but are euer hopping or rather halting from one to the other The former of them is That forsooth inuocation of Saints is both derogatory to the honour of God and iniurious to the mediation of Christ and then they display their colours for they are but colours Gloriam meam alteri non dabo Vnus est mediator Christus Iesus Isa 42. 1. Tim. 2. Matt. 1. Venite ad me omnes qui laboratis c. I will not giue my glory to any other There is one mediatour Christ Iesus Come vnto me all you that labour and the like But what of all this Therefore Christians may not pray to Saints Who seeth not the childishnes of this consequence And when once we conuince them that it is of not dishonour to God they haue nothing to say but that the Saints cannot heare vs and when againe we proue that the Saints do heare vs they returne to their impertinency of telling vs that we dishonour God But howsoeuer to the first place of Scripture it is truly answered that the Glory which there is spoken of is the Glory incommunicable and only due and proper vnto God himselfe but that the Glory giuen by vs to Saints in beseeching them to pray for vs is both so far of an inferiour nature as that we impart it to sinnefull men and women as often as we recommend our selues to their prayers and we also giue by them a particuler increase of honour to God in acknowledging the mercy he sheweth to his creaturs whilest he enableth his better seruants to assist vs. To the second no more occurreth to be sayd but that Christ our Lord is the only mediatour of Redemption whereof the Apostle speaketh in that place but if he were also the only mediatour of Intercession betweene God and man not only should all the Children in England be ill brought vp when they are appointed to aske their Parents blessing but the holy Apostle himselfe when he commended the necessity of his soule to the prayers of the Romans Rom. 15. had committed a most iniurious act against the Sauiour of the world whose fayth he preached The third place breedeth so little difficulty as that it scarce deserueth an answere For our B. Sauiour therein exhorteth all men who were either ouer-burthned with the obligations of the old Law or frighted with the horrour of their ould consciences that they would resort to him as to one that would deliuer them from both But he was far from diuerting the members of his body from participating with the rest of their owne communion and from approaching to his mercy by the meanes of his deerest seruants whether they liued still in this earthly pilgrimage or were transplanted into that Garden of Eternall glory And if the meaning of these passages of Holy Scripture had been such as the Caluinists pretend it were strang that no one Father of the Church in any age should interprete them towards the impugnation of the inuocation of Saints Nay euen by the Scripture it selfe which cannot be contrary to Scripture we are taught that this place doth contribute nothing to the Caluinists opinion since we find diuers instances of men that came to God by meanes of the prayers of other men who yet were so farre from derogating therby either from the glory of God or their owne good otherwise as that therby they obtayned their iust desires There was a tyme when Almighty God made the children of Israë know that he would not pardon them Exod. 32. but by the meanes of such prayers as his seruant Moyses should make in their behalfe And the irreuerend friends of Iob were instructed by God himselfe Iob. 42. that if they would obtaine remission of their sinnes they should make intercession to Iob that he might pray for them expressing plainly that for his sake and at his suite they should find such fauour as would haue beene denyed them for their owne Nor hath any reason beene euer yet alleadged why it should be of dishonour to Almighty God that men should recommend themselues to the prayers of Angells and Saints that it should not be more dishonourable to him that we should inuocate and pray sinnefull men to intercede for vs. The second reason which they bring against the inuocation of Saints is because they say they cannot heare vs. Let this therfore be considered of and let thē talke no more of the former since these depend not vpon one another It is euident in the history of Tobias by the relation of the Archangell Raphael Tob. 12. that he offred vp the ould mans deuotions of prayers and almes to the acceptance of Almighty God But this Booke forsooth must be Apocriphall If they meane not also to cast Christ out of the Canon what answere can be made to that amorous speach of his which telleth vs that the Angells of heauen do so reioyce at the conuersion of sinners Luc. 15. Or what to the testimony of the beloued disciple to whome this amongst other thinges was reuealed Apoc. 9. That the Angells were still offering vp their prayers which were made vpon earth We are taught also by Truth it selfe Matt. 22. that the Saints are as the Angells of heauen and to conuince the Caluinists in one is to do it in both But can either of them offer vp our prayers vnlesse they know them to be such Or can they reioyce at my conuersion vnles they see the acts of my contrition and of the fayth wherby I beleeue the promises of Christ in generall and of hope whereby I apprehend and apply them in particuler and of the charity whereby I am grafted as a liuing branch into that true vine and in a most particuler manner of the desires I haue of their prayers for me It is the part of a mad man to call these thinges in question Againe Gen. 49. the Patriarch Iacob when he was vpon the point to leaue this world bequeathed his children to the protectiō of his good Angell beseeching him that as he had preserued him so he would also blesse them S. Iohn the Euangelist in the very entrance of th Apocalyps in these words Apoc. c. 1. Gratia vobis pax ab eo quiest qui erat qui venturus est à septem spiritibus beseecheth God and the seauen spirits reigning with him to be gracious to them Luc. 15. And though Diues in the Ghospell were a damned soule yet he was not condemned for praying to Abraham after he was dead and much lesse can it be affirmed but that Abraham heard his prayer though it were not graunted The Angells therefore and the Saints may euen out of Scripture be proued to heare our prayers since we find thereby that men prayed to Saints without any note of that folly which would haue beene done to them if the Saints had not heard their prayers 2. Mach. 15. Moreouer since the Scripture teacheth vs otherwise that
