y e mother of such a chylde For I thynke Mary was not called a stocke and a roote therfore only because that aboue nature vnstayned flore of hyr maydenheade she became a mother as it is also aboue nature y e a rodde shuld springe of a dead blocke But also because that she was of a kynglye stocke and of Dauids kynred which was sōtyme buddynge florysshyng honorable puyssaunte rych and happy both in hys and Salomons tyme and a thynge greatly set by amonge men But at the laste whan Christe shulde come dyd the hygh prestes vsurpe and take to themselues that dignite hauyng the rule alone and the kyngly progeny or kynred was fallē to extreme prouerte and despysed as a deade blocke so that ther was no hope nor lokynge for more that ony kyng of great worshyp and renowne shulde sprynge of it And whā it was in thys state and euē come to y e lowest thā doth Christe come of a small stocke borne of a symple and poore virgine and so the rodde and blossome of such a persone as the doughters of my lorde Annas Caiphas wolde not haue wytesafe to haue done the vylest seruice of theyr handmaydē Thus go the workes of God and hys syghte in the depthes and the workes and lokes of men only in the heyghte And thys is the cause of hyr loude songe of prayse which we wyll now heare from verse to verse My soule magnifieth the LORDE That worde brusteth out of a vehemente heate and ouerflowynge ioye wherewyth hyr mynde and conuersacion heaue it selfe wholy in sprite inwardly Wherfore she sayeth not I do magnifye the LORDE but my soule As yf she wolde saye My lyfe and all my thoughtes dryue compelle and ouerflowe in the loue and prayse of God and exceadynge gladnesse so that I euen besydes my selues ame rather heaued than do heaue to prayse God Euen as it chaunceth also vnto them that be endued wyth godly swetenesse and sprete so that they fele more than they can vtter and expresse wyth wordes For it not mans worke to geue thankes vnto God wyth ioye It is rather a ioyfull mynde and the only worke of God the whiche is not perceaued by vtteraunce but by experience as sayeth Dauid in the .xxxiii. Psalme Tayste and se how good the LORDE is happy is the mā that trusteth in hym He sayeth fyrste Tayste and than se because he can not be knowen wythout a mans owne experience wher vnto neuerthelesse noman commeth wythoute he do wholye and fullye truste in God whan he is into the depthe and anguyshe and for thys cause doth he adde continently and sayeth Happy is the man that trusteth in hym For such one shall perceaue y e worke of God in hymselfe and by thys waye he shall come to the perceaueable swetenesse and therby come to all vnderstandynge and knowlege Now let vs marke weye euery worde in order The fyrst is My soule Scripture dealeth man in thre partes as Paule the fyrst to the Tessalonians the last Chapter sayeth The very God of peace sanctifye you thorow out And I praye God that your whole sprete soule and body be kepte blamelesse vnto the commynge of our LORDE And euery one of these thre wyth al the mā is agayne dealte another waye in two namely the fleshe and the sprete The whyche particion is not of the nature but of the beynge or propernesse That is to say Nature path .iii. partes namely the sprete the soule and the body and all thre maye altogether be ether good or bad and is than called the sprete and the fleshe wherof we wyll not speake at thys tyme. The fyrst part that is the sprete is the moost excellente the depest and the mooste noblest parte of man wherewyth he is apte to vnderstande incomprehensible inuisible and eternall thynges and to be shorte it is the house wherin fayth and y e worde of God are conteyned wherof Dauid speaketh in y e L. psalme sayenge LORDE renewe a ryght sprete in myne intrayles that is a strayght and not bowed fayth And agayn in y e .lxxvii. psal speakyng of the vnfaythful he sayeth A frowarde ouerthwart generaciō a generacion that set not theyr harte aryght whose sprete was not true towarde God The seconde part the soule is euen the same sprete after the nature but after another operaciō Namely in that it quyckeneth the body and worketh by the same and is oftentymes taken in scripture for lyfe For the sprete maye lyue well ynough wythout the body but so maye not the body Thys parte se we also that euen as we slepe it doth lyue and worke wythout ony ceassynge And hys cōdicion or properte is not to perceaue thinges that be incomprehensible but suche as reason can haue knowlege of and measure And reason is the chefe lyght in thys house Yee wythout the sprete beynge lyghtened wyth fayth or a greater lyght do rule gyde thys lyght of reason it can not be wythoute errour for it is to vyle to beare ony swynge in godly busynesse Vnto these two partes doth scripture attribute much but chefelye wysedome and knowlege wysedome vnto y e sprete and knowlege vnto the soule Besydes these attributeth it also hate loue pleasure lothsomnes and such lyke The thyrde is the body wyth hys membres whose workes are mere exercyse vse of such thynges as the soule knoweth and y e sprete doth beleue And to confirme thys by a wytnesse of the scripture Moses made a Tabernacle with a threfolde and seuerall mansion The fyrst was called Sanctū sanctorum in the which God dwelled and this had no lyght The second was called Sanctum wherin was the candelsticke wyth the seuen shaftes and lampes The thyrde was called the forecourte whych was vnder the open skye and bare to the Sonne beames In thys fygure is euery Christen man featly described For hys sprete is y e Sanctū sāctorū y e is the moost holy y e dwellyng of God in a secrete as a mā myght say in a darke fayth for he beleueth it y t he cā not perceaue with his eyesyght nother feleth nor yet doth comprehende The Soule is the Sanctum that is y e holy there be the .vii. lampes that is all maner of vnderstandynge y e differēce and knowlege of corporal visible thynges The bodye is the forecourte whych is bare to euery man so that they maye se what he doth and how he lyueth Therfore now prayeth Paule sayeth The very God of peace sanctifye you thorowout Not only in one parte but thorowe out that the sprete soule bodye and altogether be holy Here were many thynges to be spoken of the cause of thys prayer but I wyl brefely rehearse some of them Yf the sprete be not holy ther shall nothynge els be holy Than is the moost ieoperdy and busynesse in the holynesse of the sprete whych consysteth only in a pure fayth that is yf y e sprete be not combred wyth
of God beynge contente to be at rest and to lay vp the sweard had not God ordined the same to the punyshynge of the wycked and defence of y e good so that suche proteccyon and defence be not done wyth farther dammage as namely for takyng vp a spowne a platter be broken It is but a slender proteccion yf an whole cytie be brought in daunger for one persone or yf for one vyllage or castell all the prouince be disquieted wythout God doth commaunde it seuerally as sometyme he was was wont to do A souldyer doth robbe some cytesyn and for to aueÌ„ge the same thou raysest an hoost and gatherest a taxe of y e whole contry who hath the moost harme the lorde or the souldyer Dauid dyd wynke oftymes whan he coulde not punysh wythout y e great dammage and harme of other EueÌ„ so must all powers order themselues and agayn the indweller must forbeare and suffre somwhat for y e coÌ„munite not wysh that for hys sake all other suffre great losse and hurte Equalite can not be had alwaye Christ wold not that the taxes shulde be plucked vp leste the wheate were plucked vp also Yf men shulde warre for euery assaulte and wynke at nothyng ther shuld neuer be peace but coÌ„tinuall waistyng Therfore is ryghteousnesse or vnryghteousnesse neuer a sufficient cause to punysh or to warre wythout discrecioÌ„ neuertheresse it is cause sufficient to punyshe in season wythout the vndoynge of another For a lorde or prynce must specially se what is expedient rather vnto a coÌ„munalte than vnto one or other To speake of warre is here no conuenient tyme. Of thys wyse must be done in godly matters namely Fayth and the Gospell which are y e best goodes nother may ony maÌ„ leaue them But y e ryghteousnesse fauoure and honoure befallyng beloÌ„gynge to y e same must be weyed coÌ„mytted to God The care is to be taken not for y e victory but for y e coÌ„fessynge knowlegynge to suffre wyllyngly though a maÌ„ were reuyled as a wycked deceauer an heretyke an erronious or rash fellowe though a man were persecuted dryueÌ„ away burnt or kylled or ony other meanes for the mercy of God is nye vnto such For the fayth and truth can not be takeÌ„ froÌ„ hym though he be depriued of hys lyfe Yet neuerthelesse ought nomaÌ„ to ruÌ„ne of hys owne accorde to brynge or kepe such ryghte of the gospell by force or vnlawful meanes but to submytte hymselfe in y e syght of God as one y e perchauÌ„ce is vnworthy y e such exceadynge goodnesse shulde happeÌ„ thorow hym wyth complaynynge and prayenge to commende the matter vnto hys mercy Beholde thys is y e