aboundant graces preserued her as all Catholiques belieue from venially offending him by a like and indeed far lesse priuiledge of his loue freed her also from all mortall and sinfull contagion Of our B. Ladyes Natiuity Chap. 3. THis dawning of our Eternall Day as the Church calleth the sacred Virgin being cleared in her first rising and brightly mātled with that sunnes beames which to illuminate the whole world rose afterwards in her S. Annes wombe became as a quiet Oratory for her to pray in and render humble thankes to her diuine Lord for his gracious fauours newly then conferred on her with such an infused kind of knowledge as S. Iohn Baptist had when in his mothers wōbe at his Redeemers presence he ioyfully exulted Her first graces actuall and habituall were such no doubt as well became so diuine and liberall a Sonne to bestow for her first welcome into the world vpon so deseruing a Mother as he foresaw she would be vnto him The Eternall Father likewise began euen then as his humble handmaid graciously to respect her and the subsisting spirit of Loue and Bounty as his designed spouse by wonderfull graces to indeare her vnto him Angells as their Lords future Mother highly honoured this gracious Infant and Gabriell a chiefe Prince amongst them was then appointed and most gladly accepted to be a Guardian vnto her by whose happy birth and holy life all mankind was to be graced and blessed Her Infancy was as we may well call it a holy Exercise of Charity towards God brought into the earth with her dutifull Loue to her Blessed parents and glad Patience in sustayning all infirmities common to children resembling then in her innocent and holy demeanures the like carriages of her diuine Sonne in his childhood afterwards so as she had no way ward fancyes or childish passions ordinarily proceeding from the vse of reason and actuall graces wanting in other children but Innocency graced her from her first entrance amongst men Purity consecrated her to her diuine spouse Sanctity enriched her Humility prepared her to receaue from him frequent and wonderfull fauours Modesty did set out her rare bewtyes made them more gracefull to such as beheld her Of our B. Ladies Presentation and life in the Temple Chap. 4. THE mother of God was in her tender yeares to her own great comfort and the merit of her holy Parents planted say th◠S. Iohn Damascene as a fruitfull Oliue in the house of God to become fatned there to flourish with all graces As another Hester she was trāslated into heauenly Assucrus Pallace to be adorned there sweetned and made ready for his future imbracements where not Egeus the Eunuch but Gabriel a chiefe Angell with his glorious cōpanions tenderly regarded her by the appointmēt of their Lord and familarized themselues with her Her life there as S. Ambrose describeth it was such as she became therein a mirrour to others of vertuous perfection To her superiours sayth he she was humbly obedient courteous to her inferiours and mildly sweet to her equals not eating oftner or more at any tyme then naturall necessity inforced her vnto praying much sleeping litle and neuer so but that her hart was waking in a manner the while often interrupting with holy thoughts the repose of her senses Her bodily beauty was like a flower sweetned with internall graces and blowne forth to the fulnes of corporall perfection neuer faded much in earth and in heauen now gloriously repayred Her holy Parents hauing enioyed themselues and yielded to the world the blessing of such a child happily departed this life as great Authours haue coniectured during her aboad in the Temple because there is not in the Euangelicall History any mention at all of them as certaynly there would haue byn had they byn liuing at and after our Sauiours Incarnation Of our B. Ladyes Espousalls to S. Ioseph Chap. 5. THis sacred pure Virgin liuing amongst a carnall people farre more respecting the blessing of children by marriage then virginall integrity and perfection was about the 15. yeare of her age by the will of them who were Rulers of the Temple espoused to a man of her owne Tribe fitly chosen first by God and afterwards by them as a husbād for her ripe in yeares chast in the profession of his life farre excelling sayth S. Bernard as well in the future dignity of his office as in heauenly sanctity that holy Patriarch and best beloued sonne of Iacob whose Name also he mysteriously enioyed a true heyre of Dauids vertues whose Sonne the Angell called him and a man according to Gods owne hart much more then he worthy as a mortal man could be to deuide the name of a Father with God himselfe to haue as a good and faythfull Steward such heauenly treasures as were the Incarnate Word and his gracious Mother recommended vnto him Her being so espoused was sayth S. Hierome for the legitimation of our Sauiours birth to the Iewes and help of his education needfully required