lawfull But yet without Loue or Charitie Prudence is a vertue no more meritorious then Faith without Loue and Charitie But if the prudent man loue God with all his hart it is vnpossible but he shuld do good and consequently be good Iustice is a vertue vsed in two sorts sometimes it is a general vertue comprehends in hir selfe all vertue as the man that liueth well iustly is therefore called good vertuous and iust Otherwise it is vnderstood a perticular vertue called Iustice distributiue yéelding to euerye one that which vnto him belongeth This vertue Iustice distributiue is conuenient for all men and principally for Emperours Kings Princes such as haue the administration and gouernment of Common-wealths to the ende that they may yeeld to euery one their right defending y e innocent punishing the offender honoring y e good abasing the euill doing Iustice right according to equitie as well to little as great to poore as rich Many haue Iustice painted in their houses yet haue iniurie wrongful deaâ—â—â—g lodged in their harts Many a one haue Christ in their mouth but y e diuel in their mind To conclude therfore he y t wil be acceptable to god he must be iust in word vpright in déed vndefiled in thought Fortitude is a vertue vnto the which belongs a magnificent courage not fearing any thing but vnlawfull actions He y t hath this vertue keepes himselfe constant in aduersitie waxeth not proud in prosperitie Fortitude giues a man magnanimitie constancie hope assurance sufferaunce patience perseuerance With this vertue y e Martirs of all degrées ages were indued grounded vpon a firme Faith coÌ„teÌ„ning y e world setting light by y e threatnings tormeÌ„ts of tyrants imbracing death rather theÌ„ to deny Christ. Gods Prophets were armed with Fortitude who without flatterie reprehended y e kings of Israel Iuda of their sins false worship of God feared not their furies The Apostles of Iesus Christ were armed with Fortitude who feared not to controll y e wisdome of y e wise vanquish such as wer in high places y t they might with contented mindes carie y e yoke of Christ. This did they not by their bodely strength nor yet w t mans power or warlike weapons but with diuine doctrine not desiring to kill any one but to die themselues It is a great worlds wonder y t so few poore simple soules vnarmed vnlearned hauing no humaine pollice shuld vanquish the wisdome of the world confound earthly pollicie strength and subdue Kings and bring them in obedience to the faith and knowledge of Christ reuoking the people from false religion and adoration of Diuells who tyrannously reigned and bare sway certaine the 〈◊〉 of yeares in the world With this vertue of Fortitude Kings and mightie men ought to be armed not doubting any danger for y e defence of the faith of Iâ—sus Christ but being of one the same minde with the holy Martirs of God With this Vertue ought Preachers and Teachers to be armed worthely defending the word of God against all Heretickes and enimies of the same not doubting the feare or the threatnings of persecutors whatsouer But you must vnderstand that Fortitude is not a dealer in the committing of vnlawfull déedes as to beate hurt or kill thy brother vnlesse it be iustly done in thine owne defence or for thy Countries cause otherwise it is meere mallice and madnesse of minde Moreouer such as extraordinarily and desperately dispatch themselues as wretches weary of life they doe it not by fortitude but by the temptation of the Diuell who is permitted by Gods sufferaunce to tempt some euen to the making away of themselues Such people are weake hearted and not valyant for valyantnesse which is Fortitude is not named notable vnlesse it be in lawfull actions and déeds as in the defence of thine owne person thy Prince thy Countrie or the faith of Iesus Christ for the which to suffer death is excellent Fortitude Temperance saith Saint Austen is an affection to refraine the appetite whervnto a man is excessiuely inclined Temperance hath rule and dominion ouer pleasures and delights refusing to meddle in any thing which can not be done without offending God and not falling in anye excesse whatsoeuer wherein a man may passe the rule of reason To liue in Temperance is to order and dispose euerie thing according to the right vse whereto it was appointed These foure vertues haue foure vices cleane contrarie vnto them by the which vices the vertues are corrupted and destroyed Prudence by Folly Iustice by Couetousnesse Fortitude by Pride Temperance by Incontinence defaced These foure vices are signified by y e foure plagues which consumed and spoiled the goods of Iob namely The Sabees the Chaldees the force of fire and the violence of a vehement winde The Sabees of Folly made hauocke of Prudence Oxen. The Chaldees of Pride led away the Camils of Fortitude The fire of Lechery made wast of Temperaunce shéepe And the boysterous winde of Couetousnesse ouerthrew the houses or the precepts of Iustice. These foure vertues likewise are deuoured of their aduersarie vices according as the Prophet Ioel complaineth against the wicked Iewes vnder foure notable things deciphering the foure vices opposite against y e foure vertues before named These foure things are the Caterpiller the Grashopper the Locust and the Blasting all which foure things being bent to wastfulnesse lefte nothing vnspoyled whiles they put in vse the force of their inclination By the Caterpiller is ment vaine and foolish bragging which destroieth the vertue of Prudence By the Grashopper is meant the vice of Pride which destroieth the vertue of Fortitude By the Locust is meant the vice of Couetousnesse which destroieth the vertue of Iustice. And by Blasting is meant the vice of Lecherie which destroieth the vertue of Temperance so that Foolish bragging destroieth the vertue of Wisedome Pride corrupteth the estate of Strength Auarice deuoures the vertue of Iustice. Lecherie spoyleth the title of Temperance Now therefore sir Knight I wish thée to refraine from these insatiable vices least thou loose the enioying of these foure notable Moral vertues Thou knowest what comfort and good companie thou haddest in the Pallaice of Vertue there thou sawest God Faith Hope Charitie Prudence Iustice Fortitude Temperance and all the goodnes which might come to the resonable soule in this present life as for the swéetnesse the ioye the pleasure consolation goodnes which these vertues do bring them vnto which hath imbraced loued them none knoweth but who hath had experience ¶ HOVV FAITH FROM THE TOP OF HER Tower showeth vnto the Knight the Citie of Heauen The viij Chapter AFter good Vnderstanding had deliuered out these good wordes I was rauished in my minde I felte not my selfe I loste my taste I forced neither for meate nor drink and most of all I meruailed that night approched not because many houres
the bog amongst serpents and toads So I was very glad of my Gouernour and gaue thankes to Gods grace who from the table gaue me drugs to eate and repeating vnto me a place written in the .80 Psalme of Dauid Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Then hauing swallowed y t which she gaue me I forgat the world made no reckoning of any thing therin For all my desire was in hast to see y e pallaice of true Felicitie I desired death to be with Christ in Heauen Dinner being done the gates of Repentaunce were opened which were narrowe contrariwise as it appeareth in the first Booke that the entraunce into the Pallaice of Voluptuousnesse was wide large and great but the ende thereof was desperation and destruction as on the other side the entring into the Pallaice of Repentaunce is straight and narrow but the ende thereof is eternall lyfe For Repentaunce as Saint Paule saith leadeth the repepentant to euerlasting saluation When the gates were open I mounted vp into a Chariot of Iuorie hauing golden whéeles and two white horses with wings drawing the same Gods grace gate vp first and with hir hande helped me vp then followed the good Hermit Vnderstanding then Memory Conscience and Repentaunce but Gods grace gouerned all who touching the horses with hir rod they mounted vp ouer the Mountaines which are aboue the earth So we passed through the region of the aire where inhabiteth all the wicked spirites which watcheth to annoye such as would mount vp into