together xxj yeares I entred into the age of a young man which is the fourth wéeke of my age which is betwéene xxij and xxiiij yeares At xxv I was minded to make a voiage by my foolish industrie to séeke where in this world I might finde true felicitie and happinesse which séemed to my sottish sense an easie matter being young strong wilde hardie and couragiously disposed Me thought in my mind to liue in the world without felicitie was a lyfe worse then death But alas being plunged in the déepe darknesse of ignoraunce I considered not that true felicitie was the gifte of God from aboue and cannot be atteined without his helpe Beeing robbed of reason I thought it might come easely of my selfe without the helpe of others so that then I sought true felicitie where she is not was not nor euer shall be as in riches worldly pleasure strength honour and delights of the flesh But I was in so thinking as very a foole as he who hopeth with anglyng lines to take fishes in the Aire or with Hounds to hunt the Hare in the Occean sea Were it not thinke you a great folly so to thinke Euen the lyke is it to thinke that true felycitie is to be found héere in this wretched world And forsomuch as in perfect felicitie is comprehended all goodnesse and that this world as saith S. Iohn is addicted and giuen to all euill and subiect to hunger thirst heate colde diseases calamities pride ambition couetousnesse and voluptuousnesse it is euident that those which héere be liuing supposing héere to finde true felicitie are worse then fooles and voyd of right reason True felicitie is not without goodnesse and vertue which commeth from God aboue If it be so why then is it not a most wicked and presumptuous opinion to thinke that by a mans owne industrie he is able to possesse and enioye the faire lot of true felicitie Therefore euery one that thinketh in this world he may come to perfect felicitie and true blessednesse shall finde in fine as I found for felicitie vanitie for good euill ¶ THE VVANDRING KNIGHT DECLAreth vnto Dame Folly his Gouernesse what is his intent The second Chapter INtending to take my iourney I considered that it was necessarie to vse counsell therein knowing that whatsoeuer is done without aduise cannot haue good successe as contrariwise a matter discréetely attempted is luckely ended Then dwelt with me a damzell which ruled my house whose proper name was Folly y e only enimy to wisdome For euery thing y t hateth y e one loueth y e other Ther is as much differēce betwéen thē as is betwéene white and blacke hot and colde moyst and drye lyght and darknesse God and the Diuell all which be contraries and can not bée in one bodie together Wisedome gouernes the good Folly the euill Wisedome maketh the euill good when they yéeld themselues to be hir subiects Folly maketh the good euill when they place themselues vnder hir protection Wisedome draweth men from hell and bringeth them to heauen Folly fetcheth Angels from heauen to dwell in hell I doe not tearme that Wisedome to know the vij liberall Sciences the qualities of the Starres and Planets but I count him wise that hath the true knowledge of God For as saith Saint Cyril Wisedome is that true vnderstanding by the which the souereigne good namely God is seene knowen and loued with a chast loue and pure affection Folly is very ignoraunce and false worshipping of God Wisdome maketh fooles wise Folly maketh wise men fooles Tell me I pray you can ther be greater wisdome then to serue God with a pure faith and to obserue kéepe his holy lawe obediently And contrariwise can there be greater Folly then to commit sinne and to disobey God by transgressing his Commaundements It is not possible For whosoeuer committeth sinne hurteth himselfe and runs headlong to hell which is a point of very great folly Therfore all those that faithfully serue God and keepe his holye Commaundements are wise and gouerned by Wisedome and all those that transgresse the Commaundements of God are fooles and fettered to Follye as slaues and Uassalls When I wandered in wanton wayes I wrought my will estéeming my selfe wise but I proued a flat foole Thus fostered by Folly to whome I vnfolded my intent which was to take vpon me a voyage to finde felicitie and blessednesse I requested hir counsell who without regard whether it were profitable for me or no did not onely lyke of the matter but also forced mée forwardes and with flattering phrase commended my enterprise And to encourage me therein she began to exalt my deuice to commend my industrie and wit to praise my strength to aduance my vertue to blaze my knowledge to decipher my beautie and to extoll all my qualities saieng that I was a second Salomon to haue in my head such noble cogitations Héerevpon she promised to be my guide and vowed not to goe from mée in all my voyage affirming that she had sundrie seasons made the lyke iourney and that I should assure my selfe shortly to see the Pallaice of true felicitie My sonne quoth shée I would not haue thée thinke that anie euill or guile canne haue place in my heart Thus comforted or rather emboldened I thought my selfe most happye to haue such a gouernesse so wise so graue and so expert for verye ioye whereof my heart tickled within mée But alas wretch that I was my desire was alwayes after contrarye thinges for I reiected whatsoeuer tended to my health insomuch that to mée sowre séemed swéete blacke séemed white euill séemed good Follie séemed wisdome light séemed darknesse And follye had so sore bewitched me that I neglected to doe the good I should haue done And I was too willing to playe the part I should not haue played It is true that the wise man spake saieng There is health where many doth