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
comprehensible thynges as it is sayd In the meane tyme than come false teachers whych entyse the sprete forth of it whan the one seketh to be ryghteous by these workes another by that waye and maner Yf the sprete be not here wel prouyded and wyse then falleth it out and followeth and cōmeth to leane vpon outward workes costumes whereby it imagineth to be saued Lo so soone is fayth lost the sprete dead before God Vpon thys grewe sectes and orders so that y e one becōmeth a Charterhouse mōke another a Grayfrere the one endeuoureth to be saued wyth fastyng y e other wyth prayenge another by this maner fashiō one by this another by y e worke procure to flye euerlastynge damnacion And yet are they all euen but mēs inuēcions euē such as one mans chosynge hath foūded Reade therof y e treatyse of orders sectes Nother are they commaunded by God but inuented by mē aboute the whych the vayne ianglers haue no respecte of fayth but teach alwaye the cōfidence of workes so longe tyll they be at variaunce wythin themselues Euery mā wyl be nearest the marke despyse the other as our obseruaūtes do nowe a dayes swell and heaue thēselues Agaynst these workers and good men in syght or rather hypocrites doth Paule praye sayeng that God is y e God of peace of whom these varienge hypocrites haters of peace are not partakers nor hauynge hym can holde y e same wythout they byd farewell theyr statutes rules ceremonies be all one mynded in fayth sprete knowlegynge that workes cause variaunce synne dissencion onely fayth maketh honest one mynded peaceable mē as wytnesseth the .lxvii. Psal sayenge He is the God y t maketh mē to be of one mynde in y e house And agayne in y e C.xxxii Psalme Beholde Euen so sheweth Mary wherof hyr songe of prayse shall synge and treate namely of the renowmed excellent workes of God the comforte of our fayth to cōforte y e lowly and to fraye all the hyghest of the earth And to these thre vses or cōmodities is it necessarye for me to directe thys virgyns songe of prayse that she haue not songe it only to herselfe but to vs all that we shulde coūterfayt her Nother is it possible that ony man ether shulde be afrayed or receaue consolaciō out of so great workes of God wythout he not onely beleue that God can knoweth to do great thynges but also he must beleue that he wyl do them and hath pleasure in doynge them Nother is it ynough to beleue y t God wyll do great thynges wyth other and not wyth you and by thys meanes to auoyde your selues from the workes of God Euen as they do whych beynge in prosperite or set in authorite feare not God and they that be feblemynded tremble and be abashed of hym in theyr aduersyte For such fayth is no thynge and euen dead lyke vnto an opinion cōceaued of some tale But ye must set hys wyl surely stedfastly afore your eyes thynkyng wythin your mynde y t he both wyl now hereafter also do great thynges wyth you Thys fayth is lyuely growynge pearsynge through and chaungynge a man and makynge hym euen a newe creature and cōpelleth hym to feare yf he be hygh and conceaue consolacion yf he be lowly Yee the hygher he is the more ought he to feare and the lower he is to haue the more consolacion the whiche none other fayth doth But what must he do in extreme necessite or daunger of death Surely than muste he not onlye beleue that God can and knoweth how to helpe hym but also that he wyl helpe hym where a straunge and an vnspeakeable thynge must be done namelye that he delyuered from the death euerlastynge do becōme the chylde of saluacion the sonne and heyre of God Thys fayth as wytnesseth Christe hymselfe is able to do all thynges Thys fayth doth abyde and cōmeth to the knowlege of the godly workes from thence into the loue of God and forthe from thence into the praysynge and thankynge of God so that a man doth than make much of God and conceaue a good opinion of hym For God in his nature is not magnifyed of vs seynge he is immutable but in oure knowlege and mynde that is yf we holde muche of hym or set muche by hym specially for hys godnesse