The Virgin Mary Misrepresented by the Roman Church, Chapter 2

The Virgin Mary Misrepresented by the Roman Church · Chapter 2

p. 102CHAP. II. Of the bleſſed Virgin's Nativity.

SECT. I. Devotions to her, with Relation to her Birth.

THE Devotions for her Nativity being, for the moſt part, the ſame with thoſe upon the Feaſt of her Conception, there remains not much to be added under this Head.

The old Roman Miſſal, and Miſſal Cluniac. begins thus.

Nativitas Mariae Virginis

Qu…e nos lavit à labe criminis

Ce…bretur hodiè,

Dies eſt laetitiae.

Let's celebrate the Virgin's Birth to Day

With Joy, who waſh'd our ſinful Stains away.

The Miſſal of Sarum thus begins on the Nativity of bleſſed Mary.

Gaudeamus omnes in Domino, diem Feſtum celebrantes ſub honore Mariae Virginis, de cujus nativitate gaudent Angeli, & collaudant filium Dei.

Let us all rejoice in the Lord, celebrating a Feſtival in honour of the Virgin Mary, for whoſe Nativity Angels rejoice, and praiſe together the Son of God.

Pſal. 45.Ps 45Audi filia & vide, inclina aurem tuam, quia concupivit Rex ſpeciem tuam.

Specie tua & pulchritudine tua intende proſperè, procede & regna.

Hear O Daughter, and ſee, and incline thine Ear, for the King hath deſired thy Beauty.

In thy Beauty and Comlineſs advance proſperouſly, proceed and reign.

p. 103Verſ. Per te, Dei genitrix, nobis eſt vita perdita data, quae de coelo ſuſcipiſti prolem, & mundo genuiſti ſalvatorem.

Verſ. By thee, O Mother of God, the Life that we had loſt is given to us again, who didſt receive, an Offs-ſpring from Heaven and beg…t is Saviour to the World.

In a following Sequence we have theſe Expreſſions.

O Virgo fola, matter caſta

Noſtra crimina ſolvens, da regna,

Queis beata regnant agmina.

Potes enim cuncta ut **Coeli in Miſ. Attreb.mundi regina

Et jura cum Nato omnia

Decernis in ſaecula.

Bleſs'd Virgin, and chaſt Mother too,

The Bands of all our Crimes undo,

That by thy Gift we may attain,

That Kingdom where the Saints do reign;

To every thing thy Power extends,

To thee, as Queen of Heaven, it bends:

Nothing to thee can ever be deny'd,

Who, with thy Son all Titles doſt divide.

In the Reformed Roman Breviary, on the Feaſt of her Nativity, September 8.

Capitulum. Eccluſ. 24.

Ab initio & ante ſaecula creata ſum, & uſque ad futurum ſaeculum non deſiuam, & in habitatione ſancta coram ipſo miniſtravi.

From the Beginning, and before Ages I was created, and ſhall never fail, and I … before him in the holy ….

(Thus tranſlated by themſelves in the Office of the Virgin. Luc. & Eng. p. 47.)

Hymnus.

Ave Maris ſtella,

Del Mater alma,

Atque ſemper Virgo,

Felix coeli porta.

Sumens illud Ave,

Gabrielis ore,

p. 104Funda nos in pace,

Mutans Evae nomen.

Solve vincla reis,

Profer lumen caecis,

Mala noſtra pelle,

Bona cuncta poſce.

Monſtra te eſſe matrem,

Sumat per te preces,

Qui pro nobis natus,

Tulit eſſe tuus.

Virgo ſingularis,

Inter omnes mitis,

Nos culpis ſolutos,

Mites fac & caſtos.

Vitam praeſta puram,

Iter para tutum,

Ut videntes Jeſum,

Semper collaetemur.

Sit laus Deo patri,

Summo chriſto decus,

Spiritui ſancto,

Tribus honor unus.

Amen.

p. 103All hail Star of the Sea,

Gods Mother clear and bright,

The happy Gate of Bliſs,

And ſtill in Virgins plight.

Receiving that all hail (Ave)

Which Gabriel's Mouth did give,

p. 104Eſtabliſh us in Peace,

Changing the Name of Eve.

The Guilties Bands unbind,

Blind Men their Sight aſſure,

Ill things from us expel,

All Good for us procure.

A Mother ſhew thy ſelf,

He take our Plaints by thee,

Who being for us born,

Vouchſaf'd thy Son to be.

O rarest Virgin pure,

Meekeſt of all that waſt,

Diſcharged of our Sin,

Make thou us meek and chaſt.

Grant that our Life be pure,

Make ſafe for us the way,

That while we Jeſus ſee,

Our Joy may last for ay.

To God the Father Praiſe,

To Chriſt high Worſhip be,

And to the Holy Ghoſt,

One Honour unto three.

Amen.

Oratio.

Famulis tuis quaeſumus Domine coeleſtis gratiae munus impertire; ut quibus beatae virgins partus, extitit ſalutis exordium, Nativitatis ejus votive ſolemnitas pacis tribuat incrementum.

Per Dominum.

A Prayer.

O Lord, we pray thee beſtow upon thy Servants the Gift of heavenly Grace; that as the bleſſed Virgin's Birth has been to us the beginning of Salvation, ſo the vowed Solemnity of her Nativity may afford to us increaſe of Peace.

Through our Lord.

Lect. 1. Cantic. Canticor.

Oſculetur me oſculo oris ſui, quia meliora ſunt ubera tua vino, &c.

Reſp. Hodie nata eſt beata virgo maria ex progenie David,p. 105per quam ſalus mundi credentibus apparuit, cujus vita glorioſa lucem dedit ſaeculo.

p. 104Let him kiſs me with the kiſſes of his Mouth; for thy Breaſts are better than Wine, &c.

R. To day was born the bleſſed Virgin Mary of the Progenyp. 105of David, by whom the Saviour of the World appeared to Believers, whoſe glorious Life gave Light to the World.

Reſp. Beatiſſimae virginis Mariae Nativitatem devotiſſimè celebremus, ut ipſa pro nobis intercedat ad Dominum Jeſum Chriſtum.

After the Second Leſſon.

Reſp. Let us moſt devoutly celebrate the Nativity of the moſt bleſſed Virgin Mary, that ſhe may intercede for us with our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.

Reſp. Ora pro populo, interveni pro clero, intercede pro devoto foemineo ſexu: Sentiant omnes tuum juvamen, quicunque celebrant tuam ſanctam nativitatem.

After the Eighth Leſſon.

Reſp. Pray for the People, intervene for the Clergy, intercede for the devout Female Sex; let all thoſe perceive thy Help, whoſoever celebrate thy holy Nativity.

Ad Laudes. Anaph.

Regali ex progenie maria exorta refulget; cujus precibus nos adjuvari mente & ſpiritu devotiſſimè poſcimus.

Mary ariſing from a royal Stock ſhines brightly; we beg with the greateſt Devotion of Mind and Spirit to be helped by her Prayers.

(Thus tranſlated in the Latin and Engliſh Office forenamed.)

Hymnus.

O Glorioſa Virginum,

Sublimis inter ſidera

Qui te creavit, parvulum

Lactante nutris ubere.

Quod Heva triſtis abſtulit,

Tu reddis almo germine;

Intrent ut aſtra flebiles,

Coeli recludis cardines.

p. 106Tu regis alti janua

Et aula lucis fulgida;

Vitam datam per Virginem

Gentes redemptte plaudite.

p. 105O Virgin ſet in Glory great,

Among the Stars in high degree;

Whoſe Breaſts, when he was yet a Child,

Gave Suck to him that formed thee.

By thy fair Bloſſom thou reſtor'dſt

That which ſad Eve away had given;

That wailing Wights might mount the Stars,

Thou haſt ſet ope the Gates of Heaven;

p. 106The Gate thou art of the high King,

The Port of Light that gliſters clear;

Since Life was given by a Maid,

Let freed Men ſhew joyful cheer.

On the Ninth of September, the Second Day after the Octave of bleſſed Mary's Nativity, we have theſe Three Leſſons taken out of the 18. Sermo de Sunctis, attributed to S. Auſtin (though certainly none of his.)

Lect. 4.

Exultat Maria, & matrem ſe laeta miratur, & de ſpiritu ſancto ſe peperiſſe gaudet: Nec quin pepetit innupta terrecur, ſed quia genuerit cum exultatione miratur. O foemina ſuper foeminas benedicta, quae vi…m m…i…o non novit, & virum …uo … dirc…dedit! … …am Maria Ang… … …ando, quin H…va per…dit virum, ſerp…i con…. to … …entia, O …: q…e dum fidem … dedit, coeli in fe opi…co… …ncorpotavit: Hinc prome… uit gl…m, quam ipſa poſtmodum hauſit. Ecce ait, … hoc bea… me dicent omnes generationes.

Mary c…ults, and joyfully admires to ſee her ſelf a Mother, and is glad ſhe was with Child by the Holy Spirit: Neither was ſhe frighted that ſhe was with Child being unmarried, but ſhe wondred with Exultation that ſhe had begot a Child. O woman, bleſſed above all Women, who never knew a Man, and yet encompaſſed a Man in her Womb! Mary compaſſed a Man by giving credit to the Angel, as Eve deſtroyed Man by conſenting to the Serpent. O happy Obedience, O remarkable Grace! Who, while ſhe humbly conſented, did incorporate the Maker of Heaven within her ſelf. Hence ſhe merited the Glory, which ſhe afterwards gained. Behold, ſays ſhe, from henceforth all Generations ſhall call me bleſſed.

Lect. 5.

O beata Maria, quis tibi dignè valeat jura gratiarum, acp. 107laudum praeconia rependere, quae ſingulari tuo aſſenſu Mundo ſuccurriſti perdito? Quas tibi laudes fragilitas humani generis perſolvat, quae ſolo tuo commercio recuperandi aditum inventi? Accipe itaque quaſcunque exiles, quafcunque Meritis tuis impares gratiarum actiones. Et cùm ſuſceperis vota, culpas noſtras orando excuſa. Admitte preces noſtras intra Sacrarium exauditionis, & reporta nobis antidotum reconciliationis.

p. 106O bleſſed Mary, who is able to make worthy Returns of Thanksp. 107and Praiſes to thee, who by thy ſingular Conſent did'ſt ſuccour the loſt World? What Praiſes can the Frailty of humane Nature pay to thee, who, only by thy commerce haſt found a Paſſage to our Recovery? Accept therefore our Thankſgivings, though never ſo poor and unſuitable to your Merits: And when you ſhall receive our Devotions, by your Prayers excuſe our Faults: Admit our Prayers within the holy Place of your Audience, and bring back to us the Antidote of Reconciliation.

Lect. 6.

Sit per te excuſabile, quod per te ingerimus; fiat impetrabile, quod fida mente poſcimus. Accipe quod offerimus, redona quod rogamus, excuſa quod timemus; quia tu es ſpes unica peccatorum. Per te ſperamus veniam delictorum, & in te beatiſſima noſtrorum eſt expectatio praemiorum. Sancta Maria, ſuccurre miſeris, juva puſillanimes, refove flebiles, ora pro populo, interveni pro clero, &c.

By the let every thing be excuſed eaſily, which we being in by thee, and eaſily obtained, which we requeſt with a faithfull Mind. Accept what we offer, give us what we ask, excuſe what we fear; for thou art the only Hope of Sinners: By then we hope for the Pardon of our Offenses, and in thy bleſſed Self is our Expectation of being rewarded: O holy Mary, ſuccour the Miſerable, help the Faint-hearted, refreſh thoſe that mourn, pray for the People, intercede for the Clergy, &c.

The late Contemplator has invited us to celebrate her Nativity in this manner, p. 50.

The Praiſe.

Hail Mary, full of Grace, our Lord is with thee, &c.

p. 108The Hymn.

The morning Star doth ſpread its Ray,

The Sun e'er long will make clear Day:

Welcome great Mary, Herald of Peace,

Rich Spring of Grace, which never ceaſe.

This new-born Light, which chears our Earth,

Sums the Worlds Bleſſings in her Birth;

God's Mother is this Day reveal'd,

Heav'ns Treaſures are in her unſeal'd.

Glory be to Jeſus and Mary;

As it was, is, and ever ſhall be, Amen.

Anaph. Who is ſhe that cometh forth, as the Dawning of the Day, beautiful as the Moon, choſen as the Sun?

Pſalm 44.

My Heart ſhall power forth Words of Joy, becauſe Mary the Mother of Jeſus is born.

Above all Women beautiful is Mary; Grace is ſpread through her Soul.

Rejoice, triumph and Advance, for thou art amiable and acceptable to God our King.

Juſtice, Truth and Meekneſs are thy Ornaments; the Hand of God hath wrought them in thee.

Every Creature ſhall bleſs the Hour of thy Birth, becauſe Jeſus covets thy Beauty.

Anth. Who is ſhe?

Verſ. Mary the Mother of Jeſus is born.

Reſp. Let Heavens and Earth ſing forth her Praiſe.

Let us Pray.

Grant unto us thy Servants, O Lord, thy Gifts of heavenly Grace, that the Birth of holy Mary may increaſe our Acceptableneſs unto thee; ſince thy Son Jeſus, who was born of her, is the Beginning of our Salvation; through the ſame Jeſus Chriſt our Lord, Amen. (This is but an ill and diſguiſed Tranſlation of the former Collect: Famulis tuis quaeiumus, Domine, &c.)

p. 109SECT. II. Concerning the bleſſed Virgin's Nativity, and the Circumſtances of her Birth; with Remarks thereupon.

AS we have hitherto found a great many bold Aſſertions obtruded on us without any cogent Proof; ſo the Reader muſt expect the ſame Entertainment ſtill; and it cannot well be otherwiſe, where both Scripture and ancient genuine Authorities are wholly ſilent, as they are in the Things that concern her Nativity. There are indeed Prophecies in the holy Bible concerning her, but not as ſhe is the Daughter of Anne, but the Mother of Jeſus; not to tell us how ſhe was conceived and born, but that a Virgin ſhould conceive, and the Holy one ſhould be born of her: Even the Verſes we now have of the pretended Sibylls, ſay very little more than that of her.

