that they shall haue their iudge­ment by and by, without any deferring ther­of, whereby presently they shall haue exe­cution, in the horrible flames of hel fire for euer, and so they shall neither be kept from their due, nor deferred of their right, as they haue done to the poore on the earth.

Then saide Diues, Ah, woe be to these Fees, and bribes, that shall bring them to such a dolefull place, where repentance wil not serue, nor mercie can be had. There­fore such wicked Lawiers, Good coū sell for Lawiers & Iudges. were best to leaue taking of such Fees, and to pleade in true causes: yea, and rather to helpe poore men, in their true suites, without Fees, (wherfore, they shal haue richer Fees, then any on the earth can giue them:) and such Iudges were best, to leaue taking of bribes, and not to defend or maintaine false causes, and not to deferre iudgement to the hinde­ring of iust execution, or to auoyde thereby any from their right: no, not for feare or friendship of any, bee they neuer so great (vnlesse they be greater then God, A good warning. or can do more for them then Christ:) but to repent these their diuellish dealings, whiles they are aliue on the earth, least they come in this doleful dungeon of hel, wherein I am, [Page] where is nothing but crying, yelling, mour­ning, and weeping, & gnawing, and gnash­ing of teeth, not for an houre or two, not for a day, nor a weeke: no, nor a moneth, nor a yeare, nor yet a thousand, nor for ten thou­sand yeares, but euen for euer & euer world without end: which to me damned wretch that I am, is most dolefull and horrible, be­cause I am in endlesse torments, without any mercie to be had: but to them that are yet on earth, that may auoide it by repen­tance, a godly warning.

Oh these words doo pearce my heart, if I were a Lawier, these fearefull wordes, that now I haue heard of you, would make me feare­full in taking of fees, either of the rich, least I should pleade therefore in wrong causes, or of the poorer sort, that are wronged or oppressed, least I shoulde not deserue my fees. Yet there haue bin, and are Lawiers (as it is thought) so greedy of gold, Euill con­scienced Lawiers. and so carelesse howe they get it, that will take a peece of golde or two, to pleade their Cliants cause, but when the time commeth, they neither come to the barre, nei­ther speake one word in their Clients cause, but are occupied in an other place for some other, that belike hath giuen them greater fees. Sure­ly, such Lawiers goe about to sell their soules [Page] to the diuell for gold. But it may be, that these Lawiers are so busie in an other of their Clients cause, who receiued them first, the matter be­ing doubtfull and intricate, that they cannot haue time to speake in their other Clients cause, and so they wil giue their Client the gold again, they had on him.

It may bee so, but I can hardly be­leeue it, you shall take fewe Lawiers with that fault: for many of them are so greedie of gold, that they keepe all fast that they fin­ger, and it is hard to get that from thē that they haue receiued: but if they should repay their gold to their Client, yet the case might stand so, that that were not enough, for sup­pose that then were the very peremptorie day, for the trying of his Clients cause, and the partie through pouertie had no moe Lawiers to pleade his cause, but he, and so through his Lawiers absence the matter might goe against him: then the poore man should vndoo himselfe, with giuing of his owne golde. And therefore it is not e­nough, alwayes for the Lawiers to giue the fees hee hath receiued, againe to his Client.

Then it is too much for a Lawier to receiue golde or double fees, of two or three, [Page] and neuer come to the Barre, and speake neuer a word for any of them.

It is not too much for such Lawiers as meane to goe to the diuell, for the more they take, and the lesse they doo for it, the better dooth the diuell like them, and the more willingly into hell hee will receiue them, and when they are once there, they wil say that they are the deerest fees that euer they tooke. But if the Lawiers would take but one fee on a day, which were enough before God, (especially, according as the fees are, that some do take) then they should bee sure to pleade for their Client, and so they should not neede to wearie themselues, and runne from Barre to Barre, and from Court to court, but thereby shoulde deserue their fees, or do their worldly duty for their fees. Marke this well. Many a poore man, that labours ten times as much as they in a day: (yea, and that with the sweate of their bodie and browes,) are well content with two grortes for their whole dayes worke, whereas some greedy Lawiers, though they haue two Roials for two houres pleading, think they haue not sped very well: yet, if one of these poore labourers, should take wages of two or three men, to worke with them all in one [...] [Page] and worke with none of them, but one (as iustly, they cannot,) they that hee thus de­ceiued, perhaps would cause him to bee set by the heeles, although he might perhaps) serue all their turnes well enough after­wardes, but if one Lawier, that hath great aboundance, and is too rich, do take fees of two or three seuerall persons in one mor­ning, more then hee is able to pleade for, whereby their Clients may happily be vn­done, as is before said, they may not be im­portunate on them to haue their fees a­gaine, nor yet may exclaime of them there­fore: for if they doo, they may chance be cast in prison for their labour, or for asking their owne. But such Lawiers that robbeth thus their poore Clients, as though it were by authoritie, without repentance, and Gods great mercie shall bee vtterly spoiled of the glorious kingdome of Heauen, and shall be throwne into the euerlasting prison of hell, where Diues is, whose damnable estate is most dolefull, as I haue tolde you before.

Is your Dreame ended, or haue you any more to say therein?

Yea, that I haue, therefore mark me well: Diues said further, if I were on the [Page] earth againe, as I was: I would doo all that I could, to make enimies friends, and where men were most at debate and con­tention, I woulde endeuour my selfe to set them at concorde and quietnesse: for Christ saide, Matth. 5. Blessed bee the pearce-ma­kers, for they shall be called the children of God. And so I should be blessed, and the child of God.

Then said the diuell to Diues, if Peace-makers be the children of God, then peace-breakers must needes be the children of the Diuell, Peace brea­kers the children of the diuell. and so I am sure, I haue moe children then GOD hath: for there are more peace-breakers, then peace-makers. A great rable there is on the earth, that if they see two loue faithfully, then either for spight, and enuie, or els to picke a thank or to get some rewarde or gifte, will in­uent such spightfull tales, that the one of them shoulde speake against the other, that they will set them togither by the eares, and so make them greater enimies, then euer they were friends: and so these peace-breakers, are not onely become my deere and louing children: but also these two friendes that were before in peace, and the children of God, are become my deere [Page] darlings, and the curssed children of the di­uell: and for their peace-breaking and con­tention & strife, though God forsake them, yet I will not refuse them, but they shall dwell with thee Diues, and me, in my fierie kingdome of hell for euer, and that is long enough: yea, and these lustie Cutters, Lustie cut­ters and fighters. that for euery trifling quarrell, standing so in their reputatiō of their manhood, wil make fraies, fight and kill: (yea, though they be killed or hanged for their labour) are my Curssed, Deere, and louing children (vn­lesse that fighters be peace-makers) & they shall dwell with mee for euer in the fierie flames of hell, if they proceede on as they do, and there I wil tame them wel enough, though nowe on the earth, they be lusty and liuely Laddes.

Then saide Diues, it is a straung mat­ter, that they will aduenture so desperate­ly, to obtaine the terrible torments of Hel, but they will not aduenture their life: nay, haue their finger feele the fire for Christs sake, there by to inherite the endlesse ioyes of the kingdome of heauen. Marke what fonde fooles these fighters bee, though they neither kill nor be killed, nei­ther yet bee hurt or maymed, yet they [Page] are Peace-breakers, and are in hatred with their brother, Marke the fondnes of fighters & what gaine they get. and so they are accursed, and are become the Children of the diuel, whose estate is most miserable, horrible, and ter­rible: but if they be killed, their spight­full minde hath made them loose their life, which they esteemed aboue any earthlie treasure, but if they died vnrepentantlie (which in their furious fighting is to bee feared,) then their enuious minde hath wrought the death, both of their bodie and soule for euer, in the fierie flames of hell fire.

And if they doo kill their enemie with whom they fight, than they are in daunger of hanging, and so they shall loose their life, which is their greatest earthly treasure, for satisfying their spightfull and enuious mind one halfe houre: but in that he hath fought, being therby a peace-breaker, he is become the cursed childe of the diuell, and if hee repent not, and call not to God for mercie, then shall the bee damned for euer in the bottomlesse pit of hell, with me and the diuelles for euer. And if either chance too, to be wounded or maimed, then the pleasure of their short fighting, will not counter­uaile the long griefe, or sorrow of their hurt. [Page] Therefore, what fooles are these enuious and lusty fighters, that for so smale pleasu­res: nay, rather a deuilish satisfying of their wicked minde, will hazard themselues into such a daunger.