and mercy For thys cause doth not the blessed mother say My voyce my mouthe myne handes my thoughtes nor my reason and wyll do magnifye the LORDE for ther are manye one that prayse God wyth loude voyce praysynge and preachynge hym with preciouse and godlye wordes speakynge disputynge wrytynge and payntynge muche of hym and also many that haue greate meditacions and by the gyde of reason haue greate searchynges of hym fynally ther are some that wyth fayned religion and intente make muche of hym but she sayeth of thys wyse My soule magnifyeth God that is my whole lyfe senses and powers haue a greate opinion of God so that as though she were rauyshed vp to hym she felte some raysynge and rauyshynge in hys goodnesse the whiche the verse followynge doth declare Of thys wyse se we also that yf ony man doth vs good that euen all our wyttes be moued and bended to hym so that we saye Oh how greate and good opinion do I conceaue of thys man And euen thys is the verye sygnifycacion of the sayenge My soule magnifyeth the Lorde Howe muche more shall suche lyuelye stearynge be caused what tyme as we perceaue the goodnesse of God the whyche is verye greate in hys workes so that euen wordes and thoughtes shal fayle and the whole lyfe and soule shall be necessarelye steared and euen as though all that is quycke and lyuely in vs wolde synge and prayse God Now are ther two false spretes whiche can not synge the Magnificat aryght The fyrste that prayse not God before he haue fyrste done them good as Dauid sayeth They shall prayse the whan than hast done good vnto them These seme to prayse God very earnestly but seynge they neuer wyll suffre the depth the makynge lowe and subduynge they can neuer fele and perceaue y e ryght wayes of the LORDE and so consequently nother loue nor prayse God truly Hereby commeth it that the worlde now a dayes is full of diuine seruices as they call them and laudes wyth syngynge preachynge playenge on the organes and other instrumentes of musike Yee and this songe of prayse called Magnificat also But thys is to be pytyed namely that so precious a songe is handled so vnfrutefully wythoute pyth of vs the which we do not synge wythoute all thynges go well wyth vs for yf ony myschaunce do happen vnto vs than hath oure syngynge an ende nother is ther ony regarde or estimacion more of God thynkynge that nother he can nor wyll worke wyth vs and therfore haue both syngynge and the Magnificat also done wyth vs. The other be yet
ouercame and after thys maner do all such as be troubled nowe a dayes ouercōme For the which cause Ioel sayeth in the .iii. Chap. Let the weake man saye I am strōge but in fayth not in felyng vntyll it be nearehande come to an ende Agayne the other parte suffreth God to heaue and exalte it selfe wythdrawynge hys power from them and letteth them be puft vp by reason of theyr owne strength For whan mans power cōmeth in than goeth the power of God out But whan the bladder is full euery mā thynketh to haue the better hande then commeth God sodenly and prycketh the bladder whereby all is dashed Those fooles knowe not that euen whan they ryse and prospere they are forsaken of God that Gods arme is not wyth them Therfore doth theyr endeuoure laste an appoynted season and after that doth it sayde and vanysh lyke a burble and becommeth as though it neuer hadde ben wherof Dauid maruaylynge in the .lxxvii. Psalme how it happened that the wycked and vngodly became so rych carelesse and myghtye at the last doth say I coulde not know this vntyl I wēte into y e Sāctuary of God consydred y e ende of these mē namely how y u hast set thē in a slyppery place that thou mayest cast them downe headlynges destroye thē O how sodenly do they cōsume perysh and come to a fearfull ende Yee euen as a dreame whan one awaketh so makest thou theyr ymage to vanysh out of y e cytie And agayne in the .xxxvi. Psal he sayeth I my selfe haue sene y e vngodly in great power floryshyng lyke a grene Baye tre but whā I went by lo he was gone I sought hym but he coulde no where be founde Lacke of fayth is only the cause that we