Christians for their Security in Matters relating to our present Peace and eternal Salvation can any Errour be less corrigible any Precipice more unavoidable any Wretchedness so deplorable It is a Slavery great enough that the Immortal Soul so near related to the Seraphims should borrow her Lights at least the first Sparks of All from dull Sense and earthly Images that 's one dreadful Effect of Sin Penal Darknesses sayes St. Augustin 1. Conf. c. 18. are sprinkled over our Rebellious Concupiscences But then notwithstanding this so abject dependence of Man's Soul deriv'd from so shameful a Cause whatever Sacred Lights are set up whereby to guide our Apprehensions in the search of Divine Mysteries and to rectifie our Judgement and Will in the acceptance and use of them to their due ends still to be puzzling in the Mists and Shadows of sensible Images and while Divine Revelation for our improvement in all Christian Truths and Duties discovers unto us the Mysteries of his Love and this by so convincing a Proponent that although sifted by the severest Enquiry doth rationally create an Evidence of the Credibility of those Mysteries prudently undeniable and absolutely above whatever may venture to stand in opposition to it and is moreover approv'd and recommended unto us at our utter peril by our Blessed Lord for the entire convicting our Humane Reasonings and Fallacies and for the obliging our Wills to a free and firm assent as a Means above all Reasonable Exception everlastingly to fetter the Illustrious and super-illuminated Soul with Arguments drawn from blind and creeping Sensuality and this in Matters however transcendent and Divine is justly proclaim'd by St. Augustin Epist 118. c. 5. a most Insolent and unsufferable Madness IV. Yet further amidst the whole Symbol of the Mysteries of Grace thus revealed and this Revelation so manifestly propounded and attested through a wretched Self-choice the true Parent of Schism and of all thence growing Heresies which Party and Passion against the antient and authentick Rule of Credibility Mishaps into reveal'd Truths To admit One or some few Points of Faith for the securing some apparent Right to the Title of a Christian but to reject all others purely through the Suggestion of a private Opinion or through an over-ruling Power of a prevailing Society broken off from and in opposition unto the Antient Holy and Vndivided Body of Christians even such at the first appearing of Luther Calvin Zuinglius and other Vn-authoriz'd Preachers of new Lights whereas all Articles of Christian Faith are alike reveal'd and the Revelation of all is equally evidenc'd for the securing Catholick Unity and the obliging all to a peaceable Submission and Communion therein This without question demonstrates evidently a willful Separation Perverseness and Obstinacy in this most important Affair of Man's Salvation and that sinful man not one way only offers Sacrifice to the Apostate Angels Aug. 1. Conf. c. 17. V. For all Christian Verities however different as to their Matter and Objects yet as they are Articles of Super-natural Faith reveal'd to Man by Truth it self and shining to Him in a Divine Light and as witnessed to be so revealed by the Authority of a prudently convincing Proponent above all Exception or apparent Competition are of One and the same Kind and Nature and consequently are also inseparable if not as to actual Assent when so propounded yet at least as to the actual Obligation of Assent so as not to contradict or dissent from Them And thus whether this their Vnity and Inseparableness arise from the only Motive of all Assent in Matters of Divine Faith which is Gods Veracity Revealing All or from the Visible and Living Proponent of this Revelation or Divine Credibility which is the Authority of the Catholick Church and which as to all Matters within the Precincts of Divine Faith is the most Rational and therefore to every Prudent and Sober Enquirer of revealed Truths is the most convincing of all Humane Authorities The Pillar of Truth 1 Tim. 3.16 the true Interpreter of Gods Word Trid. Sess 4. de Edit Libr. Sacr. and Rule of Faith Aug. Epist 118. c. 5. l. contr Epist Fund c. 5. l. 1. contr Crescon c. 33. against which no Infidelity or Malice shall prevail Matt. 16.18 Aug. l. 1. Symb. c. 6. Epist 48. especially if that Authority of Learn'd Holy and Industrious Pastors and Doctors be further consider'd as authoriz'd by the express Institution and Testimony of Christ and as such recommended to our pious Obedience and Credulity by the thence ensuing