giue counsell and he that taketh good aduise and counsell before shall not repent him after But it is forbidden to take counsell of fooles For that they loue but what they lyke There is an olde Prouerbe Such as my Counsailour is such must needes bee my counsell It were against reason that a foole shoulde giue good counsell For this is euen as if Riuers shoulde runne against the Hill Nothing canne be compared to good counsel neither can any thing be worse then euil counsell by the which the worlde is troubled Realmes molested Princes defaced Kinges killed Empires altered Townes taken Cities sacked Lawes abolished Iustice generally corrupted diuine mysteries prophaned mingled with mischiefe and confounded the true knowledge of God is forgotten all reuerence to superiours neglected shamefastnesse sobrietie faith hope charitie and all other vertues defaced all manner of warres both forreine and ciuill attempted O griefe O plague O cruell monster Now to our purpose ¶ FOLLY AND EVILL VVILL PROVIDED the Knight apparell armour and horses The third Chapter FOrasmuch as men oftentimes
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
cōsidering y t they come from God who is the Author of all good woorks without whō we are not able to think so much as one good thought much lesse do a good déed For otherwise to hope in doing ill to goe to heauen without good workes springing from a firme Faith is no Hope but a flat presumption And therefore thou oughtest to enforce thy selfe to do good works hoping that thou thy works may be acceptable vnto God neuertheles thou must not in any case trust vpon thy merits or good works but altogether vpon the infinite loue and goodnesse of God For otherwise thou fallest into that cursse which the Prophet speaketh of saieng Curssed is the man that trusteth in man and contrariwise happie is the man that trusteth in God We ought alwayes to doe well to delight in well doing and to hope in the goodnesse of God that he wil giue vs that which he hath promised But this Hope ought to bée firme and as an Anker constantly to hold thy conscience that by the floatings of temptations it mooue not But some will aske by what testimonie or witnesse can the conscience rest assured of remission of sinnes of Gods adoption and of heauenly blessednesse I aunswere Saint Iohn saith There bee three things that giue witnesse in earth that is to say the Spirite Water and Bloud These thrée testifie vnto the spirite of the beléeuing man that Christ is the infallible truth who fulfilleth in the beléeuing man the whole summe of his promises The first witnesse then that assureth man in Hope is the precious bloud of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ which was shedde for the remission of our sinnes The second witnesse is the water of Baptisme by the which also our sinnes are forgiuen But these two witnesses put not the conscience in full and perfect Hope and assuraunce And therefore there must bée annexed vnto them a thirde which thirde is The holye Spirite which beareth witnesse with our spirite that wee are the sonnes and heires of God Who so hath not this witnesse he cannot be assured of his saluation The workes of the holye Spirite in man beareth witnesse of the presence of that Spirite in man If thou aske mée what those workes are I aunswere thée that they are these and such lyke that followe namelye Sorrowe for sinnes Hatred of all things which displeaseth GOD and are contrarie to his Commaundements taking pleasure to read and heare Gods word mourning for thy imperfections and little Faith Hope and Charitie an affection desire intent and purpose to loue God aboue all thinges and to doe thy indeauour to fulfill his commandements But all these things springs not from the corrupt nature of man vnlesse his minde and hart be moistened with the dew of Gods grace without the which we féele not in our selues any good affectiōs nor desire to do good works which are signs of y e presēce of y e holy ghost in vs. Wherefore we ought with great sighings and grones to praie vnto God and to beseech him most humbly that it would please him of his vnspeakable pitie to sende vs his holy spirit which may assure vs of the redemption of our sinnes to vouchsafe his heauenly adoption and the enioyeng of euerlasting blessednesse And thus much concerning Hope now let vs speake of Loue or Charitie THE DESCRIPTION OF LOVE OR OF CHAritie and how we ought to loue God and our neighbour The fift Chapter CHaritie is a vertue by the which God is loued for the loue of himselfe our neighbour for the loue of God or in God It is said in the first part of this definition that Charitie is a vertue Let vs see how Certeinly Charitie is the excellentest vertue that is euen the mother and nurse of all the rest For he that hath not Charitie hath nothing in him to obteine euerlasting life This Charitie is giuen when the holy spirit is giuen For the holy spirit being resident in the soule makes vs to loue God for the loue of himselfe and our neighbour for the loue of God To loue God for the loue of himselfe is to loue him for his owne sake and because he is God And that is to be done thrée waies that is to say to loue God aboue all things entirely aboue all things orderly aboue all thinges preciouslye We will declare these thrée waies of louinge GOD the more plainlye that euerye one maye knowe how to loue God To loue God entirely is to haue a good will to God and to reioyce greatly that he is such a one as he is But for the better vnderstanding héereof it shall not be amisse to shew what it is to loue To loue is nothing else but to wish well to euery body as when I loue a man I wish as well to him as to himself Now there are two