can not also abyde a lytle or els shulde we se seatly how the mercy of God is wyth them that feare hym and the arme of God also agaynst the proude wyth all force strength We faythlesse grope blyndfeld with our fyst after the mercy of God and hys arme The whych yf we do not continently fele thā do we euen thynke all be lost of our parte and oure enemyes to haue gotten the felde as thoughe both Gods mercy and grace were wythdrawen from vs and hys arme to be agaynst vs. And that cōmeth therby because we knowe not hys workes wherfore we know not hym hys mercy nor hys arme It is necessary and he wyl be knowen by fayth Therfore must y e wytte reason be shut vp theyr eye offendeth vs we muste therfore plucke it out and cast it awaye Lo these are the two workes of God repugnaūt ech to other wherin we are taught that to be the mynde of God that he be farre from the wyse and prudente but be neare vnto the foolysh whiche muste suffre wronge Thys maketh God to be loued and praysed and conforteth the soule body and all powers Now consydre the wordes He scattereth them that are proude in the imaginacion of theyr harte Thys scatterynge or waystynge is done as it is sayde whan they are wyseste of all and mooste fullest of theyr owne wysedome for than surely is the wysdome of God gone But what waye can he scatter them better than wyth depriuynge them of hys eternall wysedome and by permittynge them to be fylled wyth worldly transitory wysedome It is pythy that she sayeth them that are proude in the imaginacion of theyr harte that is suche as theyr owne mynde vnderstandynge the which not God but theyr harte doth ministre doth greatly playse as though they only were the moost iustest wysest and beste whereby they auaunce themselues aboue such as feare God myspraysynge theyr opinion and ryghte reuylynge persecutynge them to the vtermooste so that theyr cause only must be iuste and abyde The which whan they haue optayned they heaue them selues vnto the cloudes as the Iewes 〈◊〉 that wythstode Christe and yet perceaued not that theyr matter came to nought thereby and was despysed and Christ contrarywyse to be exalted and set vp vnto an exceadynge glory Thus do we se than that thys verse speaketh of spirituall goodes and teacheth by what meanes the workes of God are knowen on both partes and teacheth vs also to embrace wyllyngly the pouerte of sprete and to suffre iniury to permitte vnto oure aduersaryes theyr request for they shal not longe reioyce Herein is a stronge and sure promyse that the proude shal not escape Gods arme they muste be throwen downe though they heaue themselues neuer so sore yf we at the leest be fully so persuaded For where such fayth is not there doth God not worke such greate workes but leauynge thē he worketh openly by creatures as is declared before But these are not true workes whereby he maye be knowē for the powers of the creatures are ioyned to them also Nother are they the bare workes of God which ought be to such as he worketh alone w tout ony foren helpe which is done whan we are oppressed for oure opinion and ryghte and suffre y e power of God to vse hyr wyll in vs. These are hys noble workes Moreouer Mary doth connyngly checke the vngodly hypocrites here and loketh nother to theyr handes nor eyen but to the harte and sayeth them that are proude in the imaginacion of theyr harte where wyth she doth specially meane the enemyes of the truth euen as the Iewes were sometyme agaynste Christ and as some are now a dayes lyke vnto them For suche holy and learned men are not proude in clothynge and behaueoure they praye faste preache study saye masse oft they go doukynge with theyr heades and thynke nomā to be a greater enemy vnto pryde couetousnesse or hypocrisy than themselues and that noman be a greater frende of God than they themselues How coulde they hynder and hurte the truth were not they so holy honeste learned mē For such theyr vtter apperaūce glystereth shyneth and bleareth the eyes of the cōmune people Good LORD how wel are they persuaded callynge vpō God and take pytie vpon poore Iesus that doth so