Mariadge it selfe performed by the Parents but not to be vnderstood of the animation or quickning of the Foetus Now that S. Bernard did subiect his iudgment in this point as in all others to the Church of Rome appeareth in that he euen in the same Epistle thus writeth Romanae Ecclesiae authoritati c All this which I here say as also all other Points of like Nature I referre to the authority of the Church of Rome Mariamastix Well to passe from Bernard in whom I will not much insist as being but of late age What say you to the expresse Words of Leo thus writing of Christ serm de Natinit Domini Sicut nullâ—â— a reatu liberum c. As Christ did synd not any free from guilt of sinne so he came to free all men from sinne Mariadulus By these words are only vnderstood that not any can be freed or redeemed but such as were truly and really seruants and Captiues to sinne or so ought to be except the Grace and Fauour of the Redeemer had preuented them Now no man of himselfe Christ excepted is free from sinne therfore Christ came to redeeme all men Mariamastix What say you to Austin thus expresly teaching lâ— de fide ad Petrum Firmissimè tene c. Belieue certainty and doubt noâ— but that euery Person who is conceaued by carnall Copulation of Man and Woman is borne in Original sinne Adde hereto that sentence of Ambrose in Comment in Luc. l. 2. Solus per omnia ex natis c. Only our Lord Iesus among all borne of Women did not know through the vnaccustomed manner of his immaculate Birth the contagion of human Corruption Mariadulus These two testimonies do proue only that euery Man Christ only excepted did contract Originall sinne by force of generation For all such do contract sinne either really and indeed or els they auoyd it not by force of Generation but through the Priuiledge of the singular Grace and fauour of God as we hould our B. Lady did And this is coincident with that deliuered in one of my former Animaduersions touching the seuerall manners how the sinne of Adam is communicated with his Issue But Syr proceed further I pray you in your testimonies from the Fathers Mariamastix No I will not dwell any longer in human authorities sinne it is but a needles wast and raueling out of the tyme. Therefore I will ascend to the sacred Word of God the highest Tribunall in matters of fayth wherby this your Phantasy touching the Immaculate Conception of the Mother of Christ iâ— mainely impugned yea becomes euen prostrate with the ground And first I vrge that senâ—ence which I did take for eny Text in my late Sermon In Adam omnes moriuntur 1. Cor. c. 15. All men do dye in Adam Againe that other Text In quo omnes peccanerunt Rom. 5. In whom meaning Adam all men did sinne And yet more Eramus natura filij irae sicut caeteri Ephes 2. We were by Nature the sonnes of wrath as others were See you not Mariadulus how you are foyled with euery litle splinter of these diuine Authorities Mariadulus We see you are full of froathy ostentation But to your Arguments We do not deny but that the Blessed Virgin was dead in Adam Therefore we grant that by Nature she was the Daughter of Wrath But we also adde that throug Grace she euer was the daughter of Mercy For it pleased God in the benedictions of his sweetnes so to preuent her that she neuer was a sinner which Nature required but that she was euer Iust which Grace did conferre And according hereto we confesse that the B. Virgin who then was not did sinne in Adam after that sort which she could I meane in potentia only in respect wherof she stood obnoxious that when she really did exist she might reipsa haue had sinne in her Yet withall we add that she was so preueÌ„ted throgh the singular Grace and Priuiledge of God that all at one instant she should begin to be and withall to be Iust Thus you may obserue that the true ballancing and application of my former Annotations do euen at the first sight blunt the force of your three scripturall Authorities But proceed further Mariamastix What say you to those other Words of the Apostle 2. Cor. 5. Si vnus pro omnibus mortuus est ergo omnes mortui sunt pro omnibus mortuus est Christus Yf one be dead for all then were all dead and Christ dyed for all Mariadulus We freely grant that the B. Virgin after a manner was dead through the death of sinne And so as it is also true that Christ dyed for her Viuification as he dyed for others But withall we maintayne that the Holy Virgin is said to be dead because she stood subject to death and necessarily as aboue is often inculcated was to dye by force of her generation except she had beene preuented therin by the Grace of God And thus much touching the solutions of your Textes of Scripture But now to reflect a litle vpon your former windy Words How is our Cause by these your authorities of Gods Word as you vaunte become prostrate with the ground or where are your Demonstrations taken from Scripture as you ambitiously stile then But if you haue any other proofes out of Gods Word you may vrge them Mariamastix No I