whereby covetousness and desire of Riches is understood First though Gold and silver be but Earth what vexation hath the covetous Man to atchieve it He saileth over tempestuous Seas he climeth over Monstrons Mountains he diggeth deep into the bowels of the Earth he suffereth hunger thirst cold heat and a thousand mischiefs One is drowned another killed the third robbed and he that hath obtained his purpose liveth in fear to lose it the covetous Man suspects every body It is not Coffers full of Coin that can make men happy Our Saviour terms it Trash and Thornes because it pricks the heart and corrupteth both Body and Soul Saint Paul saith He that wisheth Wealth in this World falleth into temptation Is not Judas an Example who in case of covetousnes hanged himself Now to Coucupiscence of Pride He that hath Honour Authority Might Estimation and Dignity in this World thinketh he is happy but such are loden with unhappiness for what pains labour and vexation endureth the ambitious Man before he can come to dignity Honour and Authority And when he hath it with all these vexations he is not sure how long he shall enjoy it We see oftentimes Fortune turns her Wheel and that the Ambitious end their Libes with infamy Take an Example of Priamus King of Troy who flourished in Friends and Riches Honour Might Kindred and Children did not he and his Off-spring the greatest part of them dye most miserably as for the rest they became Servitors and were at length killed in Troy Croesus King of the Lydians as rich and mighty as he was after he had raigned fifteen years he was Vanquished by King Cyrus lost his Realm was carryed away Captive and led all the rest of his life like a Slave Dionyfius the cowardly King of Sicill was hunted out of his Realm and became so poor that he kept a Schoole in Corinth and by teaching little Children he got his living very poorly God wot and beggerly Mithridate King of Pontus a rich and mighty Prince he subdued twelve Nations wherein some say all Languages were spoken yet he for all that after he had wearied the World with Wars was forsaken of his own People pursued by his own Son and overcome by subtilty insomuch that he was glad to desire a Frenchman to kill him who did so and that was his end Valerianus the great Emperour of Rome even he that persecuted the Christians and did much mischief was taken by his Enemy the King of Persia who against the Law of Arms made him lye down whiles he trode on his back to leap on his Horse Bajazet the fourth King of the Turks was Vanquished by Tamberlane a Tartarian and King of Scythia who kept him in a Cage like a beast and with a Golden Chain led him like a Spaniel throughout all the Army yea he was glad to feed under Tamberlanes Table like a dog And therefore let this be a conclusion that Honour Authority and Dignity is no Inheritage Moreover what Labours Trabels Verations and Perils do Princes pass through even at the present to maintain themselves in their Estates What Wars and slaughters have been committed partly to get and partly to keep rule and Regiment Ambitious Worldlings cannot play with their pleasures if they have not first passed some of these Vexations In youth men run their race without regard of Conscience but when age comes on and nothing left for Lust when White hairs a Walking staffe or crutch a pair of spectacles Cotton put in their ears when none of these things can help them then must they endure the gnawing of Conscience which Voluptuousness kept hidden a long time Whatsoever is pleasant to youth the same is unpleasant to Age. And what comfort may an Old Man conceive when he can think upon no time of his youth that was well spent and Vertuously bestowed What discomfort is it when Conscience accuses the old man of his young years wickedly wasted But as the Elect live in hope so do the Reprobate in despair He that followeth Voluptuousness is Gods enemy For Saint James saith He that loves the World hateth God You may well think that Sin is hated of God when he suffered his only Son to dye upon the Altar of the cross for this end that Sin should not be unpunished And why was it but because the Sins of Adam encreased as Generations multiplyed The evill rich Man that lived at his lust was Tormented in Hell with fire and thirst in whom the words of our Saviour Christ are verified saying Woe unto you that now laugh for you shall lament and weep Go to you foolish Worldlings therefore and you Vain Voluptuous persons vaunting your selves happy in following your fleshly appetites when for such pleasures you shall suffer torments not in this World but in the World to come you will sing a new note But now to our Knight whom we left in the mire and deep ditch of Sin I refer you to the Psalms of David and chiefly the 36.98.72.143 and there you shall find the truth that Worldly Felicity is no other thing than Vanity dreams and meer aâ—uses and also that Worldlings are accursed and unhappy Wherefore I beseech you in the name of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ to use the goods of this world as Pilgrims use their Lodgings and such fare as they find in their Voyage that is not to set your hearts upon them nor so to love them that nothing be lest for the Lord. For as the Knight saw the Palace of wordly Felicity sink suddenly with all her people and pomp even so shall it happen unto all Voluptuous worldings at the dreadfull day of Iudgment unless they return from their wicked wayes forsake Sin embrace a new lise and serve the Lord in holiness and righteousness VVherefore let us bridle our affections refrain our own pleasures repent with true sorrow of heart attend wait and hope for the mercy of God by the intercession of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ that he may make us happy Possessors of true and everlasting Felicity to whom be all honour and glory world without end The end of the first part of the Voyage of the wandring Knight THE VOYAGE OF The Wandring Knight The Second Part. CHAP. I. Gods Grace draweth the Knight out of the filth of Sin wherein he stuck fast I Have declared in the first part of my Voyage how being governed by Folly in contemning Vertue and following Voluptuousness I entred into the Palace of false Felicity there resting my self for a certain season and transgressing all the Commandements of God in leading a diffolute and worldly Life thinking that by living so I might be happy whereas indeed I was unhappy And why because that in stead of Felicity I found Vanity For as I thought to recreate my self in hunting I saw the Palace of Voluptuousness sink and come to utter confusion and my self also plunged into the pit of Sin even up to the saddle