fyrst worke of God namely y t he is mercyfull vnto theÌ„ y t w t a good wyl forgo theyr intent ryghteousnesse wysedom what soeuer spiritual goodes ther be gladly remayne poore of sprete Those are y e true fearers of God that iudge theÌ„selues worthy of nothynge be it neuer so lytle be naked w t a good wyll both before God meÌ„ And y e goodes whych they haue vnworthely receaued of y e pure grace do they vse wyth prayse thaÌ„kesgeuyng feare eueÌ„ as thoughe they were other folkes goâ—des not sekynge theyr own wyl pleasure prayse or glory but hys whose they be Wherof y e blessed virgin taketh occasioÌ„ to shewe howe God delyteth more in exercisyng this hys bewtyful work namely mercy thaÌ„ strength whaÌ„ she sayeth that thys worke of God shal last coÌ„tinually from chylde to chyldes chylde vpon theÌ„ that feare hym where as the other worke lasteth only vntyl the thyrde or fourth generacion and in thys verse followynge is nother stent nor tyme set The seconde spirituall worke is to subdue the proude He shevveth streÌ„gth vvyth hys arme and scattereth them that are proud in the ymaginacion of theyr harte Let no maÌ„ be moued wyth thys my true translacion in that I haue translated aboue vvorketh myghtely but here I say he shevveth strength For the cause why I so do is that the wordes myght be the playner easyer to vnderstande whych oughte not to be bounde ether to tyme or place but that y e nature and workes maye be more frelyer vttered the whych he alwaye hath done doth and shall do so that it is as much as though I had sayd God doth so playe the LORDE that hys workes prospere so myghtely that he scattereth the proude and geueth mercye vnto them that feare hym The arme of God is taken in scripture for hys owne power by y e whych he worketh wythout ony meane of the creatures the whyche is done priuelye and vnloked for so that noman is ware of it before it be dispatched and that no man can knowe the same arme or power saue onely by fayth Wherfore few do geue fayth therevnto as Esaye doth coÌ„playne in the .liii. Chapter sayenge Who geueth credence vnto our preachyng Or to whoÌ„ is the arme of the LORD knowen Al thys is done as it followeth in y e same place because y e al thinges ar wrought pryuely vnder an vnequall appearauÌ„ce of such power Abac. the prophet sayeth also in hys .iii. Chapter that God hath hornes in hys handes meanynge thereby hys great strength yet notwythstandynge doth he saye that the same power is hyd But how is thys done namely after thys maner Whan God worketh by the meane of creatures than is it euidentlye sene where strength or feblenesse is wherof is ryseÌ„ this prouerbe God doth ayde the stronger part Whatso euer prynce therfore vanquysheth the other the same is he thorow whom God doth stryke the other Yf a wolfe teare ony man or he get ony daÌ„mage otherwyse that same is done by y e creatures Of thys wyse doth God make or destroye one creature by another He that ouercoÌ„meth ouercoÌ„meth he that abydeth abydeth But where as he hymselfe worketh wyth hys arme there goeth it otherwyse to worke for there is y e matter destroyed or made agayne contrary to our opinion no man perceauynge it Thys kynde of workynge doth he vse in two sortes of men namely good and wycked for y e good he suffreth to be so feble strengthlesse and oppressed that euery man wold thynke it were all done wyth them and that they were at theyr latter meace at the very same tyme is he strongly by them and that so secretly that they themselues that suffre can not tell therof but beleue it There is y e ful strength and arme of God For whan the strength of man fayleth than coÌ„meth the power of God in yf fayth only be there waytynge for the same Now whan the trouble is come to an ende then doth it appeare what strength lay hyd vnder the feblenesse Of thys wyse lo was Christ destitute of strength on y e crosse and euen than wrought he exceadyng great thynges vanquyssyng synne death y e world hell and all euell After thys maner were all martyres stronge and
An exposicion vpon the songe of the blessed virgine Mary called Magnificat Where vnto are â–ª added the songes of Salue regina Benedictus and NuÌ„c dimittis ¶ Translated out of latine into Englysh by Ihon Hollybush 1538. To the renowned and moost noble prince lorde Ihon Frederyke duke of Saxony county of Durynge and marques of Mysen my gracious lorde and defender I Haue moost doughty prince receaued your graces letters at the last the whych accordynge to my deutye I haue humbly taken in my handes and chearefully and wyth entyer consyderacyon thoughte vpon theyr argument and meanynge But seynge I haue loÌ„ge sence promysed vnto your hyghnesse the declaracion of the virgins songe of prayse called Magnificat froÌ„ y t whych purpose of myne the wycked enterpryses of many myne aduersaryes haue ofte wythdraweÌ„ me I haue thought now at the laste to answer your hyghnesse letters wyth this treatyse fearynge lest the farther delaye therof myght be to my reprofe and that farther exâ—usacioÌ„ shulde be of no value that your hyghnesses noble yonge corage were steared to the loue of scripture by farther exercyse in the same myght be more feruenter stablyshed to the whyche thynge I praye God to sende his grace to helpe for it is greatly necessary seynge that in the persone of so great a prince the whych beynge wythdrawen froÌ„ himselfe is gouerned by Gods grace y e saluacion of many one coÌ„systeth agayne y e perdicioÌ„ and damnacion of many one yf he beynge permitted to hymselfe is gyded with out grace For though it be sayd of al mens hartes that the kynges harte is in y e hande of God whych can wende it where it pleaseth hym yet is it not for nought sayd of kynges and prynces â–ª Where by God wyll beate hys feare in the superiours that so they may learne and be sure that they can not once thynke ought in theyr mynde wythout God do geue it seuerally in theyr myndes The dede of other men doth ether hurte or profit only them or a fewe besyde but princes and superiours only be set in that rowme that they ether profyte or hynder so many more as theyr dominion doth reach farther For the whych cause doth scripture call the godly and fearynge God princes angels of God yee goddes also as in the .vii. chap. of Exo I haue made the a God ouer Pharao And in the .xxii. Chapter Thou shalte not speake euell of the Goddes And agayne y e wycked vngodly princes she calleth Lions DraggoÌ„s and furious beastes whom God also calleth one of hys .iiii. plages whan he rehearseth them namely pestilence derth warre and furious beastes Because then that the hart of man beynge naturall fleshe and bloude doth presume euery thynge lyghtely coueteth therby dominion ryches honoure he is steared out of reason by suche occasion to a rash tranquillite and reste so that he forgetteth God and careth nothynge for hys subiectes and vsynge the brydle to hys pleasure in synnynge he becoÌ„meth a wodde furious beaste It chaunceth also that a prince takynge hys pleasure only and vsynge hys affeccioÌ„s by name he is a lorde but in dede he is a beaste so that it was well sayde of Bias one of the seuen sages of Grece Magistratus uirum ostendit that is Authorite or rule of a coÌ„munalte declareth what a man is For dominion doth vtter a man what he is seynge also that the commune people darre not wythstande for feare of punyshment the coÌ„maundementes of theyr heades though they were wycked and vngodlye For thys cause ought the superiours greatly to drede God seynge they nede to feare men so lytle and to knowe hym hys workes perfectly and wyth greate care and diligence to walke and exercyse hymselfe therin as Paul doth exhorte in the .xii. chapter to the Romaynes sayenge Let hym that ruleth be diligent Moreouer ther is nothynge in all the scripture that doth so greatly concerne the superiorite as thys moost holy songe of the blessed virgyne mother of God the which ought to be well learned and exercysed of all them that wyll rule well and be good gouernours For the mother of God syngeth here moost pleasauntly of the feare of God what LORDE our God be what hys workes be in hygh and lowe estates Let other geue ear to theyr paramours syngyng some wanton worldly songe but vnto thys so manered virgine becoÌ„meth a prince lorde to geue eare y t whych syngeth a spiritual chast and wholsome songe Nother is it a costume reprouable that in all churches thys songe is dayly songe at euensonge that wyth a sundery honest tune yf y e vnderstandynge therof were also so earnestly declared Now wolde God y e sprete of the same beawtyfull mother of God were geuen me whych may so pythfully profytably declare hyr songe that your princely grace all we may sucke therout a healthfull vnderstandynge a lawdable lyfe after this lyfe to synge the euerlastyng Magnificat in the lyfe to come AmeÌ„ ¶ The songe of Mary called Magnificat My soule magnifyeth the LORDE And my sprete reioyceth in God my Saueoure For he hath loked vpon the lovve degre of hys handmayden Beholde from hence forth shal al generacions