A Pleasant New Nosegay, Flower 1
¶The fyrste Floure / called / vnfayned Humilite.
Philemon.
YOure fyrste floure is plucked out of the fyrste Epistle of S. Peter,i. Pet. v. & it is this, HaueHave Humilite and loulynes of mynde engraffed in you. For God resisteth the proude, but to the humble he gyueth grace.
Theo.
This is a godly swete floure, & garnysshethe the lyfe of a christen man very muche.
Phil.
The holy Apostle S. Peter ī this place exorteth all christen mē vntounto humilite & lowlynes of mynde. And this is your flour that I call, Vnfayned humilite., euen that lowelynes whiche procedeth from a pure mynde with out ony Hypocrisye or doublenes.Pryde is … heade spring of all euyll And ī gyuīg vsus exhortacion to enbrase humylyte, he also absterreth & frayethe vsus from all arrogancy, pride, & elaciō of mīd, which is y• hed sprynge of all euel, & he sheweth the cause why we ought to enhalse Humilite, and reiecte pryde. For God, sayth he, resisteth the proud, but to the humble he gyueth grace.What humilite is. I shal make this more euidente anone by examples and Histories of the holy Scriptures.
Chri.
But I pray you before ye procede in this matter declare vntounto vsus, what Humilite is.De grad. Humilit.
Phile.
Humilite, after the mynde of S. Bernarde, is a vertue, wherby eueryevery one brought into the k…eledge of hymselfe, waxeth vyle and lothesome to hymselfe.
Euse.
He that on this wyse is humble, can not norysh ony pryde in his herte.
Phil.
Ye saye trueth.Why so much pryde reygnethe nowe a dayes.
Theo.
I meruayle than how it cōmethe to passe, y• so muche pryde reygneth now a dayes amōg vsus.
Phil.
Uerely bycause the people are not brought īto ye true knowlege of thē selues. If they were, they would not stōd so much ī theyr own cōceate as they do, but rather be hū ble, lowly, gentle, & meke toward al men, euen the moost simple & inferiour. But in asmch as this knoweledge wanteth, therfore are they inflated & puffed vp withe pryde lyke vntounto Lucifer, which so exalted himselfe, that he would hauehave bene lyke vntounto the moost hygh God:Esa. xiiii. The mā of honour is proude of his promocion, the rytch man of his rytches, the stronge man of his strengthe, ye learned man of his learnynge, the beautiful of theyr beauty.…. Cor. iiii. Iacob. i. &c. This cōmeth to passe, bycause they know not, what they are of them selues, & that all that they hauehave is the gyfte of God, as S. Paule & Iames testifye.
Chri.
I praye you declare to vsus, by what meanes we maye obtayne this celestiall gyfte of humllite.
Phil.
That ye maye hauehave the more courage to desyre this moost precious vertue, & to practyse it in your lyuynge, I wyl fyrst declare to you the excellency of it, and shew what great profyt ensuethe of it, & afterwarde declare to you, by what meanes ye maye come by it.
Euse.
Let it be so▪
Phil.
The scripture shewethe ye whan Adam & Eue had transgressed the commaundement of God in Paradyse thorowe the subtyle perswasion of Satan,Gen. iii. & perceaued thē selues naked,Beholde what synne… doth. they ranne away frō the face of God & hyd themselues, that they myghte not be sene.
Euse.
We remēber this well.
Phil.
Behold nowe the Humilite of God, conioyned with vnmesurable mercye.The goodnes of God toward mā. He beyng God & such a LORDE, as at y• presence of whome al thynges both in heauen, earth & hell trēble, shake & do reuerence, hūbly & lowly came & sought thē vp, sayeng, where arte thou Adā? And not onlye this, but whan they were ashamed of theyr nakednes, he made them garmentes of skynnes, & put them on them to couer theyr filthynes. Must not Humilite nowe be a vertue of wonderfull excellency, seyng that God hymselfe dyd fyrst of al practyse it?…ote wel. Who dare boste hym selfe to be the sonne of this celestiall father ▪ & yet not endewedde withe Humilite? GOD myghte hauehave suffered them to hauehave perysshedde, or elles taken vengeaunce on them streyghtwayes accordyng to theyr desertes but he woulde not, but rather gentylly and lowly sought them vp, apparelled them, & by this meanes preserued them. O example worthy to be followed of all the faythfull.
