for his Vertue to be a God so that the matter by my Counsell quoth Folly turned to Idolatry For they offered Sacrifice unto him and honoured him in form of an Ox or a Calfe the like also did the Children of Israel in the Desarts with their Idol which afterwards was named Seraphis But as yet France and Germany were not infected with Idolatry howbeit I did my Endeavour to make it more Vniversall and ceased not till that shortly after this Pestilence had taken Root For the above-named Ninus Sonne of Bell King of Babylon married Semiramis that wonderfull Woman who as it is written devised that all the Male Children should be gelded of her Body begat he one Sonne named Ninus the Second and by another wise he had another Sonne called Trabeta who by Right of Succession should have enjoyed the Crown of Babylon but that his Mother-in-Law kept him from it and took the Government and rule unto her self and kept it in the behalfe of her young Sonne Ninus Trabeta then fearing his Step-Mother fled from Babylon and after long travell he arrived in France not farr from the River of Rhene where he founded a City and called it Treves which is yet a very ancient City At that time was Gallica Belgica and all the Country about it which we call Low Almaine first Infected and Poysoned with Idolatrry which was 1947 Years before the Incarnation of Iesus Christ There Trabeta by my Counsell made the Picture of his Grand-father Bell the Sonne of Nimroth the great Gyant and first Saturn of the Babylonians to be Worshipped in the City of Treves But afterward Bavo who founded the City Pelges otherwise called Bayvoy in Hainot had taken by Force the City of Treves and victoriously brought to Bavoy all the Treasure of Treves and their Idols wherewith also he brought his own Idols from Phrygia By this means the errour of Idolatry was more authorised For by my counsell he built with the spoyles of his conquest seven marvellous and mighty Temples in his City which had seven doors according to the seven Planets they had also a thousand Towers every one an hundred cubits high and eighteen foot broad By what I have related quoth Folly you may perceive that the Babylonians the Aegyptians the Phrygians the French-men and the Germains followed my counsell but as for other Nations they were not as yet infected with Idolatry For the good Patriarch Noah otherwise called Janus having dwelt in Italy fourscore and two years and being 950 years old 370 years after the Floud he dyed before the Incarnation 1976 years This good Man was lamented and bewayled through all the World generally but chiefly of the Italians then called Lanigenes and of the Armenians over whom be first raigned These People presently after they knew of Noahs death they honoured him as a holy Man For in those dayes all holy Men were counted Gods as it is often mentioned in the holy Scripture I have said ye are Gods and ye all are children of the most high And which is more they made him Temples and Altars as now adayes Idolaters do unto the Saints of Heaven I quoth Folly made the simple people assure themselves that his Soul was removed into some of the Heavenly bodies for the which they called him the Sun and the seen of the World the Father of Gods the greater and lesser the God of Peace Iustice and Holinesse the driver away of evill things and the preserver of all good things Again they called his Successours Janus Geminus Quadifrons Enotrius Ogiges Vertumnus Jupiter Optimus Maximus Then I perswaded the People to offer Sacrifice unto him as unto God by which deed they became all Idolaters for if they had esteemed him no better then a holy Man they had not finned in that for indeed he was a holy Man Mark what Austine saith in his tenth Book of the City of God It is not lawfull saith he to offer any sacrifice to any Saint be it Man or Angel but only to God After the destruction of Troy Aeneas came into Italy bringing with him his own Idols and the Gods of Troy hereupon Idolatry took force and encreased more and more I think quoth Folly that this which I have told thee already may suffice to declare how Idolatry entred the world first Thou best heard also how I governed Angels and Nations Now thou shalt understand how I have ruled and ordered particular persons After the Floud I first ruled Cham Noahs Son who being wholly given to the Magicall Art obtained and had the name of Zoroaster He hated his Father because he loved his own brother better then him in revenge whereof upon a day he found his Father Noah drunk lying fast asleep upon the ground unhonestly he discovered his Fathers Privities and by my counsell he presumed to touch those his secret parts and enchanted them by his Magicall Art so that ever after for want of ability he could not joyne issue with any woman to beget Children His Father being angry thereat abandoned him for a season After that he became the first King and Saturn of Aegypt insomuch as the holy Scriptures called Cham the first King of Aegypt Again by my counsell he trayned up his People according to his own Nature in all villany and filthiness openly affirming that Men might lawfully use and have to do with their own Daughters and Sisters as was the custome before the Floud and also to commit many other unlawfull deeds which I am ashamed to declare by the which doctrine natural Virginity was oftentimes violently assaulted and ravished Then my friend Cham went into Italy and Vsurped the Realm to himself And whereas other Princes of his Linage in Germany Spain and France gave good examples to their Subjects instructing them in good and godly Lawes he contrariwise spoyled all the Youths in Italy corrupting them with all kinds of Vices as Leachery Theft Mutther Poysoning and Enchantment whereof he himself was the first Inventer as all Historiographers hold Opinion But when his good Father Noah understood of it he came into Italy and hunted him from thence If I should write of all the evill deeds of Cham it would be a weighty piece of work and the matter would seem monstrous But at the last he conveyed himself over among the Bactrians a People inhabiting towards the Indians where by his Enchantment the People became his Subjects and he raigned over them with great Force and Power Yet at the last he was Vanquished and Slain in Battel by Ninus King of Babylon which descended of his race by his Son Chus Thus quoth Folly I lost my Friend Cham sirnamed Zoroaster Saturn of Aegypt the common Enemy of God and Man and one of the most perverse and untowardest Tyrants that ever was in the World I governed Bell the second Ring of Babylon and his Sonne Ninus into whese heads I put a disordinate raging so that they desired to rule alone in the World
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.
