Exposition of Marys Magnificat, Exposition 2
¶The ſonge of Zachary called Benedictus, vſually ſonge at Mattins, brefely declared.
Bleſſed be the LORD God of Iſrael, for he hath redemed and viſited hys people.
And hath ſet vp an horne of ſaluacyon in the houſe of hys ſeruaunt Dauid.
Euen as he promyſed afore tyme by the mouth of hys holy prophetes.
That he vvolde delyuer vsus from oure enemyes, and from the hande of all ſuch as hate vsus.
And that he vvolde ſhevve mercy vntounto our fathers, and thinke vponupon his holy conuenaunte.
Euen the oth that he ſvvare vntounto oure father Abraham, for to geue vsus.
That vve delyuered out of the hande of oure enemyes, myght ſerue him vvithout feare all the dayes of oure lyfe, in ſuche holyneſſe and ryghteouſneſſe as is accepte before hym.
And thou chylde ſhalte be called a prophete of the hygheſt: for thou ſhalt go before the LORDE to prepare hys vvayes.
And to geue knovvlege of ſaluaciō vntounto hys people, for the remiſſiō of ſynnes.
Thorovv the tender mercy of our God vvhereby the daye ſprynge frō on hygh hath viſited vsus.
That he myght geue lyght vntounto them that ſyt in darkeneſſe and ſhadovve of death, & to gyde our fete in to the vvaye of peace.
THys ſonge of Zacharye the prophete, the father of Ihon baptiſte washe occaſioned to ſyng for ioy that he was reſtored agayne to hys ſpeche, the whych he loſt, becauſe he dyd not beleue the angell ſhewynge hym of hys ſonne Ihon baptiſte that ſhulde be borne of hym: ſo that (as the angell ſayde vntounto hym) the token whereby he ſhulde be aſſured ther of was, that he ſhulde be domme, vntyll the tyme of the chyldes natiuite. Wherfore at hys natiuite beynge reſtored agayne vntounto hys ſpeche, he is forthwyth fylled alſo wyth the holy gooſte, and prophecyeth: not that he was not fylled afore wyth the ſprete of Gods chyldren, wherby he walked vnblameably in the commaūdementes and ryghteouſneſſes of God: but that than he was euē rauyſhed and ſpecially fylled with the ſprete, ſo that Luke the Euangeliſt (who doth deſcribe theſe wordes in his .i. chapter) ſayeth: that he was fylled with ye holy gooſte and prophecyed. Now is to prophecy, to vtter thynges, ether to come, or that he paſte already, or els to open the ſcriptures and prophecyes, the whiche all thys ſonge doth conteyne, and is diuided in .xii. verſes and two partes. In the fyrſte doth Zachary cōmende and prayſe the truth of Gods promyſes, that God doth kepe & fulfyll thoſe thynges, which he dyd promyſe by hys prophetes of Chriſte. In the ſeconde doth he declare the office and ſeruice of Ihon baptiſte. Let vsus therfore kepe and handle thys ſonge of Zachary, not only as a rehearſall and abrygmente of all ſuche promyſes as are ſpoken of Chriſte, but alſo as a large commentary and vtteraunce of ye goſpell of Ieſu Chriſte. But alas thys ſonge is haynouſly abuſed, euen as is alſo ye ſonge of prayſe that Mary the bleſſed virgine dyd ſyng, called Magnificat, ſeynge it is roared out dayly rather than ſonge wythout faythe or deuocion. God auenge hys worde from the blaſphemyes of the wycked. Now let vsus go to the ſonge:
Bleſſed be the LORDE God of Iſrael.
