tossed in these troublesome floods of mortality bewayling the tediousnes of this my yrksome pilgrimage The infant ouercommeth his mother with crying the child his father with weeping and the seruant his maister with submission and wilt thou be no more intreated Oh Lord where are thy tender mercies and louing kindnes which hath bin euer of old our Fathers hoped in thee and were deliuered they put their trust in thee and were not confounded Thou art the father of the fatherlesse and the helper of the frendlesse Thou hast alwaies heard the humble desire of the poore thou preparest their hart to call vppon thee and thine Eares harken thereunto Thou deliuerest them from wronge and right deare is their bloud in thy sight Why art thou so full of heauines then oh my soule why art thou so disquieted within mee Oh put thy trust in God for I will yet giue him thanks which is the helpe of my countinance and my God Yea though hee kill me yet will I trust in him I will sing vnto the Lord so long as I liue and will praise my God while I haue any being He hath chastened corrected me but not giuen me ouer vnto death And therefore my hart daunceth for ioy my flesh shall rest in hope and in my song will I praise him I will honor him with due obedience serue him in feare and reioice vnto him with reuerence Rebuke me not in thyne anger oh Lord neither chasten me in thy heauy displeasure Forsake me not in mine old age when my strength faileth me but comfort my heauines pitty my misery and releeue my necessity Clense me from my secret faultes and pardon the sinnes of my youth Grant me a new hart a new mind a new spirit and a new life And I wil offer vnto thee the sacrifice of thankes geuing and reioyce in thy saluation oh thou most highest Thy testimonies shal delight my soule in the dayes of my trouble thy statutes shall be my songes in the house of my pilgrimage and thy law shall be dearer vnto me then thousands of gold and siluer To thee oh heauenly Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost three distinct persons in Trinitie and one God in power might and maiesty be euerlasting glory perpetual praise and eternall thanks for euermore world without ende Amen The Table of the Chapters contained in this booke Chapter I. He that in Paradise wil taist the fruites of Diuinity must first learne to know himselfe in the schole of humility fol. 1. Chapter II. Of the lothsome deformity of nature through Adams fall fol. 3. Chapter III. Of the miserie of Adams brats and vanitie of the world fol. 5. Chapter IIII. Of the breuitye of mans life and certaintye of Death fol. 10. Chapter V. The passage of Paradise is aptly compared to a warfare fol. 14. Chapter VI. The armour and weapons of a Christian Soldiour fol. 17. Chapter VII He that in Paradise will come to ioy with Christ must trauell with patience vnder the crosse of Christ. fol. 20. Chapter VIII Of true repentance with her inseperable furniture fol. 23. Chapter IX Of Confession of sinnes fol. 25. Chapter X. Of faith hope and charity fol. 27. Chapter XI Of prayer and meditation fol. 29. Chapter XII Of true abstinence or fasting fol. 34. Chapter XIII A briefe summe of Christian religion fol. 36. Chapter XIIII An exhortation to indure constant in time of tryall fol. 38. Chapter XV. A comfortable consolation to the faithful troupe of Christian Pilgrims fol. 41. Chapter XVI Of the ioyful state of Gods children after the last iudgement fol. 46. A meditation of the Lords prayer fol. 52. A most godly and comfortable prayer in time of aduersity fol. 55. Genes 47 Iob 14. 