call me blessed For he that is myghty hath done great thynges vnto me and Holy is hys name And hys mercy endureth thorovv out all generacioÌ„s vpon them that feare him He shevveth strength vvyth hys arme and scattereth them that be proude in the imaginacion of theyr harte He putteth dovvne the myghty froÌ„ the seate and exalteth them of lovve degre He fylleth the hungry vvith good thinges and letteth the rych go empty He remeÌ„breth mercy and helpeth vp hys seruaunt Israel Euen as he promysed vnto our fathers Abraham and to hys sede for euer ¶ The prologe THat we maye the better vnderstaÌ„de thys songe of prayse it is to be marked that y e laudable virgine Mary speaketh by hyr owne experieÌ„ce where by she is taughte illumined of the holy goost For no man may perfectly vnderstande the worde of God wythout he haue it of the holy goost wythout ony meanes And no maÌ„ caÌ„ haue it of the holy goost wythout he proue and searche it and in the same tryenge and searchynge doth the holy goost teach as in hys scoole Wythout the whyche ther is nought taughte saue onely a shadowe wordes and multiplyenge of wordes Euen so lykewyse whan the blessed virgine had proued by herselfe that God hadde wrought so great thynges in her whych not wythstandynge was vyle poore and despysed dyd the holy goost teach her thys ryche doctrine and wysedome namely that God is such a LORDE whych hath nought to do saue to exalte it that is lowe to depresse to put downe that is exalted to breake it that is made and to make it that is broken For as in the begynnynge of all creatures God dyd create the worlde of nought wherof he is called a creatoure
more peryllous which leane to the other syde the which be proude of the gyftes of God and do not thanke the pure wyll of God for it wyllyng parte both of the prayse and hygh estimacion to be ascribed vnto themselues Such wyll be sene aboue other and beholdyng the great good that God hathe done wyth them stomble thereat vsynge it as theyr owne auaūcyng and heauynge themselues aboue suche as haue not those gyftes as though they were some straunge or peculiare thynge Thys veryly is a brykle and yeoperdous hauen for shyppes it is a daungerous estate The gyftes of God be suche that they make men proude to stande in theyr owne conceate and opinion and therfore it is requyred that the laste worde be consydered namely the Lorde For Mary sayethe not My soule magnifyeth herselfe or setteth greate pryce by hersefe yee she wold haue nothyng to be holden of her but she doth exalte and lyfte vp God only vnto hym she geueth glory robbynge herselfe thereof and ascribeth and referreth all thynges vnto hym And though she perceaued the moost plenteous workes of God in herselfe yet was she of that mynde and abode therin that she dyd not exalte herselfe aboue the moost vylest and pooreste man on earth and yf she had done so than hadde she fallen wyth Lucifer into the lowest bottome of hell Nother hath she thought otherwyse than yf suche goodnesse of God hadde happened vnto another handmayden she wold haue ben euen as wel content wysh it her so well as herselfe yee she hath coūted herselfe vnworthy al other worthy of such honoure nother wold she finally haue ben miscontent yf God takynge agayn frō her such gyftes had geuen them vnto another in hyr presence So lytell dyd she drawe all thys to herselfe and left Gods gyftes fre whole and proper to hymselfe vsynge herselfe as a glad hospitall and a gladde oostesse of suche a geste and therfore hath she also kepte it foreuer Lo thys is sayde to magnifye God of thys wyse to haue a great opinion and hyghe estimacion of hym and of vs nothynge Hereby now is it euident in what greate yeopardy of fallynge and synnynge she was so that it is no lesse maruayll how she dyd so refrayne herselfe that she dyd not pryde and swell for the exceadynge plentye of goodes nother dyd ascribe ought to herselfe than that she dyd receaue them Thynkest thou not that to be a wonderous harte She seyeth herselfe a mother of God excited farre aboue all men yet neuerthelesse doth she remayne in that lowlynesse simplicite vpryghtnesse and courteousy that she hath not counted the leest handmayden to be vnder her O we moost wretches whome yf a fewe goodes a lytle authorite or honoure or a lytle more bewty than another do befall can not counte vs equal with them of the lower sorte nother cā we make an ende of suche opinion and standynge in oure owne conceate what wolde we do yf we had great and hygh gyftes Wherfore God letteth vs remayne styll in pouerte and wantynge because we kepe not hys bewtyfull goodes vndefyled can vse vs as we dyd before we dyd receaue them But we let oure myndes increase or decrease as the goodes ether growe or minysh But the harte of the virgine Mary remayneth euer stedfaste in one mynde and equalite she letteth God worke in her accordynge to hys wyll and pleasure takynge therby nomore saue an earnest consolacion ioye and truste to Godwarde and euen so ought we to do also for that were truely to synge the Magnificat And my sprete reioyceth in God my Saueoure What the sprete be haue we shewed a lytle before namely it that perceaueth thynges incomprehensible by fayth And therfore she calleth God hyr Saueoure or sauynge health the whiche fayth she had conceaued by the worke that God declared to her And verely she begynneth after a comly order in that she calleth God fyrste hyr LORDE and than hyr Saueoure and fyrste hyr Saueoure before she rehearse his workes Where wyth she teacheth vs howe after a ryghte order we oughte to loue and to thanke God onlye and purely nother seke ought of oure owne Nowe doth he loue and thanke God purely syncerelye and truely whyche prayseth hym for none other cause saue that he is good ether beholdeth noughte in hym but only hys bare goodnesse and in the same only he hath hys ioye and delyte And thys is the hyghest and moost fayrest maner to loue prayse God which agreeth very well vnto such an excellente and demure sprete as the holy virgins is The vncleane and frowarde louers which are nothynge but vsurers sekynge in God that is theyr owne suche nother loue nor prayse hys bare goodnesse For they do beholde themselues countynge only howe good God be to them that is howe muche he doth declare hys goodnesse towarde thē and doth well by them euē that they do fele it the whiche do also conceaue greate and hyghe thynges in theyr myndes of hym and ioyfully do synge of hym and prayse hym as longe as they fele the benefites of God But whan God doth hyde hymselfe or withdraweth a lytle the beames of his goodnesse so that they seme bare and banyshed than hath the loue and prayse an ende nother can they loue or prayse the bare and vnfeleable goodnesse hydde in God whereby they declare y t theyr sprete dyd not reioyce in God theyr Saueoure that there was no true loue no prayse of the bare goodnesse of God but that they delyted more in the sauynge health than in the Saueoure in the gyftes thā in the geuer in y e creatures more then in the creatoure Nother can they remayne of one mynde in plentyfulnesse and in scarsenesse in abundaunce of goodes and in wantynge the same in ryches and pouerte contrary to saynt Paule whych sayde to the Philippians the .iiii. Chapter I haue learned in whatsoeuer estate I am therwith to be contente I can be lowe and I can be hygh Euery where and in all thynges I am mete both to be full to be hungry to haue plenty and to suffre nede I can do al thynges thorow Christ whych strengtheth me Of thys thynge speaketh the .xlviii. Psalme on thys wyse He shall speake good of the so longe as thou doest hym good As though he wolde saye He seketh his and not thyne Yf they had receaued pleasure and riches of thyne hande thou shuldest be lytle set by of them they wold make lytle of the. As Christ also sayd Ioh. vi vnto them that sought hym Verely verely I saye vnto you Ye seke me not because ye sawe the tokens but because ye dyd eate of the loaues and were fylled Suche vncleane false spretes stayne and defyle all Gods gyftes lettynge hym to geue more and to worke more luckelye wyth them Wherof let vs heare a proper ensample A certayne honest woman and fearyng God dyd se .iii. virgins syttyng by an altare and at massynge tyme a goodly
