Ear never heareth the Heart of Man never understandeth the great goodness and the joy that God brings into the body when he cometh by grace to dwell in it only he that hath had experience once knoweth it Worldlings do wonder to see the just man weep and lament to suffer tribulations and to be deprived of all worldly pleasure they esteem the goods of this world to be the true felicity much like unto a blind man taking upon him to judge of colours For they compare false felicity and worldly wealth with heavenly Riches and perfect Happiness whereas indeed they are but shadowess Nothing displeaseth the Elect more than Sin and that which leadeth to Sin nothing pleaseth the elect but God and that which leadeth to God As concerning the soul no man can deny if he hate Sin and love Vertue but that he had rather lose all that is in the world than lose Vertue and suffer all manner of torments than to commit Sin he had rather descend into Hell with Vertue than mount up to Heaven with Sin For where Vertue is there is quietness Contrariwise where sin is there can be no rest Let every one therefore labour to lose worldly happiness if he mean to atchieve vertue wherein consisteth so much goodness But many make no account to come thither and so care not for loving Vertue because indeed they know not Vertue Wherefore Vnderstanding describeth her and her seven Daughters namely Faith Hope Charity Wisdom Justice Fortitude and Temperance in manner following CAP. II. The Description of Vertue VErtue according to the Definition of Saint Austin in his second Book of Free-will the 18 Chapter Is a good quality of the Soul whereby a man liveth rightly and committeth none evill which thing indeed is the only work of God in Man By the Soul he understandeth in this place the Superiour part of the Mind or Soul wherein consisteth Reason Iugdment and Will The inferiour part we call Sense which is common to man and beast Now that is called in Latine Mens and is not a part of the Soul sensitive which is the inferiour part but it is that part of the Sool where reason and Vnderstanding do fit which is the superiour part By the Soul then we do mean the Freewill of Man which is nothing else as Philosophers say but the frank judgment of the mind and Will For when we say free will we utter and pronounce two words namely free-will It is termed free because that freely without constraint the will worketh his feats at liberty And it is called free-will because of the Iudgement of the Saul Therefore free-will is in the superiour part of the Soul for thereby we differ from bruit beasts who have a Sense as well as we but no judgment of free-will Now then we say that Vertue is a good quality of the Soul that is to say of free-will For Vertue qualifies free-will disposeth and prepareth it to do and will well neither of which can be done without the aid and Grace of God The second part of the Desinition is Whereby a man liveth rightly But no Man liveth rightly unless he live justly no man liveth rightly without Vertue Ergo no man liveth justly without Vertue Who so liveth rightly liveth well and who so liveth well if he continue in so doing atchieveth true felicity It followeth then that by Vertue we atchieve true felicity for Vertue prepares free-will which is corrupt and depraved and therefore unapt either for well-willing or well-doing but the Grace of God preserving it by Vertue it is made capable of perfect blessedness The Third part of the Definition is And committeth none evill wherein is comprehended the excellency of Vertue and great goodness by the which none can do ill Men may abuse all the goods all the Arts and Sciences in the World as indeed very often they are ill used as with Money Wine and Women but by Vertue they be never abused Who useth Vertue he doth the works of Vertue Who so useth the Deeds of Vertue he doth well and if by Vertue none doth ill thou oughtest rather to lose all that is in the world than to lose Vertue seeing she excels in goodness all things in the World The Fourth part of the Definition is Which thing indeed is the only work of God in Man Vertue then is a work of God in us as Witnesseth Saint Austin upon the Sentence which is spoken in the 118 Psalm I have done Judgment and Justice Iustice saith he is a great Vertue of the Soul coming from the Grace of God which none out he worketh in man I have done Justice And therefore when the Prophet speaking in the Person of the Church so saith he meaneth not that he hath done the Vertue of Iustice of himself which passeth Mans power to do but he referreth it unto God whose He affirmeth it to be By these words then of Sainâ— Austin it appeareth plainly that Iustice in Man is no Work oâ— Man but of God Wherefore Peter Lombard upon these word of Saint Austin concludeth and saith That Vertue is not thâ— cause of Free-will nor of any affection of the Soul coming froâ— Free-will but he saith by that Vertue Free-will being depraved evill and corrupt is helped and moved to goodness and so you seâ— that by Vertue which he saith is Gods grace inclining and preparing the Will to will well proceedeth the good affection of the Soul and afterwards do follow good works and an honest trade of Life To make it the more manifest he gives similitudes As the rain saith he moistneth the ground to make it yield fruit and yet the rain is not the ground nor the ground the fruit even so saith he into the ground of our Souls that is to say the free liberty of the Will the rain of Gods blessing is poured that is to say Gods grace is inspired which liquereth the will of man to make him fruitfull to will well according to the effect of Gods inspiration which is his Grace working in us to the end we should do well And therefore all the good works that we do or can do are to be attributed unto Gods grace by whom our will is prepared to will and do well This grace ingendreth good motions in the soul of Man and these good motions are a chief gift of Grace to Man as namely by faith to believe that Christ is the true Son of God by Love and Charity to love God and our Neighbour and so of all other Vertues which are the good Motions and Gifts of Gods grace working in us to the encrease of more Vertue yea to the pessession of eternal life It is apparent then that Vertue is the gift of Gods grace working in our will to make it will and do well and therefore say we that Faith Hope and Charity being Divine and godly Vertues are the works of God Some there be which say that Vertue is the well using of the naturall Powers
him to Dinner chap. 9. Dinner being done Voluptuousness sheweth the Wandring Knight the rest of the Palace of worldly Felicity with the superscription of the Towers thereof and by the Author is declared the evil fruit of certain notorious sins chap. 10. The scituation or standing of the Palace of worldly Felicity chap. 11. The Author declareth how the Wandring Knight and such like voluptuous livers in the World transgress the Commandements of Almighty God chap. 12. The Knight going for to recreate himself and to view the Warrens and Forrests which were about the Palace of Worldly Felicity anon he saw it sink suddenly into the Earth and perceived himself in the mire up to the Saddle skirts chap. 13. The Author cryeth out bitterly against Worldlings and their Felicity chap. 14. The Second part of the Voyage of the Wandring Knight GOds Grace draweth the Knight out of the filth of sin wherein he stuck fast chap. 1 Gods grace sheweth Hell unto the Knight with all the Voluptuous company that he saw in the Palace of Worldly Felicity chap. 2. The Knight declareth how he entred into the School of Repentance and of his entertainment there chap. 3. How true Repentance begins in us and how the Knights Conscience accused him with the pains he had deserved chap. 4. By the Commandement of Gods Grace Remembrance read to him the goodness of God with the promises made to the repentant Sinner chap. 5. A Sermon which Vnderstanding the good Hermit made unto the Knight upon the History of Mary Magdalen chap. 6. The Knight having received the holy Communion heard the Sermon and Dinner ended mounted into a Chariot of Triumph and was by Gods Grace carryed to the Palace of Vertue chap. 7. The third part of the Voyage of the Wandring Knight THe Knight declareth the great good solace and pleasure which he found in the Palace of Lady Vertue chap. 1. The description of Vertue chap. 2. The description of Faith and how we ought to believe in God for our Salvation chap. 3. The description of Hope and how we ought to hope in Almighty God chap. 4. The description of Love and Charity and how we ought to love God and our Neighbour chap. 5. The effects and praises of Love and charity chap. 6. The description of the four moral Vertues Prudence Justice Fortitude and Temperance chap. 7. How Faith from the top of the Tower sheweth unto the Knight the City of Heaven chap. 8. The desires that the Knight had to come to Heaven and how Gods Grace brought perseverance chap. 9. Good Vnderstanding sheweth the Knight how to keep perseverance alwayes with him chap. 10. The Protestation that good Vnderstanding taught the Knight to make every day to avoid temptation that he ought to humble himself before God and what he should ask in his prayers chap. 11. The Authors Peroration or Conclusion to the devout Readers or Hearers chap. 12. THE VOYAGE OF The Wandring Knight The First Part. CHAP. I. The Wandring Knight declareth his intent and foolish Enterprise supposing in this World to find true Felicity MAny Historiographers both Poets and Orators as well Prophane as Divine have by Writing notified divers persons with their Voyages and Adventures First Justin and Diodore of Sicilie have made mention of the Argonautes Voyage by Sea that is to say of Jason and his Allies Castor Pollux Hercules and other Peers to the I le of Cholcos to winne the Golden Fleece which a great Dragon kept Also Homer a Greek Poet writ in Verse the wandring and Sea Voyage of Ulysses and his Companions at their return from the Trojan Wars After him Virgil a most eloquent Latine Poet set down in Verse the Voyage of Aeneas into Italy with his fortunes after the subversion of Troy Now if we come to the sacred Histories we shall find first how Moses wrote of the Children of Israel their going out of Aegypt into the Land of Promise and of the two and forty Mansions that they made in the Desarts for the space of forty yeers And how the four Evangelists likewise most faithfully have written of the holy peregrination of the Blessed Son of God our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ who took upon him our fraile and humane nature The self same Saviour hath set down the Parable of the boluptuous Voyage of the prodigal Child and his returne S. Luke very notably and sincerely hath delivered in writing the painful and holy perigrination of that great bessed of Election Saint Paul together with the great travel he took to preach the Gospel and the Faith of Iesus Christ to all the Gentiles And now by Gods grace I mean to declare mine own Voyage and Adventures much like to that of the Prodigall Child who left his Fathers house and ranged into strange Countries wasting all his goods living licentiously but after he knew his lewdnesse he returned back to his Father of whom he was very lovingly received So I by great Folly counselled in absenting my self farre away not only in body but also in mind from God my Father and Creator have wasted and consumed all the goods which the same my God and Father had bountifully bestowed upon me in following bain pleasures of this life But in the End I being inspired with Divine grace acknowledged mine effences and leaking the dark Region of sin and vanity through the aid and conduction of Divine grace am returned to mine Eternall Father humbly requiring pardon and mercy who of his unspeakable mercy hath lovingly received me But how all this hath been done I will declare unto you praying you patiently to give me the hearing and attentively consider my talk and well to note the whole from the beginning to the End When I had passed in all Folly and Lastiviousnesse three weeks of the years of mine age that is to say My infancy Child age and Youth which make together one and twenty years I entred into the age of a young man which is the fourth week of my age which is between two and twenty and four and twenty years At five and twenty I was minded to make a Voyage by my foolish industry to seek where in this World I might stud true Felicity and Happinesse which seemed to my sortish sense an easse matter being Young Strong wild Hardy and Couragiously disposed Me thought in my mind to live in the world without Felicity was a Life worse than Death But alas being plunged in deep darkness of Agnorance I considered not that true Felicity was the Gift of God from above and cannot be attained without his help Being robbed of Reason I thought it might come easily of my self without the help of others so that then I sought true Felicity where she is not was not nor ever shall be as in Riches worldly Pleasure strength Honour and Delights of the flesh But I was in so thinking as very a Fool as he who hopeth with Angling Lines to catch Fishes in the Air or with Hounds to
hunt the Hare in the Ocean Sea were it not think you a great Folly so to think Even the like is it to think that true Felicity is to be found here in this wretched world And for so much as in perfect Felicity is Comprehended all goodness and that the world as saith St. John Is addicted and given to all Evill and Subject to hunger thirst heat cold diseases calamities pride ambition covetousness and voluptuousness it is evident that those which here be living supposing here to find true Felicity are worse then Fools and void of right Reason True Felicity is not without goodness and vertue which cometh from God above if it be so why then is it not a most wicked and Presumptuous Opinion to think that by a Man 's own industry he is able to possess and enjoy the fair for of true Felicity Therefore every one that thinketh in this world he may come to perfect Felicity and true blessedness shall find in fine as I found for Felicity Vanity for Good Evill CAP. II. The Wandring Knight declareth unto Dame Folly his Governesse what is his Intent INtending to take my journey I considered that it was necessary to use Councell therein knowing that whatsoever is done without advice cannot have good Suctess as contrariwise a matter discreetly attempted is luckily ended Then dwelt with me a Damosel which ruled my House whose proper name was Folly the only Enemy to Wisdome For every thing that hateth the one loveth the other There is as much difference between them as between white and black hot and cold moist and dry light and darkness God and the Devil all which be contraries and cannot be in one body together Wisdome governes the good Folly the evill Wisdome maketh the evill good when they yield themselves to be her Subjects Folly maketh the good evill when they place themselves under her Protection Wisdome draweth Men from Hell and bringeth them to Heaven Folly fetcheth Angels from Heaven to dwell in Hell I do not term that Wisdome to know the seven Liberal Soiences the qualities of the Stars and Planets but I count him wise that hath the true knowledge of God For as saith Saint Cyrill Wisdome is that true understanding by the which the Soveraign good namely God is seen known and loved with a chaste love and pure Affection Folly is very Ignorance and salse Worshipping of God Wisdome maketh Fools wise and Folly maketh wise Men Fools Lell me I pray you can there be a greater Wisdome than to serve God with a pure Faith and to observe and keep his holy Law Obediently And contrariwise can there be greater Folly than to commit Sin and to disobey God by transgressing his Commandements It is not possible For whosoever committeth sin burieth himself and runs headlong to Hell which is a point of very great Folly Therefore all those that saithfully serve God and keep his holy Commandements are wise and governed by Wisdome and all those that transgress she Commandements of God are Fools and fostered by Folly as Slaves or Vassals When I wandred into wanton wayes I wrought my will esteeming my self wise but I proved a flat Fool. Thus fostered by Folly to whom I unfolded my intent which was to take upon me a Voyage to find Felicity and Messedness I requested her Counsell who without regard whether it were profitable for me or no did not only like the matter but also forced me forwards and with flattering phrase commended my Enterprize And to encourage me therein she began to exalt my device to commend my industry and wit to praise my strength to advance my vertue to blaze my knowledge to decipher my beauty and to extoll all my qualities saping that I was a second Solomon to have in my head such notable Cogitations Hereupon she promised to be my Enide and vowed not to go from me in all my Voyage affirming that she had sundry seasons made the like journey and that I might assure my self shortly to see the Palace of true Felicity My Son quoth she I would not have thee think that any Evil or Guile can have place in my heart Thus Comforted or rather emboldened I thought my self most happy to have such a Governesse so wise so grave and so expert for very joy whereof my heart tickled within me But alas wretch that I was my destre was alwayes after contrary Things for I rejected whatsoever tended to my Health in so much that to me sowre seemed sweet black seemed white evil seemed good Folly seemed Wisdome Light seemed Darkness And Folly so fore bewitched me that I neglected to do the good I should have done and I was too willing to play the part I should not have plaved It is true that the wise man make saying There is health where many do give counsell and he that taketh good advice and counsell before shall not repent him after But it is forbidden to take counsell of Fools For that they love but what they like There is an old Proverb Such as my Councellour is such needs must be my Counsell It were against all reason that a Fool should give good Councell For this is even as if Rivers should run against the Hill Nothing can be compared to good Counsell neither can any thing be worse than evil Counsell by the which the World is troubled Realms molessed Princes defaced Kings killed Empires altered Townes taken Cities sacked Lawes abolished Iustice generally corrupted Divine Mysteries prophaned mingled with mischief and confounded the true knowledge of God is forgotten all Reverence to Superiours neglected Shame-fastnesse Sobriety Faith Hope Charity and all other Virtues defaced all manner of Wars both Forraign and Civill attempted O Griefe O Plague O cruel Monster â— Now to our purpose CAP. III. Folly and Evill-will provided the Knight Apparell Armour and Horses FOrasmuch as Men oftentimes do alter their intents Folly was bufie and earnest to force me forward in the prosecuring my purpose perswading me to put my self on the way and saying that such good meanings and enterprises should presently and without delay be put in execution for sear of inconveniences that might ensue and that to mean a matter without doing it was a reproach to any Person Whereto I answered that I would proceed whatsoever followed thereupon but me thought it was necessary to have company and other provition as Apparell Horses and Armour sit for such a Voyage My Son quoth she I will take that charge upon me whereto trust cast all care from Thee let nothing torment thee be of good cheer Sleep at thine ease refuse no rest for I will within few dayes bring thee all necessaries that thou shalt need and seeing thou hast submitted thy self to me I will not sail thee Being glad of these words I referred the whole matter to her discretion and took mine ease Then Folly was acquainted with an Armourer named Evill-will whose company she daily frequented This Armourer was not alwayes occupied in