and that also his being borne of a spotles Virgin might be concealed from the diuell Which reason alleadged by great Jgnatius who liued to know her and our Redeemer himselfe seemeth to inferre that neyther in the miraculous Conception of her child or at any tyme after infernall spirits dared to approach her Angelically garded and like an Army ranged for a battayle terrible vnto them Holy Ioseph was before marriage as may be most probably ghessed made acquainted with her virginall vow being himselfe a Virgin purely and piously disposed most willingly yielded thereunto and resolued gladly to accompany her in the obseruance thereof They liued to geather at her poore house in Nazareth S. Ioachims Sheepcote as S. John Damascene calleth it first graced with the B. Virgins happy birth and afterwards more highly dignifyed by the diuine Words Incarnation and life lead there from his returne out of Egypt till after his Baptisme so that as a sacred monument of Christianity and a sure testimony of of our Sauiours pouerty it was first by the Apostles themselues conuerted into a Chappell and since not only preserued in the miserable ruines of Palestine but from place to place likewise for the greater veneration thereof by Angels translated Deuour people come from seueral Countryes thronging vnto it Princes haue with their votarie guifts Donaries enriched it miracles haue wonderfully graced it and where now it remayneth it is as a most precious Iewell cabbined in a curious Couering of white marble and hath besids a fayre Church built ouer it wherin it standeth as a most holy Sanctum Sanctorū breathing sanctity into the pious visitours thereof and delighting I doubt not heauenly Creatures to behod it Of our B. Ladyes salutation by the Angell Chap. 6. THe sacred Virgin and her holy Spouse had not liued lōg togeather but the fulnes of tyme was come as S. Paul calleth the happy instant of our Sauiours Incarnation when the diuine persons sent a
fauour commonly denied by the Religious of our nation who are knowne in all places to refuse strangers albeit very worthy persons amongst thē as I for my part therby conceaue the odour of their holy Example to be very sweet and pleasing to God it being able so to attract strangers diuinely also guided vnto them Your deuoted poore Friend and Seruant in Christ IESVS I. F. The Authours Preface to the B. Virgin O Most pure gracious Mother of my heauenly Redeemer whilst in these Papers I haue sought to expresse thy Greatnes I haue seemed to my selfe as one sayling with a small Cock-boat in a vast Ocean or labouring with single sandes to rayse a high mountayne He indeed knowing the least who thinketh himselfe able to comprehend thee Perfect in thy nature Sacred in thy Office Complete in thy Graces and now Wonderfull in thy glorious Perfections imitating thy Sonnes Vertues most as being more then all other Saintes stored with his Goodnes ablest to see our necessityes readyest to aske remedies for them and powerfullest from him who will deny thee nothing to obtayne them I offer heere the slender fruites of my poore Prayers to thy Selfe the gracious subiect of them ayming at no other end in them then some increase of Deuotion towards thee in such as shall read them Which J aske also for my selfe as a far greater blessing then J can merit any wayes by them The Authours Petition VAst Sea of Glory who art blest With an Eternall Calme rayse in my brest Tempests of Sorrow stormes of sighes Let waues of teares breake through myne eyes That they may quench ere life is done The dreadfull wrath of thy deare Sonne THE LIFE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY Of our Blessed Ladyes high and holy Pedigree CHAP. I. THOSE texts of the new Testamēt wherin the Mother of God is mentioned are not vnfitly by a graue Authour compared to deep grounds in musicke so cūningly layd as no discant of humane prayses can neerly expresse them Her lineal discent from Dauid registred by two of the Euangelists and her being Cosin to S. Elizabeth as the Angell called her do sufficiently assure vs that her high and holy Pedigree was of Patriarchicall Propheticall Priestly and Princely Progenitours iointly composed These foure sortes of Persons therein contayned were as foure rootes out of which this flourishing branche of Iesse his tree happily issued They were like to the foure Riuers flowing in Paradise from whose cleare streames meeting togeather this inundation and full of sea of heauenly graces as we may rightly call this sacred Virgin was deriued They were as foure Wheeles on which this royall Chariot of Maiesty and Loue was brought vnto vs prepared for the King of Heauens triumphant entrāce into this world to conquer Sinne Death and Hell for vs. She was as S. John Damascene from an Apostolical tradition assureth vs conceaued of barren and aged Parents that Grace might preuayle aboue Nature Lust haue no place