Then said the deuill, I set them on, I tickle them to it, and I set one or other to whisper in their eare, saying: sir, you are a lusty gentleman, you are counted a man of your hands, if you suffer this, you wil neuer be wel though of, therefore, if I were in your case, I would not put it vp thus: and and then the other is on a fire, vntill he be a fighting: and so many giues wages & gifts, to set themselues forward to the deuill. And thus both peace-breakers and such sigh­ters, I account as mine own accursed chil­dren, but if they once dye in their peace-breaking trade, and in their enuious and furious minde: then they are my children in deede for euer, and they shall neuer goe out of my kingdome, nor company. Then sayd Diues, woe be to them, if they once come to thy kingdome and company, if I were in the worlde agayne as I was, I would by Gods grace, suffer all iniuries, To suffer iniury is a blessed thing. and neuer resist them, doe what they would: whereby I should be y ^e blessed child of God [Page] and so enioy the euerlasting ioyes of heauen. Which suffrings, were they a whole thou­sand yeeres, are farre vnworthy thereof, whereas if I should reuengs mine owne wrongs, & beare mallice and spight, though they bee my mortall enimies, God woulde cease to reuenge my cause: for hee wyll re­uenge no causes, but such as are committed to him, then I shoulde be a peace-breaker, and so become the cursed childe of the diuel, as I am alredy. Therfore, most happy are they that suffer wronge, and are patient in Christe, for they shal enioy the kingdome of Heauen.

A woefull thing it is to walke in the way to hell, as it may appeare by Diues, where­in such furious Fighters, Quarrellers, Peace-breakers, enuious persons, and breeders of strife, and contention, doo walke: yea, and are in greate daunger thereof. For if they that say, Thou foole, are in the danger of hell fier, then they must needes bee in greate daunger of hell that kill men, Matt. 5. that are so enuious, that desire the destruction of their neighbor, and that are Peace-breakers, and other such mischieuous & malicious persons.

In-deede you say true, but what say you to them, that thinke there is no hel: [Page] nay, that say there is no hell?

Forsooth, I say, it is to be feared that such shall feele that there is a hell: what doo they not thinke there is a Christe, that said there is a hell? or doo they think that Christ did not make mention in the Gospell, of hell? or doo they thinke that he lied, when he spake of hell? If they search the Gospell, they shall finde ma­ny places that make mention of hell. And in the same Chapter, where he saith they shalbe in daunger of hell fier, that say. Thou foole, hee maketh mention twise of hell, saying: Matt. 5. It is better for thee that one of thy members perish, then that thy whole body shoulde be cast into hell. And likewise immediatly in the same place, he saith the like wordes. So that no wise mand will thinke, that Christ would haue made mention of hell thrise in one chap­ter, vnlesse that there had beene a hell. They may as well say, there is neuer a heauen, as to say, there is neuer a hell, Hel menti­oned thrsie in one chap by Christ, prooueth that there is a hell. and they may as well affirme there is neuer a diuell. And I feare such thinke thare is neuer a God: for if there be ne­uer a hell, there is neuer a heauen, and if there be neuer a diuell, there is neuer a God, for the Gospell maketh mension of them all. Indeede, such by their liuing, shewe, that there is neither [Page] God nor deuill. Heauen nor hell, but let such take heede by dolefull Diues, and repent and a­mend their life whilee they are lining, or els at length they shall feele with Diues, that there is a hel, when their ore burning in the fiery flames thereof, out of which tormentes they shall ne­uer get, doe what they can. I metuaile what deuill should moue them to say or thinke there is neuer a hell: seeing Christ, which cannot lye, hath made so oft mention thereof in the Gos­pell. But suppose there were no hell (as euery good christian doth beleeue there is one) what harme were it to thinke there were a Hell, nay, no harme but good would come thereof: for the feare of hell, Marke this well. though there were none, might cause vs to shunne that euill, that otherwise we should doe, and to make vs doe well: but bee­ing a hell, and we thinking there were none we might thereby without feare worke that mis­cheefe and wickednesse, which we perhappes would shunne, if we thought there were a hell, Therefore it is a great deale better to thinke there is a hell, (though there were none) then to thinke there is no hell, though there bee one, nay, seeing there is one. For by the one wee could haue no harme: but by the other wee might run headlong into hell, as they do, I feare that say there is no hell.

There are many such one earth, (that count themselues christians) that be­leue (as I thinke) that there is no hel or els at least no such hel wherin are such terrible tormēts as are mentioned in the scripture: wherof I may think that deuillish scoffer to be one, that tested at a godly preacher for threatning the people with hell fire for their wicked liuing, who said: The Preacher prattles much of hell, A wicked saying of a naughty man. I maruell Who shal make the fier in hell.

O Lord tht euer there should bee any such vile wrtches on the earth, it is mer­uaile (but that the mercy of God is so greate) that they sinke not where they so mocke and iest at the Preacher, and the holy Gospell of Christ. But I can tell him this that sayd so, who soeuer shalbe makers of the fire, in hell, hee, and such as hee is, (if they repente not in time) are lyke to bee the brandes that the fire shall burne one in hell. The Lorde keepe them from it: but now I praye you, haue you any more of your dreame to declare.

I haue not yet doone: Diues then did say lamentably, Oh, if I might dwell a­gaine on the earth (as I cannot) I woulde haue such a regarde to the sayings of Christ [Page] that I would neuer swere, nor once to take the name of God in vaine, for he is so ful of maiesty, and his name so holy, that they can not be but the great enimies of God, Swearers the enimes of God. and no regarders of him, that wil name hym vainely, or speake of him without iust occa­sion. Neither woulde I bee a drunkard, Drunkards turned frō the image of God, to the childrē of the Di­uell. or drinke excessiuely, whereby I shoulde bee without sence and reason, far worse then brute beasts, and so I should transforme my selfe from the image, and childe of God, to the Image and child of the diuel. Neither woulde I committe adultrie, or ioyne my selfe to strange flesh, for then I should dis­sposes my selfe of the kingdome of heauen, and insteede thereof obtaine the dungeon of hel, as al ready I haue done.

Oh how curssed and wretched are they that polute and defile their bodies with ad­ultry, whoredome, and fornication? For whereas the Godly and chaste personnes, are the temple of the holy Ghoste (for there it pleaseth his God head to rest and dwell) the wicked fornicatours, aduouterers, Fornica­tors and aduouterers, the diuels chappell where hee rousteth, and whoremongers, are the Church or Chap­pell of the Diuell, in whome it lyketh that foule fiende to rowst and inhabite, and so all whores, harlots, and aduouterers, [Page] through their vile and moste wicked lust, are become the Temple of the diuell, and so at the last (without earnest repentaunce, and the greate mercy of GOD) the dole­ful dungon of hel, shalbe their dwelling place. Then sayd the Diuel. yea, and when they come theither, they shal paye ful deerly for theire swearing, dronkenesse and ad­uoutry, or whoredome. Marke this These three vices are so frequented on the earth, that they are scantly, thought to bee sinnes: for swearing is counted the liuely grece of a Gentleman drunkennes, good feloshippe, and whore­dome or aduoutry, a sweete solace but whē they are once in my kingdome of hel, there theire swearing grace wil bee turned into gnashing of the teeth, their drunken fello­ship into an vnquenchable drought, and their swet aduouterous solace, into an endles sour sorrowe. Then saide diues, Oh howe happy are they that are yet in that place, where they maye repente and forsake these their vyle and detestable sinnes: but howe vnhappye are they, if they dye vnrepen­taunte, and bee throwen into hel through their sayd detestable sinnes.

This is a fearefull talke concerning swearers, drunkardes, and aduouterers, that was [Page] betweene the deuill and Diues. But proceed I beseech you in your dreame.

