take not hede he wyll returne with seuen worse spirites and possesse vs a gaine And althoughe we be illuminat and haue tastid the heauenly gift and be made partakers of the holy gost yet may we fal and displease god Wherfore as saint Paule saith He that standeth ◠Corin. x let hym take bede that he fal not And here all phantasticall imagination curyous reasoning and vain trust of predestination is to be laid apart And according to the plain maner of speaking teaching of scripture in innumerable places we ought euermore to be in dreade of our owne frailtie naturall pronitie to fall to synne not to assure our selfe that we be elected any other wyse than by feling of spiritual motiōs in our hart and by the tokens of good and vertuous liuing in folowing the grace of god and perseuerynge in the same to the ende ii Petri. ii And this sainte Peter exhorteth vs to make our vocation and election sure and stable And Christ saieth Ma. xxii He that perseuereth vnto the ende shal be saued And in reuelation of saint Iohn Be faithful vnto death Apoc. ii and I shal giue the the crown of life Wherfore whan we be ones elected and admitted vnto goddis seruice as is aforesayde and haue receyued our iustification in baptisme or be restored thervnto by true penance than muste we continually walke after Christ bearyng our crosse and encreasinge in his grate by good workes and so doing procede go forwarde and encreace in our Iustificatiō according to the saieng of saint Iohn He that is iuste let him be more iustified For as the grace of god and the giftes therof that is to saye fayth repentance dreade hope charitie with other fruites of the holy gost do encreace in vs so do we waxe and encreace in our Iustification And therfore it is playne that not onely fayth as it is a distincte vertu or gifte by it selfe is required to our iustificatiō but also the other giftes of the grace of god with a desire to do good workes proceding of the the same grace And where as in certain places of scripture our iustification is ascribed to faith without any further additiō or mētion of any other vertue or gift of god it is to be vnderstand of faith in the second acception as before is declared in the article of faith wherin the feare of god repentance hope and charitie be included and comprysed all whiche must be ioyned together in our Iustification So that no fayth is sufficient to Iustification or saluation but suche a fayth as worketh by charitie as is playnely expressed by saint Paule in his epistle to the Galathians And that also our good workes Gala. v. which we do being ones iustified by faith and charitie auaile bothe to the conseruation and perfection of the said vertues in vs and also to the encreace and ende of our Iustification and euerlastinge saluation And althoughe we can neuer be iustified without these gyftes of the holy goste faith repentance hope charitie with desyre and study to bring forthe good workes Yet it is to be vnderstande that neuerthelesse we be iustified Gratis that is to say frely for as moche as all giftes or workes whereby our iustification is wroughte and accomplyshed come of the free mercy and grace of god and not of our deseruing So that our pride and glory in our selfe and our owne worthynes is vtterly excluded For we be not able of our selues as of our selues not as moche as to thinke any good thing but our ablenes and our sufficiency is of god which giueth vs the sayd gyftes of his own inestimable goodnes and dothe also assiste vs with his holy spirite and strength vs to kepe his commandementes And further where our kepyng of them is vnperfect and euen in the beste men wanteth a greate deale of that duetye to god whiche they ought and be bound to do yet almighty god of his mere mercye and goodnes accepteth the same as a perfecte fulfillynge of them for our sauiour Christis sake which hath fulfilled the law for vs and is the ende and perfection of the lawe to all that truely beleue in him And so we haue all Gratis that is to saye of his grace and not of our worthinesse or any merite goinge before grace but receiuing all of god as saint Paule saith i. Cor. iii. what hast thou that thou hast not receiued we referre all vnto his goodnes and mercy by the whiche we both come vnto the beginnynge of our iustification and do procede and go forwarde in the same and finally atteyne the ende therof and be brought to euerlasting life vnto the which the very way appoynted by Christe whose worde no man may change is to kepe and obserue the cōmandementes of god for he saith expressely If thou wylt enter into lyfe Math. xix kepe the commandementes that is apply thy hole study and affection to walke in the law of god wherin if thou perseuere thou shalt be saued And so after thy iustification thou shalte be glorified according