Moreouer what Humilite and lowlynes was ther also ī his derely beloued sōne our lord & sauiour Iesus Christ? Who is able to expresse his humilite, lowlynes & mekenes? It is not without a cause sayde of hym, learne of me,Math. xi. for I am meke & lowly in herte. For what doth hys whole lyfe shew but humilite?Esay. ix. Was he not borne of a poore mayde, euen that blyssed virgyne Marye?Math. i. Dyd he not suffer his moost precious body to be wrapped ī vyle and simple cloutes?Luke. i.ii. Esay. i.Dydde he disdayne to be borne in a stable,Luke. ii. & to lye in a maū ger among brute bestes?Math. viii. Was not he subiecte & obedient to Ioseph & Mary his mother?Luke. ix. Math. ix.Was not he circūcysed and baptized for our sake? Was not he so poore,Marke. ii. that he hadde not where to reste his heade? Dyd not he kepe company wyth Publicans, synners and harlottes,Luke. v. that he myghte brynge them to grace?Math. viii. whome other so greatly dyd abhorre?Mark. i. Dyd not he touche the Lepers, whome other would scasely vouchsafe once to looke vpō?Luke. v. Math. iiii.Dyd not he frequent and vse the companye of al diseased,Math. ix. that he might heale thē? Dyd not he go,Mark. v. whyther so euer he was desyred?Math. xv. Dyd not he graunt ye peticions of the faythful?Math. xxi Dyd not he come rydynge mekely into Ierusalem vponupon an Asse withoute onye pompe or pryde?Marke. xi. Luke. xix.Dyd not he washe his Disciples feete?Ioan. xiii. Dyd not he beyng in the shape of God and equall with God make hym selfe of no reputacion,Phil. ii. Mat. xxvii.& toke vponupon hym ye shape of a seruaunt,Mark. xv. became lyke another man, & was founde in his apparell as a manne? Dyd not he so humble hymselfe, that he became obediente vntounto the deathe, euen the deathe of the Crosse? Dyd not he suffer hys moost spytefull enemies to renne & teare his moost blyssed body so cruelly,Mar…. …v. Luk. xxiii. Ioan. xviii. so vnmercyfully, so without al pytie, that they also dyd shedde the moost precious bloud of his herte? O vnspeakable humilite. O lowlynes rather to be wondred at, than able of ony man to be followed. Neither wanteth this humilite in hym at this present.Roma. viii. Heb. vii. i. Tim. ii. i. Ioan. ii. Is he not euē nowe also content, althoughe glorified, & receaued īto ye moost blyssed throne of hys celestiall father, to becomme our intercessoure, mediatour & aduocate?Ioan. vi. Mat. xxv. Acti…. i. i. Thes. iiii. At the daye of iudgemente also is not he contente to come and featche vntounto glory both the bodyes & soules of so many as ī this world hauehave vnfaynedly beleued in hym, & studiously wroght his diuine wyl?
Chri▪
Al these thinges are true that ye hauehave spokē.
Phil.
Were it not thā a thynge of much absurdite & very vnsyttynge for vsus, whiche professe this our LORDE Christ to be moost alienated & estraunged from that vertue, which he in his quotidiane conuersacion moost principally exercised?
Theo.
Yies verelye. For S. Iohn̄ saythe, he that sayth, that he abydeth in Christ,…. Ioan. ii. ought to walke, euē as he hath walked.
Euse.
Trueth it is, and Christ hymselfe saythe, I hauehave gyuē you an example, that as I hauehave done to you,Ioan. xiii. so ye lykewyse shoulde do.
Phil.
Ryght well neyghbours. Looke ye do nowe therfore accordynge to your knoweledge.
Act…m. ii.Furthermore what Humilite was this in y• holy Ghoste, to come downe so manifestly vponupon the Apostles of Christ at the feast of Pentechoste? to replenyshe them with all gyftes of grace & to enspire īto thē the knowledge of so many tonges? was not this a wonderful token of Humilite? Doth not that moost holy spirite, euen at this daye vouchesafe also to dwell in the hertes of ye faythfull,i. Cor. iii. ii. Cor. vi. as S. Paule witnesseth Do not ye knowe, sayth he, that ye are the Tēple of God, & the spiryte of God dwelleth in you? Agayne do ye not knowe that youre members are the Temple of the holy Ghoste, whiche is in you, whome ye hauehave of god, and ye are not of your selues? Seynge than that this vertue Humilite was fyrst vsed & practised of God, & so styl remayneth, howe can it otherwise thā be a thīge of great excellency?
Euse
it is trueth. GOD graunt vsus to remember these thinges, that we maye not only professe God by mouthe, but also lyuely expresse hym in our actes & dayly conuersacion.
Phil.
