A pleasaunt newe nosegaye full of many godly and swete floures, lately gathered by Theodore Basille.

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Title
A pleasaunt newe nosegaye full of many godly and swete floures, lately gathered by Theodore Basille.
Author
Becon, Thomas, 1512-1567.
Publication
[Imprynted at London :: In Botulphe lane at the sygne of the whyte Beare, by Ioh[a]n Mayler for Ioh[a]n Gough,
Anno D[omi]ni. 1543]
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Subject terms
Devotional literature, English -- Early works to 1800.
Cite this Item
"A pleasaunt newe nosegaye full of many godly and swete floures, lately gathered by Theodore Basille." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A07010.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 5, 2024.

Pages

¶The second floure / named Pure Innocency.

Philemon.

BEhold here is the second floure of your Nosegay. I am the almigh∣ty GOD. VValke before me and be perfecte. And I vvyll make my couenaunte betvvene me and the, and vvyll multiplye the beyonde all measure.

Euse.

Was not this the say¦enge of God the father vnto Abra∣hā?

Phil.

Yies verely, & pertaynethe now vnto vs no lesse than it dyd at

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yt tyme to hym. For what so euer thynges are wrytten, are wrytten for our learnynge. Ye shall receaue moche pleasure of this your floure, yf ye marke the vertue of it well. Fyrst ye shall note that God calleth hymselfe the almyghty God, wher∣by we maye easely discerne hym frō those gods, yea rather Idolles and dyuels, whome the Hethen dyd wor¦shyp & call vpō. For our God is om¦nipotent, that is to say, almyghty, plenteous in power, aboundant, o sufficient, ful of all good, nedy of no¦thynge. The Gods of the Gentiles are of no power, puissaūce & strēgth full of all imbecillite, weakenesse & misery. Our God made all thinges of nothing by ye power of his word. The Gods of the Hethē make not, but they are made of other and are none other thynge than wood, ston¦nes, syluer, gold, or wicked spirites. Oure God is able to helpe so many

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as call on hym in spirite & truethe. The Gods of the Gentiles are not able for to helpe thēselues, neyther do they heare ony man, that cal on them, as we maye perceaue by the prestes of Baal. Oure God lastethe for euer & euer euen worldes worl∣des withoute ende. The Gods of ye Hethen perysh and are more vayne than the smoke. Thus se ye, what a God we haue. None eyther in hea∣uen, earth or hel is able to compare wt this our God. He alone is good, mercifull. gentle, pacient, long suf∣ferynge, almyghty, ryghteous, om¦nisufficient, plenteous of power, & full of all good. In him all thinges abunde, nothinge wanteth. He is ye omnisufficient protectour & valeāt defender for all them, that repose theyr affiaunce and truste in hym. Who therfore wyll not haue a plea¦sure to serue this God? Who is so madde to forsake this God, & to fo∣lowe

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ony other? Who beynge godly mynded wyll not seake the glory of this God? euen frō the very harte? Who hauyng but a carnell of Chri∣sten salte in his brest, wyl not hāge wholy on thys God, as alone alto∣gyther sufficient for the faythefull abundantly in all thynges wherof they haue nede, eyther pertaynyng to the soule or to the bodye? Cursed be that mā, that putteth his truste in man, & that takethe fleshe for his arme, & he, whose herte departe the from the LORDE. For he shal be lyke the Heath, that groweth in the wil¦dernes. As for the good thyng that is for to come, he shall not se it, but dwell in a drye place of the wylder∣nes, euen in a salte & vnoccupyed londe. O but blyssed is the mā that putteth his truste in the LORDE, & whose hope the LORDE is hymselfe. For he shallbe as a tree that is plā∣ted by the waters syde, which sprea¦deth

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oute the roote vnto moystnes whom the heate can not hurte whē it cōmeth, but his leaues are grene & in the tyme of drowte shall he not be carefull, neyther shall he cease at ony tyme to bring forth his ruite.