will proceed no further I haue alledged inough and so much as is able to conuince any one illuminated from the Lord. And if such men yield not to the Truth therein it is to be feared they are interested in those words of the Apostle 2. Cor. 4. If our Gospell be hid it is hid to them that are lost Mariadulus Seing then Syr you meane heere to make a pause I must intreate leaue that you and I may change our Stations I meane that wheras hitherto you haue vndergone the part of the Opponent I of the Answerer that now I may be lincensed to vrge my Authorities in proofe of the immaculate Conception of our B. Lady and you to giue your solutions thereto Mariamastix I am well pleased For this alternation and vicissitude of Opposing and Answering is most reasonable in it selfe and most warrantable by the practise of all Schooles Therefore begin Mariadulus Well then I will tread your owne path of Methode so beginning with arguments drawne from Reason And after I will ascend to higher kinds of proofes My first Reason shal be this It is certaine and explorate that God could preserue the B. Virgin from contagion of Originall Sinne And it is also probable that he would do it And therefore it is probable that she was preserued from all such contagion That God could preserue her froÌ„ Originall Sinne cannot be denyed seeing that there is no repugnancy therein either in respect of God or in respect of her as being a Creature Not in respect of God seing God is Omnipotent and we read Luc. 1. Non est
MARIA TRIVMPHANS BEING A Discourse wherin by way of Dialogue the B. Virgin Mary Mother of God is defended and vindicated from all such Dishonours and Indignities with which the Precisians of these our dayes are accustomed vniustly to charge her Aue Gratia pleâ—a Dominus tecum Benedicta tu in mulieribus Luc. 1. Intercede Hera Dominâ— Mater Dei pronobis Athan. serM in Enang de Deipâ—â— Permissu Superiorum 1635. TO THE QVEENES MOST EXCELLENT MAIESTY MOST renowned Prinâ—sse and Mirroâ—â—f Vertue Behold â—eere I one of Your deuoted Vassals haue presumed pardon this my humble Presumption to dedicate vnto Your Maiesty this poore ensuing Worke that with the Wings of your gracious Patronage it may more freely and vnrestraynedly flye abroad The subiect thereof is to vindicate so farre as in me lyeth the Honour of the most Blessed Virgin the Mother of God from the Indignities which she suffereth from the enuenomed Tongues Pens of our Pâ—â—â—â—ians for the more temperate â—nd learned Protestant is faâ— from such Exorbitancyes In your Patronage wherof She whome it chiefely concernes will a new become your Patronesse And thus will Mary intercede for Mary the Queene of Heauen for a great Queene vpon earth the Mother of our Celestiall King for the mother of our future terrene King And finally by your protecting pleading for it the Immaculate Virgin will in a more full manner become an Aduocate for You her Aduocate Vouchsafâ—â—â—â—refore to accoÌ„plish this my PetitioÌ„ most Great Lady â—reat I say since You are borne Great married Great and are Vertuously Great For you are the daughter of a King sister to a King Spouse to a King and notwithstanding Your weake-strong Sex do perseuer with more then manly Resolution in Practise of Piety in inuiolably professing the Ancient Apostolicall Fayth For which your immoueable Constancy all good Catholikes do most ioyfully sound forth your due Panegyricks and Laudes Your Vertue here â—â—â—ing of that worth and heigâ—t as that Words light faâ—â—hort to expresse it therfore a silent AdmiratioÌ„ must heere in part supply the Tongues office The Queene of Saba as we read 3. Reg. 10. repaired to Salomon a mortall and sinfull Man to heare his Wisdome But the Queene of England firmely anchors her Iudgement vpon the Vniuersall Church of Christ sterned with his Spirit to receaue its holy Instructions O how great is the disparity And thus in the good hope of obtaining my much desired suite So the rather since diuers Passâ—ges of this small Treatise do â—ut CoÌ„ment your owne daily Deuotions towards the Intemerate Virgin I most humbly prostrate my selfe before your Maiesty will neuer cease to batter at the eares of the diuine Maiesty with my incessant Prayers to protect and defend as the aple of his eye our most Gracious Soueraigne King Charles and YOV his dearest Spouse with all your Noble Issue that so the Center of all your designes may be fixed in the feare of God the Circumference exteÌ„ded to your fruition of â—â—l true Temporall and Eternall Felicity Your Maiesties most loyall and humble subiect and Beadsman N. N. An Aduertisement of the Authour to the Reader THe Subiect of this Treatise is deliuered in the forme of a Diaâ—â—gue The Interlocutors are Mariaâ—ulus and Mariamastix Mariaâ—ulus signifying a seruant of Mary 〈◊〉 supposed to be an English imprisoâ—ed Priest and defendeth the Cause of â—he Blessed Virgin Mary Mariamastix or the scourge of Mary is an Imaginary Precisian a Minister who is feigned 〈◊〉 the better