2. Tim. 3.1 Apoc. 12.12 2. Cor. 11 13 14. Mat. 24.24 2. Tim. 3.7 Augustin de ciuitate Dei Psalm 51. Ierom in his first B. against Pelagius Augustin 1 Tim. 1.15 Those that feel not the horror of hell passe litle for the ioyes of heauen Psal. â—1 17 Luk. 18. Luke 5.32.19 10.15 23.24 Esi 61. Mat. 26.41 1 Pet. 5.8 Rom. 11.17.24 Gen. 11. Exod. 2. Exod. 12. Psal. 80.8 1. Cor. 10. â— Rom. 7.5.6 Mat. 15.13 Colo. 2.12 Rom. 10.14 Titus 2.15 1. Cor. 2.14 Ioh. 15.1 â— Math. 3.10 Eccle. 7. The misery of mortality Gen. 3. Iob. 10.30 Chrisost. He is born in teares groweth vp in sighs liueth in paine and dyeth in griefe Psal. 39.6 Preach 2. Eccles. 40. As yeares diminish so troubles increase Gen. 12. Gen. 38. Luk. 16. Ier. 15.20 Preach 1. Iob. 14. Iob. 9. Psal. 90. VVis â— Vpon this condition we came into the world to leaue it againe Preach 9.13 He that wil liue must learne to die Behold thy selfe by me such one was I as thou thou in time shalt be euen dust as I am now 1 Cor. 15. Iohn 12.24 Plinie Lactantius Beginning and ending in the hart Deut. 7.1 1 Pet. 2.11 Iames 4.1 The more contrary man is to himself the more agreable to the will of God 1 Pet. 5.8 Ephe. 6 12. Gala. 5. Mat. 24.24 Exod. 7. Ephe. 6. Heb. 4.12 2. Cor. 10.41.5 Esay 24. Math. 10.28.32 Rom. 10.9.10 Heb. 10.37 Math. 25.3 1. Cor. 16.13 Phil. 2.12 Deut. 29. Act. 14.22 Gen. 3. Though these such other familiar examples may profitably bee vsed to helpe the weake capacity of the simple yet no man ought to ground his conscience vpon the inuention of man which may erre but the truth of God which can not deceaue 2 Tim. 2.3 Luk. 9.26 Hee that will be crowned must not grudge to be crossed Luk. 14.27 Mat. 10.24.25 Luk. 7.34 Hebr. 11. All that will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3.12 Iames 1.3.4 Ignatius an dom 80. Let no maÌ„ count that a greeuous misery which Christ hath left as a badge of his blessing An example of patience Psal. 51.17 2 Cor. 7.10 1 Iohn 1.8.9.10 Math. 3.8 Psalm 40. 4 Kings 20 Luk. 7. â—â— Mat. 26.71 Iohn 8.11 Luk. 2â— 3 2 Cor. 2.3.9 Ambrose in his 2. B. of repentance Chap. 10. Iames 5.16 Math 5.23.24 August 2. Tim. 3.16 17. 2. Cor. 1.4 Prou. 24. Prou. 28. Chrisost. vpon the 30. Psalm homili 2. Auricular confession was fyrst compelled by Pope Innocent an dom 1198. Psalm 32.6 1 Iohn 1.9 Hebru 11.1 Iames. 2.19 Luk. 17.6 Mark 9.23.11 23. Acts 3.16 Mat. 7.22.23 Math. 3.17 Acts 10.43 Iames 1.6 Ro. 8.14.15 1 Cor. 6.15.19 Hebru 11.6 Math. 16.17 Ro. 10 17. Luk. 24.45 Ro. 10.10.1.16 Which proseedeth rather from the affections of the hart then the vnderstanding of the braine Iohn 3.16 Ro. 15.4.8.24 1 Thes. 5.8 Titus 2.13 Heb. 10 21. Math. 7.12 1. Cor. 13.4.7 Rom. 13.10 Math. 5.44 Ioh. 13.35 Mat. 22.12 Ioh. 13.35 Leu. 11. Prayer must be grounded vpon faith and faith vpon the word of God Colo. 4.2 Mat. 14.38 1. Tim. 2.1 Luk. 22.40.41 Math. 7.8 Math. 6.9 Mat. 6.30 Act. 10.43 Iohn 6.47 Mark 11.34 Ioh. 16.23 Psal. 50. 1. Ioh. 5.14 Ioh. 15.7 Mat. 21 22. Psal. 145. Esay 65. Iob. 42. Lam. 3. Daniel 6.3 Ionas 2. Act. 7. All times in al places and for all persons Iames 1.6.7 Like a harper that plaieth one tune and singeth an other Iames 4.2.3 Math. 6.6.7 Esay 57. Psal. 31. 1. King 1. Exod. 14. Phil. 2.13 Phil. 2.13 For if God shoulde straightly measure mans imperfections by the straight rule of his word the most righteous man vpon earth should not be able to stand before him Mat. 9.24 Math. 7.6.15 29. VVisd 1. Tob. 12.9 Psal. 35.13 Ambrose Ierom. Luk. 2.37 Mat. 17.21 1. Cor. 6.19 Psal. 51.17 Rom. 6.12 Colo. 3.5.6 Iames 1.3.4 Iames 2.15 Augustine in his 64. sermon of time Augustine in his 41 sermon in the wildernes Math. 2.11 1. Thes. 3.8 Heb. 13.15 Act. 10.4 Ephe. 4.24 1. Thes 4.3 Math. 7.12 6.31.33 Rom. 2.13 Mat. 7.21 Ioh. 13.17 Luk. 11.28 Christian duetie consisteth in knowledge of the truth faith in Christ and obedience to his will Apoc. 14.13 Leuit. 21. A wicked life deserueth a shamefull death Ro. 8.36.38 39. Luk. 22 2â—.29 Apoc. 2.10 Apoc. 21.7 Apoc. 2.7 Luk. 9.62 Heb. 10 3â— 1 Cor. 9.24 25. Math. 20. Mat. 10.22 Gen. â—2 Luk. 10 20. 