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…

But alas this costume is not only come to such misuse, that Christs honour is not uttered therein, but also that Lucifer the prince of this world hath thereby confirmed and fortified his kingdom: so that there is nought used therein now save only the bishop of Romes fairs: and the thing wherein the service ⟨image 73⟩and honour of God was supposed to have consisted, have ben occupied with nothing save buying and selling, chopping and changing, ye plain usury. Even as Isaiah doth featly prophecy of them, speaking in the person of almighty God on this wise: It is ye that have burnt up my vineyard, the robbery of the poor is in your house &c. upon whom Christ also giveth a fearful sentence full of dreadful curses, saying: Woe unto you scribes & pharisees, ye hypocrites, that devour widows houses, and that under the colour of praying long prayers: therefore shall ye receive the greater damnation. As though he would say: with your great howling do ye deceive the poor innocents, of whose sweat and blood ye fill your paunches, so full that one would think ye had eaten even the poor innocents houses also. But seeing they study nothing so earnestly as to serve their God the belly, therefore do not they care for the word of God, but do ruffle it upon an heap: ye & sell Christ and his word, as it may be well perceived of them that take diligent heed unto it. But what need more words hereof, seeing we see daily one bait▪ after the other put at the angle to catch and to seduce the simple people ⟨image 74⟩the more, which now is partly delivered from the Babilonicall captivity. For the pardons (where by they were wont to scrape a good sum of pens) that once were refused begin now to press in again in an other hue & visor, namely that they shall be had freely. Nevertheless the end will declare to what intent this be institute.

But alas thys costume is not only come to such mysuse, that Christes honoure is not vttered therin, but also that Lucifer ye prince of thys worlde hath thereby confirmed and fortifyed hys kyngdome: so yt ther is noughte vsed therin now saue only the byshop of Romes fayres: and the thynge wherein the seruice ⟨image 73⟩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 ye poore is in your house &c. vpon whom Christ also geueth a fearfull sentēce 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 ye belly, therfore do not they care for ye 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 after the other put at the angle to catch and to seduce the symple people