Soul to a most sublime Degree of Majesty and Holiness through Gods over-flowing Bounty We may justly conclude First That the holy Mother of JESVS is worthy of the most super-lative Praises which the Tongue Pen or Spirit of Man or Angel can express or conceive In Emulation whereof the Holy Catholick Church doth at special times set forth Her Majesty Glory and Magnificence in her sacred Liturgies Offices and Litanies even all Generations of Believers have ever conspir'd by a secret but most wonderful Instinct with a constant Zeal and Fervour to proclaim Holy Mary Blessed above all Pure Creatures Secondly That the Sacred Virgin hath an undisputable Right to the most Illustrious and most Magnificent Titles of Majesty and Honour which may be possibly conceiv'd due to Any of whatever Stile Rank or Dignity amongst pure Creatures and this with a most lofty pre-eminence above all the glorious Trains and Pomps of Men and Angels in their richest and most beautiful Stations of Glory Thus is she by the Holy Catholick Church in her Hymns Anthems and Canticks of Honour and by the holy Fathers and Doctors in their Panegyricks Entitled Lady Queen and Empress of Men Angels Heavens and of the whole World Mother of Mercy and beautiful Love The Hope Trust and Safeguard of Mortals amidst the tempestuous Seas and Hurricans of their foaming Concupiscences The Palace of the Eternal Light and most magnificent Gate of Heaven and Glory Thirdly That Holy Mary is more Worshipful than the loftiest and most Illustrious created Potentates of Earth or Heaven in the highest Altitudes of their Majesty Power and Pomps and this by most Cordial Acts of Internal Esteem Love and Submission and by the most expressive sensible Marks of this inward Reverence which may most fitly testifie a real and sincere acknowledgment of her super-eminent Grandeur above all Pure Creatures in Right of the most incomparable Priviledges of her Maternity Innocency and Holiness Whence St. Anselm well acquainted with the Doctrine Practice and Stile of the Catholick Church resolutely affirms That the whole Body of Christianity is agreed That the Holy Mother of Jesus is exalted in Glory above all the Choires of Angels 1. Excel Virg. c. 4. Therefore if any Worship be due to Creatures our Saviours Rule directs us to the true Meridian when he tells us That the least and lowest of the glorious Courtiers of his Kingdom are incomparably more Glorious than the brightest Majesty that ever shin'd amongst Mortals Matt. 11.11 All allow a civil Worship even to the empty Thrones of earthly Kings and Princes and shall the adoptive Children of JESVS refuse a Sacred Worship to his own Throne full of Majesty Innocence Grace and Glory Sect. XIII That the same Excellencies of Holy Mary as most sublime Images of the Divine Attributes confirm Her Right of Super-eminent Servitude XLIX BUT if these super-natural Endowments of the holy Mother of JESVS be consider'd not precisely as Absolute Perfections intrinsically adorning and beautifying Her Soul and rendring Her Illustrious Holy and Glorious above all Pure Creatures but moreover as they are Relative Excellencies refining the Souls Natural Image of God into a Divine by an Imitation of the Infinite Rays of his Majesty Holiness and Glory communicated ineffably by the Signet of Beatifical Grace together with a stupendious Representation of the Divine Production and Glorious Operations in the Order of Grace and Glory whereby she is dignify'd with the Capacity of a Religious Worship in a most sublime manner transcending the precise Terms of Civil and Sacred Thus the Divine Mother of JESVS being the highest Signet of the Divine Similitude amongst all Pure Creatures by her surpassing fulness of Grace and splendours of Glory hath an unquestionable Right to our most profound Respects Homage and Veneration even under the notion of a Religious Obligation and Duty L. And first by amplifying the Theames of her Praises according to the several Forms approv'd by the Authority of the Church and recommended to our use by the Practice of her pious and prudent Devotes who know how to distinguish betwixt God and the Holiest of his created and Glorious Images Secondly by elevating her Dignity and Perfections with most Illustrious Titles of Honour suiting to the Excellency of this Chief of all the Glorious Images of the Divinity amongst all Pure Creatures Thirdly by acknowledging our vast distance beneath her by reason of that transcendent Image of Gods Majesty Attributes Productions and Operations wherewith she is dignifi'd by her special Prerogative of Beatifical Grace above all Pure Creatures though still infinitely inferiour to the infinite and independent Majesty and Perfections of the Deity the absolutely Immense Abyss Original Cause and unparallel'd Exemplar of Hers and of all others participated finite and dependent Perfections of whatever Stile Lustre or Magnitude even in the most sacred and transcendent Order of Innocency Grace and Glory LI. Fourthly Upon the same Motive of Dei-forme Grandeurs of holy Mary the Mother of JESVS she is Religiously