But the Men of this Church cannot be contented and at reſt, till they have filled every Stage of her Life with Wonder and Miracle. So they have done here in her Birth; the Circumſtances whereof they make as glorious as poſſible may be, and to run parallel in moſt things with thoſe that are related of our Saviour. The oft-cited bold Jeſuit aaPozae Elucidar. l. 2. trac. 6. p. 494.thinks it not enough to call her (what the Scripture calls the Meſſiah) The Deſire of all Nations; but, he adds, That this Woman was in their Wiſhes before her Son, though he was much more noble and neceſſary for Mankind. Abraham rejoiced to ſee the Day of Chriſt, he ſaw it and was glad; but long before Abraham, Adam and Eve rejoiced to ſee the Day of Mary, they ſaw it and were glad. Wherein he is ſeconded by another of his Society, bbJ. Bonifacius de vit. & mirac. B. Virginis l. 1. c. 5.ſaying, We ought to believe that Adam foreſaw this Nativity to the rejoicing of his Heart. So did Seth too, if you will believe the Relation of J. Gerbrandus ccChronic. Belgic. l. 31. c. 26., who tells us, that in the Year 1374. Sibylla Queen of Hungary, cauſing Workmen to dig in the Valey of Jehoſaphat, they found a Tomb made of Brick, with a Body in it entire, over whoſe Head was a Tablet with this Inſcription in Hebrew Characters, I Seth, the Third born Son of Adam, believe in Jeſus Chriſt the Son of God, and in thep. 110Virgin Mary his Mother, who ſhall come from my Loins. A very likely Story! Much of the ſame Nature and Credit with that which is mentioned by Aquinas ddSumma Theol. in 2. ſecundae qu. 2. art. 7., of an Inſcription upon a Plate of Gold found in a Tomb, which propheſied thus, Chriſt ſhall be born of a Virgin, and I believe in him; O Su…, thou ſhalt ſee me again about the time of Irene and Conſtantine. Or like that Table which J. Boniface eeLib. citat. 2. p. 137.relates out of Caſſinaeus, That in the Sepulchre of Plato, was a Plate of Gold found with this written on it: I believe in Chriſt who ſhall be born of a Virgin, ſuffer for Mankind, and riſe again the Third Day.

Neither will theſe Prophecies ſuffice, unleſs Miracles alſo prepare her Way, and accompany her into the World. Baroxius ffApparat. ad Annal. n. 40.is contented to tell us in general, That great Things, and altogether admirable, ſuch as cannot worthily be expreſs'd, did precede the Birth of Mary the Mother of God: And every one that queſtions this, he brands for a Man of a narrow Soul, and for one out of his Wits. And his Reaſon for it is very admirable: Becauſe we know that great and ſtrange Things went before the Birth of Sampſon and Samuel, Jeremiah and John the Baptiſt; and who can think ſo abjectly and meanly of God, or be ſo mad as to affirm, That he did greater Things, and was more liberal to his Servants than to his Mother, to the Friends of the Bridegroom than to his Spouſe? (Or, if you will, to the Handmaid rather than to the Lady, for in the Language of another Cardinal ggBonaventure in Speculo. c. 1., Every faithful Soul is a Handmaid of the Virgin; nay more, even the Ʋniverſal Church it ſelf.) If the Cardinal had been ſpeaking of the Graces that were neceſſary to make her beloved of God, or neceſſary to her Salvation, his Reaſoning might have been allowed; but ſpeaking of Gifts (the gratiae gratis datae, as the Schools ſpeak) which are meaſured by no Rule, but only the Pleaſure of God, who gives them as he thinks fit, being at perfect Liberty herein, both as to the Kind and the Degree; it is great Preſumption to argue and reaſon from what has been done for one, to what will be done for another: Becauſe God may deny that, for ſecret Reaſons of his own, to one, which he may beſtow upon another: And thus, for Inſtance, he may reſolve to make Sampſon's Birth Conſpicuous by a Miracle, and to conceal that of the bleſſed Virgin, and therefore work none when ſhe was born. Not that I affirm that he did not, but that he not having told us that hep. 111did, no Man can reaſon (unleſs he were as Wiſe as God, or a Privy-Councellor of Heaven) that God muſt do it, or if he does not, that he is too ſparing where he ought to be more liberal in his Donations. And I am afraid, upon theſe Principles and Arguings, we ſhall have but a ſorry Account, why the Apoſtles, that were but Servants, had the Power given, not only of doing the ſame Works that the Son of God did, but greater than thoſe; which we are ſure is true, becauſe Chriſt foretold it; or why this bleſſed Mother did not work greater Miracles than any of the Apoſtles, which we are ſure ſhe did not, but ought to have had ſuch a Power given her, by the ſaid Reaſoning of the Cardinal. However he was ſo wiſe, as not to mention in particular any Miracle at her Birth, as well knowing, that none could be produced, unleſs he made uſe of thoſe fabulous Authors to vouch for them, which he had before diſcarded.

But we have a Jeſuit hhPoza ib. l. 2. tract. 7. c. 1.to help him out even here alſo, who ſeldom fails at a dead Lift, whoſe Fancy and Invention is ſo pregnant, that he can accommodate any wonderful Story to his Purpoſe: For Joſephus iiAntiq. 15. cap. 14.mentioning a Tradition, That all the time Herod's Temple was a building (which he makes to be about Eight Years) it never rained on the day-time, but all Showers fell by Night, that the Work might not be Interrupted; he takes the Story for granted; only what Joſephus thought was ordered for the Service of the Temple, he forſooth will have theſe Nights-ſhowers to fall in honour of the Virgin, whom he would have to be born at this time; and to give it ſome Colour, heaps up a deal of forced and metaphorical Stuff concerning her, not deſerving to be mentioned. He alſo kkId. ib. c. 2.hooks in that Miracle S. John mentions (Chap. 5.) of healing at the Pool of Betheſda: This Wonder he will have, no body knows why, to happen in the Month of September, when the bleſſed Virgin was born; and having found in ſome Authors that Joachim had a Houſe by that Pool, and that ſhe was born there, he preſently concludes that this Miracle was yearly iterated in honour of her Birth, and he thinks it firſt began at the time when ſhe was born, and that the Virtue that was in it to cure the Sick and Impotent that were let down into it, was contracted, ex vicinia hujus domus, by its Neighbourhood to this Houſe: He finds alſo a Myſtery in it llIbid. c. 7.That ſhe waſhes p. 112away our Filth, like that Pool, and was born there to ſhew how tender her Care is of Sinners.

We are further informed mmBarnard. de Buſt. Maria l. p. 2. ſer. 3.That a numerous Multitude of Bleſſed Angels, at the time of her Birth, out of every Order did deſcend from Heaven, and with raviſhing Muſick of all ſorts, played the Spouſe of the eternal King into the World, ſinging ſweet Songs of ineffable Melody. For thus, becauſe we read that Angels with their Songs of Praiſe uſhered our Saviour into the World, we muſt believe that they performed the ſame Office to his Mother alſo at her Birth. Nay, Poza nnIb. l. 2. tract. 5. c. 3.would have us think that not only Angels Songs and Harmony were then heard, but that all other Creatures teſtified their Joys, Becauſe they were all renewed by Mary to their priſtine State and Condition; I ſuppoſe he means before the Fall. Pelbartus ooStellar. l. 5. p. 2. art. 2. c. 9.tells us out of one Theophilus (no doubt, an ancient and authentick Hiſtorian) That on the Day of Mary's Nativity the Sun ſhone twice as bright as he was wont; and on that Night the Moon ſhone almoſt as bright as the Sun, and that cloudineſs that darkens her Face for a time, did not appear from the Day of her Birth (I ſuppoſe he means to the next new Moon) but it ſhewed like one great bright Star about the middle of the lunar Globe. This Miracle had been better calculated for the Day of her Conception, eſpecially that of the Moon having no Spots, for then it would have admirably declared, that the bleſſed Virgin, whom they call the Queen of Heaven and the myſtical Moon ppMax. Sandaeus Entitles his Book of the Virgin, Luna Myſtica.had no Spot or Stain of original Sin in her Conception.

As for the Year when ſhe was born, they give us a formal Account of that too, for thus Chr. à Caſtro qqHiſt. deip. c. 2. p. 85.has ſumm'd it up: She was born September 8. on the Fourteenth day of the Moon, on a Saturday, becauſe the Dominical Letter on that Year was G. Fifteen Years before Chriſt was born, on the Fourth Year of the 190 Olympiad; 738 Years from the building of Rome; L. Domitius and P. Corn. Scipio being Conſuls; 27. Years from the firſt Conſulſhip of Auguſtus; from the Victory at Actium 15. in the Eighteenth Year of Herod the King; from the beginning of the World 4073, &c. Baronius ſets it rrApparat ad Annal. n. 48.one Year ſooner. If you ask how they came to know this ſo exactly? I anſwer, it depends chiefly upon this Suppoſition, That the Virgin was Fifteen Years of Age p. 113when Chriſt was born. And how know they that? I am ſure, not by Baronius's Reaſon ssIbid. n. 47.That it was the Cuſtom of the Jews to marry their Daughters when they were adult; for that concludes no more for her being Fifteen, than Fourteen or Sixteen Years of Age: Nor by the Teſtimonies of any of the Ancients of undoubted Authority; for all that he produces for it, is only a Fragment in Nicephorus ttEccleſ. hiſt. l. 2. c. 3.of Euodius Biſhop of Antioch and Succeſſor to the Apoſtles, in an Epiſtle of his called Lumen, though the Cardinal confeſſes that he never met with any ancient Writer that took notice of ſuch a Work of his; and if any one examine it (as we may have occaſion afterwards) he will find it plainly to be a Counterfeit; or as Biſhop Mountague uuActs & Monum. c. 8. p. 535.cenſures it, That it was never the Iſſue of any of the Children of Light, but the misbegotten and misborn Changeling of an heretical Father.

But ſtill if all this were granted about the Year, it makes nothing for the Month and Day of her Nativity, which ſtill remains as uncertain as before. In this they muſt be beholden to Eccleſiaſtical Tradition and its teaching, xxRaynaud. Dipt. Mar. p. 24.from whence they have learn'd many other great Secrets, and that determines it on the Eighth of September; only they have an admirable Art to back it with Motives of Congruity, as here in this Caſe. Congruum fuit, &c. Says Carthagena, yyDe arc, Deip. l. 2. hom. 2.That ſhe who was to be for ever a Virgin, ſhould be born in the Month of September, was very congruous, becauſe in that Month the Sun going out of the Sign of Leo, enters into the Sign of Virgo; which plainly enough foreſignified, That God, who otherwiſe roared like a Lion, according to that, Vengeance is mine and I will repay, ſhould now be born like a Lamb of the meek Ewe Mary, and like an Ʋnicorn, ſhould lay aſide all his Fierceneſs in the Lap of the Virgin. Another zzGononus Chron. Deip. p. 3.ſays, This was a very convenient Seaſon for her Birth, that as the World, according to the commoneſt Opinion, was created in the Month of September, ſo the new Creation of it ſhould begin at the ſame time: Beſides, we know that this Month does commonly abound with Diſeaſes, and therefore it is no wonder, if at that time in which Dangers appear, the Medicine and Remedy againſt every Sickneſs ſhould be ſent. (Though theſe Reaſons ſeem to conclude ſtronglier for the Birth of our Saviour in that Month, than for hers.) Nay, in this way of Congruity,p. 114they can tell us the very time of the Day when ſhe was born, that it was in the dawning of the Morning before Sunriſe, aaRaynaudus ibid.that ſo this Circumſtance of Time might anſwer to the Myſtery, who in the Hymns is called, Solis justitiae aurora, The Morning of the Son of Righteouſneſs. As for the Place where ſhe was born, they are not ſo well agreed. Poza, as we heard before, will have her to be born at Jeruſalem, and he brings bbIb. tract. 8. c. 3.S. Briget's Revelations ccL. 5. c. 13.and others to countenance it. But the moſt common Opinion is that which Baronius ddApparat. n. 48.mentions, That ſhe was born at Nazareth: So ſays alſo the Counterfeit Epiſtle of S. Jerome; and the Table that hangs up in holy Houſe at Loretta, makes that Church to be a Chamber of the Houſe at the bleſſed Virgin at Nazareth, in which ſhe was born and educated, and afterwards received in it the Salutation of the Angel Gabriel. This Chamber was taken from Nazareth by Angels, and carried over-Sea, and after ſome Removes, was at laſt placed by them where it now ſtands in Italy, by a Highway ſide. Chr. de Caſtro eeHiſt. deip. c. 1. p. 60.ſays that ſhe was born at Nazareth, Inter…ovium balatus, paſtorumque hilares concentus, among the bleatings of Sheep, and the joyful Conſorts of Shepherds: And afterwards in his Notes adds, It is probable that S. Anne came over to Joachim, while he lived with his Shepherds, and there brought ſorth the holy Child; adding in the Margin, That Mary was born in the Houſe of a Shepherd: For which he cites J. Damaſcen. Lib. 4. fid. Orthod. c. 15. Editur partu in ovili… i… ſius Joachim domo. Wherein Caſtro commits a groſs Miſtake; for the Words of Damaſcen in the Greek are theſe, foreign (Sc. Virgo) foreign where foreign is not a Shepherds Dwelling, but ſignifies the Place in S. John c. v. 2. foreign, &c. In the Sheep-Market we tranſlate it, or Gate, there was a Pool called Betheſda: And he means, no doubt, that Houſe of S. Anne at Jeruſalem, which Adricomius ffTheatr. terrae ſanct. Jeruſalem, n. 37. p. 153.mentions, and places hard by the Pool of Betheſda, and where, he ſays, Joachim and Anne often lived, and where bleſſed Mary was conceived (for he makes her alſo to be born at Nazareth.) This appears by another place in Damaſcen ggOrat. 1. de Nativ. Virg., where he wiſhes all good Luck to this Probatica, calling it Patrium Regina domicilium; and after mentions how once a Year is of old received the Angel that troubled the Waters, and reſtored one Perſon to Health: This by the way. However it be, whetherp. 115as to the Place Damaſcen be in the Right or no, we need not much trouble our ſelves, but it concerns them much, who are reſolved to believe the Fable of the Houſe at Loretta, which this plainly contradicts.

Theſe curious Inquirers into her Birth, that nothing may eſcape them, conſider whether ſhe came into the World the common way; and one of them hhPoza ib. l. 2. tract. 15. c. 3., after all his Search profeſſes, That he cannot yet reſolve, whether ſhe came out of S. Anne's Womb with her Head or Feet formoſt: Only he has diſcovered to us thus much, That ſhe might, if ſhe pleaſed, have come with her Feet foremoſt: For, ſays he, ſhe having in the Womb the uſe of her Reaſon; ſhe might have contracted her Arms and other Parts cloſe together, and then there would have been no more Difficulty in this, than in the other common Way.

