that bost so much of faythe yet are wicked in all theyr workes They professe to knowe god as the Apostle sayth but wythe theyr dedes they denye hym seynge they are abhominable disobedient and vnapte to all good workes Such bosters of fayth do not only slaunder the true christeÌ„ fayth whiche worketh by Charite but also they deceaue them selues seynge they hope frely only to be iustified by thatfayth which is barren vnfruytfull voyd of all good workes Let them crake so muche as they lyste of theyr faythe loue towarde God yet are they wicked gospâ—llers For y e loue of god sayth saynt Gregory is neuer ydle For it worketh great thynges if it be the loue of god in dede but if it ceaseth to worke than it is no loue Chrysostome also saythe The sonnes of GOD are not content to syt ydle but the spirite prouokethe them to take some great and commendable worke in hand Uerely as impossible as it is for a good tre tobe wtout a good fruyte whaÌ„ the tyme of the yeare cometh so impossible is it for true fayth to be wythout good and christen workes And as the spirite of God can none otherwyse but do those thynges that are pleasauÌ„t before God so in lyke maÌ„ner a faythful maÌ„ which is the son of god can not cease froÌ„ workyng y e wyl of god Let these rude raylynge readers of the Gospell therfore be once ashamed of theyr fayth spirite wherof so greatly they crake seynge they are altogyther vnfruytfull and wtoute all good workes If ony man be in Christe he is a newe creature He that abydeth in me I in hym sayth Christ bryngeth forth moche fruyte And he that beleueth in me as the scripture sayth floudes of lyuysh water shall flow out of his bely Euery good tree bryngeth forth good fruyte He y t hath not a lust feruent desyre to worke the wyll of God and to fasshon his lyfe in all partyes accordyng to the holy law of God vndoubtedly he hath not y â— christen fayth neyther pertayneth he vnto Christe though he bablethe neuer so muche of faythe of God of Christ of all the diuine misteries For the kyngdome of God is not in word but in power Not euery one that sayth vnto me LORDE LORDE sayth Christ shall enter into y e kingdome of heauen but he that doth y â— wyll of my father whiche is in heauen Many shall saye vnto me at y â— daye LORDE LORDE haue not we prophecyed in thy name cast out dyuels by thy name and wrought miracles by thy name But than shal I saye vnto them I know you not Departe from me ye workers of iniquite He that hathe my commaundementes kepethe them he it is y t loueth me If ony maÌ„ loueth me he wyl kepe my worde my father wyll loue hym we wyl come vnto hym dwell with hym But he that loueth me not kepethe not my wordes God hathe not shewed to vs his manifolde kyndnes that we should lyue dissolutely and with oute all good order for so were we vnworthy ony kyndenes at all but that we should earnestly wyth all diligence eÌ„ploy our selues to worke his wyl to satisfy so much as lyeth in our power his godly mynd and to walke in all our conuersacion lyuynge as his derely beloued son w alked If he dyd not spare his only begotten Sonne but gaue hym for vs all euen vnto the death how vnkynde creatures myght we righteously be recounted if we shoulde not study with herty myndes to accomplysshe his holy preceptes Are they worthye to be called chyldren which neglecte theyr fathers wyll so greatly dissent from theyr Fathers manners Oure celestiall father is holy shall we his chyldren be prophane and vnholy Our celestiall father is good godlye mercyfull pacient all spirite shall we his chyldren be euell wycked rygorous impacient all flesshe Be ye holy saythe he for I am holy Certes god hath not called vs vnto vncleannes but vnto sanctificacion Nether hath he delyuered vs from Satan his army that we should lyue wyckedly but practyse pure iÌ„nocency true godlynes in all oure lyfe as Zachary the Preste father to S. IohnÌ„ Baptist sayth He hath performed the othe which he sware to our father Abraham for to giue that we delyuered oute of the handes of our enemies myght serue hiÌ„ without feare all the dayes of oure lyfe in such holines righteousnes as are acceptable before hym Thus se ye that if we wyl walke before God we maye not onlye beleue in God feare loue God but also lead a pure innocent lyfe be pleÌ„teous in good workes altogither studious of tru godlines Chri. But I pray you why doth y e scripture vse thys terme VValKe rather than ony other Phil. It is not with out a cause Ye knowe he that stondeth styl moueth nothing forward