of humilite but w t a simpel hart do they beholde the vyle thynges beynge glad to be occupied in thesame nother do they at ony tyme perceaue theyr lowlynesse Here spryngeth the water out of the fountayne here followeth it of hys owne swynge wherfore they do vse vyle vestures gestures wordes places and persones though they do euery where shone gorgious and hyghe thynges which thynge Dauid also wytnesseth in the C.xxix Psal sayenge LORDE I ame not hygh mynded I haue no proude lokes c. And Iob in the .xxii. chapter Whoso humbleth hymselfe shalbe set vp and whoso loketh mekely shalbe healed Hereby commeth that vnto such doth honoure befal vnwares and theyr heauynge vp wythoute foreknowlege or deliberacion For they were content wyth theyr lowe estate and simple condicion nother thought they once vpon hygh thynges But y e fayned lowly maruayle greatly that theyr exaltacion honoure taryeth so longe nother is theyr false and fayned pryde contente with theyr vyle condicion but secretly cōsydereth hygher estates in theyr myndes Therfore dyd I saye that true humilite or lowlynes doth not at ony tyme perceaue that she is lowly for yf she dyd knowe it she wolde be proude wyth the syghte of so greate a vertue but wyth harte mynde and all hyr wyttes is she pyght vpon sleghte and lowly thynges whiche alwaye presente themselues to hyr syghte These are hyr images wherein she hath hyr conuersacion and pastyme and as lōge as she hath them in syghte so longe can not she beholde herselfe nor be combred with herselfe much lesse be rauyshed and haue pleasure in the contemplacion and syghte of hygh and greate thynges or geue hyr mynde therto For thys cause than must the honoure and dignite be fall vnto her vnwares fynde her in thoughtes cleue contrary to honoures and dignityes for after thys maner doth Luke saye that the Angels gretynge was straunge vnto the virgine for it came sodenly and vnloked for Yf thesame gretynge hadde chaunced vnto Cayphas doughter she wolde not haue thought What maner of gretynge is thys but wolde soone haue accepted it and wolde haue sayde wythin herselfe Ah howe well and happely doth thys befall And agayne fayned lowlynesse doth neuer know that she is proud for yf she dyd she shulde quickely be refrayned wyth the syght of the haynous faute but she fasteneth hyr harte mynde and thoughte vpon hyghe thynges the whyche she hath in syght wythoute ceassynge These are hyr ymages wherewyth she is alwaye combred and as longe as she setteth hyr mynde on thē she cā nother beholde nor consydre herselfe Wherfore the honoure commeth nother vnwares nor vnthought vpon for it fyndeth thoughtes therto agreynge but shame and enpoueryshynge come vnloked for vnto such for they were mynded to sayle with another more luckelyer wynde For thys cause is it not good to learne lowlynesse after thys maner that he haue in syghte and imagine vyle and despysed thynges or persons Nother contrarywyse waxeth ony man proude because he seyeth hygh and greate thynges The images are not to be auoyded but the eyē ▪ must be weened therefrom As longe as we lyue vpon earth we must lyue both wyth the hygh and lowe thynges or estates but as Christ sayeth the eye must be put out Genesis the .iii chapter sayeth not Moses that Adam and Eue sawe other thynges after the preuaricacion thā they dyd se before it but y t theyr eyen were opened that they myght se theyr nakednesse where as they were naked before also and yet dyd not consyder it The quene Hester dyd weare a verye costlye crowne vpon hyr heade yet dyd it seme but a stayned cloth in hyr syght Here were not the hygh images taken away from her but rather were set before her as vnto a mooste puissaunt quene and no sleyght or vyle thynges were before her but the syght was wended therfrom and hyr harte and mynde dyd not beholde the hye thynges and gloriouse Wherfore God wroughte also straungely wyth her After thys fashion must not y e outwarde thynges be altered but we must be altered in our mynde and wyttes for thā shal we easely learne to despyse and flye hyghe thynges to set much by and to seke sleyght lowly thynges For there is humilite or lowlynesse founde and stedfast for all chaūces yet neuer are ware of it This is done with delyte and the harte remayneth alwaye one and of one fashion howsoeuer other thynges do befall or chaunge ether to the heyghte or depth But LORDE God what pryde skoulketh vnder the vylenesse of clothynge wordes and behaueoure wherof the world now a dayes is full The whych visures and dissemblers do so submytte themselues y t they wyll be despysed of no man they do so flye honours that they notwithstandynge wyll be chaced therwyth they do so shone hyghe thynges y t neuerthelesse they be not myspraised nor theyr possessions mynished y e whych they couet alwayes to haue of the best and pycked out But thys virgine vttereth nothynge but hyr vylenesse wherin she lyued abode wyllynglye she neuer coueted nor thought vpon honoure and heyght nother dyd she consyder and behold hyr lowlynesse This humilite is so fayre and precious that she can not abyde hyr owne countenaunce but that image is reserued vnto the face of God as wytnesseth the C.xii. Psalme sayenge Who is lyke vnto the LORDE oure God that hath hys dwellynge so hygh which humbleth hymselfe to beholde that is heauē and earth For he that can beholde hys lowlynesse the same can iudge hymselfe worthy of eternal blesse so were Gods iudgement at an ende seyng we know surely that God doth saue the lowlyones Therfore muste God reserue and kepe the same for hymselfe to knowe and to iudge and hyde them from vs wyth the fence of exercyse in lowly thynges by beholdynge of the whych we also do forget ourselues To thys now serue many persecucions deathes al kynde of trouble on earth in y e which is trauayle payne y e w t thēwe may put out y e false deceatful eye Thus is it euidēt vnto vs by thys word humilite or lowlynesse that Mary the virgyne was a despysed vyle and a mayden of no estimacion in thys lowe degre to haue serued God and not to haue knowen that hyr low estate was much worth before God Whereby we are taught and cōforted that though we ought wyllyngly be despysed and brought low yet shuld we not despayre therfore as though God dyd hate vs but rather trust that he shalbe mercyful vnto vs. Only thys shal we beware lest we be not wyllyng ynough in thys subduyng castyng downe lest oure wicked eye be to much open and so deceaue vs wyth preuy lokynge vpon hyghe thynges or searchynge out of our pleasures wherwyth the humilite or lowlynesse do perysh For what helpeth it y e dāned to be cast downe to the nedermost lowest seyng they do not suffre y e aduersite gladly and wyth a
God that hys chyldrē take no consolacion of the gyftes ether spirituall or temporall be they neuer so great but of hym and hys goodes yet not despysynge the gyftes Nother doth y e mother of God rehearse ony goodnesse seuerally but wyth one word doth she comprehende them all sayenge He hath done great thynges vnto me that is all that he hath done vnto me is greate Whereby she teacheth vs that the hygher the contemplaciō in sprete be the lesse wordes ought we to make For she feleth well ynough that she can not vtter wyth wordes the thynge that she thynketh in hyr mynde and wolde fayne expresse Wherfore such fewe wordes of the sprete are sometyme so weyghtye and profounde that no man can vnderstāde them wythout he somdeale fele the same sprete But vnto them that be voyd of the spret do such wordes seme very sleght and clene wythout swetnesse or tayst which dispatch theyr taxe wyth many wordes and greate noyse Christe in the .vi. Chapter of Mathew teacheth vs to eschue the multiplyenge of wordes in oure prayer seynge the Heythen men do euen the same whyche therby do thynke to be herde As now a dayes also in many churches ther is plenty of ryngynge of bels playenge on organes and other instrumentes of musyke of syngynge cryenge and readinge but scarcenesse of praysynge of God the whyche is to worship God in sprete and truth Ioh. iiii Salomō sayth in the .xxvii. chap. of y e Pro. He that is to haysty to prayse his neghboure aboue measure shalbe taken as one that geueth hym an euell reporte For he causeth y e matter to be suspect so that euery man doth thynke it a fayned matter whych he busyeth so earnestlye to stuffe with hys gorgious prayses and maketh neuerthelesse the matter worse therewyth And contrarywyse he that lacketh hys neghboure and ryseth early that is is not slack and spedely doth ryd the matter thesame is to be taken for a prayser For men do thynke it is not as he doth saye and he doth it of an hatynge and euelwyllynge harte so that he doth make hys cause worse and hys neghboures better On thys wyse do they that endeuoure to prayse God with multiplyenge of wordes with cryenge and ianglynge They do as though he were deafe or knewe nothynge and that we must wake or teach hym Such opinion of God is rather a dispraysynge of hym than a praysynge But he that thynketh vpon the workes of God aryght euen from the bottō of hys harte and beholdeth thesame wyth wonderyng and geuynge of thankes so that for very feruentnesse he bruste out and sygh rather thā speake and the wordes that flowe by themselues not fayned nor connynglye deuysed do so rolle oute that euen the sprete do also comme oute Yee that the wordes haue euen handes fete and lyfe so that finally the whole bodye the whole lyfe and all the members do longe to speake that is to prayse God truly in sprete and verite There are the wordes very fyre lyghte and lyfe as wytnesseth Dauid in the C.xviii Psalme sayenge LORDE thy wordes are fyry And agayne My lyppes shall set forth thy prayse euen as water in a sethynge potte runneth ouer and fometh so that it can not retayne it selfe therein for the