2. Tim. 4.7 Sach 2.8 Psal. 6.2.9 Luk. 12.32 Ihon. 16.20 33. Psalm 33.107 Math 10.30 Psal. 103. Psal. 116.13 Zach. 2. Esay 49. Psalm 37. 3 King 17. Iudg. 15. Exod. 16. Deutr. 8. Heb. 1.14 Math. 18.10 Psalm 34. Euk. 16.22 Esay 54. Psal. 12.5.1 1 Cor 11.32 Not barreÌ„ trees but fruitful are yerely beaden Esay 30. Prou 17. Apoc. 3.11 Apoc. 7.17 Esay 61 Math. 16.20 Prou. 3. Tob. 12 Iams 1 12. Phil. 4.11 1. Cor. 10.13 Iob. 5. Gen. 32. 2. Pet. 2â— 1. Cor. 10.13 Deutr 1. He that soweth in teares shall reape in ioy Prou. 10. Esay 51.4.5 52.4 Heb. 12.6 Apoc. 3.19 1. Cor. 7.31 2. Cor. 5.17 2. Pet. 3.13 2. Pet. 3. Esay 51.8 Esay 65.17 Apoc. 21. All things shall be renewed and restored to the most excellent state of perfection as in paradise before Adams fall Apoc. 22.5 Esay 60. Esay 30. Esay 66. Augustine de ciuitate dei 1. Cor. 7.31 1. Thes. 4.16 1. Cor. 15.48.49 Phil. 3.21 1. Cor. 15.52.53 1. Iohn 3.2 Ierom. Mat. 22.30 Psal. 78.25 Iob. 19. Not airie spitits but incorruptible bodies Theodoret in his 2. dialoge 1. Cor. 15.38.44 Luk. 24.39 Ioh. 20.19 Anselm in lib. de simili Chap. 48.49 Mat. 13.43 Daniel 12. 1. Cor. 13.12 1. Ioh. 14. Act. 2.28 1. Cor. 2.9 2. Cor. 3.13.14.18 Mat. 27.51 1. Cor. 13.12 Phil. 2. Rom. 14.11 1. Cor. 15.24.25 Maister Caluin in his institutions Ro. 12.1.2 1. Thes. 4 3. Rom. 10.17 Psal. 19.111 Gala. 1.4 Apoc. 22.20 Mat. 24.31 1. Thes. 4.17 2 Thes. 1.10 1 Cor 6.20 1 Thes. 4 3. Luk. 14.27 Math. 7.7 Psalm 145. Iohn 6.58 Mat. 6.31.33 Da mihi DoÌ„ hodie quod sufficit eras plurima petam Chrisost Ioel. 2. Luk. 3.8 Math. 6.14.15 Luk. 17.3.4 1 Pet. 8.5.9 1 Cor. 10.30
but fained shewes or darke shadowes There was in the temple at Ierusalem and so in the tabernacle two vales The first in the sanctuarie and the second in sanctum sanctorum The outward vale did signifye the couering and concealing of those mysteries glad tydings of the Gospell or doctrine of grace pertaining to the church militant Which at the death of christ to shewe that the same was then reueiled the fierie sword which kept the gate of Paradise remoued and the way to God the Father vnto all true beleeuers laid open did rent and teare in sunder The inwarde vale did signify the couering and concealing of those diuine mysteries which after the generall iudgement shall bee reuealed when we shall see his glorious maiestie face to face as he is Which vale had foure colours signifying the foure Elements being impediments and lets to keepe vs from the sight of those heauenly substances which our immortall and glorifyed bodies shall then behold And as our Sauiour Christ laide aside the paâ—t of maiestie tooke vpon him the forme of a seruant and hauing performed due obedience and subiection vnto his father is now aduanced to the highest dominion and crowned with honor and glorie that all knees shall bow vnto him So after the last day when he hath performed the officâ— of a mediator hee shall yeelde vp into the handes of his Father both the kingdome name and crowne of glorie and bee content with that same glorie which he inioyed before the creation of the world that God may be all in all A Meditation of the Lords prayer Our Father which art in heauen halowed bee thy name THy sacred word oh heauenly father wherby thou art knowne the onely Lorde of mercy and iudgement bee halowed and saÌ„ctified in vs. That by meanes of hearing thine euerlasting truth And viewing thy wondrous worâ—es most glorious in their kind all states and degrees of people may continually be moued with humble thankfull and obedient heartes to extâ—ll praise and magnify thy infynite goodnes for euer That all may turne to thy glory and our saluation Thy kingdome come INcrease most louing Father thy faithfull family vpon earth and make hast to deliuer vs from