as could be in all things saving goodness Then I desired Voluptuousness to shew me the rest of the Pallace according to her promise so we walked together into a goodly great Chamber hanged about with Cloath of Gold beset with Pearls This Chamber was paved with Marble black and white the Pillars were Iasper the Roofe was Ivory laid on with Gold and the Stairs were Alabaster In this Chamber also was a Sumptuous Chair of State wherein-most magnificently sate a Prince having on his head an Imperial Crown of Gold beset with precious Pearls and in his hand a scepter Royal. He was besides that very richly Arrayed accompanyed with many Nobles Pompously Apparelled This Prince I reverenced and he likewise saluted me giving commandement that I should be most singularly and ercellently used So we went from thence and being abroad I asked Lady Voluptuousness what Prince the same was who said that he was the Prince of 〈◊〉 Pallace even my Father the only giver and bâ—stower of Felicity the which I believed to be true till I found indeed that he was Lucifer the Father of Filthiness the Grand-father of Gluttony the Prince of Pride the Emperour of Iniquity and the Lord of Lewdness a Ruler of the World and one that had nothing to do in Heaven but in Earth among a sort of wicked worldlings and Devilish People This Lucifer arragantly challengeth unto himself that he hath Power to give Glory Honour and Riches to whom he listeth as the Scripture witnesseth wherefore worldlings do serve him as his Subjects From thence we went to the Treasure-House where we saw Coffers full of Coyn and Iewels which was kept by Lady Fortune as Voluptuousness said and she bestowed all that Treasure on such as the King commanded From thence we went up into a great Gallery where we saw three Presses the first full of fine wollen the second of pure Silks the third of fair white Linen this place Pomp had in keeping From thence we went to the perfuming house which differed nothing from an Apothecaries Shop For there I found all things that might move a Mans appetite or stirr up his delight There were colours to paint proud women Perfume and Oyntments to make their bodies soft and sweet and this place was kept by Lasciviousness Then we went into goodly large-Vaults where wine of no kind wanted and there was Dame Drunkenness her Kingdome From thence I was led to the Kinchins where all things were kept in order by Licorourishness whose rule lay in that place From thence to another great Room where we saw a sort of young sweet-faced Bodies Voluptuousness told me they were Ganimedes and Endimions From thence she had me by to a place that was builded very round in compass which place was marvellous bright and lightsome by reason of the great Glass windowes of Crystall This served them instead of a Temple for they had none other Here we saw a great number of fine Delicate Dames exceeding Amiable and Beautifull among all one Excelled whose Name I asked and Voluptuousness shewed me that it was Lady Venus whom all Licentious Lovers do like notable wel and honour her as a Goddesse By her sate a blind Boy who with his Bow and Arrowes shat at adventure and hit my Heart by and by came down Venus and she plucked it out receiving me with comfortable words and wonderfull perswafions And although the Arrow was quickly taken out and might seem to do no harme yet I think the head thereof was poysoned for it hath made so deep a wound as is very infections and scarce curable unless with some speciall plaisters The same Cupid governeth all Leacherous Lovers of what age soever they be or degree witness daily experience he is naked and past shame not caring who looketh upon him his blindness representeth the Folly of such as run head-long after lewd love setting their Feathers in the wind without respect of any after-clsp His Bow and Arrowes do signine the Folly of Foolls which offer themselves to be his But and stand still while be doth shoot and hit them His wings signifie the wavering minde of such as he hits who are quiet in no place or time For who is more mutable vain light inconstant and variable than the fleshly Lover Some say that this Cupid hath a Torch burning in his hand meaning thereby that he burnes to the heart all them that he toucheth All this dispatched Voluptuousness and I went to Dinner and she promised me when I had dined to shew me the rest of the Pallace CHAP. X. Dinner being done Voluptuousness sheweth the Wandring Knight the rest of the Pallace of Worldly Felicity with the description of the Towers thereof And by the Author is declared the evill Fruit of certain notorious sins THis chanced in the pleasant Month of May when Love and Lust is most in force so it was determined that we should Sup in goodly Gardens not in Banqueting Houses although they were Wonderfull fine but in Arhours Over-grown with Sweet Eglantine Rose-trees and Vines fair and clear Fonntains of cold water running by and fragrant Herbs and Flowers casting a comfortable Scent The little pretty Birds did sing round about us as well in Cages as on Trees and Bushes There was playing piping singing dancing leaping embracing and kissing Finally each Lover with