Well as concernyng the vertue & strength of this youre floure, called, Vnfayned humilite, it shal appeare euidently vntounto you by declaring what great profyt ensueth therof.
Chri.
This thyng is very necessary to be knowne. Let vsus therfore heare it,The vertue & strēgth of humilite. I praye you.
Phil.
Humilite maketh vsus to be humble and lowly both ī herte & body. It expellethe the fowle vice of pryde, & causeth that Philantia, that is to say, the louelove of our selues or the stōding in our owne conceate, reygneth not in vsus. It maketh vsus to abstaine frō dissolute laughing. It causeth that we speke nothyng vnaduisedly. It prouoketh vsus to graūt that we are more vile than ony other, & vnworthy or vnprofitable vntounto ony good thynge. It makethe vsus lytyll to esteme our selues, & all our enterprises, & hyghly to auaunce & set forth other. It makethe vsus not to hauehave ony delectacion to fulfyll our owne wyll. It gyuethe vsus an occasion to feare God, and to endeuour our selues to do that, which he requirethe of vsus. It causeth vsus to be obedient to our superiours, & to gyue them all reuerence & honour. It maketh vsus paciently to sustayne all iniuries & wronges, that are done vntounto vsus. It engraffeth in vsus all kynde of vertues. So that it maye ryghte well be named, the mother & nurse of al goodnes & honeste. Moreouer Humilite bringethe the grace & fauour of God to vsus, as ye hearde before of S. Peter, which sayth,i. Petre. v. God resistethe the proude, but to the hū ble he gyuethe grace. It causethe ye God hath a respecte vntounto vsus, as he sayth by the Prophet,Esaie. lxvi. vntounto whome shall I looke, but to the hūble & broken in spirite, & vntounto hym that feareth my wordes? It makethe that GOD heareth our prayers, as the Psalmograph sayth,Psal. …i. God doth beholde the supplicacions of the humble, and he hathe not despised theyr prayers. Also the wise mā,Eccle. xxxv. the prayer of hym that humbleth himselfe, shall pearse the cloudes. It causeth vsus to be exalted,Luke. i. as the moost blyssed virgin syngeth, He hathe putte downe the mighty frō theyr seate, & exalted the humble. And Christe sayth:Luke. xiiii. eueryevery one that exalteth himselfe, shall be made low. And he that humbleth hymselfe, shall be exalted S▪ Peter also sayth, humble youre selues before God,i. Pet. v. that he maye exalte you.Mat. xviii. To be shorte, it bryngethe vsus vntounto the kyngedome of heauen. For Christ sayth:Marke. x. Luke. viii. Excepte ye turne & become as litle chyldrē ye shal not enter into the kyngedom of heauē, Who so euer therfore shall humble hymselfe, as this lytyl chylde, he is greatest in the kyngdome of heauē.
Chri.
This vndoubtedly is an excellent vertue, and a floure of muche strength, & bryngethe to them that hauehave it, manye goodly pleasures & godly cōmodities.Gene. iiii.
Phil.
Agen marke I praye you, what made the oblacion of Abel to be so acceptable in the syght of God, but Humilite? Agen, what was the cause, that ye Sacrifice of Caim was abhorred of God, but his arrogante & proude herte, stuffed full of rancour & malice towarde his brother? What was the occasiō that Nohe wyth fewe other were saued from drowenynge,Gen. vii. but that they were humble in herte and feared god? Agayne, what was the cause,i. Petre. ii. that all the whole worlde besydes thē were drowned, but theyr pryde & volupteous manner of lyuynge?Gen. xii.xv xvii xviii xxii what prouoked God so ofte to walke with Abrahā, but his Humilite & lowlynes of mynde? What moued God to saue Lothe and certayne other for hys sake from that most greuous & terrible plage,Gen. ix ii. Pet. ii. that fell on Sodome & Gomorre, but ye Humilite of him, conioyned with a reuerent feare toward god? Agen, what caused God to take vengeāce on the Sodomites and to consume them with fyre & brymstone frō heauen, but only theyr pryde coupled wyth all kynd of volupteous, beast lyke, yea vnnaturall pleasure? What preserued Abraham fromme sleaynge his Sonne Isaac,Gene. xxii. but his humble & obedient herte, redy to accomplysh the wyll of God in al thinges? What made Abraham, Isaac, Iacob, Ioseph, with al the holy Patriarches to be so gētylly dealte wt al & fauoured both of god & mā, but theyr Humilite? What was ye cause that Dauid was made of a Sheppard a kynge▪ i. Reg. xvi.but Humilite. Agen, what abiected Saul frō his kingedome,i. Reg. xv. empire & dominiō, but his