that he would never disclose his Death nor the manner how he had bestowed himself which thing he did of a Vain arrogant proud and ambitious mind even to this end that the people might report and believe that the Gods had drawn him up to Heaven invistble but it chanced not as he desired Yet notwithstanding quoth Folly I perswaded the lying Greeks that it was so and made them worship him as a God I governed fair Paris King Priams Son whose sirname was Alexander At the first he made no account of me but leading a Contemplative life be followed the Lore of Pallas the Goddess of wisdome mine Adversary but when Juno Pallas and Venus were at strife for the golden Ball which was thrown amongst them with condition that the fairest of them should have it they committed the matter to the Iudgement of Paris firnamed Alexander who was upon point so give Sentence in the Behalfe of Pallas mine Enemy but by my perswasson afterwards he gave it unto Venus my good friend and my old acquaintance then for Recompence of his foolish judgment I counselled him to go to Greece where he ravished fair Helen Hereupon the Greeks in a great and mad rage prepared all their force against the Trojans and after ten years Siege against their City they took Ilion and put King Priam to death insomuch that the whole Realme was thereby defaced In that War were killed many Princes and Noble Knights as Hector Achilles and Paris also was slain by Philactetes the Companion of the lesse Hercules in a Combat fought hand to hand The weapons which they used were Bowes and forked Arrowes wherewith Philactetes wounded Paris in three places First in his left hand secondly in his right eye thirdly in beth his legs which were fastned with the stroak together Being thus wounded the Trojans carried him into the City where shortly after he died I governed quoth Folly fair Helen the bastard Daughter of the third Jupiter King of Crete begotten of Laeda the Wife of Tindarus which Helen by my counsell went from her Husband Menelaus and suffered her self to be ravished by a young Lecherous Trojan named Paris sirnamed Alexander the Son of King Priam she brought blood and death to Troy instead of Dowrie for by her occasion Troy was destroyed and Priam with the most part of his Children killed And to the end that her adulterous Mate Paris or Alexander should not leave her and go to his own lawful Wise Pagales Oenone she bewitched him with certain drinks wherein she was her crafts Mistresse which thing when one doth use he is in such case that he forgets all things past and all sorrows present When she was thus arrived at Troy the good man her Husband Menelaus with Ulysses and other Greek Embassadours came to fetch her away and King Priamus commanded that she should be brought into his presence offering unto her frankly with loud boyce that she should if she thought good freely and with full liberty depart again into Greece with all her retinue people and pelfe Whereunto she answered in the hearing of her Husband and King Priam with the rest of his Counsell and Commons that she was not disposed to retire to her Countrey wishing also that her Husband Menelaus that good man might go to God that she was none of his wife neither would she have to do with him and that she came not to Troy against her will neither did she esteem of his marriage To conclude at length Troy by Treason was taken and ransackt eighteen years after she had been from her Husband and all that space had lived in Leachery with two Adulterers she grew to agreement and made peace with her Hasband Menelaus But when she was waxed old she looked in a glasse and seeing her lace far from fair she fell into a loud laughter and flouted at the Fools that fought ten years together for the love of a thing that faded so soon away but when her Husband Menelaus was dead two chief men of the City Sparta named Nicostratus and Magapentus men of great authority hunted Helen out of the Citie and Realm of Lacedemonia without appointing unto her any place or provision to keep her Vpon which Banishment she came to Rhodes to her ancient Companion and Friend Queen Polipo which was also then a Widow by reason of the Death of her Husband Tlepolemus who was stain before Troy And when she was at Rhodes Queen Polipo used her very well but the young Gentlewomen her waiting Maids hated her deadly for that she was the cause that their King Tlepolemus was killed insomuch that upon a day they conspired together against her and got her into a Garden where they fastning a Rope about her Neck hung her upon a Tree and strangled her to death This was the miserable end of Helen who being dead quoth Folly I put into the heads of the blinde people that she was a Goddesse by reason of her incomparable Beauty For which consideration they being not only Idolatrousty and heretically but also damnably deceived built her a marvellous costly and stately Temple and named her with great Devotion The Goddess of Beauty and devised many false Miracles and Lyes the which for brevity I let pass I governed quoth Folly Pharaoh Amenophis and Pharaoh Bacchoris both Kings of Aegypt who by my counsell caused all the Male Children of the Iewes to be drowned which people the first Pharaoh held in marvellous subjection As for the second I instructed him so well that he would not suffer she Children of Israel to depart out