compassion upon thee Where be the Worldlings the would not be sorry for their sins Where are they become Are they not condemned to everlasting torment in Hell fire O think then that sin doth greatly offend God Think what punishment God hath ordained for sin which makes Man an Enemy to God and a friend to the Devil Secondly think that at this present time thou art in Gods favour by the means of his Grace who made thee a child of God and an Heir of Heaven by Hope so that now thy Conscience is quiet Think what good Consolation thou hast received by devour prayer think what spiritual instructions Gods Grace hath given to thee think all the pleasures of the World are mingled with Sorrow think that this World shall pass away with all the pomps and pleasures of the same think that thy present Estate is the high way to Heaven and so shalt thou keep perseverance Thirdly think that the just judgment of God is to come which is to the good to give Heaven and to the evill Hell Think thou must dye and that at thy death thou shalt not receive so good consolation as thou hast had of Vertue and Gods grace Think that at thy death thou must leave behind thee Wife Children Goods and Mony whether thou do good or evill Think that thou must go to a Region unknown and to a place where thou hast never been and if thou be sound to have dyed in sin without repentance the Devils will attend to take thy damned Soul and will carry it into the dungeon of Darkness there to seel eternal torments But if thou be sound with Perseverance in the Palace of Vertue millions of Angels will go before thee and with great joy will bring thee to heaven O think upon the just judgment of God to come when every one shall be judged according to his deeds For God fahoureth neither Kings Princes nor People high nor low rich nor poor without respect of persons be will chuse the good and condemn the evil at the day of doom when we must appear personally without excuse or exception before him then every man must be his own Atturney when the just Iudge at that day will shew himself terrible to the Perverse which have followed Voluptuousness and have not heartily repented but will be gentle mercifull and good unto those that have been sorry for their offences O think what torments the un-repentant shall suffer both in body and soul perpetually whereas all such as have persevered in goodness to the end shall receive joy and the fulness of God and of Heaven In such sort to persevere in goodness to the end do thine utter endeavour and thou shalt see that God will be ready with his grace to arm thee with constancy in thy Christian purpose CAP. XI A protestation which Good Understanding taught the Knight to make every day for the avoiding of temptations and how he ought to humble himself before God and what he should ask in his prayer MY Son alwayes I wish thee to keep perseverance with thee by whom thou mayest avoid temptations which would induce thee to sin and force thee to forsake the true Faith and also to transgress the holy Commandements of Almighty God This to avoid I wish thee every day to repeat the promises which thou hast made to God in thy Baptism which follow thus in effect O Most high most excellent and holy Lord God I protest that I will live and dye in the true Catholike and Apostolike faith revealed in thy holy Word and that I will do my utmost endravour to keep thy holy Commandements which heretofore I have wilfully and carelessy transgressed wherefore I am sorry and do heartily repent me for the breach of them and in token thereof I make my Confession saying I Believe in God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth And in Jesus Christ his only Sonne our Lord which was conceived by the holy Ghost Born of the Virgin Mary Sufferred under Pontius Pylate Was crucified dead and buryed He descended into Hell The third day he rose again from the dead He ascended into Heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead I believe in the holy Ghost The holy Catholick Church The communion of Saints The forgiveness of sinnes The resurrection of the body And the life everlasting Amen Then say Lord God give me grace most heartily I beseech thee without doubting to confess and believe the articles of this my Christian Faith and in the same to persevere to the end And so rehearse the Ten Commandements of Almighty God which are these The same which God spake in the xx Chapter of Exodus saying I am the Lord thy God which have brought thee out of the Land of Ægypt out of the house of Bondage 1. Thou shalt have none other Gods but me 2. Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven image nor the likenesse of any thing that is in Heaven above nor in the Earth beneath nor in the water under the Earth Thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God and visit the sins of the Fathers upon the Children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me and shew mercy unto thousands in them that love me and keep my commandements 3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine 4. Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day six dayes shalt thou labour and doe all that thou hast to do but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt do no manner of work thou and thy son and thy daughter thy man servant thy maid servant thy catell and the stranger that is within thy gates for in six dayes the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that therein is and rested the seventh day wherefore the Lord blessed the seventh day and hallowed it 5. Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy dayes may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee 6. Thou shalt do no murther 7. Thou shalt not commit Adultery 8. Thou shalt not steal 9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy Neighbour 10. Thou shalt not cover thy Neighbours house thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours wife nor his servant nor his maide nor his ox nor his Asse nor any thing that is his Then considering the tenour of that which thou hast said crave grace at Gods hands to walk after his will using the same prayer which Christ taught thee and saying Our Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdome come Thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven Give us this day our daily bread And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass
the infallible Truth spake thus to Nicodemus God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son to the end that whosoever believeth in him should be saved and not perish but have everlasting life God sent not his Son into the World to condemn the World but to the end the World should be saved by him To the Scrives and Pharisies which murmured because he did eat and drink among Publicans and Sinners Christ said Those that be whole need not the Physitian but such as be sick Again I came not saith the Lord to call the just but Sinners to repentance Not as a Iudge but as a Physitian for such as languish in their Sins came I into the World not that they should remain Sinners but to turn them from their Sins that being Penitent they might be made righteous Likewise he told the Pharisees that the Angels in Heaven do more rejoyce in one penitent Sinner than in 99 just persons which need no repentance God saith Saint Paul spared not his only Son but gave him that he should rather dye for us than we be unpardoned If God spared not his only Son to dye for Sinners what thing is more precious unto him that he should resuse to give them And therefore the same Apostle speaking or Iesus Christ saith thus We have not an high Priest which cannot have Compassion of our Infirmities but such a one as in all points was tempted as well as we Sin excepted Let us go then boldly to the Seat of Grace that we may obtain merry and find grace in time convenient If I should rehearse all the places of the Scripture to this effect the ti … e would fail me Thus we see then none hath cause to distrust the goodness of God or to despair because of the greatness of his Sins seeing that God hath made so many fair promises to pardon the Penitent Sinner there be many Examples in the Old and New Testament of the performance of Gods promises as namely to David who commitred bath Adultery and Murther he even he by sorrowing for his offences and crying Peccavi obtained mercy and pardon of all his Wickedness Manasses the Son of Hezekiah set up the false worship of God which his Father had defaced and of an evill zeal to infidelity he himself offered up his own Children in fire for Sacrifice He persecuted the Prophets and sine innumerable Innocents amongst all which he caused the prophet Esay to be sawn in pieces In the end he was taken by his Enemies and led Captive into Babylon but when he was in his extreamity he acknowledged his offence and asked forgiveness of God by whom he was received to favour and restored to his Kingdom again The People of Ninive whom God threatned by the Prophet Jonas utterly to destroy for the multitude of their Sins they repented and prayed and so God forgave them The Samaritane also and the Canaanite notwithstanding their horrible sins when they asked Gods mercy he forgave them Matthew Zacheus and divers other Publicans upon their repentance were received into favour Peter that denyed his Master our Lord Iesus Christ three times swearing that he knew him not when he wept vitterly for his Sins he was received into mercy The Thief also upon the Cross being at the paint of Death even this Fellow who lived upon nothing but Robbery and Man slaughter all his life time acknowledged his hainous Sins asked pardon and God forgave him yea he obtained more than he required for Christ said unto him This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise This is Gods property even to give of his Liverality more than Men do or can ask Saint Paul was a Blasphemer and a Persecuter of Gods Church and yet he received mercy God hath set down such Persons as Examples for Sinners to the end they should not doubt of his Mercy and to teach them that he doth not Pardon offences for the merits of the Sinners which are stark Naught even when they are best but for his mercies sake which is adove all his Works For so to imagine of Mens merits is Destruction if any thing be ascribed unto merits then to the merits of his Son Iesus Christ and for his bitter Passion sake Let this be the conclusion that albeit the Sinner hath committed as many Sins as there be drops of Water in the Sea or Sands on the Sea shore yet he hath no cause to despair for though they be never so monstrous and manifold yet the mercy of God doth infinitely exceed them For his mercy consumes them sooner than the fire doth durn up the dry Ton. When I heard Lady Remembrance read these words I took heart a grace and recited a place Written in the Psalmes of David According to the multitude of the grief and sorrowes of my heart thy consolations have refreshed my Soul And then falling on my knees holding up my hands with sorrowfull Countenance and Compunction of Heart resting wholly upon the mercies and promises of God and the merits of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ I most humbly desired pardon for my Sins at the hands of Gods grace Vpon which unfained confession of mine offences and heart-grief hand-maids of perfect Repentance and fore-runners to the purpose I received by the means of Gods grace the benefit of the death and Passion of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all Honour and Glory for ever and ever Amen CAP. VI. A Sermon which Understanding the good Hermit made unto the Knight upon the History of Mary Magdalen IN the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost Amen The great goodness and unspeakable mercy which hath been used in all Ages and times of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ towards all poor Sinners are in many places of the Gospel made manitest and clearly notified but chiesty in the seventh of Luke Wherein mention is made of a sinfull Woman lewd of Life and of ill name contemned despised and abhorred of Men whom sweet Iesus did not only receive to Favour but also by inward and secret inspiration drew her to repentance how and in what sort hear and understand The Gospel saith that there was a Pharisie furnished with false Faith and nuzled with a vain Opinion of holiness he was a great Doctor of the Law and a renowned Iusticiary howbeit weak in Faith and yet very high minded When our Saviour had one day preached and instructed the People by his Divine and holy Doctrine exhorting poor Sinners to turn to God by repentance and uttering many Parables and Similitudes as the Prodigal Child the lost Sheep and such like whereby he doth declare and signifie that he is inclined to compassion ready to have mercy and to receive into savour all repentant Sinners the proud Pharisie prayed him to come into his House and to dine with him The good Lord which had taken upon Him Mans Nature