Secondely ye shall note, that af¦ter God hath described him selfe to be almyghtye, that is, passynge all other in power, it is so greate, infi∣nite, & vnmeasurable, he expresseth the duety of so many as wyll serue hym, as they ought. VValKe before me, saythe he, and be perfecte. Loo here is your flour Pure Innocency. He that ob¦serueth this precepte of god, canne not displease, erre or offende, butte worke pure innnocency before god. WalKe before me, sayth he, & be per∣fecte.

Theo.

What meanethe God by that I praye you?

Phil.

To walke be¦fore God is to serue hym according to his worde, so purely and innocēt¦ly, as though GOD hymselfe were

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euer present before oure eyes.

Chri.

This is a hard thīge.

Phil.

The yoke of Christ is swete, ye burdē is lyght, neyther are his preceptes heauy. For where the spirite of the LORDE is, there is liberte. And if the sonne hath made you free, than are ye tru¦ly free. And yf ye be endewed wyth strēgth frō aboue, than is nothyng harde, but all thynges easy thorow the spirite, that worketh in you.

Theo.

I praye you declare vnto vs, howe we may walke purely & inno∣cētly before God.

Phil.

To walke be∣fore God is on such sort to īstitute our lyfe, as he hath appointed ī his holy scripture, & not as carnal rea¦sō imaginethe, or good zeale wtoute knowlege deuiseth cōtrary to ye pre¦scripte 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 ye iustice of God.

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That ye may walke before god, cer∣tayn thīges are to be obserued, first yt ye haue a sure, cōstāt, stedfast, tru & lyuysh fayth, to beleue yt, whiche ye holy scriptures tech of god, & of his workes. Ye herd ye God is oīpotēt, almighty, plenteous in power, abū¦dāt, o sufficiēt, full of all good: nedy of nothing. This must ye beleue vn¦doubtedlye, yf ye wyll walke before God. Ye herd also, yt 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 vn¦to hym aryght. For this fayth is ye foūdacion and grounde of the chri∣sten 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 wor∣kes,

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but on the promyses of God. Thys fayth maketh vs to be borne of God. This fayth mitigatethe y wrath of God. Thys faythe obtay∣neth 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 yt calleth on ye name of ye lord, shalbe 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 ye 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 ma∣rye the vnto me in faythe, and thou shalt knowe that I am the LORDE,

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Thys fayth purifyeth our hartes. This fayth ouercommeth Satan. This fayth vanquissheth ye 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 mer¦cy of God in al our aduersite. This fayth is the fulfyllynge of Gods cō¦maūdemētes. This fayth makethe vs the enheritours of the earthe, & possessours of Goddes holy moun∣tayne This fayth maketh vs to vn¦derstonde the truethe. This faythe causeth that hell gates can not pre¦uayle agaynst vs. This fayth iusti∣fyeth vs. This Fayth bryngeth all good thynges vnto vs. This fayth as S. Austen saythe, is the begyn∣nynge 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

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S. Ambrose saythe, is the roote of all vertues, and that thou byldeste on this foundacion, that alone pro¦fyteth vnto ye reward, of thy worke fruyte & vertue. This fayth, sayth he, is rytcher thā all treasures, strō¦ger 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 ye soule, the dore of lyfe the foundaciō of euerlastyng helth. Thus se ye, what an excellent trea∣sure 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 expel∣leth

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synne. Withoute this feare no man can purely walke before God. For he that feareth God truely, fea¦reth also to displease hym, yea he se∣kethe all meanes possible to accom∣plysh the wyl of god, as the Psalmo graph sayth, blyssed is that man, yt feareth ye LORDE, for all his delight & pleasure shal be in his cōmaunde∣mentes. Unto this feare of GOD dothe Dauid exhorte vs, sayenge, feare ye the LORDE all ye that are his seruauntes. For they shall ne∣uer wante ye 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 ye LORDE of Hoostes? But this feare ought not to be a seruile and bonde feare, procedynge from an vnwyl∣lynge harte, but a reuerent & gētle feare flowynge oute of loue. Ther∣fore wyth this your faythe & feare,

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must ye also haue a syncere & pure loue towarde God cōbyned, so that ye shall both truely beleue in God, reuerently feare hym, & vnfayned∣ly loue hī. And this is it, that Mo∣ses wryghteth, and now O Israel, sayth he, what doth the LORDE thy god require of the, but that yu shoul¦dest 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.

Af∣ter that ye haue conceaued in your hertes this faythe, feare & loue to∣ward God thorow the operacion of the holy Ghoste, so that ye haue en∣tred the pathe waye of oure LORDE god, nowe doth conueniēt tyme re∣quire, that ye walke not only secret¦ly but also openly before God, tha is, that ye do not only inwardly in

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your hertes beleue in God, feare& loue god, but also that ye outward¦ly shew forth this your fayth, feare & loue buryed wythin you by exter¦nall workes, that men seynge your godly conuersacion, maye then glo¦rify 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 ac∣cordynge to his holy worde. With∣out 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 wt thy God. Here se you, yt yf ye wyll walke before God, ye muste do good

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dedes, leade a pure & innocent lyfe, study to accomplyshe Gods wyll, & in all poyntes laboure to fasshyon your manners after the rule of god¦des worde. Farewel they 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 & christē fayth, whiche worketh by Charite, but also they deceaue them selues, seynge they hope frely & only to be iustified by thatfayth, which is bar¦ren, vnfruytfull & voyd of all good workes. Let them crake so muche as they lyste of theyr faythe & loue towarde God, yet are they wicked gospllers. For ye loue of god, sayth saynt Gregory, is neuer ydle. For it worketh great thynges, if it be the

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loue of god in dede, but if it ceaseth to worke, than it is no loue. Chry∣sostome 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 impossi∣ble as it is for a good tre tobe wtout a good fruyte, whā 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 pleasaūt be¦fore God, so in lyke māner a fayth∣ful mā, which is the son of god, can not cease frō workyng ye wyl of god. Let these rude raylynge readers of the Gospell therfore be once asha∣med of theyr fayth & spirite, wherof so greatly they crake, seynge they are altogyther vnfruytfull and wt∣oute all good workes. If ony man be in Christe, he is a newe creature.

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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 ly¦uysh water shall flow out of his be∣ly. Euery good tree bryngeth forth good fruyte. He yt 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 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 ye king¦dome of heauen, but he that doth y wyll of my father, whiche is in hea∣uen. Many shall saye vnto me, at y daye, LORDE, LORDE, haue not we prophecyed in thy name, & cast out

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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 com∣maundementes & kepethe them, he it is yt loueth me. If ony mā loueth me, he wyl kepe my worde, & my fa∣ther 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 ēploy 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 on¦ly begotten Sonne, but gaue hym

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for vs all euen vnto the death, how vnkynde creatures myght we righ¦teously be recounted, if we shoulde not study with herty myndes to ac∣complysshe his holy preceptes? Are they worthye to be called chyldren, which neglecte theyr fathers wyll, & so greatly dissent from theyr Fa∣thers manners? Oure celestiall fa∣ther is holy, & shall we his chyldren be prophane and vnholy? Our cele∣stiall father is good, godlye, mercy∣full, pacient, & all spirite, & shall we his chyldren be euell, wycked, rygo∣rous, impacient, & all flesshe? Be ye holy, saythe he, for I am holy. Cer∣tes god hath not called vs vnto vn∣cleannes, but vnto sanctificacion. Nether hath he delyuered vs from Satan & his army, that we should lyue wyckedly, but practyse pure ī∣nocency & true godlynes in all oure lyfe, as Zachary the Preste father to S. Iohn̄ Baptist sayth: He hath

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performed the othe, which he sware to our father Abraham, for to giue that we delyuered oute of the han∣des of our enemies, myght serue hī 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 be∣leue in God, feare & loue God, but also lead a pure & innocent lyfe, be plēteous in good workes, & altogi∣ther studious of tru godlines.

