is a work of Satans who wholly possesses them and can transfigure and chaunge himselfe into an Angell of light to deceiue the simple and innocent whom God permits to be tempted for the triall of their constancie Not that he is ignoraunt of the issue but because he would haue it appeare to others that he crowns vs with his glorie for our constancie and perseueraunce This is clearely set downe by Moses in the xiij of Deuteronomie and by Saint Peter in his second Epistle and second Chapter and by our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ in the 24. of Mathew And though we liue in the latter times when manie sects and errours doe abound and vertue and truth in many places doth faile Yet let vs listen what our Lord and Sauiour saith Whosoeuer beleueth to the ende shâ—ll be saued Fourthly and lastly thy Faith must be quicke and liuely that is to saye it must be linked with Loue and Charitie which is the life of Faith as the soule is the life of the body And therefore abuse not thy selfe as some doe saieng I haue Faith and I shall be saued whatsoeuer chaunce No no assure thy selfe that if thy Faith be not quickned with Loue and Charitie it is nothing woorth and therefore vnable to atchieue true blessedndsse as S. Paule wel noteth in the first Epistle the xiij chapter to the Corinths Euen so when our Lord in the Gospel attributeth saluation vnto Faith S Paule iustification this is to be vnderstood of an holy liuely and Euangelicall Faith working with Loue and Charitie Likewise our Lord and Sauiour saith in the Gospell that Hee which beleeueth and will be baptised shall bee saued this is meant of such a Faith as Loue quickeneth and Charitie reuiueth The holy Scripture in many places expresseth that None shall be saued vnlesse he obserue and kéepe the Commaundements of God Now none can kéepe the Commaundements without Loue and Charitie Ergo none can be saued without Loue and Charitie The summe and effect of all is this that whosoeuer renounceth sinne and wickednesse imbraceth a quicke and liuely Faith and liueth in Loue and Charitie he cannot perish but shall finde in the end true perfect and euerlasting Felicitie in the kingdome of Heauen ¶ THE DESCRIPTION OF HOPE and how we ought to hope in almightie God The fourth Chapter NOw sir Knight know this that Hope is a vertue whereby both goods spirituall eternal are hoped for And as Faith is of things not séene so is Hope also For Saint Paule saith Hope that is seene is no Hope because we haue possession of it already It is common to Faith and Hope to be of things vnséene and yet Hope is distinguished from Faith not onely by name but also by reason For by Faith we beleeue as well euill things as good that is to say Heauen and Hell We beléeue that Adulterie is a verie wicked sinne we beléeue also Charitie is a very good thing all these things good and bad we beléeue but we hope onely for good things and not for bad Againe Faith is of things past present and to come For we beleeue the death of Iesus Christ which is past we beleeue also that at this present he sits at the right hand of God the Father in Heauen and we beléeue that Christ shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead But vnder correction I thinke that Hope is of things present as when I hope that I am in GODS fauour and of things past as when I hope my sinnes be forgiuen me and of things to come as when I hope to haue eternall life This is true that Faith hath an eye generallye vnto that which is spoken in holy Scripture beléeuing that all the promises without exception which God made shall bee accomplished without descending to particular or speciall persons but Hope applieth vnto hir selfe those same promises waiting and hoping for the accomplishment of that which God hath promised And therefore it is requisite for assured saluation that thou beleeue thou shalt be saued and but to hope so is sufficient For Faith of and in it selfe importeth an infallible assuraunce and certaintie of things as when we firmely beléeue all the Articles of our true and Christian Faith and all things conteined in the holy Scriptures to be more certaine than man is man but the hoping of it is not so requisite For if we haue a firme affiaunce in the goodnesse of God touching our saluation and doubt not a whitte of the remission of our sinnes it is enough Ther be two degrées in Hope which are two contrary extremities The one being the most highest is most perfect infailable assuraunce of eternall blessednesse The other being the basest and lowest is to despaire of saluation Betwéene these two extremities consisteth Hope But the more y t a man approcheth to the highest extremitie which is an infaileable assuraunce of eternall life and the more he recoileth from the basest and lowest extremitie which is desperation the more perfect is he in Hope It sufficeth the hoping man that beléeues loues God that he haue a firme affiaunce confidence that God of his good grace will giue him whatsoeuer he hath promised vnto his elect hoping that he is of their number So it is necessarily requisite that we haue a perfect and an infaileable certaintie of our saluation Now for that in the definition of Hope it is said that by hir we looke and hope for the spirituall and eternall goodnesse it is to be noted that Hope hath two obiects the first and the principall is God himselfe and the perfect inioying of his presence The other is all the necessarie meanes to come vnto the cleare séeing and inioying of God and these meanes are the remission of our sinnes iustification the help of Gods grace Faith vnfained and charitable deedes agréeablenes vnto God Now all that we hope for we ought with praier deuoutly to craue of God as his Kingdome the remission of our sinnes iustification increase of grace and vertue déedes of Faith and Charitie But concerning goodes temporall forasmuch as we may vse them well and ill they may be saide to hinder the saluation of man rather then to further it And therfore the good Christian ought not to aske them nor to couet theÌ„ excessiuely indéed so much as wil necessarily serue him for sustenaunce in this life he may lawfully aske And héere by the waye it is a lesson worthy the learning namely that it is necessarie for vs to do good workes because it hath plesed God to inrich vs with goods which goodes ought well to be employed Now vnto him properly belongeth the merits of the workes which he worketh in vs. For all our good workes are the gifts of God howbeit he doth not denie vs his grace whereby we consent to doe the good works which he onely moueth in vs. And therefore euery one ought to the vttermost that he is able to do good works
thée eueryday to repeate the promises which thou hast made to God in thy Baptisme which follow thus in effect O most high most excellent and most holye Trinitie Father Sonne and holy Ghost I protest that I will liue and dye in the true Catholike and Apostolike Faith and will keepe thy Holy commaundements which heretofore I haue transgressed Wherefore I am sorye and doe heartelye repent mee for the breach of them and in token whereof I make my confession saieng I Beleeue in God the Father almightie maker of heuen earth And in Iesus Christ his only sonne our Lord. Which was conceaued by the holy Ghost Borne of the virgin Marie Suffred vnder Ponce Pilate Was crucified dead buried He descended into hell the third day he rose againe frō the dead He ascended into heauen and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father almightie From thēce he shal come to iudge the quick the dead I beleeue in the holy Ghost The holy Catholike Church The communion of Saints The forgiuenesse of sinnes The resurrection of the body And the life euerlasting Amen Then say Lord God giue me grace most heartely I beseech thee without doubting to confesse and beleeue all the Articles of this my Christian Faith and in the fame to perseuer to the ende And so rehearse the tenne Commaundements of almightie God which are these THe same which God spake in the xx chap. of Exodus saieng I am the Lord thy God which haue brought thee out of the land of Aegipt out of the house of bondage 1 Thou shalt haue none other Gods but me 2 Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauē Image nor the liknesse of any thing that is in heauen aboue nor in the earth beneath nor in the water vnder the earth Thou shalt not bow downe to them nor worship them For I the Lord thy God am a ielous God visit the sins of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me and shew mercie vnto thousands in thē that loue me and keepe my commaundements 3 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine 4 Remember that thou keepe holy the Saboth day Sixe daies shalt thou labour do all that thou hast to do But the seauenth day is the saboth of the Lord thy God In it thou shalt doe no manner of worke thou thy sonne thy daughter thy man-seruāt thy maid-seruant thy cattell thy stranger that is within thy gates For in sixe daies the Lord made heauen earth the sea all that in them is rested the seuenth day wherfore the Lord blessed the seauenth day and hallowed it 5 Honour thy father and thy mother that thy daies may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee 6 Thou shalt doe no murther 7 Thou shalt not commit adultrie 8 Thou shalt not steale 9 Thou shalt not beare false witnes against thy neighbour 10 Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours house Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours wife nor his seruant nor his maid nor his Oxe nor his Asse nor any thing that is his Then considering the tenour of that which thou hast said craue grace at Gods handes to walke after his will vsing the same praier which Christ taught thee and saieng OVr Father which art in heauen hallowed be thy name Thy kingdome come Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen Giue vs this daie our dayly bread And forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue thē that trespasse against vs. And lead vs not into temptation But deliuer vs from euil Besides all this thou must also most heartely humble thy selfe before God acknowledging thy selfe a sinner and that thou canst do nothing y t is righteous but if ther be any goodnesse in thée either of nature or of Gods grace thou must freely confesse that all comes from aboue Repute not thy selfe better then another but rather the least of all If anie despise thee mocke thee or iniure thée suffer it not onely paciently but also willingly gladly euen for the loue of God For the scaling ladder of heauen is humilitie a full denieng of thy selfe in al worldly causes Thinke not wel of thy selfe for anie thing that thou doest hast done or maist do but if thou hast anie goodnes in thy body or in thy soule be not ashamed to confesse that it is not thine because it comes not from thée but of God from him whom indéede it procéeds If thou humble not thy selfe there is no hope of thy soules helth For to this effect our Lord said If you be not cōuerted made as little children you shal not enter into the kingdome of heauen And S. Barnard saith Who so wil be hūble must be content to be despised of the world he desireth not to be renowmed for this is no point of humilitie Commit thy selfe therefore to God and put thy will to his taking at his hands all aduersities paciently all tribulations all afflictions all diseases all persecutions yea death it selfe not onely contentedly but also willingly acknowledging that God sendes nothing to the faithfull but goodnesse and all for their soules health Wherefore thou must often pray to God say Lorde God giue mee whatsoeuer thou wilt do with me alwaies what thou wilt And when at any time thou findest thy selfe as it were left of God voide of deuotion or destitute of consolation whether it be inwardlye or outwardlye bee not discouraged for it neither thinke that God hath forgotten thée but heartelye humble thy selfe before God accounting thée vnworthy of consolation and putting all thy confidence in God as in one that knowes how to saue his elect If thou receiue any blessing inwardly as wisdome or anie other gift exalt not thy selfe in pride neither discommend others y t haue not receiued of God such grace but vse that which thou hast to Gods glorie Againe if thou see thy neighbours fall take héed thou hate him not iudge him not condemne him not but think that God permits thée to sée his offence for thy profit Imagine thou wast neuer touched with y e crime wel it is much but yet thou hast bene culpable in some other as bad or els worse vpon this examinatin reforme thy selfe suppose thou art in no fault thou must not therfore estéeme thy self better thē he y t is in fault knowing thou art of such a nature as he is made of y e same stuffe y t he is therfore notwithstāding thy supposition a sinner offender as well as he so y t both néed amending Be thou sure that if God had prouided no better for thée then thy selfe deserued thou hadst committed the like offence or els greater thanke God that he hath kept thée so pray for him y t doth amisse is not yet
