Exposition of Marys Magnificat, Exposition 1 · Part 1
My ſoule magnifieth the LORDE.
That worde bruſteth out of a vehemente heate and ouerflowynge ioye, wherewyth hyr mynde and conuerſacion heaue it ſelfe wholy in ſprite inwardly: Wherfore ſhe ſayeth not: I do magnifye the LORDE, but my ſoule. As yf ſhe wolde ſaye: My lyfe and all my thoughtes dryue, compelle and ouerflowe in the louelove and prayſe of God and exceadynge gladneſſe, ſo that I (euen beſydes my ſelues) ame rather heaued than do heaue to prayſe God. Euen as it chaunceth alſo vntounto them that be endued wyth godly ſweteneſſe and ſprete: ſo that they fele more, than they can vtter and expreſſe wyth wordes. For it not mans worke to geue thankes vntounto God wyth ioye. It is rather a ioyfull mynde, and the only worke of God, the whiche is not perceaued by vtteraunce, but by experience, as ſayeth Dauid in the .xxxiii. Pſalme: Tayſte and ſe how good the LORDE is, happy is the mā that truſteth in hym. He ſayeth fyrſte: Tayſte, and than ſe, becauſe he can not be knowen wythout a mans owne experience: wher vntounto neuertheleſſe noman commeth, wythoute he do wholye and fullye truſte in God, whan he is into the depthe and anguyſhe: and for thys cauſe doth he adde continently and ſayeth: Happy is the man that truſteth in hym. For ſuch one ſhall perceaue ye worke of God in hymſelfe, and by thys waye he ſhall come to the perceaueable ſweteneſſe, and therby come to all vnderſtandynge, and knowlege.
Now let vsus marke & weye eueryevery worde in order: The fyrſt is, My ſoule. Scripture dealeth man in thre partes, as Paule the fyrſt to the Teſſalonians the laſt Chapter ſayeth: The very God of peace, ſanctifye you thorow out. And I praye God that your whole ſprete, ſoule and body be kepte blameleſſe vntounto the commynge of our LORDE. And eueryevery one of theſe thre, wyth al the mā, is agayne dealte another waye in two, namely: the fleſhe, and the ſprete. The whyche particion is not of the nature, but of the beynge or properneſſe. That is to ſay: Nature path .iii. partes, namely: the ſprete, the ſoule, and the body, and all thre maye altogether, be ether good or bad, and is than called the ſprete and the fleſhe, wherof we wyll not ſpeake at thys tyme.
The fyrſt part (that is) the ſprete, is the mooſt excellente, the depeſt and the mooſte nobleſt parte of man, wherewyth he is apte to vnderſtande incomprehenſible, inuiſible and eternall thynges: and to be ſhorte, it is the houſe wherin fayth and ye worde of God are conteyned, wherof Dauid ſpeaketh in ye L. pſalme ſayenge: LORDE renewe a ryght ſprete in myne intrayles, that is, a ſtrayght and not bowed fayth. And agayn in ye .lxxvii. pſal. ſpeakyng of the vnfaythful, he ſayeth: A frowarde & ouerthwart generaciō, a generacion that ſet not theyr harte aryght, & whoſe ſprete was not true towarde God.
The ſeconde part, the ſoule; is euen the ſame ſprete after the nature, but after another operaciō. Namely, in that it quyckeneth the body and worketh by the ſame, and is oftentymes taken in ſcripture for lyfe. For the ſprete maye lyue well ynough wythout the body, but ſo maye not the body. Thys parte ſe we alſo that euen as we ſlepe it doth lyue and worke wythout ony ceaſſynge. And hys cōdicion or properte is not to perceaue thinges that be incomprehenſible, but ſuche, as reaſon can hauehave knowlege of and meaſure: And reaſon is the chefe lyght in thys houſe. Yee wythout the ſprete beynge lyghtened wyth fayth, or a greater lyght do rule & gyde thys lyght of reaſon, it can not be wythoute errour: for it is to vyle, to beare ony ſwynge in godly buſyneſſe. VntoUnto theſe two partes doth ſcripture attribute much: but chefelye wyſedome and knowlege: wyſedome vntounto ye ſprete, and knowlege vntounto the ſoule. Beſydes theſe attributeth it alſo, hate, louelove, pleaſure, lothſomnes, and ſuch lyke.