Chri.

But I pray you, why doth ye scrip∣ture vse thys terme, VValKe, rather than ony other?

Phil.

It is not with out a cause: Ye knowe, he that ston¦deth styl, moueth nothing forward nor hasteth not vnto the end of his iourney. But he that walketh is e∣uer goynge, & draweth alwaye ne∣rer and nerer vnto hys iourneyes ende. In consideracion wherof, the holy Scripture vsethe this worde,

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VValKe, to put vs in remembraunce, that if we haue begun well, in oure professiō, we should not there cease & stonde styll, but go forthe frō ver∣tue to vertue, from fayth to fayth, vntyll at the laste we attayne vnto ye perfecciō of pure innocēcy. For he yt cōtinueth vnto ende, sayth christ, shalbe saued. Agē, be faythfull vnto the death, and I shall gyue the the crowne of lyfe. This word we read in diuers places of the holy Scrip∣tures, 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 childrē 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 dayes are euell. Hytherto pertay∣neth ye sayenge of S. Iohn, he that sayeth

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leth in Christ, ought to walke euen as he hath walked. These places wt all other suche lyke declare to vs yt we ought so to walke in our profes∣sion by encreasynge dayely in ver∣tues, that at the last we may be per¦fecte, & as S. Paule sayth, make e∣uery man perfecte in Christ Iesus. And this is it, that followeth ī the latter ende of the sentēce. And be per∣fecte. 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 excellēt degre aboue all, is so to loue oure verye enemy∣es, that we can be contented not on¦ly to do them good, but also euē to gyue our lyues to wynne them vn∣to

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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 ye 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 tre∣asure 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 bold¦ly 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 ye very death, if nede so requireth. Nowe therfore euē vnto ye moost & greatest perfecci¦on in all thynges ought we to con∣tend & labour, that we maye walke before God, and be perfecte.

Euse.

I thyncke there be but fewe, that at∣tayne

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& come vnto this perfeccion.

Phil.

This youre floure is in dede to the carnall man of a bytter and vnpleasaunt sauour, but to the spi¦rituall & truly regenerate, it smel∣leth sweter thā ony rose.

Theo.

God graunt, that we maye once be aun∣cient 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 de∣strucion, 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 plea∣sures and pompes of the world, the concupiscences & lustes of the fleshe ye must mortifye, Satan & all hys subtile suggestiōs ye must māfully

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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 ye flesh? Na verely ye maye be sure. For ye Apostle sayth yf ye lyue after the flesh, ye shal dy. But if ye mortify the dedes of ye body in ye spi¦rite 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 ye promyse also shalbe fulfylled in vs. God wyll multiply vs beyond all measure both in this worlde, and in ye worlde to come, as Christ sayth, ther is no man y hath

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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 ye world to come euerlastyng lyfe.

Chri.

GOD graunte vs so to walke, that we maye be founde wor¦thy this eternal lyfe.

Phil.

wel neigh∣bours, seynge that God is almygh∣ty, plenteous in power, abundant, omnisufficient, ful of all good, nedy of nothynge, liberall, gentle, merci∣full, 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

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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 sa∣uour 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 grea∣test. 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 in∣nocent or harmeles in his conuersa¦ciō, 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 ye onlye Author of all good thynges, feare him reuerently as a benefici∣all LORDE, loue hym tenderlye as a gentle Father, and so walke accor∣dynge to his moost diuine pleasure

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in clennes of lyfe and pure innocē∣cy without ony faynynge, dissimu∣lacion 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 lear¦ned 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 bet¦ter tyme. It commeth wel in place. Let vs se it, I praye you.

Notes

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