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
good godly profyteth onye thynge at all Rede y â— Chapter whaÌ„ ye come home Certes this Charite christen loue must nedes be an excellent thynge seynge it is the ende of the CoÌ„maundement the fulfyllynge of all the law seyng also that Christ in his last sermon whiche he made to his Disciples a litle before his passhon exorteth vs with so many wordes vnto it S. IohnÌ„ fereth not so greatlye to auauÌ„ce and commende Charite y t he affirmeth God to be Charite sayeng God is Charite he that abydethe in Charite abydeth in God God in hym Unto thys true and Christen Charite S. Peter also mouethe vs on thys manner Before all thynges saythe he haue ferueÌ„t charite among you For Charite couereth y â— multitude of synnes And S. Paule saythe aboue al thiÌ„ges haue Charite which is the bonde of perfeccion For he y â— hath this christeÌ„ Charite can none otherwyse but loue God wythe all his harte mynde strength power soule He can none otherwyse but forsake the worlde the dyuell the flesh cleue to God alone as a true and faythfull wyfe doth to her husbond He wyl by no menes swere by y â— name of his lord god but reuereÌ„ce honour worship prayse it He wyl not breake the Sabbothe daye but sanctify it accordyng to the worde of God Agayne he that loueth his neyghbour sincerly wyl by no meanes hurte hym nor worke any euel agaynst hym He wyll not disobeye his superiours He wyl commyt no manslaughter whoredome thefte nor beare ony false wytnes nor yet couyt that which shoulde be hynderauÌ„ce to his neyghbour but he wyl gladly with a free spirite do vnto the vttermooste of his power what so euer the Scripture requireth of hym as Christ sayth yf ony man loueth me he wyll kepe my word and my father shall loue hym we wyl come to hym dwell with hym He that loueth not me kepeth not my wordes He that hath my CommauÌ„dementes kepeth theÌ„ he it is that loueth me he that loueth me shall be loued of my father I wyl loue hym shewe my selfe vnto hiÌ„ How dothe this youre floure please you Euse. I neuer smelled a sweter and more pleasaunt odoure in my lyfe Theo. I praye you rehearse it once agayne Phil. Let Vs not loue in vvord noâ— tonge but in vvorke and trueth Theo. Is not this the sayenge of S. Iohn in his Epistle Phil. Yies verelye Theo. Me thynketh that he gyueth here a coÌ„maundemente that we shoulde not loue in worde nor tonge but in worke trueth Phil. Ye saye trueth Theo. It is not lawefull than for vs to eâ—presse the loue that we beare in oure hartes towardes oure neyghboure by manifeste open euident wordes as to speake gentylly to coÌ„mon frendely to wysh wel with louynge wordes to all men Phil. S. Iohn in this place forbyddethe no more gentle speache louynge communicacion thaÌ„ S. Paule in your other flour dyd forbyd to make prouision for you and yours But his mynd is this they which wyl crake boste by outwarde wordes y t they loue God theyr neyghbour yet shew it not in workes and truethe they are lyers haue not in theÌ„ the christen Charite which the Scripture coÌ„mendeth so greatly in euery place Such are lyke theÌ„ of whome S. Paule speaketh on this maÌ„ner they saye they knowe God but w t theyr dedes they denye it playnely seynge they are obhominable disobedient and mynded vnto no good workes He that hath the substance of the world sayth S. Iohn seeth his brother haue nede is moued with no compassion towardes him howe doth the loue of God abide in hym As though he should say albeit a maÌ„ craketh neuer so much y t he loueth God yet yf he fulfylleth not that which God coÌ„maundeth him howe dare suche one boste that he louethe God A man loueth so muche as he worketh If he worketh no thynge nother doth he loue any thing For as S. Gregory sayth in a certayne homely the loue of GOD is neuer idle For he worketh great thinges yf it be loue but if it seaseth to worke than is it no loue in dede Loue sayth S. Paule is pacient curtious Loue enuiethe not loue dothe not frowardely Loue is not puffed vp dealeth not dishonestly seaketh not her owne Loue is not prouoked to anger thynketh not euell reioysethe not of iniquite but reioyseth in the trueth suffereth al thinges beleuethe all thynges hopethe all thynges abydethe all thynges What a poynt is this of loue to say that I loue God yet run a whorehuntynge after straunge Goddes Agayne what a poynte of loue is this to saye that I honour y e name of God and yet blaspheme it withe mooste shamefull abhominable othes What loue is this toward my neyghbour to saye that I loue him and yet wyll do no thynge for hym whan I se him in necessite Is this loue Peryshe moughte suche loue Agaynste these wicked Hypocrites open dissemblers dothe S. Iohn in this place thonder whaÌ„ he sayth let vs not loue in worde nor tonge but in worke trueth There