of his Land but in the end being scourged by God he was constrained to let them go and when they were gone I gave him Counsell in revenge to pursue them with all their Chivalry and Power of Aegypt which thing he did but the Tyrant and all his Company were drowned in the red sea I governed Chore Dathan and Abiram counselling them not to obey the commandment of Moses whom God had ordained chief Governour over the Children of Israel but Chore in offering Incense contrary to his Office was attainted and five hundred more of his Faction with him And for the Rebellion of Dathan and Abiram the Earth opened insomuch that they their Wives children and goods were all swallowed up alive I governed Saul the first King of Israel at the beginning of his Reign he was good and Godly but at last I enchanted him so that he caused many of Gods Priests to be killed insomuch that in one day he put to Death fourscore and five I counselled him to persecute good David and to ask counsell of witches and Sorcerers contrary to Gods Laws then at the last being sorsaken of God he was vanquished by the Philistines and with his own hands stew himself upon the Mount of Gilboa I was so hold as to enter into King Davids House and by my counsell I made him commit adultery with Bathsheba the wife of Urias And notwithstanding that
Urias was his faithfull Serbant and good Counsellour yet I gave him counsell to kill Urias by means whereof his Sin might be covered in marriage of his wife For the which offence the Prophet Nathan disclosed me so that my further meaning brake off and ever after I was banished his house I also governed his Son Absolon who after he had killed his Brother Amnon made war with his Father and drabe him from Hierusalem being nothing ashamed to enter the house of all his Fathers concubines and to lye with them but an Oak did execute Iustice upon that wicked child for when he thought to escape with his Mule the Tree caught him fast by the Hair of the head till Joab came with a Dart and killed him I also governed Rehoboam King Solomons Son who unreasonably grieved and oppressed his people with Taxes and Imposts Insomuch that when they requested to have it somewhat eased he did not only deny their Petitions but also gave them uncourteous Language following the counsell of his young wanton Gentelmen rather then the wise admonitions of grave Counsellours by the which means he lost the greatest part of his Realm I governed the great Queen Jezabel by whose advice King Achab her Hushand worshipped the Idol Baal and caused good Naboth to be killed She persecuted the Prophets of God and made many of them to be put to Death She sought by all means to dispatch good Elias but as her Life was evill so was her death shamefull for she falling from a high window was ovethrown with horses feet and eaten up of Dogs I governed Sardanapalus the last King of the Assyrians who regarded not the Government of the Realm but lived altogether in delight He used to paint his Face and to apparell himself in womans apparell he exercised himself in all kinds of villany and filthiness insomuch that when he saw that he was forsaken of the greatest of his people and that he had very evill luck in Battell against his Enemies and stood upon no ground free from danger of death It chanced one day that being in the Tower of Babylon he set it on fire and there burned himself and all that ever he had I governed Cambises King of Persia the Son of good King Gyrus who by my counsell was given to gluttony and Drunkenness with other vices not beseeming a Prince Vpon a time Praxaspes one of the most excellent counsellours seeing him immoderately bivving reverently told him that it was not Prince-like whereat the King was wroth and commanded him to send for his youngest Son who being brought Cambises caused Praxaspes to tie him to a Tree saying If I can hit the heart of thy Son with an arrow out of my long bow is it the feat of a man that is drunk So Cambises shor and clobe the childs heart asunder and shewed it unto his Father with a warning to take heed how he judged his Liege Lord drunk Then I made him marry his own natural Sister and to kill his own Brother It fortuned upon a day that as the King and the Queen his sister were at the Table for his Pastime and Recreation sake he had a young Lyon let loose and a mighty mastiffe or Band-Dogge that the King kept these two fought so long till at last the Dog was like to have the worst Within the sight of this Game another Mastiffe was tyed in a Chain both bred of one Bitch this band-dog brake his Chain in haste and came to help his fellow insomuch that these two dogs overcame and killed the Lyon The King liked well of the love and loyalty of the two dogs but the Queen being moved thereat began to weep bitterly Which when Cambises saw he asked the cause of her sorrow to whose demand the Queen answered in this sort It is otherwise happened to my brother than to this Dog that was too weak for the Lyon For thou being his own brother hast not shewed the like love and faithfulness unto him as this Band-dogge hath done to his Mate for thou hast caused thy brother to be slain The King being fore displeased and full of indignation at her answer commanded that the Queen should be had away by and by out of his sight and put to death the which was done but as the King came one day out of