love the Goods of this World are well ordered and by Love the Goods of this World are contemned and by Love the secrets of God are revealed Saint John saith That God is Love or Charity whereby no doubt he meaneth the Father the Son and the holy Ghost the three persons in Trinity God the Father is Charity God the Son is Charity and God the holy Ghost is charity This Love or Charity requireth in the same such likely things namely love and charity by the which as by some spiritual affinity thou art joyned unto God which Love also boldly commeth unto God and familiarly speaketh unto him without any doubt or fear He that loveth not shall lose his Life but He that loveth alwayes lifteth his eyes to God whom be loveth whom he desireth on whom he museth in whom he is refreshed and by whom he is preserved such a debour and religious soul doth so sing so say read so dispose all his business and so circumspectly foreseeth all things as if God were ever present with Him as doubtless in spirit he is The man in whose soul the love of God is lodged so prayeth as if God were personally present with Him The Love of Charity awaketh the soul when she is asleep it puts him in mind of His Salvation it softneth and moysteneth the Heart Charity or Love setteth the cold Heart on fire Love maketh the froward soul gentle Love chaseth away sin Love keepeth the affections of the flesh and blood under Love amendeth Iewd Mens manners Love reneweth the Spirit Love bridleth the light motions of wanton youth all this worketh Love or Charity where she is present Contrariwise where Love or Charity is absent there the Soul doth Languish and waxeth cold even as a Caldron of water doth when the fire is taken from under it and raked abroad Charity is the only thing whereby the soul boldly approacheth unto End constantly cleaveth unto him and familiarly speaketh unto him The Soul that loveth God cannot but think and talk of God insomuch that it hateth all ungodly things Who so will know God must love God the more that one loves God the more be growes in the knowledge of God To read to write and to study of God yieldeth no true knowledge of God without Love In vian do we read in Vain do we talli in Vain do we preach in Vain do we pray to God if we do not love God the love of God ingendreth the love of thine own Soul and maketh it attentive alwayes to God God loves to be loved again and when he loveth he requireth nothing but love happy therefore is he that loveth God The Soul which loveth God rejecteth his own effections being earnestly given to Gods love The Soul that loveth hath no fear the soul that loveth not is ever in fear The Soul that loveth is carryed by promises and drawn by desires unto Heaven the soul that hath in it the presence of Gods love is tickled with joy and with ravishing leapeth up to Heaven having by coutemplation exceeding great joyfulness Love breeds familiarity with God familiarity breeds boldness with God boldness breeds the taste of God and Taste breedeth an hunger after God If I should declare all the excellency of Love or Charity the time would fail me and mine Ability in that behalfe would not suffice But let this stand for a conclusion that the Soul which is touched with the love of God cannot desire any thing contrary to God but ever after it hath received any taste of Sin it cryeth out and saith with the Prophet Psal 14. O Lord God like as the Hart desireth the Fountains of water even so long I after thee Well then Sir Knight lift up thy Soul and remember the great Love and Charity of God and his manisold benefits bestowed upon thee that by them thy Heart being enlightned thou maist encrease and go â—orâ— and day by day in doing good works to the glorifying of God 〈◊〉 delighteth in the same according as it is said Let your light so shine before men that they seeing your good works may glorisie God in Heaven Thus much touching these three spiritual Vertues now come we to the four morall Vertues CAP. VII The description of the four moral Vertues Prudence Justice Fortitude and Temperance By these sour Marral Vertues Man liveth orderly in this martalise Saint Hierom saith that the Christian man by these 〈◊〉 liveth well in this mortality and by them after death cometh to everlasting Life Prudence knoweth the good we should do and evil we should leave Justice doth good Temperance leaveth the evill Fortitude is constant without losing courage in adversity or waring proud in prosperity Prudence teacheth man how to approach unto God Fortitude and Temperance how to govern himself Justice how to use his Neighbour These are the four things which Satan shooteth at to destroy the Soul By Prudence which is the rule of right Reason we govern our selves wisely we order our affairs discreetly doing nothing but Right and reason In Prudence consisteth Reason Knowledge Fore-sight Aptness to give good Counsell Plato saith That Prudence is the Governess of all Moral Vertues shewing how we should understand and use the rest For as Faith informeth us what we should hope after and what we ought to love even so Prudence teacheth us how we should use Justice Fortitude and Temperance Aristotle saith that it is impossible but a prudant Man should be good If he mean moral goodness it is most true for a wise Man doth nothing but that which is lawfull But yet without Love or Charity Prudence is a Vertue no more meritorious then Faith without Love and Charity But if the prudent man love God with all his heart it is unpossible but that he should do good and consequently be good Justice is a Vertue used in two sorts sometimes it is a general Vertue and comprehends in her self all Vertue as the man that Ilbeth well and justiy is therefore called good and Iustice otherwise is understood a particular Vertue called Justice distributive yeelding to every one that which unto him belongeth This Vertue Justice distributive is convenient for all men and principally for Emperours Kings and such as have the Administration and Governments of Common-wealths to the end that they may yeeld to every one their right defending the innocent and punishing the offender doing justice and right according to equity as well to little as great and to poor as rich Many have justice painted in their Houses and yet have wrongfull dealing lodged in their hearts Many a one hath Christ in their mouth but the Devil in their minde He that will be acceptable to GOD he must be just in word upright in deed undefiled in thought Fortitude is a vertue unto which belongs a magnisicent courage not fearing any thing but unlawful actions He that hath this vertue keeps himself constant in adversity and waxeth not proud in prosoerity Fortitude gives a man
