whereby covetousness and desire of Riches is understood First though Gold and silver be but Earth what vexation hath the covetous Man to atchieve it He saileth over tempestuous Seas he climeth over Monstrons Mountains he diggeth deep into the bowels of the Earth he suffereth hunger thirst cold heat and a thousand mischiefs One is drowned another killed the third robbed and he that hath obtained his purpose liveth in fear to lose it the covetous Man suspects every body It is not Coffers full of Coin that can make men happy Our Saviour terms it Trash and Thornes because it pricks the heart and corrupteth both Body and Soul Saint Paul saith He that wisheth Wealth in this World falleth into temptation Is not Judas an Example who in case of covetousnes hanged himself Now to Coucupiscence of Pride He that hath Honour Authority Might Estimation and Dignity in this World thinketh he is happy but such are loden with unhappiness for what pains labour and vexation endureth the ambitious Man before he can come to dignity Honour and Authority And when he hath it with all these vexations he is not sure how long he shall enjoy it We see oftentimes Fortune turns her Wheel and that the Ambitious end their Libes with infamy Take an Example of Priamus King of Troy who flourished in Friends and Riches Honour Might Kindred and Children did not he and his Off-spring the greatest part of them dye most miserably as for the rest they became Servitors and were at length killed in Troy Croesus King of the Lydians as rich and mighty as he was after he had raigned fifteen years he was Vanquished by King Cyrus lost his Realm was carryed away Captive and led all the rest of his life like a Slave Dionyfius the cowardly King of Sicill was hunted out of his Realm and became so poor that he kept a Schoole in Corinth and by teaching little Children he got his living very poorly God wot and beggerly Mithridate King of Pontus a rich and mighty Prince he subdued twelve Nations wherein some say all Languages were spoken yet he for all that after he had wearied the World with Wars was forsaken of his own People pursued by his own Son and overcome by subtilty insomuch that he was glad to desire a Frenchman to kill him who did so and that was his end Valerianus the great Emperour of Rome even he that persecuted the Christians and did much mischief was taken by his Enemy the King of Persia who against the Law of Arms made him lye down whiles he trode on his back to leap on his Horse Bajazet the fourth King of the Turks was Vanquished by Tamberlane a Tartarian and King of Scythia who kept him in a Cage like a beast and with a Golden Chain led him like a Spaniel throughout all the Army yea he was glad to feed under Tamberlanes Table like a dog And therefore let this be a conclusion that Honour Authority and Dignity is no Inheritage Moreover what Labours Trabels Verations and Perils do Princes pass through even at the present to maintain themselves in their Estates What Wars and slaughters have been committed partly to get and partly to keep rule and Regiment Ambitious Worldlings cannot play with their pleasures if they have not first passed some of these Vexations In youth men run their race without regard of Conscience but when age comes on and nothing left for Lust when White hairs a Walking staffe or crutch a pair of spectacles Cotton put in their ears when none of these things can help them then must they endure the gnawing of Conscience which Voluptuousness kept hidden a long time Whatsoever is pleasant to youth the same is unpleasant to Age. And what comfort may an Old Man conceive when he can think upon no time of his youth that was well spent and Vertuously bestowed What discomfort is it when Conscience accuses the old man of his young years wickedly wasted But as the Elect live in hope so do the Reprobate in despair He that followeth Voluptuousness is Gods enemy For Saint James saith He that loves the World hateth God You may well think that Sin is hated of God when he suffered his only Son to dye upon the Altar of the cross for this end that Sin should not be unpunished And why was it but because the Sins of Adam encreased as Generations multiplyed The evill rich Man that lived at his lust was Tormented in Hell with fire and thirst in whom the words of our Saviour Christ are verified saying Woe unto you that now laugh for you shall lament and weep Go to you foolish Worldlings therefore and you Vain Voluptuous persons vaunting your selves happy in following your fleshly appetites when for such pleasures you shall suffer torments not in this World but in the World to come you will sing a new note But now to our Knight whom we left in the mire and deep ditch of Sin I refer you to the Psalms of David and chiefly the 36.98.72.143 and there you shall find the truth that Worldly Felicity is no other thing than Vanity dreams and meer aâ—uses and also that Worldlings are accursed and unhappy Wherefore I beseech you in the name of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ to use the goods of this world as Pilgrims use their Lodgings and such fare as they find in their Voyage that is not to set