Practice of all Believers ever own'd by an un-interrupted Series of Doctors and an unalter'd Chain of Doctrines to be within the Pale of the True Church And surely the ordinary course of the Sun and Stars is more marvellous and useful than the irregular and fatal Rays of giddy and dwindling Comets Sect. II. That this secure Means of arriving to Truth is Easie and Effectual VI. THis Authority of the Catholick Church whose Hierarchy supposes Superiours and Subjects and whose Mysteries do imply Doctors and Disciples is Eminential or Representative The Eminential Authority resides in One chief Bishop Superiour and Doctor though invested successively in each one of the whole Series of chief Bishops from St. Peter till now by a Legal Mission governing and teaching Christs Flock as His Vicegerents in His Name and with His Spirit and thus forward to the Worlds end The Representative Authority is diffus'd through many subordinate Pastors who as Superiors and Teachers of their special Flocks conserve the Traditions of the Ancients and instruct their Disciples in the Doctrine and Duties they receiv'd from above but is especially visible in the solemn Assemblies of these Church-Governours when legally conven'd they meet under and with their chief Bishop through the several Ages of the Church for the securing and publishing those Traditions against the Novelties of private and unsent Teachers And thus as it is no hard Matter for Subjects to determine the Imperial Right of and their own Duty to a Prince who claims by Legal Succession and Descent in the Legitimate Line of his Royal Ancestors So neither can there be any rational Doubt in whom this either Eminential or Representative Church-Authority establish'd by Christ for the conserving of Peace Truth and Obedience amongst Believers doth even this day reside with all its due Prerogatives Joan. 21.17 Chalced. act 16. in Epist ad Leon. P. Synod 6. act 18. 7. act 2. Florent Decret Vnion Iren. l. 3. c. 3. Athan. Ep. ad Faelic P. Theodoret. Ep. ad Renat Hier. Ep. ad Dam. Aug. Ep. 162. VII Now either of these Church-Authorities considering Mans present dependence on superiour Lights and Guides as to Divine Mysteries is the most unquestionable and most safe Evidencer of what Truths are indeed reveal'd by Christ and of their true Sense and Use any sincere Enquirer can reasonably appeal unto for satisfaction and security in Matters and Controversies of a Supernatural Religion And hence the
each in their proper Station Since then next under God by Essence as the Holy Trinity One God blessed for evermore or by Con-subsistence as JESVS God and Man to whom Divine Worship is due the Holy Mother of JESVS in right of Her Maternity con-naturally qualify'd exceeds all the Choires of Angels and Saints in participated supernatural Perfections by the consent of all Doctors Fathers and Church-Authority for which reason St. Athanasius Serm. de Deip. applies to Her the prophetick Vision of David ps 44.10 of that Illustrious Queen he saw standing at the right hand of God whom therefore St. Gregory Nazianzen Traged Christi patient calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or pre-eminent above heavenly Orders Lady and Queen of All the proof and practice of which Excellency and Magnificence is the chief design of the Contemplations for this reason that Saint-Servitude or Worship in Right of that Excess is by the same Consent properly called Hyperdulia or super-eminent Servitude Contempl. n. 9. and this same surpassing Excellency of supernatural Endowments of Holy Mary as she is the Mother of JESVS is the precise Motive and Measure of all those superlative Praises Titles of Honour and sensible Marks of our internal Worship address'd unto Her As also of that lively and strong Confidence we have of Her Protection and Relief in our Mediation of Her Intercession for Us when we humbly offer up our Petitions either to God graciously to regard her Merits or to harken to her Requests according to the proportion of her excellent Acceptableness to Him or immediately to her self as the Mother of JESVS Queen of Angels Lady of Saints and Refuge of Sinners and therefore highly qualify'd to become a most efficacious Advocate at the Throne of Mercy for Us. XXI Wherefore All Christians believing holy Mary to be the true Mother of JESVS Symb. Apost art 3. Matt. 1.16 Conc. Ephes 1. c. 13. it seems very rational according to the regular and con-natural order of Gods Providence First That Holy Mary is the most sublime and most exact Original of all practical Perfection