Magnanimity Constancy Hope Assurance Patience and Perseverance With this Vertue the Martyrs of all Degrees and Ages were endued grounded upon a firm Faith contemning the world and setting light by the torments of Lyrants imbracing death rather then to deny Christ Gods Prophets were armed with Fortitude who without siattery reprehended the Kings of Israel and Juda of their fals worship of God and feared not their furies The Apostles of Iesus Christ were armed with Fortitude who feared not to controll the wisdom of the wise and vanquish such as were in high places that they might with contented mindes carry the yoak of Christ This they did not with mans power or warlike weapons but with dibine Doctrine not defiring to kill any one but to die themselves It is a great worlds wonder that so few simple souls unarmed unlearned and having no humane policy should vanquish the wisdom of the World confound earthly policy and strength and subdue Kings and bring them in obedience to the Faith of Christ revoking the People from false Religion and Adoration of Debils With this Vertue of fortitude Kings ought to be Armed not fearing any danger for the Defence of the Faith of Iesus Christ but being of one mind with the holy Martyrs of God With this vertue ought Preachers to be armed worthily defending the word of God against all Hereticks and Enemies of the same not fearing the threatnings of Persecutors whatsoever But you must understand that fortitude is not a dealer in the committing of unlawfull deeds as to beat hurt or kill thy brother unless it be justly done in thy own defence or for thy Countries cause otherwise it is a mere Malice Moreover such as desperately dispatch themselves as Wretches weary of Life they do it not by Fortitude but by the Lemptation of the Devill who is permitted of Gods sufferance to tempt some even to the making away of themselves Such People are not Valiant for it is not fortitude unless it be in lawfull deeds as in the defence of thine own Person the Magistrate thy Country or the Faith of Christ for the which to suffer death is excellent fortitude Temperance saith S. Austen is an affection to resrain the appetite when a Man is excessively inclined Temperance hath rule over pleasures and delights resusing to meddle in any thing which cannot be done without offending God and not falling into any excess whatsoever wherein a man may pass the rule of reason To live in Temperance is to dispose every thing according to the right use whereto it was appointed These four Vertues have four Vices clean contrary unto them by the which Vices the Vertues are corrupted and destroyed Prudence by Folly Justice by Covetousness Fortitude by Pride and Temperance by Inconstancy is defaced These Vices are signified by the sour plagues which consumed the Goods of Job namely The Sabees the Chaldees the force of Fire and the Violence of a vehement Wind. The Sabees of Folly made havock of Prudence Oxen. The Chaldees of Pride led away the Camels of Fortitude The fire of Lechery made waste of Temperance Sheep And the boysterous winde of Covetousness overthrew the Houses of Justice The four Vertues likewise are devoured of their adversary Vices according as Joel complaineth against the Wicked Jewes under sour notable things decyphering the four Vices Opposite and against the sour Vertues before-named These sour things are the Caterpillar the Grashopper the Locust and the Blasting all which four things being vent to wastfullness leave nothing unspoyled By the Caterpillar is meant foolish bragging which destroyed the Vertue of Prudence By the Grashopper is meant Pride which destroyeth the Vertue of Fortitude By the Locust is meant Covetousness which destroyeth the Vertue of Justice And by Blasting is meant Lechery which destroyeth the Vertue of Temperance For foolish bragging destroyeth the Vertue of Wisdem Pride corrupteth the State Avarice devours Justice Lechery spoyleth Temperance Now therefore Sir Knight I wish thee to refrain from these insatiable Vices lest thou lose the enjoying of these four notable Morall Vertues thou knowest what company thou hadst in the Palace of Vertue there thou sawest Gods Graces Faith Hope Charity Prudence Justice Fortitude Temperance and that goodness which none know but they who have had experience CAP. VIII How Faith from the top of the Tower sheweth unto the Knight the City of Heaven AFter Good Understanding had delivered these good words I was ravished in my mind I felt not my self I lost my taste I neither regarded meat nor drink and most of all I marvelled that Night approached not because many hours were consumed Being in that amaze Vertue told me that darkness had nothing to do where she dwelt Then Memory put me in mind what Gods Grace told me by the way saying that by the works of Faith which are the fruits of the same I might perceive and see the City of Heaven wherein is comprehended true Felicity Then Faith led me to her Tower and all the other Vertues kept us company For Faith properly is not without Hope nor Hope without Charity and therefore they must go all together And though these Vertues have several properties yet they joyn hands and are never asunder S. Hierom saith that Abraham was furnished with Faith Job with Fortitude and patience David with Humility and so conseouently Then Faith from her Tower shewed me a high Hill whereon was Luilt a marvellous sumptuous City and she told me it was the City of Heaven wherein is comprehended true Blessedness and perfect Felicity In that City I saw never a Temple which made me marvel untill that Faith told me that the Lord God Almighty was the Temple of that City There needs no shining of the Sun no brightness of the Moon no glittering of the Stars to give them light for Almighty God is their true Light himself None enters into this City but such as are written in the book of Life Furthermore Faith told me that there was no Adversity no sin no iniquity no fear no sorrow no shame no darkness no pain no unquietness no ill no grudging finally nothing that savoureth of mortality but there was Prosperity Perfection Vnity Love Gladness Quietness Charity sure Rest perpetual Felicity and everlasting joy in God with eternal Happinesse There was mirth without Sadness Rest without Pain Abundance without Want Life without Corruption In this City God is seen Face to Face there is the endless light shining the Saints alwayes singing blessed Souls rejoycing and ever beholding God yet still coveting to see him without dulness of destre The Citizens of this City of Heaven are Co-heirs of the eternal Deity the Father Son and holy Ghost They are made immortal according to the promise of our Lord and Saviour Christ saying Father those that thou hast given me I will that they be with me where I am that they may see my brightness What can I say more In this City is our King without death and
