An exposition upon the song of the blessed virgin Mary, called Magnificat Where unto…An exposicion vpon the songe of the blessed virgine Mary, called Magnificat Where vnto…

Are not money, goods, the body, honour, a wife, children, friends and such like ⟨image 46⟩good creatures, created and given of God▪ Now that they are the gifts of God, and not thine, and God will prove thee, whether thou canst find in thine heart to lose them to advance his glory, and hang more upon him only, than upon these creatures: and therefore should raise one that ether should take part of them from thee, or altogether, ether hurt thee or by bodily death would cause the to lose them: Thinks thou not here were a just cause to be witless, to rage, to recover the same again by force and strong hand, or to be unpaciente until thou haddest recovered them again, laying for the that they be good creatures of god? And because that all the scripture judgeth the things to be good, therefore thou also wilt keep the word of God, and defend or require again the same goods both with body and life, or else to forbear them or let them go against thy will: Were not this a jolly visor? If thou wilt therefore do well in this behalf, thou mayest not run headlynges after thine own brain. But how shall I do than? ye shall fear God, and say on this wise: LORD they be good things and thy gifts, as thine own word and the scripture do witness. Nevertheless I dove ⟨image 47⟩whether thou doest envy me them. If I knew I should not use them, I would not bestow one hear upon the having again of them: but if I knew thou wouldest them to be in my power, I would (obeying thy will) bestow both body and goods to have them again. But seeing now I stand in doubt of ether of these thy wills, and I see what now is don, namely, that thou sufferest them to be taken from me, I commit the matter unto thee, and will wait upon thy pleasure in this behalf, ready ether to keep them, or to forgo them.

Are not mony, goodes, the body, honoure, a wyfe, chylderen, frendes and suche lyke ⟨image 46⟩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 yt all the scripture iudgeth the thynges to be good, therfore thou also wylt kepe the worde of God, and defende or requyre agayne thesame goodes both wyth body and lyfe, orels to forbeare them or let them go agaynste thy wyll: Were not thys a ioly visure? Yf thou wylt therfore do well in thys behalfe, thou mayest not runne headlynges after thyne owne brayne. But howe shall I do than? ye shall feare God, and saye on thys wyse: LORD they be good thynges and thy gyftes, as thyne owne worde and ye scripture do wytnesse. Neuerthelesse I doue