neuer so great beyng in a man cor rupted with sinne is to feble and to weake to purge hym of sinne For purgation clensing of sinne commeth by some other meanes besides that knowledge of the truth aud therfore S. Paule in the fyrste chapiter of his epystle to the Romaines most plainly 〈◊〉 meth that in the time of that law of nature men knew inough of God but yet not withstanding theyr kno ledge they fell into abhominable idolatry The wordes of S. Paule in that place are these So much as may be knowen of god is manifest in thē that is to saye in those whyche liued vnder the law of nature from Adam vnto Moyses For his inui sible thynges euen his eternal power godhed were sene of thē being vnderstanded by the works of the 〈◊〉 of the world so that they are without excuse bicause that when they knew God they gloryfyed hym not as god nether were thankeful but becam ful of vanitie in their imaginacions And as that lyght whiche men had by the lawes of nature was not of force to kepe them from synne so nether the lawe of Moyses beyng opened from god hym selfe by special reuelatiō could suffice to ryde mā from sinne as S. Paule in the second chapiter of hys foresayde epistle testifieth saying Behold thou art a Jew and thou doest rest in the law and doest glory in god and doest know hys wyl and plea sure being instructed in the lawe thou doest allowe that is best and doest truste that thou art a guyde of the blinde a light to thē which art in darkenes an instructour of the foly she a mayster of the ignorante and that thou knowest by the lawe the fourine of sciens truth but yet thou that teachest other teachest not thy selfe thou the prechest against aduoutri art an aduoutrer thy self thou that dooest defye Idoles commyttest 〈◊〉 thy selfe thou that doest glorye in the lawe through transgressing of the lawe doest dyshonor God for the name of God throughe you is blasphemed amongest the gentyles Thus it is 〈◊〉 by the doctryne of Saynte Paule that nother by the common lawe of nature nether by the special knowledge of the law of Moises man was able to auoyde eternal dāpnation but that he neded besides such kōwledge of some other helpe that is of amendes to be made for hys sinnes and thereby to be reduced into the fauour of god againe and to haue aboundaunce of grace 〈◊〉 vnto hym by whych grace he should both in hys know ledge be that better established be able also according to knowledge of the truth to walke in the truth For thys amendes to be made the second person in trinitie being god immortal became mortal mā was made in all partes lyke vnto one of vs sinne only ex cepted 〈◊〉 he did vnite vnto his godhead the body and soule of man in vnitie of person in such a merue lous sort that as in vs the body being of 〈◊〉 nature and the soule being of an other nature doo make yet but one person so in hym the nature of God and the whole perfect nature of man doo make but one person Of this 〈◊〉 vnion of that godhed manhed in Christ S. Iohn speaketh in the fyrst cha piter of his gospell saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 factum est ethabitauit in nobis the worde that is the sonne of God was made fleshe that is man dwelt amōgest vs. he dwelt here on the earth as scripture declareth aboue xxxiii yeares and when he had fulfylled al thynges accordyng to the sayinges of the holye prophetes whyche were to be fulfylled of hym before hys passion then he suffred death willingly yea the death of the crosse by suche payne wrongefully procured of the deuil agayne him to raunsome man kynde oute of captiuitie whiche it sustayned vnder the deuyll moost iustly and that thys ran̄some shold be perfyt he suffred sondry sortes of mooste spytefui wronges and intollerable paynes tormentes in his most pure and innocent body as buffeting bindinge scourgyng plattynge on his head a crowne of thorne hanginge on the crosse pearcynge of his handes and fete with nayles openynge of hys syde with a speare and shedynge of his mooste precyous bloude whiche passion of his as it is a moost parfyt myrrour and glasse for vs there in to beholde the excedyng great loue of god towarde vs whiche spared not hys onelye sonne but for vs all gaue hym to dye so it is a sufficient occasion to brynge al men in extreme hatred of the deuyll and synne from daunger of whome mankynde coulde not be rydde but onely by so playnefull a death of the sonne of God What can we loke for at gods handes yf we synne from hence forth but wrath and vengeaunce seyng he hath once delyuered vs from synne by so merciful a meanes All that our sauyoure Christe suffered he wyllingely suffered for our synnes hym selfe hauing neuer deserued anye whyt of payne as who neuer synned And yet hys passion though it be in it selfe a sufficiente raunsome for the synnes of the whole worlde yet it taketh not place in all men not for insufficiencie in it selfe but for defaulte in them that shoulde condignely receaue the merites therof For this you must know that God requyreth in vs certayne thinges to be accomplished by our owne wiland consent without the which we can not ve saued no more than yf Christ had neuer dyed for vs. What thinges these are shal be hereafter declared vnto you In the meane season lyft vp your hartes and open them awyde to receaue in vnto them a great loue towardes God who so nobylye created vs and when we through our owne default were fallen into the estate of endles miseri and wretchednes so mercyfully redemed vs by the passion and death of his onelye sonne our sauiour Christ. Remēber that synne and nought els brought vs first out of Gods fauour and that to take awaye synne the sonne of God was incarnate and suffered mooste paynefull death on the crosse and therefore hereafter flee you all kynde of synne and fight incellātly agaynst your ghostly enemye the deuyl who being vāquished by Christ is not able now to ouerthrow vs if we in the right faith of Christ valiantly with stand hym which to do graunte vnto vs the blessed 〈◊〉 the father the sonne and the holy ghost to whome be all honoure and glory world without ende Amen Io. Harpesfelde theologiae professor Arch. London ¶ An Homely declaring how the redempti on in Chryste is apliable to vs ALthough the death passion of our sauiour christ be in va lu a sufficient raunsome for the sinnes 〈◊〉 the whole world yet i effect it taketh not place in the whole world For neither Turke Jew nor infidel wāting beleif in Christe can take good by the death and passion of christ the scripture most manifestly affyrming in the. xvi chapiter of s. Marke that Whosoeuer dothnot beleue shal be dāpned Agayne