love the Goods of this World are well ordered and by Love the Goods of this World are contemned and by Love the secrets of God are revealed Saint John saith That God is Love or Charity whereby no doubt he meaneth the Father the Son and the holy Ghost the three persons in Trinity God the Father is Charity God the Son is Charity and God the holy Ghost is charity This Love or Charity requireth in the same such likely things namely love and charity by the which as by some spiritual affinity thou art joyned unto God which Love also boldly commeth unto God and familiarly speaketh unto him without any doubt or fear He that loveth not shall lose his Life but He that loveth alwayes lifteth his eyes to God whom be loveth whom he desireth on whom he museth in whom he is refreshed and by whom he is preserved such a debour and religious soul doth so sing so say read so dispose all his business and so circumspectly foreseeth all things as if God were ever present with Him as doubtless in spirit he is The man in whose soul the love of God is lodged so prayeth as if God were personally present with Him The Love of Charity awaketh the soul when she is asleep it puts him in mind of His Salvation it softneth and moysteneth the Heart Charity or Love setteth the cold Heart on fire Love maketh the froward soul gentle Love chaseth away sin Love keepeth the affections of the flesh and blood under Love amendeth Iewd Mens manners Love reneweth the Spirit Love bridleth the light motions of wanton youth all this worketh Love or Charity where she is present Contrariwise where Love or Charity is absent there the Soul doth Languish and waxeth cold even as a Caldron of water doth when the fire is taken from under it and raked abroad Charity is the only thing whereby the soul boldly approacheth unto End constantly cleaveth unto him and familiarly speaketh unto him The Soul that loveth God cannot but think and talk of God insomuch that it hateth all ungodly things Who so will know God must love God the more that one loves God the more be growes in the knowledge of God To read to write and to study of God yieldeth no true knowledge of God without Love In vian do we read in Vain do we talli in Vain do we preach in Vain do we pray to God if we do not love God the love of God ingendreth the love of thine own Soul and maketh it attentive alwayes to God God loves to be loved again and when he loveth he requireth nothing but love happy therefore is he that loveth God The Soul which loveth God rejecteth his own effections being earnestly given to Gods love The Soul that loveth hath no fear the soul that loveth not is ever in fear The Soul that loveth is carryed by promises and drawn by desires unto Heaven the soul that hath in it the presence of Gods love is tickled with joy and with ravishing leapeth up to Heaven having by coutemplation exceeding great joyfulness Love breeds familiarity with God familiarity breeds boldness with God boldness breeds the taste of God and Taste breedeth an hunger after God If I should declare all the excellency of Love or Charity the time would fail me and mine Ability in that behalfe would not suffice But let this stand for a conclusion that the Soul which is touched with the love of God cannot desire any thing contrary to God but ever after it hath received any taste of Sin it cryeth out and saith with the Prophet Psal 14. O Lord God like as the Hart desireth the Fountains of water even so long I after thee Well then Sir Knight lift up thy Soul and remember the great Love and Charity of God and his manisold benefits bestowed upon thee that by them thy Heart being enlightned thou maist encrease and go â—orâ— and day by day in doing good works to the glorifying of God 〈◊〉 delighteth in the same according as it is said Let your light so shine before men that they seeing your good works may glorisie God in Heaven Thus much touching these three spiritual Vertues now come we to the four morall Vertues CAP. VII The description of the four moral Vertues Prudence Justice Fortitude and Temperance By these sour Marral Vertues Man liveth orderly in this martalise Saint Hierom saith that the Christian man by these 〈◊〉 liveth well in this mortality and by them after death cometh to everlasting Life Prudence knoweth the good we should do and evil we should leave Justice doth good Temperance leaveth the evill Fortitude is constant without losing courage in adversity or waring proud in prosperity Prudence teacheth man how to approach unto God Fortitude and Temperance how to govern himself Justice how to use his Neighbour These are the four things which Satan shooteth at to destroy the Soul By Prudence which is the rule of right Reason we govern our selves wisely we order our affairs discreetly doing nothing but Right and reason In Prudence consisteth Reason Knowledge Fore-sight Aptness to give good Counsell Plato saith That Prudence is the Governess of all Moral Vertues shewing how we should understand and use the rest For as Faith informeth us what we should hope after and what we ought to love even so Prudence teacheth us how we should use Justice Fortitude and Temperance Aristotle saith that it is impossible but a prudant Man should be good If he mean moral goodness it is most true for a wise Man doth nothing but that which is lawfull But yet without Love or Charity Prudence is a Vertue no more meritorious then Faith without Love and Charity But if the prudent man love God with all his heart it is unpossible but that he should do good and consequently be good Justice is a Vertue used in two sorts sometimes it is a general Vertue and comprehends in her self all Vertue as the man that Ilbeth well and justiy is therefore called good and Iustice otherwise is understood a particular Vertue called Justice distributive yeelding to every one that which unto him belongeth This Vertue Justice distributive is convenient for all men and principally for Emperours Kings and such as have the Administration and Governments of Common-wealths to the end that they may yeeld to every one their right defending the innocent and punishing the offender doing justice and right according to equity as well to little as great and to poor as rich Many have justice painted in their Houses and yet have wrongfull dealing lodged in their hearts Many a one hath Christ in their mouth but the Devil in their minde He that will be acceptable to GOD he must be just in word upright in deed undefiled in thought Fortitude is a vertue unto which belongs a magnisicent courage not fearing any thing but unlawful actions He that hath this vertue keeps himself constant in adversity and waxeth not proud in prosoerity Fortitude gives a man