address'd unto by Her pious Devotes struggling against sinful Concupiscences in this their Earthly Exile with an humble Confidence in her Acceptableness to God as a chief Favorite in his Courts of Requests a powerful Mediatrice at the Bar of his Justice and a most efficacious Advocate in all our Claims at the Throne of Gods Mercy for protection against the Powers of Darkness and Communion with the Children of Light. For by virtue of her transcendent supernatural Perfections whereon the clearness of this participated Image of the Majesty and Perfections of the Deity is grounded she more intimately receives the Irradiations not only of the Beauty of God and the delights of his Glory but also of his Knowledge Will and Power as to the Merits of Christ the efficacy of Sacraments the Operations of interiour Grace and Communion of the Saints especially as to all the Concerns of Gods Servants relating to their blessed State. For all Divines agree in this priviledge of the glorious Saints Conc. Senonens Decret fid 13. Greg. l. 2. Mor. c. 2. Aug. l. 20. civ c. 21. 22. c. 29. Anselm l. Similitud c. 57. Greg. l. 2. Dial. c. 35. D. Th. 2. 2. q. 180. art 5. ad 3. Bon. Soliloq c. 4. Smising tr 1. â—â—6 n. 220. Less l. 2. Sum. Bon. c. 9. which therefore must be allow'd super-eminently to the Queen of Saints as to her perfect knowledge of all the Petitions of Her Devotes And Gods marvelous Bounty to Her abundantly convincing us of her wonderful Acceptableness to God for the confirming this our Confidence of succeeding in those Prayers we offer by Her through Gods gracious condescendence to our Requests accordingly made for us LII Wherein we are further confirm'd from Gods Sacred Promises graciously to harken to the Prayers of the Saints and actually granting many Favours to their Clients upon their account Gen. 26.5 Exod. 32.13.3 Reg. 11.12 4. Reg. 19.34 Isaiae 37.35 Eccl. 44.24 Apoc. 5.8 But we
HER humble Clients though con-naturally engrafted on and inseparable from the Sacred Stock of HER Divine Maternity Innocency and Holiness whereby SHE incomparably transcends the Highest Choires of the Glorious Angels As the Kings Daughter amongst the Trains of Honourable Women and as the QVEEN standing at his Right Hand clad in a Mantle of Gold embroider'd with Jewels of an Infinite Variety Ps 44. ver 9. Whom the brightest Seraphim by a Divine Commission proclaims Blessed above All Luke c. 1. v. 28. Whom the Holy Ghost commands to be pronounced GLORIOVS by all Tongues and through all Ages Ib. v. 48. Whom The Daughters of Tyre shall present with their richest Offerings To whom the Powers of the Earth shall bend their Knee and offer their Prayers Ps 44. v. 12. Whom the Daughters of the Heavenly Sion admire amidst the Splendors and Perfumes of HER Glory And whom the QUEENS of the Earth with their Troops of Ladies and Maids of Honour have praised as the Glory of their Sex their Myrour of Perfection and the liveliest Idea of Christian Majesty and Grandeur Cant. c. 6. v. 8. It may indeed be some ground of just Admiration to the Criticks of this curious Age who nicely pry into the hidden Causes of all Truths however lock'd up in the privatest Closet of Gods All-knowing Breast who reveals Them Why the Evangelists who by Divine Inspiration compiled the Sacred Gospel of JESUS for direction of our Christian Faith and Worship speak so sparingly of the many stupendious Mysteries of the Life and Glory of Holy MARY the Mother of JESUS Whereas they so exactly enlarge themselves in reporting the Grand Mystery of Christian Religion the most transcendent Sacrament of Gods Love to Man the Prodigy of the Almighties Power and Providence for Mans Sanctification and Glory the Incarnation of Gods only Son Equal and Con-substantial to Himself especially since Holy MARY had so near a Report to that amazing Wonder of Mercy and did thereby lay the Noble Foundation of our Christian Faith of all our Religious Duties open the rich Source of our Sanctification and super-natural Felicity and erect the Basis of all the sublime Grandeurs of Her own surpassing Innocency Holiness and Glory But Madam this Grand Motive of Mans Admiration is the very True Reason of those Divine Scribes profound Silence If that Voice may be call'd Silence which with loudest Ecchoes proclaims Holy Maries Immense Prerogatives and fills Heaven and Earth with a Sacred Amazement of the Prodigy of Gods Love in the Amplitude and Magnificence of her Excellency Perfections and Splendour For her Divine Maternity once allow'd it by a connatural sequel of a Wise and Gracious Providence ushers in all the stupendious Train of super-eminent Gifts and Priviledges Catholick Tradition and the most ambitious Affections of HER devout Clients can attribute to the most Innocent most Holy most Glorious Mother of JESUS Thus the design of the sacred Publishers of the Gospel of JESUS being to proclaim to the World the Mysteries of JESUS and therein to create a Belief of the Divinity of the Son of Holy Mary of the Sacraments of his Mercy and of the Wonders of his Grace This marvellous Alliance of