❧ A Lesson of the Incarnation of Christ that he took, his humanity in and of the blessed virgin: made the twentithe day of June by John Hoper. 1549.  Roma. 9 ¶ Christ is of the father's concerning the flesh.  

¶ A daily prayer to be said before the Lesson.  
OH eternal and most merciful God: whois word is the light unto our stappes, and the lantern unto our feet. We most humble beseech thee, to illuminat our minds, that we may understand the mysteries contained in thy holy law. And into the same self thing that we godly understand, we may be virtuously transformed, so that of no part, we offend thy high majesty, through our saviour Jesus Christ▪ So be it.   

¶ A Preface.  
seeing we be even so appointed by the ordinance of God, to live, & take the experience & danger of the last time, in the which (as the scripture saith) iniquity shall abound and the true knowledge of God so obscured, that scarce the son of man when he commythe shall find onye faith upon the earth: it is the office of all Christianes', and espetiallye of such as teach the word of God, not only to remove and take away false & pernicious doctrine, and then to plant the truth: But also in time to crop & cut of the springing. and towardelye evils, before they be full ripe, lest they should oppress & keep under the doctrine of truth.  
Among all other pernicious doctrine contrary unto the truth, there is one most pestilent and dangerous which denyithe Jesus of Nazareth our saviour to have received his humanity and manhood of the blissed & holy virgin mary and supposithe either he brought his humanity with him from heaven, or else took it of some other, than of here. For asmuch therefore as this ungodly opinion, crept not only into the church immediately after the apostles, but also the same (being buried and condemned by the scripture) in our miserable, and most perilous time is gotten into the hearts of many: for whom Christ in his humanity shed his precious blood, and some it holdithe in trouble, and perplexite of conscience: to confirm and help the well persuaded in the Christian and Catholic faith, and also to call again (if God will) such as begun: I purpose to entreat and reason this matter of Christ's incarnation at large, that the truth may as right is in this case, take here place.  
Nothing else in this preface I demand, but that the Christian reader tarry with the truth, and not to be offended though in this time, many errors (upon the beginning of the Reformation of true religion in this realm) daily be brought in, seeing it was so in the apostles time by the craufte of the devil that men by the diversity of opinions troubled the truth of the gospel. Which was and is done to prove the faithful. Now therefore to the matter, in the which I will observe this order. first I will show, out of the old Testament, and the new, that Christ took his humanity of the blissed virgin: after wards I will answer to the objections of the contraries. †   