Heauen And though I was greatly agast heereat yet my trust was in Gods grace vnder whose wings I hid my selfe I trusted not in my Conscience for all it was at peace nor to Repentaunce nor to Vnderstanding but to Gods grace onely who safelye shrowded mée vnder hir winges as the Henne doeth hir Chickens against the comming of the Kite Then she commaunded the wicked enimies to get them hence and they foorthwith fled awaye cryeng alowde Now haue we lost our knight Loe he is mounted vp to the pallaice of vertue in despite of vs all How is he escaped quod one vnder the wings of Gods grace quoth an other from whence all we cannot fetch him Béeing past this brunt I heartely thanked Gods grace of her goodnesse and on the sodeine I sawe vpon the toppe of a mountaine a goodly pallaice Nowe for that loue engendreth familyaritie and familyaritie bréedes boldnesse I asked Gods grace what place it was and shée tolde mee it was the pallaice of Vertue It was so high that it reached euen to heauen and about it were seauen faire Towres of Alabaster In the first dwelt Faith in the second Hope in the thirde Charitie in the fourth Wisdome in the fift Iustice in the sixt Fortitude and in the seauenth Temperaunce In the first Towre Gods grace shewed mée Faith which waited for our comming néere adioyning vnto whome I might perceiue the Pallaice of true Felicitie With that I desired Ladie Memorie to put mée in minde in the morning of going to sée that gallaunt citie Whiles we were thus deuising our Chariot arriued at the Court where Ladie Vertue with her daughters Faith Hope Charitie Wisedome Iustice Fortitude and Temperaunce dwelt At the first sight I knewe it was the same Ladye Vertue which afore time had so well admonished me and I gaue no eare vnto her Then reuerently vpon my kéenes lamenting I cried her mercie for contemning her counsel following Voluptuousnes Wherwith she made me arise and in token that she tooke in good part my recantation shee sweetly kissed me and bad me welcome So with great ioy accompanied with Gods grace true Vnderstanding quiet Conscience vnfained Repentance I entered into the pallaice of Lady Vertue And thus endeth the second part of my voiage Thus farre the second part of the wandring Knights voyage ¶ THE THIRD PART OF the voyage of the wandring Knight THE KNIGHT DECLARETH THE GREAT good the solace and the pleasures which he found in the Pallaice of Lady Vertue The first Chapter IF I HAD A THOVSANDE tongues to tell the truth of all the goods and pleasures which I found in the pallaice of Vertue and if I should liue a thousande yeares to report this matter al were too little in euery point to decipher it For it consisteth not in Angelical knowledge much lesse in mans wit wholy to comprehend so notable a mysterie none knows it but he who hath proued it You may be sure that there are not as in the pallaice of worldly pleasure Chambers hanged about with silke Tapestry and euerie corner sumptuously and superfluously adorned no no but there were histories of the olde new Testament to view marke I found not there cofers full of gold siluer cuberds of plate presses of silke all manner of mercery ware neither daintie dishes delicate drinkes bawdie songs wanton musike y e ladie of loue her son Cupid nor anie thing y t worldlings embrace but I found a thing farre surpassing all that is in the world This good this ioyfull this comfortable this vnspeakable this incomprehensible thing cannot be named worthely inough but of good bad he is called God euen he who is y e only souereigne good aboue al things reasonable vnreasonable Peraduenture you wil say This is strange newes y t you sir knight should sée God in the pallaice of Vertue How How is it straunge séeing he is euerie where not onelye in heauen but also in earth in hell Truly I confesse y t God is euerie where but I denie him to dwel euerie where yet I know that by his power inuisible presence he is euerye where though not euerie where by the fulnesse of his greatnes his gifts it follows then that he dwelleth not euerye where I pray you what profiteth it the dampned that he is in hell by his power iustice vengeaunce Surely by such presence of God they haue no ioye no consolation no benefit nor felicitie for that all are curssed in whome GOD dwelleth not by his grace whatsoeuer they be be they kings Princes or Popes who haue all other riches and delights in the world But all they y t haue the grace of God are happie at leastwise in hope though they liue euen in a loathsome prison are poorer then Lazarus which desired to be refreshed with the crums that fell from the euill rich mans table Nowe when we praye to God we saye not Our Father which art euerie where but Our Father which art in heauen and that is the place where God giues the enioyeng and possessing of himselfe to his elect and that is their dwelling prepared by the grace of God That is it that God spake of by the Prophet Esaie sayeng Heauen is my seat and earth is my foote-stoole Forasmuch sayth God as I dwell in mine elect by grace I will tumble at my féet those that loue Voluptuousnesse rather then their maker In the booke of Wisedome
it is written That the seate of wisedome is the soule of the iust God is Wisedome and the iust soule his seate God is in euerie place where hée dwelleth but he dwelleth not in euery place where he is This is most true though meruailous for the euill are alwaies where GOD is but yet God dwelleth not in them Wheresoeuer the wicked are they cannot hide themselues from GOD and yet they are not dwellers with GOD nor GOD a dweller with them They are where GOD is as the blinde man in the light of the Sunne The light is not in him because hée hath not the vse of it But the good are alwaies with God and God dwelleth in them as in his temple Saint Paule saith That the Temple of God is holy And therefore if you liue as he commaundes you you are his Temple and God himselfe saith I will be in them I will walke amongest them I will be their God and they shall be my people Now therefore you sée that although God be euerie where by his power yet he dwelleth no where but where he is by grace It is plaine that where vertue is there God dwelleth Tell mée what displeasure can the soule haue where God inhabiteth by grace which is the onely consolation of all reasonable creatures Is it possible y t anie man can finde in heauen or in earth such souereigne good as is in God who is the most excellentest and chiefest good and the true ioy of all reasonable creatures How can that bodie faile of anie goodnesse which hath God by his grace resting in his heart who is the onely author of all goodnesse and the giuer of all true ioye and perfect felicitie But some will saie that they sée good people in the world oftentimes suffer miserie depriued of their goods and put by the pleasures of this world which appeareth in the sadnesse of their countenaunces for they séeme to be conceiued with sorrow and as it were to labour and trauaile in heauines as a woman in child-birth I confesse it to be so but yet if you say that they are not furnished with all good true ioye and felicitie you erre greatly For the souereigne good which is God dwelleth in the iust soule euermore although foolish worldlings say in their hearts and thoughts Can it be that those miserable men which are afflicted with pouertie or imprisonment haue more possession of true felycitie then wee that wallowe in wealth and are without want of any worldly pleasures But they consider not that true ioy consisteth in the soule But be ye sure that as the soule is the most precioust part of the bodie euen so ought the goodnesse of the soule to be greater then the goodnesse of the bodie The ioye of the iust righteous is more inward then outward for all his goodnesse is in the soule as the ioye of the wanton worldling is outwardlye in the bodie The iust man suffereth outward extremities but yet inwardly he hath more ioye then the voluptuous man And though the iust man being alwaies afflicted maketh shew of sadnesse all his lyfe time yet at the houre of death their ioye and consolation appeareth with hope of eternall lyfe whereas contrariwise the worldling goeth his waye with grudging and dispaire The iust man esteemes golde and siluer to be couloured earth worldly wealth and voluptuous feeding to be famine and filth honour dignitie and delight to be smoake which the aire consumeth sodeinly to be short he maketh all the world no better then an exile and although his bodie be deteined heere for a season yet all his thoughts cares desires and meditations are conuersant among the orders of holy Angels and the happy assembly of Saintes in heauen singing Psalmes and praises incessantlye So that whatsoeuer we esteeme euill in this world God turnes it to good For he makes vs reioyce in tribulatiōs taking them for medicines to purge our corruptions and not accompting our persecutors as our enimies but rather as helpers to saluation The iust man esteemes simple fare sufficing nature better then abundance of delicates and excessiue dronkennesse or gluttonie They take more pleasure in kneeling praieng and fasting then worldlinges doe in dauncing and singing wanton songs Finally all y t they doe or suffer God turnes it to good And therfore S. Paule saith That all things turne to the good of those that loue God The eye neuer séeth the eare neuer heareth the heart of man neuer vnderstandeth the great goodnesse and the ioye that God brings into the bodie when he commeth by grace to dwell in it onely he that hath had experience once knoweth it Worldlings doe wonder to see the iust man weepe and lament to suffer tribulations to be depriued of all worldly pleasure they esteeme the goods of this world to be y e true felicitie much like vnto a blinde man taking vpon him to iudge of coulours For they compare false felicitie worldly wealth with heauenly riches and perfect happinesse whereas indéede they are but shadowes Nothing displeaseth the elect more then sinne that which leadeth to sinne nothing pleaseth the elect but God and that which leadeth to God As concerning the soule no man can denie if he hate sin and loue vertue but that he had rather loose all that is in the worlde then loose vertue and suffer all manner of torments then to commit sinne he had rather descende into hell with vertue then mount vp into heauen with sinne For where vertue is there is quietnesse Contrariwise where sinne is there can be no rest Let euerie one therefore labour to loose worldly happinesse if he meane to atchieue vertue wherein consisteth so much goodnesse But many make no account to come thether and so care not for louing vertue because indéede they know not vertue Wherefore Vnderstanding describeth her and her seauen daughters namely Faith Hope Charitie Wisedome Iustice Fortitude and Temperaunce in manner and forme following THE DESCRIPTION OF VERTVE The second Chapter VErtue according to the definition of S. Austen in his second booke of Free-will the .18 chapter Is a good quality of the soule wherby a man liueth rightly committeth none euill which thing indeed is the only work of God in men By the soule he vnderstandeth in this place the superiour part of the minde or soule wherein consisteth reason iudgement will The inferiour parte we call Sense which is common to man and beast Now this called in Latine Mens is not a part of the soule sensitiue which is the inferiour part but it is that part of the soule where reason and vnderstanding doe sit which is the superiour part By the soule then we doe meane the Fréewill of man which is nothing els as Philosophers say but the franke iudgement of the minde and will For when we say Freewill we vtter and pronounce two words namely Free and Will. It is tearmed Free because that freely and without constraint
is a work of Satans who wholly possesses them and can transfigure and chaunge himselfe into an Angell of light to deceiue the simple and innocent whom God permits to be tempted for the triall of their constancie Not that he is ignoraunt of the issue but because he would haue it appeare to others that he crowns vs with his glorie for our constancie and perseueraunce This is clearely set downe by Moses in the xiij of Deuteronomie and by Saint Peter in his second Epistle and second Chapter and by our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ in the 24. of Mathew And though we liue in the latter times when manie sects and errours doe abound and vertue and truth in many places doth faile Yet let vs listen what our Lord and Sauiour saith Whosoeuer beleueth to the ende shâ—ll be saued Fourthly and lastly thy Faith must be quicke and liuely that is to saye it must be linked with Loue and Charitie which is the life of Faith as the soule is the life of the body And therefore abuse not thy selfe as some doe saieng I haue Faith and I shall be saued whatsoeuer chaunce No no assure thy selfe that if thy Faith be not quickned with Loue and Charitie it is nothing woorth and therefore vnable to atchieue true blessedndsse as S. Paule wel noteth in the first Epistle the xiij chapter to the Corinths Euen so when our Lord in the Gospel attributeth saluation vnto Faith S Paule iustification this is to be vnderstood of an holy liuely and Euangelicall Faith working with Loue and Charitie Likewise our Lord and Sauiour saith in the Gospell that Hee which beleeueth and will be baptised shall bee saued this is meant of such a Faith as Loue quickeneth and Charitie reuiueth The holy Scripture in many places expresseth that None shall be saued vnlesse he obserue and kéepe the Commaundements of God Now none can kéepe the Commaundements without Loue and Charitie Ergo none can be saued without Loue and Charitie The summe and effect of all is this that whosoeuer renounceth sinne and wickednesse imbraceth a quicke and liuely Faith and liueth in Loue and Charitie he cannot perish but shall finde in the end true perfect and euerlasting Felicitie in the kingdome of Heauen ¶ THE DESCRIPTION OF HOPE and how we ought to hope in almightie God The fourth Chapter NOw sir Knight know this that Hope is a vertue whereby both goods spirituall eternal are hoped for And as Faith is of things not séene so is Hope also For Saint Paule saith Hope that is seene is no Hope because we haue possession of it already It is common to Faith and Hope to be of things vnséene and yet Hope is distinguished from Faith not onely by name but also by reason For by Faith we beleeue as well euill things as good that is to say Heauen and Hell We beléeue that Adulterie is a verie wicked sinne we beléeue also Charitie is a very good thing all these things good and bad we beléeue but we hope onely for good things and not for bad Againe Faith is of things past present and to come For we beleeue the death of Iesus Christ which is past we beleeue also that at this present he sits at the right hand of God the Father in Heauen and we beléeue that Christ shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead But vnder correction I thinke that Hope is of things present as when I hope that I am in GODS fauour and of things past as when I hope my sinnes be forgiuen me and of things to come as when I hope to haue eternall life This is true that Faith hath an eye generallye vnto that which is spoken in holy Scripture beléeuing that all the promises without exception which God made shall bee accomplished without descending to particular or speciall persons but Hope applieth vnto hir selfe those same promises waiting and hoping for the accomplishment of that which God hath promised And therefore it is requisite for assured saluation that thou beleeue thou shalt be saued and but to hope so is sufficient For Faith of and in it selfe importeth an infallible assuraunce and certaintie of things as when we firmely beléeue all the Articles of our true and Christian Faith and all things conteined in the holy Scriptures to be more certaine than man is man but the hoping of it is not so requisite For if we haue a firme affiaunce in the goodnesse of God touching our saluation and doubt not a whitte of the remission of our sinnes it is enough Ther be two degrées in Hope which are two contrary extremities The one being the most highest is most perfect infailable assuraunce of eternall blessednesse The other being the basest and lowest is to despaire of saluation Betwéene these two extremities consisteth Hope But the more y t a man approcheth to the highest extremitie which is an infaileable assuraunce of eternall life and the more he recoileth from the basest and lowest extremitie which is desperation the more perfect is he in Hope It