vehemente heate in the potte Of thys kynde be all the wordes of the virgine Mary in thys songe the whiche be fewe yet both greate and hygh Such praysers of God doth saynt Paule vnto the Romaynes the .xii. chapter call Feruente of sprete the whych chafe and burne in sprete teachynge vs to be of thesame sorte and such were y e fyry tunges that the holy gooste descēded in vpō the disciples The greate thynges be nothynge els saue that she is become the mother of God by the whyche thynge so greate goodes and so excellent are geuen vnto her that passe all the vnderstondynge of ony man For frō hence floweth all honoure and blesse so that amonge all mankynde she be euen one persone excedynge all other and perelesse because she hath only the heauenly father with the sonne cōmune with her And hereby commeth that she herselfe can not name these greate thynges for the abundaūte excellēcy of them but must rest there and breste oute in praysynge wyth a feruent affeccion sayenge He that is myghty hath done great thynges vnto me For thys cause is all hyr honoure comprehended in one worde namely yf she be called the mother of God for no man can saye greater thynges by her nor to her though he had as many tunges as the earth hath herbes and floures the skye hath starres or the see sondes Moreouer it must be cōsydered wyth a depe harte what it meaneth to be the mother of God She doth also featly ascrybe and attrybute thys thynge vnto the grace of God and not hyr merite For thoughe she was wythout synne yet was that grace so greate that she was in no wyse worthy of it For howe coulde a creature be worthye to be the mother of God Although some vayne iāglers and not wryters do bable very much of hyr worthynesse and deseruynge of thys office But I geue more credence vnto the blessed virgine than vnto those vayne wryters and bablers She sayeth that hyr lowe degre was loked vpon and that God hath not rewarded her therfore but that he hath done greate and myghty thynges vnto her He hath done greate thynges vnto me sayeth she not for my deseruynges For suche a thynge dyd the holy virgine neuer thynke vpon muche lesse than dyd she prepare herselfe to it that she myght be the mother of God The message came sodenly and vnwars vnto her as sayeth Luke the euangeliste As for a deseruyng abydeth and loketh not for the rewarde to come sodenly but of a redynesse and set purpose Now it that is in the songe called Regina coeli letare c. namely Vvhome thou deseruedest to beare And in another songe Vvhome thou vverest vvorthy to beare is nothynge to purpose For y e same wordes are also songe of the holy crosse the whiche not wythstandynge was a tre and coulde deserue nothynge And euen so is thys also to be vnderstande Yf it than of necessite must haue ben the mother of God it was requyred agayne that it shulde haue ben a woman kynne a virgine of the tribe or kynred of Iuda and to beleue the message of the angell that iudged her apte to thesame as the scripture had wytnessed of her The preciousnesse or worthynesse of the woode was none other saue that it was mete to be a crosse was ordyned of God to thesame vse Euē so had the holy virgine none other worthynesse to be the mother of God saue that she was comly and ordyned therto that so it myght be a mere grace and no deseruynge or duety that in no case it were preiudiciall and mynysshynge ether the fauoure or the glorye of God It is more semely to abayte to much from her than frō the glory
For whaÌ„ we do attribut vnto vs no workes no â—oastynge nor loue of ourselues thereof thaÌ„ is it honoured aryghte thaÌ„ doth it touch and hallow vs. For thys cause ought we to beware seynge that we can not be on earth without the goodes name and honoure of God that yf we be praysed of ony man or get a name that than we vse thys example of the mother of God beynge ready to answer them wyth thys verse vsynge the honour prayse aryghte confessynge openly or at the leaste thynkynge thus in oure mynde LORDE God it is thy worke that is praysed auauÌ„ced I beseke the let it be thyne name also Not I LORDE but thou hast wrought it which workest all thynges myghtely and holy is thy name After this maner oughte noman to refuse the prayse and honoure as wronge nor to disprayse them as nothynge worth but he ought not to ascribe it to hym selfe as a thynge to percious and noble referrynge them to hym whose they be truly in heauen Thys lo teacheth thys noble verse wherewith he is answered also that demaundeth whether one do not owe reuerence vnto another Yee Paule sayeth Ro. xii In geuyng honour let one go before another Neuertheles nomaÌ„ shal take y e honour vpon him as though it dyd befall vnto hym nother shall he suffre it to remayne vpoÌ„ hym selfe But he shall hallowe and restore it vnto God vnto whome it belongeth wyth all the good and worke from whence y e honoure floweth Nother shall ony man leade an vnhonest lyfe Yf he lyue honestly than muste honoure be there But as an honeste lyfe is the gyfte and worke of God so let his name also be holye and vndefyled from delytynge and hauynge delectacion in hymselfe This do we also desyre in y e pater noster whan we saye Hallovved be thy name â–ª And hys mercy endureth thorovvout al generacions vpon them that feare hym It is nedefull for vs to knowe the maner of the scripture whiche calleth the naturall linage or yssue a progeny or generacion by the whych one man is euer successiuelye borne of another Wherfore thys englyshe worde generacion or progeny doth not suffyse to expresse the meanynge thereof yet do I knowe none better than it For a progeny do we call the company that belongeth vnto vs ether by reason of bloude or mariage But in thys place it signifyeth the naturall yssue and succession from father tyll chyldes chylde and euery membre of thesame is called a progeny and I thynke it be not wronge Englyshed of thys fasshion namely and hys mercy endureth from chylde to chylde vpon them that feare hym And thys phrase of the scripture is very ryfe hauynge hys begynnynge and originall of the wordes that God spake vnto Moses and all the people vpon mount Syna sayenge Exo. xx I the LORDE thy God ame a gelous God visitynge the synne of the fathers vpoÌ„ the chyldren vnto the thyrde and fourth generacion of them that hate me and do mercy vpon many thousandes that loue me and kepe my commaundementes After that Mary the mother of God had fynished the prayse of God and of hys goodnesse towarde her she wandreth nowe al amonge the workes whych God worketh generally in all men and syngeth of them also teachyng vs featly to knowe the workes kynde nature and wyll of God Many ingenious and wytty philosophers haue atteÌ„pted the same also that they myght knowe what God were wrytynge much of the same the one thus another so But they were all blynde in that behalfe and coulde not perceaue the true shynynge And verely y e greatest thynge both in heauen and earth is to knowe God aryghte yf it do befall vnto ony man And that doth the blessed virgine teach very properly by hyr owne ensample as is shewed aboue But how can he be knowen more easyer or better than by hys workes for he that perceaueth thys duely the same must nedes knowe hys nature wyll harte mynde Wherfore it is connynge to knowe hys workes And that we myghte marke it the better she rehearseth orderlye in these foure verses syxe godly workes in syxe kyndes of men and parteth the worlde in two settynge on ech syde thre maner of workes and thre kyndes of men so that a continuall debate doth remayne amonge y e partyes by reason of the feate opposition one agaynst y e other wherby she doth descrybe hym so goodly as can not be amended Moreouer thys particion is duely and orderly comprehended in sundery places of the scripture as namely Ieremye the nynth Chapter where he sayeth Let not y e wyse man reioyce in hys wysedome nor y e stroÌ„ge man in hys strength nother the ryche man in hys ryches But who so wyll reioyce let hym reioyce in thys that he vnderstandeth and knoweth me for I am the LORDE whych do mercy equite and ryghteousnesse vpon earth Therfore haue I pleasure in such thynges sayeth the LORDE Thys is a noble texte and agreable to thys songe of the blessed virgine By thys place also do we se that the spirite of the prophet dealeth the worlde in thre as namely in Vvysedom Povver and Ryches the which he doth ouerthrowe whan he sayeth that nomaÌ„ shuld reioyce in them for God is not founde in them nother can he haue pleasure in them Moreouer he setteth thre other agaynste these namely Mercy Iudgemente and Ryghteousnesse In these is myne endeuoure sayeth he yeâ— I myselfe do all these So neare ame I that I do these thynges not in heauen but vpon earth there ame I founde He that knoweth me of thys maner thesame maye reioyce truely and make hys boaste boldely therof For yf he be not wyse but poore spreted than is my mercye wyth hym Yf he be not myghty but vyle lowlye than is my iudgement ready for hym Yf he be not ryche but poore and nedy than is my ryghteousnesse so much the more raygnyng wyth hym By wysedome he vnderstandeth al hygh spirituall goodes whereby man maye get a delyte reioycynge and a good opinion as the verse followynge doth specifye as be vnderstandynge reason prudence knowlege vertuousnesse an honest conuersacion finally all that is called in the soule holy or spirituall how greate gyftes that euer they be so that none of them be God hymselfe By power he vnderstandeth all power noblynesse of byrth frendes dignityes worshyppe whether they concerne temporall or spiritual goodes or men though in scripture ther be no spirituall superiorite but onlye a seruice and occupyenge of a lowe rowme wyth all hys ryghte lyberte and priuilege c By ryches are â—â—â—â—te health bewtye pleasure and all that maye chaunce vnto the body outwardly Agaynste these are thre other set of the prophete namely the poorespreted the oppressed and the nedy But we wyll loke orderly vpon the syxe workes and partes The fyrst worke of God is Mercy Of thys worke speaketh thys presente verse sayenge Hys mercy endureth from chylde to chyldes chylde or froÌ„
