set his owne stampe She was no wiser than a poor Fly who enamour'd of the beauty of the flame longs to try if it be as sweet as faire and is consumed with her owne folly Had our blessed one supplied her roome in Paradice the forbidden fruit had perchance beene yet untasted and man uncursed for she was altogether void of curiosity proper to that weaker sexe and the very bane of it Our dearest Princesse therefore was deservedly a Queene ere borne receiv'd a Crowne sooner than sight an◠found her Throne seated upon th◠threshold of life And wha◠Crowne was she presented with Not one to compose which the East and the West joyned thei◠treasures but a Crowne in the making whereof every vertue an◠all the Graces had a hand No◠did any vaine mortall place it o◠her sacred Temples but Go◠himselfe who thought nothing too deare nor omitted any ornament that might embellish thi◠goodly edifice wherein himself◠meant to reside Having thus adorn'd and honour'd her h◠plac'd her in this lower world fo◠the good and admiration of all for the conversation of a few Though borne on earth she lived here like a Native of Heaven Her infancy As we may guesse at the neatnesse of a house by the entry into it so we may judge of her lifes remainder by the very beginning Sabellicus affirmes that * she no sooner saw the light Sabellicus sets downe how shee dispos'd of every particular hour but she ador'd the Creator of it and lifted up her heart and eyes to the great Infuser of all her incomparable excellencies She lov'd God ere she had seene man The defect of her tongue could not hinder the operation of her soule in which ere she could speake she acknowledg'd his unspeakeable goodnesse In her Religion preceded the use of reason and she apprehended Gods mercies long ere she was capable of his nature and wisedome Ere she could utter holy words she made holy signs by which she made knowne the sanctity of her heart The first word she learn'd to lispe was Iehovah She sent forth many a sigh for sinne not having committed any and bewailed that of which she was utterly ignorant The rowling of the cradle put her in minde that she was newly enter'd into the tempest of this life the infinite dangers whereof to escape she made Vertue her Pilot. We will not here with some Writers of her Life dispute whether or no she had the same ordinary Education with other children nor with them affirme that she entred the Temple at three yeares old and lived close by the Altar and was fed miraculously by an Angell as also that it was there revealed to her that she should be deliver'd of the Messias I will not make one steppe out of Gods own path frō which I never yet saw the greatest wit to swerve but it was in danger of sticking fast Yet hath a pious charity often swallowed more than all this If from the hand of an Angell she there received food naturall or supernaturall sure I am the wonder is not so great as that of the Incarnation where the wombe included the Word And why should we with difficulty beleeve that this white spotlesse soule was illuminated with Revelations by the divine object of her chaste vowes who undoubtedly deserved to be rapt up if it were possible a story higher than was Saint Paul It is likely enough saith Mantuan God would have the Temple of his Spirit to dwell in the Temple of his service The same Author affirmes that she there liv'd a pretty Nun and Spunne and wove the sacred Vestments till her eleventh or twelfth yeare when her prudency and shame and the care of her Reputation forbade her to accompany even the very Priests themselves men whom God had selected out of the Masse of the vulgar to teach his Will to instruct his people and to sing his praise These curiosities and bold conjectures let us rather beleeve then contest with the broachers for it is wisedome to grant what we cannot confute Let us then imagine that this holy Recluse confined her body to this sacred solitude and a spare diet and warily kept her soule from the surfets to which carnall delights invite all things humane And it is consonant both to reason and truth that her exercise there was pious like the place They who goe about to take away her writing and reading tongue are impiously ridiculous since it evidently appeares that she was well read in the Scriptures by her divine Hymne uttered in Zacharies house * Ancient and eminent Authors affirme her to have beene learned in the Hebrew tongue all which you shall finde quoted in Cedrenus On her reading attended Meditation on her Meditation Prayer or her Prayer Action as the louely fruit of the precedent Thus busied the day left her the night found her Her sleeping cogitations we may suppose were sutable to her waking and her very 1 dreames divine She had not a thought that was her owne all belong'd to God She was slow to speake saith Sabellicus but ready to obey all holy advice He◠tongue was not so swift as he◠Wit which made it follow fo◠direction in all the requisites 〈◊〉 speech In a word she might wel◠usurpe that of the Church When 〈◊〉 was a little one I was pleasing to th◠most high When upon matur◠deliberation she left the Temple she still liv'd as if she had been◠in it Though in body she was sociable she fetter'd her soule fro◠wandring abroad her true conversation being in heaven Thi◠flourishing Vine planted her selfe amongst the Olives She was more choice of her company then of her food or rayment both which God knows were course enough She knew temperancy to be Gods and Natures Favorite in that it conduceth to the service of the former and the preservation of the later She therefore made this heavenly vertue judge of her Appetite lest it should long after excesse the mother of all uncleannesse Her soule gave laws to her body which it could not infringe without the injunction of a strict pennance She devour'd Gluttony it selfe and made the flesh subject to the command of the spirit Her fare saith Cedrenus required no vessell nor need she to wash her hands after her greatest meale Her dyet defide the fire as of no use From the Earths face the Cows dugge and the Fountains brimme she readily fetched her sustinance She was as ignorant of the Persian luxury as the superstition To this her cloathing was correspondent for which her backe was beholding to her fingers Her hands were the purveyours to her other members She had one eye fixed on heaven and the other cast upon the earth being intentive on the Glories of the one and the Necessities of the other and at once acted Martha and Magdalene It is very credible that she sowed and spunne and maintain'd life with labour Hee who gives life to all things suffer'd his then
him they thus expound it That the Evangelists would not make his Mother the first witnesse of his Resurrection though indeed she was knowing that her testimony by the Iewes would be more suspected than that of Mary Magdalen I dare not positively conclude any thing herein but I may safely maintaine that this her delight for his Resurrection counterpois'd her griefe conceived for his death In her was now made good that of the Psalmist According to the multitude of the griefes of my heart thy Comforts have rejoyced my soule and that of her Sonne Blessed are they that mourne for they shall bee comforted And who makes question but that she who with such unutterable pleasure discover'd his Resurrection faithfully and closely waited on him till his Ascention She who was as inseparable to him as his shadow without doubt was on the Mount * Epiphanius contra haeres libel Aetij Olivet with other of the faithfull when in the sight of them all he ascended She heard doubtlesse his last words received his last benediction and her sight waited on him till the clowds imbrac't him which it in vaine essay'd to penetrate What Soule not it selfe transported with the view of a heavenly object can suppose much lesse expresse what her contentment was when she saw her owne flesh flye above the reach of Envie into the Armes of Glory When she beheld this high Priest his Sacrifice ended and God fully appeas'd enter Heaven there to sit on the right hand of his Father and to be the uncessant and eternall Mediatour betwixt him and man With bended knees erected hands and eyes she worships him ascending and when her sight failes her adoration continues Her zeale passeth all the orbes betweene him and her with greater facility and subtility then the Lightning shooteth through the Ayre Great is the vigour and force of the Spirit when all things else set apart it is wholly intentive on the Meditation of its Creatour When by contemplation it is separated from the body it thinkes onely on him lives onely to him and is as it were drown'd in an inundation of his love When it hath extinguisht the scorching lawlesse desires of the flesh and kindled the holy ones of the Spirit the body rebels no longer but becomes obedient to it in all things When it hath once fixed its eyes on this beloved object it never removeth them thence When it is once illuminated with the beames of the holy Ghost it is presently turn'd into all Eye all Spirit all Light no otherwise than those things the fire once layes hold on are turn'd into fire it selfe Of those who live in Wedlocke it is said that they are two in one flesh and why may it not be said of Christ and the Soule wedded to him that they are two in one Spirit And if ever it might be reported of any surely of this Holy Virgin who though she was devided from her Redeemer in Body yet in soule she was united to him When her eyes were growne dimme with her so long dwelling on that part of Heaven where they left and lost him she cast them downe on the earth the poverty whereof she commiserated in that it was deprived of this one Iewell in value above all it had left And now She returnes into the holy City not disconsolate and dejected as other women are when they lose their onely childe but with a cheerfull look for her Sons