dedes testyfyenge the same Ioan. ii In so moche that beynge ones inuited to come vnto a certaine mariage made in Cana a towne of Galilee Christe vouchesaued not onely to come thyther and there to honour the sayde mariage with his corporalle presence and with the presence also of his blessed mother and his holy Apostles but there he beganne also by tournynge of water in to wyne fyrste to worke miracles and to manyfeste his glorie vnto the worlde And afterwarde in one other place whan the pharisees came vnto Christe and demaunded of hym whether a man myght laufully be diuorced frome his wyfe for any cause Mat. xiiii Christe callynge the sayde pharisees vnto the remembraunce of the fyrste institution of Matrimonye as it was made at the fyrste begynnynge sayde vnto theym Remembre you not you pharysees howe that god whiche created all thynges in the begynnynge dyd also forme and create man and woman And whan he had conioyned them togyther in mariage he sayd vnto theym these wordes Propter hoc relinquet homo patrem et matrem et adherebit vxori sue et erunt duo in carne vna wherfore vnderstande you ye Phariseys that sythe man and woman conioyned in matrimonye be by goddis ordynaunce but one flesshe and gone bodye it is not possyble that they shulde afterwarde be separated or dyuorced one from the other And vnderstande you also that it is not laufull for any man to separate and to dyuyde those persones a sondre whiche be by goddis worde and his wyll and power conioyned together And whan the Phariseys repliynge therunto sayd And why than dyd Moyses commaund vs to make a libell of dyuorce agaynste our wyfes for what cause so euer we wolde and so departe separate our selfes from them Christe answered them agayne and sayde Moyses consyderynge the induratenes and obstinacye of youre hartes was contente to permytte and suffre you so to doo for auoydynge of greatter myschefe and inconuenience whiche myght els haue ensued therof All be it I saye vnto you that it was not so at the begynnynge that is to saye It is clene contrary to the godly institution naturall order lawes of Matrimonie as it was instituted by god at the beginnynge that any man maryed shulde dyuorce hym selfe from his laufull wyfe And therfore I saye agayne vnto you that who so euer dothe forsake his laufull wyfe onelesse it be for adulterie commytted by her and dothe marye a nother I saye he commytteth adulterie in his so doynge And lyke wyse what woman so euer doth forsake her laufull husbāde and marie an other she also commytteth adulterie And the man also that marieth her offendeth in lyke maner And the cause hereof is for that the bonde of laufull mariage is of suche sorte that it can not be dyssolued or broken but by deathe onely These wordes of Christe euidentely declare Christis sentence in the approbation of the institution of Matrimonie made at the begynnynge of the worlde And that hit was Christis wylle and comamundemente that all the people of god shoulde folowe and conforme theyr doynges vnto the lawes of Matrimonye than made and shoulde obserue the same in suche puretie and sanctimonie as it was fyrste ordeyned without separation or dyuorce and that vnder the peyne of dampnation And here also two thinges specially be to be noted The one is in that Christe sayth whom god conioyneth man can not separate By the which wordes he declareth the infinite benignite and goodnes of god towardes vs in that that he hath not onely conioyned our fyrste progenitours Adam and Eue togyther in mariage wherby he gaue vnto vs the originall begynnynge of our procreation but that he dothe also euer sithe that tyme contynually assiste man and woman and worketh with them in this coniunction of mariage and as you wolde saye is the veray auctour causer and doer of all Matrimonies whiche be laufully contracted betwene man and woman The other thynge to be noted is in that Christe saith here vnto his dysciples Non omnes capiunt verbum hoc sed quibus datum est qui potest capere capiat By the whiche wordes Chryste semeth to exhorte suche as he shall endue with the grace and vertue of continence wherby they shall be hable to absteyne from the workes of Matrimonie to contynewe sole and vnmaryed ¶ Item we thynke it conueniente that all bysshops and preachers shall instructe and teache the people commytted vnto theyr spirituall charge that the sacrament of Matrimonie dothe consyste of two partes lyke as the other sacramentes do that is to saye of an outwarde and a vysible sygne and of an inward and an