about hir necke a chaine of golde with rich Iewells tyed vnto it hir fingers wer decked with ring vpon ring she séemed to haue bene delicately brought vp hir face was beautifull but I suspected she was painted hir lookes were wanton and vnconstant and she rolled hir eyes euery way This Lady came vnto me before the other and after salutations I asked hir which of the two wayes I shoulde take to finde perfect felicitie She aunswered me saieng My sonne if thou wilt followe me I will bring thee a short and pleasant way through a greene Meddow Be not doubtfull for I will lodge thée this night in the Pallaice of Felicitie into the which when thou art entred placed thou néedest not thinke vpon any thing but what may best please thy minde and procure thy delight As fine fare dauncing singing softe lodging Ladies loue laughing hunting hawking fishing fowling riding running shooting bowling rich araye and all things also that can be deuised to please thy fantasie all which pleasures I will prouide thée with a thousand more For it is in me to bestow such things vpon them that take me for their Mistresse With these words I was bewitched and longed to sée this pleasaunt Pallaice not mistrusting that she was any other than she said and séemed to be And being desirous to learne hir name I began thus my good Lady may it not offend you if I aske your name My son quod she such as follow me haue had experience of my goodnes call me Felicitie and that deseruedly of good right For I am indeede the Empresse of y e Pallaice of worldly pleasures whether I wil bring thee before night if thou wilt follow me Ther be some enimies of mine that nick name me spitefully miscal me by false coūterfet termes saieng that I am named Mallice Vanitie Vice Voluptuousnesse But giue thou no eare vnto them for they speake vpon enuie hatred and euill will Then approched the other Lady which after salutation done vttered these words vnto me Reason required that I should haue spoken first but this painted Pecocke named Wicked Voluptuousnesse puts foorth hir selfe to speake before me alwaies and to take the tale out of my mouth Take héede of hir for doubtlesse hir communication corrupteth infecteth euen the very best liuers with the poyson of hir error Now I sée thou art of good inclination ready to weigh thy pathes in the ballance willing to walke as well y e good way as the bad And séeing thy minde wauoreth apply thy selfe vnto Vertue continually shorten the sorrowe of thy soule water thy will with wisedome aduenture not thy present precious age to be boldened in ambition vain-glorie detest the daunger of insatiable Couetousnesse let not thy liking be laid vpon licentious loue auoid shake off idlenes by vsing thy selfe to honest exercises flie Worldly Felicitie arme thy self against y e dart of Cupid lest at length he ouercome thée open thine eares of vnderstanding and follow my counsel I am not y e vile villanous vaine mischieuous subtill deceitful lieng Ladie Voluptuousnesse but I am y e assured safe way y t leadeth to Perfect Felicitie And though I am narrow painfull to passe yet if thou wilt follow me I wil make thée merry guid thée in y e very way which God hath ordeined to lead vnto true blessednes For my son thou must vnderstand this y t almightie God doth not bestow vpon men perfect ioy souereign goodnes vnles they labour to atchieue it If therfore thou think alwaies to passe thy time in plesure followest thine affection doing all whatsoeuer séemeth delectable to thy foolish fātasie supposest y e way to find Felicitie thou art farre wide greatly abused For He that wil haue honny must make much of Bees If thou desire Felicitie so lead thy life y t God of his goodnes may vouchsafe to giue it thée Cleanse thy hart emptie it of euill thoughts be firm in faith establish thy soule w t soūdnes sinceritie be not deceiued w t dānable doctrine nor led astray by wrōg opiniōs This that I tell thée cannot be done without labour neither can any profitable or good thing be obtained without paines taking Thou seest how Shepheards Sea-men and all Artificers if they growe in wealth it is by labour and trauell Were the Husband-man any better than a foole if hée should hope in Harurst to reape Corne of his ground where he hath sowed no seede when season serued Euen so is that man meruailously misinformed that thinketh to atchieue perfect felicitie or to reape true blessednesse hauing not first fallowed his field with Uertue Good déedes Faith Hope and Charitie which is the High way to Heauen The Husbandman doungeth his ground soweth his séede grafteth his trées tarreth his shéepe leadeth his life in labour hoping to enioy the fruit the grasse the graine the wooll generally all the profite the expectation and full accompt whereof maketh him to take paines with pleasure Euen so if thou wilt be content painfully to walke this way without regard either of Rockes or Mountaines doubt not to finde true felicitie Hauing heard this long and wise admonition and marking the Lady well I could not be quyet till I knewe hir name Wherefore I said Madame without offence be it spoken I pray you what is your name She aunswered saieng My sonne I am great with God I am acquainted with y e Saints I am all in all with Angells I am much estéemed of good men Without me nothing is done in heauen and without me no good thing can be done on Earth I am commonly called Felicitie Wisedome and Vertue I gouerne good Kings Princes People I rule Prelates and Ecclesiasticall persons I stop the mouth of false Prophets and erronious teachers I hinder their Heresies and staye their wicked procéedings I gouerne householders and their families in good order I am a companion with the louers of learning I am a husband to all chast wiues widowes vertuous virgins I reward my friends in prosperitie with holinesse and in aduersitie with kindly consolation I minister vnto them foode raiment lodging strength patience and all things necessarie and whether it be little or much they take it in good part Contrariwise the friends of Voluptuosnesse are neuer satisfied although they haue too much My friends had rather sing Psalmes then vaine songs they had rather fast then be dronke they had rather praye then cursse they rise early and goe to bed late they haue care of the Common-wealth Faith counselleth them Hope assisteth them Charitie inflameth them Wisedome gouerneth them Iustice guideth them and I doe and wil inrich and incourage them that all the world shall haue them in admiration honour and reuerence Yea though their bodies die yet their fame shall liue for others example and their soules shall remaine immortall like vnto the state of Angells Contrariwise he that leadeth his