victory who had triumphed not onely over the Iew but death and hell it selfe She made her will lacky Gods and though she desired to be dissolved and be with Christ yet since it was his best pleasure she should continue longer here below she readily assented resolving by her example on earth to furnish heaven with Saints Dammianus sayes that after her Sonnes decease she remained ten daies in Prayer and Fasting expecting with a fervent longing the promised comming of the Spirit Saint Luke witnesseth that sixe score men and women were assembled in one rome and joyned in hearty prayer of the which Mary the Mother of IESUS was one And as he names her last so her wonted Humility perswades me that she had the last and * S. Bernlard In serm de â—erb Apocalyp Signum nagnuÌ„ lowest place and sate beneath the other sinfull women of inferiour quality in remembrance of her humble Lord now exalted And it is more than probable that she was present with the Apostles when the Holy Ghost came upon them and that she there received the first fruits of the Spirit After which time we reade no more of her in holy Writ For where and with whom how strictly and how piously she liv'd after the Ascention of Christ Serm. 5. de Assump Virg. till the houre of her death saith Idelphonius is onely knowne to God the searcher of hearts and to the Angels her diligent Visiters The reason which many alledge why neither the rest of her life nor death are penned by the holy Evangelists is this that the Apostles were so busied about the conversion of the Iewes and the Gentiles enlarging of the Christian Church That they had no time to set downe the particular Acts of her life after her Sonnes Ascention nor the severall Circumstances of her death as where when and how she dyed Some Authours peremptorily maintaine upon what ground I know not that she liv'd to her seaventieth yeare and to her last houre dwelt in Ierusalem neare to her Sonnes Sepulchre Damascen ser de dormit Virg. Others upon no better warrant averre that she went with Iohn into Asia and continued with him at Ephesus till her death and urge the authority of Ignatius who affirmes that she wrote to him in these words I will come with Iohn to see thee and thy friends c. Concerning her death Some avouch that the Apostles and the most eminent of the Primitive Church were present at it Serm de dormit Virg. Damascen saith that Christ was also there in person and that he thus spake to her Come my blessed Mother into the rest I have prepar'd for thee and that shee thus in way of answer prayed to him Into thy hands O my Sonne I commend my Spirit Receive that deare Soule which thou hast preserved free from all rebuke As I will not justifie all these their Assertions for true so on the other side I will not condemne them as erroneous not being able to convince them of untruth and for ought I know they may have pass'd by unwritten Tradition from man to man I will therefore affirmatively say nothing but this that most assuredly her death was welcome to her in that she had so often both meditated and practised it having many times by austerity and contemplation departed this life ere she left it If that of Seneca be true that to dye well is to dye willingly then certainly she dyed the death of the Righteous She was not ignorant that Death to the just is no
lent Did from thy breast receive his nourishment His birth no humane tongues were fit to sing Th' Angellike Quire did greet their new-borne King So bright a consort and so sweet a lay Made night more faire and cheerfull than the day And little Bethlem with more glory fill'd Than all the Roman Pallaces could yeeld How wondrous great is then thy happinesse That wert his Mother but who can expresse So high a blisse when we desire to fame Some other Maid or vertuous womans name When we of other Ladies write the lives Of chaste Maides happy Mothers constant Wives Such as best Writers have renown'd of yore When we have told their noble vertues o're We draw examples and besides their owne Faire stories praise them by comparison But in thy life we cannot thou alone Canst not at al admit comparison So far thy happy name and honour lives Above all other Mothers Maids or Wives That 't were a sinne when we thy story tell So much as once to thinke of Paralell Wee 'l let thee in thine owne pure titles live And speake no praise of thee but positive As when we say all ages nations all Shall thee most happy among women call That of the greatest blessing God ere sent To sinfull man thou wert the instrument T. M. A Panegyricke on the blessed Virgin MARY I Doe not tremble when I write A Mistresse praise but with delight Can dive for Pearles into the flood Fly through every Garden wood Stealing the choice of flowrs winde To dresse her body or her minde Nay the Saints and Angels are Not safe in Heaven till she be faire And rich as they nor will this doe Vntill she be my Idoll too With this sacriledge I dispence No