Then Diues sayd with many a heuy sigh and grone, if I were aliue againe on the earth, as I was once, if any sued mee wrongfully in the Law, I would rather let them enioy al quietly, then impatiently to to withstand thē, for my patient losse would gaine me more ritches in the kingdome of heauen after my life, Wrong suf­fered pati­ently brin­geth greate gainh. then their wroung gotten goods of mine, would pleasure them on the earth, whiles they were aliue. Nay, whereas my patient suffering of the losse of my goods, hauing faith in Christ, would make me possesse the glorious kingdome of Heauen: their wroungful hauing of my Landes or goodes, woulde make them pos­sesse the horrible dungeon of hell. And so I should haue to great a recompence for my goodes that I lost, but they should haue but a homely gaine for withholding my goodes wrongfullie from me, (vnlesse the endlesse tormentes) of hel may bee thought to bee a good gaine?)

Then said the diuell to Diues, many thou­sands most wrongfully are spoiled of their right, of the rich oppressors by their Lawe, as they vse it, which the poore oppressed do [Page] suffer, not very patiently, but by patience perforce: for the law on the earth is ended by the weight of the purse, not by the truth of the cause, The lawe ended by the weight of the purse not by the truth of the cause. and because the ritch haue the heauier purse the matter goeth most com­monly on their side, though it bee neuer so wrong: yea, and that wil not be long a do­ing.

For let a poore man and a ritch man go to Law together, y ^e matter wil not be long a trying, but wil be quickly ended, because the one hath money at wil, and the other hath little or non to fee or feede the Law­iers, nor to pay the fees of the Courts: but let two ritch cobes sue one another in the Law, and let the case, be like to the poore and ritch mans case, it may chaunce be a do­zen yeere or more, are their matter bee tried and ended. Thus it is plaine that money makes a good matter.

But this I wil say vnto these my deere children that opres the poore on the earth at the last and terrible day of iudgment wher­at I quake euer when I thinke on it, as they should doo if they were wise) the poore and the rich, shal stand al before the righteous Iudge Christ, and there shal neede no mo­ney, neither for the poore nor ritch: and ther [Page] the poore, if his matter bee right (though he haue no money) shal be quickly dispatcht, Hel fire the gaine of the oppres­sours of the poore. and bee iudged to enter into the kingdome of heauen straight way, and the rich, if their matter bee wrong, for all theyr oppression and wronge gotten goodes, shall quickly be dispatcht, and bee iudged to enter into hell, there to remaine in fierye flames for euer.

And then they shall see what a gaine they haue got, by spoiling & opressing the poore, or any other.

Then said Diues, I know their gaine wil not bee greater, a wo is me that I knew it so well. But if I were now on the earth feeling, Diues gy­ueth good counsel to oppressors & wrongfull withhol­ders. that I feele, if I had opprest any or with-holden their liuing from them wrong­fully, I would with all speede restore it vn­to them againe, yea, and recompence them foure foulde, for the wronge I had done vn­to them: yea, and meekely aske them for­giuenesse on my knees, being most glad that I were ridde of such a burthen as wold weigh me downe to hell.

Then saide the Diuell to him, yea, but many of my deere darlinges and children that now doo oppresse the widowes, Father­les, and other freendlesse on the earth, and these sonnes that spoile their owne louing [Page] mothers of their liuinges, are farre from this minde that thou art of, for if they per­ceiue that they that are oppressed by them, will complain to the higher powers against them, or els seeke some other meanes to obtayne their right, they will finde one sur­mised matter or other against them, A diuellish practise of oppressors and therby cast them into prison, & there they shal lye in great misery, restrayned thereby also from their ordinary trade, where by their wife and family, shal liue in greate nececes­sitie. Then said Diues, how farre liue these men from the state of christianitie? surely, by this it appeareth, that they are not afraide of hell. But mee thinkes that these poore men, or any other, that are thus oppressed, and wrongfully imprisoned, should through letters and supplications to noble men, or to such as are in authority, A charita­ble thing very neces­sary to bee practised. haue their causes heard with speede, and the cause of their im­prisonment be boulted out, and so they not onely to be releast out of prison, and haue their right awarded vnto them: but also that these their wicked oppressors, & y ^t haue thus wrongfully imprisoned them, should be punished (whosoeuer they were) to y ^e example of other.

Nay, said the diuell, that may not be so, [Page] the ritch may opresse whome they wil, and almost doo what they will, A lamenta­ble thing not meet to be suffered. their giftes and money wil tel such a tale against the poore, whome they opresse and prisonne, that the poore mans complaint shal not bee hearde, nor his supplication rede, or at the least not waied, nay hee shalbee made (though he bee neuer so honest) a trouble some and a naugh­ty wicked fellow, and so he shal not onely haue his right or liuing wrongfully with­holden from him, but also (to mende vp the matter) shal be shopt vp in prison, and soo be kept from his liberty, whereby he, his wife and family shal liue in miserie, and thereby vtterly impouerished: but those my deere darlings and most loouing children, that soo oppresse and imprisone the poore, yee, and they that are in authoritie to whome they complaine of their wronge, and wil not see that they shal haue their iust cause heard, but suffer them most vnchristianly thus to bee impouerished, and wrongfully imprisoned, when they come to hel (my euerlasting kingdom, The diuels rewarde to such wicked oppressors.) I wil imbrace and cherish them for this their good seruice they haue done vnto me, in most cruel and fierye torments, (which will be a little worse then the poore mans imprisonment:) for their earthly im­prisonment [Page] doth last but a while, but their imprisonment in hel shal last for euer.

And whereas they imprisoned their poore brother wrongfuly, making him but to lose his earthly shorte liuing: they shal bee sure I wil imprison them rightfully and truely, and thereby they shal lose the euerlastinge Treasure and ioyes of the kingdome of he­uen.

Then said Diues, these goodes and li­uings that they so get, wil be derely bought when they come to hel, and their wrong­ful troubling or imprisoning of the poore, whose goods or liuing they with-hold, will be then verie costly vnto them. Therefore, Wrong gotten goodes wilbe deere wares in the ende. now if they be wise, they wil restore and re­pent whyles they may for after their death they can not restore nor repent, if they wold.

Truely, this talke that you thought you heard betweene Diurs and the Diuell, is now most wickedly practysed on the earth, by wicked ritch oppressours against the poore op­pressed: but they were beste leaue it, and repent such their vyle wycked-practyses whiles they maye: for if the Diuell catch them once into his prison of hell t they shal burne and bee tormented in fierye flames or euer. For there is no raunesome [Page] can redeeme them, no sureties can baile them, nor no money nor lamentation can preuaile them. But is there any more behinds of your dreame?

Yea, that there is, Diues said fur­thermore. Oh that I were but on the earth aliue againe, I would neither prowle for ritches nor wealth, as I did, neither would take care for any thing, but onely for my soule: for whosoeuer hath care to seeke for w [...]rldly goodes, is altogether carelesse for seeking of heauenly treasures, and whosoe­uer hath that heauenly care of their soule, God will haue an earthly care of their body.

Diues did say most truely herein, and therefore it seemeth that these worldlings that take so much after riches neither care for hea­uen, nor yet regarde the words of Christ, whose counsell is the best of all other to be followed: and these are his wordes concerning the same which are moste necessary heerein to be marked and followed. Ye cannot serue both God and Mammon. Matt. 6. Therefore I say vnto you, be not carefull for your life, what yee shall eate, or what ye shall drinke, nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more woorth then meate? The most necessarie counsell of Christ that biddeth vs not to be carefull. And the bodie more of value then rayment? Be­holde [Page] the foules of the ayre, for they sowe not, neyther reape, nor yet carrie into the Barnes, and yet your heauenly father fee­deth them. Are yee not more better then they? Which of you (though he tooke thought therefore) could put one cubit vnto his sta­ture? And why care yee then for rayment? Consider the Lillies of the field howe they growe, they labour not, neither spinne, and yet for al that, I say vnto you, that euen Sa­lomon in all his royaltie, was not araied like vnto one of these. Wherefore, if God so cloth the grasse, which is to day in the field, and to mororwe shalbe cast into the furnace: shal hee not much more doo the same to you O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying: What shall we eate, or what shall wee drinke, or where-with shal we bee cloathed? After all these thinges seeke the Gentiles: for your heauenly father knoweth that you haue neede of all these thinges. But rather seke yee the kingdome of heauen, and the righteousnes thereof, and all these things shalbe ministred vnto you, &c. Here it appeareth that God dooth, and will take such care for his Children, that liue godly and vertu­ously, & seke after the kingdome of heauen, and that make smal accoūt of earthly riches, that they [Page] shall wante nothing that is necessary for them in this life. Consider the dealing of worldly fa­thers with their childeren, if their children aplie their bookes studie and learning, to bring them selues to preferment hereafter, though their fa­thers haue no neede thereof, doo not their fatheres prepare meate, drinke, rayment and all other necessaries in their studying, Cōsider the prouision of worldly fa­thers for theîr chil­dren. for their getting of learning? Then howe much more wyll God our creatour and heaunelye father, prepare for vs meate drinke, and other necessa­ries, which yeerly, dayly, and hourely doothe increase them on the earth for our sakes if wee liue verteously, Marke this and seeke the king­dome of heauen, as he willeth vs? And yet wee shall haue the cheefe benefyte there­of, and not GOD our Father any white profyted thereby: as the Schollers haue by their learninge, and not their Fathers.