the will worketh his feats at libertie And it is called Frée will because of the iudgement of the soule therefore Frée will is in the superiour part of the soule for thereby we differ from brute beasts who haue a sense as well as we but no iudgement of Frée will Nowe when we say that vertue is a good qualitie of the soule that is to saie of Frée will For vertue qualifies Free-will disposeth and prepareth it to doe and will well neither of which cannot be done without the aide and grace of God The second part of the definition is Wherby a man liueth rightly But no man liueth rightly vnles he liue iustly no mā liueth iustly w tout vertue Ergo no man liueth rightly without vertue Who so liueth rightly liueth wel who so liueth well if he continue in so doing atchiueth true felicitie It followeth then y t by vertue we atchiue true felicitie for vertue prepares Frée will which is corrupt depraued therfore vnapt either for well willing or well doing but the grace of God reseruing it by vertue it is made capable of perfect blessednesse The third part of y e definition is And committeth none euill Wherein is comprehended the excellencie of vertue great goodnes by the which none can do il Men may abuse al y e goods al y e arts sciences in the world as indéed very often they are ill vsed as with monie wine women but by vertue they be neuer abused who vseth vertue he doth y e works of vertue Who so vseth y e deeds of vertue he doth wel if by vertue none doth ill thou oughtest rather to loose all y t is in the world then to lose vertue seeing she excels in goodnesse all things in the world The fourth part of the definition is Which thing indeed is the only work of God in man Uertue thē is a work of God in vs as witnesseth S. Austen vpon y t sentence which is spoken in the 118. Psalme I haue done iudgement iustice Iustice saith he is a great vertue of the soule comming more then he sawe for he sawe a man and he beléeued that the same man was God also which he sawe not for he said Thou art my God and my Lord. In this consisteth the merite of faith when a man at y e commandement of God beleeueth that thing which he séeth not To beleeue saith Saint Austen is to thinke vppon a thing with consent to that thought as when thou thinkest the Son of God was borne of a Uirgin had tooke mans nature vpon him consentest to y e thought it is properly called beliefe This thought may come often by séeing and often by hearing And therefore Saint Paule saith that Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God He vnderstands that by hearing Faith comes into the minde and thought if we consent therevnto For we maye beholde a Preacher without consenting to that he saith because men doe not alwaies beleeue what the Preacher speaketh for y t the consent wherin consisteth the perfection of Faith comes of the méere gift of God not from séeing nor hearing but frō the light of grace speking in the soule of the beleeuer beléeuing the principal truth which is God working in him a consent agreement w t that principal souereign trurh aboue al other things So that Faith is a foundation vnmoueable both of beleeuers and of truth by the which Faith when it is ioyned with Charitie our Lord Iesus Christ who is the onely foundation of true blessednesse dwelleth in the hearts of the beleeuers and so long as Faith is in man he shal be sure not to perish but Faith without Charitie is no foundation because such Faith is vaine and vnprofitable Faith then ioyned with Loue or Charitie belongs to good Christians and Faith without Loue belongs to euill Christians It is necessarie therfore that we note the difference in these three saiengs or speaches namely To beleeue a God to beleeue of God and to beleeue in God To beleeue of God is to beléeue that all is true which God saith so beleeue the euill Christians as well as the good vnlesse they be Heretikes To beleeue a God is to beléeue that he is the onely true and almightie God and so the Diuells doe beléeue as well as the euill Christians But to beléeue in God is to loue God and to trust in God and in beléeuing to ioyne thy selfe to God by loue and obedience incorporating thée with his mēbers that is to say his Church This Faith iustifieth and maketh righteous the sinner and this Faith being knit with Loue and with Charitie begins to doe good deedes which cannot be done without Loue. The Faith which euill Christians haue is indéede a qualytie of fréewill but it is not knit with Loue and Charitie which is the bonde of perfection and the life of Faith as Faith is the life of the soule And yet such an vnshapen Faith being naked and voide of Charitie may be termed a gift of God for that the euill man may haue some gifte of God but that cannot properly be called Vertue because that by Vertue we learne to liue rightly and for that the Diuels and euill Christians doe liue wickedly it is a signe that the faith which they haue is dead and therefore is not properly Vertue nor yet a worke of Vertue If thou wilt then haue thy Faith to be good and wholesome it must haue foure properties that is to say it must be plaine and simple it must be whole and sound it must be constant and vnmouable it must be quicke and liuely Touching the first that it must be plaine and simple that teacheth thée thus much in effect that thou must beléeue the word of God plainly simply whatsoeuer is therein contained without enquiring or searching in Gods mysticall matters by humaine reasons but simply beléeuing in thy heart that euery thing contained in the holy Bible is most true Secondly thy Faith must be whole and sound that is to say thou must not take parte with heretikes or leane to the erronious opinions of the enimies of Gods truth for this is no good or wholesome Faith And therefore for a testimonie of thy Faith be not ashamed to make open confession in the congregation of thy beliefe saieng with y e felowship communion of Saints I beleeue in the holy Trinitie as y e holy Church founded by Christ whereof he is y e head hath taught me so do I frame my faith· Thirdly it must be constant and vnmouable that is to say without doubting for any reson of mans braine that séemeth contrarie nor for any temptation promises or threatnings either of torment or of death And let not the obstinacie of such as inchaunt with the vaine pleasures of this life although they liue most ioyfully allure thee to leane to their opinion which is flat heresie For that
is a work of Satans who wholly possesses them and can transfigure and chaunge himselfe into an Angell of light to deceiue the simple and innocent whom God permits to be tempted for the triall of their constancie Not that he is ignoraunt of the issue but because he would haue it appeare to others that he crowns vs with his glorie for our constancie and perseueraunce This is clearely set downe by Moses in the xiij of Deuteronomie and by Saint Peter in his second Epistle and second Chapter and by our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ in the 24. of Mathew And though we liue in the latter times when manie sects and errours doe abound and vertue and truth in many places doth faile Yet let vs listen what our Lord and Sauiour saith Whosoeuer beleueth to the ende shâ—ll be saued Fourthly and lastly thy Faith must be quicke and liuely that is to saye it must be linked with Loue and Charitie which is the life of Faith as the soule is the life of the body And therefore abuse not thy selfe as some doe saieng I haue Faith and I shall be saued whatsoeuer chaunce No no assure thy selfe that if thy Faith be not quickned with Loue and Charitie it is nothing woorth and therefore vnable to atchieue true blessedndsse as S. Paule wel noteth in the first Epistle the xiij chapter to the Corinths Euen so when our Lord in the Gospel attributeth saluation vnto Faith S Paule iustification this is to be vnderstood of an holy liuely and Euangelicall Faith working with Loue and Charitie Likewise our Lord and Sauiour saith in the Gospell that Hee which beleeueth and will be baptised shall bee saued this is meant of such a Faith as Loue quickeneth and Charitie reuiueth The holy Scripture in many places expresseth that None shall be saued vnlesse he obserue and kéepe the Commaundements of God Now none can kéepe the Commaundements without Loue and Charitie Ergo none can be saued without Loue and Charitie The summe and effect of all is this that whosoeuer renounceth sinne and wickednesse imbraceth a quicke and liuely Faith and liueth in Loue and Charitie he cannot perish but shall finde in the end true perfect and euerlasting Felicitie in the kingdome of Heauen ¶ THE DESCRIPTION OF HOPE and how we ought to hope in almightie God The fourth Chapter