manners of loue one is called a couetous loue as when a man loues anye thing for his own profits sake or his perticular honour and in such sort men loue their horses their victualles and all other worldlye necessaries The other loue is called the loue of friendshippe or of good will as when one loues a thinge for the loue of it selfe without respect of perticular honour or profite as when I sée a man wise and vertuous I take pleasure in him and wishe that the vertues which are in him maye not onely bée continued but also increased in him and this doe I béeinge to him well affectionated and louinge him with delyghtes There is not in GOD anye good that is not lyke himselfe For his might his wisedome his iustice his mercye his riches and his goodnesse are heauenlye as he himselfe is who is all wise all iust all mercifull all riche and almightye So that we loue God aboue all things entirely when we reioyce and be glad that he is as he is without regarding our proper profite or honour Thou oughtest not to loue GOD with a couetous loue that is to saye thou must not loue GOD onelye because he giues thée all thinges profitable for thée for in so dooing thou louest thy selfe better then thou louest God If thou loue GOD rightlye he will rewarde thee greatlye but this loue must be single and it must be pure and not depending vppon an other thinge For who so loueth God for gaine loueth him but as his horse in whome hée delyghtes because he serues his turne GOD ought to be loued louinglye without respect of particular profite But thou maist aske mée a question Maye I not loue God to this ende and vnder this condition that he maye giue me heauen which is the souereigne good and principallest thinge that man canne wish for after this lyfe The Doctours saye No. If wée consider well of the thing beloued which is GOD For in so dooing thou louest thy selfe better then thou louest GOD. Thou maist come to heauen by this meanes as namely by keeping his commaundements by giuing almes and
you may perceiue that such as liue in the Pallaice of worldly Uoluptuousnesse are transgressors of the same Contrariwise such as seeke for heauenly Felicitie are Gods beloued and they shall haue the possession thereof Now harken what happened vnto the Knight hauing liued xi daies in the Pallaice of vaine worldly felicitie ¶ THE KNIGHT VVENT FORTH TO RECREate himselfe and viewed the warrens and forests which were about the Pallaice of worldly felicitie Anone he saw it sinke sodainly into the earth and perceiued himselfe fast in the mire vp to the saddle skirts The xiij Chapter AFter I had soiourned xi daies in the Pallaice transgressing Gods commandements leading a beastly life I desired to ride into the forests therabouts not intending to giue ouer voluptuous life but for my pleasure because I was weary of making good chéere For although worldlings delight to eate drinke daunce leape sing ride run and such like yet notwithstanding they cannot continue in this trade of life without entermingling it with some recreation Wherfore they often leaue by that constraint their pastimes though they intend to returne therto againe They do not vtterly abandon thē but breake off for a season to procure them better appetite I then being weary was willing to sée the warrens other pleasures which when my gouernesse Folly vnderstood she told the tale to Lady Voluptuousnesse and the consented to hunt or hawke with me whereof I was right glad Thē I apparailed my selfe in hunters guise taking in stéede of my helmet a hat ful of fethers for mine armour a horne I lept vpon Temeritie my horse Voluptuousnes had a hobbie Folly a Ienet the other Ladies euery one of them a Palfray There came the huntsmen with greahounds mastiues whooping hallowing galloping altogether some one way some another The dogs wer at a beck vp starts y e hare the crie was heuenly to heare But in the midst of al our pastime I chaunced to breath my horse turning towards the Pallaice of worldly felicitie sodainly I saw it sinke into the earth euery body therein But what lamentable outcries they made you y t haue reson are to iudge Then did ther rise amongst vs a whirlwinde with an earthquake which set vs al asūder insomuch y t I my horse sunk in mire vp to y e middle only remained with me al this while my mistres Folly This earthquake yelded such an aire of brimstone y t the like hath not ben felt Thē I perceiued y t I was far frō y e plesant pallaice gardens orchards vineyards of Voluptuousnes but rather in a beastly bog sticking fast nothing neere me but serpents snakes adders toads and venemous wormes Such was my perplexitie in this case that I fel in dispaire being not able to speake one word I was so sore amased But when I came againe to my senses reuiued from death to life and found my selfe in that beastly bog I tare my haire I rent my clothes I wept I waild I howld I cride I wrong my handes I stroke my breast I scratcht my face I bit mine armes and spake thus O wretch O Asse O miserable soule O caitiue O fondlyng Where is now thy Pallaice of worldly felicitie Where are now thy braue chambers hanged with cloath of Arisse Where are now thy gallant Gardens thy Orchardes thy Meddowes thy Corne-fields thy Cofers of coine thy Ladies of Loue thy Hawkes thy Hounds thy Horses thy Oxen thy seruaunts thy softe beddes thy good cheere thy wines thy Musicke thy pleasures and all the things which thou hast abused Alas wicked wretch how hast thou bene deceiued Thou thoughtest thou hadst bene in the Pallaice of true Felicitie and for Felicitie thou findest Vanitie Thou hast bene wickedly inchaunted thus to finde euill in stéede of good Héere withall I turned my selfe toward Folly and railed at hir saieng O