arrogant & proude herte, cōioyned wt disobedience towarde the commaū dement of God? What caused kinge Asa,iii. Reg. xv. iii. Reg. xxii. Iosaphat, Ezechias, Iosias to worke that which was good in the sight of God, but theyr humilite, bicause they preferred ye wyll of God before theyr owne carnall iudgemē tes? Agayne,iiii. Re. xviii …ix.xx. what was the cause yt many kynges, as Roboam, Ieroboam, Abia, Nadab,iiii. Reg. xxi Eccl…. xlix. iii. Reg. xii. iii. Reg. xv. iii. Reg. xvi. iiii. Reg. i. iiii. Reg. xvi iiii. Reg. xxi. Daniel iiii. Luke. i. Achab Ochozias Achas, Manasses, Amō, Ioiachim, Sedechias, Nabuchodonosor. &c. dyd yt which was euell before God, but theyr puffed vp hertes & proud myndes, castyng awaye all feare of God from theyr eyes? What exalted the moost glorious virgin Mary so hygh, that she became the mother of Christe, & was alone founde worthy to beare the sonne of God, but her humilite, as she herselfe witnesseth: My soule magnifiethe the LORDE, sayth she. And my spirite, hath reioysed in GOD my Sauiour. For he hath looked vponupon ye Humilite of his hande mayd, beholde, bycause of this all generations shal call me blessed. Agayne,Esaie. xiiii. what dyd caste downe Lucifer from Heauen into hell,Mat. iiii. Iaco. ii. Math. xi. Luke. x. E…ai. xxix Abdō. i. Esa. xxxiii. …. Cor. i. from ioye into payne, but pryde? What prouoked Christe to chose poore fyssher mē & the vile people of this world to set forth the glory of his father, but theyr humilite? How came it to passe, that those simple men, yea & euen the fooles of the worlde were replete with godly knowlege, & the proud Pharises the galant Bysshops, the huffe nosed prestes, the lusty lawers, ye sawsy Scribes, with all the glisteryng sorte of Hypocrites, whiche lyued at that tyme, coulde not attayne vntounto this science of the diuine misteries, whan not withestandynge they chalēged to them selues alone the knowlege of Gods lawe, and ye true vnderstandynge of the same? Was not theyr pryde & arrogancy the cause of this theyr blyndenes? What is the cause in these our dayes,Mark wel. that the proude papisticall Romanistes can not perceyue ye verite of Gods worde, & here in Englond & suche other lyke places euen ye verye poore & base sorte of people are godly learned & espy the truethe of Gods wyl? Is not pryde cause of ye one, & Humilite occasiō of ye other? As I maye returne vntounto the holye Scriptures & make an ende,Luk. xviii what was the cause, that the Publicane went home more iustified than the Pharise, but that the one was hū ble, & the other proud? Ifwe marke diligently, we shall easely perceaue yt all good thynges hauehave euer come to passe thorowe Humilite, & that pryde hath alway ben ye original begynnynge of all wickednes & myschefe.
Euse.
Uerelye this is easye to perceaue.
Phil.
The excellency and vertue of this flour is so great, that it causethe S. Austen to crye oute on this manner,Ser. de super. O holye and worshypfull Humilite, thou madest the sonne of God to come downe into the wombe of holy Marye the virgine. Thou madest hym to be inuolued & wrapped in vile cloutes, that he myght clothe vsus wyth the ornamentes of vertues. Thou dyddest circumcyse hym in the flesh, that he shoulde circūcyse vsus in the mynde. Thou dydest scourge hym corporally, that he myghte delyuer vsus from the scourge of synne. Thou dyddest crowne hym with thornes, that he should crowne vsus with his eternal Roses. Thou madest hī to be sycke which was the Phisicion of all mē, healyng all thynges with his word alone, that he myght heale thē that are sycke. Humilite, sayth Saynte Bernarde,De Cōsyd. Lib. v. is the stedfast foundaciō of vertues, whiche if it be omitted & let passe, the cōgregacion & gatherynge togither of vertues, is none other thynge, than a very ruine or decay of them.Epist. ad sororem. For it debelleth and valeauntly ouercōmeth the enemy of all grace, I meane pryde, whiche is the begynninge of all synne. S. Gregory sayth also,Lib. xvii. Moral. that Humilite is the beginnyng of vertues in vsus, & that they which know not Humilite, that is the mother of vertues, loose ye vse & profyt of theyr labour Agayne he sayth,Ibidem. he that gathereth togyther vertues without Humilite, maye well be compared to hym, that bringeth dust into the wynde. Thus hauehave I declared vntounto you y• excellency & great vertue of youre fyrst floure, & what cōmodities ensue of it.