NOw sir Knight know this that Hope is a vertue whereby both goods spirituall eternal are hoped for And as Faith is of things not séene so is Hope also For Saint Paule saith Hope that is seene is no Hope because we haue possession of it already It is common to Faith and Hope to be of things vnséene and yet Hope is distinguished from Faith not onely by name but also by reason For by Faith we beleeue as well euill things as good that is to say Heauen and Hell We beléeue that Adulterie is a verie wicked sinne we beléeue also Charitie is a very good thing all these things good and bad we beléeue but we hope onely for good things and not for bad Againe Faith is of things past present and to come For we beleeue the death of Iesus Christ which is past we beleeue also that at this present he sits at the right hand of God the Father in Heauen and we beléeue that Christ shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead But vnder correction I thinke that Hope is of things present as when I hope that I am in GODS fauour and of things past as when I hope my sinnes be forgiuen me and of things to come as when I hope to haue eternall life This is true that Faith hath an eye generallye vnto that which is spoken in holy Scripture beléeuing that all the promises without exception which God made shall bee accomplished without descending to particular or speciall persons but Hope applieth vnto hir selfe those same promises waiting and hoping for the accomplishment of that which God hath promised And therefore it is requisite for assured saluation that thou beleeue thou shalt be saued and but to hope so is sufficient For Faith of and in it selfe importeth an infallible assuraunce and certaintie of things as when we firmely beléeue all the Articles of our true and Christian Faith and all things conteined in the holy Scriptures to be more certaine than man is man but the hoping of it is not so requisite For if we haue a firme affiaunce in the goodnesse of God touching our saluation and doubt not a whitte of the remission of our sinnes it is enough Ther be two degrées in Hope which are two contrary extremities The one being the most highest is most perfect infailable assuraunce of eternall blessednesse The other being the basest and lowest is to despaire of saluation Betwéene these two extremities consisteth Hope But the more y t a man approcheth to the highest extremitie which is an infaileable assuraunce of eternall life and the more he recoileth from the basest and lowest extremitie which is desperation the more perfect is he in Hope It sufficeth the hoping man that beléeues loues God that he haue a firme affiaunce confidence that God of his good grace will giue him whatsoeuer he hath promised vnto his elect hoping that he is of their number So it is necessarily requisite that we haue a perfect and an infaileable certaintie of our saluation Now for that in the definition of Hope it is said that by hir we looke and hope for the spirituall and eternall goodnesse it is to be noted that Hope hath two obiects the first and the principall is God himselfe and the perfect inioying of his presence The other is all the necessarie meanes to come vnto the cleare séeing and inioying of God and these meanes are the remission of our sinnes iustification the help of Gods grace Faith vnfained and charitable deedes agréeablenes vnto God Now all that we hope for we ought with praier deuoutly to craue of God as his Kingdome the remission of our sinnes iustification increase of grace and vertue déedes of Faith and Charitie But concerning goodes temporall forasmuch as we may vse them well and ill they may be saide to hinder the saluation of man rather then to further it And therfore the good Christian ought not to aske them nor to couet theÌ„ excessiuely indéed so much as wil necessarily serue him for sustenaunce in this life he may lawfully aske And héere by the waye it is a lesson worthy the learning namely that it is necessarie for vs to do good workes because it hath plesed God to inrich vs with goods which goodes ought well to be employed Now vnto him properly belongeth the merits of the workes which he worketh in vs. For all our good workes are the gifts of God howbeit he doth not denie vs his grace whereby we consent to doe the good works which he onely moueth in vs. And therefore euery one ought to the vttermost that he is able to do good works
lawfull But yet without Loue or Charitie Prudence is a vertue no more meritorious then Faith without Loue and Charitie But if the prudent man loue God with all his hart it is vnpossible but he shuld do good and consequently be good Iustice is a vertue vsed in two sorts sometimes it is a general vertue comprehends in hir selfe all vertue as the man that liueth well iustly is therefore called good vertuous and iust Otherwise it is vnderstood a perticular vertue called Iustice distributiue yéelding to euerye one that which vnto him belongeth This vertue Iustice distributiue is conuenient for all men and principally for Emperours Kings Princes such as haue the administration and gouernment of Common-wealths to the ende that they may yeeld to euery one their right defending y e innocent punishing the offender honoring y e good abasing the euill doing Iustice right according to equitie as well to little as great to poore as rich Many haue Iustice painted in their houses yet haue iniurie wrongful deaâ—â—â—g lodged in their harts Many a one haue Christ in their mouth but y e diuel in their mind To conclude therfore he y t wil be acceptable to god he must be iust in word vpright in déed vndefiled in thought Fortitude is a vertue vnto the which belongs a magnificent courage not fearing any thing but vnlawfull actions He y t hath this vertue keepes himselfe constant in aduersitie waxeth not proud in prosperitie Fortitude giues a man magnanimitie constancie hope assurance sufferaunce patience perseuerance With this vertue y e Martirs of all degrées ages were indued grounded vpon a firme Faith coÌ„teÌ„ning y e world setting light by y e threatnings tormeÌ„ts of tyrants imbracing death rather theÌ„ to deny Christ. Gods Prophets were armed with Fortitude who without flatterie reprehended y e kings of Israel Iuda of their sins false worship of God feared not their furies The Apostles of Iesus Christ were armed with Fortitude who feared not to controll y e wisdome of y e wise vanquish such as wer in high places y t they might with contented mindes carie y e yoke of Christ. This did they not by their bodely strength nor yet w t mans power or warlike weapons but with diuine doctrine not desiring to kill any one but to die themselues It is a great worlds wonder y t so few poore simple soules vnarmed vnlearned hauing no humaine pollice shuld vanquish the wisdome of the world confound earthly pollicie strength and subdue Kings and bring them in obedience to the faith and knowledge of Christ reuoking the people from false religion and adoration of Diuells who tyrannously reigned and bare sway certaine the 〈◊〉 of yeares in the world With this vertue of Fortitude Kings and mightie men ought to be armed not doubting any danger for y e defence of the faith of Iâ—sus Christ but being of one the same minde with the holy Martirs of God With this Vertue ought Preachers and Teachers to be armed worthely defending the word of God against all Heretickes and enimies of the same not doubting the feare or the threatnings of persecutors whatsouer But you must vnderstand that Fortitude is not a dealer in the committing of vnlawfull déedes as to beate hurt or kill thy brother vnlesse it be iustly done in thine owne defence or for thy Countries cause otherwise it is meere mallice and