and abilities in Man inward only but not outward that is to say a perfect affection of the soul which God precureth in man and not Man in himself For although such motions seem to be motions of free-will yet they cannot be such except God vauchsafe of his working Grace to sanctifie the will and to make it capable of such good affections These two Opinions recited by the Master of the Sentences in the second Book and 27 Distinction I refer to the Iudgment of the Reader and allow them so far forth as they both agree that Vertue is a work of God in Man and not of Man in himself But yet they differ because the first sayes that Vertue is not a moving of the Soul for that it is the only working of God without Man and of meer Grace the other Opinion saith that Vertue is a good motion of Man not coming of God in Man I dare not judge rashly in so High and secret a Mystery and therefore I appeal to the determination of the Learned It sufficeth to know that Vertue is a work of God in Man and not of Man in himself and in this point as both Opinions do consent so I approve them to be true CAP III The Description of Faith and how we ought to believe in God for our salvation FAith is a Vertue whereby we believe that which we see not When it is said that Faith is a Vertue it is most manifest that faith is the pure gift of God whereby we believe that which we see not But yet it followeth not that we should believe all that we hear and see not but this is meant only in things touching Religion and the Worshipping of God Faith is properly of things not apparent for apparent things have no Faith but a certain Demonstration as when our Lord saith to Thomas Because thou hast seen thou believest Yet Thomas believed more than he saw a Man and he believed that the same Man was God also which he saw not for he said Thou art my God and my Lord. In this consisteth the merit of Faith when a man at the Commandement of God believeth that thing which he seeth not To believe saith Saint Austin is to think upon a thing with consent to that thought as when thou thinkest the Son of God was born of a Virgin and toah mans nature upon him and consentest to that Thought it is properly called Beliefe This thought may come often by seeing and often by hearing And when Saint Paul saith that faith cometh by hearing of the word of God he understands that by hearing faith comes into the mind and thought if we consent thereunto For we may hear a Preacher without consenting to that he saith because men do not alwayes believe what the Preacher speaketh for that the consent wherein consisteth the perfection of Faith comes of the meer gift of God and not from seeing nor hearing but from the light of Grace speaking in the Soul of the Believer believing the principal truth which is God and working in him an agreement with that Soveraign truth above all other things So that Faith is a foundation unmovable our Lord Iesus Christ who is the only Foundation of true Blessedness dwelleth in the Hearts of the Believers and so long as Faith is in Man he shall be sure not to perish but faith without Charity is no Foundation because such Faith is in vain and unprofitable Faith then joyned with Love or Charity belongs to good Christians and Faith without Love belongs to evill Christians It is necessary therefore that we note the difference in these three sayings or speeches namely To believe a God To believe of God To believe in God To believe a God is to believe that he is the only true God so the Devils do believe as well as the evill Christians To believe of God is to believe that all is true which God saith and so believe the evill Christians as well as the good unless they be Hereticks But to believe in God is to love God and in believing to joyn thy self to God by love and obedience incorporating thee with His Members that is to say his Church This Faith justisteth the Sinner and this Faith being knit with Love and with Charity begins to do good deeds which cannot be done without Love The Faith which evill Christians have is indeed a quality of free will but it is not knit with Love and Charity which is the bond of perfection and the life of faith as Faith is the Life of the Soul And yet such an unshapen Faith being naked and Void of Charity may be termed a gift of God for that the evill man may have some gift of God but that cannot properly be called Vertue because that by Vertue we learn to live rightly and for that the Devils and Evill Christians do live wickedly it is a sign that the faith which they have is dead and therefore is not properly Vertue nor yet a work of Vertue If thou wilt then have thy Faith to be good and saving it must have four properties that is to say it must be plain and simple it must be whole and sound it must be constant and unmovable it must be quick and lively Touching the first that it must be plain and simple that teacheth thee thus much in effect that thou must believe the word of God simply and whatsoever is therein contained without inquiring into Gods mystical matters by humane Reasons and simply believing in thy heart that every thing contained in the holy bible is most true Secondly thy Faith must be whole and sound that is thou must not take part with Hereticks or cleave to the erronious Opinions of the Enemies of Gods truth for this is no good faith And therefore for a Testimony of thy Faith be not ashamed to make open Confession in the Congregation of thy belief with the Fellowship and Communion of Saints That thou believest in God the Creator and Governour of all things in his Son Iesus Christ the Redeemer and in the holy Ghest by which we are sanctified and receive true comsort and joy c. according as it is declared in his holy word Thirdly it must be constant and unmovable that is without doubting for any reason of Mans brain that seemeth contrary or for any temptation promise or threatnings either of torment or of death And let not the obstinacy of such as enchant with the vain pleasures of this life although they seem to live most joyfully allure thee to cleave to their opinion which is siat heresie for that is a work of Satans who wholly possesses them can change himself into an Angel of light to deceive the simple and innocent whom God permits to be tempted for the tryal of their constancy Not that he is ignorant of the issue but because he would have it appear in others that he crownes us with glory for our constancy and perseverance This is clearly
set down by Moses in the 13. of Deut. and by S. Peter in his 2 Epistle chap. 2 and by our Saviour Iesus Christ in the 24 of Matthew And though we live in the later times when many Sects do abound and Vertue and truth in many places do fail yet let us listen what our Saviour saith Whosoever believeth to the end shall be saved Fourthly and lastly thy Faith must be quick and lively that is it must be linked with love and charity which is the life of faith as the Soul is the life of the hedy And therefore abuse not thy self as some do saying I have Faith and I shall be saved whatsoever chance No no assure thy self that if thy Faith be not quickned with Love and Cherity it is nothing Worth and therefore unable to atchieve true Blessedness as S. Paul well noteth in the first Epistle the 13 chap. to the Corinth Even so when our Lord in the Gospel attributeth salvation unto Faith and S. Paul justification this is to be understood of an holy lively and Evangelical Faith working with Love and Charity Likewise when our Saviour saith in the Gospel that he which believeth and will be Baptised shall be saved that is meant of such a Faith as love quickneth and Charity reviveth The holy Scripture in many places expresseth that none shall be saved unless he observe and keep the Commandements of God Now none can keep the Commandements without Love and charity Ergo none can be saved without Love and Charity The sum and effect of all is this That whosoever renounceth Sin and imbraceth a quick and lively Faith and liveth in Love and Charity he cannot perish but shall find in the end perfect and everlasting Felicity in the Kingdom of Heaven CAP. IV. The Description of Hope and how we ought to hope in Almighty God NOw Sir Knight know this that Hope is a Vertue whereby Happiness or Blessedness both spiritual and eternal are hoped for And as Faith is of things not seen so is Hope also For Saint Paul saith Hope that is seen is no Hope because we have possession of it already It is common to Faith and Hope to be of things unseen and yet Hope is distinguished from Faith not only by name but by reason For by Faith we believe as well evill things as good that is Hell as Heaven We believe that Adultery is a very wicked sin we believe also Charity is a very good thing all these things good and bad we believe but we Hope only for good things and not for bad Again Faith is of things past present and to come For we believe the death of Iesus Christ which is past we believe also that at this present he sits at the right hand of God the Father in Heaven and we believe that Christ shall come to judge the quick and the dead But under correction I think that Hope is of things present as when I Hope that I am in Gods favour and of things past as when I Hope my Sins be forgiven me and of things to come as when I Hope to have eternal life This is true that Faith hath an eye generally unto that which is spoken in holy Scripture believing that all the promises without exception which God made shall be accomplished without descending to particular or special Persons but Hope applyeth unto her self those same promises waiting for the accomplishment of that which God hath promised And therefore it is requisite for assured Salvation that