cursed cruell and deceiptfull beast O monstrous mocker of mankinde O filthie bawde O venemous Uiper Is this the good hap I should haue Is this the place of felicitie whether thou shouldest bring me Cursed be the daye that euer I sawe thée Cursed be the daye that euer I heard thee Cursed be the daye that euer I beleeued thée Cursed be the daye that euer I followed thee Is it euen so that thus thou gouernest euen beastly and damnably Is it euen so that thus thou leadest people euen to perdition Where is the felicitie thou promisedst me Where is the good hap I should haue by thee It is chaunced to me euen as I doubted by y e way when thou discoursedst thy filthie feates beginnings and procéedings howbeit thine inchantments and thy flatterie caused me to kéepe thée companie when full faine God wot I would haue ben rid of thée But such was mine arrogant ignorance ignoraunt arrogancie that I followed thy daungerous counsell When I had thus scowlded tooke on the lewde lossell lowdly laught me to scorne Whereat béeing in rage I offered to draw my sword but it would not be then I spurred my horse but he wold not lift vp his legges Notwithstanding all this I carried the minde still I might get out not hauing helpe euen by my owne strength and industrie But be you sure of this that after a man is once sunke in sin drowned in fleshly voluptuousnesse he shall sticke fast not be able to recouer himselfe vnlesse he haue the help of Gods grace which he of his goodnesse giue vs all Amen ¶ THE AVTHOVR CRYETH OVT BITTERLY against worldlings and their felicitie The xiiij Chapter O Wicked worldling O traitour O lyar O dampnable deceiuer armed with filthie frawd and cursed craftinesse hauing a face lyke a man but a taile lyke a Dragon who with thy pestilent prating promisest that which thou neither wilt nor canst performe to wit peace rest assuraunce blessing and felicitie Whereas contrariwise thou shewest thy selfe vaine cruel vnquiet vncerteine cursed and desperate And because thou wouldest bestowe thy poisons and not be perceiued thou couerest it ouer with a lyttle honnie of delight O foolish worldlings and louers of Voluptuousnesse why suffer you your selues to be so fowlye abused Why flye you not from her since you knowe she is dampnable Why doe you beléeue a lyar Why doe you follow a deceiuer Why become you acquainted with such a murtherer Why doe you not purge your vnderstandings of erronious opinions Why consider you not what the world is with a perfect iudgement If you did all this you should finde your selues out of the way For worldly goods voluptuousnesse and pleasure are mingled rather with sowre things then with swéete In following Voluptuousnesse you are not happy but vnhappy not wise but flat fooles Saint Iohn saith All that is in the world is cōcupiscence of the flesh cōcupiscence of the eyes concupiscence of pride The world and all her concupiscences shal passe but he that doth the will of the Lord shall continue eternally Harken you
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
it as thou hast had It was Gods doing and no will of thine if thou hast had no occasion nor conuenient time nor fit opportunitie to fall into that sinne Suppose thou hast had occasion offered with opportunitie and all things fit and yet hast refrained Well it is God then that hath guided and gouerned thée that thou shuldest not doe it Acknowledge then the grace of God as thou art bound because thou hast not committed such a sinne For as he who hath committed most sins is most indebted to God euen so is he who neuer sinned Gods debter For were not the grace of God his guide he woulde doe ill inough Now to our purpose After the Lord had conuinced the Pharesie of his prowd opinion to comfort the sorowfull woman lyeng at his féet he said thus Woman thy sinnes are forgiuen thee O ioifull voice O happy woman that art worthye to heare the Sonne of God speake to thée and vnto forgiue thée thy sinnes But those comfortable words of the Lord greatly offended the proud Pharisies at the feast who turned them to blasphemie saieng What fellowe is this that also forgiueth sinnes It is apparent inough that he is a blasphemer for to pardon and forgiue sinnes belongeth onelye to God No doubt our Lord Iesus Christ was taken to be a very poore man of him that requested him to dinner and to those which were at the table It was knowen that man could not forgiue sinnes but they beléeued not that Iesus Christ was God and therefore say they What fellowe is this that forgiueth sinnes These feasters were sicke of a deadly disease which they neither knew nor yet the remedy to heale and doe them good Is it not a madnesse that such as are sicke should fall a laughing at them that are sounde and in good health So did the Pharesies laugh at Iesus Christ and the woman who were not sicke or if she were sicke she acknowledged hir sicknesse and sought helpe of the Phisition It is most true that a man cannot forgiue sins but this woman which beleeued that Christ coulde forgiue sinnes beléeued also that he was God and therefore able to forgiue sinnes But why did not our Sauiour Christ aunswere these murmuring Pharesies and say I am the Sonne of God when they asked the question saieng What fellowe is this that forgiueth sinnes No he let them murmure and turned himselfe towards the woman and said Thy faith hath saued thee depart in peace Though she heard him say vnto the Pharesies these men murmure and estéeme of me as it pleaseth them neuerthelesse be thou assured that thy faith hath saued thee and therefore depart in peace and enioy full rest and tranquilitie of conscience iustified by a liuely faith and fulfilled with loue Let all sicke soules that are laden