madnesse of minde Moreouer such as extraordinarily and desperately dispatch themselues as wretches weary of life they doe it not by fortitude but by the temptation of the Diuell who is permitted by Gods sufferaunce to tempt some euen to the making away of themselues Such people are weake hearted and not valyant for valyantnesse which is Fortitude is not named notable vnlesse it be in lawfull actions and déeds as in the defence of thine owne person thy Prince thy Countrie or the faith of Iesus Christ for the which to suffer death is excellent Fortitude Temperance saith Saint Austen is an affection to refraine the appetite whervnto a man is excessiuely inclined Temperance hath rule and dominion ouer pleasures and delights refusing to meddle in any thing which can not be done without offending God and not falling in anye excesse whatsoeuer wherein a man may passe the rule of reason To liue in Temperance is to order and dispose euerie thing according to the right vse whereto it was appointed These foure vertues haue foure vices cleane contrarie vnto them by the which vices the vertues are corrupted and destroyed Prudence by Folly Iustice by Couetousnesse Fortitude by Pride Temperance by Incontinence defaced These foure vices are signified by y e foure plagues which consumed and spoiled the goods of Iob namely The Sabees the Chaldees the force of fire and the violence of a vehement winde The Sabees of Folly made hauocke of Prudence Oxen. The Chaldees of Pride led away the Camils of Fortitude The fire of Lechery made wast of Temperaunce shéepe And the boysterous winde of Couetousnesse ouerthrew the houses or the precepts of Iustice. These foure vertues likewise are deuoured of their aduersarie vices according as the Prophet Ioel complaineth against the wicked Iewes vnder foure notable things deciphering the foure vices opposite against y e foure vertues before named These foure things are the Caterpiller the Grashopper the Locust and the Blasting all which foure things being bent to wastfulnesse lefte nothing vnspoyled whiles they put in vse the force of their inclination By the Caterpiller is ment vaine and foolish bragging which destroieth the vertue of Prudence By the Grashopper is meant the vice of Pride which destroieth the vertue of Fortitude By the Locust is meant the vice of Couetousnesse which destroieth the vertue of Iustice. And by Blasting is meant the vice of Lecherie which destroieth the vertue of Temperance so that Foolish bragging destroieth the vertue of Wisedome Pride corrupteth the estate of Strength Auarice deuoures the vertue of Iustice. Lecherie spoyleth the title of Temperance Now therefore sir Knight I wish thée to refraine from these insatiable vices least thou loose the enioying of these foure notable Moral vertues Thou knowest what comfort and good companie thou haddest in the Pallaice of Vertue there thou sawest God Faith Hope Charitie Prudence Iustice Fortitude Temperance and all the goodnes which might come to the resonable soule in this present life as for the swéetnesse the ioye the pleasure consolation goodnes which these vertues do bring them vnto which hath imbraced loued them none knoweth but who hath had experience ¶ HOVV FAITH FROM THE TOP OF HER Tower showeth vnto the Knight the Citie of Heauen The viij Chapter AFter good Vnderstanding had deliuered out these good wordes I was rauished in my minde I felte not my selfe I loste my taste I forced neither for meate nor drink and most of all I meruailed that night approched not because many houres
fol. 37. Dinner being done Voluptuousnesse shevveth the vvandring knight the rest of the pallaice of vvorldly felicitie vvith the superscription of the tovvres thereof and by the Author is declared the euil fruit of certeine notorious sinnes chap. 10. fol. 40. The scituation or standing of the pallaice of vvorldly felicitie chap. 11. fol. 46. The Author declareth hovv the vvandring knight and such like voluptuous liuers in the vvorld transgresse the x. commaundementes of Almightie God vnder vvritten chap. 12. fol. 48. The knight vv 〈…〉 t for to recreate himselfe and vievved the Warrens and Forrests vvhich vvere about the pallaice of vvorldly felicitie anone he savve it sinke sodeinly into the earth and perceiued himselfe in the mire to the saddle skirts chap. 13. fol. 50. The Author crieth out bitterly against vvorldlings and their felicitie chap 14. fol. 53. The second part of the voyage of the vvandring knight fol. 58. GODS grace dravveth the knight out of the filth of sinne vvherein he stucke fast chap 1. fol. 58. Gods grace shevveth hell vnto the knight vvith all the voluptuous companie that he savve in the pallaice of vvorldly felicitie chap 2. fol. 61. The knight declareth how he entered into the schoole of Repentance and of his enterteinment there chap. 3. fol. 64. Hovv true Repentaunce begins in vs and hovv the knights conscience acccused him vvith the paines he had deserued chap. 4. fo 67 By commandement of Gods grace Remembrance read to me the goodnesse of God vvith his promises made to repentaunt sinners chap. 5. fol. 70. A Sermon which Vnderstanding the good Hermit made vnto the knight vpon the historie of Mary Magdalene chap. 6. fol. 75. The knight hauing receiued the holy Communion heard the Sermon and ended dinner mounted into a chariot of Triumph and was by Gods grace carried to the pallaice of Vertue chap. 7 fo 82. The third part of the voyage of the wandring knight fol. 86. THE knight declareth the great good solace pleasure vvhich he found in the pallaice of Lady Vertue chap. 1. fol. 86. The description of vertue chap. 2. fol. 90. The description of Faith and how vve ought to beleeue in God for our saluation chap. 3. fol. 93. The description of Hope and hovv vve ought to hope in Almightie God chap. 4. fol. 97 The description of Loue or Charitie hovv vve ought to loue God and our neighbour chap. 5. fol. 101. The effects and praises of Loue or Charitie chap. 6. fol. 106. The description of the foure morall vertues Prudence Iustice Fortitude and Temperaunce cap. 7 fol. 109 Hovv Faith from the toppe of her tovvre shevveth vnto the knight the citie of heauen chap. 8 fol. 114 The desire that the knight had to come to heauen and hovv Gods grace brought Perseuerance chap. 9. fol. 116. Good Vnderstanding sheweth the knight hovv to keepe Perseueraunce alvvaies vvith him chap. 10. fol. 118 The Protestation that Good Vnderstanding taught the knight to make euery day to auoid temptations that he ought to humble himselfe before God and vvhat he should aske in his praier chap. 11. fo 121 The Authors peroration or conclusion to the deuout Readers or herers chap. 12. fol. 128. FINIS Gentle Reader thou shalt finde in fol. 7. the 6. line shamefastnesse for shamelesnesse and in fol. 24. the 20. line Iacob for Ioab And in fol. 93. the 35. line things apparant for things not apparant These faults amended in the Reading I suppose there remaine no more F For Countries cause who taketh toile R Regarding neither life nor lim A Aduentures to receiue the foile V Valure had neede to rest in him N Neglect he may not seasons fit C Couet he must to doe the best E Euer he warreth with his wit S Seldome he sleepes in quiet rest D Dischargd thou hast thy dutie well R Remember God that guided thee A Ambitiously doe not excell K Keepe thee in compasse of degree E Each one will say what he doth see ¶ THE FIRST PART OF the Voyage of the wandring Knight ¶ THE VVANDRING KNIGHT DECLARETH his intent and foolish enterprise wishing and supposing in this world to finde true felicitie The first Chapter MANY HISTORIOGRAPHERS both Poets and Orators as well prophane as diuine haue by writing notified diuers persons with their voyages aduentures First Iustin and Diodore of Sicilie haue made mention of the Argonautes voyage by Sea that is to say of Iason and his alies Castor Pollux Hercules other Péeres to the Isle of Colchos to win the golden Fliece which a great Dragon kept Also Homer a Gréeke Poet writ in verse the wandring and Sea voyage of Vlisses his companions at their return from the Troyan warres After him Virgil a most eloquent Latine Poet set downe in verse the voyage of Aeneas in Italy with his fortunes after the subuersion of Troye Now if we come to the sacred Histories we shall finde first how Moses wrote of the Children of Israel their going out of Aegypt into the Land of promise of the xlij Mantions that they made in the Desart for y e space of fortie yeares And how the foure Euangelists likewise most faithfully haue written of the holy peregrination of the blessed Sonne of God our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ who tooke vpon him our fraile and humaine nature The selfe same Sauiour hath set downe a Parable of the voluptuous voyage of the prodigall Childe and his retourne Saint Luke very notably and sincerely hath deliuered in writing the painfull and holy perigrination of that great vessell of election Saint Paule together with the great trauell hée tooke to preach the Gospell and the faith of Iesus Christ to all the Gentiles And now by Gods grace I mean to declare mine own voyage and aduentures much like to that of the prodigall childe who left his fathers house and ranged into strange countries wasting all his goods liuing licentiously but after he knew his lewdnesse he returned backe to his father of whom he was very louingly receiued So I by great Folly counselled in absenting my selfe far away not onely in bodie but also in minde from God my Father Creator haue wasted consumed all the goods which this same my God father had bountifully bestowed vpon me in following the vaine pleasures of this life But in the ende I being inspired with Diuine grace acknowledged mine offences leauing the dark Region of sinne and vanitie through the aide conduction of the diuine grace am returned to mine eternal father humbly requiring pardon mercie who of his vnspeakable mercie hath louingly receiued me But how all this hath ben done I will declare all vnto you praieng you patiently to giue me the hearing attentiuely consider my talk well to note the whole from y e beginning to the ende After I had passed in all folly and lasciuiousnesse thrée wéekes of the yeares of mine age that is to say my Infancie childes age and youth which make
cōsidering y t they come from God who is the Author of all good woorks without whō we are not able to think so much as one good thought much lesse do a good déed For otherwise to hope in doing ill to goe to heauen without good workes springing from a firme Faith is no Hope but a flat presumption And therefore thou oughtest to enforce thy selfe to do good works hoping that thou thy works may be acceptable vnto God neuertheles thou must not in any case trust vpon thy merits or good works but altogether vpon the infinite loue and goodnesse of God For otherwise thou fallest into that cursse which the Prophet speaketh of saieng Curssed is the man that trusteth in man and contrariwise happie is the man that trusteth in God We ought alwayes to doe well to delight in well doing and to hope in the goodnesse of God that he wil giue vs that which he hath promised But this Hope ought to bée firme and as an Anker constantly to hold thy conscience that by the floatings of temptations it mooue not But some will aske by what testimonie or witnesse can the conscience rest assured of remission of sinnes of Gods adoption and of heauenly blessednesse I aunswere Saint Iohn saith There bee three things that giue witnesse in earth that is to say the Spirite Water and Bloud These thrée testifie vnto the spirite of the beléeuing man that Christ is the infallible truth who fulfilleth in the beléeuing man the whole summe of his promises The first witnesse then that assureth man in Hope is the precious bloud of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ which was shedde for the remission of our sinnes The second witnesse is the water of Baptisme by the which also our sinnes are forgiuen But these two witnesses put not the conscience in full and perfect Hope and assuraunce And therefore there must bée annexed vnto them a thirde which thirde is The holye Spirite which beareth witnesse with our spirite that wee are the sonnes and heires of God Who so hath not this witnesse he cannot be assured of his saluation The workes of the holye Spirite in man beareth witnesse of the presence of that Spirite in man If thou aske mée what those workes are I aunswere thée that they are these and such lyke that followe namelye Sorrowe for sinnes Hatred of all things which displeaseth GOD and are contrarie to his Commaundements taking pleasure to read and heare Gods word mourning for thy imperfections and little Faith Hope and Charitie an affection desire intent and purpose to loue God aboue all thinges and to doe thy indeauour to fulfill his commandements But all these things springs not from the corrupt nature of man vnlesse his minde and hart be moistened with the dew of Gods grace without the which we féele not in our selues any good affectiōs nor desire to do good works which are signs of y e presēce of y e holy ghost in vs. Wherefore we ought with great sighings and grones to praie vnto God and to beseech him most humbly that it would please him of his vnspeakable pitie to sende vs his holy spirit which may assure vs of the redemption of our sinnes to vouchsafe his heauenly adoption and the enioyeng of euerlasting blessednesse And thus much concerning Hope now let vs speake of Loue or Charitie THE DESCRIPTION OF LOVE OR OF CHAritie and how we ought to loue God and our neighbour The fift Chapter CHaritie is a vertue by the which God is loued for the loue of himselfe our neighbour for the loue of God or in God It is said in the first part of this definition that Charitie is a vertue Let vs see how Certeinly Charitie is the excellentest vertue that is euen the mother and nurse of all the rest For he that hath not Charitie hath nothing in him to obteine euerlasting life This Charitie is giuen when the holy spirit is giuen For the holy spirit being resident in the soule makes vs to loue God for the loue of himselfe and our neighbour for the loue of God To loue God for the loue of himselfe is to loue him for his owne sake and because he is God And that is to be done thrée waies that is to say to loue God aboue all things entirely aboue all things orderly aboue all thinges preciouslye We will declare these thrée waies of louinge GOD the more plainlye that euerye one maye knowe how to loue God To loue God entirely is to haue a good will to God and to reioyce greatly that he is such a one as he is But for the better vnderstanding héereof it shall not be amisse to shew what it is to loue To loue is nothing else but to wish well to euery body as when I loue a man I wish as well to him as to himself Now there are two manners of loue one is called a couetous loue as when a man loues anye thing for his own profits sake or his perticular honour and in such sort men loue their horses their victualles and all other worldlye necessaries The other loue is called the loue of friendshippe or of good will as when one loues a thinge for the loue of it selfe without respect of perticular honour or profite as when I sée a man wise and vertuous I take pleasure in him and wishe that the vertues which are in him maye not onely bée continued but also increased in him and this doe I béeinge to him well affectionated and louinge him with delyghtes There is not in GOD anye good that is not lyke himselfe For his might his wisedome his iustice his mercye his riches and his goodnesse are heauenlye as he himselfe is who is all wise all iust all mercifull all riche and almightye So that we loue God aboue all things entirely when we reioyce and be glad that he is as he is without regarding our proper profite or honour Thou oughtest not to loue GOD with a couetous loue that is to saye thou must not loue GOD onelye because he giues thée all thinges profitable for thée for in so dooing thou louest thy selfe better then thou louest God If thou loue GOD rightlye he will rewarde thee greatlye but this loue must be single and it must be pure and not depending vppon an other thinge For who so loueth God for gaine loueth him but as his horse in whome hée delyghtes because he serues his turne GOD ought to be loued louinglye without respect of particular profite But thou maist aske mée a question Maye I not loue God to this ende and vnder this condition that he maye giue me heauen which is the souereigne good and principallest thinge that man canne wish for after this lyfe The Doctours saye No. If wée consider well of the thing beloued which is GOD For in so dooing thou louest thy selfe better then thou louest GOD. Thou maist come to heauen by this meanes as namely by keeping his commaundements by giuing almes and
Who dwelleth in Charitye sayth Saint Iohn dwelleth in GOD and GOD in him Our Lorde lykewise sayth If anye man loue me he will keepe my commaundements and my Father will loue him and wee will come and dwell with him Canne we desire a more rich a more bountifull or a more lyberall hoste then he Is it lyke that so louing an hoste will suffer the soule to want Will he aske monie for his expenses No hée commeth not to dwell with vs to consume that wee haue but to encrease our riches and to make our store greater Thirdly Charitie maketh our goods be they little or bée they much acceptable vnto God it maketh a man contemne the world it maketh a man to reioyce in temptations afflictions and tribulations When Charitie enters into the soule she comes accompanied with all other goodnesse yea shée knittes vs to GOD and vniteth vs with him Loue or Charitie makes men of one minde and one will Loue or Charitie makes men reforme their manners and to drawe néere vnto God Loue or Charitie maketh men consider of things present and visible as if they were not Loue maketh a pure and cleane heart which may contemplate and beholde heauenly thinges By Loue the goods of this worlde are well ordered and by Loue the goods of this world are contemned and by Loue the secretes of God are reuealed Saint Iohn saith That God is Charitie wherby no doubt he meaneth the Father the sonne and the holy Ghost the three persons in trinitie God the father is Charitie God the sonne is Charitie and God the holy Ghost is Charitie This Loue or Charitie requireth in the same such likely things namely Loue and Charitie by the which as by some spiritual affinity thou art ioyned vnto God which Loue also boldly commeth vnto God familiarly speaketh with him without any doubt or feare He that loueth not shall loose his lyfe but he that loueth alwayes lyfteth his eyes to GOD whome he loueth whom he desireth on whome he museth in whome he is refreshed and by whome he is preserued such a louing deuoute and relygious soule doth so singe so saye so reade so dispose all his businesse and so circumspectly foreseeth all things as if GOD were euer present with him as doubtlesse in spirite he is The man in whose soule the loue of GOD is lodged so prayeth as if God were personallye present with him The loue of Charitie awaketh y e soule when she is a sléepe it puts him in minde of his saluation it softeneth and moysteneth the heart Loue or Charitie setteth the colde heart on fire Loue maketh the froward soule gentle Loue chaseth awaye sinne Loue kepeth the affections of fleshe and bloude vnder Loue amendeth lewde mennes manners Loue reneweth the spirite Loue brideleth the light motions of wanton youth all this worketh Loue or Charitie where she is present Contrarywise where Loue or Charitie is absent there the soule doth languysh and waxeth colde euen as a Chaldron of water doth when the fire is taken from vnder it and raked abroade Charitie is the onely thinge whereby the soule boldlye approcheth vnto GOD constantlye cleaueth vnto him famyliarlye speaketh with him and in all affayres asketh counsell of him The Soule that loueth GOD cannot but thinke and talke of GOD insomuch that he hateth all vngodlye thinges Who so will knowe GOD must loue GOD the more that one loues God the more he growes in the knowledge of God To Read to write and to Study of God yéeldeth no true knowledge of God without Loue. In vaine do we read in vaine doe we talke in vaine doe we preach in vaine doe we praye to GOD if we doe not loue God The loue of God engendereth the loue of thine owne soule and maketh it attentiue alwaies to God God loueth to be beloued againe and when he loueth he requireth nothing but loue happie therefore is he that loueth God The soule which loueth God reiecteth all his affections being attentiuely giuen to his loue The soule that loueth hath no feare the soule that loueth not is euer in feare The soule that loueth is caried by promises and drawen by desires vnto heauen the soule that hath in it the presence of Gods loue is tickeled with ioye with rauishings leapeth vp to heauen hauing by contemplation exceeding great ioyfulnesse Loue bréedes familiaritie with God familiaritie bréedes boldnesse with God boldnesse bréedes the taste of God and taste bréedeth an hunger after God If I shoulde declare all the excellencie of Loue or Charitie the time wold faile me and mine abilitie in that behalfe would not suffice But let this stand for a conclusion that the soule which is touched with the loue of God cannot desire any thing contrarie to God but euer after it hath receiued any tast of sin it crieth out and saith with the Prophet O Lord God like as the Hart desireth the fountaines of water euen so long I after thee Well then sir Knight lift vp thy soule and remember the great Loue and Charitie of God and his manifolde benefites bestowed vpon thée that by them thy hart being inlightened thou maist increase and goe forward daye by day in doing good workes to the glorifieng of God who delighteth in the same according as it is saide Let your light so shine before men that they seeing your good workes may glorifie God in Heauen Thus much touching these thrée spirituall Uertues now come we to the foure morall ¶ THE DESCRIPTION OF THE FOVRE Morall Vertues Prudence Iustice Fortitude and Temperance The vij Chapter BY these foure Morall vertues man liueth well and orderly in this mortall life Saint Hierome saith that the Christian man by these iiij liueth wel in this mortalitie by them after death commeth to euerlasting life Prudence knoweth the good we should doe and the euill we should leaue Iustice doth good Temperance leaueth the euill Fortitude is constant without loosing courage in aduersitie or waxing proud in prosperitie Prudence disposeth man and teacheth him how to approch vnto God Fortitude and Temperance how to gouerne himselfe Iustice how to vse his neighbour These are the foure things which Satan shooteth at to destroye the soule By Prudence which is the rule of right reason we gouerne our selues wisely we order our affaires discréetly doing nothing but right and reason In Prudence consisteth reason knowledge foresight aptnesse to teach and giue good counsell A prudent man knoweth afore hande the ende of his counsell Plato saith that Prudence is the Duchesse of all morall vertues showing vs how we should vnderstand and vse the rest For as Faith informeth vs and telleth vs what we should hope after and what we ought to loue euen so Prudence instructeth teacheth vs how we should vse Iustice Fortitude and Temperance Aristotle saith that it is vnpossible but a prudent man should be good If he meane Morall goodnesse it is most true for a wise man doth nothing but that which is