nor hasteth not vnto the end of his iourney But he that walketh is euer goynge draweth alwaye nerer and nerer vnto hys iourneyes ende In consideracion wherof the holy Scripture vsethe this worde VValKe to put vs in remembraunce that if we haue begun well in oure professioÌ„ we should not there cease stonde styll but go forthe froÌ„ vertue to vertue from fayth to fayth vntyll at the laste we attayne vnto y e perfeccioÌ„ of pure innoceÌ„cy For he y t coÌ„tinueth vnto ende sayth christ shal be saued AgeÌ„ be faythfull vnto the death and I shall gyue the the crowne of lyfe This word we read in diuers places of the holy Scriptures Christ sayth walke whyle ye haue lyght that the darkenes doth not ouerwhelme you For he that walketh in darkenes knoweth not whyther he goethe S. Paule also sayth walke as the childreÌ„ of light prouyng what is acceptable to the LORDE Agayne loke that ye walke circumspectly not as vnwyse but as wyse redemynge the tyme for y â— dayes are euell Hytherto pertayneth y e sayenge of S. Iohn he that sayeth leth in Christ ought to walke euen as he hath walked These places w t all other suche lyke declare to vs y t we ought so to walke in our profession by encreasynge dayely in vertues that at the last we may be perfecte as S. Paule sayth make euery man perfecte in Christ Iesus And this is it that followeth iÌ„ the latter ende of the senteÌ„ce And be perfecte For we ought so to walk that is encrease in all godlynes vertu honeste that we might be perfecte as Christe saythe be ye perfecte as youre heauenly father is perfecte Also Saynte Paule Reioyse and be perfect It is one degre of vertu to loue my neyghbour but it is an higher degre to loue myne enemy but the moost excelleÌ„t degre aboue all is so to loue oure verye
as litle chyldreÌ„ ye shal not enter into the kyngedom of heaueÌ„ Who so euer therfore shall humble hymselfe as this lytyl chylde he is greatest in the kyngdome of heaueÌ„ Chri. This vndoubtedly is an excellent vertue and a floure of muche strength bryngethe to them that haue it manye goodly pleasures godly coÌ„modities Phil. Agen marke I praye you what made the oblacion of Abel to be so acceptable in the syght of God but Humilite Agen what was the cause that y e Sacrifice of Caim was abhorred of God but his arrogante proude herte stuffed full of rancour malice towarde his brother What was the occasioÌ„ that Nohe wyth fewe other were saued from drowenynge but that they were humble in herte and feared god Agayne what was the cause that all the whole worlde besydes theÌ„ were drowned but theyr pryde volupteous manner of lyuynge what prouoked God so ofte to walke with AbrahaÌ„ but his Humilite lowlynes of mynde What moued God to saue Lothe and certayne other for hys sake from that most greuous terrible plage that fell on Sodome Gomorre but y e Humilite of him conioyned with a reuerent feare toward god Agen what caused God to take vengeaÌ„ce on the Sodomites and to consume them with fyre brymstone froÌ„ heauen but only theyr pryde coupled wyth all kynd of volupteous beast lyke yea vnnaturall pleasure What preserued Abraham fromme sleaynge his Sonne Isaac but his humble obedient herte redy to accomplysh the wyll of God in al thinges What made Abraham Isaac Iacob Ioseph with al the holy Patriarches to be so geÌ„tylly dealte w t al fauoured both of god maÌ„ but theyr Humilite What was y e cause that Dauid was made of a Sheppard a kynge â–ª but Humilite Agen what abiected Saul froÌ„ his kingedome empire dominioÌ„ but his arrogant proude herte coÌ„ioyned w t disobedience towarde the commauÌ„dement of God What caused kinge Asa Iosaphat Ezechias Iosias to worke that which was good in the sight of God but theyr humilite bicause they preferred y e wyll of God before theyr owne carnall iudgemeÌ„tes Agayne what was the cause y t many kynges as Roboam Ieroboam Abia Nadab Achab Ochozias Achas Manasses AmoÌ„ Ioiachim Sedechias Nabuchodonosor c. dyd y t which was euell before God but theyr puffed vp hertes proud myndes castyng awaye all feare of God from theyr eyes What exalted the moost glorious virgin Mary so hygh that she became the mother of Christe was alone founde worthy to beare the sonne of God but her humilite as she herselfe witnesseth My soule magnifiethe the LORDE sayth she And my spirite hath reioysed in GOD my Sauiour For he hath looked vpon y e Humilite of his hande mayd beholde bycause of this all generations shal call me blessed Agayne what dyd caste downe Lucifer from Heauen into