It would be a great Miſtake to think, That when ſhe came into the World, ſhe cryed as other Children do. No, ſays one iiBernard. de Buſt. part. 2. ſerm. 1. p. 133., She neither ſighed nor cryed, but expreſſed great Joy in her Face, ſmiling upon thoſe that looked on her, and rejoiced with a multitude of Angels that ſang ſweet Songs at her Birth: Which the former Virtuoſo kkPoza ib. c. 2.aſcribes to that perfect Wiſdom wherewith ſhe was endued from her Conception, and her grave Conſtancy, not to be altered by this new Sight of the Fabrick of this World. Nay, ſo far was ſhe from crying her ſelf, when ſhe was born, That ſhe did not ſo much as make her cry out that bare her. Thoſe that think that S. Anne conceived her without Pleaſure, conclude from thence, that ſhe brought her forth without Pain; beſides the Congruity of it llRaynaudus lib. citat. p. 29., That ſhe, who by her Birth, brought Joy to all the World, ſhould not tear her Mother with grievous Pangs. But the skilful Poza mmIb. l. 2. trac. 15. c. 7.goes further (as he commonly …ly… at all) and ſays, That by a Miracle, and God's Kindneſs, S. Anne, when ſhe went with Child of her, felt no Burden▪ and in her Child-bed ſhe had no Sorrows, for it was without Pain▪ without the Help of Midwives, without fainting of Spirits, or conſequent Uncleanneſs; ſo that excepting the Miracle of the Virginity of the Mother of God, before and after her bringing forth, all the other Wonders are alike in the Birth of Mary and Jeſus. He alſo concludes, nnIbid. c. 3.That the Body of the bleſſed Virgin did ſhine at her Birth with exceeding Brightneſs; p. 116for ſo, he ſays, we read it happened in the Nativity of S. Herebert, S. Avitus, and S. Suibert, &c. And we know it is a firſt Principle, that no other Saint muſt outdo her, which I ſuppoſe their Poet ooMantuan. Parthan. Mar. l. 1.intended, who ſpeaking of her when ſhe ſuck'd, ſays,

Stringere complexu natam, ferre oſcula fronti

Non erat auſa parens, nec enim mortalis in illa

Humanuſve decor, ſed erat coeleſtis Imago.

That is,

Anne durſt not with her circling Arms embrace

This Babe, nor give fond Kiſſes to her Face;

Amaz'd to ſee ſuch Majeſty combine,

With heav'nly Graces and a Form divine.

As confidently does another ppGononus in Chron. deip. p. 3.aſſert, That from her Birth and ſo forward, the Virgin's ſacred Body breathed a Perfume and fragrant Smell, that ſo, as he adds, ſhe might not be excelled by any illuſtrious Perſon: Plutarch having reported the ſame of Alexander, and God having granted it to ſeveral dead Bodies of his Servants, it can in no wiſe be thought that he would not beſtow this Honour upon her Body, in which God intended to take up his dwelling afterwards.

There remains a great Queſtion, much debated among them, concerning her Guardian Angel: For it is generally reſolved among the Schoolmen qqSee Aquinas ſum. Th. p. 1. qu. 113. art. 4, 5.that every Man from his Nativity has ſuch an Angel appointed to keep and defend him; even Adam in Innocency had one rrId. ib. art. 4. ad 1, 2. Fr. Albertinus de Ang. Cuſtod. c 4. p. 24, 29, 30. Becanus Theol. Sch…. …ac. 3. c. 6.: Only our Saviour, though he had Angels miniſtring to him, yet he needed none to counſel or defend him. Poza ssElucid. l. …. …rac. 16. c. …., who would fain make the bleſſed Virgin in every Privilege as like to her Son as may be, will allow her one or more, ad ſamulatum, for Attendance and State, though not as a Guardian, for that, forſooth, would ſuppoſe ſomething of Superiority, which muſt not be allowed over her: She had, he ſays, an Angel juſt as ſhe had the Habit of Penitence, which yet conferred nothing to the Work and Exerciſe of it, becauſe ſhe had no Sin; only it was profitable to adorn her, and keep company with her other Vertues. God would deny p. 117her nothing that he had beſtowed upon others, therefore ſhe ſhould rather have Angelum otioſum, an Angel that was Idle, and had nothing to do, than ſeem to be wanting in Liberality to his dear Daughter. But Raynaudus ttIbid. p. 26.aſſures us, that the common Opinion is, That ſhe had a Guardian Angel, and that this Angel was Gabriel, according to that of P. Damianus uuSerm. 1. de Nativ. Mar., who compares Gabriel and John the Evangeliſt, to Two Lions, the one of which was deputed to be a Keeper on her right Hand, the other on her Left; Gabriel watchfully preſerved her her Soul, and John her Body. But neither can this ſo eaſily obtain, but meets with great Oppoſition. Aquinas xxIb. qu. 113. art. 3.is of Opinion, That the Cuſtody of ſingle Perſons, belongs only to Angels of the loweſt Form and Order: And another ſays yyGononus ib. p. 4.It is certain that none of the Order of Archangels (ſuch as Gabriel is made to be) is taken to this Office of being Guardians of Men. Beſides, we know, ſays he, that remarkable Embaſſies are wont to be made by ſome Prince, who does not familiarly converſe with the Perſon to whom he is ſent: ſuch was the Embaſſy of the Annunciation, which therefore had not been ſo fit to be committed to Gabriel, if he had been her Angel Guardian: He thinks therefore, that it was not he, but the chief of the Order of meer Angels, to whom this Charge was committed. But others zzCaſtro Hiſt. deip. c. 2. p. 86.are not content with one alone (no not if it were Gabriel himſelf) but that more beſides were in Commiſſion to miniſter to her. Pelbartus aaStellar. lib. 10. par. 5. art. 2.ſays, many Angels, according to that of the Canticles (cap. iii. 7.) Behold Salomon's Bed, Three ſcore valiant Men are about it. Albertinus bbLoc. citat. p. 28.thinks that almoſt an infinite Multitude of Angels did concurr to her Protection; which is plain enough out of Cant. vi. ult. What will ye ſee in the Shunamite? as it were the Company of Two Armies. Vulg. Lat. Choros Caſtrorum, which ſignify her guardian Angels.

Their Authors alſo make very large Harangues, to declare the Nobleneſs of her Birth. S. Bernardine aſſerts ccDe Nativ. Virg. ſerm. 5. art. 1. c. 1.That the bleſſed Virgin was the moſt noble Creature that ever was in humane Nature, or ever can be begotten; for ſhe derived in her Birth from Forty Patriarchs, Fourteen Kings, and Eleven Dukes. And we ought, ſays he, to preferr her before all Princeſſes, Kings and Queens, Emperors and Empreſſes, and before all Powers, Tribes and Languages of the whole Ʋniverſe. Whither will not the Folly of ſuperſtitious Men carry them? And where will it ſtop?p. 118What naeuſeous, as well as inſignificant, Flattery is this? How would it have graced in her Ears, if this Story had been told her whilſt ſhe lived? We may eaſily gueſs at it by her own Song, which magnifies God, for exulting them of low Degree; and for regarding the low Eſtate of his Handmaiden. But it is worſe ſtill, when we hear her very Sanctity flattered, and the Merit of it proclaimed by another ddPoza ubi prius. l. 2 tract. 15. c 8.to be ſo great, as to be the Cauſe, That after her Birth all her Kindred were holy Perſons: Though this plainly contradicts the Goſpel eeJohn vii. 5.John 7:5, which ſays, That neither did his Brethren believe in him. Unleſs Chriſt's Brethren were nothing akin to his Mother.

But the worſt of all is ſtill behind; I mean, the abominable Flattery of their Devotions; their lowly addreſſes to S. Anne and her Husband in their Prayers, upon the Account of being her Parents, and bringing ſuch a Daughter into the World.

SECT. III. Devotions to the Parents of the bleſſed Virgin.

A Noted Jeſuit ffSpinellus Deip. thr…us Dei. c. 18. p. 241.exhorts Men, To worſhip the moſt holy Parents of the Virgin with a peculiar Reverence, for this Reaſon, becauſe they begat ſuch a Daughter for us, that they ſhould give them Joy of her, earneſtly praying that they would commend them to the Mother of God. For, ſays he, we may eaſily collect that their Interceſſion with the Virgin muſt needs avail much, becauſe the Authority of Parents weighs much with good Children. Which he ſeems to have learn'd from the Breviary, which in a Hymn ggBreviar. Rom. antiq. ad 20 Martii.declares the ſame.

Qui optat S. Virginis juvari piis precibus,

Devotus ſit Chariſſimis illius genitoribus:

Nam illis, dum impendimus honoris reverentiam,

Devotam; ei red…imus & nato ejus gratiam.

p. 119That is,

He that would have the Virgin's Ear,

And by her Pray'rs be helped out;

In Worſhip of her Parents …

Let him expreſs himſelf devout:

For whilſt on them our Honour we beſtow,

To her and to her Son we Kindneſs ſhow.

Devotions to S. Joachim.

IN the old Roman Miſſal, on the Feaſt of S. Joachim (March 20.) they make this Addreſs to him.

Verſ. O Joachim ſanctae conjux Annae, Pater almae virginis, hinc famulis confer ſalutis opem.

O Joachim, Husband of S. Anne, and Father of the bleſſed Virgin, from hence beſtow ſaving Help on thy Servants.

A long Proſa that follows, concludes thus:

Vale, Pater inclyte,

Placa Regem gloriae

In hac valle miſeriae:

Clarâ Dei facie

Da frui in …quie

Sanctorum ſanctae curiae.

O pater Reginus coeli nos adjuva.

Amen.

Farewel great Father, Heaven's bleſt King appeaſe,

In this ſad Vale of Tears and Miſery,

Grant God's bright Face hereafter we may ſee,

In Heav'n, where happy Saints have Reſt and Eaſe.

O Father of the Queen of Heaven help us.

Amen.

In the old Roman Breviary, March 20. They pray thus:

O pater ſumme Joachim puellae,

Q… Deum clauſo genuit pudore,

p. 120Promove noſtras Domino querelas Caſtaque vota.

Scis quot hic ſaevis agitemur undis,

Triſte quos mundi mare defatigat:

Scis quot adnectat Satanas caroque

Praeli nobis.

Jam ſacris junctus ſuperum catervis,

I…uo praecedens, potes omne, ſi vis;

Nil Nepos Jeſus merito negabit,

Nil tibi nata.

p. 119Joachim, Father of that bleſſed Maid,

Who brought forth God, yet Virgin did remain;

p. 120See our chast Vows we make to God, be paid,

And all our Prayers promote, when we complain.

Tost in this Sea with many a cruel Wave,

Thou know'ſt we weak and weather-beaten are;

Thou know'ſt what combats we are like to have,

Which Fleſh and Satan, our ſworn Foes, prepare.

And now thou'rt plac'd among the bleſt ſo high,

Thou canſt do every thing thou art inclin'd to;

Thy Nephew Jeſus ſure will not deny,

Much leſs thy Daughter, what thou haſt a mind to.

Devotions to S. Anne, as Mother of the B. Virgin.

Anaph.

Portifor. Sec. uſ. Sarum ad Jul. 26.Faelix, Anna cella munditiae,

Lumen mundi, vena clementiae,

Spes ſalutis, porta laetitiae,

Nos divinae commenda gratiae.

O Bleſſed Anne, the Cell of Purity,

Light of the World; the Vein of Clemency,

Our ſaving Hope and Gate of Conſolation,

Commend us to God's gracious Acceptation.

Hymn.

Ave mater Anna,

Plenna melle Canna,

p. 121Cui matrem paſſa,

Nulla coequanda.

Ergo te rogamus,

Rogantes ſupplicamus,

Ut quod potes velis,

Prece nos da coelis.

Placans nobis natam,

Per te mundo datam,

Illa natum ſuum,

Tu nepotem tuum.

p. 120All hail we wiſh to thee S. Anne,

Who art the B. Virgin's Mother;

p. 121Brim full of Honey is thy Cann,

There's none can ſhew me ſuch another.

Therefore ſtill asking we remain,

And thy unwearied Suitors are,

That what thou canſt, thou would'ſt obtain,

And give us Heaven by thy Pray'r.

Do thou appeaſe the Daughter

thou did'ſt bear,

She her own Son, and thou thy

Nephew dear.

Another Hymn ſpeaks thus to her.

Quicquid hic deliquimus

Vitae per immunditiam,

Abſtergas illud petimus

Per divinam clementiam.

All thoſe impurities of Sin,

We heretofore have lived in,

Thorow the Grace of God we pray

Cleanſe and wipe them quite away.

Another Hymn calls her Happy.

Quae medelam vitiorum matrem geſſit gratiae.

Who bore the Mother of Grace, the Medicine of our Vices.

The Second Leſſon ſays thus of her;

Haec eſt illa ſupernae benedictionis terra, de qua coeleſtis figulus ollam ſpei noſtrae compoſuit, quae ex divini roris imbre conceptum verbum, humano generi protulit incarnatum.

This ſhe is that Earth bleſt from above, out of which the heavenly Potter formed that Veſſel of our Hope, who when the Word was conceived by a Showre of divine Dew, brought him forth to Mankind incarnate.

In the Sixth Leſſon thus;

O quàm glorioſa eſt mater iſta, & quàm digna ſolenni attollendap. 122praeconio, quae nobis Matrem noſtrae redemptionis attulit, & in illa Teſtamentum haereditatis ſupernae incluſit.

p. 121O how glorious is that Mother, and how worthy to be advancedp. 122by ſolemn Praiſes, who brought to us the Mother of our Redemption, and incloſed in her the Teſtament of the Inheritance above.

Hymn.

O vas coeleſtis gratiae,

Mater reginae virginum,

Per te precamur anxiè

Remiſſionem criminum.

Memento Mater inclyta

Quàm potens es per filiam,

Et nobis prece ſolitâ

Procura Dei gratiam.

O Veſſel of celeſtial Grace,

Bleſt Mother to the Virgin's Queen,

By thee we beg in the firſt place

Forgiveneſs of all former Sin.

Great Mother always keep in mind

The Power thou haſt by thy ſweet Daughter,

And by thy wonted Pray'r let's find

Gods Grace procur'd to us hereafter.

The Miſſal of Sarum ſpeaks in the ſame Strain.

Tua proles eſt regina

In coeleſti patria;

Ipſa cunctis jam praelata

Noſtra fiat advocata

In Dei praeſentia.

Thine Off-ſpring is a Queen

I'th' Regions unſeen;

May ſhe that's thus advanced prove

Our Advocate with God above.

Poſtcommunio.

Beatae Annae Matris Mariae gloriosâ interceſſione nos protege, de qua virgo puerpera ad ſalutem humanae Nativitatis prodiit.

Protect us by the glorious Interceſſion of S. Anne, the Mother of Mary, out of whom the Virgin Mother came forth for the Salvation of humane Birth.

Theſe Expreſſions of her being the Medicine of our Vices, the Mother of our Redemption, and being born for the Salvation of Mankind; if they be not of blaſphemous, yet I am ſure they are of doubtful Signification, and ſuch as ought not to be in anyp. 123Prayer. I find like Expreſſions to theſe in the old Roman Breviary, on July 26. Leſſon 1. which ſays thus of S. Anne:

Ex hac clavis David (Sc. Maria) eſt fabricata, per quam paradiſi porta cunctis iterum eſt patefacta. Ex hac eſt plenitudo gratiae nata glorioſa ſemper Virgo Maria, quae dedit coelis gloriam, terris contulit Deum & pacem refudit, fidem Gentibus dilatavit, finem vitiis poſuit, vitae ordinem, moribus diſciplinam donavit.

Out of her the Key of David (viz. Mary) was framed, by which the Gate of Paradiſe is again opened to all. Of her was born the fulneſs of Grace the ever-Virgin Mary, who gave to the Heavens Glory, beſtowed God on Earth and poured out Peace, ſpread the Faith among the Gentiles, put an end to Vices, gave Order to our Life, and diſcipline to our Manners.

It is a ſtrange hard Figure, that can make theſe many things, which the Scripture attributes to Chriſt, and by which it ſets forth his glorious Power in the Work of our Redemption and Salvation, become fit to be applied to the bleſſed Virgin. One might conclude theſe Men think it no dangerous Error, if a Man in Devotion ſhould miſtake Mary for Chriſt, whatſoever it is in Belief.

As for S. Anne, all theſe Encomiums already mentioned are not thought enough to ſet her out; but many of their Authors hhCited by Raynaudus ib. p. 19.go ſo far as to affirm, that both She and Joachim were holy from the Womb and ſanctified in it; thinking it not fit to deny this to them, which is affirmed of John the Baptiſt. The venturous Poza iiElucidar. l. 2. trac. 8. c. 3.goes a Step or Two further, who beſides this early cleanſing in their mothers Womb from original Sin, will have them alſo never to have committed any mortal Sin, and, if any among mankind, no venial ones neither. There was alſo a kind Motion made heretofore by Fulbertus Carnotenſis kkSerm. 3. de Nativitat. Virg.to make S. Anne the Mother only of this Child, and to have had no more, as the bleſſed Virgin bare no other but our Saviour. For, ſays he, it was not fitting, that the moſt holy Parents of this ſingular Virgin, ſhould be defiled with the Propagations of more Children, who were to provide for and educate her, that was to be the alone Mother of our Lord. Yet here I obſerve a ſtrange Over-ſight (and the only one, I think, that can be named, whereinp. 124they ſeem to have forgot a Privilege to grace the Virgin withal) that even in their Devotions, S. Anne is made to be a Mother of more Children: For thus in the Breviary of Bruges llV. Balinghem parnaſſ. Marian. p. 396.they ſing,

Anna radix uberrima,

Arborque ſalutifera

Virgas producens triplices.

Health ſprings from thee,

Thou bleſſed Tree:

From thy fair Root

Three Rods did ſprout.

So alſo Mantuan mmFaftor. l. 7. de S. Anna.,

Anna puerperio fortunatiſſima Sancto,

Tres habuiſſe viros, & tres genuiſſe puellas

Dicitur—

That is,

None had more lucky Births than ſhe,

Nor holier, for it's ſaid,

She did Three Husbands wed;

By whom ſhe brought forth Daughters Three.

The Revelations of S. Coleta nnApud Raynaud. ib. p. 27.explain this, telling us the Names of her Three Daughters, viz. The Virgin Mary, Mary the Mother of James, and Maria Salome. They alſo bring in S. Anne ſpeaking to Coleta thus, Though I was married to Three Husbands, yet both the triumphant and militant Church was wonderfully beautified by my Off-ſpring, &c.

But perhaps they have made ſome Amends for this Overſight, by their devout Addreſſes to theſe Siſters, which I find thus ooBalinghem ubi ſupra p. 406. ex horis Sec. uſum Roman. antiq.,

De ſororibus B. Virginis.

O nobile ternarium

Sanctarum ſororum trium,

Quibus nomen eſt Maria;

Veſtrum ſacrum collegium

Imploro ad praeſidium

In omni anguſtia.

p. 125Quae erit Chriſto gratior,

Aut quae ſit acceptior,

Quam veſtra ſit oratio?

Nulla ſibi conjunctior,

Nulla ſibi proximior

Quam ſit veſtra cognatio.

Tu virgo filii mater es,

Inde ſibi quod imperes

Naturae donat ratio;ppThis every whit as bad as Jure Matris impera Redemptori.

Vos vero duae caeterae,

Eſtis ejus materterae,

O quam ingens acceptio!

p. 124O ſacred Ternary

Of holy Siſters Three,

Call'd by the Name of Mary.

In all my Miſery

To your joynt Aid I fly,

That I may not miſcarry.

p. 125Who can pretend their Prayer

With Chriſt can ſtand ſo fair

As yours for Acceptation?

None may with you compare,

Or ſay ſo near they are

Akin, as your Relation.

Virgin, to thee alone,

The pow'r to rule thy Son

As Mother, Nature grants.

You Two that are behind,

Will great Acceptance find,

Becauſe you are his Aunts.

One would hope that the ordinary Reaſon of every Man that will make uſe of it, ſhould prevent his falling into ſuch groſs Imaginations, and ſuch childiſh Conceits as theſe Strains of Devotion do betray: But after our bleſſed Saviour diſcovered, more than once qqSee Luc. ii. 49. Luc. viii. 21. John ii. 4.Luke 2:49Luke 8:21John 2:4whilſt he was here upon Earth, That in Matters that related to the Exerciſe of his Office, when he was about his Fathers Buſineſs, the Interpoſing of Mother and Brethren was unſeaſonable and unacceptable, and rather repreſſed by him than incouraged; **Chriſtus non agnoſcit viſcera humana, operaturus facta divina. S. Auguſtin. Tract. 8. in Johan.to think by theſe Conſiderations to move him in Heaven, ſeems to argue ſuch Men forſaken of Reaſon, and to have too little Regard to the Honour of God.

SECT. IV. Concerning the Feaſt of her Nativity.

THere now remains under this Head only one thing more to be conſidered, viz. The Feaſt of the bleſſed Virgins Nativity: Concerning which Mantuan rrFaftor. l. 9. Septemb. de Nativ. Mariae.has told us truly,

Huc antiqua Diem Faſtis non intulit aetas.

p. 126That is,

This Day of old was not a Feaſt to her,

Nor plac'd i'th ancient Churches Kalendar.

St. Auſtin has ssSerm 20. & 21. de Sanctis.aſſerted it for his own Age, That in the whole World, only Two Nativities were celebrated, That of our Lord, and of S. John Baptiſt. Baronius ttIn Martyr. Rom. ad 8. Septemb.cannot tell the time when to fix the firſt Inſtitution of it. J. Baptiſta Thiers uuDe Feſt. dierum imminut. p. 332, 333.ſpeaks in the ſame Language, That he neither can nor dare affirm when it firſt began in the Church. And he confeſſes, That it is not to be found in the ancient Catalogues of Feaſt-days, being omitted in theſe following, viz. of Chrodogangus's Regulae Canonicorum, cap. 74. Concilium 1. Moguntinum in Can. 36. Carolus Mag. lib. 1. capitul. c. 164. & in lib. 6. c. 186. Haito Baſilienſ. Epiſc. in capit. 8. Ludovicus pius in lib. 2. capitul. c. 35. Concilium Aquiſgran. 2. c. 46. Herardus Turonenſis in capitul. c. 61. Nicolaus P. 1. reſponſ. ad conſult. Bulgar. cap. 5. & 11. Thiers xxIb. cap. 9. p. 47, 48.indeed oppoſes Baronius for aſſerting yyIn Martyr. ubi prius., That it is plain that the Gallican Church were ignorant of this Feaſt in the times of Carolus Magnus and Ludovicus Pius: And he produces againſt the Cardinal the Council of Rhemes, Can. 20. Wherein both the Feaſt of the Aſſumption and Nativity of the bleſſed Virgin are ſet down; which Council was held long before Charles the Great's time, about the Year 630. But this learned Man might have remembred, that there is no mention of Feſtivals in the Canons recited by Fl…doardus zzLib. 2. Hiſt. Eccleſ. Rhem. c. 5.And though they are found in the Canons publiſhed under the Name of Sonnatius aaConcil. Labbe. Tom. 5. p. 1693., yet Labbe adds in the Margent by Sonnatius as ſome would have it, for they ſeem to ſavour of a later Age. And Binius in his Notes ſays, There are ſome things in theſe Canons, which ſeem not to carry ſo much Antiquity; and he inſtances in the Feaſt of the Nativity of Mary, which, ſays he, ſeems not to be ancient in theſe Parts, ſince it is firſt ſaid to be celebrated in France by Fulbertus Carnotenſis, who lived in the Year 1017. But ſince France ſeems to contend for the Glory of beginning this Feaſt (as England for that of her Conception) the faireſt Pretence of its Original, is that which Thiers mentions out of the Capitula of Walter Biſhop of Orleans, cap. 18. about the Year 868. under p. 127Carolus Calvus, where the bleſſed Virgin's Nativity has a Place among other Feaſts. L…d. Cellotius in his Notes upon it bbConcil. Labbe Tom. 8. p 648.judges the Praiſe due to this Church of Orleans for firſt celebrating it there, but he incloſes it in this Dioceſs, ſince neither Herardus Turon. Hincmarus Rhem. Iſaac Lingonenſ. nor Theodolphus, though of Orleans too, make any mention of it: And Thiers acknowledges ccLoc. citat. cap. 18. &c. 51. p. 334.that in the Synod of Galo and Simon the Pope's Legats, An. 1215. it was antiquated and out of uſe again in France, for it mentions only Three ſolemn Feaſts of the Virgin, viz. The Annunciation, Purification, and Aſſumption, leaving out the Nativity (beſides the Conception then firſt order'd to be kept.) Theſe things, though they ſeem to prejudice this Inſtance of Walter of Orleans, yet we ſhall let it paſs and fix here; ſince it is as good a time as can be to allow an Innovation in this Caſe for the bleſſed Virgin's Honour, foraſmuch as juſt about this time another more conſiderable Innovation was made by Paſchaſius Radbert in the days of Carolus Calvus, in the matter of Tranſubſtantiation. The Jeſuit Inchofer, who could believe that the City of Meſſana in Sicily, received a Letter ſent to them by the bleſſed Virgin, and has wrote a Folio ddEntitled Epiſtolae B. Virg. Mar. ad Meſſanenſes conjectatio.to make it probable, could not chuſe but give this Honour to that City, to be before the reſt of the World in celebrating this Feaſt of her Birth eeInchofer ibid. p. 110.and that it is beyond all Memory, how anciently they have kept it: But ſince he has not dated the time when they began to pay this Honour to her Birth, we are not concerned in it; but let it paſs. Only becauſe I have mentioned the bleſſed Virgin's Letter, though any one that reads the Superſcription and Subſcription, need look no further, to know it is forged; yet becauſe it is a Rarity, I will ſet it down as the ſaid Jeſuit ffInchofer ibid. p. 115.has given it us in Latin, more correct than ordinary: Which, according to the common Story, is a Tranſlation made by Conſtantine Laſcaris (of the laſt Age) out of the Greek, which was a Tranſlation of S. Paul's out of the Hebrew, in which Language the Letter is pretended to have been wrote by the Virgin her ſelf. Thus it runs.

p. 128Maria Virgo, Joachim filia, humillima Dei ancilla, Chriſti Jeſu crucifixi mater, ex Tribu Juda, ſtirpe David, Meſſanenſibus omnibus ſalutem, & Dei Patris omnipotentis benedictionem.

VOS omnes, fide magna legatos ac nuncios per publicum Documentum ad nos miſiſſe conſtat. Filium noſtrum, Dei genitum, Deum & hominem eſſe fatemini; & in coelum poſt ſuam reſurrectionem aſcendiſſe; Pauli Apoſtoli Electi praedicatione mediante, viam veritatis agnoſcentes. Ob quod, vos & ipſam civitatem benedicimus, cujus perpetuam Protectricem nos eſſe volumus.

Anno filii noſtri 42. Indictione 1. 3 Nonas Junii. Luna 27. Feria 5. ex Hieroſolymis. Maria Virgo quae ſupra hoc Chirographum approbavit.

The Virgin Mary, Daughter of Joachim, the humbleſt Handmaid of God, the Mother of Jeſus Chriſt crucified, of the Tribe of Juda, of the Stock of David, wiſhes Health, and the Bleſſing of God the Father Almighty, to all the People of Meſſana.

IT appears that you all, with great Faith, have ſent Embaſſadors and Meſſengers by a publick Decree to us. You confeſs our Son, the begotten of God, to be God and Man; and that he aſcended into Heaven after his Reſurrection; acknowledging the Way of Truth, by means of the preaching of Paul the Elect Apoſtle. For which Cauſe, we give our Bleſſing to you, and alſo to your City, whoſe perpetual Protectreſs we reſolve to be.

In the 42. year of our Son; Indiction the Firſt; 3d. of the Nones of June; 27th. of the Moon; 5th. day of the Week, from Jeruſalem. The aboveſaid Virgin Mary approved this Hand-Writing.

But to return from whence we have digreſſed. Whatſoever was the Time of the firſt Celebration of this Feaſt of her Nativity, yet all acknowledge the Occaſion and Foundation of its Inſtitution, to be no other than a private Revelation to ap. 129Man of no Name, who lived God knows when and where: (unleſs Mantuan's ggLoc. cit. l. 9. Septemb.Authority determine it for one that lived on the top of a Mountain in Cyprus,—

—Super alto vertice montis

Idalii—

And he might have ſaid as well, on a Mountain of the Moon, for any Evidence in Hiſtory.) This pious Man, ſays J. Beleth hhDe Divin. officiis, c. 149., praying in the Night, heard the Angels ſing in Heaven; which happened to him many Years on the ſame Night. Therefore he deſired God to reveal to him the meaning of it; and he was told, That their Joys were occaſioned, becauſe on that Night the bleſſed Virgin was born, and they kept it as a Feſtival. This Man relates the Matter to the Pope (no body knows which) who underſtanding that he was a grave and holy Man, and believing what he ſaid, did inſtitute the Celebration of this Feaſt over all the Chriſtian World.

Melch. Canus iiLoc. Theol. l. 11. c. 6. fol. 334.has given a good Caution out of P. Gelaſius, not to receive thoſe Hiſtories which are produced, without the certain Name of the Author; for they ſmell of the Tricks of Impoſtors that ſeek Gain, or are the Products of Hereticks. The ſame ſharp Cenſure he paſſes upon novel Revelations, ſhewing how much they prejudice the Church, who ſeek to adorn the Stories of Saints with feigned Revelations and Miracles, wherein Mens Impudence has not ſpared the bleſſed Virgin, nor our Lord Chriſt himſelf.

This great Biſhop, and Jer. Xaverius, their Miſſionary, were of very different Perſwaſions in this Matter, for this latter thought theſe things of ſo great Importance for the Salvation of the Indians, that in his Hiſtory of Chriſt, kkPag 18. 21.they muſt be acquainted, not only with the foreſaid blind and ſenſeleſs Revelation, but alſo with another additional idle Story, which the Legend llJac. de Vorag. Legend. aur. c. 126.had furniſhed him withal; how for the greater Honour of the Feaſt the Octaves came to be added to it; telling his Indians, That Pope Innocent IV. An. 1250. ordered it upon this Occaſion; That after the Death of Pope Celeſtine IV. the Cardinals in their Convention not agreeing in their Suffrages, the See was void Eighteen Months: Whereupon a certain Cardinal made a Motion, That whoſoever ſhould be choſen p. 130Pope, ſhould appoint the Day of the Virgin's Nativity for a Feſtival to all Chriſtian, and … they ſhould ſpend Eight Days (which they call the Octaves) in rejoicing, to try if by this Means they might finiſh the Buſineſs: They all agreed hereto, and immediately they agreed in their Suffrages for Innocent IV. to be Pope; who gave that Solemnity to the Feſtival. Was not this a weighty Affair, and a neceſſary Point for the Heathens to be inſtructed in, to make them good Chriſtians?

This that I have ſaid, is enough to ſhow, That our Church has no Blame lies upon it for letting this Feſtival fall, which the ancient Chriſtians never kept, and where it is obſerved, ſtands upon ſuch a weak and tottering Foundation, as we have ſeen.

But we abhor; and juſtly reprove the Calumny, which Sanders would faſten on us mmDe Schiſmate Anglic. f. 175.: That the Engliſh, for the greater Conte…e of the bleſſed Virgin, do ſolemnly celebrate Queen Elizabeth's Birth-day September 7. on the very Eve of the Virgin's Nativity; the day of whoſe Birth they ſet down in their Kalendar in ſmall and black Letters, but Queen Elizabeth's in great and red Letters.

Which Story of his, I preſume, gave occaſion to the ſpawning of more impudent Lyes ſtill, by the Jeſuit Raynaudus nnDipt. Mar. p. 233., who reports, That Queen Elizabeth unuſed the Nativity of the bleſſed virgin to be bl…ted out of the …, and ſubſtituted in the room of it her own Birth-day, which f…ll … the ſ…e they, viz. September the 8th. As to the latter part of which every one may know it to be falſe; and it is ſo too as to the former: For the Feſtival blotted out was a Religious one; but, I ſuppoſe, neither he nor any elſe, ever heard of an Office of our Church compoſed for that day, which, he ſays, was put in the room of it: Only it might occaſion ſome Bonefi…es and Teſtifications of Joy, ſuch as were uſual in London upon the Seventeenth of November, which was the day of her coming to the Crown, and yet it is not in the Kalendar either in black Letters or red.

But if nothing were to be objected againſt obſerving this Feaſt of the Virgin's Nativity; yet I am ſure we have reaſon to be offended with thoſe Devotions (ſuch as thoſe I have already ſet down) which thoſe of the Ro… Communion onp. 131this Day offer up to her: And alſo with thoſe ſcandalous and profane Meditations upon her Nativity, which we find in their Authors; a few Inſtances of which I ſhall here ſubioin for a Concluſion.

Our late Contemplator ooContemplat p. 45, 46, 48, 49.finds a large Scope here, for his Languiſhings and Sallies, Ʋnions and Abſorptions. Divine Mary, ſays he, repleniſhed with Grace, and abſorpt in the Abyſs of ſupernatural Perfection, wonderfully encreaſed the Languiſhings of the Angels, Souls in Limbo, and of her holy Parents, for the Hour of her Birth.—"She was … … ably more Glorious, in being deſigned to be the Mother of Jeſus, and that her rich Blood in Jeſus, ſhould be the … of the World, the Laver of Sinners, and the Purch… of the Saints; and ſhould be ſo pleaſing to God, as to … … table for the Inſurance of the Purpoſe of the P… … of Men and Angels; for the raiſing and unexhauſtible … of Grace, in the Sacraments; and for the propagating … of Heaven, Partakers in God's Councels, and Par… in his Glory. Therefore did all Men and Angels, with … Deſires thirſt after her Birth, as an approaching … to all theſe ineſtimable Bleſſings of Grace and Glory.—From the firſt Inſtant wherein the World was bleſs'd with the Birth of the Mother of Jeſus, Heaven and Earth ſeemed to put off Mourning, and to be cloathed with Joy: For now the Gates of Paradiſe ſeem again to be ſet open, an eternal Jubile proclaimed, a general Peace publiſhed, a free Entercourſe decreed between Men and Angels; and the Throne of God's Mercy erected on Earth, and made acceſſible to the moſt enormous Criminals.—"This Mother of Jeſus now born, in the Mother of Chriſtians, becauſe ſhe ever hath the …owels of a Mothers Compaſſion opened to us; by Mercy to us in our ſinful State; by Mediation for us, for the Gra… of …; and by Protection over us, amidſt the Temptations … ſet to entrap us. Behold, with what Glory the Son this Day ariſeth, to beautify Mary's entry amongſt … and Offerings the Angels make before the Cradle of their illuſtrious Queen; what Acclamations of Joy reſ… from the Souls in Limbo, for the Birth of the Mother of Jeſus.—With what Alacrity all Sinners ſalute her, their …neſs, Refuge and Advocate; and with what Ec… … ſpiritual p. 132Joy God's People are repleniſhed, for this comfortable Birth of the Mother of Jeſus, the Spouſe of the holy Church; of the Empreſs of the World, the Gate of Heaven, the Throne of Mercy, the Ladder of Jacob, the Morning Star of Grace, Peace and Salvation; of her who ſhall bring forth Jeſus, the Author and finiſher of our bleſſed Hope.

Reſolv. I do from this Moment, acknowledge thee, O di…ine Infant! to be the Adoptive Mother of my Heart, the Queen of my Affections, and the Empreſs of all the Powers of my Soul; and therefore I will daily pay unto Thee, the moſt cordial Homages of my Love, Congratulations and eminent Servitude, Obſervance and Supplication; and will in all my ſpiritual Combats, Afflictions and Diſtreſſes, have a confident Recourſe unto thy Bowels of Mercy, as a Child to his Mother, as a Sinner to the Mother of Jeſus, and as an Outcaſt, baniſhed the Houſe of my eternal Father, unto his Patroneſs, Refuge and Advocate, &c.

Another of their Contemplators ppT. Carre. Sweet Thoughts of Jeſus and Mary, p. 300, 301.breaks out as if he were in a Rapture, thus; O my Soul, let us mark this Day with a better Stone, with a mark of Joy for ever, which gave at once a Queen to Men and Angels; nay, a dearly beloved Child to God the Father, a deſign'd Mother to God the Son; and a beſt beloved Spouſe to the holy Ghoſt. O let my Soul praiſe, love and magnify her for ever, who hath ſo ſingular near and dear Relations to all the Perſons of the Trinity.—"Let us join in Admiration with Angels in Heaven, and ſay, Who is this that our Deſart brings out? Who and what, do we think this Child ſhall prove to be? A Propheteſs? Nay, more than a Propheteſs, more than an Angel, more than an Archangel, more than a Cherubin or Seraphin.

Another qqGr. Gallicanus in Marial. p. 70.cries out, Her Nativity is the Pledge and Pawn of our ſpiritual Nativity and Redemption, becauſe for this End ſhe was born, that ſhe might aboliſh the Debt of Adam's Tranſgreſſion, repair our Innocency, appeaſe the Anger of the ſtrict Judge, open the Gate of Heaven, and beſtow Liberty on the Captives. (And I wonder what Chriſt himſelf can do more for us.)

Another rrFr. Coſter. Medit. 2. de Nativ. Virg. p. 22, 23, 24, 26.ſpeaking of the Joy her Nativity does occaſion, gives this as one Reaſon, Becauſe She is born among Men, whoſe Authority is as great with Almighty God, as that of p. 133a Mother uſes to be with her only and beſt beloved Son. Let us rejoice, becauſe our Siſter can do ſo much with God, That if ſhe be propitious to us (which is the great thing they court) we may dare to promiſe our ſelves all things from God.—"Thoſe Brothers would have Cauſe of rejoi…ing, whoſe Siſter a King ſhould marry, and count he… … …r to him; much more hath mankind … to …, whoſe Daughter is advanced to … Dignity … himſelf deferrs that Honour to her, that is … from a Son to his Mother. Not to …re the … with this Jeſuits Blaſph…es, I'll add but one of his Meditations more. She was … … der the ſame Princes of … World and of Judas, Auguſtus and Herod, in whoſe ti… …, in all probability, many more were …hat thou may'ſt know, that this Virgin was born for the ſame cauſe, for which Chriſt was born, viz. That the Devil, the Prince of the World, who now had poſſeſſed the Hearts of Men, might be caſt out▪ Our Lord broke … Power, and caſt him out by his Paſſion; but our Lady, gave her So… Body (which, it ſeem…, is the meaning of, a Body haſt thou prepared me) of her … Body, by which he overcame the …; and … this … moſt, rightly ſaid, That this Mother did break the … Hand, and ſlew all Here… … …hole World, beca… … cloathed the divine Word … humane Fleſh, that by this Fleſh the Devil and all Hereſies might be beaten down and deſtroyed. And by the ſame Reaſon he might have added, if he had pleaſed, That ſhe cured all Diſeaſes, wrought all Miracles, raiſed the Dead, and ſhall come at laſt to judge both the Quick and Dead.

p. 134SECT. V. Of the bleſſed Virgin's Name.

AFter her Birth, the next thing to be conſidered is her … given here preſently after. Caſtro aaHiſt. deip. c. 2. p. 87.… ſuppoſed it: Not that … miſtake;) for … our Saviour was … required; bbDe ortu Mariae.ſo … an Angels … ccContemplat. de Virg. Mar. cap. 5.Mark 5, … That Mary, … Name, that …, as it … appears, … on Earth, and … under the …, Glory and … … be … with Superſt… ▪ … that is given to ſuch E… and …, even by the … of this Church, which I …eaſt here produce.

SECT. I: An Office of the Name of the bleſſed Virgin.

I Find an Office printed at Lisbon 1627. with this Title. An … of the moſt holy Name of the bleſſed Virgin Mary, to be re…i… by the Friars of the Order of the moſt holy Trinity, on the Seventeenth of September, by the Conceſſion of our holy Lord Gregory XV. with Leave to uſe it in all their Monasteries and Convents throughout Spain. In which you may find ſuch admirable Strains as theſe.

p. 135Anaph.

A folis ort… …ſ…ue ad occaſum … nomen domini, & Mariae ma…ris ejus.

From the riſing of the … to its going down, the … Name is Praiſe-worthy, and the Name of Mary his Mother.

Anaph.

Lauda Jeruſalem Dominum, lauda incrytum nomen Mariae.

Praiſe the …. O Jeruſalem, praiſe … Name of Mary.

(…, Praiſe thy God O Sion, which the Pſalmiſt adds.)

Oratio.

Deus qui glorioſam matrem tuam nomin…ri Mariam voluſtri, concede quae…tis, in qui …i…e nomen Mariae implorant, perpetuum ſentiant tuae benedictionis effectum.

Qui vivis, &c.

O God, who … glorious Mother to be … Mary, gr…, … they … of Mary, … … petual Effect of the ….

…

In 1. Noct. Anaph.

In univerſa terra admirabile eſt nomen tuum, Maria.

In omnem terram diffuſa eſt laus nominis Mariae.

Thy Name, O Mary, … wonderfull in … the Earth.

The Praiſe of the Name of Mary is diffuſed into every Land.

Verſ. Magnificate Mariam virginem mecum.

Reſp. Et exaltemus nomen ejus in aeternum

Verſ. Magnify ye with me the name of Mary.

Reſp. And … her Name for ever.

Poſt 2. Lect.

Reſp. Benedictum ſit nomen Mariae cujus manus tornatiles plenae hyacinthis.

Verſ. Implorantibus Mariae nomen, Maria praefto adeſt.

After the 2d. Leſſon.

Reſp. Bleſſed be the Name of Mary, whoſe well turn'd Hands are full of Jacinths.

Verſ. Mary is rea…y at hand, to thoſe that … the Name of Mary.

p. 136Poſt 3. Lect.

Verſe. Haec eſt Gideonis vellus, quae leviſſima orationis compreſſione, larga exhibet gratiarum ſtillicida.

After the Third Leſſon.

Verſ. She is Gideon's Fleece, which by the eaſieſt Preſſure of Prayer, does afford large drops of Graces.

In 2. Nocturn. Anaph.

Refugium eſt in tribulatione Mariae nomen, omnibus illud invocantibus.

The Name of Mary is a Refuge in Tribulation, to all that call upon it.

Poſt 5. Lect.

Reſp. Melius eſt bonum nomen quam divitiae multae. Turris fortiſſima Mariae nomen.

Verſ. Propugnaculum eſt omnibus qui ad illud confugiunt.

After the Fifth Leſſon.

