Phil. All this that ye have hitherto spoken is true. For I have taught you no ⟨image 99⟩thing of mine own brain & fantasy, but only the pure word of God, & the sentences & minds of the holy and catholic Doctors. Therefore I pray you heartily good neighbours be as diligent to observe and keep these flowers as I have ben studious to gather them together for you, so shall I both think my labour well bestowed & ye also of all pleasures shall do me the greatest. Well I will now rehearse to you in few words, what your whole Nosegay containeth in many.
Your first flour is called Unfeigned Humility. Hereof have ye learned the true knowledge of your selves,1 & that ye ought not to be proud of any thing, but embracing Humility & lowliness of mind always confess that what so ever ye have, be it never so good & precious, it is the gift of GOD coming down from the father of lights, and that ⟨image 100⟩therefore ye ought studiously to labour above all things that it be bestowed according to the will of God,2 that is, unto the glory of God the profit of your neighbour & the salvation of your own souls.
Your second flour called, Pure Innocency. Of this ye have learned your duty toward God, & how ye ought to walk before him according to his word and be perfect.
Of your third flour, which is, Faithful Obedience. Ye have learned your duty toward our most puissant & excellent king, & all those civil magistrates & head officers, which are appointed to rule & govern the matters of the public weal under his graces mayest. Ye learned also, that by the word of GOD ye owe to them obedience, fear, honour and tribute.
Your fourth flour, called, Ready assistance ▪ taught you your duty toward ⟨image 100⟩your neighbour, & how ye ought to serve him according to the rule of the Gospel, seeking no less his profit than your own.
Your fifth & last flour, called, Christen Charity, declared to you that without this true, christen & pure love, all your other flowers profit but little, neither can any work being done of a malicious heart and out of Charity please God. Again ye heard, that your love both toward God & your neighbour was declared to be unfeigned, if ye did express it outwardly in such works as are prescribed of God in the holy Scriptures, this is the whole sum of your Nosegay.
Phil. All this that ye haue hytherto spoken is true. For I haue taughte you no ⟨image 99⟩thyng of myne owne brayne & fantasye, but onelye the pure worde of God, & the sentences & myndes of ye 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 ye true knowledge of youre selues,1 & that ye ought not to be proud of ony thynge, but enbrasynge Humilite & lowlines of mynd alwayes cō fesse that what so euer ye haue, be it neuer so good & precious, it is the gyfte of GOD commynge downe frō the father of lyghtes, and that ⟨image 100⟩therfore ye oughte studiously to laboure aboue all thynges that it be bestowed accordynge to the wyll of God,2 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 ▪ taught you your dutye towarde ⟨image 100⟩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.
- 1A brief rehearsal of the Nose gay.A brefe rehersal of the Nose gaye.
- 2Jaco▪ i.Iaco▪ i.