inuisible grace The outward signe is that outwarde contracte made by expresse wordes or other sygnes equiualent declarynge the consente betwene suche persones as maye laufully and by thorder of goddis lawe be ioyned togyther in maryage whanne the same persones do consent and promyse eche to other to companye together continually durynge theyr lyues without separation and to communicate eche to other the vse and office of theyr bodies and all other theyr faculties and substaunce The spirituall and inuisible graces whiche the electe people of god as well in the tyme of the lawe of nature as in the tyme of Moyses sawe and also in the tyme of the newe testamente dyd alwaies and yet do receyue by vertue of this sacrament be dyuers and sondrye Wherof one is the dispensation or grace of god wherby the acte of procreation betwene man and woman whiche is as of it selfe and of his owne nature dampable is sanctified by the worde of god and this saramente that is to saye is made pure cleane withoute spotte of synne Hebr. xiii and honourable accordynge to the sayenge of saynt Paule Honorabile coniugium ī omnibus thorus imaculatus That is to saye the acte of procreation betwene man and woman in Matrimonie is honourable and acceptable afore god and their bed is vndefyled And other is the grace wherby the persones conioyned in Matrimonie do atteyne euerlastynge lyfe yf they brynge vp theyr chyldren in the true fayth and obseruance of Chrystis religion accordynge to the wordes of saynt Paule where he sayth i. Tim. ii The woman was seduced and blynded by the serpent and so synned deedly but she shall be saued by procreation and bryngyng forthe of chyldren yf the same do perseuer and contynue in fayth and loue towardes god and in holynes and in temperance in theyr outwarde actes and dedes And as this is spoken of the woman so it is also to be verified in the man he doinge lykewyse as is required of the woman ¶ Finally we thinke it conuenient that all byshoppes and preachers shall diligentely and from tyme to tyme exhorte and admonyshe the people commytted vnto theyr spirituall charge to consider the thre special benefites or offices whiche belonge vnto the sacrament of matrimony And fyrst of all to consyder the thynge selfe whiche
Ioannes Lincoln Ioannes Bathonien Rolandus Couen et Lich. Thomas Elien Nicolaus Sarum Ioannes Bangor Edouardus Hereforden Hugo wigornien Ioannes Roffen Ricardus Cicestren Guilielmus Norwicen Guilielmus Meneuen Robertus Assauen Robertus Landauen Edouardus Eborum Cuthbertus Dunelmen Robertus Carliolen Ricardus wolman Archidiaconus Sudbur Gulielmus knyght Arch. Richemond Ioannes Bell Arch. Gloucestr Edmundus â—â—â—er Arch. Laicestr Gulielmus Skippe Arch. Dorsett Nicolaus Heeth Arch. Stafford Cuthbertus Marshal Arch. Notingham Ricardus Curren Arch. Oxon. Gulielmus Cliffe Galfridus Downes Robertus Okyng Radulphus Bradford Ricardus Smith Symon Mathew Ioannes Pryn Gulielmus Buckmaster Gulielmus May Nicolaus wotton Ricardus Coxe Ioannes Edmundes Thomas Robertson Ioannes Baker Thomas Baret Ioannes Hase Ioannes Tyson Sacrae theologiae iuris ecclesiastici et Ciuilis professores ¶ This boke called the Institution of a christen man conteyneth foure speciall partes wherof ¶ The fyrste parte conteyneth the exposytion of the Crede called thapostelles Crede ¶ The seconde parte conteyneth the Exposition or declaration of the seuen sacramentes ¶ The thyrde parte conteyneth the exposition of the tenne commaundementes ¶ The fourthe parte conteyneth the exposytion of the Pater noster and the Aue with the articles of Iustifycation and Purgatorie ¶ The crede called thapostels Crede 1 I BELEVE in god the father and that he is almyghty and creator of heuen and erth 2 AND I beleue in Iesu Christe and that he is his onely begotten sonne and our lorde 3 AND that he was conceyued by the holy goost and borne of the virgyn Mary 4 AND suffred passyon for our redempcion vnder a certayne Iuge whose name was Pontius Pilatus and so was crucified deed and buryed 5 AND that he descended into hell and rose agayn the thyrde day from death to lyfe 6 AND that he ascended afterwarde vp into heuen / and sytteth there vpon the right hande of almyghty god his father 7 AND that he shall come from thens at Domisday to iudge the quycke and deade 8 AND I beleue in the holy gooste 9 AND I beleue that there is one holy Catholyque and vniuersall churche 10 AND I beleue that there is in the same Churche communion of sayntes and remyssyon of synnes 11 AND I beleue that at Domisday al