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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19758	The historie, life, and miracle, extasies and revelations of the blessed virgin, sister Ioane, of the crosse, of the third order of our holy Father S. Francis. Composed by the Reuerend Father, brother Anthonie of Aca, diffinitor of the prouince of the conception, and chroinckler [sic] of the Order aforesaid. And translated out of Spanish into English, by a father of the same order	Daza, Antonio.; Bell, James, d. 1643.	1625 (1625)	STC 6185; ESTC S115421	144,091	328

so as heere it is said not only in that which perteineth to the life exemplar penitent and holie which this blessed Virgin lead and in the holy exercises mortifications and penances which continually she did but also in that which is of raptes extasies visions reuelations and prophesies of which in this historie mention is made And that which of these reuelations visions and extasies I doe thinke that which seemeth to me of the degree qualitie in which we must hold them is that truly I hold them all for diuine suparnaturall and celestiall made and inspired by God himselfe and that in those raptes and eleuations and profound contemplations God did speake by the mouth of this his seruante as by an organ and instrument of the holy Gho●● for in all of them I finde all the signes which the Catholique Church our Mother and her holy Doctors doe hold for to verifie and auouch that these workes are supernaturall and diuine made and communicated by God himselfe as the prophecies are true and reuelations certeine to be conforme to the doctrine which the Ca●holique vniuersall Church teacheth and holdeth the holy Doctors therof to bee to the seeminge of men learned and pious and inspired of the holy spirit and to be found in them the truth and puritie which is proper to things taught by God himselfe without any mixture of fa●●hood or error and finallie to be such that the person and the soule on whom God doth these merueiles doe remaine by them bettered in humilitie in loue of God in deuotion in many other virtues Apud Ioann●m de Turr●c●emata in prologo defensionis super reuelationes S. Brig●dae cap 1. 2. 3. ex S. Tho. 2. 2. q. 174. a. 5. ad 3. As these signes which I haue considered and noted in this historie of this blessed woman are the same which are found and were found when they made proofe of them in many other liues of Saints and miracles and reuelations which are written of them Such were those of Saint Elizabeth sister of King Eckbert the most holy Abbesse of the Monastery of Esconaugia to whō her Angell keeper as to our blessed I●ane hers reuealed many things like to these and on Gods behalfe commanded her to write them as in her life is written Such are those of Saint Hildegardis Abbesse of the Monasterie of Saint Rupert in the diocesse of Ments who from her childhood was much fauoured of our Lord with reuelations and visions from heauen Marcus Marulus lib. 2. c. 4. Anton. Posseum in Apparatu The which after ward at the instance petition of the glorious Father Saint Bernard were confirmed by Eugenius tertius his disciple in a councell which he celebrated in the cittie of Trerers as the authors doe write which speake of that councell and of this Sainte Tom. 2. Concil in Eugen. 3. Trithem in Theon ●ir Sang. anno 1150. Theodor. Abbas in vita eius apud Surium Tom. 5. mense Septemb Such also were those of the notable and most celebrated widow Sainte Brigit canonized by Pope Boniface the ninth which were examined by these markes and approued by the diligences which he Cardinall Don Iohn of Turreciemata did make In vita B. Brigidae in eius reuel cum notis Gansal Duranti And of this same manner and as these which I haue related are those which are conteyned in this booke of our blessed Ioane the one very like to the other as well in the thinges reuealed as also in the manner by which God did reueale them And so also in this it is made very likelie that all these prophecies extasies reuelations raptes of this blessed Sainte were diuine and celestiall and truly in●pired by the virtue of God and supernaturally And this being so certaine it is that all contei●e● in this booke shall be most profitable to soules and a great motiue to incire inflame our hartes to virtue according to that which S. Paule saieth writinge to his disciple Timothie 2. Tim. 2. Omnis doctrina diuinitus inspirata vtilis est ad a●cendum ad crudiendum ad iustitiam c. Some things I haue found in this history very particular and rare which although they are true and most certeine it is good they be read with more attention and greater consideration for not being ordinarie ●or such as commonly are knowen they might seeme hard to be beleeued if with a little consideration they be not pondered And I my selfe suppose that