with sinnes if they will be healed let them I say come in faith and assured hope to the true Phisition of soules which is Iesus Christ let them confesse their offences with sorow and wéeping let them wipe the féete of our Lord with their haire and they shall be restored made whole and recouer their health Let your superfluous riches be giuen among the poore and not spent in feasting dronkennes and pompeous apparaile And after that the sinner with great loue and liberalitie hath thought vppon the poore speaking to them with great gentlenesse helping them in their néede as well with good counsell as with almes déedes and liuing as the rule of Gods word requireth in holinesse and righteousnesse he shall be sure to receiue peace and quietnesse of conscience and be reconciled to God the father for the merites of his deare Sonne Iesus Christ his death and passion to whom be all honour and glory for euer and euer Amen ¶ THE KNIGHT HAVING RECEIVED THE holy Communion heard the sermon and ended dinner mounted into a chariot of triumph and was by Gods grace carried to the Pallaice of Vertue The vij Chapter IT cannot be knowen how much consolation I tooke by the Sermon of the good Hermit wherefore I was desirous to know his name the which I asked of Lady Memory who tolde me that it was good Vnderstanding Then I receiued the holy Communion which being ended and thankes giuen to God I meant to salute and gratifie him But before we went to receiue the holy Sacrament of the body bloud of our Lord Sauiour Iesus Christ I remembred the great loue of our Lord which humbly tooke vpon him our fraile and weake nature for our sakes became accursed and suffred most bitter death vpon the Crosse to deliuer vs out of the bondage of sinne hell and eternall death and to bring vs to euerlasting life I remembred also the loue which he shewed vnto me in drawing me out of the sinke of sinne wherein I was plunged ouer head and eares so that I was not onely drawn from my vnspekable sinnes but also made a Communicant of the mysterie of his deuine maiestie by faith And to the ende it might please him to giue me grace to receiue it aright I praied vnto him on this wise O sweete Iesus and louing Redéemer I yéelde thée thankes for thy vnspeakable loue by the which thou hast purged me from the filth of sinne and pluckt me by thy grace out of the darke dungeon of death Beholde I reconcile my selfe vnto thée most heartely beséeching thée that thou wouldest vouchsafe amongst the great number of thy benefites of thy great liberalitie to giue me grace to bée a faithfull pertaker of thy precious body and bloud represented vnto me vnder the visible forme of bread and wine O immortall King I am not worthy I confesse of so great á benefite yet I beséech thée as thou doest make the vnworthye worthye and the sinners iust so make me worthy to receiue this holy blessed and heauenly Sacrament to my soules health Féede my sinfull soule O Lord with thy spirituall bodie and let thy bloud reuiue and quicken my spirite O make me by thy grace dailye encreasing in me a member of thy mysticall bodie that I maye bée included within the couenaunt and blessing which thou madest with thy Saints and Apostles in thy last Supper communicating vnto them the holy Sacrament of thy bodie and bloud and consequently that I maye be of the number of them which according to their vowe and promise made in Baptisme doe liue in faith and by thy grace are receiued into the company of Saints Amen This Praier being ended with all reuerence and deuotion I receiued the holy Sacrament and that being ended we went from the Chapple into a great hall where I met the good Hermite Vnderstanding whom when I had saluted and he me I thanked him for his good Sermon Then as wee were talking Gods grace saide vnto me Sir Knight I giue thée for thy Gouernour this good Hermite Vnderstanding belieue his counsell and doe what he commands thée Then I remembred my olde Gouernesse Folly whom I left in
the will worketh his feats at libertie And it is called Frée will because of the iudgement of the soule therefore Frée will is in the superiour part of the soule for thereby we differ from brute beasts who haue a sense as well as we but no iudgement of Frée will Nowe when we say that vertue is a good qualitie of the soule that is to saie of Frée will For vertue qualifies Free-will disposeth and prepareth it to doe and will well neither of which cannot be done without the aide and grace of God The second part of the definition is Wherby a man liueth rightly But no man liueth rightly vnles he liue iustly no mā liueth iustly w tout vertue Ergo no man liueth rightly without vertue Who so liueth rightly liueth wel who so liueth well if he continue in so doing atchiueth true felicitie It followeth then y t by vertue we atchiue true felicitie for vertue prepares Frée will which is corrupt depraued therfore vnapt either for well willing or well doing but the grace of God reseruing it by vertue it is made capable of perfect blessednesse The third part of y e definition is And committeth none euill Wherein is comprehended the excellencie of vertue great goodnes by the which none can do il Men may abuse al y e goods al y e arts sciences in the world as indéed very often they are ill vsed as with monie wine women but by vertue they be neuer abused who vseth vertue he doth y e works of vertue Who so vseth y e deeds of vertue he doth wel if by vertue none doth ill thou oughtest rather to loose all y t is in the world then to lose vertue seeing she excels in goodnesse all things in the world The fourth part of the definition is Which thing indeed is the only work of God in man Uertue thē is a work of God in vs as witnesseth