Against Popery, Addition · Part 5
THE FIFTH PART.
1 NOw therefore leauing the ſeruice of the Virgin, I wil here adde ſome things out of the reſt of the booke, namely out of the ſermons following of her Nativitie, &c. But firſt I will remember this one thing, before thoſe ſermons in the 57. leafe, and ſecond ſide thereof. O pulcherrima virgo, vulnerauit formoſit as tua cor diuinum: attraxit puritas tua creatorem, ad vterum tu…m. that is, O moſt faire virgin, thy beautie What vnchaſt words are theſe to be ſpoken vntounto the chaſt virgin.hath wounded God his heart▪ thy pu…iti… hath drawne the Creator vntounto thy wombe. Then follow the ſermons of the Natiuitie of the Virgin.
2 The firſt of theſe ſermons hath theſe three parts or myſteries. Primum (ſaith he) appellabitur neceſſitatis. 2. nobilitatis. 3. iocunditatis. The neceſſitie of the virgin he ſheweth by three reaſons: 1. reedificationis. 2. ſucceſſionis. 3. ſubventionis. In the third reaſon he hath theſe words, Sicut per mul…erem peccatricem a diabolo deceptam, &c. that is, As by a ſinnefull woman deceiued and ouercome of the deuill, mankinde was loſt and deiected from his ſtate: ſo on the contrarie by a woman beeing innocent, pure, and moſt hol…, A mon…trous blaſp…emie.and conquering the deuill, it ought to be reſtored and repaired. Otherwiſe the father himſelfe of lies the deuill ſhould hauehave gained by his lie; which ought not to be. For none ought to hauehave profit by a lie, according to thoſe things which are noted C. 1. ff. &c. In the third part of the ſame ſermon, thus he writeth: Exal…abat Adam videndo lignum The virgin Marie is the …ree of li…e which Adam did ſee in paradiſe.vite, ſcilicet Mariam diſponi ad fructum producendum vite eterne in medio paradiſi that is, Adam reioyced to ſee the tree of life, to witte, Marie prepared to bring forth fruit of eternall life in the middes of paradiſe. A little after are theſe wordes: Ipſa eſt feneſtra celiper quam …eus oculo ſuo miſericord…e nos respecit. The virgin the window of heauen.Shee (he meaneth the virgine Marie) is the window of heauen, by which God with his eye of merciemercy doth reſpect vsus. Aga…ne preſently after, dicere autem potest virgo benedicta, que eſt oſt…ar…a, &c. that is, But the bleſſed virgin which is the dore keeper of paradiſe, The virgin is the dore ſpoken of Ioh. 10. 9.may ſay that which is, Ioh. 10. I am the dore… if any man enter in by me he ſhall be ſaued. Therefore, O ye ſinners which are baniſhed men from your heauenly countrey, enter in by this gate. Goe yee that are ſicke to the phyſitian. Come yee fatherleſſe to your parent. Proceede yee that are blinde to the light. Make haſt yee afflicted vntounto comfort. Walke O yee virgins after the glaſſe of chaſtitie. Make ſpeede O yee mothers vntounto the mother of God.
3 In the beginning of the next ſermon, he ſaith, ipſa virgo beata deum iratum placat, quia eſt noſtra aduocata. The bleſſed virgin pacifieth God beeing angrie, becauſe ſhee is The virgin our aduocate.our aduocate. To the ſame effect and ſomewhat more largely he writeth in the third part of the ſermon. Sicut ipſa mediante ſedata est lis, que eſt inter deum & homines, ita etiam per ipſam terminantur queſtiones inter homines & diabolu…. As by her mediation the controuerſie And our mediatour both with God and the deuills.betweene God and men is compounded, ſo alſo by her are queſtions determined betweene men and the deuills. This he prooueth by a moſt forcible argument, namely by one of the miracles of the virgin, touching that great ſinner which in a viſiō was drawne A great diſputation in hell betwixt the virgin and the deuill.to the iudgement of God, where the deuill by many allegations prooued him to be his: but alwaies by the virgin Marie wiſely anſwering, he was foyled. But at the laſt, the deuill obiected againſt him, that the euill things which he had done, were more then the good things: when therefore at the commandement of the iudge, both his goodnes and his euills were laide in a paire of ballance, and the skoale towardes the left hand in which were his euills did ouerwaie the other, on the ſuddaine the glorious virgin put her hand to that skoale where were his few good works, and drew it downe to the ground, and by this meanes made it ouerwaie the other Tune diabolu… confuſus abſceſſit.skoale. So the deuill went away with ſhame, &c. In the ſame part he ſaith that the virgin is the booke mentioned in the right hand of God, Rev. 5. 1. In the ſame part he ſaith againe, Hec benedicta virgo non tantum eſt liber generationis, &c. that is, This bleſſed virgin is The virgin is the goſpel of Saint Matthew, &c.not onelyonly the booke of the generation of Ieſus Chriſt the ſonne of God, but ſhee is alſo the booke of the generation of all that are to be ſaued. And therefore we may alſo iuſtly ſay that which is written, Act. 17. namely, that we are her generation. For the bleſſed virgin is our mother.