being such and of the qualitie and truth which I speake of they are yet more certeine and more credible because God hath reuealed them to this blessed woman Habetur cap. 17. huius historiae One of them is that to this blessed Sainte it was reuealed how certaine soules had their purgatorie in places besides that which is ordeined and set downe by God to be generally of all the soules which are to be purged as in riuers on yee stones and other things of this sorte And although it be true that accordinge to the common and generall lawe al the soules which need purging of the paine of their sinnes goe to the place which to this end is ordeined within the bowels of the earth yet by particular order and dispensation of God many times they haue their purgatorie our of that place as in riuers in fountaines in bathes in yee as S. Gregory writeth in many places of his Dialogues Lib. 4. Dialog c. 23. 40. 55. Peter Damian in his episi●es Epist 13 ad Desider cap. 7. And manie other authors Bede lib. 3. hist Anglo cap. 19. lib 5. c. 13. Greg. Niss lib. de Anim. resur Chrysost de praemijs beator Dionisius Cart. dial de iudic quatuor nouisfimis alij plures apud Pet. Tyre d●locis infest c. 1. 3. Of which S. Thomas Prince of scholasticall diuines relateth some and in this part followeth them saying the same which I say for out of him I relate it and he hath taught it vs expressely in his sentenciaries and him doe all authors follow which since his time haue written and not only Saint Thomas teacheth this doctrine but also out of these histories and reuelations draweth this generall rule S. Thomas 4. sent D. 21. q. 1. a. 1. q. 2. Cor. Belarm Tom. 2. Controuers 3. de purgat lib. 2. cap. 7. Deloco purgatorij vbi non inuenitur aliquid expresse determinatum dicendum est secundum quod consonat magis Sanctorum dictis reuelationi factae multis Dicendum itaque quod locus purgatorij est duplex vnus secundum legem communem sic locus purgatorij est locus inferior coniunctus inferno alius est locus purgatorij secundum dispen sationem sic quandoque in diuersis locis aliqui punirs leguntur vel ad viuorum instruction●m vel ad mortuor●m subuentionem vt viuentibus eorum poena inuotescens per suffragia Ecclesiae mitigaretur This saith S. Thomas and in

the graces from heauen which the Angell was to bring them when the seruant of God shold returne from that rapte From which when she returned there was felte ouer all the conuent so great fragrancie and sweetnes of sauour that drawen therby they came to aske the seruant of God the cause of such noueltie Presently said shee sisters you shall knowe it and the fauour which God hath done vs. Come to me all of you and especiallie shee that hath the key of the little coffre 6. It was a maruailous thing to see it being but a little while since they had opened it and seene it emptie opening it now againe they found it with the same Rosaries and Beades which they had put into it without wanting any one because the Angell which had carried them to heauen had now brought them back againe blessed and put them in the same chest and when the nonne opened it who had the key the smell which issued thēce encreased so much as the nonnes admired But the B. Ioane told them that that sweetnes and good sauour came from their Rosaries the which had cleaued to them as hauing beene in the most sacred hands of our Lord Iesus Christ who not only had giuē them his benediction but granted them many graces and virtues which she related to them with all giuing to euery religio●s her beades of these some the called Agnus Deies because our Lord had granted them the graces which the Popes do grant to the Agnus Deies Others against deuilles for the virtue which they had to cast them out of the bodies of the possessed Others against temptations and infirmities and others against other perills according to the virtues which God had giuen them And this great maruaill happened in the yeare of our Lord one thousand fiue hundred twentie three 7. With ●his treasure of heauen which our Lord Iesus Christ granted to his seruant the religious remained m●ch comforted and much obliged to their blessed mother for the mercy which by her intercess●ō they had receiued And with much deuotion they beganne to en●oye the graces of those holy beades and Rosaries yet euery one desiring to enioye more copiously of that good and to participate of the virtues which the others had by theire beades they besought the blessed Abbesse she would obtaine of our Lord that the graces and virtues which his diuine maiestie had diuided amōg all ●he Rosaries he would generally grant them all to euery one of their beades that they might better participate of his mercies The seruant of our Lord did ask it of him and his diuine maiestie accorded it with cōdition that for the graces of those beads they should