in her holy Conception S. Ioachim and S. Anne sayth this holy Father were great Almes-giuers and very deuout persons both to deserue at Gods hands the blessing of such a child and that sanctity likewise as S. Ambrose writeth of S. John Baptist might descend as it were hereditarily on her in whome the Authour of sanctity was to be contayned An Angell is sayd to haue fortould her birth by whome the ruines caused in heauen by the fal of Angells were to be repayred Her Patents hauing in pious vses giuen away the greatest part of their worldly substance liuing as they did in a remote Prouince of Palestine and that poore Village of Nazareth prepared as it were the way to our heauenly Redeemers poore Natiuity and humble life lead afterward among vs. Of our B. Ladyes immaculate Conception Chap. 2. AS Almighty God had elected this sacred Virgin to the highest office and greatest vnion with himselfe which a pure creature could be assumed vnto so did he no doubt singularly prepare her therunto by conferring on her proportionable graces For as from our Sauiours high title of being called the Son of God S. Paul collecteth his infimite excellency aboue the Angels only called Gods Ministers and seruants so may we in like manner from this B. Virgins soueraigne title of being the mother of God well gather her graces to haue been farre greater then her diuine Father Sonne Spouse had at any time before bestowed vpon the greatest of their seruants And as she concurred in an especiall manner to redeeme the world by communicating flesh and bloud to the heauenly Redeemer thereof the high prices of our redemption So did she no doubt singularly partake the fruites therof holiest manner of being by him redeemed That whereas other soules in their first creation vnion with bodies contracte the hatefull foulenes of originall sinne she by her sonnes sweet blessing was frō that fowle infection graciously preserued so as Nature Grace began togeather in her and happily conspired to make her cōplete in naturall and supernaturall perfection As a bright starre of the sea according to the mysterious signification of her name a heauenly splend our in her first rising did wonderfully adorne her 〈…〉 out of which the flowing spring of all graces was to rise no filth of sinne did euer defile her As a liuely and most louely tabernacle of the highest she was no sooner raysed but the seauen-headded lampe of the Holy Ghost did flame in her and as a mysterious Arke placed in the beautifull Temple of her body her innocent soule was with Cherubims wings acts to wit of heauenly knowledge loue graced and protected Syria's King had no power to cast any of his deadly dartes into this euer holy and diuinely guarded Hierusalem This louely spouse of heauenly Assuerus was from the rigourous penalty of his lawes made not for her but for ordinary subiects graciously exempted The naturall and immediate vnion which this sacred Virgin was to haue afterwards with her diuine sonne preuay led far more with graces to enrich her then her remote deriuation from Adam sinfully to infect her Eues oldnes had no place in this new womans cōception ordayned to be the gracious helper of the sonne of God in our heauenly regeneration and in graces therfore to be likened vnto him And surely that particular enmity which Almighty God promised to place betweene her and Satan in the hearing of our first parents importeth her to haue byn dearely vnited to the gracious Author of that promise neuer by any kinde of sinne enthralled to him ouer whome by her Sonne she so gloriously triūphed Pious eares and harts abhorring to heare spokē that this sacred mother of their heauenly Redeemer inherited sinne as other children do for her birth-right in this world and became therby her enemies slaue a child of wrath hatefull to her diuine spouse and guilty for a tyme of eternall damnation No certainly it could not be but that he who by
had euen her hart pierced with those very nayles which entred into him Those bloudy streames which she saw running from him to the ground and there trodden vnder the Hangmens feet did make the woundes of her soule bleed freshly so as she became cooled at that sad spectacle had instantly died as persons do wounded in the hart had she not byn to see her sonnes sacrifice fully ended supernaturally preserued The Iewes were mysteriously forbidden by their law to boyle the Kid in his Dams milke yet heere they did more when they caused the child to be crucified in the sight and hart of his Mother by loue and compassion so neerly and dearly as she was vnited vnto him Of Christs speach to his mother and disciple vpon the Crosse Chap. 32. THis God of loue and mercy as we may well call him lying bent like a bow on his Crosse was no sooner lifted from the ground but he began to dart vpwards towards the bosome of his Father fiery and flaming arrows of loue to him men togeather first