his owne perfection and in designing that vnspeakable glory which he hath prepared for vs so that in their louing of vs and cooperating to our saluatiō by their assistance they performe an act of reuerence and homage to our common Creatour And therfore if the Angells and other Saints desire and procure our happines if they haue compassion of our affliction if they interpose for vs the merits of Christs death and passion in the degree of one there can be no question amongst Christians if indeed they be so but that the Queene of Saints and Angels the sacred and perpetuall Virgin the immaculate and glorious Mother of God doth performe to vs all these things with infinite others which through our basenes and blindnes we cannot thinke of I say not in the degree of one but in the degree of so many millions of degrees as she exceedeth all the Angells and Saints of Heauen in the perfection and height of the knowledge and loue of God One particuler reason of her vnspeakable tendernes towards vs all to omit many others may be the consideration of Christ our Lords humanity with he tooke wholy of her which he spent wholy vpon vs besides that vpon the Crosse he resigned her as it were to be the Mother of all mankind whereof heereafter I shall haue occasion to make further mention Now as the vnspeakable loue of God which he inspired her hart withall and wherewith so admirably she cooperated maketh God vnspeakably to loue and delight in her so it is reason that for her loue to vs we procure to correspond in all such deuotion reuerence to her who is so gracious in the sight of God and so well deseruing of vs as may be affoarded to the most incomparably sublime Creature of a meer creature that euer was the most abundant deere benefactour of mankind that can be thought of vnder God There is not in this world so great a Monarch to whome if we had obligation and meant to make any retribution we might not impart somewhat which might concerne him in a substantiall and solid manner For a very wealthy man might make him somewhat the richer a valiant man might make his dominions the larger a wise man might make his gouernement the happyer a skillful man might make his health the firmer and a confident faythfull man might chance to make his life the safer But with the Saints of heauen it is not so for al they and especially this Queene of Heauen hath such a fullnes of all that whereof they are capable as excludeth the possibility of mankind from giuing any thing to them and much lesse to her which may increase her happynes in any thing that inwardly concerneth her but whatsoeuer we can offer is extrinsecal vnto her as namely Honour whereof she is only capable at our hands The expression of this Honour may be made by diuers wayes by praysing her by praying vnto her by imitating in some small measure of her admirable vertues by carrying in our harts a continuall tendernes of deuotiō towards her By this tyme if the Reader be a Caluinist he beginneth to shrincke he desireth to be excused he reuerenceth forsooth the Mother of God as he ought if you will beleeue him but he would faine be thought a zealous preseruer of Gods honour and holdeth that the termes we vse in professing our deuotion to her with the custome which we haue in directing to her our prayers is to carry our selues idly if not impiously and he will needs take vpon him to ground himselfe vpon holy Scripture It is strang to see how these yong Prentices will needs be Merchant-venturers in the art of vnderstanding that diuin booke to the deep sea wherof they lanch out in the shallow Cock-boats of their owne conceipts and thinke they are sailing into some safe port when indeed they are splitting vpon rockes Strāg I say it is to see how they are blinded by the desire they haue to make the Scripturs serue their turnes of their passion which suffereth them not to discern the euidence wherewith it establisheth often tymes the very point in Controuersy which they contradict For how could they otherwise make themselus beleeue as they vsually obiect that the Scripture authorizeth any lessening of our Ladyes honour that it excludeth her Inuocation and abridgeth her Prayse whilest indeed it doth abundantly testify her excellency and giue great warrant for all that the Catholike Church doth practise concerning her There be holy learned men that affirme it is full of reason that if the Scripture had sayd no more of her but these only words Maria de qua natus est Iesus Matt. 1. Mary of whome Iesus was borne it had sayd sufficiently of her or rather that it had sayd so much as to which no point of dignity could be added For to affirme that the Virgin was the Mother of God is to giue a title which euidently inuolueth supreme excellency which is so great in regard of the alliance and coniunction it hath with God himselfe as that no power of mind created no man no Saint no Angell nor they all togeather are able entierly and exactly to comprehend what dignity it is to be the Mother of God If therfore we are so far from being able to conceiue the excellēcy of the glorious Virgin shall we feare to expresse it in such poore fashion and with such short termes as we are able to vse Or can we be in any danger of cōmitting excesse heerin so that we swarue not as we neuer do from making her a meer creature and from imputing the first cause of her greatnes to the infinite goodnes of Almighty God The Aduersaryes of her glory might consider that the wordes of holy Scripture are not to be valewed after the rates of number but of weight and who hath armes wherwith to weeld the ballance into which that massy quality of being the Mother of God is layd It goeth not euen in ordinary Audits by the great number of figures but if one be placed before a greater number of cyphers that alone may stand for many others so this halfe line alone wherof I spake may doth import a greater eminency then could haue beene expressed in the whole Bible without it although both these Testaments all those pens of all the Prophets and Apostles had spent themselues in the celebration only of her prayses But because all their cunning-men and women though they should be able to write and read the Scriptures cannot yet cast accompt especially after this manner and that vulgar eyes are neuer satisfyed with the riches of a Iewell vnlesse it consist of many stones I wil therfore endeauour to let them see that in holy Scripture there is no scarcity of that which themselues desire or rather of that which I feare they desire not which is the great aduantages prerogatiues and priuiledges of the B. Virgin CHAP. II. IN the
with the more reason passe ouer with breuity though I could not perswade my self to passe ouer any thing entierely in silence which concerneth her excellency any way But the spirituall graces which she receaued and the testimonyes of her dignity which were giuen from heauen are they which we ought more seriously to ponder reflect vpon Her life being such as seemed ordinary though interiourly it were not so and her vocation being so extraordinary as that she was to be made the Mother of God himselfe when once he should be made Man it was agreable to the wisedome of the diuine Maiesty to proclaim and publish to the world the perfection of this creature by an irrefragable euidence Luc. 3. Therefore as in the Baptisme of our B. Sauiour whereby he might seeme to haue contracted sinne the Holy Ghost himselfe descended vpon him to witnes the infinite sanctity of his soule In like manner when before that tyme there was question of incarnating and bringing forth a Sauiour of the world in humane flesh one of the highest Angells in heauen was dispatched in Embassage to witnes the eminency Luc. 1. and fullnes of her holynes that the world might know how that her bringing forth a son should not carry with it the least impeachment to the spotlesnes of her purity The Arch-angell then did thus salute her Luc. 1. Hayle Mary full of grace our Lord is with thee Our Aduersaryes the enemies of our B. Ladyes Honour will needes translate the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to that sense of the three seueral ones which it hath whereby they may hope to disaduantage her most therfore they will not allow it to signify Gratia plena Cōment in cap. 1. Luc. full of grace but Gratis dilecta freely beloued It is plainely shewed by Tollet in his Cōment vpon those words that S. Ambrose S. Austine S. Hierome S. Athanasius S. Epiphanius and in effect the whole Church hath vsed receaued the translation of Gratia plena though yet if it had been otherwise I see not greatly why they should triumph as after a victory since if our B. Lady were as they must confesse Freely beloued with such an eminency aboue all other creatures as to be made the Mother of God it doth by necessary inference of congruity imply all those perfections in contemplation wherof the Catholik world doth homag vnto her with attributes incomparably superiour to them of all other creatures But she was found full of grace whether they will or no and if then she were full through the beauty of her soule which being first adorned by Almighty God drew his eyes afterward so downe vpon her as euen to be enamoured with her when he was yet to make her the Mother of the Eternal Word let them conceaue that can how she ouerflowed therewith afterward And the example of the good Chananaean who did as it were oblige our Sauiour to bestow of those crummes vpon her being a Gentile which fell from the table of the children of God who were the Iewes may inuite vs to begge that some drop of those ouerflowings which cānot through the goodnes of God but descend from the superabundance of that grace wherewith the B. Virgin was so much more then filled may be applyed to our benefit and to the making of vs gracious in his sight in som measure which she was beyond all measure It cannot but worke in vs an extreme reuerence on the one side when we heare by the voyce of that Archangell Gabriel that our Lord euen then was with her in a most particuler and plentifull manner Luc. 1. saying Dominus tecum Our Lord is with thee as if he had sayd He is indeed with all his creatures and especially withall his seruants but yet he is so with thee per excellentiam as if he were with no body els and on the other side they are miserable who be not drawne to affect this Sacred Virgin with vnspeakable dearnesse tendernes for the infinite benefite which they receaue by her since they are capable of saluatiō by the mystery of the Incarnation which hauing beene decreed in that high Consistory of the Holy Trinity did receaue effect and execution in the immaculate wombe of the B. Virgin by her free consent And as in the Passion of our B. Sauiour when he came to make a ful point vpon the periode of his life he did as it were resigne his Mother to mankind in the person of S. Iohn Ioan. 19. when he sayd to him Fili ecce Mater tua Sonne behould thy Mother so in this Incarnation of his she may be sayd after a sort to haue transferred the propriety which she had in Almighty God Luc. 1. who was with her Dominus tecum to the protection and preseruation and sanctification redemption of all mankind for immediatly afterward he grew to be called not Dominus tecum Our Lord is with thee Matt. 1. but Emanuel which is God with vs. The Angell proceedeth vpon occasion giuen by the sacred Virgin to expresse the manner how the mystery of the Incarnation of the Sonne of God was to be accomplished in her sacred wombe he declareth to her that she had no cause to feare the least spot in her purity that she had found grace with God that in her wombe she should conceaue bring forth a Sonne Luc. 1. and should call his name IESVS that he should be great and be called the Sonne of the most High that our Lord God would giue him the seat of his forefather Dauid that he should raigne in the house of Iacob for euer that his kingdome should know no end that the Holy Ghost should descend from aboue into her and the Vertue or Power of the most High should ouershaddow her and therfore that he who was to be borne of her should be called the Sonne of God Quis surdus sicut populus meus sayth the Holy Ghost by the Prophet Isa 42. Who is so deafe as my people that wil not heare And in this case it may be sayd who is so blind as he that will not see what a cluster of heauenly grapes may heere be gathered out of Holy Scripture distilling in abundance the wine of Grace Glory vpon the imaculate Virgin by describing the nature quality of that Sonne of which she was to be the so happy Mother What doubling and redoubling is there made heere of her felicity and sanctity For notwithstanding that formerly she was full of grace we see heere she hath found more grace her Sonne was to be the Sauiour of the world he was to haue an Eternall Kingdome the Holy Ghost was yet more plentifully to descend vpon her and the vertue or power of the most High was to enuirone and ouershaddow her whereby she might be enabled to enclose and as it were againe to ouershaddow the Sonne of God The consideration heerof made the
haue found in effect togeather in that holy man Canisius writing of this admirable subiect where he setteth downe in a cluster that which is found in Scripture but in seueral passages as so many distinct grapes of the old Testament being so interpreted by the Fathers and Doctours of the Catholike Church and those others also of the new being expressed plainly without figure as my selfe haue heere already related them but in a more scattered maÌ„ner and now to make a faire full point I thought good to see if by drawing all these seuerall beames into one burning glasse I might inflame the Reader to more deuotion He sheweth then in his first booke of the B. Virgin and 2. Chapter how she was the (a) Bern. hom 2. super missusest woman whose seed was promised in Paradise She was (b) Bern. serm de B. Virg. the true Rebecca The true (c) Hier. ad Saluianum Iudith The true (d) Lyra supra Esther Esther The true (e) Rupert in Cantic temple and Sanctuary of God prophesied by Ezechiel and the very way of Saints She was aboundantly celebrated in spirit by (f) Bern. hom 2. super mâ—ssusest Salomon She was that which Moyses saw in the (g) Ibid. bush and fire That which Aaron (h) Bern. ser signuÌ„ magnum saw in the rod and flower The Orientall gate of (i) Ibid. Ezechiel The fleece and dew forshewed to (k) Bern. hom 1. super missusest Gedeon The starre which rose out of (l) Amb. serm 80. Iacob and from whence that beame proceeded which did illustrate the whole world She was the mysticall Arke of the (m) Ber. de assum B. Virg. Testament which conteyned the bread both of men and Angells She was the golden propitiatory The throne of that true (n) Bern. ibidem Salomon The Princes Court The (o) Bern. ibidem bed of honour wherein the Lord and King of heauen did most delightfully repose Now in the new Testament behold that vnited which before you saw scattered and consider the weight of those wordes of the Ghospell spoken either to her or by her or of her All hayle O thou full of grace Our Lord is with thee Canis l. 1. de B. Virgin â— cap. 2. Thou hast found fauour or grace with God He hath done great thinges to me who is powerfull All generations shall call me Blessed Blessed is the wombe which bare thee Blessed are the brests that gaue thee suck How commeth it to passe that the mother of my Lord should visite me Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruite of thy wombe She alone it is of whome the world doth ioyfully professe that it is of the holy Ghost which is borne in her She alone vnto whom the Angell did promise that the Holy which was to be borne of her should be called the Sonne of God She alone to whome the Archangell who was sent from heauen and S. Elizabeth vpon earth did celebrate with such sublime prayses Thus sayth Canisius and this he sheweth In fine I do much desire that Catholikes for their comfort Caluinists for the conuersion of their soules to deuotion tendernes towards this sacred Virgin may resort to this excelleÌ„t work of Canisius where they shall see besides the euidence of these things whatsoeuer they can expect from any man concerning the greatnes of our B. Lady most excellently deliuered clearely proued not only by the Scripturs of both Testaments but by the authority of the Fathers of the Church in al ages of these Fathers I will in due place vse a few testimonyes before I end this discourse by those few the spirit of the rest may be coÌ„ceaued Therfore it is great peruersnes and a sinne euen against common sense that since there are so many places of Scripture which testify our B. Ladyes perfections those few others which they imagine to be in her preiudice must yet be rather opposed vnto those former by these men then any way reconciled or ranged vnder them Yet indeed what can they argue out of those very places They say that the words of our Sauiour Quid mihi tibi mulier which he vsed at the marriage of Cana in answere of her suite concerning their want of wine do shew that she was worthy of reprehension and that he rebuked her They translate those wordes Woman what haue I to do with thee and they inferre thereby that our B. Sauiour gaue therein a great checke to his sacred Mother whereas it is plaine that they were only spoken for the instruction of them that heard of vs that read them to shew that he was not to manifest himself as God by working of Miracles till the tyme appointed by his Father therfore it is that he sayd also further Nondum venit hora mea My houre is not yet com as also to make the world know that we are more to respect the immediate and knowne ordinance of God then the suite of friends though neuer so pious and meritorious I omit to shew that those wordes do more naturally signify to this effect Quid mihi tibi What haue thou Ioan. 2. I to do with their want of wine As if he had sayd This is not such necessity as ought to vrge me toward the working of miracles so soone But whatsoeuer the words crudely taken may seeme in some construction to say certayne it is that when our Sauiour had made vs know by them that which he intended we should learne he not only disposed himself inwardly to shew that mercy by meanes of our B. Ladyes prayers euen as it were before his own tyme appointed but by the manner he held in speaking the words and by the gracious countenance which he vsed he gaue her puidently to vnderstand that he would graunt her suite For otherwise it would not haue become her discretion to haue so instantly required them that serued at the dinner to be punctuall in performing of whatsoeuer her Sonne should require of them Yea and by the circumstances of the Text which describe the action succeeding after a most particuler manner in such sort as if they had not beene forwarned it is morally certaine that they would haue made some fault it is most probable that our B. Sauiour did not only let her know that he would do the thing but in what manner also he would do it And this at least is coÌ„fessed that the miracle was wrought immediatly after our Ladyes suite was presented which is a reall proofe of her greatnes and the acceptablenes of her prayers in the sight of God and this truth deserueth to put to eternall silence whatsoeuer conceipt is framed out of those wordes te her disaduantage In like manner do they vrge how our Sauiour Christ being sought by our B. Lady and S. Ioseph and found at last in the Temple made acquainted with the much care which they had vsed
being assembled with other Bishops vpon a tyme of solemnity spake thus in a sermon made against the Heretike Nestorius Hilarem video coetum fidelium omnium c. I see this Congregation of all the faythfull to be full of alacrity who are come togeather with cheerefull mindes being called by the holy Mother of God yet euer Virgin Mary Prayse glory be to thee O Holy Trinity who hast conducted vs all to this solemnity Praise also to thee O thou Holy Mother of God For thou art that precious pearle of the whole world Thou art a lampe neuer to be extinguished The crowne of virginity The scepter of true fayth A temple not to be dissolued conteyning him who could within no place be contayned A Mother and a Virgin Blessed art thou amongst women being the parent of him who being blessed came in the name of our Lord. By thee the Trinity is glorifyed By thee the precious Crosse is celebrated adored throughout the whole world By thee heauen triumpheth Angells and Archangells reioyce Diuells are driuen away and man himselfe is recalled to heauen By thee all creatures once deteyned in the errour of Idolatry are conuerted to the knowledg of the truth The faythfull are come to Holy Baptisme Temples are built throughout the whole world By thee do the Nations come to pennance What shal I say more By thee the only begotten Sonne of God that true light did shine to such as sate in darknes By thee the Prophets did foreshew saluation to the Gentils And by thee did the Apostles preach it Who can vnfold the eminency of thy prayse O thou Mother and virgin Mary Let vs celebrate her most beloued Brethren adoring her Sonne the immaculate spouse of the Church to whome be honour and glory for all Eternityes Amen S. Ephrem in an Oration of the prayses of the most Holy Mother of God Ephr. orat de laudibus SS Dei Matris Intemerata prorsusque pura c. The vntoucht and entierely pure virgin the Mother of God The Queen of all men The hope of such as despaire My most glorious and best Queene More sublime then the celestiall spirits More pure then the Sunne beames and splendours More honourable then the Cherubim more holy then the Seraphim Heare what the holy and learned S. Ambrose sayth in his booke of the Institution of Virgins Christi lilia c. Ambr. de Instit Virgin cap. 15. The lillyes of Christ are especially virgines whose virginity is bright immaculate for that Virginall wombe was the beginning and roote and perpetually springing fountaine from whence by that most powerfull example of the Mother of God all the Quires of Virgins did proceed A Maria c. sayth S. Epiphanius of the Virgin Mary Epiph. l. 3. hares 73. post med life was borne vnto the world so that she gaue life to him that liueth and Mary was made the Mother of such as liue S. Hierome vpon the eleuenth Chapter of Isay Virgam de radice c. Let vs vnderstand the holy Virgin Mary to be the Rod that springes out of the roote of Iesse S. Theodoret vpon the Canticles Inter tot animas omnium hominum c. Amongst the soules of all the men and women that shall be saued that only one is as the elected doue who brought forth Christ a virgin a Mother a mayd who doubtles did excell in purity both the Cherubim and the Seraphim Aug. l. de natur grat S. Augustine in his booke of Nature Grace Cum de peccatis agitur c. When there is any speach of sinne I will make no question of the Blessed Virgin for we know that more grace was giuen to her for the totall ouercōming of sinne who deserued to conceaue and to bring him forth of whome it is euident that he had no sinne August tract de symb ad Cach l. 3. c. 4. tom 9. The same holy Father in a Treatise of the Creed vnto Catholikes the third booke and 4. Chapter in few but massy words speaketh thus of the B. Virgin Per feminam c. death came by a woman and life also by a woman By Eue came destruction and saluation by Mary Greg. in 1. lib. 1. c. Reg. S. Gregory the great vpon the first booke and Chapter of Kinges Potest huius montis nomine c. The euer most B. Virgin Mary Mother of God may be designed by the name of this mountaine For she was a mountaine who by the dignity of her election did transcend the altitudes of elected creaturs Was not Mary a high mountaine who that she might arriue to the conception of the Eeternall Word did raise the top of her merits aboue all the Quires of Angells till she came vnto the throne of the Deity for of the most excellent dignity of this mountaine the Prophet I say doth say Isa 2. In the last dayes there shall be a mountaine of our Lord prepared in the top of the mountaines For she was a mountaine in the top of mountaines because the height of Mary doth shine aboue all Saints And she is aptly called both a mountaine and house who being illustrated with incomparable merits did prepare her sacred wombe wherein the only Sonne of God might repose S. Iohn Damascen in his booke of Catholike fayth affirmeth of our B. Lady that reuera Domina facta est c. Damasc de fide orthoxa She was indeed made the Lady with dominion ouer all creatures when she was made the Mother of the Creatour And in his second oration of the death of the Mother of God Clamemus cum Gabriele c. Let vs crye out with the Angell Gabriell All hayle O thou full of grace All hayle O thou inexhausted sea of ioy Al hayle o thou especial lightner of our burthens All hayle O thou medicine of all the afflictions of our harts All hayle O thou holy Virgin by whome death was banished and life introduced Anselm de cōcep Virg. peccat orig c. 18. S. Anselme in his Treatise of originall sinne Chapter 18. Decebat vt illius c. It was fit that the Conception of that man he speaketh there of Christ our Sauiour should be made of the most pure Virgin and therefore it was fit that this virgin should most sweetly shine with so great purity then which a greater cannot be imagined vnder God to whome God the Father resolued to giue his only Son S. Bernard in his sermon vpon the corporall Assumption of the B. Virgin into heauen sayth thus Quis cogitare sufficiat c. Who is able to conceaue how gloriously the Queene of the world went forward as vpon this day and with how great entiernes of tender deuotion the whole multitude of those celestiall legiōs came forth to meete her With what canticles she was cōducted to the throne of glory With how serene a face with how deare a countenance with how diuine imbracements she