his Lady was merry and to be brief every one did what liked him vest and thought themselves happy to find such Felicity But all my desire was to see the rest of the Pallace wherefore I charged Lady Voluptuousness with her promise which took effect insomuch that we went all along to a certain place where I saw the very secret Lodgings of Voluptuousness But what they were for fear of offending the Reverend Reader I mean not to rehearse then we went from Gallery to Gallery from Office to Office from Chamber to Chamber where I saw every place furnished with so rich Movables and such choyce as nothing can be wished more Amongst all those Rooms one Chamber exceeded in largness and Workmanship for costly Carving and in all other respects There I sound a very brave Bed Gorgeously trimmed insomuch that I commended the same highly Then Lasciviousness said that she had charge of that Chamber and if I listed to lye there that Night I should Lust also promised to bring Lady Venus to lye with me I hearing this me thought I felt the wound that Cupid gave me as fresh as at the first Then went we about the Walls which were all of Iet Thick and Strong Vpon these Walls were built seven Towers likeunto Steeples and every Tower had his owner In the first Ledged Pride in the Second Envy in the Third Wrath in the Fourth Gluttony in the Fift Leachery in the Sixth Covetousness and in the Seventh Sloath. My purpose was to go unto them all one after another And as I entred into the Lower of Pride which was the first I spied Written this Possy over the Porch PRIDE IS
Book and thou shalt see how thou hast lived even against God and contrary to right and reason Thou hast been Proud Arrogant ambitious spitefull at others prosperity a prolonger of time Wrathfull a Backbiter injurious Trayterous hatefull Covetous of Gold more than of God Gluttouous Wanton Shameless a stewes-hunter given to all vices and hast transgressed all the commandements of God leading a loathsome life denying God swearing and blaspheming his name an haynous effender a false Witness bearer a lyar a desirer of other Mens goods disobedient to Parents cursing them and wishing their death Furthermore thou hadst neisher Faith nor hope in God but rather in the force riches honour and friendship of thy kindred with their Authority I cannot reckon up the rest of thy Sins for they are uncountable Very little care hast thou had of Christs merits or of thy own souls health but alwayes yielding to Voluptuousness filthiness and iniquity When Conscience had thus accused me Sorow for Sin sell bitterly aweeping and oftentimes struck her breast Then Conscience shewed me what Torments I had deserved for following Voluptuous affections and for loving them better then God Thou oughtest said she to burn in Hell fire that never quencheth and to be nipped with Torments both of Body and Soul for evermore Thy laughing shall be turned to Weeping the Ioy to Sorrow thy Songs to Cries yea what pains can be named but thou art like perpetually to suffer them without hope of Redemption For this is the due reward of Worldly Felicity and following Folly Be think thee now and tell me if it be in thy power to rid thee from these grievances Hearing my Conscience thus speak me thought I saw Hell open to swallow me up and with sorrowfull sadness I fell to the ground before Gods grace speechless but she had Compassion on me and bade me arise the which I did though half in despair and to re-comfort me she opened the book which Remembrance held in her hand CAP. V. By the Commandements of Gods grace remembrance read to me the goodness of God with his promises made to repen tant sinners AFter Remembrance had opened her Book I perceived the Letters were Gold and Azure containing the great goodness and infinire mercy of God so repentant Sinners with fair promises annexed thereunto Then at the commandment of Gods grace remembrance read out of that book unto me in this manner Saint Paul Writing to the Romans saith Where Sin hath abounded grace hath more abounded He that mistrusteth the mercy of God mistrusteth God to be mercifull and in so doing he doth God great dishonour For he denyeth God to be Love and power wherein consisteth all the hope of poor Sinners For of his great love he sent his only Son to take Mans Nature upon him in this World that in the same he might suffer death upon the Cross for the remission of Sins Consequently he promised for the love of his Son Remission and Pardon to all Poor Sinners so often as they desired it in Faith with an heavy and sorrowfull Heart Now God is as true of his Promises as he is of Power able to perform them And as he is of Power so will he do whatsoever pleaseth him God will pardon Sinners their Sins who then can let him from doing it To whom God pleaseth or hath promised to pardon their Sins he forgiveth The truth hereof is Written in plain Words and shewed by examples in many places of the holy Scripture as well in the Old Testament as the New First Esay saith It is I my self It is I my self that doth blot out thine iniquities for mine own love sake and I will not have thy sins in remembrance For the love of me saith he and not for the love of thee meaning his goodness and mercy and not for the love of thy merits As if he had said to all sinners in this sort If thou thinkest that I pardon thy Sins for thy merits sake thou art deceived and Wallowest in despair no no but for my mercy and infinite goodness I remit and forgive Thou hast no cause to despair for the least part of my mercy exceedeth all thy Sins In another place he saith by the same Prophet Turn your selves unto me all the Earth and you shall be saved for I am God and there is none other besides me What is the meaning of these Words I am God any thing else but that God is good and mercifull If it be unpossible but he should be God it is unpossible but he should be good and mercifull The same Prophet speaketh unto