your hearts upon them nor so to love them that nothing be lest for the Lord. For as the Knight saw the Palace of wordly Felicity sink suddenly with all her people and pomp even so shall it happen unto all Voluptuous worldings at the dreadfull day of Iudgment unless they return from their wicked wayes forsake Sin embrace a new lise and serve the Lord in holiness and righteousness VVherefore let us bridle our affections refrain our own pleasures repent with true sorrow of heart attend wait and hope for the mercy of God by the intercession of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ that he may make us happy Possessors of true and everlasting Felicity to whom be all honour and glory world without end The end of the first part of the Voyage of the wandring Knight THE VOYAGE OF The Wandring Knight The Second Part. CHAP. I. Gods Grace draweth the Knight out of the filth of Sin wherein he stuck fast I Have declared in the first part of my Voyage how being governed by Folly in contemning Vertue and following Voluptuousness I entred into the Palace of false Felicity there resting my self for a certain season and transgressing all the Commandements of God in leading a diffolute and worldly Life thinking that by living so I might be happy whereas indeed I was unhappy And why because that in stead of Felicity I found Vanity For as I thought to recreate my self in hunting I saw the Palace of Voluptuousness sink and come to utter confusion and my self also plunged into the pit of Sin even up to the saddle
against us And lead us not into temptation But deliver us from evill Amen Besides all this thou must also most heartily humble thy self before God acknowledging thy self a sinner and that thou canst do nothing that is righteous but if there be any goodness in thee either of Nature or of Gods Grace thou must sreely confess that all comes from above Repute not thy self better than another but rather the least of all If any despise thee mock thee or injure thee suffer it not only patiently but also willingly and gladly even for the love of God For the sealing Ladder of Heaven is Humility a full denying of thy self in worldly causes Think not well of thy self for any thing that thou doest hast done or mayest do but if thou hast any goodness in thy body or in thy soul be not ashamed to confess that it is not thine because it comes not from thee but of God for from him indeed it proceeds And when at any time thou findest thy self as it were lest of God and destitute of consolation whether it be inwardly or outwardly be not discouraged for it neither think that God hath Forgotten thee but heartily Humble thy Self before God putting all thy confidence in God as in one that knows how to save his Elect. If thou receive any blessing inwardly as Wisdom or any other gift exalt not thy self in pride neither discommend others that have not received of God such grace but use that which thou hast to Gods glory Again if thou see thy Neighbour fall take heed judge him not but think that God permits thee to see his effence for thy profit Imagine thou wast never touched with that crime well it is much but yet thou hast been culpable in some other as bad or else worse upon this examination reform thy self suppose thou art in no fault thou must not therefore esteem thy self better than he that is in fault knowing thou art of such a nature as he is and made of the same stuff as he is and therefore notwithstanding thy supposition a sinner and offender as well as he so that both need amending Be thou sure that if God had provided no better for thee than thy self deserved thou hadst committed the like offence or else greater and thank God for that he hath kept thee so and pray for him that doth amisse and is not yet converted When thou seest a sinner only led to lose his life by Law know that thou standest a sinner before God as well as he although before the world thou be esteemed better There is no School wherein a Christian may so well learn to live well as in the contemplation of Christs life and conversation thou must oftentimes think on thy last end as Death Iudgement Hell and Heaven persevere in Prayer so shalt thou please God and not be loath to die Remember thy end saith the wife Man and thou shalt never sin thou must often pray deboutly to God and when thou wilt so do thou must draw thy self from all affairs for Prayer is a lifting up of the heart to God and a private speech of the soul with God If it be so were there any reason that a man should draw his cogitations from God or rather all outward businesse put apart with all reverence to submit thy soul before him All this notwithstanding it is not forbidden in all our affairs to pray and sing Psalms to Gods glory and oftentimes with Tears to say the Lords Prayer or any other Prayer to that effect And here by the way thou must understand that the longest Prayer is not the profitablest because of the multitude of cogitations of the minde besides that thou must be devout for the prayers which are done with devotion of the heart do profit all other prayers are but vain and to no purpose If thou pronounce but three words as the