in the whole body and canon of the sayde bible are so necessary to be beleued for mans saluation that whosoeuer wyll not constantlye beleue those thynges or wyll obstynately beleue the contrarye of them cannot in that state remaynyng be the true and verye members of Chryste and his espouse the Churche but eyther are very infideles or heretikes and members of the Deuyll with whome yf they repent not they shal be per petually dampned Thyrdely that al Christen people ought must not onely beleue mayntayne and defende al the sayde thynges as moste certayne and infallible truthes of Gods worde neuer by any contrary opinion or aucthoritie to be altred or conuelled but also must take and interprete all the same thynges accordyng to the same sence vnderstandyng and meaning which the Holy ghost hath geuen thereto and whyche also the approued Doctours of the Catholike Churche haue receaued and agreably defended Fourthlye that all true Chrysten people muste vtterlye refuse and condempne all those opynyons whych were of long tyme past condempned in the iiii holye Counsayles That is to saye in the Counsell of Nyce Constātynople Ephese and Calcedonense Fyftly and fynallye That althoughe all thynges as they are nowe pertyculerlye vsed in the catholyque Churche here in Earth are not so distinctly particulerly and expreslye in all wordes fashions cyrcumstaunces and poyntes set forth taught and expressed in Scrypture yet the pithe the substaunce the matter the foundation grounde with the effecte thereof in general wordes are not onely comprehended and conteyned in Scrypture but also by expresse wordes confyrmed by other sufficient aucthoritie And seynge the Catholyke Churche hath soo receyued beleued allowed and approued the sayde thynges time out of mynde therfore it shal be a very great presumption and an vncomely parte anye man to controll or contempne any such thinges so receyued beleued allowed and approued by the sayd catholique church and in so doyng the same is in dede not worthy to be taken or reputed for a faythfull membre or obediente chyld of the sayd Church but for an arrogant noughty and very wycked person ¶ Here foloweth the exposition or declaration of the fyrst article of the Crede which is I beleue in God the Father almightye maker of heauen and earth FOr the better and more playne vnderstandyng of this article ye muste knowe that this worde Beleue taken by it selfe generallye and symplye spoken is to haue fayth after the fyrste acception or takyng of fayth as it hath bene before already decla red and shewed vnto you but these wordes I beleue in haue a farther and more particuler vnderstandyng it is to wyt to haue fayth after the second acception maner or takyng of fayth And therefore when we are cōmaunded to beleue in God we must not onely assent graunte and take for true thys one thynge that God is which in dede the very deuiles them selues do acknowledge and confesse or this second that all the wordes and sayinges of God reueled in Scrypture are of moste certayne trouthe and vnfallible veritie or this third that al thinges whyche were taught by the Apostles and whyche haue bene by a whole vniuersall consent of the Catholyke Churche 〈◊〉 taught and taken alwayes for true ought to be receaued and kept as a perfect doctrine Apostolyke But also we must haue a sure confidence and hope to attayne whatsoeuer God hath promysed for Christes sake and we muste also haue an hartye loue to God with obedyence to hys commaundementes then we do not onely 〈◊〉 God but also we do beleue in God This manner of 〈◊〉 that is to saye I beleue in we ought to haue on 〈◊〉 in God and not in any other creature of God els be it neuerso excellent And therfore in this crede the said maner of speakyng I beleue in is vsed only in ye. iii. articles which concerne the thre persons in trinitie that is the Father the Sonne and the holy ghoste for we do and ought to say I beleue in God the Father I beleue in God the Sonne and I beleue in God the holi gost we do not so saye in any thyng els as more at large shal be said whan it shal be spoken of the Catholyke Churche We muste further note that as by thys artycle we are bounden to beleue stedfastlye that both God is and that he is true in al his wordes and promises and as we are bounden to beleue lyke wise that god is omnypotent and creator of heuen and earth and that we must with this our beleif loue god cleaue onely to hym with al our harte and power continuynge and dwellyng styl with him in loue and obey inge vnto hys will aswell in al our inward thoughtes and affectiōs as also in our outward actes and dedes so must we abhorre and forsake all vice and noughtynes and not wysshe or desyre of God anye euyll or vngodly thyng And ouer this we must con stantly betake and commit our selues and all ours wholy vnto God and fixe all oure hole hope truste and confidence in God and we must quiet oure selues in him beleuyng perfitly and assuredly that he 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 shew no lesse goodnes loue mercy grace and fauoure vnto vs then he promysed by hys word to do wyth vs vsynge oure selues as afore is sayde 〈◊〉 we muste note touchynge thys article that God is a spirytuall and an inuisible substaunce or nature of infinite power eternall withoute begynnyng or endyng and of incomprehensible knowledge wysedome goodnes iustice and mercye We must also note for farther declaraiton of thys article that albeit ther be but one very true God beside or without whiche there is no other God yet there are in the Godhede three distincte persones the Father the Sonne and the Holy gooste and thoughe they are thre persons yet they ar not thre goddes but all oue God one nature one substaunce all one euerlastynge essence or beynge and all lyke and equall in might power wysedom knowledge ryghtuousnes and in al other thynges els belonginge to the deitie And moreouer we must knowe beleue that God the Father is the fyrst person in thys Trynitie godheadde yea and the Father of hys onelye begotten Sonne whych is the second person in Trinytie and that he the sayd Father dyd beget of hys owne substaunce the sayde seconde person by eternall generation that is to saye by generation that neuer had be gynnynge And where this article conteyneth farther that God the father is almyghty it is to be noted that thys worde almyghtye is as much to saye as that God the fathere maye do all thynges that he wyll in heauen and in earth and that nothyng to him is impossible and that his godly power and myght doth excell infinitelye and incomparablye all powers in Heauen earth and hell Soo that all other powers whyche be in Heauen earthe or hell be nothynge as of them selues but haue all theyr myghte force and strength of hym
accomplyshe in that he most myghtely conquered ouercame and vtterly oppressed his enemyes hath spoyled them of the 〈◊〉 session of mankyud which they wan before by fraud deceyt lying and blasphemyng And he hath brought vs now into his possession and dominatiō to reigne ouer vs in mercy like a most louyng 〈◊〉 and gouernour and therefore in this Article we call hym also Our Lorde Fynallye there is to be considered in this matter that althoughe this worde DOMINVS dyuerse tymes is translated into oure Englyshe Tounge The Lorde which the place and circumstaūce of Scripture manye tymes so requyreth and maye well beare yet amongest vs Christen men in our cō men speach when we speake of Chryste and do call hym Lorde it is mooste mete and conueniente that we call hym Our Lorde to 〈◊〉 and admonyshe vs that we be his peculier people redemed by hym and delyuered from the dominion and the captiuitie of the deuyll and be made his owne proper obedient seruauntes After whiche forte the Heithen people because of their infidelytie be nether his sernauntes nor partakers of his benefites and therefore cannot saye and call him as Chrysten men doe Our Lorde And the thing thus being so great pythe effecte and comforte consystynge in this word Our what an iniury do these newe fangled wyttes who for a singularitie or for a glorious badge of a protestaunt do in all their talke speaking of Christ our Lorde vse this peculier fashion of speakyng the Lorde the Lorde the Lorde ¶ The exposition or declaration of the third Artycle of the Crede whych is Which was conceaued by the holy Ghost borne