the people of the world that euer was or euer shall be vnto that daye shall then aryse agayne in the selfe same fleshe and body whiche they hadde whyle they lyued here in erth 12 AND I beleue that al thelecte people of god shal haue and enioye euerlastynge lyfe for theyr rewarde ¶ The sense and interpretacyon of the fyrst Article IN My harte I beleue assuredly and stedfastly with my mouth I professe knowledge that there is but one very god thre persons in trinitie the father the sonne the holy goost and that these thre persons be not thre goddis but all one god all of one nature and of one substaunce and all of one euerlastyng essence or being and al lyke and equall in myght power wysedome knowlege ryghtwysenes and all other thynges belongyng vnto the deitie And that besyde or without this god there is no other god And I beleue also and professe that god the father whiche to the fyrste person in Trinitie is not onely the god the lorde and the father of heuen and erth and all thynges conteyned therin by creation and gouernaunce but also that he is the father of his onely begotten sonne the seconde persone in Trinitie and that he dyd bygette hym of his owne substaunce by eternall generation that is to saye by generation that neuer hadde begynnynge And I beleue also and professe that all and synguler the wordes and sayinges of this god the father be they lawes preceptes promyses prophycyes or thretenynges and all that euer was spoken of hym or by hym in the hole body and canon of the newe and the olde testament is moste certaynly trewe and of suche infallyble verytie and trouthe that the same canne not be altered or conuelled by any contrary opynyon power or auctorytie And I promyse and professe that I do and woll not onely hope and loke surelye and without all doubte to atteyne and enioye all those thynges whiche god promyseth in holy scrypture vnto thelecte chylderne of god but also that I do and woll feare lefte those punyshementes and afflyctions whiche god in holy scrypture threteneth to caste vpon those persones whiche do transgresse his wyll and coÌ„maundementes shall fall vpon me yf I shall not lyke an obedient seruaunt and chylde studye to fulfylle and accomplyshe the same And I beleue also and professe that this god and this father is almyghty that is to saye that his power and myghte excelleth incomparably all the other powers in heuen and erth And that all other powers whiche be in heuen erthe or hell be nothyng as of them selfe but haue all theyr myght force and strengthe of hym onely and be all subiecte vnto his power and be ruled and gouerned therby and can not resyste or lette the same And I beleue also professe that this almighty god almyghty father dyd at the beginninge create forme make of nought heuen and erthe and all thynges conteyned in this worlde as well aungels mans sowle and al other thynges inuysyble as also all other vysyble creatures and that he dyd gyue vnto them all the power and myght whiche they haue And I beleue also and professe that among his other creatures he dyd create and make me and dydde gyue vnto me this my sowle my lyfe my body with all the membres that I haue great and small and all the wytte reason knowlege and vnderstandynge that I haue and fynally all the other outwarde substance possessyons and thynges that I haue or can haue in this worlde And I beleue also and professe that he is my very god my lorde and my father and that I am his seruaunte and his owne sonne by adoption and grace and the ryght enherytor of his kyngedome and that it procedeth and cometh of his mere goodnes onely withoute all my deserte that I am in this lyfe preserued and kepte from daungers and perylles And that I am susteygned nourysshed fedde clothed and that I haue helthe tranquyllytie reste peace or any other thynge necessary for this corporall lyfe I knowlege also and confesse that he suffreth and causeth the sonne the mone the sterres the daye the nyght the ayre the fyre the water the lande the see the fowles the fyshes the bestes all the frutes of the erthe to serue me for my profytte and my necessite And in lyke maner I confesse and knowlege that all bodily syckenes and aduersitie whiche do fortune vnto me in this worlde be sent vnto me by his hande and his visitation and that he punysheth me not to distroy me but onely to saue me and to reduce me agayne by penaunce vnto the ryght way of his lawes and his religion and so therby to proue me and to
one setteth his mynde more vpon his goodes the other more vpon his bely than they doo vpon god and for them they wolle not stycke to offend god and all these breake this commaundemen Item that all they whiche haue more confidence in the creatures of god than in god doo also make the creatures of god theyr god And howe greuously god is offended therwith we fynde in the boke of Paralipomenon ii Par. xvi where it is wrytten That when Aza kyng of Iuda being sore cōstrayned by Baasa kynge of Israell sente for helpe to Benadad kyng of Siria and gaue to hym great treasure for to allure hym to his ayde Our lorde sent the prophete Ananie to Aza the kynge of Iuda who sayde vnto hym in this maner Bycause thou hast trusted in the kynge of Siria and not in thy lorde god therfore those of the kynge of Siria are escaped from thy handes were not they of Ethiopia and Libia of farre greater power bothe in chariottes and horsemenne and in nombre or multitude whiche was innumerable And yet our lorde as longe as thou dyddest put thy truste in hym dyd yelde them in to thy handes The eies of god do beholde all the worlde and doo gyue strengthe to them that truste in hym with all theyr harte In whiche wordes it doth appere that it is layed to Aza his chardge that he dyd not beleue in our lorde bycause he had more truste in Benadad an hethen prynce than in our lorde It is noted also in the same chapiter That where as Aza afterwarde had veray great peyne in his feete he sought not to our lorde for remedy of his sayde dysease but trusted more in the arte and remedy of phisique Wherby we maye lerne that it is one great parte of parfyte belefe in our lorde god to put our trust and confidence moost pryncypally and aboue al other in hym Wherfore they that do otherwyse transgresse this commaundement and make to them other goddis ¶ Item that al they transgresse this cōmaūdement which either so moche presume vpon the mercy of god that they feare not his iustice and by reason therof do styll contynue in theyr synne or elles so moche feare his iustice that they haue no truste in his mercie and by reson therof fall into desperation For bothe these wayes they make hym no god takynge from hym eyther iustyce or mercye withoute whiche he can not be god And so do they that by supersticion repute some dayes good some dismale or infortunate or thynke it a thyng vnlucky to mete in a mornynge with certayne kynde of beastis or with men of certayne professions For suche superstitious folke infame the creatures of god ¶ Item that they be of the same sort whiche by lottes astrologie diuination chatterynge of byrdes phisiognomie and lokynge of mennes handes or other vnlaufull and supersticiouse craftes take vpon them certaynely to tell determyne and iudge before hande of mennes actes and fortunes whiche be to come afterwarde For what do they but make them selfes goddis in this behalfe as the prophete Esaie saythe Esaie xli Telle vs afore what shall comme and we shall saye that you be goddis ¶ Item that all they whiche by charmes and wytchecraftes do vse any prescribed letters sygnes or charactes wordes blessynges roddes cristall stones sceptres swordes measures hanging of sainct Iohn̄s gospell or any other thynge about theyr neckes or any other part of theyr bodies or any other suche vayne obseruation trustynge therby to contynue longe life to driue away sycknes or preserue them from sickenes fires water or any other peryl other wyse then phisique or surgerie doth allowe doo also offende agaynste this commandement ¶ But moste greuously of all and aboue all other they do offende agaynst this commaundement whiche professe Christ and contrarie to theyr profession made in theyr baptysme do make secrete pactes or couenantes with the dyuell or do vse any maner coniuration or raysyng vp of dyuelles for treasure or any other thynge hydde or loste or for any other maner of cause what so euer it be For all suche commytte soo high offence and treason to god that there can be no greatter For they yelde the honour due vnto god to the dyuelle goddis ennemie And not onely all suche as vse charmes wytchecraftes and coniurations transgresse this hyghe and chiefe commaundement but also all those that seke and resorte vnto them for any councell or remedy accordynge to the sayinge of god whan he sayde Deutero xviii Let no man aske councell of them that vse false diuinations or suche as take hede to dreames or chatterynge of byrdes Let there be no witche or enchaunter amonge you nor any that asketh councell of them that haue spiritis nor of southsayers nor that seke