sufficeth the hoping man that beléeues loues God that he haue a firme affiaunce confidence that God of his good grace will giue him whatsoeuer he hath promised vnto his elect hoping that he is of their number So it is necessarily requisite that we haue a perfect and an infaileable certaintie of our saluation Now for that in the definition of Hope it is said that by hir we looke and hope for the spirituall and eternall goodnesse it is to be noted that Hope hath two obiects the first and the principall is God himselfe and the perfect inioying of his presence The other is all the necessarie meanes to come vnto the cleare séeing and inioying of God and these meanes are the remission of our sinnes iustification the help of Gods grace Faith vnfained and charitable deedes agréeablenes vnto God Now all that we hope for we ought with praier deuoutly to craue of God as his Kingdome the remission of our sinnes iustification increase of grace and vertue déedes of Faith and Charitie But concerning goodes temporall forasmuch as we may vse them well and ill they may be saide to hinder the saluation of man rather then to further it And therfore the good Christian ought not to aske them nor to couet theÌ„ excessiuely indéed so much as wil necessarily serue him for sustenaunce in this life he may lawfully aske And héere by the waye it is a lesson worthy the learning namely that it is necessarie for vs to do good workes because it hath plesed God to inrich vs with goods which goodes ought well to be employed Now vnto him properly belongeth the merits of the workes which he worketh in vs. For all our good workes are the gifts of God howbeit he doth not denie vs his grace whereby we consent to doe the good works which he onely moueth in vs. And therefore euery one ought to the vttermost that he is able to do good works
Who dwelleth in Charitye sayth Saint Iohn dwelleth in GOD and GOD in him Our Lorde lykewise sayth If anye man loue me he will keepe my commaundements and my Father will loue him and wee will come and dwell with him Canne we desire a more rich a more bountifull or a more lyberall hoste then he Is it lyke that so louing an hoste will suffer the soule to want Will he aske monie for his expenses No hée commeth not to dwell with vs to consume that wee haue but to encrease our riches and to make our store greater Thirdly Charitie maketh our goods be they little or bée they much acceptable vnto God it maketh a man contemne the world it maketh a man to reioyce in temptations afflictions and tribulations When Charitie enters into the soule she comes accompanied with all other goodnesse yea shée knittes vs to GOD and vniteth vs with him Loue or Charitie makes men of one minde and one will Loue or Charitie makes men reforme their manners and to drawe néere vnto God Loue or Charitie maketh men consider of things present and visible as if they were not Loue maketh a pure and cleane heart which may contemplate and beholde heauenly thinges By Loue the goods of this worlde are well ordered and by Loue the goods of this world are contemned and by Loue the secretes of God are reuealed Saint Iohn saith That God is Charitie wherby no doubt he meaneth the Father the sonne and the holy Ghost the three persons in trinitie God the father is Charitie God the sonne is Charitie and God the holy Ghost is Charitie This Loue or Charitie requireth in the same such likely things namely Loue and Charitie by the which as by some spiritual affinity thou art ioyned vnto God which Loue also boldly commeth vnto God familiarly speaketh with him without any doubt or feare He that loueth not shall loose his lyfe but he that loueth alwayes lyfteth his eyes to GOD whome he loueth whom he desireth on whome he museth in whome he is refreshed and by whome he is preserued such a louing deuoute and relygious soule doth so singe so saye so reade so dispose all his businesse and so circumspectly foreseeth all things as if GOD were euer present with him as doubtlesse in spirite he is The man in whose soule the loue of GOD is lodged so prayeth as if God were personallye present with him The loue of Charitie awaketh y e soule when she is a sléepe it puts him in minde of his saluation it softeneth and moysteneth the heart Loue or Charitie setteth the colde heart on fire Loue maketh the froward soule gentle Loue chaseth awaye sinne Loue kepeth the affections of fleshe and bloude vnder Loue amendeth lewde mennes manners Loue reneweth the spirite Loue brideleth the light motions of wanton youth all this worketh Loue or Charitie where she is present Contrarywise where Loue or Charitie is absent there the soule doth languysh and waxeth colde euen as a Chaldron of water doth when the fire is taken from vnder it and raked abroade Charitie is the onely thinge whereby the soule boldlye approcheth vnto GOD constantlye cleaueth vnto him famyliarlye speaketh with him and in all affayres asketh counsell of him The Soule that loueth GOD cannot but thinke and talke of GOD insomuch that he hateth all vngodlye thinges Who so will knowe GOD must loue GOD the more that one loues God the more he growes in the knowledge of God To Read to write and to Study of God yéeldeth no true knowledge of God without Loue. In vaine do we read in vaine doe we talke in vaine doe we preach in vaine doe we praye to GOD if we doe not loue God The loue of God engendereth the loue of thine owne soule and maketh it attentiue alwaies to God God loueth to be beloued againe and when he loueth he requireth nothing but loue happie therefore is he that loueth God The soule which loueth God reiecteth all his affections being attentiuely giuen to his loue The soule that loueth hath no feare the soule that loueth not is euer in feare The soule that loueth is caried by promises and drawen by desires vnto heauen the soule that hath in it the presence of Gods loue is tickeled with ioye with rauishings leapeth vp to heauen hauing by contemplation exceeding great ioyfulnesse Loue bréedes familiaritie with God familiaritie bréedes boldnesse with God boldnesse bréedes the taste of God and taste bréedeth an hunger after God If I shoulde declare all the excellencie of Loue or Charitie the time wold faile me and mine abilitie in that behalfe would not suffice But let this stand for a conclusion that the soule which is touched with the loue of God cannot desire any thing contrarie to God but euer after it hath receiued any tast of sin it crieth out and saith with the Prophet O Lord God like as the Hart desireth the fountaines of water euen so long I after thee Well then sir Knight lift vp thy soule and remember the great Loue and Charitie of God and his manifolde benefites bestowed vpon thée that by them thy hart being inlightened thou maist increase and goe forward daye by day in doing good workes to the glorifieng of God who delighteth in the same according as it is saide Let your light so shine before men that they seeing your good workes may glorifie God in Heauen Thus much touching these thrée spirituall Uertues now come we to the foure morall ¶ THE DESCRIPTION OF THE FOVRE Morall Vertues Prudence Iustice Fortitude and Temperance The vij Chapter BY these foure Morall vertues man liueth well and orderly in this mortall life Saint Hierome saith that the Christian man by these iiij liueth wel in this mortalitie by them after death commeth to euerlasting life Prudence knoweth the good we should doe and the euill we should leaue Iustice doth good Temperance leaueth the euill Fortitude is constant without loosing courage in aduersitie or waxing proud in prosperitie Prudence disposeth man and teacheth him how to approch vnto God Fortitude and Temperance how to gouerne himselfe Iustice how to vse his neighbour These are the foure things which Satan shooteth at to destroye the soule By Prudence which is the rule of right reason we gouerne our selues wisely we order our affaires discréetly doing nothing but right and reason In Prudence consisteth reason knowledge foresight aptnesse to teach and giue good counsell A prudent man knoweth afore hande the ende of his counsell Plato saith that Prudence is the Duchesse of all morall vertues showing vs how we should vnderstand and vse the rest For as Faith informeth vs and telleth vs what we should hope after and what we ought to loue euen so Prudence instructeth teacheth vs how we should vse Iustice Fortitude and Temperance Aristotle saith that it is vnpossible but a prudent man should be good If he meane Morall goodnesse it is most true for a wise man doth nothing but that which is