every one of us saying Let the Infidell leave his wayes and the unjust Man his thoughts let them turn to the Lord and he will have pitty upon him for he is ready to forgive And by the Prophet Jeremy he saith to the People of Israel that he was wroth for their Idolatry and many other Sins nevertheless he said Turn Israel thou Rebell unto me thy Lord and I will not turn my face from thee or as the Hebrew Text saith I will not lay mine ire upon thee for I am saith the Lord holy and gentle and keep not mine anger for ever And by the Prophet Ezechiel he saith If the evill Man repent him of his Sins and keep my Commandements doing righteously he shall live and not dye neither will I have his former offences any more in remembrance Do you think saith the Lord that I delight in the death of a Sinner nay rather that he should turn from his Wickedness and live Repent you then and you shall live The Prophet David said That from morning till night Israel hoped in the Lord what doth this signifie but that the faithfull from their Nativity and Birth untill their very Death have hope in the Lord There is mercy in the Lord and great Redemption attendeth upon him In Joel it is Written Turn your selves unto the Lord with all your heart in Fasting Praying Weeping Sorrow tearing your hearts and not your Garments so shall you be turned unto the Lord your God for he is full of Clemency Mercy and Grace slow to ire and ready to forgive or as the Hebrew Text saith such a one as repents him of evill that is to say is leath to execute the punishment upon Sinners which he hath denounced and threatned Micheas the Prophet saith What God is there like unto thee which takest away iniquities and forgivest Sins for the rest of thine Heritage sake He keepeth not his ire for ever but of his compassion and mercy will have pitty upon us He will put out our iniquities and throw all our Sins into the bottom of the Sea What Sinner is there that hearing these words hath so heavy a heart as to despair seeing that God is more ready to forgive than the Sinner is to ask forgiveness Now let us come to the New Testament to try if there be not Testimenies to the same effect The Son of God which is
and was born for the Salvation of all denyed not his proud fellowes request neither resused to enter into his House although he was ambitious but down at the Table sate the Son of God made Man for the Salvation of Men. He was conbersant among Men he did eat and drink with Men he offered himself a helper to every one shewing unto all his goodnesse without exception of any Now he being set at the Table there came one unto him in shape like a Woman but in courage a Man who by the brute of the whole City was counted a great Sinner and very ill-reported of the World and such a one indeed as every Body mocked and 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 and elected of God from the beginning to raign with him in his Heavenly Kingdom This Woman hearing by report the renown of our Redeemer and that he shewed himself sweet and bountifull to all sinners defending them against the malicious slanders and mocks of the proud and arregant Pharisies and promising to every one that believed in him the Kingdom of Heaven this Woman was inspired both outwardly and inwardly by our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ to see and hear him preach Then did she by outward speech express how she was inwardly affected and moved in mind and seeing her Soul sore sick and diseased her heart full of iniquity and sin her Conscience defiled with all kind of vice her self frustrate and void of all hope of health and devising how to recover this malady addressed her self to seek him who is the only Physitian of all sick Souls she sought for grace at the Well of Mercy and though she was a shamefull Sinner yet was she received of him which came into the World to save Sinners She came not pompously arrayed nor yet came with a train she came alone and not empty handed for she brought with her a Box full of most precious Ointment of a sweet smell representing the Faith Hope and Charity lodged in her heart What could this be but the sweet smell of Vertue For what represents the Box of Alablaster-stone but holy Faith founded upon the true Corner-stone Iesus Christ wherein is conserved all Vertues and without which it is unpossible to please God Came she alone being accompanied with Faith Hope and Charity Humility and Repentance She entred the House uncalled where was her Physitian and putting apart all shame which might hinder her together with the mocks of the proud Pharisies which sate at the Table she craved Comfort and Health for her sick Soul acknowledging her griefe and that being certain he to whom she came had power to help her Vnto this Physitian she could not have come without Faith she was not so bold and hardy as to look Iesus in the Face but sell at his seet upon Her knees sementably Weeping and with the flood of Her Hears washing his seet and wiping and drying them with Her hairy locks then she kissed them and with her Precious Oyntment she 〈…〉 All this while her vaice was not heard but her Heert spake unto the true Son of God saying I have no need to declare with my tongue my inward 〈◊〉 or to express the cause or thy coming hither seeing thou knowest the 〈…〉 to thee I come O Christ 〈…〉 to thee my sorrowfull Heart 〈…〉 working well weighed 〈…〉 heartily sorry for her offences For her 〈◊〉 eyes and her sair face which was wont to be painted with costly Colours for the adorning of Her beauty to allure licentiens Lovers and to extice Voluptuous Worldlings is now turned into Tearn Her body which afore-time was given to delights is now asisicted with Fasting Her lauging is turned into weeping and as Her first life was wholly bent to please the World so now it is more behemently and earnestly disposed to please God With Her fair flaxen Hair which she was wont to keep daintily she