the trouth of them that be deade for god abhorreth all these thynges ¶ The exposition of the seconde cōmandement THe Seconde commaundemente Moyses declarethe at good lengthe in the boke of Deuteronomie where he speketh in this maner In the daye whan our lorde spake to you in Oreb frome the myddes of the fyre Deut. iiii you herde the voyce and the sounde of his wordes but you sawe no forme or similitude leaste peraduenture you shuld haue ben therby deceyued and shulde haue made to your selfe an engraued similitude or ymage of man or woman or a similitude of any maner beaste vpon erthe or of foule vnder heuen or of any beaste that crepeth vpon the erthe or of fysshes that tarye in the water vnder the erthe and least peraduenture lyftynge vp your eyen to heuen and there seynge the sonne and the mone and the sterres of heuen you shulde by errour be deceyued and bowe downe to them and worshyp them whiche the lorde hath created to serue all people vnder heuen By these wordes we be vtterlye forbydden to make or to haue any symilitude or image to the intent to bowe downe to it or to worshyp it And therfore we thynke it conuenient that all bysshops and preachers shall instructe and teache the people commytted to theyr spirituall charge Fyrst that god in his substance can not by any similitude or ymage be represented or expressed For no wytte ne vnderstandynge canne comprehende his substance And that the fathers of the churche consyderynge the dulnes of mans wyt and partely yeldynge to the custome of gentylitie whiche before theyr commynge vnto the fayth of Christe had certayne representations of theyr false goddis suffred the pycture or similitude of the father of heuen to be had and sette vp in churches not that he is any suche thynge as we in that image do beholde for he is no corporall ne bodyly substance but onely to putte vs in remembrance that there is a father in heuen and that he is a distincte persone from the sonne and the holy gooste whiche thing neuer the les yf the cōmon people wolde dewely conceyue of the heuenly father without any bodyly representation it were more
your sede laufully procreated in matrimonye accordynge as I haue instituted the same This lawe and commaundement of matrimony thus repeted and gyuen agayn by god vnto Noe and his children althoughe it was sufficient commaundemēt and instruction vnto them and all theyr posteritie howe to vse the same in all puretie and cleannesse to goddis pleasure and his good contentation yet god perceyuynge the naturall inclination of man to malyce and synne dyd afterwarde further explicate and establishe the same by his other lawes wryten wher by god prohibyted Leui xviii et xx that any matrimonye shuld be made betwene the father and the doughter the mother and the sonne the brother and the syster and betwene dyuers other persones beinge in certayne degrees of consanguynitie and affinitie whiche lawes of prohibicion in mariage althoughe they were not by expresse wordes of god declared at the fyrste institution of Matrimonie ne yet at this seconde repetition of the same made vnto Noe yet vndoubtedly god had engraued and enprynted the same lawes in the harte of man at his fyrste creation And for as moche as in longe contynuaunce and processe of tyme the naturalle lyght and knowledge of man was almooste by synne and malyce extincted or at the leaste so corrupted and obscured in the mooste parte of men that they coulde not perceyue and iudge what thynges were of theyr owne nature noughtie and detestable in the syghte of god ne yet howe farre that naturall honestie and reuerence whiche we owe vnto suche persons as be nere of blud or of nere allyaunce vnto vs was extended god commaunded his prophete Moyses to promulgate and to declare by his worde vnto the people of Israel the sayde lawes of prohibition of Matrimonye in certayne degrees of consanguinitie and affinitie whiche be specially mencyoned in the boke of Leuiticus And commaunded also Moyses Leu. xviii et xx to declare vnto his sayde people that not onely they but also all other the people of the worlde were as moche and as strayghtely bounden to the contynuall obseruation of the same lawes as they were vnto the other morall lawes of the tenne commaundementes Thyrdly that this coniunction betwene man and woman in Matrimonye was instytuted by god to the intent therby shulde be sygnyfyed and represented or rather prefygurated and prophecied before not onely the perfyte and indissoluble coniunction and vnion of the nature of god with