by dooing other good déedes and yet giue God his due and single loue Nowe these things are not Charitie it selfe but the works of Charitie We say then that God ought to bée loued in doing good deedes and in kéeping his commaundements but this loue ought to be entyre without respect of profite or reward To loue GOD orderlye aboue all thinges is to referre thy selfe and all thy goods to GOD so that all which thou louest wishest doest and leauest vndone thou oughtest to loue to wishe to doe and leaue vndone for the loue of GOD and his glorie Thus referringe all to the honour and glorye of GOD thou louest GOD aboue all things orderly and accomplishest as much as in thée lyeth What is written in Deutronomie and in Saint Mathewe where it is sayde Thou shalt loue the Lord thy GOD with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy strength For what other thinge is it to loue GOD with all thine hearte with all thy soule and with all thy strength but to referre all things to GOD and to his glorye all our thoughts all our wordes all our works all our wayes all our purposes and all our intents To loue God therfore aboue all things orderly is to referre to God and his glorie our selues and all that is within without vs which we cannot well doe if our thoughts if our wordes if our workes and our wayes be not good and acceptable vnto God To loue God preciously is to loue him so déerely and so much to esteeme of him y t for no cause thou wouldest loose him nor his loue but wish rather to loose thy goods thy lands thy lims thy life and the loue of all the world This indéede is to loue God louingly when without respect of profit we referre to God and his glorie all that we haue our hearts our hands our lips to praise and magnifie him and to set foorth the greatnesse of his diuine maiestie omnipotencie To loue God then for the loue of himselfe is to loue God because he is good And he that loueth God in this sort shall be sure neuer to miscarrie or perish Do loue thy neighbour it is required that thou doe it in God or for the loue of God Now thou must vnderstand that euerie man is thy neighbour when either thou to them or they to thée can shew mercie or relieue by succour helpe So that euerie reasonable creature is thy neighbour whersoeuer he dwell in the world Thus are the Saints in heauen thy neighbours by whose example thou art helped and taught to liue godly wherefore thou oughtest to loue them and all mankinde for the loue of God or in God Thou oughtest to loue thy neighbour because he is good or because he should be good then thou louest him indéede for the loue of God euerie man which is a sinner thou oughtest to loue not because he is a sinner but because he is a man for the loue of God Thou oughtest to loue in the sinfull man that which he hateth and to hate that which he loueth The sinfull man loues sinne filthynesse and iniquitie which thou oughtest to hate The sinfull man hateth his soule and the puritie of nature which thou oughtest to loue For sinne is against nature it defileth nature it oppresseth nature yea it quencheth nature and he that committeth sinne killeth his owne soule and corrupteth nature Thou oughtest then to loue the soule and the nature of the sinner but not his sinne And when thou giuest almes to a sinner being in néede thou oughtest not to do it because he is a sinner but because he is a man of the same nature which thou art some be thy friends and some thine enimies Thy friends thou oughtest loue in God least louing them otherwise thou shouldest offend God Thy enimies thou oughtest to loue for the loue of God as if he offend thée by word or déede and doth repent him and asketh thée forgiuenesse thou oughtest for the loue of God to forgiue him with all thy heart to receiue him into true friendshippe and familiaritie Againe if thy enimie be obstinate and wil not cease to persecute and trouble thée although thou canst not presentlye forgiue him yet thou oughtest not to hate him but rather to doe him good to be readie alwaies to pardon him and then chiefly when he shall require it Yea thou oughtest to do him what good thou canst in his néede By that which we haue spoken already it appeareth that thou oughtest to loue all men liuing both good and badde friendes and foes no worse then thy selfe Our Lorde and Sauiour had an eye to the loue of our neighbour when he said in the 7. of Mathew All things that thou wouldest thy neighbour shoulde doe vnto thee doe thou the lyke to him Whosoeuer then doth to his neighbour as he wold his neighbour shuld do to him loueth his neighbour as himself But this is to bée vnderstood according to God and reason For if one offering to pleasure thée bring thée a Wench to lye with thée or lende thée a sworde to fight and kill an other as reason shoulde instruct thée to refuse such offers so the loue according to GOD shoulde teach thée obedience and they both ought to be rule of thy lyfe and the lights to guide thée in darke places Thus farre haue wée declared in as much breuitye as we coulde howe a man ought to loue GOD and his neighbour Now intend we to shew the effects and due praises of Loue or Charitie THE EFFECTS AND PRAISES of Loue or Charitie The sixt Chapter NO tongue in the worlde canne tell for truth all the excellencye of the effectes and praises of Charitie For first of all shee makes men the children of GOD and heires of heauen accordinge to that sayeng of Saint Iohn Beholde what Loue or Charitie the Father hath shewed vnto vs to make vs the children of GOD. Saint Paule also sayth That all those which bee led by the spirite of GOD are the children of GOD. For you haue not receiued the spirite of bondage to feare anye more But you haue receiued the spirite of adoption by which wee crye Abba Father and that same spirite which is the spirite of Loue or Charitie beareth witnesse with our spirite That we be the children and heyres of God and coaheires with Christ. Canne wée desire a thing more excellent then to be the children of GOD and heyres of heauen What dignitie is that to boast off Such as haue a féelinge of the loue of GOD in their heartes haue bolde-nesse and courage inough though the worlde contemne them For this is certeine that they whome the worlde hateth are not the children of the worlde but the children of GOD as contrarywise such as the worlde loueth they indéede are the children of the worlde and consequently the children of the Diuell Secondlye Charitie worketh the cause in vs that GOD dwelleth in vs.