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
only remained with me This Earth-quake yielded such an Air of Brimstone that the like hath not been felt then I perceived that I was far from the pleasant Palace Gardens Orchards and Vine-yards of Voluptuousness and rather in a beastly Bog sticking fast and nothing near me but Serpents Snakes Adders Toads and Venomous wormes Such was my perplexity in this case That I fell into despair being not able to speak one word I was so sore amazed but when I came again to my self revived from death to life and found my self in that beastly Bog I tare my hair I rent my cloaths I wept I wailed I howled I cryed I wrung my hands I struck my breast I scracht my face I bit my Armes and spake thus O Wretch O Ass O Miserable Fool O Captive O Fondling where is now thy Palace of Worldly Felicity Where are now thy brave Chambers hanged with cloth of Arras Where are now thy gallant Gardens Orchards thy Meadowes thy Corn-fields thy Coffers of Coin thy Ladies so lovely thy hawks thy Hounds thy Horses thy Oxen thy Servants thy soft beds thy good chear thy Wives thy Musick thy Pleasure and all the things which thou hast abused Alas wicked Wretch how hast thou been deceived thou thoughtest thou hadst been in the Palace of true Felicity and for Felicity thou findest Vanity Thou hast been wickedly enchanted thus to find evill in stead of good Herewithall I turned my self toward Folly and railed at her saying O cursed cruell and deceitfull beast O monstrous mocker of mankind O filthy Bawd O Venemous Viper Is this the good hap I should have Is this the palace of Felicity whither thou wouldest bring me Cursed be the day that ever I saw thee cursed be the day that ever I heard thee cursed be the day that ever I believed thee cursed be the day that ever I followed thee It is even so that thus thou governest even beastly and damnably Is it even so that thou leadest people even to Perdition Where is the Felicity thou promisedst me Where is the good hap I should have by thee It is chanced to me even as I doubted by the way when thou discoveredst thy filthy Feats beginnings and proceedings howbeit thine enchantments and thy flattery caused me to keep thee company when full fain God wot I would have been rid of thee But such was my arrogant ignorance and ignorant arrogancy that I followed thy dangerous Counsel When I had thus scolded and took on the lewd lossel loudly laught me to scorn Whereat being in a rage I offered to draw my sword but it would not be then I spurred my horse but he could not lift up his legs Notwithstanding for all this I carryed the mind still I might get out not having help even by mine own strength and industry But be you sure of this that after a Man be once sunk in and drowned in fleshly Voluptuousness he shall stick fast and not be able to recover himself unless he have the help of Gods Grace which he of his goodness give us all Amen CAP. XIV The Author cryeth out bitterly against worldlings and their Felicity O Wicked Worlding O Traytour O Lyar O damnable deceiver armed with filthy fraud and cursed craftiness having a face like a man but a tayle like a Dragon who with thy pestilent prating promisest that which thou never wilt nor canst perform to wit peace rest assarance blessing and felicity Whereas contrariwise thou shewest thy self Vain Cruell unquiet uncertain cursed and desperate And because thou wouldest bestow thy peysons and not be perceived thou coverest it with a little honey of delight O foolish Worldlings and lovers of Voluptuousness why suffer you your selves to be so fouly abused Why fly you not from her since you know she is damnable Why do you believe a Lyar Why do you follow a deceiver Why become you acquainted with such a Murtherer Why do you not purge your understanding of Erronious Opinions Why consider ye not what the World is with a perfect Iudgment If you did all this you should find your selves out of the way For Worldly goods Voluptuousness and Pleasure are mingled rather with Sowre things than with sweet In following Voluptuousness you are not happy but unhappy not Wise but flat Fools Saint John saith All that is in the world is Concupiscence of the flesh Concupiscence of the eyes and Concupiscence of Pride The world and all her Concupiscence shall pass but he that doth the will of the Lord shall continue eternally Hearken ye foolish Worldlings hearken you Vessels of Voluptuousness This teacheth you assuredly wherein consisteth all your Felicity and how it is damnable Consider Saint Johns words That the world shall pass and the Concupiscence of the same What meant he by the World nothing else but as Saint Austen saith All worldlings and lovers of Voluptuousness which preferr visible things before invisible the flesh before the Spirit Satan before Iesus Christ even as commonly we call a house good or bad according to the usage of them that dwell in it The eye the flesh and the pomp of life is the Worldlings Felicity that is their Heaven In all goodness come of God as sure the coucupiscence of the eye the flesh and the pride and pomp of Life cometh of the Devil are not they deceived that think â—t good or sir their affection to follow it I could say there is a gnawing Conscience to terment the Worldings I could say that the Voluptuous man hath the wrath of God hanging ever his head I could say eternal death is reserved for his reward A for excessive eating and drinking centes farfets Head-ach lass of wit dropstes loss of appetite griping of the guts palsies weakning of the body infamy and shame Now to Venery wherein the Voluptuous Man taketh such pleasure as in nothing more First what gains what forrows what torments and anguish hath the Lewd Lover before he can compass his desire his dessire cannot be atchieved without loss For we see that Leachery and Gluttony breedeth poverty which is a very heavy burthen But imagine it costeth nothing as oftentimes it chanceth among such as be rich yet notwitistanding they feel even what so lowes namely loss of Body and Soul Touching the sin of Leachery a man therein is like unto a beast for in his blind delight he is deprived of reason and therefore the deed declareth it self to be damnable This Sin bringeth her reward in this World as Dropsies Palsies Leprosies Gowts Burnings Batches and French Pox which is the very worst the commenist the loathsomest and the most infectious disease of all besides that banishment from all honest company decay of Strength and loss of good Name and Fame Do you account him a happy Man which spends his dayes in Drunkenness and Leachery having here so many Hâ—ls abstinence or forbearance doth not warn them to take heed thereof though it be the only medicine Now touching Concupiscence of the eyes