Zachary doth bleſſe and thanke God, which (accordynge to the promyſe made vntounto the holy mē in olde tyme) dyd ſend Chriſt the Saueoure of Iſrael, whereby he doth alſo ſtrenghten the weaklynges in fayth and feble harted. And with thys ſyngynge & opē ly confeſſynge of his name is he wellapayed yf the harte and mouth do accorde. Though he do call God the God of Iſrael, it is not therfore to be vnderſtande that he is not the God of the Gētyles, but he is ſo called, fyrſt becauſe of the promyſe made vntounto Abraham in the .xvii. chapter of Geneſis, where God ſayde vntounto hym: I wyll make wy cōuenaunt betwene me and the, and thy ſede after the, thorowe out theyr poſterites, that it may be an euerlaſtynge conuenaunte, ſo that I wyl be the God of ye, and of thy ſede after the. &c. Secondly, becauſe he gaue them, Patriarkes, Prophetes, the lawe, the Gods ſeruice, and the promyſes of Chriſte that was tocome. Thyrdly, becauſe that of thys people ſhulde Chriſte be borne after the fleſh: But after that Chriſte was come, he was nomore called Iſraell truely, that was borne of that kynred, and of the fleſh of Iſrael: but he that is borne by the fayth of Ieſu Chriſte. Wherfore, though the LORDE by hys power and rule be the LORDE of all nacions yet is he properly called the God of thē that beleue in Ieſus Chriſte, becauſe that them only be knowlegeth for ye heyres of hys kyngdome.
Bleſſed is than the God of Iſrael. But wherfore? Euē becauſe he hath viſited and redimed hys people.
And hath ſet vp an horne of ſaluaciō in the houſe of hys ſeruaunte Dauid.
Euen as he promyſed afore tyme by the mouth of hys holy prophetes.
Thys pertayneth vntounto the fyrſte parte of the ſonge, wherin God is commended for hys faythfulneſſe and fulfyllynge of hys promyſe. He hath viſited and redimed hys people, ſayeth Zachary, the whiche be both one thynge, and be as much to ſaye as: he is come vntounto vsus, to brynge and to ſet afore vsus the wholſome worde, whereby we are ſaued For to viſite is, to be myndefull, to care for, or to make an ende of trauyll and thraldom, as God dyd whā he delyuered ye chyldrē of Iſrael out of Egipte, though it be ſōtyme takē for euell, as to punyſh or to chaſtiſe. Now is ther is no viſitacion to be cōpared vntounto thys that Zachary ſpeaketh of here. For by it he hath redemed vsus from the daunger of ye Deuell, Death and Hell, and made vsus fre Iſraelites and a peculiare people to hymſelfe and hath ſet vp an horne of ſaluacion in the houſe of hys ſeruaunte Dauid.
A horne in ſcripture is taken for victory, doughtyneſſe, a rodde, a kyngdome, greatneſſe, power, maieſtye or excellencye, ether becauſe that fourefooted beaſtes hauehave theyr chefe ſtrength in theyr hornes, orels be cauſe that kynges beynge conſecrate in olde tyme were anoynted wyth the oyle that the prophetes had in hornes, as we reade of Samuel .i. Reg. xvi. Therfore ſayeth Zachary, that God hath rayſed and ſet vp an horne, that is, a ſauynge power, namely by Ieſus Chriſte, the Saueoure of all thē that beleue in hym, vntounto whome is geuen power of all thynges, both in heauē and earth. Yf I ſhulde brynge ſorth the ſcriptures bearynge wytneſſe of thys, I feare me to be cloyde with ye abundaunce of theſame. The horne than is ſet vp in the houſe of Dauid, for Chriſte is borne of the poſterite of Dauid, not only after the ſprete, (as the ſwaruynge ſpretes of the Anabaptiſtes do ſaye) but alſo after the fleſh, the which he toke of the virgine Mary. Yf thys Dauid (of whoſe fleſh and bloude Chriſte was borne after the manhode) had ben no man, than had not Zachary mēt him whan he ſayde: In the houſe of Dauid hys ſeruaunte. For Chriſte is equall wyth hys father after the Godheade, and the ſede or poſterite of Dauid after ye manheade which he toke of the virgine