thou believe thou shalt be saved but to Hope so is not sufficient For Faith in it self importeth an infallible assurance and certainty of things as when we firmly believe all the Articles of our true and Christian Faith and all things contained in the holy Scriptures to be more certain then man is man but the hoping of it is not so requisite For if we have a firm assiance in the goodness of God touching our Salvation and doubt not a whit of the remission of our sins it is enough There be two degrees in Hope which are two contrary extremities The one being the most highest is the infallible assurance of eternal Blessedness The other being the basest and lowest is to despair of Salvation Between these two extremities consisteth Hope But the more that a Man approacheth to the highest extremity which is an infallible assurance of Eternal life and the more he rejoyceth from the lowest extremity which is desperation the more perfect he is in hope As it sufficeth the hoping Man that believes anâ— loves God that he hath a firm affiance and confidence that God of his good grace will give him whatsoever he hath promised to his Elect hoping that he is of their number So it is necessarily requisste that we have a perfect infallible certainty of our Salvation Now for that in the Definition of Hope it is said that by her we Hope and look for the eternal Happiness it is to be noted that Hope hath two Objects the first the perfect enjoying of Gods presence the other is all the necessary means to come unto the clear seeing and enjoying of God and these means are remission of Sins through Gods Grace justification Faith unfained and charitable deeds and agreeableness unto God Now all that we hope for we ought with prayer devoutly to crave of God as his Kingdom the remission of our sins justification encrease of Grace and Vertue deeds of faith and Charity But concerning goods temporal forasmuch as we may use them well and ill they may be said to hinder the Salvation of Man rather then to surther it And therefore the good Christian ought not to ask them nor covet them excessively indeed so much as will necessarily serve him for sustenance in this life he may lawfully ask and here by the way it is a lesson worthy the Learning namely that it is necessary for us to do good Works because it hath pleased God to enrich us with Goods which Goods ought well to be employed Now unto him properly belongeth the merits of the works which he worketh in us For all our good works are the gift of God howbeit he doth not deny us his Grace whereby we consent to do the good works which he only moveth in us And therefore every one ought to the uttermost that he is able to do good works considering that they come of God who is the Author of all good works and without whom we are not able to think so much as one good thought much less do a good deed For otherwise to hope in doing ill to go to heaven without good works springing from a firm faith is not hope but a flat presumption And therefore thou oughtest to enforce thy self to do good works hoping that thou and thy works may be acceptable unto God nevertheless thou must not in any case trust upon thy merits or good works but altogether to the infinite goodness of God For otherwise thou fallest into that curse
that he would never disclose his Death nor the manner how he had bestowed himself which thing he did of a Vain arrogant proud and ambitious mind even to this end that the people might report and believe that the Gods had drawn him up to Heaven invistble but it chanced not as he desired Yet notwithstanding quoth Folly I perswaded the lying Greeks that it was so and made them worship him as a God I governed fair Paris King Priams Son whose sirname was Alexander At the first he made no account of me but leading a Contemplative life be followed the Lore of Pallas the Goddess of wisdome mine Adversary but when Juno Pallas and Venus were at strife for the golden Ball which was thrown amongst them with condition that the fairest of them should have it they committed the matter to the Iudgement of Paris firnamed Alexander who was upon point so give Sentence in the Behalfe of Pallas mine Enemy but by my perswasson afterwards he gave it unto Venus my good friend and my old acquaintance then for Recompence of his foolish judgment I counselled him to go to Greece where he ravished fair Helen Hereupon the Greeks in a great and mad rage prepared all their force against the Trojans and after ten years Siege against their City they took Ilion and put King Priam to death insomuch that the whole Realme was thereby defaced In that War were killed many Princes and Noble Knights as Hector Achilles and Paris also was slain by Philactetes the Companion of the lesse Hercules in a Combat fought hand to hand The weapons which they used were Bowes and forked Arrowes wherewith Philactetes wounded Paris in three places First in his left hand secondly in his right eye thirdly in beth his legs which were fastned with the stroak together Being thus wounded the Trojans carried him into the City where shortly after he died I governed quoth Folly fair Helen the bastard Daughter of the third Jupiter King of Crete begotten of Laeda the Wife of Tindarus which Helen by my counsell went from her Husband Menelaus and suffered her self to be ravished by a young Lecherous Trojan named Paris sirnamed Alexander the Son of King Priam she brought blood and death to Troy instead of Dowrie for by her occasion Troy was destroyed and Priam with the most part of his Children killed And to the end that her adulterous Mate Paris or Alexander should not leave her and go to his own lawful Wise Pagales Oenone she bewitched him with certain drinks wherein she was her crafts Mistresse which thing when one doth use he is in such case that he forgets all things past and all sorrows present When she was thus arrived at Troy the good man her Husband Menelaus with Ulysses and other Greek Embassadours came to fetch her away and King Priamus commanded that she should be brought into his presence offering unto her frankly with loud boyce that she should if she thought good freely and with full liberty depart again into Greece with all her retinue people and pelfe Whereunto she answered in the hearing of her Husband and King Priam with the rest of his Counsell and Commons that she was not disposed to retire to her Countrey wishing also that her Husband Menelaus that good man might go to God that she was none of his wife neither would she have to do with him and that she came not to Troy against her will neither did she esteem of his marriage To conclude at length Troy by Treason was taken and ransackt eighteen years after she had been from her Husband and all that space had lived in Leachery with two Adulterers she grew to agreement and made peace with her Hasband Menelaus But when she was waxed old she looked in a glasse and seeing her lace far from fair she fell into a loud laughter and flouted at the Fools that fought ten years together for the love of a thing that faded so soon away but when her Husband Menelaus was dead two chief men of the City Sparta named Nicostratus and Magapentus men of great authority hunted Helen out of the Citie and Realm of Lacedemonia without appointing unto her any place or provision to keep her Vpon which Banishment she came to Rhodes to her ancient Companion and Friend Queen Polipo which was also then a Widow by reason of the Death of her Husband Tlepolemus who was stain before Troy And when she was at Rhodes Queen Polipo used her very well but the young Gentlewomen her waiting Maids hated her deadly for that she was the cause that their King Tlepolemus was killed insomuch that upon a day they conspired together against her and got her into a Garden where they fastning a Rope about her Neck hung her upon a Tree and strangled her to death This was the miserable end of Helen who being dead quoth Folly I put into the heads of the blinde people that she was a Goddesse by reason of her incomparable Beauty For which consideration they being not only Idolatrousty and heretically but also damnably deceived built her a marvellous costly and stately Temple and named her with great Devotion The Goddess of Beauty and devised many false Miracles and Lyes the which for brevity I let pass I governed quoth Folly Pharaoh Amenophis and Pharaoh Bacchoris both Kings of Aegypt who by my counsell caused all the Male Children of the Iewes to be drowned which people the first Pharaoh held in marvellous subjection As for the second I instructed him so well that he would not suffer she Children of Israel to depart out of his Land but in the end being scourged by God he was constrained to let them go and when they were gone I gave him Counsell in revenge to pursue them with all their Chivalry and Power of Aegypt which thing he did but the Tyrant and all his Company were drowned in the red sea I governed Chore Dathan and Abiram counselling them not to obey the commandment of Moses whom God had ordained chief Governour over the Children of Israel but Chore in offering Incense contrary to his Office was attainted and five hundred more of his Faction with him And for the Rebellion of Dathan and Abiram the Earth opened insomuch that they their Wives children and goods were all swallowed up alive I governed Saul the first King of Israel at the beginning of his Reign he was good and Godly but at last I enchanted him so that he caused many of Gods Priests to be killed insomuch that in one day he put to Death fourscore and five I counselled him to persecute good David and to ask counsell of witches and Sorcerers contrary to Gods Laws then at the last being sorsaken of God he was vanquished by the Philistines and with his own hands stew himself upon the Mount of Gilboa I was so hold as to enter into King Davids House and by my counsell I made him commit adultery with Bathsheba the wife of Urias And notwithstanding that
THE PRINCE AND ROOT OF ALL SINS For as a King accompanied with a great Train of Servitours even so hath Pride a sort of Sins for her Subjects over whom she Reigneth Prince like Again as Kings keep and hold their own right even so doth Pride behave her self toward the proud It is a singular sign of a great Reprobate and east-away when a Man liveth long in Pride For this sin displeaseth God more than all other Vices as humility pleaseth him more than all other vertues And because the proud advance themselves above all orver the Devill dealeth with them accordingly For as the Crow when he in not able to crack a hard Walnut with his Bill taketh his flight aloft right over a great stone and letting it fall breaketh the same and then alighteth to eat the kernell even so playeth the Tevill with the proud for first he advanceth them alost and bringeth them to promotion in this World but when they are in the top of their happiness and think upon no danger then even then comes the Devil and throwes them down head-long with a mischief into Hell The difference between the humble and the proud may be known by that of Corn and Chaffe For as Chaffe being light is puft up alost with the winde and is suddenly Consumed whereas contrariwise good Corn lying low is gashered from the ground laid up in Garners and esteemed of every body even so it falleth out with the pride of the proud and the Humility of the Humble Vnto Pride do appertain these Vices following namely Arrogancy Presumption Contempt Heresie Hypocrisie Disobedience Vain-glory Ambition and such like In the second Tower lodged Envy over whose Entry-dooâ—e this device was Written FIRE-BRAND OF HELL AND THE DEVILS DARLING Now Envy is a Sadnesse and Heavinesse of Heart for anothers Prosperity This Sin hath Saveraignty in the had as Charity in the good Charity is a Badge of Salvation Envy of Damnation The envyous Man differs not from the Devill in any Degree they are Partners in gain and in loss If the Devill reap profit by doing evill the envious Man will â—e sure to follow his trade for lucre sake And as the envious Man grudgeth at anothers profit and good name so doth he delight in anothers loss and ill Report Where cannot be a souler and more cruell Sin than Envy for she alwayes tormenteth and vexeth her Fosterer I mean the envious in whem she dwelleth He that seeketh to get good by others evill never amends in that minde And he that planteth his pleasure upon anothers pain shall have such fruit as he that grasts Figs on Thorns or would make Fire to burn by pouring Weser thereon Envy is a disease hard to be healed because it lyeth hidden in the heart where the Phystrian cannot come to cure it There belongs unto this Vice Hatred Malice Slander Disdain Treachery and the like In the third Lower dwelt Wrath over whose Porch this Posey was written THE VERY MURTHERER OF HOLY LOVE For as holy Love prepares the Conscience to dwell with God so doth Wrath prepare it to dwell with the Devill Wrath taketh away the hearing of Reason The Wrathfull Man will hear the Counsell of none There is nothing Resembles the Image of God more than Man being in perfect Love For God will be there where Vnity is kept where People be at peace and where Countreys be quiet which cannot be in Wrathfull Wretches A Wrathfull Man is like unto one possessed with a Devill who is ever tormented untill he hath vomited him out Wrath maketh Men fight Wrath causeth Blasphemy by Wrath the Devil conquereth Countreys Wrath is like a muzled Dog For when he cannot bite yet with snarling he makes others go together by the ears And as the Fisher-man troubleth the Water because the Fish should not see his Nets even so the Devil by Wrath troubleth Man to the end he should not understand nor perceive his own destruction To the wrathfull Man belongs inflaming of the heart Indignation Disorder Blasphemy Contention Rancour Revengement Murther and such like In the Fourth Tower dwelt Covetousness whose Posey is this IDOLATRY AND A BOTTOMLESSE GULFE ARE INSATIABLE The covetous man is forsaken of God for he loves his gain better than God he had rather lose God than Goods For little trifles that touch his profit he swears and lies which is a thing most damnable The Faith and Hope and Charity which he should have towards God Covetousness turnes it to Riches The covetous Mans heart is all upon his Goods and not upon God for where the heart is there is also a Mans love The covetous Man offendeth in evil getting in evill using and in evill loving his goods The Covetous Man is governed by the Devill hazarding his Soul to eternall torment for the lewd Love of Temporall toyes And as the Mouse is caught in the Trap whiles she hopeth to get the Bait even so is the covetous Man by the Devil in hunting after Riches The covetous Man is like unto a Hog whose life doth little good to any Man but rather great harm by reason of the noysomness and filthy stink which that nasty Beast procureth but when the Butcher hath killed him then he yields profit because it nourisheth c. Even so the covetous Man whiles he liveth doth good to none but rather damnifies his Neighbours but when Gods slaughter-man Death I mean comes and destroyeth him then those that live fare the vetter The Covetous man is like a Band dog that seedeth upon Carrion and will admit no companion to take part with him but eating all alone and filling his guts till he burst he dyeth and the Fewles of the Air devour him The covetous man hordeth his goods and suffereth the needy to starve The covetous Man croweth over the poor the Devil croweth over him And upon covetousuess attend these Monsters Usury Simony Fraud Perjury and all Sacriledge Deceipt Extortion Oppression and the Devil In the fifth Tower dwelt Gluttony over whose Portall this Posey was Written VENOMOUS WINE AND DEADLY DAINTIES Truth it is that the throat is the gate of the Body you know that when an Enemy would winne a Castle if once he get in at the Gate he makes no doubt of winning the held even so the Devil when he hath entred in at the Throat it is no question but he would winn both the heart and body Now his custome is to enter with many Sins of which Cluttony is the Mother For the Drunkard and Immoderate Feeder consenteth to all Vice Therefore it is renuiste to set a good Porter to keep the Throat lest the Devil get in For as a Man may lead a Horse when he hath him by the Bridle even so may the Devil rule a Man having once gotten hold of his mouth by Gluttony yea he then possesseth himself 〈◊〉 The servant being Corn-sed oftentimes rebelleth against his Master even so the Body having received excess and more than enough is apt
all the Voluptuous company he saw in the Palace of Worldly Felicity WHen I was out of the Bog humbly on my knees I gave thanks to Gods grace for her goodness being assured that he to whom God doth good is not worthy thereof if he be not thankfull Then Gods Grace marched before me saying that I should follow her the which I did For doubtless our free-will guideth not Gods Grace but Gods Grace guideth our free-will Then I followed her all to be dagled untill we came where I had seen the Palace of Worldly Felicity in greatest glory turned into a deep Dungeon of Darkness boyling with consuming sire from whence came a Vile Vapour and stinking smoak of burning Brimstone over the which we must pass by a little long plank whereat I was so afraid that the hair of my head stood an end Then with sorrowfull lighes I beseeched Gods grace to tell me what was the light which we saw queth she This is the place of thy Voluptuous Palace with all thy Allies amongst whom thou wast entertained Mark well if I had not been thy help and shewed thee mercy thou hadst been plagued with them Think with thy self if the place be pleasaut or no. Thou seest how the Devil handleth those that be here with torments This is the great King Lucifer whom thou supposest to have seen accompanied with so many Nobles in the Palace of counterfeit Felicity these be they that fry in the Furnace here is the reward of such as serve him Then we saw a great bed of Iron red hot wherein lay a naked Woman whom a great dragen imbraced playing with his Tail between her Legs with two ligly Serpents winding about her thighs and eating her privy members This miserable Woman lamenting cryed aloud with terrible noyse This quoth Gods grace is the brave Bed wherein thou layest and this Woman is the Goddess of Love which kept thee company Wouldest thou be glad now to serve her To which I answer No. Thou seest quoth she this is the end of Voluptuous livers and wicked Worldlings Ask them now where are their pleasures and Voluptuousness Alas Lady quoth I for fear I dare not Then with a loud Voyce she began particularly asking the question saying O cursed out casts of God and Wretched Worldlings where are now your fair Chambers hanged with Silk Lapestry your goodly Gardens your Dogs of all sorts your Birds your Horses your brave Apparel your delicate Wives your change of Meats your sweet waters and servants Cooks and Butlers your Ladies of love and such like O unhappy People the change is great Instead of your Gluttony you suffer hunger instead of your drunkenness you suffer thirst for your sweet smelling you suffer sowre savours instead of your leacherous lovers you are accompanied with tormenting Debils and for your former pastimes you endure Terrible punishments When Gods Grace had thus spoken that cursed company cryed aloud Wo be to the hour that ever we were born the heavy justice of God hath deservedly punished us This being past Gods Grace told me we must pass over that way notwithstanding the Plank was narrow and long Then I though I were afraid followed her she going before me for my safety But I had not gone three steps but I saw Cerberus the Dog of Hell with his three heads yelping and gaping to devour me at which sight all amazed my feet slipt and straight he had me by the heels to tear me Then I cryed to Gods grace for help who looked back espyed me in danger and hearing me cry Succour Succour she took me up and in a moment delivered me out of the Dungeon Then I remembred what David said Si dixissem motus est pes meus miserecordia tua Domine adjuvabat me When I said My feet slipped thy mercy O Lord did help me up Now when Gods grace carryed me in her arms I feared my silthiness would hurt her Aray but I found it contrary for her Apparel was nothing spotted and mine being foul became fair which made me much to marbel Then said Gods grace My Son like as the Sun shineth into the Dyars Dye-fat and yet returneth forth unspotted even so do I without blotting my self enter into the sinfull Soul and in a moment do make it clean Then over the High Mountains and ragged Rocks away we Walked till we came to a cross way where Ventue wished me to follow her whose sayings when I called to mind it made me weep bitterly for my Sins and Follies past But when Gods grace perceived me to be weary and noyed with the smels that I sound in that loathsome Lake for pity she took me in her Arms and at the last she shewed me the Schoole of Repentance whither I must go before I could enter into true Felicity CAP. III. The Knight declareth how he entred into the School of Repentance and of his entertainment there WHen we approached to the School of Repentance which was built upon a high hill invironed with a Moat named Humility Gods grace called and out came Lady Repentance in plain Apparel having next her naked Skin a smock of Hair-cloath and upon the same a Gown of Sack-cloath girded tegether with a great leather Girdle a Kercher of course Canvise upon her Head With her also came two waiting-maids named Sorrow for sin and Confession of Sins both Apparelled like their Lady the first seemed very sorrowfull and sad and the Second was Bashfull and Shamefast and hung down her Head Then Gods grace spake to Repentance and presenting me unto her said Here is a Knight which I have brought to thy Schoole that he might forget the evil which be hath learned abroad and to be instructed in the good which he never yet knew And being received into the Schoole of Repentance I learned to live well and forget all the evil which I was taught in Times past And whereas before I learned to Leap Dance Eat Drink Play hunt Whores and to do all Villany and Mischief new I learned a new Lesson namely to Kneel to Fast to Pray and to live well flat contrary to all that I used in 〈◊〉 Palace of Worldly Felicity Then Repentance said to Gods grace that my Hat full of Feathers and all things else about me must be put off and cast away Then Repentance began to take off my Toyes and first she hurld my Hat of Hautiness into the Dungeon then off went my Girdle of Intemperance whereunto was tyed my Sword of Rebellion which being broken in pieces with my Coat of Vain-glory my hosen of lewd Delight and my Doublet of ill Desires all were thrown into the Lake and there remained only with me my Shirt of Lasciviousness the which also she would have pluckt over mine ears but I entreated her earnestly not to leave me naked So I was for a while excused but not altogether for said Repentance except thou cast off all the Apparell of the old Man thou canst not come to my
Book and thou shalt see how thou hast lived even against God and contrary to right and reason Thou hast been Proud Arrogant ambitious spitefull at others prosperity a prolonger of time Wrathfull a Backbiter injurious Trayterous hatefull Covetous of Gold more than of God Gluttouous Wanton Shameless a stewes-hunter given to all vices and hast transgressed all the commandements of God leading a loathsome life denying God swearing and blaspheming his name an haynous effender a false Witness bearer a lyar a desirer of other Mens goods disobedient to Parents cursing them and wishing their death Furthermore thou hadst neisher Faith nor hope in God but rather in the force riches honour and friendship of thy kindred with their Authority I cannot reckon up the rest of thy Sins for they are uncountable Very little care hast thou had of Christs merits or of thy own souls health but alwayes yielding to Voluptuousness filthiness and iniquity When Conscience had thus accused me Sorow for Sin sell bitterly aweeping and oftentimes struck her breast Then Conscience shewed me what Torments I had deserved for following Voluptuous affections and for loving them better then God Thou oughtest said she to burn in Hell fire that never quencheth and to be nipped with Torments both of Body and Soul for evermore Thy laughing shall be turned to Weeping the Ioy to Sorrow thy Songs to Cries yea what pains can be named but thou art like perpetually to suffer them without hope of Redemption For this is the due reward of Worldly Felicity and following Folly Be think thee now and tell me if it be in thy power to rid thee from these grievances Hearing my Conscience thus speak me thought I saw Hell open to swallow me up and with sorrowfull sadness I fell to the ground before Gods grace speechless but she had Compassion on me and bade me arise the which I did though half in despair and to re-comfort me she opened the book which Remembrance held in her hand CAP. V. By the Commandements of Gods grace remembrance read to me the goodness of God with his promises made to repen tant sinners AFter Remembrance had opened her Book I perceived the Letters were Gold and Azure containing the great goodness and infinire mercy of God so repentant Sinners with fair promises annexed thereunto Then at the commandment of Gods grace remembrance read out of that book unto me in this manner Saint Paul Writing to the Romans saith Where Sin hath abounded grace hath more abounded He that mistrusteth the mercy of God mistrusteth God to be mercifull and in so doing he doth God great dishonour For he denyeth God to be Love and power wherein consisteth all the hope of poor Sinners For of his great love he sent his only Son to take Mans Nature upon him in this World that in the same he might suffer death upon the Cross for the remission of Sins Consequently he promised for the love of his Son Remission and Pardon to all Poor Sinners so often as they desired it in Faith with an heavy and sorrowfull Heart Now God is as true of his Promises as he is of Power able to perform them And as he is of Power so will he do whatsoever pleaseth him God will pardon Sinners their Sins who then can let him from doing it To whom God pleaseth or hath promised to pardon their Sins he forgiveth The truth hereof is Written in plain Words and shewed by examples in many places of the holy Scripture as well in the Old Testament as the New First Esay saith It is I my self It is I my self that doth blot out thine iniquities for mine own love sake and I will not have thy sins in remembrance For the love of me saith he and not for the love of thee meaning his goodness and mercy and not for the love of thy merits As if he had said to all sinners in this sort If thou thinkest that I pardon thy Sins for thy merits sake thou art deceived and Wallowest in despair no no but for my mercy and infinite goodness I remit and forgive Thou hast no cause to despair for the least part of my mercy exceedeth all thy Sins In another place he saith by the same Prophet Turn your selves unto me all the Earth and you shall be saved for I am God and there is none other besides me What is the meaning of these Words I am God any thing else but that God is good and mercifull If it be unpossible but he should be God it is unpossible but he should be good and mercifull The same Prophet speaketh unto every one of us saying Let the Infidell leave his wayes and the unjust Man his thoughts let them turn to the Lord and he will have pitty upon him for he is ready to forgive And by the Prophet Jeremy he saith to the People of Israel that he was wroth for their Idolatry and many other Sins nevertheless he said Turn Israel thou Rebell unto me thy Lord and I will not turn my face from thee or as the Hebrew Text saith I will not lay mine ire upon thee for I am saith the Lord holy and gentle and keep not mine anger for ever And by the Prophet Ezechiel he saith If the evill Man repent him of his Sins and keep my Commandements doing righteously he shall live and not dye neither will I have his former offences any more in remembrance Do you think saith the Lord that I delight in the death of a Sinner nay rather that he should turn from his Wickedness and live Repent you then and you shall live The Prophet David said That from morning till night Israel hoped in the Lord what doth this signifie but that the faithfull from their Nativity and Birth untill their very Death have hope in the Lord There is mercy in the Lord and great Redemption attendeth upon him In Joel it is Written Turn your selves unto the Lord with all your heart in Fasting Praying Weeping Sorrow tearing your hearts and not your Garments so shall you be turned unto the Lord your God for he is full of Clemency Mercy and Grace slow to ire and ready to forgive or as the Hebrew Text saith such a one as repents him of evill that is to say is leath to execute the punishment upon Sinners which he hath denounced and threatned Micheas the Prophet saith What God is there like unto thee which takest away iniquities and forgivest Sins for the rest of thine Heritage sake He keepeth not his ire for ever but of his compassion and mercy will have pitty upon us He will put out our iniquities and throw all our Sins into the bottom of the Sea What Sinner is there that hearing these words hath so heavy a heart as to despair seeing that God is more ready to forgive than the Sinner is to ask forgiveness Now let us come to the New Testament to try if there be not Testimenies to the same effect The Son of God which is