hell from ioye into payne but pryde What prouoked Christe to chose poore fyssher meÌ„ the vile people of this world to set forth the glory of his father but theyr humilite How came it to passe that those simple men yea euen the fooles of the worlde were replete with godly knowlege the proud Pharises the galant Bysshops the huffe nosed prestes the lusty lawers y e sawsy Scribes with all the glisteryng sorte of Hypocrites whiche lyued at that tyme coulde not attayne vnto this science of the diuine misteries whan not withestandynge they chaleÌ„ged to them selues alone the knowlege of Gods lawe and y e true vnderstandynge of the same Was not theyr pryde arrogancy the cause of this theyr blyndenes What is the cause in these our dayes that the proude papisticall Romanistes can not perceyue y e verite of Gods worde here in Englond suche other lyke places euen y e verye poore base sorte of people are godly learned espy the truethe of Gods wyl Is not pryde cause of y e one Humilite occasioÌ„ of y e other As I maye returne vnto the holye Scriptures make an ende what was the cause that the Publicane went home more iustified than the Pharise but that the one was huÌ„ble the other proud Ifwe marke diligently we shall easely perceaue y t all good thynges haue euer come to passe thorowe Humilite that pryde hath alway ben y e original begynnynge of all wickednes myschefe Euse. Uerelye this is easye to perceaue Phil. The excellency and vertue of this flour is so great that it causethe S. Austen to crye oute on this manner O holye and worshypfull Humilite thou madest the sonne of God to come downe into the wombe of holy Marye the virgine Thou madest hym to be inuolued wrapped in vile cloutes that he myght clothe vs wyth the ornamentes of vertues Thou dyddest circumcyse hym in the flesh that he shoulde circuÌ„cyse vs in the mynde Thou dydest scourge hym corporally that he myghte delyuer vs from the scourge of synne Thou dyddest crowne hym with thornes that he should crowne vs with his eternal Roses Thou madest hiÌ„ to be sycke which was the Phisicion of all meÌ„ healyng all thynges with his word alone that he myght heale theÌ„ that are sycke Humilite sayth Saynte Bernarde is the stedfast foundacioÌ„ of vertues whiche if it be omitted let passe the coÌ„gregacion gatherynge togither of vertues is none other thynge than a very ruine or decay of them For it debelleth and valeauntly ouercoÌ„meth the enemy of all grace I meane pryde whiche is the begynninge of all synne S. Gregory sayth also that Humilite is the beginnyng of vertues in vs that they which know not Humilite that is the mother of vertues loose y e vse profyt of theyr labour Agayne he sayth he that gathereth togyther vertues without Humilite maye well be compared to hym that bringeth dust into the wynde Thus haue I declared vnto you y â— excellency great vertue of youre fyrst floure what coÌ„modities ensue of it Chri. If these thynges hers taught were knowne vnto al men it woulde vndoubtedly encourage them to reiecte Pâ—ide enbrase Humilite Phil. Alas dere neyghbours wherfore or wherof shoulde we be proude Of oure wisdome or rytches Who amonge mortall menne was euer able to coÌ„pare with SalomoÌ„ eyther in wisdome or rytches Yet for all that vnto what poynte came he Dyd not he faull vnto all kynde of dissolute volupteous lyuynge Dyd he not forsake y â— God of Israell fell vnto Idolatry It is not withoute a cause sayde Let not the rytche maÌ„ glory in his ritches nor the wyse man in his wysdome For what are rytches wysdome yf they be not godly iustely vsed but only instrumentes of tyraÌ„ny vnrighteousnes The wyse man is indued wythe wyt for thys purpose that with his wisdome he shoulde healpe the simple playne people which want
celestiall father ▪ yet not endewedde withe Humilite GOD myghte haue suffered them to haue perysshedde or elles taken vengeaunce on them streyghtwayes accordyng to theyr desertes but he woulde not but rather gentylly and lowly sought them vp apparelled them by this meanes preserued them O example worthy to be followed of all the faythfull Moreouer what Humilite and lowlynes was ther also ī his derely beloued sōne our lord sauiour Iesus Christ Who is able to expresse his humilite lowlynes mekenes It is not without a cause sayde of hym learne of me for I am meke lowly in herte For what doth hys whole lyfe shew but humilite Was he not borne of a poore mayde euen that blyssed virgyne Marye Dyd he not suffer his moost precious body to be wrapped ī vyle and