which the Omnipotency of God-ever drew in the Soul of a PVRE CREATVRE Contempl. Epist Dedic p. 4. l. 9. and Secondly That for this reason she claims the utmost Duty of every Christian as a proper Homage to her Greatness Ibid. p. 5. l. 10. Which Duty thirdly is explain'd to be an Act of super-eminent Servitude Contempl. n. 9. And fourthly brancheth it self by degrees into Praises of Holy Mary for her surpassing super-natural participated Perfections Illustrious Titles of Honour suitable to those Perfections Protestations of a cordial Esteem of her Excellencies of Congratulation for her just possession thereof of Submission to Her Grandeur so high above all other Pure Creatures and so nigh and acceptable to God by reason of those her exuberant Perfections of Holiness Grace and Glory so liberally communicated to Her and of humble Petition of her Intercession and Protection through her Maternity and her thence flowing Prerogatives efficaciously procuring those Divine Blessings upon us which may according to the Rules of his Sacred Providence be fit objects of his gracious Liberality towards us Contempl. n. 8. 18. Sect. VII What sensible Actions may lawfully express that inward Worship we owe to Holy Mary XXII AS the Voice is a sensible Representative of the hidden Notions and Passions of the Intellectual Soul Aug. 15. Trin. c. 11. Arist 1. Periherm 1. So also other outward actions may be Signs sensibly declarative of our inward Affections But those by which we express in our publick Worship our high esteem of and respect to the Majesty and Attributes of God which are Infinite and of the Persons and Perfections of the Saints in their several subordinate Stations though finite and dependent are frequently the same as to the Material or Physical Act. For as we uncover our Head bend our knee or lift up our Eyes or Hands to Heaven in our Latreutick or Divine Worship So also in our Saint-Servitude offer'd to Holy and Glorious Creatures without the least offence of the Creator because there is no usurpation of Gods Divine Prerogatives in the use of those indifferent Actions upon those finite Motives and also without any just cause of Scaendal to a weak Believer because nothing Divine is acknowledg'd by those sensible Marks of Worship to be intrinsick to the Saints to whom they are exhibited as to their immediate Terminative Object XXIII To clear which suppose First That as in the Old Law there was a severe Precept under penalty of Death Deuter. 17.8 So in the New under pain of Separation from the Church that Gods People should learn Divine Truths and Duties from his Commissioners the Eminential or Representative Church and therefore also the Nature Rules Design and Practice of publick Worship Matt. 18.17 1 Cor. 11.34 And this with a Spirit of Vnity by assent to reveal'd Verities and of Obedience to sublimer Powers in Matters relating to Manners and Discipline Sacred But then secondly suppose as manifest to All that those sensible Signs us'd in our Religious Worship have of themselves a manifold Signification though with a Subordination to one chief Analogate And therefore thirdly those Signs by direction of our Judgment and command of the Will are applicable to several Ends or Objects according to those divers Significations and the Nature of the Motives apprehended and guiding as their Immediate Rule and Measure so that according to the Quality of the Motive Divine or participated those general Signs are directed and specify'd and their Vse is justify'd XXIV Thus if our bended Knee by direction of our Spirit and mov'd by the apprehension of the infinite Majesty Wisdom Goodness or Power of God protests an acknowledgement of those Divine Perfections and our absolute dependence on God in our Being Motion and Happiness it is an exterior Act of Divine Worship But if it ariseth only from the apprehension of a participated Excellency of some glorify'd Creature and by our judgement be only directed to acknowledge their State of Holiness and Glory and to protest a Submission thereunto by reason of the vast Chaos betwixt a Mortal Sinner and a glorious Saint even in those their participated super-natural Blessings and consequently their acceptableness to God whose gracious Images Sanctuaries and Favourites they thereby are and our need of their Protection over us and Intercession for us then the bended Knee and other Religious Postures of Head Hands and Eyes are only Marks of Saint-Servitude or Worship suitable to the Motive and End and derogate not at all from our Latreutick Duty to the most High. XXV But because these sensible Acts by the help of our Reason and Will may profess a greater acknowledgement of the Grandeur of a Saint and a firmer confidence of their Aid by how much more Illustrious their super-natural Endowments are these being their exact Motive Rule and Measure therefore if they be directed to