Mary, that was of Dauids kynred, & that by the ouerſhadowynge of the holy gooſt. Yf they therfore wyl ſwage theyr raſhneſſe and malepartneſſe, and confeſſe the truth accordynge to the ſcriptures, than ſurely ſhall they ſe, that ſcripture vſeth ſomtyme to ſpeake myſtically of hym, and ſo is he the true Salomon, that is: the kynge of peace, whoſe dominion ſhalbe augmented, and ther ſhalbe no ende of hys peace. Eſa. ix. And ſometyme after the fleſh, as we maye ſe in the .lii. and .liii. chapters of Eſay. More ouer, Yf they wyl vnderſtande the prophecy of Ieremy in hys .xxii. chapter, where he promyſeth to rayſe vp the ryghteous braūche of Dauid only ſpritualy, than muſt they denye the article of oure belefe that we cōfeſſe in, that he is borne of the virgine Mary, and agayne that hys manhode glorifyed is not in heauen, the whiche God forſende ony man ſhulde beleue, ſeynge the whole ſcripture is contrary to it, though all the worlde dyd affirme it. Thys is than the very Chriſte God and mā, (of whome the prophetes and the euangelyſtes hauehave ſpoken) that Zachary or the holy gooſte in hym meaneth whan he calleth hym the horne of ſaluacion in the houſe of Dauid hys ſeruaunte. How bewtyfull are theſe fete of Zachary, bryngynge ſo good tydynge, preachyng ſo peaceable Chriſt by whoſe horne of ſaluacion all they that ſat in ye region of Deathes ſhadowe were delyuered. But though Zachary in the thre fyrſte verſes dyd comprehende the ſumme of thoſe promyſes that were fulfylled in Chriſt Ieſu, yet is he not contente to hauehave brefely runne ouer them, but of a feruent ſprete he doth now dilate and declare them more largelyer in the other fore verſes followynge, and ſayeth:
That he vvolde delyuer vsus from oure enemyes and from the hande of all ſuche as hate vsus.
And that he vvolde ſhevv mercy vntounto oure fathers, and thynke vponupon hys holy conuenaunte.
Euen the oth that he ſvvare vntounto our father Abraham, for to geue vsus.
That vve delyuered out of the hande of oure enemyes, myght ſerue hym vvyth oute feare all the dayes of oure lyfe, in ſuch holyneſſe and ryghteouſneſſe as is accepte before hym.
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 vponupon 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 vntounto the Patriarkes, namelye: Abraham and Dauid, ye which he dyd bynde wyth an oth. The oth that he made wyth Abraham is thys: I wyll bleſſe thē that bleſſe the, and curſe them that curſe the: and in the ſhall all generacions of the earth be bleſſed. And agayne: Thy ſede ſhall poſſeſſe the gates of hys enemyes, and in thy ſede ſhall all nacions on earth be bleſſed. Gene. xxii. And of Dauid is wrytten in the .lxxxviii. pſalme: I hauehave ſworne once by my holyneſſe, that I wyll not fayle Dauid. Hys ſede ſhall endure for euer, and hys ſeate alſo lyke as the Sōne before me. &c. Theſe and ſuch lyke promyſes made vntounto Abraham and Dauid of the victory of theyr enemyes, of the ſureneſſe and quyetneſſe of theyr lyfe, of the cōtinuance of theyr happy kyngdome, ſounde to be ſpoken only of outwarde bleſſynges, and ſhulde be fulfylled after the meanynge of thys worlde: But by thys ſonge of Zachary, whiche is an vtteraunce of the promyſes made vntounto Abraham and Dauid, it is euidente, that theſe bleſſynges concerne mooſt chefely the ſpirituall bleſſynges. For he ſayeth that the promyſes made vntounto the Patriarkes, and confirmed wyth an oth concernyng the victory of theyr enemyes, of ye peceableneſſe of lyfe, of the happy ſtate of the kyngdome, are to be vnderſtande of theſe enemyes, whych are vanquyſhed by Ieſus Chriſte, and of ye tranquillite, of that happy and peaceable lyfe, ye whych is purchaſed for vsus by Chriſt. Chriſt hath not ſubdued or ouercome the Egipcians, or Babiloniās, or ye Romanes, (though the Iewes