call upon thee with devout sighs and pray unto thee with affectionate piety Blot out the internal sins of our thoughts and the external sins of our works And a little after We sigh with weeping for our sins yet we trust in thee Mother of Piety Give pardon freely to them that are penitent Horae B. Virg. sec us Sarum p. 147. Omnes quos Dei gratia Ab hac exemit patria Bona donans coelestia Nostra laxate crimina Hymnus de Omnibus Sanctis 2. For Reconciliation Let us humbly call upon the Child-bearing Virgin let us offer unto her our sighs and groans Propitiation is not to be found without her nor Salvation without her fruit By her sins are purged and by the fruit of her soul they are made white c. Psal 136 in Psalterio Mariae O all ye Saints and Elect of God for whom he hath from the beginning prepared a Kingdom I beseech you by the love wherewith he hath loved you help me most miserable sinner before death shall snatch me hence and reconcile me to my Creator before Hell shall devour me c. Horae B. Virg. sec us Sarum p. 71. 3. The donation of grace and spiritual gifts Remember us O Saviour of them that are lost hear the groans of our hearts infuse grace into them out of thy treasuries Psal 61. Conserve in us the good things of Nature and let the good things of grace be multiplied by thee Psal 135. in Psalterio Mariae Thou art full of Vertue above all the Citizens in Heaven give us vertues and assistance c. And a little after Thou dost replenish all women with the best riches fill us who are indigent with thy grace Horae B. Virg. sec us Sarum p. 146. Ave Agnes gloriosa Me in fide serves rectâ Dulcis Virgo dilecta Te exoro precibus Charitate da perfecta Deum per quem es electa Colere pie omnibus De S. Agneta 4. Illumination of mind O Lady be thou my light let the splendor of thy face and serenity of thy grace shine upon my mind Ps 26. Be merciful unto me O Lady Mother of light and splendor enlighten us O Lady of Truth and Vertue Ps 109 in Psalterio B. Mariae They sing this Hymn to S. Agnes Agnes agni foemina Nos intus illumina Radices extirpata Peccatorum Which is thus Englished by that learned and worthy person in his Reflections upon the Devotions of the Roman Church p. 385. Agnes who art the Lamb's chast Spouse Enlighten thou our minds within Not only lop the spreading Boughs But root out of us every Sin O holy Patriarchs holy Prophets pray for my sins and all the darkness of error being utterly expell'd illustrate the eyes of my mind with the light of true Catholick Faith Ad omnes Patriarchas Prophetas 5. Protection from enemies Let Mary arise and let all her enemies be scattered Dissolve the Empire of our Enemies and destroy all their iniquity Ps 67. in Psalterio B. Mariae When Pope Gregory 7 went to deprive the Emperor of Germany and absolve his subjects from their obedience he used this prayer Blessed Peter Prince of the Apostles I beseech thee incline thine ears and hear me thy Servant whom thou hast brought up from mine Infancy and to this day delivered me from the hands of wicked men who have hated and persecuted me c. Platina in ejus vita O S. Denys Doctor of France and excellent Martyr I beseech thee do not despise me but deliver me from all poverties and tribulations of soul and body Holy Denys I beseech thee and thy companions that ye receive my soul when it shall be presented before the Tribunal of the Judg and entreat the mighty King That by your suffrages I may merit to be delivered from eternal torments Ad. S. Dionysium I will conclude this with part of a most devout prayer for so it is called to the B. Virgin Mary O most Illustrious and most Excellent Glorious ever-Virgin Mary Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ my Lady Queen and Lady of the whole Creation who forsakest none despisest none sendest none away desolate that humbly and devoutly comes unto thee with a good and pure heart do not despise me for my most grievous sins do not forsake me for mine innumerable iniquities neither for the hardness and filthiness of my heart cast me out of the sight of thy Grace and Love But for thy greatest Mercy and sweetest Piety hear me firmly confiding in thy Mercy And help me most Holy and Glorious Virgin in all my tribulations straits and necessities And in all my undertakings grant me counsel and assistance and deliver me from all mine enemies visible and invisible Give me vertue and fortitude against the temptations and machinations of the World the Flesh and the Devil Horae B. Virg. sec us Sar. p. 128. 