How farre are theeues, oppressors, deceiuors, cosoners, insasiable lawiers, bri­bing iudges, greedy Magistrats extorcio­ners, false officers, detestable vsurers, and such as heape Farme vppon Farme, great fine takers, and vnmerciful rent-rusers, frō regarding of this rule, and from trusting of Christ, that thus doth teach and perswad them. But because they seke not y ^e kingdōe [Page] of heauen, neither trust to Gods caring and prouiding for them, but seeke to prepare for themselues, according to their owne fancy, yea, and that by such meanes, as God hath flatly forbidden, and doth vtterly detest, ther­fore they are not the children of God. And so for that they are not the children of God, they must needs be the sonnes of Sathan, and seing they haue not sought for the king­dome of heauen according to Christes les­son: they haue sought for the dungeon of hell, according to the diuels desire, which they are most sure to finde, vnlesse they stay from their iourney, and leaue of the wicked way they walke in, and follow the sweet and comfortable doctrine of Christ, before men­tioned, & there with Diues they shall burne in endlesse torments for euer.

A most dolefull and dangerous way, that such before mentioned doo walke in, these most viperous Vsurers that sucke and deuoure at length their liuinges, Vsurers do walke verie dangerous­lie. to whom they doo lende their money vppon vsurie, shall not dwell in Gods tabernacle, that is, the king­dome of heauen: for thus saieth the spirite of God by the kingly Prophet Dauid Who shall dwell in Gods tabernacle? hee that is inno­cent of his handes, and of a pure heart, and [Page] hath not put out his money to vsurie. Thus we see that the Vsurers are excluded the king­dome of heauen, Vsurers ex­cluded the kingdome of heauen. whereby they are sure to bee entertained into the kingdome of hell: so that here it is manifest that vsurie cannot properlie be called lending of money, but putting out of money. For lending of money is allowed by Christ, but vsurie is condemned by the holie Ghost: for Christ saith, Giue to him that as­keth, and from him that woulde borrowe turne not away. Therefore, lending is where one doth borrow: Vsurie and lending of money not all one. and the other lendeth free­ly without receiuing any thing againe, but one­lie the thing lent: but the easiest vsurer that is receiueth more againe then hee lendeth, and therefore vsurie and lending is not all one. And forasmuch, as what soeuer is contrary to these wordes of Christ. Matth. 7. What soeuer yee woulde that men shoulde doo to you euen so doo yee to them: Is not this the Lawe of God? then v­surie is contrarie to the law of God, and so the vsurers do against the law of God: for if the vsu­rer himselfe thorow great necessitie should bee driuen to borrowe money, hee could bee con­tent to borrowe it freely without paying any thing againe, but onely the money lent. But he would be loth if he might haue it otherwise, to pay, ten, twenty, thirty, fortie, yea, threescore, [Page] or fourescore pound, Lending of money for gaine, prooued vsurie. for the lone of one hun­dreth pound, in one yeere, as many needie haue beene driuen to pay, and as manie diuellish V­surers haue receiued. Wherefore because Vsu­rers do as they would not be doone vnto: ther­fore their vsurie is contrarie to the document of Christ, Vsurers prooued the diuels children. and then it must needes be according to the doctrine of the diuell, and they that doo according to the doctrine of the diuell, must needes be the children of the diuell, and the in­habitation of the diuels children, must needs be in hell.

And thus vsurers are proued the diuels chil­dren, and the inheritors of hell. May not they be glad that haue increased, or gotten togither such a deale of money, that they haue purcha­sed hell with all? They will say when they are in hell, wo worth vsurie, that euer they vsed it, or knew it.

Let vsurers take heed least they come into hell, where Diues is, what a great di­uersitie there is betweene the godly man and the vsurer. Marke the difference betweene the godlie lender, and the vsurer. The intent of the godly man is onely to profit his needy brother, with the lending of his money, but all the drift of the vsurer, is only to encrease his owne gaine & substance: yea though it be with the losse of the lands & liuing, & to the vtter vndooing & [Page] impouerishing of his needie neighbour, or pretended friend. One example I will tell you, to the better proouing of this my say­ing, assured that there are moe such and to be supposed by common bruite, but too wel knowen and felt by dayly trial.

A certaine vsurer knowing that a gentle­man not farre from him, had a proper li­uing, whereat his mouth watred, on whom he faund as a friend, but at length he found as awe. A craftie & diuellish vsurer. Which vsurer sent for one to speak with him, as he knew to be very great with the sayde gentleman, to whome, when hee came, he said: I perceiue you are acquain­ted with such a gentleman, whome I loue better then hee thinketh, and (for the good will I beare him) tell him that I haue foure or fiue hundreth poundes to pleasure him withall (if he neede) and that within an houres warning. The man hearing this, gaue him hearty thanks in the gentlemans behalfe: and after when hee had tolde the same tale to the said gentleman, he thinking that all had bin gold that glistred was very glad thereof, and saide, I meane to trouble him for 200. li. shortly: for I thinke I shall haue occasion to vse it. Then soone after the said gentlemā went to the vsurer, and gaue [Page] him thankes for his gentle curtesie offred to him vndeserued, and said: Sir, where you offred to lend me 500. li. I am come nowe vnto you, to desire you to lende mee 200. li. which I hope will serue my turne at this time. Then said the vsurer, forsooth ye shall haue it, and more if you will: nay, saide the gentleman, 200. li. will satisfie me, therefore I meane to borrow no more: wel, said the vsurer I am content, you shall haue it: yea, but said the gentleman, what interest shall I pay for the hauing thereof a xii. month? To whom the vsurer answered, I would not haue you thinke but that I lend you my money more for loue then for gaine: marie if you will giue x.li. in the 100. as the sta­tute doth allow. I will not refuse your gen­tle curtesie therein. Then the gentleman said, I wil not only giue you that and more with a good will, but also I will put you in two sufficient sureties besides my selfe, for the paiment thereof: no, said the vsurer, I credit you so well, that you shall haue it without any such sureties, and I am loth to take any suerty wherby it should be knowne that I lend money vpon gaine, and that you should be driuen to borrow any mony, mary this ye must do, said the vsurer (because we [Page] are all mortall, and perhaps they that come after you, will not haue that honest and good meaning that you haue) you shal assure vnto me and my heires such a farme, which lieth not farre hence, with a condition or prouiso, that if the money be repaide at the day appointed the said bargame and gift to be void. The gentleman hearing this, be­gan to pause at the matter, and coulde not tell what to answere therein (for the thing that hee should haue thus assured, was bet­ter woorth then a M.li.) Gentleman, saide the vsurer, I perceiue you haue me now in suspition, I am sorie that you mistrust me, especially seeing I meane so much good vnto you. Then saide the Gentleman vnto him: Sir, if you were as much my enimie, as you pretend to be my friend, if I pay vn­to you your money againe at the day ap­pointed, you can take none aduantage of me, neither doo me any harme. You say most true said the vsurer, the clause of prouiso in the writing dooth binde me from that, this assurance that I desire of you, is to make you carefull to keepe your day, and not that you shoulde haue any harme, if you breake your day. The Gentleman hearing this, thought no harme, so that the money was [Page] paide, and the assurance was made, sealed, and deliuered.