not despise those which the Popes should grant vpon the earth 8. This is the historie of these misteriou● beades of which the like so rarely hath beene seene And it is much to be noted that our Lord did this most notable fauour to his Church in a time when it was very necessarie for it was at the same time when Luther impudently and sacrilegiously opened his excommunicated mouth against the indulgences and Reades of pardon which the Popes did grant and against Agnus Deies and all kind of holy thinges The virtues of these beades are many and by experience it is knowne that they haue virtue against the diuels for they driue them out of humane bodies confessing that they goe out of them through the virtue of these beades and fly from those that carrie them about them They haue virtue also against fire against thunder lightening tempestes and troubles of the raging seaes and against many infirmities both of body and soule They heale agues the pestilence and other infirmities They are also of force against scruples temptations and frightes of the diuells These and other virtues our Sauiour granted them as is gathered by the miracles which are approued for of those which are not approued which are many I do not speake because all that I shall speake in this historie I pretend to the honour and glory of God that it be so authenticke and certaine as with reason none may doubt therof 9. That which hath beene hitherto saide hath beene gathered from the informations aforementioned and especiallie of that which vnder oath certaine of the ancient religious did affirme who knewe and treated with the companions of the same seruant of God and being deposed do sweare that they haue heard it told many t●mes and it is a publicke tradition frō those times vnto these that these beades were in heauen and our Lord Iesus Christ blessed them granting them many virtues and graces without any person of accoumpt hauing spoken against them but rather many Lordes of this kingdome and great prelates therof haue procured of them much esteemed them King Philip the second of glorious memorie had one of thē our Catholick King Philipp the third and Margarite haue two of them which they hould in very great estimatiō And Pope Clement the eight of glorious memorie who before he was Pope came to Spaine with a brother of his Auditor of the Rota about the businesses of the earldome of Punnonrostro went from Torreion of Velasco to the cōuent of the Crosse where the body of B. Ioane is in companie of Don Iohn Arrias Portocarrero and the Lady Ioane of Castro his wife and being informed of the life miracles of this virgin of the truth of these beades after he had saide masse in the Chappell where her body lieth demanded of sister Ioane Euangelist then Abbesse some of the beades and with much deuotion carried with him that which they gaue him And the blessed freers freer Francis of Torres and freer Iulian of Saint Augustine men of singular virtue and sanctitie by whom in their life after their death God did many miracles do affirme that these beades had bene carried vp to heauen and that Christ our redeemer had blessed them and granted them many virtues and pardons 10. And to the end that the faithfull might enioye them they perswaded the people that they shold touch their Rosaries and Beades at those which they brought with them And if there were no other testimonie of the truth of these beades but only the sanctitie of this seruant of God and that only she had affirmed it it were most sufficient to perswade vs that shee would not deceiue the Church publishing false virtues and graces And lesse can it be thought that she was deluded by the diuell who was so much enlightened of God and of her Angell keeper But that which fully proueth and confirmeth the virtu truth of these beades are the many miracles which God hath wrought of his goodnes and in confirmation of them and of those that haue touched them which haue the same virtue as shall be seene in the ensuing chapters THE XI CHAPTER Of the many miracles where with our Lord hath confirmed the virtue of the Beades aforsaid and of those also that