6. Deliverance from the power of Satan Judg me O Lady c. Deliver me from the malignant Serpent and pestiferous Dragon Let thy blessed Virginity bruise his head and thy holy merits subdue his power Ps 42 in Psalterio B. Mariae Hail sweet Mother of Christ whom thou sorrowing and weeping sawest taken bound beaten Remember this sorrow O Mother of Mercy keep me from the snares of the Devil and from reproaches Horae B. Virg. sec us Sar. p. 144. Holy Michael be thou to me a Breast-plate ✚ Holy Gabriel be to me an Helmet ✚ Holy Raphael be to me a Buckler ✚ Holy Vriel be to me a Defender ✚ Holy Cherubin be to me Health ✚ Holy Seraphin be to me Truth ✚ And all ye holy Angels and Arch-Angels keep protect and defend me and bring me to Eternal life Horae B. Virg. sec us Sarum p. 97. 7. Presence and assistance at the hour of death Unto thee O Lady have I lift up my soul let not the snares of death prevail against me Ps 24. in Psalterio B. Mariae Ave dulcis Mater Christi Quem dolens flens vidisti Cruci nexum speciosum Jesum factum seu leprosum Per dolorem hunc tam fortem Et per Nati tui mortem In hora mortis ultima Assis mihi charissima Ave Mar. Hor. B. Vir. sec us Sar. p. 144. But of this I shall have occasion to speak more fully afterwards 8. Eternal life Thou holy Virgin art the Mother of my Life the Nourisher of the reparation of my Flesh because thou art the Nurse of the Salvation of my soul the beginning and the end of my whole Salvation Ps 41. in Psalt B. Mar. Ave quae post mortem Christi Dolendo saepe vidisti Cunct a loca martyrii Ejus plena suspirii Ob poenas quas susceperas Ista loca cum videras Da post haec transitoria Mihi locum in gloria Hor. Virg. sec us Sar. p 144. But as great as this Priviledg is yet you must not look upon it as appropriated to the B. Virgin but common to other Saints So
or made gods and called by some from their Office Medioxumi from the place of their main residence which was supposed to be in the Stars Deastri from their relation to the Superior God the lesser gods the made gods and from their knowledg of humane affairs Demons Of these Demons Plato discourseth very largely in several places where 1. Touching their natures he calls them made gods visible gods c. 2. Touching their Office he says They were placed in the middle 'twixt the great God and Man to be Mediators and Porters for conveying the Sacrifices and Prayers of men to the great God as also for transmitting gifts and all good things from God to men 3. That by the mediation of these Demons there is a communion and friendship maintained betwixt God and men which otherwise could not be God is not approached by men saith Plato in his Symposium but all the commerce and intercourse between him and men is performed by the mediations of Demons And then he comes to particulars Demons are Reporters and Carriers from men to the gods and again from the gods to men of the Supplications and Prayers of the one and of the Injunctions and Rewards of Devotion from the other Demons are middle powers saith Apuleius by whom both our desires and merits pass unto the gods they are Carriers between men on earth and the gods in heaven hence of prayers thence of gifts they bring to and fro hence petitions thence supplies or they are certain Interpeters on both sides and Conveyers of recommendations for saith he the Majesty of the Soveraign gods will not permit them to manage these things of themselves De Deo Socratis And S. Austin gives the same account of them De Civit Dei lib. 8. cap. 24. From these testimonies 't is clear That the Heathen invocated these Demons as their Mediators and Intercessors with the Supream God Thus do Papists invocate the Saints departed as Mediators and Intercessors to God for them They attribute the same Offices to their Saints that the Heathen did to their Demons and urge the very same reasons When they are asham'd saith S. Ambrose speaking of the Pagans of having neglected God they use a pitiful excuse saying That they had access to the Supream God by these gods as by the Lords and Earls about the Court subjects have access unto the King The weakness and vanity of which argument he fully discovers in the same place in Rom. cap. 1. And the same reason is urged by Celsus in Origen viz. That none dare to approach the person of an earthly Prince with a petition but by the intercession of some Courtier or other about him therefore it should be so on our part towards God unto whose glorious Majesty we must use the Mediation of some which are in his favour The absurdity of this comparison is there also fully demonstrate Contra Celsum lib. 8. And do not our Romanists urge the very same Argument It is good and profitable saith the Council of Trent Ses 25. to call upon the Saints and to have recourse to their prayers aid and assistance whereby to obtain from God many benefits by the merits of his Son Jesus Christ who is our Redeemer and Saviour This is further clear from many forms of prayer used to particular Saints We humbly beseech thy Majesty that as the blessed Apostle Andrew was a Preacher and Rector of thy Church so he may be with thee a perpetual Intercessor for us In Festo S. Andreae Almighty and everlasting God who makest us glad with the Festivity of Blessed