hath dryed our Saviours Feet her sweet lips wherewith she used to kisse her Lovers hath kissed his feet Her Odoriferous Oyntment wherewith she beautified Her face in wantonness hath anointed our Saviours feet Now all this was a sure fign of Faith Hope and Charity And thus you see how we ought to repent Surely we should do according to Saint Pauls Doctrine which is that our Members which have consented to commit iniquity should be offered unto the Lord as Instruments of righteousness to receive sanctification As for example to make the matter more manifest Hast thou been a Drunkard Become now Sober Hast thou keen a Glutton Now fast Hast thou been proud Be now humble Hast thou been Coverous Now gives Alms. Hast thou been wrathfull Be now gentle Hast thou been envious Be now charitable Hast thou been Traiterous Be now Faithfull Hast thou been Leacherous Be now Chast Hast thou been blasphemous Be now fearfull to speak any thing but Truth And so consequently to every Vile Vice lay a meet medicine which may serve for thy sickness and expel the poyson of sin But now let us see what may be thought and judged of this Pharisie who so saucily besought our Lord and Saviour to come into his House Surely he seemed as he was a Vain-glorious Hypocrite For when he saw the Wofull Woman faln at the feet of our Saviour with her Tears washing them with her hair Wiping them with her mouth kissing them and with her Precious Ointment anoynting them he blamed not only her in his heart but also our Lord for suffering her Then the Lord took the sick Woman healed her of her sickness in the presence of this proud Pharisie and with-held Physick from him whose Heart was wounded to the death with the dart of Vain-glory then he shewed himself frantick and as one that had lost his understanding not knowing his griefe nor what Medicine would do him good But what said he in his foolish Heart If this Man quoth he were a Prophet he would quickly know what Woman this is that toucheth him for she is a great Sinner This Pharisie is of the race of the Vain-glorious of whom the Prophet Esay speaketh in their person saying Come not near me for I am clear or as another Translation saith Get thee hence and meddle not with me for I am holier then thou Even so surely it is not unlike if the Woman had come near the Pharisie he would have used these words and have said Stand back and touch me not for I am holy but thou art known for a hainous Sinner Certainly true righteousness and holinesse hath compassion upon poor Sinners whereas on the contrary false righteousness and Hypocrisie hath them in Hatred and Disdain But let us listen with what sentence this sond Pharisie was convicted and reproved by our Saviour to be worse then this sinfull Woman The Lord then to shew that he was not only a Prophet but
point to decipher it for it consisteth not in Angelical knowledge much less in mans wit wholly to comprehend so noble a mystery none knows it but he who hath proved it you may be sure that there are not as in the Palace of Worldly pleasure chambers hanged with Silk Tapestry and every corner sumptuously and superfluously adorned No no but there were Histories of the Old and New Testament to view and mark I found not their Coffers full of Gold and Silver Cup-boards of Plate Presses of Silks all manner of Mercery-ware neither dainty Dishes delicate Drinks bawdy Songs wanton Musick the Lady of Love her Son Cupid nor any thing that Worldlings imbrace but I found a thing far supassing all that is in the World This good this joyfull this comfortable this unspeakable this incomprehensible-thing cannot be named worthily enough but of good and bad he is called God even he who is the only Soveraign good above all things reasonable and unreasonable Peradventure you will say this is stoange news that you Sir Knight should see God in the Palace of Vertue How is it strange seeing he is every where not only in Heaven but also in Earth and in Hell Truly I confess that God is every where but I deny him to dwell every where and yet I know that by his power and invincible presence he is every where though not every where by the fulness of his greatness and his gifts it followes then that he dwelleth every where I pray you what profiteth it the damned that he is in hell by his power Iustice and Vengeance Truly by such presence of God they have no joy no consolation no benefit or selicity for that all are cursed in whom God dwelleth not by his grace whatsoever they be be they Kings Princes or Popes who have all other riches and delights in the World But all they that have the grace of God are happy or at least wise in hope though they live even in a loathsome prison and are poorer than Lazarus which desired to be refreshed with the crums that fell from the evil rich Mans Table Now when we pray to God we say Our Father which art in Heaven for that is the place where God gives the enjoying and possession of himself to his elect and that is their dwelling prepared by the grace of God That is that God speaks of by the Prophet Esay saying Heaven is my seat and the Earth is my foot-stoole For asmuch saith God as I dwell in mine Elect by Grace I will tumble at my feet those that love Voluptuousness rather then their Maker In the book of Wisdom it is written That the seat of wisdom is in the soul of the just God is wisdom and the just soul his seat God is in every place where he dwelleth but he dwelleth not in every place where he is This is most true though marvellous for the evil are alwayes where God is but yet God dwelleth not in them Wheresoever the wicked are they cannot hide themselves from God and yet they are not dwellers with God nor God a dweller with them They are where God is as the blind man in the Light of the Sun the Light is not in him because he hath not the use of it But the good are alwayes with God and God dwelleth in them as in his Temple Saint Paul saith That the temple of God