hauiÌ„ge experience prayeth on this maÌ„ner open myne eyes I shall consyder y e meruelous thynges of thy lawe To walke in this lyght Christe exhorteth vs sayeng walke whyle ye haue lyght vnles y e darkenes come on you He that walkethe in darkenes wotteth not whither he gothe Whyle ye haue lyght beleue on the lyghte that ye maye be the chyldreÌ„ of lyghte So many as be of God loue this lyght of y â— LORDES word and desyre with all theyr herte to walke iÌ„ it But they that be of Satan hate it refuse to walke in it Why so Uerely for they are beast lyke mynded styffe necked in all thynges resist the holy Ghost The lyght they hate be it neuer so pleasaunt wholesome but the darkenes they enhalse loue kysse kull be it neuer so tedious and horrible Therfore shall they receaue y â— greater daÌ„nacion as Christ wytnesseth sayengâ— thys is the condemnacion that lyght came into the worlde men loued darkenes rather then lyght For theyr workes were euel Euery one that doth euell hate the the lyght neyther commeth he to y e lyght vnles his workes shoulde be reproued O howe blessed are they to whome it is gyuen to walke in thys lyght Agayne howe miserable wretched vnhappy are they y â— speare theyr eyes at the commynge of this confortable light wyl not only not walke in it theÌ„ selues but also laboure to the vttermooste of theyr power to obscure quenche it that it maye appeare shyne to none at all These are those people whiche as the Prophet saythe prouoke God to anger Theise are the lyenge and vnfaythefull chyldren Theyse are the chyldren that wyll not heare the lawe of the LORDE These are they which say to them that se se not to them that looke looke not for vs those thinges that are right Speke vnto vs pleasauÌ„t thiÌ„ges preach vnto vs tales of Robyn hood take awaye from vs the right way go out of the pathe and away with that holy one of Israel froÌ„ our face Theise are they which hate hym that reproueth theÌ„ openly and abhore hym that telleth the truethe playnely Theise are they which call euell good good euell darkenes lyght lyght darkenes bytter swete swete bitter These are they whiche are wyse in theyr owne eyes and stonde wel in theyr owne coÌ„ceate But agaynst all such as contemne the holy scriptures cast awaye the law of theyr LORDE God wyllynge neither to enter theÌ„ selues nor yet suffryng other christ intonateth and thoÌ„derethe on this maÌ„ner wo be to you lawers for ye haue taken awaye the key of knowledge ye haue not onlye not entred in but ye haue also forbidden them that entend to enter But without doubte they shal no leÌ„ger preuayle For y e daye of the LORDE is at hand whan he shall breake Satans head destroye bothe him all his ministers with the breath of his mouth For he wyll no lenger sufferre thys great wickednes hygh abhominacion He wyll be knowne for y e God Sauiour alone He is that LORD which alone wyll be exalted and all Idolles shall be vtterlye broken on peces He is that God whiche wyll no lenger suffer his glorye to be attributed gyuen to other He is y e lawer which wyl expulse the darkenesses of mennes tradicions that fyghte with his infallible verite brynge in the glorious lyght of his moost holye worde To be shorte he wyll detecte and ouerthrowe all the Idols that obscure his glory and set vp his blyssed name to be praysed and magnyefyed for euer and euer So be it Of this thynge haue we experience euen at this tyme in y e whiche that LORDE of puissaÌ„ce hath moost puissantly by his derely beloued seruant Henry our moost vertuous godlye Kynge subuerted topledde downe and ouerthrowne a great parte of Antechristes kyngedome so that by his diuine polecy godlye enterpryse that great whore of Babylon the mother of all whore dome abhominacions of the erth hath loste her chefe glory renome is nowe become so vile that she is euen made the habitacion of diuelles the holde of all fowle spirites a cage of all vncleane hatefull byrdes So that no man nowe wyl once by ony of her mâ—rchaundyse And wythoute doubte the tyme is at hande that Babylon shall haue such a faull that it shall not be able after this at onye tyme to be repared For the mouthe of the LORDE hath spoken it whiche is faythfull in all his wordes whose trueth abydeth for euer euer Neyther caÌ„ this prophecy of Christ be made frustrate by ony humayne polecy Euery plante that my heauenly father hath not planted shall be plucked vp by y e rootes Who reioysethe not to heare these thinges yea who triumpheth not to se theÌ„ Blyssed are we to whome it hath chaunsed not only to heare these thinges ioyefully but also to se them pleasauntly which hereafter shall vndoubtedly se such thynges mo as shall may be able to prouoke onye faythefull herte seriouslye to reioyse Uerelye althoughe we be occasioned dyuers wayes to gyue God immortal thaÌ„kes for dyuers gyftes yet me thiÌ„ke we are most highly bouÌ„d to be thaÌ„kefull for y e reâ—â—â—â—ucioÌ„ of his moste holy worde in these our dayes And wo worth them that be vnthanckefull in this behalfe excepte they repent and amende The Scriptures shewe howe y t in y e tyme of kyng Salomon there was so great pleÌ„te of syluer at Ierusalem as there was of stones in the stretes What carnall manne would not haue delyghted to inhabite hymselfe there Yet verely in my iudgement we do farre excell y e glorious abundans of Salomon all hys in mundane treasures to whome it is gyuen not only to florysh with worldely goodes but also wyth the incomparable treasures of the spirite So that our condicion at this present doth not a lytle excede passe the state of those Israelites which lyued so gloriously vnder the empyre and dominion of Salomon Certes as concernynge my selfe let God be but a lytle mercifull vnto me yf I had not rather chose to lyue vnder this our moost Christen kynge withe that lytle nothinge that I haue to enioye the benefyte of Goddes worde than to liâ—e vnder SalomoÌ„ if he were now alyue there to abunde with all affluence plente of all worldly rytches I am sufficieÌ„tly rytch so loÌ„ge as I haue y e rytches of Gods word w t me And I doubte not but that of this opinion are so many as tender the glory of God the helthe of theyr owne soules Nowe seynge y e this incoÌ„parable treasure inestimable benefite of Gods word is so bounteously gyuen vnto vs let vs all togyther consent w t one mynde to coÌ„serue mayntayne this moste precious Iewel that we lose it not hereafter thorowe our
of diuine litterature godly knowlege wherby the faythfull are inserted planted engraffed in our LORDE Sauioure Christ Iesus but they also vituperate discoÌ„mend y e serious payneful endeuours of other which w t al mayne labour to dilate enlarge y e kingedome of God the glory ther of yea and that not without great daunger of theyr helthe as I maye adde nothynge hereto With what spirite such personnes be inflated puffed vp I wyll not here define But certes they very much aberre dissent are estraunged from my seÌ„tence iudgement perswasioÌ„ For I desyre wysh wyth all my herte that all menne lyuinge were in the bowelles of Christ that the word of Christ myght opulently rytchly abundantly dwell in them withe all wisdome knoweledge be they Turkes Iewes SaraceÌ„nes or onye other seynge that there is one LORDE of all sufficiently rytche for so many as call on him in spiryte verite We rede that Moses desired â—o greatly the health saluacioÌ„ eueÌ„ of the grosse Idolaters the Iewes that he estemed his owne wealth fauoure of no price withoute theyr health prosperite yea he wysshed to be blotted out of the boke of lyfe if the people of Israel were not also saued with hym O feruent charite burnynge loue Howe many wayes sought our moost geÌ„tle sauiourâ— Christe also to brynge his enemies to repeÌ„taunce Would not he haue gathered them togither as a henne doth her chyckeÌ„s yet they would not Dyd not he deplore lamente eueÌ„ with profuse moost large teares theyr obstinate blyndâ—nes and blynd obstinacy whaÌ„ he tofore saw the perelles imminent that were redy to faule vpon them Dyd not he praye for them euen whan they had hanged hym on the crosse Dyd not he suffer his moost blyssed body to be brokeÌ„ and his moost precious bloud to be shed for theyr redeÌ„pcioÌ„ If they would conuerte amende yea at the last gyue his owne lyfe for theyr saluacion O loue incoÌ„parable O charite without measure What nede I rehearse S. Paule which so intierly thyrsted the helth of his kynnesmen the Israelites that for theyr saluacion he wysshed not only to be secluded banysshed but also vtterly accursed froÌ„ christ He rather desyred hiÌ„selfe to be depriued of eternal saluacioÌ„ thaÌ„ that so many should be coÌ„iect cast into euerlasting