Publican did saying God be mercifull to me a sinner or as the Canaanite said O Son of David have mercy upon me it is enough Again be not curious of thy tongue nor line in speaking it sufficeth that thy heart speaks within thee and thy tongue though but bleatingly if unfainedly it is well as we read of Moses and Anna Samuels Mother Worldly goods superssuonsly thou oughtest not to ask but necessarily and with measure for thy bodily health and for the succour of the needy If thou be sick poor or in adversity thou mayst ask Health Riches or Prosperity so it be done to Gods glory But if thy asslictions do more advance Gods glory than thy prosperity doth yeelding thy soill to Gods will thou oughtest to ask Patience and say with a meek heart Lord thy will be done and not mine I thy senses be inclined to sin be not dismayed for there is a God to whom if thou pray he will by the power of his grace suppresse that inclination Wherefore take courage when thou art tempted ask help of God saying O God make speed to save me O Lord make haste to help me Lord God leave me not but be my help O thou Lord God of my health Do what thou canst to resist the Devil and he shall go from thee approach unto God by Faith and be will draw near unto thee by his Spirit If the Devil assault thee desy him and make thy moan to thy Saviour saying Lord help me and be with me Do thou thy endeavour and assure thy self that God will make thee strong he will aid thee he will ease thee and in the end will set thee free from all verations placing thee in the Heaven of Heavens the Portion and Inheritance of his Servants To this God and to Iesus Christ with the holy Ghost he all glory honour and praise world without end Amen CHAP. XII The Authors Peroration or Conclusion to the devout Readers or Hearers I Thank Almighty God of his goodnesse that I am come to the End of the Voyage of the wandring Knight by the which thou mavest understand that in following Folly and vain Voluptuousnesse he forsook God to the prejudice and hurt of his Soul yea to the danger of everlasting damnation Here thou mayest learn that all voluptuous worldlings are the very Subjects of Sathan and their earthly goods and worldly pleasures shall quickly consume Thou art taught likewise what great clemency God used to … m drawing him by his grace from the sink of sin wherein he was sunk how he was led to the Palace of Repentance and from thence to the Palace of Vertue where by Gods grace he is now and what goodnesse he hath found there thou hast heard at large The Lord grant us to land where he is landed even in the Land promised to the Elect. Amen And now to conclude I beseech your courtesies that if any thing in this my labour mislike you interpret the same to the best and lay nothing to my charge in the way of presumption but commending my good meaning and allowing my will not to contemn but to speak well and esteem of this my Work and to use it for thy benefit and edincation for the which end I made and compiled the same And now I exhort you all in Christian love and charity that if by Gods grace you be resident in Vertues Palace to persevere and continue there to the end humbling your selves before God and allwayes trusting unto his goodnesse not unto our own strength or merits acknowledging also Gods grace by the which you are as you are and of whom you have that you have Let all your considence be in his mercy and in his goodnesse Furthermore if any feel and perceive himself out of Vertues Palace by the means of wordly vanities let him consider the great peril he is in and speedily turn to repentance with a contrite and sorrowfull heart requiring pardon of God and trusting wholly in the merits and passion of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ Let him not be ashamed to acknowledge his sins which if he do he shall finde at Gods hands grace and mercy And now I beseech nor Lord God to give us all Grace to do according unto that which is here spoken for otherwise of our selves it is not possible that leading a life acceptable and agreeable unto his holy will we may in the end after the Voyage which we have to passe in this world see and enjoy possesse and have the full fruition of that glorious city of Paradise where true Blessednesse and perfect Felicity welleth even in the Habitation of God Almighty unto whom be all Honour Glory Power and Dominion for evermore Amen FINIS
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