4 In the fifth ſermon he ſheweth tenne conditions of the virgin Marie, which he ſaith eueryevery ſpouſe of eueryevery great Emperour ought to hauehave. Theſe he ſetteth downe by theſe tearmes. Prima (ſaith he) dicetur, integritatis. 2. virtuoſitatis. 3. generoſitatis. 4. formoſitatis. Daintie latine.5. gratioſitatis. 6. fecunditatis, ſiue fertilitatis. 7. copioſitatis. 8. timoroſitatis. 9. pudoroſitatis. 10. & vltima appellabitur honeſtatis. If I ſhould note all things worthie to be laughed at, &c. I ſhould cauſe all his whole booke to be new printed. Omitting therefore a thouſand and ten thouſand abſurdities and blaſphemies in that great clarke, I will hereafter note the moſt principall.
5 In this third ſermon of the nomination of Marie, in the ende of the fourth excellencie of her name, thus he writeth. Quarto (ſaith he) licet ad ipſam appellare, ſi quis a dei iuſtitia ſe grauari ſentit, &c. that is, Fourthly it is lawfull to appeale vntounto her, if any man feele himſelfe oppreſſed with the iuſtice of God, which The court of Marie aboue the court of God. O horrible blaſphemielwas ſignified in the 5. of Heſter, where it is ſaide, that when King Aſſuerus was angrie with the Iewes, Queene Heſter came to appeaſe him. To whom the King ſaid, Although thou ſhalt aske halfe of my kingdome it ſhall be giuen vntounto thee. This Empreſſe therefore figured the Empreſſe of heauen, with whom God hath diuided his kingdome. For whereas God hath iuſtice and merciemercy, he hath reſerued iuſtice to himſelfe to be exerciſed in the world, and merciemercy he hath graunted to his mother. And therefore if any feele himſelfe greeued at the court of Gods iuſtice, let him appeale to his mothers court of merciemercy.
6 In the fourth part of the booke, and ninth ſermon of the graces of Marie, he affirmeth, that ſhee was able to heale diſeaſes onelyonly by her word leafe 143. and anon after, Marie able to heale diſeaſes by her word onelyonly. Shee knoweth the Mathematicks and allother things.that ſhee hath all Mathematical knowledge, yea that ſhee knoweth all things. For thus he writeth. De ſcientiis quoque Mathematicis quod in beata virgine fuerunt, probari potest ſecundum Albertum, &c. that is, Concerning the mathematicall ſciences that they were in the virgin Marie, it may be prooued by Albertus, &c. for ſhee was moſt perfect according to affection, therefore alſo according to vnderſtanding. Sith therefore ſhee loued all things that were to be loued, it is to be concluded that ſhe knew all things to be known. The ſame he amplifieth afterward by an induction of the particular mathematicall ſciences, applying many ſentences of the ſcripture & Apocrypha to the virgin Marie, which are ſpoken onelyonly of the infinite knowledge and wiſdome of God. In the ſame ſermon in the beginning of the 145. leafe thus he writeth, Beata virgo non ſolum totum hominem ſanum facit in anima & corpore, &c. The bleſſed The virgin healeth the whole man, both in this life and after death.virgin doth not onelyonly make the whole man ſound in ſoule and bodie, and cureth all incurable diſeaſes (as appeareth before) but alſo after death ſhee worketh cures, and putteth death it ſelfe to flight, and whom ſhe cureth ſhee healeth to immortalitie. Therefore ſhee excelleth all in the gift of healing, and therefore ſhee ſaith in the 8 of the Proverbs: He that findeth me findeth life, and ſhall receiue fauour of the Lord.
7 In the firſt part of the 6. ſermon of the Annunciation of the virgin (which is long after the former) which part he calleth Determinabilitatis, in this part, I ſay, he telleth ſuch a tale, as would make an horſe (as we ſpeake) breake his bridle to heare it. The tale it ſelfe is very long, but the ſumme thereof is this, The fathers which died before Chriſts comming in the fleſh, beeing in Limbo, and wearie A notable tale.of that place, becauſe it was ſo long ere he came that ſhould fetch them thence, at length conſulted among them ſelues, and at the laſt agree to ſende an ambaſſage vntounto An ambaſſage by the fathers in Limbo ſent to God in heauen.God to entreat the haſtening of Chriſts cō ming. In this ambaſſage they ſend theſe 20; 1. Abel, 2. Noc, 3. Abraham, 4. Iſaac, 5. Iacob, 6. Moſes, 7. Ioſua, 8. Dauid, 9. Salomon, 10. Eliia, Eliſha, Ezechia, and many other taried perhaps at home to keepe Limbum.Iſaias, 11. Ieremie, 12. Malachias, 13. Aggeus, 14. Zacharias, 15. Abacuc, 16. Iob, 17. Ezechiel, 18. Daniel, 19. *on the 19. name there is ſome errour.Ezechiel, 20. Eccleſiaſticus. EueryEvery one of theſe vrge God with ſeuerall arguments. Some with ſentences of ſcripture, ſome with verſes of Virgil, Ovid, and ſuch like Poets, and ſome with the authoritie of the ciuill and canon law. But the deuill vnderſtanding of this ambaſſage, went alſo himſelfe before God, and pleaded hard againſt the former ambaſſadours, reaſoning mightily from the iuſtice of God, &c. for their The devill ſaide, Abſit à Deo impietas.continuance ſtill in Limbo. God therefore (not that he needed ſo to hauehave done, but that he might giuegive an exāple of righteous iudgement) conſulted with the angels what was to be done. Then was there great ſilence in heauen for halfe an houre, that they might the better deliberate what to ſay. The halfe houre beeing ended, eueryevery order of Angels ſpake largely their minde for the fathers in Limbo. Then God hauing heard all their allegations, gaue ſentence, approouing the counſaile of the angels, and reiecting the ſuggeſtions of the deuill. Therefore he anſwered the ambaſſadours of the fathers very gratiouſly, telling them that he ſhortly in merciemercy would thinke vponupon them. The ambaſſadours hearing this were filled with ioy, as it is ſaide of the Iewes, Heſt. 8. Then the three perſons of the Trinitie conſulted togither, and concluded the ſending of Gabriel to the virgin Marie, &c. This briefly is the ſumme of the tale which that great doctour Bernardine doth handle farre more largely, writing ſo largely thereof, as beeing written againe in latine without any abbreuiations, would fill two ſheetes of paper. And was it not paines thinke you well taken? yes, yes, without all doubt. For ſo we ſee more touching the ſending of the angel Gabriel to the virgin, then is contained in all the Scripture, or then agreeth with any truth. An hundred ſuch merrie tales their are in the ſame booke, the which I forbeare to mention, thinking this to be ſufficient for a taſt of the reſt.
8. In the tenth ſermon of the ſame matter, at the 209. leafe, about the letter K, he cō mendeth the humilitie, fortitude, and bountifulnes of the virgin moſt highly. For referring vsus to ſome one of his former ſermons, thus he writeth: Probatum eſt quod ſuper omnem creaturam fuit humillima atque fortiſſima, Yet for all that ſhee feared when Gabriel ſpake vntounto her: but who euer read that the angels feared any other creature.…deo quod vicit mundum, &c. that is, It was prooued that ſhee was moſt humble and valiant aboue eueryevery creature, ſo that ſhee hath ouercome the world, God, and the deuill. Alſo ſhee was moſt bountifull: for ſhee hath giuen the world vntounto God, and the kingdome of heauen and God him-ſelfe vntounto man.