drawing on of the Diâ—â—ogue to haue preached at Pauleâ— Crosse against our B. Lady in whome all Precisians who are Enemyes to the B. Virgin are personated Now whereas in the beginning of this discourse the immaculate CoÌ„ception of the Mother of God is disputed of the Authour doth not intend thereby to prouoke other learned Catholiks houlding the contrary not the more sober Protestants as his Aduersaries herein But he writeth only against the fiery Puritans who not only in this Point of the immaculate Conception but touching all other Passages of this Treatise disgorge their poyson against the said most Blessed Virgin A Letter of Mariadulus To the learned Mariamastix at least so reputed all health of the Soule LEarned Mariamastix Your late Sermon preached at Paules Crosse is much rumor'd abroad At length the report thereof came to my eares for by your causing it for its supposed worth to be printed I procured a Copy thereof Now where your take those words of the Apostle 1. Cor. 15. for your Teâ—â— In Adam omnes moriuntur 〈◊〉 men do dye in Adam and â—ereupon you amplifying spâ—eading your selfe in a great profusion of words which do but beate the eares of the more iudicious Reader with a fastidious neglect your mayne Proiect is to include the Immaculate Virgin within the limits of spirituall death so making her to become thrall to all humane imperfections yea to sinne it selfe O thinke what you haue done and against whom you speake You speake against Her of whom it is said Genuisti qui te fecit in aeternum permanes Virgo against her who is the intemerate and chast Mother of God euen of that Great and puissant God who is but One yet all things most Simple yet contayneth in himseâ—â—e the perfection of all Creâ—â—â—res though most different Wâ—o is Immense without Quatity Eternall without Tyme Good without Quality Omnipotent yet will do only what is Best whose Prescience is so infallible for with him all things are present Eccles 3. as that it giues a Being to that which is not and maketh that true with him which with vs seemes false To conclude who is a supernaturall Nature this other Nature being but his Art and all secondary Causes seruing but as so many subordinate wheeles whereupon the frame of this whole Vninerse doth turne so true is that sentence of Tertullian lib. de Trinitate Quid sit Deus mente intelligimus si cogitamus id illum esse quod quale quantum sit non possit intelligi Now the hâ—nour of the Mother of this gâ—â—at Maiesticall God you haue wounded with your rasory tongue Hope you then to escape with all impunity Therefore seeing euery good Catholike ought to be zealous of her Honour I by profession though most vnworthy a Catholike Priest will vndertake to vindicate and free that sacred Virgin from all indignities and reproaches with which either you in your former Sermon or any other Protestant by his pen is accustomed to calumniate wrong her But being restrayned of my liberty I cannot come to you you may easily to me Therefore if it please you to repayre to this my Prison to morrow and to bring a selected and fitting Audience with you I do hereby â—â—â—â—oke you to enter into a sober Scholasticall Duellisme touching the subiect of your Sermon From my lodging in the Prison Yours in all Christian Charity Mariadulus The answere of Mariamastix To Mariadulus imprisoned in Body
titles The (u) M. For in Act. Mon. pag 416. Eâ—ias Conductour and Chariot of Israel but mentioning our B. Lady who is an Immaculate Virgin the Queene of Heauen an Instrument of Mans Redemption the Mother of God and of the Sauiour of the World they bluntly and rudely without any further title of Honour terme her as now you here do only Mary But go on for the tyme in this rusticity of your Idiome of speach Qui fordidâ—s est adhue fordescat Apoc. 22. Now touching your condemning of all distinctions in learning I must tell you Syr that if you wil be accounted in the number of the learned you must approue iust and true distinctions in points of Doctrine since you know or at least should know that the vse of distinctions is to vnfould things as it were confusedly hud led vp togeather and to fanne and seuer away impertinencies from weight of true Reasons in dispute Therefore according to this my distinction of the former Proposition To wit How sinne in the first Parent is communicated with his Jssue I hope or rather I am assured that most of your ensuing Arguments drawne out touching this Point will fynd their Answers inuolued within some one branch or other of the said distinction still glancing vpon some one by impertinency or other and therefore for tryall thereof I could wish you to begin in your Arguments Mariamastix Well seing it is so I will satisfy your desire and am content for the tyme to yield to your imposed method I will produce my Arguments in a graduall manner First beginning with Arguments drawne from Reason Next from the Fathers so shall your owne Friend mortally wound your owne Cause and lastly I will ascend