S. Austen vpon y t sentence which is spoken in the 118. Psalme I haue done iudgement iustice Iustice saith he is a great vertue of the soule comming more then he sawe for he sawe a man and he beléeued that the same man was God also which he sawe not for he said Thou art my God and my Lord. In this consisteth the merite of faith when a man at y e commandement of God beleeueth that thing which he séeth not To beleeue saith Saint Austen is to thinke vppon a thing with consent to that thought as when thou thinkest the Son of God was borne of a Uirgin had tooke mans nature vpon him consentest to y e thought it is properly called beliefe This thought may come often by séeing and often by hearing And therefore Saint Paule saith that Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God He vnderstands that by hearing Faith comes into the minde and thought if we consent therevnto For we maye beholde a Preacher without consenting to that he saith because men doe not alwaies beleeue what the Preacher speaketh for y t the consent wherin consisteth the perfection of Faith comes of the méere gift of God not from séeing nor hearing but frō the light of grace speking in the soule of the beleeuer beléeuing the principal truth which is God working in him a consent agreement w t that principal souereign trurh aboue al other things So that Faith is a foundation vnmoueable both of beleeuers and of truth by the which Faith when it is ioyned with Charitie our Lord Iesus Christ who is the onely foundation of true blessednesse dwelleth in the hearts of the beleeuers and so long as Faith is in man he shal be sure not to perish but Faith without Charitie is no foundation because such Faith is vaine and vnprofitable Faith then ioyned with Loue or Charitie belongs to good Christians and Faith without Loue belongs to euill Christians It is necessarie therfore that we note the difference in these three saiengs or speaches namely To beleeue a God to beleeue of God and to beleeue in God To beleeue of God is to beléeue that all is true which God saith so beleeue the euill Christians as well as the good vnlesse they be Heretikes To beleeue a God is to beléeue that he is the onely true and almightie God and so the Diuells doe beléeue as well as the euill Christians But to beléeue in God is to loue God and to trust in God and in beléeuing to ioyne thy selfe to God by loue and obedience incorporating thée with his mēbers that is to say his Church This Faith iustifieth and maketh righteous the sinner and this Faith being knit with Loue and with Charitie begins to doe good deedes which cannot be done without Loue. The Faith which euill Christians haue is indéede a qualytie of fréewill but it is not knit with Loue and Charitie which is the bonde of perfection and the life of Faith as Faith is the life of the soule And yet such an vnshapen Faith being naked and voide of Charitie may be termed a gift of God for that the euill man may haue some gifte of God but that cannot properly be called Vertue because that by Vertue we learne to liue rightly and for that the Diuels and euill Christians doe liue wickedly it is a signe that the faith which they haue is dead and therefore is not properly Vertue nor yet a worke of Vertue If thou wilt then haue thy Faith to be good and wholesome it must haue foure properties that is to say it must be plaine and simple it must be whole and sound it must be constant and vnmouable it must be quicke and liuely Touching the first that it must be plaine and simple that teacheth thée thus much in effect that thou must beléeue the word of God plainly simply whatsoeuer is therein contained without enquiring or searching in Gods mysticall matters by humaine reasons but simply beléeuing in thy heart that euery thing contained in the holy Bible is most true Secondly thy Faith must be whole and sound that is to say thou must not take parte with heretikes or leane to the erronious opinions of the enimies of Gods truth for this is no good or wholesome Faith And therefore for a testimonie of thy Faith be not ashamed to make open confession in the congregation of thy beliefe saieng with y e felowship communion of Saints I beleeue in the holy Trinitie as y e holy Church founded by Christ whereof he is y e head hath taught me so do I frame my faith· Thirdly it must be constant and vnmouable that is to say without doubting for any reson of mans braine that séemeth contrarie nor for any temptation promises or threatnings either of torment or of death And let not the obstinacie of such as inchaunt with the vaine pleasures of this life although they liue most ioyfully allure thee to leane to their opinion which is flat heresie For that
is a work of Satans who wholly possesses them and can transfigure and chaunge himselfe into an Angell of light to deceiue the simple and innocent whom God permits to be tempted for the triall of their constancie Not that he is ignoraunt of the issue but because he would haue it appeare to others that he crowns vs with his glorie for our constancie and perseueraunce This is clearely set downe by Moses in the xiij of Deuteronomie and by Saint Peter in his second Epistle and second Chapter and by our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ in the 24. of Mathew And though we liue in the latter times when manie sects and errours doe abound and vertue and truth in many places doth faile Yet let vs listen what our Lord and Sauiour saith Whosoeuer beleueth to the ende shâ—ll be saued Fourthly and lastly thy Faith must be quicke and liuely that is to saye it must be linked with Loue and Charitie which is the life of Faith as the soule is the life of the body And therefore abuse not thy selfe as some