vs all Amen ¶ A refutacion of the songe called Salue regina BLessed be God and the father of our LORDE Iesus Christ which accordynge to hys greate mercye hath begotten vs agayne vnto a lyuely hope by the rysynge agayne of Iesus Christ from the dead vnto an vncorruptible and vndefyled enheritaunce whyche neuer shall fayde awaye c. Thus wryteth Peter in hys fyrst canonicall epistle the fyrst chapter wyllynge vs to thanke prayse and blesse God alwaye for delyuerynge vs from death euerlastynge thorowe hys only sonne Iesus Christe Thys hygh and moost laudable benefyte as no tunge can expresse it so can no tunge also prayse it ynough And therfore doth Paule exhorte warne vs of the abuse of thys benefite sayenge .i. Corin. vii Ye are dearly bought namely wyth the bloude of Iesus Christ be not ye seruauÌ„tes of meÌ„ c. Now to synge cense praye and to do lyke reuerence vnto a creature or an ymage of wood or stone and vnto that ymage to attribute such prayse thanke and worship as beloÌ„geth vnto God only what is that els saue a seruice of men whereby God his worde are blasphemed denyed and set at nought as it shalbe brefely declared hereafter ¶ Fyrst we synge Salue regina misericordiae that is to saye Hayle quene of mercy Here is fyrst denyed the sayeng of Esay recyted of S. Paule Rom. xiiii As truly as I lyue sayeth the LORDE all knees shall bowe vnto me and al tunges shal knowlege vnto God And agayne the sayenge of Moses Deuteronomy the .vi. Chapter Heare O Israell the LORDE our God is one LORDE only And thou shalte loue the LORDE thy God wyth all thyne harte wyth all thy soule wyth all thy myght The sayenge also of the prophete Esaye in the .xlii. Chapter is here denyed where God sayeth I my selfe whose name is the LORDE whych geue my power to none other nother myne honoure to the goddes c. Marke now earnestly how featly wel these sayenges agre w t thys salutacioÌ„ or gretyng of Mary verely as wel as day nyght Marke how our carnall deuocion and good meanyng accordeth with God hys worde euen so wel that God sayeth by the prophet Esay in the .lv. chapter My thoughtes are not youre thoughtes and youre wayes are not my wayes But as farre as the heaueÌ„s are hygher than the earth so farre do my wayes excede youres my thoughtes youres Hereby maye it be sene what thys saluacion is namely that God doth not geue hys honoure to none of the goddes Now consysteth hys honoure in nothynge so greatly as in thankefulnesse and praysynge hym for hys infinite mercy goodnesse shewed vnto vs in suffrynge for vs that were in thraldom and the deuels daunger and so delyuered vs therout whyche nother the blessed virgine Mary Peter nor Paule nor none of al the sayntes hath done It followeth than that she is not the quene of mercy ¶ Secondarely we synge Vita dulcedo et spes nostra salue â–ª that is Hayâ—e our lyfe our swetnesse and our hope The coÌ„trary to thys wytnesseth Christ hymselfe Ioh. xiiii sayeng I am y e waye the truth and the lyfe c. And Esaye sayeth lyke wyse in the .xlv. Chapter in the persone of God Turne you vnto me all ye endes of y e worlde and ye shalbe saued for I am God and ther is els none To thys agreeth also Paule .i. Cor. iii. sayenge Other foundameÌ„t can no man laye than that whyche is layed already whych is Christ Iesu These confortable wordes do we nother kepe nor beleue seynge we confesse wyth our mouthes and wyth the dede seke another lyfe or saluacion thaÌ„ the true and only lyfe and saluacion namely Iesus Christe Yee thus doynge we make not God true in hys promyse that he ether can not or wyll not do for vs as he sayeth euery where in the scripture or els do not we beleue y e sayenge of y e boke of wysedome the .xv. Chapter where it is thus written Thou our God arte swete longe sufferynge true in mercy ordrest thou al thinges so forth And Christ speakynge of hym selfe Ioh. vi sayeth Who so coÌ„meth vnto me hym wyll not I cast out And agayne in the x. chapter he sayeth My shepe heare my voyce and I knowe them and they followe me and I geue them euerlastyng lyfe they shal neuer perysh Where is ony such worde of comforte lyfe hope or swetnesse spoken of in the scriptures of God of the blessed virgine Mary or ony creature and yf ther be not what madnesse is it of vs ether to cal or to take them for our hope and refuge which do so lowly alway submitte themselues both to God and hys creatures Yf we wolde a lytle ponder these wordes of the salutation of Mary conferrynge them with the sayeng of Dauid Psalm C.ii. where he sayeth Lyke as a father pytyeth hys owne chylderen eueÌ„ so is the LORDE mercyfull vnto them that feare hym we shulde easyly se howe farre abtrunnynge we be both from God and his true worde We se than welbeloued brethreÌ„ and systers that yf we beleued these foresayd wordes aryghte we shulde nede none other saluacion hope nor lyue saue only Christe which is geuen vs of the father to be a mediatour betwene him vs as ye shal heare hereafter But alas it is come to y e poynte wyth vs that we aske lyfe of them that do not lyue themselues as Salomon sayeth in hys boke called the boke of Wysedome the .xiii. Chapter God sayeth in the .li. chapter of Esay I ame he that in al thynges geueth you consolatioÌ„ What arte thou than that feareste a mortall man the chylde of man which goeth awaye as doth the flore and forgettest the LORD that made the In the boke of wysedome the xvi chapter it is thus written It is thou O LORDE that haste the power of lyfe and death thou leadeste vnto deathes dore and bryngest vp agayne This is he in whome only ye ought to hope to haue confidence hym only shall ye feare to hym only muste ye sygh sobbe for ther is but one only that is mooste hyghest creatoure of all thynges moost puyssauÌ„t and myghty that is greatly to be feared and dradde as Iesus Sirak exhorteth vs to do in the fyrst chapter of Ecclesiasticus sayenge Ther is one euen the Hyghest the maker of all thynges the Almyghty the kynge of power of whome men ought to stande greatly in awe whiche sytteth vpon hys trone beynge a God of dominion and so forth Thanke therfore prayse hym only feare and drede hym and thaÌ„ shall not ye be deceaued For yf ye trust in men or ony creature callynge vpon them than veryly shal ye be deceaued vnhappy accursed as testifye both Ieremy in the .xvii. chap. and Dauid in the C.xiii. Psalme sayenge Cursed be the man that putteth hys trust in man Let therfore theÌ„ that feare the LORD put theyr truste in hym for
boke of wysedom the .xiii. and .xiiii. chapters besides other places innumerable mo in the bible Yf ye loke vpon these places ye shall easely se what Idolatrye is vsed daylye in Christendome before the paynted blockes stockes Whych I truste shall once be redressed by the power of the word of God though to some it seme to be vnpossible by the reasō of the depe rootynge of it in some supersticious hartes But let suche call to mynde the power of God specifyed in these wordes of God by hys prophete Esaye in the .l. chapter Why wolde no man receaue me whan I came and whan I called no man gaue answere Was my hande clene smytten of that it myght not helpe Or had I not power to delyuer Sende therfore the pure playne vnderstādynge of thy Godly worde into oure hartes that the lyght of the clere vnderstandynge of thy worde maye dryue out the darkenesse of Idolatry and so thyne honoure be restored vnto the agayne AMEN ¶ The true Salue Regina grounded vpon the scripture HAyle Iesu Christ kynge of mercy oure lyfe our swetenesse and oure hope hayle Vnto the do we call the wretched chyldren of Eua vnto the do we call and syghe wepynge waylynge in thys valley of teares Turne therfore thy mercyfull eyen to vs warde thou spechman and aduocate of oures and shewe vs the visage of thy blessed father in the euerlastynge glory as thou hast promysed vs O gracious O swete Christe and sonne of the virgine Mary ¶ The songe of Zachary called Benedictus vsually songe at Mattins brefely