is holy And therefore is ye live well as he commands you you are his Temple And God himself saith I will be in them I will walk amongst them I will be their God and they shall be my people Now therefore you see that although God be every where in his power yet he dwelleth no where but where he is by grace It is plain that where Vertue is there God inhabiteth by grace which is the only consolation of all reasonable Creatures Is it possible that any Man can find in Heaven or in Earth such Soveraign good as is in God who is the most excellentest and chiefest good and the true joy of all reasonable Creatures Now can that body fail in any goodness which hath God by his Grace resting in his Heart who is the only Authour of all goodness and the giver of all true Ioy and persect Felicity But some will say that they see good People in the World oftentimes suffer misery deprived of their goods and put by the pleasures of this world which appeareth in the sadness of their countenance for they seem to be conceived with sorrow and as it were to labour and travel in heaviness as a Woman in Child birth I confess it to be so but yet if you say that they are not surnished with all good and true joy and Felicity you err greatly For the Soveraign good which is God dwels in the just soul for evermore although foolish Worldings say in their Hearts and thoughts Can it be that those miserable men which are afflicted with poverty or imprisonment have more possession of true Felicity than we that wallow in Wealth and are without want of any Worldly pleasures But they consider not that true Ioy consisteth in the Soul But be you sure that as the Soul is the most precious part of the body so ought the goodness of the Soul to be greater than the goodness of the body The Ioy of the Iust and Righteous is more inward than outward for all his goodness is in the soul as the joy of wanton Worldlings is outwardly in the body This just Man suffereth outward extremities but yet inwardly he hath more joy than the Voluptuous Man And though the just man being alwayes afflicted maketh shew of sadness all his life time yet at the hour of death their joy and consolation appeareth with hope of eternal life whereas contrariwise the Wordling goeth his way with grudging and despair The just man esteems Gold and Silver to be coloured Earth worldly wealth and Voluptuous seeding to be Famine and Filth Honour Dignity and Delight to be smoak which the Air consumeth suddenly to be short he maketh all the World no better than an exile and although his body be detained here for a season yet all his thoughts cares desires and meditations are conversant among the Orders of holy Angels and the happy Assembly of Saints in Heaven singing Psalms and Prayses incessantly So that whatsoever we esteem evill in this World God turns it to good For he makes us rejoyce in Tribulations taking them for medicines to purge our corruptions and not accounting our Persecutors as our Enemies but rather as Helpers to salvation The just Man esteems simple fare sufficing nature better than abundance of delicate or excessive Drunkenness or Gluttony They take more pleasure in kneeling praying and fasting then worldlings do in dancing and singing wanton Songs Finally that they do or suffer God turns it to good And therefore Saint Paul saith that all things turn to the good of those that love God The eye never seeth the
thing is it to love God with all thine heart with all thy soul and with all thy strength but to refer all things to God and to his glory all our thoughts all our worde all our works all our purposes and all our intents To love God therefore above all things orderly is to refer to God and his glory our selves and all that is within and without us which we cannot well do if our thougts if our words if our works be not good and acceptable unto God To love God preciously is to love him so dearly and so much to esteem of him that for no cause thou wouldest lose him nor his love but wish rather to lose thy goods thy lands thy limbs thy life and the love of the World This indeed is to love God lovingly when without respect of profit we referr to God and his glory all that we have our hearts our hands our lips to praise and magnine him and to set forth the greatness of his Divine Majesty and omnipotency To love God then for the love of himself is to love God because he is good And he that loveth God in this sort shall be sure never to miscarry or perish To love thy Neighbour it is required that thou do it in God or for the love of God Now thou must understand that every Man is thy Neighbour when either thou to them or they to thee can shew mercy or relief by succour and help So that every reasonable creature is thy Neighbour wheresoever he dwell in the World Thus are the Saints in Heaven thy Neighbours by whose example thou art taught to live godly wherefore thou oughrest to love them and all mankind for the love of God or in God Thou oughtest to love thy Neighbour because he is good or because he should be good then thou lovest him indeed for the love of God every Man which is a Sinner thou oughtest to love not because he is a sinner but because he is a Man for the love of God Thou oughtest to love in the sinfull Man that which he hateth and to hate that which he loveth The sinfull Man loves sin and iniquity which thou oughtest to hate The sinfull Man hateth his Soul and the purity of Nature which thou oughtest to love For Sin is against nature it defileth Nature it oppresseth nature yea it quencheth nature and he that committeth sin killeth his own soul and corupteth nature Thou oughtest then to love the Soul and the Nature of the Sinner but not his sin And when thou givest Alms to a sinner being in need thou oughtest not to do it because he is a Man but because he is a man of the same nature that thou art Some be thy friends and some thy Enemies thy friends thou oughtest to love in God