fol. 37. Dinner being done Voluptuousnesse shevveth the vvandring knight the rest of the pallaice of vvorldly felicitie vvith the superscription of the tovvres thereof and by the Author is declared the euil fruit of certeine notorious sinnes chap. 10. fol. 40. The scituation or standing of the pallaice of vvorldly felicitie chap. 11. fol. 46. The Author declareth hovv the vvandring knight and such like voluptuous liuers in the vvorld transgresse the x. commaundementes of Almightie God vnder vvritten chap. 12. fol. 48. The knight vv 〈…〉 t for to recreate himselfe and vievved the Warrens and Forrests vvhich vvere about the pallaice of vvorldly felicitie anone he savve it sinke sodeinly into the earth and perceiued himselfe in the mire to the saddle skirts chap. 13. fol. 50. The Author crieth out bitterly against vvorldlings and their felicitie chap 14. fol. 53. The second part of the voyage of the vvandring knight fol. 58. GODS grace dravveth the knight out of the filth of sinne vvherein he stucke fast chap 1. fol. 58. Gods grace shevveth hell vnto the knight vvith all the voluptuous companie that he savve in the pallaice of vvorldly felicitie chap 2. fol. 61. The knight declareth how he entered into the schoole of Repentance and of his enterteinment there chap. 3. fol. 64. Hovv true Repentaunce begins in vs and hovv the knights conscience acccused him vvith the paines he had deserued chap. 4. fo 67 By commandement of Gods grace Remembrance read to me the goodnesse of God vvith his promises made to repentaunt sinners chap. 5. fol. 70. A Sermon which Vnderstanding the good Hermit made vnto the knight vpon the historie of Mary Magdalene chap. 6. fol. 75. The knight hauing receiued the holy Communion heard the Sermon and ended dinner mounted into a chariot of Triumph and was by Gods grace carried to the pallaice of Vertue chap. 7 fo 82. The third part of the voyage of the wandring knight fol. 86. THE knight declareth the great good solace pleasure vvhich he found in the pallaice of Lady Vertue chap. 1. fol. 86. The description of vertue chap. 2. fol. 90. The description of Faith and how vve ought to beleeue in God for our saluation chap. 3. fol. 93. The description of Hope and hovv vve ought to hope in Almightie God chap. 4. fol. 97 The description of Loue or Charitie hovv vve ought to loue God and our neighbour chap. 5. fol. 101. The effects and praises of Loue or Charitie chap. 6. fol. 106. The description of the foure morall vertues Prudence Iustice Fortitude and Temperaunce cap. 7 fol. 109 Hovv Faith from the toppe of her tovvre shevveth vnto the knight the citie of heauen chap. 8 fol. 114 The desire that the knight had to come to heauen and hovv Gods grace brought Perseuerance chap. 9. fol. 116. Good Vnderstanding sheweth the knight hovv to keepe Perseueraunce alvvaies vvith him chap. 10. fol. 118 The Protestation that Good Vnderstanding taught the knight to make euery day to auoid temptations that he ought to humble himselfe before God and vvhat he should aske in his praier chap. 11. fo 121 The Authors peroration or conclusion to the deuout Readers or herers chap. 12. fol. 128. FINIS Gentle Reader thou shalt finde in fol. 7. the 6. line shamefastnesse for shamelesnesse and in fol. 24. the 20. line Iacob for Ioab And in fol. 93. the 35. line things apparant for things not apparant These faults amended in the Reading I suppose there remaine no more F For Countries cause who taketh toile R Regarding neither life nor lim A Aduentures to receiue the foile V Valure had neede to rest in him N Neglect he may not seasons fit C Couet he must to doe the best E Euer he warreth with his wit S Seldome he sleepes in quiet rest D Dischargd thou hast thy dutie well R Remember God that guided thee A Ambitiously doe not excell K Keepe thee in compasse of degree E Each one will say what he doth see ¶ THE FIRST PART OF the Voyage of the wandring Knight ¶ THE VVANDRING KNIGHT DECLARETH his intent and foolish enterprise wishing and supposing in this world to finde true felicitie The first Chapter MANY HISTORIOGRAPHERS both Poets and Orators as well prophane as diuine haue by writing notified diuers persons with their voyages aduentures First Iustin and Diodore of Sicilie haue made mention of the Argonautes voyage by Sea that is to say of Iason and his alies Castor Pollux Hercules other Péeres to the Isle of Colchos to win the golden Fliece which a great Dragon kept Also Homer a Gréeke Poet writ in verse the wandring and Sea voyage of Vlisses his companions at their return from the Troyan warres After him Virgil a most eloquent Latine Poet set downe in verse the voyage of Aeneas in Italy with his fortunes after the subuersion of Troye Now if we come to the sacred Histories we shall finde first how Moses wrote of the Children of Israel their going out of Aegypt into the Land of promise of the xlij Mantions that they made in the Desart for y e space of fortie yeares And how the foure Euangelists likewise most faithfully haue written of the holy peregrination of the blessed Sonne of God our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ who tooke vpon him our fraile and humaine nature The selfe same Sauiour hath set downe a Parable of the voluptuous voyage of the prodigall Childe and his retourne Saint Luke very notably and sincerely hath deliuered in writing the painfull and holy perigrination of that great vessell of election Saint Paule together with the great trauell hée tooke to preach the Gospell and the faith of Iesus Christ to all the Gentiles And now by Gods grace I mean to declare mine own voyage and aduentures much like to that of the prodigall childe who left his fathers house and ranged into strange countries wasting all his goods liuing licentiously but after he knew his lewdnesse he returned backe to his father of whom he was very louingly receiued So I by great Folly counselled in absenting my selfe far away not onely in bodie but also in minde from God my Father Creator haue wasted consumed all the goods which this same my God father had bountifully bestowed vpon me in following the vaine pleasures of this life But in the ende I being inspired with Diuine grace acknowledged mine offences leauing the dark Region of sinne and vanitie through the aide conduction of the diuine grace am returned to mine eternal father humbly requiring pardon mercie who of his vnspeakable mercie hath louingly receiued me But how all this hath ben done I will declare all vnto you praieng you patiently to giue me the hearing attentiuely consider my talk well to note the whole from y e beginning to the ende After I had passed in all folly and lasciuiousnesse thrée wéekes of the yeares of mine age that is to say my Infancie childes age and youth which make
together xxj yeares I entred into the age of a young man which is the fourth wéeke of my age which is betwéene xxij and xxiiij yeares At xxv I was minded to make a voiage by my foolish industrie to séeke where in this world I might finde true felicitie and happinesse which séemed to my sottish sense an easie matter being young strong wilde hardie and couragiously disposed Me thought in my mind to liue in the world without felicitie was a lyfe worse then death But alas being plunged in the déepe darknesse of ignoraunce I considered not that true felicitie was the gifte of God from aboue and cannot be atteined without his helpe Beeing robbed of reason I thought it might come easely of my selfe without the helpe of others so that then I sought true felicitie where she is not was not nor euer shall be as in riches worldly pleasure strength honour and delights of the flesh But I was in so thinking as very a foole as he who hopeth with anglyng lines to take fishes in the Aire or with Hounds to hunt the Hare in the Occean sea Were it not thinke you a great folly so to thinke Euen the lyke is it to thinke that true felycitie is to be found héere in this wretched world And forsomuch as in perfect felicitie is comprehended all goodnesse and that this world as saith S. Iohn is addicted and giuen to all euill and subiect