I thinke long to heare how the craftie vsurer did handle that simple and well meaning gentleman in the end.

Homely enough, I warrant you: the simple gentleman thinking no harme, and taking the vsurer to meane friendly, tooke the lesse regard of the very day of paiment of his money: so that hee came to pay his money two or three daies before the due time, and so tendered it to the vsurer: To whom the vsurer said: gentleman, as I haue meant truely to you, so I pray you deale plainely with mee: I maruell what you meane to offer me my money before my day and time: I haue of you but x.li. in the hun­dreth which if I should receiue before the whole yeere be expired, I should run in the lapse of the law, and in the danger of vsurie: therefore, though you meane me no harme, yet I wil auoid y ^e mischief: what man? your day is not yet this fortnight, saide hee, but if you came a fortnight after your day, you need not mistrust me. The gentlemā being so light of credite, & trusting the vsurer more thē he had cause, tooke his leaue of y ^e vsurer, & returned home with his mony: and after [Page] he came to tender his money to the vsurer, when in deed his day was past, saying: Sir, here I haue brought you your money: ther­fore I pray you let the assurance betweene you and me be cancelled: Nay sir, saide the vsurer, you owe mee no money, and there­fore I will take none of you, the money is yours, and none of mine, and the lande is mine, and none of yours, your day is past, therefore fare ye well: Sir, said the gentle­man, I trust you will not serue me so: then saide the vsurer, I meane to serue you so, and I will serue you so, and if I do you any wrong, mende it which way yee can: and thus this most diuellish vsurer entred on the gentlemans liuing, and so kept it, and had it to the great hindrance and almost vndoing of the gentleman, his wife, and his children.

A meete thing for Magistrats to looke to Oh that Magistrates and rulers would busie themselues, to smell and finde out such cut-throts, and redresse such vnmeasurable enor­mities: who woulde thinke that such thinges should be practised or permitted, especially, in a Christian common weale? This example doth verifie my former words, shewing to what end vsurers doo lend their money, and what diffe­rence there is betweene the godly lender, and [Page] the diuellish vsurer. Doo not you think this, and all such vsurers doo trauell apace to hell, where Diues is? and that they shall purchase the dole­full dungeon of hell, with the money and good that they get thereby.

Yes truely, and I feare they run so fast thither, that they will not once looke backe vntill that they be in hell. God of his mercy giue them grace (if it be his wil) that they through repentance and restoring such euill gotten goods, may auoide that dole­ful and damnable pit here in this life while they may: and as these diuellish vsurers are not the children of God, because they take not God to be their father, in that they depend not vppon him to finde and releeue them, Greedie & wicked far­mers proo­ued the children of the diuell. but as wicked bastards mistrust his fatherly promise, trusting better to their owne diuellish and sinister practises: so greedy Farmers that heape farme vppon farme (not caring whom they thrust out, so they get in) take not God for their Father, thinking they should bee starke beggers if they should not trust to themselues, but de­pend vpon him. And so being the children of the diuell, they seeme to run to hell as fast as the rest: nay, I feare they striue which of them shall come first to hell.

Whosoeuer of them shall come to hel first, will thinke they come too soone, and who­soeuer come thither last, will thinke they come soone enough. There are such a sort of greedie guts on the earth, that thinke (be like) that they shall not haue enough to liue on, during their life, though they haue twentie mens liuings, and a thousand mens riches, els I thinke they would not daily gather so greedily as they do: A fine paid for a farme 140. yeeres before hād. yea, and that when they are of such an old age, that they know assuredly they cannot long liue. What say yee to him that was aboue three score yeeres of age, that laid out two hundreth pound, as a fine, for the lease of a farme, the former lease wher­of, would not be expired of almost seuen-score yeare after.

Mary, I say, he was like to be none of the children of God, but rather one of the sonnes of sathan: he had bin better to haue cast that money downe the channel, for then perhaps some poore body might haue had part thereof, for neither he nor his child, nor yet his childes childe is like to enioy that lease, neither to haue any commoditie ther­by, for I thinke few woulde be so fond as to buy his interest therein, being so long to come: O what mad men are they, that pay so much aforehand for such earthly liuings, [Page] as shall neuer come to their hands, & which their children, and childrens children shall neuer enioy, and will not giue to the poore one smal portion (which they lend vnto the Lorde) whereby they shall enioy an euerla­sting inheritance in the kingdome of hea­uen, the assurance whereof, they are most sure to haue immediatly after their death, which perhaps will be within a yeere, two or three, or not very long after y ^e laying out of their mony: truely I thinke the day of iudgement will be before that lease begin, wherefore he paid his two hundred pound.

Surely I am of your opinion, which I can shewe by good and probable coniectures. And though it be not for vs presumptuously, or arrogantly to search or iudge when the day of iudgement shall bee, and though Christ saieth: Of that day and houre knoweth no man, no not the Angels of heauen, but my Father onelie: Yet I hope (if not curiously) we may con­iecture by conferences of the scriptures & times, with other signes and tokens, touching the yeere or time thereof, whereby we may make vs the more ready against his comming, and also feare vs the more to offende. Besides, if the time bee short (as it can not bee verie long) it may make vs leaue building such sumptuous, vaine and [Page] costly houses: yea, and not to prepare or lay out so much money for lands or worldly liuing, for our children or Posterity, but to imploy it to better vse, and vpon charitable workes that may doo vs good.

Then I pray you (if it be not trouble­some to you) shewe mee some coniectures when and how long you thinke it will be to the latter end of the world.

I were verie vncourteous, if I woulde not, seeing you haue taken paines in reuealing to mee such a long discourse of your dolefull dreame of the diuell and Diues. Coniecturs of the later end or day of iudge­ment. First, as God created both heauen and earth, and all thinges therein in sixe dayes, and rested the seuenth day, and hallowed it, so it may be gathered, that A­dam and his Posteritie shall continue on the earth sixe thousand yeeres.

And as God rested the seuenth day from his labours: so after the sixe thousande yeeres, it is like that the children of God shall rest their labours, from in the endlesse ioyes of heauen: nowe to approoue this the better, by the ancient prophesie of Elias, it appeareth that the worlde shall continue but sixe thousande yeeres.

In lib. Ra­bin. Cap. 1. Two thousand vnder the Lawe of nature, or without a prescript lawe, two thousand yeeres [Page] vnder the Law writ, that is, the Lawe giuen by God to Moses, and two thousand vnder the law of Christ, that is, the holy Gospel. And further, S. Peter seemeth to agree with the same, who saieth: 1. Pet. 3. That one daie is with the Lorde as a thousand yeeres, and a theusand yeares as one day. So that creating the worlde in time that is in sixe dayes, there by sixe dayes creating of the worlde, may signifie 6000. yeeres con­tinuing of the worlde after. And to make it the better appeare that Saint Peter wrote this concerning the continuance and ende of the worlde. Applying euery day to the creation, to a thousand yeeres in the continuation, or vn­till the consumation of the worlde, hee a lit­tle before in his Epistle, dooth as it were Pro­phesie that such mockers shall bee in the lat­ter dayes, as shall iest, and as it were deride such as speake of the comming of Christe to his iudgement, seeming bp their wordes as though there woulde be no such thing. And these are his wordes concerning that matter that fol­lowes.

This first vnderstand (saith he) that there shall come in the last dayes mockers, which will walke after their owne lustes, and say: where is the promise of his comming? For since the fathers dyed, all thinges continue [Page] in the same estate, wherein they were at the beginning. This they know not (and that willinglie) that the Heauens a great while agoe were, and the earth that was in the water appeared vp out of the water. But the heauens verelie and the earth which are now, are kept by the same word in store, and reserued vnto fire against the day of iudgement, and perdition of vngodlie men. And then follow these words, wherein he com­pareth a day of the Lord to a thousand yeeres: saying:

Dearely beloued, be not ignorant of this one thing, how that one day is with the Lord as a thousand yeeres, and a thousand yeares as one day: the Lord is not slacke to fulfill his promise, as some men count slacknes, but he is patient towards vs, &c.