Reſp. A good Name is better than much Riches. The Name of Mary is a moſt ſtrong Tower.

Verſ. It is a Fortreſs to all that fly unto it.

Poſt 6. Lect.

Reſp. Nomen ſanctum meum notum faciam in medio populi mei, & ſcient, quia ego Maria.

After the Sixth Leſſon.

Reſp. I will make known my holy Name in the midſt of my People, and they ſhall know that I am Mary. (Inſtead of, I am the Lord.)

In 3. Nocturn. Anaph.

Nunciate inter gentes gloriam Mariae, in omnibus populis mirabilia nominis ejus.

Declare among the Gentiles the Glory of Mary, and the Wonders of her Name among all People.

Anaph.

Annunciaverunt Coeli nomen Mariae, & viderunt omnes populi gloriam ejus.

The Heavens have declared the Name of Mary, and all People have ſeen her Glory.

Anaph.

Notum fecit Dominus ſacrum Mariae nomen, & in conſpectu gentium revelavit virtutem nominis ejus.

The Lord hath made known the ſacred Name of Mary, and hath revealed the Power of her Name in the Sight of the Heathen.

p. 137The Seventh, Eighth and Ninth Leſſons are taken …ot of the Homilies, falſely aſcribed to S. Bernard, ſuper …. Where commenting upon the Name of Mary, and calling …er Maris ſtella, the Star of the Sea, you have theſe following Directions.

Lect. 8.

O qui te intelligis in hujus ſaeculi profluvio, magis inter procellas & tempeſtates fluctuare, quàm per terram ambulare, ne avertas oculos à fulgore hujus ſideris, ſi non vis obrui procellis. Si inſurgant venti tentationum, ſi incurras ſcopulos tribulationum, reſpice ſtellam; voca Mariam: Si jactaris ſuperbiae undis, ſi ambitionis, ſi detractionis, ſi aemulationis, reſpice ſtellam, voca Mariam: Si iracundia aut avaritia, aut carnis illecebra naviculam concuſſerit mentis, reſpice ad Mariam: Si criminum immanitate turbatus, conſcientiae foeditate confuſus, judicis horrore perterritus, barathro incipias abſorberi triſtitiae, deſperationis abyſſo, cogita Mariam.

Leſſon 8.

O thou that in this Worlds Sea, knowest that thou rather art toſſed among Storms and Tempeſts, than that thou walkeſt upon firm Land; turn not away thine Eyes from the brightneſs of this Star, if thou would'ſt not be overwhelmed with the Storms: If the Winds of Temptation do ariſe, if thou falleſt foul on the Rocks of Tribulation, look towards the Star, call upon Mary. If thou art toſſed with the Waves of Pride, of Ambition, of Detraction, of Emulation, look towards the Star, call upon Mary. If Anger or Avarice, or the enticings of the Fleſh ſhake the Veſſel of thy Maid, look towards Mary; if being troubled with the greatneſs of thy Crimes, confounded with the foulneſs of thy Conſcience, affrighted with the Horrour of thy Judge; thou beginneſt to be ſwalled up in the Gulph of Sadneſs and the Abyſs of Deſpair, think on Mary.

Lect. 9.

In periculis, in anguſtiis, in rebus dubiis Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca: Non recedat ab ore, non recedat à corde: p. 138Et ut impetres ejus orationis ſuff…ium, non d…ſ…ras conver… …. Ipſam ſ…on d…y…a…; ipſam rog…s non deſperas; ipſam cogitans non erras; ipſa tenente non corruis; ipſa protegente non metuis; ipsa duce non fatiga…is▪ &c.

p. 137Leſſon 9.

In Dangers and Straits, when thy Affairs are doubtful, think on Mary, call upon Mary: Let her not depart from thy Mouth norp. 138from thy Heart; and that thou may'ſt obtain the Suffrage of her Prayer, do not forſake the Example of her Converſation. By following her thou ſhalt not wander, by asking her thou wilt not deſpair, by thinking on her thou ſhalt not erre; whilſt ſhe has hold of thee, thou wilt not fall; whilſt ſhe protects thee, thou wilt not fear; when ſhe goes before thee, thou wilt not be weary, &c.

Anaph.

… D…s qui Mariae … d…vit, ut … in tenebris … ut ſtella Mari… er… … in port…m ſu….

Bleſſed be God, who has beſtowed on the virgin Mary a Name of Light, that ſhe might enlighten thoſe that ſit in Darkneſs, and as the Star of the Sea, direct thoſe that wander, into a ſafe Port.

… this Office followe a Maſs of the moſt holy Name of the … Mary.

… Breviary▪ upon the Nativity of the bleſſed … 8. Sixth di… infra Octavas) you may find Three … that are a Deſcant upon her Name: As follows.

Lect. 1.

Haec electa & inſignis inter … quidem aut … ut ple… … diſpenſatio… …, ita ut ipsâ qu…que vocabuli ſui figurâ magnum quoddam innueret, interpret… enim Maris ſtella.

Leſſon 1.

This elect Virgin and renowned among the Daughters, did not receive here Name by chance, or as moſt do, by the ſole Pleaſure of her Parents, but by divine Diſpenſation; ſo that the very Figure of her Name might intimate ſome great thing, for it is, being interpreted, the Star of the Sea.

p. 139Lect. 2.

Quid ergo myſticum interpretatio gerat per ſimilitudinem oſtendamus. Nautis quippe per mare tranſeuntibus notare opus eſt ſtellam, non longè à ſummo coeli cardine corruſcantem, & ex reſpectu illius aeſtimare atque dirigere curſum ſuum, ut portum deſtinatum apprehendere poſſint.

Leſſon 2.

Let us ſhew by the Similitude what Myſtery the Interpretation carries. Mariners, when they paſs through the Sea, & … them to obſerve a bright Star not far from the Zenith, and with reſpect to it to …ſti…e and direct their Courſe, that they may come to their deſigned Haven.

Lect. 3.

Simili modo, fratrus, oportet univerſus Chriſticolas inter fluctus hujus ſaeculi remigantes, attendere maris ſtellam hanc, id eſt, Mariam, quae ſummo rerum Ca…dini Deo proxima eſt, reſpectu exempli ejus curſam dirigere. Quod qui fecerit, non …ctubitur va…ae gloriae vent…, non fra…getur ſcopulis adverſorum, nec abſorbebitur Scyllea vor…gine voluptatum, ſed proſp…r… veniet ad portum quietsi eternae.

Leſſon 3.

In like manner, Brethren, it behoves all Chriſtians that ply through the Wa…s of this World, to a…ed to this Star of the Sea, that is, Mary, who is next to God, who is at the Top of all things, and to direct their Courſe regarding her Example. Wh… ſoever does thus, ſhall not be toſſed with the W…d of Vain-glory, no… by … upon the Rocks of Adverſity, nor ſwallowed up in the dangerous Gulph of Pleaſures, but ſhall ſafely … the Harbour of … ▪

p. 140SECT. VI. Remarks on what their Offices and Authors ſay concerning the bleſſed Virgin's Name.

THE whole Diſcourſe of their Authors upon this Subject is made up of Two things, Folly and Profaneneſs. Folly, by childiſh toying with the ſeveral Significations of the Virgin's Name, and finding great Myſteries in every Letter of it. Profaneneſs, by attributing thoſe Effects to the pronouncing and uſing of it, which makes it look like a Charm; and applying ſuch things to her Name, which can only be given to God and our Saviour; as we have ſeen in the foregoing Offices, and will further appear in the Sequel of our Diſcourſe.

That there was a Myſtery in our Saivour's Name, and that it was intended to be ſignificative to us, when he was called Jeſus, we are ſure, becauſe the Scripture tells us ſo: And a learned Man aaRivet. Apolog. pro S. virg. Maria l. 1. c 9.has well obſerved, That as there is no mention there of any Meſſage of an Angel to impoſe this Name of Mary on her; ſo if there had been any Myſtery in it, the Scripture would not have been ſilent, in all likelihood, to have declared it. The Name of Mary was a common Name at that time among the Jews, and many Maries are mentioned in the Goſpels; and as now the Names of the Apoſtles and other holy Perſons are given to Children, ſo it is probable that the Name of Mary was given to many of their Daughters in memory of Moſes his Siſter Miriam, (for that is the ſame with Mary.)

But though there need be no further Inquiry into that, for the impoſing of which we read of no extraordinary Reaſon; yet this will not ſatisfie her Devoto's: They examine all the Significations of Hebrew Words from whence it can be derived, and commonly pitch upon that which is moſt improbable. Jerome Xaverius bbHiſt. Chriſti perſic. p. 18.will not let his Indians be ignorant that her Name has ſeveral Significations; Maria is as much as Alta, high, (and that indeed is the moſt likely, from the Hebrew foreign, to exalt) Maris amaritudo, (or as others amarum mare) a bitter Sea; Magiſter ſeu Dominus maris, a Maſter or Lord of the Sea, p. 141(he ſhould have ſaid Lady.) S. Jerome ccDe nomin. Hebraic.mentions ſeveral others; as, Illuminatrix mea, She that enlightens me; or, Smyrna maris, The Myrrhe of the Sea. But in another place ddDe nomin. ſuper Matthaeum.he pitches rather upon amarum Mare, or Stella maris, bitter Sea, or Star of the Sea. Which latter, ſome learned Men eeRivet. ibid. Druſius comment. poſt. ad voc. Nov. Teſt. c. 15.think ſhould rather be read Stilla maris, a Drop of the Sea, becauſe the Hebrew foreign ſignifies Stilla, but no Word in Hebrew like it anſwers to Stella. The pretended Epiphanius ffOrat. de laud. Virg.ſays, That Mary is wont to be interpreted Domina and Spes, Lady and Hope, for ſhe brought forth our Lord, who is the Hope of the whole World.

Theſe are all far fetch'd and muſt be ſo ſtrained by Fancy to make them ſuit to her, that it is pity to inſiſt farther on them. S. Ambroſe ggDe Inſtit. virg. c. 5.has a Signification of the Word that is ſomewhat to the purpoſe, viz. Deus ex genere meo, God of my Offſpring; which Poza hhElucid. l. 2. tr. 17. c. 11.approves; but adds, That he cannot ſee from what Hebrew Root it can be made out: But Caſtro iiHiſt. deip. c. 2. p. 93.has made a Conjecture, and thinks it may be compounded of foreign the Prepoſition, foreign ſignifying the Womb, and foreign the Name of God, which put together muſt then ſound Merehemjah, and by Contraction Meriah: But all learned Men almoſt agree that the Hebrew foreign Mirjam, is diſſyllabum, a Word of Two Syllables, not compounded but ſimple, and therefore excludes all this fooling. Now amongſt all this Variety of Significations which they produce, it is pretty to obſerve, that the moſt unlikely of them all, viz. Stella maris, the Star of the Sea, is that which they generally make choiſe of, and declame upon. You have ſeen before the Explication of it out of the Breviary of Sarum: That noted Hymn, Ave maris Stella, gives her this Title, Hail Star of the Sea; and ſome have made whole Books kkFr. Bonaldus's Stella Myſtica; a Book to explain this Hymn.to explain it, and apply it to her. Eraſmus llColloq. de Naufragio.in his Colloquies brings in the Mariners in a Storm imploring the Help of the bleſſed Virgin, and giving her the ſweet Titles of Star of the Sea, Queen of Heaven, Lady of the World, Port of Safety, and many more which are never to be found in the Scriptures; and he wonders,What ſhe has to do with the Sea, ſince, as he ſuppoſes, ſhe never ſailed. He gives a probable Account of it, That of old the Goddeſs Venus had the Care of Mariners, who was believed to ſpring from the Sea (and was called alſo Stella matutina, the morning Star) but ſince ſhe was diſcharged p. 142of that Office, The Virgin Mother is ſubſtituted in the Room of her, that was a Mother and no Virgin. But alas! this is a poor Conceit compared with that of Pet. Chryſologus mmSerm. 140. if it be his, for Bellarmine de Ser. Eccleſ. … only 122. … of his.who may fully ſatisfy any that queſtions what ſhe has to do with the Sea: For ſays he, Quomodo non Maria …re? Congregationes inquit aquarum vocavis Maria. Mary … needs be the Sea, for the gathering together of the Waters c… he (Maria) Seas: To ſignify, ſays Novarinus nnUmbr. virg. n. 1153.that Mary was to be the Place where all Graces ſhould be collected. Carthagena ooLib. 2. de arc. deip. Hom. 6.adds, That God was ſo much in love with this Name of Mary, that he would not let ſlip this ſlight Occaſion, but therefore called the Collection of Waters Seas, (Maria); Ʋt ſic primus omnium Mariam pro…ciaret, That he might be the firſt that ſhould pronounce the Name of Mary. This indeed ſuppoſes that the Language God ſp…ke in at the firſt Creation was Latin; which if you will but grant (and what pity is it not to grant it rather than loſe ſo precious a Conceit,) they can … another Objection, taken from the different Pronunciation and Quantity of the middle Syllable of the Two, M…, that which ſignifies Seas being ſhort, and Maria, that … Virgin, being long. There is a Myſtery in that, ſay… … ppIb. p. 167.laſt named, to ſignify the del…ting and extending her … from Sea to Sea, and to the Worlds End; the … God would have it pronounced long, not ſhort. Or you may have another Reaſon from Nov… qqUmbr. virg. p. 338. n. 1153., that by … in the pronouncing this Name, we may find the … and …weetneſs in it, which their …ts have … Experience. For he tells …s rrIb. n. 1124. ex Surio ad Apr. 7.of S. … when he heard Mary named, he uſed to … with his Face, and ſtay ſome while beſ… he aroſe; and being asked the Reaſon, he ſaid, That when upon the naming of her he caſt himſelf on the Ground, th…re … Flowers and Perfumes came from the … that he could have been content to …ix always the…, if he might; and therefore he uſed to call the Virgin Mary his Roſe. C…ſarius ssLib. 7. Mirac. cap. 50.alſo tells us of a Ma…an that could not pronounce the Name of our Lady, without a ſenſible and … Sweetneſs, (not to her Smell, but to her Taſt) for by rep…ting Fifty Ave Maria's daily, in the time of her Prayers, all the Spittle in her Mouth ſeemed to be turned into Honey: The ſame was tried p. 143by Marſilius (to whom ſhe confeſſed this) for … Weeks with the ſame Effect, and alſo by … Third Monk. And we are told of B. Ida of … ttNovarin. ib. n. …337.that … began an A… Mary on a certain Day, but by reaſon of the exceeding abundant Delight ſhe found, ſhe ſcarce finiſhed the ſaying of it in Two Days time. This, I hope, is a Reaſon ſufficient why her Name ſhould not have a ſhort Pronunciation, and methinks may ſerve to prove that every Syllable (not the middle one only) of Maria ſhould be long.