9 In the ſecond ſermon of the viſitation of Marie, leafe 234. at the letter V, thus he ſpeaketh to the virgin Marie: Profecto ſi fas eſt dicere, tu ſecundum quid maiora feciſti deo, &c. that is, Truly if I may be ſo bold as to ſpeake, thou in ſome reſpect haſt done greater things The virgin hath done more for God, then God for her and all mankinde.for God, then God himſelfe hath done for thee, or for all mankinde. I therefore will ſpeake that, whereof thou in humilitie haſt held thy peace. For thou diddeſt onelyonly ſing. He that is mightie hath done great things vntounto me: but I ſing and ſay, that thou haſt done greater things to him that is mightie. For God formed man of the clay of the earth, but thou moſt bleſſed virgin haſt brought forth God of thy moſt pretious blood, and haſt couered and cloathed him with thy moſt pure fleſhe ſo that thou maiſt ſay that of Eccleſiaſticus, chap. 24. I hauehave cauſed light to riſe in the heauens that will neuer goe out, and hauehave couered all fleſh as it were with a cloud, and thy moſt pure fleſh excelleth all things in the world. Againe God brought vp man with the fruits of paradiſe, but thou haſt nouriſhed God himſelfe with thy breaſts full of heauen, of which milke one droppe is of more value, then all the trees in paradiſe, or then all the fruits of the whole world. God alſo hath cloathed man with a garment of skinnes, but thou glorious virgin haſt wrapped the ſonne of God in thy cloutes, and afterward diddeſt put vponupon him a ſeameleſſe garment, which is farre more better then all the coates in the world.
10 In his ſecond ſermon, de festo nivis, leafe 290. after the letter N, thus he writeth: Cum beata virgo ſit mater dei, &c. that is, Sith the bleſſed Virgin is the mother of God, and God her ſonne; and eueryevery ſonne naturally is inferiour to the mother and her ſubiect, and the mother preferred vntounto and aboue the ſonne: it followeth that the bleſſed virgin God inferiour to the virgin.is aboue God, and that God is her ſubiect in regard of the humanitie taken from her. In the ſame ſermon the beginning of the 292. leafe thus he writeth, Legitur quod predicantibus Apostolis, &c. that is, We reade that the Apoſtles preaching but not beeing able to conuert ſome, they ſent them to the bleſſed virgine who admiring the beautie of the mother of God and her moſt wiſe ſpeaches, were conuerted to the faith. In the ſame ſermon leafe 294. a little before the letter I, hauing compared, Marie to a ladder, and called her the ladder of heauen, he bringeth in Bernard ſpeaking thus to the Virgin, C… profecto ſcalae Dominus innixus eſt, &c. that is, The which ladder God vſed, becauſe God The virgin a ladder betweene God and mano.would not hauehave vsus to hauehave any thing that ſhould not paſſe through the hands of Marie, & that none of our works are acceptable vntounto him, except it be offred by the hāds of Marie. Therefore that little that thou wouldeſt offer vntounto God, prouide tho… deliuer it into the hands of Marie, if thou wilt not hauehave the repulſe. Then he addeth his owne wordes, Hoc etiam patet exemplo quod legitur in Chronicis noſtris, &c. that is, This alſo is manifeſt by an exāple that is read in our Chronicles, namely that on a certaine daie S. Frances did ſee two ladders, one redde vponupon which Chriſt ſtoode, and an other white on the which was the virgin. And when as by the admoniſhment of bleſſed Frances, the brethren aſſaied to aſcend by the redde ladder, whilſt they beganne to goe, many fell backeward and could not aſcend. At which thing S. Frances did grieue with weepinge to whome Chriſt ſaide, Cauſe thy brethren to runne to my mother The virgin a better ladder for heauen then Chriſt.and to the white ladder, that they may aſcend by it: which when the brethren did, they were entertained of the virgin with a cheerefull countenance, and then with eaſe they went vp to heauen.
11 In his ſecond ſermon of the 9. part of the booke with this title, Maria terra, leafe 303. at the letter R, thus he writeth, Si quis querat quareoum diabolus tempore Tobie 7 vii ros Sare ſtrangulauerit, &c. that is, If any man The word eum is ſuperſtuous, or els ſhould be cum.aske why the deuill in the Time of Tobia did ſtrangle the ſeauen husbands of Sara for their ſinne, as it is Tob. 2. and yet now doth not kill all whome mortall ſinnes doe giuegive into his hands: I anſwer, that this proceedeth frō hence, that God hath giuen vntounto men this moſt mightie virgin, which hath in her hand The virgin giuen to keepe men from the deuills, &c.a rodde of iron to driue away all infernall beaſts, and to put to flight the deuills themſelues. Wherefore he ſaith vntounto her in the 2. pſal. Thou ſhalt rule them with a rodde of iron, and breake thē in peeces like a potters veſſel. And this power of the glorious virgin, is figured in the 7. of Exod. in the rodde of Aaron, which was turned into a ſerpent, and deuoured the roddes of the inchanters. In the ſame ſermon leafe 304. he applieth many thinges ſpoken of the power of God, of Chriſt, &c. to the virgin. As, Thou canſt doe all things. If thou wilt, thou canſt make me cleane. Thou art The virgin is omnipotent.ſtronger then all. He hath deliuered me from the mightie aduerſarie. All things are poſſible with thee. Neither is there any thing that is not in my power. Thou ruleſt the raging of the ſea, and the ſurging floods thereof thou doeſt mitigate. God hath giuen him power ouer the things that are in the earth. In Ieruſalem is my power. Thy dominions is to the ends of the whole earth. His authoritie is an euerlaſting authoritie from generation to generation. We have heard the fame of his power, and wonderfull is his power. All theſe things that I ſay, and many other the like, partly blaſphemouſly and partly fooliſhly he applieth to the virgin Marie. In the ende of that ſermon, he applieth many things alſo to her, that are ſpoken of the book The virgin is the booke of life, &cof life, exhorting ſuch as deſire to attaine vntounto eternall life to ſtudie this booke daie and night. In the ſame ſermon leafe 308. a little before the letter G, thus he ſaith, Beate igitur virgini quae omnes demones ſuperauit & debellauit, dici poteſt illud Iſaij, vulneraſts dracones: & illud Apocal. 20. Apprehendit draconem antiqaum ſerpentem. that is, To the bleſſed virgin therefore which hath ouercome and ſubdued all the deuills, may that be ſaide of Eſai, Thou haſt wounded the dragons: and that in the 20. of the Revelation, Shee tooke the dragon that olde ſerpent. Againe in the ſame ſermon leafe 309. Habet etiam ſolicitutudinem in cuſtodiendo, quia ſub alis, &c. that is, She is alſo very carefull of keeping becauſe ſhee keepeth vsus vnderunder her wings, and protecteth Her two great wings.vsus from the ſnares of the deuill, for ſhee is that woman to whom are giuen two great wings, Revelat. 12. one is the wing of merciemercy, vnderunder the which ſinners doe flie, that they may be reconciled vntounto God: the other is the wing of grace, vnderunder which the iuſt do ſtand, that they may be preſerued in grace.
12 In the fourth ſermon of the ſame 9. part, all (almoſt) ſpoken in the ſcripture of light, is applied to the virgin: ſo alſo that which is ſpoken of the citie of God.
13. In his firſt ſermon of the Aſſumption of Marie, thus he ſaith, Omnis natura a deo eſt facta, & deus eſt ex Maria factus. Deus omniū factor ſe ex Maria fecit, &c. that is, EueryEvery nature is made of God, & God is made of Marie. God the maker of all things made himſelfe of Marie.
14 In the ſecond ſermon of the ſame matter leafe 363. he telleth vsus, that the virgin ſtanding at the feete of her ſonne, deſired him to ſhewe her the order of the Angels and Saints in heauen, becauſe (ſaide ſhee) Moſes & alij prophete de hoc nihil dixerunt. Marie deſireth to know more then Moſes and the prophets had taught. The nine orders of Angels.Moſes and the other prophets hauehave ſaid nothing of this matter. To whome the ſonne ſhewed firſt touching Angels, that there were nine degrees or orders of them, and that eueryevery order was tenne times more excellent then other. 