to testimonies taken from Gods sacred Writ And to begin with Arguments from Reason First I do obiect that Mary suffered many miseries and euen death it selfe all which are the punishments of sinne Secondly It seemeth most detractory from the honour of God if the priuiledge of Immaculate Conception should be giuen to any other then to Christ himselfe Thirdly Mary was neuertruly redeemed if she was neuer captiue to sinne Fourtly she was conceaued with the lust or sensuality of the Parents but this last is the Meanes or Instrument by the which Originall sinne is transiected or transfused into the of spring In this last place I add that Christ dyed for All and yet he dyed not for the lust but only for sinners Therefore dying among others for his Mother it followeth she was conceaued in sinne so euident we see Mariadulus this Conclusion of myne is as that it is proued with a whole teame or chayne of most forcing Reasons one of them still following or wayting vpon another Mariadulus I doubt not Mariamastix but that the ranks or links of this your chayne wil be easely broken and dissolued so you shall fynd that you had litle reason so pertinaciously to inâ—ist in these your Reasons And to your first I answere that the soule of the B. Virgin was preserued from all spot of sinne Yet I grant that her flesh was not redeemed till after her death through the particular Grace of God she did rise glorious To your second I maintayne that the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin cannot bring any dishonour to the glory of the sonne of God but rather the contrary Seing it is the peculiar honour of the Sonne of God that being conceaued of the Holy Ghost could not through force of his generation contract sinne It further redoundeth to the glory of the sonne of God if not only those can be iustifyed by his merits who had sinne but also that some one might be preserued from sinne who otherwise would necessarily haue fallen into sinne Your third Reason is but weake seing as is explayned those are truly redeemed who had necessarily become captiue to sinne had not the interueniency of the fauour Grace of the Redeemer preuented them To your fourth it taketh its full solution from what is aboue deliuered for I grant the lust of the Parents is a signe of Nature being corrupted and also from Nature corrupted the flesh is conceaued as naturally vitiated yet from hence it followeth not but that God is able when he conioyneth the rationall soule with the flesh vitiated with all to infuse Grace of Iustification by the which the spot or blemish of sinne may wholy be driuen and taken away To your last I say Christ died for all sinners who either then were sinners or necessarily would haue beene sinners except the death of the said Christ had defended them from sinne through his wonderfull Grace and fauour Mariamastix I litle regard these your conceyted Answers able perhaps to bleare the iudgment of the Ignorant but not of such as be iudicious and learned But howsoeuer I will in this place come to the testimonies of the ancient Fathers in whom you Papists pretend to haue great confidence And indeed Ivrge their authorities not so much with intention to fortify my cause thereby for I grant the Scripture is the sole Fort in which I intrench my selfe as to depriue you of your supposed strength in them so the Enemy in besieging of a Citty taketh aforehand certaine Sconses and litle forts neere to the Towne not so much for any great aduantage that such places being surprized can affoard him as thereby to weaken and lessen the besieged towne of its former strength Mariadulus Howsoeuer Mariamastix you seeme to disesteeme the ancieÌ„t Fathers yet others of your Brethren much exceeding you in learning if so you caÌ„ brooke Comparisons do giue their due respect to the authorities of the said Fathers I will instance this only in one or two learned Protestants Kempnitius in Exam. Concil Trident. part 1. pag. 74. then thus sayth We are greatly confirmed in the true and sound sense of the Scripture by the testimony of the ancient Church And D. Bancroft speaking of Caluin and Beza with reference to the Fathers thus writeth in his Surney of the pretended holy discipline I do thinke of M. Caluiu and M. Beza as their Writings do deserue but yet J thinke better of the ancient Fathers I must confesse But I pray you Mariamastix proceed in your intended Method Mariamastix I will And only for a tast and delibation I will make choyce of some two of them for I grant I do not loue to feed loÌ„g vpon this dish And first I fynd your owne Bernard thus to write in Epist. 175 ad Canonicos Lugdunenses Excepto homine Christo c. Except only Christ as Man that saying respecteth all men to wit In iniquitatibus conceptus sum in peccatis concepit me mater mea Mariadulus To this I answere that whereas S. Bernard seemeth to imply by consequence that the Virgin was conceaued in sinne therfore the Conception of her was not holy this Fathers meaning only is to be vnderstood of the first Conception which is accustomed to be in the Act of