had ben partely oppreſſed, & partely were yet ſo oppreſſed of them, that they coulde not quietly vſe the ſeruice of God cō maunded in the lawe in theyr owne lande, although they ſhulde not hauehave obtayned the true health nor ryghteouſneſſe thereby, had they ben delyuered of theyr enemyes,) but he ouercame and delyuered hys people frō theſe enemyes, wherof Paul ſpeaketh Eph. vi. ſayenge: We wreſtle not agaynſt fleſhe & bloude, but agaynſt rule, agaynſt power, namely: agaynſt the rulers of the world, of the darkneſſe of thys worlde, agaynſt the ſpretes of wyckedneſſe vnderunder ye heauē. Amōge theſe enemyes is the chefeſt of al Satan, ye which as he is a murthurer▪ euē ſo goeth he euer aboute roarynge lyke a Lion, ſekynge whom he maye deuoure. The ſeconde is Synne, wherin Adam, by the enticynge of the deuel dyd fall, the whych is cropen in al mākynde from Adam, whereby alſo they be prouoked vntounto all maner of wyckedneſſe. The thyrde enemye are: Affliccions, Death, and Hell. Theſe are the mooſte haynouſe enemyes yt can be. Nother is it to be thought that theſe enemyes although they do enuy mē in dede, yet are they farre from them, but it is to be marked that theſe enemyes hauehave mē wholy in theyr clawes. For naturally are we the chyldren of wrath, that is, the deuels owne, borne in ſynne, and by reaſon of ſynne, we be in daunger of troubles of thys worlde, bodyly death & alſo hell. Theſe enemyes hath Chriſt ſo ouercome (though they ſomtime do repyne and gnaſh, threatnynge men many thynges) that they can in no wyſe hurt them that beleue in Chriſte Ieſu. Moreouer Chriſte hath not reſtored hys people vntounto ſuch ſureneſſe and tranquillite, wherin they myght vſe at Ieruſalem theyr ſeruyce, preſcribed vntounto them in the thyrde boke of Moſes called Leuiticus, (for that ſeruyce, as it was to be obſerued and kept for a ſeaſon only, as the lawe wytneſſeth: euen ſo was it only an introduccion and ciuile holyneſſe to Chriſtwarde,) but he forgaue them theyr ſinnes. By the which knowlege, the conſcience is ſo quieted by fayth, that ſhe nowe feareth nother the deuell, death, nor hel. And becauſe that the holy gooſt is geuen by faythe, therfore, whoſoeuer hath the forgeueneſſe of ſynnes by fayth, the ſame ſerueth the LORDE quyetly at all tymes in ſuche holyneſſe and ryghteouſneſſe as he can, wythout ony fear of the cruell enemyes death or hell. Wherfore as the promyſes made vntounto Abraham and Dauid are to be vnderſtande of the ſpirituall enemyes, and of the true and ſpirituall holyneſſe, the whych we hauehave by Chriſt: euen ſo is thys ſonge of Zachary alſo to be vnderſtande ſpiritually, and of the inwarde victory by the fayth of Ieſus Chriſte oure LORDE. For to poſſeſſe the gates of the enemyes, is, to be lorde of all thynges wyth Chriſt, the whych ſhall begyn by fayth, & ſhal finyſh whan Chriſtes kyngdome ſhall ende, the whych ſhal neuer be, for ſeynge Chriſtes kyngdome is euerlaſtynge, and he eternall, therfore ſhall we raygne and reioyce euerlaſtyngly wyth hym in hys kyngdome.
That God than dyd promyſe vntounto Abraham and Dauid, that he dyd confirme & ſtablyſhe wyth an oth, namely: to remēbre hys cōuenaūt, to ſhewe ye mercy promyſed vntounto the fathers, ye we ſhulde be delyuered of our enemyes, & from the hāde of all ſuch as hate vsus, & ſo we delyuered from the hādes of our enemyes, maye ſerue hym wythout feare: that ſayeth Zachary that God hath done very wel, whan he ſent Chriſt hys ſonne in the fleſh. The whych as he ſhall clenſe vsus from all our ſynnes, and reconcyle vsus agayne to God the father, euē ſo ſhall he alſo cōmaūde that we do becomme holy and ryghteous before God by the fayth in hym, and be endued wyth the holy gooſt, that ſo we do obeye hys callynge by fayth, wyth great reſt and peace of conſcience.
Holyneſſe ſignifyeth the clenneſſe from al ſynne, ryghteouſneſſe, a cōlyneſſe of all ye lyfe, & a ſeruiable louelove vntounto all men. Wyth theſe is God truly ſerued, ſo doynge, we do him an hygh pleaſure, repreſentyng hys image & lykeneſſe, the whyche is mooſt cleaneſt from all euell, and the mooſt beneficial and weldoynge vntounto all thynges. Thys ſeruice & worſhip only doeth he alowe, therfore ſayeth he: As is accept before hym. For he dyd requyre it of hys people, whā he brought thē out of Egipte: ſayenge: Be ye holy, for I am holy. Moreouer, becauſe it is not truly good that taketh an ende, therfore ſayeth he alſo: All the dayes of our lyfe. For it is no godlyneſſe ye hath an ende. God is eternall & is not chaunged, whom who ſo knoweth truly can neuer be drawen from hys ſeruice: for he ſhall fynde nothynge better than him. Thys is now the fyrſte parte of the ſonge, wherin the truth of God is cōmended, wherby the promyſes of Chriſte are kepte, where by alſo we be admoniſhed of thoſe benefytes that are happened vntounto vsus by Chriſt. Now followeth the other parte:
And thou chylde ſhalt be called a prophete of the Hygheſt: for thou ſhalte go before the LORD to prepare hys vvayes
And to geue knovvlege of ſaluacion vntounto hys people, for the remiſſiō of theyr ſynnes.
Thorovv the tēder mercy of our God, vvherby the daye ſprynge from on hygh hath viſited vsus.
That he myght geue lyght vntounto them that ſytte in darkeneſſe and ſhadovve of death, and to gyde our fete in to the vvay of peace.
In thys other parte of the ſonge is declared and ſet forth the offyce of Ihon baptiſte. Nother is it declared wyth vayne dreames, but wyth the wordes that the prophete Malachy, and the angell that appeared vntounto Zachary dyd teſtifye of hym. Thou (ſayeth he) chylde ſhalte be called a prophete of the Hygheſt? That is, thou ſhalte be the chefe preacher in Gods church or congregacion, for of the hath Malachy prophecyed on this wyſe: Beholde, I ſende my meſſaunger before thy face, whych ſhall prepare thy waye before the. And agayne: He ſhall turne ye hartes of the fathers vntounto the chyldren, and the harte of the chyldren vntounto the fathers: & for thys cauſe ſhalt thou go before the LORDE, that is, before that Chriſt do openly begyn hys offyce, thou ſhalte do thyne appointed buſyneſſe. For what intent? Fyrſt, that thou prepare the waye vntounto Chriſt. Nowe hath Ihon prepared the waye vntounto Chriſte, as is ſayd aboue, not only in that he rebuked the people of theyr ſynnes, but rather becauſe he declared opēly that thys is the true Chriſte, and ſente hys diſciples vntounto the ſame Chriſte, ſayenge: Beholde the lambe of God, whych taketh awaye the ſynnes of the worlde. Secondely, that thou geue knovvlege of ſaluacion vntounto hys people, for the remiſſion of theyr ſynnes. That is, that thou wyth thy doctrine ſhewe vntounto the people the true waye and maner, where by they maye obtayne ſaluacion, the whych conſyſteth not in the delyueraunce from the tyranny of the Romanes, nother in the felicite or happyneſſe of thys worlde, but in the remyſſion of ſynnes. Though thou wareſt rydde of all tyrauntes and enemyes in this worlde, and haſt obtayned all the felicite of thys worlde: yet arte thou in the deuels daū ger, an enemye mooſt cruell, and not onelyonly hys, but alſo of Death and Hell, whyche are vtter deſtructions: Thou arte in daunger of them by reaſon of ſynne, for Paule ſayeth vntounto the Romaynes the .v. Chapter: that by one man ſynne entred in to ye world and death by the meanes of ſynne: euen ſo wente death alſo ouer all men, in ſo muche as they all hauehave ſynned. Wherfore, that we maye be delyuered from the cruelte of the deuel, and from the power of death and hel, it is requyred that we be delyuered fyrſte of all from ſynne. Ihon was the fyrſt that preached Ieſus Chriſte, that we for hym onelyonly hauehave the forgeueneſſe of ſynnes, by the fayth in hym. Nother is there ony other waye to obtayne the true ſaluacion, thā by the fayth in Chriſte Ieſu, nor yet alſo is ther geuen vntounto men ony other name, wher in we be ſaued. Actu. iiii. For the glory of God is to ſaue as many as are ordined ther to, and that glory geueth he to none other Seynge than Ihon dyd opē, ſhewe, & declare Ieſus Chriſt, the doer away of our ſynnes▪ he is ryghtfully ſayd to hauehave geuē or to hauehave taught the people ſuche knowlege, whereby they obtayne the remiſſion of theyr ſynnes, that is, ryghteouſneſſe and lyfe euerlaſtyng. But for what deſeruynges or merites ſake hath ye people obtayned ſuch benefites, that they ſhulde learne the waye of ſaluacion, & get the remiſſion of theyr ſynnes? Veryly, not for the circumciſion, nor ſacrifices, nor ciuile honeſty, the whych though they hauehave a worthyneſſe in theyr kynde, yet were they not ſuch thynges before God, that therfore he ſhulde beſtowe on vsus the benefyte of forgeueneſſe of ſynne. What are then the thynges wherfore we hauehave ſuch benefyte beſtowed on vsus? Thorovv the the tender mercy (ſayeth he) of our God. He ſayeth not onelyonly by the mercy▪ but by the tender mercy, that is thorowe the great and vnſearcheable mercy: for thorow the ſame, and for none of mās merites dyd the daye ſprynge frō on hygh viſite vsus. For as the remiſſiō of ſynnes happened vntounto vsus for none of our merites, but only of the mere grace and tender mercy of God, euen ſo doth thys fayth alſo. The day ſprynge doth Zachary call here Chriſte, as thoughe he were buddynge and ſpryngynge, lyke a braunch of a tre, alludynge to the ſayenge of Ieremy in hys .xxiii. chap. ſayenge: I wyll rayſe vp the ryghteous braunch of Dauid, which ſhall beare rule, & diſcuſſe matters with wyſedom, & ſhal ſet vp equite and ryghteouſneſſe agayne in the earth. And alſo to the prophecy of Zachary in hys .vi. chap. ſayenge: Beholde, the man whoſe name is ye braunch, and he that ſhall ſprynge after him, ſhall buylde vp the temple of the LORDE.
Thys braunch than or daye ſprynge is ryſen from aboue, and hath viſited vsus, whā Ieſus Chriſt came into thys world, & ſente Ihō baptiſte before, to beare opē wytnes of him. To what intente? That he myght geue lyghte vntounto thē that ſyt in darkneſſe, and ſhadovve of death, and to gyde oure fete into the vvaye of peace. Theſe wordes of Zachary concerne the prophecy of Eſaye in his .ix. chap. ſayenge. The people that hauehave dwelte in darkneſſe, ſhall ſe a great lyght: & to thē that dwell in the lande of the ſhadowe of death, to thē ſhall the lyght ſhyne. And agayne in ye .lx. chap. And therfore get ye vp by tymes, for thy lyght cōmeth, and the glory of the LORD ſhall ryſe vponupon ye. In the darknes and ſhadovv of death do they ſyt, whiche are ſo wrapped in wretchedneſſes, yt they ſe nought ſaue euē euerlaſtyng dānaciō. That is done whan the ſynnes are vttered, and ye conſcience knoweth the iudgement of ſynne. Therfore whan Ihon dyd ſhew Chriſte takynge awaye the ſynnes of the worlde, ſurely he ſhewed vsus ſuch a lyghte, whereby we maye not only auoyde the darkeneſſe of infelicite or wretchedneſſe and the ſhadowe of death, but alſo to gyde our fete into ye way of peace, ſo to obtayne ye true ſaluaciō & felicite For ther is none other way of peace or felicite, ſaue Ieſus Chriſt our LORD, by whoſe faythe we beynge iuſtifyed hauehave peace to Godwarde.