by the glorifi'd Spirits Albeit it concerns not us as Christians who walk by Faith that the Thing is when duely propos'd as a Divine Credible to know how that thing can be as how God is one in Three Persons how the Word is made Flesh how a corporal Fire can burn a Spirit Because Faith having no Intrinsick Motive assents only to the Verity reveal'd but leaves all Disputes concerning the Manner How to Philosophy as a Curiosity not at all appertaining to Religion which only teaches us to learn our Divine Credibles from the un-disputed Heads Eminential or Representative of the Churches Hierarchy The Manner therefore How these Secret Petitions of Sinners may be imparted to the glorious Saints according to School-Divines possibly may be either by an Intuitive Vision of our Desires however secret and distant either in themselves or in the Superiour Light of Gods Essence which is an Eminential Myrror of all Truths For this knowledge is an Illustrious Branch of the Theological Science of the Saints Conc. Senon Decret 13. fid Bern. l. 5. Consid c. 1. Aug. l. 13. Conf. c. 25. Dion l. div Nom. c. 7. Scot. 3. d. 14. q. 2. n. 20. Or by an Abstractive knowledge thereof by Means of some created Images to that end ordain'd by the Almighty for the supplying the activity of absent or too distant Objects relating to the State of each Saint according to the Amplitude of their Merits and Glory which the Fathers and Doctors allow to the Angels and Adam in their first Creation Aug. l. 4. Gen. ad lit c. 23. 29. 11. Civ c. 7. 29. Scot. 3. d. 3. q. 9. n. 10. D. Bon. d. 4. a. 3. q. 1. 2. D. Th. 22. q. 62. a 1. ad 3. And is therefore much more allowable to Creatures in their State of consummated Happiness LXIII As to the Saints knowledge of our Petitions by the Way of Intuitive Vision two Things are very observable First That we must not confine the Science of the Saints either to an essential dependence on Sense or Fancy or to a prefix'd limit of the Sphere of their Operations since Souls in their State of Separation have their Intellectual Faculties as well as Angels and without question of a far greater Sphere even according to the Course of Nature than any Sense however active and comprehensive because in their Operations they are exempt from material Organs and Images and therefore the Sphere of their Activity as well as the method and manner of their intentional Productions are not distinctly comprehended by us nor consequently may they be prescrib'd and limited by us any more than the Fecundity of the Earth the Influences of the Stars or the Agility of the Intelligences Thus to demonstrate That there is no manifest Impossibility for the Saints in their full Glory to know Intuitively in their own Natural Existence the Prayers of their Clients here below at any distance made unto Them. LXIV But then secondly The Essence of God is absolutely an infinite Myrror Eminentially and distinctly comprehending and representing all possible past present and future even conditional Beings Simple and Complex however Contingent Gods will having once decreed their Futurition absolutely or with reference to some condition not as to Gods will which is effectual as it passeth on the Object but as to the Thing willed which depends on some condition not actuated by that Will and which therefore remains purely in a State of possibility Thus Gods Essence is the Superiour and Eminential Light of the Saints able to supply in a more elevated and comprehensive manner the Motive Activity and Vigour of all created Objects as to the Intuitive Vision of each and of this the Royal Prophet speaks Ps 35.10 That in This Infinite Light the Blessed shall see all the inferiour Lights The Majesty of Gods Face serving as a Sun not only to discover and embellish the glorious Beauties of thâ— heavenly Paradice but also to represent in its self after a most perfect Manner whatever may con-naturally appertain to the Science of the Saints Apoc. 21.23 consequently the most individual Conditions of every one of their Devotes Greg. l. 12. Moral c. 14. l. 2. Dial. c. 35. l. 4. c. 33. as our Blessed Lord expresly declares in that Jubilee he affirms to be amongst the Angels upon the Repentance of every Sinner Luc. 15.10 and that