Divine JESUS to Holy MARY is the most lofty the most voluminous and most illustrious Panegyrick possibly to be utter'd to the Majesty of the most excellent and most perfect PURE CREATURE and will extend the Glory and Veneration of the Mother of JESUS as far as any Apostle or Preacher of Christian Truth ever did or ever shall carry the Empire Majesty and Glory of the holy Name of JESUS This St. Matthew seems openly to express when having reckon'd up the renown'd Genealogy of JESUS as Man descending from the most powerful Monarchs the most illuminated Prophets and most Victorious Captains the Sun ever beheld He makes a brief Transition to his Divine Nature according to the Prediction of Esay c. 7. v. 14. thence to shew in short what an Eminent Creature how richly qualified in all degrees of Excellency Holy Mary must be since JESUS that great God-Man was born of MARY Matt. c. 1. v. 16. So that Madam this one Glorious Title of the Mother of JESUS summs up in a word whatever Excellencies possibly by the Almighty Power of God may meet in One PVRE CREATVRE whereby suitably to Gods miraculous Design to fit Her to that Ineffable Grandeur of a Mother of GOD which con-naturally creates the most Illustrious Idea of a Creature by Birth the noblest and most Beautiful by Grace the Holiest and most Innocent and by Predestination the Happiest and most Powerful the Providence of an Omnipotent God of all Glory the Wisdom of a most endearing Lord of all Majesty and the Tenderness of a most liberal Father of all pure Lights could prepare in the Divine bosom of holy MARY for the Reception Inauguration Espousals and Priest-hood of his Son JESUS No wonder then that the Evangelists of the Glory of JESUS having proclaim'd holy MARY the Mother of JESUS and thereby laid a most solid Foundation whereon to build up a most Magnificent Temple of Glory to the holy Name of MARY They leave the Superstructures of all Her Super-eminent Praises Titles of Honour Worship and Invocation to be propagated and finish'd by the holy emulous Tongues Pens and Affections of all succeeding Ages And herein the sacred Design of Providence hath been already so stupendiously successful that there seems to have been an holy Envy in the most Illustrious Persons of all States Nations and Times of the Catholick Church even from the first blossoming of Christianity to these days wherein through the Mercy of our good God the Zeal of our gracious Soveraign and the Piety of your Sacred Majesty the Buds and Blossoms of Christian Religion begin again to appear in these Lands and the Brittish Empire speaks the Language of the Saints in her publick Oratories and Liturgies to Magnifie the Name of holy Mary the Mother of JESVS to Worship Her Prerogatives and Royal Power and to crave Her Prayers and Protection Every True Christian inspir'd with the Spirit of the Discipleship of Her Son JESVS accounting it his special Duty to Praise and Honour the Memory of the Sacred Mother since they daily offer their Sacrifices at the Altars of the Son and to Petition holy Mary to become their Advocate at the Throne of Gods Mercy while they adore JESVS with their TEARS and AFFECTIONS These Madam be also the sublime Thoughts the Seraphick Desires the zealous Exercises of your Sacred Majesties Royal and Religious Breast in Imitation of your Illustrious Ancestors whose stately Fabricks rich Endowments and Exemplar Lives consecrated to the Memory of holy MARY the Mother of JESVS and who to propagate Her Grandeurs ennobled your Rising Sun at the Sacred Font with the Magnificent Name of MARY wherewith you now ennoble the Imperial Crown of the British Monarchy have enrich'd Your generous and lofty Soul with a pious Emulation of Her imitable
forasmuch as JESVS mediates as well by his Nature and Substance as by his Office and Operation being God and Man in One Person then because he pays a condign Price to the fullness of our Debt and not only prays for us also that he pleads in virtue of his own Merits not in right of Adoption but of Filiation whereas the Mediation of holy Mary is only by way of Supplication Conc. Chalced. act 11. Synod 6. c. 7. originally depending on her Adoption by preserving Grace through Gods free Gift and Christs foreseen Merits though with pre-eminence to all Pure Creatures and therefore to a most sublime degree of insuring our Hopes Protecting our Persons and obtaining Gods Mercies by the Efficacy of her Prayers according to the proportion of that Her pre-eminent acceptableness LVIII Neither doth Gods absolute Soveraignty over all Creatures unquestionable Power to relieve all their wants and Miseries and Fatherly invitation of All to come to Him and to plead at the Bar of his Mercies make void that Duty of Servitude all owe to their Betters according to the several degrees of their Civil or Sacred preference or restrain that charming force of the Mediation of the Saints in their sub-ordinate Stations of Glory which Christ allows to the Prayers of Sinners however detestable through their Crimes and Rebellions against God or absolutely interdict our Addresses to God by his Favourites considering on the one side the awfulness of Gods Majesty and mans unworthiness by sin and on the other all the due Qualifications of glorious Creatures to obtain of God what through the Merits of JESVS we petition by Them either from the reflection on our own Demerits or from the efficacy of our Communion with them in our Requests For which Reason the great Apostle of the Gentiles thought it not in the least to derogate from the Absolute Dominion of God the Efficacy of his Power or the condescendency of his Fatherly Care for us when with repeated Instances he begs his Converts to pray to God for Him Rom. 15.30 Eph. 6.19 Col. 4.3 1 Thes 5.25 Hebr. 13.18 Much less can it Eclipse the Majesty and Lustre of Gods Royalties that Sinners conscious of their unworthiness and dreading Gods Holiness humbly Venerate and Pray to Holy Mary to offer up her Requests unto Her so gracious Father Son and Spouse for our relief since Gods excessive Love hath so copiously qualifi'd Her with the most sublime Prerogatives of her Divine Maternity and a proportion'd Innocency and Holiness whereby to render Her Person and Petitions more acceptable to himself and her Devotes more active in their Addresses and more confident of success in their humble and reasonable Suits This is a Demonstration drawn from the Intrinsick Merits of the Cause and frequently insisted upon by the Holy Fathers in their Doctrine and Practice concerning this super-eminent Sacred and Religious Worship of holy Mary Though still with an indispensable subordination to and dependency on JESVS the Son of the eternal God our Soveraign Mediator and Peace-maker and the head spring of all our Hopes and of all Mercy Grace and Glory and also of the several sub-ordinate degrees of the acceptableness of the Saints in their Petitions to God for us and consequently of that first Rank the holy Mother of JESVS challenges thereby in the Hierarchy of our glorious Petitioners and of all those superlative Praises Titles of honour Marks of internal Worship and Mediation of Intercession asserted and practic'd in our Innocent Contemplations 1. as Pious in giving due Veneration to a glorified Creature of her Excellent Stile and Grandeur without offence to the God of all Grace and Glory 2. And useful by inviting all the Disciples of JESVS to worship God so glorious in the Queen of Saints and Angels and to seek Mercy from JESVS through the powerful Mediation of the holy Mother of JESVS Sect. XV. That the Exaltation of the Holy Mother of JESUS above all the Choires of glorified Creatures renders not the Contemplations useless to Christians LIX HAving clearly evidenc'd from the true Motive Rule and proper End of the Worship of the Saints That our Catholick Devotions address'd to Them and upon more pressing Arguments super-eminently due to the holy Mother of JESVS can no way prejudice the undispensable Right Measure and terminative Object of our Divine Worship due to God and to Him only and moreover that they are Pious in themselves due to the Saints and useful to the needy humble and confident Petitioner I shall finish this Apology with a further Illustration of two Material Points First That the transcendent Glory of the holy Mother of JESUS above all the Choires of Saints and Angels can be no just Plea against the use and benefit of the Contemplations Secondly That the Contemplations are only a Continuation of the Ancient Practice of the Catholick Church recommended unto us by the Consent and Tradition of the Holy Fathers through all past Ages LX. As to the first Position The Opposers of the Contemplations do allow first That the Saints in Heaven do pray for us here on Earth then That Sinners may also pray unto the Saints still their Fellow-Citizens in this World wherefore thirdly if the glorious Saints in Heaven can know by any Means the Requests we Sinners here make to them It will demonstratively follow That it is both lawful and beneficial to invocate those glorious Citizens of Heaven Gods Favourites and our Friends To the same intent that they now pray for us and after the same manmer we now pray to the yet living Members of Christ LXI Now That it is possible The Saints in Heaven should know our Petitions here made to Them seems easily enough conceivable without giving those glorious Creatures either a Divine Being or a Con-subsistence in a Divine Person or any Divine Attribute of All-presence or All-knowingness First from the Amplitude of Gods Power to which we must allow some Operations whose Means and Methods the most subtile created Capacity comprehends not especially Mans by Nature or Sin confin'd to sensible and sublunary Productions as is manifest in the System of the heavenly Bodies Generation of Winds Motion of Seas Convayance of Sounds c. which wonders of Nature Philosophy however clear-sighted could never discover to the satisfaction of All. Secondly From the successful Attempts of Art especially in this Ingenious Age in the discovery of Acustick Tubes and Ophthalmick Instruments for the convayance of very distant Material Objects to the Ear and Eye Thirdly From most certain Matter of Fact bearing proportion with our Lemma For Samuel knew the Secrets of King Saul Elizeus of his Servant Giezi and of the King of Syria Daniel of Nebuchodonozor St. Peter of Ananias and the holy Prophets of Persons Places and Times distant 1 Reg. 9.19 l. 4.5.25 cap. 6.9 Dan. 2.26 Act. 5.1 LXII Fourthly From the Manner How this knowledge of our Petitions may probably be convay'd unto or acquir'd
Luke 2.35 Her super-eminent Holiness Merits and Acceptableness to God even to a degree of Astonishment of the Angels at the marvellous application of Gods Liberality and Power whereby to enforce and heighten Them. (h) All hail thou who art full of Grace our Lord is with Thee Blessed art thou above all Women Luke 1.28 Thou hast found acceptance in the sight of God. 30. Thou art the blessed amongst Women 42. God hath regarded the Humility of his Handmaid wherefore behold all shall henceforth call me blessed 48. For he who is Almighty hath done wonderful things for me 49. Blessed is the Womb that bore Thee and the Breasts that suckled Thee Luke 11.27 Luke 1.28.30.42.48.49 11.27 LXXVIII Then as to the Amplitude of the Spiritual Power of holy Mary the Mother of JESVS in the Empire of Grace and Divine Favours suiting to those her Illustrious Prerogatives Virtues and Merits there be two convincing Demonstrations recorded by the holy Evangelist St. Luke first the stupendious Efficacy of her single Fiat Be it done for as Gods Fiat in the beginning of Nature was a demonstrative Mark of his proper Omnipotency in extracting the whole Fabrick of the World with all its Moveables and Ornaments out of a meer Nothing Gen. 1.3 So Maries Fiat in the beginning of Grace as an evident token of her appropriated plenitude of Power proportion'd to her fullness of Grace co-operating with the Almighty Source of all Goodness gives a Being with all con-natural Parts and Perfections to JESVS That ineffable and most Divine Compound of God and Man con-subsisting in the One Person of Gods co-eternal Word (a) Mary said behold the Handmaid of our Lord be it done to me according to thy word Luke 1.38 Luke 1.38 Secondly The miraculous Activity of her super-naturaliz'd Voice assum'd as a special Instrument of the Sanctification of St. John Baptist as yet in his Mothers Womb. (b) Behold no sooner did the voice of thy Salutation come to my Ears but the child leap'd for joy in my Womb. Luke 1.44 Luke 1.44 LXXIX The efficacy of her Mediation of Intercession to God for Mortals appears manifestly in her sollicitous Request to JESVS at the Marriage Feast in Cana of Galilee (a) The Mother of JESVS said to Him They have no Wine Jo. 2.3 Jo. 2.3 For the Insurance whereof to all Intents of our protection by holy Mary and of her effectual Mediation to Himself for us our blessed Lord formerly gave a most ample Instance in his voluntary subjection and obsequiousness to her Commands from the Age of twelve years to thirty (b) JESVS went down with Mary to Nazareth and was subject to Her. Luke 2.51 Luke 2.51 LXXX No wonder now if the Angels of Heaven become Subjects to the Mother of JESVS and that the Inhabitants of the Earth be Her Devotes and Petitioners unto whom the Soveraign Lord of Heaven and Earth vouchsafes to make himself a Son and Subject Hence it was That the Royal Prophet reporting to Posterity a Magnificent Vision wherein God show'd Him the future Majesty and Prerogatives of this Divine Creature tells us (a) Astitit Regina à dextrin tuis in Vestitu de aurato circundata Varietate Ps 44.10 Ps 44.10 That he saw Her Clad in a Mantle of Cloth of Gold imbroider'd with Jewels of an infinite rich Variety standing near to the Almighty himself even at his right hand for St. Athan. Serm. de Deip. and St. Greg. Naz. (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Empress of the heavenly Orders Lady and Queen of All. Naz. cit Tragoed de Christ patient Explains this Prophesie as an Essay of the Grandeurs of holy Mary in her Glory and Power and therefore the same holy Prophet to mark out unto us that Veneration and Intercession we owe to this Glorious Queen of Angels expresly foretells guided by the Spirit of Prophets (c) Filiae Tyri in muneribus vultum tuum de precabuntur omnes divites plebis Psalm cit v. 13. Ps cit 13. That the Gentiles and all the Potentates of the Earth shall pay Homage to this Divine Mother and shall become Her Petitioners LXXXI To these Irrefragable Authorities of the Great Oracles of the Gospel of Grace and Founders of our Christianity agreeing with the Prophets of the Old Law evident enough to convince this mis-believing World of the super-eminent Excellencies of the Glorious Mother of JESVS and of our Obligation to Worship and Petition her Grandeur and to silence all bold Invaders of her Rights and violators of Christian Duties we may add the honorable Testimony of St. Andrew the Apostle who stiles her an Immaculate Virgin and proper Instrument of Mans Redemption (a) Necessarium fuit ut de Immaculatâ Virgine natus Christus vitam aeternam quam omnes perdîderant repararet S. Andr. cit It was necessary that Christ should be born of an Immaculate Virgin since he was to restore life everlasting which was lost to all Alois Lipoman è Presb. Achaiae S. Peter the Prince of the Apostles expresly asserts the wonderful Advantages of praying to the most Glorious Mother of JESVS and craves Mercy of God and freedom from all Evil through her Mediation (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Liturg. S. Petr. Receive O God this most sacred Hymn from our lips and through the Intercession of the Holy Mother of God grant us thy Mercy and Compassion Deliver us we beseech thee O Lord from all evil now and for evermore by the Intercession of our Immaculate and Glorious Lady Mother of God and ever Virgin Mary Liturg. S. Petr. med But S. James the younger more plainly stiles Holy Mary the most Holy most Immaculate and most Glorious Lady of all Believers and through her Mediation begs of God his Divine Protection and the Blessings of his Mercy (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Liturg. S. Jac. Min. Commemorating our most Holy Immaculate and most glorious Lady Mother of God and ever-Virgin Mary with all the Saints and Just let us recommend our selves and each other and our whole Lives to Christ our God. Let us make a Commemoration of our most Holy Immaculate most Glorious and blessed Lady Mother of God and ever-Virgin Mary and of all the Saints and Just that by their Prayers and Intercessions we may obtain Mercy The same Form of commemorating the Excellencies and Merits of the Holy Mother of JESVS is to this day continu'd in the Roman Liturgy Communicantes memoriam Venerantes in primis Gloriosae semper Virgiuis Mariae Genetricis Dei Domini nostri JESV Christi Ord. Miss Rom. Communicating with and worshipping the Memory in the first place of the glorious ever-Virgin Mary the Mother of God and our Lord JESVS Christ Liturg. S. Jacob. Min. med And S. Denys the Areopagite in the brief report he gives of the Illustrious Funerals of the Mother of JESVS calls her the Mansion-house of the Divinity and the Beginning of Life and brings
Kingdom of JESVS and accordingly implores her Protection and Prayers LXXXVI To the same purpose speaks in this same devout Age (b) Omnes tibi advolvimur omnes te imploramus erue nos O Intemerata ab omni necessitate à canctis Diaboli tentationibus esto nostra Consiliatrix Advocata in horâ Judicii Libera nos à futuro igne tenebris tui Filii Gloriâ Virgo nos dignare S. Ephr. Lament Virg. ad Cruc We all prostrate our selves before Thee we all implore thy protection free us O thou unspotted Virgin from all want from all the Temptations of Satan be thou our Counsellor and Advocate at the hour of our Judgement preserve us from those future flames and darknesses and grant unto us O Virgin the Glory of thy Son. Vid. Orat. de Laud. Deip. St. Ephrem (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Basil Liturg. Sanctifie our Souls and Bodies and grant that we may serve thee in Holiness all the days of our Lives through the Intercession of the Holy Mother of God. St. Basil (d) Vid. n. LXXX b. Where he calls the Mother of JESVS Queen and Lady super-eminent above all the heavenly Spirits then adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. Trag. cit preserve us and free us from eternal fire and darkness St. Gregory Nazianzen (e) Vt efficax sit haec mea deprecatio Beata Mariae Virginis suffragia peto quam tanti meriti esse fecisti ut prima intar mulieres Novum munus offerret nulla praeter ipsam tam Novum acciperet S. Ambr. Orat. 2. ante Miss That this my Petition may be acceptable to thee I beg the Prayers of the blessed Virgin Mary whose Merits were so great through Thee that she was the First of Women who offer'd a New Gift and none besides her self receiv'd it St. Ambrose (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Epiph. Serm. de Laud. Mar. Mary is superior to all God only excepted for she is the Mediatrice of Heaven and Earth St. Epiphanius (g) Haec est virgo quae sola interimit universam haereticam pravitaetem sola post Deum quae nos confirmet in omni veritate suisque commendet meritis precibus auxilietur Amate quam colitis eolite quam amatis quaecunque virgo tibi ab eâ optat praemium implorat auxilium debet imitari exemplum S. Hier. Ep. 10. ad Paul. Eustoch This is that Virgin who alone hath overthrown all Heretical Impiety she alone next to God is able to confirm us in all truth can recommend us to God through her own Merits and can aid us by her Prayers love Her whom you Worship worship Her whom you love what ever Virgin expects a Reward from Her and craves her Protection she must follow her Example and St. Hierom all eminent Doctors renown'd Saints and unreprovable Witnesses of Catholick Truth and singular Champions of the Prerogatives Veneration and Invocation of holy Mary the Mother of JESVS Sect. XXI Testimonies of the Fifth Age. LXXXVII THE Fifth Age of the Catholick Church supported by its own Grandeur under the Conduct of its Apostolical Pastors and Teachers against the Heresies of Vigilantius Nestorius Eutyches and other Enemies of the Mother of JESVS give us a conspicuous Continuation of the Sacred Chain of the Primitive Doctrine and Practices of Christians towards Her. The Council of Ephesus gives Her the transcendent Title of the Mother of God Ephes c. 13. from which time the Church salutes her with that known Prayer Holy Mary Mother of God pray for my Sinners now and in the hour of our death Coriolan Annot. ad Can. 8. Ephes And thus the Most Illustrious Mother of JESVS (a) Conc. Ephes c. 13. In tali sensu sanctos Patres fuisse comperimus ideoque non dubitârunt sanctam Virginem dicere Theotocon This we find to have been the Tradition of the Holy Fathers who for this cause doubted not to call the Holy Virgin the Mother of God. whose due Praises were envy'd by the treacherous Serpent was honour'd with more magnificent Titles and Addresses (b) Chrysost Liturg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Accept O Lord this Sacrifice on thy heavenly Altar to the Honour and Memory of our highly blessed and glorious Lady Mother of God and ever Virgin Mary through her Mediation S. Jo. Chrys offers to God the Divine Sacrifice through the Memory and to the Honour of the most blessed and glorious Lady the ever-Virgin Mother of JESVS and begs Gods acceptance thereof through her Mediation Liturg. S. Chrysost And again He attributes the Reparation of Mans Spiritual Life to the Merits of Holy Mary Serm. de Lign vetit (c) Aug. Med. cit Sancta Immaculata Virgo Dei genetrix Maria Mater Domini nostri JESU Christi intervenire pro me digneris apud illum cujus meruisti effici Templum O holy and spotless Virgin Mary Mother of God and of our Lord JESVS Christ vouchsafe to pray for Me to Him whose Temple thou deservedst to be made and Serm. 18. cit O beata Maria admitte nostras preces intra sacrarium Exauditionis tuae reperta nobis Antidotum Reconciliationis O blessed Mary admit our Prayers into the Sanctuary of thy Compassion and obtain an Antidote of Reconciliation for us S. Augustin in like Manner implores the Protection and Prayers of the blessed Virgin under most excellent Attributes of respect Med. c. 40. n. 5. And elsewhere He admires the Priviledges and Miraculous Operations of this Divine Creature in promoting Mans redemption acknowledges his own unworthiness to become her Petitioner and craving to be admitted to the number of her Clients he concludes with that Excellent and well known Anthem Holy Mary succour the distressed aid the timorous comfort the sorrowful pray for the People intercede for the Clergy mediate for all devout Women and grant that whoever honours thy Festivals may experience thy Favours Serm. 18. Sanct. then he calls her the Miracle of Gods power Serm. 34. and the Mediatrice of the World. Serm. 35. LXXXVIII Many other Holy Fathers of this Learned and Pious Age do in like manner dilate themselves in their Panegyricks on the Mysteries of the Holy Virgin and their humble Requests of Her Mediation to God for his super-natural Blessings as appears in the devout Monuments of (d) S. Proel Serm. de Nativit Christ Ecce terra Mare Virginem honorat donisque cumulat Hoc mitia Navigentibus dorsa substernens Illa Viatorum vestigia inoffense dirigens sacra Deipara Maria in unum nos coegit Behold how the Land and Sea pays Homage to the Virgin and heaps up their Offerings unto Her The Sea becomes smooth to our Ships and our Travellers find safe passage by Land Holy Mary the Mother of God this day calls us together St. Proclus of Constantinople (e) Cyril hom 6. contr Nestor Salve Sancta Deipara preciosus orbis totius Thesaurus inextinguibilis
Lampas Corona Virginitat◠sceptrum recta Doctrina per quam sancta Trias per Vniversum orbem glorificatur adoratur exultat calum latantur Angeli fugantur doemones quis adeo valet Eloquio ut Mariam satis celebret Hail holy Mother of God rich Treasure of the World ever-shining Lamp Crown of Purity and Scepter of true Doctrine by thee the Holy Trinity is every where blessed and adored Heavens exult Angels rejoyce and the Devils are chaced from us who so surpasses in Eloquence that he is able to say enough to the Glory of Mary St. Cyril of Alxandria (f) Hesych Serm. 1. de Deip. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Virgin transcends all And Serm. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let all tongues call the Virgin Mother of God Fountain of light Star of Life Id. Serm. compend Cent. 1. c. 100. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is but one God whose glorious Kingdom may we all possess through the Mediation of the most Immaculate Mother of God. Hesychius and (g) Chrysip Serm. de Deip 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We ought at all times to bless admire and praise the Mother of JESVS Chrysippus of Hierusalem (h) Chrysol Serm. 143. Vere benedicta quae fuit major coelo fertior terra orbe latior nam Deum quem mundus non caepit sola capit bene gratia plena quia caeteris per partes datur Mariae vero simul se totam infudit plenitudo Gratiae Mary is indeed Blessed she is greater than the Heavens more powerful than the Earth more spacious than the whole World because she alone comprehends Him whom the whole World comprehends not she is truly full of Grace to others Grace is given to a proportion but to Mary the fullness of Grace gave it self wholly St. Peter Chrysologus of Ravenna and of many (i) Vid. Paul. Oros l. 7. histor c 39. S. Paulin. Ep. 31. ad Aleth Sulpit. Sever. Ep. 2. ad Aurel. S. Maxim. Taurinenf hom de S. Agnet hom de SS Petr. Paul. Theodoret. l. 8. de Cur. Graec. Affect l. 3. hist c. 14. S. Eucher hom de SS Epipod Alexand. S. Leon. Magn. Serm. 1. 