Heere it dooth seeme by the former and fol­lowing words of Saint Peter, that euery day of Gods creating of the worlde dooth signifie a thousand yeres of the continuation of the world which sixe thousand yeeres, seemeth to bee the longest that the world can continue. But that the time shal be shortined, and not last so long: it is manifest by the words of Christ, who saith. But for the chosens sake, these daies shall be shortned. Matth. 24. Nowe let vs consider of likely con­iectures [Page] concerning the shortned time. Christ sath in the same Chapter, As the time of Noe was, Matth. 24. so shall the comming of the sonne of man be: for as in the dayes before the flood they did eate and drinke, marrie, and were married, euen vntill the day that Noe en­tred into the Ship, and knew of nothing till the floode came, and tooke them all awaie. So shal also the comming of the sonne of man be, &c.

Now as the people in maners and wicked­nesse, in the latter ende before the fire, will bee like in their maners and dooings, to the people at the time of the floode: so it may bee con­iectured, that the first time to the flood, and the last time to the fire, in quantitie of yeeres may likewise agree: as thus, there was a first Adam, by whom all the world was lost and perished: also there is a second Adam (which is Christ) by whom all the world (they that beleeue) are sa­ued: nowe as it was a 1 [...]60. and sixe yeeres, and from the first Adam, by whom all the world was lost, vntill the destruction of the worlde with water: so it is not vnlike, but that there will bee the like time, that is, a 1650. and sixe yeares, from the second Adam, Christ, by whom they that beleeue shall bee saued, vntill the de­struction of the worlde with fire: this coniec­ture [Page] is no verie vnlikelie. Marke also, how neere an other coniecture doth agree vnto this, Christ being our heade, dwelled heere on the earth, vntill his death, thirty and three yeeres & three monethes, or more, that is, as much as from Christmasse, the time of his natiuitie, vntill the Easter following, the time of his Passion or death.

Nowe as Christ being our heade, remained thirty and three yeeres on the earth, and some­thing more vntill hee ascended into heauen: then it is not vnlike, but that wee being his members, shall remaine thirtie and three yeeres and something more heere on the earth, from the birth, of Christ our heade, vntill wee shall come to that glorious kingdome of heauen. And thus if we accompt the thirtie and three yeeres that Christ remained here on earth to great yeeres, called of some Anni Apocto­lici, euery yeere signifiyng fiftie yeeres, then we may easily perceiue, that the same dooth a­mount to a thousand, sixe hundred, and fiftie yeeres, for three and thirtie times fiftie, is sixe­teene hundred and fiftie, and the odde moneths may bee applyed to the other sixe yeeres. So that this latter coniecture doeth not much dis­agree in time from the other. Which conie­ctures, if they be true (whereof there are ma­ny [Page] moe to bee gathered) then the ende of the world is not very farre off, and so from this yere 1583. it seemeth not to be past threescore and fourteene yeeres to come.

And if this be the time that Christ said should bee shortened, then the time threatned or pre­saged this yeere of 1583. by the greate coniun­ction in Aprill of the two mighty and highest Planets Saturne and Iupiter, may be a great warning to vs.

Daniell doeth describe the foure Monarches of the world, and sheweth the Romaine Em­pire to be the fourth and the last Nowe as there was a great coniunction betwene these two Pla­nets in the latter part of Pisces, a watrie tripli­citie, about the time that Pompeius and Iulius Caesar did striue for the Diademe, or for the cheefe imperiall rule: and as the first comming of Christ was within fiue or sixe yeeres after that great coniunction: so this great Coniunction, being in Aprill aforesaid, in the latter part of Pisces, the last of all the twelue signes, and a watrie triplicitie, may likewise presage the ende of the fourth Monarch, or chiefe imperial rule of the worlde.

And as the first comming of Christ was within fiue or sixe yeeres after that sayde great con­iunction: Read Har­uies astro­logical dis­course of the sayde great Con­iunction. so the second comming of Christ [Page] may likewise bee within fiue or sixe yeeres af­ter this sayde coniunction. which Ioan de Regio Monte by his verses, or some other learned man that wrote them before him, doth thinke will either happen about the yeere of our Lorde 1588. (Which will bee fiue yeeres af­ter this greate Coniunction) or els that in the same yeere or about the same time there wil be some greate alteration, and as it were al thinges turned vp-side downe.

Though Iulius Caesar gotte the emperial victorie about the great Coniunc­tion, and though Christ was borne with­in fiue or sixe yeeres after, yet that maketh not that at this great Coniunction (though it be in the same place) shalbee the ende of the Romaine emprie, or fourth Monarch neither that the second comming of Christ, shall be so soone after the same For it may be at their next Coniunction in the same place, as well as this.

Nay, that it cannot, for there will bee no such coniunction in that place againe of 700. yeeres, and ro almost 800. yeeres, so that if it should bee so long before the second comming of Christ, then the worlde shoulde continue a great deale more then sixe thousand yeeres, and so the time or yeeres seeme to bee lengthned [Page] (and not shortened) and also therby the former coniectures should be of no force. And besides al this before mentioned, if the signes and to­kenes that Christ sayd should be before the end of the worlde, maye bee a testimonie to vs, then surely the ende is not farre off, for Nation dothe nowe rise against Nation, Matt. 24. and Realme agaynest Realme, there haue bine and is dayly, greate Pestilence, Hunger, and Earth-quakes: Noy, straung moouing of the Earth out of his place: yea, and rayning of Corne or Wheate, such as hath not commonly beene heard of, with other woonderfull strange signes and tokens shewed vnto vs dayly: yea, I thinke more then was euer in anie age before. And was there euer more treason or trecherie vnder pretence of freendship, then now? And doth not euerie one almost hate one another? yea, and wickednesse doth so abound, that charitie waxeth cold: nay, is almost quite froson? Besides all this, Matt. 24. Reade for better instruction heerein the booke of the latter end, or se­cond com­ming of Christ. the pure Gospell of Christ doth beginne merueilously to spread by preaching, almost thorough the whole worlde, which is an infallible token, that the last end dooth draw neere. For Christ saith. And this gladde tidinges of the kingdome, shall be preached in all the worlde, for a witnesse to all nations, and then shall the ende come.

This that you haue tolde me, is suf­ficient to put vs in minde, that the terrible day of iudgement is not farre off, a ioy­full day for the godly, but a fearefull day for the wicked, yet many wicked and vaine earthly worldlinges, doe neither regard it, nor beleeue it.

You say true, for the moste of our li­uinges doe shewe it, and some with their tongue doe affirme it. A certaine man being a­boue fourescore yeeres of age, Make the fondnesse of an olde man, chaunced to be in company where this matter was debated and talked vpon, which when he heard, he cal­led them fooles, and sayde, they pratled and talked they wist not what: it may be a thou­sand yeeres hence (sayth he) for any thing that the wisest of you all doe knowe, and I warrant it will be a good while before that daye doeth come. To whome one aunswered, Father, I pray you tell me howe olde are you, mary, sayd he, I am aboue fourescore yeeres of age, how long doe you thinke you shall liue, sayde the other? Forsooth, saide hee, I am so crooked and euill, that I thinke I shall not liue at twelue-month, I looke euery day when I shall dye. Then sayde the other againe, seeing you shall dye so soone, then what neede you stand in the defence that the day of iudgement is so farre off, [Page] you are not like to see it, and therefore you shal be neuer the beerer, though it be neuer so farre hence. For if you die the seruante of God, as you doo hope, then you will not care soone it shoulde bee: then said the olde man, you saye true I pray God, said hee, I may die in the faith of Christ, and repent my sinnes, and then the sooner it commeth, the better for mee. Wel sir, I will now trouble you no more, if you haue haue made an ende of your dyeame.