Aegypt riding on horse-back his Sword by hap fell out of the scabbard and he fell likewise upon the point of it and was thrist thorow the body and dyed I governed quoth Folly one Cataline a Roman a very seditious Fellow who conspired to kill all the Senators of Rome but he was put bessdes his purpose by reason that one Cicero opened it and he with all his Conspirators were killed in battell I governed quoth Folly Horod and Herodias to accomplish their Leachery I coupled them in marriage albeit she was his Brother Philips Wife which unlawfull marriage Saint John reprehending and finding fault withall for so doing had his Head cut off I governed Pilate Annas and Caiphas in Jerusalem with many Doctors Priests Scribes and Pharisees I counselled them to crucifie Christ herween two Thieves as if he had been a sower of Sedition which being done I thought then that I had won all the World but when I saw that upon the third day after he rose again contrary to my reckoning I lost a great number of Clyants and Subjects who hearing the Aposles preach quite abandoned and gave me over I governed Nero the firth Emperour of Rome who at the beginning of his Reign was good and vertuous but after he had possessed the Empire five years he became most evill and wicked and was given to Leachery and Filthiness This man was a Murtherer he flew his Wife his Mother and divers other honest Persons of which number Seneca was one he was the first Persecuter of the Christians and put many good men to death as for Example S. Peter and S. Paul with other But the Tyrant being upon a time unguarded and wanting about him his Lievtenants and Captains of War the Senators and States of Rome sought means to punish him for anger whereof he killed himself and the Souldiers that were sent to seek him found him dead in the Field I governed Antonine Bassian Caracalla the nineteenth Emperour of Rome who by my counsell killed his brother Geta besides that he marryed his Step-mother and desired Pompinion the great Lawyer to excuse his murther Who answered him That he was not so willing to excuse a Murther as he was to disclose him the Emperour unworthy of so good an answer killed the Lawyer I governed Varius Heliogabalus the one and twentieth Emperour of Rome who by my Counsell lived so dissolutely that he left behind him no memory of honest life but infamy This Man 's own Souldiers slew him and threw him into a ditch and because his body would not sink to the bottom they dragged him out again with a Hook and hurled him into the River Tiber.
And to bring this to pass I counselled them to change and cut off the Golden Age which would have things common peaceable and in quiet Hereunto they armed themselves by all possible means undertaking to spoyle Sebatius Saga sirnamed Saturn King and Patriarch of Armenia so made and ordained by his Grand-Father Noah The same Sebatius was Son of Chus and Brother to Nimroth whom Moses called Sabtah in Hebrew which in Latine is Saturnus Then the said Sebatius King of Armenia having hardly escaped the hands of Bell and Ninus went for refuge to his Brand-father Noah in Italy where Noah made him King and Patriarch of the Aborignes and founded him a City on the other side of Tiber which was named Saturnia as Virgill declareth in a passage where he saith thus Primus ab aethereo venit Saturnus Olympo Arma Jovis sugiens regnis exul ademptis That is to say Saturn the first from 's Realm did flie for fear of Joves Artillery He lost his Rule and Regiment and led his life in banishment For Bell the Sonne of Nimroth was sirnamed Jupiter And it is not likely to be true as some say that the same Saturn that was chased away by Jupiter was Nimroth the King of Crete but the Bible saith that he was King of Babylon which was far distant from the Isle of Crete In those dayes they termed the chief Man of every House Saturn their Sons Jupiters or Joves their Daughters Juno's and their Nephewes Hercules so that we find in ancient Records many men named Saturn Jupiter and Hercules But to my purpose quoth Folly the above named Ninus by my counsell after the death of his Father Bell caused his Picture and standing Image to be made commanding every manner of person to do Homage unto the Idols of his Father and Mother and to adore them with Divine Worship and so be was as you have heard the first Inventer of Idolatry I governed Tiphon the Son of Cham in whom all his Fathers Vices abounded He maliciously envyed the prosperity of his Brother Osiris sirnamed Jupiter the just who was a great persecuter of Tyrants It angred me quoth Folly that so honest a man lived Then I caused Tiphon with other Gyants to murther Osiris insomuch that Tiphon out him in six and twenty pieces and bestowed them upon other Gyants that helped him to work his feat But the good Hercules of Lybia the Son of Osiris with the help of his other Brethren in foughten Field killed Tiphon the Gyant and the other Tyrants which consented to his Fathers death I governed quoth Folly one Jupiter King of Crete which Country is now called Candie But forasmuch as the Greek Lyars and other Writers both Latine and French to enlarge their Lyes and Dreams attribute that unto this Jupiter oftentimes which appertains not to him I would have you mark well that in those dayes the Kings Children and Fathers of Families were called Jupiters or Joves notwithstanding