2. de SS Apost Victor Vtic. l. 3. persec Vandal Conc Chalced. act 11. prays to S. Flavian Martyr and Sozom. lib. 7. Mirac Deip. c. 5. reports wonderful Miracles attributed to holy Mary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All believ'd them to be wrought by the holy Virgin Mary the Mother of Christ others who in general assert the Worship and Invocation of glorified Creatures and whose co-herent assent with the receiv'd Tradition of former Ages do manifestly evidence the Innocency Equity and Antiquity of our Catholick Saint-Servitude super-eminently due to the Holy Mother of JESVS and consequently do vindicate the Contemplations on her Life and Glory from the unkind Reflections of their Opposers Sect. XXII Testimonies of the Sixt Age. LXXXIX IN the Sixt Age (a) Fulgent Serm. de Partu Salvator Omnes Natura Cursus Virgo Maria in Christo suscepit ut omnibus ad se confugientibus subveniret The Virgin Mary did undergo the several States of Life in Christ that she might the more effectually relieve all who fly for Aid unto Her. St. Fulgentius with great Energy acknowledges the holy Mother of JESVS to have a most ample Power at the Tribunal of Gods Mercies for the relief of her earnest Petitioners (b) Andr. Cretens Com. in Ave Maria. Benedicta Tu inter foeminas quam Beatam omnes generationes praedicant Reges glorificant Potentatus adorant cujus in conspectu ditissimi ex populo dona litant Blessed art thou amongst Women whom all Generations do proclaim Blessed Kings do glorifie Potentates do adore and before whom the Rich offer up their Presents Andreas Cretens says That all Princes and Powers of the Earth must adore the Mother of JESVS as the common Propitiatory of Sinners (c) Greg. 1. Reg. 1. Omnem Electae creatura altitudinem Electionis suae dignitate transcendit Virgo Maria An non Mons sublimis quae ut ad Conceptionem verbi aeterni pertingeret Meritorum verticem supra omnes Angelorum Choros usque ad solium Deitatis erexit The Virgin Mary transcends the Highest of the Elect by the Excellency of her Predestination Is not Mary a sublime Mountain who to arrive unto the Conception of Gods eternal Word exalted the Meridian of her Merits above all the Quires of Angels next to the Throne of the Divinity St. Greg. Magn. seems to say the proper Motive of the Amplitude of Her Power with God and of Our Duty to Her to be her super-eminent Merits whereby she transcends all the Quires of Saints and Angels next beneath the Throne of the ever-blessed Trinity For which reason we may presume (d) Procop. Orat. 1. de aedif Justin Imp. Dei genitrici passim per Romanum Imperium multas aedes Justinianus consecravit adeo planè magnificas praestantes ut si quis unam duntaxat conspexerit hoc solum opus ab ipso elaboratum existimabit Justinian every where through the Roman Empire consecrated such magnificent Temples to the Mother of God that each seem'd to be the Work of his whole Life The Emperor Justinian was mov'd to erect those many Sumptuous and Magnificent Temples to the honour of the glorious Mother of JESVS Sect. XXIII Testimonies of the Seventh Age. XC THE Seventh Age of Christianity agrees with the former in the Doctrine and Practice of the Worship and Invocation of the holy Mother of JESVS (a) Conc. Tol. 10. c. 1. Festivitas gloriosae Matris Verbi Incarnati eadem Observantiâ uno simul ubique Die similique habeatur Honore The Feast of the glorious Mother of the Word Incarnate shall be every where kept the same day with the same Solemnity and the like Honour Witness the Tenth Council of Toledo where the Fathers enact a special Canon for celebrating the Festivals of the Sacred Virgin. (b) Sigibert Chron. An. 686. Sergius constituit ut in Nativitate Assumptione Sanctae Mariae exeant Litaniae Pope Sergius commanded that on the Feasts of the Nativity and Assumption of Holy Mary Litanies should be sung in Procession Sergius Pap. 1. Appoints solemn Processions and Litanies on the Feasts of her Nativity and Assumption (c) S. Isid Hispal l. Vit. Sanct. c. 68. seqq l. 1. Off. c. 34. Festivitates Antiqui Patres in venerationis mysterio celebrari Sanxerunt vel ad excitandam Imitationem vel ut meritis eorum consociemur atque orationibus adjuvemur Ita tamen ut nulli Martyrum sed ipsi Deo Martyrum Offeramus quamvis in memoriis martyrum constituamus Altaria The Ancient Fathers did decree that Feasts should be kept in the Mystery of our Worship either to quicken us to the Imitation of the Virtues of the Saints or that we may communicate in their Merits and be help'd by their Prayers Not