of the Uyrgyn Marye IN this article two thynges are specially to be cōsidered the first is that Chryste was conceaued by the holye Ghoste And the seconde is that Chryste was borne of the Uyrgyn Marye And concernyng the fyrste ye shal learne that when we say that christ was conceyued by the holy Ghost we geue not ther in suche grosse and 〈◊〉 vnreuerente vnderstandyng as though the holy Ghoste dyd therein worke as man do the with woman in carnall generatyon which God forbyd we shoulde conceyue or thynke for his holye worke of the incarnation of Chryste was not wroughte by the sede of man but by the ver tue and power of the holye goste in the sayde mooste blessed virgyn without any motion of any concupiscence or spot of synne and was accomplyshed wyth oute any violation or detriment of the virginitye of that blessed vyrgyn S Marye who both in the conception and also in the byrth natiuitie of her chyld our sauiour Iesus Chryste yea and euer after dyd retayne styll her pure and immaculate virginitie as clere and without blotte as she was at the tyme that she was fyrst borne But when we do say that chryst was conceaued by the holy Ghost we doo consyder therin as Scripture doth That Mense sexto meaning of that sixt moneth that S. Elizabeth S. Ihon Baptistes mother had gone with chyld with S. Iohn missus est Angelus Gabriel a deo in ciuitatem Galilee cui nomē Nazareth ad uirginem desponsatam uiro cui nomen erat Ioseph de domo Dauid nomen uirginis Maria et ingressus Angelus ad eam dixit Aue gratia plena dominus tecum Benedicta tu in mulieribus Que cum audisset turbata est in sermone eius et cogitabat qualis esset ista salutatio et ait Angelus ei Ne timeas Maria inuenisti enim gratiam apud deum ecce concipies in utero et paries filium uocabis nomen eius IESVM hic erit magnus filius altissimi uocabitur dabit illi dominus deus sedē Dauid patrisleius et regnabit in domo Iacob ineternū regni eius non erit finis Dixit autē maria ad angelum Quomodo fiet istud quoniam uirum non cognosco respondens Angelus dixit ei Spiritus sanctus superueniet in te uirtus altissimi obumbrabit tibi Ideoque quod nascetur ex te sanctum uocabitur filius dei Lucae primo That is to saye In the syxt moneth the Aungell Gabriell is sent from God into the citie of Galilee to whom the name was Nazareth to a Uyrgin despoused vnto a man whose name was Ioseph of the house of Dauid and the name of the virgin was Marye and the Aungell entringe in sayd to her All hayle full of grace the Lorde is with thee blessed art thou among women Which wor des when she had harde she was troubled in his sayinge and thoughte what maner salutation thys was And the Aungell said vnto her Feare not Mary for thou hast founde grace with God Beholde thou shalte conceaue in thy Wombe and thou shalte brynge forth a Sonne and thou shalte call the name of him Iesus he shal be greate and shal be called the Sonne of the hyghest and the Lorde God shall geue to him the seate of Dauid his Father and he shall reigne in the house of Iacob for euer and no ende shal be of his Kyngdome And Marye sayde vnto the Aungell Howe shall this be for I knowe not a man And the aungell aunswerynge sayde to her The holye Ghost shall come from aboue into the and the power of the most hyghe shall ouershadowe the and therefore euen that holy one which shal be borne of the shal be called the Sonne of God Luke the fyrst Accordyng whervnto the Aungel of our Lord as S. Mathew testyfyeth in hys Gospell Math 1 saith Cum esset despōsata mater IESV Maria Ioseph ante quam conuenirent inuenta est in utero habens de spiritu sancto That is to say When Marye the mother of Iesus was despoused to Ioseph and before they came to dwell together she was founde hauyng in her wombe of the holy Goost And immediatelye it foloweth in the same place Ioseph autem uir eius cum esset iustus nollet eam traducere uoluit occulte dimittere eam Haec autem eo cogitante Ecce Angelus Domini apparuit in somnes Ioseph dicens Ioseph fili Dauid noli timere accipere Mariam coniugem tuam quod enim in ea natum est de spiritu sancto est That is to saye And Ioseph the husbande of her when he was a iust man and would not sclaunder her he purposed secretlye to leaue her And he thus thinking Beholde the aungell of the Lorde appeared to Joseph in a vision or dreame saying O Joseph the Sonne of Dauid feare thou not to take Marye thy wyfe for that which is borne in her is of the holy Goost So that the second person in Trinitie whych is the Sonne of God by eternall generatiō dyd in the wombe of the blessed vyrgyn Mary by the vertue and workyng of the holy Ghoost take vpon hym of her verye fleshe the nature and substaunce of man and beyng conceyued by the holy Ghoste was borne of her body and dyd vnite and conioyne together the
same nature of man so taking of the substaūce of the sayd most blessed virgin with hys Godheade in one person with suche an indissoluble and inseperable knotte and bonde that he beynge one person Jesus Chryste was is and euer shal be in the same person very perfecte God and very perfect man Nowe concernynge the seconde thynge whyche is consydered in this Article that is to saye that Christ was borne of the virgin Mary Albeit in a great parte it is proued already by such thynges as before haue ben rehearsed yet for the more full declaration and exposition thereof hauynge spoken of Christes cōception by the holy gost ye shal now here how he was borne of the virgin Marye For knowledge whereof ye shall vnderstande that when the tyme was come in the whiche it was before ordeyned and appoynted by the decree of the whole Trynitie that mankynde shoulde be redemed and saued then the Sonne of God the seconde person in trynytie beynge verye God did discende from Heauen into this worlde to take vpon hym the verye nature habite and fourme of man whiche he dyd of the verye fleshe and substaunce of the blessed Uyrgyn Marye and in the same nature dyd also suffer hys gloryous passion for the redemption saluation of mankynd For after the fall of Adam and before the commynge of Chryste man beynge soo blynded and drowned in sinne that the true knowledge of God was euerywhere in the world forgotten and his lawes broken not onelye by the Gentyles in all other natyons but also by the Jewes the chosen people of God to whō God by hys seruaunt Moyses had geuen hys lawes whereby they myght knowe howe to auoyde synne and howe to please hym almyghtye God hauynge from tyme to tyme sente vnto his people hys aduertisementes and admonitions by his prophetes inspyred with his holy spyryte both to admonyshe men of theyr sinnes and also to teach them how they should truely vnderstande and obserue the sayd lawes geuen by hys seruaunt Moyses dyd fynally after those lawes aduertysementes and admonitions lytle regarded of the sayde people send of his infynyte goodnes and inestimable mercy and loue borne to mankynde his onely begotten Sonne into thys worlde by whome in the beginning he had created the world and all creatures in it to take vpon hym mans nature and to redeme man who by disobedience had cast hym selfe into perdition And for testimony here of there are amonge other prophecies in Scripture expressed the prophecy of 〈◊〉 the. vii And the prophecye of Ezechtel the. xliiij Chapyter And ther are the testimonies of the Gospell amongeste other Math. i. and. ii and Luk. i. and. ii and so forth by the whych appeareth clearely that this thirde article of the crede is fully true and