Reason's out of the old Testament.  
THe first is the promise of GOD unto Adamme and Eve: Gene. 3. that the seed of a woman shuide break the Serpenteshed. This promise was spoken of Christ, for he solely and only broke the Serpent's head, that is to say destroyed the works of the devil, satisfied for sin and over came it, and also the world, hell, and the devil, and set God and man at one, removing the occasion of Ennimite, and the Ennimite itself in his precious blood. Breaking the writings of our condemnation upon the cross, Ephe. 2. & this our saviour and peace maker is called the seed of a woman. The which word alone were sufficient to confound the contrary part, that saith Christ took not the substance of his humanity of the blessed Uyrgyne. Where so ever ye find this word, the seed of a woman in the holy scripture, ye shall see always it is taken for the child, and birth that hath of the substance of his mother: and not for any thing that passithe through the mother, as the water passithe through a pipe: But that part of the mother's substance doth concur and necessarielye is required to the procreation of the child as all Physic holdithe.  
And this way wrought God almighty the humanity of his only son our saviour Jesus of Nazareth without the knowledge of man, using the blessed virgin by the operation of the holy Ghost to conceive & bring forth this blessed seed, which was made of her, and took the original of his humanity of, and in her, by the operation of the holy Ghost, and neither nourished in her womb, neither brought forth she, the humanity of Christ, as a thing that God had given Christ from heaven, or else from some other where, but nourished in her, and brought forth the blessed seed, that God had made by his holy power, of her own substance. Other else were this promise false, the seed of a woman shall break the serpents head. It is no seed of a woman nor hath anything to do to be called the seed of a woman, that never take thought of a woman. But God doth warrant that he that shall break the Serpent's head shallbe the seed of a woman. If it be true (as it can not be false) that the Serpent's head is broken: who can deny but that it is broken by the seed of a woman. That is, by him that took his humanity of the woman's substance. Men must be ware, they be not deceived in this case with allegories, and wrong interpretation of the word: but plainly make answer, Christ is the seed of a woman, and not a thing that passed through here, nor was partaker of her nature. For than should she not have brought forth her son, but such asone as she know neither father neither mother of.  
other promises made god unto Abraham and unto Jacob of the same seed. To Abraham Gene. 22. In thy seed shall they say all the nations of the earth to be bsessed. Unto Jacob, Gen. 26. God saith thus: In thy seed shall all the people of the world be blessed. Here again see we Christ called the seed: for none other purpose doubtless, but only to take away all suspicion & doubt, that the world might have of his humanity. And least the world might have said, as now a day (the more pity) many doth say, we believe that Christ is of the seed of the fathers, but he brought that seed with him from heaven, or else wrought the same seed, and made it not out of the sinful nature of the fathers, but some other ways, unknown unto man. The scripture in these promises, and in other that shall follow putteth expressly, this pronown, Thine, Saying, thy Seed. In thy seed, not in the sede that Christ shall bring from heaven shallbe the blessing of all people. How can that be Abrahames, or Jacobes' seed, that never took any of their substance, but came from heaven, and was made of an other kind of nature, than Abraham and Jacob was of. Who is able by good authority of the scripture to warrant Christ's humanity, in case it be unknown of whom he should take it. As these men knoweth not that denieth Christ to take the nature of man of the blessed virgin. Unto David God made the like promise of Christ to be borne of his seed. 2. Samuel. 7. When thy days be paste, and thou slepeste with thy fathers, I will suscitat thy seed after thee, that shall come out of thy belly. The same have ye. 1. Paral. 17. and also Psalm. 