simple cloutes Dydde he disdayne to be borne in a stable to lye in a maūger among brute bestes Was not he subiecte obedient to Ioseph Mary his mother Was not he circūcysed and baptized for our sake Was not he so poore that he hadde not where to reste his heade Dyd not he kepe company wyth Publicans synners and harlottes that he myghte brynge them to grace whome other so greatly dyd abhorre Dyd not he touche the Lepers whome other would scasely vouchsafe once to looke vpō Dyd not he frequent and vse the companye of al diseased that he might heale thē Dyd not he go whyther so euer he was desyred Dyd not he graunt y e peticions of the faythful Dyd not he come rydynge mekely into Ierusalem vpon an Asse withoute onye pompe or pryde Dyd not he washe his Disciples feete Dyd not he beyng in the shape of God and equall with God make hym selfe of no reputacion toke vpon hym y e shape of a seruaunt became lyke another man was founde in his apparell as a manne Dyd not he so humble hymselfe that he became obediente vnto the deathe euen the deathe of the Crosse Dyd not he suffer hys moost spytefull enemies to renne teare his moost blyssed body so cruelly so vnmercyfully so without al pytie that they also dyd shedde the moost precious bloud of his herte O vnspeakable humilite O lowlynes rather to be wondred at than able of ony man to be followed Neither wanteth this humilite in hym at this present Is he not euē nowe also content althoughe glorified receaued īto y e moost blyssed throne of hys celestiall father to becomme our intercessoure mediatour aduocate At the daye of iudgemente also is not he contente to come and featche vnto glory both the bodyes soules of so many as ī this world haue vnfaynedly beleued in hym studiously wroght his diuine wyl Chri ▪ Al these thinges are true that ye haue spokē Phil. Were it not thā a thynge of much absurdite very vnsyttynge for vs whiche professe this our LORDE Christ to be moost alienated estraunged from that vertue which he in his quotidiane conuersacion moost principally exercised Theo. Yies verelye For S. Iohn̄ saythe he that sayth that he abydeth in Christ ought to walke euē as he hath walked Euse. Trueth it is and Christ hymselfe saythe I haue gyuē you an example that as I haue done to you so ye lykewyse shoulde do Phil. Ryght well neyghbours Looke ye do nowe therfore accordynge to your knoweledge Furthermore what Humilite was this in y ◠holy Ghoste to come downe so manifestly vpon the Apostles of Christ at the feast of Pentechoste to replenyshe them with all gyftes of grace to enspire īto thē the knowledge of so many tonges was not this a wonderful token of Humilite Doth not that moost holy spirite euen at this daye vouchesafe also to dwell in the hertes of y e faythfull as S. Paule witnesseth Do not ye knowe sayth he that ye are the Tēple of God the spiryte of God dwelleth in you Agayne do ye not knowe that youre members are the Temple of the holy Ghoste whiche is in you whome ye haue of god and ye are not of your selues Seynge than that this vertue Humilite was fyrst vsed practised of God so styl remayneth howe can it otherwise thā be a thīge of great excellency Euse it is trueth GOD graunt vs to remember these thinges that we maye not only professe God by mouthe but also lyuely expresse hym in our actes dayly conuersacion Phil. Well as concernyng the vertue strength of this youre floure called Vnfayned humilite it shal appeare euidently vnto you by declaring what great profyt ensueth therof Chri. This thyng is very necessary to be knowne Let vs therfore heare it I praye you Phil. Humilite maketh vs to be humble and lowly both ī herte body It expellethe the fowle vice of pryde causeth that Philantia that is to say the loue of our selues or the stōding in our owne conceate reygneth not in vs. It maketh vs to abstaine frō dissolute laughing It causeth that we speke nothyng vnaduisedly It prouoketh vs to graūt that we are more vile than ony other vnworthy or vnprofitable vnto ony good thynge It makethe vs lytyll to esteme our selues all our enterprises hyghly to auaunce set forth other It makethe vs not to haue ony delectacion to fulfyll our owne wyll It gyuethe vs an occasion to feare God and to endeuour our selues to do that which he requirethe of vs. It causeth vs to be obedient to our superiours to gyue them all reuerence honour It maketh vs paciently to sustayne all iniuries wronges that are done vnto vs. It engraffeth in vs all kynde of vertues So that it maye ryghte well be