thy selfe a Mother by appeasing thy Sonne in our behalfe and this by the remembrance of all thy motherly tender care and loue towards him in his Infancy and through the whole course of his life to the end that by thee he may receaue our prayers For thus it immediatly in the same Hyâ—nnâ— followeth Sumat per te preces But Mariamastix If these former words be such an eyesore to you and yours how will you except against those words of Saint Paul he thus saying of himselfe 1. Cor. 9. Omnibus omnia factus sum vt omnes facereâ— saluos I am become to all men all things that I might saue all Where you see the Apostle assumeth to himselfe the saluation of others he meaning only that by his preaching instructing and prayers he might be an inferiour Cause or Instrument vnder Christ for the sauing of others But of this point I will hereafter speake more in my defence of the Autiphone Salue Regina the which you Protestants seeke so much to impugne But to proceed somewhat further Ys the former Sentences and prayers directed to the B. Virgin so much affright you as that you thinke we Catholikes ascribe to her our Saluation consequently thinke our Sauiours Passion according to your most false suggesting not sufficient for our Redemption what would you say to the other Text of former Apostle thus leauing it recorded 1. ad Colos 1. Adimpleo quae desunt Passionum Christi in carne mea pro corpore eius quod est Ecclesia I do accomplish those things which do want in the Passion of Christ in my flesh for his body which is the Church I hope you are not here persuaded that the Apostle thoght the Passion of Christ to be insufficient without his owne sufferings for his meaning only is that as Christ the Head and Members his Body make one Person Mysticall the Church in this respect being his Plenitude Fulnesse or Complement Ephes 1. so the Passions of the Head and afflictions of the body and members make one complete masse of Passions Thus there is no want of Christs Passion as he suffered in himselfe as Head but there is want in those Passions of Christ which he daily suffereth in his Body the Church and in the members thereof But now Mariamastix since these two former Texts of Saint Paul seeme in an ignorant eye more derogatory vnto our Sauiour and his Passion then those sentences by you vrged practised by Catholiks and seing the said Texts of the Apostle are to be construed in a sober sense and so are most true Therefore I could wish you not so earnestly to quarrell at the Passages by you alledged neither seeke to disuest them of that pious sense and meaning which is euer intended by vs Catholiks That is that our most Blessed Lady according to the former words Salue vinclareis profer lumen caecis would vouchsafe to dissolue and loose the bonds of the guilty and bring light to those which are spiritually blynd by her Prayers most earnest Intercession to her B. Sonne Christ INSVS and not otherwise So far we Catholikes are from acknowledging a She-Sauiour as you in your Lucian and scoffing Dialect do charge vs. Mariamastix This your tedious discourse hath small soueraingty ouer my iudgment neither do the examples drawne from Paul aduantage your Cause For I pereÌ„ptorily maintayne that it is vnlawfull and most repugnant to the sacred Scriptures to pray either to Mary or to any other Saint it being the doctrine only of Man not of God Mariadulus You now enter into a new Question touching the lawfulnes or vnlawfulnes of Praying to Saints in generall so fugitiue and vnsetled you are in your discourse The tyme is not now fitting for a perfect discussing thereof Therfore at this present in proofe of the lawfulnes of Praying to Saints and to stir as it were a litle the earth or mould about the roote of that doctrine I will forbearing all other proofes insist in one Argument drawne from Reason Thus theÌ„ I dispute S. Paul saith to the Romans Cap. 15. Obsecrâ— vos frâ—â—res vt adiâ—â—etis me in Orationâ—hus pro me ad Deum I beseech you Brethren that you help me in your prayers for me to God And the same the Apostle repeateth in Ephes 6. 1. Thessal 5. 2. Thessal 3. Coloss 4. and Hebr. 13. Hence I say I draw my ineuitable inferences It was lawfull for the Apostle S. Paul to pray to some holy men then liuing that they would pray to God for him Therefore it is now lawfull to innocate them they being Saints and reiguing with Christ For if it be not lawfull now to pray to them the reason thereof must be Either because they will not heare vs praying to them But this cannot be seing they are now indued with more Charity then when they here conuersed vpoÌ„ Earth and being secure of their owne felicity as S. Cyprian sayth Serâ—â— de mortalit are more sollicitous of our spirituall Good health Or els because the Saints cannot help vs But neither this For if they could help vs with their Prayers when they were but Pilgrimes in this World much more are they now able being arriued into