Pallaice stood was a meruailous faire gréene meddow through y e midst wherof ran a riuer of fine fresh water vpon y e brims wherof on both sides al alōg grew apple trées peare trées plum trées Oliue trées elder trées Oake trées elme trees such like Fast by y e goodly bank also grew many young hasil trées ful of nuts at y e time of y e yere by y e againe such store of walnut trées as passe to be spokē besides many pōds ful of fish excellēt orchards of al kinds of fruit goodly gardēs also of swéet flowers The riuer was not w t out great store of water fowles as for y e wood ther bred in it hawks herns pelicās phesants cranes wodcocks bitters kites crowes cormerants turtles woodquists eagles to bée short al kinde of birds possible as might be perceiued by fethers which fel from thē to y e ground in pruning thēselues What shuld I speak of pigin houses of secret banketting places fine delicate why it wer but folly beside al this you must think y t ther wer tennis courts other places for pastime y e wals therof wer very high insomuch y t it wold haue made one amazed dizzie to looke down frō y e top Ther was also a meruailous mote fearful to behold y e bridge wherof was not broad called Desperation y e passage ouer being a long narrow plank so y t if one trode neuer so litle awrie he fel in w t hazard neuer to be recouered The stables wer ful of goodly horses as hobies Ienets bard horses geldings hacnies mules camils colts The kēnels ful of dogs as grehoūds otterhoūds harehoūds spaniels for land water mastiues for bull beare bore We supt in a bāketting house our supper excelled al y e fare y t euer I saw lady Venus kept me cōpany I was dulled with y e sūptuous seruice y t I had All my delight was to behold Ladie Venus who sate ouer against me insomuch y t at last Voluptuousnesse ouercame me Supper being ended in came stage-plaiers daunsers mascars mummers and many sports which we vse daylye in feasting Now when I waxed wearie I tooke my leaue of the companie with good night and then was I brought to the brauest chamber in all the Pallaice Ladie Venus and hir waighting maides tending vpon me But euery one departed after I was in bed sauing onely Venus the Goddesse of Loue with whom I laye all night ¶ THE AVTHOR DECLARETH HOVV THE wandring Knight and such like voluptuous liuers in the world transgresse the x. Commandements of Almightie God vnder written The xij Chapter SO long as the Knight continued in this pestilent Pallaice of worldly desire following his owne fantasie by vaine Voluptuousnes enticed he did no other thing but playe the foole daunce leape sing eate drinke hawke hunt fish fowle haunt whores and such like as did the prodigall sonne and led a dissolute life for the space of eleuen daies Which signifies a meruailous mysterie and vnfortunate For the number eleuen by the opinion of Christian Doctors and Philosophers is a wicked and vnluckie number for that the number of x. signifies the x. Commaundements of God and the number xi which is one more prophecieth and foretelleth the transgressing of them Wherefore the Knight hauing remained xi dayes in that Pallaice greuously transgressed the wil of God letting loose the bridle to his lewd affections without refraining anie of them If you note well the premises and sée into the sequel you shall find that such as liue after the order of that Pallaice of worldly Felicitie being giuen to followe the pompe and pride of the world with the plesures and voluptuousnesse of the same and seeme willing to lead that life without purpose of change nay rather triumphing and reioicing therein I say and I say truly that such are transgressours of Gods Lawes Contrariwise such as accompt themselues héere to be but Pilgrimes and fixe their affection on the other world where royally raigneth Iesus Christ reputing this lyfe an exile desiring to be deliuered out of it to the ende they may enter in at the Pallaice of the heauenly King shall enioy the fulnesse and happinesse thereof As this world yéeldes a great deale of temporall goods transitorie honor so doth it also make an ende of them Now those that haue vsed these gifts to y e glorie of God are Gods people Contrariwise those that haue vsed them voluptuously are vessells of the Diuell and transgressours of the laws of God as may appeare by the x. Commaundements which I haue set downe for that purpose Wherein all worldlings may perceiue that by liuing voluptuously they grieuously transgresse Gods lawes to their owne destruction And as the x. Commandements were written in two tables euen so are they deuided into two parts The first comprehendes thrée concerning the loue of GOD. The seconde seuen touching the loue of our neighbour And therefore who so leades his life worldling like and fixeth his felicitie in Voluptuousnesse is doubtlesse a vessell of the Diuell and loueth not God nor his neighbour because he transgresseth the lawe of God which followeth in due and conuenient order I Am the Lord thy God thou