true contrition and maye bee sure of mercye and bee saued yf they dye in that minde And althoughe a manne is not truelye contryte whan he is sorye onelye for the feare of payne be it corporall paine or euerlastinge paine yet the feare of paine is an introduction prepairinge the waye for true contrition For charitie withoute the whiche no man lyueth in soule by grace is builded vpon feare of Goddes iudgement when a man is glad to be loued of GOD whom he feareth and dare be bolde to loue hym agayne and is afrayde to displease hym whome he loueth althoughe he mighte dooe it withoute punishement For no man commeth to GOD that is not smytten with some feare For whiche cause Saint Iohn Baptiste preparing the way for Chryste and remission of sinne bette into the peoples heades the horrour of their sinnes and the feare of Goddes iudgement And S. Peter in his firste Sermon after that he had broughte the Iewes in feare of Gods anger by declaringe vnto theim howe they had crucifyed and kylled Iesus whom god had made Christ their Lorde and so had smitten their hartes with feare than he taught theim to do penaunce and to take true contricion for their sinnes Thus when a sinner loking vppon gods lawe eyther wrytten in the booke or written in his owne harte whereby he seeth as in a glasse what pleaseth or dyspleaseth almighty God and seeth also by faith that God threatneth damnation and euerlastinge deathe to all synners and than is accused secretlye by his owne conscience that he hath broken that eternal lawe of god not onely in thought but also in dede and perceiueth the vylenesse and greatenesse of his owne synne how often he hath offended and into what misery he hath brought himself and of what great graces and ioyes he hath depriued him selfe thereby beyng than separate from the spiritual communion of Christes churche and giltie of eternall dampnation than yf there be any sparkle of grace left in that man if he be not obdurate and cleane forsaken of God he will begin to feare and tremble which feare wyll breake the hardnesse of his harte and prepare the waye for wisedome and grace to enter in Without the which feare no man can receyue remission of synnes and bee made ryghtewyse Which feare of hell is not in charitie but prepareth a place for charitie and as charitie encreaseth in a mans harte so it decreaseth tyl perfyte charitie possesse the holle After this feare a synner begynneth to hate and abhorre hys synne whereby he was brought into so great daunger and miserye and so procedeth to lament and be sory for his offences And as in the doyng of hys sinnes there were twoo thinges the noughtye dede and the carnall pleasure that was ioyned with the same so in the forsaking of his sinnes there must be two thinges ceasing froÌ„ the dede and sorow for the sinne past For so the Prophet cryeth Quiescite peruerse agere Cease to do euil He that continueth styll in his noughtye doyng is farre from al kinde of true penaunce For how can he turne to God that is not turned from his synne nor he can not be sorye that stil is doing the thing for the which he is sorye And it is to be vnderstand that this sorow of Contrition is inwarde in the harte and not fained onelye pretended in the outward behauiour Which the verye woorde Contrition dothe signifye For that is called contrite that is brused and beaten into small peeces or powder euen so when the hardnesse of a mans harte is mollified wyth sorowe and teares for that he hath by sinne displeased God than is his hart contrite An hard harte is that whiche is not cutte with compunction nor made softe with pitie nor moued with prayers nor yeldeth to threatninges but is vnkynde after benefites wythoute shame of dishonestie without feare of perill geuyng no place to any good motion but withstandyng by continuaunce in will to sinne Euen so on the other syde a mans harte is contrite when it is cutte with compunction mollified with pitie and deuotion moued with prayers and exhortation is affraide by threatninges allured by kindnes ashamed of dishonesty geuing place to Gods inspiration puttinge awaye the wyll and loue to sinne abhorring his former filthye liuing dyspleasing hymselfe and lamentyng for the same and with sure trust of Gods mercy submytting himselfe hollye in all poyntes to obeye hys wyll and commaundement An harte after thys sorte contrite and humbled GOD wyll neuer dispise nor reiecte but accepte it as a sweete Sacrifice of the whyche the Prophet sayde Be ye turned vnto me in all your harte in fasting in weeping and lamentynge cutte your hartes and not your garmentes And our Sauiour saith Blessed be they that mourne for they shall receyue comforte Whyche mourning is not from the lyppes outwarde to say or pretende them selues to be sorye but to declare it