every glorious Soul shall then be equal to Angels Matt. 22.30 Luc. 20.36 and that they All shall retain the self-same Zeal for the Advancement of Gods Glory by the Conversion of Sinners as when yet their fellow Mortals Matt. 22.39 1 Cor. 13.8 1 Jo. 4.20 That blessed Multitude of glorified Creatures being ever sollicitous for the Salvation of our Souls however secure they be of their own Glory as St. Cypr. speaks Serm. 4. de Mortal and ought superlatively to be appli'd to the Mother of beautiful Love. LXV Next as to the Abstractive knowledge which the Saints possibly may have of the secret Petitions of their Clients on Earth the Case seems cleer above all Exception Since Fathers and Doctors seem agreed That the Angels were therewith endow'd as to their Evening Science of Creatures in their Natural State Aug. l. 4. Gen. ad Litt. c. 29. l. 11. Civ c. 7. 29. Scot. 2. d. 3. q. 9. n. 16. and Adam in his original Innocence Eccl. 17.6 as to the Essence of God and the manifold Natures Properties and Operations of Creatures and super-eminently must be the special Priviledge of the ever Immaculate Mother of JESVS if allow'd to any PVRE CREATVRE D. Thom. p. 3. q. 27. a. 1. D. Bon. 3. d. 3. q. 1. a. 1. q. 3. Scot. q. 1. n. 10. Smis tom 1. d. 6. n. 299. Faelix c. 9. de Vision diff 2. n. 5. LXVI But as to the Manner of stating the practice of this Abstractive knowledge and especially How the Saints do know abstractively the Prayers of their Devotes in their private Closets or in the more private Cabinets of their Souls and this however transcendent the glorious Station of the Saint is there is no manifest Repugnance That this knowledge may be acquir'd either by Divine Revelation or by the Ministry of Angels to that end appointed And both ways either by an Intellectual Speaking and Hearing whereby God and his Angels communicate actual knowledge of their Prayers as the blessed Spirits do now communicate theirs to each other at an indefinite Distance in their State of Glory much amplifi'd by the aid of super-natural permanent Lights Or else by transfus'd Images distinctly representing their Requests at whatever distance absent Or by some other means possible to God and as it pleaseth Him though neither comprehended by us LXVII For as I said It matters not How the Saints know their Clients Petitions The Church being not at all concern'd In stating that Question or in prying into the Quiddities or Modalities of Reveal'd Truths but humbly acquiescing
in the Colledge of the Apostles celebrating her Praises with Hymns and Canticks (d) Quando ad contuendum Corpus quod vitae principium dedit Deum suscepit convenissemus Viso sacro corpore placuit omnibus prout quisque poterat hymnis celebrare infinitam Bonitatem Divina potentiae Epist Dion cit When we met to behold that Body which gave the beginning of Life and wherein God lodg'd Having beheld the Body each one according to his Power sung forth Hymns of Glory to the Infinite Bounty of the divine Power Epist Dion ad Timoth. apud Damasc Orat. 2. de Dormit Deip. LXXXII From these Illustrious Witnesses of the Ancient and Innocent Veneration and Invocation of the Mother of JESVS it manifestly appears that albeit the Sacred Monuments of this First and others next succeeding Ages of the Catholick Church either decay'd by Time or destroy'd by Persecutors or falsifi'd by false Brethren be few in regard of the great Train of holy Pastors and Teachers who by their Doctrine and Practice convey'd to us the Apostolical Faith and Holy Institutions conserv'd entire to this day by the Divine Providence ever assisting and guiding the Eminential and Representative Church-Authority Yet even these few do abundantly demonstrate the Primitive Doctrine and Practice of this Important Article of the Communion of the Saints as to the Worship and Intercession of Holy Mary the Mother of JESVS even under the dreadful Mystery of the Sacrifice of the Mass the greatest Act of Divine Worship Sect. XVIII Testimonies of the Second Age. LXXXIII IN the Second Age St. Irenaeus stiles the Holy Mother of JESVS The Advocate of the guilty Children of Eve. (a) Suasa est Maria obedire Deo ut Evae Virginis Maria Virgo fieret Advocata Iren. cit Libr. 5. c. 19. And Tertullian calls Her The Co-adjutrice of our Saviour JESVS in repairing the Apostacy of our first Parents and in promoting Mans Salvation (b) In Evam adhuc Virginem irrepserat Verbum aedificatorium mortis In Virginem aeque introducendum erat Verbum Dei extructorium Vitae ut quod per ejusmodi sexum abierat in perditionem per eundem redigeretur in salutem quod Eva credendo deliquit Maria credendo delevit Tert. cit Where the Parallel runs between the efficacy of Eves sin to perpetuate Mans ruine and the Excellencies of the Holiness of the Mother of JESVS to continue Mans Salvation and speaking elsewhere of the Catholick Worship of things Sacred and especially of the Holy Cross he has this remarkable Saying Ejusmodi disciplinarum si Leges expostules Scripturarum nullam invenies Traditio tibi praetendetur Auctrix consuetudo firmatrix fides observatrix l. Cor. Mil. c. 3. If sayes he you require an Express Authority of Holy Scripture for these our observances we alledge none we assert Tradition to be their Introducer Custom their Conserver and Faith their Observer l. de Carn Christ c. 17. And the great St. Justin Martyr in his Illustrious Apology for Christian Religion offer'd to Antoninus Pius the Emperor doth in express Words vindicate this Age of the Church from the Imputation of Atheism impos'd by Pagans for the practice of Saint-Servitude acknowledging the Fact but denying and refuting the Crime in that Christians give them not Divine but only Saint-Worship (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justin cit We do in deed and Truth sayes he Worship adore and venerate the most true God and his Son whom he sent into the World to teach us these things and also the Troops of his Followers and Imitators of the good Angels and the Spirits of the Prophets and this Doctrine we sincerely teach others as we our selves were taught Justin Mart. Apol. 2. ad Antonin Pium Imper. Vid. Apol. 1. ad Senat. Resp ad q. 30. Gentil wherein he exactly agrees with the first Age and the practice of Ours Sect. XIX Testimonies of the Third Age. LXXXIV THis Age gives us many solemn Witnesses of the Practice of Christians in their days in Worshipping and Invocating the Glorious Saints and consequently of the Holy Mother of JESVS the Queen of Angels and Saints S. Cypr. Epist 34. 37. ad Clerum Cornel. P. Epist 1. Euseb Alex. hom de Cult Sanct. Orig. Hom. 1. in Ezech. med l. 8. contr Cels hom 5. in Cant. hom 16. in Jos But S. Methodius doth specially dilate himself in the Praises of Holy Mary (a) Salve in aeternum Ineffabile Gaudium Ad te namque rursus recurrimus Tu Festivitatis nostrae Principium Tu medium Tu Finis Tu sons uberrimus totius Sanctitatis animarum Altare In te perbenignus Conditor ferventissima Charitatis flammas quasi conferâ—â—s solis radios est ejaculatus Method cit All hail for ever O Ineffable Joy we again have recourse to thy protection for thou art the Beginning the Advancement and Conclusion of our Festivals the over-flowing Fountain of all Holiness the Altar of our Souls In thee our most bountiful Creator hath power'd forth the flames of his most ardent Charity as so many condensed beams of a glorious Sun. Orat. in Hypant Dom. where having given Her many magnificent Titles of Honour he expresseth his singular confidence in her protection through the whole Course of his Life and to that end He requests Her powerful Aid calling Her the delicious Fountain of Salvation and Altar of Propitiation where the Almighty Creator casts forth the powerful beams of his most ardent Love. Sect. XX. Testimonies of the Fourth Age. LXXXV THE Fourth Age abounds with a copious train of Zealous Witnesses of this great Article of Christian Doctrine and Devotion towards the Glorious Mother of JESVS receiv'd from their holy Pastors and Teachers and by their pious Care transmitted to their Disciples and Successors for a clear conviction of the Innocency Equity and Antiquity of the Veneration given to Her by the Catholick Church (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athan. cit Since he who was born of the Virgin is a King Soveraign Lord and God she also of whom he was born is truly and properly a Queen Lady and Mother of God Le ts then say that now it is verifi'd That the Queen stands at the Right hand of JESVS clad in a Mantle of Gold embroider'd with Jewels of an Infinite variety To thee we cry out Remember us O most Holy Virgin and for these our small Praises render unto us rich Gifts out of the Treasures of thy Graces O thou who art full of Grace O Mistris O Lady O Queen O Mother of God make Intercession for us St. Athanasius Serm. de Sanctis Deipar proves Her Right to the Imperial Titles of Lady and Queen from her being the True Mother of God who is the King of the World and to that end applies to Her the Prophesie of that Illustrious Queen David saw standing in glory at the right hand of God thence he proclaims the Amplitude of her Power in the Spiritual
that we sacrifice to any of the Saints but to the God of the Saints only though we erect Altars to God in remembrance of the Saints St. Isidore oft dilates himself in the Praises and Worship of holy Mary and shews that the Catholick Saint-Servitude derogates not from that Worship which is due to God only (d) Ildefons l. Virginit Mar. c. 12. Venio ad Te sola Virgo Mater Dei Procido coram Te humilior coram Te Rogo Te ut obtineas deleri facta peccati Mei ut jubeas mundari me ab iniquitate operis Mei ut facias me diligere gloriam Virtutis tuae ut reveles mihi multitudinem Dulcedinis Filii tui ut mihi des loqui defendere Fidei sinceritatem Filii tui Concedas etiam mihi adhaerere Deo Tibi Illi sicut factori meo Tibi sicut Genitrici factoris Mei c. I approach to Thee O only Virgin Mother of God I prostrate my self before Thee I humble my self before Thee I beseech Thee obtain the cancelling of all my sinful Works command me to be cleansed from the Iniquity of my Crimes make me covet the Glory of thy Virtues reveal unto me the Plenty of the sweetness of thy Son Grant that I may profess and defend the true Faith of thy Son and that I may adhere to God and Thee To Him as my Creator to Thee as to the Mother of my Creator c. And St. Ildephons prostrating himself before the holy Mother of God conjures her by whatever is Sacred and Mysterious in the Conception of the eternal Word to obtain of Him the Remission of his Sins to command his delivery from all Iniquity to render him emulous of her own transcendent Vertues and to give Him a relish of the delicious Treasures of the Love of JESVS XCI The Opposers of our Catholick Saint-Servitude as taught and used by Christians of all Ages and Nations of the Apostolical Church regarding more the rind and Criticism of Words than the Spirit and Truth of Christianity discover'd by the Holy Fathers are much offended at the Phrase of Command sometimes us'd in our Addresses to the Mother of JESVS in order to his Divine and Theandrick Operations appertaining to Mans Redemption and Sanctification by Grace as in this passage of St. Ildefons Thence inferring our manifest Idolatry in Worshipping and Invocating Holy MARY as the chief and absolute Soveraign over Souls and Author of Grace and Holiness Calvin l. 3. Instit c. 20. n. 22. Answer p. 25. Specul p. 17. XCII But as the erecting of Temples and Consecrating Altars therein under the Patronage and Protection of Holy Mary the Mother of JESVS and the Ordaining Priests to offer Sacrifice there upon Her Festivals or the Imposing her Sacred Name in Baptismal Regeneration or making Holy Vows of Evangelical Perfection in a Religious Society establish'd in Memory of some Excellent Mystery of her Life c. cannot be reputed Idolatry because none of these Acts are design'd immediately properly and absolutely to Holy Mary but to God only the Supream Lord of all Creatures though by Appropriation performed in Remembrance of Her or of some Mystery relating to Christ or of some signal Favour obtain'd of Christ by her more powerful Intercession and Protection as by a super-eminent Saint a more glorious Image of the Divine Perfections and most endear'd Favourite in the Court of Heaven gratefully piously and duely acknowleg'd by those our external Acts So neither can those sensible Marks of that great Confidence Catholicks conceive of the power of the holy Mother of JESVS within his Spiritual Empire in Requesting Her to bestow Temporal or Spiritual Gifts or even to command us to be cleansed from sin which cannot be done but by the power of JESVS only in the known sense of the holy Church he esteem'd an Invasion of Gods Imperial Power or a Giving to Holy Mary that Religious Worship which is proper to JESVS the Son of the eternal God who alone is the absolute Creator and Giver of Life Light Grace and of all Good Things Eph. 2.8 Jac. 1.17 And the Soveraign Lord of All by Essence and indispensably in whole and in part Levit. 19.4 Ps 23.1 Insomuch that although God covenanting with his Church to assist her Governours Eminential or Representative in Teaching all Truth to co-operate with her Ministers of Sacraments in Sanctifying well-dispos'd Believers and to give Life everlasting to Faithful Laborours in his Vineyard with proportion to their Merits in Christ by Virtue of his Fidelity whereby his promise and performance still run parallel Matt. 28.20 Jo. 20.23 Scot. 4. d. 1. q. 5. n. 12. 2 Tim. 4.8 Trid. Sess 6. c. ult Yet in Right of Gods Essential Supremacy over all Creatures and Independency on all no Creature of whatever Spiritual magnitude can claim any Gift of his Mercy or power over his Will upon any strict Obligation of Justice Alens p. 1. q. 39. m. 1. D. Thom. q. 21. a. 1. D. Bon. 4. d. 46. a. 2. q. 1. Scot. q. 1. n. 4. 11. Smif tom 1. disp 4. q. 5. n. 45. But as St. Aug. 1. Conf. 4. says he gives what 's due though Debter to none because as St. Anselm remarks Prosolog c. 10. God is Just not giving as due but doing what becomes his Infinite Goodness upon his promise passed in his Gospel of Truth and Grace under the Seals of his most tender Love to Believers XCIII Whence 't is manifest according to the Doctrine and Spirit of the Catholick Church First that Faith Remission of sins and sanctifying Grace are not the principal proper and Physical Gifts of any however glorious Creature Secondly that God is not rigorously subject to any power beneath himself as to the dispensing his Gifts and Graces to us Thirdly That therefore whatever the Forms of our Prayers are their design is only to desire Gods gracious and glorified Servants to pray for us and according to the amplitude of their participated super-natural Dignity and the acceptableness of their Prayers according to the Measure of that Dignity covenanted for in the Gifts of Grace earnestly and effectually to obtain of God those Gifts for us purely by their Mediation of Intercession with God according to the known Decree of this Sixth General Council under Pope Agatho c. 7. Vnusquisque Christianus solo Deo adorato invocet Sanctos ut pro se intercedere apud Divinam Majestatem dignentur Having given Divine Worship to God only let every Christian pray to the Saints that they would vouchsafe to interceed to the Divine Majesty for them Syn. Constant Gen. 6. c. 7. And according to the practice of the Fathers of the Fourth General Council under Pope Leo the Great act 11. Flavianus post mortem Vivit Martyr pro nobis oret Flavian though dead lives Let the Martyr pray for us Syn. Gen. Chalced. act 11. XCIV Wherefore although according to the true Spirit of the Gospel of JESVS Catholicks
Luther and Calvin Enemies of the Glory of the Saints of their acceptableness to God and of their Communion with the Just as if they who sometimes pray'd with us should now either not pray or to no purpose do pray for us and that they who here reliev'd us by their Prayers should now not know us nor mind us nor have any power with God to assist us Cassiodor l. 1. Institut c. 13. CIX So that nothing doth offer it self further to incapacitate the Glorious Saints and above all these the most Innocent Holy and Glorious Mother of JESVS to hear our Praises Honourable Appellations Expressions of Veneration and humble Petitions and to help us in our Wants since 't is possible Pious Authoriz'd and Beneficial and this more effectually in order to holy Mary by how much more glorious she is whom we Petition and by how much the greater Authority this Doctrine receives from its ancient Tradition as to matter of Right and Duty and its antient Practice and the many undeniable stupendious Benefits thereby obtained Trid. Sess 22. c. 3. de Sacrif Miss Sess 25. decret de Invoc above all exception evidenc'd in matter of Fact from the Histories of a Times and of Classical Writers living in those times agreeing both to the Doctrine receiv'd and Devotions used and Benefits granted and consequently obliging us to the like Practice and this most Eminently towards the holy Mother of JESVS because most excellent in all communicable Perfections above all however glorious PVRE CREATVRES and therefore deserving super-eminent Praises Titles of Honour most profound Veneration and our humblest and most confident Addresses that she vouchsafe to become our Advocate to JESVS The God of all Glory the Giver of all Grace the Forgiver of all Sin and the Saviour of Men and Angels from whom ever begins and to whom finally are directed all Praise Honour Worship and Supplication through the Mediation of the Glorious Queen of Men and Angels as from and to the Head-spring of all super-natural Light Grace and Glory Amen FINIS Books Printed and sold by Nathaniel Thompson at the Entrance into the Old Spring-Garden near Charing-Cross A Manual of Controversies clearly demonstrating the Truth of the Catholick Religion By Texts of Holy Scripture Councils of all Ages Fathers of the first 500 years Common Sense and Reason And fully answering the principal Objections of Protestants and all other â—ectaries Price bound 1 s. 6 d. 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