doe saieng I haue Faith and I shall be saued whatsoeuer chaunce No no assure thy selfe that if thy Faith be not quickned with Loue and Charitie it is nothing woorth and therefore vnable to atchieue true blessedndsse as S. Paule wel noteth in the first Epistle the xiij chapter to the Corinths Euen so when our Lord in the Gospel attributeth saluation vnto Faith S Paule iustification this is to be vnderstood of an holy liuely and Euangelicall Faith working with Loue and Charitie Likewise our Lord and Sauiour saith in the Gospell that Hee which beleeueth and will be baptised shall bee saued this is meant of such a Faith as Loue quickeneth and Charitie reuiueth The holy Scripture in many places expresseth that None shall be saued vnlesse he obserue and kéepe the Commaundements of God Now none can kéepe the Commaundements without Loue and Charitie Ergo none can be saued without Loue and Charitie The summe and effect of all is this that whosoeuer renounceth sinne and wickednesse imbraceth a quicke and liuely Faith and liueth in Loue and Charitie he cannot perish but shall finde in the end true perfect and euerlasting Felicitie in the kingdome of Heauen ¶ THE DESCRIPTION OF HOPE and how we ought to hope in almightie God The fourth Chapter NOw sir Knight know this that Hope is a vertue whereby both goods spirituall eternal are hoped for And as Faith is of things not séene so is Hope also For Saint Paule saith Hope that is seene is no Hope because we haue possession of it already It is common to Faith and Hope to be of things vnséene and yet Hope is distinguished from Faith not onely by name but also by reason For by Faith we beleeue as well euill things as good that is to say Heauen and Hell We beléeue that Adulterie is a verie wicked sinne we beléeue also Charitie is a very good thing all these things good and bad we beléeue but we hope onely for good things and not for bad Againe Faith is of things past present and to come For we beleeue the death of Iesus Christ which is past we beleeue also that at this present he sits at the right hand of God the Father in Heauen and we beléeue that Christ shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead But vnder correction I thinke that Hope is of things present as when I hope that I am in GODS fauour and of things past as when I hope my sinnes be forgiuen me and of things to come as when I hope to haue eternall life This is true that Faith hath an eye generallye vnto that which is spoken in holy Scripture beléeuing that all the promises without exception which God made shall bee accomplished without descending to particular or speciall persons but Hope applieth vnto hir selfe those same promises waiting and hoping for the accomplishment of that which God hath promised And therefore it is requisite for assured saluation that thou beleeue thou shalt be saued and but to hope so is sufficient For Faith of and in it selfe importeth an infallible assuraunce and certaintie of things as when we firmely beléeue all the Articles of our true and Christian Faith and all things conteined in the holy Scriptures to be more certaine than man is man but the hoping of it is not so requisite For if we haue a firme affiaunce in the goodnesse of God touching our saluation and doubt not a whitte of the remission of our sinnes it is enough Ther be two degrées in Hope which are two contrary extremities The one being the most highest is most perfect infailable assuraunce of eternall blessednesse The other being the basest and lowest is to despaire of saluation Betwéene these two extremities consisteth Hope But the more y t a man approcheth to the highest extremitie which is an infaileable assuraunce of eternall life and the more he recoileth from the basest and lowest extremitie which is desperation the more perfect is he in Hope It sufficeth the hoping man that beléeues loues God that he haue a firme affiaunce confidence that God of his good grace will giue him whatsoeuer he hath promised vnto his elect hoping that he is of their number So it is necessarily requisite that we haue a perfect and an infaileable certaintie of our saluation Now for that in the definition of Hope it is said that by hir we looke and hope for the spirituall and eternall goodnesse it is to be noted that Hope hath two obiects the first and the principall is God himselfe and the perfect inioying of his presence The other is all the necessarie meanes to come vnto the cleare séeing and inioying of God and these meanes are the remission of our sinnes iustification the help of Gods grace Faith vnfained and charitable deedes agréeablenes vnto God Now all that we hope for we ought with praier deuoutly to craue of God as his Kingdome the remission of our sinnes iustification increase of grace and vertue déedes of Faith and Charitie But concerning goodes temporall forasmuch as we may vse them well and ill they may be saide to hinder the saluation of man rather then to further it And therfore the good Christian ought not to aske them nor to couet theÌ„ excessiuely indéed so much as wil necessarily serue him for sustenaunce in this life he may lawfully aske And héere by the waye it is a lesson worthy the learning namely that it is necessarie for vs to do good workes because it hath plesed God to inrich vs with goods which goodes ought well to be employed Now vnto him properly belongeth the merits of the workes which he worketh in vs. For all our good workes are the gifts of God howbeit he doth not denie vs his grace whereby we consent to doe the good works which he onely moueth in vs. And therefore euery one ought to the vttermost that he is able to do good works
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.