outwardlye in deede as muche as they can by weeping and lamenting And thys Contrition is the Crosse of Christ which euerie Christen man and woman that foloweth Christe in this worlde beareth voluntarilye vpon his owne backe and so sheweth the vertue of Christes crosse in his owne flesh euer carying about the mortification of Iesus Christ in his body that the life of Iesus may be shewed in his body And because we must turne to God with oure holle harte the quantitie and greatnes of this sorow is to be measured by the quantitie of our crimes so that he which hath synned muche doo lament muche that his penaunce be found no lesse than his crime And the more that he dothe humble hymselfe by sorowe the more shall he be exalted to grace the more abiecte he is in hys owne syghte the more accepte in the sight of God Therefore oure Sauiour Christe forgaue Sainte Peter his sinne by and by because he wept bitterly and dyd not increase hys fault by driuing of his amendement For a true penitent looseth not tyme. For the tyme paste he redeemeth agayne whyles that he calleth to remembraunce all his yeares past in the bitternesse of his soule The present tyme he dothe fullye possesse by sorowe and exercise of that vertue whyche is contrarye â—o that he offended in The tyme to come he looseth not by constantlye endeuouring himself to performe that good purpose of sinning no more which he hath godly begonne Remembring the sayinges of the Apostle while we haue time let vs do good And he that continueth to the laste ende shall be saued For except a sinner determine surely wyth hymselfe in his minde to leaue and forsake all synne and intende neuer to do any agayne but to kepe Gods commaundementes iustly from that time forwarde he shall not obtayne forgiuenesse of his sinnes at Gods hande nor his contrition is not perfite and profitable vnto him Wherefore it is to be feared that manye yea and all those
synne and haue receyued the whyte lyuerye of innocencye and the badge of Christ by the impression of the holy crosse in diuers partes of theyr bodyes and so are knowen throughout the holle worlde to be the soldiours of Christ theyr Lord and Capitayne The second thing that a worldly prince doth in his warre is to prouyde that euery souldiour be able to fyght and haue harnes and weapons mete for his body both to beare of the assaultes of his enemies and also to inuade thē as cause shall requyre Euen so Christe oure heauenlye Prince hath ordeyned the sacrament of Confirmation to make vs strong able to fyght wyth our ghostly enemyes and hath armed vs wyth a seuen fold harnes that is to say with the seuē giftes of the holy gost whereby we be sufficiently preserued defended and encouraged our selues and also able to helpe and comfort oure fellow soldiours which by chaunce shall come into any distresse or daunger of theyr enemies The thyrd thing y t a worldly prince doth in his war is to forese prouide that his hole army be wel victualled furnished with plēty of holsom meate and drinke lest for hunger their strength decay and they in processe famish and die Euen so Christ our spirituall capitaine hath prouided victual for vs his soldiours both good plenty of it not meate that will perish and be cōsumed with once eating but meate that will remayne and nourishe to euerlasting lyfe that is to saye his owne natural fleshe and bloud which he geueth to his soldiours in a Sacrament vnder the formes of corporal breade and wyne condescendinge therin to our infirmitie and by that spiritual and most holsome and precious foode he repayreth all our decayes in grace and spirituall strength he openeth our eyes to see the traynes of oure enemies he swageth the rage of our inward enemie the fleshe preserueth our bodies and soules from famine and eternall death The fourth thing that a worldly Prince doth in his warre is to ordeyne ouer his holle army one chiefe lieuetenaunt if he be absent hym selfe from the fielde and vnder him officers and captaines some of moo some of fewer such men as be experte in warre who can instruct the rest in all feates of warre howe to fight and ouercome theyr enemies can set the holle armye in good araye and also can by the lawe martiall correct and punish all traytours and offendours Euen so Christ our Lord and king after he hath hymselfe ouercommed all his enemies in hys owne person and is nowe triumphinge with God the father in heauen and yet hathe his Churche in battayle and conflicte wyth theyr enemies in earth being absent by his visible presence and inuisibly and spiritually present amōg vs hath ordeined the Sacrament of Order and by that Sacrament hath elected and chosen out certein expert and connyng men to whom by imposition of handes of Priesthoode he hath geuen authorite and commaundement to instruct his soldiours in all feates of spirituall warre agaynst the deuil and to admit other into the roumes of them that dye or depart and to comfort and encourage them that be in conflict and by vnitie of fayth charitie and obedience to cause the holle army to keepe good araye and to punishe by excommunication suche as by apostasie heresye or scisme breake the peace and good order and by the discipline of this warre of the church to correct all other offenders and to receyue them agayne that will amende And of these men there be certeine degrees and orders one chefe Lieuetenaunt of the holle army which was S. Peter and now is his lawfull successour in the chayre of Christ gouerning the holle army of Christes Church here in earth and vnder hym there be in euery Prouince one Archebishoppe and in euery Citye one Bishoppe and in euerye Parishe one Priest or Curate to feede order encourage and to gouerne the holle army and euery soldiour of Christes church in euery place The fift thing that a worldly Prince doth in his warre is when his armye is assembled wel armed well victualled and well ordred and ruled by good captaines then to merche forward to ioyne in battail with his enemies in which conflicte if anye of hys soldiours chaunce to be hurt and wounded then to cause a Surgean to searche his woundes and to lay playsters and medicines vnto them that he beyng made hole myght enter into his place agayne and fyght a freshe agaynst hys enenemyes Euen so doth our Sauiour Christ wyth vs when al we be assembled into one Churche and spirituall armye by Baptisme and bee well harnessed wyth Gods graces and the giftes of the holy Ghost by Confirmation and be well vyctualled wyth the precious foodes of his owne bodye and blood in the Sacrament of the Aultare and be set in good araye and well instructed and encouraged by the rulers and ministers of his churche hauyng authoritie so to doo by the sacrament of Ordre then we be ledde by Gods spirite into the wyldernes of some good purpose or woorke there to be tempted and assaulted of the deuill For they that haue the spirit of God be not idle but occupied in some good worke which the deuill withstandeth and fighteth againste as muche as he is able to do In whiche conflicte yf anye of vs be ouercommed with euill which can not be except we wyll be ouercommed and voluntarylye suffer the deuyll to preuayle againste vs for no man synneth actually againste hys wyll yet our mercyfull Lorde wyll not see vs vtterlye troden vnder foote and slayne but if we loue to be healed and be sorye for oure voluntarye hurte and wounde he hathe prepared a present medycine and playster for vs whiche the spirituall Surgean when he hath searched the wounde by our owne confession layeth and byndeth to our sore by the Sacrament of Penaunce and so restoringe vs to our perfit health maketh vs able to enter the feelde agayne and to fighte a freshe againste our enemies The sixt thing that a worldly Prince doth in his warre is when any of his soldiours waxeth aged feble and cā fight no more then specially to cōfort him to set a watch that his enemies steale not priuely vpon him kil him when he is not able to defend him selfe And if the same soldiour hath lightly offended in any small matter and hath not at all times bene so vigilant as the lawes of warre required yet than gentlye to forgeue him and to shewe hym that honour at his death that he shalbe of al the army accompted to haue bene a faythfull soldyoure and to haue dyed in his princes fauour Euen so Christ our Lord doth wyth vs his souldiours when any of vs waxeth aged or feable by sicknes and is in daunger of bodelye death whiche deathe is the escapinge of al daungers the ende of all labours the entry to the possession of eternall enheritaunce in heauen
God and eternall life it selfe were ioyned to it after the waye of meate by participation whereof it myght be delyuered from the possession of death and corruption and be indued with the property of Christes body which is eternall lyfe For as Christ reduceth our soules to life eternal by geuing to them his holy spirit in the sacrament of Baptisme euen so he reduceth our bodyes to life eternall by geuing to thē his lyuing and immortall body to eate in the sacrament of the Aultar And this is the ordinary way of gods working in vs althoughe he be not alwayes bounden to his Sacramentes but that he saueth men some times of his absolute power before Baptisme and rayseth some to lyfe eternall wythout thys sacrament such as for lack of age can not proue them selues or departe in the faythe of Christe without contempt or refusall of the sayd sacrament when by some vyolence or other impediment they were letted to receyue it in dede These be good people some of the effectes which Christ woorketh by thys Sacrament in mans body which in very deede be merueilous but aboue all other thys is the greatest that he maketh vs all that worthelye receyue him to be one body with him indued with his holy spirite whereby the perfit influence of his grace beynge our heade is deriued and deduced vnto vs that be members of his body fleshe of his fleshe and bones of his bones For as s. Paul saith we that be many are made one bread one body because all we do receyue and eate of one breade whych is the naturall body of Christ the breade of lyfe that came from heauen whiche he promysed to geue to vs al as he gaue it to death for vs all In nature we be all diuers persons and haue sondry and diuers substances but because we be all fed with one singulare substance of Christes flesh which can not be diuided into partes and also are sealed with one holy spirit that likewise can not be diuided therefore these singular thinges vndiuisiblye receiued into oure bodyes and soules drawe vs to theyr vnitie and make al vs one body misticall with Christ. Which vnitie is to be called true and natural vnitie and not onely in wyll and affection by faythe and charitye where accordyng to Christes prayer immediately after hys last supper he is in the father by the nature of his diuinitie and we in hym by his corporall natiuitie and he in vs by the Sacrament of his fleshe and blood and so by Christ is made a perfite vnitie Like as when two waxes be melted at the fyre one holle thing is made of them both euen so by the communion and receyuing of Christes bodye and bloode into ours he is in vs and we in him and so by receyuynge the vertue of this heauenlye meate we are incorporate into hys fleshe that for our saluation was made our fleshe Therefore good people consyderyng these gloryous and wonderfull graces and effectes whych by thys holy sacrament he worketh both in our soules and bodies let vs not defraud our selues of them neither by to long absteyning frō it nor yet by the vnworthye receyuing of it but as his exceedyng loue towardes vs moued him to geue it to vs so let it and the benefites we receyue by it increase oure loue towardes him and as he that geueth hys lyfe for vs and his fleshe to vs wyll denye vs nothyng that maye doo vs good so let vs serue hym wyth harte and wyll and omyt nothyng that may please hym so shall we finally inioye the speciall fruite of thys most blessed Sacrament in the kyngdome of God whych is incorruption and immortality of body and soule by hys grace and free gyfte to whom wyth the father and the holye ghost be al honour glory and prayse for euermore Amen ¶ An exhortation for the worthy receyuing of the holye Sacrament Serm. x. BEyng sufficiently and most manifestlye taught good people by the mouth of our Sauiour Christ that in this most holye sacrament he geueth vnto vs his bodye and his bloode that was slayne and shed vpon the crosse for the life of the world Let vs faythfully beleue God by his woord and not repugne against him although it seme not so to our senses and our carnall thoughtes for his misteries exceede our reason wherein we ought to consider not what oure eyes sheweth vs but what hys worde teacheth vs. For our eyes may easely deceyue vs but hys word can not deceyue vs who in sensible thinges geueth vs heauenlye and intelligible thynges whyche our senses canne not iudge and discerne but geueth place to our faith directed by Gods woorde to the knowledgynge of this infallible truth Therefore it is now oure partes to prepare and make cleane our bodyes and soules from al fylth of the flesh or spirite that we may receyue thys heauenlye meate woorthely considerynge the manyfolde graces that come by it and the eternal dampnation that hangeth ouer theyr heades that vnwoorthelye presume to receyue it Remember howe euerye man is displeased and angry with the traytour Iudas and them that crucifyed our Sauiour Christe and so beware that you be not likewyse giltye of the bodye and bloud of Christe They most cruellye shedde his bloude but he that vnworthelye receyueth hym with a foule and synfull conscience spitefullye treadeth his precious blood vnder his feete No fylth or myre is so vnworthy his pure and heauenly bodye as is the bodye or soule of man defyled with mortall synne And as the thyng we come vnto is most honorable so the woorthy receyuing of it is moste profitable But if a man come vnto it with a gilty and noughty consciēce it encreaseth his faulte and dampnation for he that eateth and drinketh the body and bloude of our Lord vnworthely eateth drinketh iudgement and dampnation to himselfe For as they that do defile the kings purple robe are worthy to be punished as wel as they that cut or rent it euen so it is no maruel if they that receiue Christes bodye with an vncleane conscience do suffer the same punishment that they doo whyche dyd nayle him to the crosse Se how terrible a payne S. Paul threatneth to the vnworthy receyuer saying A man that transgresseth the law of Moyses being conuict by two or thre witnesses suffreth death how much more and greater punishment deserueth he to suffer that treadeth vnder foote Gods sonne with no reuerence regardeth the blood of his testament by whiche he was sanctified but taketh it as comon meate doth iniurie to the spirit of grace and in that he betraieth and deliuereth Christ as Iudas did not now to the synful Iewes but to his own synfull members wherwith he presumeth to dishonour so inestimable a sacrament S. Peter and Iudas at one table in one supper did both eate of one consecrate breade whych was Christes bodye but Peter
doer for suche sorowe is not true contrition because it proceadeth not from faith which is the foundation of penaunce whyche no man can do except GOD with hys grace preuent hym and freelye by hys mercye conuerte him nor yet onely procedeth from feare of punishement eyther temporall or eternall for that declareth that the sinner dothe not nor woulde not forsake his sinne if he knewe that he myghte continue in the same styll wythoute anye payne or punishemente but it proceadeth from the loue of GOD whose maiestye wee haue offended and therefore are angry with our selues and hate that oure noughtye sinne wherwith we did offend had rather suffer any paine be it neuer so greate than to offende him againe This is the true sorow of Contrition whiche is taken for our sinnes principally for this respect that we haue offended our most merciful father whiche contrition he wyll neuer despise but receiue to mercye all those that with so pure an harte doe turne to him Blessed Saincte Peter in the repentaunce that hee tooke for hys synne left an example howe we might haue true Contrition whiche is to dooe as he dydde For hee was verye sorye and wepte bytterlye for hys offence alone by him selfe And yet he did not so for any bodely hurt that he had for denyinge of hys master our sauior Christ nor for any losse that he had of worldlye goodes nor for any rebuke that was geuen hym for hys denyall nor yet for anye feare that the Iewes woulde haue put hym to shame because he had denyed his maister for he knewe they woulde neyther hurte hym nor blame him but rather fauoure him for it But these thynges caused him to be sory and to wepe for his sinne First he did remember and consider the great perfection holynes and goodnes of his maister and howe he was the verye sonne of almighty God and also he remembred how he had taken him and made him his disciple and howe great fauour singuler kindnesse he had shewed him for the which he considered how feruentlye he loued Christe and how greatly he was bounden so to doe And than he remembred the promyse he hadde made vnto him and how vnfaithful he was in breaking that promise and vnkind in denyinge and forsakinge his mayster And thus the remembringe and consideringe of these thynges caused Sayncte Peter to bee contryte and to wepe for hys synne and to wyshe that he had not denied Christ and further to wyll that he woulde neuer offende agayne nor breake hys promyse anye more but euer keepe and fulfyll iustelye all that euer his maister our Sauyoure Chryste didde commaunde hym to do And so Sainte Peter dyd After this maner shoulde we consider our sinnes and be sory contrite for them Surely if we sinners did call diligently to our remēbraunce the gret goodnes of our sauior Christ euer shewed vnto vs as how he redemed vs with his moste precious bloud and painefull deathe and hathe chosen vs to his disciples and made vs inherytours vnto heauen and howe mercyfull and gratious he is alwayes vnto vs and howe holye iust reasonable laudable and howe easye a lawe he hath geuen vs and than consider further particularly and more in specyall hys goodnesse and that he hathe done and doth dayly for vs we shoulde than see that wee ought to loue laude and honour him aboue all creatures and fulfyll hys commaundementes whyche wee haue vowed and promysed to dooe And than yf we did consyder the vylenesse and noughtinesse of our sinnes and howe muche we did againste naturall reason and honestie in doynge of them and howe greatlye we dyd offende God in presuminge to doe so euill in his presence and fighte againste his lawe and in breakinge our solemne promisse of kepinge his commaundementes and than if wee dyd consider that in doinge of our sinnes we did not regarde his gracious goodnes and fauour nor feare his power and most dreadfull punishement if we did well consider these thinges were fullye perswaded of Goddes mercye whiche he is readye to shewe to all that vnfeynedlye wyll forsake theyr former noughtye wayes and turne to hym wee shoulde than take this contrition and see that wee oughte to be more sorye for oure synnes than Saynt Peter ought to haue bene for hys For oure Sauioure Chryste hadde shewed vs more kyndenesse and hadde doone more for vs than he hadde done for Saincte Peter at that tyme. For he dyed afterwarde for oure sakes and redemed vs and delyuered vs oute of the handes of the Deuyll And againe our sinnes bee moo and wee haue oftener broken oure promyse than Sayncte Peter didde for hee brake it but once and that was for feare and wee haue synned often tymes wythoute anye feare or compulsion but rather wyllynglye yea and dyuers tymes wee haue desyred to synne and studyed howe and where wee myghte fullfyll our vngracious lustes and desyres And thus ye maye see that we oughte to be more contryte and sorye for oure offences than Sayncte Peter oughte to haue bene for his By thys example ye maye knowe for what cause and by what meane ye maye haue contrition And surelye the synner that dothe well weye and consyder this that I haue spoken shall be sorye that euer he synned and didde againste the wyll and commaundemente of oure Sauioure Chryste whiche is so good and gratious and he shal wil that hee hadde neuer offended and hee shall hate synne and purpose and atende to lyue well and to make amendes and restytutyon of that he hathe wrongfullye taken or done and shall humble hymselfe by knowledginge and confessynge hys faultes and submytte hymselfe hollye to the correctyon and dyscyplyne of GOD and hys holye Churche not doubtynge but that hee shalbe receyued to grace and mercy and remission of all his sinnes Furthermore it is to be noted that the sorow and repentaunce whiche a theefe taketh for hys thefte whan hee shall suffer deathe for it and the repentaunce that a myslyuynge manne or woman taketh for their mislyuinge when they shal bee brought to any open shame or shal gette anye painefull dysease thereby is not that true Contrition that wee speake of nor yet any other lyke sorowe that men maye haue and take for theyr offences in other lyke cases Because such synners and offendours bee not sorye for that they didde againste Gods lawe and offende him but they bee sorye for the deathe or shame or other pain which they shal suffer for their noughtye liuinge Yet notwithstandinge these other paynes whereunto they come by order of lawe they maye also bee sorye for their synnes specyallye and mooste principallye because they didde offende GOD in despysinge him in doynge their synnes more thanne for anye shame or payne that they shall suffer here for theym and yf they so dooe hauynge the mynde and wyll to synne no more but to make restitutyon and to confesse and make satisfactyon for the same than they haue
shal haue suters vnto him for their doughters kinswomē And on the other syde yf a woman haue greate substāce and goodes and many good Lordships and Manours although she haue neuer one or fewe good conditions or vertues she shal be sure to haue suters to marry with her both of great men and other be she faire or foule yong or old beautiful or deformed but the miserable life and sorowful paine that suche persones many times haue of their mariage they them selues can tell and yet they be not able to expresse wyth theyr tonges all that they fele suffer in their hartes And then they curse their goodes and the daye in the whiche they were maryed Yea and more ouer we see daylye that great men doo sell theyr children as thoughe they were bondes slaues and do nothinge studye or labour to marry their sonnes to good wyues nor their doughters to good husbandes but their principall care is to sell them where they haue moste monye Lykewyse the buyers doo not care for the good conditions of those they buye but loke more vpon the landes and rentes whyche those shall haue and enioye and therfore oftentimes both the buyers and sellers of suche wardes and other marrye their children to great misery and endlesse paine And thus for goodes and riches they be vnkind vnnaturall and cruel Fathers vnto theyr chyldren and cruel frendes vnto theyr kynsfolke in geuing and procuring to theim so painefull and sorowfull a lyfe And manye tymes they distroye their owne families and auncyent houses thereby for that their sonnes noughtly brought vp or els their sonnes in lawe euyll chosen for lacke of grace and the rather also for suche dysagrement as chaunceth betwene them and their wyues maried principallye for possessions sake dooe waste and consume in small tyme all that their parentes and auncetours wyth all theyr wyttes longe seruice and painefull industrye and labour haue gotten together in many yeres before And here ye shall vnderstande good people that I doo not prohybyte and forbydde men to looke for no maner of goodes when they wyll marrye For reason doth graunt that bothe men and women shoulde before they marrye wel consyder what crafte occupation habilitye and what goodes they haue them selues to lyue with all if they marry And reason doth admytte that they shoulde likewise looke what habylitye and substaunce they be of wyth whome they wyll marrye and wey and caste howe suche charges as maye growe vnto theym by chyldren and otherwise when they bee maried maye be borne and susteined These thinges men and women whyche wyll marrye oughte well to remember and consyder and therefore I speake not agaynste suche considerations and lookinge for goodes but I saye almyghtye GOD and reason dothe reproue and condempne all them whiche do marrye most principallye for goodes and ryches For that intent and purpose is noughte and contrarye to Gods ordinaunce in that behalfe And it is also euident that goodes and monye Lordshippes ryche apparell delycate fare and so forthe can doo no pleasure or profyte vnto the hartes of maried persones excepte they haue together faythful love kyndenesse ioye one of an other and godly and comfortable agrement Nowe that I haue shewed vnto you suche causes of mariage as be vngodlye it is lykewise requisyte to declare the other causes whyche almighty GOD and his holye word doth allow whiche be the verye same wherfore GOD did institute and ordeyne thys Sacrament of matrimonye that is to saye the loue and desire of children and posteritie by whom GOD should be more honoured and the hatred of fornication and vnclene life The first cause is set forth in the boke of Genesis where God blessed our firste parentes and bad them increace and multiplye and fulfyll the earthe Tobye the yonger shewed that he maryed onely for thys firste cause sayinge vnto almightye GOD thus O Lorde thou knowest that I take thys woman to my wyfe not for cause of lecherye or to satisfye and fulfyl my carnal lust and desire but I take her onely to haue posteritie and chyldren to the intent that thou mayest be alwayes here blessed lauded and honoured And for thys intent Christen men shoulde mooste principallye marrye and brynge vp their children in vertuouse lyuinge that they maye iustely lyue laude and honour almightye GOD and when God sendeth them chyldren to teache them to doo the same The vnchrystened and heathen men doo marrye to haue children and to encreace their people but not to haue almightye GOD lauded and honoured whose honour and glorye good men shoulde speciallye seeke to set foorth and encreace bothe in them selues and in their children The other cause is that men and women might by this Sacrament haue a iust and good remedye agaynste the sensuall appetyte of the fleshe to auoyde the sinne of fornication when they feared that they coulde not lyue otherwyse chastelye whereof Saint Paule wrote to the Corynthians thus It is good for a manne not to touche hys wyfe yet for auoydinge of fornication lette euerye man haue or vse hys owne wyfe and lette euerye wyfe haue or vse her owne husbande and lette the man paye hys debte to hys wyfe and lykewyse the wyfe to her husbande For the wyfe hathe not nowe power of her owne bodye but her husbande and lykewyse the husbande hathe not power of hys bodye but the wyfe dooe not defraude one an other excepte it bee for a tyme by mutuall consent to the intent ye myghte geue and applye your selues more freely to prayer so forth So that these two intentes that is to saye the loue to haue children and the hatred or auoydinge of fornication as they be the principall causes why this Sacrament of Matrimony was ordeyned of God so they ought to be the principall causes why men and women shoulde marrye together For so shall they receiue the graces whiche God geueth in mariage shall beautifye his church and haue greate helpe and furtherance towardes their saluation And contrarye they that with couetouse and lecherouse affections dooe ioyne theym selues in mariage they loose the grace of the Sacrament whyche they mighte haue hadde they dishonour thys holye Sacrament in making it a cloke and a defence for their noughty and vicious intentes and they brynge them selues vnder the power of the deuyll who than is permitted to preuayle againste them Moreouer good people it is expedient when a man wil marry for the causes before rehersed that he diligentlye remember and consider the lawe of Matrimonye That is to saye howe he shall bynde him self to loue his wife as his owne bodye and better than any other man woman or chylde in suche sorte as Christe loueth hys Churche and did geue him selfe to the death for it to make it holy and without spotte And also the man ought not to be bitter fell against hys wife in vsing brawlinges chyding or fightinge with her And that he muste