be qualified with the will of him that offereth it and because that how much lesse it is which goeth to the market of the world it hath so much more neede of valorous protection I was bold to dedicate to your Maiestie this book little in as much as it is a worke of my handes but great in the subiect thereof It is the life of the blessed Virgin sister Ioane of the Crosse by whome our Lord hath wrought and worketh daily so manie maruailes amongest the which one hath beene and not the least to haue excited the most pious minde of your Maiestie to command that this booke reuewed by persons of all sufficiencie come to light againe wherwith it commeth out much honoured and secure from all emulation Our Lord keepe your Maiestie for the helpe and protection of his church as this vnworthly chaplaine of your Maiestie desireth Fr. Antonie Daça Reasons of the truth and authoritie of this historie Truth is the soule of a historie and the historie that wanteth it is as a bodie without a soule for it deserueth not the name of a historie chiefly if it be of Saintes where to lie is sacriledge being they are not honoured but with sinceritie truth The truth which hath beene kept in writing the life of this holy Virgin is the greatest which in the law of historie can be found collected out of these papers following First of all what concerneth the apparitions and miracles of our B. Ladie which are written in the first Chapter of this booke hath beene gathered of three authenticall informatiōs made with ninety and three witnesses before R●y Dias of Madrid scriuener de Cam●ra and publicke notarie and before Peter Sanches and Iohn Gonsales publicke notaries and the Kings scriueners of the towne of Cubas They are authorised and bound together as a booke in the archiue of the Conuent of the Crosse Likewise the life and miracles of the glorious Ioane hath beene gathered out of a booke verie ancient in written hand of a hundred sixtie and foure leaues in quarto with twentie eight chapters bound in boarde with two broken claspes sowed with white threed written by a religious disciple of the B. Ioane called sister Marie Euangelist who neither knew how to read or write vntill miraculously our Lord granted it her to this effect as is proued by an information made for the auouching of this pointe And the booke with the markes aboue saide is originally kept in the Archiue of the crosse Item of an information made with twelue witnesses by commission of the councell of the most excellent Lord Don Bernardo de Roxas Cardinal and Archbishop of Toledo made before Louis de Siles Publicke notarie and the Kings scriuener in the cittie of Toledo The originall is in the office of the secretarie Francis Salgado in Toledo Item of another information made in diuers places with seuenteene witnesses by commission of the councell of the foresaid most excellent Lord of Toledo the authenticall copie whereof is in the Archiue of the Crosse Item of another information with fourteene witnesses made in diuers places by commission of our most reuerend Father Fr. Archangell de Messina the authenticall copie wherof is in the Archiue of the Conuent of the crosse Item of another information with eleuen witnesses made in diuers places by commission of our most reuerend Father Iohn de Gazinman Minister Prouinciall of the holy Prouince of Castile which is originally kept in the Conuent of the Crosse Item of another informatiō which was made by the commission of the councell of the most excellent Lord Don Bernardo de Roxas Cardinall and Archbishop of Toledo in Villanuena and Gamarra townes of the said archbishopricke made for to qualifie some miracles of the holie Brother Iulian of S. Augustine The originall is in Toledo in the office of the seer Salgado Item of fiue informations made in Valladolid by Doctor Don Fernando de Valdes Prouost generall of the diocese of Valladolid with interuention of the Fiscall before Iohn de Vega notarie in the audience episcopall of Valladolid in whose office the originalls lie and their authenticall copies in the Conuent of the Crosse Item of another information made in Palencia by licētia●e Manuell Garcia de Miranda Prouost of the Diocesse of Palencia before Francis Harris de Rueda Apostolicall notarie the original● is in the Conuent of the Crosse Item of two informations made in Valladolid by Doctor Or●ega de Salazar Lieftenant of the corrector the one before Peter de Auila publicke scriuener of the number of the said cittie and the other before Iulian Garçia scriuener they are originally in the Conuent of the Crosse Item another made by the iustice of the towne of Cubas before Iohn Fernandez Munnos the Kings scriuener and of the number the originall is in the Conuent of the Crosse Item of a testimonie sealed and signed of seauen of the Kinges scriueners and publicke of the nūber of Valladolid the originall is in the Conuent of the Crosse Item of another sealed and signed of seauen scriueners of Madrid and of one Apostolicall notarie the originall is in the Conuent of the Crosse Item of a testimonie of Iohn Fernandez de Plaza the Kings scriuener and notarie of the holie office neighbour of Cubas the originall is in the office of the saide scriuener Item of another testimonie of Isidro Garçia publicke scriuener of the towne of Cubas whose originall is in the Archiue of the Conuent of the Crosse of others which are in the same Cōuēt Approbation The Bishop Freer Francis de Sosa of the councell of his Maiestie and generall inquisition to the Christian reader For as much as I haue committed the reuiew of this booke of the life and miracles of the blessed si●●er Ioane of the Crosse which hath beene spoken of in so manie manners and for that it is so naturall to enerie one to defend that which once he hath saide it seemeth to me I haue obligation to satisfie all and I speake to all for although in other cases we must follow the opinion of Cassiodorus in Praefat. lib. 11. who saith that the satisfaction of some defectes may be excused because the discreet without giuing it them doe pardon others errors knowing their owne and to the rest no satisfaction is due yet in matter of doctrine the opinion of the Apostle S. Paule is Rom. 1. that we are debters to the wife and to the vnwise following which aduise I will satisfie both the one and the other in as much as my little sufficiency wil attaine to Beinge the life of this seruant of God was written in a vulgar tongue and conteineth thinges so strange although the booke hauing bene printed so of●in so little time and the great profit it hath done doe well proue the pietie of Spaine which hath also beene the cause that some thinges therin h●ue beene noted by persons learned and discreet it seeming to them incon●enient that they should goe in

permission of the sea Apostolicke as this same passeth in Rome it selfe And of these many are worshipped in diuers kingdomes The last degree is of those who by the notice which is had of their holie life and miracles before and after their death the faithfull doe worship with particular veneration and not publick and solemne and these are of more or lesse authoritie conforme to the antiquitie and notice which is had of their life and miracles and the approbation or permission of the superiors It remaineth now to see the veneration which to such Saints may and ought to be giuen lawfully Fourthly it is noted that in as much as toucheth the veneration due to the Saints it is not heere treated of that which cōcerned the Saints of the fiue degrees proposed because it is not a thing in controue●sie among the Catholiques and that which against the heretiques is defined by the church and the Doctors doe write is not matter for this purpose but only that which toucheth those of the last degree in which is the blessed Ioane I say therefore that the vnderstanding of this truth fundamentally presupposeth another truth which is that there are two manners of celebration veneration or inuocation of Saints the one is publicke and generall this is made in the name of all the church and with the authoritie therof expresse or tacite and another particular and this latter is diuided also into particular secret one commending him selfe to the prayers of whom he holdeth for a Saint and into particular publicke and notorious as proclaiming one for a Saint hanging vp lampes making otherlike demonstrations This supposed two thinges are certaine and in one is the difficultie which maketh to our purpose The first thing certaine is that the veneration publicke and generall in the name of all the church only can and ought to be done to the Saints of the first fiue degrees keeping in what concerneth the beatified in the order of the confession because in some it is more limited then in others And the second thing also certaine is that the veneration or inuocation particular secret euerie one may make to whomsoeuer he holdeth for iust aliue or dead without hauing more defect herein then in giuing more credit to the sanctitie of anie one then prudence teacheth but in fine his intent is good as only to esteeme and honour virtue a thing which the very light of nature teacheth as Aristotle 1. Ethic. cap. 5. affirmeth And that this honour is due not onlie to the liuing but also to the dead the philosophers came to know as Plato and others with Eusebius noteth it lib. 13. de praeparat euangel c. 6. 7. yet the Saints haue proceeded further prouing that the honour and veneration done to the good liuinge and dead is done to God him selfe in his Saints and so saith Saint Basil D. Basil in orat in 40. Martyr lib. 4. cap. 16. Honor quem bonis conseruis exhibemus beneuoli erga communem Dominum significationem de se praebet The same Saint Iohn Damascene proueth almost in the same wordes and Saint Hierome in his epistle to Ripario doth say honoremus seruos vt eorum honor redundat ad Dominum serm 6. in fine And in the life of Saint Paule he celebrateth much the deuotion wherwith shee cast her selfe at the seere of the eremites not thinking her selfe worthie to kisse them and the Saint saith so much she worshipped as if in euery one of them she worshipped Iesus Christ Lib. de Virginitate Ac si in singulis Dominum adoraret And it is no merueile for why S. Athanasius in his booke of virginitie saith St homo iustus domumtuam intrauerit adorabis humi ad pedes illius Deum enim qui