to the order of god whiche saynte Paule speaketh of whan he sayth Quos iustificauit Illos glorificauit ⧠The article of good workes AL preaching and learnynge of the word of god in Christis churche ought to tende to this ende that men maye be induced not onely to knowe god and to beleue and truste in hym but also to honour and serue hym with good workes wrought in faith and charitie and vtterly to forsake the workes of synne and the fleshe which who so euer do committe excepte they repent and amend by penance they shal not as saint Paul saith inherite the kingdome of god And that holy scripture goth to this pointe to persuade men to lyue well and to do good workes saint Paule testifieth saienge vnto Timothe All scripture writen by the inspiration of god 〈…〉 is profitable to teache to reproue to correcte to instructe that the seruaunte of god may be perfecte and made apt vnto euery good worke And where as we speake of good workes it is to be vnderstand that we meane not only of outwarde corporall actes and dedes but also and rather of al inwarde spiritual workes motions and desires as the loue and feare of god ioye in god godly meditations and thoughtes pacience humilitie and such lyke And also it is to be vnderstande that by good workes we meane not the superstitiouse workes of mennes owne inuention whiche be not commanded of god nor approued by his worde in whiche kynde of workes many christen men and specially of them that were lately called religious as monkes friers nunnes and suche other haue in times past put theyr great truste and confidence Nor yet we meane not of suche moral actes as be done by the power of reason and naturall will of man without fayth in Christ which albeit of their owne kinde they be good and by the lawe and light of nature man
Mat. xxiiii Charitie is waxed colde and synne doth abound as Christ sayeth in the gospell that it shulde yet if christen men wyll auoyde the great indignation of god it shall be good for theym whan so euer they receyue this sacrament them selues or be presente where it is ministred or vsed as speciallye in the tyme of masse to behaue them selfe reuerently in pure deuotion and prayer and not to talke or walke vp and down or to offend their brethern by any euyl example of vnreuerence to the saide sacramente excepte they wyll declare theym selfe to haue smalle regarde to our sauioure CHRIST there bodyly present of whiche vnreuerence and contempt may ensue not onely spirituall punishemementes of god by withdrawyng his grace from suche vngodly persons i. Cor. xi but also bodily and opē scourge as saint Paul sheweth to the Corinthians That for the vnworthy entreatyng and vsynge of this sacramente many amonges them were weake sycke and dyed The sacrament of Matrimony AS touchynge the sacrament of matrimonye and the institution therof you shall vnderstande that almighty god at the fyrste creation of man consideryng of his infynite goodnesse and wysedome howe necessary it was to couple and conioyne man and woman togither in mariage as well for theyr mutuall aide and comfort and for the preseruation and continuance of mankynde in lawful succession as also that the same generation myghte after the falle of mā be exercised perpetually vnto the worldes end without synne and offence towardes god dyd conioine Adam and Eue together in mariage And thā instituted matrimony and consecrated and blessed it by his holy word as appereth in the boke of Genesis where is also described the vertue and effycacye of the same by these wordes folowyng Gene. ii Nowe this bone is of my bones and this flesshe is of my flesshe and therfore the man shall leaue hys father and mother and adhere and cleaue vnto his wyse and they shall be two in one flesshe and in one bodye By whiche wordes it is mente that by the vertue efficacy of matrimony rightfully and by the auctoritie of god contracted the man and woman which were before two bodyes be nowe vnyted and made one body duryng theyr lyues so that the husbande hath no power of his owne body to vse the same as hym lyst and with whom hym lyketh but it is hys wyues and with her onely he maye vse the acte of matrimonye Nor the wyfe hathe any power of her owne body to vse it as her lyst or with whom her liketh but her body is her husbandes body and with hym onely may she vse the acte of matrimony And therfore the sayde two persones so conioyned may not after be deuided for any affection to father or mother or for any earthely thynge in the worlde but eche muste adhere and cleaue to other for as muche as they be nowe two persones in one flesshe and in one body Secondely howe that almyghty god allowing and approuing the sayd institution of matrimony sanctified and blessed it with his holy worde immediately after Noes fludde sayeng vnto Noe and his chyldren in this wyse Rom. vl Increase and be ye multiplyed and replenyshe the earthe This institution of matrimonye thus allowed by god vnto Noe and his chyldren although it was a sufficient instructiō vnto them and all theyr posteritie howe to vse the same in al puritie and clennesse to goddis pleasure and his contentation Yet god consideryng the naturall inclination of man to malyce and synne dyd afterwarde further explycate and establysshe the same by his other lawes wrytten wherby god prohibited that any matrimony shulde be made in the degrees folowyng that is to say No man shall marry with his mother hys graundame his great graundame and so vpward neither may he marry with the wyfe his father his graundfather or his greate graundefather and so vpwarde neyther any man may marry with the syster of his father or of his mother his graundefather or his graundmother and so vpwarde neyther may any man marry with the wyfe of hym that is brother to his father his mother his graundefather his graundmother and so vpwarde And lyke wyse euery woman is forbidden to marry any man within any degrees aboue rehersed It is also further forbydden that any man shall marry with hys syster whether she be his hole syster or his halfe syster begotten in mariage or out of mariage neither may he marry with his brothers wyfe nor with his wyues syster Whiche lawes of prohibition in maryage althoughe they were not by expresse wordes of God declared at the fyrste instytution of matrimonye ne also whan the same was allowed after Noes flud yet god dyd ingraue and imprinte the same lawes in the hart of man before they were wrytten by Moyses And forasmuch as the natural lyght and knowledge of man was not onely by originall synne obscured and blynded but also in the most parte of men by the increace of synne and malyce in longe continuaunce and proces of tyme almoste peryshed and extincte In so muche that they coulde not perceyue nor iudge what thynges were of theyr owne nature naught and detestable in the syght of god ne yet howe farre the naturall honestie and reuerence whiche we owe vnto suche persones as be nere of our kynne or alliance vnto vs was extended God therfore wyllyng manne to returne from darckenesse commaunded his prophete Moyses to promulgate to declare by his worde vnto the people of Israell the sayde lawes of prohibition of matrimony in certayne degrees of consanguinitie and affinitie as is before mentioned In the declaration of the whiche lawes of prohibition Moyses soo tempred his wordes that it maye euidently appere therby that not onely the Iewes but also all other the people of the worlde were as muche and as streyghtly bounden to the continual obseruation of the same lawes as they were to the other morall lawes of the ten commandementes Thyrdely / that the coniunction betwene man and woman in matrimony dothe not onely signifie and represent the perfyte and indissoluble coniunction and vnion of the nature of god with the nature of man which was fulfylled whan the second person in trinitie descendyng from his father dyd take vpon him the very forme and substance of our nature and so these two natures were vnited and knyt togither in one persone but also therby is sygnified and represented the societie and coniunction in perfite and indissoluble loue and charitie betwene Christ and his church that is to say the congregation of al christen people And this to be true saynt Paule him selfe affirmeth in the fyst chapyter of the epistle vnto the Ephesians In whiche place the apostle myndynge to proue and perswade that al women beyng marryed oughte to loue to reuerence to honour to obeye to be subiecte vnto theyr husbandes in all thinges euen as the church is subiect vnto Christe and lykewyse that all husbandes ought and be
bounde to loue theyr wyues euen as they loue theyr owne selfe and theyr owne bodies and euen as Christe loueth the churche his espouse He bringeth in the first institution of matrimonye as it was ordeyned by god in Paradise and alledgeth the wordes of god as they be before rehersed vpon whiche wordes the apostle inferreth and saythe This coniunction of man and woman togither in mariage wherby they are knytted vnited and made al one fleshe and one body Is the sacrament that is to saye a mystery and signification of that great and meruaylous coniunction whiche is betwene Christe and his churche For lyke as by vertue and efficacy of the fyrst institution of matrimony the husbande and the wyfe be made to be but one body wherof the husbaÌ„d is hed Euen so Christ doth knytte and vnite conglutinate and make his churche to be one body with hym wherof he is the very head By the whiche wordes of saint Paule it appereth not onely what is the vertue and efficacy of matrimony in the vnitinge and incorporatynge of two bodies in one but also that it dothe signifye this other coniuÌ„ction which is betwene Christ and his churche And that this coniunction betweene Christ and the churche is the very selfe thing whiche is signified and represented by the other coniunction of man and woman in mariage For thoughe saynt Paule vsed in this place other argumentes persuasions taken of the lawe of nature to enduce maried ê‘sons the one to loue the other saying that men naturally do loue and nourishe their owne bodies and their owne flesshe Yet he vseth this as a reason of great efficacye to persuade his purpose that is to say that all husbandes and wiues ought so to vse them selues the one to the other that their matrimony and all their workes and affections in the same myght and shuld corresponde and be coÌ„formable and like vnto that moste holy thyng whiche is signified and represented thereby that is to say vnto that spirituall coniunction whiche is betwene Christ and his espouse the churche And that therefore especially the man ought and is bound to loue his wife and the wyfe to loue and obeye her husbande in all thinges lest by doinge the contrary they shuld make their matrimony vnlike to the thing that is signified therby And thus was matrimony not onely instituted by god sanctified by his word and dignified by his lawes euen from the beginning of the world But also Christ him selfe did accept approue and allow the same in the newe testament aswel by his worde as also by his sundry workes and dedes testifienge the same In so moch that he being inuited to a certain mariage made in Cana a towne of Galile Ioan iâ— did vouchesafe not onely to come thyther there to honour the said mariage with his corporall presence and with the preseÌ„ce also of his blessed mother and his holy apostles but there he began also by tournyng of water in to wyne first to worke myracles to manyfeste his glory vnto the worlde Matt. xix And afterwarde in one other place whan the pharisees came vnto hym demanded whether a man might laufully be diuorced from his wife for euery cause Christ puttyng the said pharisees in remeÌ„brance of the first institution of matrimony sayd vnto them Haue you not red how that god whiche created all thynges in the beginning did also forme and create man and woman said these wordes Therfore the man shal leaue his father and mother and shal adhere and cleaue vnto his wyfe they shal be two in one fleshe one body Wherfore vnderstand you saith he that sith man woman conioyned in matrimony be by goddis ordinance but one fleshe and one body they shuld not afterward be separated or diuorced one from the other And vnderstande you also that it is not laufull for any man to separate and diuide those persons a sunder whiche by goddis worde and his wyl and power be conioyned togither And whan the pharisees replying thervnto sayde Why than dyd Moyses commande vs to make a lybell of diuorce and so to departe and separate our selues from our wyues Christe answered them and sayd Moises consydering the hardenes and obstynacy of your hartes dyd permyt and suffre you so to do Howe be it I say vnto you that it was not so at the beginnynge that is to say it is cleane contrary to the godly institution and naturall order of the lawes of matrimony as it was instituted by god at the beginning that any maÌ„ married shulde be diuorced from his lawfull wyfe and be set at libertie to marry And therfore I say again vnto you that who so euer doth forsake his laufull wyfe onles it be for adultery commytted by her and mary an other I say he commytteth adulterye in so doinge And lykewise what woman soo euer doth forsake her laufull husbande and marrieth an other she also committeth adultery and the man also that marrieth her offendeth in like maner These wordes of Christe euydently declare his sentence in the approbation of the instytution of matrimony made at the beginning of the worlde and that it is Christes wyll and commaundement that the people of god shulde folowe and conforme theyr doinges vnto the lawes of matrimonye than made shuld obserue the same in such purity santimony as it was fyrst ordeyned without separatioÌ„ or diuorce that vnder the peyne of damnation And here also is one thing specially to be noted that in these wordes of Christe That whiche god hath conioined man may not separate is declared the infinite benignitie and goodnes of god towardes vs in that he hathe not onely conioyned our fyrste progenitours Adam and Eue togyther in maryage wherby he gaue vnto vs the originall beginnynge of our procreation but that he dothe also euer syth that tyme continually assiste man and woman and worketh with them in this coÌ„iunction of mariage and is the very authour of all matrimonies which be laufully made betwene man and woman And therfore saint Paule saith Hebr. xiii Honorabile coniugium in omnibus thorus immaculatus that is to say Matrimony is honourable in all and the bedde vndefiled An other thyng also is to be noted that not only the act and procreation whiche els of it self were vnlawfull is by this sacrament made lawfull but also that the good bryngyng vp of chyldren borne in matrimony is so wel accepted of god that vnto it as vnto other good workes doone in faythe by grace is promysed life euerlasting accordynge to the wordes of saint Paule where he saith i. Tim. ii The woman was seduced and blynded by the serpent and soo synned dayly but she shal be saued by procreation and bringing forthe of children if the same doo perseuere and continue in faith and loue towardes god and in holynes and temperance in their actes and dedes And as this is spoken of the woman so it is also veryfied
lord conceyued great indignatioÌ„ against Hely the chiefe prieste i Reg ii bycause he dyd not duely correcte his two sonnes Ophni and Phinees i Reg. â—iii whan he knewe that they dyd greuously offende god and how in reuenging of theyr fathers negligence and remissenes in correcting of his children almighty god toke from Hely and all his issue and householde for euer the office of the high priesthode how his two sonnes Ophni and Phinees were slayne bothe vppon a day and Hely theyr father brake his necke This example of Hely is necessary for fathers to imprynt in theyr hartes that they may se theyr children well taught and corrected lest they runne into the great indignation of almighty god as Hely dyd and not onely in this world haue confusion but also in the worlde to come haue damnation for the mysorder of theyr children throughe their defaute and they muste not thynke that it is inough to speake somewhat to them whan they do amisse for so dyd Hely to his sonnes and yet our lord was not pleased bicause he dyd not moche more sharply correcte them and se them refourmed but whan wordes wyll not serue the fathers and mothers must put to sharper correction and by such discipline saue theyr soules orels they shall aunswere to god for them And truly they greatly deserue the indignatioÌ„ of god that whan they haue receyued of hym chyldren do not bringe them vp to his seruice but without regarde what coÌ„meth of them suffer them to runne into the seruice of the deuyl Wherfore al fathers ought diligently to consider and remembre how moche and how greuously they offende god and of how many euils they be the cause which either bring vp their children in wantonnes and idelnes and do not put them forthe be tyme to some facultie exercise or labour wherby they may after gette theyr lyuyng or occupie theyr lyfe to the profite and commoditie of the common weale or elles do suffer their chyldren in youth to be corruptid for lacke of good teaching and good bringing vp in the true knowlege of god and of his wyl and commandementes or committe in word or dede such thinges in the presence of their children wherof the yonge tendre hartes of the said children whiche like a smal twygge be inclinable euery way and by fraylenes of youth be inclyned to euyl do take so euyl example and corruption of vices and worldely affections that harde it wyll be for them after to eschue the same This coÌ„mandement also conteineth the honour and obedience which subiectes owe vnto their princes And also the offyce of prynces towardes theyr subiectes For scripture taketh prynces to be as it were fathers 〈◊〉 xlix nurses to their subiectes And by scripture it appereth that it apperteyneth vnto the office of princes to se that the righte religion true doctrine of Christ be mainteined and taught that their subiectes be wel ruled gouerned by good iust lawes to prouide and care that the people common weale maye encreace and to defende them frome oppression and inuasion as well within the realme as without their subiectes aiding them thervnto to se that iustice be ministred vnto them indifferently to here by themselues or by their mynisters beningly al their complaintes and to shew toward them although they offende fatherly pitie And finally so to correct them that be euil that they had yet rather saue them than lose them yf it were not for respect of iustice maintenance of peace and good ordre in the coÌ„mon weale And therfore al theyr subiectes must again on their partes and be bouÌ„de by this coÌ„mandement not onely to honour obey their said princes accordyng as subiectes be bound to do to owe theyr truth fidelitie vnto them as vnto their naturall lordes but they must also loue them as childreÌ„ do loue their fathers yea they must more tendre the suretie of their princes person and his estate than their owne or any others Euen like as the health of the head is more to be tendred thaÌ„ the health of any other membre And by this commandement also subiectes be bound not to withdrawe their said fealtie trouth loue and obedience towardes their prince for any cause what so euer it be ne for any cause they maye conspire against his person ne do any thing towardes the hinderance or hurt therof nor of his estate And furthermore by this commandement they be bounde to obey also all the lawes proclamations preceptes and coÌ„mandementes made by their princes and gouernours except they be against the commandementes of god And lykewyse they be bounde to obey all suche as be in authoritie vnder their prince as farre as he wyll haue them obeyed They must also gyue vnto their prince aide helpe and assistaunce whan so euer he shall requyre the same either for suretie preseruation or maintenaÌ„ce of his person and estate or of the realme or of the defence of any of the same against all persons And whaÌ„ so euer subiectes be called by their prince vnto pryuy counsayle or vnto the parliament where is the generall counsayle of this realme than they be bounde to giue vnto theyr prynce as theyr learnynge wysedome or experyence can serue them the moste faythefull counsayle they can and suche as may be to the honour of god to the honour and suertie of his regall person and state and to the generall wealthe of this hole realme And further if any subiecte shall knowe of any thynge whiche is or may be to the noyaunce or damage of his princis person or estate he is bounde by this commandement to disclose the same with al spede to the prynce him selfe or to some of his couÌ„sayle For it is the very lawe of nature that euery membre shal imploy him selfe to preserue defende the heade And surely wisedome and polycie wyll the same for of conspiracy and treason commeth no goodnesse but infinite hurte damage and perill to the common weale And that all subiectes do owe vnto theyr princes and gouernours suche honour and obedience as is aforesayde it appereth euidently in sundry places of scripture but specially in the epistles of saint Paul Rom. xiii and saint Peter For saint Paul saythe in this maner Euery man must be obedient vnto the hyghe powers for the powers be of god And therfore who so euer resisteth the powers resysteth the ordynaunce of god And they that resyst the ordynaunce of god shall get to them selues damnation For rulers are not feareful to them that be good but to them that do euil Wilt not thou feare the power Do well and thou shalte haue prayse of the same for he is the minister of god for thy welth But yf thou do euyll then feare for he beareth not the sworde without cause For he is the minister of god to punishe the euyll doer therfore you muste obey not onely for the feare of punysshement but also
exclude god out of their hartes and gyue themselues vnto their owne carnal lustes as it were an hors or a mule whiche haue no reason apon suche persons the deuyll hath power Also all christen people ought highly to regard the obseruation of this cōmandement consideryng howe moch god is displeased and what vengeance he hath alwaies taken and euer wyll take for the transgression of the same For confirmation wherof you shall vnderstande that god in the tyme of Moyses lawe cōmanded that who so euer committed adultery shulde be stoned to death And that almightye god after the childerne of Israel had committed adultery with the women of Moab and Madian cōmanded fyrste that the heades and rulers of the people shulde be hanged for that they suffred the people so to offende god And afterwarde commaunded also euery man to slea his neyghbour that had so offended In so moche that there was slayn of that people the numbre of .xxiiii. M. and many mo shulde haue ben slaine had not Phinees the sonne of Eleazar the high prieste turned the indignation of god frome the chyldren of Israell For this Phinees whan he sawe Zamry chief of the tribe of Simeon in the presence of Moises and al the people go vnto Cosoy a noble mans daughter of the Madianites to committe fornication with her he rose from among al the multitude and takyng a sworde in his hande went into the house where they were thrust them both through the bealyes Whose feruent mind and zeale god dyd so moche allowe that he dydde therfore bothe ceasse frome the farther punisshement of the Israelytes and also graunted to Phinees and his successours for euer the dignitie of the high priesthode Also the tribe and stocke of Beniamin was soo punisshed for the maintenaunce of certaine persons of the citie of Gaba whiche had contrarye to this commandment shamefully abused a certain mans wyfe that of .xxv. M. .vii. C. men of armes there remayned on lyue but .vi. C. Gen. xix Moreouer almighty god for the transgression of this commandement caused brymstone and fire to rayne downe from heauen vpon al the countrey of Sodome and Gomor and so destroyed the hole region both men women and beastes and all that grewe vpon the earthe reseruynge onely Loth and his two doughters These terrible examples and many other lyke almighty god dyd shewe in times past to the entent we shulde haue them in our continuall remēbrance and shulde euer stande in awe and feare so to offend god For though he dothe not presently punyshe vs here in this worlde as he dyd the persons afore rehersed yet his longe pacience and forbearynge is no allowance or forgyuenes of our offences if we continue styll in them but a sore accumulation and heapinge togither of goddis wrathe and indignation against the daye of iudgement At whiche time in stede of this temporall payne we shall receyue euerlastinge paine Rom. ii being as saint paule sayeh excluded from the euerlastinge kingdome of heauen And as Christe saith in he gospel and saynt Iohn in the apocalypse we shall be caste into the burnynge lake of hell Mat. xxv Luc. xiii where is fyre brymstone wepynge waylyng and gnasshyng of tethe without ende Furthermore in this commandement not only the vyces before rehersed be forbidden and prohibited but also the vertues contrary to them be requyred and commanded That is to say fidelitie and true kepyng of wedlocke in them that be married continence in them that be vnmaried And generally in all persons shamefastnes and chastenes not only of dedes but of wordes and maners coūtenance and thought And moreouer fastynge temperance watchynge labour and all laufull thinges that conduce and helpe to chastitie And therfore against this cōmandement offend all they whiche take any syngle woman or other mās wyfe or that in their hartes do couet or desyre vnlaufully to haue them For as Christ saith Mat. xxv who so euer beholdeth a woman couetynge her vnlaufully hath alredy committed adultery with her in his hart They also offende this commaundement Leui. xviii .xx. that take in mariage or out of mariage anye of theyr owne kynrede or affinitie within the degrees for bydden by the lawe of god They also offend this commandement whiche abuse them selues or any other persons against nature or abuse their wyues in the tyme of their menstruall purgation They also that do nourishe styre vp and prouoke them selues or any other to carnal lustes and plesures of the body by vnclenly and wanton wordes tales songes syghtes touchinges gay and wanton apparell and lasciuious deckynge of them selues or anye suche wanton behauiour and inticement And also all those whyche procure any suche acte or that minister house licence or place thervnto And all counsaylers helpers and consentours to the same do greuousely offende and transgresse this commaundement Likewise al they that auoide not the causes hereof so moche as they cōueniently maye as surfettynge slouth idlenes immoderate sleepe and company of suche both men and women as be vnchaste and euyll disposed be giltye of the transgression of this commandement The exposition of the eyght commandement of god ¶ Thou shalt not steale VNder the name of thefte or stealynge in this commandement is vnderstande all maner of vnlawfull takyng away occupiyng or kepyng of an other mans goodes whether it be by force extortion oppression brybery vsury simony vnlaufull cheuisance or shiftes or els by false bying and selling either by false weightes or by false measures or by sellyng of a thyng counterfayt for a true as gylte copper for true golde or glasse for precious stones and generally all maner of fraude and deceyte And like as the vices before rehersed be forbidden by this precepte Euen so sundry vertues contrary to the said vices be cōmanded by the same as to deale truely and plainly with our neighbours in all thinges to gette oure owne goodes trewly to spende them liberally vpon them that haue nede to feede the hungery to giue drynke to the thristy to clothe the naked to harborowe the harbourlesse to comforte the sycke to visite the prisoners And fynally to helpe our neighbours with our learnyng good counsayle and exhortation and by all other good meane that we can Against this commandement offende al they which by craft or violence vpon sea or lande spoile robbe or take away any other mans seruāt or child lande or inheritance horse shepe or cattell fysshe foule conies or deere money iewels apparaile or any other thyng which is not their owne Likewise offende all they against this cōmandement whyche haue goodes gyuen to an vse and put them not to the same vse but kepe them to their owne aduantage as maisters of hospitals and fals executours which conuert the goodes giuen to the sustentation of the pore folkes to other good and charitable vses vnto their own profit And also all they which receiue rent or stipend for any office