the infallible Truth spake thus to Nicodemus God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son to the end that whosoever believeth in him should be saved and not perish but have everlasting life God sent not his Son into the World to condemn the World but to the end the World should be saved by him To the Scrives and Pharisies which murmured because he did eat and drink among Publicans and Sinners Christ said Those that be whole need not the Physitian but such as be sick Again I came not saith the Lord to call the just but Sinners to repentance Not as a Iudge but as a Physitian for such as languish in their Sins came I into the World not that they should remain Sinners but to turn them from their Sins that being Penitent they might be made righteous Likewise he told the Pharisees that the Angels in Heaven do more rejoyce in one penitent Sinner than in 99 just persons which need no repentance God saith Saint Paul spared not his only Son but gave him that he should rather dye for us than we be unpardoned If God spared not his only Son to dye for Sinners what thing is more precious unto him that he should resuse to give them And therefore the same Apostle speaking or Iesus Christ saith thus We have not an high Priest which cannot have Compassion of our Infirmities but such a one as in all points was tempted as well as we Sin excepted Let us go then boldly to the Seat of Grace that we may obtain merry and find grace in time convenient If I should rehearse all the places of the Scripture to this effect the ti … e would fail me Thus we see then none hath cause to distrust the goodness of God or to despair because of the greatness of his Sins seeing that God hath made so many fair promises to pardon the Penitent Sinner there be many Examples in the Old and New Testament of the performance of Gods promises as namely to David who commitred bath Adultery and Murther he even he by sorrowing for his offences and crying Peccavi obtained mercy and pardon of all his Wickedness Manasses the Son of Hezekiah set up the false worship of God which his Father had defaced and of an evill zeal to infidelity he himself offered up his own Children in fire for Sacrifice He persecuted the Prophets and sine innumerable Innocents amongst all which he caused the prophet Esay to be sawn in pieces In the end he was taken by his Enemies and led Captive into Babylon but when he was in his extreamity he acknowledged his offence and asked forgiveness of God by whom he was received to favour and restored to his Kingdom again The People of Ninive whom God threatned by the Prophet Jonas utterly to destroy for the multitude of their Sins they repented and prayed and so God forgave them The Samaritane also and the Canaanite notwithstanding their horrible sins when they asked Gods mercy he forgave them Matthew Zacheus and divers other Publicans upon their repentance were received into favour Peter that denyed his Master our Lord Iesus Christ three times swearing that he knew him not when he wept vitterly for his Sins he was received into mercy The Thief also upon the Cross being at the paint of Death even this Fellow who lived upon nothing but Robbery and Man slaughter all his life time acknowledged his hainous Sins asked pardon and God forgave him yea he obtained more than he required for Christ said unto him This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise This is Gods property even to give of his Liverality more than Men do or can ask Saint Paul was a Blasphemer and a Persecuter of Gods Church and yet he received mercy God hath set down such Persons as Examples for Sinners to the end they should not doubt of his Mercy and to teach them that he doth not Pardon offences for the merits of the Sinners which are stark Naught even when they are best but for his mercies sake which is adove all his Works For so to imagine of Mens merits is Destruction if any thing be ascribed unto merits then to the merits of his Son Iesus Christ and for his bitter Passion sake Let this be the conclusion that albeit the Sinner hath committed as many Sins as there be drops of Water in the Sea or Sands on the Sea shore yet he hath no cause to despair for though they be never so monstrous and manifold yet the mercy of God doth infinitely exceed them For his mercy consumes them sooner than the fire doth durn up the dry Ton. When I heard Lady Remembrance read these words I took heart a grace and recited a place Written in the Psalmes of David According to the multitude of the grief and sorrowes of my heart thy consolations have refreshed my Soul And then falling on my knees holding up my hands with sorrowfull Countenance and Compunction of Heart resting wholly upon the mercies and promises of God and the merits of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ I most humbly desired pardon for my Sins at the hands of Gods grace Vpon which unfained confession of mine offences and heart-grief hand-maids of perfect Repentance and fore-runners to the purpose I received by the means of Gods grace the benefit of the death and Passion of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all Honour and Glory for ever and ever Amen CAP. VI. A Sermon which Understanding the good Hermit made unto the Knight upon the History of Mary Magdalen IN the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost Amen The great goodness and unspeakable mercy which hath been used in all Ages and times of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ towards all poor Sinners are in many places of the Gospel made manitest and clearly notified but chiesty in the seventh of Luke Wherein mention is made of a sinfull Woman lewd of Life and of ill name contemned despised and abhorred of Men whom sweet Iesus did not only receive to Favour but also by inward and secret inspiration drew her to repentance how and in what sort hear and understand The Gospel saith that there was a Pharisie furnished with false Faith and nuzled with a vain Opinion of holiness he was a great Doctor of the Law and a renowned Iusticiary howbeit weak in Faith and yet very high minded When our Saviour had one day preached and instructed the People by his Divine and holy Doctrine exhorting poor Sinners to turn to God by repentance and uttering many Parables and Similitudes as the Prodigal Child the lost Sheep and such like whereby he doth declare and signifie that he is inclined to compassion ready to have mercy and to receive into savour all repentant Sinners the proud Pharisie prayed him to come into his House and to dine with him The good Lord which had taken upon Him Mans Nature