fright is in my Conscience My hand starts not nor do I then Finde any quakings in my pen Whos 's every drop of Inke within Dwels as in me my Parents sinne And prayses on the Paper wrot Have but conspir'd to make a blot Why should such fears invade me now That writes on her to whom doe bow The soules of all the iust whose place Is next to Gods and in his face All creatures and delights doth see As darling of the Trinitie To whom the Hierarchy doth throng And for whom Heaven is all one song Ioyes should possesse my spirit here But pious ioyes are mixt with feare Put off thy shooe 't is holy ground For here the flaming Bush is found The misticke Rose the Iv'ry Tower The morning Star Davids bower The Rod of Moses and of Iesse The fountaine sealed Gideons fleece A woman cloathed with the Sunne The beauteous Throne of Solomon The Garden shut the living spring The Tabernacle of the King The Altar breathing sacred fume The Heaven distilling honie-combe The untouch'd Lilly full of dew A Mother yet a Virgin true Before and after she brought forth Our ransome of Eternall worth Both God man what voice can siâ— This mystery or Cherubs wing Lend from his golden stocke a Pen To write how heaven came downe mâ— Here feare and wonder so advance My soule it must obey a Trance A Panegyricke dedicated to the eternall Memory and glorious Fame of the blessed Virgin MARY LEnd me Elias Chariot to inspire My feeble Muse Wheeles of celestiall fire Beare her from Earth purge ev'ry looser thought This duller ayre or that grosse Dunghill wrought Let all her straines be pure cloaâ—â— her in white And innocent wit let her chaâ—â—â— soule delight In no adulterate line no want 〈◊〉 sense Let all her knowledge be her Iâ—nocence As Adams ere he fell then wâ—â—â— she raise A maiden spirit to chant a Viâ—gins praise Yet let her not be barren bâ—â— bring forth Zeale to each eare she strikes shall her worth Shine like the Saint she sings oâ—â— wonders doe And be as she a Maide and Mâ—ther too Instruct me you nine Orders hoâ— to sing Or let a Cherubin pluch me from his wing A quill to write the story or entreate Your brother Gabriel from his blessed seate To visit Earth and teach mee lest I misse To salute MARY in a voyce like his Sleepe on your eyes faire Virgins long hath staid Rise and to Bethlem run to see a Maide Rise Matrons in your armes your infants beare To Bethlem haste and see Gods Mother there Matrons and Virgins runne haste all to see Both joyn'd in one a fruitfâ—â— Chastity Then every Matron this grâ—â—â— wonder tell And every Virgin chant a Caâ—ticle Sing blessed Mary's praise sâ—â—â— that for her Iehovah rivall'd with a Carpâ—ter Mary deriv'd from two most glâ—rious Springs The bloud of Levies Priests aâ—â— Iudah's Kings Which did as in a Type foâ— shew her story * Austin Baronius and others hold that she was descended from the Tribe of Levi which the late Bishop of Chichester opposeth To be the Mother both of Graâ—â— and Glory Sing of her birth how not 〈◊〉 deem'd with prize Her Father payd her as a sacâ—â—fice Due to his God when others ransom'd be With Shekles as it were a slavery To serve their Maker and the Parents feare To trust him with the wardshippe of their heire But the blest Maide whom Angels now admire Glad they have got her to encrease their Quire In child-hood first her Virgin taske begun And in the Temple pray'd a pretty Nun That the first breath she suckt was holy aire And the first word she learn'd to lispe was pray'r There might you see an Infant Saint out-vie The Levites in Devotion and aâ— eye Cast up to heaven ere it the earâ—â— had knowne Whole showers of teares in pioâ—â— sorrow showne For Eves offence not hers she did begin To learne Repentance ere she knew to sinne Each morning strove the early Larke and she Who first should chant their sacred melody He that had seene her might by very sence Have prophecied an Age of Innocence Reborne with her I should have thought her one Of the great Cherubins sent from its throne To breed a race of Angels and supply Their roome that fell by proud Apostasie Thus she grew up in zeale and holy feares Yet still Devotion would out-bid her yeares Till * The opinion of Mantuan how true I know not at fifteen when others holier fires Grow to more wanton and unchaste desires The Priests bethought a husband for her bed But Mary's thoughts all unto Heaven were fled Yet was she Iosephs Spouse not with th' intent T' unloose her Virgin Zone but to prevent The sutes of others and enjoy more free The treasure of unspotted Chastity Who will beleeve the wonder have said Mary a husband tooke to live Maide Dare not thou Ioseph to approacâ— too neare This heavenly Arke thy God inhabits there Touch not that sanctifi'd and haâ—low'd wombe Whence thy salvation and thâ— worlds must come For 't is not Carpenter thy Aâ—â— that can Repaire the Fabricke of selfe-râ—â—â— in'd man Mary must Bride to thy Creator be And clad in flesh part of the Trâ—nity See