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 second that Mary teacheth, is, that every man will be the first in the praising of God, & to recite the works done to him, & after the praise him also in other works. After this manner do we read the Paul & Barnabas did show unto the apostles the acts that God wrought by them: & again the apostles showed them what God had wrought by them also. Like unto this did they (in the last Chap. of Luke) showing each other of the resurrection of the LORD & appearing to them. Even there doth finally begin a commune joy and ⟨image 29⟩praise of God, where every one praiseth the grace of another, and his most of all, though he be viler than another: neither doth he covet to be the chief in the goods, but in the love and praise of God. For every man hath enough of God, & his mere goodness, how slender that ever his gift be, so simple an heart hath he. But the hypocrites, seeking their own avail look a squint and play the luskes: which when they see they be not the chefest nor best in the goods, they murmur in stead of praise, and say: that they be ether like or under other, like as they did whereof we read Math. xx. that murmured against the husbandman, not that he did them wrong, but that he counted the last like worthy of the days hire with them.

The secōd that Mary teacheth, is, that euery mā wyl be ye fyrst in the praysynge of God, & to recyte the workes done to hym, & after ye yrayse hym also in other workes. After thys maner do we reade ye Paule & Barnabas dyd shewe vnto the apostles the actes that God wrought by thē: & agayne ye apostles shewed thē what God had wroughte by thē also. Lyke vnto this dyd they (in the last Chap. of Luke) shewyng ech other of ye resurrecciō of ye LORD & appearyng to thē. Euen there doth finally begyn a cōmune ioye and ⟨image 29⟩prayse of God, wher euery one prayseth the grace of another, and his moost of al, though he be vyler than another: nother doth he couete to be the chefe in the goodes, but in the loue and prayse of God. For euery mā hath ynough of God, & hys mere goodnesse, how slender that euer hys gyfte be, so symple an harte hath he. But the hypocrites, sekynge theyr owne auayle loke a squynte and playe the luskes: whych whan they se they be not the chefest nor best in the goodes, they murmure in steade of prayse, and saye: that they be ether lyke or vnder other, lyke as they dyd wherof we reade