approued by Scrypture And yf any man here for curiositie wold demaūd why Chryste entendynge to be borne of a Uyrgyn woulde haue her yet despoused and betrouthed he maye herein satisfye hym selfe readyng the commen taryes of S. Hierome vpon the fyrst chapter of S. Mathew wher he sayth thus Quare non de simplici uirgine sed de desponsata concipitur Primum ut per generationem oseph origo Marie monstraretur Secundo ne lapidaretur a Iudeis ut adultera Tertio ut in Aegiptum fugiens haberet solatium Martir Ignatius etlam quartam addidit causam cur a desponsata cōceptus sit Vt partus inquiens eius ce laretur Diabola dum eum put at non de uirgine sed de uxore generatum That is to saye Wherefore is he meaning Christ conceaued of a vyrgyn betrouthed or despou sed and not of a virgyn vnbetrouthed The fyrst reason is that by the generatiō or genealogi of Joseph the original of Mary might be shewed Secondly that she shoulde not be stoned by the Jewes as an aduouterous person Thyrdely that fleinge into Egypte she myght haue helpe or comforte And the mar tir Ignatius hath added also a fourth cause why Chryst was conceyued of a person despoused to thintente saieth he that Christes byrth myght be hyd from the deuyll whiles he thinketh Chryst to be gotten not of a v yr gyn but of a maryed wyfe Thus sayth Saynt Jerome in the place before rehearsed And S. Augu styne very handsomely and in fewe wordes in a cer tayne sermon made vpon Wytsonday concernynge the expositiō of the Crede saieth as foloweth Natus est ex uirgine ut nos nasceremur execclesiae uirginis utero That is to saye Chryste is borne of a Uyrgin that we myght be borne of the wombe of the church beyng a vyrgyn ¶ The exposition or declaration of the forthe article of the Crede which is Suffered vnder Ponce Pilate was crucyfied deade buried and descended into hell IN this forth article vi thynges are to be consydered Fyrst that Chryst our Sauioure Suffred Second that he Suffred vnder Ponce Pilace Thyrd that he Was crucifyed Fourthe that he Dyed Fyfte that he was Buryed Syxte that he Descended into hell Concernynge the fyrste we must vnderstand that Chryst very God and very man after he was cōceyued and borne of his bles sed Mother dydde contynue heare in this world vntyl he came vnto the xxxiii yeare of his age and that in all this tyme of hys lyfe he suffered and endured for our sakes our welth and also for our examples much bodely affliction much labour much trauayle much hunger thrist and pouertie much iniurye and ignominie and many such other miseries and infyrmities as all mortall men are subiecte vnto synne ignoraunce onely excepted and so passed ouer all the whole course of his lyfe euen from his natiuitie vntil hys death in such perfecte obedience vnto the lawes of god and man accordyng to the wyll of hys father and in such perfecte innocency of liuing that no fault offence or transgression coulde iustly and truly be lai ed agaynst hym And yet the blynde ignoraunte and obstynate Jewes full of enuye and malyce as the verye members of the Deuyll by whome they were prouoked and induced therevnto laboured continuallye by al meane and crafte they coulde to destroye hym and at length conspyrynge together they toke hym serchynge and procuryng false witnes to accuse hym and after they had bette hym and spytte in hys face and vsed all the vylanye they could agaynst him they bounde hym and brought hym to iudgement of all whych thynges ye shall fynde testymony in scrypture redyng S. Mathew S. Marke S Luke S. Jhon in thys behalfe And thus muche for the fyrste poynte For the seconde poynte ye shall vnderstande that our Sauyour Chryst hauyng suffered dyuerse waies as before is declared yet concernynge that notable speciall sufferyng vnderstand and 〈◊〉 here in this article which was his passion he suffred that vnder one Pylate whose surname was Pontius and at that tyme was chefe iudge in Jherusalem and presydent or gouernoure of Jurye vnder Tiberyus Themperoure and gaue iudgemente vpon Chryste beynge moost
to offend god for though be doth not presently punysh vs heare in this as he dyd the persones afore 〈◊〉 Yet his longe pacyence and forbearynge is no allowaunce or forgeuenes of our offenses yf we continue styll in them but a soore accumulation and heapynge together of Goddes wrath and indignation agaynst the day 〈◊〉 Iudgement At whych tyme in stede of thys temporall payne we shall receyue euerlastynge payne and be as sayncte Paule 〈◊〉 sayeth Excluded frō the euerlastynge kyngdome of heauen And as Chryste sayth in hys Gospell Math ii Luke xxii and Saint Ihon in the Apocalypse We shal be caste into the burninge lake of hell where is fire brimstone weping wailinge and 〈◊〉 of tethe without ende Furthermore in thys commanudement not onelye the vyces before rehearsed be forbydden and prohybyted but also the vertues contrarye to theym be requyred and commaunded that is to saye Fedelytpe and true kepyng of wedlocke in them that be maryed continence in theym that be vnmaryed and generall ye in all persones shamefastnes and chastenes not onelye of dedes but of wordes and maners coūtenaunce and thought And moreouer fastynge temperaunce watchynge laboure and all lawefull thynges that conduce and helpe to chastytye And therefore agaynst thys commaundemente they all doo offende who doo take anye syngle woman or other manes wyfe or that in theyr heartes doo couet or desyre vnlawefullye to haue them For as Chryste sayth Math the fyste Whosoeuer beholdeth a womā coueting her vnlawfully hath already committed adultery with her in his harte They also doo offende agaynst thys commaundemēt that take in maryage or oute of mariage any of their owne kynred or affinite within the degrees forbydden by the lawe of God They also doo offende agaynste thys commaundemente who doo abuse them selues or anye other persones agaynst nature or abuse theyr wyues in the time of theyr menstruall purgation They also that doo nouryshe stirre vp and prouoke themselues or any other to carnall lustes and pleasures songes sightes touchynges gaye and wanton apparell and lasciuious deckynge of themselues or anye suche wanton behauiour and intycementes And also all those who do procure any suche acte or that minister house lycence or place therevnto And all counsaylers helpers consenters to the same doe greuouslye offende and do transgresse thys cōmaundement Lykewise all they that auoyde not the causes hereof so much as they conuenientlye may as surfeitinge slothe ydlenes immoderate slepe and company of such either men or women as be vnchast and euyll dysposed they I saye be giltie of the trangression of thys commaundemente ¶ Thexposition or declaration of the eyghte commaundement whyche is Thou 〈◊〉 not steale AFter that almyghtye God hathe in the. vi commaundemente forbydden al hurtes dammages and iniuryes to be done agaynste oure neyghboure in hys owne person and in the seuēth commaundemente hathe also forbydden all iniuryes agaynste hym in the personne of his wyfe whych next vnto hys owne body is and ought to be most dearelye beloued vnto hym here nowe in thys eyght commaundemēt whyche is Thou shalt not steale he doeth forbyd all iniuryes wronges to be done to oure neighbour in hys worldelye riches goodes and Substaunce And for the better vnder standynge of thys commaundemente you shall note that vnder the name of thefte or stealynge in thys commaundemente is vnderstande all maner of vnlawfull takynge a waye occupying or kepynge of an