A foote in ſcripture is takē oftymes for ye affection, deſyre & wyll of the harte, as in ye .xxxv. Pſal. Let not the foote of pryde ouertake me. That is, the affections & thoughtes of pryde, leſt I conceaue a proude opinion of meſelfe in my mynde, of my ryghteouſneſſe, wyſdom, ſtrength & wyll: leſt I coūte meſelfe ſomewhat, where I ame nothynge, ſeynge I fynde no good thynge in my fleſh.
The clauſe wherwith Zachary doth ende hys ſonge is veryly a pythy one, namely: into the vvay of peace. For yf we walke not in the wayes of God, in hys commaundemē tes, in the lyfe that is bleſſed and happy becauſe of the aſſuraunce of Gods goodneſſe, wherby ſuch tranquillite & reſt of conſcience is procured, yt we take all thynges in worth, and (as neare as we can) hauehave peace wyth al men: than veryly do we wander in darknes goynge aſtraye as ſhepe hauyng no ſheperd. He doth worthely cal the ignoraunce of god the ſhadowe of death, wherwith are holdē all thoſe, into whoſe hartes Chriſte the true Sonne of ryghteouſneſſe hath not ſpred hys beames, ſeynge ye true knowlege of God is lyfe euerlaſtynge. What tunge cā expreſſe ye miſery of thē that want ye knowlege of God? For in thys lyfe they hauehave a cōſcience captiuate, reſtleſſe & marked wyth a whote yron, ſekynge now thys waye to be ſaued, thā puttynge ye body to ſuch payne to deſerue heauē ſo yt it can nomore reſte, thā Euripus the ryuer, which ebbeth and floweth .vii. tymes in a daye and nyghte. And agayne what tunge can vtter the felicite & happineſſe of ſuch as hauehave thys knowlege, that Ihon is come to geue? for they beynge ſuffyſed ye God is theyr God, that he careth for thē, that he forgeueth thē theyr ſynnes thorow the tēder mercy of theyr God, wherewyth the daye ſprynge [or braūch] frō on hygh hath viſited vsus, they kepe an euerlaſtyng Sabbat, cōmyttyng al ye care ether of lyuelode, of clothyng, or of ryddaūce and delyuerynge frō al theyr enemyes, both bodyly and gooſtly, to hym only that hath created and gouerneth all thynges, truſtyng in him, that as he is only good, ſo cā not he do other wyſe but good vntounto them. Thys veryly is a peace paſſynge the peace of ye worlde. Thys peace maye be felte inwardly, but can be vttered ſufficiently with no tunge outwardly: Yee noman can ſynge nother thys nor lyke ſonges worthely & frutefully, wythout he be contrite of harte, & endued wt the holy gooſt. Therfore is it a haynous iniury vntounto God, to ſynge thys & lyke wholſome ſonges only for auauntage, wythout ony conſyderaciō of the benefites that God hath ſhewed vsus, as it teſtifyeth. God graunte that abuſes may be redreſſed by the breth of hys holy worde. ¶Thys is the ſonge of prayſe that Zachary dyd ſynge at hys chyldes natiuite, whereby (ſeynge the truth & mercy of God and the benefites, which we hauehave gottē thorow Chriſt whome Ihon by by hys preachyng & teſtimony doth auaūce, are chefely prayſed,) let vsus ſtablyſh our fayth, & declare our thankfulnes towarde God, that we maye kepe & retayne with thankfulneſſe ye godly benefites, which of liberalite we hauehave receaued by Ieſus Chriſte. AMEN.