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
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 is written That the seate of wisedome is the soule of the iust God is Wisedome and the iust soule his seate God is in euerie place where hée dwelleth but he dwelleth not in euery place where he is This is most true though meruailous for the euill are alwaies where GOD is but yet God dwelleth not in them Wheresoeuer the wicked are they cannot hide themselues from GOD and yet they are not dwellers with GOD nor GOD a dweller with them They are where GOD is as the blinde man in the light of the Sunne The light is not in him because hée hath not the vse of it But the good are alwaies with God and God dwelleth in them as in his temple Saint Paule saith That the Temple of God is holy And therefore if you liue as he commaundes you you are his Temple and God himselfe saith I will be in them I will walke amongest them I will be their God and they shall be my people Now therefore you sée that although God be euerie where by his power yet he dwelleth no where but where he is by grace It is plaine that where vertue is there God dwelleth Tell mée what displeasure can the soule haue where God inhabiteth by grace which is the onely consolation of all reasonable creatures Is it possible y t anie man can finde in heauen or in earth such souereigne good as is in God who is the most excellentest and chiefest good and the true ioy of all reasonable creatures How can that bodie faile of anie goodnesse which hath God by his grace resting in his heart who is the onely author of all goodnesse and the giuer of all true ioye and perfect felicitie But some will saie that they sée good people in the world oftentimes suffer miserie depriued of their goods and put by the pleasures of this world which appeareth in the sadnesse of their countenaunces for they séeme to be conceiued with sorrow and as it were to labour and trauaile in heauines as a woman in child-birth I confesse it to be so but yet if you say that they are not furnished with all good true ioye and felicitie you erre greatly For the souereigne good which is God dwelleth in the iust soule euermore although foolish worldlings say in their hearts and thoughts Can it be that those miserable men which are afflicted with pouertie or imprisonment haue more possession of true felycitie then wee that wallowe in wealth and are without want of any worldly pleasures But they consider not that true ioy consisteth in the soule But be ye sure that as the soule is the most precioust part of the bodie euen so ought the goodnesse of the soule to be greater then the goodnesse of the bodie The ioye of the iust righteous is more inward then outward for all his goodnesse is in the soule as the ioye of the wanton worldling is outwardlye in the bodie The iust man suffereth outward extremities but yet inwardly he hath more ioye then the voluptuous man And though the iust man being alwaies afflicted maketh shew of sadnesse all his lyfe time yet at the houre of death their ioye and consolation appeareth with hope of eternall lyfe whereas contrariwise the worldling goeth his waye with grudging and dispaire The iust man esteemes golde and siluer to be couloured earth worldly wealth and voluptuous feeding to be famine and filth honour dignitie and delight to be smoake which the aire consumeth sodeinly to be short he maketh all the world no better then an exile and although his bodie be deteined heere for a season yet all his thoughts cares desires and meditations are conuersant among the orders of holy Angels and the happy assembly of Saintes in heauen singing Psalmes and praises incessantlye So that whatsoeuer we esteeme euill in this world God turnes it to good For he makes vs reioyce in tribulatiōs taking them for medicines to purge our corruptions and not accompting our persecutors as our enimies but rather as helpers to saluation The iust man esteemes simple fare sufficing nature better then abundance of delicates and excessiue dronkennesse or gluttonie They take more pleasure in kneeling praieng and fasting then worldlinges doe in dauncing and singing wanton songs Finally all y t they doe or suffer God turnes it to good And therfore S. Paule saith That all things turne to the good of those that loue God The eye neuer séeth the eare neuer heareth the heart of man neuer vnderstandeth the great goodnesse and the ioye that God brings into the bodie when he commeth by grace to dwell in it onely he that hath had experience once knoweth it Worldlings doe wonder to see the iust man weepe and lament to suffer tribulations to be depriued of all worldly pleasure they esteeme the goods of this world to be y e true felicitie much like vnto a blinde man taking vpon him to iudge of coulours For they compare false felicitie worldly wealth with heauenly riches and perfect happinesse whereas indéede they are but shadowes Nothing displeaseth the elect more then sinne that which leadeth to sinne nothing pleaseth the elect but God and that which leadeth to God As concerning the soule no man can denie if he hate sin and loue vertue but that he had rather loose all that is in the worlde then loose vertue and suffer all manner of torments then to commit sinne he had rather descende into hell with vertue then mount vp into heauen with sinne For where vertue is there is quietnesse Contrariwise where sinne is there can be no rest Let euerie one therefore labour to loose worldly happinesse if he meane to atchieue vertue wherein consisteth so much goodnesse But many make no account to come thether and so care not for louing vertue because indéede they know not vertue Wherefore Vnderstanding describeth her and her seauen daughters namely Faith Hope Charitie Wisedome Iustice Fortitude and Temperaunce in manner and forme following THE DESCRIPTION OF VERTVE The second Chapter VErtue according to the definition of S. Austen in his second booke of Free-will the .18 chapter Is a good quality of the soule wherby a man liueth rightly committeth none euill which thing indeed is the only work of God in men By the soule he vnderstandeth in this place the superiour part of the minde or soule wherein consisteth reason iudgement will The inferiour parte we call Sense which is common to man and beast Now this called in Latine Mens is not a part of the soule sensitiue which is the inferiour part but it is that part of the soule where reason and vnderstanding doe sit which is the superiour part By the soule then we doe meane the Fréewill of man which is nothing els as Philosophers say but the franke iudgement of the minde and will For when we say Freewill we vtter and pronounce two words namely Free and Will. It is tearmed Free because that freely and without constraint
