you stop as it were the sinner's breath, that he is not able to live any longer."

Then men stuck not to teach, that unto her" all power was given in heaven and in earth." So that for heaven, when our Saviour ascended thither, this might be assigned for one reason, among others, why he left his mother behind him: “lest' perhaps the court of heaven might have been in a doubt whom they should rather go to meet, their Lord or their Lady; and for earth, "shes may rightly apply unto herself that in the first book of Ezra: All the kingdoms of the earth hath the Lord given unto me; and we may say unto her again, that in Tobias, Thy kingdom endureth for all ages; and in the Psalms Thy kingdom is a kingdom of all ages." That howsoever she was "the noblest person that was or ever should be in the world, and of so great perfection, that although, she had not been the mother of God, she ought nevertheless to have been the Lady of the world: yet according to the laws whereby the world is governed, by the right of inheritance she did deserve the

vivere diutius non possit. Viegas in apocalyps. cap. 12. com. 2. sect. 2. num. 6. 9 Data est tibi omnis potestas in cœlo et in terra. Petr. Damian. serm. 1. de nativ. B. Mariæ, tom. 5. Surii, Sep. 8.

r Fortassis Domine, ne tuæ cœlesti curiæ veniret in dubium, cui potius occurreret; tibi videlicet Domino suo, regnum tuum in assumpta carne petenti, an ipsi Dominæ suæ, ipsum regnum jam suum materno jure effectum ascendenti. Anselm. Cantuar. de excell. B. Virg. cap. 7. et eum secuti, Bern. de Bust. in Mariali, part. 11. serm. 1. part. 2. et Sebast. Barrad. Jesuit. concord. Evang. lib. 6. cap. 11.

* O igitur regina nostra serenissima, profecto tu dicere potes illud, 1 Esdr. cap. 1. Omnia regna terræ dedit mihi Dominus. Et nos tibi dicere possumus illud, Tobi, cap. 13. In omnia secula regnum tuum. Et Psal. 144. Regnum tuum regnum omnium seculorum, &c. Et Dan. cap. 2. Regnum quod in æternum non dissipabitur. Veni ergo, et super nos regnum accipe, Judic. cap. 9. De regno enim tuo dici potest illud, Psal. 103. Et regnum ipsius omnibus dominabitur; et Luc. cap. 1. Et regni ejus non erit finis. Bernardin. de Bust. Marial. part. 12. serm. 1. part. 1.

Quamvis autem benedicta virgo fuerit nobilior persona quæ fuerit vel futura sit in orbe terrarum, tantæque perfectionis, quod etiamsi non fuisset mater Dei, nihilominus debuisset esse Domina mundi: tamen secundum leges quibus regitur mundus, jure hæreditario omnem mundi hujus meruit principatum et regnum. Bernardin. Senens. serm. 61. artic. 1. cap. 7.

principality and kingdom of this world." That "Christ" never made any legacy of this monarchy; because that could not be done without the prejudice of his mother; and he knew besides, that the mother could make void the testament of the Son, if it were made unto her prejudice. And therefore, that by all this it appeareth most evidently, that Mary the mother of Jesus, by right of inheritance hath the regal dominion over all that be under GOD." That" as many creatures do serve the glorious virgin Mary, as serve the Trinity. Namely all creatures, whatsoever degree they hold among the things created (whether they be spiritual as angels, or rational as men, or corporal as the heavenly bodies or the elements) and all things that are in heaven and in earth, whether they be the damned or the blessed: all which being brought under the government of God, are subject likewise unto the glorious virgin, forasmuch as he who is the Son of God and of the blessed virgin, being willing as it were to equal in some sort his mother's sovereignty unto the sovereignty of his Father; even he who was God, did serve his mother upon earth. Whence it is written of the virgin and glorious Joseph: He was subject unto them; that as this proposition is true; All things are subject to God's command, even the virgin herself: so this again is true also;

"De monarchia autem universi nunquam Christus testatus est; eo quod sine matris præjudicio nequaquam fieri poterat. Insuper noverat, quod potest mater filii irritare testamentum, si in sui præjudicium sit confectum. Ex his omnibus apertissime claret, quod mater Jesu Maria hæreditario jure omnium qui sunt infra Deum habet regale dominium et inclytum obtinet principatum, Bernard. Senens. serm. 61. artic. 1. cap. 7.

