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…

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 ⟨image 16⟩no true love, no praise of the bare goodness of God, but that they delighted more in the saving health, than in the Saviour, in the gifts than in the giver, in the creatures more then in the creator. Neither can they remain of one mind in plentifulness and in scarceness, in abundance of goods and in wanting the same, in riches and poverty: contrary to saint Paul, which said to the Philippians the .iiii. Chapter: I have learned in whatsoever estate I am, therewith to be content. I can be low and I can be high. Every where and in all things I am mete, both to be full, & to be hungry: to have plenty, and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheth me. Of this thing speaketh the .xlviii. Psalm on this wise: He shall speak good of thee, so long as thou doest him good. As though he would say: He seeketh his, and not thine. If they had received pleasure and riches of thine hand, thou shouldest be little set by of them, they would make little of thee. As Christ also said Joh. vi. unto them that sought him Verily, verily I say unto you: Ye seek me not because ye saw the tokens, but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled. Such unclean false spirits stain and defile ⟨image 17⟩all Gods gifts, letting him to give more, and to work more luckily with them. Whereof let us hear a proper ensample:

The vncleane and frowarde louers, which are nothynge but vsurers, sekynge in God that is theyr owne, suche nother loue nor prayse hys bare goodnesse. For they do beholde themselues, countynge only howe good God be to them, that is, howe muche he doth declare hys goodnesse towarde thē and doth well by them, euē that they do fele it: the whiche do also conceaue greate and hyghe thynges in theyr myndes of hym, and ioyfully do synge of hym and prayse hym, as longe as they fele the benefites of God. But whan God doth hyde hymselfe, or withdraweth a lytle the beames of his goodnesse, so that they seme bare and banyshed, than hath the loue and prayse an ende, nother can they loue or prayse the bare and vnfeleable goodnesse hydde in God: whereby they declare, yt theyr sprete dyd not reioyce in God theyr Saueoure, & that there was