to hunger thirst heate colde diseases calamities pride ambition couetousnesse and voluptuousnesse it is euident that those which héere be liuing supposing héere to finde true felicitie are worse then fooles and voyd of right reason True felicitie is not without goodnesse and vertue which commeth from God aboue If it be so why then is it not a most wicked and presumptuous opinion to thinke that by a mans owne industrie he is able to possesse and enioye the faire lot of true felicitie Therefore euery one that thinketh in this world he may come to perfect felicitie and true blessednesse shall finde in fine as I found for felicitie vanitie for good euill ¶ THE VVANDRING KNIGHT DECLAreth vnto Dame Folly his Gouernesse what is his intent The second Chapter INtending to take my iourney I considered that it was necessarie to vse counsell therein knowing that whatsoeuer is done without aduise cannot haue good successe as contrariwise a matter discréetely attempted is luckely ended Then dwelt with me a damzell which ruled my house whose proper name was Folly y e only enimy to wisdome For euery thing y t hateth y e one loueth y e other Ther is as much differēce betwéen thē as is betwéene white and blacke hot and colde moyst and drye lyght and darknesse God and the Diuell all which be contraries and can not bée in one bodie together Wisedome gouernes the good Folly the euill Wisedome maketh the euill good when they yéeld themselues to be hir subiects Folly maketh the good euill when they place themselues vnder hir protection Wisedome draweth men from hell and bringeth them to heauen Folly fetcheth Angels from heauen to dwell in hell I doe not tearme that Wisedome to know the vij liberall Sciences the qualities of the Starres and Planets but I count him wise that hath the true knowledge of God For as saith Saint Cyril Wisedome is that true vnderstanding by the which the souereigne good namely God is seene knowen and loued with a chast loue and pure affection Folly is very ignoraunce and false worshipping of God Wisdome maketh fooles wise Folly maketh wise men fooles Tell me I pray you can ther be greater wisdome then to serue God with a pure faith and to obserue kéepe his holy lawe obediently And contrariwise can there be greater Folly then to commit sinne and to disobey God by transgressing his Commaundements It is not possible For whosoeuer committeth sinne hurteth himselfe and runs headlong to hell which is a point of very great folly Therfore all those that faithfully serue God and keepe his holye Commaundements are wise and gouerned by Wisedome and all those that transgresse the Commaundements of God are fooles and fettered to Follye as slaues and Uassalls When I wandered in wanton wayes I wrought my will estéeming my selfe wise but I proued a flat foole Thus fostered by Folly to whome I vnfolded my intent which was to take vpon me a voyage to finde felicitie and blessednesse I requested hir counsell who without regard whether it were profitable for me or no did not onely lyke of the matter but also forced mée forwardes and with flattering phrase commended my enterprise And to encourage me therein she began to exalt my deuice to commend my industrie and wit to praise my strength to aduance my vertue to blaze my knowledge to decipher my beautie and to extoll all my qualities saieng that I was a second Salomon to haue in my head such noble cogitations Héerevpon she promised to be my guide and vowed not to goe from mée in all my voyage affirming that she had sundrie seasons made the lyke iourney and that I should assure my selfe shortly to see the Pallaice of true felicitie My sonne quoth shée I would not haue thée thinke that anie euill or guile canne haue place in my heart Thus comforted or rather emboldened I thought my selfe most happye to haue such a gouernesse so wise so graue and so expert for verye ioye whereof my heart tickled within mée But alas wretch that I was my desire was alwayes after contrarye thinges for I reiected whatsoeuer tended to my health insomuch that to mée sowre séemed swéete blacke séemed white euill séemed good Follie séemed wisdome light séemed darknesse And follye had so sore bewitched me that I neglected to doe the good I should haue done And I was too willing to playe the part I should not haue played It is true that the wise man spake saieng There is health where many doth giue counsell and he that taketh good aduise and counsell before shall not repent him after But it is forbidden to take counsell of fooles For that they loue but what they lyke There is an olde Prouerbe Such as my Counsailour is such must needes bee my counsell It were against reason that a foole shoulde giue good counsell For this is euen as if Riuers shoulde runne against the Hill Nothing canne be compared to good counsel neither can any thing be worse then euil counsell by the which the worlde is troubled Realmes molested Princes defaced Kinges killed Empires altered Townes taken Cities sacked Lawes abolished Iustice generally corrupted diuine mysteries prophaned mingled with mischiefe and confounded the true knowledge of God is forgotten all reuerence to superiours neglected shamefastnesse sobrietie faith hope charitie and all other vertues defaced all manner of warres both forreine and ciuill attempted O griefe O plague O cruell monster Now to our purpose ¶ FOLLY AND EVILL VVILL PROVIDED the Knight apparell armour and horses The third Chapter FOrasmuch as men oftentimes
forgaue him yea he obteined more then he required For Christ said vnto him This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise This is Gods propertie euen to giue of his liberalitie more then men doe or can aske S. Paul was a blasphemer a persecutor of Gods church yet he receiued mercy God hath set downe such persons as exāples for sinners to y e end they should not doubt of his mercy to teach them y t he doth not pardon offences for y e merits of y e sinners which are starke naught euen when they are best but for his mercies sake which is aboue all his works For so to imagine of mens merits is destructiō if any thing be ascribed vnto merits then for y e merits of his son Iesus Christ for his bitter passion sake Let this be the conclusion that albeit y e sinner hath committed as many sinnes as there be drops of water in the sea or sands on the sea shore yet he hath no cause to dispaire For though they be neuer so monstrous manifold yet the mercy of God doth infinitly exceed them For his mercy consumes them sooner then the fierce fire doth burne vp the dry Toe When I heard lady Remembraunce read these words I toke hart at grasse recited a place written in y e Psalms of Dauid According to the multitude of the griefes sorrows of my heart thy consolations haue refreshed my soule And then falling on my knées holding vp my hands with sorowful countenaunce confidence of heart resting wholly vpon the mercies and promises of God the merits of our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ. I most humbly desired pardon for my sins at the hands of Gods grace Upon which vnfeined confession of mine offences heart griefe handmaids of perfect Repentance fore-runners to the purpose I receiued by the meanes of Gods grace the benefit of the death passion of our Lord sauiour Iesus Christ to whom with the father the holy Ghost be all honour glorie for euer and euer Amen ¶ A SERMON VVHICH VNDERSTANDING THE good Hermit made vnto the knight vpon the History of Marie Magdalene The sixt Chapter IN the name of y e father of the son of the holy Ghost Amen The great goodnes vnspeakable mercie which hath ben vsed in al ages times of our Lord sauiour Iesus Christ towards all poore sinners are in many places of the Gospel made manifest cleerly notified but chiefly in y e vii of Luke Wherin mention is made of a sinful woman lewd of life ill of name contemned despised abhorred of men whom swéet Iesus did not onely receiue to fauour but also by inward secret inspiration drew her to repentance how in what sort heare vnderstand The Gospell saith y t ther was a Pharesie furnished with false faith misled with a vaine opinion of holinesse he was a great doctour of law a renowmed Iusticiarie howbeit weak in faith yet verie high minded When our sauiour had one day preached instructed the people by his diuine holy doctrine