declared Blessed be the LORD God of Israel for he hath redemed and visited hys people And hath set vp an horne of saluacyon in the house of hys seruaunt Dauid Euen as he promysed afore tyme by the mouth of hys holy prophetes That he vvolde delyuer vs from oure enemyes and from the hande of all such as hate vs. And that he vvolde shevve mercy vnto our fathers and thinke vpon his holy conuenaunte Euen the oth that he svvare vnto oure father Abraham for to geue vs. That vve delyuered out of the hande of oure enemyes myght serue him vvithout feare all the dayes of oure lyfe in suche holynesse and ryghteousnesse as is accepte before hym And thou chylde shalte be called a prophete of the hyghest for thou shalt go before the LORDE to prepare hys vvayes And to geue knovvlege of saluaciō vnto hys people for the remissiō of synnes Thorovv the tender mercy of our God vvhereby the daye sprynge frō on hygh hath visited vs. That he myght geue lyght vnto them that syt in darkenesse and shadovve of death to gyde our fete in to the vvaye of peace THys songe of Zacharye the prophete the father of Ihon baptiste washe occasioned to syng for ioy that he was restored agayne to hys speche the whych he lost because he dyd not beleue the angell shewynge hym of hys sonne Ihon baptiste that shulde be borne of hym so that as the angell sayde vnto hym the token whereby he shulde be assured ther of was that he shulde be domme vntyll the tyme of the chyldes natiuite Wherfore at hys natiuite beynge restored agayne vnto hys speche he is forthwyth fylled also wyth the holy gooste and prophecyeth not that he was not fylled afore wyth the sprete of Gods chyldren wherby he walked vnblameably in the commaūdementes and ryghteousnesses of God but that than he was euē rauyshed and specially fylled with the sprete so that Luke the Euangelist who doth describe these wordes in his .i. chapter sayeth that he was fylled with y e holy gooste and prophecyed Now is to prophecy to vtter thynges ether to come or that he paste already or els to open the scriptures and prophecyes the whiche all thys songe doth conteyne and is diuided in .xii. verses and two partes In the fyrste doth Zachary cōmende and prayse the truth of Gods promyses that God doth kepe fulfyll those thynges which he dyd promyse by hys prophetes of Christe In the seconde doth he declare the office and seruice of Ihon baptiste Let vs therfore kepe and handle thys songe of Zachary not only as a rehearsall and abrygmente of all suche promyses as are spoken of Christe but also as a large commentary and vtteraunce of y e gospell of Iesu Christe But alas thys songe is haynously abused euen as is also y e songe of prayse that Mary the blessed virgine dyd syng called Magnificat seynge it is roared out dayly rather than songe wythout faythe or deuocion God auenge hys worde from the blasphemyes of the wycked Now let vs go to the songe Blessed be the LORDE God of Israel Zachary doth blesse and thanke God which accordynge to the promyse made vnto the holy mē in olde tyme dyd send Christ the Saueoure of Israel whereby he doth also strenghten the weaklynges in fayth and feble harted And with thys syngynge opēly confessynge of his name is he wellapayed yf the harte and mouth do accorde Though he do call God the God of Israel it is not therfore to be vnderstande that he is not the God of the Gētyles but he is so called fyrst because of the promyse made vnto Abraham in the .xvii. chapter of Genesis where God sayde vnto hym I wyll make wy cōuenaunt betwene me and the and thy sede after the thorowe out theyr posterites that it may be an euerlastynge conuenaunte so that I wyl be the God of y e and of thy sede after the. c. Secondly because he gaue them Patriarkes Prophetes the lawe the Gods seruice and the promyses of Christe that was to-come Thyrdly because that of thys people shulde Christe be borne after the flesh But after that Christe was come he was nomore called Israell truely that was borne of that kynred and of the flesh of Israel but he that is borne by the fayth of Iesu Christe Wherfore though the LORDE by hys power and rule be the LORDE of all nacions yet is he properly called the God of thē that beleue in Iesus Christe because that them only be knowlegeth for y e heyres of hys kyngdome Blessed is than the God of Israel But wherfore Euē because he hath visited and redimed hys people And hath set vp an horne of saluaciō in the house of hys seruaunte Dauid Euen as he promysed afore tyme by the mouth of hys holy prophetes Thys pertayneth vnto the fyrste parte of the songe wherin God is commended for hys faythfulnesse and fulfyllynge of hys promyse He hath visited and redimed hys people sayeth Zachary the whiche be both one thynge and be as much to saye as he is come vnto vs to brynge and to set afore vs the wholsome worde whereby we are saued For to visite is to be myndefull to care for or to make an ende of trauyll and thraldom as God dyd whā he delyuered y e chyldrē of Israel out of Egipte though it be sōtyme takē for euell as to punysh or to chastise Now
thou thy seruaunte departe in peace accordynge to thy promyse For myne eyes haue sene thy Saueoure vvhome thou hast prepared before all people A lyght for the lyghtenynge of the Heythen and for the prayse of the people of Israel THis songe hath .iii. verses it was songe what tyme Christ was borne to the consolaciō of Mary and Ioseph wyth diuerse other electe Moreouer lyke as Zachary and Mary and before them Moses Debora Anna the mother of Samuel Dauid diuerse other dyd vtter theyr thankefulnes towarde God wyth songes nor coulde fynde more pleasynge thynge to thanke hym for hys benefites than such open prayses wherein the glory of Gods name is recyted Euē so doth here Simeon by the holy goost bruste out in a songe wherewyth he declareth hys thanke full mynde towarde the goodnes of God He setteth forth Christe in thys songe decketh hym with great prayses goodly tytels He teacheth also by hys owne ensample wherof the true peace of conscience doh cōme and whereby it cōmeth that we loke readely and gladly for death yee euen ouercōme death Novv sayeth he LORD lettest thou thy seruaūt departe in peace accordynge to thy promyse That is I haue nought in me wherof I may boast at thy iudgemēt saue only thys that thou arte my LORD I thy seruaunte not suche one that haue done all thy wyl but such one as seynge I haue not done thy wyll ought therfore worthely to haue ben condemned yet neuerthelesse am graciously saued of the. It was veryly a feruent prayer and desyre that the ryghteous dredynge God sage Simeon praysed God with as he sawe the LORDE in the temple and toke hym in hys armes The harte of y e aged man reioyced so sore at that tyme y t he could kepe the prayse of God no longer hyd in hys harte yee yf it had ben possible y e harte wold haue brusten for ioye sayeng LORD novv lettest thy seruaunt departe in peace accordynge to thy promyse As though he wolde saye Let me now departe I ame now glad to dye death shalbe now acceptable vnto me for it is fulfylled y t was promysed vnto me It myght also be vnderstāde y t Simeons desyre was not only to be delyuered of y e bodyly death but also frō all pynyng and vnquietnesse of conscience the which can be apeaced with no workes before we haue sene the anoynted of the LORDE that is before that our conscience knoweth Christ aryght For thā waxeth a man fyrst mery thā dyeth a man gladly and than dryueth y e holy goost awaye all grefe of conscience also whyche maketh a man restlesse God geueth some men a greate peace inwardly at the fyrste as Mary brought forth hir sonne with great ioye But such must suffre greatly afterward as Mary dyd also afterward Some suffreth God to haue grefe and pynyng of consciēce vntyll theyr bodely death as he dyd thys Simeon but than are they contented with auauntage for all that they dyd forgo so lōge y e which is a paynful lyfe but very precious Nother were it possible for a man to endure yf Gods worde dyd not sustayne hym whervpon he wayteth vntyll that tyme that God hath chosen to thesame Now whan God veryfyeth the promyse than is it aboue measure swete vnto man and so thanketh prayseth God for it For he learneth than by true experience that God doth veryfy hys pro myses howe longe so euer he differreth it Than is the goodnesse of the LORDE yee the LORDE hymselfe very swete and he hymselfe is very wyllynge to dye In that Simeon calleth hymselfe the seruaunte of the LORDE he fyrste prayseth y e goodnesse of God that seyng he myght haue destroyed hym for his wyckednesses yet hath he wyte safe to spare hym mercyfully Secondly he confesseth hys extreme vilenesse and lowlynesse so that he haue nought in hymself that is ought worth in the syght of God but that God hath all power ouer hym ether to slay or saue and that he be vnworthy to be counted for a man before God Ther is nothyng more stronger to steare God to mercy than so to knowlege before God and to submitte thēselues to hym callyng vpō hym by fayth Wherfore Dauid