this present euill world Come Lord quickly to shorten these our sinfull daies and bring our miserable pilgrimage to an end That all may turne to thy glorie and our saluation Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen OH mercifull God whose eternall will and pleasure is to glorify them that glorify thee in themselues We beseech thy fatherly goodnes so to frame our hartes in due obedience to thy heauenly wil as our cheefe study care and delight may be wholly applyed to the suppressing of falshod and vice th' aduauncing of truth and vertue and bearing with patience the crosse of our louing Redeemer after him That al may turn to thy glory and our saluation Giue vs this day our daily bread OH most bountifull and gratious Soueraigne at whose mercyes seat all mankind must call and cry for grace at whose almes-basket both King and Keaser are driuen to begge their bread at whose bountifull handes all liuing creatures in due season expect theâ—r food We humbly beseech thee so to coÌ„fort norish and releeue our soules with thy true and holesome bread of life as the promise of remission of sinnes and redemption in Christ may assuredly bee sealed in our hartes and conscience And at thy good will and pleasure giue vs thy daily blessing of food and raiment with all thinges needfull for our bodily sustinance in this life Not desyring with couetous worldlings to wallow in superfluity but with Salomon a meane contented liuing to aide necessity That all may turne to thy glory and our saluation Forgiue vs our trespasses as wee forgiue them that trespasse against vs. OH mercifull Father who hast promised free pardon and forgiuenes of synnes coÌ„ditionally that we do humbly acknowledge our faultes amend our liues and shew like pity and compassion to our bretheren that offend vs. We humbly beseech thee so to relent and mollify our hard stony harts with the piercyng oile of thy interior grace as our loue and charity towards them may declare the same promise to bee thankfully receiued of vs. That all may turne to thy glory and our saluation Lead vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill WE pray and beseech thee most gratious Soueraigne to bridle and restraine the furious rage of Sathan our mortall enemy Who like a ramping and roring Lyon seeketh continually to seduce and lead vs into errâ—r sinne and vtter distruction Strengthen our weakenesse quicken our dulnesse pardoÌ„ our neglâ—gence increase our faith and keepe vs in all truth godlinesse and vertue That we may alwâ—ies render vnto thy glorious maiesty wâ—thout beginning change or end all honor power and dominion for euer Amen A most godly and comfortable prayer in time of aduersity OH eternall and most louing father thou God of mercy and iudgement to whom all thinges in heauen and earth do bow and obay At tâ—e countinance of whose glorious maiesty the whole woâ—ld doth tremble and quake Who hath fashioned man of slime earth couered him in his mothers wombe and redeemed him from death and hell Who seeth the very secrets of mans harte vnderstandeth his thoughtes and spiest out all his wayes To thee oh heauenly king I humbly bowe the knees of my hart beseeching thy fatherly goodnes in Iesus Christ to heare me poore wretched child of Adam begotten and borne in sin disquieted with troubles wrapt in aduersity oppressed with misery Yet by thy secret purpose pertaine to thy kingdome An vnruly sheepe of thy fold by election and calling an vnprofitable seruant of thy houshold by obedience and duty And vnworthy sonne of thy family by adoption and grace I will call mine owne waies to remembrance confesse mine iniquities against my selfe and power out my complaint before thee Gâ—ue eare to my prayer O Lord consider my distresse and ponder the voice of my humble