other mannes goodes whether it be by force extortion oppressyon 〈◊〉 vsurye Symonye vnlawfull cheuisance or shiftes or els by false bying and sellyng eyther by false weyghtes or by false measures or by sellynge of a thynge counterfayte for a true as gylte copper for true golde or glasse for precyouse stones and generally al maner of fraude and deceyte And not onely they that doo these foresaid things doo commytte thefte but they also whyche eyther gyue counsayle consent or ayde to suche their doings and they lykewise whiche winke at 〈◊〉 ededes done and reuele them not accordingly And like as the vyces before rehearsed be forbyd den by this precept Euen so sundrye vertues cōtrary to the sayde vyces be commaunded by the same as to deale truelye playnelye wyth our neygheboures in all thynges to gette oure owne goodes truelye to spende them liberallye vpon them that haue nede to fede the hungrye to gyue drynke to the thrystye to cloth the naked harborowe the harbourlesse to comforte the sicke to visite the prysoners And fynallye to helpe oure neighboures wyth 〈◊〉 learnynge good counsayle and exhortatyon and by all other good meanes that we can Agaynst thys commaundement they all doo 〈◊〉 who by crafte or violence vpon sea or lande spoyle robbe or take awaye anye other manes seruaunte or chylde lande or inheritaunce horse shepe or cattell fy she foule conneyes or deare mony Iuels apparayle or anye other thynge whyche is not theyr owne Lykewyse they al do offend agaynst this commaundemente who haue goodes gyuen to an vse and put them not to the same vse but kepe them to theyr owne aduauntage as Maysters of Hospytalles and false Executoures who eyther doo forge councounterfeyte or ells adulterate the last willes testamentes of deade men or doo suppresse and hyde true made willes or Testamentes they also who doo conuert the goodes giuen to the sustentatiō of the poore folkes or to other good and charytable vses vnto theyr owne proffecte And also all they who do receyuerent or stippend for anyeoffyce spirituall or temporall and yet doo not theyr offyce belongyng therevnto they I say are trangressoures of thys commaundement And so lykewise all they who doo take wages or 〈◊〉 pretendyng to deserue it and yet doo not in dede as laborers and hired seruauntes who doo loyter and doo not applye theyr busynes And lykewyse aduocates Proctoures Attorneys Counsayloures in any of the lawes who some tyme for litle payne take much stipende or by theyr defaulte and neglygence marre good causes or maynetayne false and euyll causes or doo anye thynge to the hynderaunce of spedye iustyce for theyr aduauntages they I say do transgresse this commaundement Also all Idle vacaboundes and sturdy beggers who being hable to gette theyr liuing by labor take such almes where with the poore and impotēt folkes shoulde be releued and susteined doo offend againste thys commaundement Moreouer all they doo trangresse thys commaundement who doo bye any stolne goodes knowynge that they be stolne or that doo bye thynges of them that haue none aucthorytye to sell them or alyenate them yf they knowe the same And lykewyse doo they offende thys cōmaundement who do withhold goodes stolne or that do fynde thynges lost knowinge the owner thereof wyll not restore them or will not do theyr diligence to knowe the owner They also whyche doo defraude theyr hyred seruauntes of theyr due wages and they that borowe any thynge or reteyne any thing 〈◊〉 vnto thē vppon truste and wyll not restore the same agayne And they that vse false
she hathe brought forth our sauyour 〈◊〉 Chryst but also she herselfe is exalted in heauē aboue all aungelles and archaungelles Besydes thys also the matter it selfe conteyned in thys Salutation is of such worthynes comforte and spirytuall fruyte to the faythfull rememberer and deuoute frequenter of the same that all goode men haue alwayes founde them selues by meditation hereof greately edysyed And thys thinge to no man can seme straunge that wyll duely marcke the pythe effecte and weyghtye sense in the same salutation conteyned whyche 〈◊〉 wyll here 〈◊〉 declare vnto you And fyrste you shall vnderstand how that it was decreed of the hole 〈◊〉 that after the fall of 〈◊〉 fyrste father Adam by whiche mankynde was exiled out of heauen the second person in Trinitye shoulde take vpon hym the perfecte Nature of man to redeme mankynde from the power of the Deuyll and to reconcyle the same agayne vnto hys Lorde God And for thys purpose as S. Luke in hys fyrste Chapyter declareth the aungell Gabryell was sente from God to the Uyrgin Mari with the highest message that euer was which was to treate and conclude a leage of peace betwene God and manne And when thys aungell came vnto thys blessed Uirgin he sayde these wordes Hayleful of grace oure lorde is with the blessed arte thou amongest women And truelye thys worde Hayle or be ioyfull is a worde moste mete and conuenyent for the aungell commynge on a message to begynne hys Salutation wythall For neuer was there Creature that hadde soo greate and Iuste cause to reioyse for anye Benefytte receyued at godes handes as had the blessed byrgyn Marye for that it pleased almyghtye God to chuse specyallye and appoynte her to that moste excellente and incomparable dignytye that of her should be con ceyued and borne Chryste beynge both god and man the sauioure and redemer of all mankynde And not onelye for this cause or purpose the aungell beganne with this worde of highe comforte but also for that he perceyued the virgyn beyng alone would be much abashed and astonyed at hys marueylous and sodayne comminge vnto her And therefore thoughte it expedient fyrste of all to vtter thys worde of Ioye and comforte whyche myghte also put away al feare from the blessed Uyrgynne And by these woordes Our lorde is wyth the is signifyed that GOD was in the vyrgyn Mary not onelye by essence power and presence as he is in all creatures nor onely with his speciall grace as he is in all holye men and women but he was also in her by receyuynge of oure nature and fleshe of her substaunce yea the hole Trinitie was with her by a singuler and specyall sorte for the sonne of god was with her in that she conceyued bare him The holye gost was with her for that she by hys power and vertue dyd conceyne God the father was wyth her because she in tyme conceyued hys sonne being of him begottē by eternall generation before all tyme. And by these woordes blessed arte thou amongeste all women was mente that there neuer was nor shall be woman soo blessed as she was And truelye she maye well be called most blessed 〈◊〉 gest all women for that she had greate and hygh prerogatiues whyche neuer other woman euer hadde hath or shall haue Is not this a hygh prerogatyue that of all women she was chosen to be a mother to the sonne of God And what excellent honor was she put to whan not withstandyng the decree was made of Chrystes natyuitie by the holye Trinitie yet the thynge was not done and accomplyshed wythoute or before her consent was graunted for the whyche so solempne a messenger was sente and also howe hygh grace was thys that after the defaulte made throughe the perswasion of the fyrst woman Eue by whome Adam was brought into disobedyence and thereby all mankynde to state of dampnation thys blessed Uyrgyn was electe to be the instrumente of oure reparation in that she was chosen to beare the Sauiour and redemer of the worlde And is not thys a wonderfull prerogatiue to see a Uyrgyn to be a mother and conceyue her chylde wythout synne the archaungell myghte therefore worthely saye that she the sayde Mary was the most blessed of all other women And wyth these wordes the aungell Gabryell made an ende of this salutation But yet yee shall note that the wordes folowynge whyche are And blessed is the fruite of thy wombe Be not the wordes of the aungell but of S. Elyzabeth mother of Ihon Baptist for whan after the departinge of the angel Gabriel the virgyn Marye beynge cōceiued 〈◊〉 Christ came to salute her cosē Elizabeth she the sayde Elyzabethe beynge inspyred wyth the holy Ghost thereby knowyng that the vyrgyn Mary was conceyued wyth Chryste spake the aforesayde wordes of the fruyte being in the vyrgyns wombe it is to wytte of our sauiour 〈◊〉 And here is also an other wonderfull thynge to be noted for as it appeareth in the fyrst chapyter of Saynte Luke the chylde in S. Elizabethes wombe that is to saye Saynt Ihon Baptiste whiche yet had scant lyfe gaue testimonye to thys frute that it shoulde saue hym and all the worlde and as a prophette he dyd lepe for ioye in his mothers wombe and althoughe he coulde not than speake yet neuerthelesse he declared by such signes and tokens as he coulde that blessed was the fruyte of that wombe And worthe ly the thyng is called the fruyte of her wombe in that the substaunce of the nature of man whych our sauiour Chryste toke vpon hym was taken of the nature of the moste blessed vyrgyn and of her wombe And so therefore it is called the fruyte of her wombe And he maye well be called the blessed fruyte for that he hath saued vs and gyuen vs lyte contrarye to the cursed fruyte whych Eue gaue to Adam by whiche we were dystroyed and broughte to deathe But blessed is the fruyte of thys wombe whyche is the fruyte of lyfe euerlastyng And it is here to be noted that althoughe thys falutatyon be not a prayer of petition supplication or request or suyte Yet neuerthelesse the Churche hath vsed to adioyne it to the ende of the Pater noster as an hymne or prayer of laude and prayse partely of our lorde and sauyoure Iesus Chryst for oure redemptyon and partelye of the blessed virgin for her humble consent gyuen and expressed to the auugell at hys salutation In dede laudes prayses thankes are in thys 〈◊〉 Maria pryncypally gyuen and yelded to our Lord as to thauetor of our redemption but yet here wythall the vyrgyn lackethe not her laudes prayse and thankes for her excellent and synguler vertues and chyefiye for that she beleued and humbly consented accordynge to the 〈◊〉 of the holye Matrone S. Elizabethe whan she sayd to thys vyrgyn Luce. i. Bessed arte thou that dyddest geue truste and credence to the aungelles wordes for all thynges that haue ben spoken vnto the shal be 〈◊〉
and thynketh it a burdenintollerabel to be bounde to loue them that hate hym But the burden shoulde be easye yuoughe yf on the other syde euery man woulde consyder what dyspleasure he hath done to hys enemy agayne what pleasure he hath receyued of hys enemye And yf we fynde no egall recompence neyther in receyuing pleasures of our enemy nor in rendryng dyspleasure vnto hym agayne then let vs ponder the dyspleasu res whyche we haue done agaynste almighty God Howe often and howe greuously we haue offended hym Whereof yf we wyll haue of God forgyuenes there is none other remedye but to forgyue the offēces done vnto vs whyche be very small in comparison of oure offences done a 〈◊〉 God And yf wee consyder that he which hath off 〈◊〉 vs deserueth not to be forgyuen of vs let vs consider againe that we muche lesse deserue to be forgyuen of God And althoughe our enemy deserue not to be forgyuen for hys 〈◊〉 sake yet we oughte to forgyue hym for gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 howe great and manyfest benefytes we haue receyued of hym withoute oure desertes and that Chryste hathe deserued of vs that for his sake we should forgyue them their trespasses commytted agaynst vs. But here may ryse a necessary question to be dyssolued If charity requyre to thinke speake and doo well vnto euery man bothe good and euyl how can magystrates execute iustyce vpon malefactoures with charytye Howe can they caste euyll men into prison take away theyr goodes and sometyme theyr lyues accordynge to lawes yf Charytye 〈◊〉 not suffer them so to doo Herevnto is a plaine and brief answer that plages and punishementns be not euel of them selues yf they be well taken of innocentes and to an euyll man they are bothe good and necessarye and may be executed accordynge to charitye and with charity should be executed For declaracion whereof you shal vnderstande that charity hath two offices the one contrarye to the other and yet 〈◊〉 necessarye to the vsed vpon men of contrarye sorte and dysposion The one office of Charitye is to cherishe good and innocent men Not to oppresse them with false accusations but to incourage them wyth rewardes to doo well 〈◊〉 in well dooynge defendynge them wyth the sworde frō theyr 〈◊〉 And the offyce of Byshops and pastours is to laude good men for wel doyng that they maye perseuer therein and to rebuke and correct by 〈◊〉 woorde of God the offēces and 〈◊〉 of all euyll disposed persons The other office is to rebuke correcte punysh vyce without acceptation of parsons and thys is to be vsed against theim onely that be 〈◊〉 men and malefactours And it is aswell the offyce of charitie to rebuke punyshe and corrocte them that be euyll as it is to cheryshe and rewarde them that be good and innocent Sainte Paule soo declareth writing to the Romaynes and sayenge the 〈◊〉 poweres are ordeyned of GOD not to be dreadefull to them that doo well but vnto Malefactoures to drawe the swoorde to take vengeaunce of hym that commytteth the synne And sayncte Paule byddethe Tymothye constantlye and vehementlye to rebuke synne by the woorde of GOD. So that bothe offyces shoulde be dylygently executed to impuge the kyngdome of the deuyll the preacher wyth the woorde and the Gouernoure wyth 〈◊〉 swoorde Els they loue neyther God nor them whome they gouerne yf for lacke of correction they wylfully suffer God to be offended and them whom they gouerne to perishe For as euery louyng father correcteth his natural sonne when he dothe amysse or els he loueth hym not So all gouernoures of Realmes Countreys Townes and houses should louynglye correcte them who be offendours vnder theyr gouernaunce And cheryshe them who doo lyue innocently yf they haue any respecte eyther vnto God and theyr office or loue vnto them of whome they haue gouernauce And suche rebukes and punyshementes of them that doo offende must be done in due tymes least by delaye the offender fall headlinges into al maner of myschiefe and not onelye bee euyll theim selues but also doo hurte vnto many men drawynge other by theyr euyll example to synne outrage after them As one theef maye bothe robbe manye men and also make many theues and one sediciouse persō may allure many and noye a hole towne or countre And suche euyl persons that be so great offenders of god and the common wealth charity requireth to be cut of from the body of the common weale lest they corrupte other good and honest persons like as a good surgeon cutteth awaye a putrified and festred mem ber for the loue he hath to that hole body least it infecte other members adioynynge to it Thus it is declared vuto you what true charitie or christan loue is so playnely that no man nede to be deceyued Whyche loue whosoeuer kepeth bothe towardes God whom he is bounde to loue aboue al thinges and also towardes hys neyghbours aswell frende as fooe it shal surely kepe hym frō al offence of God and iuste offence of man Therefore beare welaway thys one shorte lesson that by true christian charitye God ought to be loued aboue all thynges and all men oughte to be loued good and euyll frende and foo and to al suche we ought as we may doo good those that be good of loue we ought to encorag and cherysh because they be good And those that be euil of loue we ought to procure vnto them theyr correction and dewe punyshement that they may therby either be broght to goodnes or at the lest that god and the common welthe maye be the lesse hurte and offended hating alwaies the vyce or offence but louynge the person alwayes as the creature of God and as one who by nature is ioyned in kynred vnto vs. And yf we thus directe oure lyfe by christian loue and Charytye then Chryste doothe promyse and assure vs that he loueth vs and that we be the Chyldren of our heauenlye father and reconsiled to his fauor being very members of Christ and that after the shorte tyme of thys presente and mortall lyfe we shall haue with hym eternall lyfe in his euerlastyng kingdome of heauen Ther fore to hym wyth the father and the holy Ghost be al honor and glorye nowe euer Amen E. B. ¶ An Homely declaryng howe daungerous a thynge the breache of Charitye is Ur Saiyour Christ in ye. v. of Mathew setteth forth an vniuersal doctrine that is a doctrine apper teyning indifferently to all Chrysten mē and there he declareth how great per fection of lyfe ought to be in one of vs sayinge in thys maner Nisi abundauerit iustitia uestra plus quam Scribarum pharisaeo rum nonimrabit is in regnum 〈◊〉 That is to saye Except your ryghtuousnes excede the ryghtuousnes of the Scribes the Pharyseis ye cannot entre into the kyngedome of heauē For the ryght vnderstandynge of which wordes it is to be noted that rightuousnes in thys texte doth
tuo Philippo rege nostro omnibus illis qui in eius sūt comitatu benignis assume Vt uiam illorum precedente gratia tua dirigas subse quente comitari digneris ut de actu atque incolumitate eorum se cundum 〈◊〉 die tue presidi agaudeamus per Postcommunio Sumpta quesumus domine celistis mysterij 〈◊〉 ad prosperitatē iteneris deuoti pij famuli tui Philippi reges nostri omnium eorum qui in eius sunt comitatu proficiant eos ad salutaria cuncta perducant per. ¶ The three Collectes or orations for the byshop of London Oratio COncede quesumus domine 〈◊〉 tuo 〈◊〉 episcopo nostro ut predican do extendo quae recta sunt exemplo bonorum operum animas suorum instruat subditorum eterne remunerationis mercedem a 〈◊〉 pastore perciplat per. Secreta Munere nostra quesumus domine placatus suscipe famulum tuum Edmundum Episcopum nostrum 〈◊〉 sibi cōmissum benignus sēper ubique misericorditer protege per Postcommunio Hec nos communio domine purget a crimine famulum tuum Edmundum episcopum nostrum commissum sibigregem benigna quesumus pietate cōserua Per. ¶ A prayer in verses for the prosperouse voyage abode and retourne of our most excellente and noble kyng kyng Phylyppe 1. Prosper eat noster terraque marique Philippus Prospera sint ut iter sic mora sicreditus 2. Prosper eat noster maneat redeat que Philippus Prospera sint terra cuncta mari atque polo 3. Sit tibi rex noster terraque marique Philippe Tam bene quam tua quam nostra Maria cupit Ad lectorem Viue uale siquid nouistis rectius istis Candidus imparti sinon hijs utere mecum ED E MVNDVS ESTO BONVS ESTO BONIS DAE GLORIAM DEO FINIS EXCVSVM LONDINI IN EDIBVS 10 hannis Cawodi Typographi Regiae Maiestatîs HOMElies sette forth by the righte reuerende father in God Edmunde Byshop of London not onely promised before in his booke intituled A necessary doctrine but also now of late adioyned and added therevnto to be read within his diocesse of London of all persons vycars and curates vnto theyr parishioners vpon sondayes holydayes Anno. M. D. LV. I. C. The Table i. Of the creation and fall of Man ii Of the misery of all mankynde and of hys condempnation to death iii. Of the redemption of Man iiii Howe the redemption in Chryst is apliable to man v. Of chrysten loue and Charitie vi Howe daungerous a thinge the breake of Charitie is vii Of the Churche what it is and of the commoditie thereof viii Of the aucthoritie of the Churche ix Of the Supremacy x. Of the Supremacy xi Of the true presence of Chrystes body blud in the sacrament of the Aultare xii Of transsubstantiation xiii Of certen Aunswers agaynst some commō obiections made agaynst the sacrament of the Aultare ¶ The Bysshoppe of London to all persons and curates within his dioces of London FOrasmuch as the people of my dioces beyng within your seueral cures charge do as in dede of reason they maye loke for to haue at theyr pastours hand or at the least way by his prouision meane good instruction and teachinge especiallye howe to serue and please God and how also otherwyse to do their dutie as to any one of them in theyr degre doth appertayne And forasmuch also as there is not now a dayes that multitude and plenteth of preachers whiche in tymes past hath ben and by Gods grace hereafter shal be And fynallye for that euery one of you in your owne person is not able to discharge the office of preaching which many good folke do greatly wyshe and desyre ye could and woulde Therfore desyrynge to haue somethyng doue onward til God of his goodnes prouide something better I haue laboured with my chapleyns frendes to haue these Homelies prynted that ye may haue somewhat to instruct and teache your flocke withall requyrynge and charginge euerye one of you that diligentlye vpon the sondayes and holydayes ye reade to youre flocke frutefully and deliberately one of the said Homelies And thus fare you well Geuen at my house in London the fyrste daye of July M. D. LU. ¶ An Homely of the creation and fall of man THe Prophette Dauid in his fore score and nintēth psalme exhortyng all people to synge prayse to almighti god to serue hī in gladnes and re ioyse in his sight alledgeth thys as a sufficient cause thereof Scitote quoniam ipse est dominus ipse fecit nos et non ipsinos which is to saye Know you that he is our Lord it is he that made vs and we made not our selfes And in dede who that diligently wayeth the creatiō of man can not but therin most highly laude prayse almighty god his creator For wher in the creation of al other visible thinges he did but onely commaunde will that they should be made and incontinēt they were made in the creatyng of man he vsed great solempnitie and many notable circumstaunces Fyrst touchyng mā he said let vs make mā which words be as it were the wordes of god the father to God the sonne to the holy ghost spoken after the maner of men when they go about some great matter at what time they take good aduisement or they begyn and doo ioyne with the best wysest counsellours that they can get Thys circumstaunce not beyng necessary of goddes parte as withoute the which he might haue created man doth most manifestly declare the special fauour of almyghty god towardes mankynde but that nexte circumstaunce which doth immediatly folowe thys fyrst is a more surer profe and declaration of gods tender loue towardes mā whē he sayth Let vs make man to our owne similitude likenes Now mark good people howe much god dyd for vs in our creation He made vs in very dede like vnto himselfe in so doynge what could he haue done more for vs A wonderfull excellēt benefite comfort is it vnto vs to consyder that man was made like vnto god And to vnderstand this thyng the better you shall know that the similitude and likenes of man to god was not in the body of man for this you must moost certenly beleue that the godhed is a spirite not a bodely substaunce but this similitude and likenes was in the soule which was endued with most heuenly god-like qualities as vnderstandyng memory and wil with sondry gyftes also of grace And here is to be noted by the way that where almighty god sayeth Let vs make man to our owne similitude lykenes he geueth vs to vnderstād that there be three parsons in trinitie yet but one god For in that he sayeth let vs make man therein is signified a pluralitie or number of persones agayne in that he sayeth to our similitude and likenes and not to oure similitudes
and lykenesses by thys is signyfyed the vnitie also of one nature and substaunce But to procede further concernyng the creation of man ye shall vnderstand that the second chapter of Moyses boke called 〈◊〉 in speciall maner doth recorde the seuerall making as well of the bodye of man by it selfe as also of the soule by it selfe And as touching the body scrypture doth there say that God fourmed or shaped it of the earthe Noting therby the excellēcy of mans body aboue the bodyes of other liuynge creatures For we rede not of anye other lyuyng creature that god shaped or fourmed the body of it but onely that he made it and that at the cō maundement of almighty god the earth brought fourth foure foted beastes the water in like maner brought fourth fysshes foules Only of that body of mā scripture wituesseth that God shaped it And as cōcerning the soule of mā it is written of it in the sayd second chapter of genesis howe that god bre thed it into the body which ii circumstaunces as they import a marueylous excellency of man aboue other bodely creatures so they most clerely declare thexcedyng great goodnes of God towardes man Now when god had in such a singuler fashion creted man he gaue hym souereigntie ouer all the fysshes of the sea ouer the foules of the ayer and ouer the beastes of the lande yea and made him a Kyng and Emperour on the earth And yet not satisfyed with al this he placed man in Paradyse that is in a most pleasaunt garden where he had planted all kynd of frute beautifull to beholde and delicious to eate for man to fede vpon onely one kynde of fruyte he charged hym on payne of death and that not of the body alone but of the soule also vtterlye to refrayne from which was the fruyte of the tree called in scrypture the tre of knowledge of good and euyl And lyke as in a most maruelous sorte he made Adam the fyrsteman so in as marueylous straunge a sort he made Eue the first woman euen of a rybbe taken out of Adams lefte syde and her he made parfytte and furnyshed her with like gyftes as he had done Adame the first man What canne we then thinke or deuyse that God might haue don more for vs in our creation then herein he dyd He made the soule immortall that is such as shulde continue for euer without ende He furnished it with moste singuler gyftes both of nature and of special grace also The body of man in the estate of originall innocencie had in it helth strength 〈◊〉 and other like qualities in the highest degre of perfection it had in it selfe then no fond lust or concupiscens no pronitie or inclination to euyl no 〈◊〉 in doing good no infirmitie or wekenesse no lacke or want of any qualitie fyt and decent for it The body of man was then obediente to the soule the soule altogether obedient to God So that on Gods parte oure maker and creator there is nothyng towardes vs but all perfection all great kyndnes al fatherly loue fauour Holy scrypture most euydently affyrmeth that al creatures were made good in their creation saying Vidit deus 〈◊〉 fecerat et erant ualde bona 〈◊〉 That is God sawe al things which he had made and they were very good Which thyng as it is generally true in all creatures concerning their creation so is it in a certen degre of excellencye to be verified in man touchyng the estate of his originall innocency Thus we may perceaue that in the creation of man al was excellent parfytte whiche oughte greatly to inflame vs the more to loue and serue almighty God our most louynge creator But for asmuche as that blessed estate is lost mankynd by that losse thereof fell into extreme miserie and wretchednes it is consequently to be well considered of our part by what meanes man was brought from soo good and blessed a case to so euyll and miserable an estate whiche poynte well wayed is a sufficiente grounde to cause vs on the other syde vtterly to detest abhorre al synne For that greuous fal of man came of synne Synne it was for which God thrust man oute of paradyse synne it was that caused the fleshe to striue agaynste the spirite and the spirite agaynst the fleshe synne it was that broughte vnto mankynde necessitie of bodyly death and all the infirmities and diseases which man in thys transitory lyfe sustayneth synne fynally it was that cau sed all the posteritie of Adam and Eue to be borne in state of dampnation But some perchaunce are desyrous fardar to knowe by what meanes man was fyrst brought to commytte synne For the vnderstandyng whereof lette vs haue recourse to the iii. chap. of Genesis where it is wrytten how that that wyly serpent the deuyll came vnto Eue and sayde vnto her Why hath God gyuen you commaundement not to eate of euery tree in paradyse where vnto the woman answered and sayde of the fruyte which is in paradise we eate but of the frute of that tree that groweth in the myddest of paradyse GOD hath charged vs not to eate or touche it leste per chaunce we dye Then sayde the serpente to the woman Naye you shall not dye For God knowethe that whatsoeuer daye you shall eate thereof youre eyes shal be opened and you shal be like Gods knowynge good and euyll The woman therefore saw that the tree was good to eate of and beautifull to the eye and pleasaunte to beholde and she tooke of the fruite thereof and d d eate and gaue part to her husbāde who also did 〈◊〉 Thus through the prouocation of the deuyll man first fell into synne Wherefore as we must alwayes abhorre synne and forbeare it because of the greate misery it brought vs vnto so shold we no les 〈◊〉 and to the vttermost of our power fly the 〈◊〉 and all his suggestions knowing that thereby we 〈◊〉 fyrst induced to commytte synne For as thys oure aduersary was busy at the 〈◊〉 wyth oure fyrst parentes so is he no les but rather more busye with vs at thys present as 〈◊〉 Saynt Peter in the v. chapiter of his fyrst 〈◊〉 saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the deuyl as a roryng lion goeth about seking whom he may deuour Thys aduersary of mankynde disdaynynge at the greate 〈◊〉 that Adam and Eue were in neuer ceasyd questyonynge and craftyug with the woman being the weker and frayler vessell vntyll he 〈◊〉 made them disobey gods commauudement by whych their doynge they lost the oryginal great innocency which they had at there creation which being lost nether the body woulde be obedient to the soule nor the soule to god but al was in man turned vpsidoune yea therby they fell also into necessitie of temporall death of body and which is worst of all into the estate of eternall damnation and euerlasting death both of body and soule But now because