Chri.
If these thynges hers taught were knowne vntounto al men, it woulde vndoubtedly encourage them to reiecte P…ide & enbrase Humilite.
Phil.
Alas dere neyghbours, wherfore or wherof shoulde we be proude? Of oure wisdome or rytches?iii. Reg. x. Who amonge mortall menne was euer able to cōpare with Salomō eyther in wisdome or rytches Yet for all that vntounto what poynte came he?iii. Reg. xi. Dyd not he faull vntounto all kynde of dissolute & volupteous lyuynge? Dyd he not forsake y• God of Israell, & fell vntounto Idolatry? It is not withoute a cause sayde,Iere. xi. Let not the rytche mā glory in his ritches, nor the wyse man in his wysdome. For what are rytches & wysdome,Of rytches and wysdō Note. yf they be not godly & iustely vsed, but only instrumentes of tyrāny & vnrighteousnes? The wyse man is indued wythe wyt for thys purpose, that with his wisdome he shoulde healpe the simple & playne people, which want the perfecte experience of thynges, or elles that hauehave no capacite to attayne vntounto the knoweledge of suche trauayeles, as are expediente for them, and not to deceaue them, to crafte with them, to poll & pyll them, & to make hauoke of them. The ritche man also hath rytches gyuē vntounto him vntounto to this ende, that he should ye more franckely noryshe the pouerte, and distribute them to the indigēt, and not that he shoulde hourd them vp in corners, glory in them, boast and crake of them, and thynke hymselfe better thā any other, bycause he excelleth in thaboundance of worldly goodes.Mark. Bothe rytches & wisdome encrease dampnacion to the possessours of them, yf they be not vsed, as God hath commaunded, that is, vntounto the profyt of our neyghbour▪ What cause hauehave we than for to be prowde of them? If we vse thē wel, we do but our duty, yf we do other wyse, the greater is our damnaciō. Agen,Ofholynes & vertuous lyuyng. maye we be proud of our holynes and vertuous lyuyng? Who was more holye thē Dauid? yet for all his holynes commytted he both manslaughter & whoredome.ii. Reg. …. Christ wyllethe vsus to recount oure selues vnprofitable seruauntes,Luk. xvii. whan we hauehave done all that euer we canne. Shoulde we reioyse of worldly honour,Ofworldly honour. Dani. iiii. & be proud of that? Who may be compared to Kynge Nabuchodonosor, whose glory & renowme retched vp euen vntounto Heauen for the fame of it? was not he deiected and caste downe so lowe, that he beynge expulsed from his empyre, became a brute beaste, & dyd eate grasse wt the beastes of the felde? Rede the history.Of martial affaires. Maye we be proude of martiall affayres, as of stronge Castelles sure holdes, myghtye Bulwarkes, greate Gunnes, sharpe Speares, swyfte arrowes, two edged sweardes, innumerable thousādes of valeaūte Souldiours? Howe vnapte theise thinges are to hauehave ony perfecte affiaunce or truste reposed in them, who so readeth the Histories of the holy Scripture, shall easelye perceaue.Iudith. xiii. Let this one History of ye proud Tyraunt Holofernes suffice for this present, which conqueryng all the world, was at the laste moo…t miserably slayne of a woman, & all his men put to flyght. A kynge shal not be saued, saythe Dauid,Psal. xxxii. by hys owne great hoost, neyther shal a gyaunt be holpen in the abundans of his owne strength. A horse is but a deceauable thyng to saue a man, it is not y• power of his strength, that can delyuer hym. Beholde, the eies of the LORDE are vpō them yt feare hym, & put theyr trust in his mercy Uerely excepte the LORDE byld the house,Psal. cxxvi. he labourethe in vayne that bildeth it. Excepte the LORDE kepe the citie he watcheth in vayne that kepeth it.Of the fauour of gret menne. Hester. vii. What shall we saye of the fauour of great men? May we glory, boste, & be proud of that? Rede ye History of Amon, which was so hye in his kynges fauoure, yt he mighte do, what he lyst, kyll, saue, exalte, depresse, lyfte vp, plucke downe, and as we saye commonlye,Omnium rerum vicis situdo est. bynde beares, & yet was not he shortely after caste oute of fauoure on suche sorte that he was immediately hāged on ye same gallowes, which he had newly prepared for another? Maye sūptuous mansions and delicate fare cause vsus to be proude?Of sumptuous mansions, & delicate fare. Na verely. For what other thyng is costly byldynge, than a great heape of stones gathered