132. The Lord swore a truth unto David, and will not go fromit. I will set upon thy seat (one) of the fruit of thy belie. Nothing is more clear, than these words. Noman doubteth but all these places appertain unto Christ, the son of the holy virgin. Who is called here the seed of David. Also that it should come out of his own belie, concerning his posterity. Then is Christ called the fruit of David belie. God did swore he would this do. Except he be for sworn he hath done it, and in that God be presyde, we be agryed. Therefore we will not tarry long in the prove thereof, seeing it needeth no probation. One thing I desire the Christian Reader of, that he mark well every word of the promise▪ where as he calleth him that is promised, now the seed of David, than the fruit of his womb: if he so do, it shallbe easy to comprehend, how far these men be from the verity, that Christ should be a man of the father's nature, according to the scriptures, and yet never received his human nature of none of them all. Look in the scripture, and see what the fruit of the belie is, and thou shalt find in every where, it is taken for the child that taketh the beginning of his humanity not only in his mother, but also of his mother, and parent. And calleth not that the fruit of the belie, that passeth the belly with out the commixtion and participation of the mother's substance as the water runneth, and passeth thorough the pipe, that mengleth itself nothing with substance of the led. For a more ample declaration, and defence of the truth concerning the humanity of Christ, and the original thereof, isaiah the prophet hath more open propheties, not only assuring of what family, and tribe, Christ should be borne but also namethe the condition of his mother, saying. Behold a virgin shall conceive, & bore a child, the. 7. Chapt. S. Matthew saith, not only that she had conceived, but also that the blessed fruit grew in her, so that she was great, Chap. 1.  
isaiah in the. 11. Chap. saith. There shall come forth of the race of Jesse a branch, and a flower of his rote, and so forth, read the place. Now note the words of the holy Ghost, conceive, being great, & to bring for the child: whether ever ye did read in the holy scriptures, or in any other book, that these properties were found, or may be found in any, saving in her, of whose nature and substance the child is form, and made. Therefore the virgin, which Esay here saith shall conceive, & bring forth, must ministre the part of her substance to her fruit otherwise, how shall it be called her son? The text amplifyeth this matter so itself: that it needeth no help of any rhetorical amplification. first, with this word, behold: for this word declareth that it should be wonderful, and above reason that the nature of a virgin should ministre matter and substance to any child, never being known of man. Had she done no more, than waxed great with nothing of herself, and brought forth the thing that was made with out her, it had not been a thing to be wondered at, at all, so much as the Prophet speaketh. But it is a greater miracle a virgin of her own nature to be father unto a child (by God's operation) and never touched by man: then to bring forth the burden that she taketh from another, made without her assistance and help.  
Then goeth forth the Prophet, and discusseth the doubt further by a similitude, and me taphore taken from atre, after this sort. There shall saith Esay come forth of the stock of Jesse a branch. That is to say, the blessed virgin Mary, note (the process of the text) and from the rote of this branch shall spring a flower, to say Christ our saviour. This is the order of the text, & the meaning thereof. I make the Christian reader judge. Out of the which text note those things. first, that Jesus of Nazareth our saviour concerning his humanity hath not his beginning from heaven nor else where but from the sub stance of the rout of Jesse. Mark the words of the prophet. He saith not that Christ shallbe a flower graft or feigned to be annexed to the rout, but he shallbe borne of the same rout. Consider the similitude and the words of the scripture Christ is called the flower of the branch. It is not unknown unto all men, but that the flower is of the nature & substance of the tree that bareth the flower. How can they then prove (tarry in the text of isaiah) seeing our saviour Christ is the flower of that sa crate virgin Mary, should not be of her substance and nature? Show us any flower, that is either of apple tree, nut, or other that is not of the same nature and substance that the tree is, of whom it springeth. If ye grant the flower to be of the nature & substance of the stock that bareth the flower: be no more iniuryouse, & cruel against Christ the flower & fruit (by God's ordinances) of the sacrate virgin, them unto the stock, and rout of every flower of the field. Show us the flower of an Orange to spring of an Oak, & then we will grant the humanity of Christ, nor to take his original of man, but from heaven, or else from somother beginning, as you do feign, ye know not what. And then (it must be granted) even as of the nature of no▪ Orange can come no orange: so of none of Abrahames nature and stock, can come Abrahames natural kinsman our saviour Christ Jesus according to the flesh. But ye will not contrary to reason, grant to us the first, no more can we contrary both to reason and to the holy scripture, grant you the second. These places and promises of the old testament considered: we will bring forth the authority of the new Testament, that shall confirm the same.   