Nay, sir though I haue almost done, yet I haue not al done, Then Diues sayde further. If I were on earth againe, I would not weare such curious and ritch clo­ths as I haue worne, neither regarde to go in any gaudy geare: for they are but inti­cers to iniquitie and pracures of pride, Gaudy geare inti­cers to ini­quitie and procures of pride. (as they that weare them, knowe in their con­sciencies well enough) let mee see if they that vse to go gaudily, and that were new deuised garmentes euery day, if they can tell or remember what fashioned and colo­red garments they did weare a dosen yeeres since: (I might appose some with 7. or 8. monthes since: then how made and fonde are they that for such vaine toies that last so small a while and that are so soone out of their memory, will hazarde themselues [Page] thereby to weare the terrible and dreadfull garments of Gods cursse, imbrodered with the inquenchable flames of hell fire, which they can neuer put off, nor neuer forget. Oh what if they had bestowed the one halfe thereof upon needefull garmentes for the poore, shoulde they not haue had good gar­mentes enow to weare? Yes I trowe, yea and some of them shoulde haue more then they shoulde neede, yea and more then euer shoulde doe them good. Whereby Christ, as his blessed children, woulde haue bid them goe into the kingdome of heauen, whereas the bestowing all vainely vpon themselues (without great repentance and amendement of life) shall bidde them goe into hell as the cursed children of the diuell. Yea, sayde the Diuell, thou canst giue them good counsell, Diues a hellish child, because he went proudly & dained poore La­zarus. where they cannot heare thee, but thou couldst not follow this counsell, when it might haue done thee good. Wherefore as thou art one of my hellishe children, because thou wentest so proudly, and did giue nothing to poore La­zarus: therefore they shall also be my hel­lishe children, vnlesse they repent, because they goe proudely, and regarde not the poore, yea and so peacokly, and with such [Page] broad monstrous and disguised ruffes, one of which ruffes, doth cost them more then would by twentie good and sufficient shirts for the poore, Great ruffs wherof one woule buy twenty shistes for the poore. which ruffes I will wil­lingly giue them leaue to weare as long as they liue, but they will doe them no good when they are in hell, vnlesse they make the fire greater to put them to more tormentes and paines. Then sayd Diues, I was mer­uellous proud, and wore very sumptuous attire when I was aliue, and many moe besides me. But I neuer knewe that any did then weare any such ruffes, as it see­meth nowe the people doe weare. The money that some one of these ruffes doe cost, would I perceiue clothe a man that woulde be satisfied with sufficient, from the top to the toe. Then sayde the Diuell, nay some of their bandes and ruffes that are neyther Lordes, Knightes, nor Esquires, no nor hath the liuing of a Gentleman, doe cost so much, that three or foure poore men might be sufficiently cloathed therewith. Then sayd Diues, Oh what shall become of that necke, that hath more bestowed on a ruffe for it vainly, then woulde serue 2. or 3. for their whole bodyes, needefully, ho­nestly, and decently? Truely, vnlesse they [Page] repente and amende, and crie God earni­nestly mercie for these their great monste­rous ruffes on the earth, they shall haue the skines of their neckes scorched and ga­ther together, H fore say­ing against such wea­rers af ruffs bespanged with the burning and fiery flames of hell fire, from which, their monsterous ruffes (though they be neuer so thicke nor broad) cannot defende thē, nay, they wil be a manifest witnesse against them.

If Diues were aliue againe, I thinke he would weare no such ruffes, but proceed on.

Then said Diues, if I were on the earth againe as I was, I would bestow no thinge on my selfe, neither weare anye thinge but that should be verie needeful. It may be so, said the diuel, but I cantlye be­leeue thee, but though thou shouldest do so, thou sholdest hardly or neuer bring thy wife to do so, for she would haue that that must please her fancie, as well as that that must satisfie her necessitie. Oh there bee many fine curious Dames on the earth, whose fin­geres being dasht full of Gold ringes, Curious dames that haue their fingers dasht full of golde ringes. must needes now and then dash their maides on the lips withal, to let their teeth bleed, or to make them weare their mistresse marke on their face. If there be any other com­moditie [Page] in the wearing of their ringes it is to puff them vp in pride, and to haue a vaine glorie in themselues, whereby they be­come my diligent seruants. But if one of these dainte dames (that were so many needlesse ringes on their fingers) do see a poore silly soule lying naked in the streete shyue­ring with cold, and almost dead with hun­ger, they will rather suffer them most mi­serabelly to die with hunger, then they will giue him one of the worst ringes they haue or weare: naye, rather some of them will turne their faces from him, or looke dis­dainefully on him, and so goo theyr waye without giuing him one pennie or any suc­cour at all, nay perhappes they will chide him, though they giue him nothing. Then said Diues, A wise say­ing of Di­ues. what fooles are they, theyr fin­gers would be well enough and warme e­nough without ringes, but the poore soule in the stret is not wel enough and warm e­nough without food and raiment. So y ^t the giuing of one of these needelesse ringes to theyr poore brother, would helpe him, not hurte them, feede him, not famyshe them, clothe him, not vncloth them: and warme him, and not make them cold, and [Page] perhapes might saue his life, and thereby procure the fauoure of God: Marke. whereas their vncharitable keeping of these one vaine and needlesse ringes, may worke the death of their poore brother, and bring to them selus the great indingnatiō of god & so the losse of the kingdome of heauen. And then they will saye, woe worth these ringes that e­uer wee did weare them and woe worth these ringes that euer wee saw them. Then sayde the diuell well Diues well, though thereby they loose the fauoure of God and the kingdome of heauen, yet thereby they shall get my fauour and the dungeon of hel, where they shalbe tormented for euer in vn­quenchable fire, there they shalbe sure of gnawing and gnashing of teeth enoughe. Note this well. Then they shall see that their vaine, proud, and vncharitable wearing of their ringes on the earth, did not so much please them: but their euerlasting burning in hel fire wil asmuch displease them, and their vaine tur­ning and fidling of their ringes about their fingers on the earth, did not feed their fonde fancie so much: but their howling and cry­ing in endlesse torments of hell will discom­fort them as much.

Truely it greeueth me to se that the people should be so vainely minded, and to haue such a pleasure in the wearing of their gold ringes (as Diues sayde) to their endlesse destru­ction. Such wicked worldlinges are they, both carlesse of heauen, and feareless of hell, that kepe and hoord their golde and money in their cof­fers purposely to burie them worshipfully with­all, Carefull keepers of their mony to bury them with­all. or rather for a vaine ostentation after their death. being of no great calling, but rather of a high mind, then of a heigh degree: suffering their poore needye neyghboures to loose their com­moditie, or to liue in miserie, rather then they will giue, naye lende them (yea, though it be vppon good assuraunce) a small portion therof, which woulde neither hurte nor hinder them, if they should neuer haue it again (vnlesse it be a hurt or hinderance to lacke alitle of their vaine glorious funeralles, wherby God knoweth their poore dead carcasse hath neither pleasure nor profit) which mony if the thiefe chance to catch, and go a way withal (as such a hoorder for their burial hath beene once serued at the least) then it is wel enough, so that the poore haue none of it to do them good with all, and yet while these vaine persons are aliue they must bee counted neither proud nor pittilesse, Marke. but they that [Page] haue a care to be counted worshipfull by their buriall, and are desirous to haue glorie when they are deade: then it cannot sinke into my head but that they are both proud and stately minded, when they are aliue.

That is most true, but these are, farre from the following of Christ: for if they that are carefull of their morrowes meate (which is necessarie for them) doo contrary to Christ his worde: then they that are carefull of glorie at their buriall, and keepes their gold in theyr chestes for that purpose, are farre from following the worde of God.

No doubt of that, how ful is the world of such vaine headed persons There are some of so proud a heart, and disdainfull a mind, that no poore body may trample in their houses, or scant be suffered to sit in their porch: Disdaineful and proud persons that must not haue the poore sit in the porch of their hou­ses. yea, and some mystresses are so proud and disdainefull, that forsooth the freendes or kinsefolkes of their seruants may not come into their houses to talk with their seruants, (much lesse with themsel­ues) for they must be mewd vp in their cham­ber, as ar vnworthy to be in their company, or else to talk with them, yea, though their said ser­uants frendes be better borne, and keepe better [Page] houses then they and some are so statly harted, and disdainfully minded, that they will not giue a little fire or water. nay what wil you say to such disdainefull women, that are so cleane bereaued of good nature and charity, Proud and disdainfull persons that refuse or forbid fire & wat­ter to their poore neighbour. that forbid their owne sisters to fech fire or water at their houses which are two of these elementes which God hath generally giuen throughout all the worlde, both to poore and rich, which most necessary elementes, if God should with holde them from these proud and disdainefull persones but a smal while, they could not bee able to liue: and yet like mercilesse wretches they can be contente to deny or with hould the same from their neigh­bour, or their owne naturall sister.