illum mittit adorabis So as if one reuerence him whom he holdeth for a Saint dead or aliue he doth not sinne although the same were no Saint for his intention is not but to reuerence true sanctitie as if one adored a hoste vnconsecrated thinkinge it to be consecrated it is cleere that he meriteth as Doctors doe note by the same reason Medina 3 p. q. 25. a. con 4. In like manner as these two things of publicke veneration in the name of all the church and of the particular of euerie one are certaine so that which supposeth the doubt and maketh to our purpose is in the particular publicke which is called particular because it is not generall nor is made in name of the church and it is called publicke because the actions of veneration are so as is declared Concerning this manner of veneration two extreames must be fledd and the middle may be followed The one extreme is that of those who with apparence of pietie approue false miracles and other actions by which the people proclaimeth one for a Saint with great perill of approuing feigned sanctitie whereupon haue beene seene pittifull cases of which the histories are full procured by the diuell not so much for to deceiue in that article as to discredit true virtue and so all that which in this matter shall not be censured and iudged by the superiours to whom it belongeth is holden suspected And in these cases as the iudgements and opinions of men are diuers so also are their effectes and feelings for some w●epe and others laugh and others are dismay●d and of all the diuell draweth much gaine The other extreme is of them who so much streighten this matter as they affirme to be prohibited what some euer kind of exteriour veneration as to hang vp lampes to offer guifts to call one a Saint although it be in particular without speciall approbation and decree of the sea apostolique So thought Francis de Pegna auditor of the Rota in a treatie which he composed of this matter cap. si quis hominem 11. q. 3. where he affirmeth that so it was decreed by the chapter si quis homin●m and by the first and second chapter de reliquijs veneratione Sanctorum and is the sentence of Hostiensis whom commonly the canonistes doe follow vpon these textes and that it is proued in proper tearmes by Zanguinus in the treatie de Haereticis cap 12. num 8. and the author of the Repertorie of the inquisitors verbo canonizatus § si tales and from hence he inferreth that which without doubt he tooke for assumpt in that treatie which was to condemne certaine pictures and stampes of one Beatus whose canonization was treated with such rigor of wordes as although in a certaine manner they shew more submission to the sea apostolicke litle malice is necessarie ●o know that some passion or affection went betweene when neither the texts which he relateth doe proue what he pretendeth nor the authors which he alreadgeth doe speake so cruelly for why the chapter Si quis hominem is no decree but certaine wordes which Gracian tooke out of Saint Hierom vpon the epistle of Saint Paule to Philemon and speaketh not of

963. Beda lib. 2. hist Angliae cap. 4. Surius Tom. 1. in vita S. Ianuarij Baronius Tom. 8. Anno 610. Numer 12. 13. 14. Thirdly it troubled many to read that one Chapter of this booke which hath for title how the holy Ghost spake thirteene yeares by the mouth of Saint Ioane and that this manner of speakinge is many times repeated which seemeth reserued to the authors only of the sacred scripture when euen of the authors of the Popes definitions and of the Generall Councells we doe not say that they had immediate reuelation of the holy Ghost but assistance that they could not erre This superficially spoken seemeth to haue some appearance of reason but the truth cleared no obiection hath beene put against this booke with lesse ground for the differēce which is betweene an immediate reuelation from God to the authors of the sacred bookes and the assistance of the church not to erre is a matter verie scholasticall and which is not touched in this booke nor is any thing to the purpose of that which therin is treated of many as the Doctors doe teach For to declare this difference and the language in saying the holy Ghost spake by the mouth of such a partie is common to all kinde of persons not only Saints but without difference betweene good and euill seing Saint Iohn saith that the holy Ghost spake by the mouth of Caiphas and Saint Augustin and Saint Hierom by the mouthes of the Sibills which were gentiles Finally the Prophets haue saide that God spake in them Haec dicit Dominut And S. Paule Ego enim accepi à Domino And Saint Augustine in diuerse places and particularly in the preamble to the 118. Psalme And our holy Father S. Francis saith in his testament Nemo ostendebat mihi quid deberem sacere sed ipse altiss●mus reuelauit mihi In testamento