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THere is a story of a Man,* 1.1 that gave much Alms to the Poor, who walking one day very solitary, an Angel met him in likeness of a Man, & walking along with him, brought him at last to a deep valley, where was a pit burning
with fire and brimstone,* 1.2 and therein three gibbets, upon one of them did hang a man by the tongue, upon another a man by the hands, on the third hung no man at all. The good man much marvelling at the strangenesse of such a sight, asked the Angel, what the men were, that hanged in those tormenting flames? He told him, that he which hanged by the tongue, was his grandfather, which purchased the land and house wherein he now dwelt, by false oaths, lying, and perjury, and was therefore hanged by the tongue; and that the other was his own father, who by strong hand, kept that which his father before him had wickedly gotten; and that the third gallowes was prepared for him, unlesse he made restitution; and so the Angel vanished. The man being left alone, went sadly home, and the next day sent for the true owners, and restored the lands unto them; whereat his wife and children were much amazed, saying, That he would make them all beggers. O, saies he, it is better to beg a little while in this world, than to burn for ever in the world to come; better to lose house and lands here, than to be deprived of God and goodnesse here∣after. This may be a story,* 1.3 but the Morall is good, and setteth out unto us, that ill-gotten goods never prosper in the end, and that there is a necessity of restoring, what hath been unjustly taken away. There are many stollen goods abroad, but few brought home to the right owners. Mens hands are like the fishers flew, yea, like hell it self, which admits of no return. But let all men know, that ill gotten mettalls are a strong bar, to bolt Heavens gates against them; but when they are dissolved by a seasonable beneficence and restitution, those gates of glory fly open, to their eternall comfort.
Speculum Ex∣••mplorum.
Anton. Dau∣roltii Catech. historialis.
Ephr. Udall Serm. at Merc. Chap. 1640. Vivitur ex rap∣to. Ovid.