Seventhly We Sing in This Song, O Clemens, O Pia, O Dulcis Virgo Maria, That Is: O Bounteous, O Good, O Sweet Virgin Mary
These words were wont to be cried out loud, but Baal's priests cried out louder, of which it is written in the third book of Kings, chapter 18, of this manner: And they cried loud and provoked themselves with knives and [reconstructed: lances] (as their manner was) till the blood followed, but no answer was heard. Therefore the prophet Elijah mocking them said: Cry loud. For he is a God, perhaps he is musing, or has somewhat to do, or is gone some journey, or perhaps he sleeps, so that he would be waked up. Etc. They cried further yet: yes, so that even their throat seemed to have burst asunder, but what they obtained thereby, that you may read there. And much less shall you obtain with your loud blaring. For God gives no ear to loud crying, but to love and mercy. Besides this, you ascribe sweetness, goodness, and righteousness to a creature which is to be referred to none but to God only. Of this sweetness says Scripture in the book of Wisdom, chapter 12, on this wise: O LORD, how gracious and sweet is your spirit in all things. And Joel in chapter 2: Turn you to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, long-suffering and of great compassion, and ready to pardon wickedness and to forgive sins. Etc. David does likewise exhort us in Psalm 33, saying: Taste and see how friendly the LORD is; happy is the man that trusts in him. Mark well now that you must seek and look for all goodness, sweetness, mercy and virtue at him only, if you shall obtain anything, and that you can do nothing without him. This confirms the prayer of Anna the wife of Elkanah in the first book of Kings, chapter 2, where she says: There is no man holy as the LORD, for without you is nothing and there is no comfort like to our God. And even so no man can, nor may be holy or come to the Father, but through the Son Christ Jesus, as he witnesses himself.
To conclude, good brothers and sisters, I beseech you for the unspeakable mercy of God to remember and to think that God is wiser than you: and so doing give your wit and wisdom captive to the word of God, and then shall happen to you both health and salvation. But alas it has happened to us (God amend it) that is spoken of in chapter 14 of the book of Wisdom, namely that through the beauty of the work, the common people was deceived, insomuch that they took him now for God who a little before was but honored as man. Like to this you may read Deuteronomy chapter 6, Baruch the last, and in the book of Wisdom chapters 13 and 14, besides other places innumerable more in the Bible. If you look upon these places, you shall easily see what Idolatry is used daily in Christendom before the painted blocks and stocks. Which I trust shall once be redressed by the power of the word of God, though to some it seems to be impossible by reason of the deep rooting of it in some superstitious hearts. But let such call to mind the power of God specified in these words of God by his prophet Isaiah in chapter 50: Why would no man receive me when I came? And when I called, no man gave answer. Was my hand completely cut off, that it might not help? Or had I not power to deliver? Send therefore the pure and plain understanding of your Godly word into our hearts, that the light of the clear understanding of your word may drive out the darkness of Idolatry and so your honor be restored to you again. AMEN.