stearynge God to shewe mercy doth so ofte repete the name seruaūt as though he wolde saye Lyke as he that is taken in battayll or in tyme of warre and so beynge solde is a bondman and seruaunt vnto hym that bought hym Euen so I also beynge redymed by thy precious bloude from the daūger of the deuel death and hell am euen altogether thyne owne thy seruaūt thy bondman hauynge no ryght to my selfe Moreouer that Simeon sayeth accordynge to thy promyse therein doth he prayse and commende the truth of Gods promyses For the worde or promyse made vnto Simeon was that he shulde not se death before he had sene the LORDES Christ Now though ther appeared many thynges contrary to thys worde or promyse and though it semed to haue ben a vayne and fayned tayle neuerthelesse seynge all men are lyars but thou LORDE my God arte true thou fulfyllest it at the fullest that thou hast promysed and lettest me now go in peace Hether to haue I carefully abyden thy commynge and that thys many yeares and what mystrustynge dyd not the fleshe in the meane season steare me vnto What infidelite dyd not Satan inspire me wyth And because thou dyddest differre thy promyse of seynge Christ therfore was I nearehande caused to thynke that all thy promyses were vayne And good LORDE what rumoure or vproure dyd than ryse in my conscience With what engins dyd Satā assaulte my mynde layenge now my synnes before me than she wynge me an hougle image of death somtyme kyndlynge the horrible fyre of hell in myne entrayles wherewyth I was so dismade that I was nearhāde in despayre But nowe thou makeste me an happye aged man LORDE and lettest thy seruaunt departe in peace accordynge to thy promyse Now doest thou set my consciēce at rest now shall I carelesse wayte for the bodyly death I wil now dye gladly But what is happened vnto the good father that thou arte so sodenly chaunged and where afore thou werest so sorowfull that thou arte now euē filled with so great ioye For what cause doest thou now so leape for ioye as though thou werest reuyued which afore semedest to haue ben more than dead Surely hys ioye is not for nought Let vs therfore heare hymselfe For thys sayeth he to be the cause of hys myrth and gladnesse namely For myne eyen haue sene thy Saueoure vvhome thou hast prepared before all people Thys is the treasure y e reioyceth me maketh death acceptable to me namely That I se hym y t was vnder the law knowe hym for such one as helpeth me it can not be but I must reioyce and not be afeared for death Behold now what is hyd in the harte of the olde grayheaded father that he wyll nowe dye and
wyll departe in peace To departe wyth ioye or dye in peace is a goodly worde in y e eares of hym that can so do But where of hath he such a pleasaunt death Euen of the chylde Who hath euer sene suche lyke death But all they that put theyr truste in ony other saue in thys chylde the Saueoure whan they shall dye they tremble and quake and are very sorowfull at the harte chaūge theyr coloure theyr wytte reason vnderstādynge and all theyr strength faydeth euen awaye death ouercōmeth them Yee though all the kynges princes powers of y e world were by wyth theyr horses armes to helpe them and the feare of death came vpon thē they shulde stande as styffe as a stake before death But the good Simeon reioyceth y t he wyll departe in peace as though ther were no death He calleth not y e passynge a death he disdayneth to honoure it so much He sayeth LORD novv lettest thou thy seruaūt departe in peace not thou lettest me dye He calleth the passynge a swete easy slepe From whence hath he the connyng that he feareth not death but counteth it a swete slepe for the whych not wythstandynge all the worlde is afrayed Euen frō thence that synne the law and death were banyshed out of hys harte he dyd not regarde them For where the lawe is there is also a conscience of synne but where she is not there is nothynge saue ryghteousnesse and Moses is exiled and so wholy out of syghte that hys sepulture is not sene nor knowen where it is Where Moses is gone frō thence is synne taken awaye also and so becommeth death a louely slepe But whereby getteth he that Veryly not by hys deseruynges workes but onely by the beholdynge of the saueoure For he sayeth Myne eyen haue sene thy Saueour He maketh no mencion nor is once thynkynge that he hath done or procured it wyth hys handes but hath sene it wyth hys eyen though the outwarde syght wythout the inwarde do auayle so lytle as the handes They are two poyntes to se and the Saueoure To se Christ perteyneth vnto a quiete and peaceable death Yf we se hym than can we dye merely but yf we se hym not thā is he there in vayne vnto vs. Many haue sene hym in the temple but not aryght Ioseph Marye Anna and Simeon haue sene hym aryghte but all the other that behelde hym not lykewyse they haue not sene Christ nor the Saueoure Caiphas Annas Pilate Herode dyd beholde hym in dede but they sawe not that he was the Saueoure But where in is the faute that they can not se hym In the eyen of the harte they must be cleare that they may beholde y e yonge LORDE that is entred in to the wynepresse for vs and hath suffred wronge for vs settynge vs at lyberte not for our merytes or deseruynges but for hys truth and loues sake Who so beholdeth him after thys maner the same hath ouercome the law synne death despysynge all theyr assaultes The true seynge consisteth not in the bodely eyen for many haue sene hym after that maner which were neuer the better for it but in fayth in the harte It maye well be that they haue sene hym wyth bodyly eyen but yet not beleued that he was the Saueoure thynkynge on thys wyse Shulde thys chylde be he it is scarce syxe wekes olde nother can it lyfte vp the heade The true Saueoure thought they shal come wyth an armye wyth horses and al maner of weapens But the good Simeon hath sene hym other wyse He was warned in hys hart a worde was geuen hym sayenge The same is he ▪ He had another lyght and another syghte Euen so muste we also not onely heare at Christes mouth but also beleue in the harte thorowe the holy goost and so must y e harte be illumined by the holy goost for it is naturally stony hardened and darkened so sore that it can not knowlege such saluacyon and se such lyghte Nother is it ynough that Mary Ioseph Simeō and other haue sene hym I muste se hym also I muste knowlege hym also I muste knowe also that he is the true Messias Simeon myght wyth few wordes haue vttered the cause of hys ioy and sayd Therfore lettest thou me depart in peace because I haue sene Christe But that he myght declare the maiesty of Christe more clearelye he leaueth the name of Christ and in steade therof he setteth thre tytles wherewyth Christ is set forth moost playnly and his vse is shewed moost manyfestly The fyrst tytle that Christ is declared wyth is Saueoure sayenge Myne eyen haue sene thy Saueoure vvhome thou hast prepared before all people Thys sayenge semeth Simeon to haue taken out of the .lii. Chapter of Esaye where he sayeth The LORDE wyll make bare hys holy arme shewe it forth in the syght of all the Gentyles and all the endes of the earth shall se the sauynge health of oure God That Esaye doth prophecy for to come that sayeth Simeon to be now fulfyllynge That is that our LORDE Christ whych as the true Saueoure is shewed in y e fleshe and set vp therfore that he myghte be shewed vnto al nacions both the Iewes and Gentyles Yf the synnes do racke oure consciences and cast them to the euerlastynge damnacyon than is Christ oure Saueoure the wholsome playster whyche layed to the sores of our synnes doth so drye vp clense heale the etter of them that although he fele hymselfe greued wyth synnes and yet do beleue in Christe yeldynge hymselfe wholy to hys cure yet is he for all that rekened clene from all synne ryghteous and holy And yf Christe be wholsome to clense and heale synnes it followeth also that he is wholsome in al aduersites troubles grefes and paynes of death and hell For yf ony man be payned or greued than is Christe wholsome vnto hym For in forgeuynge synnes he maketh the same grefe to be no instrumēt or accasion of misery vnto hym Yf ony mā be cast before death and hell in hys cōscience Christ is a Seueoure vnto hym the whych seynge he hath satisfyed hys father for our sinnes he chaungeth the feare of death and hell in a waye not vnto perditiō but vnto lyfe euer lastynge saluacion Let vs therfore embrace thys Saueoure of God the whych Simeon dyd beare in hys armes and let vs lykewyse beare hym by fayth that we maye be letten go in peace lykewyse The seconde tytle that Simeō decketh Christ wyth is the lyght For he sayeth A lyght for the lyghtenynge of the Heythē he shall not onely be a Saueoure but also a lyghte to lyghten the Heythen that is He is a lyght that shall not only shyne amonge the Iewes but also amonge the Gentyles and lyghten them that they also maye come to the eternall blesse oute of the darkenesse of death and hel Thys part of y e songe semeth to be taken out of the