greatly gloried of the gifts which were in me vaunting my self to be more rich more Wise more Strong more Hardy more Gracious and in all respects better then I was Many times I boasted of mine imperfections as of Drunkenness Lechery and such like Then on went my Buckler of shamelesness which being about my shoulders I blushed not to commit any villany I led the life of an Insider rather than a Christian Vnshamefully I despised both God and Man nothing regarding mine own honour renown or salvation Then I mounted on Temerity my Horse with a Lance in my hand called Hope of long life O deceitfull Lance more rotten then a Reed How many proper youths have trusted unto thee hoping to have been safe and assured and were daily deceived This Lance once being possessed by me I entertained all vices it ever bindred me from embracing Repentance perswading me in this manner Thou art young make merry whiles thou mayest for when thou art old all play and pastime will be past then it will be time enough for thee to repent Being thus governed by Folly I thought neither of God nor the Devill of Life nor Death of Heaven nor Hell but lived at my pleasure doing what I delighted in At last Folly apparelled her self lightly with a cloak of Feathers and mounted upon a Iennet and opening her Feathers and Wings with the wind away she flew and I also at a wild adventure set the Spurs to my Horse and away we went both Thus you see that Folly is my Guide Temerity my Horse Now the first that shall repent this Voyage must needs be my self as you may evidently judge and gather before hand CHAP. V. Folly upon the way sheweth the Wandring Knight many of her ancient proceedings and how many great and Noble personages she had governed AFter we were so far passed upon our way that we had lest the sight of my House I called to my remembrance the promise which Dame Folly had made me in the morning namely that she would tell me of her exploits past and what People she had governed And thus with flattering phrase I began My good Mistriss my loving Lady my Heart my Aoy my Life my Lust my Counsell my Hope my Soveraign good I desire thee most earnestly if it please thee to let me understand thine ancient proceedings and to rehearse what People thou hast governed how they were ruled lead conducted and counselled Mine exploits quoth Folly are innumerable Ten dayes are not enough to repeat halfe of them Nevertheless to accomplish thy request and to shorten the tediousness of the way I will tell thee of the mest Principallest First the World and I was together and because I found no Man in the World I ascended up into Heaven and there assaulted the excellentest Angel of all the whole company called Lucifer who at my present arrivall entertained and received me for his Governess and so did many more of his Coequals By my counsell he advanced himself to be fellow mate with God for the which presumption both he and his were thrust out of Heaven and thrown headlong into Hell That was the first of my exploits Shortly after God made Man and of his rib fashioned Woman these two were Husband and Wife with them both I had much ado because they were full of Wisdome and Reason I used the help and subtilty of a Serpent to tempt the woman being the weaker who with his deceitfull words won her to eat of the Apple which God forbad to be eaten But after she had eaten it in the presence of her Husband because he feared her sadness he did eat also to fulfill her desire and lust wherein they both committed great folly for the which they were deprived of Innocency of Gods Grace and Glory yea they were banished the place appointed by God for them to dwell in and made with all their posterity subject to eternall death This was my second principall exploit Then began my raign in the World where I governed a number of Foolâ— I governed Cain the first born both of his Father and Mother By my counsell he killed his good brother Abel the Innocent I governed the greated Gyants that ever were of the seed of Man as the Daughters of Cain and the Sons of Seth I made them trust in their own strength not only touching fears of war but I caused them also to contemne the â—ord of God and the knowledge of the same I perswaded them to use their Liberty and to live according to their Lust in Lechery and all other abominations without regard of the uprightness of nature honesty or fear of God When Noe had preached forty years space of the last destruction of the World these obstinate Gyants being nuzzeled in all wickedness of life detestably turned all his Admonitions and Sermons to mockery whereat God was wroth and sent a great Floud which drowned all living Creatures saving Noe and his three Sons Sem Ham and Japhet with their wives Then I thought to have lost my raign in world but in short space they encreased wonderfully Then I counselled them to build an high Tower which might reach as high as Heaven that in despight of God they might save themselves if again be meant to drown the world But God confounded their device and where before all the world spake in one Language he divided them so that the Lower remained unfinished for the Builders understood not each others speech Then the Posterity of Noah were dispersed throughout the world and I reigned amongst them every where counselling many Nations to forsake the knowledge of God and to worship the Host of Heaven as the Sun the Moon the Stars the Planets the Fire the water the Air and 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 unto one People descended from the loynes of Abraham and they are the Iewes Then I demanded of Folly how Idolatry entred the world and where she took place first My Son quoth she understand that Idolatry hath been brought into the world by my means For Idolatry took her first Original and beginning in Chaldea in the City of Babylon and in the Region or Country of the Assyrians in the raign of Ninus the third King which was the Son of Bell Bell of Nimroth Nimroth of Chus Chus of Cham Cham of Noe so that Ninus the third King of Babylon was the first Man that did ordain Temples and set up Altars to Sacrifice upon unto his Father Bell and to Juno his Mother First he fashioned their standing Images and set them in the middest of the City of Babylon and that was the first beginning of Idolatry other Neighbours and Nations did as much the Aegyptians made the like by Osiris sirnamed Jupiter the true Son of Cham and of Rhea The same Osiris after his death was esteemed of the Aegyptians
And to bring this to pass I counselled them to change and cut off the Golden Age which would have things common peaceable and in quiet Hereunto they armed themselves by all possible means undertaking to spoyle Sebatius Saga sirnamed Saturn King and Patriarch of Armenia so made and ordained by his Grand-Father Noah The same Sebatius was Son of Chus and Brother to Nimroth whom Moses called Sabtah in Hebrew which in Latine is Saturnus Then the said Sebatius King of Armenia having hardly escaped the hands of Bell and Ninus went for refuge to his Brand-father Noah in Italy where Noah made him King and Patriarch of the Aborignes and founded him a City on the other side of Tiber which was named Saturnia as Virgill declareth in a passage where he saith thus Primus ab aethereo venit Saturnus Olympo Arma Jovis sugiens regnis exul ademptis That is to say Saturn the first from 's Realm did flie for fear of Joves Artillery He lost his Rule and Regiment and led his life in banishment For Bell the Sonne of Nimroth was sirnamed Jupiter And it is not likely to be true as some say that the same Saturn that was chased away by Jupiter was Nimroth the King of Crete but the Bible saith that he was King of Babylon which was far distant from the Isle of Crete In those dayes they termed the chief Man of every House Saturn their Sons Jupiters or Joves their Daughters Juno's and their Nephewes Hercules so that we find in ancient Records many men named Saturn Jupiter and Hercules But to my purpose quoth Folly the above named Ninus by my counsell after the death of his Father Bell caused his Picture and standing Image to be made commanding every manner of person to do Homage unto the Idols of his Father and Mother and to adore them with Divine Worship and so be was as you have heard the first Inventer of Idolatry I governed Tiphon the Son of Cham in whom all his Fathers Vices abounded He maliciously envyed the prosperity of his Brother Osiris sirnamed Jupiter the just who was a great persecuter of Tyrants It angred me quoth Folly that so honest a man lived Then I caused Tiphon with other Gyants to murther Osiris insomuch that Tiphon out him in six and twenty pieces and bestowed them upon other Gyants that helped him to work his feat But the good Hercules of Lybia the Son of Osiris with the help of his other Brethren in foughten Field killed Tiphon the Gyant and the other Tyrants which consented to his Fathers death I governed quoth Folly one Jupiter King of Crete which Country is now called Candie But forasmuch as the Greek Lyars and other Writers both Latine and French to enlarge their Lyes and Dreams attribute that unto this Jupiter oftentimes which appertains not to him I would have you mark well that in those dayes the Kings Children and Fathers of Families were called Jupiters or Joves notwithstanding there are three of that name renowned as we find in Histories The first was Osiris the Nephew of Noah the Son of Cham who was no less good then his Father was evill This Jupiter begat great Hercules of Lybia who was King of Spain France and Italy This great Hercules was like unto his Father a great persecuter of Tyrants throughout all the world He begat of Araxa the young Tuscus King of Tuscany in Italy This Tuscus begat Alcirus Blascon by whom was begotten Cambo Blascon which was as some say sirnamed the second Jupiter and worshipped in the world Now this Cambo Blascon sirnamed Jupiter begat upon Electra the Daughter of Arlas sirnamed Italus of whom yet Italy beareth the name Jasius and Dardanus This the lying Cretians and many other Triflers attribute unto Jupiter of Crete which matter is in controversie and may be denyed For Dardanus after he had killed his Brother Jasius by envy and treason he fled into the Isle of Samos and from thence into Phrygia where he founded a City called Dardania where he begat a Sen called Erictonius and of him lineally descended Troas who gave the City of Dardania the name of Troy This same Troas had three children Illius Issaracula and Ganimedes which Ganimedes was taken by Tatus the King of high Phrygia and sold to Jupiter of Crete to be abused like a Sodomite which argueth that he begat not Dardanus the great Grand-father of Ganimedes The first Jupiter then you may perceive was Osiris Nephew to Noah whom Moses named Mazaraim The second Jupiter was Cambo Blascon King of Italy which some say also had been King of Athens and of Arcady but I think that Jupiter of Arcady who begat Lacedemon is some other beside Cambo Blascon Howsoever the case standeth certain it is that Jupiter of Crete Osiris and Cambo Blascon were contraries The third Jupiter renowned in the World was King of the Isle of Crete who bare in his Seutchion and Coat-Armour an Eagle but in all his manners he was altogether given to Folly For he defloured Virgins he ravished Wives abused young children and committed all kind of Villany that was possible either to be spoken or done He committed adultery with Alcmena the Wife of Amphitrio of whom he begat little Hercules of Greece he did the like with Laeda the Wife of Tyndarus of whom also he begat fair Helen I loathe to tell what Deflourings and Rapes he offered and thrust upon divers particular â—aidens and fair young Children But notwithstanding his vile life quoth Folly by my means the rude People made him a God and many false Lyars have attributed unto him the Noble deeds of the good Patriarch Noah and his Nephew Osiris sirnamed Jupiter the Just Moreover they did not only make Sacrifice unto him but also gave him the Title and Name of Most excellent good whereas indeed he was the werst evil for he was an Incestuous and Sodomitical person and a common Enemy to Chastity and honesty in so much that People openly in their Stage playes counterfeited Sung and Descanted upon the filthy Leacheries and other Villanies which he used affirming that such Antiques and Pageants were most fit and agreeable unto him By means whereof all his Subjects gave themselves to the same saying that it was as fit for them so to live as for their great God Jupiter I governed little Hercules of Greece otherwise called Alceus the Bastard Son unto the same Jupiter whom he had by Alcmena the Wife of Amphitrio Vnto the same Hercules the lying Greeks full of Vain Eloquence give the name and title of great Hercules of Lybia which is most falss For that Hercules of Greece was the first Pyrate that ever roved on the Seas and abounded with all Vice following the steps of his Father Jupiter the Adulterer in all respects and as he lived even so be dyed For being mad saith Seneca he stew his wife and children and afterwards burned himself But a little before his death be made Philactetes swear