If all this be not enough to ſhew how properly ſhe is called the Sea, you may hear it further made out by the conſideration of a kind of Immenſity uuNovarinus ib. n. 1154.in her Liberality, which can no more be exhauſted than the Sea, and the multitude of her Mercies which cannot be numbred (no more than the Sand upon its Shore.) But though ſhe be a Sea, and the Star of the Sea, yet why is ſhe a bitter Sea, amarum mare, (which was one of the Significations we heard before of her Name.) Can …at Name which we juſt now heard, has been as ſweet as Honey to the Taſt, be bitter too? Yes, very well, in the Sence of S. Boneventure xxIn ſpeculo virg. c. 1., a bitter Sea, Diabolum ſub…gendo, by drowning the Devil, as the red Sea was bitter to the Egyptians when they were drowned therein. But enough of the Signification of her Name. Let us now ſee a little how childliſhly they endeavour to find great Myſteries in every Letter of it.

One that was employed by the Pope to make an Office for the Feaſt of her Conception yyBernard. de Buſ…o, who cites often this Office in his Maria….(and therefore to be look'd upon as a man of Note, and one that had examined throughly all things relating to the bleſſed Virgin) has obſerved … not how many fine things, in the Word Maria zzM. Maria l. part. 3. ſer. 1. See alſo Carthagena lib. 2. hom. 6., which make for her Honour. The Five Letters of her … ſignify Five precious Stones with their Properties. M. …, (a Pearl) (I never knew that was a Stone befor…;) A. …, (a Diamond;) R. …ubinus, (a Ruby;) I. J…ſpi…, (a Jaſp…;) M. …, (a…methiſt.) He finds alſo in thoſe Five Letters the Five … confers on the World; as Mediatrix, Auxiliatrix, Reparatrix, Reconciliatrix, Illuminatrix & Advocata. That is, She that Mediates on our behalf, is the helper of our Salvation, a repairer and reconciler of us to God; ſhe that enlightens us and is our Advocate. Or as others will have it aaV. Rivet. Apol. pro Mar. virg. p. 65., M. Mater miſericordiae, A. Advo…ata afflictorum, R. Refugium redeuntium, p. 144I. Inventrix Juſtitiae, A. Amica Angelorum. That is, The Mother of Mercy, the Advocate of the Afflicted, the Refuge of thoſe that repent and return, the Inventor of Juſtice, and the Friend of Angels. Another bbAmbro. Servita apud Bernard. de Buſt. ib. p. 235.finds in them her Five principal Vertues. By M. is ſhown her Faith; for that Letter is made up of three I's bound together, to ſhew that ſhe had the perfect Knowledge and Faith in the Trinity: For as Three I's join'd together make one Letter M; ſo the Three divine Perſons, joined by Generation and Proceſſion, make but one God: (And it may be this is it which the Salisbury Breviary means in the forecited Expreſſion, That ipſa vocabuli ſui figura, &c. The very Figure of her Name does intimate ſome great Matter.) By the Second Letter A. is ſignified her Hope: By R. her Charity: By I. her Humility; and by A. her Bounty. And I'll forfeit my Credit, if any Man can imagine how theſe Four laſt ſhoud be made out of thoſe Letters, without conſulting his Words, which yet I do not think worth ſetting down, nor a great deal more of the ſame kind you may find there: For indeed in this way any Man may find any thing he pleaſes: It being meerly ſuch Fooling as School-boys uſe with, I love my Love with an A, &c. I could fancy nothing elſe but this, when I ſaw him running her Excellencies through all the Letters of the Alphabet ccId. Marial. part 12. ſer. 2. p. 994., and making a Prayer to her upon every one of them, ex. gr. A. Advocate of Mankind (Advocata humani generis) do thou defend our Cauſe and pray for us. B. Bleſſed above all Women; make us to be bleſſed by thy Son. And ſo he proceeds with the reſt, (only is ſadly put to it, as the Boys uſe to be, with the Two Letters K. and Q. for which he puts Kariſmatum dei diſpenſatrix, & Qua…e Hierarchiae praeſidens.) Pelbartus ddStellarii l. 6. p. 1. art. 2.not only runs ſuch Deſcant upon the Five Letters of her Name, but he adds this further Conceit, That it was very fit that her Name ſhould conſiſt of Five Letters (though the Hebrew foreign has but Four:) For thus it admirably correſponds to ſeveral Myſteries: As Firſt, To the Myſtery of the divine Conception, For, ſays he, ſhe conceived Chriſt by Five Words (Luc. 1.) Fiat mihi ſecundum verbum tuum. (i. e.) Be it according to thy Word. Second, To the Myſtery of the Euchariſt, in Five Words again, Hoc eſt enim corpus meum: For this is my Body. Third. To the Myſtery of our Redemption, for the accompliſhment of which Chriſt received Five Wounds. But there is a Jeſuit eeSpinellus de throno Dei, c. 4.finds asp. 145great a Myſtery in it, or greater, ſuppoſing it to conſiſt but of Four Letters; for he would have it to be Tetragrammation, a Name like that of God with Four Letters (foreign) which the Jews refuſe to pronounce; and he tells us that S. Gerard ffIn vit. ejus apud Surium. Octob. 24.in like manner taught the Hungarians not to pronounce the Name Mary, but that they ſhould call her Lady (Dominam,) and if any did name her, they ſhould do it with great Reverence, bending their Knees and bowing their Heads, and uncovering it, which was practiſed alſo by Fr. Binans ggPaul Barry paradiſ. ouvert. p. 265.Yea to teſtify the great Worthineſs they apprehended to be contained therein, ſome great Kings have denyed it to be fitting that any mortal Woman ſhould bear that Name hhRaynaud. Dypt. Mar. p. 28.. Therefore Alphonſus VI. King of Caſtile, being to marry a Wife that was a baptized Moor, would not have her called Mary, though ſhe deſired it: And Caſimire I. King of Poland, changed his Wives Name which was Mary, into Dobrogneva: Whence the Cuſtom is thought to have riſen, that in Poland it is a Crime to name any Woman Mary iiP. Barry ib..

But I'll conclude theſe Myſteries of her Name, with one that Spinellus kkUbi ſupra.mentions, conſiſting in Numbers that may be made out of it. That as the Number of the Beaſt is 666, and the Number of the Name of Jeſus 888, ſo the Number of Mary's Name is 999. (How he makes this good he does not tell us, but) he inferrs from hence her Dignity; For, ſays he, the Number Nine conſiſts of the Number Three (which is a moſt perfect Number agreeing to the divine Perſons) thrice repeated, and is attributed to the Orders of Angels; wherefore it ſhows, That the Mother of God is wholly celeſtial and Angelical; and then this Number Nine being thrice repeated, ſhews that this her Excellency and Dignity is both eminent and ſolid.

Having thus found a great many fantaſtical Myſteries in that where none was ever intended, the next Work is to cry up this Name, and make it as venerable as poſſible; not only by the Ways now named, but by others which now ſhall follow. They endeavour to perſwade us, That not only Men but Angels admire this Name, and are in love with its Pronunciation.

Richardus de S. Laurentio llLib. 1. de laud. Virg. c. 2. citante Novarino.(a great Author with them, who lived above Four hundred Years ago) makes this Obſervation. p. 146That at leaſt three times this Queſtion is asked in the Canticles in the Perſon of the Angels, Qua eſt iſta? Who is this? And he imagines the Reaſon to be, That they are deſirous that the ſweet Name of Mary may be anſwered to that Queſtion: For, ſays he, Angels deſire that her Name ſhould be mentioned and diſcovered; and that it ſhould not only be renowned in Heaven. And if this Concern of theirs does not move us, yet Gratitude to her, when ſhe her ſelf is alſo concerned in it, will not fail to do it. To which Purpoſe they tell us▪ That her beloved Hermannus, whom ſhe married mmBarthol. de los Rios. Hierarch. Marian. l. 5. c. 40. ex Surio vit. Hermanni. Apr. 5. Gononi Chron. Deip. p. 242., being diſtracted and hindred by Buſineſs, and Cares of his Monaſtery, grow more negligent and remiſ… in reciting her Offices and Hours, that formerly; to whom ſhe appeared in the Shape of an old wither'd wrinkled Woman, chiding him that now her Memory was grown old with him, whereas formerly he named; ſaluted and praiſed her a Thouſand times: Upon this Rebuke, he reſolved, by commemorating her Joys, and reciting her Ave's, to make her young again, which he did. The Name of Mary, ſays another, nnBarthol. de los Rios ib. l. 6. c. 11. & 20.is the beſt Image of her, and more venerable than all her Reliques and Images: He that does invoke her by this ſweet Name, attending to the Etymology thereof, thou recite compendiouſly great Litanies of extraordinary Merit and Efficacy.

Poza ooElucidar. l. 2. trac 17. c. 5.and others, think that the Name of Mary, as far as is expedient for our own and others Salvation, does confer the Effect …n opere operato (by the Work done) juſt as the Churches Exorciſms do, and as many ſay the ſame of the Sign of the Croſs, and of the Name of Jeſus▪ From ſuch Principles as theſe, they fall into thoſe heatheniſh Battologies and vain Repetitions, which our Saviour condemns (Matt▪ 6.7.) and their Prayers become, in the Phraſe of the Son of Syrach ppEccluſ. 7.14.Sir 7:14, much babling: conſiſting of a nauſeous Repetition of one and the ſame Name over and over again. Of this the Reader may take a ſhameful Inſtance, how they abuſe in this manner, the bleſſed Name of Jeſus, in that which they call Jeſus Pſalter, qqSee Manual of godly Prayers, at the end.which conſiſts of Fifteen Petitions, with the Name of Jeſus ten times (or rather Thirty times) reiterated before every one of the Petitions.

p. 147The Manner of reciting the Pſalter of Jeſus, is as follows.

The Firſt Petition.

1. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

2. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

3. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

4. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

5. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

6. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

7. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

8. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

9. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

10. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu.

Mercy.

The Second Petition.

1. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

2. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

3. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

4. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

5. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

6. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

7. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

8. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

9. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

10. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu.

Help me.

Third Petition.

1. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

2. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

And ſo on, as before.

Strengthen me.

Fourth Petition.

1. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

2. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

&c.

Comfort me.

Fifth Petition.

1. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

2. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

&c.

Make me conſtant & ſtable.

Sixth Petition.

1. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

2. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

&c.

Lighten me.

Seventh Petition.

1. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

2. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

&c.

Grant me Grace to dread thee.

Eighth Petition.

1. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

2. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

&c.

Grant me Grace to love thee.

Ninth Petition.

1. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

2. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

&c.

Give me Grace to remember my death.

Tenth Petition.

1. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

2. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

&c.

Send me here my Purgatory

p. 148Eleventh Petition.

1. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

2. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

&c.

Grant me Grace to fly evil Company.

Twelfth Petition.

1. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

2. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

&c.

Give me Grace to call for Help to thee.

Thirteenth Petition.

1. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

2. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

&c.

Make me to perſevere in Vertue.

Fourteenth Petition.

1. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

2. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

&c.

Give me Grace to fix my Mind on thee.

Fifteenth Petition.

1. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

2. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

3. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

4. Jeſu, Jeſu, Jeſu,

&c. As many times as the Firſt.

Give me Grace to order my Life to thee.

Here you ſee an Hundred and Fifty Rows of the Name of Jeſus, (which being Three in a Row make up Four hundred and Fifty) which muſt be all pattered over, before thoſe few Words that make up the Fifteen Petitions are concluded. There is no Atheiſt or Infidel, who, if he had a Deſign to turn Prayers into …, could more effectually do it, than by ſuch a Preſcription as …. But we have not the worſt of it yet: For you muſt know, that it is not the Petition and the Sence, following this oft rep…ted Name that is neceſſary, but the N… … oft uſed without any thing elſe adjoined is that which they lay much Streſs upon, and which makes acceptable Devotion with them. For thus I find in that Book of the Jeſuit P. Barry rrLe paradiſe Ouvert. p. 166. The Author of … is ſo fond of the Virgin's Name, that inſtead of Paul Barry he deſired to be called Paul of S. Mary.which contains an hundred Devotions to the bleſſed Virgin (and is bought up for common Uſe as our Practiſe of Piety, or the Whole Duty of Man; for I obſerve Seventeen Editions of it in leſs than Thirty Years) he gives this for one. Often to p. 149pronounce the Name of Mary, in imitation of a Japan Woman. Concerning whom the Annals of the Jeſuits report, That in honour of a Deity which that Country worſhips, called Amida, ſhe uſed to repeat that Name an Hundred and forty thouſand times daily, riſing very early every Morning (as ſhe had need to perform this Task) and being aſſiſted by a familiar Spirit that awaked her: This Woman was baptized An. 1621. And after ſhe was a Chriſtian, changed this Superſtition into Devotion, and obliged herſelf, in gratitude for her Converſion, to pronounce every day as many times (viz. a Hundred and forty thouſand) the ſacred Names of Jeſus and Mary; and becauſe now the Devil would come no more to awake her in the morning, her Angel Guardian ſucceeded in that Office; ſo pleaſing to God, ſays the Author, was her Simplicity and Devotion. This Worſhip, ſo Japan and unparallell'd, cannot, he ſays, be practiſed, the Number is ſo great, unleſs God give ſome ſpecial Grace: However he adviſes his Philagie (ſo he calls the devout Perſon he inſtructs) to chuſe a good round Number of Maries to repeat, as a way to get Comfort, and to teſtify the Tenderneſs of his Affections to the Mother of God. Another great Sticker ssBarthol. de los Rios ib. l. 5. cap. 40.for the Advancement of her Devotion, preſcribes this Exerciſe as very pleaſing to her, viz. The repeating only theſe Two Words, Ave Maria (Hail Mary) Seventy two times, in memory of the Seventy two Years of her Life; to which if you adjoin as many Honours and Genuflections, the Devotion will, he believes, be increaſed, and both Soul and Body be exerciſed in the Service of the bleſſed Virgin. And leſt any one ſhould ſcruple theſe Reverences at the naming of her, which are uſually paid at the mention of Jeſus, a fam'd Devoto ttRich. a S. Laurentio l. 4. de laud. virg.of the Virgins tells us, That ſhe made her ſelf of no Reputation, after the Example of her Son, taking upon her the form of an Handmaid; wherefore God alſo hath highly exalted her, and given her a Name that is above every Name, that in her Name every Knee ſhould bow, of things in Heaven, and things in Earth, and things under the Earth, &c. Which very Text thus applied (In the Name of Mary every Knee ſhall bow) another Jeſuit uuVincentius Brunus Medit. 2. de B. Virg. p. 62.thus comments upon; After the ſweet Name of Jeſus, there is no other Name under Heaven given unto Men, whence ſuch Salvation and Security comes to Mankind. He might have ſpared his Complement p. 150(after the Name of Jeſus) ſince he adds a little after, xxIb. p. 64.In all Temptations and Infirmities of the Soul, and in all Neceſſities of the Body, this holy Name of Mary is our only Remedy and Refuge; neither was there ever any one in any ſuch Tribulation, that upon devout Invocation of her, did not find preſent Help.

