¶ If the circumstance of the place be marked, they shall know, they do injuries to the text here, as in other places. For when the virgin hard, there should be a child borne of her, & she yet in the grace & perfection of her virginity, as of a thing impossible by nature to be done wondereth at the tidings, and requireth the Angel of the means, how it may be done. where unto the Angel maketh ⟨image 20⟩answer, to satisfy the admiration of the troubled virgin thus. The holy ghost shall come upon thee, and he shall work this wonderful work in thee, although above the consent of thy reason, yet not without the assistance of thy nature which shall be shadowed by the holy ghost. This interpretation of S. Luke admitteth, S. Matthew in the first Chapter, where as Joseph was no less troubled to see his affianced, and promised wife, to be with child, (thought it had been by some sinister, and forbidden means,) as well as the pour virgin with reason, thought it could never be without the knowledge of man. As from heaven her reason was confounded and made to give ⟨image 20⟩place unto faith, and the power of GOD, so was Joseph by night admonished of his over hasty judgement, and light suspicion, that his promised wife was not great by any man, but by the holy ghost. Thus mindeth the Evangelist, to take out of Joseph the suspicion that he had of the Godly virgin for her being with child, and not to prove, that the child within her, was not of her own substance and nature. Read the place, & mark the state and argument thereof, then shall the text interpret at it self. If it be so (as God forbid, it should) any would wrest & constrain this word (of the holy ghost) against the circumstance & meaning of the Evangelist. We wish and ⟨image 21⟩require it to be admitted of all men for the scriptures sake, all the Prophecies that saith Messias should be borne of a woman, and not by a woman, or passing through a woman. If they will not thus be contented, but force the letter that sayeth (of the holy ghost) that is to say: Christ was borne of the substance of the holy ghost, then should they prove ether Christ to have no flesh, because the holy▪ ghost hath none, nor never had: or else the God to be turned into the nature of man. And so where as God before was and is ever immortal: should by there reason be made mortal, which were a blasphemy to grant.
¶ If the cyrcumstaunce of the place be marked, they shall know, they do iniuries to ye text here, as in othere places. For when the vyrgyn harde, there shoulde be a chyld borne of her, & she yet in ye grace & perfeccion of her vyrgynyte, as of a thyng impossible by nature to be done wondreth at the tydyngs, and requyreth the Angell of the meanes, how it maye be done. where vnto the Angell maketh ⟨image 20⟩answere, to satisfy the admyration of the troubled vyrgyne thus. The holy ghost shal come vpon the, and he shall worke thys wonderfull worke in the, although aboue the consent of thy reason, yet not without thassystaunce of thy nature whych shalbe shadowed by the holye ghost. Thys interpretatyon of S. Luke admitteth, S. Mathew in the fyrste Chapter, where as Joseph was no lesse troubled to se hys affiaunced, and promysed wyefe, to be wyth chylde, (thoughte it had bene by some synystre, and forbydden meanes,) as wel as the poure vyrgyne wyth reason, thought it could neuer be without the knowledge of man. As from heauen her reason was confunded and made to geue ⟨image 20⟩place vnto faith, and the power of GOD, so was Josephe by nyght admonyshed of hys ouer hasty iudgement, and lyght suspycyon, that hys promysed wyfe was not greate by anye man, but by the holye ghoste. Thus myndyth the Euangeliste, to take oute of Joseph the suspycyon yt he had of the Godlye virgine for her beyng wyth chylde, and not to proue, that the chyld wythin her, was not of her owne substaunce and nature. Reade the place, & marke the state and argument thereof, then shal the text interprete at it selfe. If it be so (as God forbyd, it shoulde) anye would wrest & constrayne thys worde (of the holy ghost) against ye circumstaunce & meanynge of the Euangelyste. We wyshe and ⟨image 21⟩requyre it to be admitted of all men for the scryptures sake, all the Prophetyes that sayth Messyas shoulde be borne of a woman, and not by a woman, or passynge through a woman. If they wyll not thus be contendyd, but forse the lettre that sayeth (of the holye ghost) that is to saye: Christe was borne of the substaunce of the holye ghoste, then should they proue ethere Christ to haue no fleshe, because the holye▪ ghoste hath none, nor neuer hadde: or else the God to be turned into ye nature of man. And so where as God before was and is euer immortal: should by there reason be made mortall, whyche were a blasphemye to graunt.