togyther,Note. pleasaunt for ye tyme, but shortely returnyng agen vntounto duste? As for the moost delicious meates that can be gotten, after they be once chawed & digested, what is more vyle, more stynkyng, more vnsauery, lesse pleasaunt to ye eyes,Of gorgious apparel & goodly beutye. and more odious to the nose? shall I speake of gorgious apparel and goodly beuty? wherof so many nowe a dayes very vaynely and no lesse folyshly bost and glory? Is ony thynge in them, wherfore we maye lyft vp our brystles, & auaunce our selues before other, euen the moost vile & deformed? I praye you what other thynge is gaye and gorgious rayment than a very instrumēt of pryde, as a certen lerned mā sayth. They were gyuen vsus of God to couer our fylthy nakednes,Lodouicus viues. and we abuse them vntounto pleasure & volupteousnes. O preposterous iudgemēt. O extreme blyndnes. Glory not in thyne apparell at ony tyme,Eccl. xi. saythe the wyse mā. As for the vanite and beautye, what nede I make many wordes?Mark well It is more britle thā glasse more transitorye than the floure, more inconstante than the wynde, more vayne then the smoke, & more flyttynge awaye then the tyme, to conclude, it is as the Poetes cal it, Fragile bonum, that is,Lib. ii. de arte amādi. Pro. xxxi. a frayle good thynge, so that it is not wythout a cause sayde of Salomon, fauour is deceytful, & beauty is a vayne thīg Howe doth one lytyll feuer, make ye woman of the worlde, the fowlest & moost vnpleasaunt in aspecte? And to saye the trueth, is beauty any other thynge,In Introd. adSap. than as Lodouicus Viues sayth, as lytyll thynne skynne well coloured. If the inwarde partes sayth he, coulde be sene, howe great fylthynes would there appeare, euē in the moost beautyful person. Neither is the fayreste body in ye worlde any other thyng, than a donge hyll couered with a clothe of whyte and purple coloure.Menander. For this cause the wyse men of ye Grekes were wonte to call a fayre & beautyfull woman Hyperiphainon cacon, that is, a plesaūt or glysterynge euell. What shall I saye vntounto the Nobilite and gentyll bloude,Of nobilite and gentyll bloude. as they call it? Maye this be an occasion of exaltynge our selues?Psal. xxix Kyng Dauid sayth: what profyt is there in my bloud, seyng I go downe vntounto corrupcion? And the wyse man sayth, why arte yu proude O thou earthe & asshes?Eccle. x. Gen. iii. we are all earth & asshes. We shall returne vntounto corrupcion, & be so consumed, as concernyng our bodyes as though we had neuer ben. The Prophet also sayth, all flesshe is grasse,Esa. xl. Iacob. i. & all his glory is lyke a floure of the felde. O LORDE GOD, what cause hauehave we nowe to be proude of ony thyng in this worlde, seyng that all thynges are so vayne & transitory, nothing durable & perpetuall? Certes yf we cōsyder well the gyftes,Of ye gyftes of god. wherwith God hath indewed vsus, what soeuer they be, pertaynynge eyther to the body or to the soule, we shall easely fynde that we hauehave no cause to be proude of them, but rather ye more hūble, takynge euer thought, howe we maye spende well the talent commytted vntounto vsus,Mat. xxv. vnlesse we be caste with that vnprofitable seruaunt of the Gospell into vtter darkenesse, where wepynge and gnasshynge oftethe shall be. The more that we do excell other in gyftes, the more daū gerous is oure state, and the more diligence ought we to gyue for the ryght bestowyng of thē. To whom muche is gyuē, much shallbe required of hym.
Euse.
O ye vanite of this world. O ye blīd iugemētes of ye people, which so much glory ī vayn fraile & trāsitory thīges.
Theo.
It is not wt out a cause sayde of s. Iohn̄, louelove not the worlde,…. Ioan. ii. nor those thynges y• are in the world. If ony mā loueth theworlde, the louelove of the father is not in hym. For all that is in the worlde, as the concupiscense of the flessh, and the luste of the eyes, & the the pryde of the lyfe, is not of the father, but it is of the worlde. And ye worlde passeth awaye, and the concupiscēce therof. But he yt doth the wyll of God, abydeth for euermore.
Chri.
Nowe accordynge to your promyse, let vsus heare I pray you, how we may come by this vertue Humilite, that we may enioye the commodities therof eniuing, & exchew the inconueniences that ryse of the cō trary.
Phil.
I wyll do it, and that in fewe wordes.How humilite maye be obtayned.