their owne Country Or because they do not know what we pray But not this Because from what ground the Angells do know the Conuersion of sinners for which conuersion they so much reioyce as is said in Luke 15. from the same ground the Saints do know our prayers Or lastly because an iniury is committed against God and Christ if any other be inuoked and prayed vnto then he But not this For then it were not lawfull to inuocate or pray to the liuing and consequently S. Paul offended God therein Thus you see Mariamastix how you are precluded on all sydes from giuing any satisfying Answere to this demonstration Mariamastix Yf we should admit for the tyme that it were lawfull to pray to the dead yet it is euer supposed that they to whom we should so pray are infallibly to be presumed to be Saintes Now how can we rest assured that one praying to Mary prayeth to a Saint Since certaine it is that at her being present at her Sonnes death and making no resistance thereto she actually did breake foure of the ten Commandements together To wit the first the fist the sixt the nynth Commandement And you read who committeth sinne is of the Diuell 1. Iohn 3. And we are not ascertayned that Mary any tyme after had true repentance of her so great a sinne Mariadulus O that I could transforme my tongue into a scourge or whip of Iron where with to lash and teare with bloudy strypes the naked sydes of such who first dared to disgorge such poysonous words against the Mother of God! I well know from what vessel you draw these your dregs For I fynd M. Bunny the Protestant to charge the B. Virgin euen in your owne Words with the breach of the foure Commandements
sing with the whole Church of God Rorate Caeli desuper unbes pluant Iustum aperiatur terra germinet Saluatorem Isa 45. For this was the tyme when the Angell saluted the Virgin vnfoulding to her from God that she being Earth should neuerthelesse bring him forth who shold saue the World drowned afore for so many ages in sinne and damnation Therefore as that Nation which hath liued for many huÌ„dred yeares in extreme thraldome and seruitude to a most tyrannous Prince could not but iustly reioyce and with all cele brity much honour the tyme when infallibly it should be declared to the People that at such a neere ensuing tyme their Vassallage should cease that they should be restored to their former free dome Euen so heere when the World did take notice that the Eternall Word of God should be inearnated in the wombe of the B. Virgin to redeeme Mankind from the Tyranny of the Diuell it ought highly to prize the Time and celebrate it with an yearly Iubily and Exultation in remembrance of so most comfortable a Message I say further more Seing Iesus Christ was to redeeme the World with the effusion of that bloud which he tooke of the B. Virgin it therefore may be said in a so ber Construction for racke not my words vnto a bad and neuer-intended sense that the said glorious Virgin in some sort concurred to the Redemption of Mankind I add to the former reasons that true it is that God could haue made a better Heauen a better Earth a better World better Men then he hath made but he knew not how to make a better more worthy Work then to make God Man This then not to be denied hath not the Church of Christ most vrging inducement to celebrate with an Anniuersary Honour and reuerence that most happy howre wherein the Worke of our Redemption first tooke it beginning according to those words of the Angell to the Virgin Ecce concipies paries vocabitur filius Altissimi Luc. 1. Mariamastix You have spoken inough Mariaâ—ulus But howsoeuen I do thinke that these two feasts already discoursed of were sufficient if not too many for the remembrance of Mary Christ himselfe hath but foure or fyue speciall sestiuall tymes kept with celebrity of his remembrance Two then are inough for the remembrance of a Woman In regard whereof you may passe ouer in silence those two other feasts vsually celebrated by you I meane the Purification and her Assumption Mariadulus O Enuye not the glory of the B. Virgin For how can it be thought that you truly reuerence Christ who endeuour to diminish the reuerence due the Mother of Christ Concerning the other two feasts of the Virgin by you somuch disesteemed I will a litle touch vpon them not so much for your satisfaction for none it seemes you will receaue as to shew to the Auditory here present the Reasons which mooued the Church of God to institute and yearely celebrate them First then touching the feast of the Purification being the second of February For the better vnderstanding of the reason of the Institution of this feast we are to remember that the old Law appointed that if any Woman should coÌ„ceaue with Child by a Man and it to be Male the mother should be accounted vncleane seauen dayes then the child should be circumcised the eight day And further that she shall not touch any holy thing nor enter into the Temple till the end of forty dayes at what tyme she shall