lest loving them otherwise thou shouldest offend God Thy Enemie thou oughtest to love for the Love of God and if he offend thee in word or deed and doth repent him and asketh thee forgiveness thou oughtest for the love of God to forgive him with all thy heart and to receive into friendship Again if thy Enemy be obstinate and will not cease to persecute thee although thou canst not presently forgive him yet thou oughtest not to hate him but rather to do him good and to be ready alwayes to pardon him and then chiefly when he shall raquire it Yea thou oughtest to do him what good thou canst in his need By that which we have spoken already it appeareth that thou oughtest to love all men living both good and bad friends and foes no worse then thy self Our Lord had an eye to the love of our Neighbour when he said in the 7 of Matthew All things that thou wouldest thy Neighbour should do unto thee do thou the like to him Whosoever then doth to his Neighbour as be would his Neighbour should do to him loveth his Neighbour as himself But this is to be understood according to God and reason For if one offering to pleasure thee bring thee a Wench to lye with thee or lend thee a sword to fight and to kill another as reason would instruct thee to refuse such offers so the love according to God should teach thee obedience and they both ought to be the rule of thy life and the lights to guide thee in the dark places Thus far have we declared in as much brevity as we could how a man ought to love God and his Neighbour Now intend we to shew the effects of love and Charity CAP. VI. The effects and praises of Love and Charity NO tongue in the World can tell for truth all the Excellency of the effects and praises of love or charity For first of all she makes men the Children of God and Heirs of Heaven according to that saying of Saint John behold what Love or Charity the Father hath shewed unto us to make us the Children of God S. Paul also saith That those which be lead by the Spirit of God are the Children of God For you have not received the spirit of bondage to fear any more but you have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father and that same Spirit which is the Spirit of Love or Charity beareth witness with our Spirit that we be the Children and Heirs of God and Coheirs with Christ Can we desire a thing more excellent than to be the children of God and Heirs of Heaven what dignity is that to boast of Such as have feeling of the love of God in their hearts have boldness courage though the world contemn them For this is certain that they whom the world hateth are not the children of the world but the children of God as contrariwise such as the world loveth they indeed are the children of the world Secondly Charity worketh the cause in us that God dwelleth in us who dwelleth in Charity saith S. John dwelleth in God and God in him Our Lord likewise saith If any Man love me he will keep my Commandements and my Father will come and dwell with him Can we desire a more rich a more bountifull or a more liveral Host than he Is it like that so loving an Host will suffer the soul to want Will he ask mony for his expences No he commeth not to dwell with us to consume that we have but to encrease our riches and to make our store greater Thirdly Charity maketh our goods be they little or be they much acceptable unto God it maketh a Man contemn the World it maketh a man to rejoyce in temptations and tribulations When Charity enters into the soul she knits us to God and uniteth us with him Love or Charity makes men of one mind and will Love or Charity makes men reform their manners and to draw near unto God Love or Charity makes men to consider of things present and visible as if they were not Love maketh a pure and clean heart which may contemplate and behold Heavenly things By
against us And lead us not into temptation But deliver us from evill Amen Besides all this thou must also most heartily humble thy self before God acknowledging thy self a sinner and that thou canst do nothing that is righteous but if there be any goodness in thee either of Nature or of Gods Grace thou must sreely confess that all comes from above Repute not thy self better than another but rather the least of all If any despise thee mock thee or injure thee suffer it not only patiently but also willingly and gladly even for the love of God For the sealing Ladder of Heaven is Humility a full denying of thy self in worldly causes Think not well of thy self for any thing that thou doest hast done or mayest do but if thou hast any goodness in thy body or in thy soul be not ashamed to confess that it is not thine because it comes not from thee but of God for from him indeed it proceeds And when at any time thou findest thy self as it were lest of God and destitute of consolation whether it be inwardly or outwardly be not discouraged for it neither think that God hath Forgotten thee but heartily Humble thy Self before God putting all thy confidence in God as in one that knows how to save his Elect. If thou receive any blessing inwardly as Wisdom or any other gift exalt not thy self in pride neither discommend others that have not received of God such grace but use that which thou hast to Gods glory Again if thou see thy Neighbour fall take heed judge him not but think that God permits thee to see his effence for thy profit Imagine thou wast never touched with that crime well it is much but yet thou hast been culpable in some other as bad or else worse upon this examination reform thy self suppose thou art in no fault thou must not therefore esteem thy self better than he that is in fault knowing thou art of such a nature as he is and made of the same stuff as he is and therefore notwithstanding thy supposition a sinner and offender as well as he so that both need amending Be thou sure that if God had provided no better for thee than thy self deserved thou hadst