Mary I say that such proud and dis­dainfull persons that denie a little fire or water to their neighbour or sister, doe not vse commonly to giue peeces of gold to the poore hungry, and naked soules, whome they see sitting, or miserably lying in the streetes, But their proude heartes and disdainefull mindes (when they come into hell into the Diuels handling) will bee pluckt downe well inough. And whereas they are churles of their fire on earthe, the diuell will not be a churle to them of his [Page] fire in hell. And whereas they are nig­gardly of the earthly water, to theyr poore neighboures on earth: God will be as nig­gardly to them of his heauenly water, when they are in hell. Nay they shall not haue one droppe of his mercifull wa­ter to quench the fire or burning heate of theyr tongue, bee their mone neuer so greate, or crie they out neuer so much. But nowe marke the ende of my dreame-

I will giue eare vnto you with a ve­rie good will.

Then Diues saide, howe hap­pye was Lazarus estate on earth, Pore estate of Lazarus most happy for all his pouertie, hunger, and payneful sors? and howe vnhappye was my estate on the earth for all my ritches, wealth, and pros­peritie.

His poore and beggerlye estate througe patience, hath brought him to bee nowe full of heauenly ritches, and my rich and sumptuous estate through my pryde and vnmercifulnesse, hath made mee nowe full of hellish pouertye. Yet the earth­lye worldlynges thinke that there is no­thinge worsed then beggrye or pouertye: VVorld­lings think nothing worse then pouerty or beggery. and nothinge better then worldly wealth [Page] and prosperytie. But I haue founde it otherwise, and cleane contrary. Marke the madnesse and fondnesse of these world­lynges, they can bee contente to be very poore and verye beggeres for that space of three or foure yeeres or rather moe, to bee an earthlye Lorde or a Duke all their lyues after, which cannot last long, and whose estate cannot bee without greefe and other troubles: but they cannot bee contente to bee poore and in a beggerly estate for the tearme of this shorte lyfe, to haue a most ioyful Kingdome in Hea­uen, for euer, where is nothing but felici­tie, pleasure, comforte, mirth, and more ioy, then mans hearte can thinke: If Christ had thought the rich-mans state to be best, Christ would not haue beene so poore if he hadde best to be rich. hee would not haue beene so poore as hee was nor haue such poore beggerly men aboute him as hee hadde, neyther woulde he haue bid the rich young man to sell all that hee hade and come and followe him. Nay hee thought it was a moste daungerous and perrilous estate, or els bee would not haue sayd. It is as hard for a riche man to enter into the kingdome of heauen, as for a cable to goe through a needles eye. Then sayd the [Page] diuell. Yea, but all preachers on the earth can not make the ritch beleeue it neither can make them sel halfe of their goodes and to giue it to the poore.

And if they shoulde sell all that they haue and giue it to the poore, and ther­by become poore themselues, if they liue as impatiently, enuiously, idely, and sin­fully, as doo the most parte of the poore e­speciallie the most beggerly sorte, they may happe to be shutte out of heauen from poore Lazarus, and bee throwen into Hell with thee Diues. It may bee so saide Diues but if the poore coulde consider it, their state is verie happie, The poore estate most happy- and most necessary for them. For their hunger might make them call to their heauenly father for foode, their naked­nesse might make them praie to him for clo­thes, their greefes and sores might make them call to him for health and helpe or for the gifte of pacience therein, their lying in the streete without houses might make them to looke vppe to heauen, where they haue houses prepared for them, and earnest­ly thanke God therefore and theyr pouer­ty mighte cause them to reioyce that they haue their ritches laide vp in heauen, and [Page] so by this their patient pouertie, (if they repent their sinnes, and beleeue that they shall be saued onely by the death and pas­sion of Iesus Christ) they are sure to pos­sesse the endlesse kingdome of heauen, Marke wel. and to auoide this most dolefull dungeon of hell where I am. Therefore if I were on the earth againe as I cannot, I would haue a poore estate to choose, for riches procure pleasure, and pleasure increaseth sinne, and sinne bringeth Gods vengeance, and Gods vengeance bringeth damnati­on, and damnation bringeth hell. There­fore they that are ritch, vnlesse they bee plentifully endued with that feare and grace of GOD (as many great and rich men haue beene) are in such a daungerous estate as they little thinke off. Then saide the diuell, and many of the poore and beg­gerly sort, (considering their impatiencie, spite, enuie, and malice) are in a more daungerous case then they thinke of. For their pouertie and paine maketh them im­patient, their want maketh them weepe, their hunger maketh them houle and crie, and their miserie maketh them mourne, and so through this their worldly care I [Page] graunt, manie of them doo cleane forget God, and take not him for their father, and doo not onely wish themselues out of the worlde, but also doo ridde themselues out of the world, by cutting their throates and hanging themselues, and by diuers other meanes, which is no small ioy vnto me. For through this their wicked liuing and desperate deathes, they are mine owne deere children, and none can take them from mee when I haue them once in hell: then saide Diues, Note this. belike they thinke that all their cares, pouertie, miserie, and trou­ble is ended, when this their life is ended, but that is not so, (but onely to the godlie and faithfull children of God,) for whoso­euer dieth impatiently, impenitently, vn­faithfully, sinfully and desperately (whether they be poore or rich) though their earthly troubles, miseries, and calamities doo end yet then their euerlasting sorrowe, care, woe, griefe, and most extreame tormentes in hell doo beginne. So that whereas they thinke by their death, they goe from paine to ease, they goe from a sweete short com­fortable sorrowe, to a most terrible and vnsufferable endlesse woe and tormentes. [Page] Therefore they that be aliue on the earth, may reioyce and be glad, though they haue neuer so great pouertie, trouble, miserie, or calamitie, for that is but short, and can last but a while, but if they once come hether to hell where I am, then their most intollerable paines shall neuer cease, nor the fire that shall burne them can neuer bee quenched.

O that my torment and paines, saide Diues, might haue an ende, A dolefull saying to be well re­garded and wayed of al men. or bee en­ded in time, then I should thinke my selfe most happie: O that I might bee in hell but so manie yeares as the greatest barne in a countrie woulde holde cornes of Wheate, nay rather then faile, mustard seedes: for then at length (though it woulde bee vnreasonable long first) I shoulde come out and bee released, but al­wayes to bee burning in the fire of hell, and neuer to come out, what a thing is it, and what a dolefull case am I in? Ah woe is mee, woe is mee, that euer I was borne, fie on all my earthly riches, fie on my earthly prosperitie, fie on all my earthly ioy and pleasure, woe bee to the time that I was vnmercifull to poore [Page] Lazarus, which hath brought me to this endlesse woe in the fierie flames of hell, where my paines shall neuer cease, and my torments neuer end.

These are the last wordes that mee thought Diues did speake. And so I haue declared to you my whole dreame of the diuell and Diues.

The dolefullest dreame that euer I heard, they that doo heare it as I haue heard it, I hope will feare hel, as I meane to feare it.

I thanke God, which made mee to dreame it: for euer since I detest all sinne and wickednesse, and as for worldly ri­ches, pleasure, honour, possessions, and pro­motions, I doo not regarde but all my care is to please God, and that I may end my life repentantly and faithfully, and to trust onely to be saued through the merites of my sauiour Iesus Christ, whereby I may attaine after this life to the ioyes of heauen, where poore Lazarus and al other the children of God shall rest and raigne for euer.

I thanke you most heartily for telling me this your most straunge and true dreame, I was wont to teach you, but now you haue mer­uellously [Page] instructed me, thinking verely thorow your telling me this your dreame, that I shall despise this worlde the more, and offend God the lesse, and furthermore feare to come to that terrible place of hell, where Diues and the reprobate shall be in most extreame tormentes for euer.

The Lord keepe vs from it.

Amen.