were consumed Being in that maze Vertue tolde me that in hir Pallaice neuer came night and that darknesse had nothing to doe where she dwelt Then Memory put me in minde what Gods grace tolde me by the way saieng that by the workes of Faith which are the fruits of the same I might perceiue and sée the Citie of Heauen wherein is comprehended the true and blessed Felicitie Then Faith led me to hir Tower and all the other vertues kept vs company For Faith properly is not without Hope nor Hope without Charitie and therfore they must go altogether And though these vertues haue distinct and seuerall properties yet they ioyne hands and are neuer asunder S. Hierome saith that Abraham was furnished with Faith Iob with Fortitude and Patience Dauid with Humilitie and so consequently of other holy men recorded in Scripture Then Faith from hir high Tower showed mée a high hill whereon was builded a meruailous sumptuous Citie and she tolde me it was the Citie of Heauen wherein is comprehended true blessednesse and perfect felicitie In that Citie I sawe neuer a Temple which made me meruaile vntill that Faith told me that the Lord God almightie was the Temple of that Citie There needes no shining of Sun nor brightnes of Moone nor glittering of stars to giue them light for the almightie God is their true light himselfe None enters into this Citie but such as are written in the booke of life Furthermore Faith tolde me that there was no discord no aduersitie no sinne no reproch no iniquitie no feare no sorrow no shame no tumult no darknes no paine no mistrust no violence no vnquietnes no ill no grudging finally nothing that fauoured of mortalitie but there was concord prosperitie perfection vnitie loue gladnesse quietnesse staiednesse charitie sure rest perpetuall felicitie and euerlasting ioye in God with eternall life and happinesse There was mirth without sadnesse rest without labor gaine without losse health without paine abundance without want life without death cleannesse without corruption happinesse without hinderaunce In this Citie God is seene face to face there is the endlesse lyght shining the Saints alwaies singing blessed soules reioycing and euer beholding God yet still coueting to sée him without dulnesse of desire The Citizens of this Citie of heauen are coheires of the eternall Deitie the Father Sonne and holy Ghost They are made incorruptible and immortall according to the promise of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ saieng Father those that thou hast giuen me I will that they bee with me where I am that they may see my brightnesse What can I say more in this Citie is one King without death and without chaunge without beginning and without ending In this Citie there is no night there is no limitation or terme of time but continuall day most brightly shining For in this Citie dwelleth the Father of lights euen God himselfe whose brightnesse no darknes can ouershadow The Citizens of this Citie are most blessed and fortunate For they are pertakers of vnspeakable grace of vnmeasurable happinesse of endlesse ioye of such perfection as therevnto there can be added no more Unto this place shall the iust be aduaunced as for the wicked their portion is in the Lake boyling with fire and brimstone But to proceede in our purpose ¶ THE DESIRE THAT THE KNIGHT had to come to heauen and how Gods grace brought Perseuerance The ix Chapter HAuing séene from the Tower of Faith the Citie of heauen and heard by hir the manner of it I was rauished of my wit estéemed nothing at all of the world For I felt not my selfe my thought I was walking in Heauen Héerevpon I desired Faith that I might remaine still in hir Tower the which willingly she graunted me insomuch that I was neuer wearie out of hir Tower window to behold heauen yea the more I behelde it the more beautifull it séemed In the end I was loath to liue in this world desired death that I might the sooner sée the citie of Heauen haue the sight and inioying of Christ my Redéemer Then kneeling by my selfe all alone I made this praier saieng O how happy is the soule that is out of this earthly prison resteth in heauen most ioifully seeing his Sauior face to face That soule is without feare afflictiō O how happy is the soule which is in the company of Angels holy Saints singing praises vnto the highest Such a soule surely is ladē with abūdance of ioy O happy societie of citizens O happy company of Saints which lamented in their mortall life but now raigne with God immortally O sweet Iesus let me come to thy plesant Citie wher thy Citizens see thee daily to their great delight O let me come ther wher nothing is troublesome to heare or vnderstand what melody heare they without ending And how happy wer I if I might heare the songs or be admitted to sing a song of Dauid in thy holy hil of Sion O that I being the least of thy seruants may by thy grace put off my fleshly burden and come to thy happy Citie to accompany the holy happy assembly of Saints to see the glory of my Creator to behold his amiable Maiestie That I may be made meet for this so great a blessing grant I beseech thee O gratious God that I neuer loke backe vppon this shadowe or valley of teares that I remember not the false plesures of this wicked worlde that I esteeme not this corruptible euil lyfe O how can we here be happie where the Diuell alwayes assalts vs Where the world flatters vs Where the soule is blinded And where al men sin After which greate euils death doth followe as the verie end of al vaine pleasures then they are esteemed as if they had neuer ben What recompēce may be made vnto thee O GOD which giuest vs consolation in the middest of all our extremities by the wonderfull visitation of thy diuine grace Beholde me miserable wretch filled with sadnesse wherein I consider my sinnes when I feare thy iudgement when I thinke on the houre of death when I remember the paines of hell when I am ignorant what punishment I deserue when I knowe not where nor in what estate I shall end my dayes In all these things and many other I appeale to thy gratious goodnesse knowing that thou art readye to giue me consolation against all these sorrowes Thou liftest vp my soule ful of anguish aboue all mountaines thou makest me receiue thy great Loue Charitie goodnes by the which thou recreatest my heauie spirit and reioysest my sad heart in reuealing vnto me thy heauenly delights This praier ended I vtterly forgat all my miseries and rested my soule vpon the anchor of Hope Then as I was kneeling Gods grace appered vnto me accompanied with an other Lady which I had not séene before And after I had giuen her thanks for all her benefits she deliuered mée this Lady named