¶ Testimonies of the new Testament.  
Out of the old Testament we have heard that Christ should be born according to the holy scriptures. Now let us hear how the effect answereth to y● for more propheties. In case the new testament should not in effect perform asmuch as the old testament figured by shadows and saw before by prophetye, they both might be justly suspected, and no force though both of the were denied. And for a probation, let us take the experience of it in this matter concerning the humanity of Christ, and that it took his beginning in and of the holy virgin, by the operation of the holy Ghost. The angel said unto the blessed virgin, Luce the first. Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, & bore a son, the which things S. Mathewe expresseth thus. Thou shaltbe great, and bore a son. Mark the whole state of the scripture, and the words here rehearsed, to conceive and bare a child: and ye shall always find, it is none other thing but that the mother shallbe a very true and natural parent with partycypatyon of here own substawce with her child. Therefore saint Mathewe in the fryste Chapter to help this doubt, among other things touching the genealogy and stock of Christ, saith thus speaking of the blessed virgin Mary, Of whom is born christ and doth not say by whom or through whom Christ passed. The same word Of, useth S. Paul twysse to the Romans, and ones to the Galathians, the which word he would not have used so many times, in case Christ hath taken no substance of his mother, but passed through her without participation of her nature as the water through a conduit. To the Romans in the first chapter he saith thus, which was borne of the sede of David as touching the flesh. And in the in the. 9 Chapter Christ after the flesh is of the fathers, & in the fourth to the Galathians he saith, when the time was fulfilled, God send his son borne of a woman. What can be more plainly said to prove our saviour Jesus Christ to have taken of the virgin the substance of human nature. Namely because the new Testament, & the authorytes thereof, doth so Godly correspond and answer to the propheties of the old law, Gene. 22. 26. In thy seed, saith Moses, and not in an other seed, or in a heavenly sede. The same doth S. Paul repet, saying. Christ is of the fathers as concerning to the flesh. Mark the word Of, & it shall destroy, that fond opinion of them that say, true it is, we grant the Christ is of the seed of David, yet it followeth not he should take of the nature, and substance of the sacrate virgin. Note well the words, and they shall satisfy the. Unto this objection and other I will answer unto here after, in the end of the oration. Now to the prove of our proposytion, read the first of Saint Luke, and mark the greeting of Elizabeth unto the holy virgin being great: blessed said she is the fruit of thy womb. This holy woman calleth Christ the fruit, but whereof, & from whence had she this fruit of heaven, or other where? no treulye: but it was the fruit of her own belie, then of her own substance, or else it were a manifest lie to call Christ the fruit of her belie. Nether I think, there is no man that would call a thing the fruit of a tree, that never had the nature of a tree. What man was ever so found to say, that a Pere were the fruit of a Cherry tree. Or who is he that can say, that Jesus of Nazareth taking his humanity from heaven or of some other thing beside his mother, can truly call him, the fruit of his mother's womb. The scripture sayeth: Christ is her son, and she is his mother, not a feigned mother, but a true and very natural mother.  
So sayeth saint Matthew in the first Chapt. She brought forth her son. And so the virgin called him Luke the second, Son why haste thou done thus unto us. believe the scriptures and pondre accordingly the words and sentences thereof. Math. 1. Luce. 3. Jo. 2. 19  
One place more there is in S. Paul written in the second to the Hebrew: which is this, for asmuch then as the children were partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part with them. And in the same place he sayeth: He took the seed of Abraham, & not of the Angels so that he must be like unto his brothers in all things. This place appertaining to the nativity of Christ, let us consider diligently the words of S. Paul's oration, how he proveth Christ to have our nature, which he took of his mother. If it be so sayeth S. Paul that the children, that is to say men be partakers of flesh and blood: Christ because he might destroy him that hath the dominion of death, by the death in his own body, was made partaker of the same, to wite of flesh and blood. Here he useth three words, Likewise, Partaker, Of the same. Read the text and note the words.  
¶ first it is out of doubt, that our flesh is of the nature and substance of a woman. Now sayeth S. Paul Christ likewise, that is to say after the same manner took flesh as his brothers. I say not like unto us, for we receive our nature with sin, and in sin, and by natural conjunction. Christ received his humanity of his mother without sin, by the operation of the holy ghost. But to saint Paul's words: like as man taketh his nature of his parents, so likewise took Christ his human nature of the blessed virgin, or else S. Paul's symyle proved nothing.  
¶ The second word of Saint Paul saith, that he was made participant, or partaker. Now there is no participatyon nor can be, except it be of such things, as is commune between them that be partakers of one thing. It cannot be therefore that Christ hath taken other flesh than his brothers had, which was of the seed of man. Forther he addeth. Christ took the seed of Abraham, and not of Angels, that is asmuch to say Abraham's flesh verily human, and not any body or flesh celestial, or made of the air. In this place S. Paul showeth plainly from whence, and of whom Christ took his humanity. In the same chapter S. Paul sayeth, Christ is made like unto his brothers in all things.  
¶ How can this I pray you be true, in case he never took his human nature of any of his brother's substance. The which thing if ye take from Christ, there is nothing can be more unlike, then Christ, and us, that be his brothers. In the last reason S. Paul saith that Christ was tempted, that he might secure such as were tempted. Now there is no flesh, can be tempted, but man's flesh. And there is no man's flesh, but hath taken his beginning of the substance of man, except it were Adam the first man that was made of the Earth, Gen. 1. Farther how can he help us as S. Paul saith being in an other flesh from us. If he have an other flesh than we have (I except sin, & now mortality) how or wherein is the justice of God satisfied for sin? How can he be a faithful mediator between God and man, that never took his humanity, of the substance or nature of any man.  
¶ These places and autorytes I trust suffycyth every Christian heart for the stablyshement of this Article of our believe, where we confess that Christ was conceived by the holy ghost, and borne of the virgin mary. By the which word Of, we believe that he took his humanity of her substance, and had none other beginning as touching his humanity, then in her, and of her, by the operation of the holy ghost. There now resteth no more to be said of me in this part, but to answer unto such objections, as the contrary part resystyth this truth withal.  