Urias was his faithfull Serbant and good Counsellour yet I gave him counsell to kill Urias by means whereof his Sin might be covered in marriage of his wife For the which offence the Prophet Nathan disclosed me so that my further meaning brake off and ever after I was banished his house I also governed his Son Absolon who after he had killed his Brother Amnon made war with his Father and drabe him from Hierusalem being nothing ashamed to enter the house of all his Fathers concubines and to lye with them but an Oak did execute Iustice upon that wicked child for when he thought to escape with his Mule the Tree caught him fast by the Hair of the head till Joab came with a Dart and killed him I also governed Rehoboam King Solomons Son who unreasonably grieved and oppressed his people with Taxes and Imposts Insomuch that when they requested to have it somewhat eased he did not only deny their Petitions but also gave them uncourteous Language following the counsell of his young wanton Gentelmen rather then the wise admonitions of grave Counsellours by the which means he lost the greatest part of his Realm I governed the great Queen Jezabel by whose advice King Achab her Hushand worshipped the Idol Baal and caused good Naboth to be killed She persecuted the Prophets of God and made many of them to be put to Death She sought by all means to dispatch good Elias but as her Life was evill so was her death shamefull for she falling from a high window was ovethrown with horses feet and eaten up of Dogs I governed Sardanapalus the last King of the Assyrians who regarded not the Government of the Realm but lived altogether in delight He used to paint his Face and to apparell himself in womans apparell he exercised himself in all kinds of villany and filthiness insomuch that when he saw that he was forsaken of the greatest of his people and that he had very evill luck in Battell against his Enemies and stood upon no ground free from danger of death It chanced one day that being in the Tower of Babylon he set it on fire and there burned himself and all that ever he had I governed Cambises King of Persia the Son of good King Gyrus who by my counsell was given to gluttony and Drunkenness with other vices not beseeming a Prince Vpon a time Praxaspes one of the most excellent counsellours seeing him immoderately bivving reverently told him that it was not Prince-like whereat the King was wroth and commanded him to send for his youngest Son who being brought Cambises caused Praxaspes to tie him to a Tree saying If I can hit the heart of thy Son with an arrow out of my long bow is it the feat of a man that is drunk So Cambises shor and clobe the childs heart asunder and shewed it unto his Father with a warning to take heed how he judged his Liege Lord drunk Then I made him marry his own natural Sister and to kill his own Brother It fortuned upon a day that as the King and the Queen his sister were at the Table for his Pastime and Recreation sake he had a young Lyon let loose and a mighty mastiffe or Band-Dogge that the King kept these two fought so long till at last the Dog was like to have the worst Within the sight of this Game another Mastiffe was tyed in a Chain both bred of one Bitch this band-dog brake his Chain in haste and came to help his fellow insomuch that these two dogs overcame and killed the Lyon The King liked well of the love and loyalty of the two dogs but the Queen being moved thereat began to weep bitterly Which when Cambises saw he asked the cause of her sorrow to whose demand the Queen answered in this sort It is otherwise happened to my brother than to this Dog that was too weak for the Lyon For thou being his own brother hast not shewed the like love and faithfulness unto him as this Band-dogge hath done to his Mate for thou hast caused thy brother to be slain The King being fore displeased and full of indignation at her answer commanded that the Queen should be had away by and by out of his sight and put to death the which was done but as the King came one day out of Aegypt riding on horse-back his Sword by hap fell out of the scabbard and he fell likewise upon the point of it and was thrist thorow the body and dyed I governed quoth Folly one Cataline a Roman a very seditious Fellow who conspired to kill all the Senators of Rome but he was put bessdes his purpose by reason that one Cicero opened it and he with all his Conspirators were killed in battell I governed quoth Folly Horod and Herodias to accomplish their Leachery I coupled them in marriage albeit she was his Brother Philips Wife which unlawfull marriage Saint John reprehending and finding fault withall for so doing had his Head cut off I governed Pilate Annas and Caiphas in Jerusalem with many Doctors Priests Scribes and Pharisees I counselled them to crucifie Christ herween two Thieves as if he had been a sower of Sedition which being done I thought then that I had won all the World but when I saw that upon the third day after he rose again contrary to my reckoning I lost a great number of Clyants and Subjects who hearing the Aposles preach quite abandoned and gave me over I governed Nero the firth Emperour of Rome who at the beginning of his Reign was good and vertuous but after he had possessed the Empire five years he became most evill and wicked and was given to Leachery and Filthiness This man was a Murtherer he flew his Wife his Mother and divers other honest Persons of which number Seneca was one he was the first Persecuter of the Christians and put many good men to death as for Example S. Peter and S. Paul with other But the Tyrant being upon a time unguarded and wanting about him his Lievtenants and Captains of War the Senators and States of Rome sought means to punish him for anger whereof he killed himself and the Souldiers that were sent to seek him found him dead in the Field I governed Antonine Bassian Caracalla the nineteenth Emperour of Rome who by my counsell killed his brother Geta besides that he marryed his Step-mother and desired Pompinion the great Lawyer to excuse his murther Who answered him That he was not so willing to excuse a Murther as he was to disclose him the Emperour unworthy of so good an answer killed the Lawyer I governed Varius Heliogabalus the one and twentieth Emperour of Rome who by my Counsell lived so dissolutely that he left behind him no memory of honest life but infamy This Man 's own Souldiers slew him and threw him into a ditch and because his body would not sink to the bottom they dragged him out again with a Hook and hurled him into the River Tiber.