were consumed Being in that maze Vertue tolde me that in hir Pallaice neuer came night and that darknesse had nothing to doe where she dwelt Then Memory put me in minde what Gods grace tolde me by the way saieng that by the workes of Faith which are the fruits of the same I might perceiue and sée the Citie of Heauen wherein is comprehended the true and blessed Felicitie Then Faith led me to hir Tower and all the other vertues kept vs company For Faith properly is not without Hope nor Hope without Charitie and therfore they must go altogether And though these vertues haue distinct and seuerall properties yet they ioyne hands and are neuer asunder S. Hierome saith that Abraham was furnished with Faith Iob with Fortitude and Patience Dauid with Humilitie and so consequently of other holy men recorded in Scripture Then Faith from hir high Tower showed mée a high hill whereon was builded a meruailous sumptuous Citie and she tolde me it was the Citie of Heauen wherein is comprehended true blessednesse and perfect felicitie In that Citie I sawe neuer a Temple which made me meruaile vntill that Faith told me that the Lord God almightie was the Temple of that Citie There needes no shining of Sun nor brightnes of Moone nor glittering of stars to giue them light for the almightie God is their true light himselfe None enters into this Citie but such as are written in the booke of life Furthermore Faith tolde me that there was no discord no aduersitie no sinne no reproch no iniquitie no feare no sorrow no shame no tumult no darknes no paine no mistrust no violence no vnquietnes no ill no grudging finally nothing that fauoured of mortalitie but there was concord prosperitie perfection vnitie loue gladnesse quietnesse staiednesse charitie sure rest perpetuall felicitie and euerlasting ioye in God with eternall life and happinesse There was mirth without sadnesse rest without labor gaine without losse health without paine abundance without want life without death cleannesse without corruption happinesse without hinderaunce In this Citie God is seene face to face there is the endlesse lyght shining the Saints alwaies singing blessed soules reioycing and euer beholding God yet still coueting to sée him without dulnesse of desire The Citizens of this Citie of heauen are coheires of the eternall Deitie the Father Sonne and holy Ghost They are made incorruptible and immortall according to the promise of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ saieng Father those that thou hast giuen me I will that they bee with me where I am that they may see my brightnesse What can I say more in this Citie is one King without death and without chaunge without beginning and without ending In this Citie there is no night there is no limitation or terme of time but continuall day most brightly shining For in this Citie dwelleth the Father of lights euen God himselfe whose brightnesse no darknes can ouershadow The Citizens of this Citie are most blessed and fortunate For they are pertakers of vnspeakable grace of vnmeasurable happinesse of endlesse ioye of such perfection as therevnto there can be added no more Unto this place shall the iust be aduaunced as for the wicked their portion is in the Lake boyling with fire and brimstone But to proceede in our purpose ¶ THE DESIRE THAT THE KNIGHT had to come to heauen and how Gods grace brought Perseuerance The ix Chapter HAuing séene from the Tower of Faith the Citie of heauen and heard by hir the manner of it I was rauished of my wit estéemed nothing at all of the world For I felt not my selfe my thought I was walking in Heauen Héerevpon I desired Faith that I might remaine still in hir Tower the which willingly she graunted me insomuch that I was neuer wearie out of hir Tower window to behold heauen yea the more I behelde it the more beautifull it séemed In the end I was loath to liue in this world desired death that I might the sooner sée the citie of Heauen haue the sight and inioying of Christ my Redéemer Then kneeling by my selfe all alone I made this praier saieng O how happy is the soule that is out of this earthly prison resteth in heauen most ioifully seeing his Sauior face to face That soule is without feare afflictiō O how happy is the soule which is in the company of Angels holy Saints singing praises vnto the highest Such a soule surely is ladē with abūdance of ioy O happy societie of citizens O happy company of Saints which lamented in their mortall life but now raigne with God immortally O sweet Iesus let me come to thy plesant Citie wher thy Citizens see thee daily to their great delight O let me come ther wher nothing is troublesome to heare or vnderstand what melody heare they without ending And how happy wer I if I might heare the songs or be admitted to sing a song of Dauid in thy holy hil of Sion O that I being the least of thy seruants may by thy grace put off my fleshly burden and come to thy happy Citie to accompany the holy happy assembly of Saints to see the glory of my Creator to behold his amiable Maiestie That I may be made meet for this so great a blessing grant I beseech thee O gratious God that I neuer loke backe vppon this shadowe or valley of teares that I remember not the false plesures of this wicked worlde that I esteeme not this corruptible euil lyfe O how can we here be happie where the Diuell alwayes assalts vs Where the world flatters vs Where the soule is blinded And where al men sin After which greate euils death doth followe as the verie end of al vaine pleasures then they are esteemed as if they had neuer ben What recompēce may be made vnto thee O GOD which giuest vs consolation in the middest of all our extremities by the wonderfull visitation of thy diuine grace Beholde me miserable wretch filled with sadnesse wherein I consider my sinnes when I feare thy iudgement when I thinke on the houre of death when I remember the paines of hell when I am ignorant what punishment I deserue when I knowe not where nor in what estate I shall end my dayes In all these things and many other I appeale to thy gratious goodnesse knowing that thou art readye to giue me consolation against all these sorrowes Thou liftest vp my soule ful of anguish aboue all mountaines thou makest me receiue thy great Loue Charitie goodnes by the which thou recreatest my heauie spirit and reioysest my sad heart in reuealing vnto me thy heauenly delights This praier ended I vtterly forgat all my miseries and rested my soule vpon the anchor of Hope Then as I was kneeling Gods grace appered vnto me accompanied with an other Lady which I had not séene before And after I had giuen her thanks for all her benefits she deliuered mée this Lady named