The first objection.  
¶ If Christ took his flesh of a woman, than were he a sinner, and partaker of the sin, that naturally dwelleth in every of Adam's posterity, Romano. 5. 11.  

We answer.  
¶ Incase Christ had been in all things conceived and borne as we be, there objection were true. But the Angel in the first of Saint Luke declareth the diversity between the conceptyon and birth of Christ and ours. The holy ghost saith he unto the holy virgin shall come upon thee, and the might of the highest, shall shadow the. And in case the almighty had not sanctified and hallowed the seed of David in the sacrate virgin, which Christ took in her womb, it might have ministered some suspicion, that Christ being man of sinful nature, should also been a sinner himself. But the scripture declareth, not only Christ to be the seed & fruit of the virgin, but also a seed and fruit without sin. Saying, the thing that shallbe borne of the is holy, & shall be called the son of God. This testimony of the will of God in the scripture should suffice the people of God. Why seek we a knot ina roush, & put doubt in a manifest verity, or to fear of the thing, that God's word plainly putteth out of fear, and saith, It shallbe no sinful fruit, nor vyciated seed that the blessed virgin shall bring forth, but it shallbe an holy fruit. Luc. 1. And in the same place Elizabeth saith, Blessed is the fruit of thy belly. The holy woman will admit no curse or malediction of sin in this fruit. The Prophet Hier. 23. sayeth, that God promised to suscytat unto David a righteous branch.  
¶ In this Prophet, there is contained, too veriteis of Christ. The ●●rste is, that he shallbe of the seed of david, as the branch of a tree, is of the tree itself. Now it is known, that the tree, and the branch thereof, is partycypant of one, and of the same nature, of the same sape, and condition. So is Christ, touching his humanity of the same nature that his mother was of. That is to say, of the seed of David. And this proveth the article of our faith, He was borne of the virgin mary.  
¶ The second part of the Prophesy proveth the confutation of such as would infer, and make to follow, if Christ be of the substance and nature of his mother, then is he a sinner. Mark the text and it will answer the contrary. The text saith it shall not only be a branch, but a just branch. That is to say, innocent and without sin before the face and judgement of GOD, as though the Prophet had said, This branch shall take his being & original of David posterity & yet want sin. ¶ So doth the Prophet Esay say. cap. 53. speaking of this blessed, and innocent seed. Who did no sin, neither fraud was found in his mouth. The same writeth Saint Peter. 1. Petr. 2. and Saint Johan 1. Johan. 3. He appeared to take away our sin, and no sin was found in him. Of these places we humble beseech all Christian men to judge, whether the word of God proveth not, as well, Christ to take of the substance of his mother, as to prove the same branch and fruit of here belie to be void of all sin, the holy ghost working the same as it is written Luc. 1.    

The second objection.  
¶ S. Math. in his first Chapter sayeth: That which is borne of here, is of the holy ghost: than it is not of the nature and substance of the virgin.  

We answer.  
¶ 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 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 thassistance of thy nature which shallbe 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 wyefe, 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 place unto faith, and the power of GOD, so was Josephe 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 myndyth 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 itself. 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 require it to be admitted of all men for the scriptures sake, all the Prophetyes 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.    

The third objection.  
¶ Christ the son of God took not our nature, but by a certain change & commutation, the word that before was God, to be made flesh, according to the scriptures, Jo. 1. & the word is made flesh.  