Water the Aire the Earth and to make Idols and honour them in the likenesse of men of beasts and birds and to worship them so that the true knowledge of God should be proper but vnto one people descended from the loines of Abraham and they are the Iewes Then I demaūded of Folly how Idolatry entred y e world wher she took place first My son qd she vnderstād y e Idolatrie hath bē brought into y e world by my means For Idolatry took hir first original beginning in Chaldea in y e citie of Babilō in y e region or country of y e Assyrians in y e raign of Ninus y e third king which was y e son of Bel Bel of Nemroth Nēroth of Chus Chus of Cham Cham of Noah so y e Ninus y e third king of Babilon was y e first man y t did ordein tēples set vp Altars to sacrifice vpō vnto his father Bel to Iuno his mother First he fashioned their standing Images set thē in y e midst of y e citie of Babilon that was y e first beginning of Idolatry other neighbours nations did as much the Aegyptians made y e like by Osiris surnamed Iupiter the true son of Cham of Rhea The same Osiris after his death was esteemed of y e Aegyptians for his vertue to be a God so y t the matter by my coūsell quod Folly turned to Idolatrie For they offered sacrifice vnto him honoured him in forme of an Oxe or a Calfe y e like also did y e childrē of Israel in the desart to their Idoll which afterwards was named Serapis But as yet Fraunce Germany wer not infected with Idolatry howbeit I did mine indeuour to make it more vniuersal ceased not til y t shortly after this pestilence had taken root For y e aboue named Ninus son of Bel king of Babilon maried Semiramis y t wonderfull woman who as it is written deuised y t all y e male children shuld be gelded of hir body begat he one son named Ninus y e second by another wife he had another son called Trabeta who by right of succession should haue enioyed y e crowne of Babilon but y t his mother in law kept him from it tooke y e gouernment rule vnto hir selfe kept it in y e behalfe of her young son Ninus Trabeta then fering his stepmother fled frō Babilon after long trauaile he arriued in Fraunce not far from the riuer of Rhene wher he founded a citie called it Treues which is yet a very ancient citie At that time was Gallia Belgica all the country about it which we call Low Almaine first infected poisoned w t Idolatry which was 1947. yeres before the incarnation of Iesus Christ. Ther Trabeta by my counsel made y e picture of his grandfather Bel y e son of Nemroth y e great Giant first Saturn of y e Babilonians to be worshipped in y e citie of Treues But afterwards Bauo who foūded y e citie Belges otherwise called Bauoy in Hainot had taken by force y e citie of Treues victoriously brought to Bauoy all y e tresure of Treues their Idols wherwith also he brought his own Idolls from Phrigia By this meanes the error of Idolatry was more authorised For by my counsell he built with y e spoils of his cōquest 7. meruailous mightie temples in his citie which had vii dores according to y e seauen planets they had also a thousād towres euerie one an hundreth cubites high xviii foote broad As for other nations they were euen no other then y e Babilonians the Aegyptians the Phrigians the French men the Germaines for y e good Patriarke Noah otherwise called Ianus hauing dwelt in Italy 82. years being 959. years olde .350 years or ther about after y e floud he dyed before y e incarnatiō .1967 years This good man was lamented bewailed through all y e world generally but chiefly of y e Italians then called Lanigenes of the Armenians ouer whome he first reigned These people presētly after they knew of Noahs death they honored him as a holy man For in those daies al holy men were counted Gods as it is often mentioned in the holy scripture Ego dixi Dij estis filij excelsi omnes that is I haue said ye are Gods yee all are children of the most high And which is more they made him temples alters as now a daies Idolaters do vnto y e saints of heauen I quoth Folly made y e simple people assure themselues that the soule was remoued into some of y e heauenly bodies for y e which cause they called heauen y e Sun the séede of the world the father of Gods y e greater lesser y e God of peace iustice holinesse y e driuer away of euil things the preseruer of good things Againe they called his successors Ianus Geminus Quadrifrons Enotrius Ogiges Vertumnus Iupiter Optimus Maximus Thē I perswaded y e people to offer sacrifice vnto him as vnto god by which déed they became al Idolaters for if they had estéemed thē no better thē holy mē they had not sinned in that for in déede he was a holy man Marke what Austen saith in the tenth booke of the Citie of God It is not lawfull saith he to offer any sacrifice to any Saint be it Man or Angell but onely to God After the destruction of Troye Aeneas came into Italy bringing with him his owne Idolls and the Gods of Troye héerevppon Idolatrie tooke force and increased more and more I thinke quod Folly that this which I haue tolde thée already may suffice to declare how Idolarie entred the world first Thou hast heard also how I gouerned Angells Nations Now thou shalt vnderstand how I haue ruled and ordered perticular persons After the floud I first ruled Cham Noahs sonne who being wholly giuen to the Magicall Art obtained and had the name of Zorastes He hated his father because he loued his other brother better then him In reuenge whereof vppon a daye he found his father Noah drunke lieng fast a sléepe vpon the ground vnhonestly he discouered his fathers priuities and by my counsell he presumed to touch those his secret parts and inchaunted them by his Magicall Arte so that euer after for want of abilitie he could not ioyne issue with any woman to beget children His Father being angry thereat abandoned him for a season After that he became the first King and Saturne of Aegypt insomuch as the holy Scriptures calleth Cham the first King of Aegypt Againe by my counsell he trained vp his people according to his owne nature in all villany and filthinesse openly affirming that men might lawfully vse and haue to doe with their owne mothers daughters and sisters as was the custome before the floud and also to commit many other