Osmund thy Confessor and Bishop we humbly beseech thy Clemency that we who venerate his solemnities with devout Offices may obtain the remedies of eternal life by his suffrages In Festo S. Osmundi The like you have in Festis S. Sulpicii S. Priscae S. Vincentii S. Blasii S. Bonifacii c. Missale secundum usum Sarum 2. The Heathen in their Invocations urged the merits of these Demons or middle-gods These Demons saith S. Austin according to the opinion of the Gentiles are Interpreters and Messengers between God and men that hence they might carry our Petitions and thence bring us Supplies And observe the ground or reason Because they excel us mortals in Merits De Civit. Dei lib. 8. cap. 22. Thus do Papists in their prayers to Saints urge their merits that is desire to be heard for their merits The truth of this is most evident from these following prayers O Lord let the holy prayer of B. Andrew make our Sacrifice pleasing to thee that being solemnly exhibited to his honor it may be made acceptable by his Merits through our Lord. In Festo S. Andreae O God who hast adorned blessed Nicolas thy Bishop with innumerable Miracles grant unto us we beseech thee that by his Merits and Prayers we may be delivered from the flames of Hell through c. In Festo S. Nicolai O Lord we beseech thee graciously to hear the prayers of thy people that we may be assisted by the Merits of Blessed Marcellus thy Martyr and Bishop in whose passion we rejoice through our Lord. In Festo S. Marcelli Look O Lord we beseech thee upon what we have now offered unto thee and by the merits of Blessed Bishop Julian deliver us from all our sins through c. In Festo S. Juliani The like you have in Festis S. Valentini S. Julianae S. Potentianae S. Aldelmi S. Marcellini S. Bonifacii c. Missale sec us Sarum 3. The Heathen invocated their Demons or Gods for help and all good things as the immediate Authors and Donors of them Certain gods with you saith Arnobius have certain Guardianships Licences and Powers neither do ye ask from any of them that which is not in their power and donation Ye believe that Liber can give Wine but not Physick Ceres fruit Aesculapius health Neptune another thing and another thing Juno Fortune Mercury Vulcan they are givers of certain particular things Adversus Gentes lib. 2. And that of S. Austin imports no less The knowledg of the gods is necessary that we may direct our Petitions to them aright and not ask Water from the god of Wine or Wine from the goddesses of Water De Civit Dei lib. 4. cap. 22. Thus do our Romanists pray unto their Saints for all good things both of this and the other life as the immediate Authors and Donors of them They call the B. Virgin not only an Advocate but also a Mediator Helper Redeemer the Throne of Grace the Gate of Heaven c. But more particularly They pray unto the Saints 1. For Remission of sin Have mercy upon me O Lady who art called the Mother of Mercy and according to the bowels of thy compassions cleanse me from all mine iniquities Psal 50. O Lady in thy Name make me safe and deliver me from mine unrighteousnesses that the craftiness of the Enemy may not hurt me Psal 53. In Psalterio B. Mariae We
and resplendent even so part of the life of this blessed Saint was ugly dark and spotted with many sins but on the other part whereunto the true Sun of Justice Jesus Christ directed his beams and converted her to him it was clear and beautiful But why will you say is she President of the Night and doth illuminate it and giveth light to them that walk by night With great reason we may call them Night which be in mortal sin that do works unworthy to appear before the eyes of men Of these persons S. Mary Magdalen is President shewing unto them the way of Penance wherein they ought to walk In ejus vita S. Luke for Painters Villegas tells us That he made two excellent Pictures of Christ and the B. Virgin which he constantly carried about with him and wrought Miracles by them In vita S. Lucae Hereupon these Artists make choice of this Saint for their Patron They have many more Saints for particular Professions as S. Crispin for Shoomakers S. Eulogius for Smiths S. Gotarus for Potters S. Severus for Fullers c. So that what is affirmed by Arnobius concerning the Gentile gods viz. That they were Presidents of Arts Adv. Gent. lib. 3. may as truly be said of our Romanists concerning their Saints They are Patrons of Arts and Sciences Thus Papists have a particular Saint as the Pagans had a Demon for persons of all Professions and in all Conditions even from their conception to their dissolution yea at death they have a particular Saint into whose hands they commend their spirits viz. the Virgin Mary This is clear from a certain form of prayer in many old English Books where they are taught to pray thus at the hour of death O Blessed Mary Holy Moder of God grant that I may end my life in the