exhorting poore sinners to turne to God by repentance vttering many parables and similitudes as the prodigall child the lost sheepe such like what else doth he declare signifie but y t he is inclined to compassion readie to haue mercie to receiue into fauour all repentant sinners The proud Pharesie praied him to come into his house to dine with him The good Lord which had taken vpon him mans nature and was borne for y e saluation of all denied not this proud fellows request neither refused to enter into his house although hée was ambitious but down at y e table sat y e son of God made man for y e saluatiō of men He was conuersant among men he did eate drink with men he offred himselfe a helper to euery one shewing vnto al his goodnes without exception of any Now he being set at y e table ther came one vnto him in shape like a woman but in courage a man who by the bruite of the whole Citie was counted a greate sinner and very il reported of y e world such a one indéed as euery body mocked pointed at with their fingers But yet in the sight of God she was in great honour not because she was an hainous sinner but because she was predestinated elected of God from y e beginning to reigne with him in his heauenly kingdome This woman hearing by report the renowne of our redéemer that he shewed himselfe swéete and bountiful to all sinners defending them against the malitious slaunders mocks of the proud and arrogant Pharesies promising to euery one that beleeued in him the kingdome of heuen this woman was inspired both outwardly and inwardly by our Lord Sauiour Iesus Christ to sée heare him preach Thē did she by outward speach expresse how she was inwardly affected moued in minde séeing her soule sore sicke diseased her heart full of iniquitie and sinne her conscience defiled with all kinde of vice her selfe frustrate and void of all hope of health deuising how to recouer this malady adressed her selfe to séeke him who is the onely Surgeon of all sicke soules she sought for grace at the Well of mercie and though she was a shamefull sinner yet she was receiued of him which came into the world to saue sinners She came not pompeously araied nor yet came with a train she came alone and not emptie handed For she brought with her a boxe full of most pretious ointment of a swéete smell representing the Faith Hope and Charitie lodged in her heart What could this be but the swéete smell of vertue For what represented the boxe of Alabaster stone but holy faith founded vpon the true cornerd stone Iesus Christ wherin is conserued all vertues without which it is vnpossible to please God Came she alone being accompanied w t Faith Hope Charitie Humilitie Repētāce She entred y e house vncalled wher was her phisition putting a part al shame which leadeth to perdition together with the mockes of the proud Pharesies which sat at the table she craued comfort and health for her sicke soule acknowledging her griefe and y t being certein he to whom she came had power to help hir Unto this phisition she could not haue come w tout faith she was not so bold hardy as to look Iesus in y e face but fel at his féete vpon hir knées lamentably weeping and with the floude of hir teares washing his féete and wiping and drieng them with hir hairie looks Then she kissed them and with hir precious ointment she anoynted them All this while hir voice was not heard but hir heart spake vnto the true Sonne of God saieng I haue no need to declare with my tongue my inward griefes or to expresse the cause of my
the will worketh his feats at libertie And it is called Frée will because of the iudgement of the soule therefore Frée will is in the superiour part of the soule for thereby we differ from brute beasts who haue a sense as well as we but no iudgement of Frée will Nowe when we say that vertue is a good qualitie of the soule that is to saie of Frée will For vertue qualifies Free-will disposeth and prepareth it to doe and will well neither of which cannot be done without the aide and grace of God The second part of the definition is Wherby a man liueth rightly But no man liueth rightly vnles he liue iustly no mā liueth iustly w tout vertue Ergo no man liueth rightly without vertue Who so liueth rightly liueth wel who so liueth well if he continue in so doing atchiueth true felicitie It followeth then y t by vertue we atchiue true felicitie for vertue prepares Frée will which is corrupt depraued therfore vnapt either for well willing or well doing but the grace of God reseruing it by vertue it is made capable of perfect blessednesse The third part of y e definition is And committeth none euill Wherein is comprehended the excellencie of vertue great goodnes by the which none can do il Men may abuse al y e goods al y e arts sciences in the world as indéed very often they are ill vsed as with monie wine women but by vertue they be neuer abused who vseth vertue he doth y e works of vertue Who so vseth y e deeds of vertue he doth wel if by vertue none doth ill thou oughtest rather to loose all y t is in the world then to lose vertue seeing she excels in goodnesse all things in the world The fourth part of the definition is Which thing indeed is the only work of God in man Uertue thē is a work of God in vs as witnesseth S. Austen vpon y t sentence which is spoken in the 118. Psalme I haue done iudgement iustice Iustice saith he is a great vertue of the soule comming more then he sawe for he sawe a man and he beléeued that the same man was God also which he sawe not for he said Thou art my God and my Lord. In this consisteth the merite of faith when a man at y e commandement of God beleeueth that thing which he séeth not To beleeue saith Saint Austen is to thinke vppon a thing with consent to that thought as when thou thinkest the Son of God was borne of a Uirgin had tooke mans nature vpon him consentest to y e thought it is properly called beliefe This thought may come often by séeing and often by hearing And therefore Saint Paule saith that Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God He vnderstands that by hearing Faith comes into the minde and thought if we consent therevnto For we maye beholde a Preacher without consenting to that he saith because men doe not alwaies beleeue what the Preacher speaketh for y t the consent wherin consisteth the perfection of Faith comes of the méere gift of God not from séeing nor hearing but frō the light of grace speking in the soule of the beleeuer beléeuing the principal truth which is God working in him a consent agreement w t that principal souereign trurh aboue al other things So that Faith is a foundation vnmoueable both of beleeuers and of truth by the which Faith when it is ioyned with Charitie our Lord Iesus Christ who is the onely foundation of true blessednesse dwelleth in the hearts of the beleeuers and so long as Faith is in man he shal be sure not to perish but Faith without Charitie is no foundation because such Faith is vaine and vnprofitable Faith then ioyned with Loue or Charitie belongs to good Christians and Faith without Loue belongs to euill Christians It is necessarie therfore that we note the difference in these three saiengs or speaches namely To beleeue a God to beleeue of God and to beleeue in God To beleeue of God is to beléeue that all is true which God saith so beleeue the euill Christians as well as the good vnlesse they be Heretikes To beleeue a God is to beléeue that he is the onely true and almightie God and so the Diuells doe beléeue as well as the euill Christians But to beléeue in God is to loue God and to trust in God and in beléeuing to ioyne thy selfe to God by loue and obedience incorporating thée with his mēbers that is to say his Church This Faith iustifieth and maketh righteous the sinner and this Faith being knit with Loue and with Charitie begins to doe good deedes which cannot be done without Loue. The Faith which euill Christians haue is indéede a qualytie of fréewill but it is not knit with Loue and Charitie which is the bonde of perfection and the life of Faith as Faith is the life of the soule And yet such an vnshapen Faith being naked and voide of Charitie may be termed a gift of God for that the euill man may haue some gifte of God but that cannot properly be called Vertue because that by Vertue we learne to liue rightly