charitably excusing and praying for his enemies who at the same instant blasphemed and derided him Father forgiue them for they know not what they do Secondly of tender and deare compassion towards his B. Mother dying togeather with him woman said he behould thy sonne meaning S. Iohn standing by her and then to him Behould thy Mother He called her woman least by naming her Mother he should haue moued the Iewes to outrages against her and mysteriously insinuating her withall to be that woman which was ordayned to crush the Serpents head long before and vtterly to vanquish him And he so commended her for a Mother to S. Iohn as we also had a share albeit after him in this mysterious adoption so that we haue reason to glory thāke him for a double adoption wherby he vouchsafed to make vs as by his Father so by his Mother likewise bretheren vnto him that to the dewty which all owe her for being Mother vnto himselfe we might add filiall piety also and seruiceable loue to her who was euen as a Mother from his Crosse recommēded to obtayne graces of her sonne and Motherly blessings temporall and eternall for vs. Who indeed if we consider the sad tyme and circumstances of our adoption whilst he with torments and she with griefes were togeather languishing we may be rightly called as Beniamin was by his dying Mother Benoni Sonnes of sorrow yet children of her loue withall if we consider well that ardent Charity with which her diuine sonne bequeathed vs for children vnto her that humble Loue with which she accepted vs from him actually dying then with herselfe graciously to redeeme vs. Of our B. Ladies particular sorrow in the death and buriall of her Sonne Chap. 33. OVr B. Sauiour hauing hung silently on his Crosse for almost three houres togeather to tast more quietly and feelingly the extremity of his torments much increased throgh the coldnes of the ayre darkened about him awakened himselfe and his blessed Mother buryed as it were in a traunce of deadly sorrowes together with him by a loud complaint made to his eternall Father of being forsaken and in the sensitiue part of his humane nature left comfortles by him O my God my God why hast thou forsaken me and roused himselfe vp withall to dye as it became him breathing out his euer-blessed soule into the hands of his Father And whē his body was dead cold more new anguishes were added to her former griefes by beholding euen his dead corps not spared but with the wide piercing of a speare wounded then againe and more then before lamentably defaced When he was taken downe from his Crosse so as she might more neerly he hold his wounds kisse and bath them with her teares sorrow seemed to be brought neerer to her hart and his mangled cold body to haue byn buryed therin before it was embalmed and layd in the sepulcher leauing it when others did but carrying home with her a liuely sad memory of all his sufferings in silent and deepe thoughts mournfully reuoluing them wanting not whither she went companions of affliction sorrowes to attend her So as Christs mother friends returning from mount Caluary togeather made a most dolefull procession to S. Marks house seated vnder mount Syon where the B. Virgin wasted with sorrow receaued such comforts as that afficted family of friends could affoard her And S. Iohn not vnmindful that he had byn adopted her sonne by his louing mayster offered no doubt with all loue duty filiall seruices vnto her Of our Sauiours first apparition to his B. Mother Chap. 34. ALmighty God is said to wipe away teares from the eyes of his seruants which he doth no otherwise then by manifesting vnto them obiects of ioy contrary to the causes of their sorrowes which also he performed towards his B. Mother early in the morning of his glorious Resurrection when according to the multitude and greatnes of her griefes he reioyced her hart with diuine and vnspeakable comfort She is noted by holy Authors not to haue gone with the other deuout women to embalme her sonnes Body as faithfully no doubt persuaded that he would rise againe the third day as formerly he had assured her and confident withall so soone as he was risen to be visited by him His apparition to her is not by any Euangelist recounted because a Mothers testimony of so great a mystery might haue by n suspected and the circumstances of his apparition vnto her were ouerhigh withall to be historically related especially if learned Suarez coniecture thereof be true that as she had sadly beheld and accompanied him in his greatest humiliations and afflictions so likewise she ioyfully saw him in his highest glory and contentments with a double trayne of Angells and Saintes triumphant attending him amongst whome we may conceaue her gladly to haue seene bodily also perchance raysed her beloued pure spouse S. Joseph her holy Parents likewise others whome she had knowne before happily disceased yielding likewise gratefully