handled our Cookes were cleanelye our Butlers bountifull our seruitours verie singular our musicke was excellent our Singers were swéete and euerie Officer excéeded in delicatenesse There was fine féeding pleasaunt parling continuall quaffing insomuch that halfe dronke and whole dronke was a goodly game ribauldrie was our recreation and as for knauerie it was canuast to the proofe When supper was ended Lady Wantonnesse came vnto me and asked me if I would daunce and Lady Lust likewise asking me whether I would lye alone or haue a bedfellowe I made aunswere that I was wearie by reason of my iourney and so desired to go to bed Then Lasciuiousnesse brought me to my chamber where she lodged me in swéete shéetes a soft bed Curtens of Tissue and all things costly and excellent In conclusion Laly Voluptuousnesse tooke her leaue promising in the morning to shew me the rest of the pallace of worldly felicitie whereof I dreamed all night my head was so full of toyes ¶ VOLVPTVOVSNESSE SHEVVETH THE VVANdring knight some part of the pallaice after brought him to dinner The ninth Chapter IN the morning when y e Sun beames brightly adorned y e chāber wher I lay perced y e gallāt glasse windows of costly christal Lasciuiousnes came vnto me bad me good morow asking me if I wold rise Wherto I answered yea did so w t speed now whiles I was trimming my selfe in came Licorousnes her sister Dronkennes who had prepared my breakfast anon after came in lady Voluptuousnesse accompanied with Lust Lecherie all y e rest shée was apparailed more lyke a goddesse then a quéene Al these kissed me swéetly sate down with me to breakfast which being ended Ambitiō put vpō my back y e cape of curiositie wherw t presently I became so curious as could be in al things sauing goodnes Thē I desired Voluptuousnes to shew me y e rest of y e pallaice according to her promise so we walked together into a goodly great chamber hanged about with cloth of gold beset with pearles This chamber was paued with Marble black white y e pillers wer Iasper y e roofe was Iuory laid on with gold y e staiers wer Alabaster In this chāber also was a sumptuous chaire of estate wherin most magnificently sate a Prince hauing on his head an imperial crown of gold beset w t precious pearls in his hād a scepter roial He was besides y t very richly araied accōpanied w t many nobles pompeously apparelled This prince I reuerenced he likewise saluted me giuing cōmandement y t I shuld be most singularly excellētly vsed So we went frō thence being abroad I asked lady Voluptuousnesse what prince y e same was who said y t he was y e Prince of this Pallaice euen my father y e only giuer bestower of felicitie the which I beleeued to be true til I found in déed y t it was Lucifer y e father of filthinesse the graund-father of gluttonie y e prince of pride y e Emperour of iniquitie the Lord of lewdnes a ruler of y e world one y t had nothing to do in heauen but in earth among a sort of wicked worldlings diuelish people This Lucifer arrogātly chalengeth vnto himself y t he hath power to giue glory honour riches to whō he listeth as y e scripture witnesseth wherfore worldlings do serue him as his subiects Frō thence wēt we to y e tresurie house wher we saw cofers ful of coine iewels which was kept by lady Fortune as Voluptuousnesse said she bestowed al y e treasure vpon such as y e king commanded From thence we wēt vp into a great gallerie where we saw thrée cabinits y e first full of fine wollen the second of pure silks y e third of faire white linnen this place Pompe had in keeping Frō thēce we went to y e perfuming house which differed nothing frō an Apothecaries shop For ther I found all things y t might moue a mans appetite or stir vp his delight There were colours to paint prowd women perfumes ointmēts to make their bodies soft swéet this place was kept by Lasciuiousnes Thē we went vnto y e goodly large vaughts wher wine of no kinde wanted there was dame Dronkennes her kingdōe From thence I was lead to the kitchins where all thinges wer kept in order by Licorousnes whose rule lay in y e place From thence to an other great roome where we saw a sort of young sweet faced boies Voluptuousnesse tolde me they were Ganimedes Endimio From thence she had me vp to a place y t was builded very round in compasse which place was meruailous bright lightsome by reason of the great glasse windows of christall This serued them in stéed of a tēple for they had none other Here we saw a great nūber of fine delicate dames excéeding amiable beautiful amongest all one excelled whose name I asked and Voluptuousnesse shewed me y t it was lady Venus whō al liscentious louers do like notably wel honor hir as a goddesse By her sate a blind-boy who with his bow arrows shot at aduētures hot my hart by by came down dame Venus she pluckt it out reuiuing me w t cōfortable words wōderful perswasions And although y e arrow was quickly takē out might séeme to doe no harme yet I thinke the head thereof was poisoned for it hath made so déep a wound as is very infectious scarce curable vnlesse with some speciall plaisters This same Cupid gouerneth al lecherus louers of what age soeuer they be or degrée witnesseth daily experience he is naked and past shame not caring who looketh vpon him his blindnesse representeth the folly of such as run headlong after lewde loue setting their feathers in the winde without respect of any after clap His bowe and arrowes doe signifie the folly of fooles which offer themselues to be his Butte and standeth still while he doth shoote and hit them His wings signifie the wauering minde of such as he hits who are quiet in no place or time For who is more mutable vaine light inconstant and variable then the fleshly louer Some saies y t this Cupid hath a torch burning in his hand meaning héereby that he burnes to the heart all them that he toucheth Al this dispatched Voluptuousnesse and I went to dinner and she promised me when we had dined to shew me the rest of the pallaice ¶ DINNER BEING DONE VOLVPTVOVNESSE sheweth the wandring knght the rest of the Pallaice of worldly felicitie with the description of the Towres thereof And by the Author is declared the euill fruite of certeine notorious sinnes The tenth Chapter THis chaunced in the pleasaunt month of May when loue and lust is most in force so it was determined that we should sup in goodly gardens not in banketting houses although they were wonderfull fine but in arbours ouergrowne with swéete Eglentine
forgaue him yea he obteined more then he required For Christ said vnto him This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise This is Gods propertie euen to giue of his liberalitie more then men doe or can aske S. Paul was a blasphemer a persecutor of Gods church yet he receiued mercy God hath set downe such persons as exāples for sinners to y e end they should not doubt of his mercy to teach them y t he doth not pardon offences for y e merits of y e sinners which are starke naught euen when they are best but for his mercies sake which is aboue all his works For so to imagine of mens merits is destructiō if any thing be ascribed vnto merits then for y e merits of his son Iesus Christ for his bitter passion sake Let this be the conclusion that albeit y e sinner hath committed as many sinnes as there be drops of water in the sea or sands on the sea shore yet he hath no cause to dispaire For though they be neuer so monstrous manifold yet the mercy of God doth infinitly exceed them For his mercy consumes them sooner then the fierce fire doth burne vp the dry Toe When I heard lady Remembraunce read these words I toke hart at grasse recited a place written in y e Psalms of Dauid According to the multitude of the griefes sorrows of my heart thy consolations haue refreshed my soule And then falling on my knées holding vp my hands with sorowful countenaunce confidence of heart resting wholly vpon the mercies and promises of God the merits of our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ. I most humbly desired pardon for my sins at the hands of Gods grace Upon which vnfeined confession of mine offences heart griefe handmaids of perfect Repentance fore-runners to the purpose I receiued by the meanes of Gods grace the benefit of the death passion of our Lord sauiour Iesus Christ to whom with the father the holy Ghost be all honour glorie for euer and euer Amen ¶ A SERMON VVHICH VNDERSTANDING THE good Hermit made vnto the knight vpon the History of Marie Magdalene The sixt Chapter IN the name of y e father of the son of the holy Ghost Amen The great goodnes vnspeakable mercie which hath ben vsed in al ages times of our Lord sauiour Iesus Christ towards all poore sinners are in many places of the Gospel made manifest cleerly notified but chiefly in y e vii of Luke Wherin mention is made of a sinful woman lewd of life ill of name contemned despised abhorred of men whom swéet Iesus did not onely receiue to fauour but also by inward secret inspiration drew her to repentance how in what sort heare vnderstand The Gospell saith y t ther was a Pharesie furnished with false faith misled with a vaine opinion of holinesse he was a great doctour of law a renowmed Iusticiarie howbeit weak in faith yet verie high minded When our sauiour had one day preached instructed the people by his diuine holy doctrine exhorting poore sinners to turne to God by repentance vttering many parables and similitudes as the prodigall child the lost sheepe such like what else doth he declare signifie but y t he is inclined to compassion readie to haue mercie to receiue into fauour all repentant sinners The proud Pharesie praied him to come into his house to dine with him The good Lord which had taken vpon him mans nature and was borne for y e saluation of all denied not this proud fellows request neither refused to enter into his house although hée was ambitious but down at y e table sat y e son of God made man for y e saluatiō of men He was conuersant among men he did eate drink with men he offred himselfe a helper to euery one shewing vnto al his goodnes without exception of any Now he being set at y e table ther came one vnto him in shape like a woman but in courage a man who by the bruite of the whole Citie was counted a greate sinner and very il reported of y e world such a one indéed as euery body mocked pointed at with their fingers But yet in the sight of God she was in great honour not because she was an hainous sinner but because she was predestinated elected of God from y e beginning to reigne with him in his heauenly kingdome This woman hearing by report the renowne of our redéemer that he shewed himselfe swéete and bountiful to all sinners defending them against the malitious slaunders mocks of the proud and arrogant Pharesies promising to euery one that beleeued in him the kingdome of heuen this woman was inspired both outwardly and inwardly by our Lord Sauiour Iesus Christ to sée heare him preach Thē did she by outward speach expresse how she was inwardly affected moued in minde séeing her soule sore sicke diseased her heart full of iniquitie and sinne her conscience defiled with all kinde of vice her selfe frustrate and void of all hope of health deuising how to recouer this malady adressed her selfe to séeke him who is the onely Surgeon of all sicke soules she sought for grace at the Well of mercie and though she was a shamefull sinner yet she was receiued of him which came into the world to saue sinners She came not pompeously araied nor yet came with a train she came alone and not emptie handed For she brought with her a boxe full of most pretious ointment of a swéete smell representing the Faith Hope and Charitie lodged in her heart What could this be but the swéete smell of vertue For what represented the boxe of Alabaster stone but holy faith founded vpon the true cornerd stone Iesus Christ wherin is conserued all vertues without which it is vnpossible to please God Came she alone being accompanied w t Faith Hope Charitie Humilitie Repētāce She entred y e house vncalled wher was her phisition putting a part al shame which leadeth to perdition together with the mockes of the proud Pharesies which sat at the table she craued comfort and health for her sicke soule acknowledging her griefe and y t being certein he to whom she came had power to help hir Unto this phisition she could not haue come w tout faith she was not so bold hardy as to look Iesus in y e face but fel at his féete vpon hir knées lamentably weeping and with the floude of hir teares washing his féete and wiping and drieng them with hir hairie looks Then she kissed them and with hir precious ointment she anoynted them All this while hir voice was not heard but hir heart spake vnto the true Sonne of God saieng I haue no need to declare with my tongue my inward griefes or to expresse the cause of my
it as thou hast had It was Gods doing and no will of thine if thou hast had no occasion nor conuenient time nor fit opportunitie to fall into that sinne Suppose thou hast had occasion offered with opportunitie and all things fit and yet hast refrained Well it is God then that hath guided and gouerned thée that thou shuldest not doe it Acknowledge then the grace of God as thou art bound because thou hast not committed such a sinne For as he who hath committed most sins is most indebted to God euen so is he who neuer sinned Gods debter For were not the grace of God his guide he woulde doe ill inough Now to our purpose After the Lord had conuinced the Pharesie of his prowd opinion to comfort the sorowfull woman lyeng at his féet he said thus Woman thy sinnes are forgiuen thee O ioifull voice O happy woman that art worthye to heare the Sonne of God speake to thée and vnto forgiue thée thy sinnes But those comfortable words of the Lord greatly offended the proud Pharisies at the feast who turned them to blasphemie saieng What fellowe is this that also forgiueth sinnes It is apparent inough that he is a blasphemer for to pardon and forgiue sinnes belongeth onelye to God No doubt our Lord Iesus Christ was taken to be a very poore man of him that requested him to dinner and to those which were at the table It was knowen that man could not forgiue sinnes but they beléeued not that Iesus Christ was God and therefore say they What fellowe is this that forgiueth sinnes These feasters were sicke of a deadly disease which they neither knew nor yet the remedy to heale and doe them good Is it not a madnesse that such as are sicke should fall a laughing at them that are sounde and in good health So did the Pharesies laugh at Iesus Christ and the woman who were not sicke or if she were sicke she acknowledged hir sicknesse and sought helpe of the Phisition It is most true that a man cannot forgiue sins but this woman which beleeued that Christ coulde forgiue sinnes beléeued also that he was God and therefore able to forgiue sinnes But why did not our Sauiour Christ aunswere these murmuring Pharesies and say I am the Sonne of God when they asked the question saieng What fellowe is this that forgiueth sinnes No he let them murmure and turned himselfe towards the woman and said Thy faith hath saued thee depart in peace Though she heard him say vnto the Pharesies these men murmure and estéeme of me as it pleaseth them neuerthelesse be thou assured that thy faith hath saued thee and therefore depart in peace and enioy full rest and tranquilitie of conscience iustified by a liuely faith and fulfilled with loue Let all sicke soules that are laden with sinnes if they will be healed let them I say come in faith and assured hope to the true Phisition of soules which is Iesus Christ let them confesse their offences with sorow and wéeping let them wipe the féete of our Lord with their haire and they shall be restored made whole and recouer their health Let your superfluous riches be giuen among the poore and not spent in feasting dronkennes and pompeous apparaile And after that the sinner with great loue and liberalitie hath thought vppon the poore speaking to them with great gentlenesse helping them in their néede as well with good counsell as with almes déedes and liuing as the rule of Gods word requireth in holinesse and righteousnesse he shall be sure to receiue peace and quietnesse of conscience and be reconciled to God the father for the merites of his deare Sonne Iesus Christ his death and passion to whom be all honour and glory for euer and euer Amen ¶ THE KNIGHT HAVING RECEIVED THE holy Communion heard the sermon and ended dinner mounted into a chariot of triumph and was by Gods grace carried to the Pallaice of Vertue The vij Chapter IT cannot be knowen how much consolation I tooke by the Sermon of the good Hermit wherefore I was desirous to know his name the which I asked of Lady Memory who tolde me that it was good Vnderstanding Then I receiued the holy Communion which being ended and thankes giuen to God I meant to salute and gratifie him But before we went to receiue the holy Sacrament of the body bloud of our Lord Sauiour Iesus Christ I remembred the great loue of our Lord which humbly tooke vpon him our fraile and weake nature for our sakes became accursed and suffred most bitter death vpon the Crosse to deliuer vs out of the bondage of sinne hell and eternall death and to bring vs to euerlasting life I remembred also the loue which he shewed vnto me in drawing me out of the sinke of sinne wherein I was plunged ouer head and eares so that I was not onely drawn from my vnspekable sinnes but also made a Communicant of the mysterie of his deuine maiestie by faith And to the ende it might please him to giue me grace to receiue it aright I praied vnto him on this wise O sweete Iesus and louing Redéemer I yéelde thée thankes for thy vnspeakable loue by the which thou hast purged me from the filth of sinne and pluckt me by thy grace out of the darke dungeon of death Beholde I reconcile my selfe vnto thée most heartely beséeching thée that thou wouldest vouchsafe amongst the great number of thy benefites of thy great liberalitie to giue me grace to bée a faithfull pertaker of thy precious body and bloud represented vnto me vnder the visible forme of bread and wine O immortall King I am not worthy I confesse of so great á benefite yet I beséech thée as thou doest make the vnworthye worthye and the sinners iust so make me worthy to receiue this holy blessed and heauenly Sacrament to my soules health Féede my sinfull soule O Lord with thy spirituall bodie and let thy bloud reuiue and quicken my spirite O make me by thy grace dailye encreasing in me a member of thy mysticall bodie that I maye bée included within the couenaunt and blessing which thou madest with thy Saints and Apostles in thy last Supper communicating vnto them the holy Sacrament of thy bodie and bloud and consequently that I maye be of the number of them which according to their vowe and promise made in Baptisme doe liue in faith and by thy grace are receiued into the company of Saints Amen This Praier being ended with all reuerence and deuotion I receiued the holy Sacrament and that being ended we went from the Chapple into a great hall where I met the good Hermite Vnderstanding whom when I had saluted and he me I thanked him for his good Sermon Then as wee were talking Gods grace saide vnto me Sir Knight I giue thée for thy Gouernour this good Hermite Vnderstanding belieue his counsell and doe what he commands thée Then I remembred my olde Gouernesse Folly whom I left in
Who dwelleth in Charitye sayth Saint Iohn dwelleth in GOD and GOD in him Our Lorde lykewise sayth If anye man loue me he will keepe my commaundements and my Father will loue him and wee will come and dwell with him Canne we desire a more rich a more bountifull or a more lyberall hoste then he Is it lyke that so louing an hoste will suffer the soule to want Will he aske monie for his expenses No hée commeth not to dwell with vs to consume that wee haue but to encrease our riches and to make our store greater Thirdly Charitie maketh our goods be they little or bée they much acceptable vnto God it maketh a man contemne the world it maketh a man to reioyce in temptations afflictions and tribulations When Charitie enters into the soule she comes accompanied with all other goodnesse yea shée knittes vs to GOD and vniteth vs with him Loue or Charitie makes men of one minde and one will Loue or Charitie makes men reforme their manners and to drawe néere vnto God Loue or Charitie maketh men consider of things present and visible as if they were not Loue maketh a pure and cleane heart which may contemplate and beholde heauenly thinges By Loue the goods of this worlde are well ordered and by Loue the goods of this world are contemned and by Loue the secretes of God are reuealed Saint Iohn saith That God is Charitie wherby no doubt he meaneth the Father the sonne and the holy Ghost the three persons in trinitie God the father is Charitie God the sonne is Charitie and God the holy Ghost is Charitie This Loue or Charitie requireth in the same such likely things namely Loue and Charitie by the which as by some spiritual affinity thou art ioyned vnto God which Loue also boldly commeth vnto God familiarly speaketh with him without any doubt or feare He that loueth not shall loose his lyfe but he that loueth alwayes lyfteth his eyes to GOD whome he loueth whom he desireth on whome he museth in whome he is refreshed and by whome he is preserued such a louing deuoute and relygious soule doth so singe so saye so reade so dispose all his businesse and so circumspectly foreseeth all things as if GOD were euer present with him as doubtlesse in spirite he is The man in whose soule the loue of GOD is lodged so prayeth as if God were personallye present with him The loue of Charitie awaketh y e soule when she is a sléepe it puts him in minde of his saluation it softeneth and moysteneth the heart Loue or Charitie setteth the colde heart on fire Loue maketh the froward soule gentle Loue chaseth awaye sinne Loue kepeth the affections of fleshe and bloude vnder Loue amendeth lewde mennes manners Loue reneweth the spirite Loue brideleth the light motions of wanton youth all this worketh Loue or Charitie where she is present Contrarywise where Loue or Charitie is absent there the soule doth languysh and waxeth colde euen as a Chaldron of water doth when the fire is taken from vnder it and raked abroade Charitie is the onely thinge whereby the soule boldlye approcheth vnto GOD constantlye cleaueth vnto him famyliarlye speaketh with him and in all affayres asketh counsell of him The Soule that loueth GOD cannot but thinke and talke of GOD insomuch that he hateth all vngodlye thinges Who so will knowe GOD must loue GOD the more that one loues God the more he growes in the knowledge of God To Read to write and to Study of God yéeldeth no true knowledge of God without Loue. In vaine do we read in vaine doe we talke in vaine doe we preach in vaine doe we praye to GOD if we doe not loue God The loue of God engendereth the loue of thine owne soule and maketh it attentiue alwaies to God God loueth to be beloued againe and when he loueth he requireth nothing but loue happie therefore is he that loueth God The soule which loueth God reiecteth all his affections being attentiuely giuen to his loue The soule that loueth hath no feare the soule that loueth not is euer in feare The soule that loueth is caried by promises and drawen by desires vnto heauen the soule that hath in it the presence of Gods loue is tickeled with ioye with rauishings leapeth vp to heauen hauing by contemplation exceeding great ioyfulnesse Loue bréedes familiaritie with God familiaritie bréedes boldnesse with God boldnesse bréedes the taste of God and taste bréedeth an hunger after God If I shoulde declare all the excellencie of Loue or Charitie the time wold faile me and mine abilitie in that behalfe would not suffice But let this stand for a conclusion that the soule which is touched with the loue of God cannot desire any thing contrarie to God but euer after it hath receiued any tast of sin it crieth out and saith with the Prophet O Lord God like as the Hart desireth the fountaines of water euen so long I after thee Well then sir Knight lift vp thy soule and remember the great Loue and Charitie of God and his manifolde benefites bestowed vpon thée that by them thy hart being inlightened thou maist increase and goe forward daye by day in doing good workes to the glorifieng of God who delighteth in the same according as it is saide Let your light so shine before men that they seeing your good workes may glorifie God in Heauen Thus much touching these thrée spirituall Uertues now come we to the foure morall ¶ THE DESCRIPTION OF THE FOVRE Morall Vertues Prudence Iustice Fortitude and Temperance The vij Chapter BY these foure Morall vertues man liueth well and orderly in this mortall life Saint Hierome saith that the Christian man by these iiij liueth wel in this mortalitie by them after death commeth to euerlasting life Prudence knoweth the good we should doe and the euill we should leaue Iustice doth good Temperance leaueth the euill Fortitude is constant without loosing courage in aduersitie or waxing proud in prosperitie Prudence disposeth man and teacheth him how to approch vnto God Fortitude and Temperance how to gouerne himselfe Iustice how to vse his neighbour These are the foure things which Satan shooteth at to destroye the soule By Prudence which is the rule of right reason we gouerne our selues wisely we order our affaires discréetly doing nothing but right and reason In Prudence consisteth reason knowledge foresight aptnesse to teach and giue good counsell A prudent man knoweth afore hande the ende of his counsell Plato saith that Prudence is the Duchesse of all morall vertues showing vs how we should vnderstand and vse the rest For as Faith informeth vs and telleth vs what we should hope after and what we ought to loue euen so Prudence instructeth teacheth vs how we should vse Iustice Fortitude and Temperance Aristotle saith that it is vnpossible but a prudent man should be good If he meane Morall goodnesse it is most true for a wise man doth nothing but that which is
were consumed Being in that maze Vertue tolde me that in hir Pallaice neuer came night and that darknesse had nothing to doe where she dwelt Then Memory put me in minde what Gods grace tolde me by the way saieng that by the workes of Faith which are the fruits of the same I might perceiue and sée the Citie of Heauen wherein is comprehended the true and blessed Felicitie Then Faith led me to hir Tower and all the other vertues kept vs company For Faith properly is not without Hope nor Hope without Charitie and therfore they must go altogether And though these vertues haue distinct and seuerall properties yet they ioyne hands and are neuer asunder S. Hierome saith that Abraham was furnished with Faith Iob with Fortitude and Patience Dauid with Humilitie and so consequently of other holy men recorded in Scripture Then Faith from hir high Tower showed mée a high hill whereon was builded a meruailous sumptuous Citie and she tolde me it was the Citie of Heauen wherein is comprehended true blessednesse and perfect felicitie In that Citie I sawe neuer a Temple which made me meruaile vntill that Faith told me that the Lord God almightie was the Temple of that Citie There needes no shining of Sun nor brightnes of Moone nor glittering of stars to giue them light for the almightie God is their true light himselfe None enters into this Citie but such as are written in the booke of life Furthermore Faith tolde me that there was no discord no aduersitie no sinne no reproch no iniquitie no feare no sorrow no shame no tumult no darknes no paine no mistrust no violence no vnquietnes no ill no grudging finally nothing that fauoured of mortalitie but there was concord prosperitie perfection vnitie loue gladnesse quietnesse staiednesse charitie sure rest perpetuall felicitie and euerlasting ioye in God with eternall life and happinesse There was mirth without sadnesse rest without labor gaine without losse health without paine abundance without want life without death cleannesse without corruption happinesse without hinderaunce In this Citie God is seene face to face there is the endlesse lyght shining the Saints alwaies singing blessed soules reioycing and euer beholding God yet still coueting to sée him without dulnesse of desire The Citizens of this Citie of heauen are coheires of the eternall Deitie the Father Sonne and holy Ghost They are made incorruptible and immortall according to the promise of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ saieng Father those that thou hast giuen me I will that they bee with me where I am that they may see my brightnesse What can I say more in this Citie is one King without death and without chaunge without beginning and without ending In this Citie there is no night there is no limitation or terme of time but continuall day most brightly shining For in this Citie dwelleth the Father of lights euen God himselfe whose brightnesse no darknes can ouershadow The Citizens of this Citie are most blessed and fortunate For they are pertakers of vnspeakable grace of vnmeasurable happinesse of endlesse ioye of such perfection as therevnto there can be added no more Unto this place shall the iust be aduaunced as for the wicked their portion is in the Lake boyling with fire and brimstone But to proceede in our purpose ¶ THE DESIRE THAT THE KNIGHT had to come to heauen and how Gods grace brought Perseuerance The ix Chapter HAuing séene from the Tower of Faith the Citie of heauen and heard by hir the manner of it I was rauished of my wit estéemed nothing at all of the world For I felt not my selfe my thought I was walking in Heauen Héerevpon I desired Faith that I might remaine still in hir Tower the which willingly she graunted me insomuch that I was neuer wearie out of hir Tower window to behold heauen yea the more I behelde it the more beautifull it séemed In the end I was loath to liue in this world desired death that I might the sooner sée the citie of Heauen haue the sight and inioying of Christ my Redéemer Then kneeling by my selfe all alone I made this praier saieng O how happy is the soule that is out of this earthly prison resteth in heauen most ioifully seeing his Sauior face to face That soule is without feare afflictiō O how happy is the soule which is in the company of Angels holy Saints singing praises vnto the highest Such a soule surely is ladē with abūdance of ioy O happy societie of citizens O happy company of Saints which lamented in their mortall life but now raigne with God immortally O sweet Iesus let me come to thy plesant Citie wher thy Citizens see thee daily to their great delight O let me come ther wher nothing is troublesome to heare or vnderstand what melody heare they without ending And how happy wer I if I might heare the songs or be admitted to sing a song of Dauid in thy holy hil of Sion O that I being the least of thy seruants may by thy grace put off my fleshly burden and come to thy happy Citie to accompany the holy happy assembly of Saints to see the glory of my Creator to behold his amiable Maiestie That I may be made meet for this so great a blessing grant I beseech thee O gratious God that I neuer loke backe vppon this shadowe or valley of teares that I remember not the false plesures of this wicked worlde that I esteeme not this corruptible euil lyfe O how can we here be happie where the Diuell alwayes assalts vs Where the world flatters vs Where the soule is blinded And where al men sin After which greate euils death doth followe as the verie end of al vaine pleasures then they are esteemed as if they had neuer ben What recompēce may be made vnto thee O GOD which giuest vs consolation in the middest of all our extremities by the wonderfull visitation of thy diuine grace Beholde me miserable wretch filled with sadnesse wherein I consider my sinnes when I feare thy iudgement when I thinke on the houre of death when I remember the paines of hell when I am ignorant what punishment I deserue when I knowe not where nor in what estate I shall end my dayes In all these things and many other I appeale to thy gratious goodnesse knowing that thou art readye to giue me consolation against all these sorrowes Thou liftest vp my soule ful of anguish aboue all mountaines thou makest me receiue thy great Loue Charitie goodnes by the which thou recreatest my heauie spirit and reioysest my sad heart in reuealing vnto me thy heauenly delights This praier ended I vtterly forgat all my miseries and rested my soule vpon the anchor of Hope Then as I was kneeling Gods grace appered vnto me accompanied with an other Lady which I had not séene before And after I had giuen her thanks for all her benefits she deliuered mée this Lady named