good Hermit wherefore I was desirous to know his Name the which I asked Lady Memory who told me that it was good Understanding Then I received the holy Communion which being ended and Thanks given to God I meant to salute gratisie him But before we went to receive the holy Sacrament of the body and blood of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ I remembred the great love of our Lord which humbly took upon him our fraile and weak nature for our sakes became accursed and suffered most bitter death upon the Cross to deliver us out of the bandage of Sin Hell and Eternal death and to bring us to everlasting life I remembred also that love which he shewed unto me in drawing me out of the sink of sin wherein I was plunged over head and ears so that I was not only drawn from my unspeakable sins but also made a Communicant of the mystery of his Divine Majesty by faith And to the end it might please him to give me grace to receive it aright I prayed unto him on this wise O Sweet Jesus and loving Redeemer I yield thee thanks for thy unspeakable love by which thou hast purged me from the filth of sin and pluckt me by thy grace out of the dark dungeon of death Behold I reconcile my self unto thee most heartily beseeching thee that thou wouldest vouchsafe amongst the great number of thy benefits of thy great liberality to give me grace to be a faithfull partaker of thy precious body and blood represented unto me under the visible form of Bread and Wine O immortal King I am not worthy I confess of so great a benefit yet I beseech thee as thou dost make the unworthy worthy and the sinners just so make me worthy to receive this holy blessed and Heavenly Sacrament to my Souls Health Feed my Soul O Lord with thy spiritual Body and let thy blood revive and quicken my Spirit O make me by thy grace daily encreasing in me a member of thy mysticall body that I may be included within the Covenant and blessing which thou madest with thy Saints and Apostles in thy last Supper communicating unto them the holy Sacrament of thy body and Blood and consequently that I may be of the number of them which according to the Vow and Promise made in Baptism do live in Faith and by thy grace are received into the company of Saints Amen This prayer being ended with all Reverence and Devotion I received the holy Sacrament and that being ended we went from the Chappel into a great Hall where I met the good Hermit Understanding whom when I had saluted and he me I thanked him for his good sermon Then as we were talking Gods Grace said unto me Sir Knight I give thee for thy Governour this good Hermit Understanding believe his Counsel and do what he commands Then I remembred my old Governess Folly whom I left in the bog amongst Serpents and Toads so I was very glad of my Governour and give thanks to Gods Grace who from the Table gave me drugs to eat and repeated unto me a place written in the 80 Psalme of David Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Then having swallowed that which she gave me I forgat the World and made no reckoning of any thing therein For all my desire was in haste to see the Palace of true Felicity I desired death to be with Christ in Heaven Dinner being done the Gates of Repentance were opened which were narrow contrariwise as it appeareth in the first Book that the entrance into the Palace of Voluptuousness was wide large and great but the end thereof was desperation and destruction as on the other side the entring into the Palace of Repentance is streight and narrow but the end thereof is eternal Life For Repentance as Saint Paul saith leadeth the Repentant to everlasting Salvation When the gates were open I mounted up into a Chariot of Ivory having golden wheels and two white Horses with wings drawing the same Gods Grace gat up first and with her hand helped me up then followed the good Hermit Understanding then Memory Conscience and Repentance but Gods Grace governed all who touching the Horses with her Rod they mounted up over the Mountains which are above the Earth So we passed through the Region of the Air where inhabiteth all the wicked spirits which watch to annoy such as would mount up to Heaven And though I was greatly agast hereat yet my trust was in Gods Grace under whose Wings I hid my self I trusted not in my Conscience although it was at peace nor to Repentance nor to Understanding but to Gods Grace only who safely throwded me under her Wings as the Hen doth her Chickens against the coming of the Kite Then she commanded the wicked Enemies to get them hence and they forthwith sled away crying aloud Now have we lost our Knight lo he is mounted up to the Palace of Vertue in despight of us all Now he is escaped under the Wings of Gods grace Being past this brunt I heartily thanked Gods grace of her goodness and on the sudden I saw upon the top of a Mountain a goodly Palace Now for that love ingendreth tamiliarity and familiarity breeds boldness I asked Gods grace what place it was and she told me it was the Palace of Vertue It was so high that it reached even to Heaven and about it were seven sair Towers of Alablaster In the first dwelt Faith in the second Hope in the third Charity in the fourth Wisdome in the fifth Justice in the sixth Fortitude and in the seventh Temperance In the first Tower Gods grace shewed me Faith which waited for our coming near unto whom I might perceive the Palace of true Felicity With that I desired Lady Memory to put me in mind in the morning of seeing that gallant City Whiles we talked thus our Chariot arrived at the Court where Lady Vertue with her Daughters Faith Hope Charity Wisdome Justice and Temperance dwelt At the first sight I knew it was the same Lady Vertue which afore-time had so well admonished me to whom I gave no ear Then reverently upon my knees lamenting I cryed her mercy for contemning her Counsell and following Voluptuousness Wherewith she made me arise and in token that she took in good part my recantation she sweetly kissed me and bade me Welcome So with great joy accompanied with Gods grace true Understanding quiet Conscience and unfained Repentance I entred into the Palace of Lady Vertue Thus much for the second part of the Wandring Knights Voyage THE VOYAGE OF The Wandring Knight The Third Part. CHAP. I. The Knight declareth the great good the solace and the pleasure which he found in the Palace of Lady Vertue IF I had a thousand tongues to tell the truth of all the good and pleasures which I found in the Palace of Vertue and if I live a thousand years to report this matter all were too little in every
love the Goods of this World are well ordered and by Love the Goods of this World are contemned and by Love the secrets of God are revealed Saint John saith That God is Love or Charity whereby no doubt he meaneth the Father the Son and the holy Ghost the three persons in Trinity God the Father is Charity God the Son is Charity and God the holy Ghost is charity This Love or Charity requireth in the same such likely things namely love and charity by the which as by some spiritual affinity thou art joyned unto God which Love also boldly commeth unto God and familiarly speaketh unto him without any doubt or fear He that loveth not shall lose his Life but He that loveth alwayes lifteth his eyes to God whom be loveth whom he desireth on whom he museth in whom he is refreshed and by whom he is preserved such a debour and religious soul doth so sing so say read so dispose all his business and so circumspectly foreseeth all things as if God were ever present with Him as doubtless in spirit he is The man in whose soul the love of God is lodged so prayeth as if God were personally present with Him The Love of Charity awaketh the soul when she is asleep it puts him in mind of His Salvation it softneth and moysteneth the Heart Charity or Love setteth the cold Heart on fire Love maketh the froward soul gentle Love chaseth away sin Love keepeth the affections of the flesh and blood under Love amendeth Iewd Mens manners Love reneweth the Spirit Love bridleth the light motions of wanton youth all this worketh Love or Charity where she is present Contrariwise where Love or Charity is absent there the Soul doth Languish and waxeth cold even as a Caldron of water doth when the fire is taken from under it and raked abroad Charity is the only thing whereby the soul boldly approacheth unto End constantly cleaveth unto him and familiarly speaketh unto him The Soul that loveth God cannot but think and talk of God insomuch that it hateth all ungodly things Who so will know God must love God the more that one loves God the more be growes in the knowledge of God To read to write and to study of God yieldeth no true knowledge of God without Love In vian do we read in Vain do we talli in Vain do we preach in Vain do we pray to God if we do not love God the love of God ingendreth the love of thine own Soul and maketh it attentive alwayes to God God loves to be loved again and when he loveth he requireth nothing but love happy therefore is he that loveth God The Soul which loveth God rejecteth his own effections being earnestly given to Gods love The Soul that loveth hath no fear the soul that loveth not is ever in fear The Soul that loveth is carryed by promises and drawn by desires unto Heaven the soul that hath in it the presence of Gods love is tickled with joy and with ravishing leapeth up to Heaven having by coutemplation exceeding great joyfulness Love breeds familiarity with God familiarity breeds boldness with God boldness breeds the taste of God and Taste breedeth an hunger after God If I should declare all the excellency of Love or Charity the time would fail me and mine Ability in that behalfe would not suffice But let this stand for a conclusion that the Soul which is touched with the love of God cannot desire any thing contrary to God but ever after it hath received any taste of Sin it cryeth out and saith with the Prophet Psal 14. O Lord God like as the Hart desireth the Fountains of water even so long I after thee Well then Sir Knight lift up thy Soul and remember the great Love and Charity of God and his manisold benefits bestowed upon thee that by them thy Heart being enlightned thou maist encrease and go â—orâ— and day by day in doing good works to the glorifying of God 〈◊〉 delighteth in the same according as it is said Let your light so shine before men that they seeing your good works may glorisie God in Heaven Thus much touching these three spiritual Vertues now come we to the four morall Vertues CAP. VII The description of the four moral Vertues Prudence Justice Fortitude and Temperance By these sour Marral Vertues Man liveth orderly in this martalise Saint Hierom saith that the Christian man by these 〈◊〉 liveth well in this mortality and by them after death cometh to everlasting Life Prudence knoweth the good we should do and evil we should leave Justice doth good Temperance leaveth the evill Fortitude is constant without losing courage in adversity or waring proud in prosperity Prudence teacheth man how to approach unto God Fortitude and Temperance how to govern himself Justice how to use his Neighbour These are the four things which Satan shooteth at to destroy the Soul By Prudence which is the rule of right Reason we govern our selves wisely we order our affairs discreetly doing nothing but Right and reason In Prudence consisteth Reason Knowledge Fore-sight Aptness to give good Counsell Plato saith That Prudence is the Governess of all Moral Vertues shewing how we should understand and use the rest For as Faith informeth us what we should hope after and what we ought to love even so Prudence teacheth us how we should use Justice Fortitude and Temperance Aristotle saith that it is impossible but a prudant Man should be good If he mean moral goodness it is most true for a wise Man doth nothing but that which is lawfull But yet without Love or Charity Prudence is a Vertue no more meritorious then Faith without Love and Charity But if the prudent man love God with all his heart it is unpossible but that he should do good and consequently be good Justice is a Vertue used in two sorts sometimes it is a general Vertue and comprehends in her self all Vertue as the man that Ilbeth well and justiy is therefore called good and Iustice otherwise is understood a particular Vertue called Justice distributive yeelding to every one that which unto him belongeth This Vertue Justice distributive is convenient for all men and principally for Emperours Kings and such as have the Administration and Governments of Common-wealths to the end that they may yeeld to every one their right defending the innocent and punishing the offender doing justice and right according to equity as well to little as great and to poor as rich Many have justice painted in their Houses and yet have wrongfull dealing lodged in their hearts Many a one hath Christ in their mouth but the Devil in their minde He that will be acceptable to GOD he must be just in word upright in deed undefiled in thought Fortitude is a vertue unto which belongs a magnisicent courage not fearing any thing but unlawful actions He that hath this vertue keeps himself constant in adversity and waxeth not proud in prosoerity Fortitude gives a man
point to decipher it for it consisteth not in Angelical knowledge much less in mans wit wholly to comprehend so noble a mystery none knows it but he who hath proved it you may be sure that there are not as in the Palace of Worldly pleasure chambers hanged with Silk Tapestry and every corner sumptuously and superfluously adorned No no but there were Histories of the Old and New Testament to view and mark I found not their Coffers full of Gold and Silver Cup-boards of Plate Presses of Silks all manner of Mercery-ware neither dainty Dishes delicate Drinks bawdy Songs wanton Musick the Lady of Love her Son Cupid nor any thing that Worldlings imbrace but I found a thing far supassing all that is in the World This good this joyfull this comfortable this unspeakable this incomprehensible-thing cannot be named worthily enough but of good and bad he is called God even he who is the only Soveraign good above all things reasonable and unreasonable Peradventure you will say this is stoange news that you Sir Knight should see God in the Palace of Vertue How is it strange seeing he is every where not only in Heaven but also in Earth and in Hell Truly I confess that God is every where but I deny him to dwell every where and yet I know that by his power and invincible presence he is every where though not every where by the fulness of his greatness and his gifts it followes then that he dwelleth every where I pray you what profiteth it the damned that he is in hell by his power Iustice and Vengeance Truly by such presence of God they have no joy no consolation no benefit or selicity for that all are cursed in whom God dwelleth not by his grace whatsoever they be be they Kings Princes or Popes who have all other riches and delights in the World But all they that have the grace of God are happy or at least wise in hope though they live even in a loathsome prison and are poorer than Lazarus which desired to be refreshed with the crums that fell from the evil rich Mans Table Now when we pray to God we say Our Father which art in Heaven for that is the place where God gives the enjoying and possession of himself to his elect and that is their dwelling prepared by the grace of God That is that God speaks of by the Prophet Esay saying Heaven is my seat and the Earth is my foot-stoole For asmuch saith God as I dwell in mine Elect by Grace I will tumble at my feet those that love Voluptuousness rather then their Maker In the book of Wisdom it is written That the seat of wisdom is in the soul of the just God is wisdom and the just soul his seat God is in every place where he dwelleth but he dwelleth not in every place where he is This is most true though marvellous for the evil are alwayes where God is but yet God dwelleth not in them Wheresoever the wicked are they cannot hide themselves from God and yet they are not dwellers with God nor God a dweller with them They are where God is as the blind man in the Light of the Sun the Light is not in him because he hath not the use of it But the good are alwayes with God and God dwelleth in them as in his Temple Saint Paul saith That the temple of God is holy And therefore is ye live well as he commands you you are his Temple And God himself saith I will be in them I will walk amongst them I will be their God and they shall be my people Now therefore you see that although God be every where in his power yet he dwelleth no where but where he is by grace It is plain that where Vertue is there God inhabiteth by grace which is the only consolation of all reasonable Creatures Is it possible that any Man can find in Heaven or in Earth such Soveraign good as is in God who is the most excellentest and chiefest good and the true joy of all reasonable Creatures Now can that body fail in any goodness which hath God by his Grace resting in his Heart who is the only Authour of all goodness and the giver of all true Ioy and persect Felicity But some will say that they see good People in the World oftentimes suffer misery deprived of their goods and put by the pleasures of this world which appeareth in the sadness of their countenance for they seem to be conceived with sorrow and as it were to labour and travel in heaviness as a Woman in Child birth I confess it to be so but yet if you say that they are not surnished with all good and true joy and Felicity you err greatly For the Soveraign good which is God dwels in the just soul for evermore although foolish Worldings say in their Hearts and thoughts Can it be that those miserable men which are afflicted with poverty or imprisonment have more possession of true Felicity than we that wallow in Wealth and are without want of any Worldly pleasures But they consider not that true Ioy consisteth in the Soul But be you sure that as the Soul is the most precious part of the body so ought the goodness of the Soul to be greater than the goodness of the body The Ioy of the Iust and Righteous is more inward than outward for all his goodness is in the soul as the joy of wanton Worldlings is outwardly in the body This just Man suffereth outward extremities but yet inwardly he hath more joy than the Voluptuous Man And though the just man being alwayes afflicted maketh shew of sadness all his life time yet at the hour of death their joy and consolation appeareth with hope of eternal life whereas contrariwise the Wordling goeth his way with grudging and despair The just man esteems Gold and Silver to be coloured Earth worldly wealth and Voluptuous seeding to be Famine and Filth Honour Dignity and Delight to be smoak which the Air consumeth suddenly to be short he maketh all the World no better than an exile and although his body be detained here for a season yet all his thoughts cares desires and meditations are conversant among the Orders of holy Angels and the happy Assembly of Saints in Heaven singing Psalms and Prayses incessantly So that whatsoever we esteem evill in this World God turns it to good For he makes us rejoyce in Tribulations taking them for medicines to purge our corruptions and not accounting our Persecutors as our Enemies but rather as Helpers to salvation The just Man esteems simple fare sufficing nature better than abundance of delicate or excessive Drunkenness or Gluttony They take more pleasure in kneeling praying and fasting then worldlings do in dancing and singing wanton Songs Finally that they do or suffer God turns it to good And therefore Saint Paul saith that all things turn to the good of those that love God The eye never seeth the