veniam delictorum in te beatissima nostrorum est expectatio praemiorum Sancta Maria succurre miseris juva pusillanimes refove flebiles ora pro populo interveni pro clero c. By the let every thing be excused easily which we being in by thee and easily obtained which we request with a faithfull Mind Accept what we offer give us what we ask excuse what we fear for thou art the only Hope of Sinners By then we hope for the Pardon of our Offenses and in thy blessed Self is our Expectation of being rewarded O holy Mary succour the Miserable help the Faint-hearted refresh those that mourn pray for the People intercede for the Clergy c. The late Contemplator has invited us to celebrate her Nativity in this manner p. 50. The Praise Hail Mary full of Grace our Lord is with thee c. The Hymn The morning Star doth spread its Ray The Sun e'er long will make clear Day Welcome great Mary Herald of Peace Rich Spring of Grace which never cease This new-born Light which chears our Earth Sums the Worlds Blessings in her Birth God's Mother is this Day reveal'd Heav'ns Treasures are in her unseal'd Glory be to Jesus and Mary As it was is and ever shall be Amen Anaph Who is she that cometh forth as the Dawning of the Day beautiful as the Moon chosen as the Sun Psalm 44. My Heart shall power forth Words of Joy because Mary the Mother of Jesus is born Above all Women beautiful is Mary Grace is spread through her Soul. Rejoice triumph and Advance for thou art amiable and acceptable to God our King. Justice Truth and Meekness are thy Ornaments the Hand of God hath wrought them in thee Every Creature shall bless the Hour of thy Birth because Jesus covets thy Beauty Anth. Who is she Vers Mary the Mother of Jesus is born Resp Let Heavens and Earth sing forth her Praise Let us Pray Grant unto us thy Servants O Lord thy Gifts of heavenly Grace that the Birth of holy Mary may increase our Acceptableness unto thee since thy Son Jesus who was born of her is the Beginning of our Salvation through the same Jesus Christ our Lord Amen This is but an ill and disguised Translation of the former Collect Famulis tuis quaeiumus Domine c. SECT II. Concerning the blessed Virgin 's Nativity and the Circumstances of her Birth with Remarks thereupon AS we have hitherto found a great many bold Assertions obtruded on us without any cogent Proof so the Reader must expect the same Entertainment still and it cannot well be otherwise where both Scripture and ancient genuine Authorities are wholly silent as they are in the Things that concern her Nativity There are indeed Prophecies in the holy Bible concerning her but not as she is the Daughter of Anne but the Mother of Jesus not to tell us how she was conceived and born but that a Virgin should conceive and the Holy one should be born of her Even the Verses we now have of the pretended Sibylls say very little more than that of her But the Men of this Church cannot be contented and at rest till they have filled every Stage of her Life with Wonder and Miracle So they have done here in her Birth the Circumstances whereof they make as glorious as possible may be and to run parallel in most things with those that are related of our Saviour The oft-cited bold Jesuit a Pozae Elucidar l. 2. trac 6. p. 494. thinks it not enough to call her what the Scripture calls the Messiah The Desire of all Nations but he adds That this Woman was in their Wishes before her Son though he was much more noble and necessary for Mankind Abraham rejoiced to see the Day of Christ he saw it and was glad but long before Abraham Adam and Eve rejoiced to see the Day of Mary they saw it and were glad Wherein he is seconded by another of his Society b J. Bonifacius de vit mirac B. Virginis l. 1. c. 5. saying We ought to believe that Adam foresaw this Nativity to the rejoicing of his Heart So did Seth too if you will believe the Relation of J. Gerbrandus c Chronic. Belgic l. 31. c. 26. who tells us that in the Year 1374. Sibylla Queen of Hungary causing Workmen to dig in the Valey of Jehosaphat they found a Tomb made of Brick with a Body in it entire over whose Head was a Tablet with this Inscription in Hebrew Characters I Seth the Third born Son of Adam believe in Jesus Christ the Son of God and in the Virgin Mary his Mother who shall come from my Loins A very likely Story Much of the same Nature and Credit with that which is mentioned by Aquinas d Summa Theol. in 2. secundae qu. 2. art 7. of an Inscription upon a Plate of Gold found in a Tomb which prophesied thus Christ shall be born of a Virgin and I believe in him O Suâ— thou shalt see me again about the time of Irene and Constantine Or like that Table which J. Boniface e Lib. citat 2. p. 137. relates out of Cassinaeus That in the Sepulchre of Plato was a Plate of Gold found with this written on it I believe in Christ who shall be born of a Virgin suffer for Mankind and rise again the Third Day Neither will these Prophecies suffice unless Miracles also prepare her Way and accompany her into the World. Baroxius f Apparat. ad Annal. n. 40. is contented to tell us in general That great Things and altogether admirable such as cannot worthily be express'd did precede the Birth of Mary the Mother of God And every one that questions this he brands for a Man of a narrow Soul and for one out of his Wits And his Reason for it is very admirable Because we know that great and strange Things went before the Birth of Sampson and Samuel Jeremiah and John the Baptist and who can think so abjectly and meanly of God or be so mad as to affirm That he did greater Things and was more liberal to his Servants than to his Mother to the Friends of the Bridegroom than to his Spouse Or if you will to the Handmaid rather than to the Lady for in the Language of another Cardinal g Bonaventure in Speculo c. 1. Every faithful Soul is a Handmaid of the Virgin nay more even the Vniversal Church it self If the Cardinal had been speaking of the Graces that were necessary to make her beloved of God or necessary to her Salvation his Reasoning might have been allowed but speaking of Gifts the gratiae gratis datae as the Schools speak which are measured by no Rule but only the Pleasure of God who gives them as he thinks fit being at perfect Liberty herein both as to the Kind and the Degree it is great Presumption to argue and reason from what has been done for one to what will be done
Love of God and in Honour of the immaculate Conception of the blessed Virgin. And Cap. 3. a Garment pallium of a blue Colour is decreed to be used to signify that the Soul of the Virgin from her first Creation was altogether Holy and Celestial This Pope also granted great Indulgences l Wadding ibid. p. 220. as Leo X. did the like after him to Persons of both Sexes that in Devotion carried the Image of the Conception on their Breast Temples and Altars are erected to the Memory of the same and Pope Julius II. Pope Adrian VI. Pope Gregory XIII and other Popes have granted plenary Indulgences in favour of the immaculate Conception and Pius V. m Id. ibid. p. 222. when he reformed the Breviary and took away some Feasts yet required that of the Conception to be kept by the whole Church and moreover gave Liberty to the Franciscans to recite the proper and old Office of the Conception So that although they have not got of their Father what they have so long desired yet he has done something for them and they are very jocund upon it and full of Consolation as the Language of one of them proclaims it n Sherlog Anteloquium in Cantic Sec. 2. p. 114. who thus breaks out O blessed Virgin I give immortal Thanks to thy Son That the Days are come in which none dare so much as mutter that thou wast conceived in original Sin. Oh! how many Friends of thine have cryed to Heaven with Groans unutterable to see that Day and could not see it but thy poor Servant has seen it seen it indeed and it has greatly gladded him But who has so steelly a Breast that will not be softened none doubtless unless it be the hard-hearted Pope who cannot relent when all the World conspires to assert the Innocency of the Virgins Soul for as to the Integrity of her Body none of the Orthodox ever doubted it If after all this Stir about the immaculate Conception any one be so curious as to ask in what manner we are to conceive the blessed Virgin 's Preservation from original Sin to have been effected They have Answers ready The last named Jesuit o Idem in Cantic c. 1. v. 8. p. 347. is of Opinion That when God made the Covenant with Adam he made him the Head of all Mankind and wrapt up their Fates and Wills in his only with a particular Exception of one Creature and that only in one Case viz. If his Son should require such a Creature for his Mother for then it was not his Intention that the Will of that Creature in order to sinful Actions or the loss of Grace should be included in the Will of Adam Others who as Bernardine p Marial ser 9. p. 105. See also Galatinus de arcan lib. 7. c. 3. says speculate the Matter more devoutly think that the Seed out of which the blessed Virgin was to be conceived was virtually preserved by God in the Loins of Adam from all Infection and transmitted through all Generations to her without any Stain of which immaculate Seed she was conceived most pure and immaculate And he says this is touched upon by the Psalmist Psal 89. where God says according to the vulgar Latin I have sworn to David my Servant That I will prepare thy Seed for ever and build thy Seat from Generation to Generation SECT V. Concerning the Feast of the Virgin Mary's Conception THere is nothing remains to be considered under this Head of the Blessed Virgin 's Conception save only the Institution of the Feast on Decemb. 8. in Memory and Honour of it Bellarmine q De cultu Sanctor l. 3. c. 16. confesses ingenuously That some of the Feasts of the blessed Virgin are new and of a late Institution For the Feast of her Nativity begun says he in the time of S. Bernard but was not publickly received by the whole Church till after the Decree of Sixtus IV. in Extravaganti cum praeexcelsa that is Anno 1476. Petrus de Natalibus r Catalog Sanctor lib. 1. c. 41. when he wrote which was in the same Age says That this Feast was not kept by a general Institution of the Church but by the special Devotion of some Persons It is a ridiculous Story that is told us by Galatinus s De arcan l. 7. c. 5. out of I know not what Martyrology of J. Damascen That the blessed Virgin is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pure before her Conception Though Canisius t L. 1. de deip c. 7. is not ashamed to mention it after him Baronius u Ad Martyr Rom. Dec. 8. and Bozius x De sign Eccles l. 9. c. 8. would give it the Credit of some Antiquity a Greek Oration of Leo VI. Emperor about the Year 886. upon the Solemnity of the Virgin 's Conception extant in Manuscript in the Sfortian Library But J. Bapt. Thiers y De Fest dierum imminutione c. 17 18. p. 90 96. who has throughly examined this matter of Festivals can find no mention of it among the Greeks before the Constitution of the Emperor Eman. Comnenus Ann. 1166. In some particular Churches of the West it began to be observed a little earlier and the forwardest we meet with in celebrating of it were in England though upon very slight grounds and such as give it no Authority For the Institution of it there depended upon very questionable Revelations such as agree not well among themselves and some of them so ridiculous as to spoil their own Credit together with that which depends on them The Story which is most generally received as that which gave Rise to this Feast is told us by Pet. de Natalibus z Catal. Sanctorum ubi supra concerning S. Anselm whilst he was Prior in Normandy before he was Arch-Bishop of Canterbury That he sailing to the Parts of Britany as he was returning a great Tempest put the Ship in extreamest Danger so that despairing of Safety they betook themselves to the Help of God and the blessed Virgin and on the suddain one cloathed in the Habit of a Bishop came towards the Ship walking upon the Waters and calling for Anselm told him that if he would escape the Danger he must promise him before God that he would yearly keep the Feast of the blessed Virgin 's Conception and perswade all he could to do the same informing him that â—s Day of her Conception was the Sixth of the Ides of December and that the Office to be said on that Day should be the same with the Office of the Nativity only changing the Name of Nativity into Conception When Anselm enquired who he was that brought this Message he told him he was Nicholas the Bishop and that he was sent by the Mother of God 〈◊〉 reveal this to them and to deliver them Ansaâ—… 〈…〉 to do as he was commanded and confirmed it 〈…〉 upon which the Tempest immediately
ceâ—sing 〈…〉 Wind blowing they came safe to Shore Thus the 〈…〉 was first begun to be kept in S. Anselm's Monastery 〈◊〉 â—…terwards in the Church of Canterbury when he was 〈…〉 thither That Anselm was the First that instituted this Feast iâ— England is acknowledged by Simon Mepham a Vid. Thiers loc citat p. 323. who 〈◊〉 provincial Synod at London Am. 1328. made a Constitution to observe it treading in the Steps of his Predecessor Venerable Anselm who says he superadded this Feast to those of blessed Mary that were more ancient Jacobus de Voragine b Lombard Hist c. 188. Which the old Roman Missal shows was the current Tradition cited by Balingham Peruas Mar. p 27. Triforme prodigium odoceâ—â—…fficium probat hoc 〈◊〉 justum esse Do◠〈◊〉 afragium Sacerâ—…a 〈◊〉 Levita refugium 〈…〉 his Notes upon it mentions Three other Revelations requiring this Feast to be observed The First of which is the very same for Substance with the former only it is dated somewhat before it and the Names are different For he makes it to be in the time of William the Conqueror about the Year 1070. and the Person to whom the Apparition was when the Tempest threatned Shipwrack to be one Helsinus others call him Elpinus the Abbot of Ramsey the rest agrees with what was set down before The Second Revelation or Apparition is this In the Days of Charles no body knows which King of France there was a Clerk a Kinsman of his a great lover of the blessed Virgin and one who daily read her Hours devoutly who by the Advice of his Parents consenting to marry with a fair and noble maid and receiving the nuptial Benediction from a Priest after Mass was ended he remembred that he had not read that Day the Ladies Hours wherefore making all go out of the Church and sending his Spouse home he read the Lady's Hours hard by the Altar and when he repeated that Antiphona Thou art fair and comely O daughter of Jerusalem suddenly the blessed Virgin appeared between Two Angels with Christ in her Arms saying to him If I be so fair and comely wherefore is it that thou leavest me and takest another Spouse Am not I fairer than she is Hast thou seen any so fair He made Answer O my Lady thy Brightness excels all the Beauty of the World thou art elevated above the Quâ—… of Angels what wouldest thou have me to do She aâ—…ed if thou wilt forgo thy carnal Spouse for my Love 〈◊〉 shalt â—…ve me for thy Spouse in the celestial Kingdom and if thou wilt solemnly celebrate the Feast of my Conception yearly upon the Sixth of the Ides of December and preach the Celebration of it thou shalt be crowned with 〈…〉 of my Son after which Words the 〈…〉 of Christ vanished The Clerk refusing to return 〈…〉 in another Country and after a short 〈…〉 he was made the Patriarch of Aquilegia and carefully celebrated the Feast of her Conception and ordained it to be kept yearly The Third Revelation is a scandalous Story of a Priest a devout Worshipper of the Virgin that used to sing her Hours who after he had been committing Adultery with another Mans Wife entered into a Vessel to pass over the River Sâ—…e and as he sailed sung the Virgin 's Hours and when he came to these Words Ave Maria gratia plena being in the midst of the River a company of Devils overturned the Vessel and drowned him carrying his Soul to Torments On the Third Day the blessed Virgin with a company of Saints came to the place where the Devils tormented him and said to them Why do you so unjustly punish the Soul of my Servant They answered W◠〈…〉 â—…ve him for he was taken doing our Work. The Virgin replied If they ought to have him whose Woâ—…â—e was imployed in then he is mine for when you drowned him he was seing my Mattins so that you are guilty of Injustice to me When she had said this the Devils fled away and she restored his Soul to his Body and taking him by the Arm commanded the Waters to stand as a Wall on the right hand and left and so brought him from the Bottom safe to his Harbourâ— Who falling down at her Feet and asking her what Return he should make for her Kindness She desired him for the future to have a care of committing Adultery and both to keep himself and exhort others to keep the Feast of her Conception upon the eighth of December Upon the saying which he saw her asâ—…d into Heaven and he led ever after a Hermit's Life telling what had befel him and doing as he was commanded We are also told c Raynaudus ubi supra p. 135. out of the Acts of S. Oringa alias Christiana who died in Etruria An. 1310. how this Feast was celebrated in Heaven being made known to her by a Revelation For she was rapt up in an Ecstasy into Heaven and saw the blessed Virgin sitting on a bright Throne by her Son cloathed in a most precious Garment with all the Saints rejoicing about her and keeping a solemn Feast Oringa admiring the Cause of all this and the whiteness of the Garment wherein the mother of God shone Christ himself gave her an account of it That on that Day they kept in Heaven the Feast of her immaculate Conception who remaining a Virgin conceived and bore him who is the true God and Man and that the whiteness of her Garment denoted the Prerogative of her singular Innocency Now what slender Credit is to be given to these Stories of Apparitions and Revelations S. Bernard will tell us who it seems himself had met with them and treats them very coursly in his Epistle to the Canons of Lyons d Epist 174. They produce a Writing of heavenly Revelation as they call it As if any one might not in like manner produce a Writing in which the Virgin seem'd to command the same thing sc the observing a Feast for her Parents according to Gods Command saying Honour thy Father and thy Mother Little did he imagine that Joachim and Anne should have had a Festival appointed for them when he wrote this which was not then thought of I am not apt to be moved by such Writings which are neither back'd with Reason nor favoured by certain Authority And it 's very observable that the Credit of this Feast decayed in a little time even here in England where it was first observed For in a Council held by Stephen Langton Arch-Bishop at Oxford An. 1222. it was ordered e Concil Labbetom 11. part 1. p. 274. That all the Feasts of blessed Mary should be kept except the Feast of the Conception for the celebrating of which no Necessity is imposed In this Council it is left at Liberty and in another Synod a while after at Worcester An. 1240. under Walter de Cantilupo the Bishop there where the Feasts of his Diocess are mentioned this is left
ore Funda nos in pace Mutans Evae nomen Solve vincla reis Profer lumen caecis Mala nostra pelle Bona cuncta posce Monstra te esse matrem Sumat per te preces Qui pro nobis natus Tulit esse tuus Virgo singularis Inter omnes mitis Nos culpis solutos Mites fac castos Vitam praesta puram Iter para tutum Ut videntes Jesum Semper collaetemur Sit laus Deo patri Summo christo decus Spiritui sancto Tribus honor unus Amen All hail Star of the Sea Gods Mother clear and bright The happy Gate of Bliss And still in Virgins plight Receiving that all hail Ave Which Gabriel's Mouth did give Establish us in Peace Changing the Name of Eve. The Guilties Bands unbind Blind Men their Sight assure Ill things from us expel All Good for us procure A Mother shew thy self He take our Plaints by thee Who being for us born Vouchsaf'd thy Son to be O rarest Virgin pure Meekest of all that wast Discharged of our Sin Make thou us meek and chast Grant that our Life be pure Make safe for us the way That while we Jesus see Our Joy may last for ay To God the Father Praise To Christ high Worship be And to the Holy Ghost One Honour unto three Amen Oratio Famulis tuis quaesumus Domine coelestis gratiae munus impertire ut quibus beatae virgins partus extitit salutis exordium Nativitatis ejus votive solemnitas pacis tribuat incrementum Per Dominum A Prayer O Lord we pray thee bestow upon thy Servants the Gift of heavenly Grace that as the blessed Virgin 's Birth has been to us the beginning of Salvation so the vowed Solemnity of her Nativity may afford to us increase of Peace Through our Lord. Lect. 1. Cantic Canticor Osculetur me osculo oris sui quia meliora sunt ubera tua vino c. Resp Hodie nata est beata virgo maria ex progenie David per quam salus mundi credentibus apparuit cujus vita gloriosa lucem dedit saeculo Let him kiss me with the kisses of his Mouth for thy Breasts are better than Wine c. R. To day was born the blessed Virgin Mary of the Progeny of David by whom the Saviour of the World appeared to Believers whose glorious Life gave Light to the World. Resp Beatissimae virginis Mariae Nativitatem devotissimè celebremus ut ipsa pro nobis intercedat ad Dominum Jesum Christum After the Second Lesson Resp Let us most devoutly celebrate the Nativity of the most blessed Virgin Mary that she may intercede for us with our Lord Jesus Christ Resp Ora pro populo interveni pro clero intercede pro devoto foemineo sexu Sentiant omnes tuum juvamen quicunque celebrant tuam sanctam nativitatem After the Eighth Lesson Resp Pray for the People intervene for the Clergy intercede for the devout Female Sex let all those perceive thy Help whosoever celebrate thy holy Nativity Ad Laudes Anaph Regali ex progenie maria exorta refulget cujus precibus nos adjuvari mente spiritu devotissimè poscimus Mary arising from a royal Stock shines brightly we beg with the greatest Devotion of Mind and Spirit to be helped by her Prayers Thus translated in the Latin and English Office forenamed Hymnus O Gloriosa Virginum Sublimis inter sidera Qui te creavit parvulum Lactante nutris ubere Quod Heva tristis abstulit Tu reddis almo germine Intrent ut astra flebiles Coeli recludis cardines Tu regis alti janua Et aula lucis fulgida Vitam datam per Virginem Gentes redemptte plaudite O Virgin set in Glory great Among the Stars in high degree Whose Breasts when he was yet a Child Gave Suck to him that formed thee By thy fair Blossom thou restor'dst That which sad Eve away had given That wailing Wights might mount the Stars Thou hast set ope the Gates of Heaven The Gate thou art of the high King The Port of Light that glisters clear Since Life was given by a Maid Let freed Men shew joyful cheer On the Ninth of September the Second Day after the Octave of blessed Mary 's Nativity we have these Three Lessons taken out of the 18. Sermo de Sunctis attributed to S. Austin though certainly none of his Lect. 4. Exultat Maria matrem se laeta miratur de spiritu sancto se peperisse gaudet Nec quin pepetit innupta terrecur sed quia genuerit cum exultatione miratur O foemina super foeminas benedicta quae viâ—…m mâ—iâ—o non novit virum â—uo 〈◊〉 dircâ—…dedit 〈◊〉 â—…am Maria Angâ—… 〈◊〉 â—ando quin Hâ—va perâ—…dit virum serpâ—…i conâ—… to 〈◊〉 â—…entia O 〈…〉 qâ—e dum fidem 〈…〉 dedit coeli in fe opiâ—coâ—…â—ncorpotavit Hinc promeâ— uit glâ—…m quam ipsa postmodum hausit Ecce ait 〈◊〉 hoc beaâ—… me dicent omnes generationes Mary câ—…ults and joyfully admires to see her self a Mother and is glad she was with Child by the Holy Spirit Neither was she frighted that she was with Child being unmarried but she wondred with Exultation that she had begot a Child O woman blessed above all Women who never knew a Man and yet encompassed a Man in her Womb Mary compassed a Man by giving credit to the Angel as Eve destroyed Man by consenting to the Serpent O happy Obedience O remarkable Grace Who while she humbly consented did incorporate the Maker of Heaven within her self Hence she merited the Glory which she afterwards gained Behold says she from henceforth all Generations shall call me blessed Lect. 5. O beata Maria quis tibi dignè valeat jura gratiarum ac laudum praeconia rependere quae singulari tuo assensu Mundo succurristi perdito Quas tibi laudes fragilitas humani generis persolvat quae solo tuo commercio recuperandi aditum inventi Accipe itaque quascunque exiles quafcunque Meritis tuis impares gratiarum actiones Et cùm susceperis vota culpas nostras orando excusa Admitte preces nostras intra Sacrarium exauditionis reporta nobis antidotum reconciliationis O blessed Mary who is able to make worthy Returns of Thanks and Praises to thee who by thy singular Consent did'st succour the lost World What Praises can the Frailty of humane Nature pay to thee who only by thy commerce hast found a Passage to our Recovery Accept therefore our Thanksgivings though never so poor and unsuitable to your Merits And when you shall receive our Devotions by your Prayers excuse our Faults Admit our Prayers within the holy Place of your Audience and bring back to us the Antidote of Reconciliation Lect. 6. Sit per te excusabile quod per te ingerimus fiat impetrabile quod fida mente poscimus Accipe quod offerimus redona quod rogamus excusa quod timemus quia tu es spes unica peccatorum Per te speramus
for another Because God may deny that for secret Reasons of his own to one which he may bestow upon another And thus for Instance he may resolve to make Sampson's Birth Conspicuous by a Miracle and to conceal that of the blessed Virgin and therefore work none when she was born Not that I affirm that he did not but that he not having told us that he did no Man can reason unless he were as Wise as God or a Privy-Councellor of Heaven that God must do it or if he does not that he is too sparing where he ought to be more liberal in his Donations And I am afraid upon these Principles and Arguings we shall have but a sorry Account why the Apostles that were but Servants had the Power given not only of doing the same Works that the Son of God did but greater than those which we are sure is true because Christ foretold it or why this blessed Mother did not work greater Miracles than any of the Apostles which we are sure she did not but ought to have had such a Power given her by the said Reasoning of the Cardinal However he was so wise as not to mention in particular any Miracle at her Birth as well knowing that none could be produced unless he made use of those fabulous Authors to vouch for them which he had before discarded But we have a Jesuit h Poza ib. l. 2. tract 7. c. 1. to help him out even here also who seldom fails at a dead Lift whose Fancy and Invention is so pregnant that he can accommodate any wonderful Story to his Purpose For Josephus i Antiq. 15. cap. 14. mentioning a Tradition That all the time Herod's Temple was a building which he makes to be about Eight Years it never rained on the day-time but all Showers fell by Night that the Work might not be Interrupted he takes the Story for granted only what Josephus thought was ordered for the Service of the Temple he forsooth will have these Nights-showers to fall in honour of the Virgin whom he would have to be born at this time and to give it some Colour heaps up a deal of forced and metaphorical Stuff concerning her not deserving to be mentioned He also k Id. ib. c. 2. hooks in that Miracle S. John mentions Chap. 5. of healing at the Pool of Bethesda This Wonder he will have no body knows why to happen in the Month of September when the blessed Virgin was born and having found in some Authors that Joachim had a House by that Pool and that she was born there he presently concludes that this Miracle was yearly iterated in honour of her Birth and he thinks it first began at the time when she was born and that the Virtue that was in it to cure the Sick and Impotent that were let down into it was contracted ex vicinia hujus domus by its Neighbourhood to this House He finds also a Mystery in it l Ibid. c. 7. That she washes away our Filth like that Pool and was born there to shew how tender her Care is of Sinners We are further informed m Barnard de Bust Maria l. p. 2. ser 3. That a numerous Multitude of Blessed Angels at the time of her Birth out of every Order did descend from Heaven and with ravishing Musick of all sorts played the Spouse of the eternal King into the World singing sweet Songs of ineffable Melody For thus because we read that Angels with their Songs of Praise ushered our Saviour into the World we must believe that they performed the same Office to his Mother also at her Birth Nay Poza n Ib. l. 2. tract 5. c. 3. would have us think that not only Angels Songs and Harmony were then heard but that all other Creatures testified their Joys Because they were all renewed by Mary to their pristine State and Condition I suppose he means before the Fall. Pelbartus o Stellar l. 5. p. 2. art 2. c. 9. tells us out of one Theophilus no doubt an ancient and authentick Historian That on the Day of Mary's Nativity the Sun shone twice as bright as he was wont and on that Night the Moon shone almost as bright as the Sun and that cloudiness that darkens her Face for a time did not appear from the Day of her Birth I suppose he means to the next new Moon but it shewed like one great bright Star about the middle of the lunar Globe This Miracle had been better calculated for the Day of her Conception especially that of the Moon having no Spots for then it would have admirably declared that the blessed Virgin whom they call the Queen of Heaven and the mystical Moon p Max. Sandaeus Entitles his Book of the Virgin Luna Mystica had no Spot or Stain of original Sin in her Conception As for the Year when she was born they give us a formal Account of that too for thus Chr. Ã Castro q Hist deip c. 2. p. 85. has summ'd it up She was born September 8. on the Fourteenth day of the Moon on a Saturday because the Dominical Letter on that Year was G. Fifteen Years before Christ was born on the Fourth Year of the 190 Olympiad 738 Years from the building of Rome L. Domitius and P. Corn. Scipio being Consuls 27. Years from the first Consulship of Augustus from the Victory at Actium 15. in the Eighteenth Year of Herod the King from the beginning of the World 4073 c. Baronius sets it r Apparat ad Annal. n. 48. one Year sooner If you ask how they came to know this so exactly I answer it depends chiefly upon this Supposition That the Virgin was Fifteen Years of Age when Christ was born And how know they that I am sure not by Baronius's Reason s Ibid. n. 47. That it was the Custom of the Jews to marry their Daughters when they were adult for that concludes no more for her being Fifteen than Fourteen or Sixteen Years of Age Nor by the Testimonies of any of the Ancients of undoubted Authority for all that he produces for it is only a Fragment in Nicephorus t Eccles hist l. 2. c. 3. of Euodius Bishop of Antioch and Successor to the Apostles in an Epistle of his called Lumen though the Cardinal confesses that he never met with any ancient Writer that took notice of such a Work of his and if any one examine it as we may have occasion afterwards he will find it plainly to be a Counterfeit or as Bishop Mountague u Acts Monum c. 8. p. 535. censures it That it was never the Issue of any of the Children of Light but the misbegotten and misborn Changeling of an heretical Father But still if all this were granted about the Year it makes nothing for the Month and Day of her Nativity which still remains as uncertain as before In this they must be beholden to Ecclesiastical
confirm it were wrought by the Devil who by God's Permission healed some Infirmities upon invoking the immaculate Conception that so he that was Filthy might be Filthy still After many such Charges which may be seen in the History he produced the Testimonies of Two hundred and sixty famous Doctors who were against it This Work of Bandelis which was in many Hands that made ill use of it the Embassador urged that it might by an Edict be put among the Catalogue of prohibited Books But the Pope made answer That the Constitution of Sixtus IV. which begins Grave nimis c. was sufficient After this the Embassador put in a Sixth Paper P. 149. to prove that the Difference of the Adversaries in celebrating the Feast of the Conception was not to be tolerated and that it was fit they should be commanded to celebrate it unanimously with the universal Church The Pope returned that he had often dealt about it and desired that this Mystery might be equally celebrated by all but it was always answered by the Maculists That they did the same with others under the Name of Her Sanctification not Conception which comprehended all Whereupon in a Seventh Speech P. 172. the Orator endeavoured to show That the Catholick Church in the Feast of the Blessed Virgin 's Conception did now and always intend nothing else thereby than to celebrate her Preservation from original Sin so that in no Instant she was actually subject to it The Pope said he did not doubt of this that the Church intended by their Worship of the Conception to profess that Mary was preserved from original Sin but it was better in this turbulent and calaâ—…tions State of the Empâ—re to study and endeavour Peace at Home than by iniâ—…ing to beget intestine Broils Notwithstanding this Answer â—he Embassador offered an Eighth Paper P. 201. to show how great the Iâ—…ity was between the Opinions and that an Opinion which 〈◊〉 time was probable at another time might 〈…〉 improbable That Truths do not appear all at 〈…〉 but some are reserved for every Age That many 〈◊〉 â—…nted dubious by the Ancients are now look'd upon as certain and unquestionable such as the Validity of the baptism of Hereticks the seeing the divine Essence before the 〈◊〉 of Judgment That Angels are incorporâ—… and 〈…〉 â—…ned lately created by God and such like 〈…〉 applied to this Matter of the Conception which though it was not so clear in the Ages before yet after the Appearance of Scotus about the Year 1300. who opened the Controversy with all Accuteness the Maculist's Opinion did 〈◊〉 and the Contrary ever after got Ground of it After this he endeavoured to prove his own Opinion about the immaculate Conception by various Reasons too large to be repeated The Pope made Answer P. 234. That he acknowledged the great Probability of the Immaculist's Opinion and that its State and Terms were better but the Adversaries still maintained That theirs still kept its Place and had not lost all Probability nor that the pious Opinion was so undoubted and irrefragable that for its Sake the Contrary should be exploded Nay they further added That if it should come to a Definition which some say is impossible that the Sentence must needs go on their Side because of the Authority of the Scripture the Doctors and S. Thomas nor that it could at least ought not be carried for the Pious one The Embassador not being yet satisfied he adds a Ninth Treatise P. 236. to prove that the Controversy concerning the Virgin Mary's Conception might be ended by a definitive Sentence of the Church and that no other Sentence but for her immaculate Conception could be propounded by the Church with certainty of Faith and gave many Reasons to shew the Expediency of doing it as soon as might be The Pope reply'd P. 289. That there was no need of Arguments to prove that the Controversy was capable of Decision he knew well how much he was able to do in it neither did he doubt of his Power but of the Conveniency and Necessity of defining it That this was by no means a fit Season for the Examination and exact Determination of this Matter Thus things stood whilst this Embassador managed them P. 291. But when by reason of this Delay of the Pope in defining to which he could not be brought by all these repeated Urgings the Differences in Spain increased daily the King chose a more illustrious Embassador the Duke Abuquerquius and sent him to Rome Where the first thing he met with was a Complaint P. 295. That the Master of the Sacred Palace had prohibited the making any more Medals of the Conception and confiscated those which he found made These Medals had been coined for the Spaniards and on one side had the Image of the Body of Christ and of the Chalice with this Inscription Alabado fia el santissimo Sacramento That is Let the most holy Sacrament be praised On the other side was an Hieroglyphick Image of the immaculate Conception 〈…〉 Fâ—…s's Cord a This is 〈…〉 the Indulgences at 〈…〉 holy Bull of the Craâ—…o 〈◊〉 by Gregory XIII and approved by the Inquisition dated a Lisâ—on 1588. Apr. 6. viz. The Image of the Virgin in Metal cloathed with the Sun-Beams eâ—…ed with Stars with the Moon at her Fecâ— and the Cord of S. Francis round about 〈…〉 peccato original 〈…〉 original Sin. This th◠〈◊〉 comâ—…ed of to the Pope and his Dutchesâ— humbly begged that there might be Leave granted to 〈◊〉 and disperse them as formerly He referred to Matter to Cardinal Gobellatius who after often 〈◊〉 told them That he thought their Desire could be granted together with Indulgences if these Words piè creditur it is piously believed P. 30â— were allowed to the former Inscription to prevent the Mistake of the People and the Fear of the Adversaries that it might not 〈…〉 that the Matter was define for the 〈…〉 Opinion exploded This the Embassador upon 〈…〉 would not consent to but insisted that in Favour of the Dutchess the Medals might be allowed without Exception But nothing was further done in it The former Embassador having received Letters from the King for his Return before he departed he presented two or three Tractates to the Pope P. 335. The one was about Revelations especially those of S. Briget which he desâ—…ded against the Adversaries and endeavoured to lessen the Authority of those of S. Catharine of Sena And then applied himself to the Pope exhorting him to make an End of the Difference urging him with the Defâ—…ons of other Pope which rely'd upon Revelation 〈◊〉 Aâ— for Instance Pope Pius I. defined the Controversy on what Day Easter was to be kept moved by a Revelation made to Friar Hermes Vrban IV. instituted the Festival of Corpus Christi Day upon an Instinct and Revelation reade to a certain Woman Who also decreed Paul the Hermit to be a Saint
and to be invocâ—…â—…ly because Anthony the Abbot reported as S. Jerome sayâ— that he saw his Soul fly up to Heaven and 〈◊〉 Sanctity was revealed to him The Feast also of Michael the Archangel was instituted upon the Testimony of the Bishop of Sipoâ—…es and certain rude Neat-herds concerning an Appoâ—tion 〈…〉 Mount Garganus and then concludes pathetically P. 373. O blessed Father speaking to the Pope pity the Calamities and remove the Contentions of Christian People Be at length overcome by the Catholick King 's Prayers for the pacifying of his Kingdoms Remember how much better it is That the Orthodox should contest with the insulting Hereticks when they are united than oppose and rend one another Take away this troublesom Doubt by one Word and compose this dangerous Controversy by thy last Sentence But he might as well have said all this to the Winds and had as good an Answer Another Paper he put in P. 375. to show that the Pope was bound by his Office to provide a timely Remedy for these great and growing Scandals arising from the Liberty of opining in this Controversy of the Blessed Virgin 's Conception and the tolerating the Maculist's Opinion In which he shewed out of approved Authors and authentick proceedings of Courts how these Scandals had been notorious and continued notwithstanding all that had been yet done to hinder them in France in Italy in Germany and especially in the Kingdom of Spain in all Places of it which Scandals he proved to continue still after his Decree so that there was no Remedy remaining but that of a Peremptory Definition The History further tells us That in Spain the Scandals still increasing and Cities and People being divided into Factions some Academies and rich Cities and whole Kingdoms did bind themselves by Oaths and Vows to defend the Opinion of the immaculate Conception and we are told by others b Vid. August Barbosae Remissiones in Conc. Trident. Sess 5. of particular Universities that thus bound themselves those of Mentz Colen Paris and that in all the Universities of Spain it was established by a special Decree That none should be admitted to the Degree of Doctor till first he had promised upon Oath never to oppose this Truth After all this Stir and doing nothing the former Embassador took his Leave of the Pope who told him that he was sorry that he could not satisfy the Kings pious Wishes in this Matter But he said P. 424. that which was desired was not of that sort of things which is within the Limits of humane Diligence or which by reason of Necessity or worldly Instances or the Power of Kings may presently be granted until the Spirit from on high shall infuse what in such a weighty Controversy ought to be gravely and maturely deliberated Now shame on this vile Hypocrisy who when every one may see this Matter wholly conducted by Interest and cowardly fear of disobliging a powerful Party dares to talk of the Spirit from on high and imitate the fulsome Language of a canting Enthusiast When this Embassador was gone Albuquerque upon whom the whole Care of this Affair was devolved insists upon it afresh and receives the same delatory Answers from Pope Paul V. P. 431. who upon the fourth Calends of February 1621. departed this Life and was succeeded by Gregory XV. to whom this Duke applies himself in the Name of his Master who commending as his Predecessor had done the Piety of the King told him he would comply with him when time and circumstances of Things after a foregoing grave Examination of the Matter would give him leave But presently after Philip III. of Spain dies and chose to do it in the Habit of a Franciscan and left the care of this Embassy to his Son Philip IV. his Successor who confirmed Albuquerque therein About this time not only the old Contests and Scandals which troubled Spain but a new Occasion of an extraordinary Embassador to Rome made the King to ply the former Business He writes therefore to Albuquerque to urge the Business and give the Letter to the Pope which he sent The Queen also the Infanta of Spain and Margaret the Daughter of Maximilian the Emperor all wrote to the Pope The Embassador had a Hearing and a general Answer of good Hope was given him That the Pope thought of nothing now but to remove those Scandals that continued c. A while after a new Embassador Comes Montis Regij arrives at Rome He was sent thither to assist at the Canonization of Five new Saints Four of which were Spaniards Isadore of Madrid Ignatius Loyola Fran. Xaverius Teresia à Jesu and one Italian Philip Nereus This Count was brought in to the Pope in great State and Magnifice P. 443. and begged in Favour to him that the Pope would put his last Hand to this Business who promised that something should be done in it before his Departure And in order to it several Cardinals were appointed to whom their Desires should be proposed Two things they offered to them First That it was more desirable that the Controversy might be determined Secondly If by the straitness of Time that could not be done then in the Interim that whatsoever did seem to contradict the immaculate Conception might be removed and banished from Discourses and Worship in all Acts both publick and private otherwise Matters would never be pacified in Spain The Cardinals approved of what they desired and represented it to the Pope who in a full Congregation of the Senate of the Inquisition approved the Cardinals Thoughts about prohibiting in all Acts the maintaining of thaâ— Opinion which gave the People Offence and taking away the Word Sanctification out of the Office of the Church And upon May 24. 1622. came forth a Decree P. 447. which repeating those of Sixtus IV. and Paul V. and confirming them farther commanded That for the future till this Article should be determined by the Apostolick Chair neither in private Discourses or in Writings any one should dare to assert that the Blessed Virgin was conceived in original Sin nor handle any thing concerning this Opinion excepting only those who were specially privileged herein by the Pope Also his Holiness commanded That since the Holy Roman Church celebrates solemnly the Feast and Office of the Conception of the Virgin Mary That all Persons Ecclesiastical and Secular and those of every Order in the holy Sacrifice of the Mass and other divine Offices both publick and private should use no other Word but that of Conception instead of Sanctification c. Now again the Immaculists after this Decree P. 450. are trepann'd into new Rejoicing the Franciscans in their Convent on the Top of the Capitol for Three Nights together had Fire-works and Signs of great Triumph as if they had got the Victory On the Fourth of June 1622. P. 451. a Brief of the Popes was dated and sent to the King signifying after