1. of angels, 2. of archangels, 3. principalities, 4. powers, 5. vertues, 6. dominions, 7. thrones, 8. cherubins, 9. ſeraphims. Here note before I proceede any Repugnance betweene Bernardine and other Papiſts.further, let the reader obſerue that this agreeth not with that which ſome other Papiſts write of this matter. For he ſaith that Chriſt himſelfe ſhewed theſe things vntounto his mother: but other Papiſts, and namely Saint Vincent in his ſixth ſermon for the ninth Lords daie after the feaſt of the Trinitie, ſaith that Dionyſius learned this diuinitie of Paul, and that to Paul it was firſt reuealed, when he was rapt vp into the thirde heauen. After that Chriſt had ſhewed his mother theſe orders of the Angels, then he proceedeth to ſhew her further the ſeuerall places of the Saints, which were theſe …t firſt, that in the firſt order of Angels before mentioned, are placed thoſe which ſhall repent of their ſinnes. In the ſecond order of Archangels ſhall be placed, they that ouer and aboue their repentance ſhall hauehave actual deuotion, which he ſaith is more then repentance. Thirdly that with principalities ſhall be placed, they that are mercifull in corporall and ſpirituall workes. Fourthly that with powers ſhall be placed, they that are patient, and which beare much aduerſitie patiently. Fifthly that with vertues ſhall be placed the peacemakers, and they that as much as in them lieth hauehave peace with all men. Sixthly they with dominions ſhall be made bleſſed, prelates as well eccleſiaſticall as ſecular. Beatificabūtur prelati, tam eccieſiaſtics quam ſeculares.Seauenthly that with thrones ſhall be placed, they that perfectly for ſaking the world ſhall obſerue wilfull pouertie. Eightly that with Cherubims ſhall be placed the wiſe teachers of ſoules, which ſhall not onelyonly liue well themſelues, but ſhall alſo by their wiſdome and doctrine bring other to eternall life. Ninthly that with Seraphims ſhall ſtand they that ſhall be perfect in burning louelove aboue all other, as the Apoſtles and other like vntounto them. When ſhee had heard all this ſhee ſaid further, Et ego fili in quo ordine collocabor? And in what order, O ſonne, ſhall I be placed? He anſwered, becauſe thou art perfecter then all the former, therefore thou ſhalt not be in any of the former orders, but ſhalt be exalted aboue all angelicall ſpirits. Nam due cathedre & ſedes fulgentiſſime ſunt nobis preparate in celo, &c. for there are two chaires and ſeates moſt fulgent, (or bright) prepared for vsus in heauen. One for me wherein I ſhall ſitte as king of heauen, and an other for thee at my right hand, wherein thou ſhalt ſitte as the Queene of Angels, and of all the Saints, which was figured 3. King. by Bathſheba & 1. King. 2.Salomon, &c. Theſe things are much more largely ſet downe by him in his booke, then by me in this place, becauſe I haſten to an ende. Now who ſeeth not the vanitie and follie of theſe myſteries?
15 In the firſt ſermon of her coronation, leafe 381. thus he writeth: O igitur regina noſtra ſereniſſima &c. that is, O therefore our The virgins kingdome vniuerſall and euerlaſting.moſt excellent Queene, thou truly maiſt ſay Ezr. 1 that, The Lord hath giuē me all the kingdomes of the earth. And we may ſay vntounto thee that Tob. 13. Thy kingdome is throughout all ages. and pſal. 144. Thy kingdome is for all ages. Pſal. 145. 3.and Dan. 2. A kingdome which ſhall neuer be broken. Come therefore and take thou the kingdome ouer vsus. Iudg. 9. for of thy kingdome may that be ſaid, pſal. 105. And his kingdome ſhall rule ouer all. and Luc. 1. And of his kingdome there ſhall be none ende, &c.
16 In the ſecond ſermon of her coronation, O how much adoe is there of the great ſinging in heauen by the angels and ſaints, &c. eueryevery one hauing a ſeuerall antheme? leafe 386. Afterward he telleth vsus that ſhee was crowned with three crownes, as the Emperours are wont to be crowned. One crown is of iron, in ſignum fortitudinis, in token of her fortitude and ſtrength; the ſecond was of Her three crownes.ſiluer, ratione purit at is, in regard of her puritie; the third crowne where with ſhee was crowned, was of gold, ratione ſuperioritatis & ſufficientie, in regard of her ſuperioritie and ſufficiencie. In the ſame ſermon leafe 391. he ſaith, that in glorie ſhee doth as much excell the nature of angels and men, both beeing ioyned together, as the circumference of the firmament doth in greatnes exceede his center; that is, (to ſpeake more plainely) that her glorie is as much greater then the glorie of the angels and of men, as the whole higheſt heauen is greater then the earth. In the ſame leaſe thus he ſpeaketh vntounto her, O femina ab omnibus & ſuper omnia benedicta, &c. An heape of the virgins titles.that is, O woman of all, and aboue all bleſſed. Thou art the nobilitie and preſeruation of mankind. Thou art the breadth of merit, and the perfect power of all things created. Thou art the onelyonly mother of God. Thou art the Ladie of the whole earth, and the Queene of the world. Thou art the diſpenſer of all graces. Thou art the cōſummation of the whole world, and the beautie of the holy Church. Thou art out worthie ſatisfaction before the giuer of all gifts. Thou art the incomprehenſible greatnes of all vertues, gifts, and graces.
17 It were infinite to note the cithe onelyonly of the fooliſh and blaſphemous ſpeaches concerning the virgin Marie, contained in that one booke ſo highly allowed by the Popes holines. To omit therefore the gathering of any more out of this Bernardine, I come now to the ſermons of Saint Vincent.