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
thée eueryday to repeate the promises which thou hast made to God in thy Baptisme which follow thus in effect O most high most excellent and most holye Trinitie Father Sonne and holy Ghost I protest that I will liue and dye in the true Catholike and Apostolike Faith and will keepe thy Holy commaundements which heretofore I haue transgressed Wherefore I am sorye and doe heartelye repent mee for the breach of them and in token whereof I make my confession saieng I Beleeue in God the Father almightie maker of heuen earth And in Iesus Christ his only sonne our Lord. Which was conceaued by the holy Ghost Borne of the virgin Marie Suffred vnder Ponce Pilate Was crucified dead buried He descended into hell the third day he rose againe frō the dead He ascended into heauen and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father almightie From thēce he shal come to iudge the quick the dead I beleeue in the holy Ghost The holy Catholike Church The communion of Saints The forgiuenesse of sinnes The resurrection of the body And the life euerlasting Amen Then say Lord God giue me grace most heartely I beseech thee without doubting to confesse and beleeue all the Articles of this my Christian Faith and in the fame to perseuer to the ende And so rehearse the tenne Commaundements of almightie God which are these THe same which God spake in the xx chap. of Exodus saieng I am the Lord thy God which haue brought thee out of the land of Aegipt out of the house of bondage 1 Thou shalt haue none other Gods but me 2 Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauē Image nor the liknesse of any thing that is in heauen aboue nor in the earth beneath nor in the water vnder the earth Thou shalt not bow downe to them nor worship them For I the Lord thy God am a ielous God visit the sins of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me and shew mercie vnto thousands in thē that loue me and keepe my commaundements 3 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine 4 Remember that thou keepe holy the Saboth day Sixe daies shalt thou labour do all that thou hast to do But the seauenth day is the saboth of the Lord thy God In it thou shalt doe no manner of worke thou thy sonne thy daughter thy man-seruāt thy maid-seruant thy cattell thy stranger that is within thy gates For in sixe daies the Lord made heauen earth the sea all that in them is rested the seuenth day wherfore the Lord blessed the seauenth day and hallowed it 5 Honour thy father and thy mother that thy daies may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee 6 Thou shalt doe no murther 7 Thou shalt not commit adultrie 8 Thou shalt not steale 9 Thou shalt not beare false witnes against thy neighbour 10 Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours house Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours wife nor his seruant nor his maid nor his Oxe nor his Asse nor any thing that is his Then considering the tenour of that which thou hast said craue grace at Gods handes to walke after his will vsing the same praier which Christ taught thee and saieng OVr Father which art in heauen hallowed be thy name Thy kingdome come Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen Giue vs this daie our dayly bread And forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue thē that trespasse against vs. And lead vs not into temptation But deliuer vs from euil Besides all this thou must also most heartely humble thy selfe before God acknowledging thy selfe a sinner and that thou canst do nothing y t is righteous but if ther be any goodnesse in thée either of nature or of Gods grace thou must freely confesse that all comes from aboue Repute not thy selfe better then another but rather the least of all If anie despise thee mocke thee or iniure thée suffer it not onely paciently but also willingly gladly euen for the loue of God For the scaling ladder of heauen is humilitie a full denieng of thy selfe in al worldly causes Thinke not wel of thy selfe for anie thing that thou doest hast done or maist do but if thou hast anie goodnes in thy body or in thy soule be not ashamed to confesse that it is not thine because it comes not from thée but of God from him whom indéede it procéeds If thou humble not thy selfe there is no hope of thy soules helth For to this effect our Lord said If you be not cōuerted made as little children you shal not enter into the kingdome of heauen And S. Barnard saith Who so wil be hūble must be content to be despised of the world he desireth not to be renowmed for this is no point of humilitie Commit thy selfe therefore to God and put thy will to his taking at his hands all aduersities paciently all tribulations all afflictions all diseases all persecutions yea death it selfe not onely contentedly but also willingly acknowledging that God sendes nothing to the faithfull but goodnesse and all for their soules health Wherefore thou must often pray to God say Lorde God giue mee whatsoeuer thou wilt do with me alwaies what thou wilt And when at any time thou findest thy selfe as it were left of God voide of deuotion or destitute of consolation whether it be inwardlye or outwardlye bee not discouraged for it neither thinke that God hath forgotten thée but heartelye humble thy selfe before God accounting thée vnworthy of consolation and putting all thy confidence in God as in one that knowes how to saue his elect If thou receiue any blessing inwardly as wisdome or anie other gift exalt not thy selfe in pride neither discommend others y t haue not receiued of God such grace but vse that which thou hast to Gods glorie Againe if thou see thy neighbours fall take héed thou hate him not iudge him not condemne him not but think that God permits thée to sée his offence for thy profit Imagine thou wast neuer touched with y e crime wel it is much but yet thou hast bene culpable in some other as bad or els worse vpon this examinatin reforme thy selfe suppose thou art in no fault thou must not therfore estéeme thy self better thē he y t is in fault knowing thou art of such a nature as he is made of y e same stuffe y t he is therfore notwithstāding thy supposition a sinner offender as well as he so y t both néed amending Be thou sure that if God had prouided no better for thée then thy selfe deserued thou hadst committed the like offence or els greater thanke God that he hath kept thée so pray for him y t doth amisse is not yet