desires Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my hart be alwaies acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength and my redemer I haue sinned most greeuously Oh mercifull God against heauen and before thee I haue sore prouoked thyne anger oh Lord thy wrath is waxen hot thy heauy displeasure is sore kindled against me And now in the vexation of my spirit and the anguish of my soule Remembring thy fatherly kindnes towards penitent sinners I appeale to thy eternall mercy acknowledge my wickednes and lament my greuous offences My hart is broken with sorrows my life waxeÌ„ old with heauines and my yeares with mourning How long wilt thou be angry with thy seruant to Lord how loâ—g shall I seeke counsell in my soul and be so vexed in my spirit How long shall I poore sinfull wretch be
The Pilgrimage to Paradise Compiled for the direction comfort and resolution of Gods poore distressed children in passing through this irkesome wildernesse of temptation and tryall By Leonard Wright Acts. 14.22 Through much tribulation must wee enter into the kingdome of God Matth. 7.14 Straight is the gate and narrowe is the way that leadeth vnto life and fewe there be that finde it Seene and allowed LONDON Printed by Iohn Wolfe and are to be solde at his shoppe against the broad South doore of Paules 1591. To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord Ihon Lord Saint-Ihon Baron of Bletso L. Wright wisheth increase of honour and temporall prosperitie and after death to ioy with Christ in eternal felicitie THE Patriarkes in olde time coÌ„plained right Honorable that the dayes of their pilgrimage were short tedious but we may truly say that the days of our crooked aged are most wretched and dangerous WheÌ„ Satan whose wrath being great because he knoweth his time but short is transformed into an Angel of of light and his peeuish Ministers fashioned like to the Apostles of Christ hauyng their heads so fraught with nouelties their harts so ful of hypocrisie and their toongs so smooth eloquent and plausible as by the persuadable words of mans wisdome they are able to deceiue if it were possible euen the very elect They fil our eares with vaine iangling striuing and contending about Church-plots and principles of doctrine euer learning and neuer able to come to the trueth as though Religion consisted onely in speculation wythout action hearing without doing or knowledge without execution To the great discouraging and amazing of many a simple soule Who though in zeale of conscience very careful to please God and feareful to offend him yet by reason of ignorance vnable to discerne medicine from poison or Religion from Superstition For whose comfort and directioÌ„ in the way of truth godlinesse and vertue I haue penned this litle volume Which as a true testimony of a thankefull minde for those fauourable courtesies your Lordship hath vouchsafed to shew me I haue presumed to dedicate vnto your Honor in hope that in passing vnder your good name the people shal the rather be moued to take the same in good part and apply it to their profit Humbly beseeching you to pardon my boldenesse and accept it as willingly as I offer it faithfully And as duety bindes me my dailie prayers to the Almightie for your Honour shal not cease during life The Author to the Reader IT is a true saying gentle Reader man doth purpose but God doth dispose For I had no sooner determined in discharge of my dutie to frame this litle volume but that vpon speciall occasion offered by some of Satans broode who vnder an hipocriticall shew of Religion sought to corrupt the pure doctrine of the Gospell deface the ministerie and subuert the state of Ecclesiasticall gouernement I was moued in zeale of conscience to stay my former pretence And rather as time then required to apply