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 the spirit be, have we showed a little before, namely, it that perceiveth things incomprehensible by faith. And therefore she calleth God her Saviour or saving health, the which faith she had conceived by the work that God declared to her. And verily she beginneth after a comely order in that she calleth God first her LORD, and than her Saviour, and first her Saviour before she rehearse his works. Where with she teacheth us, how after a right order we ought to love and to thank God only and purely, neither seek ought of our own. Now doth he love and thank God purely, sincerely and truly, which praiseth him for none ⟨image 16⟩other cause, save that he is good: ether beholdeth nought in him, but only his bare goodness, and in the same only he hath his joy and delight. And this is the highest and most fairest manner to love & praise God, which agreeth very well unto such an excellent and demure spirit, as the holy virgins is.

What the sprete be, haue we shewed a lytle before, namely, it that perceaueth thynges incomprehensible by fayth. And therfore she calleth God hyr Saueoure or sauynge health, the whiche fayth she had conceaued by the worke that God declared to her. And verely she begynneth after a comly order in that she calleth God fyrste hyr LORDE, and than hyr Saueoure, and fyrste hyr Saueoure before she rehearse his workes. Where wyth she teacheth vs, howe after a ryghte order we oughte to loue and to thanke God onlye and purely, nother seke ought of oure owne. Nowe doth he loue and thanke God purely, syncerelye and truely, whyche prayseth hym for none ⟨image 16⟩other cause, saue that he is good: ether beholdeth noughte in hym, but only hys bare goodnesse, and in the same only he hath hys ioye and delyte. And thys is the hyghest and moost fayrest maner to loue & prayse God, which agreeth very well vnto such an excellente and demure sprete, as the holy virgins is.

The unclean and froward lovers, which are nothing but usurers, seeking in God that is their own, such neither love nor praise his bare goodness. For they do behold themselves, counting only how good God be to them, that is, how much he doth declare his goodness toward them and doth well by them, even that they do feel it: the which do also conceive great and high things in their minds of him, and joyfully do sing of him and praise him, as long as they feel the benefits of God. But when God doth hide himself, or withdraweth a little the beams of his goodness, so that they seem bare and banished, than hath the love and praise an end, neither can they love or praise the bare and unfeleable goodness hid in God: whereby they declare, that their spirit did not rejoice in God their Saviour, & that there was