the nature of man whiche was fulfylled whan the seconde person in Trinitie descendinge from his father dyd take vpon hym the veray forme and substaunce of our nature and so those two natures were vnyted and knytte togyther in one person but also to thintent there shulde therby be sygnyfyed and represented the lyke coniunction or societie in perfyte and indyssoluble loue and charitie betwene Christe and his Churche that is to saye the congregation of all christen people whiche be the very mysticall body of Chryst and Christ the onely heed of the same And this to be trewe sayncte Paule hymselfe confirmeth in the .v. chapyter of his epistle vnto the Ephesians Ephe. v. In whiche place the Apostle minding to proue and persuade that all women beynge maried ought to loue to reuerence to honour to obeye and to be subiecte vnto theyr husbandes in all thynges euen as the churche is subiecte vnto Christe and lyke wyse that all husbandes ought and be bounde to loue theyr wyues euen as they loue theyr owne selues and theyr owne bodyes and euen as Christe loueth the churche his espouse and his owne bodye He bryngeth in the fyrste institution of Matrimonie as it was ordeyned by god in Paradyse and alledgeth the wordes of god pronounced by our fyrste father Adam as they be before rehersed Vppon whiche wordes the apostell inferreth and sayth This cōiunction of man and woman togyther in maryage wherby they are knytted vnited and made all one flesshe and one body is the sacrament that is to saye the fygure the sygnification the mysterie or the prophecienge before of that greatte and meruaylous coniunction whiche is betwene Christe and his churche For lyke as by the vertue and effycacye of this fyrste institution of Matrimonie the husbande and the wyfe be made to be but one bodye wherof the husbande is the heede Euen soo the loue and charytie of Christe towardes his Espouse the Churche dothe knytte vnyte conglutynate and make Christe and his churche to be but done bodye wherof Christe is the verye heede By the whiche wordes of Sayncte Paule it appereth not onely what is the vertue and effycacie of Matrimonye in the vnytynge and incorporatynge of two bodyes in one but also that hit was instytuted by god to sygnyfye this other coniunction whiche is betwene Christe and his Churche And that this coniunction betwene Christe and the churche is the verye selfe thynge whiche was prophecyed sygnyfyed and represented by the other coniunction of man and woman in maryage For thoughe Sayncte Paule vsed in this place other argumentes and persuasyons taken of the lawe of Nature to induce maried persones the one to loue the other sayinge that menne naturally do loue and nourysshe theyr owne bodyes and theyr owne flesshe and that it is agaynste nature that a manne shulde hate his owne flesshe yet surely he thoughte that this was the reason of mooste effycacye to perswade his sayde purpose That is to saye that all husbandes and wyues oughte so to vse theym selfes the one vnto the other that theyr Matrymonye and all theyr workes and affections in the same myghte and shoulde corresponde and be conformable and lyke in all poyntes vnto that most holy thynge whiche is sygnyfied and represented therby that is to saye vnto that spirituall coniunction whiche is betwene Christe and his espouse the churche And that therfore specyallye the man oughte and is bounde to loue his wyfe and the wyfe to loue and obey her husbande in all thynges leste by doynge the contrarye they shulde after and subuerte the institution of God and make the fygure all vnlyke vnto the thynge that is sygnyfied therby And so by these wordes and reasons of saynt Paule it is euident that concernynge the sacramente of Matrymonye his sentence and doctryne was that the same was instituted by God at the fyrste creation of man to sygnifie that inseparable coniunction and vnyon whiche is betwene Chryste and his churche ¶ Item we thynke it conuenyent that all Bysshoppes and preachers shall instructe and teache the people commytted to theyr spirituall charge that althoughe this Sacramente of Matrymonye be no newe Sacramente instytuted in the newe Testamente but instytuted by God and consecrated by his worde and dignyfied by his lawes euen from the begynnynge of the worlde and before any other of the sacramentes were instituted in the newe testament as was sayde before yet the truthe is that Christe hym selfe dyd also accepte approue and allowe the sayde institution as well by his worde as also by his sondrye workes and