We Answer.  
¶ This wrong interpretation of the scriptures comineth by the equivocation, or diverse signifycation of this word (Made) Which hath in the scriptures two sygnifycations. The first, it signifieth a change of one nature into an other as Jo. 2. the water was made wine. And also Gene. 19 The wife of Loth was made into a stone of salt.  
This word (Made) in the scripture in many other places signifieth asmuch as to say received, as S. Paul writeth Gala. 3. Christ is made for us the curse or execration. That is to say received in him the curse and malediction of God for our sins. And again, 2. cor. 5 He that knew no sin, Made sin for us. That is to say was the sacrifice for oursynne. Good Christian reader, remember to take the meaning of the scripture according to the circumstance thereof, and then thou shalt perceive for the immutabilyte of Gods nature, that where saint Joanne saith, and the word was made flesh, is even asmouche to say, as the son of God, received flesh, And no other sense nor meaning can it have then this, except ye would the word that was God before, & immortal is now chaumged into man, & become mortal, which sentence repugneth every book of the scripture. Farther it should follow, that he that was before God, as S. John sayeth, now leaveth to be God, and is made man, as the water that was turned into wine Jo. 2. Left to be wine and become water. And as the corn of salt was no more the wyefe of Loath, but a corn of salt.  
¶ Beside all this, if God be turned into man, how standeth there first interpretation, that his flesh and true humanity is of the holy Ghost?  
¶ Nomaner of way doubtless for no substance of flesh is of the substance of the holy ghost, nor no substance of the holy Ghost can or may be the substance of the flesh. Thus therefore with the scriptures we conclude the word remaining still the word, annexed unto it the nature of man which he took of the blessed virgin, and truly is called the fruit of here belly.    

The fourth Objection.  
¶ Whatso ever is borne of a woman, hath a carnal body, but Saint Paul attributeth unto Christ a spiritual body 1. Cor. 15. therefore he was not conceived nor borne of the woman's nature.  

We Answer.  
¶ S. Paul in that place speaketh not of the incarnation of Christ, whether it be of the Uirgyne, or from heaven: as it is easily to be seen by the matter he entreateth of. But he writeth of the state and condition of the body after the resurrection. And answereth there to the objection of them that demanded in what body the dead should rise: in the same sayeth he that they lived, but no more mortal, nor subject unto the pain of mortality, as Adames body was after he sinned: but spiritual as Christ's body was after his resuerrection (spiritual I say, not that it losteth his humanity, or is turned into the nature of a spirit. But because it shall lack all mortal qualities.)  
Thus proveth S. Paul when he saeyth, it is sown a natural body, it shall rise a spiritual body. Here saint Paul speaketh of the body of Christ after the resurrection, and not of his incarnation. Wherefore there reason concludeth nothing. For they infer a wrong conclusion of an evil understand principal.    

The fift Objection.  
¶ If Christ should receive his humanity of the nature of man it should be to the ignominy and contempt of his person▪ whois holiness will not admit any conjunction with the unperfection of man.  

We Answer.  
¶ It is no ignomyne, or contempt at all, but rather a certain argument of God's mercy (which passeth all his works) that he would not abhor to be partaker of our infirm nature.    

¶ Other common Objections.  
S. Paul, Col. 1. Ephe. 3. Heb. 1. Jo. 3. .1. Cor. 15. Jo. 6. Hebr. 13. Ephe. 4. In these places it is plain that Christ is called the first begotten of creatoures. That he came from heaven. That he is the bread given from heaven. He is to day, and was yester day also. He ascended, that first descended. These places say they, prove he took not his original of his mother.  

We Answer.  
¶ Christ as he is very God, so is he very man & according to his godhead he hath been, is, and ever shallbe with out beginning and of this his divine nature speaketh the places afore rehearsed, and not of his humanity. Farther it is the manner of the scripture by cause of the union and conjunction of these two natures in one person, many times to ascribe & put that unto the one nature, which properly is dew unto the other.    

The conclusion.  
¶ seeing the scripture hath in this point as well stablished the truth that Christ our saviour took his humanity of the blessed virgin, as also answered all the objections that can be brought against the truth: It shallbe the duty and office of as many as love the Lord in Christ with humbleness rather to consent unto the truth: then of affection, to stand at the defence of a lie. The living God grant us his holy spirit, that once we may all know one thing in Christ Jesus, to our salvation. So be it.    

¶ imprinted at London by Edward Whitechurch 1549. Cum Privilegio ad Imprimendum solum.