vnto her amongst the rest as to the gracious Mother of their Redeemer due honors and prayses His fiue greater Woundes in his body still retayned did shine then as rich Rubyes by their colour to adorne the louely candour and transparency thereof and their depth therin did shew them to haue byn flowing fountaynes of graces for vs once opened on the Crosse and neuer agayne closed The tearings likewise of the thornes and whips she saw beautifully in him and gloriously repayred By his louing imbracings he caused heauenly languishings in her soule by kisses of his sacred mouth he breathed new feruours and graces into her as he appeared first after his Resurrection vnto her so was he during his stay on earth most frequently with her Neither had she at any time as is sayd of others when he appeared vnto them the eyes of eyther her body or soule restrained from knowing
death still conserued in her memory and conferred in her hart as the Euangelist twice telleth vs were the vsuall subiects therof her discourses therein were free from all manner of distractions and by heauenly illuminations cleared so as like Eagles mounted to their high pitch aboue the cloudes she soared with little labour and became in them euer sweetly and diuinely inflamed Of the wonderfull merit of our B. Ladyes actions Chap. 38. LEarned Suarez writing of this fubiect frō certaine groundes of fayth and Philosophy gathered so strong a conclusion concerning the B. Virgins wonderfull manner of meriting and redoubling by ech act her former graces as he dared not to publish his doctrine vntill the learned Diuines of Spayne had with their opiniōs approued it The summe of his discourse is this As naturall habits are produced by naturall acts when they are intense and perfect so supernaturall habits are by the diuine infuser of them conferred on holy soules according to the perfection of those supernaturall acts wherby holy soules merit an increase of them Wherefore since the B. Virgin did in ech holy act done by her cooperate with former graces giuen her fully and according to their whole intension as hauing no sinfull inclination to hinder her so did she still merit according to the full intension perfection of her acts to haue new graces infused into her and consequently to haue former graces redoubled by ech one of them so that she heaped in her soule hourely treasures of merits and by them in the end of her life arriued to an immensity of graces Sinfull Ignorance did neuer darken her illuminated soule Errour seduce or Malice corrupt her Sense neuer rebelled against Reason and Concupiscence the roote of sinne was according to S. Thomas euer kept from growing and totally at length extinguished in her Wherby this heauenly Sulamite became ordered in all vertues so as a high Wisedom guided them in their seuerall operations Charity commaunded them wherby she came as weighty things remayne in their Center to be in them immoueably fixed Pride did at no tyme rayse her or Pusillanimity deiect her Passions did not perturbe her or sensuall Appetites disorder her Sanctity did cleare like a rich pearle her gracious grouth and an Angelicall Purity of mind and body did for her diuine spouse consecrate spotlesly conserue her Humility to conclude made her ponderous in all actions Obedience rounded her and other graces smoothed her in such sort as finally she became in thē a rare and matchlesse vnion of Created Perfection doing all her actions in the substance and circumstances of them so as it is a Catholique point of faith to belieue she neuer offended by omission or commission venially in them Of our B. Ladies Sacramentall graces heere gayned Chap. 39. GReat Authors S. Clement and others haue affirmed our B. Sauiour himselfe to haue baptized his Mother aswell to bewtify her soule by the fairest character of that Sacrament as to take an occasion therby besides the wonderfull merit of her owne actions to heape in his owne bounty on her soule vnconceauable graces The descension of the Holy Ghost vpon her in the day of Pentecost was as an eminent vnction and Confirmation of her graces therein receaued and the most holy sacrifice sacrament of her sonnes body bloud daily with other Christians receaued was as an euer-full and flowing fountayne of heauenly blessings running into her Her oblation thereof in the Apostles hands preparation to receaue it was suitable no doubt◠to the immenfity of actuall and habituall graces in her soule their Clarity did illuminate her their Feruour inflame her Humility prostrated her Piety disposed her faith made her so firmely to belieue her sonnes glorious albeit inuisible presence therein as if she had apparently beheld him humbly thanking him in behalfe of her selfe and vs also for that second annihilating as it were of himselfe to communicate the fruites of his passion to faithfull soules worthily receauing him frequently enioying glimses