shalt haue none other Gods but me 2 Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image nor the likenesse of any thing that is in heauen aboue or in the earth beneath nor in the water vnder the earth Thou shalt not bow downe to them nor worship them for I the Lord thy God am a iealous God visite the sins of the father vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me and shew mercie vnto thousands in them that loue me and kéepe my commaundements 3 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine for the Lord will not holde him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine 4 Remember that thou kéepe holy the Sabboth daye vi daies shalt thou labour and doe all that thou hast to doe but the vij day is the Saboth of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt doe no manner of work thou thy sonne thy daughter thy man seruant thy maide seruant thy cattell and the stranger that is within thy gates for in six daies the Lord made heauen and earth the Sea and all that therein is and rested the vii day wherefore the Lord blessed y e vii daye hallowed it 5 Honour thy father thy mother that thy daies may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thée 6 Thou shalt doe no murder 7 Thou shalt not commit adulterie 8 Thou shalt not steale 9 Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour 10 Thou shalt not couet thy neighbors house thou shalt not couet thy neighbours wife nor his seruant nor his maide nor his Oxe nor his Asse nor any thing that is his This is the law of God by which
Repentaunce taketh hir beginning at loue or at feare This question cannot be decided in fewe wordes but to be short I saye it may beginne at both For true Repentaunce being a worke of God he may beginne it as he lyst But when it comes from loue it is not ordinarie or common but meruailous Looke vpon the conuersion of Saint Paule of S. Mathew and the Theefe But ordinarily â—o GOD beginnes Repentaunce in vs by feare as in the third Booke of the Kings when he commaunded Helias to come out of his caue to remaine in the Mount before the Lord and a mightie strong winde passed by that rent the high hills and ragged Rockes before the Lord but the Lord was not in the winde After that came an Earthquake but the Lord was not in the Earthquake After that came a fire but the Lord was not in the fire After that came a softe sounde wherein the Lord was In such sort God sendes to sinners a winde of terrour to breake the mightie Mountaine of pride the heart more harde then the rocke After that comes the troubling of the soule after that comes the conscience grudging the hart of the sinner and accusing him of his euill life but yet the Lord is not there with his quickening Grace Neuerthelesse these be forerunners to prepare the way of the Lord. For when the peruerse will of man is mortified by seruile feare and led almost to hell after comes the swéete sound of Gods grace which reuiueth the soule saieng Lazarus come forth This is the voice that giueth consolation at the hearing whereof we may be bold to depart in peace with assurance of remission of our sinnes But it séemes that Repentance began first in the Knight at loue and that miraculously for he being in the filth of his sinne sodainly by Gods prouidence confessed his folly and loathing his lewde lyfe he required helpe and succour of Gods grace who presently assisted him and brought him out of the sinke of sinne But this manner of conuersion is not ordinarily vsed There are indéede certeine forerunners to the iustifieng of sinners which prepare the way to Gods reuiuing or quickening grace and offereth vnto God a renewed spirit and a pure and vpright heart which manner of conuersion godly people onely doe vse And héereof meaneth the Knight to speake purposing also to shew how it digresseth from Gods grace When Repentaunce had thus apparailed me with haire sackcloth I was set vpon a stoole then Gods grace appeared vnto me with two women one man which was a preacher Now one of the women held in hir right hand a sharp pricking yron rod called the gnawing of y e conscience and in hir left hande she had a red booke whereat I was affraid For as she beheld me my thought she threatened me The other woman was curteous milde and gentle holding in hir right hand a booke of golde couered with pearles and she was called Remembrance Gods grace placed Conscience on my left hand and Remembraunce on my right hand the Preacher Repentaunce and her Damselles about me and then commanded Conscience to open the red booke which when I perceiued and sawe the wordes written with bloud declaring all my offences with tormentes vnto them belonging for my following of Folly I was amazed and became speachlesse Then Conscience with hir yron rod toucht me prickt mee yea pearced my heart and cried aloud vnto me saieng Behold thou wretch view this booke thou shalt sée how thou hast liued euen against God and contrarie to right and reason Thou hast bene a proud arrogant ambitious spitefull at others prosperitie a prolonger of time wrathfull a backbiter iniurious traiterous hatefull couetous of gold more then of God gluttonous wanton shamelesse a stewes haunter giuen to all vices hast transgressed al the commandements of God leading a loathsome life denieng God swearing and blaspheming his name an hainous offender a false witnesse bearer a lyar a desirer of other mens goods disobedient to parents cursing them and wishing their death Furthermore thou hast had neither faith nor hope in God but rather in the force riches honour and friendship of thy kinred with their authoritie I cannot recken vp the rest of thy sinnes for they are vncountable Uerie little care hast thou had of Christs merites or of thy own soules helth but alwaies yéelding to Voluptuousnesse filthines iniquitie When Conscience had thus accused me sorrow for sin fel bitterly a wéeping and oftentimes stroke her brest Then Conscience shewed me what torments I had deserued for following voluptuous affections and for louing them better then God Thou oughtest sayd she to burne in hell fire that neuer quencheth to be nipped with tormeÌ„ts both of body and soule for euer more Thy laughinges shall be turned to wéeping thy ioye to sorrowe thy songs to cryes yea what paines can be named but thou art like perpetually to suffer theÌ„ without hope of redemptioÌ„ For this is the due reward of worldly Felicitie and following Folly Bethinke thée now and tell me if it be in thy power to rid thée from these gréeuaunces Hearing my conscience thus speak my thought I sawe hell open to swallowe me vp and with sorrowfull sadnesse I fell to the ground before Gods grace speachlesse but she had compassion vpon me and bad me rise the which I did though halfe in dispaire and to recomfort me shée opned the booke which Remembraunce held in her hand BY COMMAVNDEMENT OF GODS GRACE Remembraunce read to me the goodnesse of God with his promises made to repentaunt sinners The fift Chapter AFter Remembraunce had opened her booke I perceiued the letters were of golde and Azure conteining the great goodnesse and infinit mercie of God to repentaunt sinners with faire promises annexed thervnto Then at commaundement of Gods grace Remembraunce read out of that booke vnto me in this manner S. Paule writing to the Romaines saith Where sinne hath abounded grace hath more abounded He that mistrusteth the mercye of God mistrusteth God to be mercifull and in so dooing he doth God great iniurie For he denieth God to be Loue Truth and Power wherein consisteth all the hope of poore sinners For of his great loue he sent his onely son to take mans nature vpon him in the world that in the same he might suffer death vpon the Crosse for the remission of sinnes Consequently he promised for the loue of his sonne remission and pardon to all poore sinners so often as they require it in faith with a heauy and sorrowfull heart Now God is as true of his promises as he is of power able to performe theÌ„ And as he is of power so will he doe whatsoeuer pleaseth him God wil pardon sinners their sins Who then can let him from doing it To whom God pleaseth or hath promised to pardon their sinnes he forgiueth The truth héereof is written in plaine wordes shewed by examples in many places of the
the bog amongst serpents and toads So I was very glad of my Gouernour and gaue thankes to Gods grace who from the table gaue me drugs to eate and repeating vnto me a place written in the .80 Psalme of Dauid Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Then hauing swallowed y t which she gaue me I forgat the world made no reckoning of any thing therin For all my desire was in hast to see y e pallaice of true Felicitie I desired death to be with Christ in Heauen Dinner being done the gates of Repentaunce were opened which were narrowe contrariwise as it appeareth in the first Booke that the entraunce into the Pallaice of Voluptuousnesse was wide large and great but the ende thereof was desperation and destruction as on the other side the entring into the Pallaice of Repentaunce is straight and narrow but the ende thereof is eternall lyfe For Repentaunce as Saint Paule saith leadeth the repepentant to euerlasting saluation When the gates were open I mounted vp into a Chariot of Iuorie hauing golden whéeles and two white horses with wings drawing the same Gods grace gate vp first and with hir hande helped me vp then followed the good Hermit Vnderstanding then Memory Conscience and Repentaunce but Gods grace gouerned all who touching the horses with hir rod they mounted vp ouer the Mountaines which are aboue the earth So we passed through the region of the aire where inhabiteth all the wicked spirites which watcheth to annoye such as would mount vp into Heauen And though I was greatly agast heereat yet my trust was in Gods grace vnder whose wings I hid my selfe I trusted not in my Conscience for all it was at peace nor to Repentaunce nor to Vnderstanding but to