Tot creaturæ serviunt gloriosæ virgini Mariæ, quot serviunt Trinitati. Omnes nempe creaturæ, quemcunque gradum teneant in creatis, sive spirituales ut angeli, sive rationales ut homines, sive corporales ut corpora cœlestia vel elementa, et omnia quæ sunt in cœlo et in terra, sive damnata sive beata, quæ omnia sunt divino imperio subjugata, gloriosa virgini sunt subjecta. Ille enim qui Dei filius est et virginis benedictæ, volens (ut sic dicam) paterno principatui quodammodo principatum æquiparare maternum; ipse qui Deus erat matri famulabatur in terra. Unde Lucæ cap. 3. scriptum est de virgine et glorioso Joseph: Erat subditus illis. Præterea hæc est vera: Divino imperio omnia famulantur et virgo. Et iterum hæc est vera: Imperio virginis omnia famulantur et Deus. Id. ibid. cap. 6.

Luke, chap. 2. ver. 51.

VOL. III,

I I

All things are subject to the command of the virgin, even God himself;" that "considering the blessed virgin is the mother of God, and God is her Son, and every son is naturally inferior to his mother, and subject unto her, and the mother hath preeminence and is superior to her son; it therefore followeth that the blessed virgin is superior to God, and God himself is subject unto her, in respect of the manhood which he assumed from her;" that "howsoever she be subject unto God, inasmuch as she is a creature: yet is she said to be superior and preferred before him, inasmuch as she is his mother.”

Then men were put in mind, that" by sinning after baptism they seemed to contemn and despise the passion of Christ and so that no sinner doth deserve that Christ should any more make intercession for him to the Father, without whose intercession none can be delivered either from the eternal punishment or the temporal, nor from the fault which he hath voluntarily committed. And therefore that it was necessary, that Christ should constitute his well beloved mother a mediatrix between us and him; anda so in this our pilgrimage, there is no other refuge left unto us in our tribulations and adversities, but to have recourse unto the virgin Mary our mediatrix, that she

* Cum beata virgo sit mater Dei, et Deus filius ejus; et omnis filius sit naturaliter inferior matre et subditus ejus, et mater prælata et superior filio: sequitur quod ipsa benedicta virgo sit superior Deo, et ipse Deus sit subditus ejus ratione humanitatis ab ea assumptæ. Bernardin. de Bust. Marial. part. 9.

serm. 2.

y Ipsa benedicta virgo, licet sit subjecta Deo inquantum creatura; superior tamen illi dicitur et prælata, inquantum est ejus mater. Unde Luc. cap. 2. de Christo Deo et homine scriptum est, quod erat subditus illi. O ineffabilis dignitas Mariæ, quæ imperatori omnium meruit imperare. Id. part. 12. serm. 2.

Peccando post baptismum videntur contemnere et despicere passionem Christi et sic nullus peccator meretur quod Christus amplius intercedat pro ipso apud patrem ; sine cujus intercessione nemo potest liberari a pœna æterna, nec temporali, nec culpa quam ipse voluntarie perpetravit. Et ideo fuit necesse ut Christus constitueret matrem suam prædilectam mediatricem inter nos et ipsum. Jac. de Valent. episc. Christopolit. in expos. cant. virg. Mariæ Magnificat.

Et sic in hac peregrinatione non relinquitur nobis aliud refugium in nostris tribulationibus et adversitatibus, nisi recurrere ad virginem Mariam mediatricem, ut velit placare iram filii. Id. ibid.

would appease the wrath of her Son," That " asb He is ascended into heaven, to appear in the sight of God for men; so she ought to ascend thither, to appear in the sight of her Son for sinners: that so mankind might have always before the face of GoD a help like unto Christ for the procuring of his salvation." That "this empress is of so great authority in the palace of heaven, that it is lawful to appeal unto her from any grievance, all other intermedial saints omitted. For howsoever according to the civil law the due means must be observed in appeals: yet in her the stile of the canon law is observed, wherein the pope is appealed unto, any intermedial whatsoever omitted." That she" is a chancellor in the court of heaven: and giveth letters of mercy only in this present life; but for the souls that depart from hence, unto some letters of pure grace, unto others of simple justice, and

Sicut ille ibi ascendit ut continue appareat vultui Dei pro hominibus. Hebr. cap. 9. ita ego debeo ibi ascendere, ut appaream vultui ipsius filii pro peccatoribus et sic humanum genus habeat semper ante faciem Dei adjutorium simile Christo ad procurandam suam salutem. Bernardin. de Bust. Marial. part. 11. serm. 2. membr. 1.

