Fifty Godly and Learned Sermons (The Decades)

The next is for us to declare the ¹manner of his incarnation. This article of faith standeth on two members. The first is, He was conceived by the holy ghost. Al we men, Christ excepted, ace conceived by the seed of man which of it self is unclean, and therefore we are borne sinners, and, as Paul saith: We are borne the sons of wrath. But the body of Christ, I say, our Lord was not conceived in the Virgin Mary by Joseph, or by any seed of man, but by the holy ghost: not that the holy ghost was in place of the seed. For nothing is begotten of the spirit, but what is spiritual. Neither hath our Lord a fantastical, but a very true body, and of the same substance with us. So then our Lord was conceived in the womb of the Virgin by the holy ghost. For the holy ghost by his eternal power did bring to pass that, the virginity of the Virgin mother being uncorrupted, she, I say, being made with child, conceived of her own blood, and gave a pure and very humane body to the Son of God. As is declared at large by the Angel Gabriel in the first cap. after S. Luk. Of which place because I mean to speak else where more largely, I do now pass it over untouched. God himself straight ways after the very beginning of the world did foretell, that such should be the manner of that conception. For he said not, the seed of the man shall tread down the Serpents head, but the seed of the woman. Moreover the Lord by the Prophets saith: I will raise up seed to David. But Moses law for the raising up of seed to the brother departed is well known. For if the brother died without issue of Children, his brother remaining alive, was compelled to marry the deceased brothers wife, and of her to beget children, which were called and counted not by the name of him that was living, but of the dead brother. Wherefore when there was not to be found a man of Davids line, that was sufficiently meet to beget on the Virgin the Son of God, the Saviour of the world, God himself raiseth up seed to David, and by his holy spirit maketh the Virgin with child: who although she were not with child by a man of Davids line, yet because she was a daughter of Davids stock, and because, God so working, she of her own substance, gave substance to the Son of God, this her child Christ both is and is called the Son of David.

The nexte is for vs to declare the ¹manner of his incarnation. This article of fayth standeth on two mēbers. The first is, He was conceiued by the holy ghoste. Al wée men, Christe excepted, ace conceyued by the seede of man which of it selfe is vncleane, and therefore wée are borne sinners, and, as Paule sayth: Wee are borne the sonns of wrath. But ye body of Christ, I saye, our Lord was not conceiued in the Virgin Marie by Iosephe, or by any seede of man, but by ye holie ghoste: not that the holy ghoste was in place of the seede. For nothinge is begotten of the spirite, but what is spirituall. Neyther hath our Lorde a phantasticall, but a very true body, and of the same substance with vs. So then our Lord was conceiued in the wombe of the Virgin by the holie ghost. For the holie ghost by his eternall power did bring to passe that, the virginitie of ye Virgine mother beinge vncorrupted, shee, I say, being made with child, cō ceiued of her owne bloud, and gaue a pure and verye humane bodie to the sonne of God. As is declared at large by the Angell Gabriel in the first cap. after S. Luk. Of which place because I meane to speake else where more largely, I do now passe it ouer vntouched. God himselfe streight wayes after the verie beginninge of the worlde did foretel, that such should be ye manner of that cōception. For he said not, the seede of the man shal tread downe the Serpents heade, but the seede of the woman. Moreouer the Lord by ye Prophets sayth: I will rayse vp seede to Dauid. But Moses law for ye raysinge vp of seede to the brother departed is wel knowne. For if the brother died without issue of Children, his brother remayning aliue, was compelled to marrie the deceassed brothers wife, and of her to beget childrē, which were called and counted not by the name of him that was liuinge, but of the deade brother. Wherefore when there was not to be found amā of Dauids lyne, that was sufficientlie meete to begett on the Virgin the sonne of God, the fauiour of ye world, God himself raiseth vp seede to Dauid, and by his holy spirite maketh the Virgin with childe: who although she were not with child by a man of Dauids lyne, yet because shée was a daughter of Dauids stock, and because, God so workinge, shée of her owne substaunce, gaue substaunce to the sonne of God, this her childe Christe both is and is called the sonne of Dauid.