euell is proude and finally not lyke vnto thē in ryghteousnesse honesty ▪ Of them sayeth Christ in the .xi. of Mathew that wysedome is iustifyed of hir chyldren that is they are wyser and more ryghteous than I myselfe whyche ame the godly wysedome Whatsoeuer I do that is nought and must be checked and correcte of them These are the moost wycked and poysonest men on earth whose pryde of harte is so depe and deuellysh that she can brouke no medecyne nor wholsome counsell For they heare not what is sayde yee they reken it not to be spoken vnto them but vnto the wretched synner which hath nede of it they nede it not Ihon baptiste doth call them the generacion of vipers Mathew .iii. and Luke the thyrde and euen so doth Christe also Mathew the .xii. and .xvi. These are they that do not truely feare God do serue to
selues yf he shuld fyl you before ye were hoÌ„gry or exalte you before ye were brought lowe he shuld be fayne to playe the iuggler not beynge able to fulfyl his promyse so shuld his worke be nothyng saue a mockage whaÌ„ the neuerthelesse doth say in the C.x. Psalme â–ª The workes of hys handes are verite and iudgement al hys coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes are true Yf he shuld be fayne to helpe you at the intrauÌ„ce of your anguysh lowlynesse ether in euery smal suppression nede than shuld hys workes be slenderer thaÌ„ becoÌ„meth hys maieste Where as it is sayd in y e same psal that the workes of the LORDE are greate sought out of al them y e haue pleasure therin Let vs now loke vpon y e contrary parte also Yf he shuld destroy and put downe the hygh rych before they became hygh rych how shuld he behaue hymselfe therin They must fyrst come so hygh so passynge in ryches that euery maÌ„ they themselues also must be persuaded yee y t it be so in dede that no maÌ„ caÌ„ destroy w tstande or roote theÌ„ out be so sure of theyr cause y e they say it y e Esaye dyd prophecy in his .xlvii. chap. of the Babilonians sayeng Heare now therfore thou wylfyl that syttest so carelesse speakest thus in thyn hart I am alone and with out me is ther none I shal neuer be wedow nor desolate agayne that is wythoute strength and ayde And yet both these thynges shall come vnto the in one daye in the the twynckelynge of an eye c. There hath God than an occasion to worke hys worke Of thys wyse dyd he suffre Pharao to heaue hymselfe aboue the chyldren of Israell and to oppresâ—e them as God doth testifye of hym in the .ix. chapter of Exodus sayenge I haue â—â—ered the vp for thys cause euen to shew my power vpon the and that my name myght be declared in all landes Of suche ensamples is the Bible euen full which teach nothynge els saue God worâ—es and workes and refuse both the workes and doctrines of men Beholde now thys stronge coÌ„forte that is that not man but God hymselfe geueth not only somewhat but fylleth and satisfyeth And in that she addeth vvithgood thynges she signifyeth that such fyllyng shal not be hurtefull but profytable and wholesome so that it shall do good both to body soule By this is shewed moreouer that they were empty and full of all nede For as is sayde before by ryches are vnderstaÌ„de all faydyng and transitory thynges that concerne the body wherewyth the soule is also reioyced Euen so also by honger ought to be vnderstande in this place not only waÌ„te of meate but of all transitory thynges for somtyme maye a maÌ„ forbeare al thynges saue meate so that for the moost parte all transitory goâ—des and occupyenges are for thesame With oute meate can noman lyue thoughe they maye lyue without clothynge house mony goodes and men therfore doth scripture here comprehende the temporall goodes for the moost necessaryest profitablest and mooste vsuallest that can leest be forboreÌ„ insomuch that she calleth couetous meÌ„ and them that be so gredy vpon the vnstable ryches belly seruauÌ„tes and Paule doth call y e belly theyr God How coulde than ony body entyce vs so earnestly and with more comforte to wyl full honger and pouerte than these vehemeÌ„t wordes of Gods mother namely that God wyl fede euery