named the mother nurse of al goodnes honeste Moreouer Humilite bringethe the grace fauour of God to vs as ye hearde before of S. Peter which sayth God resistethe the proude but to the hūble he gyuethe grace It causethe y e God hath a respecte vnto vs as he sayth by the Prophet vnto whome shall I looke but to the hūble broken in spirite vnto hym that feareth my wordes It makethe that GOD heareth our prayers as the Psalmograph sayth God doth beholde the supplicacions of the humble and he hathe not despised theyr prayers Also the wise mā the prayer of hym that humbleth himselfe shall pearse the cloudes It causeth vs to be exalted as the moost blyssed virgin syngeth He hathe putte downe the mighty frō theyr seate exalted the humble And Christe sayth euery one that exalteth himselfe shall be made low And he that humbleth hymselfe shall be exalted S ▪ Peter also sayth humble youre selues before God that he maye exalte you To be shorte it bryngethe vs vnto the kyngedome of heauen For Christ sayth Excepte ye turne become
walke purely innocētly before God Phil. To walke before God is on such sort to īstitute our lyfe as he hath appointed ī his holy scripture not as carnal reasō imaginethe or good zeale wtoute knowlege deuiseth cōtrary to y e prescripte of Gods worde as we haue sene here to fore in our mōstruous Mōckes which laborīg to establish theyr own ryghteousnes were not made obedient to y e iustice of God That ye may walke before god certayn thīges are to be obserued first y t ye haue a sure cōstāt stedfast tru lyuysh fayth to beleue y t whiche y e holy scriptures tech of god of his workes Ye herd y e God is oīpotēt almighty plenteous in power abūdāt o◠sufficiēt full of all good nedy of nothing This must ye beleue vndoubtedlye yf ye wyll walke before God Ye herd also y t as God is able so wyll he healpe so many as call on him in spirite truethe Thisalso must ye beleue wtoute ony hesitaciō or doutyng For wtoute thys fayth no man can please god nor come vnto hym aryght For this fayth is y e foūdacion and grounde of the christen religion This fayth maketh a christen man Thys fayth makethe vs the sonnes of lyght This fayth prouoketh and callethe vnto God This Faythe trustethe not in her owne ryghteousnes and good workes but on the promyses of God Thys fayth maketh vs to be borne of God This fayth mitigatethe y ◠wrath of God Thys faythe obtayneth al good thynges of God as it is wryttē he that beleueth on him hath euerlastynge lyfe Beleue in y ◠Lord sayth the scripture ye shall be safe wtoute ony daunger Agē Euery one y t calleth on y e name of y e lord shal be safe For ther is but one LORDE of all sufficiently rytche for so many as call on him This fayth maketh vs the sonnes of God as y e Apostle sayth all ye are the sonnes of God bycause ye haue beleued in Christ Iesus Agayne So many as receaue hym he gaue them power to be made the sonnes of God in as much as they beleued in his name This fayth maryeth vs to God as he hym selfe testifyethe I wyll marye the vnto me in faythe and thou shalt knowe that I am the LORDE Thys fayth purifyeth our hartes This fayth ouercommeth Satan This fayth vanquissheth y e worlde This fayth makethe vs the Tēples of the lyuyng God This fayth wyl not suffer vs to be confounded This fayth bringeth to vs the mercy of God in al our aduersite This fayth is the fulfyllynge of Gods cōmaūdemētes This fayth makethe vs the enheritours of the earthe possessours of Goddes holy mountayne This fayth maketh vs to vnderstonde the truethe This faythe causeth that hell gates can not preuayle agaynst vs. This fayth iustifyeth vs. This Fayth bryngeth all good thynges vnto vs. This fayth as S. Austen saythe is the begynnynge of mans helth without this no man can reach or come vnto the nomber of the sonnes of God wyth out this all the labour of manne is frustrate voyde This Faythe as S. Ambrose saythe is the roote of all vertues and that thou byldeste on this foundacion that alone profyteth vnto y e reward of thy worke fruyte vertue This fayth sayth he is rytcher thā all treasures strōger thē all corporall power more healthful than all Phisicions This faythe as Chrisostome saythe is a lampe For a lampe lyghteneth the house so doth fayth the soule This faythe of the Catholyke religion is the lyght of y e soule the dore of lyfe the foundaciō of euerlastyng helth Thus se ye what an excellent treasure this christen fayth is without the whyche by no meanes ye canne walke worthely before the LORDE our God Moreouer