oured of affliction, and from the sole
of his foot even to the crown there was no soundness in him. He saw
him in the power of death, because through him death entered into
the world. He saw him devoured, because, when a man is once dead he
is eaten of worms. And because I now have the opportunity of
telling you, you shall hear the names of the four tormentors. The
first, who put him in prison, is the Prison of the Present Life, of
which it is said, "Woe is me that I am constrained to dwell in
Mesech"; the second, who tormented him, is the Misery of the World,
which besets us with all kinds of pain and wretchedness; the third,
who was putting him to death, conquered death, bound the strong man,
took his goods, and distributed the spoils; and ascending up on
high, led captivity captive and gave gifts for men, and brought back
the servant into his country, crowned with double honor, and endued
with a garment of immortality. When Mercy beheld this, she had no
grounds for complaint, Truth found no cause of discontent, because
her father was found true. The servant had paid all his penalties.
Justice in like manner complained not, because justice had been
executed on the transgressor; and thus he who had been lost was
found. Peace, therefore, when she saw her sisters at concord, came
back and united them. And now, behold, Mercy and Truth are met
together, Justice and Peace have kissed each other. Thus,
therefore, by the Mediator of man and angels, man was purified and
reconciled, and the hundredth sheep was brought back to the fold of
God. To which fold Jesus Christ brings us, to whom is honor and
power everlasting. Amen.

A SERMON FOR ANY DAY

Beloved brethren, it is time to pass from evil to good, from
darkness to light, from this most unfaithful world to everlasting
joys, lest that day take us unawares in which our Lord Jesus Christ
shall come to make the round world a desert, and to give over to
everlasting punishment sinners who would not repent of the sins
which they did. There is a great sin in lying, as saith Solomon,
"The lips which lie slay the soul. The wrath of man worketh not the
righteousness of God," no more doth his covetousness. Whence the
Apostle saith, "The love of money and pride are the root of all
evil." Pride, by which that apostate angel fell, who, as it is read
in the prophecy, "despised the beginning of the ways of God. How
art thou fallen from heaven!" We must avoid pride, which