and for that the Diuels and euill Christians doe liue wickedly it is a signe that the faith which they haue is dead and therefore is not properly Vertue nor yet a worke of Vertue If thou wilt then haue thy Faith to be good and wholesome it must haue foure properties that is to say it must be plaine and simple it must be whole and sound it must be constant and vnmouable it must be quicke and liuely Touching the first that it must be plaine and simple that teacheth thée thus much in effect that thou must beléeue the word of God plainly simply whatsoeuer is therein contained without enquiring or searching in Gods mysticall matters by humaine reasons but simply beléeuing in thy heart that euery thing contained in the holy Bible is most true Secondly thy Faith must be whole and sound that is to say thou must not take parte with heretikes or leane to the erronious opinions of the enimies of Gods truth for this is no good or wholesome Faith And therefore for a testimonie of thy Faith be not ashamed to make open confession in the congregation of thy beliefe saieng with y e felowship communion of Saints I beleeue in the holy Trinitie as y e holy Church founded by Christ whereof he is y e head hath taught me so do I frame my faith· Thirdly it must be constant and vnmouable that is to say without doubting for any reson of mans braine that séemeth contrarie nor for any temptation promises or threatnings either of torment or of death And let not the obstinacie of such as inchaunt with the vaine pleasures of this life although they liue most ioyfully allure thee to leane to their opinion which is flat heresie For that
were consumed Being in that maze Vertue tolde me that in hir Pallaice neuer came night and that darknesse had nothing to doe where she dwelt Then Memory put me in minde what Gods grace tolde me by the way saieng that by the workes of Faith which are the fruits of the same I might perceiue and sée the Citie of Heauen wherein is comprehended the true and blessed Felicitie Then Faith led me to hir Tower and all the other vertues kept vs company For Faith properly is not without Hope nor Hope without Charitie and therfore they must go altogether And though these vertues haue distinct and seuerall properties yet they ioyne hands and are neuer asunder S. Hierome saith that Abraham was furnished with Faith Iob with Fortitude and Patience Dauid with Humilitie and so consequently of other holy men recorded in Scripture Then Faith from hir high Tower showed mée a high hill whereon was builded a meruailous sumptuous Citie and she tolde me it was the Citie of Heauen wherein is comprehended true blessednesse and perfect felicitie In that Citie I sawe neuer a Temple which made me meruaile vntill that Faith told me that the Lord God almightie was the Temple of that Citie There needes no shining of Sun nor brightnes of Moone nor glittering of stars to giue them light for the almightie God is their true light himselfe None enters into this Citie but such as are written in the booke of life Furthermore Faith tolde me that there was no discord no aduersitie no sinne no reproch no iniquitie no feare no sorrow no shame no tumult no darknes no paine no mistrust no violence no vnquietnes no ill no grudging finally nothing that fauoured of mortalitie but there was concord prosperitie perfection vnitie loue gladnesse quietnesse staiednesse charitie sure rest perpetuall felicitie and euerlasting ioye in God with eternall life and happinesse There was mirth without sadnesse rest without labor gaine without losse health without paine abundance without want life without death cleannesse without corruption happinesse without hinderaunce In this Citie God is seene face to face there is the endlesse lyght shining the Saints alwaies singing blessed soules reioycing and euer beholding God yet still coueting to sée him without dulnesse of desire The Citizens of this Citie of heauen are coheires of the eternall Deitie the Father Sonne and holy Ghost They are made incorruptible and immortall according to the promise of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ saieng Father those that thou hast giuen me I will that they bee with me where I am that they may see my brightnesse What can I say more in this Citie is one King without death and without chaunge without beginning and without ending In this Citie there is no night there is no limitation or terme of time but continuall day most brightly shining For in this Citie dwelleth the Father of lights euen God himselfe whose brightnesse no darknes can ouershadow The Citizens of this Citie are most blessed and fortunate For they are pertakers of vnspeakable grace of vnmeasurable happinesse of endlesse ioye of such perfection as therevnto there can be added no more Unto this place shall the iust be aduaunced as for the wicked their portion is in the Lake boyling with fire and brimstone But to proceede in our purpose ¶ THE DESIRE THAT THE KNIGHT had to come to heauen and how Gods grace brought Perseuerance The ix Chapter HAuing séene from the Tower of Faith the Citie of heauen and heard by hir the manner of it I was rauished of my wit estéemed nothing at all of the world For I felt not my selfe my thought I was walking in Heauen Héerevpon I desired Faith that I might remaine still in hir Tower the which willingly she graunted me insomuch that I was neuer wearie out of hir Tower window to behold heauen yea the more I behelde it the more beautifull it séemed In the end I was loath to liue in this world desired death that I might the sooner sée the citie of Heauen haue the sight and inioying of Christ my Redéemer Then kneeling by my selfe all alone I made this praier saieng O how happy is the soule that is out of this earthly prison resteth in heauen most ioifully seeing his Sauior face to face That soule is without feare afflictiō O how happy is the soule which is in the company of Angels holy Saints singing praises vnto the highest Such a soule surely is ladē with abūdance of ioy O happy societie of citizens O happy company of Saints which lamented in their mortall life but now raigne with God immortally O sweet Iesus let me come to thy plesant Citie wher thy Citizens see thee daily to their great delight O let me come ther wher nothing is troublesome to heare or vnderstand what melody heare they without ending And how happy wer I if I might heare the songs or be admitted to sing a song of Dauid in thy holy hil of Sion O that I being the least of thy seruants may by thy grace put off my fleshly burden and come to thy happy Citie to accompany the holy happy assembly of Saints to see the glory of my Creator to behold his amiable Maiestie That I may be made meet for this so great a blessing grant I beseech thee O gratious God that I neuer loke backe vppon this shadowe or valley of teares that I remember not the false plesures of this wicked worlde that I esteeme not this corruptible euil lyfe O how can we here be happie where the Diuell alwayes assalts vs Where the world flatters vs Where the soule is blinded And where al men sin After which greate euils death doth followe as the verie end of al vaine pleasures then they are esteemed as if they had neuer ben What recompēce may be made vnto thee O GOD which giuest vs consolation in the middest of all our extremities by the wonderfull visitation of thy diuine grace Beholde me miserable wretch filled with sadnesse wherein I consider my sinnes when I feare thy iudgement when I thinke on the houre of death when I remember the paines of hell when I am ignorant what punishment I deserue when I knowe not where nor in what estate I shall end my dayes In all these things and many other I appeale to thy gratious goodnesse knowing that thou art readye to giue me consolation against all these sorrowes Thou liftest vp my soule ful of anguish aboue all mountaines thou makest me receiue thy great Loue Charitie goodnes by the which thou recreatest my heauie spirit and reioysest my sad heart in reuealing vnto me thy heauenly delights This praier ended I vtterly forgat all my miseries and rested my soule vpon the anchor of Hope Then as I was kneeling Gods grace appered vnto me accompanied with an other Lady which I had not séene before And after I had giuen her thanks for all her benefits she deliuered mée this Lady named