thys your fayth must be conioyned wyth a reuerēt feare towarde God For the feare of the LORDE saythe the wyse man is the begynnynge of wisdome and expelleth synne Withoute this feare no man can purely walke before God For he that feareth God truely feareth also to displease hym yea he sekethe all meanes possible to accomplysh the wyl of god as the Psalmo graph sayth blyssed is that man y t feareth y e LORDE for all his delight pleasure shal be in his cōmaundementes Unto this feare of GOD dothe Dauid exhorte vs sayenge feare ye the LORDE all ye that are his seruauntes For they shall neuer wante y e feare hym The sonne honoreth the father the seruaūte his Lord yf I be your father wher is my honoure And yf I be youre LORDE where is my feare saythe y e LORDE of Hoostes But this feare ought not to be a seruile and bonde feare procedynge from an vnwyllynge harte but a reuerent gētle feare flowynge oute of loue Therfore wyth this your faythe feare must ye also haue a syncere pure loue towarde God cōbyned so that ye shall both truely beleue in God reuerently feare hym vnfaynedly loue hī And this is it that Moses wryghteth and now O Israel sayth he what doth the LORDE thy god require of the but that y u shouldest feare the LORDE thy God and walke in his wayes loue hym serue the LORDE thy God in all thy herte in all thy soule Nowe haue ye herd partely what it is to walke before God Euse. I praye you what remayneth there behynde Phil. After that ye haue conceaued in your hertes this faythe feare loue toward God thorow the operacion of the holy Ghoste so that ye haue entred the pathe waye of oure LORDE god nowe doth conueniēt tyme require that ye walke not only secretly but also openly before God tha◠is that ye do not only inwardly in your hertes beleue in God feare loue god but also that ye outwardly shew forth this your fayth feare loue buryed wythin you by externall workes that men seynge your godly conuersacion maye then glorify your father which is in heauē For this is to walke before god euē to beleue ī god to feare god to loue God and to lede an innocēt lyfe accordynge to his holy worde Without thys innocēcy purite of lyfe I se not what al fayth fear or loue profyt Followe your LORDE God sayth Moses feare hym kepe hys cōmaūdementes heare his voyce ye shall serue hym and cleaue vnto hī The Prophet Miche also sayth I wyll shewe the O man what is good what the LORDE requireth of the euen to do iudgement and to loue mercy studiously to walk w t thy God Here se you y t yf ye wyll walke before God ye muste do good dedes leade a pure innocent lyfe study to accomplyshe Gods wyll in all poyntes laboure to fasshyon your manners after the rule of goddes worde Farewel they
enemyes that we can be contented not only to do them good but also euē to gyue our lyues to wynne them vnto Christ. It is a poynte of mercy◠to helpe my poore neyghbour with my superfluous goodes but it is a poynte of perfeccion to sel all that euer I haue to gyue it to y e poore as Christe sayde to the rytche man If thou wylte be perfecte go and sell all that thou haste and gyue it to the poore thou shalte haue treasure in Heauen and come on thy waye followe me It is a poynt of godlynes to beare an honeste herte towarde the worde of God yet it is much more openly to cōfesse it boldly before men but the very perfecte poynte of godlynes is not only to loue confesse it but also manly to abyde by it euē vnto y e very death if nede so requireth Nowe therfore euē vnto y e moost greatest perfeccion in all thynges ought we to contend labour that we maye walke before God and be perfecte Euse. I thyncke there be but fewe that attayne come vnto this perfeccion Phil. This youre floure is in dede to the carnall man of a bytter and vnpleasaunt sauour but to the spirituall truly regenerate it smelleth sweter thā ony rose Theo. God graunt that we maye once be auncient in Christ. Phile. Labour God wyl helpe Enter in at the streyght gate For wyde is the gate broad is the waye that leadethe vnto destrucion and many there be which go in therat But streyghte is the gate narowe is the waye whiche leadethe vnto lyfe fewe there be that fynde it If ye wyll lyue and reygne in glory with christ ye must suffer with Christe ye muste take y ◠Crosse of Christ followe hym Ye must cast awaye all the vayne pleasures and pompes of the world the concupiscences lustes of the fleshe ye must mortifye Satan all hys subtile suggestiōs ye must māfully resist Ye must dye vnto synne and lyue vnto