The thyrde is the body wyth hys membres, whoſe workes are mere exercyſe & vſe of ſuch thynges as the ſoule knoweth, and ye ſprete doth beleue. And to confirme thys by a wytneſſe of the ſcripture: Moſes made a Tabernacle with a threfolde and ſeuerall manſion: The fyrſt was called Sanctū ſanctorum, in the which God dwelled, and this had no lyght. The ſecond was called Sanctum, wherin was the candelſticke wyth the ſeuen ſhaftes and lampes. The thyrde was called the forecourte, whych was vnderunder the open ſkye, and bare to the Sonne beames. In thys fygure is eueryevery Chriſten man featly deſcribed: For hys ſprete is ye Sanctū ſāctorū, ye is, the mooſt holy, ye dwellyng of God in a ſecrete & (as a mā myght ſay) in a darke fayth: for he beleueth it yt he cā not perceaue with his eyeſyght, nother feleth, nor yet doth comprehende. The Soule is the Sanctum, (that is ye holy) there be the .vii. lampes, that is, all maner of vnderſtandynge, ye differēce and knowlege of corporal & viſible thynges. The bodye is the forecourte, whych is bare to eueryevery man, ſo that they maye ſe what he doth, and how he lyueth.
Therfore now prayeth Paule & ſayeth: The very God of peace ſanctifye you thorowout. Not only in one parte; but thorowe out, that the ſprete, ſoule, bodye, and altogether be holy. Here were many thynges to be ſpoken, of the cauſe of thys prayer, but I wyl brefely rehearſe ſome of them: Yf the ſprete be not holy, ther ſhall nothynge els be holy. Than is the mooſt ieoperdy and buſyneſſe in the holyneſſe of the ſprete, whych conſyſteth only in a pure fayth: that is, yf ye ſprete be not combred wyth comprehenſible thynges, as it is ſayd. In the meane tyme than come falſe teachers, whych entyſe the ſprete forth of it, whan the one ſeketh to be ryghteous by theſe workes, another by that waye and maner. Yf the ſprete be not here wel prouyded and wyſe, then falleth it out and followeth, and cōmeth to leane vponupon outward workes & coſtumes, whereby it imagineth to be ſaued. Lo ſo ſoone is fayth loſt, & the ſprete dead before God.
VponUpon thys grewe ſectes and orders, ſo that ye one becōmeth a Charterhouſe mōke, another a Grayfrere: the one endeuoureth to be ſaued wyth faſtyng, ye other wyth prayenge, & another by this maner & faſhiō: one by this & another by ye worke procure to flye euerlaſtynge damnacion. And yet are they all euen but mēs inuēcions, euē ſuch as one mans choſynge hath foūded. Reade therof ye treatyſe of orders & ſectes. Nother are they commaunded by God, but inuented by mē: aboute the whych the vayne ianglers hauehave no reſpecte of fayth, but teach alwaye the cō fidence of workes, ſo longe tyll they be at variaunce wythin themſelues: EueryEvery mā wyl be neareſt the marke, & deſpyſe the other, as our obſeruaūtes do nowe a dayes ſwell and heaue thēſelues. Agaynſt theſe workers and good men in ſyght, or rather hypocrites doth Paule praye, ſayeng: that God is ye God of peace, of whom theſe varienge hypocrites, & haters of peace are not partakers, nor hauynge hym, can holde ye ſame, wythout they byd farewell theyr ſtatutes, rules & ceremonies, & be all one mynded in fayth & ſprete, knowlegynge that workes cauſe variaunce, ſynne & diſſencion, & onelyonly fayth maketh honeſt, one mynded & peaceable mē, as wytneſſeth the .lxvii. Pſal, ſayenge: He is the God yt maketh mē to be of one mynde in ye houſe. And agayne in ye .C.xxxii. Pſalme: Beholde page missing Euen ſo ſheweth Mary wherof hyr ſonge of prayſe ſhall ſynge and treate, namely: of the renowmed & excellent workes of God, the comforte of our fayth, to cōforte ye lowly and to fraye all the hygheſt of the earth. And to theſe thre vſes or cōmodities is it neceſſarye for me to directe thys virgyns ſonge of prayſe, that ſhe hauehave not ſonge it only to herſelfe, but to vsus all, that we ſhulde coūterfayt her. Nother is it poſſible that ony man ether ſhulde be afrayed, or receaue conſolaciō out of ſo great workes of God, wythout he not onelyonly beleue that God can & knoweth to do great thynges, but alſo he muſt beleue that he wyl do them, and hath pleaſure in doynge them. Nother is it ynough to beleue yt God wyll do great thynges wyth other, and not wyth you, and by thys meanes to