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…

What time as the children of Israel were come into the land of promise, & had taken possession of it, they had no kings, but were ruled by rulers. Now as they forsook the LORD their God, and fell to Idolatry God did punish them, and sent strange nations upon them, the which vexed them: wherefore they called upon God, and he delivered them, sending them a ruler or captain that discomfited the enemies, as the book of judges doth specify. On like manner prophecieth here Zechariah that God will do, in sending his son Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, to deliver the true Israelites and to rid them from the hand of such enemies, as oppressed them. Lo (sayeth he) how true is God, and how well abideth he by his promises. For he keepeth not only these promises that he made by the prophets, but also the testaments and covenants that he made unto the Patriarchs, namely: ⟨image 87⟩Abraham and David, the which he did bind with an oath. The oath that he made with Abraham is this: I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee: and in the shall all generations of the earth be blessed. And again: Thy seed shall possess the gates of his enemies, and in thy seed shall all nations on earth be blessed. Gene. xxii. And of David is written in the .lxxxviii. psalm: I have sworn once by my holiness, that I will not fail David. His seed shall endure for ever, and his seat also like as the Sun before me. &c. These and such like promises made unto Abraham and David of the victory of their enemies, of the sureness and quietness of their life, of the continuance of their happy kingdom, sound to be spoken only of outward blessings, and should be fulfilled after the meaning of this world: But by this song of Zechariah, which is an utterance of the promises made unto Abraham and David, it is evident, that these blessings concern most chiefly the spiritual blessings. For he sayeth that the promises made unto the Patriarchs, and confirmed with an oath concerning the victory of their enemies, of the peaceableness of life, of the happy state of the kingdom, are to ⟨image 87⟩be understand of these enemies, which are vanquished by Jesus Christ, and of the tranquillity, of that happy and peaceable life, the which is purchased for us by Christ.

What tyme as the chylderen of Israell were come into the lande of promyse, & had taken possession of it, they had no kynges, but were ruled by rulers. Now as they forsoke the LORDE theyr God, and fell to Idolatry God dyd punyshe them, and sente straunge nacions vpon them, the which vexed them: wherfore they called vpō God, and he delyuered them, sendynge them a ruler or captayne that discōfited the enemyes, as the boke of iudges doth specyfy. On lyke maner prophecyeth here Zachary that God will do, in sendynge hys sonne Iesus Christe, of the sede of Dauid, to delyuer the true Israelites and to rydde them frō the hande of such enemyes, as oppressed them. Lo (sayeth he) howe true is God, and how well abydeth he by his promyses. For he kepeth not only these promyses that he made by the prophetes, but also the testamentes and cōuenauntes that he made vnto the Patriarkes, namelye: