to thy Cradle to worship thee with Mystical gifts mercifully grant That by the pious Intercessions of these three Kings and Merits thou wouldst afford unto us thy servants that in the journey which we are undertaking with speed joy grace and peace we may come to the places we design to go to in peace and safety and after the dispatch of our business may be able to return safe and sound with all prosperity Who with the Father c. Amen 6 Lastly The Heathen had particular gods for every man in every condition and relation from his conception to his dissolution yea for every thing relating to man So much is affirmed by S. Austin out of Varro De Civit. Dei lib. 6. cap. 9. Varro begins to enumerate the gods from the conception of man in which number Janus is the first and proceeds gradually to old age and concludes the gods appertaining to men with Nenia the goddess of Funerals And then he mentions certain gods for every thing relating to man and shews what their office is and for what every one ought to be supplicated For Students they had Minerva for Lawyers Juno for Physicians Apollo and Aesculapius for Thieves Laverna for Whores Flora c S. Aust. de Civit. Dei Arnobius adv Gent. Gyraldus Rosinus Alexander ab Alexandro c. Thus our Romanists have particular Saints for every Condition and Profession Take a few instances S. Gregory for Scholars This Pope was a great Scholar and the Founder of many Schools and therefore is made the Patron of young Scholars On the Festival of this Saint saith Hospinian Boys were and still are in many places called to the School with certain songs by a suborned Bishop personating S. Gregory De Orig. Festor. Christian p. 42. S. Katharine for Students Hospin de Orig Fest Christ. p. 103. This Saint was eminent for her knowledg in the Tongues Natural Philosophy c. She confuted and converted Fifty Philosophers appointed to dispute with her and therefore is deservedly honoured by Students who by her means receive much knowledg and wisdom from God Al 's Villegas in ejus vita S. Cosma and Damian for Physicians Jacobus de Voragine and Villegas have recorded several Miracles wrought by these Saints in recovering sick persons upon which their Patronage is grounded Mantuan Fastor lib. 9. S. Leonard for Captives He obtained of Clodoveus King of France lately converted to Christ That all Prisoners visited by him might be released and where-ever he heard of any Captives he posted to them and procured their Liberty Petrus de Natalib lib. 10. cap. 29. God so adorned S. Leonard that whoever being cast into prison invoked his Name his Chains fell off and he was set at liberty without any impediment Hence it came to pass that many in remote Countreys who were freed by him from their chains and imprisonments came to him and brought their irons and fetters with them Hereupon he is made the Patron of Captives and invocated by them Jacob. de Voragine Legenda 150. S. Julian for Pilgrims Mantuan calls him Johanus and gives us this account of him As he was hunting the Hart which he pursued told him that he should kill both his Parents To prevent this he left them and went to a Prince in a remote Countrey where he behaved himself so well that the Prince gave him in marriage a noble Matron This being known to his Parents they came to visit him and though they found their Son from home yet his Wife when she understood who they were received them honourably and lodged them in her own Chamber But early the next morning when she was at her devotions her Husband return'd and going into the Chamber kill'd both his Parents supposing he had found a stranger in bed with his Wife But he was presently convinced of his mistake and told who they were And then it follows Obstupuit facinusque animo deflevit amaro Et placare Deum cupiens discessit ab armis Ac prope torrentis ripas ubi magna solebat Turba inopum ferri rapidoque in flumine mergi Constituit lectum quod praetereuntibus esset Hospitium commune dicuns seque sua tali Officio gratis Festor. lib. 2. Hence 't is that this Saint is called Hospitator one that most courteously entertaineth strangers and in the Roman Church is invoked by Pilgrims for good lodging Hospin Fest. Christ p. 37. S. Agatha for Nurses and hence her Festival is solemnly observed by them So much is affirmed by their Mantuan Fast lib. 2. Gloria Sicaniae gentis pulcherrima Virgo Diva Agatha nonas mensis tua Festa secundi Sacravere Nurus illa votiva serentes Dona die veniunt digitis fulgentibus auro Sericeisque tuas adeunt in vestibus aras S. Mary Magdalen for Whores Very remarkable is that which their Alf. Villegas writes concerning this Saint and though it be something long yet I cannot well pass it over since it may be very serviceable to the Modish Ladies of our times not perfectly instructed in the Roman Religion Moses the great Friend of God hath left written in the Book of Genesis That when God in the beginning created the World he made two great Lights but one bigger than the other and placed them in Heaven The greater was to give light in the day and the lesser to shine in the night These two Lights viz. the Sun and the Moon adorn the Heavens very much Jesus Christ our Lord when he founded his Church put therein two Lights that is the Sun and the Moon The Sun was to give light to them that walked by day and the Moon to illuminate those that travel by night Now let us see who is this Sun in the Church and who is this Moon We may well say This Sun clear resplendent and without any spot or stain is the glorious Virgin Mary for her very great clearness and beauty for that she bore in her Womb Jesus Christ our God who is the true Sun of Jestice and because she is cloathed with the Sun as the Evangelist S. John saith of her in his Revelations I saw a Woman clothed with the Sun whom all the holy Doctors say is the Mother of God But how cometh it to pass that she is said to be the President of the Day and to give light thereunto They are like the clear and bright Day that be in the grace of God because these do works worthy to be seen Of these then is this Sun President and to them giveth light in shewing them the way of Vertue by which men go to Heaven We have found who is the Sun and the greater Light of the Church viz. the religious Virgin Mary Let us now see who is the lesser Light that illuminateth the Church by night This is the Second Mary the B. S. Mary Magdalen and this Name fitteth her very well For as the Moon on one side is dark and on the other side where the Sun beholdeth her clear
granted this Vivae vocis oraculo to the Rosarists of the Kingdom of Spain 1542 which Pius 5 Gregory 13 Sixtus 5 extend to all other Confraternities of the Rosary throughout the world p. 20. Pope John 22 granted to all that say this following prayer as they pass through any Church-yard or place of Burial so many years of pardon as there are bodies buried in it Hor. B. Virg. sec us Sar. p. 132. God save all faithful souls whose bodies rest here and every where in the dust Our Lord Jesu Christ who redeemed you and us with his most precious blood vouchsafe to free you from punishments and place you in the Quire of his â—ngels and there being mindful of us earnestly pray that we may be join'd to you and crown'd in Heaven with you 2. The Heathen offer'd Gifts for those that were departed as Honey Milk Wine c. Of these Ovid speaks Fastor lib. 2. Est honor tumulis animas placare paternas Parvaque in extruct as munera ferre pyras Parva petunt manes pietas pro divite grata est Munera non avidos Styx habet ima Deos. Tegula porrectis satis est velata coronis Et sparsae fruges parvaque mica salis Inque mero mollita Ceres violaeque solutae Nec habeat media testa relictavia And a little after he informs us who was the Author of this Ceremony Hunc morem Aeneas pietatis idoneus Autor Attulit in terras juste Latine tuas Ille patris Genio solemnia dona ferebat Hinc populi ritus edidicere pios And Homer writes to the same purpose Odys 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Thus do our Romanists offer Gifts for the dead Some Monks have taught saith Du Plessis that the Souls which are in Purgatory do leap at the ound of the money when it is cast into the Basin for them De Missal lib. 3. cap. 10. Sometimes bread and wine is offer'd for the dead sometimes silver and gold and sometimes a torch or candle to enlighten those who sit in the darkness of Purgatory saith Durandus Rational Divin Offic. lib. 4. cap. 30. numb 39. This is further clear from their prayers for the dead O Lord we beseech thee graciously look upon the Gifts which we offer unto thee for the soul of thy Servant N. that being purged by heavenly Remedies it may rest in thy piety Through our Lord c. Missale parvum in Missa pro defunctis p. 240. Grant we beseech thee O Lord that these Gifts which we offer before the eyes of thy Majesty for the souls of thy servants whose commemoration we celebrate with special devotion and for whom we are commanded to pray and our Benesactors Kindred familiar friends and all the faithful may be comfortable and they being freed by thy piety from the chains of terrible death may merit to be partakers of eternal happiness Through our Lord c. Missal sec us Sar. Offic. pro defunct 2. The Heathen Offer'd Sacrifices for the dead Hetruria promiseth in the Acherontick Booâ—s saith Arnobius with the blood of certain Animals offer'd unto certain Deities to purge the soâ—ls of men and free them from the Laws of Mortality Advers Gent. lib. 2. The Feralia were instituted to appease the infernal gods in which Sacrifices were offered to them Hospin de Orig. Festor Pagan p. 58. The Argives offer'd sacrifice unto Apollo immediately after the decease of their Parents and after thirty days unto Mercury Nay they were so barbarous as to offer human Victims for the dead Virgil having described the pomp of their Funerals afterwards maketh mention of the Sacrifices they offered for the deceased Aeneid lib. 1. Vinxerat post terga manus quos mitteret umbris Inferiâ—s caeso sparsuros sanguine flammas And the like we have lib. 10. Quaâ—uor hic juvenes totâ—dem quos educat Vsens Viventes rapit inferias quos immolet umbris Captivoque rogi persundat sanguine flammas In both these places Virgil imitates Homer Iliad 23 where Achilles sends twelve Trojans for a sacrifice to the infernal gods for Patroclus his intimate Friend whom Hector slew And he tells us how Aeneas chose eight young Gallants out of the Prisoners he took of the Enemy to sacrifice them to the gods of Hell for the sake of Pallas deceased Many Nations observed this Custom at the Funerals of great persons viz. to kill and burn with them such as had been acceptable to them in their lives and such as were judged able to do them service in the other world Some Commanders took in War as many Prisoners as they could to sacrifice them at this time saith Virgil. That famous Gladiator Spartacus who was so industrious and daring as to raise an Army of Slaves in Italy and to march against the people of Rome did force three hundred of his Prisoners of War to kill themselves in honour of his Captains slain in the fight to procure unto them the favour of the Infernal gods This cruel Ceremony became so ordinary amongst the Romans that scarce any of the Chieftains of the Commonwealth or of the Emperors dy'd but some thousands of Gladiators did follow them Thus you see the Heathen offer'd sacrifices for the dead The dead saith Plato citing Musâ—us and Orpheus are purged by sacrifices De Repub. lib. 2. Thus our Romanists offer an Eucharistical Sacrifice which say they is propitiatory for the dead as well as for the living Gregory the Great relateth an excellent Story which he heard of Felix Bishop of Centum-cellae take it in short thus A Presbyter of Centum-cellae went to the Bath-house to wash himself where he found a man unknown to him but very humble and serviceable And after he had served him several days the Presbyter to requite his kindness brought unto him two consecrated Hosts as a blessing and reward for his service but the man with a sad countenance answered This bread not this body is holy and I am not worthy to eat it I was sometimes Master of this House but now for my sins I am appointed to this servile occupation if thou wouldst do me a kindness offer them to Almighty God as a sacrifice for my sins and believe thou art heard of God when thou canst not find me in this place any more This he did and the man was no more seen Osiander Epit. Histor. Eccles Cent. 6. lib. 4. cap. 19. The souls in Purgatory saith the Council of Trent Ses 25. are thence delivered fidelium suffragiis potissimum vero acceptabili Altaris sacrificio By the suffrages of the faithful but especially by the acceptable sacrifice of the Altar And a little after they give this charge to Bishops Let Bishops take care that the suffrages of the faithful now living that is the sacrifices of Masses Prayers Alms-deeds and other works of Piety which according to the Constitutions of the Church ought to be performed for the
viz. to cure Diseases preserve Chastity c. see Alexander ab Alexandro in Genial Dier lib. 4. cap. 17. and Cicero lib. 1. de Legibus Thus our Romanists attribute extraordinary Virtues to their Holy-water Costerus tells us That the Virtues of Holy-water relate both to soul and body 1. To the Soul and they are seven 1. By the power of Holy-water Devils are expell'd out of places persons and things 2. Sins are remitted 3. Phantasms evil thoughts and distractions of mind in prayer and at other times are excluded 4. Our hearts are taken off from earthly things 5. Our souls are disposed to prayer and devotion 6. The grace favour and presence of the Holy Spirit are obtained 7. Mens minds are better prepared to understand Divine Mysteries and to receive the Sacrament For this aspersion of Holy-water is of force against every thing that may hinder the effect of Sacraments and for this cause 't is used in the consecration of Altars and Temples that from these places every impediment of prayer and devotion may be excluded 2. To the Body and they are four 1. The barrenness of men beasts and human things is cured 2. Great plenty of good things is obtained 3. Infirmities of the body are both prevented and removed 4. The noxious air is purged and the Pestilence and every Contagion expelled Apud Hospin de Templis Most or all of these Virtues seem to be grounded upon the form of Consecration and are asserted by Durantus de Ritib Eccles lib. 1. cap. 21. Durand Rational lib. 4. cap. 4. Bellarm. de Eccles Triumph lib. 2. cap. 7. De Missa lib. 2. cap. 15. Aquin. 3. Quest. 65. Art 1. Suarez in 3. Disp 12. Sect. 2. Gavantus Thesaur sacr Rit Pars 4. Tit. 19. I confess 't is disputed among the School-men VVhether these Effects are produced by Holy-water ex opere operantis or ex opere operato The first is asserted by Aquinas Hales Suarez c. and the second by Victoria Sotus Major Ledesma c. apud Suarez But that these Effects are produced by Holy-water is granted by all And Durantus hath collected several Examples as a further demonstration of this extraordinary Virtue of Holy-water take two or three One Joseph intending to re-build or rather repair the Temple of Hadrian in honour of Christ and wanting lime he commanded Furnaces to be made but the malicious Jews by their enchantments kept the fire from burning Joseph perceiving this sprinkled Holy-water upon the Furnaces and they presently took fire and burned Another cured the hip of a man with Holy-water A certain Woman turned into the form of a Mare by the power of Holy-water was restored to her former shape De Ritib lib. 1. cap. 21. 4. The Heathen sprinkled their Houses Fields Cities c. with lustral water This is clear from the fore-cited words of Theocritus Gyrald de Deis Gentium Syntagma 17. and Hospin de Origine Templor lib. 2. cap. 25. Thus do Papists sprinkle their Houses Beds Fields Vineyards c. with Holy-water 1. Their Houses saying this Prayer Omnipotent Lord God bless †this house that there may be in it health chastity victory vertue humility goodness and gentleness fulfilling of the Law and giving of thanks to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and let this blessing remain upon this House and the Inhabitants now and for ever Amen And if the House be new built they say this Prayer We humbly beseech thee O God Father Almighty for this house and the persons and things in it that thou wouldst be pleased to bless †and sancti †fie it and bestow all good things upon it c. 2. Their Beds saying this Prayer Bless †O Lord this Bed that all who lye in it may be in thy peace and remain in thy favour and grow old and at last arrive at the Kingdom of heaven Through Christ our Lord. Rituale Romanum de Benedictionibus The Faithful may take Holy-water in Vessels and carry it home to sprinkle sick persons their Fields Vines and other things saith the same Ritual de Exorcismo Aquae Benedictae Thus you see there 's no difference except in Name between Pagan Lustral and Popish Holy-water they do most exactly agree in their matter uses and properties CHAP. XX. AGNVS DEI'S THE Heathen used saith Hospinian to send Sigillaria or Sigillaritia munera little Images to each other on the Feasts of Saturn and he urgeth the Testimony of Martial in Apophoretis Gloria tam parvi non est obscura sigilli Sum fragilis sed tu moneo ne sperne sigillum And 't is reported of Spartianus That he frequently sent these little Images to his Friends which at first were given to Children De Origin Festor Christian. p. 67. Macrobius gives us the original of these Sigillaria Saturn lib. 1. cap. 7 but more fully cap. 11. and tells us That the invention of them added six days to the Feast of Saturn Alexander ab Alexandro informs us That there was a Street in Rome where these Images were made and exposed to sale on the foresaid days In Genial Dier lib. 3. cap. 4. And Baronius mentions certain Bulls bullas different at least in form from the other which were superstitiously consecrated and had extraordinary Virtues attributed to them and therefore were hung about the necks of their Children to preserve them from Enchantments and Sorceries Annal. Tom. 1. ad annum 58. p. 606. These Bulls saith Authonius Thysius were made of gold silver or any other metal in the form of a heart and hollow containing Antidotes against Withcrafts and Enchantments and they were hung about the necks of Children especially those of Noble Parentage that they might become wise men overcome Sorceries and to keep them from filthy places companions and actions Observ in Valer. Maxim lib. 2. cap. 1. Thus do Papists hang little Images about their necks which they call Agnus Dei's and attribute extraordinary Virtues to them That this is done in imitation of the Heathen their great Baronius ingenuously confesseth The Gentiles wore certain Bulls or Amulets about their necks as Varro informs us de Lingua Latina lib. 6 which were superstitiously consecrated for the abolishing of these as it happens in many things Superstition being changed into Religion Christians carry about them a little Image of Christ made of holy Wax to which the same Virtues are attributed Annal ad annum 58. p 606. But that our Romanists are so far from abolishing Superstition that they exceed the Gentiles herein will appear if we consider 1. The matter which these Agnus Dei's are made of 2. The Ceremonies they are consecrated with 1. Let us remark the matter of which they are made These little Images of Christ that immaculate Lamb are made saith Durand of new consecrated Wax or the Paschal Candle of the precedent year mixed with holy Oil and Chrism Wax signifies his Humanity Honey in the Wax the Divinity in the Humanity The Bee which worketh