all the Palace Lady Venus and her waiting maids tending upon me But every one departed after I was in Bed saving only Venus the Goddess of Love with whom I lay all night CAP. XII The Authour declareth how the wandring Knight and such like Voluptuous livers in this world transgress the ten Commandements of Almighty God underwritten SO long as the Knight continued in this pestilent Palace of Worldly Desire following his own Fantasie by Vain Voluptuousness enticed he did no other thing but play the tool Dance Leap Sing Eat Drink Hawk Hunt Fish hunt Whores and such like as did the Prodigal Son and lead a dissolutè life for the space of eleven dayes which signifies a marvellous mystery and unfortunate For the Number Eleven by the Opinion of Christian Doctors and Philosophers is a wicked and unlucky number for that the number ten signifies the ten Commandements of God the number of Eleven which is one more prophesieth and sore-telleth the transgression of them Wherefore the Knight having remained eleven dayes in the Palace grievously transgressing the will of God letting loose the bridle of his own affections without refraining any of them if you note well the premises and see into the senuel you shall find that such as live after the order of the Palace of worldly Felicity being given to follow the pomp and Pride of the World with the Pleasures and Voluptuousness of the same and seem willing to lead that life without purpose of change nay rather triumphing and rejoycing therein I say truly that such are Transgressors of Gods Lawes Contrariwise such as account themselves here to he but Pilgrims and fix their affection on the other World where Iesus Christ raigneth in glory reputing this life an exile and destring to be delivered out of it to the end they may enter in at the Pallace of the heavenly King shall enjoy the fulness and happiness thereof As this World yields a great deal of Temporal goods and Transitory Honour so doth it also make an end of them Now these that use these gifts to the glory of God are Gods people Contrariwise those that do use them voluptuously are Vessels of the Devil and transgressours of the Lawes of God as may appear by the Ten Commandements which I have set down for that purpose Wherein all Worldlings may perceive that by living voluptuously they grievously transgress Gods Laws to their own destruction And as the Ten Commandements were written in two Tables even so are they divided into two parts The first comprehends four concerning the Love of God The second six touching the love of your Neighbour And therefore who so loseth his Life Worldling-like and fixeth his Felicity in Voluptuousness is doubtless a Vessel of the Devil and loveth not God nor his Neighbour because he transgresseth the Law of God which followeth in due and convenient order I Am the Lord thy God thou shalt have none other Gods but me 2. Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image nor the likeness of any thing that is in Heaven above nor in the Earth beneath nor in the Water under the Earth Thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them For I the Load thy God am a jealous God and vifit the Sins of the Fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth Generation of them that hate me and shew mercy unto thousands in them that love me and keep my commandements 3. Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in Vain for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in Vain 4. Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day six dayes shalt thou labour and do all that thou hast to do but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt do no manner of work thou and thy Son and thy Daughter thy Man servant thy Maid servant thy cattel and the stranger that is within thy Gates for in six dayes the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that therein is and rested the seventh day wherefore the Lord blessed the seventh day and hallowed it 5. Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy dayes may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee 6. Thou shalt do no murther 7. Thou shalt not commit Adultery 8. Thou shalt not steal 9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy Neighbour 10. Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours House thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours Wife nor his servant nor his Maid nor his Ox nor his Ass nor any thing that is his This is the Law of God by which you may perceive that such as live in the Pallace of Worldly Voluptuousness are Transgressours of the same Contrariwise such as seek for Heavenly Felicity are Gods beloved and they shall have the possession thereof Now hearken what hapned unto the Knight having lived eleven dayes in the Pallace of Vain and worldly Felicity CAP. XIII The Knight rode to recreate himself and view the warrens and Forrests which were about the pallace of worldly Felicity anon he saw it sink suddenly into the Earth and perceived himself fast in the mire up to the saddle AFter I had sojourned eleven dayes in the Pallace transgressing Gods Commandements and leading a beastly life I desired to ride into the Forrests thereabouts not intending to give over my Voluptuous life but for my pleasure because I was weary of making good chear For although Worldlings delight to eat drink dance leap sing ride run and such like yet notwithstanding they cannot continue in this trade of Life without intermingling it with some other recreation wherefore they often leave by constraint their pastimes though they intend to return thereto again They do not utterly abandon them but break off for a season to procure them better appetite I then being weary was willing to see the Warrens and other pleasures which when my governess Folly understood she told the same to Lady Voluptuousness and she consented to Hunt or Hawk with me whereof I was right glad Then I apparelled my self in Hunters guise instead of my Helmet a Hat full of Feathers for mine Armour an Horn and I leapt upon Temerity my Horse Voluptuousness had a Hobby Folly a Ienner and the other Ladies every one of them a Palfrey There came the Huntsmen with Grey-hounds and Mastives hooping hollowing and galloping together some one way some another The dogs were at a beck up starts the Hare the cry was pleasant to hear But in the midst of all our pastime I chanced to breathe my Horse and turning towards the Palace of Worldly Felicity suddenly I saw it stuk into the Earth and every Body therein But what lamentable Out-cries they made you that have reason are to judge then did there arise amongst us a Whirl-wind with an Earth-quake which set us all asunder in so much that I and my Horse sunk in mire up to the Saddle all this while my mistress Folly
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
and was born for the Salvation of all denyed not his proud fellowes request neither resused to enter into his House although he was ambitious but down at the Table sate the Son of God made Man for the Salvation of Men. He was conbersant among Men he did eat and drink with Men he offered himself a helper to every one shewing unto all his goodnesse without exception of any Now he being set at the Table there came one unto him in shape like a Woman but in courage a Man who by the brute of the whole City was counted a great Sinner and very ill-reported of the World and such a one indeed as every Body mocked and pointed at with their fingers But yet in the sight of God she was in great honour not because she was an hainous Sinner but because she was Predestinated and elected of God from the beginning to raign with him in his Heavenly Kingdom This Woman hearing by report the renown of our Redeemer and that he shewed himself sweet and bountifull to all sinners defending them against the malicious slanders and mocks of the proud and arregant Pharisies and promising to every one that believed in him the Kingdom of Heaven this Woman was inspired both outwardly and inwardly by our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ to see and hear him preach Then did she by outward speech express how she was inwardly affected and moved in mind and seeing her Soul sore sick and diseased her heart full of iniquity and sin her Conscience defiled with all kind of vice her self frustrate and void of all hope of health and devising how to recover this malady addressed her self to seek him who is the only Physitian of all sick Souls she sought for grace at the Well of Mercy and though she was a shamefull Sinner yet was she received of him which came into the World to save Sinners She came not pompously arrayed nor yet came with a train she came alone and not empty handed for she brought with her a Box full of most precious Ointment of a sweet smell representing the Faith Hope and Charity lodged in her heart What could this be but the sweet smell of Vertue For what represents the Box of Alablaster-stone but holy Faith founded upon the true Corner-stone Iesus Christ wherein is conserved all Vertues and without which it is unpossible to please God Came she alone being accompanied with Faith Hope and Charity Humility and Repentance She entred the House uncalled where was her Physitian and putting apart all shame which might hinder her together with the mocks of the proud Pharisies which sate at the Table she craved Comfort and Health for her sick Soul acknowledging her griefe and that being certain he to whom she came had power to help her Vnto this Physitian she could not have come without Faith