my indeuours to the preuenting of eminent daungers as in my late published labour intituled A Sommons for sleepers A Patterne for Pastors A Display of dutie and The Hunting of Anti-christ with A friendly admonition to Martin Marprelate and his Mates may plainely appeare Tending chiefely to awake and stirre vp to repentance and amendment of life such wicked and notorious offenders as are most grieuous to the Church and noysome to the common wealth And to put all states and degrees of people in minde of their office and dutie to God their Prince and countrie And now to proceede as one alwayes willing and desirous what in me lyeth to further the glorie of God and profite his children I haue at length finished this my first pretended worke as a meane to incourage strengthen direct in the right path to eternal felicity such weary waÌ„dring Pilgrims as yet are weake in faith doubtfull in conscience or distressed in minde Crauing thus much at thy handes courteous Reader that if it shall please the Lorde in mercie so effectually to blesse and fructifie these my simple trauailes as by the helpe and meanes thereof thou shalt conceiue in thy soule that spirituall comfort and heauenly consolation which in heart I wish thee then yeelde dutifull thankes to the highest and charitably pray for me vale in Christo. L. Wright THE PILGRIMAGE to Paradise Chapter 1. He that in Paradise wil taist the fruites of Diuinity must first learne to know himselfe in the schole of humility HVmility is a vertue springing from the feare of God the mother of meekenesse and sister of deuotioÌ„ without which no man can attaine to the knowledge and feeling of his owne misery in Adam felicity in Christ. A Birde except her winges be mooued downwards can not flye vp to the top of an hill nor man except the affections of his hart be humbled downwards mount vp to the towre of diuine vnderstanding And therfore that godly father S. Augustine compareth heauen vnto a faire stately Pallace with a litle dore whereat no man can enter except he stoupe very low As who should say God reiecteth the proude and giueth grace to the humble and lowlye The true wisedome of a Christian Pilgram consisteth espetiaâ—ly in the knowledge of his owne imperfections Then are we said to bee righteous saith Ierom when we acknowledge our selues to be wicked transgressors He hath much profited in this life saith S. Augustin that hath learned how farre he is from perfection of righteousnes For the lesse opinion a man hath of himselfe the more trust he hath in God And the more he feeleth in his conscience the horror of hell the nearer he is to the ioyes of Heauen None so neare as the humble penitent whose hart is most deepely wounded with the greeuousnes of sinnes nor none so farre from true religion as he who thinketh himselfe most perfect and very religious The ioyes of Paradise are prepared not for proud presumptuous Pharasyes who seeme in their owne Eyes most iust pure and perfect but poore humble Publicans that iustly condemne themselues as most vile miserable and wretched The Sunne of man came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance To seeke vp none but those that do acknowledge themselues to bee lost To comfort and to raise vp none with his Gospel but those which bee discomforted and cast downe by the law Nor to annoint and heale none with his oyle of gladnes but such broken and contrit hartes as for griefe of synnes are sicke and mourne in syon Chapter II. Of the lothsome deformity of nature through Adams fall All which parts of man at the fyrst were in such perfect order and concoâ—d framed together as nether the immortall spirit did conceaue any thing the naturall powers of the soule desyre any thing nor the terrestriall body execute any thing coÌ„trary to the wil of God All