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A81057
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An apology for the Contemplations on the life and glory of Holy Mary mother of Jesus Shewing, the innocency, equity and antiquity, of the honour and veneration given to the blessed virgin mother by the Holy Catholick Church. By J.C. D.D. With allowance of superiours.
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Cross, John, 1630-1689.
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1687
(1687)
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Wing C7249; ESTC R225379
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82,720
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165
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and Intercession we give Them are so pressingly commended unto Us as most eminent Idea's of Christian Perfection proportion'd to our Capacities and Imitation 1 Cor. 11.1 Heb. 13.7 Trid. Sess 25. de Invoc § Illud vero Aug. Serm. 47. de Sanct. Hier. Serm. de Assumpt B. V. XII It is doubtless an eminent Obligation of Christian Perfection not only to be always busy'd in the exercise of Moral and Supernatural Virtues but also therein to imitate Holiness in its liveliest Images So also is it a most Excellent Virtue to be Just even to the Saints those blessed Citizens of Heaven by giving Them what 's due to Them by all the Laws as well of Divine as of Moral Justice both Laws own their Spiritual Excellencies both own a Debt of Praise Honour and Worship to Excellent and Sacred Persons as well as they prescribe Rules for our Imitation of what is good and perfect And if we may follow the profound Maxim of Scotus 3. d. 27. n. 4. That goodness is amiable and that therefore according to the degrees of goodness each Thing is to be loved and God above all because he is Infinite Goodness Then also Holiness Grace and Glory being just Motives of Praise Honour and Veneration these actions are due to the Glorious Saints according to the several Excellencies of each Ones Station in Heaven and therefore Super-eminently to the Mother of JESVS though to God only above All who alone by Essence is Holy and Glorious Neither is it less beneficial towards the Advancement of Mans Sanctification and Perseverance in all the Duties of a Virtuous Life by means of those previous acts of Christian Justice and humble Prayer to sollicit the Protection and Confederacy of those victorious and compassionate Champions of Piety those Heavenly Courtiers those Divine Images Temples and Favourites amidst the manifold and perilous Assaults of Satan and Sensuality and their Mediation of Intercession to God for Supernatural Lights and Aids for the avoiding of Sin and the practice of Virtue then by neglecting and defaming this comfortable and just Communion with the Saints we so frequently profess in our Creed to aim at the exact Imitation of those their Sublime Moral and Supernatural Perfections XIII The other Opposers of the Contemplations would seem with much Civility to give me Thanks for this so seasonable a Treatise First as owning the Doctrine and Practice of so Idolatrous a Worship of the Mother of Jesus as if the whole draught and design were new and singular Then for publishing both with Superiours allowance And lastly that in English too both the Doctrine and Practice so own'd and publish'd being expresly against the Word of God and the whole sense of Christianity The World being thus now manifestly convinc'd of Catholicks Idolatry and Damnation too I suppose and their Confusion being hereby become manifest and irreparable Answ p. 29. Spec. p. 10. 21. and after this courteous mark of Grace They go on decrying the whole substance and purpose of the Contemplations as Idolatrous and abominable For giving so much to the Virgin Mary that more cannot be given to the Son of God in our Nature Answ p. 27. Spec. p. 21. And to prove this mark a great piece of Skill For that all said in the Contemplations may sound to his own Note the Answerer purposely leaves out these most Energical and discriminating words In the Soul of a PVRE CREATVRE Answ p. 26. lin ult compar'd with Contempl. Epist Dedicat. p. 4. l. 11. Which words are the Key Rule and Measure of all those Super-eminent Perfections given to the Holy Mother of JESVS and exacting due Acknowledgments from Us and are a manifest distinctive Badge of that vast disproportion there is between the Prerogatives due to Her and those incomparably greater proper to JESVS the Consubstantial Son or God as well as the true Consubstantial Son of Holy MARY both Natures in-confusedly con-subsisting in the One Person of the Eternal Word XIV Neither is there any One single Attribute Property or Perfection either due to JESVS as God or appropriated to Him as Man in right of the reciprocal Exchange of Divine and Humane Appellatives grounded on the Vnion of those Natures in the Person of JESVS applied to the Holy Mother of God as the Speculator imposeth Spec. p. 10. l. 33. All Perfections of Nature Grace and Glory due and given unto Her being of a far inferior Rank proportion'd to the Capacities of a Pure Creature though of the First Form they being necessarily such as may stand with the Dignity and may be fit Qualifications and Appendents of her Transcendent Maternity Thus the Contemplations being bounded by the Excellencies of Holy Mary as the Mother of God and She being too a Pure Creature though of a superlative Degree in Right of that ineffable Priviledge 'T is manifest first that no Praises Titles of Honour Acts of Worship or Addresses for Intercession are given unto HER as a Deity as the Speculator doth impose Spec. p. 17. l. 27. And secondly that there is not any single Attribute of the Divinity ravish'd from the Son of God and confer'd on the Mother of JESVS as the Answerer affirmeth Answ p. 28. l. 13. XV. This only Reflection on the Answerers injurious dismembring the very stile of the Contemplations in a most weighty Article as it plainly discovers the usual fraud of the Adversaries of the Catholick Church in lopping the Sacred Councils themselves thereby to support a drooping Party and Passion complain'd of early by the Grecian Fathers Conc. Constantinop 3. act 2.6 14. Synod 7. act 5. so doth it extreamly justifie these Innocent Contemplations impugn'd by such mean and un-allowable shifts since the whole being duly perus'd and measur'd with that Line of a pure Creature so oft repeated it will be manifest that no One Supernatural Gift is lodg'd in the Holy Mother of JESVS no Title of Honour is confer'd upon Her nor is any one Act of Veneration or Intercession directed unto Holy Mary by virtue of those Gifts or these honorable Titles but what agree with and are qualified unto the Condition of a Pure Creature none exceed this inseparable Standard of all her Magnificent Superlative and Super-eminent Perfections So that however excellent they be in Her in right of her Divine Maternity yet does not any one of Them derogate from or approach unto the immense and un-accessible Attributes of God or even the Exuberant Excellencies of the Humane Nature of Jesus in right of its consubsistency in the same Person of God with his Divine Nature Which for this very reason in our Sacred Doxologies Timologies Liturgies and Prayers directed to JESVS is not distinguish'd by any sensible specifical Character from the Holy of Holies the Eternal Word Constantinop 1. coll 8. c. 9. Ephes 1. c. 8. Athan. libr. Incarn Orat. contr Arrian Ambr. l. 3. de Sp. Sanct. c. 12. Aug. ps 98. D. Thom. p. 1. q 25. Scot. 3. d. 9. n. 6. Herinx
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