go into the Temple and offer her Sonne in the Temple in memory that the Hebrews departing out of the Land of Egypt the Angells killed all the first borne of the Egyptians This was the Law Now though this Law did not bynd the B. Virgin because she conceaued not by Man but by the Vertue of the Holy Ghost and therefore she was not vncleane yet as S. Bernard sayth in imitation of her B. Sonne whe not being subiect to the Law of Circumcision would neuerthelesle becircuÌ„cised by the Iewes So the holy Virgin through the same Reason would goe to the Temple to be purifyed there would offer vp her deare Sonne At what tyme old Symeon of whom we read that he was Iust and feared God expected as the Euangelist recordeth Luc. 2. the consolation of Israel had an answere from the Holy Ghost that before he dyed he should see the Aunoynted of the Lord that is the Messias And according hereto Symeon fynding Christ in the Temple with his Mother tooke him into his armet and in acknowledgment that Christ was the Messias he did sing that ioyfull song like a swan which sweetly singeth before his neere approaching death O Lord now bet thy seruant depart in peace according to thy Promisse for myne eyes haue seene thy Saluation Luc. 2. The Catholike Church at the institution of this feast hath appointed that the faithfull Christians should make a solemne Procession And euery one of the faithfull should earry a litie candell in their hand in representation of carrying of Christ who is the true light of the world in S. Symeon his armes Now for the better Remembrance of all these former Mysteries the Church of God hath thought it most expedient by an annuall Feast to celebrate them And thus much briefly of the feast of the Purification Lastly to descend to the feast of the B. Virgin her Assumption vp to Heauen in body which is kept vpon the fifteenth day of August Which feast the Church celebrateth in these words Maria Virgo assumpta est ad Aethereum Thalamum in quo Rex regum stellato sedet solio in offic B. Virg. As also in these other Assumpta est Maria in caelum Gaudent Angeli laudantes benedicunt Dominum vbi supra Touching the Assumption of our B. Lady two things are chiefly to be weighed The first is the certainty of her Assumption which all Sectaries with open mouth deny as you Mariamastix did in your late Sermon against the B. Virgin The second which resulteth from the first the iust Reason of celebrating her Assumption Touching the certainty of her Assumption Dionysins Areopagita in his book de diuinis Nominibus lunenall Bishop of Ierusalem in his Relation to the Emperour Martianus and S. Iohn Damascene who liued nyne hundred yeares since in a certaine Sermon of this subiect do all iointly affirme that by the speciall priuiledge and Prouidence of God it was granted to his B. Mother that all the Apostles excepting S. Thomas who came thither three dayes after were present at the deatâ— of the B. Virgin The Apostles seeing the Virgin to be deadâ— infoulded her reuerently in white liunen and layed the Body vpon a Bere and carrved it vnto Gethsamini with great solemnity of the Apostles Disciples other deuout Persons and there made a Graue in which the Body was layd The foresaid S. Damascone recordeth that S. Thomas the Apostle came three dayes after her interring
and hauing a thirsting desire to see the dead Body in regard of his absence at her death intreated the other Apostles to open the Graue vnto him that he might see the dead Body and do honour and reuerence vnto it At his request they opened the Graue but fouÌ„d there no Body at all but only the linnen within which the said sacred Body was infoulded and withall perceaued a most sweet sauour and smell in the same place Vpon the wounderfull and vnexpected fight wherof all the Apostles concluded that our Lord who had taken flesh of Her would grant her the Honour of rising before the day of the Resurrection and that she should as well in Body as in Soule presently ascend vp to Heauen I will add hereto what Iunenall the foresaid Bishop sayth to wit That this stupendious Wonder was not seene by the Apostles only but also by Timothy Bishop of Ephesus and Dionysius Areopagita both of them being Disciples of Saint Paul and both being present thereat as also by Hierotheus and diuers others Saints witnesses thereof These Premisses are the ground whereupon the Catholike Church resteth for the beliefe of the B. Virgins Assumption into Heauen both in soule and Body before the Common day of the Resurrection And to the former proofes I may adioyne these following The Centurists do witnesse Cent. 5. c. 10. col 1127. that S. Austin did write a Booke entituling it De Assumptione Virginis mariae The opinion of which doctrine was so anciently receaued that the Emperour Mauritius more then a thousand yeares since celebrated a festiuall day thereof as Nicephorus l. 17. c. 28. recordeth Yea the certainty of this doctrine is further proued from the authority of S. Ierome in a notable Sermon styled De