she was not so bold and hardy as to look Iesus in the Face but sell at his seet upon Her knees sementably Weeping and with the flood of Her Hears washing his seet and wiping and drying them with Her hairy locks then she kissed them and with her Precious Oyntment she 〈…〉 All this while her vaice was not heard but her Heert spake unto the true Son of God saying I have no need to declare with my tongue my inward 〈◊〉 or to express the cause or thy coming hither seeing thou knowest the 〈…〉 to thee I come O Christ 〈…〉 to thee my sorrowfull Heart 〈…〉 working well weighed 〈…〉 heartily sorry for her offences For her 〈◊〉 eyes and her sair face which was wont to be painted with costly Colours for the adorning of Her beauty to allure licentiens Lovers and to extice Voluptuous Worldlings is now turned into Tearn Her body which afore-time was given to delights is now asisicted with Fasting Her lauging is turned into weeping and as Her first life was wholly bent to please the World so now it is more behemently and earnestly disposed to please God With Her fair flaxen Hair which she was wont to keep daintily she hath dryed our Saviours Feet her sweet lips wherewith she used to kisse her Lovers hath kissed his feet Her Odoriferous Oyntment wherewith she beautified Her face in wantonness hath anointed our Saviours feet Now all this was a sure fign of Faith Hope and Charity And thus you see how we ought to repent Surely we should do according to Saint Pauls Doctrine which is that our Members which have consented to commit iniquity should be offered unto the Lord as Instruments of righteousness to receive sanctification As for example to make the matter more manifest Hast thou been a Drunkard Become now Sober Hast thou keen a Glutton Now fast Hast thou been proud Be now humble Hast thou been Coverous Now gives Alms. Hast thou been wrathfull Be now gentle Hast thou been envious Be now charitable Hast thou been Traiterous Be now Faithfull Hast thou been Leacherous Be now Chast Hast thou been blasphemous Be now fearfull to speak any thing but Truth And so consequently to every Vile Vice lay a meet medicine which may serve for thy sickness and expel the poyson of sin But now let us see what may be thought and judged of this Pharisie who so saucily besought our Lord and Saviour to come into his House Surely he seemed as he was a Vain-glorious Hypocrite For when he saw the Wofull Woman faln at the feet of our Saviour with her Tears washing them with her hair Wiping them with her mouth kissing them and with her Precious Ointment anoynting them he blamed not only her in his heart but also our Lord for suffering her Then the Lord took the sick Woman healed her of her sickness in the presence of this proud Pharisie and with-held Physick from him whose Heart was wounded to the death with the dart of Vain-glory then he shewed himself frantick and as one that had lost his understanding not knowing his griefe nor what Medicine would do him good But what said he in his foolish Heart If this Man quoth he were a Prophet he would quickly know what Woman this is that toucheth him for she is a great Sinner This Pharisie is of the race of the Vain-glorious of whom the Prophet Esay speaketh in their person saying Come not near me for I am clear or as another Translation saith Get thee hence and meddle not with me for I am holier then thou Even so surely it is not unlike if the Woman had come near the Pharisie he would have used these words and have said Stand back and touch me not for I am holy but thou art known for a hainous Sinner Certainly true righteousness and holinesse hath compassion upon poor Sinners whereas on the contrary false righteousness and Hypocrisie hath them in Hatred and Disdain But let us listen with what sentence this sond Pharisie was convicted and reproved by our Saviour to be worse then this sinfull Woman The Lord then to shew that he was not only a Prophet but
compassion upon thee Where be the Worldlings the would not be sorry for their sins Where are they become Are they not condemned to everlasting torment in Hell fire O think then that sin doth greatly offend God Think what punishment God hath ordained for sin which makes Man an Enemy to God and a friend to the Devil Secondly think that at this present time thou art in Gods favour by the means of his Grace who made thee a child of God and an Heir of Heaven by Hope so that now thy Conscience is quiet Think what good Consolation thou hast received by devour prayer think what spiritual instructions Gods Grace hath given to thee think all the pleasures of the World are mingled with Sorrow think that this World shall pass away with all the pomps and pleasures of the same think that thy present Estate is the high way to Heaven and so shalt thou keep perseverance Thirdly think that the just judgment of God is to come which is to the good to give Heaven and to the evill Hell Think thou must dye and that at thy death thou shalt not receive so good consolation as thou hast had of Vertue and Gods grace Think that at thy death thou must leave behind thee Wife Children Goods and Mony whether thou do good or evill Think that thou must go to a Region unknown and to a place where thou hast never been and if thou be sound to have dyed in sin without repentance the Devils will attend to take thy damned Soul and will carry it into the dungeon of Darkness there to seel eternal torments But if thou be sound with Perseverance in the Palace of Vertue millions of Angels will go before thee and with great joy will bring thee to heaven O think upon the just judgment of God to come when every one shall be judged according to his deeds For God fahoureth neither Kings Princes nor People high nor low rich nor poor without respect of persons be will chuse the good and condemn the evil at the day of doom when we must appear personally without excuse or exception before him then every man must be his own Atturney when the just Iudge at that day will shew himself terrible to the Perverse which have followed Voluptuousness and have not heartily repented but will be gentle mercifull and good unto those that have been sorry for their offences O think what torments the un-repentant shall suffer both in body and soul perpetually whereas all such as have persevered in goodness to the end shall receive joy and the fulness of God and of Heaven In such sort to persevere in goodness to the end do thine utter endeavour and thou shalt see that God will be ready with his grace to arm thee with constancy in thy Christian purpose CAP. XI A protestation which Good Understanding taught the Knight to make every day for the avoiding of temptations and how he ought to humble himself before God and what he should ask in his prayer MY Son alwayes I wish thee to keep perseverance with thee by whom thou mayest avoid temptations which would induce thee to sin and force thee to forsake the true Faith and also to transgress the holy Commandements of Almighty God This to avoid I wish thee every day to repeat the promises which thou hast made to God in thy Baptism which follow thus in effect O Most high most excellent and holy Lord God I protest that I will live and dye in the true Catholike and Apostolike faith revealed in thy holy Word and that I will do my utmost endravour to keep thy holy Commandements which heretofore I have wilfully and carelessy transgressed wherefore I am sorry and do heartily repent me for the breach of them and in token thereof I make my Confession saying I Believe in God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth And in Jesus Christ his only Sonne our Lord which was conceived by the holy Ghost Born of the Virgin Mary Sufferred under Pontius Pylate Was crucified dead and buryed He descended into Hell The third day he rose again from the dead He ascended into Heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead I believe in the holy Ghost The holy Catholick Church The communion of Saints The forgiveness of sinnes The resurrection of the body And the life everlasting Amen Then say Lord God give me grace most heartily I beseech thee without doubting to confess and believe the articles of this my Christian Faith and in the same to persevere to the end And so rehearse the Ten Commandements of Almighty God which are these The same which God spake in the xx Chapter of Exodus saying I am the Lord thy God which have brought thee out of the Land of Ægypt out of the house of Bondage 1. Thou shalt have none other Gods but me 2. Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven image nor the likenesse of any thing that is in Heaven above nor in the Earth beneath nor in the water under the Earth Thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God and visit the sins of the Fathers upon the Children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me and shew mercy unto thousands in them that love me and keep my commandements 3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine 4. Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day six dayes shalt thou labour and doe all that thou hast to do but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt do no manner of work thou and thy son and thy daughter thy man servant thy maid servant thy catell and the stranger that is within thy gates for in six dayes the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that therein is and rested the seventh day wherefore the Lord blessed the seventh day and hallowed it 5. Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy dayes may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee 6. Thou shalt do no murther 7. Thou shalt not commit Adultery 8. Thou shalt not steal 9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy Neighbour 10. Thou shalt not cover thy Neighbours house thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours wife nor his servant nor his maide nor his ox nor his Asse nor any thing that is his Then considering the tenour of that which thou hast said crave grace at Gods hands to walk after his will using the same prayer which Christ taught thee and saying Our Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdome come Thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven Give us this day our daily bread And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass