prayeth for vs to God for Mercy And it is no good kind of arguing to say God is the Father of Mercy therfore the Virgin cannot in any sense be so called For we read in Iohn 9. that Christ is called Lux mundi and yet Christ sayth of the Apostles Vos estis lux mundi Math. 5. Againe Christ is said in Iohn 1. to be plenus Gratiae And yet we read in Luc 1. Maria plena Gratiae in Act. 8. Stephanus plenus Gratiae Thus the same Titles may be giuen to God and men in a different relation without any dishonour to God Mariamastix Well to come to the last point of the foresaid Antiphone or Prayer How do you playster that ambitious Title of ealling Her Regina a Queene You see that she is content to call herselfe only a Handmayd according to her answere to the Angell Ecce ancilla Domini And yet you Papists will needes inuest her with the title of a Queene Mariadulus I answere The attribution of this title to her is most warrantable seing we read Beâ—ti panperes spiritu quoniam ipsoruâ— est reguum caelorum Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of Heauen Matth 5. And further more it is said Venite Benedicti Patris meâ— possidete paratum vobis regnum Come you blessed of my Father Possesse the kingdome prepared for you Matth. 25. Now then if all such aâ— do inherit Kingdomes may truly becaused Kings or Queenes why then should this title be denyed to our B. Lady Adde hereto that since she is the Mother of the King of Kings she then most peculiarly and pen excellentiam deserueth the Title of Queene And thus far touching the explication of the Antiphone or Prayer of the Salue Regina and how all those titles there may in a sober and reserued construction be iustly applyed to the Virgin Mary the sound of which Titles doth so much iarr in the eares of our new Gospelliers 〈◊〉 that the Dialect of their speach against the Mother of God is commonly deliuered in the black Notes of detraction and Obloquy Mariamastix I grant Mariadulus you haue playstered the Antiphone with some shew of probability I euer meane in a vulgar and vndiscerning eye only though to the iudicious it still remaynes as afore it was But to come to your Litanies directed to Mary and accordingly by you called Our Ladies Litanies You do by your titles therein ascribe such superlatiue and high prayses to her as that they stand not compatible with the Nature of any Creature Christ only excepted Vpon whose Honour you Papists by this your irregular proceedings seeme ouer neere to trench And therefore I could wish you to shew how you can apologize in her behalfe herein you therby much dishonoring the Sonne in ouermuch honoring the Mother Mariadulus You are Mariamastix far transported with a secret or rather most manifest sulluation and repining against the Holy Virgin her deare Sonne alter your mind But know you that the Prayses giuen to her are Relatine to Christ since they are giuen to her because she is the Mother of Christ And thus since the child is in some sort the Image of its Parents the Protoâ—â—â—on after an accustomed manner is here honored in behalfe of the Antitypon But to remoue the scales of preiudice and dislike if it be possible from the eyes of your iudgment I will as it were anatomize litle by litle the afore mentioned Litanies or prayers that so you may euidently discerne by what authorities we Catholiks are secured to imbalme her memory in the sweet ointments of such her due Laudes But before I come to that I must put you in mynd that since Gods vniuersall Church which cannot erre 1. Tim. 3. approueth the foresaid Litanies you ought to haue no reason to doubt of the warrantablenes thereof except you will aduance your selfe for Pry de of Iudgment is euer clyming being but one priuate man but competently learned and lately appearing aboue the Authority of Gods Church consisting of men in number many for literature most exquisite and for tyme most ancient Which if you do if you were in the Schooles among the graue and learned you would rather be thought worthy to be exploded from thence for such your procacity and petulant insolency then to be disputed with Mariamastix Such your Authorities are but the Words of men And we read Psalm 115. that all men are lyars And therfore I caÌ„not hold it secure for me to entrench my selfe in any such doubtfull and vncertaine Proofes for one man illuminated by the Lord may as infallibly fynd out the Truth as seuerall other Hundreds Spiritus vbi vult spirat Ioan. 3. Neuerthelesse you may proceed to your Authorities Mariadulus Well seing you neglect the authority of Gods whole Church vpon whom Christ hath bequeathed his spirit of not erring Ego vobiseum sum vsque ad consummationem Mundi Matth. 28. I can but commulerate your most dangerous state of soule which treads such different tracts not only to your owne learned (a) M. Fox Act. Mon. p. 999. D Bantroft in his Sermon preached anno 15â—â— The diuines of Genous in their Propositions and Principles disputed pag. 141. Brethren but euen to Gods Holy Writ assuring vs that the Church of God is the Pillar and foundation of Truth 1. Tim. 3. Yf then you will not obediently submit your iudgment to the iudgment of the Vniuersall Church make your shipwrack vpon that dangerous rocke of those Words Yf he will not heart the Church let him be to thee as an Heathen or Publican Matth. 18. But to recall my selfe and to shew how warrantable with sufficient authority is euery Article or Point of the Litaâ—ies of our B. Lady In the displaying whereof I will not be ryotous as I may say in alledging the Authorities of diuers ancient Fathers and Doctours but for greater breuity and only for some tast and delibation I will content my selfe with the authority of two Fathers commonly in proofe of euery particular Article or passage And to begin The Blessed Virgin is in the Litanies First thus saluted Sancta Maria. Of which Title we thus read Maria is interpreted star of the Sea And the as a remarkable star shynes brightly by the grace of a speciall Priuiledge among the waues of this wauering World So writeth S. Bede ad Euang in festo Annuntiat B. Mariae Isidorus Hispalensis de vita obitu Sanctorum c. 48. who liued in the sixt Century after Christ thus accordeth with S. Bede Mary it interpreted Lady and one that giueth light 2. Sancta dei genitrix Of which title the generall Councell of Chalcedon thus decreeth Act. 5. Holy Mary â—â—â—â—dnes the mother of God Who bouideth not so is an Heretike Proclus Constantinopolitaâ—â—s who liued in the fourth age thus amplifieth of this point de Natiâ—itate Christi Who hath heard of the like God who cannot be contained in a place wells in a Wombe Whom
Now from these Words of Christ I do euict that they did deny that to wit that she was blessed who bore Christ which the Woman afore did speake and did affirme that which was not said Which is as much as to say that Christ denied Mary to be blessed and did restrayne blessednes only to them who heare and keep the Word of God This is my Aries wherewith I beate to the ground the whole Systema and frame of your Romish explanation of the Aue Maria. Mariadulus Peace Mariamastix Tell me what hope can he haue to be hereafter of the number of the Blessed who endeauours to exterminate the Queene of Heauen out of the number of the Blessed And haue you not a horrour to wound the Mothers honour with the Sonnes misconstrued Words O serpentine and almost vnpardonable malice But to your Reason which you vauntingly call your Aries I grant that Caluin your Idol argueth according to your Method herein But let Caluin repent but ô now it is to late since his poore soule remaynes in euerlasting paynes and you repent also of these your both plasphemous speaches Take notice then that our Sauiours Words in his former Answere to the Woman imports thus much Yea rather But who sayth Yea rather is presumed to affirme both that which is said and that which is to be said But withall preferreth that to be said before that which is already said For example if one saying This is a fayre Saphyre you should answere yea it is rather a fayre Diamond you do not deny it to be a Saphyre though withall your Words implye that a Diamond is a richer stone then a Saphyre But to proceed further in this my Answere Admit that Christ had said in expresse Words The Wombe that bare me is not blessed neither the Paps which I did suck but they are blessed who do heare the Word of God and keep it Admit I say so much for the tyme yet could neither Caluin nor you from hence infer that Christ denyed that which the Woman had spoken For do we not thus read Ose 6. Matth. 9. Misericordiam volo non sacrificium I will or expect Mercy and not Sacrifice and yet it cannot be necessarily deduced from these words that God would not haue Sacrifice but only rather lesse to haue it then Mercy In like sort it is said Matth. 10. Non estis vos qui loquimini sed c. It is not you that speake but the spirit of your Father which speaketh in you Yet we cannot from hence conclude that the Apostles did not speake but that it was rather the Spirit which spake in them by way of suggesting what they were to speake Thus in such kind of speaches that which seemes absolutely to be denyed is not denyed but only in reference or comparison of some other thing Now from these premisses it followeth that Christ in the former words was so far from denying that the wombe was blessed which did beare him as that he rather affirmeth the same as Beda and Theophilactus in Comment and also S. Chrysostome apud S. Thoâ—am do teach Thus far Mariamastix touching the Catholike Expositions of these former Passages of Scripture aboue insisted vpon by you Only before I giue a full stop hereto I do demaund of you how you can Apologize for your selfe at the most dreadfull day when our Sauiour comming in all pompe and glory to iudge the actions of euery particular Man shall say to you Thou poore Miserable Man couldest not thou be content to perpetrate diuers sinnes out of thy owne frailty but that thy illimitable wicked disposition for thy greater damnation must needs arriue to that ascent and strayâ—e as that not only by way of inference to depresse the worth of thy Redemption but also to wrong the Honour of my owne most deare Mother and in her my honour and dignity with thy enuenomed tongue by detorting my owne words deliuered of her to her disgrace and contumely so making me to lessen her worth and excellency I say Mariamastix what can you plead at that tyme for your excuse But proceed further in this your vndertaken Scene Mariamastix You vse a redundancy of speach and fulnes in words against my arguments thereby to seeme to lessen their force But I will proceed to other Points And next what say you to Iohn Baptist Whose worth the sacred Scripture celebrateth in these Words Matth. 11. Inter natos mulierum non surrexit maior Iohanne Baptistâ— There hath not risen among the borne of Women a greater then Iohn the Baptist. Heere you see the Supremacy of all Makind is ascribed to John Baptist. Hence then it followeth that Mary whom you seeke to aduance aboue all both Men and Women since she was borne of a Woman is inferiour in dignity to Iohn Baptist Heere now Mariadulus I hope you will yield to the Words of Christ And consequently then must Mary yield all superiority to Iohn Baptist. Mariadulus The knot of this your difficulty is easely loosed And first if the words by you alledged were so strictly to be taken as you pretend then should S. Iohn Baptist be greater then Christ the Redeemer of the World seing Christ is one of those who are borne of Women Secondly euen Reason demonstrateth the contrary to your Assertion For how can any Man be induced otherwise to belieue that since S. Mary is the Mother of the Redeemer of the World S. Iohn Baptist only the Precursour of the Redeemer of the World but that the B. Virgin should be so much greater then S. Iohn Baptist by how much she did stand more neere in coniunction to Christ then S. John Baptist did stand Thirdly and lastly I say that as S. Ierome doth teach S. Iohn Baptist in these Words spoken by Christ is compared only with the Holy Men of the Old Testament But Christ and his Mother as also all the Apostles do belong to the New Testament Thus Mariamastix you may perceaue how the smoake interposed between the Truth and your sight touching the ballancing of S. John Baptist my holy Patrone and I his poore suppliant with the Virgin Mary is easely dissipated and dispelled as a cloude before the sunne through the cleare illustration of the sense of the former Words of Christ But continue Mariamastix in your vndertaken Prouince Mariamastix How do you warrant so many Feasts and Holydayes celebrated by you with great pompe I may well say with superstition in remembrance of Mary A point in which I insisted in my Sermon I tell you plainly my Spirit can hardly brooke them Christ himselfe hath no more if so many peculiar feasts appointed by the Church then his Mother hath Do not then you Papists equall her in honour with Christ since in celebrating her Memory you do equall her with Christ O impious deuotion Mariadulus This your Cloud of Errour is easely dissipated and dissolued First I say How many Solemnities soeuer are kept by the Church in honour of our
B. Lady they all though externally resting in the veneration of the Holy Virgin are by the mediation of her terminated in Christ And therefore they may be truly and vertually called the feasts and solemnities of Christ since they are instituted in honour of the B. Virgin only and not otherwise as she is the Mother of Christ our Redeemer Thus for example the Honour exhibited to any great fauorite of a Prince may be iustly said to be giuen to the Prince himselfe since the true Cause of the exhibition of the Honour is the Grace and Fauour which the Prince beareth to such a Worthy Personage Secondly I answere that if these seuerall solemnities of our B. Lady may not iustly and deseruedly be obserued then hath the whole Church of God fouly erred and this for many ages together both for the Institution and practise of them And such as you are Mariamastix only hould the truth in impugning of them the grossenes of which conceite to apprehend I refer to any man enioying but his fiue senses Mariamastix You seeke Mariadulus to beare me downe with the streame of many impertinent Words the refuse of discourse but with force of reason you do not And were it not I am loath to expatiate further in discourse then the particular subiect now disputed off would well suffer I could easely dissolue your argument drawne from the authority custome of the Vniuersall Church But this tyme and the present Occasion do not permit it But to giue the reynes to your owne desire and seeing you speake so highly and vauntingly of the seuerall feasts solemne dayes of Mary you may insist in them at your pleasure and produce your chiefest Reasons vpon which you anchour your iudgment therein Mariadulus I will satisfy your motion But before I must tell you that I do not labour to beare you downe as your phraze is with a streame of many impertinent Words No for I acknowledge that an ouercharge of needles words is but smoake of speach But to hasten to the seuerall feasts of the immaculate Virgin I will begin with the feast of her Natiuity then of the Annunciation next of her Purification lastly of her Assumption into Heauen As for the feasts of her Prescutation and Conception because they are not kept with so generall a Solemnity of the Church as the former are I will passe them ouer Now touching the feast of the Natiuity of our Blassed Virgin which falleth vpon the eight day of September Yf we will take into our consideration who she is whose Natiuity we do celebrate and to what end she was borne we shall easely giue allowance of that festiuall Tyme The Arke we read was curiously wrought only to the end to keep within at the Law of Moyses And shall not then She be of an extraordinary Perfection and consequently the tyme of her Birth worthy all due veneration within whose most chast Wombe was enclosed the Sauiour of the World who abrogated the Law of Moyses Againe this feast is the Birth day of Her who being a Virgin is the Mother of God and of her Creatour Genâ—isti qui â—s feciâ— sayth the Church of her 〈◊〉 aeternum permanes Virgo in officio B. Virg. And hereupon it came to passe that the Ephesin Councell being one of the first foure Councells consisting of two hundred Bishops was chiefly assembled for determining that it should be houlden as a Catholike Verity and an Article of Fayth that the most Glorious Virgin Mary was the true Mother of God And thereupon she is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Deum pariens Now what honour is due to Her is partly knowne by this Axiome in Philosophy To wit that there is such a neere inter-linking betweene the Effect and the Cause as that if there be no rust hinderance the one doth participate of the others worth and Perfections Therefore it followeth that with what accidentall Perfections of Wit of Beauty c. Christ was indued the same did the B. Virgin though in a lower proportion enioy Haue we not then iust occasion to say that only such a Mother deserued to bring forth so worthy a Sonne and only such a Sonne deserued to haue such a Mother For as she gaue to him the Humane Nature so he gaue to her Fulues of Grace Thus the Glorious Virgin for his humane Nature was his Mother and she in respect of Grace his Daughter And thus the Mother is become the Daughter the Sonne the Father Thus who will truly confider and ponder the dignity of the B. Virgin shall fynd he hath iust reason to say with the Catholike Church Natiuitas tua Deigenetrix Virgo gandium annuncianit vniner so munâ—o Ex te enim ortus est Sol Institiae Christus Deus Noster in offie B. Virg. And thus far in Apologizing for the feast of the Natâ—uity of the Holy Virgin Mary Only I will conclude that we see it is the custome and most laudeble that Princes will haue their owne Birth-day or the Birthday of the Heyres apparent to be kept yearly with all Royall Pompe and Solemnity And shall then the Natiuiâ—y of Her who brought into the World the King of Heanen and earth in compare of whom all terrene Princes are but poor wormes of the earth be wholy contemned Such is the blindnes of Innouation in matters of Religion To descend to the feast of the Auâ—â—â—nciation of the Glorious Virgin being the 2â— of March And heare we may well call to mind that temporall Potentates do vse to send some one or other of the chiefest of their Nobility as Embassadour to other Princes according to the greatnes of the subiect of their Embassage And by the worth of the Embassadour we may make a coriecture of the Worth of the Prince to whom the Embassage is sent Yf then the Angell Gabrial being the second among so many Millions of Angells and Celestiall spirits was sent by God to bring the B. Virgin the comfortable Salutation of her future being the Mother of the Redeemer of the World doth not this most lowdely euen trumpet forth to all Christians both the supreme dignity of the Virgin to whom the Angell was sent as also the insinite worth of the Embassy And may not then the remembrance of so Great an Embassage he yearâ—â— kept with solemnity It being Great for the Person from whence it came being God Great for the Person to whome it came the most blessed and Holy Virgin Great for the Person by whom it was sent the second Angell of the Celestiall Court and lastly Great for the busines and subiect which it concerned to wit the Redemption of Mankind But to proceed further The Reasons which do warrant the solemnity of her Natiuity do also warrant the institution of the feast of the Annunication Since the chiefe Mysteries were perfected in her Annunciation foâ— the accomplishment whereof she enioyed her Natiuity And therefore heere we may with exulation and ioy
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
Corone in like sort specified by you it consisteth of six Pater nosters and threescore and three Aue's Which number of 63. is ordayned because the Church doth hould that the B. Virgin did liue till she was threescore and three yeares of age Now this deuotion being peculiarly directed to the B. Virgin so many Aue's are recited as she liued yeares And thus far touching the Rosary and the Corone of our Lady Now that the number of the Pater nosters and the Aues both in the Rosary and the Corone is reckoned by help of Beads this is only to ease and help our memory in performing the due number Neither is the vse of praying vpon litle stones which is all one as vpon Beads lately sprung vp for it is most ancient and therein warrantable as appeareth from the acknowledgmeÌ„ts of the Centurists Cent. 4. col 1329. 〈◊〉 and Osiander in Epitom Cent. 4. p 454. Yea Zozomenus recordeth of S. Paul the famous Monke who liued twelue hundred yeares since in this manner Histor l. 6. c. 29. In dies singulos trecentas orationes Deo velut tributum quoddam reddidit Ac ne per imprudentiam in numero erraret trecentis lapillis in sinum coniectis adsingulas preces singulos indc eiecit lapillos Consumptis igitur lapillis constabat sibi orationes lapillis numero pares absse expletas esse Euery day he Paul payed to God as it were a certaine tribute three hundred prayers And to preuent that he might not erre in the number he tooke into his bosome three hundred litle stones and at the saying of euery Prayer he did cast from him a litle stone And then he seeing all his stones to be spent and cast away from him he was assured that he had performed so many Prayers as were in number answerable to the stones Thus Zozomene reporteth of the daily practise of S. Paul the Monke herein and therfore Mariamastix if you carpe at Catholikes for their praying vpon Beads you insoleÌ„tly carpe at Reuerend Grayhayr'd Antiquity Now touching the Misteries to be meditated vpon aboue spoken of The first fiue Ioyfull are these following 1. When the B. Virgin was saluted by the Angell Gabriel 2. When the B. Virgin went to visit S. Elizabeth 3. When the B. Virgin was deliuered of our Sauiour 4. When she presented our Sauiour in the Temple 5. When she did fynd Iesus disputing in the Temple The fyue Dolorons 1. When Christ did pray in the Garden sweating drops of bloud and Water 2. When he was whipped at the Pillar 3. When he was crowned with thornes 4 When he bore his Crosse to Mount-Caluary 5. His crucifying betweene two theeues The fyue Glorious 1. The Resurrection of Christ. 2. His Ascension into Heauen 3. The descending of the Holy Ghost 4. The Assumption of our B. Lady 5. The glory of all Saints how the B. Virgin was crowned and exalted aboue all Angells Mariamastix Well this your superstitious deuotion consisting in a fruitles Battalogy and iteration so many scores of tymes of the salutation of the Angell might be more pardonable if so this salutation or Prayer of the Aue Maria did carry any peculiar Honour to Mary which were not communicable to diuers others But seeing as I partly touched in my late Sermon nothing is therein contayned by priuiledge to Her but it and perhaps more is found to be giuen in the Holy Scriptures to others I therefore see the lesse reason why you Papists should so much pryze and consequently so often repeate the same And therefore to cut vp as it were and anatomize euery part and member thereof And first to begin with the Angell who was sent to Mary We read that Angells were vsually sent to others and imployed in matters seeming of no great importance Thus for example to omit many other such passages for breuity Angells were sent to Abraham Genes 18. as also to Tobias the yonger Tob. 12. and conuersed with him diuers dayes togeather In like sort S. Iohn the Euangelist saw an Angell standing by him before the Altar Apocal c. 8. What great and extraordinary priuiledge then did Mary enioy by hauing an Angell sent to her Now to descend to the words of the salutation And first touching the Word Aue Hayle vsed by the Angell to Mary I do fynd little respect or reuerence giuen to her by this Word For do we not read that the Iewes euen with scorne and contempt said to Christ himselfe Aue Rex Iudeorum Iohn 19. All Hayle O king of the Iewes And did not Iudas the Proditour salute Christ at his apprehending of him by the word Aue Rabbi Math. 26. Thus you see that the salutation vsed by this word Aue often carieth with it disgrace and contempt so far was Mary from being much honored by this Word vsed by the Angell Mariadulus Before you proceed further Mariamastix in this your commentitious Comment for I can call it no better let me intreat you to pause a litle I see you inteÌ„d to spread your selfe much therein My memory is but weake and if I should suffer you to giue the reines to your selfe in this your discourse before the last part were ended I should forget what the beginning therof was Therefore you must giue me leaue to reply to what you haue allready disgorged And first touching the Angell being sent to our Blessed Lady I do grant that Angells were in like manner sent to others by God yet the difference betweene the seuerall manners of sending was great in two respects First in the Person who was sent Secondly in the Embassage The Person sent was Gabriel the second Angell among many thousands of Angells And you know that euen among terrene Princes the greater that the Noble Man is who is sent as Embassadour the greater Honour is thereby giuen to the other Prince to whom he is sent Concerning the Embassage about which the Angell Gabriel was sent to the B. Virgin It was of the greatest consequence and moment that can be imagined To wit the Natiuity of him who after was to redeeme the World Now to parallell these two Points with that by you alledged Those Angells by you mentioned though euery Angell be almost of infinite dignity were of an inferiour degree to the Angell Gabriel as well may be supposed And the busines or imployments about wh â—h they were sent to Men was infinitly of a lesser weight and consequence then the Redemption of Mankind Thus you see Mariamastix the more you seeke to depresse the Honour exhibited to the Mother of Christ herein the more indeed by a true ballancing of the comparison here made her Honour is exalted Now you must further know hereby that among the diuers functions or offices of the Angells one and that the greatest is that they are sent as Gods Legates to signify those things which God will haue to be signified to Men especially touching the busines of Mans Redemption and eternall saluation The truth of
which point the Apostle contesteth in these Words Nonne omnes Angeli sunt administratorij Spiritus c. Are they not all vz. the Angels ministring spirits sent to minister for them who shall receaue the inheritance of saluation Hebr. c. 1. Touching the manner of the salutation of the Angell beginning with the word Aue I grant that the same Word alledged by you in your former Examples was vsed by way of scorne and treacherous intent But what proueth this Doth the abuse either of Words or things take away or diminish the worth of the true vse of them Nothing lesse For then it should follow that it were no Honour to the Creatour of all things to be called Deus since this Word is not only applyed to Men of whom it is said Ego dixi Dij estis I haue said you are Gods Psal â— but euen to the diuels according to that Dij Gentium Daemonia The Gods of the GeÌ„tils are diuells Psal 95 Thus we gather from hence that the abuse of the word Aue doth not lessen the worth of the Angells Salutation by that Word But I pray you proceed further in this your intended Paraphraze of the Aue Maria. For hitherto you haue brought nothing but what is triuiall and vnworthy the eares of the Iudicious Mariamastix Howsoeuer you seeme not to prayse these my arguments yet I cannot let go the hold of them for to me they seeme forcing But I will according to your desire proceed further The next Passage presenting it selfe is contayned in the words Gratia plena full of Grace Here I first say that thâ—se two words are falsly translated by the old Interpreter out of the Greeke in behalfe of the Honour of Mary Secondly I auerre that granting the Translation were true and genuine yet no extraordinary dignity doth accrew therby to Mary but such or greater as is attributed to others in Holy Writ For first touching the translation of the words Gratia plena you know Mariadulus I presume that the Greeke Word here vsed by the Euangelist is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth only Gratiosa comming of the substantiue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gratia yet for your aduantage you Papists do read Gratia plena But to proceed to the next Point of my former supposall Mariadulus Nay I pray you good Mariamastix before you go on further let me wype away the foule aspersion which you cast vpon our Translation of the foresaid Greeke Word Here then I say that S. Ierome in Epist. ad Principiam Virginem whose translation herein we follow S. Ambrose in hunc locum S. Austin in Enchiridio c. 36. sermone 13.14.15.18 c. Sophronius in Assumptione B. Mariae Eusebius Emyssenus in haec verba Lucae Mislus est Angelus Gabriel and diuers other later Doctours do with a ioynt consent interprete the foresaid Greeke Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gratia plena Whereas you Protestants not allowing this Translation do agree only in disagreeing in your seuerall translations hereof For some of you translate Gratiosa as it seemeth you do Others Grata Another Gratis iustificata another againe Gratis dilecta finally another Gratiam consecuta Now I refer to indifferent Iudges not blinded with Preiudice whether the construction of so many ancient and learned Fathers who with a mutuall conspiration or rather by a certaine liuine Inspiration haue translated Gratia Plena is to be preferred or not before any different construction thereof giuen by any one Protestant Thus much in defence of our â—ncieÌ„t Catholike Traslation of the Greeke Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But now Mariamastix you may proceed according to your former intended Method To wit touching the supposall that admitting we did translate the foresaid Word truly notwithstanding the Honour of the B. Virgin would not appeare to be greater therby I doubt not but what you shall now deliuer Hypothetically and by supposition will proue as weake in it selfe loose and dissolute as what you haue already spoken Categorically and positiuely But proceed I pray you Mariamastix I see you euer disualew and sleight all my arguments yet I trust the Euent will proue of what force that is which I shall now alledge Heere then I say that admitting for a tyme your Construction of the former Greeke word were true and that Mary were full of Grace yet this priuiledge of Grace is imparted to diuers others and not to her alone Therefore no peculiar Honour arriseth to her therby According to this my assertion we read that Elizabeth and Zachary were replenished with the Holy Ghost Luc. 1. As also the Apostles Act. 2. S. Peter Act. 3. S Paul Act. 9. and besides some others all the disciples of the Apostles are said to be pleni Spiritu sancto full of the Holy Ghost Act. 13. Thus we see that no Encomion or Laud is giuen to Mary by the words Gratia plena which is not attributed to all these here alledged yea in a more full manner since these were Pleni Spiritu sancto as is said and Mary was full but of Grace which is but the Effect of the Holy Ghost But the Effect is euer inferiour and lesse worthy then the Cause Mariadulus It is strange to see how you rack your wits against the intemerate Mother of God But to these your Examples I answere That to those who rest more in the sound of the words then in the vse of the phraze of Scripture it may seeme I grant a greater matter to be full of the Holy Ghost then to be full of Grace But the custome of the Scripture impugneth this Conceite for since it teacheth that many were full of the Holy Ghost and but most few were full of Grace it euidently sheweth that this later to wit to be full of Grace is so much of greater worth as falling out but seldome then the former I meane to be full of the Holy Ghost as falling out more often I meane not hereby that the Holy Ghost which is the fountayne and authour of Grace should be of lesser dignity theÌ„ Grace it selfe but my meaning is that those who are said to be replenished with the Holy Ghost are vnderstood to be full of the spirit of the Holy Ghost in respect only of some particular guift of the Holy Ghost in them as in externally working of Miracles or in some other such strange and vnaccustomed particular thing But who are said to be replenished or full of Grace are vnderstood to be full and enriched not only with one guift of the Holy Ghost but with Iustifying Grace and abundance of all the guifts of the Holy Ghost so far as Mans Nature is made capable of them Mariamastix Admit for the present this your doctrine were true touching those who are said to be full of the Holy Ghost and those who are full of Grace and that my former Examples by this your wise distinction could be auoyded yet is your cause litle bettered thereby seeing we fynd that not only our