there are three of that name renowned as we find in Histories The first was Osiris the Nephew of Noah the Son of Cham who was no less good then his Father was evill This Jupiter begat great Hercules of Lybia who was King of Spain France and Italy This great Hercules was like unto his Father a great persecuter of Tyrants throughout all the world He begat of Araxa the young Tuscus King of Tuscany in Italy This Tuscus begat Alcirus Blascon by whom was begotten Cambo Blascon which was as some say sirnamed the second Jupiter and worshipped in the world Now this Cambo Blascon sirnamed Jupiter begat upon Electra the Daughter of Arlas sirnamed Italus of whom yet Italy beareth the name Jasius and Dardanus This the lying Cretians and many other Triflers attribute unto Jupiter of Crete which matter is in controversie and may be denyed For Dardanus after he had killed his Brother Jasius by envy and treason he fled into the Isle of Samos and from thence into Phrygia where he founded a City called Dardania where he begat a Sen called Erictonius and of him lineally descended Troas who gave the City of Dardania the name of Troy This same Troas had three children Illius Issaracula and Ganimedes which Ganimedes was taken by Tatus the King of high Phrygia and sold to Jupiter of Crete to be abused like a Sodomite which argueth that he begat not Dardanus the great Grand-father of Ganimedes The first Jupiter then you may perceive was Osiris Nephew to Noah whom Moses named Mazaraim The second Jupiter was Cambo Blascon King of Italy which some say also had been King of Athens and of Arcady but I think that Jupiter of Arcady who begat Lacedemon is some other beside Cambo Blascon Howsoever the case standeth certain it is that Jupiter of Crete Osiris and Cambo Blascon were contraries The third Jupiter renowned in the World was King of the Isle of Crete who bare in his Seutchion and Coat-Armour an Eagle but in all his manners he was altogether given to Folly For he defloured Virgins he ravished Wives abused young children and committed all kind of Villany that was possible either to be spoken or done He committed adultery with Alcmena the Wife of Amphitrio of whom he begat little Hercules of Greece he did the like with Laeda the Wife of Tyndarus of whom also he begat fair Helen I loathe to tell what Deflourings and Rapes he offered and thrust upon divers particular â—aidens and fair young Children But notwithstanding his vile life quoth Folly by my means the rude People made him a God and many false Lyars have attributed unto him the Noble deeds of the good Patriarch Noah and his Nephew Osiris sirnamed Jupiter the Just Moreover they did not only make Sacrifice unto him but also gave him the Title and Name of Most excellent good whereas indeed he was the werst evil for he was an Incestuous and Sodomitical person and a common Enemy to Chastity and honesty in so much that People openly in their Stage playes counterfeited Sung and Descanted upon the filthy Leacheries and other Villanies which he used affirming that such Antiques and Pageants were most fit and agreeable unto him By means whereof all his Subjects gave themselves to the same saying that it was as fit for them so to live as for their great God Jupiter I governed little Hercules of Greece otherwise called Alceus the Bastard Son unto the same Jupiter whom he had by Alcmena the Wife of Amphitrio Vnto the same Hercules the lying Greeks full of Vain Eloquence give the name and title of great Hercules of Lybia which is most falss For that Hercules of Greece was the first Pyrate that ever roved on the Seas and abounded with all Vice following the steps of his Father Jupiter the Adulterer in all respects and as he lived even so be dyed For being mad saith Seneca he stew his wife and children and afterwards burned himself But a little before his death be made Philactetes swear
thee before night if thou wilt follow me There be some Enemies of mine that nick-name me and spightfully mis-call me by false and counterfeit terms saying that I am named Malice Vanity Vice and Voluptuousness But give thou no ear unto them for they speak upon envy hatred and evill-will Then approached the other Lady which after salutation done uttered these words unto me Reason required that I should have spoken first but this painted Peacock named Wicked Voluptuousness puts forth her self for to speak before me alwayes and to take the Tale out of my mouth Take heed of her for doubtless her Communication corrupteth and infecteth even the very best livers with the poyson of her errour Now I see thou art of good Inclination and ready to weigh thy pathes in the vallance willing to walk as well the good way as the bad And seeing thy minde wavoureth apply thy self unto Vertue continually shorten the sorrow of thy Soul water thee well with wisdome adventure not thy present precious age to be boldned in Ambition and Vain-glory Detest the danger of unsatiable Covetausness let not thy liking be laid upon licentious love avoid and shake off Idleness by using thy self to honest exercises flie Worldly Felicity arm thy self against the dart of Cupid lest at length he overcame thee open thine ears of understanding and follow my Counsell I am not the vile villanous vain mischievous subtill deceitfull and lying Lady Voluptuousness but I am the assured and sefe way that leadeth to perfect Felicity And though I am narrow and painfull to pass yet if thou wilt follow me I will make thee merry and guide thee in the very way which God hath ordained to lead unto true Blessedness For my Son thou must understand this that Almighty God doth not bestow on Men perfect joy and Soveraign goodness unless they labour to archieve it If therefore thou think alwayes to pass thy time in pleasure and followest thine affection doing all whatsoever seemeth delectable to thy foolish fantaste and supposest that way to find Felicity thou art farr wide and greatly abused for He that will have honey must make much of Bees If thou desire Felicity so lead thy Life that God of his goodness may bouchsafe to give it thee Cleanse thy heart and empty it of evill thoughts be firm in Faith establish thy Soul with soundness and sincerity be not deceived with damnable Doctrine nor led astray by wrong Opinions This that I tell thee cannot be done without labour neither can any profitable or good thing be obtained without pains-taking Thou seest how Shepheards Sea-men and all Artificers if they grow in wealth it is by labour and travell Were the Husbandman any better than a Fool if he should hope in Harvest to reap Corn eff his Ground where he hath sown no Seed when Season served Even so is that man marvellously mis-informed that thinking to atchieve perfect Felicity or to reap true Blessednesse having not first sowed his Field with Vertue good Deeds Faith Hope and Charity which is the high-way to Heaven The Husbandman dungeth his Ground soweth his Seed grafteth his Trees tarreth his Sheep and leadeth his life in Labour hoping to enjoy the Fruit the Graffe the Grain the Wool and generally all the Profit the expectation and full account whereof maketh him to take pains with pleasure Even so if thou wilt be concent painfully to walk this way without regard either of Rocks or Mountains doubt not to finde true Felicity Having heard this long and wise admonition and marking the Lady well I could not be in quiet till I knew her name Wherefore I said Madam without offence be it spoken I pray you what is your name she answered saying My Son I am great with God I am acquainted with the Saints I am all in all with Angels I am much esteemed of good men without me nothing is done in Heaven and without me no good thing can be done on Earth I am commonly called Felicity Wisdom and Vertue I govern good Kings Princes and People good Prelates and Eccleffastical Persons I stop the mouth of false Prophets and erroneous Teachers I hinder their Herestes and flay their wicked proceedings I govern Housholders and their Families in good order I am a Companion with the lovers of Learning I am a Husband to all chaste Wives Widows and vertuous Virgins I reward my Friends in prosperity with holinesse and in adversity with kinde consolation I minister unto them Food Raiment Lodging Strength Patience and all things necessary and whether it he little or much they take it in good part Contrariwise the friends of Voluptuousnesse are never satisfied although they have too much My Friends had rather sing Psalms than vain Songs they had rather fast than be drunk they had rather pray than curse they rise early and go to bed late they have care of the Common-wealth Faith counselleth them Hope assisteth them Charity inflameth them Wisdom governeth them Justice guideth them and I do and will enrich and encourage them that all the World shall have them in admiration honour and reverence Yea though their bodies die yet their Fame shall live for others Example and their souls shall remain immortal like unto the estate of Angels Contrariwise he that leadeth his lise in Voluptuousness Ambition Filthiness Uncleanness or Evil Conversation if he be not sorry for his sinfulnesse and repent him of his time lewdly spent that mand death is damnable and his shameful report shall never die no more than that of Sardanapalus Nero Heliogabalus Herod Pilat Annas Caiaphas and such like therefore my Son leave Voluptuousness if thou meanest to finde true Felicity and perfect Blessednesse CHAP. VII The Wandring Knight by the counsell of Folly left Lady Vertue and followed Voluptuousnesse which led him to the Palace of worldly Felicity WHen I had heard both these Ladies tell their Tales I was more amazed than ever I was before insomuch that I wist not which to take for my Guide But alas poor perplexed Pilgrim if I had had but the wit of a Woodcock and not wavered in minde I had followed Vertue and left Voluptuousnesse But being amidst mine amaze I requested my Governesse Folly to teach me quickly which of these two Ladies I were best to follow for the finding of true Felicity No sooner had I spoken the word but suddenly she cast out this Language saying that Vertue was an Hypocrite and that her way was painfull to passe But said she if you follow Voluptuousnesse thou seest her way is fair sweet green and pleasant If thou follow Vertue thou submittest thy self to cold heat hunger thirst travell pain and wearinesse thou must rise early and go to bed late stand in fear weep take care live in forrow and yet be in doubt to have Felicity at last If thou offend her never so little in word or Deed she will leave thee for she is too severe even in small trifling matters Whatsoever she said
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