true faith of holy Kirk and I commend my soul to thee c. See the like Prayer in the Rosary p. 59. O most prudent Virgin who entring the Heavenly Palace didst fill the holy Angels with joy and men with hope vouchsafe to intercede for us in the hour of our death that free from the illusions and temptations of the Devil we may joyfully and securely pass out of this temporal state to enjoy the happiness of eternal life And the dying person is directed in the Roman Ritual to say these words or if he cannot the Priest is to repeat them in his ear Holy Mary pray for me Mary Mother of Grace Mother of Mercy defend me from the Enemy and receive me in the hour of death p. 169. CHAP. V. IMAGES 1. THE Heathen made Images and Statues of their gods 2 King 10. 26 27. The Trojans had the Statue of Pallas their Goddess called the Palladium in which they reposed a great deal of trust for the Oracles had proclaimed That they should never be overcome by their Enemies whilst they could keep it amongst them The Rhodians dedicated to Apollo that famous Colossus of Brass 800 foot in height and of a proportionable bigness which was broken down by the Saracens in the year of our Lord 684. We read also of the Statue of Diana which Orestes took out of her Temple to appease the Furies for the murther of his Mother Clytemnestra And of the Statue of Jupiter Olympias made by Phidias it was an hundred and fifty Cubits high Holinshead in his Description of Britain p. 22. tells us That the Statues and Images of the Pagan gods were of a monstrous greatness and that each Nation contended which should honour the greater Blocks and yet all pretended to have the just height of the god or goddess whom they did represent Apollo Capitolinus that stood at Rome was thirty cubits high at the least Tarentinus Jupiter of forty foot Tuscanus Apollo that stood in the Temple of Augustus of fifty foot another made under Nero of an hundred and ten foot But one in France surpassed all which Zenoduris made unto Mercury at Avernum in ten years space of 400 foot Eusebius affirms That Images are taken from Pagans who were wont to honour after this manner such as they accounted Saviours Hist. Eccles lib. 7. cap. 17. And Arnobius spends the greatest part of his sixth Book Advers Gent. in confuting this practice of the Heathen The Pagans did not only make Images and Statues of their gods but they adorned them with variety of Ornaments Jer. 10. 4. They deck it with silver and with gold V. 9. Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish and gold from Vphaz the work of the workman and of the hands of the Founder blew and purple is their clothing they are all the work of cunning men With garments of costly stuff and gorgeous colours they were wont to adorn and set out their Idols Isa 30. 22. Baruch 6. 9 10 12. So Arnob. Advers Gent. lib. 6. Tertul. de Idolat cap. 3. And Vossius describes their various Habits De Physiol Christian Theol. Gent. lib. 9. Valerius Maximus reports of Dionysius the Tyrant King of Sicily a notorious contemner and spoiler of Images That entring into a Temple he took from Juiter Olympus a garment made of beaten gold of a great weight wherewith Hiero had adorned him out of the spoils of Carthage and for this he put upon him a Woollen Mantle affirming that the other was too heavy for Summer and too cold for Winter but this Mantle is fit for both seasons And coming into another Temple where the Statues of Apollo Aesculapius were together and that of Aesculapius had a great Beard of massy-gold he told him It was not fit that he should have a Beard and that Apollo his Father should have none therefore he caused it to be taken away and melted for his own use Lib. 1. cap. 1. Arnobius and Tertullian relate the same Stories in the fore-cited places Thus our Romanists make Images and Statues of the Virgin Mary S. Peter S. Paul c. and beautifie them with many rich Ornaments Durantus informs us That the ancient Romans used to crown their Statues which he proves out of Ammianus Marcellinus and Velleius Paterculus Hence saith he to this day the Images of Saints are engraven and painted cum solari corona And then he gives us the reason of it Tursellin mentions several garments richly embroidered and adorned with Orient Jewels for the B. Virgin presented by Princes and Noble-men Justus Justeius Earl of Verona gave to the B. Lady of Loreto a garment of Cloth of Gold faced with costly skins being the Prize of the Tilters gotten at the Games of Florence The Dutchess of Cleve presented her with a Chain of Gold notable for weight and workmanship golden Bracelets beset with Carbuncles and Diamonds and a gold Ring of great worth by reason of an excellent Jewel Histor Lauret lib. 5. cap. 13. Polydor Virgil tells us how the people were inveigled by their Priests to adorn the Images of Saints and reproves their excess and folly herein De Inventor