Hebr. chap. 9. ver. 24.

d Tantæ autem auctoritatis in cœlesti palatio est ista imperatrix, quod omnibus aliis sanctis intermediis omissis, ad ipsam licet ab omni gravamine appellare. Licet enim secundum jura civilia debitum medium servetur in appellationibus : (1. imperatores. ff. de appel. reci.) tamen in ipsa servatur stylus juris canonici, quo omisso quolibet medio appellatur ad summum pontificem. (c. si duobus extra de appel.) Id. part. 3. serm. 3. in excellent. 4.

e Nos autem dicere porsumus, quod beatissima virgo est cancellaria in cœlesti curia. Nam videmus quod in cancellaria Domini papæ conceduntur tria genera literarum, &c. Istas autem literas misericordiæ dat (B. virgo) solum in præsenti vita. Nam animabus decedentibus quibusdam dat literas puræ gratiæ : aliis vero simplicis justitiæ, et quibusdam mixtas, sc. justitiæ et gratiæ. Quidam enim fuerunt sibi valde devoti: et istis dat literas puræ gratiæ, per quas mandat ut detur eis gloria sine aliqua purgatorii pœna. Alii autem fuerunt miseri peccatores et ejus indevoti: et istis dat literas simplicis justitiæ, per quas mandat ut eis fiat condigna vindicta. Alii vero fuerunt in devotione tepidi et remissi: et istis dat literas justitiæ et gratiæ simul; per quas mandat ut et gratia eis fiat, et tamen illis inferatur aliqua purgatorii pœna propter negligentiam et torporem. Et ista significantur in Hester regina, quæ (ut habetur Hest. cap. 8.) scripsit literas ut Judæi salvarentur, et hostes interficerentur, et pauperibus munusculą darentur. Id. part. 12. serm. 2. memb. 1. in excellent. 22.

unto some mixed of justice and grace. For some," say they, "were much devoted unto her; and unto them she giveth letters of pure grace, whereby she commandeth glory to be given them without any pain of purgatory. Others were miserable sinners 'and not devoted to her; and unto them she giveth letters of simple justice, whereby she commandeth that condign punishment be taken of them. Others were lukewarm and remiss in devotion; and to them she giveth letters of justice and grace together; whereby she commandeth that both favour be done unto them, and yet some pain of purgatory be inflicted upon them for their negligence and sluggishness." And these things they say "are signified in queen Esther, who wrote letters that the Jews should be saved, and the enemies should be killed, and to the poor small gifts should be given." Yea further also, where king Assuerus did proffer unto the said Esther even the half of his kingdom: thereby they say was signified that God bestowed half of his kingdom upon the blessed virgin: that "having justice and mercy as the chiefest goods of his kingdom, he retained justice unto himself, and granted mercy unto her :" and "therefore" that if a man do find himself aggrieved in the court of God's justice, he may appeal to the court of mercy of his mother:" she being that "throne of grace," whereof the apostle speaketh, "Let us go boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

' Confugimus autem primo ad beatissimam virginem cœlorum reginam; cui rex regum, pater cœlestis, dimidium regni sui dedit. Quod significatum est in Hester regina: quæ cum ad placandum Assuerum regem accessisset, dixit ei rex; Etiam si dimidiam partem regni mei petieris, dabitur tibi. Sic pater cœlestis, cum habeat justitiam et misericordiam tanquam potiora regni sui bona; justitia sibi retenta, misericordiam matri virgini concessit. Gabr. Biel. in canon. Missæ, lect. 80. Vide Johan. Gerson. tract. 4. super magnificat.

Esth. chap. 5. ver. 3.

h Ista imperatrix figuravit imperatricem cœlorum, cum qua Deus regnum suum divisit. Cum enim Deus habeat justitiam et misericordiam: justitiam sibi in hoc mundo exercendam retinuit, et misericordiam matri concessit. Et ideo si quis sentit se gravari a foro justitiæ Dei, appellet ad forum misericordiæ matris ejus. Bernardin. de Bust. Marial. part. 3. serm. 3. in excellent. 4.

Id. ibid. exellent. 5. et part. 5. serm. 7. în fine.

Hebr. chap. 4. ver. 16.