A divine herbal together with a forrest of thorns In five sermons. ... By…A divine herball together with a forrest of thornes In five sermons. ... By…

4. For Charity. The Earth brings forth food for all creatures that live on it. Greene herb for the cattle: oil and wine for man: The valleys stand thick with corn: the Mower filleth his sith, and the binder up of sheaves his bosom. A good man is so full of charity: he relieves all without improvidence to himself. He gives plentifully that all may have some: not indiscreetly, that some have all. On the Earth stand many glorious Cities, and goodly buildings; fair monuments of her beauty and adornation. The sanctified soul, in an happy respondency, hath manifold works of charity, manifest deeds of piety; that sweetly become the Faith which he professeth.

4. For Charitie. The Earth brings forth food for all creatures that liue on it. Greene herbe for the cattell: oyle and wine for man: The vallyes stand thicke with corne: the Mower filleth his sythe, and the binder vp of sheaues his bosome. A good man is so full of charitie: he releeues all without improuidence to himselfe. He giues plentifully that all may haue some: not indiscreetly, that some haue all. On the Earth stand many glorious Cities, and goodly buildings; faire monuments of her beauty and adornation. The sanctified soule, in an happy respondencie, hath manifold workes of charitie, manifest deedes of piety; that sweetly become the Faith which he professeth.

5. For Riches. The Earth is but poor without: the surface of it, especially when squalid winter hath bemired it, seems poor and barren: ⟨p. 12⟩but within, it is full of rich mines, ores of gold, and quarries of precious minerals. For medals and metals, it is abundantly wealthy. The sanctified heart may seem poor to the worlds eye, which only beholds and judgeth the rind and husk, and thinks there is no treasure in the Cabinet, because it is covered with leather. But within he is full of golden mines, and rich ores; the invisible graces of faith, fear, love, hope, patience, holiness: sweeter then the spices of the East Indies, and richer then the gold of the West.¹ Omnis decor filiae Sion ab intus. The Kings Daughter is all glorious within. It is not the superficial skin, but the internal beauty, that moves the King of heaven to be enamoured of us;