committed the like offence or else greater and thank God for that he hath kept thee so and pray for him that doth amisse and is not yet converted When thou seest a sinner only led to lose his life by Law know that thou standest a sinner before God as well as he although before the world thou be esteemed better There is no School wherein a Christian may so well learn to live well as in the contemplation of Christs life and conversation thou must oftentimes think on thy last end as Death Iudgement Hell and Heaven persevere in Prayer so shalt thou please God and not be loath to die Remember thy end saith the wife Man and thou shalt never sin thou must often pray deboutly to God and when thou wilt so do thou must draw thy self from all affairs for Prayer is a lifting up of the heart to God and a private speech of the soul with God If it be so were there any reason that a man should draw his cogitations from God or rather all outward businesse put apart with all reverence to submit thy soul before him All this notwithstanding it is not forbidden in all our affairs to pray and sing Psalms to Gods glory and oftentimes with Tears to say the Lords Prayer or any other Prayer to that effect And here by the way thou must understand that the longest Prayer is not the profitablest because of the multitude of cogitations of the minde besides that thou must be devout for the prayers which are done with devotion of the heart do profit all other prayers are but vain and to no purpose If thou pronounce but three words as the Publican did saying God be mercifull to me a sinner or as the Canaanite said O Son of David have mercy upon me it is enough Again be not curious of thy tongue nor line in speaking it sufficeth that thy heart speaks within thee and thy tongue though but bleatingly if unfainedly it is well as we read of Moses and Anna Samuels Mother Worldly goods superssuonsly thou oughtest not to ask but necessarily and with measure for thy bodily health and for the succour of the needy If thou be sick poor or in adversity thou mayst ask Health Riches or Prosperity so it be done to Gods glory But if thy asslictions do more advance Gods glory than thy prosperity doth yeelding thy soill to Gods will thou oughtest to ask Patience and say with a meek heart Lord thy will be done and not mine I thy senses be inclined to sin be not dismayed for there is a God to whom if thou pray he will by the power of his grace suppresse that inclination Wherefore take courage when thou art tempted ask help of God saying O God make speed to save me O Lord make haste to help me Lord God leave me not but be my help O thou Lord God of my health Do what thou canst to resist the Devil and he shall go from thee approach unto God by Faith and be will draw near unto thee by his Spirit If the Devil assault thee desy him and make thy moan to thy Saviour saying Lord help me and be with me Do thou thy endeavour and assure thy self that God will make thee strong he will aid thee he will ease thee and in the end will set thee free from all verations placing thee in the Heaven of Heavens the Portion and Inheritance of his Servants To this God and to Iesus Christ with the holy Ghost he all glory honour and praise world without end Amen CHAP. XII The Authors Peroration or Conclusion to the devout Readers or Hearers I Thank Almighty God of his goodnesse that I am come to the End of the Voyage of the wandring Knight by the which thou mavest understand that in following Folly and vain Voluptuousnesse he forsook God to the prejudice and hurt of his Soul yea to the danger of everlasting damnation Here thou mayest learn that all voluptuous worldlings are the very Subjects of Sathan and their earthly goods and worldly pleasures shall quickly consume Thou art taught likewise what great clemency God used to … m drawing him by his grace from the sink of sin wherein he was sunk how he was led to the Palace of Repentance and from thence to the Palace of Vertue where by Gods grace he is now and what goodnesse he hath found there thou hast heard at large The Lord grant us to land where he is landed even in the Land promised to the Elect. Amen And now to conclude I beseech your courtesies that if any thing in this my labour mislike you interpret the same to the best and lay nothing to my charge in the way of presumption but commending my good meaning and allowing my will not to contemn but to speak well and esteem of this my Work and to use it for thy benefit and edincation for the which end I made and compiled the same And now I exhort you all in Christian love and charity that if by Gods grace you be resident in Vertues Palace to persevere and continue there to the end humbling your selves before God and allwayes trusting unto his goodnesse not unto our own strength or merits acknowledging also Gods grace by the which you are as you are and of whom you have that you have Let all your considence be in his mercy and in his goodnesse Furthermore if any feel and perceive himself out of Vertues Palace by the means of wordly vanities let him consider the great peril he is in and speedily turn to repentance with a contrite and sorrowfull heart requiring pardon of God and trusting wholly in the merits and passion of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ Let him not be ashamed to acknowledge his sins which if he do he shall finde at Gods hands grace and mercy And now I beseech nor Lord God to give us all Grace to do according unto that which is here spoken for otherwise of our selves it is not possible that leading a life acceptable and agreeable unto his holy will we may in the end after the Voyage which we have to passe in this world see and enjoy possesse and have the full fruition of that glorious city of Paradise where true Blessednesse and perfect Felicity welleth even in the Habitation of God Almighty unto whom be all Honour Glory Power and Dominion for evermore Amen FINIS