hongry soule with good thynges Whome such comfortable wordes such honoure and prayse of pouerte doth not persuade and entyce therto he is surely wythout fayth and confidence as an Heythen Agayne how can ony man blame ryches more and fraye the rych more than w t thys one clause that God letteth the rych go empty O what greate and plentifull thynges are these both the fyllynge of God and the lettyng go empty how lytle caÌ„ ony creature helpe or geue counsell therein A man is abasshed whan he heareth hys fathers defiaunce or his maysters displeasure and we hygh rych are not dismade whan God doth defy vs. And not only proclameth warre but threateneth also destruccion abiection and rootynge out Contrary wyse is it a ioye whan the father is meke and the mayster mylde so that many aduenture theyr lyfe al that they haue there vpoÌ„ And we hauyng such promyse and such stronge coÌ„solacion caÌ„not vse and brooke it we can not geue thankes for it nor yet reioyce therein O thou lamentable vnbelefe whiche passest the serenesse of a blocke and the hardnes of a stone that thou caÌ„st not perceaue such great thynges Let thys now be sufficiently spokeÌ„ of the syxe workes of God He remeÌ„breth mercy and helpeth vp hys seruaunte Israell After the rehearsynge of Gods workes both in her and in other doth Mary nowe come agayne to the begynnynge and fyrste and closeth the Magnificat wyth y e greatest and chefe of all the godly workes which is y e incarnacion of the sonne of God and confesseth here frely that she is a handmaydeÌ„ seruaunte of all the worlde seyng the worke is accoÌ„plyshed in her the which is profitable not only to her but vnto all Israell Yet dealeth she Israell in two and bryngeth that parte only that serueth God Nother doth ony maÌ„ serue God saue he that letteth hym be hys God and suffreth hym to worke hys worke in hym wherof we haue spoken before Although that worde Gods seruice alas for pytie is brought into so straunge vnderstandynge and vse that whoso heareth it doth thynke nothynge vpon such workes but rather vpon ryngynge vpon the stone worke and tymber of the temple vpoÌ„ the censoure vpon the burnynge of the lyghtes vpon the blarynge the golde the syluer the whyte clothes the pearles the vestimentes and surplyses the chalice the pyre the organes tables the procession and stations and that moost of all is vpon the bablyng and talyng wyth God vpon beede stones Foo alas Gods seruyce is come hetherto whereof he knoweth nothynge And we also know none other saue thys We synge the Magnificat dayly and y e with great solemnite and lowd and yet kepe secrete the true vnderstaÌ„dynge thereof more and more But yet doth thys text stonde styfly Yf we do not learne these workes of God and suffre them in vs than shall ther be no Gods seruice no Israell no grace no mercye nor no God though we crye out in temples and rynge tyll we brust and gaue therto all the goodes of y e worlde For God hath geuen no commaundemente concernynge that therfore doutelesse can he haue no pleasure therein The incarnacion therfore of Christe doth auayle vnto suche an Israell that serueth God Such one is hys owne and beloued people for whose sake also he is become man to delyuer them from the thraldome of the Deuell synne death and hell and to brynge them vnto ryghteousnesse and euerlastynge lyfe and blysse that is the helpyng vp that she syngeth of here
namely That God neuer suffred one Gentile kynge or prince in all the scripture to be cōmended no not sence y e worlde was created but caused them alwaye to be rebuked the whiche is a dredefull ensample vnto all superiorites Nother dyd he fynde moreouer ony laudable and blamelesse kyng amonge hys peculyare people of Israel Besydes all thys among the Iewes whych were y e chefe and heade of all mankynde lyfted vp and beloued aboue all creatures were but a fewe nother aboue syxe kynges praysed Finally that deare part and precious prince Dauid whych left none nother behynde nor by him that was lyke hym in worldly polycye the whych though he beynge full of the feare wysedome of God dyd rule and iudge all thynges by the only cōmaūdement of God and not by hys reason yet neuerthelesse stōbled sometyme So y e scripture also because she coulde not blame hys gouernaunce and yet must recyte y e hurte of the people where by Dauid was cloyde dyd not impute it vnto Dauid but vnto y e people sayenge That God was wroth wyth y e people and suffred Dauid the holy man to be steared of Sathā whyche gaue hym in hys mynde to nōbre y e people for the whych dede .lxx. thousand mē dyd dye of the pestilence All thys hath God so brought to passe to fraye the superiorite to retayne thē in feare and to admonysh them of theyr daungers For great ryches great honours great power greate fauoure and besyde thys many flatterers from whom no lorde is fre do so of all partes besege and assaulte the hart of a prynce and dryue hym so to pryde to the forgetfulnesse of God to not carynge ether for the people or commune wealth to pleasure to rashnesse to curiosite to ydelnesse brefely to all vnryghteous thynges and vyces that no cytie nor stronge holde can so be beseged assaulted Now he that beyng warned by the aforesayd ensamples wyll not anoyde and vse the feare of God for a banke or fence where I pray you shall he become For yf ony lorde or superioure do not loue his people do not apply therto his mynde not how he lyue deyntely but how by hys ensample hys subiectes maye be steared to goodnesse all is done wyth hym and y e state of hys dominion shall thence forth be onely to the losse of hys soule nother shall it auayle him that he doth foūde great moneth-means trentals diriges and yeare tydes buylde great monasteryes altares or thys or that God shall requyre of hym an accōpt of hys estate and offyce nother shall he care for ony thynge els Wherfore moost boūteous lorde and prince I commende thys Magnificat vnto your hyghnesse but specially y e fyfte syxte verses aboute y e whych I haue cōprehended it prayenge requyrynge your hyghnesse to drede nothynge so sore all your lyfe tyme on earth no not hell as it that y e blessed mother of God callth here the imaginacyō of the mynde For y e same is y e greatest y e fearcest the myghtyest and the most hurtfullest enemye of all kynde of men specially of superiours Hys names are Reason good opinion or intent wherof must come all counsels and gouernaunces Nother can youre hyghnesse be in sauegarde yf ye haue not thys alwaye suspecte and wyth the feare of God followe not only the reasons not only of your peres and senatours but also of all them that be of your hyghnesse counsell No mans coūsel is to be despysed nother agayne is it only to be trusted vnto But what must be done than Thys verely that your hyghnesse do not sende away your prayer in cloysters vnder monkes chanons and freres cooles ether vnder chalices as it is a wycked maner now a dayes to do to buyld vpon other mēs prayers to truste therin to set lytle store by theyr own But your hyghnes must take a fre hardy a mery corage settynge asyde y e feble mynde cal vpon God ether in your harte or els where secretlye layenge at hys fete the keyes and constraynynge hym wyth hys owne ordynaunce on thys wyse Behold my God and father thys is thy worke thys is thyne ordinaunce that I shulde be borne and gendred to rule in thys state the whych noman wyll denye and thou thyselfe knowest whether I be worthy or vnworthy of it neuerthelesse here am I ready as thou seyst and as euery man knoweth Graunt therfore my father and LORDE that I maye rule thys people to thy prayse and theyr wealth and I beseke the suffre me not to stāde in myne own conceate and to myne owne reason but be thou my reason and appoynted marke Let hym begyn vpon lyke sentence and procede in what thynge so euer he haue in hande cōmēdyng it to God Moreouer how well God be appayed w t suche a prayer and mynde doth Salomō y t in lyke maner dyd praye declare y t whyche prayer I haue also ioyned hereto the your hyghnesse maye be steared gladly to trust in the grace of God that both hys feare mercy maye byde with you And herwyth I cōmende me vnto your hyghnesse the whych I praye God to preserue vnto