S. Francisci And the same may whatsoeuer person say And betweene the truth which God manifesteth by the mouth of Isaias or by the mouth of Saint Francis or of whatsomeuer persons there is no difference in the reason of truth for as infallible is the one as the other God being the author who neither can because he is infinitely wife be deceiued nor cā because he is infinitly good deceiue but the difference consisteth in knowing or beleeuing that God hath reuealed this truth for that which Isaias saith is not only of faith because God hath saide it but also it is of faith that God hath said it for so the holy church hath defined it but in other truthes we hold them for such because we beleeue that God hath said thē because Saint Augustine or Saint Frācis c. hath saide it And to euery thing of humane faith is giuen the credit which the author deserueth to Saint Augustin and Saint Francis as to so great Saints and to whomsoeuer els to such an one as he is And this being so plaine there is no improprietie in the saide manner of speakinge but rather much conuenience because not only the history proposeth that the holy Ghost spake by the mouth of this his seruant the things shee spake being so holy but also for the manner so merueilous of preaching being eleuated and absorpte And if the admiration grewe out of this noueltie it is not a case which hath not happened to others when the same hath succeded oftentimes to S. Catharine of Siena of whom most graue histories doe recount that being in extasies from her sences she made long speaches and most deuoute orations which the holy Ghost did inspire into her S. Antonin 3. p. hist. tit 25. cap. 14. § 17. Chronica de S. Dominic 2. p. lib. 2. cap. 44. And that God so communicateth himselfe in this sorte to this seruants being in extasies and out of their senses and to doe them so great fauours is because the greatnesse of the thinges which he communicateth them is so superiour to the forces of nature and the capacitie of man so short and limited that for those that it can receiue it is necessary to estrange it from the corporall senses as was seene in Adam of whom S. Bernard saith that when God wold eleuate him to thinges purely spirituall and diuine he cast him in a kind of sleepe his soule being eleuated in sublime operation aboue all materiall and sensible things and that not as somethinke because he shold not feele the paine of his ribbe which was taken out for to that without a particular miracle no sleepe could suffice and so the sleepe of Adam according as is gathered of the holy scripture and of diuerse translations was not sleepe purely naturall but extaticall and miraculous as are those which in the contemplatiue are called extasies and raptes because the senses ceassing the imagination from corporall things Adam might receiue more purely the spirituall and diuine which our Lord did communicate vnto him the stile most ordinarie with which his maiestie doth communicate hims●lfe to his Saints Gen. cap. 2. misit Dominus soporem in Adam The Greeke translation sayeth estasin and the Hebrew tardemach which is profound sleepe Aquila and Symachus translated it grauem profundum soperem which is the same And in this sorte he is found to haue communicated himselfe to this his most deuote seruant for as his delightes are alwayes to be with the children of men Prouerb 8. so the familiaritie hath beene very great with which in all times he hath handled them How can I doe a thinge that Abraham may not know saide our Lord when he would destroy Sodome Genesis 18. And with Moyses the holy scripture saith that that he spake as one freind with another Exod. 33. Of this kinde are the prophecies visions reuelations of all the Prophets of the old testament and the raptes of the Apostles as is that which S. Luc. recounteth of the Apostle S. Paule in the actes of the Apostles cap. 9. euen to the third heauen in which he knew such things as after he could not tell how to speake The rapte of the sheet of S. Peter Actorum 10. where he knew the conuersion of the gentiles and all the prophecies and reuelations which the Catholique church hath had since the Apostles which are almost infinite of which the chronicles and liues of the Saints are full of the same priuiledge and fauour women haue enioyed before and after the coming of Christ for God hath not excluded them from this fauour these mercies And God who saith by Oseas cap. 2. I wil leade her into solitude and speake to her in the harte doth not only speake with men nor is his powerfull hand abbreuiated with women more then with them for we know that the spirite of our Lord breatheth where it will and that God is no accepter of persons Ioannis cap. 3. to exclude women from so great a good Rather in all times and ages there haue beene many in the world with whom he hath