auoyde your ſelues from the workes of God. Euen as they do, whych beynge in proſperite or ſet in authorite, feare not God: and they that be feblemynded tremble and be abaſhed of hym in theyr aduerſyte. For ſuch fayth is no thynge and euen dead, lyke vntounto an opinion cōceaued of ſome tale. But ye muſt ſet hys wyl ſurely & ſtedfaſtly afore your eyes, thynkyng wythin your mynde yt he both wyl now & hereafter alſo do great thynges wyth you. Thys fayth is lyuely, growynge, pearſynge through and chaungynge a man, and makynge hym euen a newe creature: and cō pelleth hym to feare, yf he be hygh: and conceaue conſolacion, yf he be lowly. Yee the hygher he is, the more ought he to feare: and the lower he is, to hauehave the more conſolacion, the whiche none other fayth doth. But what muſt he do in extreme neceſſite, or daunger of death? Surely than muſte he not onlye beleue that God can, and knoweth how to helpe hym, but alſo that he wyl helpe hym: where a ſtraunge and an vnſpeakeable thynge muſt be done, namelye, that he delyuered from the death euerlaſtynge, do becōme the chylde of ſaluacion, & the ſonne and heyre of God. Thys fayth (as wytneſſeth Chriſte hymſelfe) is able to do all thynges. Thys fayth doth abyde, and cōmeth to the knowlege of the godly workes, from thence into the louelove of God, and forthe from thence into the prayſynge and thankynge of God: ſo that a man doth than make much of God, and conceaue a good opinion of hym.
For God in his nature is not magnifyed of vsus, ſeynge he is immutable, but in oure knowlege and mynde: that is, yf we holde muche of hym, or ſet muche by hym, ſpecially for hys godneſſe and mercy. For thys cauſe doth not the bleſſed mother ſay: My voyce, my mouthe, myne handes, my thoughtes, nor my reaſon and wyll do magnifye the LORDE, (for ther are manye one, that prayſe God wyth loude voyce, prayſynge and preachynge hym with preciouſe and godlye wordes, ſpeakynge, diſputynge, wrytynge and payntynge muche of hym, and alſo many that hauehave greate meditacions, and by the gyde of reaſon hauehave greate ſearchynges of hym: fynally ther are ſome that wyth fayned religion and intente make muche of hym.) but ſhe ſayeth of thys wyſe: My ſoule magnifyeth God, (that is) my whole lyfe, ſenſes, and powers hauehave a greate opinion of God: ſo that as though ſhe were rauyſhed vp to hym, ſhe felte ſome rayſynge and rauyſhynge in hys goodneſſe, the whiche the verſe followynge doth declare. Of thys wyſe ſe we alſo, that yf ony man doth vsus good, that euen all our wyttes be moued and bended to hym, ſo that we ſaye Oh how greate and good opinion do I conceaue of thys man? And euen thys is the verye ſygnifycacion of the ſayenge: My ſoule magnifyeth the Lorde. Howe muche more ſhall ſuche lyuelye ſtearynge be cauſed, what tyme as we perceaue the goodneſſe of God, the whyche is verye greate in hys workes, ſo that euen wordes and thoughtes ſhal fayle, and the whole lyfe and ſoule ſhall be neceſſarelye ſteared, and euen as though all that is quycke and lyuely in vsus wolde ſynge and prayſe God.
Now are ther two falſe ſpretes, whiche can not ſynge the Magnificat aryght: The fyrſte that prayſe not God before he hauehave fyrſte done them good, as Dauid ſayeth: They ſhall prayſe the whan than haſt done good vntounto them. Theſe ſeme to prayſe God very earneſtly, but ſeynge they neuer wyll ſuffre the depth, the makynge lowe,, and ſubduynge, they can neuer fele and perceaue ye ryght wayes of the LORDE, and ſo conſequently nother louelove nor prayſe God truly. Hereby commeth it that the worlde now a dayes is full of diuine ſeruices (as they call them) and laudes, wyth ſyngynge, preachynge, playenge on the organes and other inſtrumentes of muſike: Yee and this ſonge of prayſe called Magnificat alſo. But thys is to be pytyed, namely, that ſo precious a ſonge is handled ſo vnfrutefully & wythoute pyth of vsus, the which we do not ſynge, wythoute all thynges go well wyth vsus: for yf ony myſchaunce do happen vntounto vsus, than hath oure ſyngynge an ende, nother is ther ony regarde or eſtimacion more of God, thynkynge that nother he can nor wyll worke wyth vsus, and therfore hauehave both ſyngynge, and the Magnificat alſo done wyth vsus.
The other be yet more peryllous, which leane to the other ſyde, the which be proude of the gyftes of God, and do not thanke the pure wyll of God for it, wyllyng parte both of the prayſe and hygh eſtimacion to be aſcribed vntounto themſelues. Such wyll be ſene aboue other, and beholdyng the great good that God hathe done wyth them, ſtomble thereat, vſynge it as theyr owne, auaūcyng and heauynge themſelues aboue ſuche as hauehave not thoſe gyftes, as though they were ſome ſtraunge or peculiare thynge. Thys veryly is a brykle and yeoperdous hauen for ſhyppes, it is a daungerous eſtate. The gyftes of God be ſuche that they make men proude & to ſtande in theyr owne conceate and opinion: and therfore it is requyred that the laſte worde be conſydered, namely, the Lorde. For Mary ſayethe not: My ſoule magnifyeth herſelfe, or ſetteth greate pryce by herſefe, yee ſhe wold hauehave nothyng to be holden of her: but ſhe doth exalte and lyfte vp God only, vntounto hym ſhe geueth glory, robbynge herſelfe thereof, and aſcribeth and referreth all thynges vntounto hym. And though ſhe perceaued the mooſt plenteous workes of God in herſelfe, yet was ſhe of that mynde and abode therin, that ſhe dyd not exalte herſelfe aboue the mooſt vyleſt and pooreſte man on earth: and yf ſhe had done ſo, than hadde ſhe fallen wyth Lucifer into the loweſt bottome of hell.
Nother hath ſhe thought otherwyſe than yf ſuche goodneſſe of God hadde happened vntounto another handmayden, ſhe wold hauehave ben euen as wel content, & wyſh it her ſo well, as herſelfe: yee ſhe hath coūted herſelfe vnworthy, & al other worthy of ſuch honoure, nother wold ſhe finally hauehave ben miſcontent yf God takynge agayn frō her ſuch gyftes, had geuen them vntounto another in hyr preſence. So lytell dyd ſhe drawe all thys to herſelfe, and left Gods gyftes fre, whole and proper to hymſelfe, vſynge herſelfe as a glad hoſpitall and a gladde ooſteſſe of ſuche a geſte: and therfore hath ſhe alſo kepte it foreuer. Lo thys is ſayde to magnifye God, of thys wyſe to hauehave a great opinion and hyghe eſtimacion of hym, and of vsus nothynge.
Hereby now is it euident in what greate yeopardy of fallynge and ſynnynge ſhe was, ſo that it is no leſſe maruayll how ſhe dyd ſo refrayne herſelfe that ſhe dyd not pryde and ſwell for the exceadynge plentye of goodes, nother dyd aſcribe ought to herſelfe: than that ſhe dyd receaue them. Thynkeſt thou not that to be a wonderous harte? She ſeyeth herſelfe a mother of God, excited farre aboue all men: yet neuertheleſſe doth ſhe remayne in that lowlyneſſe, ſimplicite, vpryghtneſſe and courteouſy that ſhe hath not counted the leeſt handmayden to be vnderunder her. O we mooſt wretches, whome yf a fewe goodes, a lytle authorite or honoure, or a lytle more bewty than another do befall can not counte vsus equal with them of the lower ſorte: nother cā we make an ende of ſuche opinion and ſtandynge in oure owne conceate: what wolde we do yf we had great and hygh gyftes?
Wherfore God letteth vsus remayne ſtyll in pouerte and wantynge, becauſe we kepe not hys bewtyfull goodes vndefyled, & can vſe vsus as we dyd before we dyd receaue them. But we let oure myndes increaſe or decreaſe, as the goodes ether growe or minyſh. But the harte of the virgine Mary remayneth euer ſtedfaſte in one mynde and equalite, ſhe letteth God worke in her accordynge to hys wyll and pleaſure, takynge therby nomore ſaue an earneſt conſolacion, ioye and truſte to Godwarde, and euen ſo ought we to do alſo: for that were truely to ſynge the Magnificat.