Certain Sermons or Homilies (First Book of Homilies)

Although, there want not (good christian people) great swarms of vices, worthy to be rebuked, (unto such decay is true godliness & virtuous living now come) yet above other vices the outrageous seas of adultery, whoredom, fornication, and uncleanness, have not only burst in, but also overflowed, almost the whole world, unto the great dishonour of God, the exceeding infamy of the name of Christ, the notable decay of true religion and the utter destruction of the public wealth: and that so abundantly, that through the customable use thereof, this vice is grown into such an height, that in a manner among many, it is counted no sin at all, but rather a pastime, a dalliance, and but a touch of youth, not rebuked but winked at, not punished, but laughed at: wherefore it is necessary at this present, to entreat of the sin of whoredom, and fornication, declaring unto you, the greatness of this sin, and how odious, hateful, and abominable it is, and hath alway been reputed, before God and all good men, and how grievously it hath been punished, both by the law of God, and the laws of diverse princes. Again, to show you certain remedies, whereby ye may, (through the grace of God) eschew this most detestable sin of whoredom and fornication, and lead your lives, in all honesty and cleanness. And that ye may perceive, that fornication, and whoredom ⟨image 72⟩are (in the sight of God) most abominable since, ye shall call to remembrance this commandment of GOD: thou shalt not commit adultery: by the which word adultery,¹ although it be properly understand, of the unlawful commixtion of a married man with any woman beside his wife, or of a wife, with any man beside her husband: yet thereby is signified also, all unlawful use of those parts, which be ordained for generation. And this one commandment (forbidding adultery) doth sufficiently paint, and set out before our eyes, the greatness of this sin of whoredom, and manifestly declareth, how greatly it ought to be abhorred of all honest and faithful persons. And that none of us all, shall think himself excepted from this commandment, whether we be old, or young, married, or unmarried, man, or woman, hear what God the father sayeth, by his most excellent Prophet Moses:

ALthough, there want not (good christian people) great swarmes of vices, worthi to be rebuked, (vnto such decai is true godlynes & verteous liuinge now come) yet aboue other vices the outragious seas of adultery, whoredome, fornicacion, and vnclennesse, haue not onelye braste in, but also ouerflowed, almoste the whoole worlde, vnto the greate dishonor of God, the excedyng infamie of the name of Christ, the notable decay of true religion and the vtter destruction of the publique wealthe: and that so abundātly, that through the customable vse thereof, thys vice is growē into suche an height, that in a maner emong many, it is compted no sin at all, but rather a pastyme, a dalliaunce, and but a touche of youthe, not rebuked but winked at, not punyshed, but laughed at: wherfore it is necessarye at this presente, to entreat of the syn of whoredom, and fornicacion, declaringe vnto you, the greatnes of this syn, and how odious, hatefull, and abhominable it is, and hath alwaye been reputed, before God and al good men, and how greuously it hath been punished, bothe by the lawe of God, and the lawes of diuerse princes. Again, to shewe you certayne remedies, whereby ye maye, (through the grace of God) eschew this moste detestable synne of whoredom and fornicacion, and lead youre lyfes, in all honestie and cleannesse. And that ye maye perceiue, that fornicacion, and whoredome