daÌ„nacioÌ„ O true Apostle O spectacle moost worthy to be looked on of all Prelates Bisshoppes Curates Here se we howe ferueÌ„t our desyre shoulde be towarde y e sauyng helth of our christeÌ„ brothers Uerely we oughte not to seake all meanes possible for to brynge them vnto consummate absolute perfecte knoweledge of Christes moost wholesome doctryne but also euen to gyue oure lyues to brynge them vnto Christ as S. Iohn sayth By this we haue knowne loue bycause he hath gyuen his lyfe for vs we are bounde agen to gyue our lyues for the brothers Therfore neyghbours accordynge to the commaundement of that moost noble maÌ„ne which sayd laboure vntyll I come for the right herty zele that I bare towarde your soules I thyncke it my bounden dutye so longe as we dwell togither to talke with you of the worde of lyfe whiche is able to saue your soules Ye know that at Christmasse last paste I made you a Bancket wher in I proponed set before you four dysshes The fyrste contayned into what great misery we were cast by Adam The seconde howe we ware freely saued by the mercy of God y e Father thorowe Iesus Christe In your thyrde dysh I declared howe we mighte obtayne come by this vnmeasurable bouÌ„tie great goodnes of god In the fourth I shewed you what is your duety after we haue receyued these inestimable benefites of God the father thorowe Christ Iesus verely to put of oure conuersacion to become new meÌ„ to be plenteous in good workes to dye vnto synne to lyue vnto ryghteousnes dayly more and more to waxe grande auncient in Christ that at the laste we maye attayne come vnto the very perfeccion of christianite These thinges ye haue not forgotten I am sure neyghebours Euse. God forbid brother Philemon y t we shouldebe negligent in theyse thynges that pertayne vnto the helthe of our soules So might we worthely seme to be moost ennemies of oure owne saluacion Phile. I reioyse very muche at it Moreouer syns that tyme ye knowe that not many wekes paste I made you a Potacion for Lent wherin I set before you manye godlye thynges moost worthy to be knowne concerning that tyme of lent Of the holy Sacrament of Penance the partes therof I talked much with you I taught you also howe ye shoulde â—aste accordyng to the wyll of God I also openned vnto you the misteries significicacions of certayne Ceremonies vsed in the TeÌ„ples for the tyme of Lent Last of all I de-declared vnto you howe ye shoulde prepare your selues worthely to receue at y e time of Easter y e most blyssed sacrameÌ„t of the Altare Al these thynges haue I taught you yea that not in vayne as your quotidâ—ane fruytes do manifestlye shewe For ye seme vnto me dayely more more to expresse manners worthye your profession so that I perceaue the word of God is not sent to you in vayne but that it briÌ„geth for the much fruyte in you vnto the glory of God the conforte of the faythful the saluacioÌ„ of your owne soules If all men vnto theyr vttermooste possibilite wold likewyse endeuour them selues to bryng forth fruytes accordynge to theyr knowledge verely it should be an occasion that y e Gospell of Christ should excite and store vp meruaylous loues so that it should haue in short space mo freÌ„des fewer enemies yea and they y t studye to haue Christes doctryne both truely knowne earnestly followed shoulde also no more be blasphemed detracted rayled vpoÌ„ and yll spoken of but rather animated encouraged to proceade in theyr mooste godly and vertuous enterprises Nowe neyghbours seynge that hyther to ye haue ben no forgetful hearers but obsequious followers and diligente doers of the thynges taught you I thought it not vnfyttyng to caull you once agen vnto me and accordynge to the tyme of the yere to gyue you a Nosegay full of moost redoleÌ„t odoriferous floures which maye both expell all pernicious hurtefull sauours also conserue kepe your incolumâ—te valeauÌ„ce both of body mynd Theo. Nothynge can be gyuen to vs more grate acceptable pleasauÌ„t than this your gyfte nowe promised neyther can any thyng at this present beatify vs on suche sorte Chri. No verely this is wtout dout Phil. I shall be the gladder to iÌ„partâ— it to you But neyghbours knowe this one thyng that euen as your Banket PotacioÌ„ were not made of corruptible meate but of suche as permayneth
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