coÌ„uerted WheÌ„ thou séest a sinner openly led to his last end to lose his life by law know y t thou staÌ„dest a sinner before god as wel as he although before the world thou be estéemed better The life and death of our Lord sauiour Iesus Christ is a glasse for all faithfull Christians to looke in Wherefore with a good deuotion lead thou an holye life by his example take paines to follow his humilitie his sobrietie his chastitie his goondnesse his charitie his patience his compassion and all his other vertues Ther is no schoole wherein a Christian maye so well learne to liue well as in the contemplation of Christs life conuersation thou must oftentimes think on thy last end as death iudgement hell heauen perseuer in praier in goodnes to the death so thou shalt please God not be loth to dye Remember the end saith y e wise thou shalt neuer sin thou must often pray deuoutly to God wheÌ„ thou wilt so do thou must draw thy selfe from all affaires For praier is a lifting vp of the hart to God and a priuate speach or communication of the soule with God If it be so were there any reason that a man shuld withdraw his cogitations from God or rather all outward busines put apart with all reuerence to submit thy soule before him All this notwithstanding it is not forbiddeÌ„ in all our affairs to pray sing psalmes to Gods glorie and oftentimes with teares to saie the Lordes praier or anie other praier to that effect And heere by the way thou must vnderstand that the longest praier is not most profitablest because of the multitude of cogitations thoughts rising in the minde Besides that they must be deuout for the praiers which are done with deuotion with loue humilitie of the hart doth profit most as for all other praiers they are vaine and to no purpose If thou pronounce but three words as the Publican did saieng God be mercifull to me a sinner or as the Chananite said O sonne of Dauid haue mercie vpon me it is enough Againe be not curious of thy tongue or fine in speaking it sufficeth that thy heart speaks within thee and thy tongue though but bleatingly if vnfainedly it is well as we read of Moses and Anne Samuels mother True it is and no lesse fitte that both tongue and heart shoulde praise God and therefore be circumspect in thy praiers lest thou be reproued as our Lord reproued some saieng You knowe not what you aske In the first parte of thy Prayer thou askest Gods Kingdome according to Gods doctrine and also his Iustice. Then thou askest in thy prayer that God be knowen honoured glorified of all that his wil be done in all accomplished in all as well of men in Earth as of Angells in Heauen Thou askest increase of Faith Hope and Charitie remission of sinnes the grace of God and his glorie Worldly goods superfluously thou oughtest not to aske but necessarily to liue and with a measure for thy bodely health and for the succour of the néedie If thou be sicke poore or in aduersitie thou maist aske health riches or prosperitie so it be done to Gods glorie But if thine afflictions doe more aduaunce Gods glory then thy prosperitie doeth yéelding thy will to GODS will thou oughtest to aske patience and saie with a meeke heart Lord thy will bee done and not mine Euermore haue the feare of GOD before thine eyes iudgeing and condempning thy selfe for thy sinne and thou shalt not be iudged nor condempned of God Let no sinne so raigne in thée as to depriue thee of Gods grace and to tumble thée to eternall death Better it is to dye in trouble without sinne then to liue in prosperitie in sinne and better it is to loose thy life for Gods cause then to liue at ease and loose God and thy life too If thy senses be inclined to sinne be not dismaid for ther is a God to whom if thou pray will by the power of his grace suppresse that inclination Wherefore take courage when thou art tempted aske for helpe at God saieng O God make speede to saue me O Lord make hast to helpe me Lord God leaue me not but be my help O thou Lord God of my health Doe what thou canst to resist the Diuell and he shall goe from thée approch to God by Faith and he will drawe néere vnto vs by his spirite If the Diuell assault thée defie him and make thy mone to our Sauiour saieng Lord helpe me and he will helpe thee Doe thou thine indeuour and assure thy selfe that God wil make thée strong he will aide thée he will ease thée and in the end will set thee free from all vexations placing thée in the heauen of heauens the portion and inheritaunce of his seruaunts To this God and to Iesus Christ with the holy Ghost be all glorie honour and praise worlds without end Amen ¶ THE AVTHORS PERORATION OR Conclusion to the deuout readers or hearers The xij Chahter The xij Chapter I Thanke almightie God of his goodnes that I am come to the ende of the voyage of the wandring Knight by the which thou maist vnderstand that in following Folly and vaine Voluptuousnesse he forsooke God to the preiudice and hurt of his soule yea to the daunger of euerlasting damnation Héere thou maist learne that al voluptuous worldlings are the very subiects of Satan and that earthly goods and worldly pleasure shal quickly consume Thou art taught likewise what great clemencie God vsed to him drawing him by his Grace from the sinke of sinne wherein he was sunke how he was led to the place of Repentance and from thence to the Pallaice of Vertue where by Gods grace he is now and what goodnesse he hath found there thou hast heard at large The Lord graunt vs to lande where he is landed euen in the lande of promise promised to the Elect. And now to conclude I beséech your good courtesies that if any thing in this my labour mislike you interpret the same to the best and to lay nothing to my charge in the waye of presumption but commending my good meaning and allowing my will not to contemne but to speak well and esteeme of this my worke and to vse it for thy benefite and edification for the which ende I made and compiled the same And now I exhort you all in Christian loue and charitie that if by Gods grace you be resident in Vertues Pallaice to perseuer and continue there to the ende humbling your selues before God and alwaies trusting vnto his goodnesse not vnto your owne strength or merites acknowledging also Gods grace by the which you are as you are and of whome you haue that you haue Let all your confidence be in his mercie and in his goodnesse Furthermore if any féele and perceiue himselfe out of Vertues Pallaice by meanes of worldly vanities let him consider the great perill he is in and spéedely tourne to repentaunce with a contrite and sorrowfull heart requiring pardon of God and trusting wholly to the merites and passion of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. Let him not be ashamed to acknowledge his sinnes which if he doe he shall finde at Gods hands grace and mercie And now I beseech our Lord God to giue vs all grace to do according vnto that which heere is spoken for otherwise of our selues it is not possible that leading a life acceptable and agréeable vnto his holy wil we may in the end after the voyage which we haue to passe in this world sée and enioye possesse and haue the full fruition of that glorious Citie of Paradise where true blessednesse and perfect felicitie dwelleth euen in the habitation of God almightie vnto whom be all honor glory power dominion for euermore Amen FINIS GLORIE TO GOD. ¶ Imprinted at London by Thomas East Pro. 11. Eccle. 32. Mat. 12. Luke 6. Gen. â—â— The beginning of Idolatrie Ninus the sonne of Bell and third king of BabiloÌ„ Exo. 32. Trabeta vvaÌ„dred a long time like a vagabond from couÌ„try to couÌ„trie Berosus Exo. 1. Exo. 14. Nu. 16. 1. Kin. 21.26.31 2. Kiâ— 1.12 Kin. 13.11 4. Kin. 12. 3. Kin. 18 21. Iohn 1. Iames. 4 Luke 6. Mat. 7. Eph. 4. Repentance coÌ„meth by loue and feare Act. 9. Luc. 23. 3. King 19 Esay 45. Esay 35 Ezechi 18 Ioel. 2. Micheas 7 Iohn 3. Luke 15. Rom. â— Heb 4. Chron. 33. Luke 7 Iohn 4. Act. 9. Tim. 1. Psal. 93. Psal. 93. Rom. 6. Esa. 61. Psa. 80. 2. Cor. 7. Esay 66. VVis 7. Cor. 3. Cor. 6. Rom. 10. Rom. â— Iere. 17. 1. Iohn 3. Rom. 8. 1. Iohn 3. Rom. 8. 1. Iohn â— Iohn 14 Psa. 41. Ioel. 1. Iohn 17. Mat. 24. Mat. 18. Eccle. 7 Luc. 18. Mat. 17 Ezo 1. 1. Kin. 1. Mat. 20 Mat. 5.