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
good Hermit wherefore I was desirous to know his Name the which I asked Lady Memory who told me that it was good Understanding Then I received the holy Communion which being ended and Thanks given to God I meant to salute gratisie him But before we went to receive the holy Sacrament of the body and blood of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ I remembred the great love of our Lord which humbly took upon him our fraile and weak nature for our sakes became accursed and suffered most bitter death upon the Cross to deliver us out of the bandage of Sin Hell and Eternal death and to bring us to everlasting life I remembred also that love which he shewed unto me in drawing me out of the sink of sin wherein I was plunged over head and ears so that I was not only drawn from my unspeakable sins but also made a Communicant of the mystery of his Divine Majesty by faith And to the end it might please him to give me grace to receive it aright I prayed unto him on this wise O Sweet Jesus and loving Redeemer I yield thee thanks for thy unspeakable love by which thou hast purged me from the filth of sin and pluckt me by thy grace out of the dark dungeon of death Behold I reconcile my self unto thee most heartily beseeching thee that thou wouldest vouchsafe amongst the great number of thy benefits of thy great liberality to give me grace to be a faithfull partaker of thy precious body and blood represented unto me under the visible form of Bread and Wine O immortal King I am not worthy I confess of so great a benefit yet I beseech thee as thou dost make the unworthy worthy and the sinners just so make me worthy to receive this holy blessed and Heavenly Sacrament to my Souls Health Feed my Soul O Lord with thy spiritual Body and let thy blood revive and quicken my Spirit O make me by thy grace daily encreasing in me a member of thy mysticall body that I may be included within the Covenant and blessing which thou madest with thy Saints and Apostles in thy last Supper communicating unto them the holy Sacrament of thy body and Blood and consequently that I may be of the number of them which according to the Vow and Promise made in Baptism do live in Faith and by thy grace are received into the company of Saints Amen This prayer being ended with all Reverence and Devotion I received the holy Sacrament and that being ended we went from the Chappel into a great Hall where I met the good Hermit Understanding whom when I had saluted and he me I thanked him for his good sermon Then as we were talking Gods Grace said unto me Sir Knight I give thee for thy Governour this good Hermit Understanding believe his Counsel and do what he commands Then I remembred my old Governess Folly whom I left in the bog amongst Serpents and Toads so I was very glad of my Governour and give thanks to Gods Grace who from the Table gave me drugs to eat and repeated unto me a place written in the 80 Psalme of David Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Then having swallowed that which she gave me I forgat the World and made no reckoning of any thing therein For all my desire was in haste to see the Palace of true Felicity I desired death to be with Christ in Heaven Dinner being done the Gates of Repentance were opened which were narrow contrariwise as it appeareth in the first Book that the entrance into the Palace of Voluptuousness was wide large and great but the end thereof was desperation and destruction as on the other side the entring into the Palace of Repentance is streight and narrow but the end thereof is eternal Life For Repentance as Saint Paul saith leadeth the Repentant to everlasting Salvation When the gates were open I mounted up into a Chariot of Ivory having golden wheels and two white Horses with wings drawing the same Gods Grace gat up first and with her hand helped me up then followed the good Hermit Understanding then Memory Conscience and Repentance but Gods Grace governed all who touching the Horses with her Rod they mounted up over the Mountains which are above the Earth So we passed through the Region of the Air where inhabiteth all the wicked spirits which watch to annoy such as would mount up to Heaven And though I was greatly agast hereat yet my trust was in Gods Grace under whose Wings I hid my self I trusted not in my Conscience although it was at peace nor to Repentance nor to Understanding but to Gods Grace only who safely throwded me under her Wings as the Hen doth her Chickens against the coming of the Kite Then she commanded the wicked Enemies to get them hence and they forthwith sled away crying aloud Now have we lost our Knight lo he is mounted up to the Palace of Vertue in despight of us all Now he is escaped under the Wings of Gods grace Being past this brunt I heartily thanked Gods grace of her goodness and on the sudden I saw upon the top of a Mountain a goodly Palace Now for that love ingendreth tamiliarity and familiarity breeds boldness I asked Gods grace what place it was and she told me it was the Palace of Vertue It was so high that it reached even to Heaven and about it were seven sair Towers of Alablaster In the first dwelt Faith in the second Hope in the third Charity in the fourth Wisdome in the fifth Justice in the sixth Fortitude and in the seventh Temperance In the first Tower Gods grace shewed me Faith which waited for our coming near unto whom I might perceive the Palace of true Felicity With that I desired Lady Memory to put me in mind in the morning of seeing that gallant City Whiles we talked thus our Chariot arrived at the Court where Lady Vertue with her Daughters Faith Hope Charity Wisdome Justice and Temperance dwelt At the first sight I knew it was the same Lady Vertue which afore-time had so well admonished me to whom I gave no ear Then reverently upon my knees lamenting I cryed her mercy for contemning her Counsell and following Voluptuousness Wherewith she made me arise and in token that she took in good part my recantation she sweetly kissed me and bade me Welcome So with great joy accompanied with Gods grace true Understanding quiet Conscience and unfained Repentance I entred into the Palace of Lady Vertue Thus much for the second part of the Wandring Knights Voyage THE VOYAGE OF The Wandring Knight The Third Part. CHAP. I. The Knight declareth the great good the solace and the pleasure which he found in the Palace of Lady Vertue IF I had a thousand tongues to tell the truth of all the good and pleasures which I found in the Palace of Vertue and if I live a thousand years to report this matter all were too little in every
point to decipher it for it consisteth not in Angelical knowledge much less in mans wit wholly to comprehend so noble a mystery none knows it but he who hath proved it you may be sure that there are not as in the Palace of Worldly pleasure chambers hanged with Silk Tapestry and every corner sumptuously and superfluously adorned No no but there were Histories of the Old and New Testament to view and mark I found not their Coffers full of Gold and Silver Cup-boards of Plate Presses of Silks all manner of Mercery-ware neither dainty Dishes delicate Drinks bawdy Songs wanton Musick the Lady of Love her Son Cupid nor any thing that Worldlings imbrace but I found a thing far supassing all that is in the World This good this joyfull this comfortable this unspeakable this incomprehensible-thing cannot be named worthily enough but of good and bad he is called God even he who is the only Soveraign good above all things reasonable and unreasonable Peradventure you will say this is stoange news that you Sir Knight should see God in the Palace of Vertue How is it strange seeing he is every where not only in Heaven but also in Earth and in Hell Truly I confess that God is every where but I deny him to dwell every where and yet I know that by his power and invincible presence he is every where though not every where by the fulness of his greatness and his gifts it followes then that he dwelleth every where I pray you what profiteth it the damned that he is in hell by his power Iustice and Vengeance Truly by such presence of God they have no joy no consolation no benefit or selicity for that all are cursed in whom God dwelleth not by his grace whatsoever they be be they Kings Princes or Popes who have all other riches and delights in the World But all they that have the grace of God are happy or at least wise in hope though they live even in a loathsome prison and are poorer than Lazarus which desired to be refreshed with the crums that fell from the evil rich Mans Table Now when we pray to God we say Our Father which art in Heaven for that is the place where God gives the enjoying and possession of himself to his elect and that is their dwelling prepared by the grace of God That is that God speaks of by the Prophet Esay saying Heaven is my seat and the Earth is my foot-stoole For asmuch saith God as I dwell in mine Elect by Grace I will tumble at my feet those that love Voluptuousness rather then their Maker In the book of Wisdom it is written That the seat of wisdom is in the soul of the just God is wisdom and the just soul his seat God is in every place where he dwelleth but he dwelleth not in every place where he is This is most true though marvellous for the evil are alwayes where God is but yet God dwelleth not in them Wheresoever the wicked are they cannot hide themselves from God and yet they are not dwellers with God nor God a dweller with them They are where God is as the blind man in the Light of the Sun the Light is not in him because he hath not the use of it But the good are alwayes with God and God dwelleth in them as in his Temple Saint Paul saith That the temple of God is holy And therefore is ye live well as he commands you you are his Temple And God himself saith I will be in them I will walk amongst them I will be their God and they shall be my people Now therefore you see that although God be every where in his power yet he dwelleth no where but where he is by grace It is plain that where Vertue is there God inhabiteth by grace which is the only consolation of all reasonable Creatures Is it possible that any Man can find in Heaven or in Earth such Soveraign good as is in God who is the most excellentest and chiefest good and the true joy of all reasonable Creatures Now can that body fail in any goodness which hath God by his Grace resting in his Heart who is the only Authour of all goodness and the giver of all true Ioy and persect Felicity But some will say that they see good People in the World oftentimes suffer misery deprived of their goods and put by the pleasures of this world which appeareth in the sadness of their countenance for they seem to be conceived with sorrow and as it were to labour and travel in heaviness as a Woman in Child birth I confess it to be so but yet if you say that they are not surnished with all good and true joy and Felicity you err greatly For the Soveraign good which is God dwels in the just soul for evermore although foolish Worldings say in their Hearts and thoughts Can it be that those miserable men which are afflicted with poverty or imprisonment have more possession of true Felicity than we that wallow in Wealth and are without want of any Worldly pleasures But they consider not that true Ioy consisteth in the Soul But be you sure that as the Soul is the most precious part of the body so ought the goodness of the Soul to be greater than the goodness of the body The Ioy of the Iust and Righteous is more inward than outward for all his goodness is in the soul as the joy of wanton Worldlings is outwardly in the body This just Man suffereth outward extremities but yet inwardly he hath more joy than the Voluptuous Man And though the just man being alwayes afflicted maketh shew of sadness all his life time yet at the hour of death their joy and consolation appeareth with hope of eternal life whereas contrariwise the Wordling goeth his way with grudging and despair The just man esteems Gold and Silver to be coloured Earth worldly wealth and Voluptuous seeding to be Famine and Filth Honour Dignity and Delight to be smoak which the Air consumeth suddenly to be short he maketh all the World no better than an exile and although his body be detained here for a season yet all his thoughts cares desires and meditations are conversant among the Orders of holy Angels and the happy Assembly of Saints in Heaven singing Psalms and Prayses incessantly So that whatsoever we esteem evill in this World God turns it to good For he makes us rejoyce in Tribulations taking them for medicines to purge our corruptions and not accounting our Persecutors as our Enemies but rather as Helpers to salvation The just Man esteems simple fare sufficing nature better than abundance of delicate or excessive Drunkenness or Gluttony They take more pleasure in kneeling praying and fasting then worldlings do in dancing and singing wanton Songs Finally that they do or suffer God turns it to good And therefore Saint Paul saith that all things turn to the good of those that love God The eye never seeth the
and abilities in Man inward only but not outward that is to say a perfect affection of the soul which God precureth in man and not Man in himself For although such motions seem to be motions of free-will yet they cannot be such except God vauchsafe of his working Grace to sanctifie the will and to make it capable of such good affections These two Opinions recited by the Master of the Sentences in the second Book and 27 Distinction I refer to the Iudgment of the Reader and allow them so far forth as they both agree that Vertue is a work of God in Man and not of Man in himself But yet they differ because the first sayes that Vertue is not a moving of the Soul for that it is the only working of God without Man and of meer Grace the other Opinion saith that Vertue is a good motion of Man not coming of God in Man I dare not judge rashly in so High and secret a Mystery and therefore I appeal to the determination of the Learned It sufficeth to know that Vertue is a work of God in Man and not of Man in himself and in this point as both Opinions do consent so I approve them to be true CAP III The Description of Faith and how we ought to believe in God for our salvation FAith is a Vertue whereby we believe that which we see not When it is said that Faith is a Vertue it is most manifest that faith is the pure gift of God whereby we believe that which we see not But yet it followeth not that we should believe all that we hear and see not but this is meant only in things touching Religion and the Worshipping of God Faith is properly of things not apparent for apparent things have no Faith but a certain Demonstration as when our Lord saith to Thomas Because thou hast seen thou believest Yet Thomas believed more than he saw a Man and he believed that the same Man was God also which he saw not for he said Thou art my God and my Lord. In this consisteth the merit of Faith when a man at the Commandement of God believeth that thing which he seeth not To believe saith Saint Austin is to think upon a thing with consent to that thought as when thou thinkest the Son of God was born of a Virgin and toah mans nature upon him and consentest to that Thought it is properly called Beliefe This thought may come often by seeing and often by hearing And when Saint Paul saith that faith cometh by hearing of the word of God he understands that by hearing faith comes into the mind and thought if we consent thereunto For we may hear a Preacher without consenting to that he saith because men do not alwayes believe what the Preacher speaketh for that the consent wherein consisteth the perfection of Faith comes of the meer gift of God and not from seeing nor hearing but from the light of Grace speaking in the Soul of the Believer believing the principal truth which is God and working in him an agreement with that Soveraign truth above all other things So that Faith is a foundation unmovable our Lord Iesus Christ who is the only Foundation of true Blessedness dwelleth in the Hearts of the Believers and so long as Faith is in Man he shall be sure not to perish but faith without Charity is no Foundation because such Faith is in vain and unprofitable Faith then joyned with Love or Charity belongs to good Christians and Faith without Love belongs to evill Christians It is necessary therefore that we note the difference in these three sayings or speeches namely To believe a God To believe of God To believe in God To believe a God is to believe that he is the only true God so the Devils do believe as well as the evill Christians To believe of God is to believe that all is true which God saith and so believe the evill Christians as well as the good unless they be Hereticks But to believe in God is to love God and in believing to joyn thy self to God by love and obedience incorporating thee with His Members that is to say his Church This Faith justisteth the Sinner and this Faith being knit with Love and with Charity begins to do good deeds which cannot be done without Love The Faith which evill Christians have is indeed a quality of free will but it is not knit with Love and Charity which is the bond of perfection and the life of faith as Faith is the Life of the Soul And yet such an unshapen Faith being naked and Void of Charity may be termed a gift of God for that the evill man may have some gift of God but that cannot properly be called Vertue because that by Vertue we learn to live rightly and for that the Devils and Evill Christians do live wickedly it is a sign that the faith which they have is dead and therefore is not properly Vertue nor yet a work of Vertue If thou wilt then have thy Faith to be good and saving it must have four properties that is to say it must be plain and simple it must be whole and sound it must be constant and unmovable it must be quick and lively Touching the first that it must be plain and simple that teacheth thee thus much in effect that thou must believe the word of God simply and whatsoever is therein contained without inquiring into Gods mystical matters by humane Reasons and simply believing in thy heart that every thing contained in the holy bible is most true Secondly thy Faith must be whole and sound that is thou must not take part with Hereticks or cleave to the erronious Opinions of the Enemies of Gods truth for this is no good faith And therefore for a Testimony of thy Faith be not ashamed to make open Confession in the Congregation of thy belief with the Fellowship and Communion of Saints That thou believest in God the Creator and Governour of all things in his Son Iesus Christ the Redeemer and in the holy Ghest by which we are sanctified and receive true comsort and joy c. according as it is declared in his holy word Thirdly it must be constant and unmovable that is without doubting for any reason of Mans brain that seemeth contrary or for any temptation promise or threatnings either of torment or of death And let not the obstinacy of such as enchant with the vain pleasures of this life although they seem to live most joyfully allure thee to cleave to their opinion which is siat heresie for that is a work of Satans who wholly possesses them can change himself into an Angel of light to deceive the simple and innocent whom God permits to be tempted for the tryal of their constancy Not that he is ignorant of the issue but because he would have it appear in others that he crownes us with glory for our constancy and perseverance This is clearly
Magnanimity Constancy Hope Assurance Patience and Perseverance With this Vertue the Martyrs of all Degrees and Ages were endued grounded upon a firm Faith contemning the world and setting light by the torments of Lyrants imbracing death rather then to deny Christ Gods Prophets were armed with Fortitude who without siattery reprehended the Kings of Israel and Juda of their fals worship of God and feared not their furies The Apostles of Iesus Christ were armed with Fortitude who feared not to controll the wisdom of the wise and vanquish such as were in high places that they might with contented mindes carry the yoak of Christ This they did not with mans power or warlike weapons but with dibine Doctrine not defiring to kill any one but to die themselves It is a great worlds wonder that so few simple souls unarmed unlearned and having no humane policy should vanquish the wisdom of the World confound earthly policy and strength and subdue Kings and bring them in obedience to the Faith of Christ revoking the People from false Religion and Adoration of Debils With this Vertue of fortitude Kings ought to be Armed not fearing any danger for the Defence of the Faith of Iesus Christ but being of one mind with the holy Martyrs of God With this vertue ought Preachers to be armed worthily defending the word of God against all Hereticks and Enemies of the same not fearing the threatnings of Persecutors whatsoever But you must understand that fortitude is not a dealer in the committing of unlawfull deeds as to beat hurt or kill thy brother unless it be justly done in thy own defence or for thy Countries cause otherwise it is a mere Malice Moreover such as desperately dispatch themselves as Wretches weary of Life they do it not by Fortitude but by the Lemptation of the Devill who is permitted of Gods sufferance to tempt some even to the making away of themselves Such People are not Valiant for it is not fortitude unless it be in lawfull deeds as in the defence of thine own Person the Magistrate thy Country or the Faith of Christ for the which to suffer death is excellent fortitude Temperance saith S. Austen is an affection to resrain the appetite when a Man is excessively inclined Temperance hath rule over pleasures and delights resusing to meddle in any thing which cannot be done without offending God and not falling into any excess whatsoever wherein a man may pass the rule of reason To live in Temperance is to dispose every thing according to the right use whereto it was appointed These four Vertues have four Vices clean contrary unto them by the which Vices the Vertues are corrupted and destroyed Prudence by Folly Justice by Covetousness Fortitude by Pride and Temperance by Inconstancy is defaced These Vices are signified by the sour plagues which consumed the Goods of Job namely The Sabees the Chaldees the force of Fire and the Violence of a vehement Wind. The Sabees of Folly made havock of Prudence Oxen. The Chaldees of Pride led away the Camels of Fortitude The fire of Lechery made waste of Temperance Sheep And the boysterous winde of Covetousness overthrew the Houses of Justice The four Vertues likewise are devoured of their adversary Vices according as Joel complaineth against the Wicked Jewes under sour notable things decyphering the four Vices Opposite and against the sour Vertues before-named These sour things are the Caterpillar the Grashopper the Locust and the Blasting all which four things being vent to wastfullness leave nothing unspoyled By the Caterpillar is meant foolish bragging which destroyed the Vertue of Prudence By the Grashopper is meant Pride which destroyeth the Vertue of Fortitude By the Locust is meant Covetousness which destroyeth the Vertue of Justice And by Blasting is meant Lechery which destroyeth the Vertue of Temperance For foolish bragging destroyeth the Vertue of Wisdem Pride corrupteth the State Avarice devours Justice Lechery spoyleth Temperance Now therefore Sir Knight I wish thee to refrain from these insatiable Vices lest thou lose the enjoying of these four notable Morall Vertues thou knowest what company thou hadst in the Palace of Vertue there thou sawest Gods Graces Faith Hope Charity Prudence Justice Fortitude Temperance and that goodness which none know but they who have had experience CAP. VIII How Faith from the top of the Tower sheweth unto the Knight the City of Heaven AFter Good Understanding had delivered these good words I was ravished in my mind I felt not my self I lost my taste I neither regarded meat nor drink and most of all I marvelled that Night approached not because many hours were consumed Being in that amaze Vertue told me that darkness had nothing to do where she dwelt Then Memory put me in mind what Gods Grace told me by the way saying that by the works of Faith which are the fruits of the same I might perceive and see the City of Heaven wherein is comprehended true Felicity Then Faith led me to her Tower and all the other Vertues kept us company For Faith properly is not without Hope nor Hope without Charity and therefore they must go all together And though these Vertues have several properties yet they joyn hands and are never asunder S. Hierom saith that Abraham was furnished with Faith Job with Fortitude and patience David with Humility and so conseouently Then Faith from her Tower shewed me a high Hill whereon was Luilt a marvellous sumptuous City and she told me it was the City of Heaven wherein is comprehended true Blessedness and perfect Felicity In that City I saw never a Temple which made me marvel untill that Faith told me that the Lord God Almighty was the Temple of that City There needs no shining of the Sun no brightness of the Moon no glittering of the Stars to give them light for Almighty God is their true Light himself None enters into this City but such as are written in the book of Life Furthermore Faith told me that there was no Adversity no sin no iniquity no fear no sorrow no shame no darkness no pain no unquietness no ill no grudging finally nothing that savoureth of mortality but there was Prosperity Perfection Vnity Love Gladness Quietness Charity sure Rest perpetual Felicity and everlasting joy in God with eternal Happinesse There was mirth without Sadness Rest without Pain Abundance without Want Life without Corruption In this City God is seen Face to Face there is the endless light shining the Saints alwayes singing blessed Souls rejoycing and ever beholding God yet still coveting to see him without dulness of destre The Citizens of this City of Heaven are Co-heirs of the eternal Deity the Father Son and holy Ghost They are made immortal according to the promise of our Lord and Saviour Christ saying Father those that thou hast given me I will that they be with me where I am that they may see my brightness What can I say more In this City is our King without death and
without change without beginning and without Ending In this City there is no Night there is no limitation or term of life but continual day most brightly shinning For in this City dwelleth the Father of Lights even God himself whose brightness no darkness can over-shadow The Citizens of this City are partakers of unspeakable grace of endless joy and of such persection as thereunto there can be added no more Vnto this place shall the just be advanced as for the wicked their promotion is in the Lake voyling with Fire and Brimstone CAP. IX The desire that the Knight had to come to Heaven and how Gods Grace brought perseverance HAving seen from the Tower of faith the City of Heaven and heard by her the manner of it I was ravished of my wit and esteemed nothing at all of the World For I selt not my self methought I was walking in Heaven Hereupon I destred Faith that I might remain still in her Tower the which willingly she granted me insomuch that I was never weary out of her lower Window to behold Heaven yea the more I beheld it the more beautifull it seemed Then I was loath to live in this World and desired that I might dye the sooner to have the sight and enjoying of Christ my Redeemer and kneeling by my self all alone I made this Prayer saying O How happy is the soul that is out of this earthly prison and resteth in Heaven most joyfull seeing his Saviour face to face That soul is without fear and affliction O how happy is the soul which is in the company of Angels and holy Saints singing prayses unto the Most High Such a Soul surely is laden with abundance of joy O happy society of Citizens O happy company of Saints which lamented in their mortall life but now raigne with God immortally O sweet Jesus let me come to thy pleasant City where thy Citizens see thee daily to their great delight O let me come there where nothing is troublesome to hear or understand what melody hear they without ending And how happy were I if I might hear the Songs or be admitted to sing a Song of David in the holy Hill of Sion O that I being the least of thy Servants may by thy grace put off my fleshly burthen and come to thy happy City to accompany the holy and happy assembly of Saints to see the glory of my Creatour and to behold his amiable Majesty That I may be made meet for this so sweet a blessing grant I beseech thee O gracious God that I never look back upon this shadow or valley of tears that I remember not the false pleasures of this wicked world that I esteem not this corruptible and evill life O how can we here be happy where the Devill alwayes assaults us where the world flatters us where the soul is blinded and where all men sinne After which great evills death doth follow as the very end of all vain pleasures and then they are esteemed as if they had never been What recompence may be made unto thee O God which givest us consolation in the midst of all our extrencities by the wonderfull visitation of they Divine Grace Behold me miserable wretch filled with sadness when I consider my sins when I fear thy judgments when I think on the hour of death when I remember the pains of Hell when I am ignorant what punishment I deserve when I know not where nor in what Estate I shall end my dayes In all these things and many other I appeal to thy gracious goodness knowing that thou art ready to give me consolation against all these sorrowes Thou liftest up my soul full of anguish above all Mountains thou makest me receive thy great love charity and goodnesse by the which thou recreatest my heavie spirit and rejoycest my sad heart in revealing unto me thy heavenly delights This Prayer ended I rested my Soul upon the anchor of hope Then as I was kneeling Gods grace appeared unto me accompanyed with another Lady which I had not seen before And after I had given her thanks for all her benefits she delivered me this Lady named Perseverance to continue with me charging me on keep her with me if I meant to be a Citizen of Heaven For said she all other vertues without her are as nothing to win braven For it is written who so perseveres unto the end shall be saved And therefore if thou wilt be saved then must continue Hereof we have many Examples in the holy Scripture but I will only touch two When Saul was first annoynted King of Israel he was as lowly as the child of one year old but he continued not above two years in his goodness For after he had once put Perseverance away he became evill and grew to be a cruell Tyrant insomuch that he slue many of the Lords Priests and persecuted good David But what was his end He was vanquished of his Enemies and being given over of God he killed himself upon the Mount Gilboa Again touching the same matter Judas at the first when God made him an Apostle was good and dutifull but when he had put Perseverance away he became a Thief and by Covetousness he vetrayed and sold his Master Christ and being forsaken of God he became a Reprobate fell into desperation and with a Halter hanged himself When I heard Perse verance say so for fear lest the like should befall me I desired the counsell of Good Understanding to shew me the means how I might keep Perseverance alwayes with me that in so doing I might not be deprived of the glorious City of Heaven To which request of mine the good Hermit Understanding tendring the safety of my Soul and having a carefull regard to all my Endeavours did yield and spake to me on this wise CAP. X. Good Understanding sheweth the Knight how to keep perseverance alwayes with him MY Son the last point of thy Souls health quoth Good Understanding is to know how thou art now without going back which if thou desire then must Perseverance never leave thee for if she forsake thee then must thou needs lose the pleasures of Lady Vertues Palace wherein thou art now From whence if thou go back thou shalt be sure to lose the joyes of Heaven Thou must therefore remain constant without wavering the which to do thou must by devour and continual prayer faithfully crave helpof Gods grace And to accomplish all this thou must remember three things the first is thy Life past the second thy life present and the third thy lise to come Those three confiderations will encourage thee to stay where thou art and as it were with a bridle will keep thee from recoyling First think what thou hast done before time in following Folly how thou livedst vainly yielding to every vain concupiscence whereby thou didst fall into the filth of sin and endangeredst both thy body and Soul O where hadst thou been if Gods Grace had not taken