also the Lord and God of Prophets answered the thought of the Proud Pharisie saying Simon I have somewhat to tell thee Then said he Speak on Master A Creditor quoth the Lord had two Debtors whereof the one ow'd him 500 pence the other but 50 now they both having nothing to pay the Creditor forgives them the Debt Now tell me which of those Debtors loveth the Creditor most Simon said I think he to whom most was forgiven Jesus answered Thou hast rightly spoken Our Lord in propounding this Question defired also to heal this Pharisie For if he had denyed it Iesus would have eaten none of his meat These two Debtors were Simon and the sinfull Woman The sinfull Woman not only by the Iudgment of the standers by but also by her own confession acknowledged her self more indebted then Simon and Simon less indebted then she because he thought himself righteous in respect of her The Creditor is our Lord God who lends and gives us his gilts both temporal and spiritual to interest disbursing to one five Talents to another two and to another one Now then is signified by the judgment of Simon that the Woman was most in debt to God unto whom he forgave most And because she loved God better then Simon did she deserved again of him to be better beloved in that she did more good service to God then Simon did notwithstanding his meat Wherefore the Lord valued the love and good Will of this woman and preferred it before Simons reprehending him of his arrogancy and saying Dost thou seest this Woman whom thou judgest more in debt then thy self I entred into thy House and thou hast not given me water to wash my feet but she hath washed them with tears and wip'd them with her hair though Water was easier to be found then tears Thou hast not kist my mouth but she hath kist my feet Thou hast not annointed my head with common Oyl but she hath annointed my feet with fine Oyntment So that by these signes thou seest that she loves me better then thou dost Therefore I tell thee that many Sins are forgiven her because she loved much For to him is least forgiven that hath least loved The Lord said this to beat down the proud opinion of the fond Pharisie not that he was but little forgiven but because Simon might know that he thought so For truly as who so committeth most Sins is most indebted to God so likewise is he that hath least offended To conclude both the less and the great stand in need of Gods Grace unto whom they cannot come of their own strength and vertue As the greatest Sinner reserreth to God the remission of his fins even so ought the justest man to do also For there is no sin which one Man committeth but another would commit the like if God who made Man without sin did not keep him from sin as witnesseth Saint Austen But perchance one will say I have not committed Adultery as this man hath To whom I answer thou hast not had such occasion ministred as he hath had and he hath not had the Grace to avoid it as thou hast had It was Gods doing and no Will of thine if thou hast had no occasion nor convenient time nor fit opportunity to fall into that Sin Suppose thou hast had occasion offered with opportunity and all things fit and yet hast resrained Well it is God then that guided and governed thee that thou shouldest not do it Acknowledge then the grace of God as thou art bound because thou hast not committed such a sin For as he who hath committed most sins is most indebted to God even so is he who never finued Gods debter for were not the grace of God his Guide he would do enough Now to our purpose After the Lord had convinced the Pharisie of his proud Opinion to comfort the sorrowfull Woman lying at his feet he said thus Woman thy sins are forgiven thee O joyfull voice O happy Woman that art worthy to hear the Son of God speak to thee and forgive thee thy Sins But those comfortable words of the Lord greatly offended the proud Pharisies at the Feast who turned them to Blasphemy saying What Fellow is this that also forgiveth Sinners It is apparent enough that he is a Blasphemer for to pardon and forgive Sinners belongeth only to God No doubt our Lord Iesus Christ was taken to be a very poor man of him that requested him to Dinner and of those which were at the Table It was known that man could not forgive sins but they believed not that Iesus Christ was God and therefore say they What Fellow is this that forgiveth sins These Feasters were sick of a deadly disease which they neither knew nor yet the remedy to heal and do them good Is it not a Madness that such as are Sick should fall a laughing at them that are sound and in good Health So did the Pharisies laugh at Iesus Christ and the Woman who were not sick or if she were sick she acknowledged her Sicknesse and sought help of the Physitian It is most true that Man cannot forgive Sins but this Woman which believed that Christ could forgive Sins believed also that he was God and therefore able to forgive Sins But why did not our Saviour Christ answer these murmuring Pharisies and say I am the Son of God when they asked the question saying what Fellow is this that forgiveth Sins No he let them murmure and turned himself towards the Woman and said Thy Faith hath saved thee depart in Peace Though she heard him say of the Pharisies these men murmure and esteem me as it pleaseth them nevertheless be thou assured that thy Faith hath saved thee and therefore depart in peace and enjoy full rest and tranquility of conscience justified by a lively Faith and fulfilled with Love Let all sick souls that are laden with Sins if they will be healed let them I say come in Faith and assured Hope to the true Physitian of souls which is Iesus Christ let them confess their offences with s … w and Weeping let them Wipe the Feet of our Lord with their hair and they shall be restored made whole and recover their Health Let your superfluous riches be given among the poor and not spent in Feasting and Pompous Apparell And after that the Sinner with love and liverality hath thought upon the poor helping them in their need as well with good counsell as with Alms-deeds and living as the Rule of Gods Word requireth he shall receive peace and quietness of Conscience and he reconciled to God the Father for the merits of his Deer Son Iesus Christ to whom be all Honour and Glory for ever and ever Amen CAP. VII The Knight having heard the sermon received the holy Communion and dinner being ended mounted into a Chariot and was by Gods grace carried to the Palace of Vertue GReat was the comfort I took by the sermon of the