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
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
progeny to progeny vpon them that feare hym She begynneth at the greatest namely at the spirituall or inwarde goodes whyche make men here vpon earth the moost proudest hyghmynded and hardnecked Ther is no rych man no myghtye lorde so proude or hygh mynded that is not ouercome of such a wyse man the whych perceaueth and douteth not at all that he doth pleate or defende a iuste cause vnderstande the matter well and that he is wyser than other folke Specially whan it is come so farre y t ether he must auoyde or els knowlege hys cause to be vniust than becommeth he so rash and voyde of the feare of God that he wyll not be ashamed to boast and say that he can not erre that God is wyth hym and other be accursed yee he is not ashamed to call the iudgement and daye of dome to wytnesse and yf occasion be ioyned to hys power than breaketh he forthe wyth hys malepartnesse where it pleaseth hym he persueth iudgeth vexeth slayeth dryueth away and waisteth all them that wythstande hym and thys affirmeth he to be done to the prayse glorye and seruice of God And is so sure of a great deseruynge and plenteous grace by God that the angels of heauen be scarce so sure O what a great burble is this O how much doth y e scripture treate of such kynde of mē how dredfull thynges doth she threaten thē but they fele it lesse than the anuylt doth the hammer strokes And thys thynge is ryfe and plenteous of matter Of suche speaketh Christ in the .xvi. of Ihon sayenge The tyme cōmeth that who so euer putteth you to death shal thinke that he hath done seruyce to God And Dauid sayeth lykewyse of such on thys wyse He doth preuayle agaynst all hys enemyes sayenge Ther shall no euell aproche me As though he wolde saye I defende a ryght quarell I do well God shall rewarde me hyghly Such do Esay in the .xvi. Chapter and Ieremye in the .xlvii. say◠that the Moabites were wrytynge on thys wyse As for Moabs pryde we haue herde of it she is verye hygh mynded I know hyr stoutnesse hyr boastynge hir arrogancy and the pryde of hyr stomacke sayeth the LORDE For hyr furiousnesse maye nother vpholde her wyth strength nor dede We se such mē take thynges vpon them passynge theyr power for the great pryde Such were the Iewes agaynst Christe and hys apostles Suche were Iobs frendes whyche reasoned aboue measure wysely agaynste hym and commended and praysed God vehemētly But such kynde of men heare no man they can be persuaded of no man nother can onye man brynge them therto that yf theyr cause be wronge they wyll graunte it or to geue place but styck to it that they haue begonne and procede therein though the world shulde perysh therfore Nother can the scripture sufficiently reprehende such naughty packes callynge them sometyme an adder stoppynge hys eare lest he heare the charmers voyce somtyme a roarynge lyon somtyme an vnmoueable rocke somtyme a draggon so forth other names But thys kynde of men is no where better set forthe in hys colours than in the .xl. and .xli. chapters of Iob where they be called Behemoth Nowe Behema in Hebrue is as much to saye as a beaste and Behemoth the plurall nombre sygnifyeth beastes that is a vmbremente or multitude of men leadynge a beastly lyfe and not permittynge themselues to be guyded by the sprete of God Thys kynde doth God in the same place saye to haue eyen lyke the mornynge shyne for ther is no ende of hys wysdome Hys skynne also is so harde that no wapen can pearse thorowe it ether shot or stycked at that is yf the worde of God be preached agaynst thē to theyr reprofe they laugh it to scorne for they iudge theyr matter sure ynough The skales also do shycke so faste together that the leest ayre can not entre that is they agre so and be so one mynded that they wyll not admitte the leeste breth of Gods sprete As for hys harte sayethe God is hardened lyke an anuylte It is the Deuels body and therfore doth he in thys place attribute it all vnto thesame Suche a people aboue all other is the Byshoppe of Rome wyth all his vmbremente and hath ben a greate season For they do lykewyse and that of such a fashion as is euidente that neuer was sene they heare no body ther is no redressynge and amendynge of lyfe No persuadynge no prayenge no threatenynge wyll helpe Shortelye they nother