were in the tyme of the Apostles manye false Christians whiche by wordes pretended muche loue both towardes God and theyr neyghbour and yet dyd they expresse shew none at all by theyr outward dedes Such haue we nowe a dayes also among vs which styffely affyrme that they loue God his worde yet do theyr workes proue the contrarye The scripture reiecteth that loue which is fayned and is not in spirite and trueth that is to say fyrst engraffed in the harte afterwarde declared by manifeste euident workes worthy such a loue Therfore neighbours yf ye wyll smell aryght and to your conforte of this your floure Christen Charite prouide that youre loue benot fayned Let it not only be in worde and tonge but also in worke and trueth Fyrst as concernynge youre loue towarde God it shall appeare in nothynge more manifestly than yf you laboure wythe all mayne in al your workes to seke the glory of God the honour of his moost blyssed name the promocioÌ„ of his holy worde Agayne as towchynge your neyghbour your loue shallnot be fayned towardes hym yf ye helpe hym in all such thynges as he hath nede of as for an example If ye perceyue hym ignoraunt in the lawe of God teach hym Goddes worde bryng hym vnto Christ teache hym where of whom and by what meanes he shal obtayne helth saluacion Declare to hym what y â— true christeÌ„ faythe is of what great strength vertue efficacy and power it is Exhorte hym vnto the true good workes which god approueth by his worde leueth not vnrewarded Charge hym to flye vnto y â— name of God as vnto a strong Bulwarke in all his aduersite and trouble Furthermore yf ye
cōmaundeth vs all that we haue to be subiecte to y e Kinges graces pleasure Chri. This is trueth nothīg more tru Phil. I beleue verely that what soeuer the subiectes haue are the goodes of such a righteous and godly Prynce as we haue now reynynge amonge vs. Yea if the highe powers were very Tyrauntes and altogyther vnmercifull yet myght we deny them no thyng at al of our goodes if they required them of vs but delyuer them vp into theyr hādes frely to be vsed as it shal please them beynge perswaded that it is for our synnes that God suffereth such Tyrauntes to reygne ouer vs therfore oughte they to be obeyed in all thynges that fyght not with the worde of God nor obscure the diuine glorye thoughe they seme to be neuer so full of tyranny vnmercifulnes But seing we haue such a prīce as loueth his faythful subiectes nolesse than a gētle father doth his natural sonne cherisheth thē no lesse than a nourse doth her chylde preserueth them without daunger no lesse than a trusty shepparde seakethe to kepe his shepe from the rauenynge teth of the wolfe vtterly gyueth hym selfe altogyther vnto vs vnto our commodite profyt what shoulde be the cause that we myght deny any thynge to this our Emperour so mercyful so gentle so boūteous so prudent so wise and so circumspecte in all thynges that pertayne vnto our commodite wealthe To muche beastlyke are they y t consider not the bounte of so excellent a Prynce Blyssed is that londe sayth the wyse manne whose kynge is a man of nobilite whose Princes eat in due seasō for strēgth not for lust But wo be vnto that Realme whose Kyng is but a chyld and whose Prynces are earelye at theyr Banckettes Thus neyghbours haue I declared vnto you accordynge to my promyse your duty toward our moost excellent king such as he appoynteth to be gouernours vnder hym Loke therfore that ye be obediente vnto them feare them honour thē paye what so euer is required of you For vnto all these thynges ye are bound by the holy Scripture which yf ye do the blessyng of God is vpon you If ye do not the curse vēgeaūce of God wil fal on you so that your ende shall be miserable bothe before God man Euse. What soeuer ye haue hitherto taught vs we wyll laboure to the vttermoost of our power to fulfyl it in our quotidiane dayly conuersacion that we may walke blameles bothbefore God and oure Prynce Phile. Nowe doth conueniēt order require that I brynge forth your fourth floure to you seyng that hitherto ye haue learned your dutye bothe toward◠your selfe GOD and our Kynge Theo. I praye you let vs se it ¶ The fourth floure called Redy assistence Philemon BEholde here it is Let euery manne looke not for his oVVne profit but for the profit of other Howe doth y e sauour of this floure please you Euse. How so euer it pleaseth me I thynke verely the ayer breath of this flour is so strong y e few at this presēt tyme can abyde the sauour of it Phil. Why so It is the sayēge of Saynt Paule to the Philippians Euse. I knowe that well but ye should rather haue rehearsed this sayeng in y e same Epistle All seke theyr owne auaūtage not that which is Iesus Christes For this flour do men now a dayes beare chefely in theyr bosome as we may se by dayly