Gods grace onely who safelye shrowded mée vnder hir winges as the Henne doeth hir Chickens against the comming of the Kite Then she commaunded the wicked enimies to get them hence and they foorthwith fled awaye cryeng alowde Now haue we lost our knight Loe he is mounted vp to the pallaice of vertue in despite of vs all How is he escaped quod one vnder the wings of Gods grace quoth an other from whence all we cannot fetch him Béeing past this brunt I heartely thanked Gods grace of her goodnesse and on the sodeine I sawe vpon the toppe of a mountaine a goodly pallaice Nowe for that loue engendreth familyaritie and familyaritie bréedes boldnesse I asked Gods grace what place it was and shée tolde mee it was the pallaice of Vertue It was so high that it reached euen to heauen and about it were seauen faire Towres of Alabaster In the first dwelt Faith in the second Hope in the thirde Charitie in the fourth Wisdome in the fift Iustice in the sixt Fortitude and in the seauenth Temperaunce In the first Towre Gods grace shewed mée Faith which waited for our comming néere adioyning vnto whome I might perceiue the Pallaice of true Felicitie With that I desired Ladie Memorie to put mée in minde in the morning of going to sée that gallaunt citie Whiles we were thus deuising our Chariot arriued at the Court where Ladie Vertue with her daughters Faith Hope Charitie Wisedome Iustice Fortitude and Temperaunce dwelt At the first sight I knewe it was the same Ladye Vertue which afore time had so well admonished me and I gaue no eare vnto her Then reuerently vpon my kéenes lamenting I cried her mercie for contemning her counsel following Voluptuousnes Wherwith she made me arise and in token that she tooke in good part my recantation shee sweetly kissed me and bad me welcome So with great ioy accompanied with Gods grace true Vnderstanding quiet Conscience vnfained Repentance I entered into the pallaice of Lady Vertue And thus endeth the second part of my voiage Thus farre the second part of the wandring Knights voyage ¶ THE THIRD PART OF the voyage of the wandring Knight THE KNIGHT DECLARETH THE GREAT good the solace and the pleasures which he found in the Pallaice of Lady Vertue The first Chapter IF I HAD A THOVSANDE tongues to tell the truth of all the goods and pleasures which I found in the pallaice of Vertue and if I should liue a thousande yeares to report this matter al were too little in euery point to decipher it For it consisteth not in Angelical knowledge much lesse in mans wit wholy to comprehend so notable a mysterie none knows it but he who hath proued it You may be sure that there are not as in the pallaice of worldly pleasure Chambers hanged about with silke Tapestry and euerie corner sumptuously and superfluously adorned no no but there were histories of the olde new Testament to view marke I found not there cofers full of gold siluer cuberds of plate presses of silke all manner of mercery ware neither daintie dishes delicate drinkes bawdie songs wanton musike y e ladie of loue her son Cupid nor anie thing y t worldlings embrace but I found a thing farre surpassing all that is in the world This good this ioyfull this comfortable this vnspeakable this incomprehensible thing cannot be named worthely inough but of good bad he is called God euen he who is y e only souereigne good aboue al things reasonable vnreasonable Peraduenture you wil say This is strange newes y t you sir knight should sée God in the pallaice of Vertue How How is it straunge séeing he is euerie where not onelye in heauen but also in earth in hell Truly I confesse y t God is euerie where but I denie him to dwel euerie where yet I know that by his power inuisible presence he is euerye where though not euerie where by the fulnesse of his greatnes his gifts it follows then that he dwelleth not euerye where I pray you what profiteth it the dampned that he is in hell by his power iustice vengeaunce Surely by such presence of God they haue no ioye no consolation no benefit nor felicitie for that all are curssed in whome GOD dwelleth not by his grace whatsoeuer they be be they kings Princes or Popes who haue all other riches and delights in the world But all they y t haue the grace of God are happie at leastwise in hope though they liue euen in a loathsome prison are poorer then Lazarus which desired to be refreshed with the crums that fell from the euill rich mans table Nowe when we praye to God we saye not Our Father which art euerie where but Our Father which art in heauen and that is the place where God giues the enioyeng and possessing of himselfe to his elect and that is their dwelling prepared by the grace of God That is it that God spake of by the Prophet Esaie sayeng Heauen is my seat and earth is my foote-stoole Forasmuch sayth God as I dwell in mine elect by grace I will tumble at my féet those that loue Voluptuousnesse rather then their maker In the booke of Wisedome
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