saye nor synge saue We defende a good quarell thus must it be auaunte they whome thys doth not please yee though it were the whole worlde Here myght some body saye How shall thys agre shal we not kepe the lawes shall we let go the truthe Is it not commaūded vs euen to dye in the truthes quarell ryghteousnesse haue not the holy martyres of God suffred much for y e Gospel Wolde not Christ himselfe haue ryght For it chaūceth oftymes that such men defende a iuste quarell yee and before God also as they do boaste and that they handle themselues ryghteously and truely I Answere Here is it due to haue the eyes opened and also necessary here is the knot It resteth only in that that a man haue the true learnynge in the lawe It is true veryly that we must suffre much for the truthe and ryghteousnesse not to denye thesame howe slender soeuer she be Moreouer it maye be that the other parte haue ryght but they do amysse in that they execute the lawe vniustely and handle not the matter with feare nother haue they God before theyre eyen but thynke it to be ynough that the matter is ryghte and therfore he both wyll and must procede by hys power and make an ende of the game wher by they make of theyr ryght wronge though it were true in dede and vnblameable But it is mooste perrillous whan they thynke themselues to be in the ryght waye and yet be not sure what oughte to be done in matters that concerne God and hys iudgementes But we wyll fyrst speake grosly and set forth a commune and blonte ensample Are not mony goodes the body honoure a wyfe chylderen frendes and suche lyke good creatures created and geuen of God ▪ Now that they are the gyftes of God and not thyne and God wyll proue the whether thou canste fynde in thyne harte to lose thē to auaunce hys glory and hange more vpon hym only than vpon these creatures and therfore shulde rayse one that ether shulde take parte of them from the or altogether ether hurte the or by bodylye death wolde cause the to lose them Thynkes thou not here were a iuste cause to be wytlesse to rage to recouer thesame agayne by force and stronge hande or to be vnpaciente vntyll thou haddest recouered thē agayne layenge for the that they be good creatures of god And because y t all the scripture iudgeth the thynges to be good therfore
Dauid thy father hath walked than wyll I geue the a longe lyfe FINIS ¶ A confutacioÌ„ of the songe called Salue Regina prouyng by scriptures layed therto that it is rather Idolatry than lawfull to be songe of true Christen men ¶ Grace mercy and strength of sprete that commeth of God the father and our LORD Iesu Christ do I wysh vnto the gentle reader SEynge welbeloued brethren and systers that nowe by the bouÌ„teous goodnesse mercy of God the moost clere and shyninge lyght of the Gospel is declared vnto vs agayne in thys preseÌ„t world therfore may we ryght well thanke prayse God that he hath wytsafe vs to come vnto the ryghte vnderstandynge knowlege by y e power of hys lyuyng worde Namely that we knowe perfectlye now how and after what fashioÌ„ we ought to prayse and to thanke God how to vtter declare thankfully our fayth whych nother can nor ought be sloggysh not only inwardly but also outwardly as Dauid y e prophete dyd thankynge and praysynge the LORDE Iesus wyth songes and melody as Paul exhorteth hys Coll. iii. to do For yf a man beleue from the harte he shalbe made ryghteous and yf a maÌ„ knowlege wyth the mouth he shalbe saued Rom. x. By thys is it lykely that the songes whiche are nowe vsed in churches euery where were fyrst institute of the fathers for thys inteÌ„t namely so to declare boldlye to exercyse openly the inwarde fayth For it is manifest that we haue no commaundemeÌ„t concernynge thys in all the new testament And for thys cause ought we Christians to haue such songes and ballades now also wherewyth the name of God be auaunced and magnifyed and not dishonoured nor blasphemed But alas thys costume is not only come to such mysuse that Christes honoure is not vttered therin but also that Lucifer y e prince of thys worlde hath thereby confirmed and fortifyed hys kyngdome so y t ther is noughte vsed therin now saue only the byshop of Romes fayres and the thynge wherein the seruice and honoure of God was supposed to haue consysted haue ben occupyed wyth nothynge saue byenge and sellynge choppynge and chaungynge yee