almost of beatificall Clarity it selfe as often as she sacramentally receaued him he recompencing so in a sorte the wonted and desired Comforts of his visible prefence with her And if S. Mary Magdalen in her holy retyrement neere Marsills in France had bodily rapts Angelicall visits heauenly melody and greater fauours by her louing and beloued Lord daily affoarded her can we reasonably doubt but that in higher more delightfull manners he expressed his loue to her graciously aboue all Creatures indeared vnto him Or do so many authenticall vndoubted histories mention his glorious apparitions to other Saintes men and woomen for yielding them yet aliue particular comforts and instructions and may we not iustly conceaue him to haue byn more open-handed and liberall in shewing his loue to her who best deserued such fauours and had as a gracious Mother from a louing Sonne most right to receaue them Of our B. Ladies death Chap 40. SAint Denis not conuerted by S. Paul at Athens before the 16. yeare after our Sauiours Passiō as Baronius with Suarez and other great Authors haue collected writing as he doth of his hauing byn at Hierusalem with S. Peter S. Iohn and others aswell Apostles as chiefe disciples of our Sauiour at the death and funeral of this sacred Virgin conuinceth her to haue liued well nigh 20. yeares after her Sonnes passion to gayne no doubt a lōg happy haruest of heauēly merits for her selfe to comfort likewise the Apostles themselues in their holy labours and to edify others by them conuerted by her gracefull person exemplar life conuersation amongst them Her happy end may be thought to haue byn prophetically reuealed to the Apostles and disciples that besides their mutuall comfort of seeing ech other they might also enioy so contentfull a blessing as to be hould the ioyfull passage of this sacred Mother to her diuine Sonne take their last leaue of her heere in this world and celebrate her funeralls with due loue and veneration The sicknes wherof she dyed may be thought to haue byn a rauishing excesse and sweet languishment of heauenly loue and longinging to hasten to her sonne calling her vnto him Come my beloued from Libanus thou shalt be crowned which freely yielded vnto by her might cause such a concurrence of vitall spirits to rayse the thoughts and affections of her soule as they failed to conserue a needfull disposition for life in her bodily members and senses So as lying sweetly reposed on her bed with all the Apostles many chiefe Disciples of her Sonne kneeling about her hauing newly before for a happy viaticum to heauen most deuoutely receaued him whom first in her wombe she had diuinely conceaued with an vnexpressible ardour of loue giuing her blessing and farewell to all present she breathed out her gracious soule into her Sonnes hands there present to receaue it waited on by the most glorious Princes of his Court gladly attending him their
Lord and her his beloued Mother in their triumphāt procession Of our B. Ladies Assumption Chap. 41. PIous eares and harts worthily abhorre to heare spoken that corruption sayth S. John Damascene inuaded and wormes deuoured that sacred flesh a part whereof the Author himselfe of immortality had assumed or that this stately branch of Iesses root euer rotted in the groūd whose flowre was in Heauen so gloriously ripened or finally that this louely Tabernacle of the Highest became in the bewtifull frame therof after death vtterly dissolued No surely as the same had byn whilst it was aliue many wayes graced by her diuine sonne so was it being dead from loathsomnesse and corruption totally preserued as for many reasons it was fitting First in that it had not byn with sinne originally infected as other bodies are when soules void of grace are first vnited vnto them Secondly for that it was euer a most pure habitation of her gracious soule neuer by it actually defiled or viciously inclined Thirdly because it had byn the subiect of heauenly wonders for her Creatours glory and mans eternall saluation wrought happily in it and ech part thereof made sacred by immediate touches and seruices done to the Eternall Word Incarnate within it and nursed by it Her wombe for example was as the Spouse for the wonderfull purity and fertility thereof calleth it in the Canticles a Heape of heauenly Grayne to nourish soules eternally with lillyes inuironed a pure Nest wherein the celestiall Phaenix and Birde of Diuine Loue was hatched the Tyring-house wherin the sonne of God was for high ends humanely disguised finally a Bed-chamber richly prepared for the celestiall Bride to become therin to our nature first and to all holy soules afterwards eternally espoused Her sacred breasts were as two Pearly-bottels tipped with rich rubies and filled once from heauen sweetly to nurse him by whome as the Church singeth in her Office birds are fed and all Creatures sustayned Her lappe was as an