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 are all merits and presumption overthrown, and the grace and mercy of God are lift up. For God hath not holpen up Israel for his own merits, but for his own promise. Of only and mere grace hath he promised, and of mere grace also hath he fulfilled it. Therefore sayeth Paul in the .iii. chapter to the Galatians that God did bind himself to Abraham four hundred year before he gave the law by Moses, lest any man might say or boast that he had deserved or obtained so great grace and promise by the law or the works of the same: This same promise doth the mother of God laud and praise above all things, attributing the most clear work of the incarnation unto the pure, undeserved, godly and free promise made unto Abraham.

Here are all merites and presumpcion ouerthrowen, and the grace and mercy of God are lyfte vp. For God hath not holpen vp Israell for hys owne merites, but for hys owne promyse. Of only and mere grace hath he promysed, and of mere grace also hath he fulfilled it. Therfore sayeth Paule in the .iii. chapter to the Galathians that God dyd bynde hymselfe to Abraham foure hundreth yeare before he gaue the lawe by Moses, lest ony man myghte saye or boast that he had deserued or obtayned so greate grace and promyse by the lawe or the workes of thesame: Thys same promyse doth the mother of God laude and prayse aboue all thynges, attributynge the mooste cleare worke of the incarnacion vnto the pure, vndeserued, godly and fre promyse made vnto Abraham.

This promise of God unto Abraham is specially written in the .xii. and .xxii. chapters of Genesis, and diverse other places, ⟨image 65⟩sounding on this manner: In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. The which words of God, S. Paul and all Prophets (as they be worthy) lift up unto the clouds, for in those words both Abraham and all his posterity are saved, because that Christ is comprehended in the same, and promised to be the Saviour of all the world. Moreover this is Abraham's bosom, wherein all they that were saved before Christs nativity, did remain. Neither was any man ever saved without these words, though he had done all the good deeds that ever were done, the which we will look upon continently.