playne vsury Euen as Esay doth featly prophecy of them speakyng in the persone of almyghtye God on thys wyse It is ye that haue burnte vp my vyneyard the robbery of y e poore is in your house c. vpon whom Christ also geueth a fearfull senteÌ„ce ful of dredful curses sayenge Wo vnto you scrybes pharises ye hypocrites that deuoure wedowes houses and that vnder the coloure of prayenge longe prayers therfore shall ye receaue the greater damnacyon As though he wolde saye wyth youre great howlynge do ye deceaue the poore innocentes of whose sweate and bloude ye fyll your paunches so ful that one wolde thynke ye had eaten euen the poore innocentes houses also But seynge they study nothynge so earnestly as to serue theyr God y e belly therfore do not they care for y e worde of God but do ruffle it vpon an heape yee sell Christe and hys worde as it may be wel perceaued of them that take diligent hede vnto it But what nede more wordes hereof seyng we se dayly one bayte â–ª after the other put at the angle to catch and to seduce the symple people the more whyche now is partely delyuered from the Babilonicall captiuite For the pardoÌ„s where by they were wonte to scrape a good summe of pens that once were refused begynne now to preasse in agayne in an other hue vysoure namely that they shall be had frely Neuerthelesse the ende wyll declare to what intente thys be institute I counsell therfore euery Christen brother and syster that desyreth to be a membre of Christe to abyde by theyr heade Iesus Christe lokynge for the true pardons of his merites suckynge the pardonynge and forgeuynge of theyr synnes out of hys passion wouÌ„des only I wyll passe ouer to speake of thys matter at thys tyme for it is not now myne â—ntent so to do lest I go to farre fro my purpose that is y e I wolde haue euery man to geue diligent hede vnto the songes that be vsually songe in our churches or temples and specially of one the whyche by the inspiracyon of the deuel is so ryfe and so corrupped y e God is therby depryued of his honoure contrary to the fyrst commaundement and it is geuen vnto a creature This maye be proued in the songe of prayse that is songe to the blessed virgine Mary the mother of Christ wherin we imagine to do her hygh seruice and worship whyche notwythstandynge is pytefully dishonoured mocked therewyth for therin is great ydolatry so that no greater spyte can be done to her than to synge such songes of prayse vnto her wherin hyr sonne Iesus Christe by whome she receaued all mercy â–ª grace vertue goodnesse and holynesse accordyng to hyr owne confession Luke in the fyrst chapter sayeng â–ª 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 c In the whych wordes she confesseth God to be hyr Saueoure whych must saue vs all also or els we shall be damned for euer We ought therfore to go to hym askynge mercy and grace of hym for he is our hope aduocate and saluacion Wyll ye therfore worshippe Mary aryght worship her in Iesu Christ hir sonne thankynge and praysynge him for workynge so wonderfull power whyche he tofore had promysed vnto the fathers in that vessell Now yf thy contemplacion or inwarde deuocion doth chauÌ„ce vpon the maydeÌ„ which thorowe hyr constaunte fayth dyd brynge forth our Saueoure the sonne of God with out ony spot of nature only by the ouershadowynge of the holy goost remaynyng pure virgyn mother as the scripture doth playnly beare wytnesse than may ye salute her with the same salutacion that the angel Gabriel saluted her but ye shall worshyp God only in the trine of persons namely y e father y e soÌ„ne and holy goost Thys doynge ye shal do the hyghest worshippe vnto Mary y t can be done accordynge to the iudgement of the scripture And that we maye be the more assured and certifyed of thys we wyll conferre this songe of Salue regina wyth the scripture se how they accorde But yf it doth not agre wyth Gods worde I requyre you for the honoure of God to leaue it and cleue vnto the worde of God so doynge ye shalbe the brethren and systers of Christe accordynge to hys owne wytnesse Luke .viii. And what so euer is not hys that is agaynst hym and venyme of the soule for the whyche we oughte earnestly to beware lest after thys transitory lyfe we be robbed of the eternal glory the which God omnipotent raygnynge for euer graunt
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