experiēce Theyr noses are stopped and they haue lost one of theyr fyue wittes whan ony such floure is offred them for to smell vpon as ye haue nowe gyuen vs. They haue rooted other herbes in theyr hertes vpon whome they smell dayly euen such as theyse are Pecuniae obediunt omnia Bonus est odor lucri ex re qualibet Semper tibi proximus esto Tantū fidei quātum pecuniae Nummi uirum faciunt Virtus post nummos Miser est qui nūmos non habet Quisquis habet nummos secura nauiget aura Fortunamque suo temperet arbitrio That is to saye al thinges are obedient to mony The sauour of lucre is good how so euer a man come by it Be euer nearest moost frend to thy selfe A man shal euē be so much trusted as he hathe monye Mony maketh the man Fyrst monye and afterwarde vertue He is a wretch y t hath no mony Who soeuer hathe monye maye go where he lyste do what so euer he wyll at hys owne pleasure The sauour of these floures hath so infected the senses of many now a dayes that they cā by no meanes smell on this floure whiche ye haue nowe gyuen vs. Phil. It is the more pytye Not withstondynge neyghbours be not ye infected withe lyke pestiferous contagion Remember your profession and followe not the cōmon fasshion vnlesse ye fall into damnacion and lose the fauoure of GOD. Smel wel on this your floure Redy assistence Let euery man looke not for his owne profit but for the profyt of other For seynge ye haue hytherto learned your dutye both toward your selfe ▪ God our kynge ye must now learne also your office duty toward youre neyghboure For God hath also gyuen vs a commaūdemēt to loue our neyghbour Thou shalt loue thy neyghbour as thy selfe sayth the scripture That thou wylte not a nother shoulde do to the do thou not the same to him And this cōmaundement haue we of God that he which loueth God should also loue his neighbour For he y e loueth not his brother whome he seethe God whome he hathe not sene howe can he loue That ye myghte natiuely vnfaynedlye on this sorte loue your◠neyghbour I haue selected this sētēce of s. Paule to put you in remēbrāce of your duty Let euery man loke not for his own profyt but for the profit of other Chri. It is a very hard sayeng followed but of few iniquite doth so abound the loue of many abateth and waxeth cold Theo. Me thyncke S Paule would here haue no man prouyde for him selfe but for other And this is contrary to his owne sayeng wher he sayth If ony mā doth not prouyde for thē that do pertayne vnto him he hath forsaken the faythe andis worse than an Infidell Phil. God forbyd that ony contrariete should be founde in the wordes of so noble worthy Apostle In your floure he doth not forbydde you but that ye may with good conscience prouide for your selfe for yours But to admonysh mē of thys so streyghtly as of the other it was not nedeful nor expediēt For we are naturally bēt to seke our owne profyt yea that many tymes to the great hinderaūce vtter decay of our neyghbour neyther nede we a spurre to prycke vs forwarde in this behalfe Which thynge S. Paule replete with goddes spirite consyderynge exorteth men rather to seke for theyr neighbours profyt than for theyr owne
ê‘ceyue that he is gyuen altogyther to wickednes and wyll not gladlye heare anye wholesome admonicion yette cease not to praye for him as Abraham dyd for the fylthy Sodomites and Moses for the disobedient Iewes Yea thogh he be your extreme enemye and seaketh youre lyfe yet wysh wel vnto hym praye for him and desyre God to forgyue him as Christ and Steuen dyd Agayne yf ye perceyue that he is poore hath nede of your helpe fayle not to succoure his miserye and to helpe hym in his nede euen to the vttermoost of youre power to make an ende yf ye perceyue that youre neyghboure hath nede of any thyng that ye are able to do for hym I charge you in Goddes behalfe that ye with al expedicion helpe and conforte hiÌ„ If ye do this thaÌ„ do ye smel aright on this your flour ChristeÌ„ Charite shal receyue rewardes abuÌ„daÌ„t for your good dedes but if ye do it not know y t though ye bost neuer so muche in word and tong of your loue towardes god your neyghbour yet shal ye go to the dyuel headlong lyke abhominable Hypocrites and wycked dissemblers shall receaue greater damnacion than they which neuer knewe truelye no parte of God seing your loue is only in worde and tong but not in spirite and trueth Euse. As concernynge oure loue towarde God we wyll employe al our industrye and laboure to haue that loue toward hym which Peter had whan he sayde vnto Christ LORDE thou knoweste that I loue the as towchynge our neyghbour we wyll labour no lesse hartely to loue him than Ionathas dyd Dauid which as the Scripture sayth loued him as his owne lyfe Phile. Theyse are goodly exaÌ„ples vndoubtedly neighbours Loke therfore that ye folow them If ye bryng out of your loue suche dedes as Peter dyd thaÌ„ may ye be bolde to say that ye loue God vnfaynedly Agayne yf ye shew by youre outwarde workes suche loue towarde your neyghbour as Ionathas dyd to Dauid thaÌ„ nede ye not feare to saye y t ye loue youre neighbour in worke truethe so are ye perfecte and true christen men and maye be certayne after the departure oute of this transitorye lyfe yf ye so continue vnto the ende for to receaue the crowne of life which the LORDE hathe promised to them that loue hym as S. Iames sayth Here is nowe your Nosegay perfecte For I haue gyueÌ„ you al your fyue floures as I promised you at your fyrst coÌ„mynge Chri. We thaÌ„ke you right hertely for this Nosegay Euse. I thynke such a Nosegay was neuer gyuen before of onye man to his frende as you haue nowe gyueÌ„ vs. Theo. I beseche GOD gyue vs grace so to smell on this Nosegaye that the sauoure of it maye euer abyde in vs neuer departe nor go awaye from our hartes So maye we be sure neyther at onye tyme to offende our selues God our Kyng nor our neyghbour but leade suche a lyfe as wherwith bothe God and man shall be well pleased Phil. All this that ye haue hytherto spoken is true For I haue taughte you no thyng of myne owne brayne fantasye but onelye the pure worde of God the sentences myndes of y e holy and catholyke Doctors Therfore I pray you hertely good neyghbours be as diligent to obserue and kepe these floures as I haue ben studious to gather them togyther for you so shall I both thyncke my laboure well bestowed ye also of all pleasures shall do me the greateste Well I wyll nowe rehearse to you in fewe wordes what youre whole Nosegaye contayneth in many Your fyrst floure is called Vnfayned Humilite Hereof haue ye learned y e true knowledge of youre selues that ye ought not to be proud of ony thynge but enbrasynge Humilite lowlines of mynd alwayes coÌ„fesse that what so euer ye haue be it neuer so good precious it is the gyfte of GOD commynge downe froÌ„ the father of lyghtes and that therfore ye oughte studiously to laboure aboue all thynges that it be bestowed accordynge to the wyll of God that is vnto the glory of God the profitte of youre neyghboure the saluacion of your owne soules Your seconde flour called Pure Innocency Of this ye haue lerned your duty toward God howe ye ought to walke before hym accordynge to his worde and be perfecte Of your thyrde floure which is Faythfull Obedience Ye haue learned your duty toward our moost puissaunt excellent kynge all those ciuile magistrates heade officers which are appoynted to rule gouerne the matters of the publique weale vnder his graces maieste Ye learned also that by the worde of GOD ye owe to them obedience feare honour and tribute Your fourthe floure called Redy assistence â–ª taught you your dutye towarde youre neyghbour howe ye oughte to serue hym accordynge to the rule of the Gospell seakynge no lesse his profyt than your owne Your fyfte laste floure called Christen Charite declared to you that withoute this true christen pure loue all youre other floures profyt but lytle neyther can any worke beinge done of a malicious harte and out of Charite please God Agayne ye hearde that your loue bothe toward God your neyghbour was declared to be vnfayned yf ye dyd expresse it outwardly in suche workes as are prescribed of God in the holy Scriptures this is the whole summe of your Nosegaye Nowe deare brothers I beseche you by the great mercyes of God y t ye wyl by no meanes suffer y e smell odoure sauour of these herbes to faull oute of your brestes but that you alwaye beare this youre Nosegay about w t you smel on it at al tymes wtout ceasyng For these are those floures whiche shall preserue you from all pestiferous and contagious ayres from all perelles and daungers from al mischauÌ„ces and euell fortunes They also shall enspire and breath into you such confortable odoures swete sauours that ye shall by no meanes be so infected that ye maye eyther offende your selues God the kyng or your Neygheboure but what so euer ye worke shall be accceptable bothe to God and man What wyll ye haue more Thus muche haue I done nowe for you neyghbours and am redy at al tymes to do what soeuer lyethe in my power whan occasion shall be gyuen desiryng you fauourably to accepte this my good wyll towarde you as of one which wyssheth no lesse well to you thaÌ„ to him selfe tendereth your health no lesse than his owne seakethe youre true knoweledge in Christe Iesus euen as his owne to conclude whiche is redy at all tymes both to gyue him selfe and all that he hath so that ye may be in the moost gloryous bowels of oure Sauioure Christe and therin continewe vntyl the daye oâ— his tryumphant apperyng Which thynge moost deare brothers that it maye come to passe I wyll not cease neyther night nor daye to