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…

Here (lo) is the word of God kept on both parts: first, that thou grantest thy right, reason, understanding, wisdom, and all thine opinion to be good and just, the which even the word of God doth also say. Secondly, that thou art content to forbear such gift for the love of God, to be wrongfully condemned, ye to be a mockage and a gassing stock to the world, the which Gods word also doth teach. There be .ii. things: to confess the thing that is just and good, and to obtain or overcome. It is enough for the to knowledge and ⟨image 48⟩confess that thou hast a good cause. If thou canst not overcome, commit the matter unto God. It is thy part to knowledge, to overcome hath God reserved unto himself. If he will have the to overcome, he shall do it, ether shall he so bring the thing to pas, without thy counsel or thought, that thou must needs take the matter in hand and overcome, and that after such fashion, as thou never wouldst have thought or desired. If he will not, let his mercy suffice thee. If the victory of thy righteousness be taken from thee, yet can not the knowlegynge of the same be taken from thee. Lo, here must we stand back, not from the goods of God, but from the wicked and evil giving of to much mind to the same, that we can right well both use and forgo them, so that in all chances that befall, we cleave only to God. Would God all princes and powers (as their duty is) were not ignorant of this, which be not content to confess that they have right, but will needs overcome and win, setting aside all fear of God, and filling the world with blood and misery thinking they do right therein seeing they have a rightful cause, a true matter and a righteous quarrel, or at the ⟨image 49⟩leest suppose it to be so. What is that else save the proud and hyghmynded Moab? which counteth and maketh himself worthy of the noble and beautiful possession of Gods gift, namely, the Law: where as he (if he behold himself well in the sight of God) is not worthy that the ground do bear him, and that he do eat the crusts of bread, because of the uncleanness of his since. O blindness, blindness, who is worthy of the leest creature of God?

Here (lo) is the worde of God kepte on both partes: fyrste, that thou grauntest thy ryght, reason, vnderstandynge, wysdom, and all thyne opinion to be good and iuste, the which euen the worde of God doth also say. Secondlye, that thou arte contente to forbeare such gyfte for the loue of God, to be wrongefully condemned, yee to be a mockage and a gasynge stocke to the worlde, the which Gods worde also doth teache. Ther be .ii. thynges: to confesse the thynge that is iuste and good, and to obtayne or ouercome. It is ynough for the to knowlege and