festo Assumptionis Mariae though some others ascribe it to Sophronius in tyme his equall In regard of the great Antiquity of which Feast we fynd Dretserus the Protestant to reprehend Pope Damasus herein thus saying de festis diebus p. 148. Damasus ordayned the feast of the Assumption of Mary in the yeare of Christ three hundred sixty foure with an vngodly Vse that thereby Honour might be giuen vnto Her and Prayers offered vp c. Thus this Protestant But I will conclude this point with one most conuincing argument taken from S. Bernard who thus disputeth hereof Seing God hath discouered and reuealed the Bodies of many Saints which lay hid in diuers places that they might be honored of faithfull Christians it then ineuitably followeth that if the sacred Body of the Blessed Virgin had beene still on earth he would in like manner haue made knowne no doubt â—n what place or Countrey it did lye For it not being certainly knowne where that Body or any part thereof is in any place of the World allthough there be found and knowne some relicks of her garments it may be irrepliably concluded that her Body is not to be found in earth but only in Heauen And this is S. Bernards demonstration in this Point Thus much in proofe of the certainty of the Assumption of the B. Virgin Mary Now it being once granted that her Body was assumpted vp to Heauen how much reason hath the Church to record her Assumption by instituting thereof an yearly feast And to read in that her Honour Hodie â—aria Caelor ascendit gandete quia cum Christo â—â—gnat in aeternum Exaltâ—ta est Sancta Dei Genitrix supra Choros Angelorum ad câ—lestia regna I will conclude this Point only saying that if most Countries do yearely obserue with honour the day of the Coronation of their Prince May not then we Christians keep with a more speciall Solemnity the tyme when the B. Virgin who brought forth him who is the King of Heauen and Earth first by her Assumption enioyed not a temporall Crowne but the Eternall Crowne of Heauen Thus far Mariamastix and the rest of you Auditours here present for the iustifying of the Catholiks their keeping all the former foure yearely feasts and solemnities of the B. Virgin Mariamastix Well to let all this passe touching the former feasts as inough if not too much discoursed of I would haue you Mariadulus to take notice that I haue beene a Trauayler and haue breathed the ayre of your Popish Countries And indeed these eyes of myne haue beene witnesses that you Papists do there giue vndue veneration not only to Mary herselfe but euen to her Image and Picture How often haue I seene to my great disedification but strenghtning me in the Gospell an Image of Mary placed either in a Church or in the corner turning of a Street To which some haue kneeled downe and prayed whether to the Image of her or to her I know not Others as they passed by haue made a knee and put their Hat off Yea I haue seene some of those Images cloathed as it were with fyne Vestments waxâ—n Candels burning before them I haue further obserued how in most great Townes the chiefe Church is dedicated to Mary whereas all Churches are to be dedicated to God alone And therfore it seemes Idolatry to performe that worship to Mary which ought to be performed to God alone Againe in most townes of Note there is a certaine Sodality or Company of Men and Women who are called the Sodality of the B. Virgin Now to what end is this Sodality if Mary be to be worshipped of all since this may be effected without making any peculiar Sodality or Confraternity To be short I haue obserued that three seuerall tymes euery day at the ringing of a Bell to wit at six of the Clork in the morning twelue in the day tyme six at the night ech Man â—s to fall downe on his knees yea if it be in the streets to say some Aue Maria's O manifest and grosse Idolatry in you Papists Mariadulus O manifest and grosse Ignorance in you Professours of the Gospell Touching your trauell it may be you haue beene in Catholike Countries And if you haue reaped no profit thereby being on all sides incompassed with the sight of deuout Religious Men and practise of Vertue thanke your selfe seeing it should seeme that during your stay in those places you laboured to vnite your owne forces more strongly together and so your pertinacy stiâ—nes in iudgment increased in it selfe as I may say per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now touching the Worship which you say you haue seene in Catholike Countries exhibited to the Image or Picture of the Blessed Virgin I can but grieue to see how Ignorance is masked vnder the veyle of Satyricall Reprehension and that the shew of Reason should produce in Man the Effects of the waÌ„t of Reason Therefore though the handling of this Point toucheth vpon a new Question to wit the worshipping of Images Yet for your Instruction though it seemes you can hardly brooke this word obserue what the Cartholike Church teacheth therein First it teacheth that the honour is not done to the