Fyrst that ye maye vnfaynedly hauehave Humilite engraffed in youre breastes, it is expedient that we cō syder, what ye are of your selues. As towching your body, ye are mē. Nowe what other thyng is man cō cernyng his body, but only,Of ye bodye as S. Bernard sayth,Libro de Mediat. What man is. a stynkyng sperme or seed, a sacke of dunge, & the meat of wormes. Consider this depely wt youre selues, and it shall cause you to delyght but lytyll in your body, be it neuer so strōge, valeaūt, fayre, goodly, pleasaūt in aspecte, procere & tau…l. It is, sayth S. Bernarde, nothynge but a stynckynge sperme or seed, a sacke of donge, & the meat of wormes. What meane we than to be sumptuous in the adourning & garnysshyng of the body?Gen. iii. God to couer our nakednes at the begynnynge gaue vsus cotes of Lether. S. Iohn̄ Baptiste also accordynge to the fyrst appoyntmēt of God,Mat. iii. Mark. i. went clad in a Camels skinne with a gyrdle of lether about his loynes,Agaynst vayne and sumptuous apparell. But lether & cloth both cā not suffice vsus at thys tyme, be it neuer so fyne & costious, excepte we adde therto al kyndes of sylkes & veluettes. But what do I speke of these thinges? Golde, Syluer, Pearle, precious stones, Ouches & what not is now and dayes worne euen of inferiour persons, whan the poore members of Christ hauehave neyther wherwythe they may cloth themselues, nor yet conforte theyr hungry and thyrsty bodyes. O lamentable case. And what shall I saye of the manifold & straunge fasshions of the garmentes, that are vsed nowe a dayes? I thīke Satan studieth not so much to inuent newe fasshyons to bryng christen men into his snare,Mark wel. as the Taylours nowe a dayes are cōpelled to excogitate, inuēt & ymagyne diuersities of fasshyōs for apparel, that they maye satisfy the foolyshe desyre of certayne lyghte braynes & wylde Otes, which are all togither gyuen to newe fanglenes. O moost vayne vanite. Some tyme we followe the fasshyō of the Frenche mē. Another time we wil hauehave a tricke of the Spanyyardes.Noua p…acent. Shortely after that begīneth to waxe nought, we must therfore nowe hauehave ye Italyon fasshyon. Within fewe dayes after we are werye of all the fasshyons that are vsed in Christendome, we wyll therfore nowe & God wyll, practyse the manner of goynge among the Turkes & Saracennes, would God that with the Turkes apparell, we ware not also ryghte Turkes & Infidels ī our lyfe, cōuersaciō & māners. O ye Englōd would once lerne to be ashamed of this vanite, & remember this saynge of the Apostle, hauinge meate & dryncke, and wherwith we maye be couered let vsus be cōtented.i. Timo. vi. But surely this Hethenysh & vayne garnysshyng of our body engraffeth high Pryde in vsus, wherby it cōmethe to passe, that Humilite is clene exiled & putte to-flyght. That ye may not be accombred with this Pestilence,Note thys councell. remember the vtilite of your body, marke what fruytes it bryngeth forth, cō syder ye state of it, ponder frō whēce it came, whyther it shall, and what shall become of it. If ye do this, it shall moue you not to glory, nor to be proud of ony external thing, but gladly to embrase Humilite & lowlynes of mynde.
Of ye souleSecondly cōsyder also what ye are of your selues cōcerninge your inward man, I meane your soule.Roma. v. Ephe. ii. Ioan. iii. Gen. vi. ii. Cor. iii. Hathe not that thorowe Adam, be…fore it is regenerate by Christ, lost the fauour of God? Is it not a fyre brande of hell, bonde to eternal dā nacion, the chylde of wrath, all carnall, breathynge wickednes, ymaginyng mischefe, bent vntounto euell, and not able once for to thyncke a good thought?
Thyrdly after we be renewed by the mooste blyssed Sacramente of Baptisme & the holy Ghost,Of synne after Baptysme remember howe sone ye loose agayne that benefites thorow your owne sinne & wickednes, which before ye freely obtayned by Christ. This shall also moue you to cast awaye all pryde & to be humble, lowely & meke, in the syght of God, euer lamētynge your misery, & flyenge continually vntounto God with youre feruēt prayers for grace, mercy, fauour & remission of your synnes, vnlesse ye be dampned for your iniquitie accordīg to your desertes.Of ye paynes of hel. It shal also not a lytyl profyt, to remember the paynes of hel, whiche are prepared for them that are proud & disobedient to the wyll of God.Of vertues & qualities. Fourthly yf at ony tyme ye desyre of vayne glory shall crepe in to your bosome for the excellencye of vertues and qualities wherewt ye are endewedde, call streyght vntounto youre remembraunce thys sayenge of the Apostle, what hast thou that thou haste not taken? If thou haste taken it,i. Cor. iiii. why doste yu reioyse, as though thou haddest not taken it? & this shall plucke downe youre combe, as they vse to saye. For who is so madde,Note. excepte he be lyke vntounto the Crow of Esope, to bost himselfe of other mennes fethers? The gyftes that we hauehave, be they neuer so excellente, are not ours but Gods. He maye take them awaye agayne whā it pleseth hym. Thefore ought we not to be proud of them, but vse them vntounto that ende, for the which they were gyuē vsus, euer remēbring that yf we vse them well, there is a rewarde layde vp for vsus in heauen yf we do not, we shall receaue ye greter damnacion. So that we hauehave no cause to be proude of them, but rather the more humble, and lowly in herte.
Finally in all your workes, seme they neuer so good and perfecte, yet thyncke you, yt they are nowe done wt so much purite & clennes of hert as they ought, & therfore ye muste humbly graunt your imperfecciō, & desyre god to fulfil that which lackethe in you for hys Sonne Iesus Christes sake.
If on this wyse ye behaue your selues neyghbours in all your workes, ye muste nedes despyse pryde & enbrase humilite Yea if on this mā ner ye iudge of youre selues, as I hauehave here taught you, ye shal with out doubte be made vnfaynedly hū ble, meke and lowly. But withoute this knoledge of your selues, know that ye can do none otherwyse, but stond in your owne cōceate, bragge of your qualities, glory in your actes, be proud of your gyftes, & euer vnthanckefull in the sight of God. S. Bernarde sayth,In Cant. Ser. iii.vii. I knowe that no man is saued without the knowledge of him selfe, wherof doubtles Humilite the mother of helth springeth, and the feare of the LORDE. For as the one is the begynnynge of wisdome▪ so is the other of helth.
Euse.
I pray God we may so knowe our selues, that we may deserue to hauehave this moost excellent vertu engraffed in our brestes.
Phil.
Neyghbours one worde wyth you, & than an ende of this your fyrst flour. Remember that your floure is called, Vnfayned humilite, bycause ye may not outwardely pretend humilite, and inwardely be inflated wythe Pharasaicall arrogancy, & puffed vp after the manner of the proud Hypocrites, and supercibious Pharises,Mat. xxiii. whom Christ & his Apostles rebuke so oft in ye holy scriptures for theyr fayned holynes. Be no paynted sepulchres, outwardely fayre, and inwardly full of rotten bones, and al fylthynes. For many,Ep. xxvii. as saynt Ierome sayth, followe the shadowe of Humilite, but fewe the trueth. Let all glosyng wordes be taken away, let all faynynge gestures cease. Pacience sheweth a mā to be truly hū ble. Let your humilite therfore not only be expressed wyth gesture and voyce, but also let it procede from ye pure affecte of the herte. So maye ye be sure to hauehave God gracious & fauourable vntounto you, & euer to prosper in all your honest trauayles & godlye affayres. Hytherto hauehave I spoken sufficientely of youre fyrste floure called,Wythoute humilite nothīg cōmeth wel to passe Vnfayned humilite, and I hauehave bene the longer aboute it, bycause I would be glad to expell the poisonof Pryde out of your hertes which raygneth almoost vniuersally beyond al measure at this daye, and to engraffe in you this goodly herbe, which is so swete and wholesome, that wythout it no medicine can ryghtly be ministred. This beynge digested, all other are y• more easye to receyue.
Theo.
Neyghboure Philemon, thyncke not, but ye your wordes are reposed euen in ye lowest parte of our hertes, & we trust that ye hauehave not sowen this seed of Goddes worde in ony stony groūd,Math. xiii. Mar. iiii. Luk. viii. but in suche good earth, as shall brynge forth, some an hūdrethe folde, some syxty folde, and some thyrtye folde.
Phil.
It doth me good to heare this, & to knowe your redy wyll vntounto all goodnes & vertu. For in dede neighbours we had neuer more nede to worcke well, and to do good dedes,This tyme hath greate nede of good workes. than at this tyme. The christen religion begynneth vtterly to decay. Alas we speke much of Christe, but manye lyue no part of Christ. Uice styl reygneth, vertu hath no place. Well, I wyl gyue you your second floure.
Christo.
I praye you lette vsus hauehave it.