a lucky gouernaunce Amen The prayer that kynge Salomon prayed a patron for all princes taken out of the .iii. chapter of the iii. boke of the kynges THe LORDE appeared vnto Salomon at Gibeon in a dreame of the nyght God sayd Are what I shall geue the. Salomon sayde Thou hast done greate mercy vnto my father Dauid thy seruaunte so that he walked before the in faythfulnesse ryghteousnesse and in a true harte wyth the and thys mercy hast thou layed vp for hym and geuen hym a sonne to syt vpon hys seate as it is now come to passe Now LORDE my God thou haste made thy seruaunt kynge in my father Dauids steade As for me I am but a smal yōge man knowynge nother myne outgoyng nor ingoynge And thy seruaunt is amonge the people whome thou hast chosen whych is so great that no man can nombre them nor describe thē for multytude Geue thy seruaūte therfore an obediente harte that he maye iudge thy people and vnderstande that what is good or bad for who is able to iudge thys thy myghty people Thys pleased the LORDE well that Salomon axed such a peticion And God sayd vnto Salomon For so muche as thou axest thys and desyrest not lōge lyfe nother ryches nother the soules of thyne enemyes but vnderstandynge to heare iudgement beholde therfore haue I done accordyng to thy wordes Beholde I haue geuen the an harte of wysedome and vnderstandynge so y t suche one as thou hath not ben before the nother shal ryse vp after the. Yee and that thou hast not prayed for haue I geuen the also namely ryches and honoure so that amonge the kynges of thy tyme ther is not such one as thou And yf thou wylt walke in my wayes so that thou kepe myne ordinaunces and lawes as
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
he is theyr succoure and defence and thynke yee be assured thys kynde of worshyp to be nought but a deuyce and imaginacion of men only the which are ydle and vayne as sayeth Ieremy in the .x. chapter And Christe also sayeth Mathe. xv that he is worshypped in vayne whyle they teach suche doctrines as are nothynge but the commaundementes of men Though they approche neare vnto me with the Pater noster callynge me father LORDE and God yet do they runne to other fathers gods and saueoures in thys vale of teares Drawe therfore backegood brethren and systers your strayenge steppes wende them in the wayes of the LORDE yeldyng you rather to hym and hys worde for ye haue more assuraunce to be herde when ye call to hym yf ye so do than ye haue of followynge mans voyce Dauid sayeth Psalm xlix in the persone of God Call vpon me in the tyme of trouble so wyll I heare the that thou shalt thanke me Where is ther ony such promyse or comfortable worde in all y e scripture of the blessed virgine or ony other name he shall geue it you Yf ye therfore beleue these wordes stedfastlye than nede ye none other meane Or thynk ye that he wyl lye ether for you or for youre synnes whych only is the truth hymselfe and hath taken a waye the synnes of the worlde as Esaye doth expressely wryte of hym in the .liii. chapter and Ihon baptiste doth by mouth ¶ Syxtly it followeth in the songe Et Iesum benedictum fructum uentris tui nobis post hoc exilium ostende that is And shewe vs Iesu y e blessed frute of thy wombe after thys exilyng bannyshynge Yf you wyll haue her to shewe you Iesus than must ye fyrste let hym shewe you her in thys mysery and heare what she sayd Luke in the fyrst chapter where it is wrytteÌ„ He remembreth mercy and helpeth vp hys seruaunte Israel Euen as he promysed vnto oure fathers Abraham and to hys sede for euer Here sayeth Mary that vnto Abraham and hys sede was promysed saluacion thorowe Christe Iesu which thynge is playnly declared in Genesis the .xxii. Chap. where God sayd to Abraham In thy sede shall all nacions be blessed and Abraham beleuynge thys was saued thereby And Genesis xvii was Isaac promysed vnto Abraham and Abraham beleuynge the same lykewyse was saued thereby Vnto Dauid was lyke promyse made .ii. Regum the .vii. chapter on thys wyse Whan the tyme is fulfylled that thou shalte slepe w t thy fathers I wyll rayse thy sede after