The Sence of all which Blaſphemies is contained in the Words of that Hymn.

In Antidoto animae & Hiſt. ſec. chorum Auguſtini in commemor. B. Virginis.Gande Matrona coelica,

Tu ancillam Jeſu Chriſti

Te vocare voluiſti,

Sed ut docet Lex divina

Tu illius es Domina:

Nam Lex jubet & ratio

Matrem prae…ſſe filio:

Ergo ora ſuppliciter,

Et praecipe ſublimiter

Ut nos in mundi veſpera

Ad regna ducat ſuperna.

All Joys attend thee, heav'nly Dame,

Tho' humbly thou did'ſt chuſe the Name

Of Handmaid unto Chriſt; yet we,

Taught by the Law Divine, may ſee

Thou art (unleſs we would degrade thee)

Rather his Governneſs and Lady:

Reaſon and Law back one another,

Before the Son to ſet the Mother.

Pray for us then, and if need be,

Exert thy high Authority,

That when the Worlds Joys ſet and leave us

His heav'nly Kingdom may receive us.

In Honour of the Name Maria ſome have cull'd out Five Pſalms that begin with the Letters of her Name, and choſen it as an Exerciſe daily to recite them. The Pſalms are, Magnificat (Luc. 1.) Ad D…i…um (Pſ. 11….) Retribue (Pſ. 118.) In Conver…endo (Pſ. 125.) Ad te Lev…vi (Pſ. 122.) This was practiſed, ſays Vincentius Bellovacenſis yySpecul. Hiſt. lib 8. cap. 116.by one Joſcio p. 151A Monk of S. Omers; and you may gueſs how acceptable this Devotion was by the Miracle that followed; for as he … dead in his Chamber, they found Five Roſes growing upon his Face; one coming out of his Mouth, other Two out of each Noſtril, and Two more out of each Ear, which in Letters of Gold had ſeverally theſe Five Letters of her Name, and thoſe Words of the Pſalms written plainly upon them. Though the very ſame Story is told by Tho. Cantipratanus zzDe mirac. ſui temp. l. 2. c. 29. ſec. 15.concerning one Josbertus of the Monaſtery of Dole, and one, no doubt, as true as the other. But any thing will do Wonders, when the Name of the bleſſed Virgin is glorified thereby; for ſo we hear aaBarthol. de los Rios ubi ſupra p. 628., that a Plague was immediately ſtopped in a Convent, An. 1470. only by reciting Five Pſalms taken, not out of the Bible; but, out of Bonaventure's Pſalter (as blaſphemous as in is) which begin with the Letters of her Name, being theſe that follow: Magna es Domina, Ad te Domina clamabo, Refugium tu es Domina, In Domina confido; Ad Dominam cum…ribu…arer.

There is no fooliſh Lover that plays more childiſhly with the Name of his Miſtreſs, than their ridiculous Superſtition does with the Name of this their Lady, as they call her. They think their very Charity is more acceptable when it honours her. For thus they adviſe bbId. ib. p. 629., and thus her Slaves (Mancipia at Bruſſels practiſe, to relieve Five poor People on Saturday (which is dedicated to the Virgin) in memory of the Five Letters of her Name: And to do it more effectually, ſuch Five poor People may be choſen to beſtow the Alms upon, who, by the capital Letters of their Name do expreſs and make up the Name of bleſſed Mary, that ſo the Remembrance of it may be the more lively. Nay ſome in honour of it, deny nothing that is asked of them in the Name of the Virgin; being mindful (as the Author wiſely adds) of that ſaying, Whatſoever ye ask the Father in my Name he will give it you. Thus Alex. Ales. ccAntoninus 3. part. Hiſt. tit. 24. c. 8.was trepann'd to liſt himſelf in the Order of the Franciſcans, at that time famous for Severity and Poverty, being ſuddenly requeſted by one to enter into it for Love of the Mother of God, which, as irrefragable a Doctor as he was, made him yield, though otherwiſe very unwilling and loth at the firſt. The Beggars in the Country of the Great Mogul underſtand the Efficacy of this; who, we are told ddPurchas pilgrims. part. 1. l. 4. c. 17. p. 600.ask Alms of Chriſtians in the Name of Bibee Maria (i. e. Lady Mary,) p. 152not in the Name of Hazanet (or Hazareth) Eeſa (i. e. Lord Jeſus) which ſhows that the Jeſuits have preached to them Mary more than Chriſt. How can it chuſe but that her Name muſt be very prevailing, when we read eeVincent. Bellov. ſpec. Hiſt. l. 7. c. 102, 103.of a Souldier, an old practitioner in the fornicating Trade, who having hired of a poor Man a Nights-lodging with his Daughter, and was juſt preparing to deflower the Virgin, who hung back and made lamentable Moan; when he asked her Name, and underſtood that it was Mary, and remembred it was Saturday Night, (devoted to the Virgin …he deſiſted from his Purpoſe, and placed her in a Nunnery; and immediately after being ſlain in a Tournement, it was revealed by the bleſſed Virgin to te Nun in a Viſion, That for the Kindneſs he had ſhewed to her for her Sake, ſhe had brought his Soul to Heaven; and as a Sign of the Truth of it, they ſhould find a freſh Roſe upon his Grave ſpringing out of his Mouth, which upon Examination proved ſo. Not unlike to this is another incouraging Story, which Pelbartus ffStellarii l. 5. p. 2. art. 3.gives us out of a Book of Miracles, which he attributes to S. Anſelm: How a Beggar came to a covetous rich Man greatly devoted to the Virgin, and ask'd an Alms of him for God's ſake, and he denied him with Reproaches; he asked again of him, for the Love of his own Soul and his Salvation, but that Argument moved him not at all: He begg'd a Third time, for the Love of the bleſſed Virgin; at which the covetous Man angrily threw a Loaf of Bread to him, charging him to beg no more in that Name. When this Miſer died, and his Works came to be weighed, it was found that his good Works were leſs, and ſo was adjudged to the Devils to be tormented: But the bleſſed Virgin immediately appeared and brought a Loaf of Bread he had given for her ſake, and put it in the Balance, and immediately by her Merits the Scale was turned. She intreated her Son for him, who ſaid, I was hungry and he gave me no Meat, &c. He ſhewed no Mercy, therefore deſerves to find none; to whom ſhe replied, I am the Mother of Mercy and he had me in great Devotion: And ſo he was releaſed and ſent into the Body again to repent and lead a better Life. Such Stories as theſe have given ſuch Spirit to the Worſhippers of the Virgin, that they are not afraid to diſpute and put it to the Queſtion, Whether the Name of Mary be not more powerful than that of Jeſus. That it is a ſweeter Name is a concluded Caſe. For they compare p. 153ggBarthol. de los Rios ubi ſupra l. 6. c. 32.the Two names of Jeſus and Mary to Salt and Honey: Salt (which anſwers to Chriſt's Name) is more wholeſome, and in reſpect of its Preſervative Virtue, of it ſelf more efficacious; yet for all that it ſeems to be more ſharp and pungent; and ſo the Name Jeſus, howſoever you take it, ſounds ſomething of a judging Majeſty, by reaſon of his Divinity; but now the Name of Mary, quantum quantum eſt, is every way all Sweetneſs; it is Honey, preſerving from Corruption, yet not biting; and he concludes, That the Name of Mary to us affords a ſweeter Taſt than that of her Son.

If you ask about the Power and Prevalency of the Two Names, we are told hhId. ib. c. 38.That it is not improbably ſaid, That her Name, at leſt, quo ad nos, is more efficacious than his: For which he cites the Words of the ſpurious S. Anſelm, Velocior eſt nonnunquam ſalus, &c. iiDe excel. Virginis c. 6.Salvation comes more ſpeedily by invoking Mary's Name than that of Jeſus.—Chriſt being called upon in his own Name, he does but what is juſt if he does not preſently hear; but when his Mother's Name is invoked, though he that prays does not deſerve to be heard for his own Merits, yet the Merits of his Mother intercede that he ſhould be heard. So that he concludes, That the Name of Mary affords more gentle and humane, more frequent and ſpeedy Arguments of Pity and Mercy, than the Name of her Son. Which another Blaſphemer kkRich. a S. Laurentio de laud. Virg. l. 1. c. 2.thus expreſſes, Jeſus is as it were a proud name (quaſi ſuperbum nomen) and too potent, but Affection become hers that is a name more humble; ſo that if any one dreads the Auſterity of the Deity or Male-ſex (Sexus virilis) in Jeſus, let him have Recourſe to Mary, in whom nothing of theſe is to be ſuſpected; for Mary is a Womans name, commending and carrying before it Gentleneſs.

Francis Mendoza llVeridar. l. 2. probl. 2. p. 70.the Jeſuit, has ſpoke his Mind out, in anſwer to the former Queſtion. I ſay, though Chriſt ſtands in greater Authority with God than the Virgin, yet the bleſſed Virgin ſometimes is more eaſily moved by our Prayers than Chriſt, and therefore the Patronage of the Mother is ſometimes more preſent to us, than that of the Son: The Reaſon is, That Chriſt is a Judge, and the bleſſed Virgin only a Patroneſs, and a Patroneſs is only Mercy. And for a further Proof of this, he gives Examples of this greater Prevalency of the Virginp. 154in ſeveral Plagues at Rome and Conſtantinople, &c. Where after the Invocation of Saints, and of Chriſt himſelf without Succeſs, upon flying to this ſacred Anchor (as he calls her) upon carrying about her Image, or celebrating her Feſtival, the Plague his immediately ceaſed; for as it is a common thing to break the Force of Cannon Bullets by oppoſing Wool-ſacks to them, mmIb. p. 73.ſo the Anger of the Deity thundring and raging againſt miſerable Offenders, the Force of it is broken and dull'd by the Interpoſition of Mary's Fleece. We read, ſays another nnNovarinus umbr. Virgin. num. 1195., Prov. 18.10. That the Name of the Lord is a ſtrong Tower, the righteous Man runs unto it and is ſafe. Turn but, nomen Domini into Domina (a ſmall matter, only the change of a Letter) the name of Lord into that of Lady, and you may ſay the ſame of Mary. Nay you may ſay more of her name, for though Solomon indeed (ſays the foreſaid Richardus ooRich. a S. Laurent. ubi prius.) who knew but little of Mary, bids the Righteous fly to the name of the Lord as to a ſtrong Tower; yet we (to whom bleſſed Revelations have been made ſince his days) may ſays, The Name of our Lady is a ſtrong Tower, the Sinner flys unto it and is ſafe. It ſeems a juſt Man may fly to God, if he pleaſes, but a Sinner had better betake himſelf to Mary. And thus, ſays Novarinus ppIbidem.ſome explain that in Luc. 13. concerning the Tower of Siloans that fell and ſlew Eighteen Perſons; That Tower is Chriſt, who was ſent by the Father into the World, and broke in pieces all thoſe on whom he fell: The Virgin Mary is our Tower, but for Safety, who withdraws and fetches off Sinners (ſubducit) from the deſerved Anger of her Son.

So that according to this Doctrine, though it be a common thing in Exclamations (Jeſus Maria) and in Prayers (Laus Deo & Virgini Mariae) to join the Two names of Jeſus and Mary, and to put Jeſus firſt, juſt as Philip and Mary ſtand in our Coins, yet this muſt be interpreted as done rather in Civility to the Relation of Son and Mother, than that Sinners have an equal Expectation from them, or Encouragement in Addreſſes to them, for in this Mary has the Preference and Precedency.

To conclude this, the Jeſuit Poza qqElucidar. l. 2. tr. 17. c. 6.reckons up ſeveral admirable Effects, that follows the uſe of the Virgin's name; That the name of Mary frees from the Fear of Death and p. 155injury of Devils; that it makes the Mind Chaſt; that it refreſhes a Soul that is fainting and ſorrowful; that it gives Security and Safeguard to the Body: And in a Word, That her name receives all Virtue from her ſelf, and does the ſame things that ſhe does.

The Words alſo of S. Briget rrRevelat. l. 1. cap. 9.muſt not be forgotten; Upon the hearing Mary named, thoſe that are in Purgatory rejoice beyond meaſure, as a ſick Man lying in his Bed, when he hears a word of Comfort. The good Angels hearing this name, preſently approach nearer to thoſe juſt Men who are committed to their Guardianſhip, and rejoice in their Proficiency (as if, forſooth, they were more negligence in their Office, till ſhe was invoked) The Devils alſo all of them dread and fear it; ſo that upon hearing the name of Mary, they preſently let go and leave the the Soul that was detained in their Clutches.

All that I ſhall further add is, That upon Inſtigation of Lewis IX. King of France, Pope Clement IV. ssRaynaud. Dipt. Marian. p. 28.beſtowed a Three years Indulgence upon all that ſhould repeat theſe following Words, viz. Benedictum ſit dulce nomen Domini noſtri Jeſu Chriſti, & glorioſiſſimae virginis Mariae matris ejus, in aternum & ubra. Nos cum prole pia benedicat virgo Maria. That is, Bleſſed be the ſweet Name of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and of the moſt glorious Virgin Mary his Mother for evermore.

Afford to us thy Benediction,

O Virgin Mary with thy gracious Son.

The name of Mary has its Feaſt ttIdem. ib.alſo among the Conchenſes in Spain, confirmed from the Year 1513. by the Pope's Brief; and though taken away for a time by Pope Pius V. yet it was reſtored by Pope Sixtus V.

The End of the Firſt Part.