easy Couch wherein the sonne of God lay neere to her louing hart contentfully reposed Her armes and hands had byn for many yeares togeather holy instruments fitly made and moued to imbrace and serue him Her lipps were as two Ruby gates at which her soule and her diuine sonnes had often met parlied with mutuall significations of loue and new breathings from him of heauenly graces into her Her eyes had byn as cleare windowes for her soule delightfully to behould for 33. yeares togeather his corporall bewtyes and deepely to imprint in her hart a liuely and louely image of him To conclude all other parts of her virginall pure body for seruiceable acts done to the omnipotent Authour therof were by him after her death highly respected no doubt gloriously perfected and wonderfully exalted Of the glory of our B. Lady assūpted Chap 42. HEr sepulcher is sayd to haue byn placed in the garden of Gethsemani wherein by the Apostles and other chiefe disciples of her Sonne her body was solemnely and deuoutly intombed And as flowers do smell sweetly in their first buddings so this fayre flower about to open it self in its immortall beauty yielded to all present a heauēly fragrancy as S. Iohn Damascene from Apostolicall tradition recounteth and sweetned that stony receptacle and part of the earth whence it was soone after into her sons heauenly garden to be gloriously transplanted So that when the Apostolicall intombers thereof had left it Angelical spirits as a sacred treasury cōserued it attēded it vntill the third day when it was by their Lord and her Sonne ioyfully raysed and with such a glorious change as those celestiall Princes wondred to see agayne in her as before they had seene in their Lord a clodd of earth so curiously molded graciously transformed asking ech other not as ignorant who she was but admiring her greatnes Who is she that ascendeth from the desert in delights leaning on her beloued Delights indeed sayth S. Bernard abounding in her and flowing still in earth and in heauen graciously from her which can be no more expressed then her glories described suitable no doubt to the graces of her soule such sayth he as well beseemed so diuine a sonne to bestow vpon so deseruing a mother His heauenly Father was likewise openhāded at the same tyme in heaping gratious fauours on her who had byn Mother of his eternall sonne and ioint-parent with himselfe of him the holy Ghost was effused no doubt in his boūty then to her whom here on earth he had singularly espoused to himselfe and made mother of a diuine child first from him saith S. Leo in her soule and afterwards in her wombe most graciously conceaued And as they had raysed her in the holy merits of her life far aboue all Creatures so was she at her entrance into heauen highly in throned and supremely exalted for them Of our B. Ladyes Coronation Chap. 43. THe Diademe with which this Queene of Heauen was crowned by her sonne at her glorious entrance into his Kingdome was in the riches thereof suitable no doubt to her wonderfull merits and graced with twelue such Starrs as adorned the head of that mysterious woman mentioned in the Apocalyps importing twelue peculiar Graces conferred by the diuine Persons on her The first of them was her maternall dignity and office of hauing the eternall word incarnate within her wherby she came to haue a singular neerenes and dearenes vnto him The 2. was her immaculate conception happily therein beginning a rich haruest of heauenly merits brought out of her mothers wombe into the world with her The 3. was her preseruation from venially offending afterwards wherby she alone of all Adams naturall children equalled Angells themselues in the vnspotted innocency of her life as in the graces of her soule she incomparably excelled them The 4. added an Excellency to the former arriued to the happiest effect of originall iustice itself which was to feele no Cōcupiscence or rebellion at all in her members senses but to haue nature and grace euer in her harmoniously composed The 5. was her virginall vow of Purity wherby she consecrated herselfe to her Heauenly spouse and before the Ghospell of her sonne in this and other graces arriued to the highest top of Euangelicall perfection To 6. was the pure Conception and manner of her sonnes Natiuity a Priuiledge indeed sayth S. Bernard for Gods mother alone graciously reserued The 7. was her hauing besides Fayth and continuall Illustrations of heauenly Graces in a most affectuous cleare manner an experimentall knowledge of many chiefe mysteries of faith wrought by her Sonne so as her selfe was with him an actour also in them as his miraculous Conception Natiuity c. happily seruing to illminate inflame her The 9. was naturall supernaturall loue towards him as to her God and sonne sweetly conioyned like two fiery wings ray sing her soule incessantly towards him The 9. was her life led for 30. yeares more