the. I wyll be hys father and he shalbe my sonne and wyll stablysh y e seate of hys kyngdome for euer This dyd Dauid beleue and was also saued Beholde thus hath now Abraham receaued hys chylde sayeth Mary as it was promysed vnto AbrahaÌ„ and hys posterite Wyll ye now therfore be also saued then must ye let Iesus be shewed vnto you as Mary doth shewe hym here in the Magnificat namely that he is the blessynge of all nacyons and so to beleue faythfully to trust in Iesu Christ only for by thys fayth only shall ye be saued Yee must haue thys fayth only in hym in thys vayle of teares and so se hym here and not let hym be shewed vnto you by other meanes after this myserable exilynge as it is sunge in thys songe of prayse Thus must we haue hym shewed vnto vs in thys vayle of teares as he was shewed vnto y e patriarkes and prophetes that we maye knowe hym in thys mortall lyfe beleue in hym as they haue done and than surely shall he shewe hymselfe wel ynough after thys exilynge and banyshmeÌ„t Yf els hys wordes be true that he hath spoken Ioh. xi I am the resurreccion and y e lyfe He that beleueth on me shall lyue thoughe he were dead already And Ioh. iii. He that beleueth on me shal not be condeÌ„ned Thus must thou than knowe Iesu Christe as one that taketh awaye thy synnes dyenge y e bytter death for them But yf ye know hym not here than maye he not be shewed you after thys partynge of bodye and soule nother of Mary nor of ony body els ¶ Seuenthly we synge in thys songe O clemens O pia O dulcis uirgo Maria that is O bounteous O good O swete virgine Mary These wordes were wonte to be cryed out loude but Baals prestes cryed out louder whereof it is wrytten in the thyrd boke of the kynges the .xviii. Chapter of thys maner And they cryed loude and prouoked theÌ„ selues wyth knyues and â—otkens as theyr maner was tyll the bloude followed but no answere was herde Wherfore the prophete Elias mockyng them sayd Crye loude For he is a God peradueÌ„ture he is musynge or hath soÌ„what to do or is gone some iourney or happly he slepeth so that he wolde be waked vp c. They cryed farther yet yee that euen theyr throte semed to haue brasten asuÌ„der but what they optayned thereby that maye ye reade there And much lesse shal ye optayne wyth your loude blaryng For God geueth no eare to loude cryenge but to loue and mercy Besydes thys ascrybest thou swetenesse goodnesse and ryghteousnesse vnto a creature whyche is to be referred vnto none but vnto God onely Of thys swetenesse sayeth scripture in the boke of wysedome the .xii. Chap. on thys wyse O LORDE how gracious and swete is thy sprete in all thynges And Ioel in the .ii. Chapter Turne you vnto the LORDE youre God for he is gracious and mercyfull longe sufferynge and of great compassion and ready to pardon wyckednesse and to forgeue synnes c. Dauid doth lykewyse exhorte vs in the .xxxiii. Psalme sayeng Tayste and se howe frendely the LORDE is happye is the man that trusteth in hym Marke well now that ye must seke and loke for all goodnesse swetenesse mercy and vertue at hym only yf ye shall optayne ought and that ye can do nought wythout hym Thys confirmeth the prayer of Anna the wyfe of Helcana in the fyrste doke of the kynges the seconde chapter where she sayeth Ther is no man holy as the LORDE for wythout the is nothyng and ther is no comforte lyke vnto oure God And euen so noman can nor maye be holy or come to the father but thorowe the sonne Christ Iesu as he wytnesseth hymselfe To conclude good brethren and systers I beseke you for the vnspeakeable mercy of God to remembre and to thynke that God is wyser than ye and so doynge geue youre wytte and wysedom captiue vnto the worde of God and than shal happen vnto you both health and saluacion But alas it is happened vnto vs God amende it that is spoken of in the .xiiii. Chapter of the boke of wysedome namely that thorowe the bewty of the worke the commune people was deceaued insomuche that they toke hym now for God whyche a lytle afore was but honoured as man Lyke vnto thys maye ye reade Deuteronomy the .vi. Baruch the laste and in the