was receaued by her Sonne with that glory which became such a Sonne In his fourth Sermon vpon the Assumption after he had with this protestation Non est quod me magis delectet c. There is nothing wherein I take more ioy so yet there is also nothing which putteth me into a greater trembling of feare then to discourse vpon the glory of the Virgin Mary c. he proceedeth shortly after to say this Quae enim vel Angelica puritas c. What purity though Angelicall will presume to compare it selfe to this virginity which was made worthy to become the sacred repose of the Holy Ghost But how great and how precious was the vertue of thy humility with so great purity with so great innocency with a conscience wholy free from sin yea with the fullnes of so much grace Whence hadst thou humility so great humility O thou blessed Creature Indeed thou wert worthy whom our Lord should regard whose beauty the King should desire by whose fragrant odour he might be drawne from that eternall resting place of his Fathers bosome Behould O B. Virgin we accompany thee a far off as we may with these acclamations whilest thou art ascending to thy throne Let it be an effect of thy piety to make knowne vnto the world that grace which thou foundst with God by obteyning through thy holy prayers pardō for such as are faulty cure for the sicke strength of mind for the weake comfort for the afflicted and help and liberty for such as are in danger And now in this day of thy solemnity ioy by thee O gracious Queen let thy Sonne Christ Iesus our Lord who is God for euer blessed aboue all thinges bestow the giftes of his grace vpon vs his poore seruants who with prayse are calling vpon the sweet name of Maria. These are some of those passages which I find recorded amongst many others of some few Fathers who partely speake though but compendiously in the Roman Office or Breuiary and some other few which I take out of their own vndoubted workes whereby the Reader may see not only the iudgement of the Church but how expresse and earnest the most excellent members thereof haue beene and how deuoutly they haue not only celebrated the praises but recommended thēselues to our B. Ladyes prayers And there would neuer be an end if I should striue to deliuer the almost infinite attributes of excellēcy which they haue giuen to her which some of her deuout seruants hauing gathered out of their works they grow euen to fil whole bookes Among others the Margarita Hebdomada Mariana may be considered where the Reader shall find S. Irenaeus S. Cyprian S. Athanasius S. Ephrem S. Epiphanius S. Ambrose S. Chrysostome S. Augustine S. Gregory S. Iohn Damascen S. Anselme S. Bernard with the rest of these later ages who haue al striued to expresse themselues as there you may find particulerly cyted in calling her The window of heauen The treasure of the Diuinity The solace of the world The woman which transfused grace into vs The ensigne of fayth A cause of saluatiō to mankind The throne of the Diuinity The Captaine Generall The fountaine of all Consolation The ioy of Saints The Queene of Angells The Mother of Mercy The mother of the liuing The succour of such as are in dāger A Queen assisting and raigning at the right hand of her Sonne The vnlocker of Heauen gates The scepter which commandeth all The roote of glory The rose which hath perfumed all thinges with heauenly odours A temple beautifyed by the holy Ghost She who confoundeth all hereticall prauity The scepter of orthodoxall Fayth A mountaine of our Lord prepared in the top of the mountaines Innumerable I say are the Attributes of honour which the Holy Fathers haue giuen to this sacred Virgin and many of them haue beene deliuered though with great profit and piety yet in such affectuous tearmes as the Catholikes at this day dare scarcely vse through the extreme malignity of our Aduersaryes and hers because as there is no word which may not haue diuers significations so they will be sure to interprete them euer in the worst sense whereas Charity requireth iust the contrary And if they proceeded according to the rule thereof they would neuer charge either the holy Fathers or vs their children with derogating any thing from Almighty God by the honour we do to our B. Lady But whensoeuer they find vs to ascribe any quality or title to her which to a weake or wrong iudgment may seeme only to belong to him they may know once for all that we impute such thinges to God as to the Tree from which she tooke her growth he is the fountaine she is the streame he is the great Artificer and primary cause and she a most eleuated Instrument he is the Sunne and she the Beame whereby he hath communicated his light and heat to this darke frozen world of ours So that they need not thus peruersly continue to aske vs what it is that we can say more in honour of Christ then we say in honour of our B. Lady For we can say and we do say according to these most true professions and protestations following which may for euer serue to the iustification of our whole practis◠heerein and for the discouery of their either folly or malice that oppose it We professe this difference between the excellency of Christ our Lord and that of the B. Virgin That the B. Virgin is no more but a pure creature but that Christ is God and so there is no comparison at all betweene the excellency of God and her That in respect of God she is infinitely lesse then the least graine of dust is lesse then the whole world That it was the only goodnes of God that chose her first out of all mankind to be his Mother That all her greatnes and perfection dependeth vpon the first grace that God gaue her This I say is that we all professe and this being supposed and kept inuiolable it is euident that whatsoeuer honour or excellency we ascribe to her so far we are from robbing God Almighty of his honour by it as that on the contrary side we highly honour him in acknowledging his vnspeakable benignity and bounty towardes mankind a part whereof he hath so much enobled as to make it the Mother and the so worthy Mother of Christ our Lord who is also God Now since the honour we do to the most sacred Virgin proceedeth only from this roote the dependance thervpon let it be considered what a ridiculous proposition this is That we dishonour Christ by the excesse of honour which we do to the Mother of God whome yet we chiefly honour because she was his Mother and whome we honour not at all beyond the capacity of a pure creature These propositions being then supposed it wll be leudly done heerafter by such as shall take exceptions at the termes
him out as if he were some miserable aged Prince that were in feare of being deposed if he should raise his fauorits to any extraordinary degree of greatnes But the case standeth far otherwise for as God is infinite in all thinges so is â—e most eminently infinite in the communication and effusion of himselfe vpon all such soules as do nobly serue him and especially such as do it with greatest perfection and are enabled by him to vndertake and discharge the highest functions The Patriarkes were made wonderfully fit for their offices the Apostles for theirs the Precursour of Christ for â—his his supposed Father S. Ioseph who really was his conductour guide gouernour for his And so the immaculate pure most gracious and most glorious mother of God was aboue all made most fit for hers But we may first descend a great deale lower yet not loose the sight of her greatnes For there is not the meanest of vs all who shall not at the day of iudgment if he dye in the state of Grace haue a body which shall then be knit to the Soule more glorious then the Sunne as impassible as the Angells incomparably more subtile then lightning and we cannot now so easily translate a thought from one end of the world to another as then we shall be able to transport our selues as it were in an instant We shall be immortall we shall be Heires of the kingdome of heauen we shall be Coheirs with Christ and if he be a King we shall all be also kings of heauen Fellowship in possessing of that kingdome doth not weaken or lessen the excellency of dominion as it would do heere on earth but it doth highly beautify and increase it through the vnion of will which reigneth in those happy soules Our Sauiour speaking to his Apostles and disciples and in their persons to such as would keep his commandments entreth so far by words of tendernes as to despoyle them of seruitude and to cloath them with the precious robes of friendship Ioan. 15. Vos amici mei estis c. as if he had sayd No longer will I accompt you now my seruants but I will aduance you to the ranke of being my friendes Luc. 13. He had formerly auowed to the Apostles that he disposed of his kingdome to their vse as his Father had disposed thereof to his Againe he assumeth them Matt. 19. that they who had left all and followed him should sit vpon twelue seats and iudge the twelue Tribes of Israell whereby the whole world is signifyed 1. Cor. 6. And S. Paul taketh vpon him to warrant that Christians shall iudge euen very Angells at the last day Now this Iudicature is an act and exercise of a Kings royalty and the reason why earthly Kings do it not in their own person is because either they want knowledge or industry or for that they cannot be in so many places in so short a tyme as were conuenient but none of these thinges can be sayd of Christ and therefore when he maketh his Apostles iudges it is not to excuse himselfe but to impart to them a kind of supreme honour and authority ouer the rest his creatures We see then the vnspeakable bounty of Almighty God towards all such as are to prayse and serue him in the Court of heauen for all eternity we see that some of vs shall iudge the world That we shal iudge Angells That we shall be Kings of heauen heires to God and coheirs with Christ yea and That euen in this life such as keep his Commandements are already intituled by the name of Friends or Fauorits of Christ Iesus And is it possible for any Christian to haue so little and so poore a soule as to thinke that the Mother of God is not to be honoured in a manner much superiour to all this Is it possible that since God doth not make Officers as earthly Kings make theÌ„ who take such as they find whether they be good or bad so they continue but he first maketh men fit for the places to which he calleth them Is it possible since the dignity of the Mother of God doth vnspeakably exceed the dignity of Patriarchs Prophets Precursours Apostles and whatsoeuer imployment wherof a pure creature is capable that any man should be so voyd of natural Logick as not to draw an argument from the lesse to the greater That if the lesse hath much excellency the greater hath much more Or rather that he should haue so little wit or common sense as not to see That as in numbers the more do exceed the fewer so our B. Lady doth outstrip all the other creatures of God in greatnes in grace in authority and in Maiesty Let not therefore our Aduersaryes for so in respect of their opinioÌ„s they wil needs deserue to be called deceaue themselues Conclusion They may thinke it is zeale which they haue in abasing the honour of our B Lady whereas indeed it is but ignorance in the most innocent of them and in others either hypocrisy or enuy Mat. 2â— Many of them who saw how Caiphas did in that solemne assembly of Priests Doctours of Hierusalem cast vp his eyes to Heauen and rend his Pontificall garments exclaime with horrour against Christ himselfe affirming that he had blasphemed did doubtles iudge by the appearance of it that the High Priest had some reason And some couetous or malicious Iew who had beene present when Iudas censured the matchles enamoured Penitent of our Lord S. Mary Magdalen as wasting that precious oyntment vpon his head and crying out that it should rather haue beene imployed vpon the poore would as willingly perhaps with as much reason haue giuen his voyce with Iudas against Christ as these men do eagerly maligne and of whome I haue seene some grow pale and euen sicke through the rage of enuy when they obserue how curious and costly we are content to be in our desire not only to anoynt as it were and adorne the head of this sacred Virgin with our prayses but to cast our selues at her pure feet by our Inuocations Therefore heere the Prouerbe may well come in All is not gould that glistereth and that twinckling Brother who in the zeale he pretendeth to carry to Gods honour doth secretly repine and snarle at that of our Blessed Lady insteed of making for himselfe a Crowne in heauen may then be hammering out eternall chaynes for his soule in Hell This may serue to them for a word of aduice that at least they may vse modesty in this matter if they will not be drawne to vse piety But we Catholikes are farre from needing such aduice as this who know our dutyes towardes the blessed Mother of Almighty God and who are not in this respect to be drawn from lesse wandring but to be incouraged towardes a faster going I doe therefore presume to cast my selfe with most entiere veneration at thy pure feet O
Recall thy thoughts which Rauen-like do feed Vpon the Carrion of inferiour thinges And send them vp to Heauen where they shall read Thy fortune written in the Booke of Kinges 98. Of Kings of Heauen for God who only is The King in his owne right adopteth thee To raigne with him in euerlasting blisse For all his Sonnes myne owne coheires shall be 99. Therefore my bloud vpon this Crosse is sould To saue thy body and thy soule from Hell Changing thy house of clay to Church of gould VVherin the Holy Ghost himselfe shall dwell 100. Ordeyning Sacraments whereby mankind May purge offences and acquire new grace Misterious Sacraments which not thy mind Much lesse thy pen can paint without disgrace 101. Bidding his Angells serue thee and vnfould The secrets of his loue and Sathans hate Confound thy selfe with wonder to behould Such honour added to thy base estate 102. Honour with Pleasure for what earthly ioy Doth equall that which a good conscience giues And doth full fill whilest yet it doth not cloy The Spirit and the soule wherein it liues 103. Not like to worldly pleasure that transformes It selfe to payne through sad remorse of mind But in the middst of fortunes bitter stormes A quiet passage and safe port doth find 104. So shalt thou see that they who take most care To beare this Crosse of myne with humble hart To extasy of ioy transported are Their bodyes heere in heauen their better part 105. Although they cannot long enioy that glory Till after death the end of all restraintes But then they shall contemplate the whole Story Of all Gods Attributes with all his Saints 106. And vnderstand one God in Persons three Vnitiâ—g that which seemes so far asunder Whome eu'n the Angells tremble when they see No trembling of base feare but of high wonder 107. Where God is faine to giue a speciall grace To keep mans soule from melting with delight In whose comparison the withered face Of worldly thinges though great doth vanish quite 108. Looke vp to Heauens high vaute consider right The Starres so bigge though they so small appeare The Sunne except this instant swolne with light Yet voyd of heate although it heate men heere 109. Looke on the earth and wonder at her seate See how the Sea moates in her fortresse faire Which though it be a Masse so hugely great Hath no foundation but vnstable ayre 110. Behold her garments wrought with curious cost With bushes purld with streames of siluer last With flowres imbrodered with faire woods embost Buttond with hilles which bind it all so fast 111. This on her backe she weares but in her wombe Rich mettalls are and Iewells beyond price Which lye inter'd as in a regall tombe Till men do rayse them vp by strang deuise 112. All this God made and made man Lord of all And of himselfe by giuing him Freewill A Memory and wit Imperiall An Vnderstanding both of good and ill 113. A soule that might the seate of Vertues be Of Iustice Temperance Prudence Strength of mind A hand which with extreme facility Acts that which is by buisiest braynes designd 114. A curious knot of senses Hearing Smell Sight Tast and Touch which men so much adore These are but patternes which may serue to tell Of richer wares that God layes vp in store 115. For if his Foot-stoole and the world is such Be so inricht what is his Princely throne And if mans miseryes do shine so much VVhat shall his glory do God knowes alone 116. And man may say no more therof but this That when he hath deuisd the most he can The world to come as far excelling is As God immortall doth exceed frayle man 117. But thou though fraile be not so fondly bent As to destroy thy soule to flatter sense And sell a Crowne of glory permanent For trash which yet thou canst not carry hence 118. For heere all dyes with thee thy sinnes excepted And that which followes sinne eternall paines For hauing so preposterously neglected A Sunne so full to choose a Moone that wanes 119. How much more noble were it since thou art Composd of Beast and Angell to procure Thy flesh to do her homage to that part Which is superiour incorrupt and pure 120. So shalt thou grow like God thy heauenly Father And suffering heere with me with me shalt raigne Thou shalt receaue the Holy Ghost or rather Be fild top full with showres of his sweet raine 121. That spotles Virgin will behould thy state As tender Mother doth her deerest Sonne The Angell that attends thee will relate The glorious course that thou beginst to runne 122. Thou shalt be bidden to a dayly feast By thy good Conscience which all plenty bringes And thy faire soule from sinnefull flesh releast Shall mount to Heauen vpon bright Angells winges 123. This not for need that I inuite thee so For know my glory will as brightly shine In thy damnation to eternall woe As in the sauing of that soule of thyne 124. My loue alone did force me to descend Into this Nothing Loue the loadstone is Which makes the iron rod of Iustice bend To mercy pardoning all thou dost amisse 125. And so I aske no retribution But only Loue and if thou graunt not this Tigers may teach thee more compassion And softnes flint for thy hart harder is 126. Such speach thou wouldst nay such thou didst impart Not to mine eares for then thou wert growne domme And I was deafe but to my sinnefull hart Then take this answere which from thence doth come 127. Deare Lord I graunt that thou all reason hast And I should rage in Hell who thus neglect Of thy still present loue the pledges past To which my soule doth owe supreme respect 128. Wretch that I am I want not grace to know The endles obligation I am in The little that I pay the much I owe To thy deare Passion that huge price of sinne 129. But all this knowledge of what I should do Detects me of vnkindnes so much more Because myne actions do not sute therto Which are as cold and careles as before 130. My tast my touch my smell myne eares myne eyes I graunt were giuen for scouts who might fetch home A ladder by the which my soule should rise From creatures to the loue of thee alone 131. The facultyes and powers of my Mind Myne Vnderstanding Will and Memory I graunt were lent as lockes and keyes to bind My hart to know and loue and thinke on thee 132. All these thy mercyes and a million more I haue mispent and with the selfe same armes Which thou hadst willed me to keep in store For my defence I did my soule most harmes 133. So that they are not my foule sinnes alone Which strike me with a sad remorse of mind But eu'n thy mercyes to such height are growne As that in them more cause of feare I find 134. For how can I to whome thou giu'st such grace As would haue serud