ryghteousnes For christ dyd not enter into glory before he had suffered thyncke ye the gates of heauen to be opēned for you if ye lyue in this world in ioy pleasure after y e flesh Na verely ye maye be sure For y e Apostle sayth yf ye lyue after the flesh ye shal dy But if ye mortify the dedes of y e body in y e spirite ye shal liue And this is it that remayneth of your flour And I vvyll make my couenaunte betvvene me and the and vvyll multiplye the beyonde all measure God commaundynge Abraham to walke before hym and to be perfect addeth this promyse aforefayde hath vndoutedly accōplyshed it Let vs also work before God be perfecte and y e promyse also shal be fulfylled in vs. God wyll multiply vs beyond all measure both in this worlde and in y e worlde to come as Christ sayth ther is no man y ◠hath forsaken house or father mother or brothers or wyfe or children for the kyngdome of heauē but y ◠shall receaue moche more in thys tyme and in y e world to come euerlastyng lyfe Chri. GOD graunte vs so to walke that we maye be founde worthy this eternal lyfe Phil. wel neighbours seynge that God is almyghty plenteous in power abundant omnisufficient ful of all good nedy of nothynge liberall gentle mercifull redy to helpe at euery houre wholly bente to beatifye and make welthye so many as call on hym in spirite and verite whome would it not delyght to do seruyse vnto such a LORDE to walke before him and to be perfecte seynge that for oure seruyse doynge he wyl encrease and multiplye vs that is to saye gyue vs in thys worlde abundans of all thynges necessary for this our lyfe in the worlde to come euerlastyng glorye Euse. This is a swete floure that ye haue nowe gyuen vs. Theo. I beseche God that we maye smell well of it Chri. Yea and that the sauour maye longe continue in vs. Phil. To that I say Amē For if this cōe to passe ye maye be sure to haue the fauour bothe of God and man whiche of all treasures is the greatest And of this shall ye not fayle if ye labour to walke before God and be perfect which I cal Pure Innocēcy He that is pure from synne and innocent or harmeles in his conuersaciō he muste nedes fynde grace and fauour in the eyes both of god and of all men Therfore dere brothers cleaue stedfastlye to this one verye God almyghty by true faythe as y e onlye Author of all good thynges feare him reuerently as a beneficiall LORDE loue hym tenderlye as a gentle Father and so walke accordynge to his moost diuine pleasure in clennes of lyfe and pure innocēcy without ony faynynge dissimulacion or Hypocrisye that ye maye in this worlde be gouerned of hym in al your Actes thorow his moost holy spirite in the worlde to come enioye the glory eternall Euse. Amē good LORDE Phil. Your duties learned towarde youre selues god I wil now declare how ye ought to be haue your selues toward our moost Christen excelente Kynge and all other rulers that are sent of hym And this shall be the thyrde floure of your Nosegay Theo. Neuer in better tyme. It commeth wel in place Let vs se it I praye you ¶ The thyrde floure called Faythfull Obedience Philemon YE remēber I am sure y ◠name of your thyrde floure Theo. Ye named it Faythfull Obedience Phil. Wel remembred Hold here it is Let euery soule be obediēt to the pouers that beare rule For ther is no povver but of God The povvers that be are ordened of GOD. Therfore vvho so euer resistethe the povver resistethe the ordinaunce of God And they that resist shall gette to them selues damnacion c. Howe doth the aspecte of this flour please your eies Chri. It is not only pleasaunte to the eye but it also gyueth a goodly odoriferous confortable sauour to so many as smel on it with purged noses For it sheweth howe we ought to behaue our selues bothe towarde our moost redoubted Kynge all other rulers which are sēt of hym vnto y e prayse of them that do well but vnto the punishement of them that do euell They therfore y t are faythful subiectes must nedes reioyse ī this flour vnfaynedly Phil. Wel sayd Althogh neighbours I do not doubte but that in your conscience ye are assuredly perswaded that the christen magistrates and hyghe powers do reygne rule haue dominion euery one in theyr kyngedome not of theyr owne tyrannye cruell violence and extorte power butte of the authorite of Gods worde the iust appoyntment of the hygh celestiall kyng for the great consolacion and cōforte of his people and for the innumerable cōmodities of the Christen publique weale which of theyr no lesse vertuous than ryghteous regiment