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…

Again, that ye learn to eschew all high east and condition, the which every man environneth to obtain, seeing that God neither found nor did will the same in his mother. But those painters and counterfeiters, the which do so paint and set out the blessed virgin unto us, that there be no vile thing seen in her, but all excellent things, what do they else but teach us to set our sight on the mother of God, & not her in the sight of God: Whereby they do fray us, & nearehande do cause us to despair, & darken unto us the image full of consolation, even as they do stop the saints in Lent. For seeing she is drawn above all ensamples & patrons, there is nothing left whereof we may ⟨image 33⟩take any consolation or comfort, where she ought and with a good will would be a principal ensample of grace, to steer all the world to the grace, love and praise of God, that the hearts of all men might conceive such an opinion of her toward God, which with all confidence might say: Ah blessed virgin and mother of God, what great comfort did God give us by thee, because he did with so gracious a countenance behold thine unworthiness and low degree, whereby we are admonished henceforth to trust, that after thine ensample he will also look upon us wretches.

Agayne, that ye learne to eschue al hygh easte and condicion, the which euery man enuyronneth to obtayne, seynge that God nother fande nor dyd wyll thesame in hys mother. But those paynters and counterfayters, the whych do so paynte and set out the blessed virgine vnto vs, that ther be no vyle thynge sene in her, but all excellente thynges, what do they els but teach vs to set our syght on the mother of God, & not her in the syght of God: Whereby they do fraye vs, & nearehāde do cause vs to despayre, & darken vnto vs the ymage full of consolacion, euen as they do stoppe the sayntes in Lente. For seyng she is drawen aboue all ensāples & patrones, ther is nothynge lefte whereof we maye ⟨image 33⟩take ony coosolacion or cmnforte, where she ought and wyth a good wyl wolde be a principall ensample of grace, to steare all the world to the grace, loue and prayse of God, that the hartes of all men myght conceaue such an opinion of her towarde God, which with all confidence myghte saye: Ah blessed virgine and mother of God, what greate comforte dyd God geue vs by the, because he dyd wyth so gracious a coūtenaunce beholde thyn vnworthynesse and lowe degre, whereby we are admonyshed henceforth to trust, that after thyn ensample he wyll also loke vpon vs wretches.